Phenotypic and Positron Emission Tomography with [18F]fluordeoxyglucose (FDG PET) differences in corticobasal syndrome: comparison of two cases.

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a rare cause of dementia and comprises varied combinations of subcortical signs (akinetic-rigid parkinsonism, dystonia, or myoclonus) with cortical signs (apraxia, alien hand or cortical sensory deficit), usually asymmetric. We aimed to report and compare the clinical and neuroimaging presentation of two patients diagnosed with CBS. While case 1 had severe non-fluent aphasia associated with mild apraxia and limb rigidity, case 2 had a more posterior cognitive impairment, with a different language pattern associated with marked visuospatial errors and hemineglect.

Progression of Myocardial 18F-FDG Uptake in a Patient with Cardiotoxicity.

The objective of this case report was to present the progression of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in a patient with lymphoma, highlighting the importance of myocardial fluor-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake by positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (PET/CT). 43-year-old female patient with uterine lymphoma, who underwent hysterectomy followed by three chemotherapy regimens and radiotherapy. The patient had episodes of acute heart failure two years after chemotherapy.

Association between increased Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Radiodensity and cancer mortality: Automated computation, comparison of cancer types, gender, and scanner bias.

Purpose: Body composition analysis using computed tomography (CT) is proposed as a predictor of cancer mortality. An association between subcutaneous adipose tissue radiodensity (SATr) and cancer-specific mortality was established, while gender effects and equipment bias were estimated.

Methods: 7,475 CT studies were selected from 17 cohorts containing CT images of untreated cancer patients who underwent follow-up for a period of 2.

Anthracycline cardiotoxicity: current methods of diagnosis and possible role of F-FDG PET/CT as a new biomarker.

Despite advances in chemotherapy, the drugs used in cancer treatment remain rather harmful to the cardiovascular system, causing structural and functional cardiotoxic changes. Positron-emission tomography associated with computed tomography (PET/CT) has emerged like a promising technique in the early diagnosis of these adverse drug effects as the myocardial tissue uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose labeled with fluorine-18 (F-FDG), a glucose analog, is increased after their use. Among these drugs, anthracyclines are the most frequently associated with cardiotoxicity because they promote heart damage through DNA breaks, and induction of an oxidative, proinflammatory, and toxic environment.

Endothelial function, arterial stiffness and heart rate variability of patients with cardiovascular diseases hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may cause vascular (e.g., endothelial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness), cardiac, autonomic (e.

Exploratory analysis of radiomic as prognostic biomarkers in F-FDG PET/CT scan in uterine cervical cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) radiomic features to predict overall survival (OS) in patients with locally advanced uterine cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Longitudinal and retrospective study that evaluated 50 patients with cervical epidermoid carcinoma (clinical stage IB2 to IVA according to FIGO). Segmentation of the 18F-FDG PET/CT tumors was performed using the LIFEx software, generating the radiomic features.

Ultrasound findings in severe COVID-19: a deeper look through the carotid arteries.

Objective: To investigate vascular and perivascular abnormalities in the carotid arteries using ultrasound, as well as to evaluate their association with mortality and clinical variables in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective study in which 53 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 were evaluated and underwent carotid ultrasound. We documented the carotid ultrasound findings in these patients.

Chemotherapy-induced Cardiac18F-FDG Uptake in Patients with Lymphoma: An Early Metabolic Index of Cardiotoxicity?

Background: It is uncertain whether myocardial fluorodeoxyglucose uptake occurs solely due to physiological features or if it represents a metabolic disarrangement under chemotherapy.

Objective: To investigate the chemotherapy effects on the heart of patients with lymphoma by positron emission tomography associated with computed tomography scans (PET/CT) with 2-deoxy-2[18F] fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG PET/CT) before, during and/or after chemotherapy.

Methods: Seventy patients with lymphoma submitted to18F-FDG PET/CT were retrospectively analyzed.

Does Valved Holding Chamber Improve Aerosol Lung Deposition with a Jet Nebulizer? A Randomized Crossover Study.

Using valved holding chambers (VHC) during aerosol therapy has been reported to improve the inhaled dose with various aerosol devices, including vibrating mesh nebulizers. The aim of this study was to quantify the pulmonary deposition of a jet nebulizer (JN) with and without a VHC, and a mesh nebulizer (MN) with a VHC in a randomized cross-over trial with seven healthy consenting adults. Our hypothesis was that the use of a VHC would improve deposition with the JN.

