Malignant GISTs are typically large, well-circumscribed, heterogeneous, centrally necrotic tumors that arise in the wall of the small bowel or stomach. They rarely obstruct viscera, despite their large size and propensity to metastasize to the liver and peritoneum.

The purpose of this study was to assess the pattern and significance of tumour calcification in ovarian carcinoma. Patients with calcifying ovarian carcinoma were identified from radiological reports. Their tumour characteristics, serum calcium levels, treatment and survival were compared with a control group of patients with non-calcifying disease. Patterns and distribution of calcification were assessed. Available serial CT scans were reviewed for changes in both soft-tissue and calcified disease according to RECIST (response evaluation criteria in solid tumours) criteria where feasible. Temporal changes in calcification were correlated with changes in soft tissue disease and CA125 levels. The calcified group numbered 122 (22 other patients had calcifying tumour but insufficient clinical data). Calcification in ovarian carcinoma had a prevalence of 8% (144/1721) in our series. There was a significant difference (p<0.001) between the two groups in the distribution of histological type, with serous tumours being more common in the calcified group (74/122 (61%)) than in the controls (509/1498 (34%)). The calcified tumour patients tended to have lower grade disease (p<0.001). No differences between the groups were found for age, treatment or serum calcium levels. Distribution of calcification was diffusely peritoneal in 34 patients, in association with a pelvic mass in 15, nodal in 11 and within the anterior abdominal wall in 2. There was no correlation between changes in calcification on serial CT scans and corresponding CA125 levels. In conclusion, calcification tends to occur most commonly in serous cystadenocarcinomata and in tumours of lower grade. Changes in calcification cannot be used as a marker of disease response.

A case of left brachiocephalic venous aneurysm is presented. Thoracic venous aneurysms are rare with only 27 previous cases in the medical literature, the majority involving the superior vena cava. There are only two previous reports of isolated brachiocephalic venous aneurysm. Venous aneurysms are usually first detected as mediastinal widening on a chest radiograph and can be further defined using CT, MRI or angiography. The aetiology is uncertain. Management is usually conservative, but surgical correction has been performed.

Small bowel obstruction is a leading cause of acute surgical admissions for abdominal pain. There is an increasing tendency for initial conservative management rather than immediate operative intervention, as a proportion of cases will resolve spontaneously. This has resulted in a growing reliance on radiological investigations to reassure the surgeon that medical therapy can be safely instituted. The onus therefore rests with radiologists to guide their surgical colleagues by correctly interpreting the plain abdominal radiograph and suggesting appropriate further investigation if warranted. Recently, computed tomography (CT) has been proposed as the test of choice to define the level and cause of acute small bowel obstruction and to identify complications such as ischaemia and perforation which will prompt surgical intervention. This review will discuss the utility of early CT in the diagnosis of acute small bowel obstruction and outline its impact on patient management.

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