Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J M Mata.
The pleural space is a potential space under normal physiologic circumstances. It envelops the lung, the mediastinum, the diaphragm and the chest wall. A thin film of pleural fluid provides lubrication for the two pleural layers; only 2-10 ml of pleural fluid is present in healthy people. For the purposes of this review, pleural abnormalities will be divided into pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and pleural calcification.
Chest radiographs and high-resolution chest CT scans were performed in a 30-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug abuse and diffuse micronodular infiltrates. Transbronchial biopsy gave a diagnosis of cellulose granulomatosis of the lung. Cellulose granulomatosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary interstitial disease, especially in the setting of intravenous drug abuse.
Venous aneurysm of the azygos arch is a very rare cause of mediastinal mass and is usually an incidental finding on chest radiography. Nowadays the diagnosis is made by non-invasive tests such as thoracic CT scanning and/or magnetic resonance imaging. The case is described of an asymptomatic woman in whom a mediastinal mass due to an azygos vein aneurysm was diagnosed by non-invasive procedures, the aetiology of which, in all probability, was idiopathic.
In this paper we describe the normal appearance of the azygos lobe on conventional radiography and CT, presenting variants that may simulate pathology on the chest radiograph. We describe the signs that allow identification of such variants and the role of CT in explaining the findings and excluding a pathological process.
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Congenital lung malformations are not infrequent and can be discovered in adults. It is, therefore, necessary to know their radiological manifestations in order to avoid diagnostic errors. We classify the congenital lung malformations in two main groups: dysmorphic lung and focal pulmonary malformations. We review the radiological spectrum of dysmorphic lung, based on a classification that emphasises the pulmonary abnormality, adding variants when diaphragmatic or venous abnormalities are present. In our opinion this approach allows for a rational use of advanced imaging techniques (CT, MRI).
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We report a case of pulmonary hypoplasia associated with renal agenesia diagnosed in a 46-year-old woman admitted to hospital because of a viral pleuro-pericarditis. The chest x-ray raised the suspicion of left pulmonary hypoplasia. The CT scan and the Magnetic Resonance Image confirmed the presence of the congenital lung malformation and detected the absence of the left kidney. The clinical presentation, radiological diagnosis and embryological basis are described.
We describe a new sign of traumatic herniation of the stomach. Computed tomography (CT) shows the herniated stomach as two semicircular loops separated by a band of soft-tissue attenuation somewhat resembling a sandwich. This appearance is the axial representation of the herniated stomach.
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a recently described entity characterized by cough, fever and dyspnea. To date, only a few cases have been published in the literature. Currently, the diagnosis is established by open lung biopsy. We hereby present a case of BOOP diagnosed through transbronchial biopsy (TBB); we discuss the potential benefits of the thoracic radiography and computerized tomography scan (CT scan). Finally, we underline that in our patient, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) restored to normal before the resolution of the radiological images.
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OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to show that an opaque azygos lobe on the anteroposterior chest radiograph can be a normal finding and to investigate the causes of the increased density. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively examined 53 patients seen during a 3-year period in whom an azygos lobe was detected on chest radiographs. The size of the lobe was determined by the location of the trigone on chest radiographs. The trigone is the triangular area that marks the upper portion of the azygos fissure. If the trigone was located on the lateral aspect of the pulmonary apex, the azygos lobe was classified as type A (nine patients); if the trigone was situated at the midpoint of the cupula of the apex, the lobe was considered type B (20 patients); if the trigone was located on the medial face of the apex, the lobe was considered type C (24 patients). An opaque azygos lobe was defined as an increase of density suggestive of a pulmonary or mediastinal process. The findings on chest radiographs were compared with those on CT scans, which were obtained in all patients. RESULTS: Radiographs showed abnormally opaque azygos lobes in seven patients. Three cases were type B and the opaque lobe had a triangular aspect, suggesting pulmonary disease. Four cases were type C and the opacity had a convex aspect, suggesting a mediastinal mass. In all cases, CT scans showed a shallow azygos lobe and increased depth of the soft tissues of the mediastinum in front of the azygos lobe. This appearance was caused by tortuosity of the supraortic vessels in six cases and by a shadow from a normal thymus in one case. No pathologic process was discovered in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: We believe an opaque azygos lobe can be a normal finding, usually resulting from overlapping tortuous supraortic vessels.
1. Triflusal is a salicylic derivative that inhibits platelet aggregation in human whole blood with a minimal inhibition of prostacyclin production. 2. Aspirin inhibits platelet aggregation at concentrations that reduce vascular prostacyclin production.
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We reviewed 40 cases of congenital malformations of the lung that were studied with both plain radiography and computed tomography (CT). We compared the CT findings with those of radiography. We found that CT was helpful in the management of these cases because it helped confirm the diagnosis, demonstrated unsuspected findings, and better depicted anatomic extent of anomalies, thus allowing better planning for surgery. We believe that CT is the method of choice for the study of congenital lung malformations and that it should be used before more invasive procedures such as bronchography or aortography.
A case of a 29 year old man with congenital aortic stenosis who developed a subvalvular annular aneurysm of the left ventricle after being run by a car is presented. At surgery his aortic valve was replaced and the opening of the aneurysm was closed with a patch of Dacron. Due to the dense adhesions to the aorta and left atrium no attempts were made to excise the sac, that was not compromising the dynamics of any one of these structures.
Swyer-James syndrome (SJS) is usually diagnosed with plain chest radiographs obtained during inspiration/expiration. The authors studied patients with CT to assess its value in the evaluation of this syndrome. In patients with SJS, CT was useful in the determination of bronchial patency (all nine patients), lung parenchymal changes (subpleural infiltrates in six patients, atelectasis in two, and cavities in two), and the extent and degree of bronchiectasis (all nine patients). If CT is used for the evaluation of bronchiectasis, knowledge of the main findings associated with SJS (hyperlucent lung without anteroposterior gradient attenuation [n = 8], small lung [n = 6], and diminished central and peripheral pulmonary arteries [n = 9]) should facilitate the diagnosis of associated SJS. Expiration CT would support the diagnosis with demonstration of air trapping.