Hysterosalpingography is a technique used for the evaluation of the uterine anatomy and tubal patency and consequently it is primarily indicated for the diagnosis of infertility. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of the abnormalities observed on the hysterosalpingograms of infertile patients. All patients that underwent hysterosalpingographic evaluation in a period of four months were allocated. Of the 48 patients studied, 36 presented primary infertility and 12 presented secondary infertility. The patients with primary infertility presented a higher rate of uterine malformations whereas the patients with secondary infertility presented more often tubal obstruction. There were no significant complications during the hysterosalpingograms. This study demonstrates that hysterosalpingography is very useful for the evaluation of infertility, as it frequently diagnoses relevant abnormalities, it is an inexpensive technique and the complications are very rare.

Keywords: Hysterosalpingography, Infertility

The term rhombencephalitis refers to inflammatory diseases affecting the hindbrain (brainstem and cerebellum). Rhombencephalitis has a wide variety of etiologies, including infections, autoimmune diseases, and paraneoplastic syndromes. Infection with bacteria of the genus Listeria is the most common cause of rhombencephalitis. Primary rhombencephalitis caused by infection with Listeria spp. occurs in healthy young adults. It usually has a biphasic time course with a flu-like syndrome, followed by brainstem dysfunction; 75% of patients have cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, and nearly 100% have an abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging scan. However, other possible causes of rhombencephalitis must be borne in mind. In addition to the clinical aspects, the patterns seen in magnetic resonance imaging can be helpful in defining the possible cause. Some of the reported causes of rhombencephalitis are potentially severe and life threatening; therefore, an accurate initial diagnostic approach is important to establishing a proper early treatment regimen. This pictorial essay reviews the various causes of rhombencephalitis and the corresponding magnetic resonance imaging findings, by describing illustrative confirmed cases.

Keywords: Encephalitis; Rhombencephalon; Magnetic resonance imaging.

Fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are rare. However, because of the increase in the number of immunocompromised individuals, they have been gaining prominence in the differential diagnosis of CNS infections. Imaging techniques are sensitive for detecting and localizing an abnormality, in many cases allowing the origin of a lesion to be categorized as infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or vascular. This essay illustrates the magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings of the most common fungal infections of the CNS, based on the experience of the Radiology Department of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, in the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Keywords: Central nervous system fungal infections/diagnostic imaging; Mycoses/diagnosis; Brain abscess/diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-ray computed; Magnetic resonance imaging.