Primary bone lymphoma : imaging findings of a rare primary bone tumour

Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is a rare cause of primary bone malignancy and it is unusual for extranodal lymphoma to arise in the skeletal system. The imaging appearance is variable and the diagnosis is usually made on histology. We present the radiographic and CT features of primary bone lymphoma of the humerus in a young patient and discuss the variable imaging appearances of this condition

Pain in the air : successful computed tomography-guided aspiration in a case of spontaneous pneumorrhachis

http://www.thespinejournalonline.com/ay201

Cubital tunnel syndrome : a report of two cases

Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common peripheral neuropathy of the upper limb. This is due to the anatomy of the tunnel, the physiological changes that the nerve undergoes during elbow flexion, as well as pathological conditions that occur within the tunnel. We present two cases of ulnar neuropathy occurring at the level of the cubital tunnel, demonstrating that this entity may occur owing to an identifiable cause or may show only signal alteration without a visible cause on MRI.http://www.sajr.org.za/index.php/saj

Cubital tunnel syndrome : a report of two cases

Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common peripheral neuropathy of the upper limb. This is due to the anatomy of the tunnel, the physiological changes that the nerve undergoes during elbow flexion, as well as pathological conditions that occur within the tunnel. We present two cases of ulnar neuropathy occurring at the level of the cubital tunnel, demonstrating that this entity may occur owing to an identifiable cause or may show only signal alteration without a visible cause on MRI.http://www.sajr.org.za/index.php/saj

Intra-articular rice bodies : imaging for persistent joint pain

Rice bodies are fibrous bodies that macroscopically resemble grains of rice. They may uncommonly occur as a complication of inflammatory arthritides but may create diagnostic confusion when the patient has no underlying inflammatory disease. The combined use of ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plain film makes it possible to reach a correct diagnosis. We describe a patient with a chronic monoarthritis of unknown aetiology who presented with rice bodies in the right elbow joint demonstrated on MRI.http://www.charpublications.co.za/C_JournalsORTH.as

Achalasia cardia in children : a report of two cases

Oesophageal achalasia is a neuromuscular disorder of unknown aetiology, characterised by abnormal motility of the oesophagus and failure of the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax. This causes an abnormal dilatation of the oesophagus and resultant symptoms of vomiting/regurgitation, dysphagia, chest pain and at times, signs of lung aspiration and infection. In children, it may present as a chronic cough. The condition usually presents in the 4th and 5th decades and has very rarely been described in children. We describe two cases of achalasia and their imaging findings in adolescents.http://www.samj.org.zaam201

Congenital infiltrating lipomatosis of the face with enlargement of the ipsilateral cerebellar hemisphere

Congenital infiltrating lipomatosis of the face (CILF) is a rare disorder in which overgrowth of fatty tissue with infiltration of underlying structures leads to craniofacial deformities and asymmetry. Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis, surgical planning and evaluation of underlying structures. To our knowledge, our case is the first to describe CILF associated with isolated enlargement of a cerebellar hemisphere in the absence of an enlarged ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere (hemimegalencephaly).http://www.sajr.org.zaam201

Double trouble : bilateral cerebral involvement in Sturge-Weber syndrome

Sturge-Weber syndrome, also known as encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis or meningofacial angiomatosis, is characterised in its classical form by a congenital, usually unilateral, ‘portwine stain’ (capillary naevus) on the face, convulsions, typical intracranial calcification and some degree of mental retardation and hemiparesis. The clinical correlation of intractable seizures with the presence of bilateral intracranial disease has management and prognostic implications, thus making the presence of bilateral disease an important factor to all those involved in the management of the child with Sturge-Weber syndrome.http://www.sajr.org.zaam201

The relationship of the size of the footprint of the fibular graft to the surface area of the vertebral endplate in the reconstruction of the anterior column of the spine

INTRODUCTION : The anterior column of the spine is often destroyed by trauma, infection or tumours. It is reconstructed by using an autograft, allograft or synthetic cages. The fibular autograft provides good strength, incorporates quickly and has less risk of disease transmission, which is a big advantage in communities with a high incidence of HIV. Various authors cite that its major drawback is the size of its footprint because of the possibility of subsidence. We could not, however, find any literature that measures its size. AIM : To measure the size of the footprint of the fibular graft in relation to the surface area of the vertebral endplate. The clinical relevance is that it may guide the surgeon in deciding how many struts of the fibular graft to use in reconstructing the anterior column, and also quantifies the statement that the fibular strut has a small footprint. MATERIAL AND METHOD : CT angiograms are done frequently for peripheral vascular diseases. These angiograms show CT scan images of the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae, and fibulae of the same patient. We retrospectively examined 60 scans done during the years 2012 and 2013. From the CT scans, we measured the surface area of the endplates of the vertebral bodies of T6, 8, 12, L2, and the surface area of the cut surface of the proximal 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm of the fibular graft, all in square millimetres (mm2). We then compared the areas of the vertebral measurements to the area of the fibular graft measurements. RESULTS : The middle third of the fibular graft had the biggest axial surface area. The ratio of the fibular graft surface area to that of the thoracic vertebral endplate is 1:3–6. These ratios suggest that more than one fibular strut graft is required to reconstruct the anterior column in the thoracic spine. CONCLUSION : The results show that the fibular graft is better suited for reconstruction in the upper thoracic spine. Below that more than two struts are required.http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=1681-150X&lng=pt&nrm=isoam2017Orthopaedic SurgeryRadiolog

Takayasu arteritis in pregnancy

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic, granulomatous arteritis affecting large and medium-sized arteries. During pregnancy, maternal and foetal complications are largely as a consequence of maternal arterial hypertension. We present a case of a 35-year-old para one gravida two patient with Takayasu arteritis (group III disease) complicated by chronic hypertension and a severely dilated ascending aorta. Good blood pressure control during pregnancy is an important measure in reducing obstetric morbidity.http://cvja.journals.ac.za/hb201