Cirrosis Hepática en Tomografía computarizada / Findings of Hepatic Cirrhosis in Computed Tomography

La cirrosis determina un importante problema de salud en el mundo y forma parte de las 10 primeras causas de muerte. Cerca de 2.500 personas fallecieron en Ecuador en el 2016 a consecuencia de cirrosis hepática, es la séptima causa de muerte en nuestro país, según datos del 2016 del Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos. Las principales causas de cirrosis descritas en el mundo son la infección crónica por virus hepatitis C, virus hepatitis B, alcohol, enfermedades biliares y enfermedad hepática grasa no alcohólica. La cirrosis se caracteriza patológicamente por distorsión de la arquitectura hepática debido a fibrosis hepática extensa y regeneración nodular. Existen diversos criterios de imagen para el diagnóstico de cirrosis, que incluyen: cambios morfológicos hepáticos y signos de hipertensión portal. En el hospital Carlos Andrade Marín, el 6 de mayo del 2016, se realizó el primer trasplante hepático. Hasta septiembre del 2018, se han realizado 54 trasplantes hepáticos de donante cadavérico (31 hombres, 23 mujeres)

Cirrhosis determines an important health problem in the world, and is one of the top 10 causes of death. About 2,500 people died in Ecuador in 2016 as a result of liver cirrhosis, is the seventh cause of death in our country, according to 2016 data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census. The main causes of cirrhosis described in the world are chronic infection with hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, alcohol, biliary diseases and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Cirrhosis is pathologically characterized by distortion of the hepatic architecture due to extensive liver fibrosis and nodular regeneration. There are several image criteria for the diagnosis of cirrhosis, which include: Morphological Changes in the Liver and Signs of Portal Hypertension. In the hospital Carlos Andrade Marín, on May 6, 2016, the first liver transplant was performed, until September 2018, 54 liver transplants from cadaveric donor (31 men, 23 women) were performed.

Retención de cápsula endoscópica en un paciente con sospecha de enfermedad de Crohn / Endoscopic capsule retention in a patient with clinical suspicion of Crohn's disease

The endoscopic capsule is classically used in the study of occult bleeding, but has recently been shown to be useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of Crohn's disease. The retention of the capsule is the most frequent complication related to its use. We report the case of a 30-year-old male patient with recurrent abdominal pain and suspected Crohn's disease. A procedure with a video endoscopic capsule was performed; twelve hours after its ingestion, the patient goes to the emergency department due to worsening of the pain. Abdominal and pelvic CT demonstrates multiple areas of segmental parietal thickening of the ileum and a metallic foreign body in an area of stenosis corresponding to the retained endoscopic capsule. It evolves with persistent pain despite pharmacological therapy. Subsequently it is extracted by enteroscopy. The indications and risks of the use of the endoscopic video capsule, and the clinical and imaging factors predictive of retention are discussed.

La video cápsula endoscópica se utiliza clásicamente en el estudio de sangrado oculto, pero últimamente se ha demostrado su utilidad en el diagnóstico y seguimiento de la enfermedad de Crohn. La retención de la cápsula es la complicación más frecuente relacionada a su uso. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de sexo masculino de 30 años con dolor abdominal recurrente y sospecha de enfermedad de Crohn. Dentro del estudio se le realiza una video cápsula endoscópica; doce horas posteriores a su ingesta consulta en el servicio de urgencia por empeoramiento del dolor. La tomografía computada de abdomen y pelvis demuestra múltiples áreas de engrosamiento parietal segmentarias del íleon y un cuerpo extraño metálico en un área de estenosis, correspondiente a la cápsula endoscópica retenida. Evoluciona con persistencia del dolor pese a la terapia farmacológica. Posteriormente se procede a su extracción mediante enteroscopia. Se discuten las indicaciones y riesgos del uso de la video cápsula endoscópica, y los factores clínicos e imagenológicos predictores de retención.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a rare initial manifestation / Colecistite aguda acalculosa no lúpus eritematoso sistêmico: uma manifestação inicial rara

ABSTRACT Acute acalculous cholecystitis is a very rare gastrointestinal manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus and becomes rarer as an initial manifestation. There are only two cases reported. The authors report a 20-year-old black woman that presented acute acalculous cholecystitis revealed by abdominal computed tomography. During hospitalization, she was diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus. Conservative treatment with antibiotics was performed with complete remission of the symptoms. Corticosteroid was started in ambulatory. Cholecystectomy has been the treatment of choice in acute acalculous cholecystitis as a complication of systemic lupus erythematosus. The patient responded well to conservative treatment, and surgery was not required. This case is unique in the way that corticosteroid was started in ambulatory care. We should not forget that the acute acalculous cholecystitis can be the initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus although its occurrence is very rare. Conservative treatment should be considered. Abdominal computed tomography was a determinant exam for better assessment of acute acalculous cholecystitis.

