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Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture therapy on fracture healing in rats with femur fractures., Methods: A total of 10 groups were formed; control group, groups sacrificed on 7th, 14th, and 21st days of fracture formation, groups to which acupuncture was applied for 7, 14, and 21 d, groups to which fracture and acupuncture were applied for 7, 14, and 21 d. A transverse fracture line was formed in femurs of rats by using a Gigli saw. The Kirschner wire was driven retrograde down from the fracture line to proximal part of the bone and then, the fracture was fixed towards distal part. Acupuncture was applied to the rats for 7, 14, and 21 d as 4 sessions per week after formation of the fracture., Results: Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities were measured. Despite the increased MDA levels, G6PD and SOD activities reduced during the fracture healing. There was a statistically significant increase in MDA, GSH levels, and G6PD activity in fracture groups compared to control group, but CAT, GST, and SOD activities decreased. The use of acupuncture enhanced callus development and bone mineralization during bone healing., Conclusion: The acupuncture therapy can affect suppression of the effects of free oxygen radicals and regulation of the antioxidant enzyme activity in fracture healing. Thus, it is suggested that acupuncture treatment would be beneficial for fracture healing in order to eliminate the negative effects induced by oxygen free radicals.

Background/aim: To identify the role of gene products associated with apoptosis and cell cycle in the pathogenesis of thyroid follicular neoplasm., Materials and Methods: Thirty follicular adenomas (FAs), 16 follicular carcinomas (FCs), and 20 adenomatous nodules (ANs) were investigated with immunohistochemical staining of p16, p21, p27, p53, Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-xL, and cyclin D1 via a tissue microarray method., Results: Bcl-2 showed a significant difference between the benign groups (AN and FA) and the malignant group (FC). Bax was significantly higher in the FC group. p53 was lowest in the AN group and highest in the FC group with significant differences between the groups. p16 was significantly higher in the FC group than in the other groups. There was a significant difference between the AN group and neoplastic lesions in terms of p21 staining. The number of cases with positive p27 was lower in the AN group than the neoplastic groups. There was no significant difference in terms of Bcl-xL and cyclin D1., Conclusion: Cell cycle modulators, led by the Bcl-2 family, played an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid follicular neoplasm, and p53, p16, and p21 in particular played a role in the carcinogenesis of FC.

Objectives: Chronic tonsillitis (CT)-adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is one of the most common reasons of nocturnal hypoxia in children. However, there is limited information about the relationship between childhood OSA and atherosclerosis or cardiac diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) and CT-AH which is the most frequent cause leading OSA in children. Methodology : The medical records of 200 children, who underwent adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy with a diagnosis of adenoid hypertrophy and/or chronic tonsillitis between October, 2010 and June, 2012, and 240 healthy controls were evaluated. Subjects were classified into 3 groups. Group I consisted of patients who underwent adenoidectomy, whereas Group II consisted of patients who had adenotonsillectomy. Healthy children were employed as control group. White blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT), hemoglobin (Hb) levels and mean platelet volume (MPV) values were recorded individually., Results: MPV values were 6.6±0.8, 6.6±0.7 and 7.3±0.9 in Group I, Group II and control group, respectively. It was found that MPV values in groups I and II were significantly lower than control group. There was no significant difference between group I and II. Conclusion : Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) caused by CT-AH is associated with low MPV values in childhood.

Duplication of the vermiform appendix is a rare congenital abnormality and usually found incidentally during laparotomy. The Modified Cave-Wallbridge classification is used to describe the location of the appendixes in relation to each other and to the cecum as well as the extent of the duplication. We report a 45-year-old patient who underwent laparotomy for acute abdominal pain. The operative finding was double acute appendicitis in appendical duplication. The appendixes were removed separately, as it was type B duplication. Since appendectomy is the most common abdominal operation, all surgeons should keep this rare clinical entity in mind.

Background: This prospective, controlled experimental study was planned to investigate the effects of levosimendan on transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta3 and Smad1, Smad2 and Smad3 expression in the early stages of sepsis., Methods: Twenty-four rats were randomized into four groups: (1) sham-operated controls, (2) dobutamine group--subjected to abdominal hypertension and peritonitis-induced sepsis using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), then treated with 10 microg x kg(-1) min(-1) intravenous (IV) dobutamine infusion, (3) levosimendan group--as in 2, then treated with levosimendan IV bolus 200 microg x kg(-1) followed by 200 microg x kq(-1) min(-1) IV infusion, and (4) a control group as in 2, with no treatment. All rats were killed 8 hours after CLP. Aorta tissue samples were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining., Results: CLP caused mild interleukin (IL)-1 immunostaining in both control and dobutamine groups. Immunoreactivity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was mild in both sham and control groups. TGF-beta3 immunostaining was mildly increased in groups sham, control and dobutamine, whereas it was found moderate in group levosimendan. Smad1, Smad2 and Smad3 were found moderately increased only in group levosimendan., Conclusion: Beneficial effects of levosimendan on hemodynamics and global oxygen transport were reported in experimental and clinical trials. Besides its potency on C++ ion sensitivity, it should influence inflammatory cytokine production by diminishing TGF-beta3 and Smad1, Smad2 and Smad3 expression.

Objective: To establish whether the presence of signet ring cells (SRCs) in histology sections of breast carcinoma cases was reflected by their presence in fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears, correlating to the histological type of breast carcinoma., Methods: We reviewed the FNAC findings of ten cases that had been diagnosed as primary breast carcinoma with SRCs on histological sections between 1998 and 2007. Slides and histological sections were obtained from the archives of Ege University Hospital., Results: FNA smears were reviewed for the following cytomorphological features: background, cellularity, architecture, nuclear pleomorphism and the presence of SRCs. The background was bloody in eight cases, necrotic in one, and clean in one. There was no mucinous material in any of the cases. Cellularity was prominent in five cases (hypercellular), moderate in three (cellular) and low in two (hypocellular). Loosely cohesive groups of tumour cells of varying size were observed in all cases. A plasmacytoid appearance to some of the tumour cells was seen in all cases and discohesive tumour cells were present in eight. Nuclear pleomorphism was high in six cases and moderate in four. SRCs were observed in seven of the ten cases. Two of these seven cases also had a tubular pattern and one had tumour giant cells., Conclusions: FNAC should be evaluated carefully regarding the presence of SRCs when cells with a plasmacytoid appearance are observed in either hyper- or hypocellular smears. The presence of single SRCs in FNACs with hypercellularity, high nuclear grade and tubular formation or tumour giant cells may be a clue in favour of ductal carcinoma. The presence of single SRCs in FNACs with hypocellularity and mild to moderate nuclear grade may be suggestive of lobular carcinoma. However, larger studies would be needed to establish the predictive value of the presence of SRCs on FNAC.

