OBJECTIVETo ascertain the correlation between histological grades (HGs) of vertebral growth plates and Risser grades in idiopathic scoliosis (IS) patients; to identify whether digital skeletal age (DSA) is a reliable indicator for accurate evaluation of the spinal residual growth potential.

METHODSTwenty eight Chinese female patients were available for this study. Superior and inferior growth plates were obtained at each level when anterior approach surgeries were performed. Histological examinations were conducted after the specimens were processed. The patients were evaluated by DSA stages in this study. Correlations between histological grades, menarchal status, and chronological age were analyzed.

RESULTSThere was a negative correlation between the following: HGs and DSA stages in 28 cases (r = -0.541, P = 0.003), and HGs and menarchal status in patients in DSA stage III (r = -0.591, P = 0.006). Statistical significance of growth activity of growth plates was found between patients in DSA-stage II and those in DSA-stage III (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONSDSA may be a reliable indicator for predicting the spinal residual growth potential in IS patients, but it should be correlated with menarchal status and chronological ages.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Determination by Skeleton ; Female ; Finger Phalanges ; diagnostic imaging ; Growth Plate ; growth & development ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Menarche ; Scoliosis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Spine ; growth & development ; pathology ; surgery

Nodular fasciitis is a benign, reactive myofibroblastic tumor that is often mistaken for a sarcoma because of its histological appearance and rapid growth. Involvement of a finger is extremely rare. We report a case of nodular fasciitis of the thumb, accompanied by bone erosion. Magnetic resonance findings suggested the possibility of a malignancy, which could have led to misdiagnosis as a malignant soft tissue sarcoma. Instead, the lesion was treated by excisional biopsy, which confirmed nodular fasciitis. There has been no evidence of local recurrence at recent follow-up, 1 year after surgery. This case illustrates that, to avoid unnecessarily aggressive surgery, nodular fasciitis must be included in the differential diagnosis for any finger lesion that resembles a sarcoma, even if bone erosion is present.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fasciitis/*diagnosis/surgery ; Female ; Finger Phalanges/pathology/*radiography ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sarcoma/*diagnosis ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Thumb/*pathology/surgery

Nodular fasciitis is a benign, reactive myofibroblastic tumor that is often mistaken for a sarcoma because of its histological appearance and rapid growth. Involvement of a finger is extremely rare. We report a case of nodular fasciitis of the thumb, accompanied by bone erosion. Magnetic resonance findings suggested the possibility of a malignancy, which could have led to misdiagnosis as a malignant soft tissue sarcoma. Instead, the lesion was treated by excisional biopsy, which confirmed nodular fasciitis. There has been no evidence of local recurrence at recent follow-up, 1 year after surgery. This case illustrates that, to avoid unnecessarily aggressive surgery, nodular fasciitis must be included in the differential diagnosis for any finger lesion that resembles a sarcoma, even if bone erosion is present.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fasciitis/*diagnosis/surgery ; Female ; Finger Phalanges/pathology/*radiography ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sarcoma/*diagnosis ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Thumb/*pathology/surgery

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Finger Phalanges ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of forensic identification of phalangeal fracture and to use a combination of medical records, imaging materials, and forensic examination data in identification. METHODS: Fifty cases of phalangeal fracture involved in the forensic identification were collected from 2009 to 2011. The general situation, the distribution of fracture, the fracture morphology, the injury-causing objects and the results of identification were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Majority of the cases of phalangeal fracture were young and middle-aged men. The index finger and distal phalanx fractures were common. There was no difference in the number of phalangeal fracture between left and right hand. Most of the injury-causing objects were knives and sticks, followed by bricks and stones. CONCLUSION The injury-causing objects and modes are related to the morphology of fracture, the distribution of fracture and the severity of the injury. The comprehensive analysis is helpful in forensic identification of phalangeal fracture.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Finger Injuries/pathology* ; Finger Phalanges/pathology* ; Forensic Medicine ; Fractures, Bone/pathology* ; Fractures, Comminuted/pathology* ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

Adenocarcinoma ; secondary ; therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; secondary ; therapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Finger Phalanges ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; administration & dosage ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiotherapy, Conformal