OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ultrasound sensitivity and reproducibility as compared with magnetic resonance imaging as the gold standard in the detection of splenic siderotic nodules in schistosomal patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially, 21 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and diagnosed with splenic siderotic nodules by magnetic resonance imaging were ultrasonographically evaluated for determining the method sensitivity. In a second phase, the method reproducibility in the detection and quantification of siderotic nodules (A: 1-5 nodules; B: 6-20 nodules; C: > 20 nodules) was evaluated in 30 patients who were submitted to ultrasonography blindly and independently assessed by two observers. Interobserver agreement was measured by kappa statistics. RESULTS: Ultrasound sensitivity was 95.2% (95% confidence interval [77.3%; 99.2%]). Intermethod agreement in the detection of siderotic nodules was 96.7% (95% confidence interval [82.8%; 99.9%]). For classification of nodules according to their quantification, the kappa test demonstrated a statistically significant interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.67). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is highly sensitive and accurate in the assessment of splenic siderotic nodules in schistosomal patients.

Keywords: Schistosomiasis mansoni, Ultrasonography, Spleen

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at describing main radiological findings in patients who developed leaks as a complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery by the Higa's technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with post-gastric bypass anastomotic leaks were evaluated by means of computed tomography or gastrointestinal series. RESULTS: Leaks of superior anastomoses generally occurred within 30 postoperative days. Nineteen patients were radiologically diagnosed with anastomotic leaks, and ten of them presented contrast material extravasation, which is considered as a direct sign of the presence of anastomotic leaks. Seven of the remainder nine patients demonstrated contrast extravasation on subsequent studies, and indirect signs were also observed in six cases. Indirect signs were also observed in the patients with contrast material extravasation, the most frequent finding being pneumoperitoneum. Later follow-up examinations demonstrated contrast extravasation in one, and indirect signs in four of the five patients who had not been radiologically diagnosed. CONCLUSION: The most frequent radiological finding was contrast material extravasation (a direct sign of leak). Indirect signs were: unusual air-fluid levels, intracavitary fluid collections, disproportionate postoperative pneumoperitoneum, presence of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, anastomotic edema and small-bowel distention.

Keywords: Morbid obesity, Bariatric surgery, Anastomotic leak, Complication, Radiology, Computed tomography

OBJECTIVE: Intraosseous lipomas may be less rare lesions than previously suggested in the literature. They have frequently been misdiagnosed as other benign bone lesions. A combination of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and radiography is essential for decreasing misdiagnosis rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study presents ten cases of intraosseous lipoma. The patients' ages ranged from 25 to 80 years, and six of them were female. Six patients presented with bone pain, whereas four patients were asymptomatic with incidentally discovered lesions. The involved bones were: femur (four patients), tibia (two patients), calcaneus (one patient), sacrum (one patient), iliac bone (one patient), navicular bone (one patient). All of the patients were assessed by means of conventional radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the affected region. RESULTS: In all of the cases, plain films revealed well-defined lytic lesions. Both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were quite useful in demonstrating fat within the femur. The histologic pattern of all tumors was that of mature adipose tissue. CONCLUSION: Intraosseous lipoma is a well-defined entity that may develop with varying presentations. Plain radiographs alone cannot establish the diagnosis of this lesion. However, both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are quite useful methods in these cases.

Keywords: Intraosseous lipoma, Benign bone tumor, Computed tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging

OBJECTIVE: To describe ultrasonographic findings of localized cutaneous scleroderma and correlating them with clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three lesions of localized cutaneous scleroderma in 21 patients were evaluated with a Logiq 700 equipment coupled with a 6-14 MHz linear transducer. The disease stage (athrophic or inflammatory) was evaluated by a dermatologist, and the ultrasonographic findings (skin thickness and echogenicity) for both the affected and adjacent healthy regions were evaluated by a radiologist. Seven of the cases underwent post-treatment follow-up. RESULTS: All the affected regions presented loss of the normal ultrasonographic pattern of the dermis. Cases with clinically atrophic lesions (52.2%; 12/23) corresponded to reduction in the thickness and increase in the echogenicity of the dermis, and clinically inflammatory lesions (47.8%; 11/23) corresponded to decrease in echogenicity and increase in the thickness of the dermis. Post-treatment follow-up demonstrated alterations in the dermis thickness. CONCLUSION: The ultrasonographic findings allow the correlation between increase in the thickness/decrease in echogenicity of the dermis with the inflammatory phase of the disease, and decrease of the thickness/increase in echogenicity of the dermis with the atrophic phase. Also, it could be observed that it is possible to quantify the thickness of the dermis, utilizing this information associated with the clinical evaluation in the post-treatment follow-up.

