Case report: Disseminated cryptococcus gattii in an immunocompetent patient.

Background: Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal disease, caused by Cryptococcus grubii, C. neoformans, and infrequently by C. gattii.

Impact of pulsed xenon ultraviolet disinfection on surface contamination in a hospital facility's expressed human milk feed preparation area.

Background: Expressed human milk (EHM) feed preparation areas represent a potential source of unintentional nosocomial infection. Daily disinfection of environmental surfaces remains an essential intervention to mitigate nosocomial infections. The inefficiency of conventional cleaning and disinfection contributes to an increased risk for the acquisition of multi-drug resistant pathogens.

Evaluation of the potential of inducing neurocognitive changes in patients receiving intracranial stereotactic irradiation for benign tumors: a preliminary study.

Objective: To fully evaluate the efficacy of intracranial stereotactic irradiation, tumour control needs to be assessed in conjunction with the effects of radiation on normal tissue and the potential for changes in physiology, cognition and quality of life. This prospective pilot study investigated whether intracranial stereotactic irradiation induces cognitive changes in patients with cranial and base of skull lesions that did not directly involve the brain parenchyma. The value of a software-based psychometric approach to neurocognitive testing was also examined.

Aneurysm of the left aortic sinus causing acute myocardial infarction.

This report describes the findings and management of a young male who presented with an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction due to compression of the circumflex coronary artery by a large aneurysm of left sinus of Valsalva.

FDG-PET and MIBI-Tc SPECT as follow-up tools in a patient with cardiac sarcoidosis requiring a pacemaker.

A 63-year-old man presented with recent-onset symptoms secondary to third-degree atrio-ventricular block, for which a dual-chamber pacemaker was inserted. Additional investigations resulted in the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis. FDG-PET and MIBI-technetium SPECT were used as follow-up tools for monitoring active granulomatous myocardial infiltration.

Tissue Doppler imaging in cardiac sarcoidosis.

A middle-aged African lady, who presented with ventricular tachycardias, mitral valve regurgitation and congestive heart failure, was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis. Tissue Doppler imaging demonstrated abnormalities suggestive of myocardial scar, which was confirmed by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance.

Images in cardiovascular medicine: myocardial inflammation in viral peri-myocarditis detected by tissue Doppler echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging.

This case report demonstrates the value of tissue Doppler echocardiography and contrast-enhanced cardiac mag-netic resonance in the diagnosis and management of patients with myocarditis.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension after splenectomy for hereditary spherocytosis.

Hereditary spherocytosis consists of a group of haemolytic anaemias caused by defects in the proteins involved in the vertical interactions between the membrane skeleton and the lipid bilayer of the red blood cell. Inheritance is most commonly autosomal dominant with variable expression. Splenectomy may be indicated because of anaemia or for the prevention of gall-stones.