[Doppler color in superficial adenopathies].

Superficial lymph nodes are frequently involved in different diseases. Their location makes them suitable for effective assessment with high-resolution US and color Doppler has been recently suggested as a tool for increasing sensitivity in lymph node studies. Thus, we investigated the main vascular patterns detectable in abnormal superficial lymph nodes. We evaluated 260 nodes in 180 adult patients; the nodes were located in the cervicofacial ring (78, 30%), internal jugular stations (104, 40%), and supraclavicular (44, 17%), axillary (21, 8%), and inguinal (13, 5%) stations. Color Doppler was performed with 7.5-13 MHz linear transducers, with parameters adjusted for slow-flow detection (5-6 MHz frequency, 700-900 Hz PRF, 50 Hz band filter, high color persistence). Disease assessment required fine-needle biopsy (95 nodes in 95 patients) and clinical follow-up (165 nodes in 85 patients). Fifty-five nodes (21%) presented acute and 130 (50%) chronic inflammation: 75 nodes (29%) were metastatic. The following vascular patterns were detected: a single vascular pole (type I) was seen in chronic inflammation (72% sensitivity, 86% specificity, 57% positive and 92% negative predictive value); an enlarged single vascular pole, with 2-3 enlarged branches (type II) in acute adenitis (80% sensitivity, 81% specificity, 78% positive and 83% negative predictive value); multiple vascular poles with many deformed and displaced branches converging centrally (type III) in metastases (76% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive and 91% negative predictive value). We conclude that color and power Doppler are useful integrations to B-mode US because they can detect specific signs of malignancy such as peripheral vascular poles and intranodal displacement of vessels

Sonography of cutaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

Sonographic examination (10 MHz) of 25 patients with cutaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of B-cell type (10 patients), of T-cell type (nine patients) and non-B non-T-cell type (six patients) demonstrated 'diffuse' (11 patients) and 'focal' patterns (14 patients): the former, which can be described as an homogeneous, hyperechoic thickening of the dermis, occasionally involving the subcutaneous layer, was exclusively observed in T-cell (nine cases) and non-T non-B cell (two cases) types, while the latter, characterized by small, hypoechoic and well-defined nodules, was observed in B-cell (10 cases) and non-T non-B-cell (four cases) types. These observations indicate a possible relationship between histologic and sonographic appearance

HRCT STUDIES OF LUNG ANATOMY

accurate definition of lung anatomy is the first, necessary step to obtain an accurate and early diagnosis of diffuse and focal lung disease with HRCT. Secondary lobules are visible with conventional CT and HRCT as polygonal portions of lung parenchyma, surrounded by thin and incomplete septa and centred by a dense dot; acini are sometimes visible as rounded structures with a central dot. Morphological definition of these structures in normal subjects will greatly help in characterizing early signs of parenchymal disease

US and color Doppler findings in angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia involving the superficial temporal artery

Reported here is a 60-year-old man with multiple localizations of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) in the temporal region, involving the superficial temporal artery, detected and analyzed with ultrasound and color Doppler. The usefulness of this diagnostic technique and the peculiar signs of ALHE are discussed

HRCT Evaluation of secondary lobules and acini of the lung

We evaluated normal lung parenchyma with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) to assess the visibility of lobular and sublobular structures. Series of HRCT slices were obtained using the usual parameters for HRCT examinations. We used a limited reconstruction field (4-10 cm) with a narrow window to increase visibility of small structures. The boundaries of normal secondary lobules are difficult to identify because the septa are very thin; interstitial disease may increase septal thickness so that more lobules become visible. Position and approximate morphology of lobules can be identified, however, by observing the centrolobular bundles. Normally, many acini are usually visible; their mean diameter (6 mm) and thickness of periacinar capillary net (~0.3 mm) make them identifiable with modern CT scanners. In conclusion, a good knowledge of HRCT lung anatomy is essential to correctly evaluate early interstitial disease