Tumoral calcinosis: a manifestation of extreme metastatic calcification occurring with 1, alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol therapy.

Two cases are reviewed, both of which developed tumoral calcinosis whilst receiving 1, alpha-hydroxy-cholecalciferol therapy. Tumoral calcinosis is an extreme form of peri-articular calcification, and its occurrence in patients with chronic renal failure is unusual. These peri-articular masses developed around the shoulders in both patients, and the action of 1, alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol as a possible factor promoting this form of metastatic calcification is discussed.

Vascular and glomerular changes in the ageing kidney.

Glomerular size, shape and number were examined in 44 human kidneys obtained at necropsy. Intrarenal vascular appearances were assessed histologically and by post-mortem angiography. The mean cross-sectional area of glomeruli varied nearly three-fold and glomerular number varied more than three-fold when kidneys from different adult subjects were compared but kidneys from the same subject resembled one another in glomerular size and number.

Effect of rotation on radiographic dimensions of the humerus and femur.

Ten humeri and ten femora were radiographed in nine positions of longitudinal rotation. In each position total, medullary and cortical widths of the diaphyses (TW, MW, CW) were measured to assess the effect of rotation on these dimensions. The results were expressed as differences from the values in the neutral position (delta TW, delta MW, delta CW).

Effect of long-term diuretic treatment on body-potassium in heart-disease.

Plasma and total body potassium have been measured in 151 patients with chronic heart-disease, 83 of whom were taking diuretics and potassium supplements. After allowance for age and body-size, the deficit in total body-potassium was only 3-5% (100-150 mmol) in the diuretic group. 13 of the 83 patients taking diuretic had hypokalaemia (less than 3-5 mmol/1) but the potassium deficit was no greater than in the patients with normal plasma-potassium.

Estimation of glomerular size and number from radiographs of the kidney.

In 32 adult human kidneys obtained at necropsy, renal demensions, measured from radiographs, were correlated with the number and cross-sectional area of glomeruli, determined by point-counting and computerized image analysis. Cortical area, measured from post-mortem angiograms, was poorly correlated with glomerular area and was not significantly correlated with glomerular number per kidney. The area of the whole kidney was poorly correlated with the number of glomeruli per kidney and was not significantly correlated with glomerular area.

Medical student assessment of videotape for teaching in diagnostic radiology.

A series of six videotape recordings, prepared jointly by the Department of Radiodiagnosis and the Television Service, University of Leeds, described some aspects of the radiology of the chest, using only radiographs. A small group of final year medical students viewed these videotapes over the space of few days. Their scores for factual questions immediately afterwards were compared with their attitudes to the learning experience, expressed anonymously without knowledge of these scores.

Autotransplantation of the kidney for fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal arteries.

A young man was discovered to have symptomless hypertension, which subsequently proved to be caused by fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal arteries. Arterial disease was present on both sides but was more severe on the right. Samples of blood were obtained by selective catheterisation of each renal vein for the determination of plasma renin activity.

Nephrographic density and renal diatrizoate content in experimental acute renal failure.

Reversible acute renal failure (ARF) was induced in rats by intramuscular injection of glycerol. In these animals and controls, renal concentrations of 125I-labelled sodium diatrizoate, injected intravenously in doses similar to those used clinically, were compared with the density of the nephrogram, subjectively assessed under carefully controlled conditions. Though a good statistical correlation existed between renal diatrizoate concentration and nephrographic density, individual variation was wide.

Loss of renal tissue in the elderly.

Eighty-eight kidneys obtained at necropsy from normotensive subjects aged over 50 years were examined histologically and by post-mortem pyelography and angiography. Moderate or severe scarring was present in 50%. Its distribution and the absence of calyceal deformity make pyelonephritic scarrig unlikely.

Effect of dose on renal diatrizoate concentrations in experimental acute renal failure.

In rats with glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF) and controls, renal concentrations of 125I-labelled sodium diatrizoate were measured 5 min after intravenous doses ranging from 14 to 1,800 mg/kg body weight. Renal concentrations of diatrizoate, at all doses, were much higher in controls than in ARF. A linear relationship existed between dose and renal concentration in ARF.

Urinary tract in schoolgirls with covert bacteriuria.

During screening of 16,800 primary schoolgirls, aged 4-12 years, in Cardiff and Oxford, significant bacteriuria was found in 294 (1-7%). Intravenous urography and micturating cystography were performed in 246 of these girls. The urinary tract was abnormal in 47%.

Radiological diagnosis of crocidolite induced pleural mesotheliomata in the rat.

Crocidolite asbestos dust was inoculated intrapleurally in 36 rats. Chest radiographs were obtained up to 120 weeks after inoculation. Radiological and pathological observations were compared.