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Background: Measurements of extraocular muscle diameter may be useful in diagnosis and as an outcome indicator in the assessment of treatment options in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. Racial differences are known to account for craniofacial variations and orbital sizes., Objective: To determine the normal diameters of extra-ocular muscles using computed tomography in a homogeneous, group of hospital patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria., Material and Method: The maximum diameters of extra-ocular muscles were measured for 182 normal patients on thin slice reconstructed coronal computed tomography images. The effects of age and sex were determined., Result: Normal ranges for the diameters (mean + 2 SDs) of extraocular muscles were 4.5 + 1.2 mm for medial rectus, 4.9 + 2.1 mm for lateral rectus, 4.8 + 1.6 mm for inferior rectus and 4.0 + 1.5 mm for the superior group. The mean diameter of the extra-ocular muscles of male patients was not significantly larger than that of female patients (p > 0.05). There was a small but positive correlation between age and diameter of each extra-ocular muscle except in the left medial rectus and right lateral rectus muscles (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: These normative values may serve as radiological reference values in the assessment of changes in size and suspected enlargement of the extraocular muscles in Nigerian patients. They may also be extrapolated to other Black African patients, until population studies become available.

Background: There is a paucity of data on the clinicopathologic pattern of kidney disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive children from sub-Saharan Africa and non from south west Nigeria., Objective: To determine the clinical pattern and outcome of kidney disease among HIV positive children hospitalised at a tertiary hospital South West Nigeria, Methodology: A retrospective study of all HIV positive children who were hospitalised and managed for kidney diseases over a period of 78 months at the University College Hospital Ibadan, South West Nigeria. Patients were followed up over the duration of hospital admission., Results: Ten children (six males and four females) aged 4-15 (10.4 +/- 3.2) years were identified. Four presented in acute kidney injury, (AKI) three with nephrotic syndrome (NS) and two in chronic kidney failure (CKF). One patient had left renal artery stenosis. Renal biopsy performed in three children showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in two patients and membranous nephropathy in the third. Management included antiretroviral therapy, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and acute haemodialysis. Mortality was 40%., Conclusion: AKI, NS and CKF were the predominant clinical patterns of kidney disease in hospitalised HIV positive children and the mortality is high.

To evaluate our initial experience with Helical Computed Tomography (CT) Myelogram in the investigation of spinal abnormalities. As late as 1980, CT was still regarded as unreliable compared with myelography however, the advent of slip-ring technology in the 1990s, in association with the use of more powerful computers and higher energy x-ray tubes allowed a process known as Helical CT. This revolutionized CT scanning allowing achievement of thinner slices in a single breath-hold. Helical CT myelogram is one of the recent applications with the potential of improving clinical diagnosis in patients with spinal disorders. This is a descriptive study of 56 patients who had a CT myelogram in the first 15 months of operation of a helical CT scanner at Ibadan (January 2004-March 2005). Axial scans were done after a lumbar puncture with injection of 8-10 mls of contrast (iopamidol). Demographic, clinical data and CT findings were analyzed. Patient ages ranged from 3 to 75 years. The highest age frequency was seen in the 4th and 5th decade. 37 (66%) of these patients were males and 19 (34%) were females. The majority of scans, 22 (39.2%) were in the thoracic and thoraco-lumbar regions. Low back pain was the most common indication 26 (32.1%) followed by paraplegia 24 (29.6%). Spinal cord compression and spondylosis represented 34% and 20% of the CT findings respectively. Helical CT myelogram is a valuable investigative tool which demonstrates spinal abnormalities well by providing a good silhouette image of the spinal cord.