Orbital metastasis: role of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography

Imaging of ocular and oral metastasis with CT and MRI is discussed. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the two techniques are presented. MRI seems to be particularly useful in discriminating intraocular tumor from retinal detachment. Both techniques depict orbital lesions well.     

Confirmation of Leishmania infantum MON-24, agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in southern France

Leishmania infantum MON-24, an agent causing cutaneous leishmaniasis, has only been reported once in Southern France. The authors report an additional case which confirms the presence of this zymodeme as agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this area. Treatment with a single course of liposomal amphotericine B did not show convincing efficacy.     

Renal cell carcinoma with involvement of iris and conjunctiva

PURPOSE: To report a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with involvement of the iris and bulbar conjunctiva. METHODS: Case report. A 70-year-old man without known systemic disease developed an iris mass in his left eye. Iridocyclectomy was performed to remove the iris mass. RESULTS: Histopathologically, the iris mass was consistent with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Further evaluation disclosed a mass of the left kidney. The patient underwent a left nephrectomy and was found to have renal cell carcinoma, with focal penetration into the renal capsule. One month after the nephrectomy, he developed a highly vascular nodule of the left bulbar conjunctiva. An excisional biopsy was performed, and histopathology disclosed an additional focus of renal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Iris and conjunctival involvement may be a clinical manifestation of renal cell carcinoma. Renal cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a fleshy, vascular iris and a conjunctival nodule.     

Constant Transmission Properties of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in 5 Countries

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) has been reported in 12 countries. We hypothesized that a common strain of agent is responsible for all vCJD cases, regardless of geographic origin. To test this hypothesis, we inoculated strain-typing panels of wild-type mice with brain material from human vCJD case-patients from France, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United States. Mice were assessed for clinical disease, neuropathologic changes, and glycoform profile; results were compared with those for 2 reference vCJD cases from the United Kingdom. Transmission to mice occurred from each sample tested, and data were similar between non-UK and UK cases, with the exception of the ranking of mean clinical incubation times of mouse lines. These findings support the hypothesis that a single strain of infectious agent is responsible for all vCJD infections. However, differences in incubation times require further subpassage in mice to establish any true differences in strain properties between cases.     

Analysis of the ST-segment in terms of principal components: application on multichannel magnetocardiographic recordings

Parameterization of the ST-segment is used as a tool for risk stratification for patients to suffer from ventricular tachycardia. This parameterization is performed in terms of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied on multichannel magnetocardiographic (MCG) recordings. 55-channel MCG was recorded from 14 normal persons, 10 patients with CHD, 14 patients with MI, and six patients with VT. We found a significantly (p?<?0.05) lower PCA-score in patients with MI compared to normals. The lowest PCA-score was found in VT patients. Significant differences can be found between VT patients and normals and also between VT patients and CHD patients.