Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the spine frequently presents as a solitary lesion and rarely results in neurological deficit. Involvement of thyroid tissue is also rare, even in multifocal disease presentations. We present an unusual variant of Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a 37-year-old man presenting with profound quadriparesis and incidental thyroid involvement. MR imaging and skeletal radiographs revealed widespread involvement of the spine. The patient underwent surgical resection of the tumour and stabilization of the spine. Diagnosis was confirmed by histological and immunohistochemistry analysis. Langerhans cell histiocytosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of radiolucent lesions of the spine in adults.

Spinal neurofibromas occur sporadically and typically occur in association with neurofibromatosis 1. Patients afflicted with neurofibromatosis 1 usually present with involvement of several nerve roots. This report describes the case of a 14-year-old child with a large intraspinal, but extradural tumour with paraspinal extension, dumbbell neurofibroma of the cervical region extending from the C2 to C4 vertebrae. The lesions were readily detected by MR imaging and were successfully resected in a two-stage surgery. The time interval between the first and second surgery was one month. We provide a brief review of the literature regarding various surgical approaches, emphasising the utility of anterior and posterior approaches.

The Medical Faculty of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) aims to produce good Muslim doctors (GMD) who are able to practise medicine that is integrated with Islamic values. Islamic courses and Medical Ethics are integrated into the curriculum in its effort to provide adequate Islamic knowledge and nurturing professionalism as a process of personal and professional development (PPD) within the framework of Islamic teaching. The objective of the study was to evaluate the perception of graduates and students of characteristics of a GMD. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the participants. The respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement on the statements that represent the characteristics of a GMD. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using SPSS version 18.0. The mean, median and inter quartile ranges of the characteristics were determined and differences between the groups were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Results showed significant difference between gender for the item “Conscious of professional ethics” (p=0.021). Significant differences were seen in the median scores between the graduates and the final year students in four out of six items for personal characteristic. Conclusion: Islamic input in the medical curriculum and the teaching of professionalism has an impact on graduate perception of characteristics of a GMD. Further improvement in the teaching of professionalism among undergraduates is necessary in order to promote greater impact on the understanding and internalization of characteristics of a GMD. The Islamic input in the medical curriculum can thus be regarded as the blueprint for PPD of medical undergraduates to become a GMD.