Najla Mnif

Sex determination of a Tunisian population by CT scan analysis of the skull

It is widely accepted that the estimation of biological attributes in the human skeleton is more accurate when population-specific standards are applied. With the shortage of such data for contemporary North African populations, it is duly required to establish population-specific standards. We present here the first craniometric standards for sex determination of a contemporary Tunisian population. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between sex and metric parameters of the skull in this population using CT scan analysis and to generate proper reliable standards for sex determination of a complete or fragmented skull. The study sample comprised cranial multislice computed tomography scans of 510 individuals equally distributed by sex. ASIRTM software in a General ElectricTM workstation was used to position 37 landmarks along the volume-rendered images and the multiplanar slices, defining 27 inter-landmark distances. Frontal and parietal bone thickness was also measured for each case. The data were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression with cross-validation of classification results. All of the measurements were sexually dimorphic with male values being higher than female values. A nine-variable model achieved the maximum classification accuracy of 90% with −2.9% sex bias and a six-variable model yielded 85.9% sexing accuracy with −0.97% sex bias. We conclude that the skull is highly dimorphic and represents a reliable bone for sex determination in contemporary Tunisian individuals.

Vasitis: An Uncommon Diagnosis Mimicking Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia

Vasitis or inflammation of the vas deferens is a rarely described condition. Clinically, it presents with nonspecific symptoms that can be confused with other more common conditions, especially an incarcerated inguinal hernia. The diagnosis may be suggested by ultrasound or, more precisely, by computed tomography.

Seminal vesicle agenesis: An uncommon cause of azoospermia

Seminal vesicle malformations are a rare cause of obstructive azoospermia, often associated with other internal genitalia and upper urinary tract birth defects. We report 5 new cases of seminal vesicle agenesis in men presenting with hypospermia and azoospermia. Imaging showed seminal vesicle unilateral agenesis in all patients. The remaining seminal vesicle was hypoplastic in 3 cases, dilated in 1 case and with abnormally thick content in another case. Vas deferens agenesis was observed unilaterally in 2 patients and bilaterally in 2 other patients. No renal malformations were detected. Genetic study showed in all cases a 46 XY karyotype without any microdeletions. A single heterozygous cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene mutation was diagnosed in 1 man, but not found in his partner. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection using sperm from a testicular biopsy was performed in 3 couples, without success.

Ileal angiodysplasia presentation as a bowel obstruction: A case report

Highlights • Angiodysplasia is an important cause of both overt and occult gastrointestinal bleeding.• However, angiodysplasia should also be kept in mind while dealing with an acute abdomen due to a bowel obstruction, especially in elderly patients with occult gastrointestinal bleeding.• Such exceptional presentation of angiodysplasia can be explained by the development, in the digestive submucosa, of acquired arteriovenous malformation with multiple shunts and rapid blood flow. This results in an inadequate oxygenation of a segment of intestine, chronic ischemia, wall thickness and stenosis and bowel obstruction.

Le synovialosarcome primitif de la verge

Le synovialosarcome represente un sous-type rare des sarcomes des tissus mous. Son apparition au niveau de la verge est exceptionnelle et seulement deux cas ont ete rapportes dans la litterature auparavant. Nous rapportons un nouveau cas de synovialosarcome de la verge chez un jeune patient de 27 ans, en essayant par l’entremise d’une revue de la litterature de discuter des aspects radiologiques, histologiques, immuno-histochimiques, therapeutiques et pronostiques de cette tumeur exceptionnelle.

Superselective embolisation of bilateral superior vesical arteries for management of intractable hematuria in context of metastatic bladder cancer

Hematuria due to locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer is a common condition and is often a management problem. Percutaneous embolisation is a mini-invasive option to handle this situation. We report a case of a patient with a metastatic bladder cancer and who presented with an abundant hematuria and severe anemia. After failure of endoscopic resections and “flush” of radiotherapy haemostatic and refusal of cystectomy by the patient, he was treated by superselective embolisation of bilateral superior bladder arteries with excellent immediate results. The technique is safe and effective in the short term. The long-term effectiveness requires further investigation.

Bilateral Orbital Metastasis of Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

Despite the high incidence of prostate carcinoma, metastases of the uvea are very rare and bilateral localization is even more. We report here the case of a 77-year-old man diagnosed with a metastatic prostate carcinoma. Two months later, he presented a decreased vision in his right eye and blurred vision in the left eye relevant to metastatic lesion on his right iris and left choroidal metastasis. The urologist should evoke possibility of ocular metastasis in patients with prostate cancer presenting visual disorders.

Myocardial Iron overload quantification in a developing country: Tunisian first experience with financial challenges

Background Iron chelation treatment has increased life expectancy of patients with beta thalassemia major. Accurate assessement of heart iron overload is essential for managing chelation therapy. Nowadays, MRI-based iron overload quantification became the gold standard technique. However it remains too expensive in countries that cannot afford such technology, which ironically are endemic countries of thalassemia. The aim of our study is to evaluate the impact of measuring heart iron concentration by the means of MRI using a “low cost” technique in a developing country like ours with few financial resourses.