RESUMO A colecistite aguda acalculosa é uma manifestação gastrointestinal rara no lúpus eritematoso sistêmico e ainda mais rara como manifestação inicial. Foram descritos apenas dois casos até o momento. Os autores relatam o caso de uma mulher negra de 20 anos, com quadro de colecistite aguda acalculosa revelada pela tomografia computadorizada do abdome. Durante a hospitalização, a paciente foi diagnosticada com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico. Houve remissão completa dos sintomas após tratamento conservador com antibióticos. Iniciou-se tratamento com corticosteroides no ambulatório. Embora a colecistectomia seja o tratamento de escolha em casos de colecistite aguda acalculosa como complicação do lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, a paciente respondeu bem ao tratamento conservador; logo, a cirurgia não foi necessária. Este caso é único em razão do modo como o corticosteroide foi iniciado no atendimento ambulatorial. É importante lembrar que a colecistite aguda acalculosa pode ser a manifestação inicial do lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, embora sua ocorrência seja rara. Deve-se considerar a realização de tratamento conservador. A tomografia computadorizada do abdome foi determinante para que fosse feita uma melhor avaliação dacolecistite aguda acalculosa.

Chronic polyarthritis as isolated manifestation of toxocariasis / Poliartrite crônica como manifestação isolada da toxocaríase

ABSTRACT Human toxocariasis is a parasitic zoonosis mainly caused by Toxocara canis or Toxocara catiand is acquired by ingestion of the parasite’s embryonated eggs. Arthralgia and/or arthri-tis were reported in up to 17% of the cases, generally with acute duration (less than 6weeks). However, to our knowledge, chronic polyarthritis, as the isolated presentation ofToxocara infection, was not reported. One of the 5809 patients that was followed up at ourservice (0.017%) had chronic polyarthritis as the single manifestation of toxocariasis and wasdescribed herein. A 3-year-old girl was referred to our service with severe painful chronicpolyarthritis for a period longer than 10 weeks and morning stiffness of 30 min. Dog contactexposure history in the recreational areas of neighborhood was reported. Her exams showedhigh levels of eosinophils in peripheral blood (29%), bone marrow aspirate revealed markedeosinophilia (32%) and Toxocara enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) was positive(1:1280). She was treated with paracetamol (40 mg/kg/day) and thiabendazole (25 mg/kg/day)for 10 days, and all manifestations reduced. After eight months of follow-up, she was onclinical and laboratorial remission. In conclusion, we described a case of chronic polyarthri-tis, as isolated manifestation of toxocariasis, mimicking juvenile idiopathic arthritis andleukemia. Importantly, this zoonosis should be considered in patients with arthritis andeosinophilia.

RESUMO A toxocaríase é uma zoonose parasitária causada principalmente pelo Toxocara canis ou peloT. cati. É adquirida pela ingestão de ovos embrionados do parasita. A artralgia e/ou artriteforam relatadas em até 17% dos casos, geralmente com duração aguda (menos de seis sema-nas). No entanto, que se tem conhecimento, a poliartrite crônica como manifestação isoladada infecção por Toxocara ainda não foi descrita na literatura. Um dos 5.809 pacientes acom-panhados em nosso serviço (0,017%) exibiu poliartrite crônica como manifestação únicada toxocaríase e foi descrito neste estudo. Uma menina de três anos foi encaminhada aonosso serviço com poliartrite crônica dolorosa grave por um período superior a 10 semanase rigidez matinal diária de 30 minutos. Foi relatada história de exposição a contato comcão nas áreas de lazer do bairro. Seus exames revelaram níveis elevados de eosinófilos nosangue periférico (29%), o aspirado de medula óssea revelou eosinofilia acentuada (32%)e o ensaio imunoenzimático ligado a enzima (ELISA) para Toxocara foi positivo (1:1.280). Acriança foi tratada com paracetamol (40 mg/kg/dia) e tiabendazol (25 mg/kg/dia) durante10 dias e houve regressão de todas as manifestações. Depois de oito meses de seguimento,a pequena paciente estava em remissão clínica e laboratorial. Em conclusão, descreve-seum caso de poliartrite crônica como manifestação isolada da toxocaríase, que mimetizouuma artrite idiopática juvenil e leucemia. É importante ressaltar que essa zoonose deve serconsiderada em pacientes com artrite e eosinofilia.

