Music to the Ears: An Unusual Case of Frontal Lobe Stroke With Complex Auditory Hallucinations.

Auditory hallucinations are defined as the perception of sensory auditory input in the absence of an external stimulus. It is a multifaceted pathology with a range of symptoms and an even wider range of possible underlying causes. Its lack of true distinctive clinical features along with overlapping symptoms makes distinguishing between etiologies difficult without appropriate workup. Here, we present an unusual case of left frontal lobe ischemic infarction, resulting in complex musical auditory hallucinations in the absence of behavioral changes.

Lymphomas mimicking neuroinflammatory diseases - A diagnostic conundrum worth revisiting.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas (CNSLs) have varied clinical presentations which can mimic neuroinflammatory disease, leading to a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. RECENT FINDINGS: This report describes two patients who initially received a diagnosis of neuroinflammatory disorders but were refractory to treatment over a protracted time course. In both cases, biopsy revealed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) as the final diagnosis. SUMMARY: The analysis of these cases provides an opportunity for increased recognition of CNS lymphomas for earlier diagnosis and treatment. It also calls for increased clinical suspicion for CNSLs in such circumstances. And possibly the search for new biomarker development for identifying and tracking CNSLs.

A curious case of Lactococcus garvieae bacteremia associated with adenocarcinoma.

Lactococcus garvieae is a pathogen typically acquired from the consumption of raw seafood or unpasteurized dairy products. Here, we present the unique case of a middle-aged gentleman who presented with back pain, originally thought to be muscle spasms due to poor posture and heavy lifting. Initial radiological imaging showed evidence of a lumbar epidural abscess and lung nodule. Upon further work-up, L. garvieae was isolated in blood and abscess cultures. It was later hypothesized that the L. garvieae bacteremia might have an association with adenocarcinoma of the lung.

An Unusual Presentation of Vivid Hallucinations.

Visual hallucinations may present secondary to neurologic, psychologic, or physiologic disturbances. Certain features and characteristics of visual hallucination are often attributed to various brain regions; however, with a broad list of causes and multifaceted pathophysiology, it is often hard to accurately localize. Overlapping clinical presentations may be due to the pathology of brain interconnections, rather than isolated brain regions themselves. In this study, we discuss a case of isolated, complex visual hallucinations secondary to occipital seizures in the radiologic absence of an ischemic injury. We propose that a network-based localizing lesion is responsible for this unconventional presentation.

Rare Combinational Hemoglobinopathies.

Hemoglobinopathies are genetic defects that result in the abnormal formation and composition of globin chains in the hemoglobin molecule. Sickle cell disease is one of the more common forms of genetic malformation, while Hemoglobin (Hb) Arab, Lepore, Korle-Bu, Kansas, D-Punjab, and Hasharon are uncommon presentations. Herein, we describe the case of a young patient who presented with a low hemoglobin level and was subsequently diagnosed with a rare combination of Hemoglobin Korle-Bu, D-Punjab, and sickle cell trait.

Erythrodysesthesia: An Unusual Complication With Trastuzumab Monotherapy.

Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE), more commonly known as hand-foot syndrome, is a dermatologic complication following chemotherapy with selective agents. In this article, we present the case of a young lady with stage III breast cancer who developed palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia following treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab), an unusual complication of this particular drug. From our review of literature, this is the second known occurrence of PPE secondary to trastuzumab monotherapy.