Mucinous carcinoma of the breast is a relatively rare histologic type with two subtypes: pure and mixed. It has a favourable prognosis with a low risk of axillary metastases. The prognosis for pure mucinous carcinoma (PMC) was much better than for the mixed mucinous carcinoma (MMC). The aim of the study is to determine suitable candidates for breast or axillary conservation in mucinous carcinoma subtypes. The slides of 26 pure and 23 mixed mucinous carcinomas of the breast were evaluated. The clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features between PMCs and MMCs were compared. MMC displayed greater metastatic potential (p < 0.05), p53 positivity (p < 0.05) and c-erbB-2 positivity (p <0.001) than PMCs. PMCs smaller than 2 cm had less metastatic capacity and extranodal invasion compared to MMCs smaller than 2 cm (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). MMCs smaller than 2 cm displayed weaker ER positivity but greater c-erbB-2 positivity than PMCs smaller than 2 cm (p < 0.01). In conclusion, MMC had worse prognostic factors than PMC with both types of mucinous carcinoma showing similar ER and PR positive status. Even if PMCs and especially smaller PMCs display more favourable prognostic features, including less axillary lymph node involvement, it is appropriate to use sentinel lymph node biopsy to make better axillary assessment.

The effects of levosimendan on acute lung injury induced by peritonitis and abdominal hypertension in the early stages of sepsis in rats were investigated. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were randomized into: (1) sham, (2) subjected to abdominal hypertension and peritonitis induced lung injury using cecal ligation and puncture, then treated by dobutamine, (3) subjected to abdominal hypertension and peritonitis induced lung injury using cecal ligation and puncture, then treated by levosimendan, and (4) controls subjected to abdominal hypertension and peritonitis induced lung injury using cecal ligation and puncture with no treatment. In the control and levosimendan groups, cecal ligation and puncture resulted in moderate IL-1beta immunolabelling in lung tissue; marked IL-1beta immunolabelling was demonstrated in the dobutamine group. TNF-alpha immunolabelling was negative in both the sham and levosimendan groups, but moderate and weak immunoreactivities were observed in the dobutamine and control groups, respectively. There were almost no TUNEL positive cells in the sham, but they were prominent in the control. TUNEL positive cells were significantly less in the levosimendan treated lungs when compared to control and dobutamine groups. Immunoreactivity of eNOS was stronger in the dobutamine group when compared with the levosimendan group. In addition, iNOS immunoreactivity was strongly detected in the control group; this immunoreactivity was less in the levosimendan group than the dobutamine group. In this experimental sepsis model, treatment with levosimendan had a marked effect on attenuating or decreasing apoptosis and inflammation in the lung.

To clarify the effects of long-term ocreotide (a long-acting somatostatin analogue) treatment on mucosal changes in a rat model of portal hypertensive enteropathy, groups of male Swiss albino rats (n=15 each) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms. These were: sham laparotomy+twice daily subcutaneous saline 0.5 mL (Group 1); portal hypertension induction+twice daily subcutaneous saline 0.5 mL (Group 2); and portal hypertension induction+subcutaneous ocreotide 100 microg/kg/12h (Group 3). After 12 weeks of treatment, jejunal and ileal tissue specimens were obtained and evaluated histopathologically (villus/crypt ratio, mean diameter of dilated vessels, mucosal edema, and fibromuscular proliferation in the lamina propria) and immunohistochemically (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), von Willebrand factor (F8), and cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) labelling). In jejunal specimens, the villus/crypt ratio was markedly lower in Group 2 (2.38+/-0.46 microm) than in Group 1 (5.07+/-2.25 microm) or Group 3 (4.97+/-2.19 microm); mean diameter of dilated vessels was markedly higher in Group 2 (43.30+/-5.71 microm) than in Group 1 (33.53+/-4.00 microm) or Group 3 (36.76+/-3.96 microm); mucosal edema and fibromuscular proliferation were universally absent in Group 1 when compared with the other groups. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between Groups 1 and 2 for villus/crypt ratio, mean diameter of dilated vessels, VEGF immunolabelling intensity, and CD34 immunolabelling intensity; between Groups 1 and 3 for mean diameter of dilated vessels, VEGF immunolabelling intensity, and CD34 immunolabelling intensity; and between Groups 2 and 3 for villus/crypt ratio, mean diameter of dilated vessels, and VEGF immunolabelling intensity. In ileal tissue specimens, the villus/crypt ratio was markedly lower in Group 2 (5.51+/-0.67 microm) than in either Group 1 (7.19+/-2.18 microm) or Group 3 (7.62+/-2.58 microm); mean diameter of dilated vessels was markedly higher in Group 2 (46.36+/-4.77 microm) than in either Group 1 (36.43+/-4.57 microm) or Group 3 (41.31+/-4.70 microm); while mucosal edema was absent in Group 1, it was present in Group 2 and Group 3; and fibromuscular proliferation was universally absent. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between Groups 1 and 2 for villus/crypt ratio and mean diameter of dilated vessels; between Groups 1 and 3 for mean diameter of dilated vessels; and between Groups 2 and 3 for villus/crypt ratio, mean diameter of dilated vessels, and VEGF immunolabelling intensity. Together, these findings indicate that ocreotide treatment ameliorates histomorphological changes in a rat model of portal hypertensive enteropathy.