Relationship between dynamic postural control ability and abdominal area in middle-aged people / 体力科学

Dynamic postural control ability is necessary for fall prevention in our daily lives. It has been suggested that dynamic postural control ability is highly related to the muscles in the trunk as well as the lower limbs for the keep and move of the body. In this study, we reveal relationship between dynamic postural control ability and abdominal area. Subjects including 31 middle-aged people consist of 12 men and 19 women (mean age 60.0±7.6 years). We measured visceral fat area and cross-sectional area of the trunk muscle using abdominal computed tomography scan. The unstable tilt board is used for measuring dynamic postural control ability. Through multiple regression analysis, it is possible to relate dynamic postural control ability from gender, visceral fat, and deep trunk muscle such as psoas major muscle on abdominal computed tomography scan. It is considered that dynamic postural control ability involved not only increasing the volume of deep trunk muscle but also decreasing the amount of visceral fat.

Abdominal alterations in disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis: computed tomography findings / Alterações abdominais da paracoccidioidomicose disseminada: achados por tomografia computadorizada

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and spectrum of abdominal computed tomography imaging findings in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of abdominal computed tomography images of 26 patients with disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis. Results: Abnormal abdominal tomographic findings were observed in 18 patients (69.2%), while no significant finding was observed in the other 8 (30.8%) patients. Conclusion: Computed tomography has demonstrated to play a relevant role in the screening and detection of abdominal abnormalities in patients with disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis. .

Objetivo: Avaliar a frequência e variedade de achados de imagem por exames de tomografia computadorizada de abdome em indivíduos com paracoccidioidomicose disseminada. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo dos exames de tomografia computadorizada de abdome de 26 pacientes com paracoccidioidomicose disseminada. Resultados: Foram encontradas alterações tomográficas abdominais em 18 pacientes (69,2%) dos casos analisados e 8 pacientes (30,8%) apresentaram exames normais. Conclusão: A tomografia computadorizada de abdome mostrou grande importância no rastreamento e identificação de alterações abdominais nos pacientes com paracoccidioidomicose disseminada. .

The Correlation between Stool Exams and Abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) Findings in the Patients with Acute Diarrhea Visiting Emergency Department (ED)

PURPOSE: Stool exams are a useful tool for the early presumptive diagnosis of infectious bacterial diarrhea in the Emergency Department (ED). CT scans are often used to increase the physician's level of certainty and to facilitate patient triage by identifying the source of pain in most patients with an acute abdomen in the ED. This study was designed to investigate the correlation between stool exams and abdominal CT in patients with acute diarrhea visiting the ED. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in the emergency department of a national university hospital from January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. The subjects consisted of 156 patients with acute diarrhea and abdominal pain who had stool exam results and abdominal CT findings. We divided the patients into three groups according to the stool exam results. Simultaneously, we evaluated their CT findings of the bowel and adjacent structures. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were enrolled. Frequency of abnormal CT findings showed statistically significant correlation with stool exams (p-value <0.001). Abnormal CT findings increased as WBCs and RBCs in stool increased (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSION: The stool exam was a statistically significant predictive variable in indirectly determining the severity of acute diarrhea and it showed correlation with the frequency of abnormal CT findings. It is suggested that stool exams can be used as a susceptible marker for predicting the probability of severe infectious colitis, and for making an early decision regarding close medical attention.

A Case of Single Mass Forming Hepatic Tuberculoma / 계명의대학술지

Tuberculosis mainly develops in the lung, but may also rarely invade other parts of the abdominal region. Abdominal tuberculosis is associated with pulmonary tuberculosis in approximately 15% of cases, and abdominal tuberculosis primarily develops in the terminal ileum and lymphatic gland. Moreover, hepatic tuberculosis is uncommon and is usually accompanied with active pulmonary or miliary tuberculosis. Hence, the development of primary hepatic tuberculoma as a single liver mass is very unusual. In the present report, we describe the case of a 63-year-old man with a solitary hepatic tuberculoma; the 6.4 cm mass was incidentally detected during abdominal computed tomography in the asymptomatic patient, and the diagnosis was confirmed by liver biopsy through ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Increasing utilization of abdominal CT in the Emergency Department of a secondary care center: does it produce better outcomes in caring for pediatric surgical patients?

