Study on Compliance with Radiation Protection Rules in the Medical Imaging Department of Pr Bocar Sidy Sall Hospital of Kati (Mali)

Objective: Evaluate the level of compliance with radiation protection rules in the medical imaging department of the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Kati. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out in the medical imaging department of Pr Bocar Sidy Sall (BSS) Hospital of Kati. A questionnaire was developed and sent to the staff of the medical imaging department. The assessment focused on the radiation protection of personnel, radiation protection measures for patients, the delimitation and signage of zoning as well as the application of radiation protection principles. Results: Twenty-one people participated in the study, 90% of whom were men. The 30 - 39 age group was predominant with 61.90%. 33.33% of the staff knew the principles of radiation protection;86% of our sample knew the basic rules of radiation protection. The majority of the staff in the imaging department (61.90%) had a perfect knowledge of protective equipment. For 76% of our workforce, the limits of the radiation doses received are regulated in Mali. 76% of those surveyed have not taken any additional training in radiation protection. The doors are closed during the X-ray examination for 76.19% of the respondents and 95% of the staff put themselves behind the sealed screen during the examination. For 81% of the respondents, the design of the premises met radiation protection standards. 62% of practitioners have a dosimeter and 80% of them wear it during their shift. For 62% of our sample, the change of the dosimeter is quarterly. The systematic request for DDR (date of last menstrual period) in women and the adaptation of the delivered dose to the patient’s morphology was only carried out by 65% of practitioners. The majority of staff (81%) did not benefit from medical surveillance, while for 55% of respondents the level of radiation protection in the establishment was average. Conclusion: This study enabled us to highlight the shortcomings in terms of radiation protection within the imaging department of the CHU Kati.

Feasibility of Scanopelvimetry in the Medical Imaging Department of the University Hospital of Point “G”.

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to describe the technique of scanopelvimetry used in the radiology department of the Point G University Hospital, to specify the indications of scanopelvimetry in the department and to evaluate the cost of radiopelvimetry. Patients and Method: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study that took place over a 12-month period from January 1 to December 31, 2018. It focused on pregnant women in whom scanopelvimetry was performed in the medical imaging department of Point G University Hospital during the study period. Results: Out of 8615 CT examinations performed in the radiology department, we collected 65 cases of scanopelvimetry, i.e., 0.7% of the CT examinations. Primigravida and paucigravida dominated the study (40% each). In 60% of the pregnant women the height was less than 150 cm. The most frequent indication for CT scanning was clinical pelvic narrowing (50%). In 80% of the cases, the scanopelvimetry was performed after 37 weeks of amenorrhea. A predominance of narrowing of the superior strait was noted (40%). 4.6% of the pregnant women had a Magnin index of less than 20. CT scanopelvimetry is a feasible examination in our context but the level of demand is low because of the high cost of the examination (49500 fca). Conclusion: In light of the results obtained, we can say that CT pelvimetry allows us to predict the probable route of delivery and thus we can reduce the risk of fetomaternal morbidity and mortality to improve maternal and child health.

Retroperitoneal Teratoma in Infants: About a Case in the Medical Imaging Department of the Mother and Child Hospital Center “Luxembourg”

Introduction: Retroperitoneal teratoma is a rare congenital tumour, representing only 1% to 10% of primary retroperitoneal tumors in children, far behind ovarian and testicular locations. There is a clear female predominance with a sex ratio of 3.4/1. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical manifestations, the mode of revelation of retroperitoneal teratoma, the diagnostic means and the anatomopathologic aspect of retroperitoneal teratoma, then to show the contribution and the limits of the various imaging examinations: ultrasound, CT and MRI in the diagnosis of retroperitoneal teratoma. Observation: We report the case of a mature retroperitoneal teratoma discovered in a 10-month-old male infant. The diagnosis evoked by ultrasound and abdominal CT was confirmed by histological study of the excised specimen. The postoperative evolution after 3 months was favorable in particular with no signs of recurrence. Conclusion: Retroperitoneal teratoma is a rare congenital tumour. The complete imaging assessment including ultrasound and computed tomography is necessary preoperatively in order to make the diagnosis and to clearly determine the relationship with the various organs. The anatomopathological study confirms the diagnosis of retroperitoneal teratoma. Tumor excision must be radical to avoid recurrence, which readily occurs in a malignant form. Even if the tumor appears benign, postoperative monitoring based on clinical, biological and radiological examination is essential.

