[Value of perineal sonography for diagnosing anterior urethral stenosis]. / Valeur de l'échographie de surface par voie périnéale dans le diagnostic des sténoses de l'urètre antérieur.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of perineal sonography in the diagnosis of urethral stenosis and evaluation of surrounding fibrosis. Materials and methods. Fifty-eight healthy subjects underwent urethral sonography. Thirty-two patients with suspected urethral stenosis underwent sonography after retrograde distension of the urethra using normal saline and retrograde urethrogram and voiding cystourethrogram. RESULTS: The mean diameters of the healthy urethra varied from 11 to 15 mm. The mean thickness of normal periurethral tIssue was between 2 and 4mm. Sonography detected 34 stenoses (97.4%). The length of the stenosis was significantly longer at sonography compared to retrograde urethrogram and voiding cystourethrogram. No significant difference was found between both techniques when measuring urethral diameter. In all cases, the thickness of periurethral tIssues was greater at the stenotic level than at a normal level, irrespective of the involved segment. There was no correlation between the thickness of periurethral tIssues and the degree of stenosis. CONCLUSION: Urethral sonography is a method that permits diagnosis of urethral stenosis and evaluation of periurethral fibrosis. It may replace retrograde urethrogram and voiding cystourethrogram in the diagnosis of post infectious stenosis.

[The value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases in Mauritania (171 cases)]. / Apport de l'échographie dans le diagnostic de la pathologie thyroïdienne en Mauritanie: à propos de 171 cas.

We investigated thyroid abnormality in Mauritania by carrying out a prospective ultrasound study of 171 patients. One hundred and thirty four patients underwent thyroid hormone determination (T3, T4 and TSH) and 123 had complementary plain film X rays of the chest and neck. These ultrasound examinations accounted for 3.8% of all ultrasound examinations performed over the study period. Thyroid abnormalities were more frequent in young adults aged 20 to 40 years (67.4%) and in women (83%) in Mauritania. Thyroid diseases affected people from savanna and mountain regions in particular. Diffuse goiters were the most frequent problem (76.3%) and most were multinodular or heterogeneous forms with necrosis or hemorrhage. One case of homogeneous diffuse goiter was found to be an infiltrating vesicular adenocarcinoma with metastatic adenopathy. Nodular goiters were mostly cystic, with septation (51.9%) and could be mistaken for hydatid cysts, which are endemic to the region. Further study of these aspects of thyroid diseases in Mauritania are required.

[Ultrasound aspects of abdominal involvement in adults with HIV infections in the Ivory Coast: apropos of 146 cases]. / Aspects échographiques des atteintes abdominales au cours de l'infection à VIH chez l'adulte de Côte d'Ivoire: à propos de 146 cas]

Over a six-month period, 146 grade IV AIDS patients (HIV-1 and HIV-2) systematically underwent abdominal ultrasound examination. All abdominal organs were investigated in the search for lesions. Many lesions were detected. Pathological lesions were most frequent in the nodes (17.2%), hyperechogenic liver tissue (16.5%) and kidneys (13.7%). Lesions in the liver, gall bladder and spleen were less frequent. In most cases, the lesions were not specific to AIDS. However, systemic abdominal ultrasound scans for AIDS patients would be of value because such lesions are present.

[Radiographic aspects osteoarticular complications in Buruli ulcers]. / Aspects radiographiques des complications ostéo-articulaires dans l'ulcère de Buruli.

The authors examine radiographic aspects of osteo-articular and soft tissue lesions on the basis of 30 files of in-patients suffering from Buruli ulcers. They specify the chronology and precociousness of certain signs: soft tissue lesions, bone demineralization, periostal apposition two months after the beginning of signs, and later osteolysis and joint complications. These lesions are not specific and occur contiguously to soft tissue lesions. The authors specify the part of secondary-infection germs in the appearance of bone lesions.

[A case of asplenia in a sickle cell homozygote SS patient]. / Un cas d'asplénie chez un drépanocytaire homozygote SS.

One case of total splenic atrophy is reported in a patient with SS homozygous sickle-cell disease presenting no related malformation, thus recalling the IVEMARK syndrome. An abdominal echography and computed tomography are indispensable in order to confirm the absence of the anatomic spleen; this makes for a better follow-up of sickle-cell disease.

[Fontanel ultrasonography of purulent meningitis in children in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)]. / Echographie transfontanellaire dans les méningites purulentes de l'enfant à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

A prospective study of 100 newborns and young babies suffering from purulent meningitis was carried out over a period of 11 months in the radiology department of CHU in Treichville. All the children included in the study were hospitalised in the pediatric department of the CHU. We found cerebral complications in 76% of cases. The most frequent complication was ventricular dilation which occurred in 82.6% of cases. Pericerebral bleeding occurred in 9.3%, cerebral ischemia in 3.5%, brain abscesses in 2.3% and ventriculitis in 2.3% of cases. Our study demonstrated the two important uses of trans-fontanelle ultrasound scans in the study of meningitis: (i) in diagnosis, for the detection of cerebral complications; (ii) in treatment, interventional use of ultrasound makes it possible to evacuate intra-cranial septic fluids.

[Criteria of indication of puncture of amebic liver abscesses. 228 patients]. / Critères de l'indication de ponction des abcès amibiens du foie. 228 patients.

To clarify the therapeutic role of US-guided in the treatment of amebic liver abscess, three different approach to amebic liver abscess were tested in 228 patients (187 males and 31 females) along 3 years. In a west african endemic area (in Abidjan). All cases were correctly diagnosed by clinical and sonographic findings, and by the pus after percutaneous or chirurgical drainage. The three modes of therapy utilized segregated three distinct group. The first group consisted of 80 patients who were treated medically by metromidazole and ampicillin administered orally. In them, 33 patients have noncollected abscess with a diameter ranged from 2.3 to 12.7 cm (mean 6.6 cm), 23 patients have a collected abscess with a diameter less than 10 cm ranged from 4.1 to 9.7 cm (mean 7.1 cm), 24 patients have a collected abscess with a diameter equal or exceeding 10 cm ranged from 10 to 22.5 cm (mean 14.3 cm). In the second group, there were 124 patients, and they were treated with combined US-guided percutaneous evacuation and medical therapy. In them, 22 patients have a collected abscess with a diameter less than 10 cm ranged from 4.9 to 9.5 cm (mean 7.4 cm), and 102 patients have a collected abscess with a diameter equal or greater than 10 cm (measured 10 cm to 27.5, mean 15.3). There were twenty four patients in the last group, they were treated by open chirurgical drainage because they have an abdominal ruptured abscess. The results with each form of therapy were assessed clinically and by abdominal ultrasound.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anthrographie opaque dans les derangements internes du genou (a propos de 200 cas)

A partir d'une etude prospective portant sur 7 ans; 2000 cas de derangements internes du genou ont ete analyses. Les lesions sont frequentes chez les sujets jeunes de sexe masculin (87 pour cent) avec pour cause essentielle les traumatismes surtout lors de la pratique du football. Les resultats arthrographiques revelent l'atteinte frequente des menisques surtout avec une predominance des fissurations