Computed Tomography Findings of Bronchiectasis in Different Respiratory Phases Correlate with Pulmonary Function Test Data in Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate bronchiectasis variations in different computed tomography (CT) respiratory phases, and their correlation with pulmonary function test (PFT) data, in adults. METHODS: Retrospective data analysis from 63 patients with bronchiectasis according to CT criteria selected from the institution database and for whom PFT data were also available. Bronchiectasis diameter was measured on inspiratory and expiratory phases. Its area and matched airway-vessel ratios in both phases were also calculated. Finally, PFT results were compared with radiological measurements. RESULTS: Bronchiectatic airways were larger on inspiration than on expiration (mean cross-sectional area, 69.44 vs. 40.84 mm2; p < 0.05) as were airway-vessel ratios (2.1 vs. 1.4; p < 0.05). Cystic bronchiectasis cases showed the least variation in cross-sectional area (48%). Mean predicted values of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were 81.5 and 77.2%, respectively, in the group in which bronchiectasis could not be identified on expiratory images, and 58.3 and 56.0%, respectively, in the other group (p < 0.05). Variation in bronchiectasis area was associated with poorer lung function (r = 0.32). CONCLUSION: Bronchiectasis detection, diameter, and area varied significantly according to CT respiratory phase, with non-reducible bronchiectasis showing greater lung function impairment.

Need for analgesia after percutaneous liver biopsy: a real-life experience.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate variables affecting the need for analgesia after ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy performed on an outpatient basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 1,042 liver biopsies performed between 2012 and 2018. The data collected included the age and sex of the patient, as well as self-reported pain in the recovery room, the pain treatment used, the indication for the biopsy, and the lobe punctured. As per the protocol of our institution, physicians would re-evaluate patients with mild pain (1-3 on a visual analog scale), prescribe analgesics for those with moderate pain (4-6 on the visual analog scale), and prescribe opioids for those with severe pain (7-10 on the visual analog scale). RESULTS: The main indications for biopsy were related to diffuse disease (in 89.9%), including the follow-up of hepatitis C (in 47.0%) and suspicion of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (in 38.0%). Pain requiring analgesia occurred in 8.0% of procedures. Of the 485 female patients, 51 (10.5%) needed analgesia, compared with 33 (5.9%) of the 557 male patients (p < 0.05). The need for analgesia did not differ in relation to patient age, the lobe punctured, or the indication for biopsy (nodular or diffuse disease). The analgesic most commonly used was dipyrone (in 75.9%), followed by paracetamol alone (16.4%) and their combination with opioids (7.6%). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy is safe and well tolerated. Postprocedural pain does not correlate with the lobe punctured, patient age, or the indication for biopsy and appears to affect more women than men.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar variáveis que afetam a necessidade de analgesia após biópsia hepática guiada por ultrassonografia. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva de 1042 biópsias hepáticas realizadas entre 2012 e 2018. Os dados coletados incluíram dor detectada na sala de recuperação, analgesia utilizada, indicação, lobo puncionado, idade e sexo do paciente. O protocolo institucional indicava orientações e reavaliação para dor leve (1-3, segundo a escala visual analógica), analgésicos simples para dor moderada (4-6, segundo a escala visual analógica) e opioides para dor importante (7-10, segundo a escala visual analógica). RESULTADOS: As indicações foram principalmente doença difusa (89,9%), particularmente no seguimento de hepatite C (47,0%) e suspeita de esteato-hepatite não alcoólica (38,0%). Dor com necessidade de analgesia ocorreu em 8,0% dos procedimentos. Mulheres demandaram analgesia em 10,5% das vezes e homens demandaram em 5,9% (p < 0,05). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante na necessidade de analgesia em relação a idade, lobo hepático puncionado ou indicação por doença nodular versus difusa. O analgésico mais utilizado foi dipirona (75,9%), seguido de paracetamol (16,4%) e associação com opioides (7,6%). CONCLUSÃO: Este é um procedimento seguro e bem tolerado. Dor pós-procedimento não se correlaciona com lateralidade da biópsia, idade ou doença nodular versus difusa e parece afetar mais mulheres que homens.

Thoracic lymphadenopathy in benign diseases: A state of the art review.

Lymphadenopathy is a common radiological finding in many thoracic diseases and may be caused by a variety of infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions. This review aims to describe the patterns of mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy found in benign diseases in immunocompetent patients. Computed tomography is the method of choice for the evaluation of lymphadenopathy, as it is able to demonstrate increased size of individual nodes, abnormalities of the interface between the mediastinum and lung, invasion of surrounding fat, coalescence of adjacent nodes, obliteration of the mediastinal fat, and hypo- and hyperdensity in lymph nodes. Intravenous contrast enhancement may be needed to help distinguish nodes from vessels. The most frequent infections resulting in this finding are tuberculosis and fungal disease (particularly histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis). Sarcoidosis is a relatively frequent cause of lymphadenopathy in young adults, and can be distinguished from other diseases - especially when enlarged lymph nodes are found to be multiple and symmetrical. Other conditions discussed in this review are silicosis, drug reactions, amyloidosis, heart failure, Castleman's disease, viral infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Aortic lesion simulating pulmonary disease: a case report.

The authors report the case of an elderly woman assessed for dyspnea and right costal margin pain, whose chest radiography demonstrated opacity simulating pulmonary lesion, and computed tomography revealed the vascular origin of the condition. Acute aortic syndrome due to ruptured atheromatous plaque penetrating through the elastic lamina in association with aortic hematoma and aneurysm is a relevant differential diagnosis to be considered in these cases.

Relatamos o caso de uma paciente idosa avaliada por apresentar dispneia e dor na borda costal direita, em que a radiografia de tórax demonstrou opacidade simulando lesão pulmonar e a tomografia computadorizada revelou ser de origem vascular. A síndrome aórtica aguda por ulceração de placa ateromatosa, penetrando através da lâmina elástica, associada a hematoma aórtico e aneurisma constitui importante diagnóstico diferencial nesses casos.