Is it a normal phenomenon for pediatric patients to have brain leptomeningeal contrast enhancement on 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging?

Determining whether sevoflurane sedation in children leads to“pseudo”prominent leptomeningeal contrast enhancement(pLMCE)on 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging will help reduce overdiagnosis by radiologists and clarify the pathophysiological changes of pLMCE.

Life Time Attributable Cancer Risk Estimated Using Scanner Reported Dose Length Product during Chest Computed Tomography Imaging in Young Children

This study aims to estimate the lifetime attributable cancer risk (LAR) for pediatric chest computed tomography (CT) examinations in five age groups using recently published age and region-specific conversion coefficients multiplying the widely available scanner registered dose length products (DLP) displayed on the CT console and hence calculating the Effective Dose (ED). The ED is then multiplied by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) published risk factor for LAR. The obtained LAR values are compared with the international literature. Factors that may affect the LAR value are reported and discussed. The study included one hundred twenty five chest CT examinations for both males and females aged from less than one year to fifteen years. The patients reported data are from one single medical institution and using two CT scanners from June 2022 to December 2023. The results of this study may serve as benchmark for institutional radiation dose reference levels and risk estimation.

Comparative Study of Transvesical and Retropubic Prostatic Adenomectomies in the Urology-Andrology Department of Ignace Deen University Hospital Center

Objective: To compare the results of transvesical and retropubic prostatic adenomectomies at the Urology-Andrology Department of Conakry University Hospital. Methodology: This was a prospective multi-operator analytical study lasting 6 months. It included 70 patients operated on for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), divided into 2 groups of 35 according to the retropubic or transvesical technique. The data was collected using a questionnaire and entered into the Epi info application. The analysis was initially descriptive and then univariate. To identify confounding factors, a multivariate analysis was performed. The application conditions of each test were checked before their application. A p-value Results: Upper adenomectomies represented 53.6% of surgeries performed for BPH. The average age was 73.2 years. The mean prostate volume was 117 ± 51.6 cc and the mean total PSA was 9.2 ± 11.4 ng/ml. The majority of patients had an ASA1 (60%) and ASA2 (37.1%) score. Spinal anesthesia, a double-current silicone probe with hinged hinge 22, and drainage of the prevesical space were carried out in all patients, i.e. 100%. The average overall blood loss was 229 ± 98.2 ml. It was lower in the group of patients operated via the retropubic route (187 ± 60.4 ml). The same was true for the duration of intervention (49.1 ± 7.17 vs 55.4 ± 7.9 min), the catheter wearing time (5.14 ± 0.97 vs 9.29 ± 2 .9 days) and the length of hospitalization (=6.26 ± 1.15 vs 12.1 ± 5.74 days). Conclusion: The retropubic technique has advantages over the transvesical one. These advantages are translated by a gain in the duration of the intervention, blood loss, catheter wearing time and length of hospitalization.

Assessing the Impact of Regulations on Radiation Safety Culture and Practices in Radiology Departments

Background: The need to establish a strong culture around radiation safety is derived from the assertion that medical practitioners, patients, and third parties should not be exposed to unnecessary radiation. Authorities have endeavored to enact policies to protect all employers and patients in radiology departments. Objectives: To assess the impact of radiation safety practices and regulations on the ongoing improvements in radiation safety culture and practices in radiology departments. This will be achieved through a subjective assessment of national and international rules and regulations by healthcare professionals. Materials and Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey in the radiology departments of three JCI-accredited hospitals in the Riyadh region to identify and assess the impact of national radiation regulations and the accompanying processes on the improvement of radiation safety culture and practices in radiology departments. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the grading system results among various groups of respondents, based on their educational level. Also, there are statistically significant differences between the assessments of safety level results in the answers provided by various groups of respondents according to education level in favor of the master’s degree. Conclusion: The study concludes that technicians with a diploma degree require stricter regulation. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that an exposure tracking system and a regulatory action supporting it may be useful in the ongoing task of improving patients’ radiation safety.

