Congratulations to the winners of the Case of the Week, 2001

Here are the Winners for the Case of the Week of 2001

(COW = Case of the Week).

As in the past year, the top winners are just incredible people. I have the privilege to see all the case before they are posted, and I must admit that in many I just look at the diagnosis submitted and shrug that there is no such diagnosis.. then search in Medline find out that the diagnosis does exist, and then prepare the case. So for me, many of these cases are absolutely new areas or pathology, lesions that I had never heard about. It is a constant source of amazement to discover new entities every couple of weeks, but more incredible that someone can be presented with a handful of images (not scanning the baby themselves) and make the diagnosis. Quite often in total bewilderment I write a note to the winner and ask.. "How did you find this diagnosis ? How did you approach the case ??â€

I have been doing prenatal scans for 24 years and I am so impressed by all these incredible minds and their determinations to obtain the diagnosis. I know many spend night and weekend searching books, libraries, the Internet. Simply amazing !

What is even more amazing… is the consistency shown. Finding one great case here and there is wonderful, but having the discipline to do it every week (some actually plan their vacation so as to have time to see the cases !!) is wonderful. I do not know if the patients of these marvelous individuals realize how fortunate they are.

Aside from the spectacular top winners, I would like to recognize the many others who have participated but with more modest results. Some folks clearly come from area where they had to self teach, or where the supply of reference material is more limited, and it is great that they make the effort to participate. All in all people for 37 countries have won cases !

Another amazing group is the sonographers and although fewer competed, the top scorer had very high results again.

The list below is based on 23 possible answers, but some winners were also contributors so the denominator may not always be 23. Interestingly enough, for the first year, there were 2 unsolved cases (46, 51). Bettina Bessieres, MD, François Jacquemard, MD, Luc Gourand, MD, Fernand Daffos, MD, Laurie Briare, RDMS, Dianne Glassford, RDMS, Dianna Heidinger, RDMS, Van R. Bohman, MD are to be credited for submitting these 2 cases !

Next year, in order to simplify the grading, I will count a point for the first 3 authors of the cases that are submitted.

Ahmed joined the list at the end of last year, and he first got my attention when another participant in the Case of the Week send me an E-mail about "Who is this incredible guy who gets all these answer correct ?â€. Ahmed is in his mid-thirties, and is .. tadaaa.. a Radiologist !!!! So there are still high-level radiologists doing ob-gyn ultrasound. He is also one of those who schedules his vacations around the COW. There are several neat anecdotes about Ahmed… One day I forwarded him 2 E-mail I had received in the past few days from younger residents. They were from different countries and both said: "When I grow up, I want to be like Ahmed†What a great role model he is ! Another neat anecdote about Ahmed is that he recently told me that next year he might not be able to participate as intensively to the COW… because he had to prepare his boards !!! Prepare boards when you know so much ??? I would not even bother !   Luis Guillermo Diaz Guerrero First place ex-aequo19 correct answers out of 22 cases

Luis was top winner last year, and is also this year. Luis is a charming, self-effaced modest and generous man. He continued to respond to the COW this year in spite of many tragedies including terrible personal losses and drama as well as the loss of his thesis in the fire that burned down his hospital. Luis is really a model not only of a physician but of someone that pursue his duties in spite of tremendous adversities. He has all my admiration too.   Fernando Heredia First place ex-aequo20 correct answers out of 23 cases

Another methodical responder, who describes clearly the steps he uses to reaches his diagnosis. Carlos is also a quite person that is a champion of 3D sonography. He was already a winner last year.   Alberto Sosa Olavarria Fourth place ex-aequo15 correct answers out of 22 cases

José Luis was already a top scorer last year. This year he continued to respond to the COW in spite of transplanting from Spain to the UK.   Dominique Thomas  

Fifth place ex-aequo
13 correct answers out of 22 cases

Fifth place ex-aequo
14 correct answers out of 23 cases

A newcomer in the list, Fabienne is truly impressive. She comes from an area with few sonographers and her performances demonstrate her intelligence and assiduity in reviewing the cases. Her score would place her in the 4th place in the physician's list !   Donna Hale Second place13 correct answers out of 23 cases

Third place
12 correct answers out of 23 cases

The following are those that found the exact answer to the primary diagnosis in the case of the week. The names in boldface have contributed some of their cases: thank you ! Those with a (r) found the answer but cannot count since they were reviewer for the manuscript !