Accessory spleen torsion: US, CT and MR findings.

Torsion of an accessory spleen is a very unusual entity that can appear with abdominal pain associated with the presence of an avascular mass. We report the case of a 13-year-old boy with torsion and infarction of an accessory spleen presenting as a painful abdominal mass in which imaging examination with US, CT and MR showed a large avascular mass in the upper left abdomen.

Riedel thyroiditis: US, CT, and MR evaluation.

We report the ultrasound, CT, and MR findings in a patient with Riedel thyroiditis. The hypointensity of the lesion observed on T1- and T2-weighted sequences, especially when associated with infiltration of adjacent structures of the neck, can be suggestive of Riedel thyroiditis.

Hemorrhagic cyst mimicking renal malignancy in a child.

Hemorrhage is a very rare complication of renal cyst in childhood. We report a six year-old-male with spontaneous macroscopic hematuria in which ultrasound and CT studies demonstrated a solid renal mass. Pathological examination of the resected lesion revealed a hemorrhagic cyst.

Chylous ascites associated with acute pancreatitis in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

We report on a case of chylous ascites associated with acute pancreatitis secondary to gallbladder stone disease, in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The initial clinical presentation was one of bacterial peritonitis, with later appearance of chylous peritoneal drainage. Diagnosis was suggested by abdominal computed tomography and confirmed by surgical exploration. We discuss the main diagnostic keys of peritoneal dialysis-associated pancreatitis and the possible etiologic role of this entity in chylous ascites of these patients.

Renal allograft rupture: diagnostic role of ultrasound.

To evaluate the diagnostic role of ultrasound in spontaneous renal allograft rupture we reviewed 18 cases observed in our centre in 10 years. Ultrasound studies were performed immediately before surgery in 15 cases. Renal allograft rupture occurred during the first 3 weeks after transplantation in 17 cases (94%). Clinical findings were consistent with previous reports. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgical exploration in 17 cases, and by necropsy in the remaining one. Nine patients were treated by corsetage and eight by graft nephrectomy, while one patient died before surgery. Acute rejection was present in nine cases, and severe acute tubular necrosis in five; no renal tissue was available for histological study in four patients. On ultrasound examination, perirenal haematoma was the most frequent finding, while subcapsular/intrarenal haematoma or findings suggesting rejection or urinary tract obstruction were less frequently observed. In six cases, disruption of the white linear echoes of the capsule of the graft could be seen; this finding has not been described previously. Ultrasound has a definite role in presurgical evaluation of suspected renal transplant rupture.

Amyloid goiter in a child--US, CT and MR evaluation.

There are few radiological descriptions of amyloid goiter, basically in adult patients of oriental origin. We present a ten-year-old boy with Still's disease and secondary thyroid amyloidosis, describing the US, CT and MR findings.

Retractile mesenteritis involving the colon: barium enema, sonographic, and CT findings.

Retractile mesenteritis is a rare disorder characterized by either focal or diffuse thickening of the mesentery due to chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Six cases are reported in which stenosis of the colon, an uncommon complication of retractile mesenteritis, was the predominant radiologic finding. Diagnosis was suggested by the tapered, serrated appearance of the stenotic segment on barium enema complemented by the findings on sonography and CT.