Historia natural de la hernia de disco lumbar. ¿Tiene el realce con gadolinio valor pronóstico? / Natural history of lumbar disc hernias: does gadolinium enhancement have any prognostic value?

Objetivos. Evaluar qué porcentaje de hernias de disco desaparece tras un año de seguimiento y a qué ritmo; valorar si el uso del realce con gadolinio en RM tiene valor predictivo de la desaparición de la hernia; y estudiar si el patrón del realce ayuda a predecir la desaparición del fragmento. Material y métodos. Se incluyeron en este estudio prospectivo 118 pacientes con clínica de lumbociática aguda y que presentaban una hernia de disco diagnosticada mediante TC. A 72 pacientes se les realizó una RM con gadolinio cada 6 meses hasta el año o hasta que la hernia de disco desaparecía, y se relacionó la presencia de protrusión, extrusión y el patrón de realce con la desaparición o persistencia del material discal. Se realizó un estudio estadístico univariable y multivariable. Resultados. Un 59% de las hernias de disco desaparecieron tras un año de seguimiento, y de ellas el 66% lo hicieron en los primeros 8 meses. Un 83% de las hernias extruidas desaparecieron, y este dato tiene significación estadística en el análisis multivariable (p < 0,005). La ausencia de realce tiene asociación con la persistencia de la hernia, con significación estadística en el análisis univariable. El patrón de realce no ayuda a predecir la desaparición de la hernia. Hubo 5 hernias que desaparecieron muy pronto, dentro de los primeros 2 meses. Conclusiones. Un alto porcentaje de hernias de disco desaparecen, se ha encontrado la asociación estadísticamente significativa entre extrusión y desaparición, y falta de correlación entre el patrón de captación de gadolinio y la desaparición de la hernia(AU)

Objectives. To evaluate the percentage of disc hernias that have disappeared after one year of follow-up and the time to disappearance. To determine whether gadolinium enhancement is useful for predicting whether the hernia will disappear. To analyze whether the pattern of enhancement can help predict whether the fragment will disappear. Material and methods. This prospective study included 118 patients with acute symptoms of lumbosciatica and a herniated disc diagnosed by CT. In 72 patients, we performed gadolinium-enhanced MRI every 6 months for one year or until the herniation disappeared; we related the findings of protrusion, extrusion, and the enhancement pattern with the disappearance or persistence of herniated disc material. We analyzed the results with univariate and multivariate statistics. Results. The 59% of the hernias disappeared within 1 year of follow-up and 66% disappeared within the first 8 months of follow-up. The 83% of the extruded hernias disappeared, and this was significant in the multivariate analysis (P<.005). The absence of enhancement was significantly associated with the persistence of the hernia in the univariate analysis. The enhancement pattern was not useful for predicting whether the hernia would disappear. Five hernias disappeared within the first two months. Conclusions. A high percentage of disc hernias disappear. We found a significant association between extrusion and disappearance but no correlation between the pattern of gadolinium uptake and the disappearance of the herni(AU)

[Natural history of lumbar disc hernias: does gadolinium enhancement have any prognostic value?]. / Historia natural de la hernia de disco lumbar. ¿Tiene el realce con gadolinio valor pronóstico?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the percentage of disc hernias that have disappeared after one year of follow-up and the time to disappearance. To determine whether gadolinium enhancement is useful for predicting whether the hernia will disappear. To analyze whether the pattern of enhancement can help predict whether the fragment will disappear. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study included 118 patients with acute symptoms of lumbosciatica and a herniated disc diagnosed by CT. In 72 patients, we performed gadolinium-enhanced MRI every 6 months for one year or until the herniation disappeared; we related the findings of protrusion, extrusion, and the enhancement pattern with the disappearance or persistence of herniated disc material. We analyzed the results with univariate and multivariate statistics. RESULTS: The 59% of the hernias disappeared within 1 year of follow-up and 66% disappeared within the first 8 months of follow-up. The 83% of the extruded hernias disappeared, and this was significant in the multivariate analysis (P<.005). The absence of enhancement was significantly associated with the persistence of the hernia in the univariate analysis. The enhancement pattern was not useful for predicting whether the hernia would disappear. Five hernias disappeared within the first two months. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of disc hernias disappear. We found a significant association between extrusion and disappearance but no correlation between the pattern of gadolinium uptake and the disappearance of the hernia.

[Medullary carcinoma of the breast: a malignant lesion mimicking a benign one]. / Carcinoma medular de mama: una lesión maligna que simula benignidad.

Medullary carcinoma of the breast is an unfrequent type of tumor. We present a case of medullary carcinoma of the breast. The patient presented with a palpable breast mass, corresponding on mammography to an obscured mass, which showed a cystic appearance with thick wall on sonography. We review the radiological findings of this type of tumor which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions with well-circumscribed margins.

Osteochondroma of the thoracic spine and scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: The case of a 16-year-old patient with an osteochondroma in T11 and scoliosis is reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe the treatment of an osteochondroma with scoliotic deformity and the imaging methods used for the diagnosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Osteochondromas arising in the vertebral column are rare. However, spinal involvement is found with some regularity because osteochondromas are among the most common benign tumors of bone. METHODS: The clinical history, plain radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, and pathologic findings of the reported patient were reviewed. The medical literature also was reviewed. RESULTS: The patient was treated with surgery in an attempt to remove the tumor and correct the aesthetic deformity. The results were satisfactory, with an improvement of the thoracolumbar scoliosis from 45 degrees to 18 degrees. CONCLUSIONS: Osteochondromas of the vertebral column may cause scoliosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are necessary for evaluating the origin, size, and characteristics of the tumor. In this case, surgical management involved resection of the tumor and correction of the scoliotic deformity.

Extensively calcified synovial sarcoma.

Synovial sarcoma is an uncommon fibroblastic soft tissue neoplasm, commonly arising near, but not necessarily from, the synovium of joint capsules, bursae or tendon sheaths. The radiological diagnosis is difficult. We present a case of synovial sarcoma studied with plain film radiography, CT, and pathology that had an unusual extensive calcification, which complicated its radiological diagnosis.