Role of apparent diffusion map in the evaluation of retinoblastoma

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the association between magnetic resonance imaging apparent diffusion coefficient map value and histopathological differentiation in patients who underwent eye enucleation due to retinoblastomas. Methods: An observational chart review study of patients with retinoblastoma that had histopathology of the lesion and orbit magnetic resonance imaging with apparent diffusion coefficient analysis at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between November 2013 and November 2016 was performed. The histopathology was reviewed after enucleation. To analyze the difference in apparent diffusion coefficient values between the two major histopathological prognostic groups, Student's t-test was used for the two groups. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 19.0 for Microsoft Windows (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study without obtaining informed consent. Results: Thirteen children were evaluated, and only eight underwent eye enucleation and were included in the analysis. The others were treated with photocoagulation, embolization, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy and were excluded due to the lack of histopathological results. When compared with histopathology, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated 100% accuracy in retinoblastoma diagnosis. Optic nerve invasion detection on magnetic resonance imaging showed a 66.6% sensitivity and 80.0% specificity. Positive and negative predictive values were 66.6% and 80.0%, respectively, with an accuracy of 75%. In addition, the mean apparent diffusion coefficient of the eight eyes was 0.615 × 103 mm2/s. The mean apparent diffusion coefficient value of poorly or undifferentiated retinoblastoma and differentiated tumors were 0.520 × 103 mm2/s and 0.774 × 103 mm2/s, respectively. Conclusion: This study revealed that magnetic resonance imaging is useful in the diagnosis of retinoblastoma and detection of optic nerve infiltration, with a sensitivity of 66.6% and specificity of 80%. Our results also showed lower apparent diffusion coefficient values in poorly differentiated retinoblastomas with a mean of 0.520 × 103 mm2/s, whereas in well and moderately differentiated, the mean was 0.774 × 103 mm2/s.

Is virtual reality useful for pain management in patients who undergo medical procedures? / A realidade virtual é útil para manejo da dor em pacientes submetidos a procedimentos médicos?

ABSTRACT Pain management is a complex medical issue, and many efforts have been done to develop new non-pharmacological therapies. Virtual reality is a technology apparatus that make an interaction between human and virtual environment through an hardware (usually a headset) linked to a computer or a mobile, by using a software. Additionally, this virtual setting can be adapted to any type of scenario. Thus, it is plausible that the software used should be personalized depending on patient's experiences and expectations. The use of virtual reality as a medical tool for pain relief or decrease analgesics use by promoting a cognitive distraction is a low cost and promising instrument for pain management in patients who undergo medical procedures.

RESUMO O manejo da dor é uma questão médica complexa, e muitos esforços têm sido feito para que novas terapias não farmacológicas sejam desenvolvidas. A realidade virtual é um aparato tecnológico que promove interação entre humanos e ambiente virtual, por meio de hardware (geralmente fones de ouvido), conectado a computador ou celular, e de software. Além disso, este ambiente virtual pode ser adaptado para qualquer tipo de cenário. Portanto, é plausível que o software utilizado seja personalizado, dependendo da experiência do paciente e de suas expectativas. O uso da realidade virtual como ferramenta médica para alívio da dor ou redução do uso de analgésicos, por meio de distração cognitiva, é um instrumento promissor e de baixo custo para manejo da dor em indivíduos submetidos a procedimentos médicos.

Glaucoma bilateral por fechamento angular induzido por sulfametoxazol-trimetoprima: relato de caso / Bilateral angle-closure glaucoma induced by trimetoprim and sulfamethoxazole combination: case report

Sulfametoxazol e trimetoprima (cotrimoxazol) é uma combinação de drogas amplamente usada no tratamento e profilaxia de inúmeras infecções sistêmicas. Esta droga e outras derivadas da sulfa podem causar uma síndrome ocular rara caracterizada por efusão coroidal supracililar com miopização transitória e glaucoma por fechamento angular. A maioria dos autores atribui o glaucoma ao edema do corpo ciliar que leva ao deslocamento anterior do diafragma irido-cristaliniano causando fechamento do ângulo camerular. Este trabalho descreve um caso raro no qual a síndrome ocorreu após o uso desta combinação de drogas e evoluiu para um desfecho desfavorável. Paciente de 49 anos, sexo masculino, branco com diagnóstico de síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida iniciou tratamento profilático para Pneumocystis carinii com cotrimoxazol. Quatro dias após, apresentou quadro de dor ocular, hiperemia e quemose conjuntival, glaucoma agudo por fechamento angular com pressões intra-oculares maiores que 50 mmHg e efusão coroidal 360°, com os achados presentes nos dois olhos. Nesse mesmo dia, a medicação foi suspensa com diminuição da pressão intra-ocular após quatro dias. O paciente evoluiu com catarata total e phthisis bulbi bilateral nos dois meses subseqüentes. Os casos já descritos mencionam a melhora clínica completa do quadro ocular após a suspensão da medicação. Este seria o primeiro caso na literatura no qual a evolução foi desfavorável apesar do diagnóstico e da suspensão precoce da medicação causadora.

Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (cotrimoxazole) is an antibiotic combination widely used for infections treatment and prophylaxis. These and others sulfonamides have been implicated in a rare syndrome of choroidal effusion with transient myopia and angle-closure glaucoma. Previous cases reported in literature evolved to complete resolution after drug withdrawal. In contrast, we describe a rare case in which a patient developed the syndrome while taking cotrimoxazole, but did not recover visual acuity. A 49-year-old man started Pneumocystis carini prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole; four days later, the patient presented severe ocular pain, hyperemia and chemosis. Intraocular pressure reached more than 50 mmHg in both eyes a 360° choroidal effusion occurred. Medication was removed soon after the diagnosis was suspected and intraocular pressure decreased in four days. Even so total cataract and phthisis bulbi occurred in both eyes two months later. This would be the first case in the literature in which the outcome was unfavorable despite early diagnosis and withdrawal of the drug.