Self-assessment questions
The uncommon denominator
D O'Driscoll, M Duddy
Department of
Radiology, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, Selly Oak
Hospital, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
Correspondence to: D O'Driscoll, Cambridge & Huntingdon Breast Screening Centre, The Rosie Hospital, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 2SW, UK
Accepted 14 January
1999
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
 |
Introduction |
|---|
A 70-year-old man presented with anorexia, altered bowel habit and weight loss. He had a history of heart failure and rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical examination showed rheumatoid deformity and pedal oedema. Laboratory investigations demonstrated microcytic anaemia, eosinophilia and hypoalbuminaemia. Barium enema and contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) were performed (figures 1 and 2, respectively).
| Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text) |
| Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text) |
| |
Questions |
|---|
| 1 | What are the radiological signs on figures 1 and 2 ? |
| 2 | What is the differential diagnosis for each ? |
| 3 | Are there any common denominators ? |
| |
Answers |
|---|
QUESTION 1
The barium enema (figure 1) shows loss of the normal haustral
pattern and the mucosa appears granular. There is widening of the
presacral space (A). The bladder, opacified by prior CT enhancement, is
narrowed and elongated (B). On the CT scan (figure 2), the intra-abdominal fat is of similar attenuation to the water density of a
simple right renal cyst. The mesenteric and pararenal fat has a misty
appearance with thickening of Gerota's fascia.
QUESTION 2
The differential diagnosis for the CT appearances is summarised in
box 1.1 The differential diagnosis
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
