Lipophagic granulomatous panniculitis with lipoatrophy mimicking arthritis with pitting edema.

We describe a preadolescent girl with intense ankle synovitis and pitting edema that obscured the subcutaneous origin of the inflammation. Typical nodular disease emerged after corticosteroid tapering when regional atrophy developed.

The acute lumbar disc herniation: imaging diagnosis.

The acute lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) can often be diagnosed on good quality MRI or CT examination. Myelography, discography, and postmyelography/postdiscography CT ordinarily are reserved for equivocal and protracted cases. MRI is recommended as the initial study of choice except for older patients for whom CT may be more valuable because of the high incidence of osteophytosis. Patients with acute herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) may have varied clinical symptoms depending on the level of the HNP, extent of the annulus tear/depth of penetration of nuclear material, and the direction of the disc herniation. HNP does not necessarily produce radiculopathy and may cause vague low back pain. This article reviews and analyzes the clinical symptoms and problems associated with HNP, as well as the pitfalls and differential diagnostic possibilities in interpretation.

The foramen ovale. MR and CT correlation.

Six patients with lesions involving the foramen ovale are presented and analyzed. Anatomy, pathology and imaging of diseases occurring in the vicinity of the foramen ovale are reviewed. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are complimentary in the evaluation of pathology in this region. CT is better able to evaluate bony detail while MR imaging is useful in detailing the anatomical extent and tissue characteristics.

The vestibular aqueduct syndrome: computed tomographic appearance.

We have recently examined three young patients with congenital unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. On computed tomography the only abnormality discovered was a remarkably enlarged vestibular aqueduct on the abnormal side. The vestibular aqueduct syndrome is an important cause of congenital hearing loss. Although this finding has been well illustrated with conventional multidirectional tomography, there has been little emphasis on the computed tomographic appearance.