Low grade coal worker's pneumoconiosis. Comparison of CT and chest radiography.

We compared CT with chest radiography (CR) in the assessment of low grade coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) in a population of 83 subjects. All subjects had a high-voltage p.a.

Conventional and high-resolution CT in asymptomatic asbestos-exposed workers.

To compare the value of conventional CT (CCT) and high-resolution CT (HRCT) to detect benign asbestos-related diseases, 159 exposed workers with a normal chest radiography were imaged by both techniques. Pleural plaques were detected in a total of 59 cases (37.1%).

Upper cervical spinal cord compression due to bony stenosis of the spinal canal.

Compression of the upper cervical spinal cord due to stenosis of the bony spinal canal is infrequent. In the first case reported here, stenosis was due to acquired extensive, unilateral osteophytes centered on the left apophyseal joints of C1-C2 in an elderly professional violinist. In the second case, stenosis was secondary to isolated congenital hypertrophy of the laminae of C1 and C2.

A hypothesis for the higher incidence of vesico-ureteral reflux and primary megaureters in male babies.

The authors propose a new explanation for the male preponderance in cases with prenatally diagnosed vesico-ureteral reflux and primary megaureters. The theory is based on conclusions drawn from the characteristics of 4 patients (3 perinatal cases and 1 occurring in a 14-year-old boy) presenting with unusual anomalies of the lower urinary tract. In this hypothesis, the male preponderance could be related to an abnormal dilatation of the posterior urethra occurring during the embryological development of the male urethra.