Robinow syndrome: report of two cases and review of the literature.

We report two patients with Robinow syndrome, review the published literature and stress the importance and limitations of radiographic examination in the diagnosis of this disorder, which shows extreme clinical and radiographic variability. The radiographic differential diagnosis of Robinow syndrome is discussed.

Distinctive new form of spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with severe metaphyseal changes similar to Jansen metaphyseal chondrodysplasia.

We report a boy with a unique, "new" form of spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia. The conspicuous features of the spinal changes were the delay in ossification of the cervical spine and posterior elements of the thoraco-lumbar spine. The vertebral bodies were of abnormal shape but of normal size and well ossified. The hallmark of epiphyseal changes was markedly delayed ossification (bone age). The severely disturbed metaphyseal ossification was similar to Jansen metaphyseal dysplasia. This pattern of changes has not yet been described in spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia.

[Echographic aspects of fused kidneys. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Aspects échographiques des reins concrescents. A propos de 2 cas.

Coalescent kidney is a rare variety of fused kidneys, clinical manifestations observed with the greatest frequency being a more or less painful abdominal mass, digestive disturbances and a complicating infection, calculus, renal failure or hematuria. Straight abdominal films (SAF), ultrasound tomography, SAF after colon insufflation and IVU can usually establish the diagnosis. Results of ultrasound imaging of this rare variety of ectopic kidney have apparently not been published. Apart from any complicating factor, the coalescent kidney corresponds to a discoid shaped subumbilical prespinal mass of oblong section. It appears as two highly echogenic central zones encircled by a less dense zone. No separation exists between the right and left portion, and furthermore a kidney cannot be identified in either lumbar fossa. These findings are useful for identification of a retroperitoneal mass, ultrasound imaging being of importance when IVU supplies insufficient data.