Background: The aim of this study was to describe the signs of active tuberculosis in patients submitted to high resolution computerized tomography and the distribution of lesions along the pulmonary parenchyma. Material and methods: The high resolution CTs performed on 42 patients with tuberculosis either bacteriologically diagnosed or clinical suspected and later confirmed by bacteriological tests were studied. Results: The signs of disease activity observed were airspace nodule (83%), centrilobular nodule (74%), tree-in-bud pattern (67%), cavitations (67%), bronchial thickening (55%), parenchymal consolidations (48%), ground glass opacity (21%) and thickening of the inter and intralobular septa (9%). Conclusion: High resolution computed tomography can be strongly suggestive of disease activity, is particularly helpful in patients with negative smear and/or undetermined radiographs, and allows the establishment of proper treatment, even before mycobacteria are identified in means of culture.

Keywords: Pulmonary tuberculosis. X-ray computed tomography.

Pneumothorax is a common complication in cystic fibrosis and is associated with worsening of lung function. However, bilateral simultaneous pneumothorax in cystic fibrosis is a rare condition. We describe the case of a 17-year-old female with cystic fibrosis who presented with spontaneous pneumothorax. Clinically, she presented right-sided chest pain and progressive breathlessness. The pneumothorax failed to resolve after the initial treatment (chest drainage). However, the patient was later successfully treated with additional chest drainage and talc pleurodesis. We also discuss the etiology and management of pneumothorax in patients with cystic fibrosis, since pneumothorax is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among such patients.

Keywords: Cystic fibrosis/physiopathology; Pneumothorax; Pleurodesis.

Objective: To evaluate the competence of senior medical students in diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) based on their reading of chest X-rays, as well as to identify the factors associated with high scores for the overall interpretation of chest X-rays. Methods: In October 2008, a convenience sample of senior medical students who had undergone formal training in radiology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro School of Medicine, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were invited to participate in the study. Six chest X-rays (three of TB patients and three of patients without TB) were selected. Participants were asked to choose one of the three probable radiological interpretations, and one of the four subsequent suitable clinical approaches. They also completed a questionnaire designed to collect data related to demographics, career of interest, time spent in emergency rooms and year of study. The sensitivity and specificity related to competence in the radiological diagnosis of TB, as well as a score for the overall interpretation of chest X-rays, were calculated. Results: The sensitivity of the probable radiological diagnosis of pulmonary TB, based on the three chest X-rays of patients with TB (minimal, moderate and extensive) was 86.5%, 90.4% and 94.2%, respectively, and the specificity was 90%, 82% and 42%. The only factor associated with a high score for the overall radiological interpretation was the year of study. Conclusions: In this sample of medical students, who had received formal training in radiology early in their medical school course, the competence in interpreting the chest X-rays of TB patients was good. The year of study seems to influence overall chest X-ray reading skill.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, pulmonary; Radiology; Education, medical.

We report the case of a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis, chronically using corticosteroids, who acquired pulmonary nocardiosis, which presented as multiple cavitated nodules. The principal symptoms were fever, dyspnea and productive cough with purulent sputum. Chest X-ray and computed tomography of the chest revealed nodules, some of which were cavitated, in both lungs. Sputum smear microscopy and culture revealed the presence of Nocardia spp. The patient was treated with imipenem and cilastatin, which produced an excellent clinical response.

Keywords: Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Nocardia infections; Bronchiectasis.

Here, we report high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in a patient who developed sudden hemoptysis, dyspnea and chest pain after smoking crack cocaine. Chest X-rays showed consolidations, primarily in the upper lobes, and HRCT scans showed ground glass attenuation opacities, consolidations and air-space nodules. A follow-up CT, after drug use discontinuation and administration of corticosteroids, showed partial resolution of pulmonary lesions and the appearance of cavitations. Clinical, imaging and laboratory findings led to a diagnosis of 'crack lung'.

