Design and clinical validation of a software program for automated measurement of mammographic breast density.

BACKGROUND: Mammographic breast density is an important predictor of breast cancer, but its measurement has limitations related to subjectivity of visual evaluation or to difficult access for automatic volumetric measurement methods. Herein, we describe the design and clinical validation of Aguida, a software program for automated quantification of breast density from flat mammography images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The software program was developed in MatLab. After image segmentation separating the background from the breast image, the operator positions a cursor defining a region of interest on the pectoralis major muscle from the mediolateral oblique view. Then, in the craniocaudal view, the threshold for separation of the dense tissue is based on the optical density of the pectoral muscle, and the proportion of dense tissue is calculated by the program. Mammograms obtained from 2 different occasions in 291 women were used for clinical evaluation. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between breast density measurements by the software and by a radiologist was 0.96, with a bias of only 0.67 percentage points and a 95% limit of agreement of 13.5 percentage points; the ICC was 0.94 in the interobserver reliability assessment by two radiologists with different experience; and the ICC was 0.98 in the intraobserver reliability assessment. The distribution among the density classes was close to the values obtained with the volumetric software. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of breast density with the Aguida program from flat mammography images showed high agreement with the visual determination by radiologists, and high inter- and intra-observer reliability.

Role of breast vascular calcification in predicting cardiovascular risk.

We identified a positive association between presence of breast vascular calcification and high coronary calcium score, and thus with high cardiovascular risk.

Reação leucemoide e anemia hemolítica grave causada por Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Leukemoid reaction and severe hemolytic anemia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Hemólise massiva é uma manifestação rara da infecção por Mycoplasma pneumoniae.É desencadeada por crioaglutininas, anticorpos IgM, que surgem sete a dez dias após a infecção em cerca de 50 por cento a 75 por cento dos casos. Hiperleucocitose é também evento incomum e orienta o diagnóstico para etiologia bacteriana ou neoplásica. Relatamos um caso de um homem de 67 anos com pneumonia por Mycoplasma pneumoniae, que apresentou anemia grave e reação leucemoide, diagnosticada por meio do teste de crioaglutininas à beira do leito e dosagem do título de anticorpo anti-mycoplasma. Após início do tratamento adequado, houve melhora importante da anemia e a leucometria foi reduzida de 56.100/mm³ para valores próximos do normal.

Massive hemolysis, a rare manifestation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, is due to cold agglutinins (IgM antibodies) that appear seven to ten days after the infection in around 50 percent to 70 percent of cases. Hyperleukocytosis, suggestive of bacterial or neoplastic etiologies, is also an uncommon event. We report here on the case of a 67-year-old man with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who presented with severe anemia and leukemoid reaction as diagnosed by the bedside cold agglutinin test and measurement of anti-mycoplasma antibodies. After beginning appropriate treatment, the anemia improved significantly and the leukocyte count reduced from 56100 /mm³ to close to normal level.