Clinical and Radiological Features of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is due to diffuse involvement of the peritoneal cavity with mucinous material. Four patients were found in two major general hospitals in Riyadh. All patients were male. Cardinal clinical features were abdominal distension, pain and weight loss. Computed tomography was helpful preoperatively. Laparoscopy or laparotomy were performed to arrive at a correct diagnosis.

Features of hepatic cavernous hemangioma on planar and SPECT Tc-99m-labeled red blood cell scintigraphy

PURPOSE

To determine the value and diagnostic accuracy of planar and SPECT Tc-99m-labeled red blood cell (Tc-99m RBC) scintigraphy in the investigation of suspected hepatic cavernous hemangioma as found on ultrasound.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred patients, 89 women (89%) and 11 men (11%), between 22 and 67 years old (mean age, 38 years) were evaluated for liver masses found on abdominal ultrasound. All the patients had previous Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy. The size of the lesions ranged from 1 to 9 cm. The final diagnosis was reached through cytologic biopsy, or histopathologic tests (or all of these).

RESULTS

One hundred thirty lesions were found. With regard to the distribution of the lesions, 116 (89%) were single; 14 (3%) were multiple, with 118 (91%) in the right lobe and 12 (9%) in the left lobe; 83 (64%) were posterior; and 47 (36%) were anterior. With respect to the pattern of radioactivity fill-in, 86 (66%) lesions were typical and 44 (34%) were atypical. The results of Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy showed sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive and accuracy values of 97%, 83%, 98%, 77%, and 96% respectively. The use of SPECT improved the sensitivity value by 11% for lesions of 1 to 2 cm.

CONCLUSIONS

Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy is the noninvasive technique most helpful in the diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma, especially in those at risk for lesion rupture or bleeding. SPECT should be performed whenever planar imaging fails to show the lesion by 2 hours. The use of ultrasound should precede scintigraphy for two important reasons: the size and the location of the lesion. Location of the lesion (anterior or posterior) is important for optimal gamma camera acquisition parameters. Lesions less than 1 cm are cannot be detected because they are beyond the limit of spatial resolution of the gamma camera we used.

Pathology and clinical features of gastro-intestinal lymphoma in Saudi Arabia

The histopathology and clinical presentation of 19 cases of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma is described. Our patients are similar to others in the Middle East but have a lower incidence of diarrhoea and malabsorption. All revealed a widespread chronic inflammatory background. Four patients with primary gastric lymphoma had endoscopic biopsies from the duodenum; these biopsies were completely free from tumour but showed a moderate to severe diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Electron microscopy shows that tumour cells penetrate basement membranes and invade the epithelium which becomes thin and attenuated. Substances which inhibit lymphocyte tropism might be useful in preventing intestinal ulceration. The MALT concept has been found useful in classification of the tumours. Two patients with unusual mesenteric node histology are described and it is thought that the appearances may indicate a substantial capacity for differentiation in the group of tumours.

Carcinoid syndrome without liver metastasis

The carcinoid syndrome generally occurs due to metastasis of a carcinoid tumour in the liver. A patient is presented who had carcinoid syndrome due to abdominal disease without hepatic metastasis.

Combination chemotherapy for primary small intestinal lymphoma in the Middle East

Twelve patients with primary small intestinal lymphoma were followed prospectively for 3 years. Endoscopic abnormalities were diagnostic of lymphoma in all cases where the duodenum was involved (83%). In three cases (25%) the disease extended to the stomach. One patient (8%) had diffuse small cell cleaved and 11 (92%) diffuse large cell lymphoma stages I (8%), II (25%), III (58%) and IV (8%). Nine of them were unresectable and primarily treated with combination chemotherapy; 67% achieved complete remission, 22% partial response and 11% no response. Only one patient relapsed and achieved a second remission. All complete remission patients are currently alive and free of disease at a median follow-up of 36 months. Overall survival for all patients is 58%, and disease-free survival is 50%. No instance of chemotherapy-related bleeding or perforation was seen. Tetracycline was necessary for the treatment of IPSID-associated diarrhea and malabsorption in spite of cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Turcot syndrome: report of a case and review of the literature

We report a case of Turcot's syndrome in a 20-year old man with multiple adenomatous polyps of the colon and glioblastoma multiforme. Detailed histopathological study of all 25 polyps removed from his colon confirmed the distinct morphological and numerical features of the colonic polyposis in Turcot's syndrome. Moreover, 45% of the total polyps and all polyps with a diameter exceeding 2 cm showed malignant transformation, indicating the precancerous nature of these polyps. These findings are discussed together with data obtained from a literature review of 32 histopathologically confirmed cases of Turcot's syndrome with reference to the possible heterogeneous nature of the syndrome at the present time. The current views on the relationship of Turcot's syndrome to other polyposis coli syndromes are presented.