Nocardiosis with diffuse involvement of the pleura: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Nocardiosis is an uncommon infection that usually occurs in immunocompromised patients, and the pulmonary system is the most common site. We report an uncommon case of nocardiosis with diffuse involvement of the pleura, which presented as multiple localized nodular or hillock lesions on computed tomography (CT) with local chest wall infiltration. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to cough and fever for 20 d. She had a history of nephrotic syndrome for 7 mo and was given prednisone (60 mg/d) 6 mo previously. The hormone was then gradually reduced to the current dose of 25 mg/d. Chest CT showed many nodular or hillock lesions in the right pleura, mediastinum, and interlobar fissure areas. On the lower layer, one lesion infiltrated the chest wall. She was treated with piperacillin sodium and sulbactam sodium, but the therapeutic effect was not good. In this regard, ultrasound-guided local infiltration anesthesia was further conducted for perihepatic hydrops drainage to improve diagnostic accuracy. Puncture fluid culture isolated Nocardia species, confirming the diagnosis of nocardiosis. Subtype Nocardia farcinica was identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antibiotic treatment was switched to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and imipenem. After 8 d of treatment, the patient was discharged from the hospital with improved condition, and she has been recurrence-free for 2 years. CONCLUSION: This report illustrates that nocardiosis should be suspected when clinicians encounter patients who are immunocompromised and have diffuse involvement of the pleura.

Differentiating Glioblastoma from Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: The Value of Shaping and Nonenhancing Peritumoral Hyperintense Gyral Lesion on FLAIR Imaging.

BACKGROUND: This study describes a distinct magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) feature, placing emphasis on fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1C) images for the preoperative differentiation of glioblastoma (GBM) from primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). METHODS: The preoperative MRI findings of 116 pathologically confirmed glioblastoma (n = 72) and PCNSL (n = 44) were retrospectively reviewed. Two neuroimaging specialists analyzed the MRIs, and image analysis was focused on the presence or absence of a shaping and nonenhancing peritumoral hyperintense gyral lesion on FLAIR imaging (SNEPGF, i.e., hyperintense lesion in a shaping and nonenhancing peritumoral gyral area on FLAIR imaging). The gyral area adjacent to and within 3 cm of the enhanced tumor was defined as the peritumoral gyrus region. The FLAIR hyperintensity lesion were termed as the signal intensity ratio ≥30% compared with contralateral normal gray matter. Then, the differential diagnostic efficacy of SNEFPG sign for GBM and PCNSL was analyzed. RESULTS: The SNEPGF sign was found in 33 GBM cases (33 of 72, 45.8%), and the FLAIR signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient value of these area were lower than the peritumoral edema area (P < 0.0001). In 44 PCNSL cases, no SNEPGF sign was found. A slightly higher FLAIR signal intensity was seen in 9 PCNSLs, but uniform and marked enhancement was seen in these areas. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the differential diagnosis of GBM and PCNSL with SNEPGF sign were 45.8%, 100%, 100%, and 53.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SNEPGF sign is effective in identifying GBM from PCNSL, especially with high specificity.

Evaluation of computed tomography vascular reconstruction for the localization diagnosis of perigastric mass.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of computed tomography (CT) vascular reconstruction in the localization diagnosis of perigastric mass. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with pathologically detected perigastric mass underwent abdominal dynamic contrast-enhanced CT. CT vascular reconstructions were produced from arterial phase data using volume rendering (VR), multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), and maximal intensity projection (MIP). Image analysis was focused on the relationship between the mass, perigastric arteries, and the gastric wall. Localization diagnosis values were compared between CT vascular reconstruction and dynamic-enhanced CT images. RESULTS: Among the 58 cases of perigastric mass, 41 cases originated from the stomach, 7 cases from the left liver lobe, 6 from the pancreas, 2 from lessor omental bursa, 1 from transverse mesocolon, and 1 from left adrenal gland. The accuracy of CT vascular reconstruction images in the localization diagnosis of perigastric mass was higher than that of dynamic-enhanced CT images (98.3% and 86.2%, respectively, P = .04). On the reference level, 35 (35/41) patients with stomach-originated masses showed the mass adjacent perigastric arteries pushed away from the stomach (arterial displacement sign), and 15 (15/17) patients with nonstomach-originated masses showed perigastric arteries between the mass and the stomach (arterial entrapment sign). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the localization diagnosis of perigastric mass with arterial displacement sign were 85.4%, 100%, 100%, and 73.9%, respectively, and with arterial entrapment sign, 88.2%, 100%, 100%, and 95.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CT vascular reconstruction can clearly depict the relationship between perigastric mass and adjacent perigastric arteries, which may help us more accurately differentiate between stomach-originated and nonstomach-originated masses compared with original dynamic-enhanced CT images.

The imaging features of the meniscal roots on isotropic 3D MRI in young asymptomatic volunteers.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe clearly the normal imaging features of the meniscal roots on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a 3-dimensional (3D) proton density-weighted (PDW) sequence at 3T. METHODS: A total of 60 knees of 31 young asymptomatic volunteers were examined using a 3D MRI. The insertion patterns, constitution patterns, and MR signals of the meniscal roots were recorded. RESULTS: The anterior root of the medial meniscus (ARMM), the anterior root of the lateral meniscus (ARLM), and the posterior root of the medial meniscus (PRMM) had 1 insertion site, whereas the posterior root of the lateral meniscus (PRLM) can be divided into major and minor insertion sites. The ARLM and the PRMM usually consisted of multiple fiber bundles (≥3), whereas the ARMM and the PRLM often consisted of a single fiber bundle. The ARMM and the PRLM usually appeared as hypointense, whereas the ARLM and the PRMM typically exhibited mixed signals. CONCLUSIONS: The meniscal roots can be complex and diverse, and certain characteristics of them were observed on 3D MRI. Understanding the normal imaging features of the meniscal roots is extremely beneficial for further diagnosis of root tears.

