On reviewing our cases of hydatid disease seen over a period of 20 years (1978-1998), we encountered a number of unusual radiological appearances and sites, which are demonstrated in this pictorial review. We briefly discuss the pathology of hydatid disease and its complications.

The object of the case report is to present a case of spontaneous rupture of the renal pelvis with no underlying pathological condition to account for the rupture, a very rare and unusual occurrence. The patient was a 46-year-old Korean who presented with severe left loin pain and vomiting. The diagnosis was suspected on intravenous urography and confirmed by CT. Treatment was by ureteral stenting. The patient made a complete recovery. The differential diagnosis of this condition is discussed and the literature is reviewed.

The mild phenotype among Kuwaiti patients with SCD is reflected in normal TCD velocities and a low prevalence of SBI in children with the disease.

Chronic hemolysis, with consequent hyperbilirubinemia, predisposes SS patients to pigment gallstones. The other factors which influence the development of stones in these patients have not been identified. We have carried out a combined prospective and retrospective study of SS patients in Kuwait and specifically investigated the influence of coexistent α-thal trait on the prevalence of gallstones. A total of 45 patients (30 males, 15 females) with ages ranging from 1 to 16 years (mean 7.2 ± 3.1) were studied. Most were either homozygotes for the Saudi Arabia/India haplotype (86.7%) or compound heterozygotes for this and the Benin haplotype (11.1%). They were screened for gallstones with ultrasonography. α-Globin genotypes were determined using a combination of PCR and allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization techniques to identify the common α-thalassemia alleles in this population. Gallstones were detected in 7 (15.6%) patients (4 males, 3 females), whose mean age (10.5 ± 5.5 years) was significantly higher than that (6.8 ± 3.2 years) of those without stones (p < 0.01). The mean total Hb of the former (8.4 ± 0.8 g/dl) was also significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in the latter (9.5 ± 1.3 g/dl), while the difference in mean Hb F levels was not significant. None of the 4 α-thal homozygotes had gallstones while 2 of 13 heterozygotes and 5 of the 23 patients without coexistent α-thal had. The differences in these proportions are statistically significant (χ² = 20.4, p < 0.001). It therefore appears that coexistent α-thal decreases the chance of developing gallstones in Arab SS patients. This may be related to less hemolysis in such patients as shown by their higher mean Hb level.

In a retrospective study of giant breast masses over a period of 20 years (1980-2000), we encountered 18 patients with fibroadenomas. Most of them were adolescents and young adults. The bimodal age incidence seen in Caucasians was not observed. The masses ranged from 6 to 15 cm in size and in the youngest patient, they were bilateral. All 18 patients were examined by mammography and 10 of them by ultrasonography (US) as well. The right breast was involved in 12 patients and the left in six. The diagnosis was confirmed pathologically in all patients, by excision biopsy in 17 patients and by fine needle aspiration cytology and excision biopsy in one patient. The radiological findings were the same as those previously described. All patients were treated by simple enuculation. There was only one recurrence over a follow-up period from 2 months to 3 years.