Central venous access port devices (CVAPD) are necessary for delivery of prolonged infusional chemotherapy or in patients with poor peripheral venous access. Previous studies of Hickman catheters report complication rates in about 45% of patients. Our aim was to assess the early and late complication rate, and duration that the CVAPD remained functional, following insertion by interventional radiologists in patients with solid tumours. A prospective study was undertaken in 110 consecutive patients who had insertion of 111 subclavian CVAPD. The median age of patients was 57 years (range 17 -83), 64 were females; 68 patients (61%) had gastrointestinal tumours and 25 (23%) had breast cancer. CVAPD were successfully implanted in all but one patient. There were four (4%) immediate major complications: thrombosis 2 and pneumothorax 2. Nine patients (8%) had bruising or pain. Four devices (4%) became infected. In total, 100 CVAPD (90%) were either removed as planned at the end of treatment (n ¼ 23) after a median 203 days, or remained in situ for a median of 237 days (7 -1133). Premature removal occurred in eight patients due to infection (n ¼ 4), thrombosis (n ¼ 3) or faulty device (n ¼ 1). Four patients were lost to follow-up. Radiological insertion of CVAPD is safe and convenient with low rates of complications.

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Eighteen patients with chronic low back pain were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomographic (CT) discography. Each study was classified as being normal, showing early disc degenerative changes including annular tear, showing established disc degeneration or disc herniation. There was comparable information in over 90% of the MRI studies when compared to CT discography, without reliance on pain provocation or carrying out an invasive procedure. The axial and sagittal T1 weighted images were used to exclude other causes of pain, such as foraminal stenosis and disc herniation. The mid-sagittal T2 weighted image used in this study was considered to be, in part, responsible for the underestimation of disc degeneration because it did not allow visualization of the lateral aspects of the discs.

Tubular ectasia of the rete testis is an uncommon entity that is usually discovered incidentally during ultrasound evaluation of epididymal abnormalities. The characteristic ultrasound appearance, its frequent association with spermatoceles and the lack of a palpable mass are the main features that permit identification of this entirely benign lesion.

Uptake in the superior or superomedial aspect of the acetabular rim is characteristic of a labral tear. Absence of this pattern carries a high negative predictive value for the diagnosis.