Peritoneoscintigraphy using Tc-99m MAA for diagnosis of diaphragmatic disruptions in trauma patients.

The diagnosis of diaphragmatic disruptions secondary to blunt trauma is difficult because the patients are usually asymptomatic. Delay in recognition of this injury can be life threatening. The presence of previous pulmonary pathology makes the diagnosis even more difficult to establish. In this report, a diaphragmatic tear was diagnosed using intraperitoneal instillation of Tc-99m MAA.

Dressing wounds with potato peel.

The use of boiled potato peel (PP) in dressing of various skin conditions was studied. A total of 11 patients were selected, which included resistant wounds of pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid and leg ulcers. An autoclaved PP dressing with a thin layer of antiseptic cream was applied at 25 sites. It was covered with multilayered gauze and the dressing was secured firmly with either a roller bandage or with an adhesive tape. Complete epithelization was seen at 20 sites (80%), near complete epithelization at one site. There was no satisfactory response at three sites and at one site the result could not be evaluated. The mean duration of healing was one week for superficial wounds and three weeks for deep wounds. The PP dressing facilitates the wound and three weeks for deep wounds. The PP dressing facilitates the wound healing process by providing and maintaining a moist environment. The PP dressing is easy to prepare, apply as well as remove. It is a comfortable dressing and is also cost effective.

Three-phase bone and Ga-67 scintigraphy in disseminated sporotrichosis.

A 27-year-old man, who had been shoveling gravel in southern Texas for 3 years, had a history of papules and nodules in the left lateral wall of the abdomen. The lesions increased in number and severity with spread to other regions of the body. A punch biopsy of the right arm lesion revealed intracellular, round and cigar shaped budding yeast. The cultures grew Sporotrichum schenkii. Three-phase bone imaging and a Ga-67 scan defined the extent of the disease including involvement of the right tibia, left second metacarpal, and the left wrist joints, the latter two of which were not apparent on clinical examination.

A study of geriatric dermatoses.

A total of 200 patients aged 55 years and above were studied for cutaneous changes associated with ageing. The majority of patients (66%) were found to be in the age group of 55 to 64 years, of these 63% were males and 37% females. Pruritus was the commonest complaint in 78.5%. A variety of cutaneous lesions were observed. The commonest were cherry angiomas, seborrhoeic keratosis and naevus cell naevi. Not a single case of cutaneous malignancy was seen. Only 34.5% of the total dermatoses were found to be of infective aetiology. Diabetes was the most commonly associated systemic ailment. A psychosomatic background was observed in nearly 9.5% of the cases.

Plasmacytoma of the hyoid.

A case of plasmacytoma arising from the hyoid bone is described, this is a distinctly unusual site, as the marrow-containing flat bones are more commonly affected. On a review of the literature this appears to be the first report of plasmacytoma occurring in the hyoid bone. The patient underwent a CT scan and plain radiographs. Histopathology was diagnostic.

Role of computed tomography in preoperative evaluation of esophageal carcinoma.

The utility of computed tomography in pretherapy assessment of esophageal carcinoma is reviewed. Computed tomographic findings in 78 patients with histologically proved esophageal carcinoma were corelated with findings at surgery and histopathology. Computed tomography (CT) was found to be fairly accurate in assessing tumor extent, invasion of adjacent mediastinal structures and distant metastases but was of no help in detecting periesophageal lymph node involvement. The tracheobronchial tree invasion was detected with an overall accuracy of 96% whereas the same for invasion of aorta, percardium and gastroesophageal junction was 86%, 88% and 78% respectively. The sensitivity for the detection of periesophageal and perigastric lymphadenopathy was low (9% and 0% respectively) but was acceptably high in celiac lymphadenopathy (70%). CT is an excellent non invasive modality in pretherapy assessment of esophageal carcinoma and can guide the surgeon in determining the appropriate therapy.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the prostate.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the prostate is rare: only 42 cases have been reported. The authors describe a 27-year-old man with this disease. Lymphoma should be considered as a rare cause of enlargement of the prostate, especially in a young man.

Computed tomography of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity tumours.

One hundred and thirty seven patients with suspected neoplasms of paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity were studied with conventional radiography and C.T. Scan. Significantly greater tumour extent was detected on C.T. due to 3 - Dimensional demonstration of tumours. C.T.Scan was extremely helpful in diagnosing the primary site of tumour and tumour recurrence in treated cases. This information had pronounced effect on patient management and prognosis determination. C.T. was also helpful in differentiating certain benign conditions such as fibro-osseous lesions and inflammation without bony erosion from malignant tumours. The importance of C.T. scan in these neoplasms is discussed here.