OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography (BI-RADS) in the diagnosis of breast cancer whereas the additional specific objectives are to describe the frequency of different sonographic findings and evaluating interobserver agreement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Images of 110 patients who had been referred for biopsy with previous diagnosis of breast nodules were independently reviewed by two specialists according to the BI-RADS classification. Histological findings were utilized as a gold-standard. The accuracy of findings was determined. The chi-squared test for categorical variables was utilized in the analysis of the differences resulting from the groups comparison, and the interobserver agreement was calculated with kappa () statistics. RESULTS: Among 110 breast masses evaluated by ultrasonography, 76 (69%) were benign and 34 (30.9%) were malignant. According to the radiologists, the sensitivity ranged from 70.5% to 82.3%, negative predictive value, from 81.1% to 87.5%, positive predictive value, from 42.1% to 45.1%, specificity from 56.58% to 55.2%, and accuracy from 60.9% to 63.6%. The global interobserver agreement was considered as moderate ( = 0.50). CONCLUSION: The fourth edition of BI-RADS provides radiologists with an accurate clinical decision support system for the diagnosis and management of breast disease.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Ultrasonography, BI-RADS, Anatomopathological, Accuracy

The authors report a case of dendriform pulmonary ossification in a male patient who had acute myocardial infarction and sudden death. Multiple hard thorns were found at autopsy. Histology analysis demonstrated osseous tissue resembling fish sticks. We present the post mortem plain x-ray films of the lungs and the pathology findings.

Keywords: Dendriform ossification, Lungs, Pathology

The aim of this study was to correlate the early findings observed on high-resolution computed tomography with anatomopathology results of patients with angioinvasive aspergillosis. The authors studied two patients with leukemia. The nodules seen on high-resolution computed tomography corresponded to areas of hemorrhagic infarction, necrotic coagulation and fungal hyphae infiltration whereas ground glass halo corresponded to intraalveolar hemorrhage. Nodules with halo sign were closely correlated with anatomopathology findings. We concluded that the anatomopathology findings can clearly explain the image features of the lesions observed on high-resolution computed tomography.

Keywords: Angioinvasive aspergillosis, High-resolution computed tomography, Anatomopathology, Lungs

The purpose of this study is to report the main high-resolution computed tomography findings of two patients with lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia. High-resolution computed tomography findings were correlated with pathology findings of material obtained from open biopsies. One patient had diffuse ground glass opacities seen on high-resolution computed tomography whereas the other patient had peribroncovascular thickening. Anatomopathology studies showed that the main pattern was polyclonal lymphocyte interstitial infiltration, particularly along alveolar septa. The current study demonstrated a close correlation between high-resolution computed tomography and anatomopathology findings.

Keywords: Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, High-resolution computed tomography, Anatomopathology

We report the main findings of inspiratory and expiratory high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the thorax in three women aged between 29 and 46 years with constrictive bronchiolitis and compare these results with the anatomopathological findings. The three women presented with progressive noncharacteristic dyspnea and were submitted to pulmonary function tests, HRCT of the thorax and lung biopsy. In two of the patients, inspiratory and expiratory HRCT of the thorax demonstrated a mosaic attenuation pattern that was accentuated during expiration. The expiratory phase was not performed in the third patient who presented centrilobular nodules. The pathology studies revealed significant bronchiolar stenosis due to fibrous thickening of the lamina propria and atrophy of the bronchiolar epithelium, which are diagnostic findings of constrictive bronchiolitis. Inspiratory and expiratory HRCT demonstrated to be of fundamental importance in the assessment of patients with diseases that cause obstruction of small airways. The mosaic attenuation pattern in the expiratory phase is characteristic of the peripheral topography of the lesions. The diagnosis of constrictive bronchiolitis should be confirmed by lung biopsy.

Keywords: Thorax, Bronchiolitis, High-resolution computed tomography, Anatomopathology

The authors analyzed the patterns observed on the high-resolution computed tomography scans of the chest of 20 patients with silicosis and correlated them with the anatomopathological findings of five patients. The most common findings were randomly distributed nodules that were confluent in most cases, and at times formed conglomerate masses, predominantly in the upper and posterior lung regions. Emphysema was also another important finding.

Keywords: Silicosis, High-resolution computed tomography, Anatomopathology

We present the main findings observed on the high-resolution computed tomography examinations of 15 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The high-resolution computed tomography and autopsy findings of 5 patients were also compared. The most frequently observed high-resolution computed tomography patterns were ground-glass attenuation, consolidation areas, crazy-paving pattern and cysts. Nodules and intralobular reticulation were less frequently observed. Ground-glass attenuation and consolidation areas corresponded to alveolar filling with inflammatory exsudate. Thickening of the interlobular septa was due to cell infiltration and edema. One patient presented interlobular reticulation, and the pathology study revealed alveolar septa thickening due to cell infiltration and fibrosis. Nodules observed in one of the patients corresponded to a patchy intraalveolar accumulation of microorganisms and inflammatory cells forming a "granulomatous" pattern.

Keywords: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, High-resolution computed tomography, Anatomopathology

Oligodendrogliomas are neuroepithelial neoplasms that originate from oligodendrocytes. These tumors account for 4% to 7% of all primary brain tumors and are most supratentorial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the findings of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations of patients with oligodendrogliomas and correlate these findings with clinical and pathological data. Oligodendrogliomas may be pure or mixed, present astrocytic elements and vary from well differentiated to anaplastic. The most common finding observed was a lesion that appeared hypodense on CT or had low-intensity signal on T1-weighted and high-intensity signal on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. Cystic elements, mild surrounding edema and calcifications (usually coarse) in 2/3 of the cases were also observed. Tumor enhancement was generally mild and was observed in 80% of the cases.

Keywords: Oligodendrogliomas. Computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging. Anatomopathology.