Assessment of Sensitivity and Specificity of Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Placenta Accreta.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of placenta accreta in patients with placenta previa. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 37 women, and was conducted between January 2013 and October 2015; 16 out of the 37 women suffered from placenta accreta. Histopathology was considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of placenta accreta; in its absence, a description of the intraoperative findings was used. The associations among the variables were investigated using the Pearson chi-squared test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 31.8 ± 7.3 years, the mean number of pregnancies was 2.8 ± 1.1, the mean number of births was 1.4 ± 0.7, and the mean number of previous cesarean sections was 1.2 ± 0.8. Patients with placenta accreta had a higher frequency of history of cesarean section than those without it (63.6% versus 36.4% respectively; p < 0.001). The mean gestational age at birth among women diagnosed with placenta previa accreta was 35.4 ± 1.1 weeks. The mean birth weight was 2,635.9 ± 374.1 g. The sensitivity of the ultrasound was 87.5%, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 65.1%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 75.0%. The sensitivity of the magnetic resonance imaging was 92.9%, with a PPV of 76.5%, and a NPV of 75.0%. The kappa coefficient of agreement between the 2 tests was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: (0.26-1.00). CONCLUSION: The ultrasound and the magnetic resonance imaging showed similar sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of placenta accreta.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar e comparar a sensibilidade e especificidade da ultrassonografia e da ressonância magnética no diagnóstico do acretismo placentário em pacientes com placenta prévia. MéTODOS: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo com 37 mulheres, sendo 16 com acretismo placentário, realizado de janeiro de 2013 a outubro de 2015. Considerou-se padrão-ouro para o diagnóstico de acretismo placentário o exame anatomopatológico, sendo que, na sua ausência, a descrição do achado intraoperatório. As associações entre variáveis foram investigadas utilizando o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson e o teste U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: A idade média foi de 31,8 ± 7,3 anos, o número médio de gestações foi de 2,8 ± 1,1, o número médio da quantidade de partos foi de 1,4 ± 0,7, e o número médio de cesáreas prévias foi de 1,2 ± 0,8. O grupo do acretismo placentário apresentou antecedente de cesariana mais frequentemente do que o grupo sem acretismo (63,6% versus 36,4%, respectivamente; p < 0,001). A idade gestacional no parto em mulheres com diagnóstico de placenta prévia com acretismo foi de 35,4 ± 1,1 semanas. O peso ao nascer médio foi de 2.635,9 ± 374,1 g. A sensibilidade do ultrassom foi de 87,5%, com valor preditivo positivo (VPP) de 65,1%, e valor preditivo negativo (VPN) de 75,0%. Para a ressonância magnética, a sensibilidade foi de 92,9%, com VPP de 76,5% e VPN de 75,0%. O índice kappa para concordância entre os dois testes foi de 0,69 (intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%]: 0,26­1,00). CONCLUSãO: O ultrassom e a ressonância magnética apresentaram sensibilidade e especificidade semelhantes no diagnóstico do acretismo placentário.

Presumed Zika virus-related congenital brain malformations: the spectrum of CT and MRI findings in fetuses and newborns.

OBJECTIVE: The new epidemic of Zika virus infection raises grave concerns, especially with the increasingly-recognized link between emerging cases of microcephaly and this infectious disease. Besides small cranial dimensions, there are striking morphologic anomalies in the fetal brain. Key anomalies include cortical developmental malformations and a peculiar distribution of pathologic calcifications. These potentially indicate a new pattern of congenital central nervous system infection. METHODS: Eight women underwent fetal MRI. Four infants also underwent postnatal CT. Five of the women underwent amniocentesis. RESULTS: All neonates were born with microcephaly. On fetal MRI, ventriculomegaly, marked reduction of white matter thickness, severe sylvian fissure simplification, abnormal sulcation, and diffuse volumetric loss of cerebellar hemispheres were consistently seen. On postnatal CT, diffuse subcortical and basal ganglia calcifications were observed. The Zika virus was detected in two amniocenteses by polymerase chain reaction assays. CONCLUSION: We hope to assist the medical community in recognizing the spectrum of encephalic changes related to congenital Zika virus infection.

Presumed Zika virus-related congenital brain malformations: the spectrum of CT and MRI findings in fetuses and newborns / Malformações congênitas do encéfalo presumivelmente relacionadas ao Zika vírus: espectro de achados de RM e TC em fetos e neonatos

ABSTRACT The new epidemic of Zika virus infection raises grave concerns, especially with the increasingly-recognized link between emerging cases of microcephaly and this infectious disease. Besides small cranial dimensions, there are striking morphologic anomalies in the fetal brain. Key anomalies include cortical developmental malformations and a peculiar distribution of pathologic calcifications. These potentially indicate a new pattern of congenital central nervous system infection. Methods: Eight women underwent fetal MRI. Four infants also underwent postnatal CT. Five of the women underwent amniocentesis. Results: All neonates were born with microcephaly. On fetal MRI, ventriculomegaly, marked reduction of white matter thickness, severe sylvian fissure simplification, abnormal sulcation, and diffuse volumetric loss of cerebellar hemispheres were consistently seen. On postnatal CT, diffuse subcortical and basal ganglia calcifications were observed. The Zika virus was detected in two amniocenteses by polymerase chain reaction assays. Conclusion: We hope to assist the medical community in recognizing the spectrum of encephalic changes related to congenital Zika virus infection.

