Chondrosarcoma is a malignant tumor that produces cartilage matrix, and lesions that arise de novo are called primary. Primary chondrosarcoma is the third most common primary malignant tumor of bone, constituting 20%-27% of all primary malignant osseous neoplasms. There are numerous types of primary chondrosarcomas, including conventional intramedullary, clear cell, juxtacortical, myxoid, mesenchymal, extraskeletal, and dedifferentiated. The conventional intramedullary chondrosarcoma is the most frequent type, and it most commonly involves the long bones or pelvis in up to 65% of cases. Although the pathologic appearance varies with specific lesion type, chondrosarcomas grow with lobular type architecture, and these hyaline cartilage nodules demonstrate high water content and peripheral enchondral ossification. Imaging features directly reflect this pathologic appearance, and the various subtypes often show distinctive features. Radiographic findings often suggest the diagnosis of chondrosarcoma because of identification of typical "ring-and-arc" chondroid matrix mineralization (representing the enchondral ossification) and aggressive features of deep endosteal scalloping and soft-tissue extension. These latter features are usually best assessed, as is lesion staging, with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. CT is optimal to detect the matrix mineralization, particularly when it is subtle or when the lesion is located in anatomically complex areas. Both CT and MR imaging depict the high water content of these lesions as low attenuation and very high signal intensity with T2-weighting, respectively. Understanding and recognizing the spectrum of appearances of the various types of primary chondrosarcoma allow improved patient assessment and are vital for optimal clinical management including diagnosis, biopsy, staging, treatment, and prognosis.
Infection of the musculoskeletal system is a common clinical problem. Differentiating soft tissue from osseous infection often determines the appropriate clinical therapeutic course. Radiographs are the recommend initial imaging examination, and although often not diagnostic in acute osteomyelitis, can provide anatomic evaluation and alternative diagnoses influencing subsequent imaging selection and interpretation. MRI with contrast is the examination of choice for the evaluation of suspected osteomyelitis, and MRI, CT, and ultrasound can all be useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue infection. CT or a labeled leukocyte scan and sulfur colloid marrow scan combination are alternative options if MRI is contraindicated or extensive artifact from metal is present. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.
The external morphology of the penis is an important source of systematic characters in phylogenetic studies of harvestmen. Modern taxonomic studies generally include micrographs generated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to illustrate penis morphology. In contrast, the external morphology of the ovipositor has largely been ignored for harvestmen belonging to the suborder Laniatores. Comparative studies of ovipositor microanatomy using SEM are especially lacking for species belonging to the superfamily Gonyleptoidea. In an effort to determine if the ovipositor could be a useful source of informative characters for these harvestmen, we investigated interspecific variation in the external morphology of the ovipositor for 14 species from the family Cosmetidae. Our SEM-based study revealed that the external surface of the distal tips of the ovipositors of most species was generally divided into four symmetrical lobes, although we observed a bilobed condition in Erginulus clavotibialis and Erginulus subserialis. The distal surfaces were also generally smooth, with the exception of the ovipositor of Erginulus weyerensis, which featured small surface setae. In addition, we observed considerable interspecific variation in the morphology of the peripheral setae on the distal tip, especially with respect to relative size, morphology of the shaft, and number, symmetry, and shapes of the distal tips. The functional significance, if any, of variation in the structure of the peripheral setae is unclear. Additional behavioral studies of copulation and oviposition are needed to determine the functional relationships between reproductive morphology and behavior. The morphological variation that we observed suggests that future taxonomic studies of cosmetid harvestmen, and potentially other gonyleptoidean taxa, would benefit from the inclusion of descriptions of ovipositor morphology.
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