Keywords: Crack cocaine/adverse effects; Cocaine-related disorders; Tomography, X-ray computed; Street drugs/adverse effects;

In the elderly (conventionally defined as individuals  60 years of age), it is often difficult to establish what normality is, because of the numerous anatomical and physiological modifications that occur during the aging process. As a result, the greatest challenge is to differentiate between the normal aging process and the onset of disease. Healthy elderly people commonly present borderline findings on chest imaging. We systematically reviewed the medical literature on the subject, covering the period between 1950 and 2011, including articles in Portuguese, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. We searched the PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO databases, using the search terms "age", "aging", "lung", "thorax", "chest", "X-ray", "radiography", "pulmonary", and "computed tomography"-as well as their corresponding translations-in various combinations. We included only original or review articles on aging-related chest imaging findings. In broad terms, aging results in physiological modifications that must be recognized so as not to be erroneously interpreted as pathological.

Keywords: Aging; Thorax; Lung; Diagnostic imaging.

Objective: To describe HRCT findings in patients with bacterial pneumonia following bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 30 patients diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia in whom HRCT of the chest was performed within 24 h after the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis was confirmed, based on a positive culture of sputum or bronchial aspirate, together with a positive pleural fluid or blood culture, within one week after symptom onset. There were 20 male patients and 10 female patients. The median age was 21 years (range, 1-41 years). The BMT had been performed for the treatment of the following: chronic myeloid leukemia, in 14 cases; severe aplastic anemia, in 6; acute myeloid leukemia, in 4; Fanconi's anemia, in 3; and acute lymphocytic leukemia, in 3. Two radiologists analyzed the HRCT scans and reached their final decisions by consensus. Results: The most common HRCT findings were air-space consolidation (in 60%), small centrilobular nodules (in 50%), ground-glass opacities (in 40%), bronchial wall thickening (in 20%), large nodules (in 20%), pleural lesions (in 16.7%) and tree-in-bud opacities (in 10%). The pulmonary lesions were distributed in the central and peripheral areas in 15 patients, whereas they were exclusively peripheral in 11. Lesions were located in the lower and middle lobes of the lung in 22 and 20 patients, respectively. Conclusions: The most common HRCT findings in our patient sample were air-space consolidation, small centrilobular nodules and ground-glass opacities, most often in the central and peripheral regions of the middle and lower lung zones.

Keywords: Bone marrow transplantation; Pneumonia, bacterial; Tomography, X-Ray Computed.

Due to the increasing number and improved survival of lung transplant recipients, radiologists should be aware of the imaging features of the postoperative complications that can occur in such patients. The early treatment of complications is important for the long-term survival of lung transplant recipients. Frequently, HRCT plays a central role in the investigation of such complications. Early recognition of the signs of complications allows treatment to be initiated earlier, which improves survival. The aim of this pictorial review was to demonstrate the CT scan appearance of pulmonary complications such as reperfusion edema, acute rejection, infection, pulmonary thromboembolism, chronic rejection, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, bronchial dehiscence and bronchial stenosis.

Keywords: Tomography, X-ray computed; Lung transplantation; Postoperative complications.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung has progressed tremendously in recent years. Because of improvements in speed and image quality, MRI is now ready for routine clinical use. The main advantage of MRI of the lung is its unique combination of structural and functional assessment in a single imaging session. We review the three major clinical indications for MRI of the lung: staging of lung tumors; evaluation of pulmonary vascular disease; and investigation of pulmonary abnormalities in patients who should not be exposed to radiation.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Lung; Lung diseases; Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; Lung diseases, interstitial; Pneumonia.

Objective: To describe aspects found on HRCT scans of the chest in patients infected with the influenza A (H1N1) virus. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the HRCT scans of 71 patients (38 females and 33 males) with H1N1 infection, confirmed through laboratory tests, between July and September of 2009. The HRCT scans were interpreted by two thoracic radiologists independently, and in case of disagreement, the decisions were made by consensus. Results: The most common HRCT findings were ground-glass opacities (85%), consolidation (64%), or a combination of ground-glass opacities and consolidation (58%). Other findings were airspace nodules (25%), bronchial wall thickening (25%), interlobular septal thickening (21%), crazy-paving pattern (15%), perilobular pattern (3%), and air trapping (3%). The findings were frequently bilateral (89%), with a random distribution (68%). Pleural effusion, when observed, was typically minimal. No lymphadenopathy was identified. Conclusions: The most common findings were ground-glass opacities and consolidations, or a combination of both. Involvement was commonly bilateral with no axial or craniocaudal predominance in the distribution. Although the major tomographic findings in H1N1 infection are nonspecific, it is important to recognize such findings in order to include infection with the H1N1 virus in the differential diagnosis of respiratory symptoms.

Keywords: Pneumonia, viral; Tomography, X-ray computed; Influenza A virus, H1N1 subtype.

Objective: To determine whether air trapping (expressed as the percentage of air trapping relative to total lung volume [AT%]) correlates with clinical and functional parameters in children with obliterative bronchiolitis (OB). Methods: CT scans of 19 children with OB were post-processed for AT% quantification with the use of a fixed threshold of −950 HU (AT%950) and of thresholds selected with the aid of density masks (AT%DM). Patients were divided into three groups by AT% severity. We examined AT% correlations with oxygen saturation (SO2) at rest, six-minute walk distance (6MWD), minimum SO2 during the six-minute walk test (6MWT_SO2), FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and clinical parameters. Results: The 6MWD was longer in the patients with larger normal lung volumes (r = 0.53). We found that AT%950 showed significant correlations (before and after the exclusion of outliers, respectively) with the clinical score (r = 0.72; 0.80), FVC (r = 0.24; 0.59), FEV1 (r = −0.58; −0.67), and FEV1/FVC (r = −0.53; r = −0.62), as did AT%DM with the clinical score (r = 0.58; r = 0.63), SO2 at rest (r = −0.40; r = −0.61), 6MWT_SO2 (r = −0.24; r = −0.55), FVC (r = −0.44; r = −0.80), FEV1 (r = −0.65; r = −0.71), and FEV1/FVC (r = −0.41; r = −0.52). Conclusions: Our results show that AT% correlates significantly with clinical scores and pulmonary function test results in children with OB.

Keywords: Multidetector computed tomography; Respiratory function tests; Bronchiolitis obliterans.

Emphysema is a condition of the lung, characterized by the abnormal increase in the size of the airspace distal to the terminal bronchioles. Currently, emphysema is the fourth leading cause of death in the USA, affecting 14 million people. The present article describes the principal tools in the imaging diagnosis of emphysema, from the early days until the present. We describe traditional techniques, such as chest X-ray, together with the evolution of computed tomography (CT) to more advanced forms, such as high resolution CT, as well as three-dimensional CT densitometry and volumetric assessment.

Keywords: Emphysema; Radiology; Tomography, X-Ray computed; Radiography, thoracic.

Objective: To present the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis. Methods: The HRCT scans of 10 adult patients (seven females and three males; mean age, 38.7 years) were retrospectively analyzed. The films were studied independently by two radiologists. Results: The most common tomographic findings were ground-glass attenuation and linear subpleural calcifications, which were seen in 90% of the patients. Other relevant findings were small parenchymal nodules, calcification along the interlobular septa, nodular cissures, subpleural nodules, subpleural cysts, dense consolidations, and a mosaic pattern of attenuation. Conclusions: The HRCT findings presented by individuals with pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis are distinct. In most cases, such findings can form the basis of the diagnosis, eliminating the need to perform a lung biopsy.

Keywords: Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Lithiasis/lung; Lung diseases.

The authors report the case of a female patient who developed chronic eosinophilic pneumonia secondary to long-term use of nitrofurantoin for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections due to urethral stenosis. On high-resolution computed tomography scans, the pulmonary reaction to nitrofurantoin most commonly manifests as an interstitial-alveolar pattern in both lung bases. However, in this case, the alterations were most pronounced in the periphery of the upper lobes. In itself, this tomographic profile is strongly indicative of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. The patient had previously been submitted to an open lung biopsy. The diagnosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia was confirmed through a review of the biopsy.

Keywords: Pneumonia; Pulmonary eosinophilia; Nitrofurantoin/adverse effects; Tomography, X-ray computed.

Abstract Objective: To present the findings of computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest in patients with laryngotracheobronchial papillomatosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of eight patients, five males and three females, ranging from 5 to 18 years of age with a mean age of 10.5 years. Images were independently reviewed by two radiologists. In discrepant cases, a consensus was reached. Results: The most common CT findings were intratracheal polypoid lesions and pulmonary nodules, many of which were cavitated. Conclusions: In patients with laryngotracheobronchial papillomatosis, the most common tomographic finding was the combination of intratracheal polypoid lesions and multiple pulmonary nodules, many of which were cavitated.

Keywords: Tomography, X-ray computed; Papilloma; Tracheal neoplasms.