OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and localization of parenchymal abnormalities in cerebral venous thrombosis on magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography as well as their correlation with the territory and affected venous drainage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis (1996 to 2004) of 21 patients (3 male and 18 female) age range between 3 and 82 years (mean 40 years, median 36 years) with clinical and radiological diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis on magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography in 2D PC, 3D PC and contrast-enhanced 3D TOF sequences. The statistical analysis was performed with the qui-square test. Four patients had follow-up exams and three patients underwent digital subtraction angiography. RESULTS: Main predisposing factors were: infection, use of oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy and collagenosis. Predominant symptoms included: focal deficit, headache, alteration of consciousness level and seizures. Most frequent parenchymal manifestations were: cortical/subcortical edema or infarct, venous congestion and collateral circulation, meningeal enhancement and thalamic and basal ganglia edema or infarct. Occlusion occurred mainly in superior sagittal, left transverse, left sigmoid and straight sinuses. Cavernous sinus and cortical veins thrombosis are uncommon events. CONCLUSION: Cerebral venous thrombosis is an uncommon cause of stroke, with favorable prognosis because of its reversibility. Diagnosis is highly dependent on the radiologist capacity to recognize the presentations of this disease, principally in cases where the diagnosis is suggested by parenchymal abnormalities rather than necessarily by visualization of the thrombus itself. An accurate and rapid diagnosis allows an immediate treatment, reducing the morbidity and mortality rates.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance, Cerebral venous thrombosis, Cerebral infarct, Intracranial hemorrhage

Central nervous system involvement is frequently reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies usually show brain atrophy, cerebral infarction and/or intracranial bleeding. Extensive intracranial calcification in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is rare. We report a case of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who presented with seizures and massive basal ganglia calcification and mild calcifications in the frontal lobes, seen on the brain computed tomography scan. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintensity on FLAIR images and hypointense signals on T2* gradient echo images in the basal ganglia.

Keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus, Intracranial calcification, Computed tomography

We conducted a study to assess and compare the findings of computed tomography angiography and digital subtraction angiography in patients with intracranial aneurysms, and to evaluate the possibility of a larger utilization of computed tomography angiography in Brazil. Eight patients were studied, 7 with nontreated and 1 with a treated aneurysm. The results were compared with those from the medical literature. Tests were performed at a private clinic and in two private hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. There was good correlation between the two investigational methods regarding diagnosis, follow-up and pretreatment evaluation of these lesions. Computed tomography angiography showed to be less invasive, less costly and more accessible. We concluded that computed tomography angiography should be used more often in the evaluation of intracranial aneurysms.

Keywords: Intracranial aneurysm, X-ray computed tomography, Cerebral angiography, Radiology

Intracranial chondromas are rare tumors that generally arise from the skull base or at the sphenoid-ethmoidal region. In these sites chondromas may be misdiagnosed as meningiomas, neurinomas or craniopharyngiomas. The authors present the clinical and radiological findings of a patient who underwent surgery for excision of a sella turcica chondroma.

Keywords: Intracranial chondroma. Sella turcica. Hypopituitarism. Computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at analyzing the value of the early diagnosis of hemodynamic changes in hemorrhages and hypoxic-ischemic events in premature, very-low-birth-weight neonates through the evaluation of images and resistance index measurement by means of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty premature, very-low-birth-weight neonates were submitted to transcranial Doppler ultrasonography with sequential transfontanellar and transtemporal techniques. RESULTS: Cerebral abnormalities were detected in 32% of the neonates (22% with intracranial hemorrhage, 8% with periventricular leukomalacia, and 2% with toxoplasmosis). Among the 34 cases (68%) of neonates in whom no brain lesion was detected at transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, 18 (53%) presented changes in the resistance index. Such resistance index varied according to the time of the examination. CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between the presence of cerebral hemodynamic changes demonstrated by resistance index measurements and the subsequent development of hemorrhages and hypoxic-ischemic lesions. Although not being a death predictor, changes in the resistance index are associated with the severity of the clinical conditions in preterm, very-low-birth-weight neonates.

Keywords: Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography; Premature, very-low-birth-weight neonates; Ultrasonography; Resistance index.