A myeloid sarcoma involving the small intestine, kidneys, mesentery, and mesenteric lymph nodes: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Myeloid sarcomas (MSs) are rare malignant hematological tumors. They most commonly occur in patients with acute or chronic myeloid leukemia. A de novo MS with no evidence of blood system disease is rare, but may represent the first sign of a systemic illness that precedes a full-blown disease. Herein, we report the computed tomography (CT) findings of an extremely rare case of a nonleukemic MS that progressed to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and simultaneously involved the small intestine, kidneys, mesentery, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Moreover, we provide CT findings before and after AML chemotherapy, which have not been reported previously. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 25-year-old man with intermittent upper abdominal pain for 6 months was admitted to the hospital on November 28, 2015. Initial CT showed concentric wall thickening of the jejunum with an adjacent mesenteric soft tissue mass and mesenteric lymph nodes enlargement. Both kidneys were involved as indicated by the presence of well-defined mildly dilated lesions. During the laparoscopic surgery, the small intestinal tumor, mesenteric soft tissue mass, and mesenteric lymph nodes were removed. DIAGNOSES: The pathological diagnosis was an MS. INTERVENTIONS: The patient refused systemic chemotherapy and was rehospitalized with persistently aggravated abdominal distension on February 17, 2016. Follow-up CT showed diffuse small bowel wall thickening, widespread infiltration of the peritoneum, omentum, and mesentery, mesenteric lymph node enlargement, and large amounts of ascites fluid. The lesions in both kidneys were substantially larger and more numerous than on initial CT. Then the patient was treated with conventional AML chemotherapy. OUTCOMES: The patient achieved complete hematological remission on bone marrow examination. Follow-up CT in September 4, 2016, showed none of the abnormalities seen on initial CT. Currently, the patient is in complete remission. LESSONS: If the radiological examination shows lesions at multiple sites, and these lesions are soft tissue masses with homogenous enhancement, MS should be considered in the differential diagnosis, and an aspiration biopsy should be performed to provide a definitive pathological diagnosis. If MS is diagnosed, systemic chemotherapy is crucial to recovery; otherwise, the disease may progress rapidly. Medical imaging is helpful for diagnosing MS and for monitoring treatment response.

Transient reduction of spleen density in acute pancreatitis: case reports and literature review.

A healthy spleen has density stable on computed tomographic (CT) scan; in some patients, spleen infarction can be associated with acute pancreatitis. Here, we report 2 patients with acute pancreatitis associated with transient reduction of spleen density that were confirmed in our hospital. The clinical data of the 2 patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the relevant literature was reviewed. Acute pancreatitis with transient reduction of splenic density has certain characteristics in clinical and radiological aspects. After clinical treatment, the spleen density can be restored. Its mechanism may be related to glucose and lipid metabolism, transient thrombosis formation in splenic vessels, and so on.

[Applications of blood oxygenation level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring in secondary epileptic surgery in M1 area].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the applications of blood oxygenation level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (Co-SEP), motor evoked potentials (MEP) and electrocorticogram (ECoG) in secondary epileptic surgery of primary motor area (M1). METHODS: In 19 patients, preoperative BOLD-fMRI were performed to display the relationship between active zone, fiber bundle and epileptogenic lesions. Besides, Co-SEP, MEP and ECoG were also carried out intra-operatively to direct the resection of epileptogenic lesion and epileptogenic focus. At the same time, the nervous functions were protected as much as possible. Then fMRI was performed again to ensure that the post-operative nervous function was excellent. RESULTS: In preoperative BOLD-fMRI and DTI examinations, active zone and fiber bundle could be seen at the edge of lesions (n = 12); range reduced, become deformed or removed (n = 6); glioma epileptogenic lesion was close-up with M1 (n = 1). The central sulcus was confirmed by Co-SEP in all cases. And two cases were inconsistent with anatomical location; Stimulating precentral gyrus, MEP were elicited post-operatively from orbicularis oris, muscle of thenar, hypothenar muscle or flexor digitorum brevis. Under the monitoring of ECoG, spike-wave was monitored in all cases. Of these, epileptogenic focus was in M1 (n = 15). After treatment, spike-wave were reduced significantly or disappeared. At a post-operative follow-up of 6 - 12 months, seizure improvement has achieved Engel III level or above (n = 18). On re-examinations of BOLD-fMRI and DTI, active zone became bigger than before and fiber bundle was symmetric with opposite side. Two of 19 cases had transient motor aphasia incompletely or hemiparesis. No permanent neurological dysfunction occurred. There was no relapse in cases of glioma. CONCLUSION: BOLD-fMRI and Co-SEP, MEP and ECoG are complementary in M1 of secondary epilepsy surgery. It is effective to preserve nervous functions and enhance the quality of life for patients with epilepsy.