Keywords: Localized scleroderma, Ultrasonography, Dermis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate fetal nuchal translucency, ductus venosus, nasal bone and maternal age > 35 years by means of aneuploidy screening between the 12th and 14th gestational weeks in a high-risk population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study involving 92 pregnant women at 12-14 gestational weeks, who were submitted to chorionic villus sampling because of high risk for trisomy 21 based on the measurement of nuchal translucency thickness (17.4%) or on maternal age > 35 years (78.3%). Before the chorionic villus sampling, fetal nuchal translucency thickness was measured, ductus venosus flow was evaluated and the nasal bone was identified. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated for tests in parallel and in sequence. RESULTS: Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 12 fetuses (13.5%); 7 (58.3%) were positive for trisomy 21. The nasal bone was present in all cases with chromosomal abnormalities. Isolated nuchal translucency, ductus venosus or maternal age showed low sensitivity (41.67-58.33%) and low positive predictive value (10-45.45%). Combined nuchal translucency + ductus venosus + maternal age showed the best results (100% sensitivity; 6.49% specificity; 14.29% positive predictive value; 100% negative predictive value). CONCLUSION: In pregnant women with >35 years of age, combined nuchal translucency + ductus venosus have showed the highest sensitivity as an indication for invasive procedure.

Keywords: Nuchal translucency measurement, Ductus venosus, Nasal bone, Maternal age, Trisomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diameter, perimeter and area of atrioventricular valves as well thickness of ventricular walls and diameter of ventricular cavity of fetal hearts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty fetal hearts at gestational age between 28 and 36 weeks were dissected. A paquimeter with 1/10 mm accuracy was utilized for the following morphological measurements: anteroposterior and transverse diameters, mitral and tricuspid valves areas and perimeters. RESULTS: Anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the left atrioventricular valve measured 10.35 ± 1.62 mm and 9.90 ± 1.79 mm, respectively; and anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the right atrioventricular valve measured 10.98 ± 1.90 mm and 9.51 ± 1.81 mm, respectively. Mitral valve area and perimeter were, respectively, 84.06 ± 25.09 mm² and 29.87 ± 3.96 mm. Tricuspid valve area and perimeter were, respectively, 84.49 ± 26.79 mm² and 28.44 ± 3.85 mm. The thicknesses of the anterior and posterior right ventricular walls were, respectively, 5.00 ± 1.70 mm and 3.83 ± 0.91 mm. The thicknesses of the anterior and posterior left ventricular walls were, respectively, 4.25 ±0.87 mm and 4.14 ± 0.89 mm. The thickness of the interventricular septum measured 4.10 ± 1.13 mm. The anteroposterior diameter of the right ventricle was 9.25 ± 0.85 mm, and the transverse diameter was 8.24 ± 0.42 mm. The anteroposterior diameter of the left ventricle measured 9.95 ± 0.37 mm, and transverse diameter measured 9.20 ± 0.40 mm. CONCLUSION: The role of morphometric data of fetal atrioventricular valves is highly significant in the echocardiographic diagnosis of possible congenital cardiac malformations.

Keywords: Fetal echocardiography, Fetal circulation, Cardiac malformation, Heart

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occurrence and causes of unplanned interruption of radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study developed in the Division of Radiotherapy of Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, with data collected from 560 dossiers of patients submitted to radiotherapy in the period between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005. Chi-squared and Student t tests were utilized in the data analysis, and p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Interruption of treatment was identified in 350 cases, corresponding to 62.5% of the patients. The reasons for treatment interruption were the following: preventive device maintenance (55%), patient's own private reasons (13%), adverse reactions to the treatment or to combined radiotherapy/chemotherapy (6%), clinical worsening (3%), two or more combined reasons (23%). The interruption time interval ranged between 1 and 24 days (mean 1.4 day). One-day interruption was mostly due to preventive device maintenance (84.4%); two-five-day interruption was due to combined reasons (48.28%). CONCLUSION: The most frequent cause of interruption was preventive device maintenance, with maximum two-day time interval.

