Comparison of clinico-epidemiological and radiological features in paracoccidioidomycosis patients regarding serological classification using antigens from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis complex and Paracoccidioides lutzii.

Genotyping of the genus Paracoccidioides showed its diversity and geographical distribution. Four species constituting the Paracoccidioides brasiliensis complex and Paracoccidioides lutzii are etiological agents of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). However, there are no studies comparing the clinical and epidemiological aspects between PCM caused by the P. brasiliensis complex and by P. lutzii. Demographic and clinical data from 81 patients with PCM-confirmed by mycological and/or histopathological examination-from Mato Grosso do Sul state (Brazil) were studied. All patients underwent serology by immunodiffusion with antigens obtained from the P. brasiliensis complex (ExoPb and gp43) and Cell Free Antigens obtained from P.lutzii (CFAPl).The cases were classified regarding their serological profile into three groups: G1: PCM patients seropositive to ExoPb and/or gp43 and seronegative to CFAPl (n = 51), assumed to have PCM caused by P. brasiliensis complex; G2: PCM patients seronegative to gp43 and seropositive to CFAPl (n = 16), with PCM caused by P. lutzii; and G3: PCM patients seropositive to ExoPb or gp43 and seropositive to CFAPl (n = 14), with undetermined serological profile, was excluded from the analyses. The Fisher's exact test or the Mann-Whitney U test, and cluster analysis according to Ward's method and Euclidean distance were used to analyze the results. Patients with serological profile suggestive of P. lutzii lived predominantly in municipalities in the Central and Southern regions of the state, while those with serological profile indicative of the P. brasiliensis complex were distributed throughout the state. No differences were found between the two groups regarding gender, age, schooling, rural work, clinical form, severity, organs involved, intensity of pulmonary involvement, degree of anemia, erythrocyte sedimentation rate values, and therapeutic response. PCM patients with serological profile suggestive of P. lutzii and PCM patients with serological profile indicative of P. brasiliensis complex showed the same clinical and radiological presentations.

Quantification of Pulmonary Inflammatory Processes Using Chest Radiography: Tuberculosis as the Motivating Application.

The purpose of this work was to develop a quantitative method for evaluating the pulmonary inflammatory process (PIP) through the computational analysis of chest radiography exams in posteroanterior (PA) and lateral views. The quantification procedure was applied to patients with tuberculosis (TB) as the motivating application.A study of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) examinations of patients with TB was developed to establish a relation between the inflammatory process and the signal difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR) measured in the PA projection. A phantom essay was used to validate this relation, which was implemented using an algorithm that is able to estimate the volume of the inflammatory region based solely on SDNR values in the chest radiographs of patients.The PIP volumes that were quantified for 30 patients with TB were used for comparisons with direct HRCT analysis for the same patient. The Bland-Altman statistical analyses showed no significant differences between the 2 quantification methods. The linear regression line had a correlation coefficient of R = 0.97 and P < 0.001, showing a strong association between the volume that was determined by our evaluation method and the results obtained by direct HRCT scan analysis.Since the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with TB is commonly performed using X-rays exams, the method developed herein can be considered an adequate tool for quantifying the PIP with a lower patient radiation dose and lower institutional cost. Although we used patients with TB for the application of the method, this method may be used for other pulmonary diseases characterized by a PIP.

Objective CT-based quantification of lung sequelae in treated patients with paracoccidioidomycosis.

This study presents methodology for objectively quantifying the pulmonary region affected by emphysemic and fibrotic sequelae in treated patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. This methodology may also be applied to any other disease that results in these sequelae in the lungs.Pulmonary high-resolution computed tomography examinations of 30 treated paracoccidioidomycosis patients were used in the study. The distribution of voxel attenuation coefficients was analyzed to determine the percentage of lung volume that consisted of emphysemic, fibrotic, and normal tissue. Algorithm outputs were compared with subjective evaluations by radiologists using a scale that is currently used for clinical diagnosis.Affected regions in the patient images were determined by computational analysis and compared with estimates by radiologists, revealing mean (± standard deviation) differences in the scores for fibrotic and emphysemic regions of 0.1% ±â€Š1.2% and -0.2% ±â€Š1.0%, respectively.The computational results showed a strong correlation with the radiologist estimates, but the computation results were more reproducible, objective, and reliable.

