Edemas of the face and lymphoscintigraphic examination.

Facial edemas not secondary to surgery and/or radiotherapy for head and neck cancer are relatively uncommon. Our aim is to report a retrospective analysis of the lymphoscintigraphic and SPECT-CT investigations obtained in patients with such facial edema. Retrospective review of exams (planar imagings in all and with SPECT-CT in 5) obtained after the subcutaneous injection of 99mTc HSA Nanosized colloids between the eyebrows in five men and seven women. Four main lymphatic pathways were identified on sequential planar imagings: para-nasal left and right and supra- ocular left and right. For eleven patients, the absence of visualization of lymphatic drainage and/or their delayed appearance correlated well with the localisation of the edematous areas. In two patients with post-traumatic and post- surgical edemas, SPECT-CT showed one deep left sided cervical lymph node (LN) in front of the first cervical vertebra. This lymphoscintigraphic approach represents a simple and valuable way to assess the lymphatic drainage pathways of the face and to establish the diagnosis of facial lymphedema.

Molecular Identification of Cutaneous Alternariosis in a Renal Transplant Patient.

Cutaneous alternariosis is a rare condition, caused by an uncommon opportunistic pathogen. The most frequently affected individuals are immunosuppressed patients, e.g., organ transplant patients on immunosuppressive therapy. Clinical manifestations range from local skin lesions to disseminated disease. We present a case report of cutaneous alternariosis in a renal transplant recipient, confirmed by histological examination and molecular means. In addition, a review of the literature was performed.

Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis associated with MPO-ANCA positive renal small vessel vasculitis of the microscopic polyangiitis type.

Renal disease in systemic sclerosis may present in various patterns. A 66-year-old woman with a history of longstanding limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis of the CREST syndrome variant presented with a sudden left foot drop and rapidly progressive renal insufficiency associated with mild proteinuria, a nephritic urine sediment, and a urinary output of 900 mL/d. There was no history of intake of D-penicillamine, and there were no signs of malignant arterial hypertension or microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Renal histology showed a small vessel vasculitis of the microscopic polyangiitis type. Serologic tests showed a marked increase of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies with a perinuclear pattern and an elevated titer of antimyeloperoxidase antibodies. No clinical or laboratory signs of Sjögren's syndrome were present. This clinical report adds new information to the spectrum of renal disease in systemic sclerosis. It discusses the association between systemic sclerosis and small vessel vasculitis of the microscopic polyangiitis type as well as the possible meaning of serologic markers.

Trichodorus philipi n. sp. from South Africa, with Notes on Paratrichodorus lobatus and P. acutus.

A new species in the family Trichodoridae, from the rhizosphere of native plants of the Cape Fynbos in the western Cape, Republic of South Africa, is described and illustrated. Trichodorus philipi n. sp. resembles T. cottieri Clark, 1963 and T. degans Allen, 1957, from which both sexes are distinguished by a shorter body and onchiostyle. The females differ by the more posterior position of excretory pore, presence of two pairs of lateral body pores, and shape and sclerotization of vulval-vaginal region in lateral view. Males differ by the more posterior position of excretory pore and ventromedian cervical papilla and length and shape of the spicules. Additional morphological details and morphometrics are given for Paratrichodorus lobatus (Colbran, 1965) Siddiqi, 1974 and P. acutus (Bird, 1967) Siddiqi, 1974.