Small bowel carcinoid presenting as a barolith.

Baroliths are rare complications of barium contrast roentgenography that occur almost exclusively in the colon. Baroliths are often asymptomatic, but may be associated with abdominal pain, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, or perforation. We present an unusual case of a barolith which developed within the lumen of the small bowel, and resulted in the detection of an otherwise occult carcinoid tumor of the ileum.

Ferumoxide-enhanced MRI of sideronecrosis superimposed on genetic hemochromatosis.

Genetic hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption from the gut, resulting in increased total body iron stores, multisystem organ dysfunction, and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The magnetic susceptibility effects of excess hepatocellular iron generally cause diffuse hepatic signal loss on T2- or T2*-weighted MR images. Although hepatic iron deposition is usually diffuse, focal areas of iron sparing can occur, and, when present, superimposed neoplasm is a consideration. We describe a patient with cirrhosis, hemochromatosis, and multiple small benign relatively hyperintense iron-poor foci consisting of piecemeal sideronecrosis.

Testicular microlithiasis: association with male infertility.

PURPOSE: We studied the frequency of testicular microlithiasis (TM) in a select group of otherwise healthy infertile men with abnormal semen. METHODS: We reviewed scrotal sonography records of 180 consecutive patients with abnormal semen who were referred for evaluation of male infertility. The pampiniform plexus was evaluated for possible varicocele, and the testes were examined for the presence or absence of intratesticular calcifications and/or masses. Five patients with more than 5 echogenic foci per transducer field in either testis were identified. The medical records and sonograms of this subgroup of patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 180 patients, 5 (2.8%) had TM. Three patients with TM had concomitant small varicoceles; 2 others had a history of testicular maldescent. Two patients eventually became fertile. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate a higher than expected frequency of TM in otherwise healthy infertile men. We speculate that the magnitude of hypospermatogenesis in patients with TM is variable and may relate to both the degree of testicular dysgenesis and the presence or absence of concomitant scrotal pathology (eg, scrotal varicocele and cryptorchidism).

Klinefelter's syndrome associated with testicular microlithiasis and mediastinal germ-cell neoplasm.

Klinefelter's syndrome is a genetic disorder of male sexual differentiation characterized by an XXY karyotype. Although considered a benign condition, it is associated with several types of malignancies, including mediastinal germ-cell neoplasm. In addition, Klinefelter's syndrome has been rarely associated with testicular microlithiasis. Whereas patients with Klinefelter's syndrome have an increased incidence of extragonadal germ-cell neoplasms, patients with testicular microlithiasis have a predisposition to testicular germ-cell neoplasms. To our knowledge, an extragonadal germ-cell neoplasm has not been previously described in association with testicular microlithiasis. We present a patient with 2 unusual conditions, both of which are independently associated with Klinefelter's syndrome: mediastinal germ-cell neoplasm and testicular microlithiasis.

The perinephric space and renal fascia: review of normal anatomy, pathology, and pathways of disease spread.

The perinephric space is a cone-shaped retroperitoneal compartment containing the kidney, adrenal gland, perinephric fat, fibrous bridging septa, and a rich network of perirenal vessel and lymphatics. Perinephric space pathology may originate from within or outside the confines of the perirenal fascia. Most intrinsic perinephric space disease arises from the kidney or adrenal gland, and secondarily involves the perinephric space. Disease originating outside the cone of renal fascia may spread to the perinephric space via lymphatics (i.e., metastatic spread) or by directly transgressing perirenal fascial planes (e.g., invasive tumor or infections). Additionally, infiltrating soft tissue or rapidly accumulating retroperitoneal fluid may travel into or out of the perinephric space via perinephric bridging septa and renal fascia. In this article, we review the normal anatomy of the perinephric space and renal fascia, emphasizing the significance of retroperitoneal interfascial planes and perinephric bridging septa as a potential conduit for retroperitoneal disease spread. This review of normal anatomy and pathways of disease spread serves as background for a discussion of a variety of specific pathologic conditions that may involve the perinephric space and retroperitoneal fascia, including pancreatitis, retroperitoneal hematoma, urinoma, metastatic disease, and perirenal varices.

Carcinoma of the gallbladder: color Doppler ultrasound and CT findings.

A case of a large polypoidal gallbladder carcinoma presenting with empyema is described. Heterogeneous echoes filled the gallbladder lumen on gray-scale sonography. Color Doppler ultrasound detected vascularity within the gallbladder lumen, thereby differentiating the intraluminal tumor from isoechoic sludge and pus. Correlative computed tomography showed an enhancing intraluminal mass, with small enhancing vessels that corresponded to those seen with color Doppler sonography.

CT findings in tuboovarian abscess.

Pelvic inflammatory disease with tuboovarian abscess can cause a wide range of radiologic abnormalities. Although the diagnosis of tuboovarian abscess is usually straightforward and is based on clinical and sonographic findings, unusual or unsuspected cases may be confused with other pelvic or abdominal diseases. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the CT findings in tuboovarian abscess.