Objective: The present study is aimed at describing the experience of an oncology center with computed tomographyguided core-needle biopsy of pulmonary lesions. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 97 computed tomography-guided core-needle biopsy of pulmonary lesions performed in the period between 1996 and 2004 in a Brazilian reference oncology center (Hospital do Câncer – A.C. Camargo). Informations regarding material appropriateness and the specific diagnoses were collected and analyzed. Results: Among 97 lung biopsies, 94 (96.9%) supplied appropriate specimens for histological analyses, with 71 (73.2%) cases being diagnosed as malignant lesions and 23 (23.7%) diagnosed as benign lesions. Specimens were inappropriate for analysis in three cases. The frequency of specific diagnosis was 83 (85.6%) cases, with high rates for both malignant lesions with 63 (88.7%) cases and benign lesions with 20 (86.7%). As regards complications, a total of 12 cases were observed as follows: 7 (7.2%) cases of hematoma, 3 (3.1%) cases of pneumothorax and 2 (2.1%) cases of hemoptysis. Conclusion: Computed tomography-guided coreneedle biopsy of lung lesions demonstrated high rates of material appropriateness and diagnostic specificity, and low rates of complications in the present study.

Keywords: Needle; Biopsy; Lung; Cancer; Computed tomography.

Computed tomography-guided needle biopsy has been widely utilized as an effective and safe diagnostic procedure in many clinical settings. In the lungs, transthoracic needle biopsy has become one of the primary choices to investigate nodules and mass lesions. The procedure versatility allows access to either peripheral or central lesions at almost any site, even in cases of small nodules. In this article, indications, technical aspects of the procedure, expected success and complication rates of computed tomography-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of pulmonary nodules and masses are discussed.

Keywords: Needle biopsy; Pulmonary nodules; Computed tomography.

In the investigation of tumors with conventional magnetic resonance imaging, both quantitative characteristics, such as size, edema, necrosis, and presence of metastases, and qualitative characteristics, such as contrast enhancement degree, are taken into consideration. However, changes in cell metabolism and tissue physiology which precede morphological changes cannot be detected by the conventional technique. The development of new magnetic resonance imaging techniques has enabled the functional assessment of the structures in order to obtain information on the different physiological processes of the tumor microenvironment, such as oxygenation levels, cellularity and vascularity. The detailed morphological study in association with the new functional imaging techniques allows for an appropriate approach to cancer patients, including the phases of diagnosis, staging, response evaluation and follow-up, with a positive impact on their quality of life and survival rate.

Keywords: Cancer imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Oncology; Neoplasia; Functional imaging; Diffusion.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has several advantages in the evaluation of cancer patients with thoracic lesions, including involvement of the chest wall, pleura, lungs, mediastinum, esophagus and heart. It is a quite useful tool in the diagnosis, staging, surgical planning, treatment response evaluation and follow-up of these patients. In the present review, the authors contextualize the relevance of MRI in the evaluation of thoracic lesions in cancer patients. Considering that MRI is a widely available method with high contrast and spatial resolution and without the risks associated with the use of ionizing radiation, its use combined with new techniques such as cine-MRI and functional methods such as perfusion- and diffusion-weighted imaging may be useful as an alternative tool with performance comparable or complementary to conventional radiological methods such as radiography, computed tomography and PET/CT imaging in the evaluation of patients with thoracic neoplasias.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Diffusion-weighted imaging; Chest; Thoracic lesions; Oncology.

Whole-body imaging in children was classically performed with radiography, positron-emission tomography, either combined or not with computed tomography, the latter with the disadvantage of exposure to ionizing radiation. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in association with the recently developed metabolic and functional techniques such as diffusion-weighted imaging, has brought the advantage of a comprehensive evaluation of pediatric patients without the risks inherent to ionizing radiation usually present in other conventional imaging methods. It is a rapid and sensitive method, particularly in pediatrics, for detecting and monitoring multifocal lesions in the body as a whole. In pediatrics, it is utilized for both oncologic and non-oncologic indications such as screening and diagnosis of tumors in patients with genetic syndromes, evaluation of disease extent and staging, evaluation of therapeutic response and post-therapy follow-up, evaluation of non neoplastic diseases such as multifocal osteomyelitis, vascular malformations and syndromes affecting multiple regions of the body. The present review was aimed at describing the major indications of whole-body MRI in pediatrics added of technical considerations.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Whole-body MRI; Diffusion-weighted imaging; Pediatrics.

