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Background Cancellations of surgeries for elective cases and late admissions of symptomatic cases during the pandemic period might have increased the number of cases of acute cholecystitis and its complications. Purpose To compare the severity of acute cholecystitis and complication rates during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Material and Methods We evaluated the computed tomography (CT) findings observed for the diagnosis of complications for both acute simple and acute complicated cholecystitis during both the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Patients admitted to the hospital between March 2020 and December 2020 made up the study group and the corresponding appropriate patients from one year earlier were studied as the control group. In addition to the CT findings, clinical and laboratory findings, co-morbidities such as diabetes, as well as the admission time to hospital from the onset of the initial symptoms to hospital admission were also evaluated. Results A total of 88 patients were evaluated (54 in the study group, 34 in the control group; mean age = 64.3 ± 16.3 years). The male-to-female ratio was 51/37. The number of patients diagnosed with complicated cholecystitis were significantly higher in the study group ( P = 0.03). Murphy finding and diabetes status were similar between the two groups ( P = 0.086 and P = 0.308, respectively). Admission time to the hospital was significantly different for study and control groups in simple cholecystitis patients ( P = 0.045); with no significant difference in cases of complicated cholecystitis ( P = 0.499). Conclusion Our study reveals the course of acute cholecystitis during the pandemic period was much more serious with higher complications.

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OBJECTIVES Down Syndrome (DS, Trisomy 21) is the most common genetic disease that is characterized by varying degrees of mental retardation and delay in neurocognitive functions. Herein, we analyzed the morphometric shape of the corpus callosum (CC) in children with DS. METHODS Twenty-three (50%) DS cases underwent MRI and were found to have grossly normal CC, and 23 (50%) control group were included in this retrospective study from the pediatric radiology archive (2012 to 2020). Images containing the CC were obtained from T2-weighted midsagittal images, and certain anatomical points were marked on the CC. Statistical geometric shapes and deformations of CC were evaluated for both groups. RESULTS The age range of patients with Down Syndrome was 6–42 months (11 females, 12 males), and 6–42 months (10 females, 13 males) for the control group. A statistically significant difference was found in the shape of CC between the groups (p < 0.001). Deformation was most evident in the posterior part of the CC (splenium) in the DS group. DISCUSSION The splenial deformation detected in children with Down Syndrome may be one of the first clues that can be determined in early childhood, which can explain the retardation in the neurocognitive functions.

Background The pulmonary artery area (PAA) is a valuable non-invasive method for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. Purpose To compare the change in PAA in patients with COVID-19 with the computed tomography (CT) severity index using follow-up imaging. Material and Methods A total of 81 patients who were followed up and underwent CT assessment more than once at our hospital‘s pandemic department were evaluated retrospectively. Patients with progression were separated into three groups: progression ranging from mild-to-mild infiltration (Group A, CT severity index of 0–2); progression from mild to severe infiltration (Group B, CT severity index of 0-2 to 3–5); and progression from severe-to-severe infiltration (Group C, CT severity index of 3–5). The PAAs were calculated separately. Results The mean age was 56 ± 12 years. In terms of those patients showing progression in the CT images, the number of patients in Groups A, B, and C was 29, 40, and 12 in the right lung; 32, 45, and 4 in the left lung; 23, 45, and 13 on both lungs, respectively. There was no significant difference between the main, right, and left PAAs in Group A ( P > 0.05). In Group B, there were significant increases in the areas of the main, right, and left PAAs ( P < 0.05). There were also significant increases in the areas of the right and main pulmonary arteries in Group C ( P < 0.05). Conclusion PAAs increase as disease involvement advances in cases with COVID-19 pneumonia, which is thought to be correlated with progression.