MR cholangiography in massive hepatobiliary ascariasis. A case report

The ultrasonographic and MR cholangiographic findings in a patient with massive hepatobiliary ascariasis are described.     

Elevated Serum Alpha Fetoprotein and Normal Liquor Alpha Fetoprotein Values in Association with an Abdominal Pregnancy

Summary: A case report is described in which abdominal pregnancy was misdiagnosed by ultrasound scanning as a pregnancy within a horn of a bicornuate uterus. Two serum alpha fetoprotein (SAFP) results were greatly elevated and an amniocentesis was performed, the liquor alpha fetoprotein (LAFP) and karyotype were normal. Elective Caesarean section was performed at 38 weeks for a persistent transverse lie and an abdominal pregnancy was found. The outcome was excellent for both the mother and child.
This is the first reported case of amniocentesis and measurement of LAFP in an abdominal pregnancy and confirms abdominal pregnancy as a rare cause of an elevated SAFP.     

Screening for a raised rectal temperature in Africa

The main purpose of this study was to compare rectal and axillary temperature measurements in African children. Altogether 573 sick children were seen in an outpatient setting in rural West Africa. Rectal and axillary temperatures were measured and the parent or guardian was asked if they thought that the child had a raised body temperature. Normal ranges were defined from an age matched population of 203 healthy children. A raised axillary temperature predicted a raised rectal temperature with a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 88%. The parents' impression that their child had a fever was a less sensitive (89%) and less specific (59%) indicator of raised rectal temperature. A raised axillary temperature is a good screening test for a raised rectal temperature in African children.     

Fibromatosis of bone in children

Radiographs, computed tomograms, and radionuclide bone scans were obtained preoperatively in three children with fibromatosis involving the bones and soft tissues of the extremities. Two of the children had identical scar-like bone lesions of the proximal tibia, which, to the authors' knowledge, have not been reported before in this disease. The lesions recurred in two children.     

Emphysema in the renal allograft

Two diabetic patients in whom emphysematous pyelonephritis developed after renal transplantation are described. Clinical recognition of this unusual and serious infection is masked by the effects of immunosuppression. Abdominal radiographic, ultrasound, and computed tomography findings are discussed. The clinical presentation includes urinary tract infection, sepsis, and acute tubular malfunction of the allograft in insulin-dependent diabetics.     

Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome associated to familial Mediterranean fever

A unique case of bilateral severe carpal tunnel syndrome due to familial Mediterranean fever is reported. The syndrome was diagnosed by clinical examination and electrophysiological studies. Bilateral transverse carpal ligaments were released and the biopsy specimens revealed systemic type A amyloidosis. Up to our knowledge, the co-existence of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and familial Mediterranean fever has not been reported previously in the literature.     

The importance of genomic copy number changes in the prognosis of glioblastoma multiforme

Glial tumors are the most common tumors of the nervous system, affecting individuals at any age. Since understanding of the molecular pathologies underlying human gliomas is still very poor, the treatment and therefore prognosis of this malignancy could not yet be improved. In order to determine whether different glioblastoma-associated genomic aberrations may serve as prognostic markers in combination with histopathological findings, 20 primary glioblastoma multiforme tumors were screened by comparative genomic hybridization, and the results were compared with histopathological and clinical features. All tumors showed genomic copy aberrations detected by comparative genomic hybridization. Regional and numerical increases in chromosome 7 copy number were the most frequently seen abnormality (10/20 tumors), followed by loss of chromosome 10 (8/20). Both of these aberrations were associated with shorter surveillance time. Chromosome 12q amplification was detected in seven tumors. Loss of 17p, 1p, and 19q in combination was seen in three cases. One of them was a giant cell GBM, whereas the remaining two cases were still alive. Combination of chromosome 1p and 19q deletions was also seen in a case with long surveillance. According to the preliminary findings of this study, in addition to the EGFR gene, amplification of other genes on chromosome 7 and the deletion of PTEN gene and other cancer-related genes on chromosome 10 appeared important to the development of glioblastoma multiforme and were associated with poor prognosis, whereas the combination of chromosome 1p and 19q deletions seems to be an informative molecular marker for better prognosis. The clinical features and genetic alterations of primary and secondary glioblastoma multiforme should be compared in large series to clarify the effective prognostic markers; and further molecular analyses focused on chromosomes 7 and 10 will be very helpful for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of glioblastoma.     

Localization of T cells and subtypes in the paranasal sinus and turbinate mucosa in patients with chronic sinusitis

The aim of this study was to quantitate total T lymphocytes (total CD3+ cells) and T-lymphocyte subtypes (CD4+ [T helper] and CD8+ [T suppressor] cells) in patients with chronic sinusitis who were treated with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and to investigate the pathophysiology of persistent inflammation in chronic sinusitis. This prospective study was conducted in study and control groups. The study group consisted of 32 patients (20 male, 12 female) with chronic sinusitis who underwent FESS. The control group consisted of 8 nonsinusitis patients (5 male, 3 female) who underwent septoplasty. Specimens from the study group were excised from five regions: the uncinate process, maxillary and ethmoid sinuses, and middle and inferior turbinates. The specimens were examined with x10 magnification by light microscopy, and the slides with a severe inflammatory process were included. Punch biopsy of the control group was taken from the inferior turbinate with patients' written approval. The surgical specimens from the study and control groups were examined with an immunohistochemical staining technique with monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, and CD8 surface antigens of T lymphocytes. In every specimen, the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells were calculated in 3 to 4 high magnification field on light microscopy, and the mean number of these cells in the epithelium, subepithelial layer of the lamina propria, and deep paraglandular layer of the mucosa was determined. Statistical analysis by Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and the Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction revealed that the CD3 epithelial layer value of the inferior turbinate (p = .030) and the CD4 deep layer value of the middle turbinate (p = .048) were significantly higher than the corresponding values of the control group. In the epithelial (p = .018) and subepithelial (p = .012) layers of the uncinate process group, in the epithelial (p = .050) and subepithelial (p = .012) layers of the ethmoid sinus group, and in the subepithelial (p = .018) and deep paraglandular (p = .012) layers of the middle turbinate group, the difference between the CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts was found to be statistically significant by the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The number of CD4+ cells was higher than the number of CD8+ cells. In conclusion, T cells play a role in the pathophysiology of chronic sinusitis. CD4+ T helper cells, in particular, are predominant at the initiation and regulation of inflammation. The uncinate process, ethmoid sinus, and middle and inferior turbinates have the main roles by T cells and subtypes in the defense system in chronic sinusitis.