Rare cause of intestinal obstruction, Ascaris lumbricoides infestation: two case reports.

Ascaris lumbricoides is common resident of intestine especially low socioeconomic areas in the world. Complication of Ascaris lumbricoides has been reported include obstruction of the small intestine, intestinal volvulus and intussusception. We report two children with severe sequelae of intestinal obstruction.

Unusual cause of gastric outlet obstruction: giant gastric trichobezoar: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Trichobezoars are caused by hair ingestion. The usual presentation of a trichobezoar is with early satiety and malnutrition. Obstructive symptoms and manifestations of gastric outlet obstruction may occur. The diagnosis may be suspected in young females with malnutrition, who have a history of trichophagia. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of 12-year-old female admitted to the emergency room for abdominal pain. On physical examination, she was cachectic and an epigastric mass was palpated. An exploratory laparotomy was conducted. A giant trichobezoar was palpated in the stomach and was removed through an anterior gastrostomy. CONCLUSION: There were no complications postoperatively and the patient was referred to a psychiatrist.

[Diffusion-weighted imaging of acute vertebral compression: Differential diagnosis of benign versus malignant pathologic fractures]. / Akut vertebral fraktürlerin malign ve benign ayriminda difüzyon agirlikli MRG'nin yeri.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to assess the value of diffusion-weighted steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence for differentiating between benign and pathologic compression fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine patients with 63 acute vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis (n = 23), trauma (n = 7), malignancy (n = 30), infection (n = 3) were examined with a diffusion-weighted SSFP sequence (diffusion gradient strength; 23 mT/m, diffusion pulse length 5 ms), T1-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence, and short-inversion-time (TI 150 ms) T2-weighted turbo inversion recovery sequence. The signal intensity characteristics were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively for all sequences. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t test. RESULTS: In diffusion-weighted MR imaging, benign osteoporotic and traumatic fractures were hypo- to isointense to adjacent normal vertebral bodies. Pathologic and infectious compression fractures were hyperintense to normal vertebral bodies. Pathologic vertebral fractures had positive bone marrow contrast ratios at diffusion-weighted imaging, whereas non infectious benign vertebral fractures had negative values (p < 0.001). The difference in bone marrow contrast ratios for benign and pathologic compression fractures at T1-weighted TSE and T2-weighted turbo IR was not significant (p > 0.01). CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted SSFP sequence provides unique information that significantly impacts the accuracy of radiologic diagnosis. Diffusion-weighted SSFP sequence may allow the differentiation of acute benign osteoporotic fractures from malignant compression fractures. Acute benign osteoporotic or traumatic fractures show hypointense or isointense signal on diffusion-weighted sequences that reflects persistent free water proton mobility. Malignant compression fractures show hyperintensity compared with normal surrounding bone marrow probably due to altered water proton mobility within the neoplasm.