Granulomatous slack skin T-cell lymphoma: an important differential diagnosis with giant cell tumor of soft tissue

Granulomatous slack skin is an indolent T-cell lymphoma, considered to be a variant of mycosis fungoides. Clinically it is characterized by areas of redundant skin, wrinkled, inelastic, with variable erythema and infiltration besides a poikilodermic surface. A differential diagnosis unknown to most dermatologists is the giant cell tumor of soft tissue, which is an extremely rare low-grade sarcoma. The authors report a patient who had undergone extensive surgery because of a primary diagnosis of giant cell tumor of soft tissue, but which proved to be granulomatous slack skin after a second interventional procedure with confirmatory histopathology.     

Production of nitrite by primary rat astrocytes in response to pneumococci

Recent studies using a rat model of pneumococcal meningitis have shown that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors greatly attenuated microvascular changes and brain edema formation. The site of NO production during bacterial meningitis is unknown. In this study we tested whether primary astrocyte cultures from neonatal rat cortex can be induced to release NO upon stimulation with pneumococci. NO production was assessed by measuring nitrite in the cell culture supernatant using the Griess reaction. Stimulation with heat-killed unencapsulated pneumococci (HKP) increased nitrite concentrations in astrocyte culture supernatants in a dose-dependent fashion. Administration of AT-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), aminoguanidine, L-canavanine, cycloheximide, and dexamethasone prevented the increase in nitrite concentrations. Addition of L-arginine, but not of o-arginine, partially reversed the inhibitory effect of L-NA. Administration of SOD increased nitrite accumulation. Moreover, at 72 h after stimulation with heat-killed pneumococci (10⁷ cfu/ml) astrocytes showed an inducible NOS-like immunoreactivity. Accumulation of nitrite was also observed when rat cerebellar neurons and microglia were stimulated with HKP, whereas there was only a slight increase of nitrite in media of rat C6 glioma cells, but no increase of nitrite when the human glioblastoma cell line LN-229 was stimulated with HKP. There was a stronger increase in nitrite levels when astrocytes from Lewis rats were used compared to that from Wistar rats. In conclusion, our study indicates that astrocytes, neurons and microglia are inducible for NO production upon stimulation with pneumococci.     

Neuroimaging in Pineal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The authors report radiological findings in 11 tumors in the pineal region, which were histologically diagnosed as germinomas, pineocytomas pineoblastomas, ependymomas, teratomas, and astrocytomas. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed in seven patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients. RESULTS: CT showed a solid or solid/cystic mass with variable contrast enhancement. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass, with hypointense signal on T1 and iso/hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images (WI) and gadolinium enhancement. Extension to adjacent structures occurred in five patients and spread through the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in two. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal region tumors have no pathognomonic imaging pattern. MRI and CT are complementary in diagnosis and are important to determine localization, extension, and meningeal spread.     

Modern Morbidity following Pulmonary Resection for Postprimary Tuberculosis

n = 8), multidrug resistance or noncompliance to the medical treatment ( n = 11), parenchymal sequelae ( n = 3), suspected cancer ( n = 5), and for the correction of postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula and empyema ( n = 1). On admission, eight patients presented with sputum positivity (28.6%). Similar to previous series, tubercular predilection for upper lobes was confirmed (21/28, 75%); accordingly, upper lobectomy through an extrapleural approach was the most common procedure (16/28, 57.1%). Atypical segmental resections or segmentectomies were performed in seven patients (25%), whereas a bilobectomy was necessary in another three patients (10.7%) and a completion pneumonectomy in one (3.6%). Additional procedures were an open-window thoracostomy with transpericardial closure of the main bronchus and a tailored thoracoplasty. No operative mortality was reported. Healing was achieved in 26 patients (93%). Bleeding, either from the chest wall or hilar dissection, was the only reported intraoperative complication. Median blood loss, inclusive of early postoperative collections from chest tubes, reached 1330 ml (range 100–3700 ml). Major postoperative complications included recurrent disease (2/28, 7%) in sputum-positive patients and segmental pulmonary embolism (3.5%). Causes of minor morbidity were air leaks resulting in residual space undergoing spontaneous resolution (18%), wound breakdown (14%), and, fever (11%). This limited series confirms the therapeutic value of the surgical treatment of postprimary tuberculosis, provided that correct indications, adequate pre- and postoperative medical coverage, and meticulous technique are applied.     

Motor neuron disease and optic neuropathy after acute exposure to a methanol-containing solvent mixture.

A 34-years-old floor-layer developed optic neuropathy and motor neuron disease after being accidentally exposed to a solvent mixture containing methanol and other substances. Optic neuropathy is a complication of methanol poisoning, but the onset of a motor neuron disorder resembling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after the exposure to these substances has not been previously described. The temporal onset of the clinical symptoms, biological plausibility, young age of the patient and absence of neurological disorders in the family history raises suspicion of a possible causative relationship.