[Calcifications from cardiac etiology in chest radiography] / Calcificações de etiologia cardíaca na radiografia de tórax.

OBJECTIVE: Children s chest X-ray calcification images can be related to pulmonary, mediastinal and rarely cardiac parenchymatous pathology. This report describes cases of cardio thoracic calcifications. We emphasize the importance of chest X-ray to track thoracic calcifications. In spite of the fact that it is rare, the cardiac etiology must be considered due to the possibility of surgical treatment.METHODS: Regarding the period from 1988 to 1997 the authors reviewed the chest X-rays of 2108 patients. In 3 of them thoracic calcifications of cardiac etiology were observed.RESULTS: Of these three patients, two were 7 years old and the third was 3 years old. Case 1 presented a calcification in the right atrium topography caused by a heart tumor of Fibroma type. In case 2 the calcification was in the pulmonary trunk, presenting as a calcified aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus. In case 3 the child had pulmonary stenosis and the chest X-ray showed a calcified image on the left cardiac boards caused by a thrombo in the right ventricle wall.CONCLUSION: The authors emphasize the importance of chest X-ray in the diagnosis of thoracic calcifications, and comment that in spite of the being rare, the cardiac causes should be considered due to the possibility of surgical treatment.

[The importance of chest radiograph in the diagnosis of Scimitar syndrome] / A importância da radiografia de tórax no diagnóstico da síndrome da cimitarra.

OBJECTIVE: To emphasize the importance of chest X-Rays in the diagnosis of Scimitar Syndrome. This anomaly is usually characterized by the presence of anomalous venous drainage of the right lung to the inferior vena cava, abnormal bronchial segmentation, and alterations of pulmonary artery and right lung vascularization.METHODS: The authors report a case of Scimitar Syndrome in an 8 year-old-child, discussing its diagnostic methods and surgical treatment.RESULTS: The child presented good outcome after surgical therapy, with an uneventful follow-up.CONCLUSION: The Scimitar Syndrome is a rare anomaly, which may present few clinical manifestations. The chest X-Ray is a very relevant tool in the screening of this disease, since it discloses a persisting right paracardiac image, as a result of abnormal right pulmonary venous drainage to inferior vena cava ("Scimitar sign").

[Patent ductus Arteriosus closure with Gianturco coils]. / Fechamento de canal arterial patente com molas de Gianturco.

PURPOSE: To report our experience with PDA closure with Gianturco coils. METHODS: Between September 1995 and January 1996, nine patients underwent cardiac catheterization to have patent ductus arteriosus occlusion by Gianturco coils. Selection criteria were age > or = 6 months and narrowest PDA internal diameter < 4 mm. 4F to 6F Judkins right coronary catheters were used to deliver the coils. One loop was delivered in the pulmonary artery and two loops delivered in the descending aorta across the ductus. Angiography after the procedure confirmed complete closure. Follow-up after coil placement occurred the next day, one month and three months by means of color flow mapping. RESULTS: Of the nine patients, seven had successful implants. In one no coil was delivered. In the first patient, there is a small residual shunt visualized by color flow doppler that persists after three months of the implant. One patient received two coils, other received three coils and the remainder received one coil each. There were no coil migration, or significant complication related to the implants. CONCLUSION: The coil occlusion of the ductus is a safe, effective and low-cost procedure, and should be included among non surgical technics of ductal closure.

Miocardite primaria aguda.Estudo a longo prazo de sete criancas. / Acute primary myocarditis. Long-term study of seven children

Os autores fizeram uma revisao da miocardite primaria na crianca e destacam que desde 1973 tiveram a oportunidade de observar 19 criancas portadoras desta patologia, sendo que somente sete foram incluidas nesta revisao, pois as demais tiveram o inicio da doenca, ou seja, sua fase aguda, em epoca anterior ao inicio deste trabalho. Comentam, tambem, os aspectos clinicos, radiologicos, eletrocardiograficos e terapeuticos e discutem as diferentes opinioes quanto ao uso, ou nao, da corticoterapia; dao enfase especial a evolucao e relatam que duas criancas evoluiram para a cura, quatro para uma forma cronica e uma para o obito. Todos os pacientes com evolucao cronica foram observados durante quatro anos e, progressivamente, no ECG, passaram a evidenciar sinais de acentuada hipertrofia ventricular esquerda com ondas Q importantes em V5 e V6. Frente a estes achados os autores comecaram os recentes trabalhos que indicam a possibilidade da fibroelastose endocardica ser determinada por uma previa miocardite a virus