Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome coexistent with Dengue.

Dengue is an arthropod-borne disease caused by viruses of Flaviviridae family. It poses a major public health burden in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Clinical features of dengue vary from a mild flu-like disease and rash, to a potentially lethal haemorrhagic fever or shock syndrome. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rodent-born disease emerging in the American continent and is caused by viruses of the Bunyaviridae family. Potential reservoirs of these agents were described in Brazilian Central Plateau. Dengue infection is transmitted by mosquitoes, while hantaviruses are acquired by contact or inhalation of aerosolised excreta of infected rodents. Dengue and hantavirus infections have also been considered as emerging public health problems in some Indian areas; moreover, other infections mixed with dengue have been documented. The case of a Brazilian patient with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and serologic evidence of dengue infection is described.

Unsuspected tuberculosis in COPD and use of levofloxacin: diagnostic challenges.

A 92-year-old female ex-smoker with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) GOLD III, was admitted because of communitarian pneumonia in November 2013. She had been using inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators and presented five exacerbations of COPD due to pneumonia in the same year, with hospitalizations in March and September. The patient underwent the routine protocol for exacerbated COPD, and bacilloscopy for tuberculosis (TB) was negative. On admission, she had intense dyspnea and a productive cough that improved by administration of levofloxacin. Tests with Ziehll-Neelsen staining in bronchopulmonary secretions resulted negative. Notwithstanding, during actual admission, the culture in Lowenstein-Jensen medium seeded in September was found positive for M. tuberculosis susceptible to isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin, and ethambutol. Therefore, the patient underwent the standard regimen for tuberculosis. Except in September, when she used piperacillin-tazobactam, all previous exacerbations of COPD were treated with levofloxacin. This effective drug against M. tuberculosis can hinder its growth in culture. The use of levofloxacin in unsuspected TB may constitute an additional diagnostic challenge, and risk of late diagnosis is increased in patients with COPD in use of inhaled corticosteroids. Case studies may contribute to increase the suspicion index about TB associated with COPD.

Aortic dissection detected 40 days after mitral valve replacement.

We report a case of a 61-year-old man with aortic dissection, which was detected after mitral valve replacement. The presenting manifestation was a moderate, dull and steady pain in his right scapular region, which started on the 40th postoperative day and irradiated to the back and lower limbs. The dissection and its extent was diagnosed on transthoracic echocardiography and CT scanning and the patient improved on conservative management with beta blockers. The main purpose of reporting this case is to emphasize challenges involved with early diagnosis of this ominous condition due to nonspecific symptoms and unreliable clinical examination, and to highlight the role of the imaging studies to confirm the diagnosis of this entity.

Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis.

Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis is one of the forms of pulmonary aspergillosis typically found in mildly immunocompromised patients. We report the case of a female patient with complaints of chronic productive cough, fever and asthenia. She reported previous corticosteroid use. A CT scan of the chest revealed consolidation with interposed cavitation in the right upper lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed purulent fluid within the tracheobronchial tree and an endobronchial exophytic lesion. The results of the biopsy of that lesion and the transbronchial biopsy were consistent with aspergillosis. Based on the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, the patient was diagnosed with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis. Treated with itraconazole, the patient presented a favorable clinical-radiological evolution.

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to long-term use of nitrofurantoin: high-resolution computed tomography findings.

The authors report the case of a female patient who developed chronic eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to long-term use of nitrofurantoin for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections due to urethral stenosis. On high-resolution computed tomography scans, the pulmonary reaction to nitrofurantoin most commonly manifests as an interstitial-alveolar pattern in both lung bases. However, in this case, the alterations were most pronounced in the periphery of the upper lobes. In itself, this tomographic profile is strongly indicative of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. The patient had previously been submitted to an open lung biopsy. The diagnosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia was confirmed through a review of the biopsy.

Aspergilose pulmonar necrotizante crônica / Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis

A aspergilose pulmonar necrotizante crônica é uma das formas de aspergilose pulmonar usualmente encontrada em pacientes com imunossupressão leve. Apresentamos o caso de uma paciente com queixas de tosse produtiva crônica, febre e astenia. Havia utilizado corticóides. A TC do tórax evidenciava consolidação com cavitação de permeio no lobo superior direito. A fibrobroncoscopia demonstrou secreção purulenta em árvore traqueobrônquica e lesão vegetante endobrônquica. Biópsias desta lesão e biópsia transbrônquica foram compatíveis com aspergilose. Diante do quadro clínico, radiológico e histopatológico, o diagnóstico de aspergilose pulmonar necrotizante crônica foi realizado. Tratada com itraconazol, a paciente apresentou boa evolução clínico-radiológica.

Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis is one of the forms of pulmonary aspergillosis typically found in mildly immunocompromised patients. We report the case of a female patient with complaints of chronic productive cough, fever and asthenia. She reported previous corticosteroid use. A CT scan of the chest revealed consolidation with interposed cavitation in the right upper lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed purulent fluid within the tracheobronchial tree and an endobronchial exophytic lesion. The results of the biopsy of that lesion and the transbronchial biopsy were consistent with aspergillosis. Based on the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings, the patient was diagnosed with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis. Treated with itraconazole, the patient presented a favorable clinical-radiological evolution.

