Meckel's diverticulum. Internal hernia and adhesions without gastrointestinal bleeding--ultrasound and scintigraphic findings

The results from an ultrasound study performed on an 11-year-old boy, who had several weeks of intermittent abdominal pain, showed a nonperistaltic loop of bowel near the umbilicus, which suggested either an internal hernia or a diverticulum. Tc-99m pertechnetate imaging showed a focal collection near the umbilicus, which was consistent with a Meckel's diverticulum. No evidence was found of gastrointestinal bleeding. Exploratory laparotomy showed a Meckel's diverticulum near the terminal ileum and attached to the anterior abdominal wall close to the umbilicus. Small bowel had herniated through the loop formed by the terminal ileum and the diverticulum.

Experiences with extended-duration medical laboratory support in deployable medical systems

Medical laboratory services in an echelon-II Deployable Medical Systems environment were examined after a 6-month deployment in Guatemala-Fuertes Caminos 94 (N). The limitations in preparing and executing laboratory operations by U.S. Army Reserve units using Minimal Essential Equipment for Training components were identified. Corrective actions for planning future operations requiring laboratory support were addressed. Despite significant limitations, 353 laboratory procedures were conducted to standard. Additionally, laboratory procedures supporting blood-transfusion activities was successfully undertaken. Employment of laboratory services in remote environments for extended durations requires special attention and complete planning to ensure that all elements of care are in place to support medical operations.

Hospital integrated lanes training: brigade-directed implementation of a medical lanes training program during annual training

The "lanes" concept of training was integrated into a medical site support mission of the 804th Medical Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve, during Annual Training, 1993 at Fort Drum, New York. This training, termed Hospital Integrated Lanes Training (HILT), included STX, FTX, patient play, and full use of Deployable Medical Systems equipment. The medical care of over 33,000 personnel participating in tactical annual training exercises was not interrupted during any concurrent phase of lanes training. Brigade operations planners developed an array of medical exercises that involved both moulaged and paper patient play. These exercises began prior to hospital set-up and continued for 24 hours a day throughout the tactical exercise. Injuries likely to be encountered during combat operations were inserted into the play singly and under a mass-casualty scenario. The standard of care for all injuries was determined with the Army Medical Department Center and School guidance. Prior coordination of brigade medical assets with external air and ground ambulance organizations broadened the scope of the training and facilitated effective use of command and control, communications, and equipment over a wide geographic area. Medical records were collected and evaluated at the conclusion of all exercises. After-action reviews were conducted by all medical units to assist in the planning of future HILT exercises. The HILT concept is a valuable tool for the complex training requirements of field medical units organized under medical Force 2000. The concept of integrated lanes training allows for the development and continuous improvement of individual and sectional skills for medical personnel and should be applied within all echelons of care.

Ventilation-perfusion lung imaging in nitrofurantoin-related pulmonary reaction

A woman with a history of multiple drug allergies was admitted for cough and dyspnea. She had been taking nitrofurantoin for 10 days, was febrile, and had a rash on the trunk and extremities. A chest radiograph revealed right-sided pleural effusion and basal markings. Because of suspected nitrofurantoin-related pulmonary reaction, the medication was discontinued and the patient was started on an H2-blocker and intravenous corticosteroids. She improved clinically, and within 24 hours a radiograph revealed that her chest had largely cleared. Restricted distribution of radioxenon, seen initially on a ventilation lung scan, also reverted to near normal by the follow-up. The first perfusion lung scan showed multiple but nonspecific changes; this also came back to near normal. The nitrofurantoin-related pulmonary reaction should be considered in patients who present with pulmonary signs/symptoms while on the medication.

Loss of radiogallium from lymphoma after initiation of chemotherapy

A man with a high-grade lymphoma had radiogallium imaging at 48 hours postinjection, revealing three distinct sites of uptake (neck and thorax). Unknown to the authors, the patient was given cytoxan, vincristine, and prednisone intravenously 27 hours after radiogallium administration. The images at 120 hours showed markedly reduced radiogallium activity at all three sites. Possible reasons for the loss of radiogallium from the tumor sites were presented.

The "warm" sacroiliac joint. A finding in pelvic abscess

Two patients with pain referable to the low back and sacroiliac regions had bone scans with similar findings. In each, one sacroiliac joint was "warm" (uptake on that side was slightly greater than that in the contralateral area). Ga-67 imaging also demonstrated increased uptake in the same locale. Subsequent CT scanning revealed pelvic abscesses adjacent to the affected joints. Asymmetric uptake of bone imaging agent may have been related to hyperemia and "heating" of the sacroiliac joint. Rapid defervescence with antibiotics and drainage (and no CT evidence of bone involvement) suggested that osteomyelitis was not involved in these cases.

