Spheno-Orbital Meningioma and Vision Impairment—Case Report and Review of the Literature

(1) Background: Spheno-orbital meningioma (SOM) is a very rare subtype of meningioma which arises from the sphenoid ridge with an orbital extension. It exhibits intraosseous tumor growth with hyperostosis and a widespread soft-tissue growth at the dura. The intra-orbital invasion results in painless proptosis and slowly progressing visual impairment. (2) Methods: We present a case of a 46-year-old woman with SOM and compressive optic nerve neuropathy related to it. Her corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was decreased to 20/100, she had extensive visual field (VF) scotoma, dyschromatopsia, impaired pattern-reversal visual-evoked potential (PVEP), and decreased thicknesses of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC), measured with the swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), and a pale optic nerve disc in her left eye. Brain CT and MRI showed a lesion at the base of the anterior cranial fossa, involving the sphenoid wing and orbit. Pterional craniotomy and a partial removal of the tumor at the base of the skull and in the left orbit with the resection of the lesional dura mater and bony defect reconstruction were performed. (3) Results: The histological examination revealed meningothelial meningioma (WHO G1). Decreased CDVA and VF defects completely recovered, and the color vision score and PVEP improved following the surgery, but RNFL and GCC remained impaired. No tumor recurrence was observed at a follow-up of 78 months. (4) Conclusions: Optic nerve dysfunction has the capacity to improve once the compression has been relieved despite the presence of the structural features of optic nerve atrophy

Assessment of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules Based on Virtual Monochrome Images and Iodine-Dependent Images Using a Single-Source Dual-Energy CT with Fast kVp Switching

With lung cancer being the most common malignancy diagnosed worldwide, lung nodule assessment has proved to be one of big challenges of modern medicine. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) in solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) assessment. Between January 2017 and June 2018; 65 patients (42 males and 23 females) underwent DECT scans in the late arterial phase (AP) and venous phase (VP). We concluded that imaging at an energy level of 65 keV was the most accurate in detecting malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) measuring ≤30 mm in diameter on virtual monochromatic maps. Both virtual monochromatic images and iodine concentration maps prove to be highly useful in differentiating benign and malignant pulmonary nodules. As for iodine concentration maps, the analysis of venous phase images resulted in the highest clinical usefulness. To summarize, DECT may be a useful tool in the differentiation of benign and malignant SPNs. A single-phase DECT examination with scans acquired 90 s after contrast media injection is recommended

Data_Sheet_1_Case report: VEXAS as an example of autoinflammatory syndrome in pulmonology clinical practice.docx

Lung involvement is not widely recognized as a complication of auto-inflammatory diseases. We present a broad approach to diagnose a severe form of autoinflammatory syndrome in an adult male patient. A 63-year-old Caucasian male presented with recurrent episodes of high fever, interstitial lung infiltration, and pleural effusion. Laboratory tests performed during the flares revealed lymphopenia and increased levels of C-reactive protein and ferritin. Broad diagnostic research on infections, connective tissue diseases, and malignancies yielded negative results. The patient’s symptoms promptly resolved upon the administration of glucocorticoids; however, they reappeared when the prednisone dose was reduced. All attempts to administer immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive medications were ineffective. During follow-up, autoinflammatory syndrome was suspected; however, no pathological variants of monogenic autoinflammatory diseases were identified by genome-exome sequencing. The patient did not respond to interleukin 1 blockade with anakinra. He died due to multi-organ failure, and his condition remained unresolved until the first reported description of vacuole, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, and somatic syndrome (VEXAS). We describe the diagnostic traps and reasoning process involved in establishing that the patient’s symptoms were autoinflammatory in nature based on clinical symptoms, in addition to the proof of concept gained from genetic reevaluation and identification of pathogenic variants in the UBA1 gene. The aim of this review is to increase the awareness of VEXAS among pulmonologists. Genetic screening for UBA1 should be considered in patients with recurrent pneumonitis of unknown origin with elevated inflammatory markers and signs of cytopenia, especially if they require chronic steroids to control the disease. Respiratory manifestations are part of VEXAS; these may be dominant in the course of the disease and severe at presentation.</p