Biomedical subjects

F L Dickinson

Publications and source records attributed to F L Dickinson.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

MRI in the assessment of a newborn with cervical teratoma.

Teratoma of the head and neck is a rare lesion comprising 6 % of all teratomas, with only 3 % occurring in the cervical region [1]. Most are non-malignant lesions consisting of a variety of tissues of variable maturity, commonly with neuroepithelial and thyroid elements. They often present as a large cystic mass in the neck of a neonate or infant and frequently cause respiratory embarrassment due to local mass effect necessitating urgent surgical intervention. They may be difficult to distinguish from cystic hygromas, both clinically and radiologically. Imaging plays an important role in the assessment of these lesions, especially in preparation for surgery. We present a case of cervical teratoma and emphasise the role of MRI.

Female↗

PubMed1997

Knee tumours--duration and nature of symptoms prior to investigation.

The incidence of most musculoskeletal neoplasms is highest around the knee. Royal College of Radiologists Guidelines for diagnostic imaging state that plain radiographs are not routinely indicated for knee pain without restriction of movement or symptoms of locking. The notes of 19 patients with knee tumours presenting over a 5 year period were analysed. Irrespective of age or the grade of malignancy the majority of patients had symptoms for around 6 months prior to the initial radiograph. Only four patients had symptoms which would have merited radiological investigation under the present Guidelines. Even in these patients the symptoms prior to either pathological fracture or locking would not have come under the Guidelines. There is a case for regarding persistent, unilateral knee pain for longer than 6 weeks as an indication for imaging.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Multifocal skeletal tuberculosis: bone scan appearances.

Bone scans are not generally required in the investigation of tuberculosis. The most common reason for the request is bone pain, which may precede the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The finding of multifocal areas of increased uptake on a bone scan may be due to a number of causes, the most common of which is metastatic bone disease. Therefore, there is a risk that those caused by tuberculosis may be misdiagnosed. We report six such bone scans occurring over 5 years which were found to be due to skeletal tuberculosis. Five patients were of Asian descent, four of whom had had bone biopsies confirming the presence of mycobacterium tuberculosis. The sixth patient, a Caucasian, had a bone biopsy which isolated mycobacterium bovis. Although skeletal tuberculosis is generally secondary to a primary pulmonary focus, all six patients had a normal chest X-ray.

Adult↗