Background: Hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures, and some patients suffer from chronic pain after hernia surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate chronic postherniorrhaphy pain in men who underwent Lichtenstein mesh repair or preperitoneal (posterior) repair., Methods: Our study included 94 male inpatients. Two surgeons experienced in both Lichtenstein and preperitoneal hernia repair performed the procedures. We controlled postoperative pain with systemic analgesic therapy. We evaluated the patients over the subsequent 12 months, using a questionnaire to focus on chronic pain and its limitations to their quality of life., Results: The overall incidence of chronic pain at 2 months was 5%. About 6% of patients who underwent Lichtenstein repair (n = 70) and 4% of patients who underwent preperitoneal repair (n = 24) experienced chronic pain. All patients with chronic pain rated their pain as slight or moderate. Their pain was present occasionally and was related to physical stress. None of the patients were unable to work. After 12 months of follow-up, the overall incidence of chronic pain decreased to 3%, with 3 patients in Lichtenstein group reporting chronic pain with slight limitations in sports and social activities., Conclusion: The incidence rates of chronic pain after Lichtenstein and preperitoneal repair were 6% and 4%, respectively. Inpatient status might have resulted in low incidences with both approaches.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomies are associated with an appreciably high rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of ondansetron, granisetron, and dexamethasone for the prevention of PONV in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Methods: A total of 80 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical class I-II patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. All patients received a similar standardized anesthesia and operative treatment. Patients were randomly divided into four groups (n = 20 each). Group 1, consisting of control patients, received 0.9% NaCl; group 2 patients received ondansetron 4 mg i.v.; group 3 patients received granisetron 3 mg i.v.; and group 4 patients received dexamethasone 8 mg i.v., all before the induction of anesthesia. Both nausea and vomiting were assessed during the first 24 h after the procedure., Results: The total incidence of PONV was 75% with placebo, 35% with ondansetron, 30% with granisetron, and 25% with dexamethasone. The incidence of PONV was significantly less frequent in groups receiving antiemetics (p < 0.05). The differences between dexamethasone, granisetron, and ondansetron were not significant., Conclusions: Prophylactic dexamethasone 8 mg i.v. significantly reduced the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Dexamethasone 8 mg was as effective as ondansetron 4 mg and granisetron 3 mg, and it was more effective than placebo.

Objective: To analyze fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) material from 37 cases of breast glycogen-rich clear cell cancer (GRCC) and correlate cytomorphologic features with histologic appearance to determine characteristics of GRCC on FNAC., Study Design: We reviewed cytologic features of 37 cases of breast GRCC from the archives of Ege University Hospital diagnosed between 1994 and 2006., Results: Thirty-seven patients with available aspirate and confirmed GRCC were identified. The female patients ranged from 32 to 81 years (mean 52 years). The initial cytologic diagnoses were adenocarcinoma for 27 and atypical or suspicious for cancer for 10. The cytologic picture was characterized by hypercellular tumor cells in loosely cohesive syncytial groups and some single cells. Most tumor cells had abundant, finely granular eosinophilic cytoplasm or foamy to clear cytoplasm with well-defined cytoplasmic membranes and moderate to marked nuclear pleomorphism with prominent nucleoli. Histologic examination confirmed all cases to be pure GRCC., Conclusion: Breast GRCC is a rare, distinct category with cytologic features that overlap considerably with those of other carcinomas. Awareness of variability in cytomorphologic appearance of GRCC and routine assessment for glycogen facilitate accurate diagnosis of these lesions by FNAC and enable prompt treatment of these poor-prognosis breast cancers.

We report a case with a late diagnosis of posttraumatic lateral abdominal wall hematoma. The patient was admitted with a giant hematoma presenting with pleural effusion, anemia and weight loss on postoperative 30th day after a blunt trauma. Computerized tomography analysis revealed a hematoma extending from axilla to the gluteus. Fine-needle aspiration revealed an exudative fluid and five liters of fluid collection was drained. Misdiagnosed lateral abdominal wall hematomas can be diagnosed with nonspecific findings as in this case.

Background: To study whether enteral pretreatment with a synbiotic composition of lactic acid bacteria and bioactive fibers can reduce peritonitis-induced lung neutrophil infiltration and tissue injury in rats., Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into five groups, and subjected to induction of peritonitis-induced lung injury using a cecal ligation and puncture model (CLP). All animals were pretreated for 3 weeks prior the CLP by daily gavage with either (1) a synbiotic composition (10(10) CFU of Pediococcus pentosaceus 5-33:3, 10(10) CFU of Leuconostoc mesenteroides 77:1, 10(10) CFU of L. paracasei subspecies paracasei, 10(10) CFU of L. plantarum 2362 plus fermentable fibers), (2) fermentable fibers alone, (3) nonfermentable fibers, (4) a probiotic composition (10(10) CFU of P. pentosaceus 5-33:3, 10(10) CFU of L. mesenteroides 77:1, 10(10) CFU of L. paracasei subsp. paracasei, 10(10) CFU of L. plantarum 2,362), or (5) a heat-killed probiotic composition. All animals were killed 24 hours after CLP and lung tissue samples were studied for degree of neutrophil infiltration and levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, Interleukin (IL)-1beta. In addition the lung wet-to-dry tissue weight ratio, the myeloperoxidase activity, and malondialdehyde content were also assessed., Results: No mortality was encountered in any of the groups. Histologic signs of lung injury (number of neutrophils and TNF-alpha, IL-1beta staining) were observed in all groups except the synbiotic and probiotic treated groups. Myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde content were significantly lower in the two lactobacillus- pretreated groups, with no difference between them. Heavy infiltration of lung tissue with neutrophils was observed only in fiber-treated (302.20 +/- 7.92) and placebo-treated (266.90 +/- 8.92) animals. This was totally abolished in the synbiotic-treated group (34.40 +/- 2.49). Lung edema (wet-to-dry lung weight ratio) was significantly reduced in the synbiotic-treated group (4.92 +/- 0.13 vs. 5.07 +/- 0.08 and 5.39 +/- 0.10, respectively)., Conclusion: Three weeks of preoperative enteral administration of a synbiotic composition reduced peritonitis-induced acute lung injury in rats in a CLP model.