Two false-negative results using morphine sulfate in hepatobiliary imaging

Morphine sulfate has been used in hepatobiliary imaging to cause contraction of the sphincter of Oddi, thereby increasing pressure in the biliary tree. If the cystic duct is patent, the increased pressure usually causes bile to flow into the cystic duct with filling of the gallbladder. Using this technique, the authors have encountered two false-negative cases. Both patients received 0.04 mg/kg of morphine sulfate intravenously, 40 minutes after the intravenous administration of 5 mCi of technetium 99m-DISIDA. Although both patients filled their gallbladders within 1 hour, they both underwent surgical exploration because of high clinical suspicion of acute cholecystitis. Both were found to have acute cholecystitis.

Multiple bone metastases in a patient with glioblastoma multiforme

Extracranial bone metastases from glioblastoma multiforme are rarely reported in the medical literature. The authors describe a case of glioblastoma multiforme with distant osseous metastases that were detected by a Tc-99m MDP image. The metastases were osteolytic and expansile on plain radiographs.

Prolapse of the urinary bladder demonstrated on bone imaging

A urinary bladder, not demonstrable in the pelvis during a bone scan, was noted to have prolapsed.

Delayed accumulation (flip flop) of Tc-99m DTPA in a leiomyosarcoma

An 85-year-old woman with leiomyosarcoma occupying the abdominopelvic area had a renal dynamic study with Tc-99m DTPA. The tumor area initially showed almost no content of the radiopharmaceutical. At 24 hours, there was retention of activity in the leiomyosarcoma as compared with surrounding tissues (flip flop). It was noted that, based on literature reports, tumors of mesodermal origin (leiomyoma, spindle cell sarcoma, neurofibroma) may have the ability to concentrate Tc-99m DTPA.

Unusual scintigraphic findings in a case of treated monostotic Paget's disease

A 72-year-old woman with Paget's disease underwent therapy with EHDP for 5 years. A Tc-99m MDP bone scan demonstrated an unusual image in the right femur. The upper one third of the femur was thickened, bowed, and had diffuse and mild uptake. This corresponded to radiographic findings of mixed or chronic Paget's disease. A long area of intense and homogenous uptake was found immediately distal, and with a sharp demarcation. Alterations typical of the lytic phase of Paget's disease were seen on radiographs. The overall lesion in this patient thus demonstrated two distinct patterns, both radiographically and on bone imaging. It is conjectural whether this was related to the chronic use of a diphosphonate in therapy.

Preleukemia following large dose radioiodide therapy for metastatic thyroid carcinoma

A 67-yr-old woman had follicular thyroid carcinoma metastatic to several osseous sites. There was also evidence of functioning pulmonary metastases. She was treated by total thyroidectomy and multiple doses of radioiodide (131I). Approximately 2.5 yr after the initial ablative dose, and a total dose of 820 mCi of sodium iodide 131I, preleukemic changes were noted in the bone marrow. This appears to be the second case of preleukemia that bears a temporal relationship to radioiodide therapy of thyroid carcinoma, and the first in which radioiodide alone has been used in therapy (without additional external radiation).

Hepatic hot spot on both radiocolloid and hepatobiliary imaging in acute cholecystitis

A focal hot spot in the liver, seen on radiocolloid imaging, has been reported in several conditions. A patient with acute cholecystitis who had a hot spot in the liver on both radiocolloid and hepatobiliary scintigraphy is described. The hepatobiliary finding disappeared following cholecystectomy.

Hepatic angiosarcoma: mimicking of angioma on three-phase technetium-99m red blood cell scintigraphy

A [99mTc]RBC study in a 63-yr-old man showed intrahepatic lesions which initially had less activity than surrounding liver tissue. When viewed 3 hr later, these had "reversed" and the lesions revealed increased uptake of the radiolabeled red cells. Some extrahepatic areas showed the same pattern (these were in the mesentery of the small bowel). The lesions proved to be angiosarcomas. Hence, the behavior of labeled red cells in these angiosarcomas mimicked that in benign hemangiomas.

False-positive spleen imaging. Splenic cleft and accessory spleen

Following trauma, a 35-year-old man had a falling hematocrit. Radiocolloid imaging showed a superior pole splenic defect with a bilobed appearance (suggesting nearly complete trans-section). There was a small quantity of function below the main portion of the spleen. At surgery, the spleen was noted to have marked lobulation (perhaps congenital) to account for the upper pole defect and trans-splenic appearance of a tear. A small accessory spleen was present below the main organ, mimicking the appearance of organ disruption. Cases of false-positive radiocolloid images, suggesting trauma, are rare but do occur.

