Frontotemporal dementia in Oman: cognitive behavioural profile and neuroimaging characteristics; a prospective hospital-based study.

Frontotemporal dementia is increasingly recognised as an important cause of early-onset dementia and is considered to be the second commonest neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. We describe the cognitive, behavioural profile and neuroimaging characteristics of 6 patients with frontal variant of Frontotemporal dementia that were evaluated at the cognitive behavioural clinic at this tertiary referral teaching hospital. All patients underwent clinical, neuropsychological, structural/functional neuroimaging, and laboratory evaluations.

Isolated agenesis of the gallbladder.

We report a rare case of agenesis of the gallbladder, which was misdiagnosed as cholecystitis. This is the first reported case from the Middle East. Despite advances in biliary imaging, the diagnosis is usually made at surgery.

Radioactive iodine in the treatment of Graves' disease.

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of radioactive iodine 131I therapy of Graves' hyperthyroidism at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman and to determine the optimal dose of 131I needed to achieve the euthyroid or hypothyroid status.

Methods: The medical records of 366 patients with Graves hyperthyroidism who received a single dose of 131I at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman between 1991 and 1999 were reviewed. The diagnosis was based on clinical, biochemical grounds and 99mTc thyroid scintigraphy.

Splenic function in Omani children with sickle cell disease: correlation with severity index, hemoglobin phenotype, iron status, and alpha-thalassemia trait.

The prevalence of functional asplenia in Omani children with sickle cell disease (SCD) has not been previously defined. In this study, the authors aim to compare the natural history of splenic dysfunction in their patients to other reports. The splenic function was studied in 72 Omani patients with sickle cell disease (50 homozygous for hemoglobin S (HbS-S), 11 double heterozygotes for HbS and beta(0)-thalassemia (HbS-beta(0)-thal), 5 HbS-beta(+)-thal, 5 patients with hemoglobin S-D disease, and 1 child with hemoglobin S oman trait) aged 4.

Are scintigraphy and ultrasonography necessary before fine-needle aspiration cytology for thyroid nodules?

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of scintigraphy, ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration in thyroid nodules and to establish the best diagnostic pathway in detecting thyroid cancer.

Method: Two hundred and sixteen patients with thyroid nodules were examined using high-resolution ultrasonography, Tc thyroid scintigraphy and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Of these, 113 patients subsequently underwent thyroidectomy.