RESUMO Os novos casos epidêmicos de infecção pelo vírus Zika suscitam grande preocupação, sobretudo com o crescente reconhecimento da ligação entre casos emergentes de microcefalia e esta doença infecciosa. Além da cabeça de pequenas dimensões, existem profundas alterações morfológicas no encéfalo fetal. Anomalias mais típicas incluem malformações do desenvolvimento cortical e uma distribuição peculiar de calcificações patológicas. Estes dados potencialmente indicam um novo padrão de infecção congênita do sistema nervoso central. Métodos: Oito mulheres foram submetidas a RM fetal. Quatro crianças também realizaram TC pós-natal. Cinco mulheres foram submetidas a amniocentese. Resultados: Todos os neonatos nasceram com microcefalia. Na RM fetal, ventriculomegalia, acentuada redução da espessura da substância branca, acentuada simplificação da fissura sylviana, sulcação anormal e redução volumétrica difusa dos hemisférios cerebelares foram constantes. Na TC pós-natal, calcificações difusas subcorticais e nos núcleos da base foram observadas. O vírus Zika foi detectado por PCR em duas amniocenteses. Conclusão: Esperamos dar suporte à comunidade médica em reconhecer este padrão de imagem potencialmente específico.

Fetal goiter conservatively monitored during the prenatal period associated with maternal and neonatal euthyroid status.

Congenital goiter is considered a rare occurrence, and may be related to hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or euthyroidism. In this report, we describe a case of fetal goiter identified in the 34th gestational week in a 41-year-old secundigravida with normal thyroid functions. A conservative approach was followed; the fetal goiter was monitored via ultrasound, which suggested this was a case of hyperthyroidism. After the birth, tests indicated that the newborn was euthyroidic. Consequently, a more detailed study using non-invasive procedures was deemed necessary to discover the precise cause of the fetal goiter during the gestational period.

Spontaneous regression of intralobar pulmonary sequestration during the pregnancy: report of two cases through relationships between mass and fetal biometry and review of the literature.

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration is a rare bronchopulmonary malformation consisting of a non-functioning lung mass that receives its arterial blood supply from systemic circulation and that does not adequately communicate with the tracheobronchial tree through a normal bronchus. These sequestrations account for 1.1-1.8% of all lung resections. Herein we present two clinical cases with a prenatal diagnosis of pulmonary sequestration using ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Pulmonary images indicated a progressive decrease in the size and echogenicity of the lung mass with fetal growth, resulting in asymptomatic neonates with normal chest radiographs. We emphasize the importance of combining imaging examinations with follow-up by a multidisciplinary team working in a center specialized in maternal-fetal medicine. For the successive monitoring of the size of the lung tissue mass, we propose the calculation of the following two biometric ratios that are not yet described in the literature: mass area/head circumference and mass volume/estimated fetal weight. The second ratio was similar in both cases, a result which suggests its potential for use in estimating the probability of the spontaneous regression of intralobar pulmonary sequestration.

Valor da ultra-sonografia abdominal com transdutor multifreqüencial de 5 a 10 mhz no diagnóstico de apendicite / The role of abdominal ultrasonography using 5-10 MHz multifrequency transducers in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

Neste trabalho procura-se estabelecer o valor da ultra-sonografia no diagnóstico de apendicite, com transdutor multifreqüencial de 5 a 10 MHz. Foi realizado estudo transversal de casos consecutivos de 240 pacientes, de abril de 1996 a setembro de 1998, com suspeita de apendicite. Os critérios ecográficos de apendicite foram apêndice não-compressível e com espessura acima de 6,0 mm, com ou sem apendicólito e/ou coleção. O padrão ouro utilizado foram achados cirúrgicos e acompanhamento clínico durante um ano. A prevalência de apendicite foi de 59 por cento. A ultra-sonografia mostrou sensibilidade de 90 por cento, especificidade de 97 por cento, acurácia de 93 por cento, valor preditivo positivo de 98 por cento e valor preditivo negativo de 87 por cento, tendo ocorrido 2,4 por cento de falso-positivos e 13 por cento de falso-negativos. O ultra-som com transdutor multifreqüencial de 5 a 10 MHz mostra-se um método muito eficaz no diagnóstico de apendicite.