Background: The effects of portal vein occlusion on the pancreas are not clearly understood. Therefore, we studied histomorphological changes induced in the rat pancreas by various periods of portal vein occlusion., Materials and Methods: Sixty female Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups of 15 each. In Group I (control), rats underwent sham laparotomy to expose the portal vein proximal to its bifurcation. In Groups II-IV, rats underwent laparotomy followed by portal vein occlusion by clamping for 15, 30, and 60 minutes respectively. The pancreas was removed immediately after sham laparotomy in Group I and immediately after clamp release in Groups II-IV. Pancreatic tissue specimens were subjected to histochemical analysis for cell typing and diagnosis, immunohistochemical analysis for identification of the inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS), and TUNEL analysis was carried out for identification of apoptotic cells., Results: Histochemistry revealed signs of inflammation in pancreatic tissue from rats subjected to portal vein occlusion. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the oxidative damage indicator iNOS in rat pancreatic tissue increased progressively with the duration of portal vein occlusion. TUNEL assay revealed no signs of apoptosis in any of the groups., Conclusion: We conclude that portal vein occlusion triggers an inflammatory response in the pancreas that worsens the longer the occlusion lasts.

Introduction: Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is a rare aggressive cervical neoplasm, considerably rarer than the well-recognized small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. Cervical large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas are distinctive cervical carcinomas that are frequently misdiagnosed and have an unfavorable outcome, similar to that of small cell carcinoma., Case Report: We report a 45-year-old woman with large cell neuroendocrine uterine cervical carcinoma.

Inhibin is a heterodimeric protein hormone that appears to be a sensitive immunohistochemical marker of sex cord-stromal tumors. Although sex cord-stromal tumors can usually be distinguished from ovarian epithelial tumors or their metastases by morphology or by using antibodies against intermediate filaments, the diagnosis remains difficult in rare situations in such cases as sarcomatoid granulosa-theca cell tumors, ovarian small cell carcinomas, or soft-tissue sarcomas. The purposes of this study were to examine inhibin alpha and beta immunoreactivity in a wide range of gonadal stromal neoplasms and to assess its value in the differential diagnosis of problematic tumors. A total of 108 paraffin-embedded ovarian and extraovarian tumors were examined immunohistochemically by using anti-alpha inhibin and anti-beta inhibin. Inhibin alpha immunostaining was identified in 46 (81%) of 57 gonadal stromal tumors, one (14%) of seven endometrial stromal tumors, and one (50%) of two primary ovarian carcinoid tumors. Inhibin beta immunostaining was detected in 55 (96%) of 57 gonadal stromal tumors, two (29%) of seven endometrial stromal tumors, one (50%) of two dysgerminomas, and in all of two (100%) primary ovarian carcinoid tumors. Inhibin alpha expression was not detected in any ovarian surface epithelial tumor cells. Some surface epithelial tumors showed stromal inhibin alpha (15% of cases) and inhibin beta (48% of cases) positivity. Weak immunoreactivity for inhibin beta was found in most (83% of cases) ovarian surface epithelial tumors. Two ovarian Burkitt lymphomas were negative for inhibin alpha and beta. Inhibin alpha is a sensitive immunohistochemical marker of gonadal stromal tumors and is of value in the differential diagnosis of ovarian neoplasia. Inhibin beta is a nonspecific marker for ovarian neoplasms, showing expression on tumor and stromal cells of different epithelial or stromal tumors.

Aim: To determine the effect of paclitaxel and cisplatin in the reduction of primordial follicular reserve in rat., Material and Methods: Thirty young female rats were divided randomly into three groups of 10 rats each. Paclitaxel 7.5 mg/kg and cisplatin 5 mg/kg were administered intraperitoneally in a single dose sterile technique to paclitaxel (n=10), and cisplatin (n=10) groups, and sterile saline solution was given to a control group (n=10). To assess the effects of chemotherapeutic agents on the primordial follicles, the rats were oophorectomised 7 days after the administration of chemotherapeutic agents. Haematoxylin and eosin staining was used to determine the number of primordial follicles. Primordial follicles were identified by the presence of an oocyte encapsulated partially or completely by a single layer of flattened follicular cells without a theca layer at the ovarian cortex., Results: The number of primordial follicles in the control group was 23.1 +/- 16.1 follicles. The number of primordial follicles were decreased significantly in both paclitaxel and cisplatin groups compared to control group (10.3 +/- 13.0 and 13.9 +/- 15.2 follicles, respectively) (P=0.001 and P=0.01, respectively). The difference in the number of primordial follicles between the paclitaxel and cisplatin groups was insignificant (P=0.465)., Conclusion: The administration of high dose paclitaxel and cisplatin to young rats causes the depletion of primordial follicles. However, no significant difference was observed between the two agents.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine corpus is a rare aggressive tumor with a similar unfavorable outcome to that of the cervix. The large cell type is considerably rarer than the small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine corpus. We report a case of a 52-year-old woman who presented with a large cell neuroendocrine tumor of the uterine corpus with very aggressive clinical behavior, cerebral and pulmonary metastases six and four months after initial diagnosis and adjuvant radiotherapy, respectively. Despite successful surgical extirpation of the cerebral metastatic lesion she did not respond to chemotherapy and died four months after disease recurrence.

