Barioliths consist of inspissated barium mixed with feces. They are a rare complication after barium contrast roentgenography and occur almost exclusively in the large bowel. Mostly asymptomatic or causing only slight symptoms and signs, they may persist for months or years. We report a severe case of cecal bariolith. Clinical symptoms and signs, radiological findings, intraoperative findings, and histology are presented and discussed with reference to the literature.

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During the course of four and a half years, transrectal sonography was performed in 724 men; in each case the seminal vesicles and prostate were evaluated. In 149 examinations, changes were found in the seminal vesicles and in 143 of these, the sonographic finding suggested that the changes were due to prostatic disease. In 95 histologically proven prostatic carcinomas, infiltration of the seminal vesicles could be demonstrated. In three patients there was an empyema and in three others a malformation of the seminal vesicles. Prostatic sonography is essential for accurate diagnosis of the basic abnormality.

Diuresis renography after administration of 123I-(131I-)Hippuran of 248 patients (492 kidneys) were compared retrospectively with clinical findings, history, i.v. urography, and ultrasound examinations. A new wash-out-index was calculated. In cases with obstructive dilatation of the collecting system this index was smaller than 0.9. If it was 0.9 to 1.2 additional diagnostic procedures seem necessary. An index more then 1.4 excludes obstruction. The shape of the renogram curve after furosemide is important for the diagnosis too. A concave shape was found in non-obstructive dilatation, a convex shape in obstructive dilatation of the renal pelvis. The wash-out-index is a reliable parameter if cases with reflux, lower ureteral obstruction and shrunken kidneys are excluded.

Damage to intracranial arteries was demonstrated angiographically in 24 patients with severe trauma to the skull and brain. The most common abnormalities were damage to the intima and traumatic carotid-cavernous fistulae (nine cases each). In addition, there were six traumatic aneurysms of the internal carotid artery, two extravasates from ruptured intracranial branches and one traumatic A-V fistula between the middle meningeal artery and the spheno-parietal sinus. The arterial damage was diagnosed either during the acute stage or after a latent period of days and weeks, if there were signs of intracranial bleeding or other evidence of vascular damage. Cerebral angiography in two or more projections is the method of choice for demonstrating even minor vascular lesions.