Dengue virus infection is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Symptomatic dengue infection is classified into dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever with a tendency to develop shock syndrome. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by hemorrhagic manifestations, thrombocytopenia and increased capillary permeability. Dengue shock syndrome presents findings of dengue hemorrhagic fever with hypotension. Many sonographic findings have been described, including pleural effusion, ascites, gallbladder wall thickening and pericardial effusion. The aim of the present review is to describe sonographic findings and to demonstrate the role of ultrasonography in the assessment of children with suspected dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Keywords: Dengue; Dengue hemorrhagic fever; Dengue shock syndrome; Pleural effusion; Ultrasonography.

Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is an autosomal dominant vascular disease involving multiple systems whose main pathological change is the presence of abnormal arteriovenous communications. Most common symptoms include skin and mucosal telangiectasias, epistaxis, gastrointestinal, pulmonary and intracerebral bleeding. The key imaging finding is the presence of visceral arteriovenous malformations. The diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and can be confirmed by molecular biology techniques. Treatment includes measures for management of epistaxis, as well as surgical excision, radiotherapy and embolization of arteriovenous malformations, with emphasis on endovascular treatment. The present pictorial essay includes a report of three typical cases of this entity and a literature review.

Keywords: Rendu-Osler-Weber; Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia; Arteriovenous fistula; Epistaxis.

The present study was aimed at proposing a systematic evaluation of cranial computed tomography, identifying the main aspects to be analyzed in order to facilitate the decision making process regarding diagnosis and management in emergency settings. The present descriptive study comprised a literature review at the following databases: Access Medicine and Access Emergency Medicine (McGraw-Hill Education); British Medical Journal Evidence Center; UptoDate; Bireme; PubMed; Lilacs; SciELO; ProQuest; Micromedex (Thomson Reuters); Embase. Once the literature review was completed, the authors identified the main diseases with tomographic repercussions and proposed the present system to evaluate cranial computed tomography images. An easy-to-memorize ABC system will facilitate the decision making in emergency settings, as it covers the main diseases encountered by intensivists and emergency physicians, and provides a sequential guidance about anatomical structures to be investigated as well as their respective alterations.

Keywords: Intensive care; Neuroimaging; Emergency medicine; Computed tomography; Traumatic brain injury; Intracranial hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preterm infants diagnosed with intracranial hemorrhage (by transfontanellar ultrasound) at birth have cerebral lesions that are detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) upon reaching school age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI scans of the brain were obtained in 22 school-age children. Fifteen had presented intracranial hemorrhage at birth, and seven had not. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) for the occurrence of brain alterations detectable by MRI and the kappa index for discrepancies among the radiological reports. RESULTS: The children without previous intracranial hemorrhage presented normal MRI findings. Of the 15 children with previous intracranial hemorrhage, 6 (40%) presented brain alterations on MRI: isolated ventricular alteration (dilation and asymmetry), in 2 (13.3%); and ventricular asymmetry accompanied by parenchymal lesion, in 4 (26.7%). The nine remaining children with previous intracranial hemorrhage (60%) presented normal MRI findings. The children with previous intracranial hemorrhage were more likely to present ventricular alteration (OR = 7.8) and parenchymal lesions (OR = 5.4). CONCLUSION: Ventricular and parenchymal brain alterations detected by MRI suggest isolated morphologic alterations that do not result in neurological impairment detectable on physical examination in school-age children.

Keywords: Newborn; Premature; Intra]cranial hemorrhage; Magnetic resonance imaging; Child.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with neurological manifestations of dengue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included nine patients with dengue fever (three females and six males; age range, 9–30 years), all of whom presented with neurological manifestations. The MRI examinations, performed in 1.5 T or 3 T scanners, included T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. Diffusion-weighted imaging with apparent diffusion coefficient mapping was also employed. Fast low-angle shot and susceptibility-weighted gradient-recalled echo sequences, as well as contrast-enhanced T1-weighted scans, were also obtained in order to assess parenchymal enhancement. MRI scans were analyzed for lesion distribution and imaging features. RESULTS: All patients showed areas of altered signal intensity that appeared as hyperintensity on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences. The most commonly affected site was the basal ganglia-thalamus complex. Other affected sites were the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, white matter, and brainstem. In all cases, we observed patchy areas of restricted diffusion and focal areas of hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Dengue encephalitis commonly affects the basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and white matter. Therefore, MRI should be an indispensable part of the evaluation of patients with neurological complications of dengue fever.

