A review of rheumatoid meningitis with case studies.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease involving synovial joints, and it is known that extra-articular manifestations that may affect the central and peripheral nervous systems may develop during its course. Rheumatoid meningitis is very rare among all neurological involvements. In this study, cases diagnosed as rheumatoid meningitis with clinical, imaging, laboratory, and histopathological features are presented, and the aim of the study is to present current approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid meningitis in the light of case studies and current literature. The data of the patients who were followed up with the diagnosis of rheumatoid meningitis in neurology clinic between 2017 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Three cases diagnosed with rheumatoid meningitis are presented in detail. In the first case, the diagnosis was reached by clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings as well as treatment response, while the diagnosis was made by histopathological verification in the second case. The third case shows that spontaneous remission can be observed in the course of rheumatoid meningitis. Rheumatoid meningitis, which is one of the rarest involvements in the course of RA, may present with headaches, focal neurological deficits, seizures, and altered consciousness. A meningeal biopsy is recommended when the differential diagnosis cannot be ruled out with imaging and laboratory findings. In the differential diagnosis Mucobacterium tuberculosis, syphilis, neuro-sarcoidosis, immunoglobulin G4-related disease, lymphoproliferative diseases, and systemic metastasis should be kept in mind. Aggressive RA management is recommended for treatment.

Trichophagia as a cause of acute appendicitis in a patient with bipolar disorder.

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common abdominal surgical emergencies worldwide. Clinical diagnosis is possible in most of the cases although imaging modalities may become necessary if the diagnosis is uncertain. Appendectomy, preferably the laparoscopic ap-proach, still remains the gold standard treatment to date. The pathophysiology usually includes luminal obstruction by an appendicolith or lymphoid hyperplasia and rarely parasitic infections. In this report, we present an extremely rare case of a patient with diagnosis of bipolar disorder and a history of trichophagia resulting in trichobezoar formation within the appendiceal lümen leading to acute appendicitis.

Clinicopathological features and management of colonic lipomas: Case reports.

INTRODUCTION: Colonic lipomas are benign tumors of adipose tissue that are often asymptomatic, but they may present with rectal bleeding or obstructive symptoms. These tumors are unique in that they are rarely encountered within the gastrointestinal system and can mimic malignant tumors in appearance. Surgical resection and endoscopic removal of tumors have been shown to be successful in their management. PATIENT CONCERNS: In this report, we present 3 cases of colonic lipomas, 2 of which are located in the cecum and the other within the sigmoid colon. The presenting symptoms of the patients included abdominal pain, constipation, and dyspepsia. DIAGNOSIS: Patients typically presented with anemia and an elevated C-reactive protein count. Colonoscopic and computerized tomography findings were used for diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: Hemicolectomy was performed, depending on the localization, and the pathologic specimens were consistent with lipoma. OUTCOMES: Surgical resection was curative in all patients. The postoperative period was uneventful in all patients and all patients are symptom-free and alive at 3 years follow-up. CONCLUSION: Colonic lipomas are benign mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal system with a male predominance and are observed within the fourth to sixth decades of life. Various genetic abnormalities have been reported and they have been linked to the formation of intussusception. The squeeze sign on radiological imaging, cushion sign and tenting sign in colonoscopy, and naked fat sign during pathologic examination is helpful towards reaching a diagnosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice but minimally invasive endoscopic approaches have also been shown to be successful.

Primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast and neuroendocrine differentiated breast cancers: Relationship between histopathological and radiological features.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study wasto investigate whole-breast imaging findings (mammography, ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),clinical, and histopathological findings of primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast (NEC) and neuroendocrine differentiated breast cancers (NEBC). METHODS: Patients withadiagnosis of breast cancer with histopathological neuroendocrine features between the years 2010 and 2021 were retrospectively screened.The lesions were divided into two main groups depending on staining with neuroendocrine markers (synaptophysin and chromogranin A). Those showing focal staining were categorized as NEBC while those with diffuse staining as NEC.The mammography, US, and MRI of the lesionswere reviewed in consensus by two breast radiologists in order to assess imaging featuresretrospectively according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 5th lexicon.The findings were compared with breast cancers without neuroendocrine features (BC-WNE) which were randomly selected from the same database. RESULTS: A total of 105 lesions [NEBC (n = 44), NEC(n = 11), BC-WNE (n = 50)] were evaluated.Patients with neuroendocrine tumors were older (p < 0.001) than those with BC-WNE. Compared with BC-WNE tumors, radiological findings typical of malignancy such as irregular shape [NEBC (7/20); NEC(3/7) vs BC-WNE (35/43); p < 0.001], spiculation [NEBC (2/20); NEC(0/7) vs BC-WNE (21/43); p < 0.001], architectural distortion [(NEBC (3/24); NEC(0/9) vs BC-WNE (31/50); p < 0.001)], calcification [(NEBC (6/24), NEC(0/9) vs BC-WNE (n = 27/50); p = 0.001)] on mamography, non-parallel orientation to skin [(NEBC (n = 17/29), NEC(n = 4/9), BC-WNE (n = 35/42); p = 0.008)], acoustic shadowing [(NEBC (n = 12/29), NEC(1/9), BC-WNE (n = 29/42); p = 0.009)], axillary lymphadenopathy [(NEBC(n = 3/30), NEC(n = 1/9), BC-WNE (21/50); p < 0.001)]on US were less common features of the neuroendocrine carcinomas of breast. Aside from shape features, there was no significant difference in contrast pattern (p = 0.866), kinetic curve (p = 0.454) and diffusion restriction (p = 0.242) on MRI. CONCLUSION: Characteristic malignant imaging features, including irregular shape, spiculated margins, suspicious calcifications, and posterior acoustic shadowing, are uncommon in neuroendocrine carcinomas of breast. These carcinomas tend to show more benign imaging features when compared with BC-WNE.