Value of stimulated pre-ablation thyroglobulin as a prognostic marker in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated with radioiodine.

Objective: To determine which Thyroglobulin (Tg) level after levothyroxine (LT) withdrawal (stimulated thyroglobulin - sTg) measured before radioiodine therapy (RAIT) is able to predict incomplete response to treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) with greater sensitivity and specificity one year after initial treatment with I.

Methods: A chart review was performed in which 375 patients with DTC treated with RAIT were included. The sTg was measured in all patients prior to treatment with I.

Severe COVID-19: understanding the role of immunity, endothelium, and coagulation in clinical practice.

SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The immune system is a determinant factor in defense against viral infections. Thus, when it acts in a balanced and effective manner the disease is self-limited and benign.

Mapping COVID-19 functional sequelae: the perspective of nuclear medicine.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is capable of affecting several organs. Direct viral toxicity, pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic induction, endothelial damage, immune imbalance, and dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system are the mechanisms underlying the viral potential of multiple organ damage. The impairment of four organs stands out among severe patients: lung, heart, kidney, and endothelium.

COVID-19 and obesity: the meeting of two pandemics.

COVID-19 and obesity are two pandemic diseases that the world is currently facing. Both activate the immune system and mediate inflammation. A sequence of disease phases in patients with severe COVID-19 results in a cytokine storm, which amplifies the subclinical inflammation that already exists in patients with obesity.

Covid-19 in Brazil: A sad scenario.

The main contribution of this article is to report general statistics about COVID-19 in Brazil, based on analysis of accumulated series of confirmed cases, deaths and lethality rates, in addition to presenting graphs of moving averages for states and municipalities. The data show that the pandemic in Brazil has grown rapidly since February 25th (date of the first reported case). Furthermore, the lethality rate of COVID-19 in Brazil is greater than in many other Latin American countries (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay).

Effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training associated with a cardiac rehabilitation program on sympathetic activity and functional capacity in patients with heart failure: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Individuals affected by heart failure (HF) may present fatigue, dyspnea, respiratory muscle weakness, and sympathetic activity hyperstimulation of the myocardium, among other symptoms. Conducting cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs can be associated with inspiratory muscle training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of inspiratory muscular training (IMT) associated with a CR program on modulating myocardial sympathetic activity and maximal functional capacity, submaximal functional capacity, thickness, and mobility of the diaphragm muscle in patients with HF.

Global Longitudinal Strain Predicts Poor Functional Capacity in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure.

Background: Left ventricular global longitudinal strain value (GLS) can predict functional capacity in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) heart failure (HF) and to assess prognosis in reduced LVEF HF.

Objetive: Correlate GLS with parameters of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and to assess if they could predict systolic HF patients that are more appropriated to be referred to heart transplantation according to CPET criteria.

Methods: Systolic HF patients with LVEF < 45%, NYHA functional class II and III, underwent prospectively CPET and echocardiography with strain analysis.

Impact of Gas Flow and Humidity on Trans-Nasal Aerosol Deposition via Nasal Cannula in Adults: A Randomized Cross-Over Study.

Background: Trans-nasal pulmonary aerosol delivery using high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) devices is described with the administration of high gas flows exceeding patient inspiratory flow (HF) and with lower flows (LF). The aim of this pilot clinical trial was to compare deposition and distribution of radiolabeled aerosol via nasal cannula in healthy adults across three rates of gas flow delivered with active heated humidification, and to further identify the impact of aerosol administration without heated humidity.

Methods: Twenty-three (23) healthy adults (16F) were randomized to receive aerosol with active heated humidification or unheated oxygen at gas flows of 10 L/min ( = 8), 30 L/min ( = 7), or 50 L/min ( = 8).

A mesh nebulizer is more effective than jet nebulizer to nebulize bronchodilators during non-invasive ventilation of subjects with COPD: A randomized controlled trial with radiolabeled aerosols.

Background: Beneficial effects from non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in acute COPD are well-established, but the impact of nebulization during NIV has not been well described.

Aim: To compare pulmonary deposition and distribution across regions of interest with administration of radiolabeled aerosols generated by vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMN) and jet nebulizer (JN) during NIV.

Methods: A crossover single dose study involving 9 stable subjects with moderate to severe COPD randomly allocated to receive aerosol administration by the VMN Aerogen and the MistyNeb jet nebulizer operating with oxygen at 8 lpm during NIV.