Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography findings of a gallbladder filling defect caused by sludge.

Ultrasound of the abdomen has described intraluminal gallbladder masses or stones without acoustic shadowing which have been termed "sludge balls." This finding has not been previously reported via its x-ray appearance at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. This case reports this finding at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and emphasizes that it is in the spectrum between suprasaturated bile and choledocholithiasis.

Dilatation of left ventricular cavity on stress thallium scan as an indicator of ischemic disease.

The left ventricular cavity seen on a stress thallium scan is normally smaller than that on a non-stress scan. This size differential can be used as an adjunct in the interpretation of borderline relative changes in perfusion seen in coronary artery disease or in the elimination of some false-negatives secondary to balanced lesions.

Rapid redistribution of thallium-201 post stress testing in a patient with variant angina.

Reperfusion of an ischemic area after stress scanning with 201TI can occur rapidly and early scanning post stress testing is emphasized.

Reliability of stress thallium-201 scanning in the clinical evaluation of coronary artery disease.

Stress thallium-201 scanning proved to be a highly sensitive and specific screening procedure for myocardial ischemia in 52 consecutive cases with coronary arteriograms. Stress thallium-201 scanning was considerably more accurate and more specific than the exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) as evidenced by a sensitivity of 83% compared to 55%, and a specificity of 94% compared to 82%. When submaximal stress tests were excluded, improved sensitivity of thallium scan to exercise ECG was 95% to 64% with no change in specificity. Factors producing negative thallium scans in the presence of coronary artery disease were: delay in obtaining the first post-exercise scan, positioning and observing variability, severe three-vessel disease uniformly affecting all myocardial segments, and failure to achieve maximal stress testing due to attenuation of the heart-rate response by propranolol or somatic complaints.

Detection of lymphaticocutaneous fistula by radionuclide lymphangiography.

The detection and evaluation of a postoperative lymphatic fistula using a simple and rapid method of dynamic radionuclide lymphangiography is described.

Genetic heterogeneity within the chondroitinsulphaturias.

The approach, identification of clinical phenotype followed by lysosomal enzyme assays in cell culture, used in the classification of the genetic mucopolysaccharidoses I-VI has been applied to the chondroitinsulphaturias. There was evidence of heterogeneity in the first 9 patients reported.

Noncalcified pleural plaque presenting as extrapleural mass.

Noncalcified pleural plaques may present as extrapleural masses. This benign entity must be considered in a differential diagnosis of pleural lesions. A case report is presented and the literature is reviewed.