Cardiac Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Accessed By 18F-FDG PET/CT.

This is a case report of a patient presenting an extremely rare cardiac malignancy: malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour. The 18F-fluorodeoxyglucosis positron emission tomography associated to computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) accesses the tumour anatomy and metabolic activity, thereby making it possible to characterize a malignant neoplasm noninvasively. The diagnostic approach with 18F-FDG PET/CT spared the heart from a likely futile invasive procedure when detecting a distant metastasis and changed the biopsy site and therapeutic planning.

Secondary lower limbs lymphedema in patients with Chikungunya fever.

Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is an arbovirus characterized by acute fever, myalgia and polyarthralgia. Lymphedema in the lower limbs (LL) was observed in several patients during an outbreak of CHIKF in the state of Pernambuco (Brazil) in 2016. No reports on lymphatic vessels disease due to CHIKF have been described. The aim of the study was to follow lymphatic abnormalities in the LL of 16 patients with CHIKF, using lymphoscintigraphy.An observational, prospective study with patients in the acute phase of CHIKF (confirmed serological diagnosis) with LL edema submitted to clinical evaluation and lymphoscintigraphy at baseline and after 90 days.Sixteen patients (81% females) participated in this study. All patients presented with lower limb lymphedema, being 15 (94%) bilateral. Of the 31 limbs affected by lymphedema, 24 (77%) presented abnormalities in lymphatic drainage by lymphoscintigraphy. The delay to visualize pelvic lymph nodes was the most frequent lymphoscintigraphic abnormality, observed in 16 (51,6%) LL. Nine (56%) patients were clinically reevaluated after 90 days, and all 18 LL remained with lymphedema. A second lymphoscintigraphy showed persistent abnormalities in 13 (72%) of the 18 LL.CHIKF can lead to lymphedema, and lymphedema may persist or progress after 3 months of the acute phases of the disease.