Usefulness of apparent diffusion coefficient values for distinguishing between squamous cell carcinoma and malignant salivary gland tumor of the head and neck.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for differentiating between SCC and malignant salivary gland tumors of the head and neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 29 patients with SCCs and 10 patients with malignant salivary gland tumors who underwent pretreatment MRI of the head and neck. The minimum and average ADC values of the tumors were measured, with normalized tumor to spinal cord ADC ratios generated. Comparisons of ADC values and normalized ADC ratios between the two tumor types were performed using the unpaired t-test. RESULTS: The minimum and average ADC values and normalized average ADC ratios of SCCs (753.17 ± 214.47 × 10-6 mm2/s, 848.79 ± 250.13 × 10-6 mm2/s, and 0.92 ± 0.25, respectively) were significantly lower than those of malignant salivary gland tumors (1084.90 ± 242.60 × 10-6 mm2/s, 1305.90 ± 270.99 × 10-6 mm2/s, and 1.58 ± 0.31, respectively; all p < 0.001). A cutoff value of 1.31 for the normalized average ADC ratio was used to distinguish between SCCs and malignant salivary gland tumors and achieved an area under the curve of 0.93, sensitivity of 96.6%, specificity of 90%, and accuracy of 94.6%. CONCLUSION: ADC value measurement could help differentiate between SCCs and malignant salivary gland tumors.

Testicular enlargement in a pre-pubertal boy with adrenocortical tumour.

Adrenocortical tumours are rare in children. Virilisation caused by overproduction of adrenal androgens is the most common presentation. The testes of pre-pubertal boys with this tumour are usually small or of pre-pubertal size. A 4.8-year-old boy with an adrenocortical tumour and symmetrical pubertal-sized testes is reported. The serum testosterone level was 204 nmol/L (<0.7), dehydro-epiandrosterone-sulphate 56.7 µmol/L (<1.5) and luteinising and follicle-stimulating hormones were at suppressed levels. Histology demonstrated a diffusely increased mean tubular diameter of 90 µm (the size in a 12-year-old boy) and hyperplasia of Sertoli cells. There were no Leydig cells in the interstitial area. Prolonged exposure to an extraordinarily high testosterone level could have had stimulating effects on the seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cell growth and thus contributed to testicular enlargement.

Clinicopathologic Findings and Treatment Outcome of Laryngectomized Patients with Laryngeal Cancer and Hypopharyngeal Cancer: An Experience in Thailand

Objective: To evaluate the clinicopathologic findings and treatment outcome in laryngectomized patients with laryngeal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer. Materials and Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 212 patients who had been newly diagnosed and treated with laryngectomy between January 2000 and December 2010. The age, gender, clinical manifestations, associated predisposing condition, tumor WHO grade, AJCC tumor stage, maximum tumor size, anatomical involvement, type of surgery, postoperative sequelae, treatment and therapeutic outcome were analyzed. Results: The present study included laryngeal cancer (n = 155) and hypopharyngeal cancer (n = 57). The patients' age ranged from 38 to 84 years, with the mean age of 62.08±9.67 years. The common clinical presentations were hoarseness (73.6%), cervical lymphadenopathy (35.8%), sorethroat (22.2%), and odynophagia (14.6%). The laryngeal cancer commonly involves true vocal cord (86.5%), anterior commissure (65.8%), false vocal cord (56.8%), laryngeal ventricle (53.5%), subglottis (47.1%), and paraglotic space (35.5%), respectively. Fifty-three percent of cases had stage IV cancer. The most common postoperative surgical sequela was hypothyroidism (77.8%). The overall 5-year survivals for laryngeal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer were 55% and 9%, respectively. The 5-year survival for node-negative cases was 61.8% versus 17% for node-positive cases (p< 0.001). AJCC stage of laryngeal cancer and hypopharyngeal cancer was a significant predictor of 5-year survival (p< 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Conclusions: The advanced AJCC stage, advanced T stage, advanced N stage, extracapsular tumor spread, and tumor invasion of false vocal cord, epiglottis, preepiglottic space, paraglottic space, thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane were found to significantly augment the decrease of 5-year survival in laryngeal cancer. Only advanced AJCC stage was significantly associated with 5-year survival rate in hypopharyngeal cancer.

Pituitary tuberculoma: A consideration in the differential diagnosis in a patient manifesting with pituitary apoplexy-like syndrome.

