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.

Encephalitis associated with the chikungunya epidemic outbreak in Brazil: report of 2 cases with neuroimaging findings.

Chikungunya, an alphavirus infection presenting with fever, rash, and polyarthritis, is most often an acute febrile illness. Neurologic complications of chikungunya infection have been reported. Here we report the clinical and neuroimaging data of 2 patients with chikungunya-associated encephalitis during the recent Brazilian epidemic.

Immunoglobulin-responsive chikungunya encephalitis: two case reports.

Chikungunya virus is an alphavirus transmitted by the mosquito Aedes, mainly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, that can cause acute illness, mostly self-limited, characterized by fever, maculopapular rash, and disabling polyarthritis/arthralgia, with an incubation period of 1 to 12 days. Chikungunya was largely regarded as a non-fatal and self-limited disease, but recently, serious cases have been reported including some with severe involvement of the nervous system, such as meningoencephalitis, myelitis, polyradiculitis, and polyradiculoneuropathy. In this report, we describe the clinical and laboratory findings of two patients with encephalitis associated with chikungunya in a northeastern city in Brazil, who exhibited a good outcome, with improvement after treatment with i.v. immunoglobulin (IVIg).

Encephalitis associated with the chikungunya epidemic outbreak in Brazil: report of 2 cases with neuroimaging findings

Abstract Chikungunya, an alphavirus infection presenting with fever, rash, and polyarthritis, is most often an acute febrile illness. Neurologic complications of chikungunya infection have been reported. Here we report the clinical and neuroimaging data of 2 patients with chikungunya-associated encephalitis during the recent Brazilian epidemic.

Safety and effectiveness of percutaneous sacroplasty: a single-centre experience in 58 consecutive patients with tumours or osteoporotic insufficient fractures treated under fluoroscopic guidance.

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience in percutaneous sacroplasty (PSP) for tumours and insufficiency fractures of the sacrum. METHODS: Single-centre retrospective analysis of 58 consecutive patients who underwent 67 PSPs for intractable pain from sacral tumours (84.5 %) or from osteoporotic fractures (15.5 %). The following data were assessed: visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after the procedure for global pain; short-term (1-month) clinical follow-up using a four-grade patient satisfaction scale (worse, unchanged, mild improvement and significant improvement); modification in analgesics consumption; referred short-term walking mobility. Minor and major complications were systematically assessed. RESULTS: The mean VAS score was 5.3 ± 2.0 in pre-procedure and 1.7 ± 1.8 in post-procedure. At 1-month follow-up, 34/58 (58.5 %) patients experienced a mild improvement; 15/58 (26 %) presented a significant improvement while 4/58 (7 %) and 5/58 (8.5 %) patients had unchanged or worse pain, respectively. Decreased analgesic consumption was observed in 34 % (20/58) of the patients. Eighty percent of patients with walking limitation experienced improvement, 16 % remained unchanged and 4 % were worse. We noted minor complications in 2/58 patients (3.4 %) and major complications in 2/58 patients (3.4 %). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous sacroplasty for metastatic and osteoporotic fractures is a safe and effective technique in terms of pain relief and functional outcome. KEY POINTS: • Percutaneous sacroplasty provides pain relief and functional improvement for insufficiency sacral fractures. • Percutaneous sacroplasty provides pain relief and function improvement for sacral tumours. • The major complication rate is acceptable (3.4 %), and is higher in sacral tumours. • Posterior wall/cortical sacral bone disruption is not statistically associated with more complications. • However, osteolytic tumours seem to be associated with higher risk of complications.

Hypothenar hammer syndrome: case report and literature review / Síndrome do martelo hipotenar: relato de caso e revisão da literatura

Case report of a 69 year-old patient, with history of repetitive trauma events in the wrist, clinically simulating tenosynovitis, being held with Doppler Ultrasound and Magnetic Nuclear Resonance, which showed ulnar artery thrombosis. The accurate diagnosis of the hammer hypothenar disease through those tests enable an early intervention, improving the prognosis of patients affected by this rare disease.

Paciente de 69 anos, com história de traumas repetitivos no punho, simulando clinicamente tenossinovite, sendo feitas ultrassonografia com doppler e ressonância nuclear magnética, que evidenciaram trombose da artéria ulnar. O diagnóstico preciso da doença do martelo hipotenar por meio desses exames possibilita uma intervenção precoce e melhora o prognóstico dos pacientes acometidos por essa rara afecção.

Hypothenar hammer syndrome: case report and literature review.

Case report of a 69 year-old patient, with history of repetitive trauma events in the wrist, clinically simulating tenosynovitis, being held with Doppler Ultrasound and Magnetic Nuclear Resonance, which showed ulnar artery thrombosis. The accurate diagnosis of the hammer hypothenar disease through those tests enable an early intervention, improving the prognosis of patients affected by this rare disease.

Persistent trigeminal artery: angio-tomography and angio-magnetic resonance finding.

The trigeminal artery (TA) is the most common embryonic carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis to persist into adulthood. It typically extends from the internal carotid artery to the basilar artery. Persistent primitive arteries are usually found incidentally, but are often associated with vascular malformation, cerebral aneurysm and, in case of TA, with trigeminal neuralgia. We present one patient with TA as a cause of trigeminal neuralgia and in other three as an incidental finding, on TC and MR angiograms.

Persistent trigeminal artery: angio-tomography and angio-magnetic resonance finding / Artéria trigeminal persistente: achado na angio-tomografia e angio-ressonância magnética

The trigeminal artery (TA) is the most common embryonic carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomosis to persist into adulthood. It typically extends from the internal carotid artery to the basilar artery. Persistent primitive arteries are usually found incidentally, but are often associated with vascular malformation, cerebral aneurysm and, in case of TA, with trigeminal neuralgia. We present one patient with TA as a cause of trigeminal neuralgia and in other three as an incidental finding, on TC and MR angiograms.

Artéria trigeminal (AT) é a anastomose carótido-vertebrobasilar mais comum a persistir na vida adulta. Tipicamente estende-se da artéria carótida interna até a artéria basilar. Artérias primitivas persistentes são usualmente um achado incidental, mas freqüentemente estão associadas a malformações vasculares, aneurismas e, no caso da AT, a neuralgia do trigêmio. Apresentamos um paciente com AT como causa de neuralgia do trigêmio e em outros três como um achado incidental, em angiogramas por tomomografia computadorizada e ressonância magnética.

Sarcoma granulocítico no ovário: relato de caso e achados na ressonância magnética / Ovarian granulocytic sarcoma: a case report and magnetic resonance imaging findings

Sarcoma granulocítico (cloroma) é um tumor de precursores mieloides em sítio extramedular. É complicação de leucemias mieloides agudas e crônicas. Apesar de poder surgir em qualquer lugar, envolvimento ovariano é raro. Relatamos um caso de tumor ovariano associado a leucemia mieloide aguda e seus achados de imagem na ressonância magnética.

Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma) is a tumor consisting of myeloid precursors in an extramedullary site. It is complication of both acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias. Although the lesion can occur at any site, ovarian involvement is rare. We report a case ofovary tumor associated with acute myeloid leukaemia and its imaging appearance on magnetic resonance.