Mucormicosis rino-órbito-cerebral crónica: una patología poco frecuente / Chronic rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: an uncommon pathology

Resumen La mucormicosis rino-órbito-cerebral (ROC) crónica es una patología poco frecuente, con un número reducido de casos publicados en la literatura, cuyas manifestaciones son muy diversas e inespecíficas. El tratamiento se basa en la experiencia de casos y series de casos. Las herramientas terapéuticas incluyen el uso de antifúngicos endovenosos y orales por tiempo prolongado, asociado o no a debridamiento quirúrgico amplio, pudiendo requerir incluso exenteración orbitaria. Presentamos a continuación un caso de mucormicosis ROC crónica, junto con las dificultades para su diagnóstico y manejo, en el que destaca el enfrentamiento multidisciplinario. Dada la poca frecuencia de esta enfermedad, nos parece relevante difundirlo.

Abstract Chronic rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is a rare condition with a small number of cases that have been published, whose manifestations are very diverse and nonspecific. The treatment is based on case series experiences. Therapeutic options include the use of long-term intravenous and oral antifungals, associated or not with extensive surgical debridement, and may even require orbital exenteration. We present below a case of chronic rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis with the challenge of diagnosis and management in which multidisciplinary work is fundamental. Since it is an uncommon pathology, it seems relevant to share the information.

Resonancia magnética cerebral con secuencia difusión - HASTE en la evaluación clínica del colesteatoma / Cerebral magnetic resonance with diffusion - HASTE sequence for clinical evaluation of cholesteatoma

El diagnóstico del colesteatoma de oído es eminentemente clínico y su estudio complementario con imágenes se realiza con tomografía computarizada de cortes finos. En casos seleccionados de colesteatomas es necesario realizar un estudio con resonancia magnética (RM), utilizando habitualmente las secuencias T1 con gadolinio y T2. Se ha reportado alta especificidad y sensibilidad diagnóstica para colesteatoma con técnicas de difusión (DWI) en RM. Estas técnicas pueden ser montadas sobre secuencias no echo planares y rápidas, como la secuencia HASTE (Half Fourier Single Shot Turbo-spin Echo), que permiten obtener imágenes sin artefactos de susceptibilidad magnética en la interface entre el hueso y lóbulo temporal. En este trabajo se presenta una revisión de la literatura y cuatro casos clínicos evaluados en nuestro hospital en los que se utilizó la RM con secuencia DWI - HASTE. Se concluye que la RM con secuencia DWI - HASTE es una herramienta que permite tomar decisiones clínicas en un grupo seleccionado de pacientes con colesteatoma.

The diagnosis of ear cholesteatoma is done by clinical evaluation and its imaging study is performed mainly by computed tomography. In selected cases, it is necessary to consider a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of cholesteatoma, usually using gadolinium T1 and T2 sequences. It has been reported that MRI diffusion techniques (DWI) have high specificity and sensitivity results for the diagnostic of cholesteatoma. These techniques can be mounted on non-echo planar fast sequences, such as the HASTE sequence (Half Fourier Single-Shot Turbo Spin Echo), which allows the acquisition of images without any magnetic susceptibility artifacts at the interface between bone and the temporal lobe. This paper presents a literature review on the topic, and four clinical cases evaluated in our hospital, where MRI was used with DWI - HASTE sequence. We conclude that MRI with DWI - HASTE sequence is a useful tool for making clinical decisions in the assessment of a selected group of patients with cholesteatoma.

Dehiscencia del canal semicircular superior, un nuevo diagnóstico en pacientes con vértigo / Superior semicircular canal dehiscence, a new diagnosis in patients with vertigo

Introduction: The superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SSCD) is a pathology described in 1998, which presents several symptoms including sound induced vertigo, hearing loss and autophony due to bone dehiscence of this semicircular canal. Material and Methods: A retrospective and descriptive study was carried out, reviewing the medical records of patients with computed tomography suggestive of SSCD between 2006 and 2010 from the Radiology department of the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile. Results: We obtained six cases of SSCD (4 female) with a mean age of 52.7 years. SSCD was observed in four cases bilaterally and in two cases on the left ear. We confirmed a clinical syndrome in two patients, based on the presence of hearing loss and sound induced vertigo. Conclusions: The diagnosis of SSCD syndrome should be supported on both clinical and imaging studies. We should maintain a high level of suspicion, particularly in cases of sound induced vertigo and of conductive hearing loss with normal otoscopy.

Semiología del intestino en Tomografía Computada: del blanco al negro / Radiological attenuation in CAT scan of bowel wall thickenings

En este artículo, basado en el análisis retrospectivo de 67 tomografías computadas de abdomen-pelvis de los últimos tres años, presentaremos las características de la pared intestinal, en particular su coeficiente de atenuación, como metodología para orientar el diagnóstico diferencial de engrasamientos de la pared intestinal.

Background: CAT scan is used for the diagnosis of abdominal pain and bowel lesions. Bowel wall thickening is an unspecific finding, but the analysis of the radiological attenuation of the wall and its morphology can be helpful diagnostic hints. Aim: To analyze the diagnostic value of radiological attenuation of bowel wall thickenings. Material and methods: Retrospective review of 67 CAT scans (performed in 44 women and 23 males, aged 12 to 89 years), where a bowel wall thickening was observed. The intensity of radiological attenuation of thickening was grouped in five categories, from white to black and denominated as white, grey, water hale, fat hale and black patterns. Results: The most common patterns observed were grey and water hale in 42 and 43 percent of cases, respectively. These patterns corresponded mostly to inflammatory, infectious, vascular and tumor lesions. Ischemic intestinal lesions had a white pattern. Conclusions: The radiological attenuation pattern of bowel wall thickenings can be helpful for etiological diagnosis.