Assessment of the common bile duct before cholecystectomy: a direct comparison between ultrasonography and intravenous cholangiography.

Sixty-seven consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones were investigated by both ultrasonography (US) and intravenous cholangiography (IVC). This provided the opportunity to compare these methods for assessing the common bile duct (CBD) preoperatively for stones. The results were correlated with a subsequent definitive procedure that formed the diagnostic standard in each case.

Primary malignant tumours of the thyroid: the relationship between histological classification and clinical behaviour.

One hundred and seventy-nine primary malignant tumours of the thyroid seen at The London Hospital between 1945 and 1972 were classified by the system of Woolner et al. (1961) and Hazard (1964). The distinct pathological and clinical features of the differentiated primary carcinomas and the similarities and differences between malignant lymphoma and anaplastic carcinoma were confirmed.

Report of a family with inherited medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and phaeochromocytoma.

A family in which several members have medullary carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma is described. Four of the 5 patients in this family who had a phaeochromocytoma have died; in one of these the medullary carcinoma may have contributed to death but in general the thyroid cancers were slow growing. In our experience successful diagnosis and treatment of the phaeochromocytomas have presented the greatest challenge.