Fried egg appearance of Best disease

Best disease, or Best vitelliform macular dystrophy, is an inherited eye condition affecting the macula, the central region vital for clear vision. Typically appearing in childhood or adolescence and progressing over time, it results in central vision loss. Named after German ophthalmologist Dr. Friedrich Best, who observed a family with various stages of the disease in 1905. Best disease can reveal a distinctive fried egg appearance in the macula. This look, resembling a yellowish egg yolk, is caused by the buildup of lipofuscin, a fatty substance, in the retinal pigment epithelium cells. These cells support the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the eye. Imaging techniques, like fundoscopy, allow us to see this fried egg appearance.

Reference

Tripathy K, Salini B. Best Disease. [Updated 2023 Aug 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Go to reference

Fried egg appearance, Fried egg

Image from Nentwich MM, Rudolph G. Hereditary retinal eye diseases in childhood and youth affecting the central retina. Oman J Ophthalmol. 2013.

Candy cane aorta

The largest and main artery in the human body, the aorta, emerges from the heart. The aorta distributes oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. The aorta gives off various branches as it travels through the thorax and abdomen. The aorta's arch, which is curved and located in the thorax, joins the ascending and descending aortas. When examined from a side angle using X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging, the configuration of the ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta resembles a candy cane or hockey stick in appearance – candy cane aorta.

In the abdomen, the aorta ends by splitting into the median sacral artery, a small midline vessel and the common iliac arteries, two major blood vessels. 

Reference:

Eikendal AL, Bots ML, Haaring C, Saam T, van der Geest RJ, Westenberg JJ, den Ruijter HM, Hoefer IE, Leiner T. Reference values for cardiac and aortic magnetic resonance imaging in healthy, young caucasian adults. PLoS One. 2016;11(10):e0164480. Go to reference.

Candy cane aorta, candy cane

Image from Eikendal AL et al. PLoS One. 2016.

   

Pear-shaped appearance of Babesia

Babesiosis is a rare disease caused by single-celled parasites which infect red blood cells. Babesia mainly infect animals with humans only being occasionally infected. These parasites are transmitted to humans primarily by tick bites. Their name originates from Victor Babeș (1854-1926), a Romanian physician who first described them.
Some infected people are asymptomatic. Certain groups of people are vulnerable to severe infection like those without a spleen and those with an impaired immune system. Under the microscope, these parasites are oval shaped within the red blood cells, a pear-shaped appearance.
Reference:

Zimmer AJ, Simonsen KA. Babesiosis. [Updated 2020 Aug 15]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Go to reference. 

Pear-shaped forms, pears

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Candy cane esophagus

Consuming very hot food and drink can injure the inside of the food pipe, the esophagus, which extends from the throat to the stomach. Normally the inside of the esophagus is pink. But when burnt by hot liquids or solids, alternating bands of red and white regions emerge, when examined by optical devices. These regions resemble candy cane in appearance – candy cane esophagus. Candy cane is a type of boiled sweet often found in alternating red and white stripes.

The outcome depends on the extent of esophageal thermal injury, with most reported cases having favorable outcomes.

Reference:

Lim CH, Yen H-H, Su W-W, Lim C-J, Tsai H-C, Chen S-T. Extensive Causative Esophagitis Caused by Thermal Injury: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine. 2017;2017:8243567. Go to reference

Candy cane esophagus, candy cane

Image from Lim. Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine, 2017

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Caviar appendix

In a rare usually non life-threatening condition myxoglobulosis of the appendix, multiple small spherical mucin globules develop in the appendix's lumen. These pearl colored globules resemble caviar in look - caviar appendix. Most people with appendiceal myxoglobulosis have no symptoms. Discovery of the condition is often incidental during surgery or at postmortem. The cause of this condition is currently unknown.

The appendix is a blind ending tubular protrusion from the main alimentary tract. It can act as a store of healthy bacteria which re-populates the gut when diarrhea, for instance, distorts the balance of healthy micro-organisms within the main gut. It is also packed with many immune cells which assists with immune responses.

Reference:

Gosavi MS. Myxoglobulosis Of The Appendix: A Rare Cause Of Pelvic Pain. Current Educational Research. 2018 1(03). Go to reference

Caviar appendix, caviar

Image from Gosavi. Current Educational Research, 2018

Image from Wikimedia Commons