Keywords: Radiotherapy, Cancer, Interruptions, Treatment

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at evaluating the quality and the impact of an intervention involving inspection and education in mammography centers of the Federal District, Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty one mammography centers in the Federal District were studied in the period between 2000 and 2002. The intervention involved an initial inspection followed by a training activity and notification of mammography centers by the Federal District Sanitary Vigilance authority. The imaging quality was compared before and after the intervention. RESULTS: None of the 36 centers which completed the study reached more than 90% compliance with the standard imaging quality prior to the interventions, whereas ten were above 90% afterwards. Major improvements were observed in chassis maintenance, breast compression and visualization of microcalcifications. CONCLUSION: Despite the availability of a great number of mammography centers in the Federal District, most of them did not meet the required quality standards. The intervention has shown to be effective for improving the imaging quality, however a continued action is required to solve the remaining problems and increase the impact of the program.

Keywords: Mammography, Quality control, Federal District, Impact

OBJECTIVE: To perform a survey on routine quality control tests of dose calibrators at nuclear medicine units in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. To evaluate the accuracy of measurements of seven dose calibrators activities, utilizing sources of clinically significant radionuclides at the calibration laboratory of Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey on quality control of dose calibrators has been based on questionnaires answered by the nuclear medicine units. Seven dose calibrators, Ga-67, Tc-99m and Tl-201 sources and a secondary standard instrument have been utilized in the accuracy study. RESULTS: The survey results on the quality control tests of the dose calibrators showed some inappropriateness, for example, the absence of daily reproducibility tests in all of the units. The accuracy tests for the seven dose calibrators showed results within the acceptable limit in compliance with the national regulations (±10%). CONCLUSION: According to the few nuclear medicine units participating in the survey, the dose calibrators quality control is unsatisfactory. The accuracy study of seven dose calibrators has not demonstrated any performance faults, and has established the calibration of these instruments for the utilized sources.

Keywords: Nuclear medicine, Dose calibrators, Calibration, Quality control

A wide range of both benign and malignant neoplasms may occur in the liver. Although the characterization of focal hepatic lesions may represent a diagnostic challenge for radiologists, typical imaging findings in these lesions allow a correct diagnosis. The present study is aimed at reviewing imaging findings both in the most frequent benign and malignant focal lesion found in the adult liver.

Keywords: Liver, Neoplasm, Magnetic resonance imaging, Ultrasound, Computed tomography

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of normal endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. In patients with deep pelvic endometriosis, uterosacral ligaments, rectum, rectovaginal septum, vagina or bladder may be involved. Clinical manifestations may be variable, including pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, urinary symptoms and infertility. Complete surgical excision is the gold standard for treating this disease, and hence the importance of the preoperative work-up that usually is limited to an evaluation of sonographic and clinical data. Magnetic resonance imaging is of paramount importance in the diagnosis of endometriosis, considering its high accuracy in the identification of lesions intermingled with adhesions, and in the determination of peritoneal lesions extent. The present pictorial review describes the main magnetic resonance imaging findings in deep pelvic endometriosis.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, Endometriosis, Female pelvis, Infertility

The left brachiocephalic vein occasionally follows an aberrant course. It is usually associated with congenital cardiac anomaly. We present a case of anomalous left brachiocephalic vein which followed a sub aortic course, with no cardiac abnormality. Multi detector computed tomography is very useful in accurate diagnosis of this condition and prevents any further investigation in cases of isolated abnormalities.

Keywords: Anomalous left brachiocephalic vein, Mediastinal mass, Computed tomography, Chest

Kaposi sarcoma is a neoplasm associated with immunosuppressive conditions, and involving blood and lymphatic vessels. It is the most frequent intrahepatic neoplasm in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrate multiple small nodules, prominence and contrast-enhancement of periportal branches due to the presence of the neoplastic tissue. The authors report a case of a 47-year-old male patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome presenting disseminated Kaposi sarcoma.

Keywords: Kaposi sarcoma, Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Liver disease, Cancer, Computed tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging