title: A giant urinary bladder stone in the mummy of Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Joseph Tyan (1760-1820) and its environmental and nutritional implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Historical sources and anthropological investigations, with the indispensable support of radiology, bring to light pathological evidence of the past.
  
  
  METHODS
  The purpose of this article is to present the radiological investigation conducted on the mummy of the Maronite Joseph Tyan (1760-1820), a famous patriarch who guided the Lebanese Maronite community during a critical period of its history. The natural mummy of the Patriarch was temporarily removed from its burial site to certify the degree of preservation. Conventional radiography was necessary to determine the state of the internal organs and any physical abnormalities, and to clarify the degree of conservation of the mummy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiological analysis uncovered an exceptional case of a large urinary bladder stone. This pathological evidence confirms historical documentary sources that in the last years of his life the Patriarch suffered from abdominal pain and urinary problems. We can suppose that the environment and diet of the Maronite community, limited by restricted agricultural resources, was the possible cause of the urinary bladder stone, as today the epidemiology of these diseases demonstrates links with mainly cereal diets in rural areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Experimental Medicine and Forensic, University of Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: lorenzo.capasso@unipv.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Insubria University, Varese, Italy. Electronic address: marta.licata@uninsubria.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Licata
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: antopin1968@libero.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Saydet Zgharta Hospital, North Lebanon, Lebanon. Electronic address: fadi.fernianos@fastwebnet.it.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernianos
authors.affiliation: Saydet Zgharta Hospital, North Lebanon, Lebanon. Electronic address: toni.azizi@fastwebnet.it.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: lambertomanz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manzoli
authors.affiliation: ASST, Valle Olona, Gallarate Urology Division, Italy. Electronic address: danilocentrella@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Centrella
authors.affiliation: University Museum, State University "Gabriele d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy. Electronic address: r.danastasio@unich.it.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'anastasio
mesh_terms: D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D009106:Mummies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010164:Paleopathology / Q000379:methods*; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Maronite Patriarch Joseph Tyan; Mummy; Paleopathology; Paleoradiology; Urinary bladder stone