Splenectomy for splenic metastasis from carcinoma of colon

An 81-year-old woman with carcinoma of the colon had a normal liver-spleen radiocolloid image at the time of surgery. Two years later, a defect was noted in the spleen on a follow-up radiocolloid study. A repeat examination showed that the mass was increasing in size. An abdominal CT examination also revealed an intrasplenic mass with spring of the liver. After splenectomy for a metastatic carcinoma of the colon, the patient has survived for over a year without symptoms referable to tumor spread. Mention is made of the apparent splenic "immunity" from metastases.

Graves' disease. Initial presentation with exophthalmos and solitary hot nodule

A 52-year-old man presented with left exophthalmos. A thyroid scan showed a right lobe hot nodule with suppression of the remainder of the gland. Thyroid function tests were normal. In less than two years, the patient had worsening of the exophthalmos. Thyroid indices then revealed hyperthyroidism and the thyroid image had markedly altered (with evidence of diffuse function). This change, initially showing a hot nodule and then diffuse thyroid overactivity, has been reported previously in three cases (all women). Characteristics of the disorder in these four individuals were reviewed. It is possible that the patients had two distinct diseases, separated temporally.

Bilateral "simultaneous" femoral neck fractures following minimal stress

Following jogging, a 53-year-old man experienced bilateral hip discomfort. Two weeks later, after stepping backward suddenly, he had severe pain in the right hip. Radiographs showed a displaced fracture of the right femoral head; this was pinned. Bone imaging revealed intense uptake in the other femoral head as well. This also was believed to be fractured, and therefore was repaired. During the two operations, no pathological cause of the bilateral femoral neck fractures was noted. The literature on simultaneous bilateral femoral neck fractures, without underlying bone disease, was reviewed.

Bone imaging in the diagnosis of fractures of the femur and pelvis in the sixth to tenth decades

A review was made of the records of 24 consecutive trauma patients (aged 55-94 years) who had under gone radiographic examinations and a positive bone image of the femur or pelvis. There was considerable discordance between the radiographs and the bone images. Initially, 25% of the radiographs were interpreted as positive. Even after additional radiographs and retrospective. review, only 38% of the x-ray studies were positive. Bone imaging was a useful adjunct in these patients, both to confirm or exclude suspected fractures and to detect occult fractures. The necessity of delaying bone imaging for several days after the trauma was discussed.

Liver function tests. A study in patients with imaging-demonstrated metastases

Thirty-eight consecutive patients with liver scan evidence of hepatic metastases (and confirmation by other modalities) had blood levels of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase performed within two weeks. In 38% of the patients with small liver metastases, both alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase were in the normal range. Even with large metastases present (one or more lesions over 2.5 cm in diameter), 19% of the patients had both enzyme tests within the normal range. Despite the lower cost of these enzyme assays, they failed to detect hepatic metastases in an appreciable portion of our patients.

Multifocal osteogenic sarcoma in the seventh decade

A 64-year-old man with right knee pain had uptake of Tc-99m MDP in the area as well as in the greater trochanter. Both sites were shown to contain osteogenic sarcoma. There was resection of the bone. Eight months later, radiogallium uptake was avid in the nearby soft tissue, indicating tumor spread.

Technetium-99m MDP demonstration of neoplastic lesions involving bone and adjacent soft tissue

Four patients are presented with malignant tumors involving both bone and adjacent soft tissue. In each of these neoplasms (two representing adenocarcinoma of the prostate, and one each of squamous cell carcinoma of lung and chondrosarcoma), the lesions were detected by accumulation of Tc-99m MDP. Involvement of both bone and soft tissue was confirmed by CT examination or surgery. It is probable that the lesions originated in bone and then extended to soft tissue.

Renocutaneous inflammatory tract shown during technetium-99m DTPA imaging

During a Tc-99m DTPA study, activity simultaneously appeared in the kidneys and in a right lateral band. This was due to an inflammatory tract and not to urinary drainage.

"Matching" ventilation/perfusion images in fat embolization

Forty-eight hours after fracture of the tibia and fibula, a 27-year-old man developed the triad of findings noted in the fat embolism syndrome (neurologic changes, respiratory distress, and petechiae). An initially normal chest-x-ray, which progressed to one of bilateral fluffy diffuse infiltrates, aided in making the diagnosis. Ventilation/perfusion lung images were performed at the time of the radiographic changes and showed "matching" defects. Transcapillary passage of lipid breakdown products was considered to be the cause. While all parts of the lung showed reduced ventilation/perfusion, the upper half of the lung fields was affected more prominently, as opposed to emboli of venous origin, which most frequently involve the lung bases.