ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mesenteric alterations are associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), but the frequency and prognostic value of mesenteric alterations are unknown in patients with NHL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively screened 120 patients that were treated for NHL between January 1996 and December 2001 for the presence of mesenteric alterations, defined on computed tomography (CT) scans as nodular or diffuse infiltration of the abdominal mesentery with increased density of mesenteric fat. RESULTS: 21 patients (17.5%) had radiological findings of mesenteric alterations at the time of the initial NHL diagnosis. Mesenteric alterations were significantly associated with mesenteric lymphadenopathy (p = 0.01). In about 50% of the patients, mesenteric alterations could not be explained by direct mesenteric tumour invasion or overt lymphatic obstruction. Patients with initial findings of mesenteric alterations tended to have a better 4-year survival as compared to patients without such findings (79 vs. 43%, p = 0.11). The International Prognostic Index (IPI) score was the only independent predictor of survival in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: This retrospective screening study found a moderate prevalence of mesenteric alterations in patients with various subtypes of NHL. The diagnostic and prognostic value of mesenteric alterations should be further assessed in prospective studies.
Subject(s)
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/diagnostic imaging , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/mortality , Mesentery/diagnostic imaging , Panniculitis, Peritoneal/diagnostic imaging , Panniculitis, Peritoneal/mortality , Risk Assessment/methods , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Comorbidity , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Prognosis , Risk Factors , Survival Analysis , Survival Rate , Switzerland/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Dieulafoy's disease of the lung is very rare. We present 2 cases, which are, to our knowledge, the 9th and 10th cases reported in the literature. Haemoptysis is the leading symptom of Dieulafoy's lesion of the lung. In spite of its rareness, the lesion is relevant to the bronchoscopist because a biopsy of the unobtrusive but characteristic bronchial manifestation can precipitate profuse arterial bleeding with a fatal outcome. The bleeding can occur immediately after the biopsy and/or after an interval of up to 12 days. Angiographic images document that this vascular malformation is based on a left-to-right shunt, with a bronchial artery draining into a pulmonary artery. Endobronchial ultrasound may be helpful in detecting the vascular nature of the lesion.
Subject(s)
Bronchial Neoplasms/pathology , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/pathology , Lung Diseases/etiology , Biopsy , Bronchial Neoplasms/etiology , Bronchoscopy , Female , Hemoptysis , Humans , Lung Diseases/pathology , Middle Aged , Pulmonary Artery/pathologyABSTRACT
Brown tumor of the larynx is extremely rare. We describe a patient with long-standing primary hyperparathyroidism and severe skeletal involvement associated with brown tumors of the axial and appendicular skeleton and of the thyroid cartilage. Ossification of the laryngeal skeleton may explain the presence of this process in this unusual location.
