Show Case Cease o of Missing Tonsil I h HAROLD AROLD INGER MD M.D. Dr is Clinical Assistant Professor ProCessor of Radiology Radiology Radiology ogy at the School of Medicine Medicine Medicine Medi Medi- cine University of or the State of New York Fellow of or the Ule American College of Radiology Radiology Radiology ogy and vice chairman of the colleges college's Commission on Medical Medical Medical Med Med- ical Care Insurance plans Frequently when examining a patient for one complaint or another a ph physician m may a y come across a problem which neither he nor the patient was aware existed In the medical profession this sort of discovery discovery cr ery is called an incidental finding Often it can be life saving The following is a dramatic example of or a lifesaving lifesaving life- life j saving incidental fin d din i n g which was once made in a radiologists radiologist's office The doctor doctor doc doe tor described it to me the oUter other other oth oUt er da day A YOUNG BOY noy had severely severe severe- severely ly y wrenched his neck while playing A subsequent x-ray x examination of or his neck by the radiologist immediately r e- e that the injury W was lS not serious senous and there was no bone damage However upon viewing viewing view viewing view view- ing his x-ray x films more closely closely close close- ly h it was noticed that the Ute child had no tonsils or ade ade- This of or course is not an unusual finding in itself many children have both tonsils tonsils tonsils ton ton- sils and adenoids removed at atan atan atan an early age What was unusual was that the removal remo was so clean There is always at least a small amount of or tissue remaining remaining remaining re re- after a tonsillectomy Therefore the radiologist felt Cell no surgeon was responsible for these missing tonsils QUESTIONING of the mother moth moth- er confirmed the suspicions suspicions- the child had never undergone an Exper Expel i f e c n nee c e proves that it is possible for far fora fara a tumor of the adrenal gland to produce this same resl result t. t Another examination w was a s done This limo the kidneys were x-rayed x because the adrenal glands are situated above these organs There as suspected a malignant tumor of one adrenal gland was found A few days later the child underwent surgery and the cancerous growth was re re- moved This all happened ten years ago Because a tumor of the adrenal gland usually doesn't make its presence known until until un- un til in its advanced stages chances are that by the time developed symptoms of or his disease disease disease di di- sease it would have been too toolate toolate toolate late to help him FORTUNATELY an accidental accidental accidental acci acci- dental finding led to an early caily diagnosis and th the tumor was removed before it had a chance to spread its cancerous cancerous cancer cancer- ous seeds This boy remains today as one of oC the few cases of this tills t type pe cancer to have been cured |