In the recent years, with the development of ultrafast sequences, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been established as a valuable diagnostic modality in body imaging. Because of improvements in speed and image quality, MRI is now ready for routine clinical use also in the study of pulmonary diseases. The main advantage of MRI of the lungs is its unique combination of morphological and functional assessment in a single imaging session. In this article, the authors review most technical aspects and suggest a protocol for performing chest MRI. The authors also describe the three major clinical indications for MRI of the lungs: staging of lung tumors; evaluation of pulmonary vascular diseases; and investigation of pulmonary abnormalities in patients who should not be exposed to radiation.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Lung; Chest; Protocol; Sequences.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare two self-expanding stents, a nitinol stent and an elgiloy stent, both placed percutaneously, in terms of their efficacy in palliating inoperable malignant biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 99 patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction treated with percutaneous placement of a self-expanding metallic stent at our institution between May 2007 and January 2010. Serum bilirubin and liver enzyme levels were measured before and 30 days after stenting. For all procedures using elgiloy or nitinol stents, stent occlusion and patient survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meyer analysis. RESULTS: All of the patients showed clinical improvement after stent placement, with no difference between the two groups. In both groups, the occlusion-free survival rate was 67% at 30 days, 37% at 90 days, 25% at 180 days, and 10% at 360 days, with no significant difference in relation to the type of stent. CONCLUSION: The two stents evaluated showed comparable efficacy for the percutaneous treatment of unresectable biliary malignancy, with good clinical results.

Keywords: Radiology, interventional; Drainage; Stents; Biliary tract/pathology; Oncology.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in patients diagnosed with metastatic pulmonary calcification (MPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the HRCT findings from 23 cases of MPC [14 men, 9 women; mean age, 54.3 (range, 26–89) years]. The patients were examined between 2000 and 2014 in nine tertiary hospitals in Brazil, Chile, and Canada. Diagnoses were established by histopathologic study in 18 patients and clinical-radiological correlation in 5 patients. Two chest radiologists analyzed the images and reached decisions by consensus. RESULTS: The predominant HRCT findings were centrilobular ground-glass nodules (n = 14; 60.9%), consolidation with high attenuation (n = 10; 43.5%), small dense nodules (n = 9; 39.1%), peripheral reticular opacities associated with small calcified nodules (n = 5; 21.7%), and ground-glass opacities without centrilobular ground-glass nodular opacity (n = 5; 21.7%). Vascular calcification within the chest wall was found in four cases and pleural effusion was observed in five cases. The abnormalities were bilateral in 21 cases. CONCLUSION: MPC manifested with three main patterns on HRCT, most commonly centrilobular ground-glass nodules, often containing calcifications, followed by dense consolidation and small solid nodules, most of which were calcified. We also described another pattern of peripheral reticular opacities associated with small calcified nodules. These findings should suggest the diagnosis of MPC in the setting of hypercalcemia.

Keywords: Metastatic pulmonary calcification; Computed tomography; Metabolic diseases; Pulmonary diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success and complication rates of ultrasound-guided renal biopsy at a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 97 ultrasound-guided renal biopsies, all performed by the same radiologist, between 1 March, 2017 and 31 October, 2019. RESULTS: Of the 97 biopsies evaluated, 87 had a definitive pathological diagnosis. In five cases (5.4%), the biopsy results were inconclusive and a second procedure was required. In seven procedures (7.6%), there were complications, all of which were properly resolved. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided renal biopsy has proven to be a safe, effective method for the diagnosis of nephropathies, with high success rates.

Keywords: Biopsy, needle/methods; Kidney diseases/epidemiology; Kidney glomerulus/pathology; Ultrasonography, interventional.