Letter to the Editor

1134 f July-August 2006 RG f Volume 26 ● Number 4

Recent eLetters to the Editor are available at http://radio- fewer medical students recognize von Recklinghausen graphics.rsnajnls.org. eLetters that are no longer posted un- disease, although they are all familiar with neurofibro- der ‘‘Recent eLetters’’ can be found as a link in the related matosis, its subtypes, their individual chromosomal article or by browsing through past Tables of Contents. abnormalities, etc. Paget disease of the breast is now commonly, and correctly, referred to as ductal carci- noma in situ involving the nipple. With the discovery of RadioGraphics Medical Eponyms a paramyxovirus in osteoclastic cells, even Paget disease of bone could be at risk of losing its eponym, de- From: spite the more cumbersome alternative designation, Ferris M. Hall, MD osteitis deformans. One take-home message is that if Department of Radiology you discover a new disease and want to “eponymize” Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center your name, it would be helpful if the cause and basic 330 Brookline Ave understanding of the entity could remain obscure. And, Boston, MA 02215 of course, your personal moral values should remain above reproach. I thoroughly enjoyed the recent article by Kanne et al There are also interesting trends in the spelling of (1) on eponyms in radiology and volunteer a few addi- eponyms. Traditionally, these terms were recorded as tional comments. possessives, as if the disease belonged to the honored Kanne et al (1) state that “eponyms serve as a individual (eg, Crohn’s disease). There has been a means of honoring individuals who have made impor- gradual transition over the past few decades by both tant discoveries and observations.” Occasionally, at- authors and editors to omit the apostrophe (Crohns tempts are made to rescind such honors, as in the case disease) and, more recently, to eliminate the possessive of Dr Hans Reiter, who described urethritis, conjuncti- altogether (Crohn disease). The latter spelling is prob- vitis, arthralgia, and fever in a German military officer ably more appropriate, and I was happy to see that it following a sexual affair in 1916 (2). Reiter’s medical was used by Kanne et al (1) and RadioGraphics. Lin- reputation was subsequently dishonored when, as guistically oriented readers might choose to address this president of Hitler’s Third Reich Health Office, he be- issue in their dictated reports, and many editors might came an advocate of eugenics and was apparently re- do the same. sponsible for many of the medical experiments and atrocities at the Buchenwald concentration camp dur- References ing World War II. Suggested alternative designations to 1. Kanne JP, Rohrmann CA Jr, Lichtenstein JE. Ep- Reiter syndrome include reactive cutaneo-arthropathy onyms in radiology of the digestive tract: historical and reactive arthritis syndrome. perspectives and imaging appearances. I. Pharynx, Eponyms also arise because they are a simpler way esophagus, stomach, and intestine. RadioGraphics 2006;26:129–142. of describing complicated syndromes or diseases, 2. Wallace DJ, Weisman M. Should a war criminal be whose causes are, or were, poorly understood. In the rewarded with eponymous distinction? the double past half century, the number of syndromes and dis- life of Hans Reiter (1881–1969). J Clin Rheumatol eases has relatively increased, but there have been fewer 2000;6:49–54. new eponyms, most likely because of our better understanding of these entities. Modern medicine also puts use of traditional eponyms at risk. Few radiology residents have seen, or would even recognize, a Carman meniscus sign because of the diminution of peptic ulcer disease, particu- larly in an advanced stage, and because endoscopy is replacing barium studies in the diagnosis of gastrointes- tinal disease. Similarly, in the past several decades,