Idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum in adults: findings on barium studies.

OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum is a rare entity characterized by a sharply demarcated segmental dilatation of the small bowel that is in line with the lumen. It is probably congenital in origin. Although more commonly diagnosed in children, it presents in adults as occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding or less often with abdominal pain. On pathologic examination, the mucosa may be ulcerated, but otherwise the wall is relatively normal. We analyzed the radiographic findings in nine previously unreported cases of this condition in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Collaborative efforts resulted in the collection of nine cases from multiple institutions. In five cases, an enteroclysis had been performed; in three, a conventional small bowel series had been performed; and in one, the lesion was seen on a barium enema with reflux into the ileum. The mean age of patients was 52 years. In seven cases, pathologic correlation was available. In the other two patients, long-term clinical follow-up and repeat studies confirmed the diagnosis. Resected specimens showed a thin but otherwise normal wall with normal ganglion cells and nerve plexuses. Ulceration was noted in six of the seven resected cases. Two cases contained heterotopic gastric mucosa. GI bleeding and/or anemia was the most common (77%) presenting symptom. Abdominal pain and/or obstruction was present in slightly less than half the patients (44%). RESULTS: Lesions were 6-21 cm long and 4-13 cm wide, and all were located in the ileum. The dilated segments were bilobate in three cases, multilobate in three, spherical in two, and tubular in the other. The dilated area was always in line with the long axis of the bowel, not projecting to the side. No surrounding masses were seen. Except in three patients in whom ulcers were noted, the mucosa was normal. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum should be suspected whenever a sharply demarcated area of lobulated small bowel dilatation is seen in a middle-aged patient with occult GI bleeding. The axial orientation distinguishes this condition from small bowel diverticula (including Meckel's). The lack of surrounding mass, mucosal irregularity, hypermotility, or fistulae help differentiate it from other causes of small bowel dilatation.

Main renal vein invasion by a transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis: documentation with CT.

Invasion of the main renal vein by transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis is an infrequently reported event. No accurate clinical frequency of this phenomenon is available. Extensive invasion of the renal parenchyma by the tumor usually is present by the time it presents in the renal vein. This article represents but the second documenting main renal vein involvement depicted with computerized tomography in a patient with carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

Agenesis and pseudo-agenesis of the dorsal pancreas.

Agenesis of the dorsal pancreatic anlage is a very unusual congenital anomaly. The case reported appears to be accompanied by hypertrophy of the ventral gland. Atrophy of the pancreas following an episode of acute pancreatitis is also very unusual. When the atrophy spares the uncinate process, it may also resemble agenesis of the dorsal gland.

Congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction with calcified renal pelvis and superimposed spindle cell urothelial carcinoma.

A case of congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction with calcification of the walls of the renal pelvis and with a superimposed urothelial tumor is described and illustrated.

Early gastric cancer: radiographic experience.

Early gastric cancer (EGC) is currently defined as an adenocarcinoma limited to the mucosa or to the mucosa and submucosa with or without perigastric lymph node involvement. To evaluate the radiologic features of this tumor, the radiographs of 21 cases were reviewed. Four were Type I (protruded) tumors, eight were Type II (superficial) including two mixed lesions, and nine were Type III (excavated), containing evidence of true ulceration. A retrospective analysis of radiographic findings indicated that nine of the tumors (43%) were either suspicious or diagnostic for malignancy on at least one examination, four (19%) were thought to be benign, and eight (38%) showed no identifiable lesion in the region of the stomach subsequently shown to contain an early cancer. The location, size, histology, gross morphology, and survival data, even in the face of perigastric lymph node involvement, all suggest that the early gastric cancer reported in this and other Western series is the same as that reported by the Japanese. The data further suggest that the incidence of EGC in the West is higher than traditionally thought.

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver arising in biliary cystadenocarcinoma: clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features with review of the literature.

Primary biliary cystadenoma, cystadenocarcinoma, squamous carcinoma, and adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver are rare tumors. We describe a middle-aged woman with recurrent fever and a clinical diagnosis of hepatic abscess who proved at laparotomy to have adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver arising in a biliary cystadenocarcinoma. The pathologic features of the tumor and findings on ultrasonography, angiography, and computed tomography are described in detail. The pathogenetic relationships of this unusual tumor to chronic biliary inflammation, biliary cystadenoma, and cystadenocarcinoma and to bile duct malformations (von Meyenburg complexes) are considered.

Computed tomography of renal lymphoma with ultrasound correlation.

The computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound findings in 18 patients (35 kidneys) with non-Hodgkin lymphoma involving the kidneys are presented. Renal involvement was bilateral in 13 patients. The most common presentation was that of multiple intraparenchymal nodules (15 kidneys). Other types of involvement included direct invasion from contiguous retroperitoneal lymph node masses (nine kidneys), solitary renal masses (five kidneys), and diffuse infiltration (two kidneys). On CT most of the lesions were of homogeneous tissue density. Ultrasonographically the renal masses were hypoechoic. We believe that CT is the procedure of choice for the detection and follow-up of renal lymphoma.

Computed tomography of intrathoracic goiters.

Ten patients with intrathoracic goiters were evaluated by computed tomography (CT). In comparison with chest radiographs, CT showed additional features helpful in suggesting the correct diagnosis. These observations included: (1) clear continuity with the cervical thyroid gland (8/10 cases); (2) well defined borders (9/10); (3) punctate, coarse, or ringlike calcifications (8/10); (4) nonhomogeneity (9/10) often with discrete, nonenhancing, low-density areas (6/10); (5) precontrast attenuation values at least 15 H greater than adjacent muscles (4/10) with more than 25 H after contrast enhancement (8/8); and (6) characteristic patterns of goiter extension into mediastinum.

Sensitivity of computed tomography in evaluation of pelvic lymph node metastases from carcinoma of bladder and prostate.

Pelvic lymph node evaluation by computed tomography was correlated with histologic diagnosis in patients with prostate and bladder carcinoma. Based on computed tomography alone, the stage of the carcinomas would have been underestimated in 38 per cent of cases and overestimated in 6 per cent. Over-all, the sensitivity of pelvic CT scanning in detecting lymph node involvement was only 14 per cent with specificity of 89 per cent. Although this series is relatively small and both second and fourth generation scanners were used, the limitations of computed tomography in recognizing minimal nodal disease or microscopic invasion of adjacent organs is reemphasized.

Computed tomography of the sacrum: 2. Pathology.

Fifteen cases of primary sacral pathology were analyzed. High-resolution computed tomography was found to be the most accurate means of studying these cases. Certain anatomic changes involving the central canal and sacral foramina were found to be helpful in determining the type of pathology. Although conventional plain films, radionuclide bone scans, and myelography were useful in certain cases, computed tomography was found to be the procedure of choice in the workup of sacral problems.

Computed tomography of the sacrum: 1. normal anatomy.

The sacrum of a disarticulated pelvis was scanned with a Pfizer 0450 computed tomographic scanner using contiguous 5 mm sections to display the normal computed tomographic anatomy of the sacrum. These anatomic sections were then compared with normal sacrums. In analyzing the computed tomographic anatomy, emphasis was placed on the central canal and sacral foramina, in that these landmarks are important in determining not only the presence but also the type of pathology involving the sacrum.