Aims: Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast is an aggressive and distinctive variant of breast cancer. These tumours have a characteristic histological appearance and have been associated with a high incidence of axillary lymph node metastases and a poor clinical outcome. The aims of this study were to investigate the immunohistochemical profile of invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast, to compare it with invasive ductal carcinoma, and to identify the morphological parameters which predict its poor outcome., Methods and Results: Fifty-three (2.6%) invasive micropapillary carcinomas of the breast from 2022 cases of infiltrating breast carcinomas were identified by retrospective review. The patient age at presentation ranged from 33 to 78 years (mean 52.5 years). The tumour size ranged from 5 to 70 mm (mean 27 mm). Eighty-two percent (43 of 53) were of high histological grade; 69% (33 of 48) of cases with axillary lymph node dissections had positive lymph nodes; and 75.5% (40 of 53) had lymphatic invasion: 46% (22 of 48) of cases had extranodal extension. Of lymph node-positive cases, 61% had four or more metastatic lymph nodes. Of tumours with tumour size >10 mm, 77% had positive lymph nodes. The percentages of cases positive for oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were 68% and 61%, respectively. These values were significantly higher than the values for invasive ductal carcinomas. p53 and c-erbB-2 were detected in 48% and 54% of cases, respectively. The mean value of Ki67 was 26%. Follow-up was available in 36 patients. Eight patients had local recurrences, nine patients had distant metastases, and 10 patients died of disease within a follow-up period of 9 years., Conclusion: Lymphotropism and an unfavourable prognosis are the hallmarks of this distinct entity. Prognostic markers such as ER, PR, p53, and c-erbB-2 failed to provide new criteria to allow discrimination of these tumours from other breast cancers.

In this study, the long-term effects of mesh and its localisation (i.e. anterior or posterior) on testicular perfusion and testicular function were evaluated in groin hernia patients. Testicular function has been evaluated with spermiogram and testicular perfusion with colour Doppler ultrasonography. Group I: consisted of 30 posterior preperitoneal mesh repair patients Group II: consisted of 30 anterior tension-free repair patients. The operation types were randomised with a systematic sampling method. There was no statistically significant difference between pre-operative and postoperative spermiogram results for both groups. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of Doppler flow parameters (PSV, EDV, RI and PI) for pre-operative, early and late postoperative periods. When Doppler flow parameters were compared for group I, statistically significant differences were found between pre-operative and early postoperative values. No statistically significant difference was found between pre-operative and late postoperative values. This is also true for early postoperative values versus late postoperative values. When Doppler flow parameters were compared for group II, statistically significant differences were found between pre-operative and early postoperative values. No statistically difference was found between pre-operative and late postoperative values. This is also true for early postoperative values versus late postoperative values. These results support the idea that inguinal mesh application is still a safe procedure in patients with no children or who are undergoing infertility treatment, where testicular function is important.

Acute leukemias tend to affect a younger population and are much more common in pregnant patients than chronic leukemias are. We report a case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed during the third trimester presenting with organomegaly and thrombocytopenia. Delivery of the fetus by cesarean section was decided because of the fulminant nature of the acute leukemia within days of admission. Bone marrow biopsy revealed acute lymphocytic leukemia, French American-British L2 subtype B cell immunotype. A left ovarian mass was identified during the cesarean section which later proved to be lymphoblastic infiltration. The patient was started on induction chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, daunorubicin, prednisolone, and l-asparaginase immediately after the diagnosis. The patient died of Acinetobacter septicemia 18 days after the first admission.

Background/aims: The aim of the study is to clarify the effects of octreotide and propranolol, agents used in the treatment of portal hypertension, on mucosal changes in portal hypertensive colopathy., Methodology: Portal hypertension was induced in all rats by partial portal vein ligation, and after the operation all rats were caged for a 10-week period. Then, animals were divided into three groups and for two weeks medical treatment were administered to the individual groups as follows: Control group, saline 0.5 mL/day, intraperitoneally. Octreotide group, octreotide 100 micrograms/kg/12 hours, subcutaneously. Propranolol group, propranolol 20 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally. In order to assess the portal hypertensive colopathy, criteria such as mean diameters of dilated vessels in colonic mucosa, and the existence of mucosal edema, capillary ectasia, hyperemia and hemorrhage, inflammation were used., Results: When parameters were compared for the control versus propranolol groups, mucosal edema and hyperemia and hemorrhage criteria were found to be significant for the propranolol group; control versus octreotide groups, mucosal edema, capillary ectasia, and hyperemia and hemorrhage criteria were found to be significant for the octreotide group; octreotide versus propranolol groups, capillary ectasia and mucosal edema criteria were found to be significant for the octreotide group., Conclusions: The mucosal changes in portal hypertensive colopathy could be corrected by drugs modifying portal blood flow, octreotide may find a place in the treatment of portal hypertensive colopathy.

The objective of the present study was to determine the MDR1 gene expression in endometrial cancer. Twenty-six newly diagnosed patients with endometrial carcinoma were included in this study. Patients were treated with surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Four- to six-micrometer sections of the archival paraffin-embedded blocks were cut, deparaffinized, and stained by immunohistochemical technique using P-glycoprotein dye. Endothelial cell staining was used as the positive control of the dye. Immunostaining was categorized from 0% to 100% based on the percentage of cells stained by examining 3-4 high-power fields. The mean P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity for the whole study group was 17 +/- 25% (0-90). Tauhe mean P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was 21 +/- 26% (0-90) for the endometrioid histology and 6 +/- 13% (0-30) for the clear cell histology. P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was not detected in a case of mucinous histologic subtype. There was a significant negative correlation between age and P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity (r = -0.530, P = 0.005). The P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was found to be 30% positive in only one case of clear cell histologic type out of five. However, P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was not significantly lower in clear cell histologic subtype compared with endometrioid subtype of endometrial cancer (P = 0.116). P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was found to be 0% in grade 1 (n = 2), 22 +/- 28% in grade 2 (n = 17), and 8 +/- 14% in grade 3 (n = 7) patients (P = 0.273). Premenopausal patients were found to have a significantly higher P-glycoprotein expression (40 +/- 33)% vs. 11 +/- 20%, P = 0.04). P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was found to be less with advanced age in endometrial carcinoma. However, premenopausal patients were found to have a significantly higher P-glycoprotein expression.