PURPOSE: The use of abdominal computed tomography (ACT) utilization is increasing to a remarkable extent in the pediatric Emergency Department (ED), but the clinical benefit of increased use of ACT for pediatric surgical patients remains uncertain. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted to investigate if, for patients who had visited pediatric ED during the last 5 years, increasing utilization of ACT would increase the detection rate of acute appendicitis, increase the detection rate of surgical conditions other than appendicitis, and decrease the hospital admission rate for surgical conditions. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 37,918 ED visits; of these, 3,274 (8.6%) were for abdominal pain, 844 (2.2%) had ACT performed. The annual proportional increase of the ACT was statistically significant (1.56% to 2.46%, P = 0.00), but the detection rate of acute appendicitis (3.3% to 5.1%) or other surgical conditions (1.7% to 2.8%) showed no statistically significant changes. Hospital admission rates (5.6% to 6.8%) also showed no significant changes during the study period. CONCLUSION: Increasing utilization of ACT does not lead to the improved outcomes in caring for pediatric surgical patients visiting the pediatric ED. Careful evaluation for the indication for ACT is needed in the pediatric ED.

Jejunal Variceal Bleeding Successfully Treated with Percutaneous Coil Embolization

A 52-yr-old male with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was hospitalized for hematochezia. He had undergone small-bowel resection due to trauma 15 yr previously. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed grade 1 esophageal varices without bleeding. No bleeding lesion was seen on colonoscopy, but capsule endoscopy showed suspicious bleeding from angiodysplasia in the small bowel. After 2 weeks of conservative treatment, the hematochezia stopped. However, 1 week later, the patient was re-admitted with hematochezia and a hemoglobin level of 5.5 g/dL. Capsule endoscopy was performed again and showed active bleeding in the mid-jejunum. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a varix in the jejunal branch of the superior mesenteric vein. A direct portogram performed via the transhepatic route showed portosystemic collaterals at the distal jejunum. The patient underwent coil embolization of the superior mesenteric vein just above the portosystemic collaterals and was subsequently discharged without re-bleeding. At 8 months after discharge, his condition has remained stable, without further bleeding episodes.

Value of acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡscore and extrapancreatic inflammation on abdominal computed tomography score in predicting outcome of patients with acute pancreatitis / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To assess the value of acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHE-Ⅱ) score and extrapancreatic inflammation on abdominal computed tomography (EPIC) score in predicting outcome of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP).Methods One hundred and forty-seven patients with AP who underwent abdominal computed tomography scan within 24 h and acute physiological examination after admission were studied.To assess their value in predicting severe AP and complications,the APACHE Ⅱ score and EPIC score was calculated and evaluated by calculating receiver operator characteristic (ROC)curves,the sensitivity,the specificity,the Youden index and the area under the ROC curve (AUC).Results Forty-three of 147 patients developed severe AP.The mean scores of APACHE-Ⅱ score and EPIC score two criteria systems was significantly higher in severe AP than that in mild AP (P< 0.01).EPIC score had 0.893 sensitivity,0.870 specificity and the largest AUC for predicting severe AP.EPIC score had the largest AUC in predicting local complications.But the EPIC score was equal to the APACHE-Ⅱ score in AUC to predict systemic complications.Conclusion In patients with AP.EPIC score and APACHE-Ⅱ score combination will estimate the prognosis of disease accurately within 24 h of admission.

Abdominal Computed Tomography in Patients with Right Lower Quadrant Pain

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of abdominal computed tomography (CT) for patients with right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain. METHODS: Between January 2006 and July 2008, 191 consecutive patients with RLQ pain underwent abdominal CT (CT group). Forty-two patients who had undergone abdominal ultrasound (US group) and 52 patients without abdominal CT or abdominal ultrasound for RLQ pain (clinical Dx group) underwent emergent operations. Using the Alvarado scoring system, we scored all patients. The abdominal CT was performed in the abdominal and pelvic area with contrast. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one (63.4%) of the 191 patients in the CT group were preoperatively diagnosed as having acute appendicitis and underwent surgery. There were three cases of negative appendectomy (1.6%). In the US group and the clinical Dx group, the negative appendectomy rates were 4.8% and 3.8%, respectively. The sensitivity of the abdominal CT was 96.7%. In the CT group, in addition to acute appendicitis, colitis, nonspecific enteritis, diverticulitis, urinary stone, ovary, uterine, and diseases were indentified. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, abdominal CT scans in patients with RLQ pain were useful for the diagnosis acute appendicitis and for the differential diagnosis of other diseases presenting with RLQ pain. The false positive rate was significantly lower in the CT group than in the other groups.

