Wandering spleen: A common presentation of an uncommon anomaly

Background: With the advent of real time ultrasonography of the abdomen, the spleen is no longer an inaccessible organ. Wandering spleen is a rare entity with only less than 500 cases reported so far. Method: This case report presents a 16-year- old Nigerian girl admitted in a medical centre but referred for ultrasonography on account of a clinical history of lower abdominal tenderness. Result: Ultrasonography examination revealed that the spleen was not found in its normal anatomical position. However, a well defined acoustic signature of the spleen was seen in the pelvis. Conclusion: Ultrasonography which is far cheaper than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) is a valuable diagnostic aid in this conditio

Review of the Statistical Techniques in Medical Sciences

Medical scientists often times are faced with the need to choose the right statistical technique for a given set of data. There are a number of criteria that should be a guide in making the right choice: the research questions, the category of the variables involved the size of the sample, the scale of measurement of the variable, the type of study design, among others. This article reviews some procedures which will be followed by any medical researcher in selecting the appropriate statistical techniques. Of course, all statistical techniques have certain underlying assumptions, which must be checked before the technique is applied. Keywords: Variable, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Statistical significanceBio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 311-31

Bayes’ theorem: A paradigm research tool in biomedical sciences

One of the most interesting applications of the results of probability theory involves estimating unknown probability and making decisions on the basis of new (sample) information. Biomedical scientists often use the Bayesian decision theory for the purposes of computing diagnostic values such as sensitivity and specificity for a certain diagnostic test and from which positive or negative predictive values are obtained in other to make decisions concerning the well-being of the patient. Often times error rates are encountered and estimated from the results of trials of the screening test with a view to calculating the overall case rate for which an accurate estimate is rarely available. The concept of conditional probability takes into account information about the occurrence of one event to predict the probability of another event. It is on this premise that this article presents Bayes’ theorem as a vital tool. A brief intuitive development of this theorem and its application in diagnosis is given with minimum proof and examples

Diagnostic Utility of Pre and Post HSG Transvaginal Sonography: The Birth of a New Beginning

Background: The use of ultrasonography in the investigation of infertility has progressed rapidly and has currently become an integral part of the management of infertility in women. The advent of pre and post hysterosalpingogram (HSG) sonography has anecdotally improved the sensitivity and specificity of HSG in the assessment of tubal anomalies. Aim: To report a case of a peritoneal spillage of contrast during HSG which did not reveal fluid in the pouch of Douglas on abdominal and tranvaginal sonography. Methods: A case of pre and post HSG transvaginal sonography is reported with review of relevant literature. Results: HSG showed bilateral spillage of dye without any significant increase in pouch of Douglas fluid on pre and post HSG ultrasongraphy Conclusion: Pre and post HSG sonography have improved the HSG diagnostic accuracy of tubal normalcy as against patency. The quantity of fluid in the pouch of Douglas in the post HSG sonogram (culdosonogram) gives an indication of a free or localized peritoneal spillage. Key Words: hysterosalpingogram, 'culdosonography', Gynaecology

Variabilities of gallbladder contraction indices and a simple regression model for gallbladder and gastric emptying ratio

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the variabilities of gallbladder contraction indices (GBCI) and derive a predictive model for gallbladder and gastric motility. Methods: The gallbladder volume and gastric antral measurements were obtained from 24 healthy male volunteers in preprandial and post-milk ingestion states. After preprandial measurement of the gallbladder volume and gastric antral area, each subject ingested 157 ml of full cream milk and 30 cl of ion -free water. In supine position, the gallbladder volume and the gastric antral area were obtained every five minutes for 40 minutes. For the gallbladder while only the 5 th, 10 th and 15 th measurement of gastric antral area were obtained. Gallbladder contraction indices were calculated and gastric emptying ratio obtained at the fifteenth minute is the indication of gastric motility. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 16.0 with p < 0.05 as criterion of statistical significance. Results: The GBCIs followed Gaussian response at some stages and did not at some other stages. The least variability occurred at the 35th measurement of GBCI. A cut- off value for the 35th minute GBCI value was established with the mean ± 2 SD (80.79 ± 11.5 %). Obvious gallbladder refilling was noted after 35minutes. A positive relationship was noted between gallbladder and gastric motilities. Conclusion: With milk dilution, the variability of gall bladder motility is least at the 35th minute. A significant positive relationship between gastric emptying and gallbladder contraction index was also observed.Key words: Gallbladder, contraction indices, gastric empty ratio, variabilitie

Linear regression models for quantitative assessment of left ventricular function and structures using M-mode echocardiography

Changes in left ventricular structures and function have been reported in cardiomyopathies. No prediction models have been established in this environment. This study established regression models for prediction of left ventricular structures in normal subjects. A sample of normal subjects was drawn from a large urban population. Echocardiographic end diastolic diameters, end systolic diameters, posterior wall thicknesses in both systole and diastole, septal wall thicknesses in both systole and diastole were used to calculate left ventricular mass, left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness and fractional shortening. Heights, weights, ages, and blood pressures of subjects were obtained. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were computed. Tests were two tailed with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Three hundred and twenty two normal subjects of Ibo descent were enrolled in this study as volunteers between June, 2006 and April, 2007. Correlation coefficients between measured left ventricular structures and functions, and some anthropometric variables were computed. Linear regression models for the prediction of left ventricular structures were established. Prediction models for left ventricular structures have been established and could be useful inassessing morbidity in cardiomyopathies

The Effect of Moderate Alcohol Intake on Gallblader Motility A Milk Ultrasonographic Study

Objectives: To assess the effect of periodic and moderate alcohol intake on gallbladder motility. Methods: The ultrasonographic ellipsoid method was used in 21 healthy male subjects: 12 non-alcohol and 9 alcohol drinkers. The stimulus for gallbladder contraction was 165 ml of half cream milk. Gallbladder dynamics were studied for 20 minutes following the ingestion of the milk. The mean percentage change in gallbladder volume after 10 and 20 minutes gave indications of gallbladder motility. Results: Moderate and periodic alcohol intake did not stimulate rapid postprandial gallbladder emptying. Conclusion: The protective effect of alcohol against biliary cholesterol cholelithiasis could not be due to stimulation of gallbladder emptying

Relationship between placental thickness and growth parameters in normal Nigerian foetuses

To investigate the relationship between placental thickness and foetal growth parameters in normal singleton Nigerian foetuses. Six hundred and sixty-six pregnant Nigerian women were studied byultrasound in a cross sectional prospective study at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Nigeria. The pregnancies were in the second and third trimesters, and were not complicated by either maternal orfoetal disease. BPD and AC were measured, and the placental thickness was measured at the insertion of the umbilical cord. A nomogram of placental thickness was formulated while the relationshipbetween placental thickness and, BPD and AC was investigated by Pearson’s correlation analysis. Mathematical relationships between placental thickness and, BPD and AC were derived by regressionanalysis. Values were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical tests were two-tailed with

Effect of cucumber consumption on serum lipid profile and liver aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase in apparently healthy undergraduate students

This study was designed to investigate the effect of oral intake of cucumber on Serum lipid profile and liver enzymes (AST  and ALT) in young apparently healthy students. A total of 29 subjects (14 males and 15 females) were recruited. Each  subject was advised to abstain from cucumber and similar vegetables consumption for two weeks. Thereafter, they received  400 g of whole cucumber for 21days prior to their daily breakfast. 5mls each of baseline (day zero) and post consumption  (day 22) samples were collected after overnight fast into plain containers for the estimation of biochemical parameters.  Serum TC, TG, HLD, LDL, AST, and ALT were analyzed using standard methods. There was a significant decrease in the  mean serum TC, TGand HDL profile levels in post cucumber consumption when compared to the pre-cucumber  consumption (4.38±0.39 Vs 3.82±0.33; 1.16±0.29 Vs 0.89±0.22; 1.15±0.12 Vs 1.0±0.114; p=0.000). However, serum  levels of LDL, AST and ALT did not differ significantly between pre and post–cucumber consumption. This study  revealed hypolipidaemic effect of cucumber consumption with no harmful effect on the liver. Therefore, cucumber  consumption could be of importance in prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. Keywords: Cucumber, Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride, Low Density Lipoprotein, High Density Lipoprotein, Aspartate transaminase, Alanine transaminase