Unlabelled: Some primary carcinomas of the breast have been classified as neuroendocrine. In this paper we report on 12 cases of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast displaying common and uncommon histological features., Materials and Methods: All patients were aged from 43 to 79 (median 66.5) years. The tumors were unilateral and ranged from 0.8 to 7 cm (median 2.35 cm) in diameter. Four tumors were classified as solid cohesive, two as solid papillary, one as Merkel cell-like, two as cellular mucinous, two as cellular mucinous with micropapillary features and one as cellular mucinous with prominent signet ring cells. The tissues were fixed in formalin and routinely processed. All materials were stained with PAS, Alcian blue and also hematoxylin and eosin. Immunohistochemical examination was carried out by the avidin-biotin method using the following antibodies: estrogen receptor protein, progesterone receptor protein, p53, cerbB-2, Ki67, neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, and synaptophysin., Results: In all cases the tumor cells were stained positively with NSE. Synaptophysin and chromogranin positivity was detected in 11 and five cases, respectively. The prominent histological features were: extensive intraductal growth, pseudorosettes and palisades, low-grade cytologic atypia, plasmacytoid appearance of the tumor cells, and intracellular and extracellular mucin., Conclusion: Neuroendocrine-differentiated carcinoma of the breast is a rare and distinct category with different histological subtypes.

The aim of this study was to describe the imaging features of neuroendocrine differentiated breast carcinoma (NEDBC) and to correlate the radiological findings with the clinical and histopathological findings. A retrospective review of the mammograms of 1845 histopathologically proven breast cancer cases revealed five NEDBC. The clinical, imaging, and histopathological findings were analyzed. On mammography, a high-density mass was seen in all patients. The shape of the mass was round in 4 and irregular in 1 patient. The margins were spiculated in 2, indistinct in 1, microlobulated in 1, and partially obscured in 1 patient. On sonography, 4 patients had homogeneously hypoechoic masses with normal sound transmission. In 1 patient the mass was heterogeneously hypoechoic with mild posterior acoustic enhancement. The margins were microlobulated in 2, irregular in 2, and well-circumscribed in 1 patient. Neuroendocrine differentiated breast carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of mammographically dense, round masses with predominantly spiculated or lobulated margins. Sonographically, they mostly present as irregular or microlobulated, homogeneously hypoechoic masses with normal sound transmission.

Background: Chronic anal fistulas are not rare conditions, however, the development of a carcinoma in a long-standing fistula-in-ano is rare., Methods: The case of a 77-year-old male with a large perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in a long-standing fistula-in-ano is presented., Results: Perianal biopsy revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma. Abdominal CT, double contrast barium examination and flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed no other tumoral lesion in the colon and rectum., Conclusion: The patient underwent abdominoperineal resection including wide tumor excision on the gluteal region. The final reconstruction was performed by bilateral gracilis musculocutaneous flaps. Due to clinical and histopathological evidence it was thought that a curative resection had been performed. To date he is clinically disease free., (Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Objective: To evaluate the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings of sclerosing adenosis, a relatively uncommon entity which may sometimes mimic carcinoma., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of the records of 33,700 women, who have undergone mammographic examination at our institution between January 1985 and July 2001 revealed 43 histopathologically proven sclerosing adenosis. The history, physical examination, mammographic and ultrasonographic findings were analyzed in all patients. In 30 patients, the nonpalpable lesions were preoperatively localized by the needle-hookwire system under the guidance of mammography (n=22) or ultrasonography (US) (n=8). Radiological features were correlated with histopathological findings., Results: The age of the patients varied between 32 and 55 years (mean, 43.7 years). Only two patients had a family history of breast cancer. In six patients, the presenting complaint was mastalgia. A palpable mass was present in 13 cases. The mammographic findings were; microcalcifications in 24 (55.8%) (clustered in 22, diffuse in two), mass in five (11.6%), asymmetric focal density in three (6.9%), and focal architectural distortion in three (6.9%) patients. Four of the masses were irregularly contoured, while one was well-circumscribed. On US, focal acoustic shadowing without a mass configuration was noted in the three patients who showed asymmetrical focal density on mammography. In eight patients, who showed normal mammograms, a solid mass was detected on US. Two masses had discrete well-circumscribed oval or lobulated contours, while six showed microlobulation and irregularity. In one case, the irregularly contoured mass had marked posterior acoustic shadowing. Two of the three patients, who had focal architectural distortion on mammograms, had an irregularly contoured solid mass, while the third presented as focal acoustic shadowing without a mass configuration., Conclusion: Sclerosing adenosis mostly presents as a nonpalpable lesion with different mammographic and sonographic appearances. The most common finding is microcalcifications on mammograms. Awareness of the possible imaging features will enable us to consider sclerosing adenosis in the differential diagnosis. The radiological features may sometimes mimic malignancy, so histopathologic examination is mandatory for definite diagnosis.

Intussusception occurs rarely in adults. It presents with a variety of acute, intermittent, and chronic symptoms, thus making its preoperative diagnosis difficult. In adults, intussusceptions are mostly caused by organic lesions and the majority of these lesions are benign tumours. Computed tomography scanning and endoscopy have proved to be the most useful diagnostic methods. Confirmation of diagnosis and treatment of adult intussusception is surgical, with surgical resection of the intussusception without reduction being the preferred treatment in adults, as almost half of both colonic and enteric intussusceptions are associated with malignancy. We report the case of a patient with ileocolic intussusception due to an ileal lymphoma.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mammographic and ultrasonographic characteristics of granulomatous mastitis and to correlate the imaging features with the histologic findings., Materials-Methods: 15 patients with diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis were examined with mammography and ultrasonography. The clinical, pathologic and imaging features were retrospectively reviewed and correlated in all patients., Results: Mammographic examination showed an asymmetric density with no distinct margins in 8 patients and an ill-defined mass in 3 patients. In 4 cases, no abnormal finding was detected on the mammography. Sonographic examination demonstrated an irregular mass with tubular connections in 5 patients, single or multiple hypoechoic tubular/nodular structures in 6, and focally or segmentally decreased parenchymal echogenity with acoustic shadowing in 4 patients. The imaging findings suggested a malignant tumor in 7 patients, while an inflammatory process or intraductal papilloma was considered in the differential diagnosis of the other patients., Conclusion: Granulomatous mastitis usually presents with clinical findings mimicking a carcinoma. The most common mammographic appearance of the lesion is an asymmetrically increased density, which is not characteristic for this entity. Sonographic patterns of the disease are varied and appear to relate to the histologic features. Findings include a mass-like appearance, tubular/nodular hypoechoic structures and focal decreased parenchmal echogenicity with acoustic shadowing. With awareness of the findings granulomatous mastitis can be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to investigate the imaging features of invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast, which is a recently described, rare variant of infiltrating ductal carcinoma., Conclusion: Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast usually manifests as a firm, immobile mass. Findings on mammography are of a spiculated, irregular or round, high density mass with or without associated microcalcifications. On sonography, the common findings are of a homogeneously hypoechoic, irregular or microlobulated mass with posterior acoustic shadowing or normal sound transmission. Axillary lymph nodes are frequently involved. Although these findings are not specific and may be seen with other breast malignancies, invasive micropapillary carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis for breast masses with these imaging features. Also, radiologic findings may help in the histopathologic differentiation of cases that are difficult to diagnose, such as metastatic tumors.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast is an uncommon variant of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Observing its distinctive cytologic appearance and aggressive behavior is important for early diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). There are only a few reported cases in the literature. Five women presented with breast masses. FNAC showed malignant epithelial tumors, and mastectomy materials showed invasive micropapillary carcinoma for all of them. Three patients had axillary lymph node metastases. Invasive micropapillary carcinoma, with its angulated papillary clusters lacking a fibrovascular core, and irregular crowded nuclei, has a distinctive cytologic appearance which correlates with its histological features. A differential diagnosis from other primary or metastatic papillary lesions of the breast may be possible using immunohistochemistry and some cytologic features. The limited experience with invasive micropapillary carcinoma should not discourage others from undertaking further studies., (Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Breast cancer with choriocarcinomatous features is rare. This report describes four cases of breast cancer with choriocarcinomatous features. The tumor cells were positive for human placental lactogen (hPL) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) by immunohistochemistry. The cases reported in the literature had a poor prognosis and the patients died within a few months after the diagnosis. In this series, two cases were lost to follow-up, but the other two have had disease-free survival for 2 and 4 years, respectively.

Ectopic liver has been but rarely described usually in the vicinity of liver such as on the gallbladder, hepatic ligaments, diaphragm, thoracic cavity, adrenal glands, pancreas, omentum, spleen, esophagus and umbilical cord. A simple classification for anomalous liver tissues found on the wall of gallbladder is 1. Accessory liver lobe 2. Ectopic nodule 3. Aberrant microscopic tissue. Ectopic nodules of liver tissue attached to the gallbladder are completely detached from the liver and has been described by various names such as accessory lobe, ectopic liver, accessory liver and heterotopic liver but the specific pathological term for this entity is choristoma introduced by Albert in 1904 meaning displacement. Several possible mechanisms may explain ectopic liver at various sites such as the development of an accessory lobe of the liver with atrophy or regression of the original connection to the main liver or migration of pars hepatica to the rudiment of various organs. In this paper we present a case of ectopic liver or choristoma attached to the gallbladder encountered during an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy which was successfully removed with the gallbladder.

Background & Objectives: Difficulties in dissection encountered during reoperative thyroid surgery could be minimised by preventing formation of adhesions in the operative field. We studied the prevention of adhesion formation in rats after thyroid surgery by using polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000)., Methods: Twenty two rats in two equal groups were studied. Right hemithyroidectomy was performed in both groups with 0.9 per cent saline being instilled in the operative field in the control group and PEG 4000 solution in the study group. After 10 days, all rats were re-explored and the remaining thyroid tissue of the right lobe was excised. The specimens were scored according to the thickness of the connective tissue over the remainder of the thyroid gland., Results: The connective tissue thickness over the remaining tissue of the thyroid gland in the control and study groups was 272.04 +/- 77.10 and 172.90 +/- 48.92 microns respectively. The decrease of the connective tissue thickness over the remainder of thyroid gland in the study group was significant (P < 0.05)., Interpretation & Conclusion: In this animal model although application of PEG 4000 did not completely prevent adhesion formation, a significantly decreased amount of adhesions was found.

Skin metastasis from endometrial adenocarcinoma in the radiotherapy field is reported. A 60-year-old woman with FIGO stage IB, grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma presented 24 months after initial surgery with skin metastasis located on the abdomen.

We have reviewed the histopathological, clinical outcome and immunohistochemical status in 21 women with cystosarcoma phyllodes (CSP) tumors of the breast. We assessed 12 tumors as histopathologically benign and 9 tumors as malignant. The median patient ages in benign and malignant CSP tumors were 39.6 and 45.4 years of age, respectively. The stromal cellularity, stromal cellular atypism, high mitotic activity, atypic mitoses, stromal overgrowth, infiltrative tumor contour, and heterologous stromal elements were significant features of the malignant CSP tumors. Benign CSP tumors were predominantly of fibroadenomatous architecture with cellular stroma (mild or moderate) and some distortion and elongation of glandular elements. Five malignant CSP tumors were stained positively with p53, and 6 malignant CSP tumors were stained immunohistochemically with Ki-67. All benign CSP tumors were negatively stained for p53 and Ki-67. The patients with benign CSP tumors were treated with local excision ( n=11) and with subcutaneous mastectomy ( n=1). Malignant CSP tumors were treated with wide local excision ( n=1), partial mastectomy ( n=1), simple mastectomy ( n=2), and modified radical mastectomy ( n=5). Two patients with a high mitotic rate and high values of p53 and Ki-67 received additional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One case had liver metastasis. This tumor had high mitotic figures, stromal overgrowth, severe stromal cellularity, and 20% Ki-67 and mild p53 positivity. We suggest that p53 and Ki-67 can play an important role in predicting prognosis and yielding additional therapy besides conventional prognostic factors in the treatment of the CSP patients.

Objectives: To determine the metabolic effects and efficacy of high-dose continuous megestrol acetate administration in the treatment of endometrial pathology., Material and Methods: 27 women with histologically proven endometrial pathology (endometrial hyperplasia and irregularly proliferative endometrium) were treated with megestrol acetate orally 160 mg/d given once-a-day for 3 months. In 5 of 27 patients the dose of megestrol acetate was increased to 320 mg/d to alleviate irregular uterine bleeding. Serum lipid profiles and fasting and 2-h postprandial serum glucose levels were studied at baseline and one week after the therapy was completed., Results: HDL-cholesterol level significantly lowered from a mean of 50.4+/-11.1 mg/dL to 44.4+/-8.5 mg/dL after 3 months of megestrol acetate therapy (p<0.05). Serum total cholesterol level significantly lowered from a mean of 222.8+/-50.0 mg/dL to 192.7+/-36.5 mg/dL (p<0.05) and apolipoprotein A-I level from a median of 134 mg/dL to 116 mg/dL (p<0.05) after the therapy. Serum LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoprotein B, fasting and 2-h postprandial glucose levels did not significantly change after the therapy (p>0.05). The median weight of patients was found to be 70 (53-110) kg before the therapy and 74 (56-111) kg after the therapy (p=0.001)., Conclusions: The use of megestrol acetate, 160-320 mg/d, in the treatment of endometrial pathology is an effective method without marked harmful effects on serum lipid profiles or glucose levels but is associated with weight gain.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accordance between scintigraphy and radiography in the early period following blunt thoracic trauma., Design: Double-blind, prospective clinical study., Methods: Thirty-four adult patients with blunt thoracic trauma were examined by plain radiography and scintigraphy within 24 hours of trauma., Results: Radiography displayed pathologies in 25 (73.5%), while scintigraphy suggested pathologies in 24 (70.5%) patients. Rib fractures were identified radiographically in 16 (47%) and scintigraphically in 17 (50%) patients. Lateral radiograph of the sternum showed fracture in 10 (52.6%), while scintigraphy suggested fracture in 14 (73.6%) patients with suspected sternal trauma., Conclusion: Scintigraphy gave better results in the evaluation of sternal fractures during the early period of thorax trauma. Conventional plain radiography is thought to be the initial imaging modality, because it saves time and shows hemothorax or pneumothorax besides the osseous abnormality.

Background: The present study was designed to compare three methods that are still used for the surgical treatment of pilonidal disease: marsupialization, primary midline closure and skin flaps., Methods: One hundred and one out of a total of 203 pilonidal disease patients underwent excision and marsupialization, while 82 patients had excision and primary closure and the remaining 20 were treated with excision and skin flaps. The minimum and maximum follow-up periods for the aforementioned surgical methods were 4 and 5 years, respectively. All patients were reviewed for in-hospital stay, return to work, wound infection and recurrence rates. Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis., Results: Average hospital stays for marsupialization, primary closure and skin flaps were 2.84 +/- 0.13, 2.62 +/- 0.12 and 5.95 +/- 0.52 days, respectively. Hospital stay for the skin flaps method was longer than that for the other two methods. The average time to return to work after marsupialization was 5.42 +/- 0.08 weeks; but the time needed to return to work after undergoing the primary closure or the skin flaps methods was much shorter: 2.15 +/- 0.05 and 2.90 +/- 0.20 weeks, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no difference in wound infection rate (P = 1.000) or recurrence rates., Conclusion: The fact that there were no differences in terms of wound infection or recurrence rates between the three groups, and the relatively shorter period for returning to work, emphasize the usefulness of the excision and repair techniques in the surgical treatment of pilonidal disease.

We report a case of ovarian cancer with metastasis to both breasts and axillary lymph nodes and the vaginal cuff. A 41-year-old previously hysterectomized women presented with pelvic mass and malignant pleural effusion. During the courses of chemotherapy; bilateral breast nodules, and bilateral axillary lymphadenopathies and a nodule in the vaginal cuff were identified. The biopsy of both breasts, axillary lymph nodes and the nodule in the vaginal cuff revealed papillary serous cystadenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining of breast specimens were positive for ovarian tumor marker CA-125.

We report a case of hydatid cyst of the pelvis in a 36-year-old woman presented with right adnexal cystic mass with similar cystic lesions in the liver. Laparatomy revealed a right paraovarian cystic mass densely adhered to the uterus, to the pelvic side wall, and to the right fallopian tube. Histopathological examination of the cyst wall showed the cuticular layer of the cyst. Cystic liver lesion was later proved to be hepatic hemangioma by magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: Mucinous carcinoma of the breast presents with different survival rates in pure and mixed types. The purpose of this study was to correlate the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings of mucinous carcinoma with histologic features in different types and mucin rates., Material and Methods: Thirty-four patients (2.3%) had mucinous cancer after retrospective review of the 1439 breast cancers diagnosed between 1990 and 1996. Twenty-seven patients, 19 pure and eight mixed type of mucinous carcinomas of the breast, were included in this study to evaluate the imaging findings. In 22 of these, the microscopic slides were available and re-evaluated to estimate the volume of extracellular mucin. The volume of the extracellular mucin was classified histologically as: (+), less than 50% of mucin; (++), 50-80% of mucin; and ( ), more than 80% of mucin. Mammographic features with emphasis on margin characteristics and sonographic echo pattern of tumors were correlated with histologic findings., Results: Ten cases (53%) of pure mucinous type carcinomas had a circumscribed mass lesion on the mammograms. The well-defined, lobulated margins of the masses were well correlated with pure histologic type (P<0.01; chi(2) analysis) Two-thirds of these tumors had high volume extracellular mucin. All mixed type mucinous carcinomas demonstrated poorly defined or spiculated margins with no relation to the mucin rates (P<0.01). The sonographic appearances of the tumors showed correlation with histologic types. Most of the pure type carcinomas (53%) were seen with isoechogenic echo texture relative to that of subcutaneous fat, while all of the mixed type carcinomas were hypoechogenic (P<0.01)., Conclusion: The mammographic and sonographic features of mucinous breast carcinoma show differences in pure and mixed types of the tumor. The most common mammographic appearance of pure mucinous carcinomas with high percentages of mucin is a mass lesion having well-defined margins, which is isoechogenic relative to fat on the sonographic examination. Pure type of carcinomas with small percentages of mucin and mixed type carcinomas have more aggressive imaging characteristics.

A case of unilateral salpingitis caused by Enterobius vermicularis presenting as a painful adnexal mass in a 28-year-old woman is reported.