Pneumonia eosinofílica crônica secundária ao uso prolongado de nitrofurantoína: achados da tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução do tórax / Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to long-term use of nitrofurantoin: high-resolution computed tomography findings

Os autores relatam o caso de uma paciente com estenose de uretra que desenvolveu pneumonia eosinofílica crônica secundária ao uso prolongado de nitrofurantoína como profilaxia para infecção urinária de repetição. A paciente havia sido submetida a uma biópsia pulmonar a céu aberto. É dada ênfase aos achados da tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução do tórax, já que, embora as alterações pulmonares associadas à toxicidade da nitrofurantoína geralmente sejam basais e bilaterais, no caso aqui descrito, as lesões de natureza interstício-alveolares situaram-se nas regiões subpleurais dos lobos superiores. Esses achados, por si só, são muito sugestivos de pneumonia eosinofílica crônica. O diagnóstico foi confirmado por meio da revisão da biópsia.

The authors report the case of a female patient who developed chronic eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to long-term use of nitrofurantoin for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections due to urethral stenosis. On high-resolution computed tomography scans, the pulmonary reaction to nitrofurantoin most commonly manifests as an interstitial-alveolar pattern in both lung bases. However, in this case, the alterations were most pronounced in the periphery of the upper lobes. In itself, this tomographic profile is strongly indicative of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. The patient had previously been submitted to an open lung biopsy. The diagnosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia was confirmed through a review of the biopsy.

Hipoplasia da veia cava inferior: relato de caso e revisão da literatura / Hypoplasia of the inferior vena cava: a case repost and review of the literature

Erros na embriogênese da veia cava inferior podem levar a vários tipos bem conhecidos de anomalias de desenvolvimento deste vaso. Entretanto, hipoplasia de toda a sua extensão abdominal é bastante rara, e a maioria dos casos previamente descritos como hipoplasia da veia cava inferior refere-se, na verdade, a hipoplasia ou atresia segmentares. Os autores descrevem os achados à tomografia computadorizada e à angio-ressonância magnética de um homem de 49 anos com antecedentes remotos de trombose bilateral das veias femorais comuns e hipoplasia de toda a veia cava inferior abdominal, apresentando-se com extensa rede colateral em abdome e pelve (inclusive com evidências de derivação sistêmico-portal), dilatação compensatória do sistema ázigos/hemi-ázigos e doença varicosa grave de membros inferiores. A ocorrência de trombose venosa profunda em pacientes jovens, especialmente quando proximal, bilateral ou recorrente, deve levantar a possibilidade de anomalias da veia cava inferior, sendo a angio-ressonância e a tomografia computadorizada contrastada especialmente úteis neste contexto.

Defective embryogenesis of the inferior vena cava may lead to several well-known types of developmental anomalies of this vessel. However, hypoplasia of the whole abdominal portion seems to be very rare, and most cases previously described as hypoplasia of inferior vena cava are related to segmental hypoplasia or atresia. The authors describe the computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography findings of a 49-yearold man with remote antecedents of bilateral thrombosis of the common femoral veins and unsuspected hypoplasia of the entire abdominal inferior vena cava incidentally discovered, presenting with extensive collaterals in the abdomen and pelvis (including evidences of systemic-to-portal shunting), compensatory dilatationof the azygous/hemiazygous system and severe varicose disease in his lower limbs. Deep venous thrombosis in youngpatients, especially when proximal, bilateral or recurrent should raise the possibility of anomalies of the inferior vena cava, and magnetic resonance angiography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography are particularly useful in this setting.

Anomalias congênitas da veia cava inferior: valor dos métodos multiplanares em seu diagnóstico: ensaio iconográfico / Congenital anomalies of the inferior vena cava: importance of multiplanar imaging methods: an iconographic essay

A formação da veia cava inferior é o resultado de um complexo processo embriológico que se dá entre seis e oito semanas de vida intra-uterina. Numerosas variações no desenvolvimento deste vaso podem ocorrer, decorrentes de embriogênese aberrante, resultando no surgimento de variantes anatômicas. Embora boa parte delas seja assintomática, é imperativo que o radiologista esteja familiarizado a elas, já que o seu não-reconhecimento tem implicações médico-legais sérias, como em pacientes candidatos a manuseio cirúrgico abdominal ou procedimentos hemodinâmicos, porexemplo. Neste trabalho, o diagnóstico por imagem das principais anomalias congênitas da veia cava inferior é abordado sob a forma de um ensaio iconográfico, ressaltando-se a importância dos métodos multiplanares (tomografia computadorizada com aquisições volumétricas e ressonânciamagnética) neste contexto.

The inferior vena cava is the result of a complex embryologic process which takes place between 6 and 8 weeks of intra-uterine life. Several variations can occur during this process, and a defective embryogenesis of this vessel may lead to the development ofanatomic variants. Although many of these variants are asymptomatic,the radiologist should be aware of them and of the potential medico-legal issues involved, especially in cases in which abdominal surgery or hemodynamic procedures are contemplated. In thispaper, the major congenital anomalies involving the inferior vena cava are reviewed under the form of a pictorial essay, highlighting the role of the multiplanar imaging methods (volumetric computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) in their diagnosis.