Pituitary tuberculoma is extremely rare, even in endemic regions of tuberculosis and much less frequently as a presentation of pituitary apoplexy. We describe a 25-year-old female presented with sudden onset of headache and vision loss of left eye which mimicking symptoms of pituitary apoplexy. MRI of the pituitary gland showed a rim-enhancing lesion at the intrasellar region extending into the suprasellar area, but absence of posterior bright spot with enhancement of the pituitary stalk. Pituitary hormonal evaluation revealed panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus. An urgent transphenoidal surgery of the pituitary gland was undertaken for which the histopathology showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with infarcted adjacent pituitary tissue. Despite negative fungal and AFB staining, pituitary tuberculoma was presumptively diagnosed based on imaging, pathology and the high incidence of tuberculosis in the country. After the course of anti-tuberculosis therapy, the clinical findings were dramatically improved, supporting the diagnosis. Pituitary tuberculoma is extremely rare in particular with an apoplexy-like presentation but should be one of the differential diagnosis list of intrasellar lesions in the patient presenting with sudden onset of headache and visual loss. The presence of diabetes insipidus and thickened with enhancement of pituitary stalk on MRI were very helpful in diagnosing pituitary tuberculosis.

Tuberculous Panophthalmitis with Lymphadenitis and Central Nervous System Tuberculoma.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease that spreads globally. The ocular manifestations of TB are uncommon and diverse. TB panophthalmitis has been rarely reported. Here, we described a 38-year-old Thai man presenting with panophthalmitis of the right eye. Further investigation showed that he had concurrent TB lymphadenitis and central nervous system (CNS) tuberculoma, as well as HIV infection, with a CD4 cell count of 153 cells/mm(3). Despite the initial response to antituberculous agents, the disease had subsequently progressed and enucleation was required. The pathological examination revealed acute suppurative granulomatous panophthalmitis with retinal detachment. Further staining demonstrated acid-fast bacilli in the tissue. Colonies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were obtained from tissue culture. He was treated with antiretroviral agents for HIV infection and 12 months of antituberculous agents. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of TB in the differential diagnosis of endophthalmitis and panophthalmitis, especially in regions where TB is endemic.

Disseminated Mycobacterium Simiae with Pelvic Malakoplakia in an AIDS Patient.

Malakoplakia in an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient with disseminated Mycobacterium simiae infection presented with a large pelvic mass that caused organ dysfunction from mimicking a tumor. Malakoplakia is a rare, chronic granulomatous abnormal host response toward infectious agents, presenting as a tumor-like lesion. This is the first report of pelvic malakoplakia after disseminated M. simiae infection in an AIDS patient.

Bilateral pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia in a human immunodeficiency viral-infected patient.

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm of the breast demonstrating stromal myofibroblastic proliferation and having the appearance of anastomosing slit-like pseudovascular spaces lined by spindle-shaped cells. A case of nodular PASH of the bilateral breasts in a 40-year-old woman with clinically presenting with a progressive enlarged breast lump is reported. Mammographic and ultrasonographic features of the right and left breasts showed a large solid lump with well-circumscribed border measuring 4 cm × 1.7 cm × 3.4 cm and 13.8 cm × 10.9 cm × 12.1 cm, respectively. Wide excision of the right breast and quadrantectomy of the left breast were performed. The histopathological examination of the lesion showed anastomosing slit-like pseudovascular spaces. The stromal cells were immunoreactive for muscle actin (HHF35), smooth muscle actin, and progesterone receptor. Clinical and pathological findings with briefly reviewed relevant literatures are discussed. This is the first clinicopathological and radiological report of bilateral mammary nodular PASH in a human immunodeficiency viral-infected patient.

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy due to biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis in Thai patients.

Giant cell arteritis is a systemic granulomatous vasculitis affecting medium to large arteries. An arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is the most common cause of permanent visual loss. Giant cell arteritis is very rare among Asians. We report six patients with biopsy-proven arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment, and visual outcome are described in detail and compared with Caucasian patients. We found no differences in any clinical features except for sex preference. Moreover, perioptic nerve sheath enhancement was observed in half of our patients.

Endoscopic removal of one live biliary Fasciola gigantica.

Biliary fascioliasis was diagnosed in a woman from Angthong province, who presented herself with anorexia, weight loss, and jaundice for one month. Intraoperative retrograded cholangiopancreatography revealed a filling defect considered as a stone and bile sludge. By the sphincterotomy and balloon-extraction technique, one live fluke was removed and identified as Fasciola gigantica. A single dose of praziquantel, 25 mg/kg of body weight/day, was given although the postoperative stool examination revealed no Fasciola spp. egg. The patient was doing well after the fluke removal. According to a previous review, in this country, Ayutthaya is the southernmost province for the distribution of fascioliasis.