"Crazy-paving" patterns on high-resolution CT scans in patients with pulmonary complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the pulmonary complications following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) that can present with a "crazy-paving" pattern in high-resolution CT scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records from 2,537 patients who underwent HSCT. The "crazy-paving" pattern consists of interlobular and intralobular septal thickening superimposed on an area of ground-glass attenuation on high-resolution CT scans. The CT scans were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists, who reached final decisions by consensus. RESULTS: We identified 10 cases (2.02%), seven male and three female, with pulmonary complications following HSCT that presented with the "crazy-paving" pattern. Seven (70%) patients had infectious pneumonia (adenovirus, herpes simplex, influenza virus, cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and toxoplasmosis), and three patients presented with non-infectious complications (idiopathic pneumonia syndrome and acute pulmonary edema). The "crazy-paving" pattern was bilateral in all cases, with diffuse distribution in nine patients (90%), predominantly in the middle and inferior lung regions in seven patients (70%), and involving the anterior and posterior regions of the lungs in nine patients (90%). CONCLUSION: The "crazy-paving" pattern is rare in HSCT recipients with pulmonary complications and is associated with infectious complications more commonly than non-infectious conditions.

A tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução na avaliação da toxicidade pulmonar por amiodarona / High-resolution computed tomography of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as principais alterações identificadas na tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução do tórax em pacientes com toxicidade pulmonar pela amiodarona. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas dez tomografias computadorizadas de alta resolução de tórax de pacientes com pneumonite pela amiodarona, seis desses pacientes do sexo masculino e quatro do sexo feminino, com idade média de 73,5 anos. RESULTADOS: Os achados tomográficos mais relevantes foram opacidades lineares ou reticulares em seis casos (60 por cento), pequenos nódulos com densidade elevada em seis casos (60 por cento), consolidações densas em três casos (30 por cento) e aumento da densidade do parênquima hepático em cinco de oito casos em que havia estudo tomográfico do abdome superior (62,5 por cento). CONCLUSAO: A tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução é um exame importante na avaliação de pacientes com toxicidade pulmonar pela amiodarona, devendo ser realizada sempre que houver suspeita deste diagnóstico. O achado de espessamento de septos interlobulares associado a lesões com aumento de densidade é altamente sugestivo deste diagnóstico.

Mannitol in reperfusion skin island flaps injury

In the skin, the concept of reperfusion injury is well established. The application of this knowledge to deal with skin flap surgery problems, has a great prophylactic potential. This experimental study was performed to evaluate the action of mannitol as a scavenger of oxygen-free radicals, after an ischemia-reperfusion injury on skin island flaps. Thirty six male Wistar rats were divided into three test groups (n = 12): a non-ischemic group (group I), and two others (groups II and III) which were subjected to nine hours of ischemia following by 30 minutes of reperfusion. After seven days, all animals of group II, treated with saline, showed full skin flap necrosis. The assessment of group III, that received a 20 percent solution of mannitol prior to the onset of reperfusion, revealed 75 percent (9/12) of flap viability. These results suggest that pre-treatment with mannitol is able to enhance flaps survival with significantly less tissue necrosis (p<0.02)