In the present study, we examined the sex-related differences and cross-sectional age-related changes in the cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle. The cross-sectional area was corrected for fat-free mass (FFM-corrected), which was calculated as the 2/3rd power of the total fat-free mass. A total of 240 adults (114 men, 126 women, age: 20-81 years) were included in the study. The cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle was measured by 0.2T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the total fat-free mass was measured by air displacement plethysmography. We demonstrated that the FFM-corrected cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle was greater in males than females across all age groups. Furthermore, we examined the mean FFM-corrected cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle across different age groups and demonstrated that it decreased with age. Our findings, when combined with previous results, show a peak in the 20s, which declined with age. Our study revealed sex-related differences and cross-sectional age-related changes in the FFM-corrected cross-sectional area of the psoas major muscle. Our findings also suggest that it is important to define reference values and ranges that take into account age- and sex-related differences when assessing the psoas major muscle by FFM-corrected cross-sectional area.

Palmoplantar pustulosis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease involving the palms and soles where mild accumulation of helper T cells and neutrophils in the dermis histologically are observed. Leukoencephalopathy is a brain disease affecting white matter but is rarely accompanied by skin lesion. Here we report a unique case of leukoencephalopathy accompanied by palmoplantar pustulosis with identical pathological feature of helper T cell accumulation in both the brain and skin, suggesting a possible link in the pathogenesis.

A fungal carotid aneurysm is an infrequently occurring infectious aneurysm that is usually treated by antifungal therapy plus surgical debridement of the infected vessel. We herein report an extremely rare case involving a patient with a medical history of bladder cancer treated by Bacillus Calmette– Guérin (BCG) who developed a fungal aneurysm of the internal carotid artery and thrombosis of the superior ophthalmic vein caused by maxillary Aspergillus sinusitis. The patient was successfully treated by antifungal, anticoagulant, and antiplatelet drugs combined with internal carotid artery ligation therapy. Internal carotid artery fungal aneurysm is associated with a high mortality rate, but the present case suggests that it can be successfully treated by antifungal therapy combined with a less invasive endovascular therapy.