Thymic atypical carcinoid.

Only 2% of carcinoids originate from the thymus with an estimated incidence of 1.5 to 3 per 10,000,000 persons per year. We present the case of a 30-year-old female patient in whom the diagnosis was confirmed by a fine needle aspiration cytology of a large mediastinal mass.

Profile of compressive myelopathy as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging.

To evaluate spectrum of diseases causing compressive myelopathy and accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing these conditions, a total of 69 clinically diagnosed cases of compressive myelopathy were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and results were tabulated. Caries spine was the commonest condition (24.6%) followed by metastasis spine (17.4%), ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (7.8%), primary bone tumours, nerve sheath tumours, intramedullary tumours and rare conditions like epidural abscess, spontaneous epidural haematoma, subdural haematoma, epidural lipomatosis, etc. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for diagnosing caries by magnetic resonance imaging was found to be 94%, 98% and 97% while that of metastasis spine was 91%, 98% and 97% respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice for diagnosing compressive myelopathy.

Evaluation of myelography and computed tomography in clinically diagnosed patients of lumbar disc herniation.

Forty patients with dinical diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation were evaluated with myelography and CT scan. Myelography diagnosed lumbar disc hemiation at 59 levels in 40 patients, while CT diagnosed disc hemiation at 64 levels. Lumbar disc hemiation was confirmed peroperatively in 30 out of 40 patients at 48 levels. Myelography correctly diagnosed 43 levels out of 48 levels and thus had a sensitivity of 89.6 per cent. CT diagnosed all the 48 levels correctly with a sensitivity of 100 per cent. Thus CT is super to conventional myelography in the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation. However, conventional myelography supplements CT examination by limiting the number of scans to the level of interest and thus reduces radiation exposure.

A profile of renal/renovascular abnormalities in patients of hypertension.

After a thorough dinical examination and laboratory investigations, ultrasonography (USG) followed by minute sequence urography (MSU) and aortography and/or selective renal angiography were done in 108 patients, clinically suspected of having renal hypertension of which 32 patients (29.6%) were found to be positive for renal/renovascular disease. Out of 82 patients, who were only young hypertensives, a definite diagnosis of renal/renovascular disease could be made in only 15 cases (18.3%), whereas the pick up rate increased to 65.4% in the rest of the 26 patients who had some other clinical criteria besides hypertension and it further increased up to 92.3% (out of these 26 patients) who had 2 or more than 2 clinical criteria of selection of patients besides hypertension. USG was useful in diagnosing renal parenchymal disease/ suggesting renal abnormalities in 30 cases and MSU was able to detect renal changes in 31 patients. Aortography and/or selective renal angiography could make a definite diagnosis of renovascular disease in 17 cases and renal agenesis in one case.

Gallstone expectoration following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for uncomplicated gallstone disease. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy may result in lost (spilled) gallstones. Such stones may precipitate various infective intra-abdominal complications. An unusual case of spilled gallstones eroding the diaphragm and eventually being expectorated out 12 months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is reported.