Keywords: Dengue; Encephalitis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Leukoencephalitis, acute hemorrhagic; Cerebellar diseases/diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the radiological aspects of pulmonary atelectasis in newborns on mechanical ventilation and treated in an intensive care unit, associating the characteristics of atelectasis with the positioning of the head and endotracheal tube seen on the chest X-ray, as well as with the clinical variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of 60 newborns treated between 1985 and 2015. Data were collected from medical records and radiology reports. To identify associations between variables, we used Fisher’s exact test. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics associated with improper positioning of the endotracheal tube were prematurity and a birth weight of less than 1000 g. Among the newborns evaluated, the most common comorbidity was hyaline membrane disease. Atelectasis was seen most frequently in the right upper lobe, although cases of total atelectasis were more common in the left lung. Malpositioning of the head showed a trend toward an association with atelectasis in the left upper lobe. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary atelectasis is a common complication in newborns on mechanical ventilation. Radiological evaluation of the endotracheal tube placement provides relevant information for the early correction of this condition.

Keywords: Pulmonary atelectasis/diagnostic imaging; Respiration, artificial; Infant, newborn; Premature birth; Infant, low birth weight.

Intracranial calcifications, which are common in the daily routine of radiologists, can have a physiological or pathological origin. Determining the cause of intracranial calcifications can represent a challenge. The anatomical location, distribution, dimensions and morphology of such calcifications are important findings, which, in conjunction with the clinical history and age group, can facilitate the differential diagnosis. The aim of this pictorial essay is to demonstrate the different types of intracranial calcifications and their origins. The images evaluated were those stored in picture archiving and communication systems. All of the cases included were studied by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or both. We identified, classified, and described 64 types of intracranial calcifications.

Keywords: Intracranial calcifications; Computed tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging.

Os nervos cranianos representam extensões das estruturas funcionais do cérebro que cruzam a cabeça e o pescoço. Eles estão ligados a diferentes estruturas cranianas e se relacionam com diversas doenças. Uma compreensão profunda de sua complexa anatomia e aparência normal de imagem permite ao examinador identificar e caracterizar com mais precisão as anormalidades. A ressonância magnética com contraste é uma importante ferramenta para avaliar essas estruturas, especialmente as sequências tridimensionais de precessão livre de estado estacionário, que proporcionam alta resolução espacial e de partes moles, apesar da fina espessura dos nervos cranianos. Na maioria dos casos, os achados de imagem são inespecíficos, e uma anamnese completa, exame físico dirigido e testes laboratoriais são necessários para estreitar o diagnóstico diferencial. Este ensaio iconográfico ilustra e discute doenças congênitas, traumáticas e vasculares dos nervos cranianos, mostrando imagens em uma abordagem fisiopatológica.

Keywords: Neuroimagem/métodos; Radiologia/métodos; Ressonância magnética/métodos; Nervos cranianos/diagnóstico por imagem.

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is an uncommon condition that is potentially reversible if properly diagnosed and promptly treated. Although CVT can occur at any age, it most commonly affects neonates and young adults. Clinical diagnosis is difficult because the clinical manifestations of CVT are nonspecific, including headache, seizures, decreased level of consciousness, and focal neurologic deficits. Therefore, imaging is crucial for the diagnosis. Radiologists should be able to identify the findings of CVT and to recognize potential imaging pitfalls that may lead to misdiagnosis. Thus, the appropriate treatment (anticoagulation therapy) can be started early, thereby avoiding complications and unfavorable outcomes.

Keywords: Intracranial venous thrombosis/diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-ray computed; Magnetic resonance imaging.

Moyamoya disease is a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disease that is non-inflammatory and non-atherosclerotic. It is characterized by endothelial hyperplasia and fibrosis of the intracranial portion of the carotid artery and its proximal branches, leading to progressive stenosis and occlusion, often clinically manifesting as ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with high rates of morbidity and mortality. On cerebral angiography, the formation of collateral vessels has the appearance of a puff of smoke (moyamoya in Japanese), which became more conspicuous with the refinement of modern imaging techniques. When there is associated disease, it is known as moyamoya syndrome. Treatments are currently limited, although surgical revascularization may prevent ischemic events and preserve quality of life. In this review, we summarize recent advances in moyamoya disease, covering aspects of epidemiology, etiology, presentation, imaging, and treatment strategies.

Keywords: Moyamoya disease; Cerebrovascular disorders; Intracranial arterial diseases; Cerebral arterial diseases; Cerebral revascularization.