Challenges and optimization strategies in medical imaging service delivery during COVID-19

In coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),medical imaging plays an essential role in the diagnosis,management and disease progression surveillance.Chest radiography and computed tomography are commonly used imaging techniques globally during this pandemic.As the pandemic continues to unfold,many healthcare systems worldwide struggle to balance the heavy strain due to overwhelming demand for healthcare resources.Changes are required across the entire healthcare system and medical imaging departments are no exception.The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on medical imaging practices.It is now time to pay further attention to the profound challenges of COVID-19 on medical imaging services and develop effective strategies to get ahead of the crisis.Additionally,preparation for operations and survival in the post-pandemic future are necessary considerations.This review aims to comprehensively examine the challenges and optimization of delivering medical imaging services in relation to the current COVID-19 global pandemic,including the role of medical imaging during these challenging times and potential future directions post-COVID-19.

Reliability of Medical Imaging in the Pre-Therapeutic Assessment of Acute Intestinal Obstruction at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Du Point “G”.

Introduction: Acute intestinal obstruction is a serious pathology, a surgical emergency for which medical imaging plays an important role in the management. We initiated this work in order to study the contribution of imaging in the diagnosis of acute intestinal obstruction at the Point-G University Hospital. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, descriptive and analytical study of 96 patients collected at the radiology and medical imaging department of CHU Point-G from January 2018 to January 2019. Results: The age of our patients varied from 11 to 86 years, with an average of 36 years old. There was a male predominance of 64.6% against 35.4% for women, i.e., a sex ratio of 1.82. Previous surgery was found in 61.5% of our patients. The pain was present in all patients. An unprepared abdominal X-ray was performed in 89.6% of patients. Hydroaerobic levels were found in 96.5% of patients. Abdominopelvic CT scans were performed on 12 patients, all of whom were diagnosed with occlusion. These positive diagnostic findings were consistent with intraoperative findings in 92% of cases. The causes were dominated by bridges in 46 patients and tumors in 9 patients. Signs of severity on CT were dominated by signs of distress of the upstream bile ducts in 8.3%. Exactly 8% of our patients spontaneously resumed transit, 91% received surgical treatment and 1% died before surgery. The outcome was favorable in 80 patients (83.3%) and poor with death in 16 patients (16.7%). Conclusion: Acute intestinal obstruction remains a serious pathology for which the X-ray of the PSA is often the only radiological examination performed in an emergency. However, abdominopelvic CT seems to us to be widely indicated thanks to its contribution both to the positive diagnosis and to the diagnosis of severity and etiology. However, this imaging technique is widely underused in our practice because of its high cost and lack of availability.

The prognostic value of radiomics based on ^(18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of radiomics features based on ^(18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging for advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)treated with chemotherapy.Methods:A sample of 146 NSCLC patients stagedⅢor stageⅣwere included in this retrospective study who received ^(18)F-FDG PET/CT before treatment.All patients were treated with standardized chemotherapy after PET/CT examination and were divided into training group and validation group in an 8:2 ratio randomly.Radiomics features were extracted.In the training group,the minimum absolute contraction and selection operator(LASSO)algorithm and Cox risk proportional regression model were used to screen radiomics and clinical prognostic factors of progression-free survival(PFS).The radiomic model,clinical model and complex model were established respectively.The corresponding scores were calculated,then verified in the validation group.Results:The LASSO algorithm finally screened four radiomics features.ROC results showed that in the training group,the AUC of PFS predicted by the radiomics model was 0.746,and that in the verification group was 0.622.COX multivariate analysis finally included three clinical features related to PFS in NSCLC patients,namely pathological type,clinical stage and MTV30.The AUC for predicting PFS by clinical model,radiomics model and composite model were 0.746,0.753 and 0.716,respectively.The radiomics model had the highest diagnostic efficacy,and its sensitivity and specificity were 0.663 and 0.833,respectively.Delong test verified that there was no statistical difference in the predictive efficacy between the radiomics model and the composite model(Z=1.777,P=0.076)and the clinical imaging model(Z=0.323,P=0.747).Conclusion:The radiomics model based on PET/CT has a good predictive value for the prognosis of advanced NSCLC treated with chemotherapy,but it needs further validation before it can be widely used in clinical practice.

Prostate magnetic resonance imaging and the value of experience:An intrareader variability study

Objective To measure the intraobserver concordance of an experienced genitourinary radiologist reporting of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate(mpMRIp)scans over time.Methods An experienced genitourinary radiologist re-reported his original 100 consecutive mpMRIp scans using Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2(PI-RADS v2)after 5 years of further experience comprising>1000 scans.Intraobserver agreement was measured using Cohen's kappa.Sensitivity,specificity,negative predictive value(NPV),positive predictive value(PPV),and accuracy were calculated,and comparison of sensitivity was performed using McNemar's test.Results Ninety-six mpMRIp scans were included in our final analysis.Of the 96 patients,53(55.2%)patients underwent subsequent biopsy(n=43)or prostatectomy(n=15),with 73 lesions targeted.Moderate agreement(Cohen's kappa 0.55)was seen in the number of lesions identified at initial reporting and on re-reading(81 vs.39 total lesions;and 71 vs.37 number of PI-RADS≥3 lesions).For clinically significant prostate cancer,re-reading demonstrated an increase in specificity(from 43%to 89%)and PPV(from 62%to 87%),but a decrease in sensitivity(from 94%to 72%,p=0.01)and NPV(from 89%to 77%).Conclusion The intraobserver agreement for a novice to experienced radiologist reporting mpMRIp using PI-RADS v2 is moderate.Reduced sensitivity is off-set by improved specificity and PPV,which validate mpMRIp as a gold standard for prebiopsy screening.

Analysis of Local Diagnostic Reference Levels for Pediatric Patients Undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging for Oncology

Background: The PET/CT imaging studies have two doses components the dose from the PET radiopharmaceutical and the other from the low dose CT used for PET images attenuation correction. We have one PET/CT scanner at our institution a Philips Time of Flight scanner. Our local patient’s radiation protection rules requires continuous assessment of radiation doses delivered to our patients. Purposes: The objectives of this study are to develop a weight- based facility DRLs for paediatric F-18-FDG PET-CT imaging for oncology in a large tertiary hospital and to determine whether the calculated DRLs compares with internationally published DRLs. Materials & Methods: Radiation dose data and patient demographics of two-hundreds and sixteen paediatric PET-CT oncology patients imaging procedures from one large tertiary hospital were selected and analysed in order to establish a facility paediatric DRLs. Statistical analysis was performed. Results: The PET dose reference levels ranged between [62 - 525] MBq of injected activity for a range of pediatric age groups. The CTDIvol values were between 3.5 and 16.5 mGy for all age groups. Comparison with current EANM and SNMMI recommendations of patient’s dose are discussed. Conclusion: Our pediatric PET/CT reference levels are higher than the ones reported internationally with notable variations. .

The Epidemiological, Clinical and Radiological (Echography, Mammography) Characteristics of Breast Pathologies at the Diagnostic Imaging Center (C.I.D) “Teriya” in Bamako

