Fourteen cases of Paget's disease of bone seen in an African community over a 4-year period are reported. During a comparable 4-year period, no case of Paget's disease was seen in a busy radiology department of a teaching hospital in Nigeria. It is suggested that Paget's disease of bone may not be uncommon in some African communities and that the striking geographical variation in the incidence of this disease in Europe, America and elsewhere is applicable to Africa also.

Most intra-abdominal and other types of fluid collections are now successfully drained percutaneously under image guidance. The utility of percutaneous drainage of tuberculous abscesses, especially those associated with osseous changes, is, however, less well established. Six patients with tuberculous iliopsoas abscesses were successfully managed by percutaneous drainage combined with antituberculous therapy. The abscesses were bilateral in one patient and unilateral in the other five. Drainage was by needle aspiration under ultrasound (US) guidance in one patient, and by catheter under CT guidance in the other patients. Three patients had associated osseous changes. There were no procedural complications. Tuberculous iliopsoas abscess can be successfully treated by percutaneous drainage and appropriate antituberculous therapy.