Post-traumatic chest wall lipoma in a violinist: fact or fiction?

Lipomas are benign soft tissue tumours that can occur anywhere on the body and are rarely encountered on the chest. The pathophysiology between soft tissue trauma and lipoma development is not fully understood, and various theories have been presented. We present the case of a violinist with a 40-year occupational history who presented with swelling of the left upper chest wall. The microscopic sample of the resected lipoma showed inflammatory cells with fat necrosis, which are features thought to be involved in the development of a lipoma following soft tissue trauma.

Leiomyomatosis-like lymphangioleiomyomatosis: A case report of the colonic manifestation of tuberous sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberous sclerosis complex is an inherited multisystemic disorder with manifestations in various organ systems as a result of a mutation of 1 of 2 tumor suppressor genes, tuberous sclerosis complex-1 or tuberous sclerosis complex-2. Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors have been shown to be associated with these gene mutations and include a variety of tumors such as angiomyolipomas and lymphangioleiomyomatosis. PATIENT CONCERNS: In this report, we present a case of a 28-year-old woman presenting with symptoms of severe abdominal pain and nausea with a medical history of cardiac rhabdomyoma, adenoma sebaceum, Ash leaf spots, bilateral renal angiomyolipomas, and retinal hamartoma, which are manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex. The patient was operated twice for colonic perforations in the rectosigmoid and ileocecal regions where the pathologic examination revealed multiple tumoral lesions in both specimens. DIAGNOSIS: The tumor consisted of a myomatous component where the nodules were composed of spindle cells with fascicular array, and a lymphangiomatous component where epithelioid cells could be observed. Immunohistochemically, smooth muscle markers (desmin and SMA) were positive and the epithelioid component showed HMB-45 positivity. A diagnosis of leiomyomatosis-like lymphangioleiomyomatosis was established due to its morphological and immunohistochemical features, the presence of the tumor in multiple foci, and widespread lymphovascular invasion. INTERVENTIONS: The patient had a perforation in her bowel twice during the hospital stay and underwent Hartmann operation and ileocecal resection in 2 different surgical operations. OUTCOMES: After the second operation the patient developed fever and was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. No other complication was observed during her stay and the patient's follow-up was unremarkable. CONCLUSION: Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors are associated with tuberous sclerosis and can rarely appear in the colon. Therefore, lymphangioleiomyomatosis should be in the differential diagnosis in a tuberous sclerosis patient presenting with a colonic tumor.

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the sigmoid colon.

INTRODUCTION: Extranodal lymphomas are commonly encountered in the gastrointestinal tract but lymphomas of colon and rectum are rare. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most common type of colonic lymphoma and represents less than 0.5% of colorectal neoplasms. Chemotherapeutical agents are gateway to disease remission and sometimes cure in most patients but surgery may be necessary in emergent situations. CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old male patient presented with abdominal discomfort, constipation, and obstructive defecation symptoms. Radiological imaging revealed a mass in the sigmoid colon extending towards the rectum. Colonoscopy was performed and biopsy of a nearly 10 cm ulcerovegetative lesion was obtained. Histological examination following biopsy revealed it to be a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the sigmoid colon. There was no indication for surgery and the patient was referred to medical oncology clinic for chemotherapy treatment. DISCUSSION: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a lymphoproliferative disorder with the diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) being the most common subtype. The DLBCL subtype is rarely observed in the colon and rectum. Chromosomal abnormalities are involved in the pathophysiology and gene rearrangements lead to adjustments in lymphocyte function and differentiation. CONCLUSION: In this case report, we present a rare presentation of a Non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting in the sigmoid colon. The disease can present with nonspecific symptoms and various imaging modalities along with histopathological evaluation is necessary for the correct subtyping of lymphoma. Chemoradiotherapy is key for treatment, and surgery is usually reserved for cases of obstruction, perforation, or bleeding.