Breast pathology is varied, bringing together tumor and non-tumor lesions. Objective: To study the contribution of the ultrasound-mammography pair in the diagnosis of breast pathologies. Materials and Method: This was a retrospective descriptive study, carried out over a period of 3 years (from January 2018 to December 2020) at the Diagnostic Imaging Center (C.I.D) “TERIYA” in BAMAKO. It concerned all patients who came for a mammogram/ultrasound examination of the breast. All women admitted for mammogram or breast ultrasound who were diagnosed with a breast injury during the study period were included. Incomplete records and radiological checks were not included. The variables analyzed were age, sex, clinical data, and ultrasound and mammography aspects. The devices used are: a Voluson 730 PRO ultrasound machine and a G 600T type mammography machine. Results: At the end of our study, we collected 254 breast pathologies on a number of 382 women, i.e. a frequency of 66.49%. The average age of our patients was 41 years old. The dominant clinical data were mastodynia (41.88%) and mammary nodule (21.70%). On imaging (mammo-ultrasound) the lesions predominated on the left in 36% of cases, bilateral in 28% of cases and in the upper-outer quadrants in 31.5% of cases. Tumor pathologies represented 66.54% of which 45.27% were benign mainly composed of fibro-adenoma (20.88%) and cyst (18.50%), 11.8% of suspected cases and 9.45% of cancers. Non-tumor pathologies represented 33.46%, mainly mastitis (16.14%), galactophoric dilations (11.02%) and abscesses (5.51%). These pathologies were classified in 50.3% in ACR2, 17.75% in ACR3 and 4, and in 14.20% in ACR5. Lymphadenopathy was present in 73.21% of cases.

Varicocele and Spermogram Abnormality: About 264 Cases at the Fertilia Medical Clinic in Bamako

Aims: To determine the impact of varicocele on the result of the spermogram in a group of hypo-fertile or infertile men. Patients and Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study concerning 264 men collected between February 2020 and March 2022 at the Fertilia medical clinic in Bamako. The study population consisted of consenting male subjects presenting for infertility. All of our patients had already done a spermogram, they then benefited from a scrotal Doppler ultrasound. The scrotal echo-doppler was completed by an abdominal and pelvic echography in search of a possible etiology, in particular a renal cancer, a thrombosis of the renal or spermatic vein, a retroperitoneal mass or a nutcraker syndrome. Testicular volume was measured on ultrasound according to Lambert’s formula (length × width × height × 0.71). A volume = 16 ml was considered normal. Results: 264 patients were recruited in ours. The average age was 33 years with extremes ranging from 25 to 65 years. 149 patients or 56.44% were between 30 and 45 years old. 213 patients or 80.68% had primary infertility. All the patients, i.e. 100%, had a sperm anomaly and dilation of the pampiniform plexus veins. The most common sperm abnormalities were oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, which concerned 214 patients, or 81%, followed by azoospermia (40 patients, or 15%) and oligospermia (10 patients, or 4%). 213 patients or 80.68% had a Hirshen grade II varicocele, 45 patients or 17% had grade I and 06 patients or 2.27% had grade III. Among the 6 patients, 04 had left testicular atrophy and 2 bilateral atrophy. The venous reflux was more accentuated on the left than on the right. Conclusion: Varicocele is significantly found in men with infertility. Sperm alterations concern both the concentration of spermatozoa, their mobility and their vitality. Even if the mechanism of alteration of the sperm parameters is not well elucidated, our study made it possible to make the link between the dilation of the veins of the pampiniform plexus and the sperm abnormalities mentioned above. It should be recognized that varicocelectomy has allowed a significant improvement in the quality of sperm with the obtaining of a certain number of natural pregnancies and those resulting from medically assisted procreation.

Endometrial Status and Embryonic Implantation about 150 Cases at the Medically Assisted Procreation Laboratory “Le Diafounou”

Background: The endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. It undergoes multiple changes during the menstrual cycle and prepares to welcome the fertilized egg. Endovaginal ultrasound is a first-line examination in the assessment of female infertility. Objective: We aimed to determine the impact of endometrial status by endovaginal ultrasound on the outcome of embryo transfers. Subjects and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 150 women collected between January and October 2020 at the “Le Diafounou” medically assisted procreation laboratory. Were included in the study, women presenting for desire of pregnancy and having continued the treatment until the transfer of fresh or frozen embryos. An uterine score was used. This score took into account the thickness of endometrium, it is coffee bean aspect, the presence of the notch, the echogenicity of the endometrium, the pulsatility index, the presence of the flow at the end of diastole and sub-endometrial flow. Ultrasounds were performed using a General Electric logic 500, logic 9 and Voluson E8 device. The data was entered into Excel and then analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: 150 women were selected for the study. 83 women or 55.3% were between 17 and 35 years old and 44.7% were over 35 years old with an upper limit of 50 years old. The number of women who became pregnant was 69% or 46%. The average thickness of the endometrium was 11.40 mm with extremes of 4.65 mm and 18.6 mm. There was a correlation between the thickness of the endometrium and obtaining a pregnancy (p i.e. 88.7%. The pulsatility index was relatively low for those who started a pregnancy, i.e. 90%. The high pulsatility index is one of the reasons for the failure of embryo implantation. The correlation was significant (p = 0.009). 141 women had no notch in the uterine arteries, i.e. 94%. 94 women or 62.7% had a triple line endometrium or typical coffee bean appearance. End-diastolic flow was observed in 127 women, i.e. 84.7%. The sub-endometrial flow was found in 128 women or 85.3%. Conclusion: The Knowledge of the status of the endometrium is essential and has an impact on the outcome of embryo transfers. The thinner (7 and <15). Doppler factors also play an important role.

Relationship between neonatal respiratory distress syndrome pulmonary ultrasonography and respiratory distress score,oxygenation index,and chest radiography grading

BACKGROUND Accurate condition assessment is critical for improving the prognosis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(RDS),but current assessment methods for RDS pose a cumulative risk of harm to neonates.Thus,a less harmful method for assessing the health of neonates with RDS is needed.AIM To analyze the relationships between pulmonary ultrasonography and respiratory distress scores,oxygenation index,and chest X-ray grade of neonatal RDS to identify predictors of neonatal RDS severity.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed the medical information of 73 neonates with RDS admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Liupanshui Maternal and Child Care Service Center between April and December 2022.The pulmonary ultrasonography score,respiratory distress score,oxygenation index,and chest Xray grade of each newborn before and after treatment were collected.Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationships among these values and neonatal RDS severity.RESULTS The pulmonary ultrasonography score,respiratory distress score,oxygenation index,and chest X-ray RDS grade of the neonates were significantly lower after treatment than before treatment(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that before and after treatment,the pulmonary ultrasonography score of neonates with RDS was positively correlated with the respiratory distress score,oxygenation index,and chest X-ray grade(ρ=0.429–0.859,P<0.05).Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that pulmonary ultrasonography screening effectively predicted the severity of neonatal RDS(area under the curve=0.805–1.000,P<0.05).CONCLUSION The pulmonary ultrasonography score was significantly associated with the neonatal RDS score,oxygenation index,and chest X-ray grade.The pulmonary ultrasonography score was an effective predictor of neonatal RDS severity.

Breast Cancer in a Supernumerary Breast at the Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital: About a Case

Accessory or ectopic breast tissue is an anomaly in the development of the breast. It is a rare condition that occurs along the embryological mammary line. In less than 1% of all breast cancers, supernumerary breast cancer is reported, with the axillary location being the most common in 60% to 90% of cases. Cancerous degeneration of this supernumerary breast tissue can pose a dual diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We report the case of locally advanced adenocarcinoma in a right supernumerary breast. This is a 75-year-old, grand-multiparous, postmenopausal, and known hypertensive patient on treatment. Family history was remarkable for brain cancer in her sister and oesophageal cancer in her mother. She consulted for a mass in the right axillary cavity on supernumerary breast evolving for a year. Clinical examination revealed a large, fixed, budding and haemorrhagic-ulcerated mass of the right axilla, with long axis measuring about 15 cm. There was as wella supernumerary breast on the left, but without particularity. A soft tissue ultrasound showed a large hypoechoicmass in the right axillary region of 116 mm with areas of central necrobiosis. Morphologically, the breasts were normal. A breast MRI revealed a subcutaneous mass in the right axillary cavity with skin ulceration and satellite lymphadenopathy. The extension assessment revealed liver metastases, and a biopsy of the mass revealed a breast adenocarcinoma. The case was the subject of a multidisciplinary consultation meeting following which a wide excision of the mass was indicated. The histo-pathology analysis results of the surgical specimen were in favour of a triple negative papillary adenocarcinoma. After a post-operative multidisciplinary consultation meeting, adjuvant chemotherapy was indicated. The development of supernumerary breasts depends on hormones, just like normal breasts. Breast cancer in accessory breast tissue is quite rare with the incidence being 6%. The most common pathology is invasive carcinoma (50% - 75%). It is usually located in the armpit (60% - 70%) although it can be present in other less common locations such as the inframammary region (5% - 10%) and rarely the thighs, perineum, groin and the vulva. Since accessory axillary breast tissue is not considered during breast screening examination, it is necessary for clinicians to be aware of this entity and associated pathologies. Their preventive excision in women at high risk can also be considered.

