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Long-term abdominal pain (LAP) affects 30% to 40% of children, often linked to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Less common causes include gastroptosis and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome, conditions that can be challenging to diagnose due to their rarity. Gastroptosis refers to the downward displacement of the stomach, while SMA syndrome, also known as Wilkie's syndrome, involves the compression of the duodenum between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. While both conditions have been described separately, their coexistence has not been previously documented. Herein, we present the case of a 17-year-old girl with a six-month history of postprandial abdominal pain and vomiting, diagnosed with both gastroptosis and SMA syndrome. Diagnostic tests, including a CT scan and barium radiography, confirmed the presence of a duodenal stricture and severe gastric elongation, providing an insight into the pathophysiology of these rare conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary bone lymphoma of the spine (PBL) is a rare entity that may be misdiagnosed due to its atypical location and clinical and imaging features mimicking certain pathologies as infectious processes, which complicates and delays diagnosis. Our case reports a patient in her sixties who had been suffering from chronic low back pain for a year, and had gradually started to develop cruralgia. She underwent a blood sample, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) which revealed inflammatory syndrome, and an image of spondylodiscitis of the lumbar spine associated with a morphological and metabolical widespread invasion posteriorly suggesting epiduritis. No other lesions were found on the rest of the body. Neurosurgical management was performed and a biopsy was made. Histological results showed aggressive and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, suggesting a diagnosis of PBL. This case highlights the first case of spondylodiscitis mimicking PBL in the lumbar spine, the intricacies of the diagnostic work-up, and the complexity of discriminating with an infectious process in the spine, as both have a similar, non-specific clinical presentation, while morphological and metabolic findings can be alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) represents a common form of fungal infection caused by various species of Aspergillus that most frequently affect immunocompromised patients. Typically, this disease occurs preferentially in high-risk groups including patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), patients with leukemia, patients with autoimmune diseases, and organ transplant patients undergoing medical immunosuppression. Considered the second most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection in humans after Candida albicans, this pathogen predominantly affects the lungs, but it may also spread by a hematogenous route to various organs and have a heterogeneous presentation. Owing to its high iodine levels, high perfusion, and enclosed capsule, the thyroid gland is considered to have a lower susceptibility to microbial invasion, and it is fairly uncommon to find associated infectious nodules. In metabolic imaging, 18F-FDG-PET/CT has become increasingly useful for detecting a wide range of infectious and inflammatory diseases and is already the gold standard for certain indications. According to the literature, no studies of hypermetabolic nodular thyroid aspergillosis on 18F-FDG-PET/CT confirmed on histology have yet been reported. Here, we report the first case of a patient with a heterogeneous presentation of IA and the presence of a hypermetabolic nodule in the thyroid with a surprising result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TAFRO syndrome (TS) is a recently recognized and heterogenous systemic disease characterized by a confluence of symptoms: thrombocytopenia (T), anasarca (A), fever (F), reticulin myelofibrosis (R), and organomegaly (O). First described in Japan in 2010, the pathogenesis remains unclear and includes various clinical conditions such as malignancies, rheumatologic disorders, infections, and "Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Monoclonal plasma cell disorder, and Skin changes" (POEMS) syndrome. Due to its heterogeneous presentation and potential life-threatening delays in diagnosis, accurate diagnosis is crucial. According to the literature, no specific imaging modality has been recommended for the work-up of patients with suspected TS. Here, we report a case of TS and its management using 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging as an attractive complementary diagnostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]