[The adipose tissue of the pelvis in imaging technics]. / Le tissu adipeux du pelvis en imagerie.

Fat is a fundamental contrast agent in pelvic imaging. The features of fat are typical on CT and MRI but vary on ultrasonography according to the physical characteristics and histology. The study of pelvic fat is of great importance in pelvic exploration because fat outlines both the normal structures and their borders. Involvement or masking of the pelvic fat is a good marker of carcinologic spread. Changes in pelvic fat may also be observe in inflammatory diseases. Specific diseases of fatty pelvic connective tissue such as lipomatosis and liposarcomas, are classically described. Teratomas with a fatty component derived from pelvic structures (ovaries) are easily diagnosed using imaging methods.

[The thorax of patients in diving accidents. Radiologic study]. / Le thorax de l'accidenté de plongée. Etude radiologique.

On the basis of a series including 185 files on diving accidents gathered between 1981 and 1988, the authors carry out a radiological study of the thoracic signs observed after drowning and lung overpressure. The typical radiological form and the various clinical forms of drowning and lung overpressure are described in this article. Emergency plain thoracic radiography in bed in the method of choice. However, the existence of many false-negative findings leads to proposing a study with computed tomography (CT) after initial treatment in order to better assess the lesions and to characterize the accident. The utility of radiology is also demonstrated for the follow-up of evolution. Lastly, the authors lay stress on the necessity to prevent such accidents, to which radiologists can contribute by detecting thoracic lesions (dystrophy and other evolutive lesions) for which diving is contraindicated.

[Radiologic aspects of pneumonectomies]. / Aspects radiologiques des pneumonectomies.

Pneumonectomy is very important in the treatment of bronchial cancer and is responsible for considerable changes in thoracic images. A study based on 28 pneumonectomy cases has enabled us to define the normal radiographic and scanographic features of pneumonectomy sites as well as the main specific complications. Primary follow-up consists of standard X-rays, while computed tomography allows a good analysis of the anatomical course. Computed tomography is also useful in late medical follow-up, especially when a recurrence is noticed clinically.

[Pseudolymphomatous aspects of mesenteric lymphadenopathies in Whipple's disease. Value of x-ray computed tomography monitoring]. / Aspects pseudo-lymphomateux des adénopathies mésentériques dans la maladie de Whipple. Intérêt de la surveillance tomodensitométrique.

Lymphadenopathy is a very common finding during the course of Whipple's disease (W.D.). Abdominal (mesenteric and retroperitoneal) tumoral lymphnodes may mimick malignant neoplasm, specially a lymphoma. The authors report the case of a patient who had an abdominal computer-assisted tomography (C.T.) at the diagnosis and during an eleven month survey for W.D. General C.T. findings can help to differenciate mesenteric lymphadenopathy in W.D. from those found in malignant lymphomas: low density (10-20 Hounsfield Units) because of the high fatty charge of Whipple's lymphnodes, lymphadenopathy in the lower mediastinum, progressive but slow improvement with antibiotic therapy.

[Polysplenia with duplication of the inferior vena cava. Apropos of a case]. / Polysplénie avec duplication de la veine cave inférieure. A propos d'un cas.

A case of polysplenia fortuitously discovered in an adult by sonography, then studied by computed tomography and inferior vena cavography, is reported. In the absence of cardiac anomalies, the different elements of the syndrome are discussed: multiple spleens, abdominal heterotaxia and vascular malformations. The duplication of the inferior vena cava is exceptional in this disease. Its original characteristic is shown by the cavography and brought to its embryologic origin.

[Non-gynecologic fluid images of pelvis. Ultrasonic study]. / Images liquidiennes non gynécologiques du pelvis. Etude échographique.

From a series of 6,573 echographic surveys of pelvis in male and female, the authors point out 789 liquid images among them 82 are non gynecologic lesions. A statistical study of the different observed etiologies is proposed and compared with those of the literature. The main cases observed are gathered under several items: abscess, hematomas, urinary, digestive and vascular images and studied semiologically. The discussion points out the low frequency in opposition to the etiological diversity of this type of image and precise the diagnostic procedures rules which include other imaging methods especially computed tomography.

[Plasmacytoma of the head of the pancreas: a rare cause of cholestatic jaundice]. / Plasmocytome de la tête du pancréas: une cause rare d'ictère cholestatique.

A case of plasmacytoma of the head of the pancreas in a 75-year-old woman, revealed by obstructive jaundice, is reported. The tumor, which compressed the main bile duct, appeared to be round on sonographic and endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic investigations. Sonographically guided needle biopsy was performed but led to the erroneous diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Choledochojejunostomy and gastrojejunostomy were then performed but the patient died 10 days after the operation. Pathological examination of the specimens obtained at autopsy showed that the pancreatic tumor (as well as an other osseous lesion) were plasmacytomas with cells containing G immunoglobulins of the lambda type. Despite the failure of needle biopsy to lead to correct diagnosis in this case, the potential value of this method remains unequivocal as reported previously. Indeed, when positive results are obtained by this method in visceral localizations of plasmacytoma, hazardous surgery may be avoided and radiation and/or chemotherapy may be chosen preferentially.

[Growth of the fetal kidney. Echographic study]. / Croissance du rein foetal. Etude échographique.

An echographic study of the fetal normal kidney in 274 fetuses (548 kidneys measured) from 15 to 40 weeks of pregnancy is proposed by the authors. This work includes morphologic and biometric study with the growth curves of 4 parameters. It is shown that both kidneys are morphologically similar and their growth is continuous and there is a constant ratio between the different parameters. Ratios are established: Length/BPD = 0,45 +/- 10%, Width/BPD = 0,27 +/- 10%, Thickness/BPD = 0,26 +/- 10% which are very useful for the echographist. One hopes that with morphologic and biometric criteria of normality, the early detection of urinary tract malformations will be easier.

[A case of pseudocyst of adrenal gland (author's transl)]. / Un pseudo-kyste de la surrénale.

A case of pseudocyst of adrenal gland is reported. The first findings have been acute pain and falling hematocrit. Then hepatomegaly is present. All the investigations--ultrasonography, radionuclidescan, arteriography--failed to demonstrate the origin and saided liver cyst. The diagnosis is operative. The pseudocyst hemorrhagic are 32% of adrenal cysts. We think the computer tomography will be an important contribution for the diagnosis of false hepatomegaly.

[Primary tumours of the mesentery. Study of four cases (author's transl)]. / Les tumeurs primitives du mésentère. Etude de quatre observations.

The authors report four cases of mesenteric tumour including one cavernous lymphangioma complicated by volvulus of of the small intestine and one angiofibroma, a benign solid tumour which is rarely encountered. They comment on the preoperative assessment, which is not always possible for these patients are often operated on as an emergency. Cysts are easy to remove, but solid tumours even when benign are much more difficult to remove.