Impact of Initial Helical Abdominal Computed Tomography on the Diagnosis of Hollow Viscus Injury and Blunt Abdominal Traumare

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the clinical significance IV-contrasted helical abdomen computed tomography (CT) as a diagnostic screening tool to evaluate hollow viscus injury in blunt abdominal trauma patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study encompassing 108 patients, presenting to Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) Emergency Department (ED) from January 2007 to December 2007, with an initial CT finding suggestive of intra-abdominal injury. An initial non-enhanced abdomen CT was taken, followed by an enhanced CT with intravenous contrast. Patients' demographic data, as well as the mechanisms of injury, were inquired upon and obtained, initial diagnosis, as dictated by specialized radiologists, were added to post-operational (post-OP) findings and to additional CT findings acquired during their hospital stays, and all were combined to arrive at final diagnosis. Initial CT findings were further compared with the final diagnosis, yielding values for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, as well as positive and negative predictive values. Patients were further divided into two groups, namely, those that underwent operational intervention and those that did not. The initial CT findings of each group were subsequently compared and analyzed. RESULTS: Initial CT scans revealed abnormal findings in a total of 212 cases - solid organ injuries being the most common finding, as was observed in 97 cases. Free fluid accumulation was evident in another 69 cases. Based on the CT findings, 77 cases (71.3%) were initially diagnosed as having a solid organ injury, 20 cases (18.5%) as having a combined (solid organ + hollow viscus) injury, and 11 cases (10.2%), as having an isolated hollow viscus injury. The final diagnosis however, were somewhat different, with only 67 cases (62.0%) attributed to solid organ injury, 31 cases (28.7%) to combined injury (solid + hollow), and 10 cases (9.3%) to hollow viscus injury. The sensitivity (CI 95%) of the initial helical CT in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was 75.6%, and its specificity was 100%. The accuracy in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was also meaningfully lower compared to that in diagnosis of solid organ injury. Among patients initially diagnosed with solid organ injuries, 10 patients (2 from follow-up CT and 8 from post-OP finding) turned out to have combined injuries. A total of 38 patients underwent an operation, and the proportion of initial CT findings suggesting free air, mesenteric hematoma or bowel wall thickening turned out to be significantly higher in the operation group. CONCLUSION: Abdominal CT was a meaningful screening test for hollow viscus injury, but the sensitivity of abdominal CT was significantly lower in detecting hollow viscus injury as compared to solid organ injury. This calls for special consideration and careful observation by the ED physicians when dealing with cases of blunt abdominal trauma.

A Gastric Foreign Body Incidentally Diagnosed by a Follow-up Abdominal Computed Tomography for Hepatoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Foreign bodies in the stomach usually are accidentally swallowed and rarely produce symptoms. For diagnosis, suspicion and report of related history with abdominal symptoms are important. Simple radiographs and endoscopy easily identify foreign objects. Abdominal computed tomography may be useful in some cases, although it is not essential. We experienced a case of a gastric foreign body incidentally diagnosed by a follow-up abdominal computed tomography (CT) for hepatoma. A 53-year-old male with B viral liver cirrhosis and hepatoma, visited our hospital for a routine follow-up check of hepatoma. He had a symptom of epigastric discomfort for two weeks. An abdominal CT showed a foreign body penetrating the stomach wall, and it was successfully removed endoscopically.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Preoperative T- staging of Gastric Cancer Using EUS and CT

PURPOSE: Preoperative staging of gastric cancer is crucial because the treatment modality and the prognosis depend upon the stage of gastric cancer. Current treatment modalities for early gastric cancer have focused on the quality of life. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and abdominal computed tomography (CT) are commonly used diagnostic tools to evaluate the invasiveness (T stage) of the primary tumor. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sensitivity and the specificity of preoperative EUS and CT in comparison with postoperative pathology. MATENRIALS AND METHODS: From October 2001 to October 2002, EUS and abdominal CT were performed simultaneously on 75 patients who underwent radical gastric surgery for the treatment of gastric cancer. Through analyzing the clinical T stage and the pathologic T stage, We evaluated the diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of endoscopic ultrasonography and abdominal computed tomography. RESULTS: The male-to-female sex ratio was 1:0.6 (males:47, females:28). The mean age was 55.4 years in males (range:28~81) and 54.4 years in females (range:23~77). The clinical T stage based on EUS included 22 T1mm, 7 T1sm, 22 T2, and 24 T3. The clinical T stage based on CT included 20 Tx, 23 T2, and 32 T3. The permanent pathologic report confirmed 23 T1mm, 10 T1sm, 17 T2, 24 T3, and 1 T4. The sensitivity and specificity of EUS were 84.2% and 94.7%, respectively. However, the sensitivity and specificity of abdominal CT were 53.3% and 77.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that EUS is a very useful diagnostic tool for evaluating the T stage of gastric cancer because EUS has higher specificity than abdominal CT. Therefore, EUS may have a significant role as a preoperative diagnostic modality in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery.