No abstract available

[en] Even though paracoccidioidomycosis has a relatively high prevalence in Latin America in a systemic form, isolated cases, especially compromising the adrenal glands, are uncommon, with only two reported cases. In this article, we report the case of a 55 year-old male with clinical manifestations of adrenal insufficiency. The only imaging finding was the presence of bilateral adrenal masses. The biopsy showed Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection.

[en] The diagnostic value of 900-1,100 am plasma ACTH radioimmunoassay were studied in 10 patients with Cushing's disease before and after treatment, three patients with Cushing's syndrome with adrenal tumours, one Nelson's syndrome patient; 13 patients with Addison's disease and 12 patients with hypo-pituitarism. Twenty-seven normal subjects were controls. The measurement of basal plasma ACTH gave good differentiation between: a. pituitary Cushing's disease from adrenal tumors; b. Addison's disease from hypo-pituitarism. However this assay has a limited value for the differentiation between Cushing's disease from normal subjects and it is often unhelpful in the differential diagnosis of hypo-pituitarism from normal subjects. (author)

[en] A review of the most significant aspects of mammographic interpretation was done with emphasis on the signs that allow classification of non-palpable masses in degrees of suspicion for malignancy

[en] Correlate non-palpable mammographic lesions classified by categories with histologic results of the stereotaxic core biopsy

[en] Short communication

[en] The nuclear medicine approach to the portrayal of endocrine organs is unique; the scintigraphic images provide not only anatomic and localization information, but in many instances allow a quantitative assessment of organ function. The ability to image endocrine glands is based upon the design of radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals with characteristics to take advantage of many unique and specific biochemical and advantage of many unique and specific biochemical and metabolic functions of these tissues. The recent introduction of new radiopharmaceutical and tracers has provided the consulting endocrinologist with imaging procedures that allow localization and functional characterization not available by other single, noninvasive diagnostic modalities. This review will serve as an update of the available techniques to image and quantitate the function of the endocrine glands using the nuclear medicine approach

[en] The authors review the main indications of PET examination, and specifically of ¹⁸FDG, in the assessment of endocrine tumors: of the thyroid, of the parathyroid, of the adrenal and of the pituitary glands. Neuroendocrine tumors, gastro-entero-pancreatic or carcinoid tumors are also under the scope. Usually, the most differentiated tumors show only poor uptake of the FDG as they have a weak metabolic and proliferative activity. In the assessment of endocrine tumors, FDG-PET should be used only after most specific nuclear examinations been performed. (author)

[en] A series of 212 patients with non-palpable breast lesions, in whom preoperative needle-localization was performed: With histologic and mammographic correlation

[en] The primary cellular mechanism responsible for osteolytic bone metastases is osteoclastic activation. Preclinical models have shown that breast cancer cells can produce parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), and other osteolytic molecules, which stimulate excessive osteoclastic bone resorption and establishment of osteolytic lesions. It has been shown that PTHrP by itself cannot directly induce osteoclastic activation, but it mediates its effect through the transactivation of RANK-ligand (RANKL) gene on stromal and osteoblastic cells. Accordingly RANKL up-regulation has been considered as a prerequisite in virtually all conditions of cancer induced bone destruction. Hence, therapeutic targeting of RANKL seems to be a rational approach to treat or even to prevent the process of bone metastases. In this review, we will focus on the unique pathophysiological aspects related to the evolution of bone metastases in breast cancer, emphasizing the pivotal role of RANKL and some other key molecules in osteoclastic bone resorption. We will discuss the therapeutic interventions using bisphosphonates and RANKL inhibitors in patients with bone metastases and the outcome of this novel approach