Edema agudo de pulmão como manifestação de embolia pulmonar: relato de caso / Pulmonary embolism and infarction presenting as acute pulmonary edema: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Apresentação clínica de embolia pulmonar como edema agudo de pulmão é incomum em pacientes sem disfunção sistólica do ventrículo esquerdo.A fisiopatologia do edema agudo de pulmão não cardiogênico associado à embolia pulmonar não está claramente esclarecida.Possíveis mecanismos como aumento da permeabilidade capilar e hiperfluxo em áreas pulmonares com artérias não ocluídas parecemestar envolvidos. O objetivo deste estudo foi relatar um caso de paciente admitida com edema agudo de pulmão causado por embolia e infarto pulmonar.RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 67 anos,encaminhada à Sala de Emergência com dispneia súbita e ortopneia. À investigação complementar, radiografia de tórax mostrou edema pulmonar bilateral e a angiotomografia computadorizada revelou embolia associada a áreas de infarto pulmonar.CONCLUSÃO: O relato reforça a importância de incluir embolia pulmonar como um dos diagnósticos diferenciais em pacientes com edema agudo de pulmão de etiologia obscura.(AU)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary embolism presenting as pulmonary edema is an uncommon condition in patients without left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Physiopathology of non cardiac pulmonary edema associated with pulmonary embolism is not entirely clear. Blood overflow in parenchymal areas with patent pulmonary arteries and increased capillary permeability are possible mechanisms involved. We report thecase of a patient with acute pulmonary edema caused by pulmonary embolism and infarction.CASE REPORT: Female patient, 67 year-old, referred to our hospital with sudden onset dyspnea and orthopnea. Chest radiography revealed bilateral pulmonary edema and computed tomographic arteriography detected pulmonary embolism associated with areas of pulmonary infarction.CONCLUSION: This report reinforces that pulmonary embolisms hould be considered as a differential diagnosis in acute pulmonary edema with unknown etiology.(AU)

Survey radiography and computerized tomography imaging of the thorax in female dogs with mammary tumors.

BACKGROUND: Accurate early diagnosis of lung metastases is important for establishing therapeutic measures. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare survey thoracic radiographs and computerized tomography (CT) scans to specifically identify lung metastases in female dogs with mammary tumors. METHODS: Twenty-one female dogs, weighing 3 to 34 kg and aged from 5 years to 14 years and 10 months, with mammary tumors were studied. In all dogs before the imaging examinations, fine-needle aspiration cytology of the mammary tumors was performed to confirm the diagnosis. Three-view thoracic radiographs were accomplished: right lateral, left lateral and ventrodorsal views. Sequential transverse images of the thorax were acquired on a spiral Scanner, before and after intravenous bolus injection of nonionic iodine contrast. Soft-tissue and lung windows were applied. All the mammary tumors were surgically removed and examined histologically. RESULTS: The correlation between the cytological and histological results regarding presence of malignancy was observed in only 17 cases. In radiographic examinations, no dog displayed signs of lung metastases or thorax chest lesions. CT detected lung metastasis in two cases, while small areas of lung atelectasis located peripherally were found in 28.57% of the dogs. CONCLUSION: In this study population, spiral CT showed higher sensitivity than chest radiographies to detect lung metastasis; this indicates that CT should be performed on all female dogs with malignant mammary tumors.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor of the kidney mimicking Wilms tumor: a case report and review of the literature.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, aggressive, malignant neoplasm usually present with the widespread abdominal serosal involvement and affects mainly adolescents and young adults. When presenting within visceral organs, as kidney, the diagnosis of DSRCT imposes significant difficulties. We present a case of primary DSRCT of the kidney in a 10-year-old boy mimicking clinically and pathologically Wilms tumor. The tumor showed morphologic and immunohistochemical features of DSRCT and the presence of the Ewing sarcoma and Wilm tumor 1 fusion transcripts resulting from the t(11;22) (p13;q12) reciprocal translocation. DSRCT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of Wilm tumor and other small blue-round cell tumors of the kidney.

Thorax ultrasound in the management of pediatric pneumonias complicated with empyema.

The aim of this work is to prospectively study the value of thoracic ultrasound (US) before pleural drainage in children with parapneumonic effusion (PPE). All children hospitalized for PPE, identified by thoracic radiography, underwent US to assess pleural loculation, echogenicity, and pleural fluid quantity. From August 2001 to July 2003, 52 children were examined. US was performed on 48 of these children, of whom 35 received chest tube drainage and 13 only received clinical treatment. US identified 38 patients with free flowing and 10 with loculated pleural fluid. About 25 of the free flowing (65.8%) and 10 (100%) of the loculated patients received chest tube drainage. Echogenicity was anechoic in 13, echoic without septations in 17 and echoic with septations in 18. Chest tube drainage was required in 6 anechoic (46.15%), 14 echoic without septations (82.35%), and 15 echoic with septations (83.33%). Quantity of fluid estimated by US varied from 20 to 860 ml. Effusion volume was higher in patients that were echoic with septations and loculated effusions. Pleural glucose and pH were lower, and LDH was higher in loculated PPE patients. In conclusion, US is an auxiliary exam for determining whether thoracic drainage is needed in parapneumonic effusion; loculated or echoic effusion should be drained, and free anechoic fluid needs further investigation.