OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sonographic features associated with morbidity in patients with chronic clinical presentations of schistosomiasis mansoni, according to the protocol proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Materials and Methods: Two distinctive populations were evaluated: a) patients from an endemic area, and b) patients from a tertiary institution, with histopathologically confirmed periportal fibrosis. INCLUSION CRITERIA: diagnosis confirmed by parasitological stool examination for Schistosoma mansoni (Kato-Katz method). EXCLUSION CRITERIA: positive serology for HIV, HTLV-1, HBV or HCV. The Niamey protocol on ultrasonography proposed by the WHO was utilized. RESULTS:As the measures of periportal spaces were isolatedly evaluated, no alteration was observed in 21% of the tertiary institution patients with advanced disease. As all parameters of the Niamey protocol were considered, 100% of patients from the tertiary institution, with severe disease, presented advanced periportal fibrosis. In hepatosplenic patients from endemic areas, fibrosis was not identified at ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: The sonographic protocol proposed by the WHO can detect advanced periportal fibrosis in patients with severe form of disease with higher sensitivity than the isolated measurement of periportal space. The complexity involved in the sonographic identification of early stages of periportal fibrosis in endemic areas may give rise to the field of diagnostic supplementation and to a continued improvement of sonographic protocols in these areas.

Keywords: Schistosomiasis mansoni; Morbidity; Periportal fibrosis; Ultrasonography.

OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve por finalidade avaliar a perfusão miocárdica de pacientes com diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1) e tipo 2 (DM2) assintomáticos, sem diagnóstico prévio de doença arterial coronariana (DAC) ou acidente vascular cerebral. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Cinquenta e nove pacientes consecutivos (16 DM1, 43 DM2) foram submetidos a cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica com sestamibi-^99mTc (CPM). Foram avaliados quanto ao índice de massa corpórea, controle metabólico do diabetes, dislipidemia, terapia para o diabetes, hipertensão arterial sistêmica, nefropatia, retinopatia, neuropatia periférica, tabagismo e história familiar de DAC. RESULTADOS: CPM foi anormal em 25,4%: 12 (20,3%) com alterações de perfusão e 3 com disfunção ventricular esquerda isolada. Os mais fortes preditores de perfusão miocárdica anormal foram: idade igual ou maior a 60 anos (p = 0,017, odds ratio [OR] = 6,0), neuropatia periférica (p = 0,028, OR = 6,1), nefropatia (p = 0,031, OR = 5,6) e ECG de esforço positivo para isquemia (p = 0,049, OR = 4,08). CONCLUSÃO: A isquemia miocárdica silenciosa ocorre em mais de um em cada cinco diabéticos assintomáticos. Os mais fortes preditores de isquemia foram: idade avançada, neuropatia periférica, nefropatia, retinopatia e ECG de esforço positivo para isquemia.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica; Isquemia miocárdica silenciosa; Doença arterial coronariana.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a completude das fissuras, resposta radiológica ao tratamento e análise quantitativa por TC (AQTC) em população de pacientes com enfisema grave submetidos ao implante de valvas endobrônquicas (VEB). MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram estudados exames de TC multidetectores de 29 pacientes, realizados com protocolo de baixo dose, cortes finos, sem contraste. Dois radiologistas revisaram, retrospectivamente, os exames em consenso. A completude das fissuras foi estimada em escala de 5% e a resposta radiológica (atelectasia/perda volumétrica do lobo alvo) foi avaliada. AQTC foi realizada nos exames pré e pós-tratamento utilizando programa completamente automático. RESULTADOS: Resposta radiológica positiva foi vista em 16/29 pacientes. Os 13 pacientes sem resposta à TC apresentavam fissuras incompletas e completude média das fissuras obliquas de 72,8%, contra 88,3% no outro grupo. Os resultados mais significativos da AQTC mostraram redução do volume pulmonar (VP) total (média de 542 ml), VP tratado (700 ml) e volume de enfisema (331,4 ml) no grupo com resposta positiva, que também apresentou melhora nos testes funcionais. CONCLUSÃO: O benefício das VEB é maior em pacientes com fissuras completas e que desenvolvem atelectasia lobar. Nos pacientes sem resposta radiológica encontramos maior prevalência de fissuras incompletas e grau de incompletude das fissuras. Nossa AQTC automática detectou as alterações pós-tratamento, principalmente considerado a análise do pulmão tratado.

Keywords: Enfisema; Terapia de colapso pulmonar; Tomografia computadorizada.

OBJECTIVE: To compare sonographic and surgical measured perimeters of the median nerve; to evaluate the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome by median nerve cross-sectional area; to verify the association between cross-sectional area of the median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with established carpal tunnel syndrome were studied. Cross-sectional area and sonographic perimeter of the median nerve were measured. The correlation between clinical and sonographic findings and association with carpal tunnel syndrome severity were evaluated. Sonographic and surgical perimeters were compared. Clinical classification, surgical perimeter, cross-sectional area and sonographic perimeter of the median nerve were compared. Statistical analysis utilized paired samples t-test, Pearson's correlation, Bland-Altman's diagram, Kolmogorov-Smirnov's test, Welch's and Wilcoxon's tests. RESULTS:Five patients were excluded; 25 patients were studied; 60% of patients had moderated disease, and 60% presented cross-sectional area > 0.15 cm². Distribution of surgical perimeter was not normal (p = 0.5); the sonographic perimeter distribution was normal (p = 0). There was a statistically significant difference between perimeters (paired samples t-test, p < 0.0001, confidence interval = 95%). Pearson's correlation corresponded to 0.3913. Bland-Altman diagram demonstrated higher values for surgical perimeters. Median nerve cross-sectional area > 0.09 cm² was found in all the patients. CONCLUSION: No association was observed between median nerve sonographic and surgical perimeters. Median nerve cross-sectional area > 0.09 cm² was valid for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. No association was observed between median nerve cross-sectional area and carpal tunnel syndrome severity.

Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Ultrasonography; Diagnosis; Neuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the frequencies of acute pyelonephritis and renal scarring in patients under the age of two, with first episode of urinary tract infection in a Brazilian university hospital, comparing with data reported in the international literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scintigraphic reports of children less than two years old submitted to ^99mTc-DMSA renal scintigraphy in a university hospital in Rio Grande do Sul between 2006 and 2009 were reviewed to investigate acute pyelonephritis/renal scarring. Additionally, the presence of vesicoureteral reflux, early use of antibiotics, and comorbidities were investigated on electronic records. The sample size calculation was based on a systematic review study and obtained a minimum of 147 patients. Patients whose electronic records were not available were excluded. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-seven children met the inclusion criteria; among them 48 had acute pyelonephritis and 8 of these had renal scars. Neither age nor sex presented any significant association with acute pyelonephritis (p = 0.405 and p = 0.124, respectively). No statistical significance was observed in the association between vesicoureteral reflux and acute pyelonephritis (p = 1.0) and other comorbidities (p = 0.470), and in relation to early use of antibiotics with acute pyelonephritis (p = 0.130) and renal scarring (p = 0.720). CONCLUSION: The frequencies found in the present study for acute pyelonephritis/renal scarring are in agreement with the results reported by most studies in the literature.

Keywords: Pyelonephritis; DMSA; Scar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy in the detection of abdominal aortic calcification by densitometry as compared with lateral spine radiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study comprising 80 individuals, 50 of them with abdominal aortic calcification and 30 without calcification. Densitometry was performed once for each participant, with the patient in right lateral decubitus position. RESULTS:Both groups were similar in terms of age range and body mass index - mean age of 74.56 ± 10.55 years and 68.40 ± 10.80 years and mean body mass index of 28.94 ± 6.06 kg/m², and 26.84 ± 4.11 kg/m², respectively for the individuals with abdominal aortic calcification and for the individuals without calcification. A statistical comparison between densitometry and radiography demonstrates similar performances of the two methods in the detection of abdominal aortic calcification, with 100% specificity and positive predictive value, 94% sensitivity, 90.9% negative predictive value, and 96.3% accuracy. Qualitative equivalence in diagnosis was demonstrated by kappa correlation index of 0.922. CONCLUSION: The results obtained by radiography and densitometry were statistically equivalent, which endorses the indication of densitometry for investigating abdominal aortic calcification.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Abdominal aorta; Densitometry.

OBJECTIVE: To specify and quantify main technical failures, whether mechanical or electronic, encountered at conventional chest radiography, in order to improve imaging quality, thus reducing the necessity of additional images acquisition and, consequently, the radiation dose received by the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pulmonologist selected and reviewed 897 conventional chest radiographic films in either posteroanterior or lateral views, performed in five health institutions in the city of São Paulo. The films were individually analyzed in the search of technical failures, and classified according predefined technical radiographic errors which had led to re-examination. RESULTS:The obtained results have demonstrated that incorrect patient positioning (27%), underexposure (23%) and overexposure (15%) were the main failures contributing to repetition of examinations, with a Pearson correlation coefficient 0.7%, thus leading to an increase in the dose received by the patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate the need for X-ray apparatuses quality control, improvement of operators' skills, as well as further studies to clarify the impact resulting from examinations repetition.

Keywords: Radiography; Chest; Lung; Technical failures; Biostatistics.

Congenital upper urinary tract abnormalities imply a variable clinical spectrum of morphofunctional changes ranging from asymptomatic conditions to renal failure and incompatibility with life. Computed tomography, which has overcome excretory urography imaging, has been playing a key role in the diagnosis of congenital anomalies, serving as a better guidance in the therapeutic and surgical decision-making process, besides acting as an essential tool in the identification of associated complications and aiding in the performance of minimally invasive surgery techniques.

Keywords: Congenital abnormalities; Urinary tract; Multislice computed tomography.

The conus medullaris is frequently affected by inflammatory and infectious lesions which many times are hardly differentiated because of the similarity of their clinical history and physical examination among the different etiologies. Magnetic resonance imaging presents high sensitivity in the detection of these lesions and plays a relevant role in the diagnosis as well as in the evolutive control of the condition. The present pictorial essay with selected cases from the archives of the authors' institution is aimed at demonstrating imaging findings which might help in the diagnosis of a specific etiology amongst inflammatory an infectious conditions and in the differentiation with diseases of neoplastic and vascular etiologies, for example. Findings such as enhancement pattern, presence of cysts, edema and involvement of other regions of the central nervous system are important for this differentiation, and may define a specific etiology as associated with clinical and laboratory tests findings.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Myelitis; Transverse myelitis; Schistosomiasis.

The present report describes the case of a 22-year-old female patient admitted to the emergency room with acute low back pain, dysuria, vomiting and fever (38.5ºC). Urinalysis and computed tomography findings revealed urinary tract infection associated with presence of gas in the collecting system, characterizing unilateral emphysematous pyelitis caused by Gram-negative bacteria. The present case report emphasizes the occurrence of this disease as a urinary tract infection complication.

Keywords: Emphysematous pyelitis; Complicated urinary tract infection; Computed tomography.

Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica is a rare benign disease (incidence 1:1,000,000), characterized by an osteochondral overgrowth affecting one or more epiphyses. Generally, the age of onset is between two and 14 years. The characteristic imaging findings are sufficient for the diagnosis. Surgical excision of the lesion is only indicated in cases where a functional limitation is present.

Keywords: Epiphysis; Osteochondrodysplasia; Dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica; Trevor disease.