A tapetoretinal degeneration with symmetrical calcifications of the basal ganglia. A hereditary disease.

Tapetoretinal degeneration in 3 members of a family is documented with fundus photographs and fluorescein angiograms. Computer tomograms showed intracranial symmetrical calcifications of the central nervous system in 2 patients. Laboratory examinations also indicated a disturbance in calcium metabolism.

[Retinal findings in thalassemia (author's transl)].

Two patients had neovascularizations, bleeding and enclosed vessels or pigmented foci on the retina. The analysis of the hemoglobin showed a raised HbA2 fraction, indicating that they could be considered heterozygous gene carriers of beta-thalassemia. An electrophoretic-spectrophotometric method of determining the hematologic changes is described by means of which thalassemia minima can be diagnosed reliably.

[Differential diagnosis of amaurosis fugax by tonography].

In unilateral stenosis of the internal carotid artery tonography shows the differences in amplitudes in a comparison of the two sides; in bilateral stenosis it shows markedly reduced amplitudes with an intermittent absence of the pulse amplitudes. When extrasystoles occur there are characteristic reductions in the amplitudes. As a result, this method of examination can be very important in the differential diagnosis of amaurosis fugax.

[Diabetic gastroparesis].

It is reported on a 61-year-old patient in whom since 1959 has been existing a diabetes mellitus in need of insulin. 1973 in the endoscopic control of roentgenological findings of a stomach suspect to tumour by means of the Wolf-Schindler gastroscope the suspicion to a gastric carcinoma was expressed. In May 1975 he was again admitted to hospital on account of a hypoglycemic shock.

[Changes in the macula in retinitis pigmentosa (author's transl)].

Changes in the macula in Retinitis pigmentosa, especially the "Bull's Eye" macula, are shown with fluorescein angiograms. Functional tests complement the morphological findings.

[Choroideremie in childhood (author's transl)].

By means of fluorescein angiography extensive defects in the pigmented epithelium found in choroideremia can be shown to be present in the first ten years of life. The degeneration of the vessels of the choroid and the functional damage to the retina do not seem to take place until later.

[The fluorescein angiogram in choroidermia (author's transl)].

The fluorescein angiogram makes a widespread degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium in choroidermia visible. In the female carriers it shows a spot-like picture. This method of examination contributes to the interpretation of the pathogeny and differential diagnosis.