OBJECTIVE: To investigate and describe clinical, radiologic and pathologic findings of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the period between December 2000 and March 2006, 16 patients were submitted to surgery for gastrointestinal stromal tumors in our institution. The following variables were taken into consideration: sex and age, signs and symptoms at presentation, tumor site and size, radiological and pathological features, and presence of metastasis. RESULTS: The study population was constituted by nine men and seven women. The primary tumor sites of origin were: stomach (n = 5), rectum (n = 4), small bowel (n = 3), mesentery (n = 3), and colon (n = 1). Mean primary tumor size was 9 cm. Computed tomography was the main radiological method utilized. Circumscribed, lobulated and heterogeneously contrast-enhanced mass was the main image finding. Metastasis was found in nine patients (56% of cases) at presentation or tumor recurrence was observed during the follow-up period (mean = 32 months). CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor occurs in middle-age adults and the elderly, and must be taken into consideration as differential diagnosis for abdominal masses. Early diagnosis, adequate therapy, and rigorous follow-up are essential, considering the high probability of malignancy of these neoplasms as demonstrated by the present study.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor, Gastrointestinal neoplasms, Gastrointestinal diseases, Sarcoma

The authors report a case of a 38-year-old male patient who works as a driver, HIV positive for eight years and with no follow up since diagnosis presenting with productive cough with grayish secretion and intermittent attacks of dyspnea two weeks before hospital admission. He also reported two previous episodes of treated pulmonary tuberculosis (in 1983 and 2001). Chest X-ray showed nodular hypolucent areas and air bronchograms bilaterally. Computed tomography of the chest revealed many unspecific findings, including scattered areas of consolidation, cavitations, bronchial dilatation, ground glass opacities, interstitial thickening and air bronchograms. The bronchoalveolar lavage showed a number of hyphaes with rare bifurcated septa suggestive of Aspergillus sp. Cultures of Nocardia sp. and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were positive. Therefore, treatment with amphotericin B, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and antiretroviral was started. The patient was discharged twenty days later without pulmonary symptoms. Fifteen days later, the patient returned to the hospital with diarrhea, fever, dysphagia and significant weight loss. The patient died five days later due to staphylococci sepsis.

Keywords: AIDS, Tuberculosis, Aspergillosis, Nocardiosis, Radiology

Mondor's disease of the breast is a superficial thrombophlebitis of the veins of the breast characterized by the appearance of a thickened fibrotic cord in the subcutaneous tissue. This is a rare, benign and self-limited disease, which presents with pain and skin retraction at the site of the affected vase. We report two cases of patients with Mondor's disease and show the typical mammography (case 1) and ultrasound (case 2) findings.

Keywords: Mondor's disease, Mammography, Ultrasound

We report a case of a 40-year-old female patient presenting with dysphagia and retrosternal chest pain for three years caused by a retroesophageal aberrant left subclavian artery originating from an aneurysmatic dilatation (Kommerell's diverticulum). The aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta were right-sided. Diagnosis was established by esophagogram, computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography. The patient was very responsive to clinical treatment and she is presently being followed-up in the outpatient clinic for over one year.

Keywords: Right aortic arch, Aberrant left subclavian artery, Kommerell's diverticulum, Radiology