An environmentally sensitive zinc-selective two-photon NIR fluorescent turn-on probe and zinc sensing in stroke

A two-photon near infrared(NIR)fluorescence turn-on sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity for Zn^(2+)detection has been developed.This sensor exhibits a large Stokes'shift(-300 nm)and can be excited from 900 to 1000 nm,with an emission wavelength of-785 nm,making it ideal for imaging in biological tissues.The sensor's high selectivity for Zn^(2+)over other structurally similar cations,such as Cd^(2+),makes it a promising tool for monitoring zinc ion levels in biological systems.Given the high concentration of zinc in thrombi,this sensor could provide a useful tool for in vivo thrombus imaging.

Complete Hydatidiform Mole at Menopause: A Case Report from Panzi Hospital, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Gestational trophoblastic disease is an abnormal proliferation of trophoblastic tissue during pregnancy. It occurs in women of childbearing age, although a few cases have also been observed in post-menopausal women, although it is extremely rare in the latter. Here we describe a rare case of complete hydatidiform mole in a 56-year-old female patient who presented with genital bleeding combined with nausea and vomiting and a gravid uterus 16 cm in height. The ultrasound findings and the increase in serum β-HCG to 182566.00 mIU/ml suggested a diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole. Given the post-menopausal state and the future risk of post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, we opted for total hysterectomy without preservation of the adnexa via a transabdominal approach, followed by antimitotic treatment with methotrexate. The uterus measured 18.45 cm × 11.18 cm with intra cavitary vesicles. Microscopic examination showed chorionic villi of variable size and shape, most of which were dilated and oedematous, associated with trophoblastic cell proliferation and haemorrhage suggestive of complete benign hydatidiform mole. Follow-up showed a consistent decrease in serum β-HCG levels and no evidence of residual disease. A suspicion of gestational trophoblastic disease should be borne in mind when evaluating a patient with peri- or post-menopausal bleeding to avoid delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Bladder Tumors in a Schistosomiasis-Endemic Country

Introduction: Bladder tumors are common in our country;Mali is a bilharzial endemic country. In our context, urinary bilharzia is common, and bladder tumors arouse particular interest in the field of urological oncology, because of their frequency, their diagnosis, their difficulty in management and their histological particularity. The objective of our work was to study the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of bladder tumors. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a retrospective and prospective collection that took place over 3 years from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. Results: We identified 316 cases of bladder tumors during this period. Bladder tumors are a common pathology representing 35.95% of all hospitalized patients, and occupying the 1st rank of tumors in urology in the Urology Department of the Pr Bocar Sidy Sall University Hospital in Kati. Bladder tumors were more common in men with 56.33%. The average age of our patients was 50 years ± 25.8 years and the extreme ages were 20 and 87 years. Urinary schistosomiasis, considered a predisposing factor, was found in 66.78% of cases in our patients as a history. Transurethral resection of the bladder was performed in 100% of our patients, nephrostomy in 1.90% of cases, ureterostomy in 1.58% of cases, Bricker type urinary diversion in 1.27% of cases, and a neobladder in 0.32% of cases. Squamous cell carcinoma is the dominant histological type (88.29%). The postoperative outcome was 99% favorable after resection. Conclusion: Bladder tumors were mainly tumors infiltrating the bladder muscle. The main risk factor was urinary bilharzia. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histological type with a diagnostic delay, thus limiting radical treatment after resection of the bladder tumor.