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Objective/background: We investigated the relationship between high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging manifestation of tuberculosis (TB) in childhood and the results of sputum smear. The aim of this study was to identify an alternative indicator of infectivity to prevent disease transmission through special isolation methods in children who have a clinical condition that suggests TB. Methods: This retrospective comparative study was performed on 95 children under the age of 15 years with a diagnosis of TB based on World Health Organization criteria and laboratory data (smear and culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Investigations were performed on children admitted to the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease for detection of TB between 2008 and 2012. Samples were collected from direct smear or gastric lavage method. We also performed HRCT on all of the children. The children were divided into two groups based on the results of their smear test. A multivariate analytical model was used for comparison of HRCT abnormalities in these two groups. Results: Consolidation, tree-in-bud pattern, upper lobe nodular infiltration, and cavitation were the most prevalent findings in the positive smear group. Lymphadenopathy, consolidation, collapse, and nodular infiltration in the upper lobe were dominant in the negative smear group. Conclusion: We found an association between cavity, tree-in-bud, and upper lobe nodular infiltration, and smear positivity in children with TB. Furthermore, we also found an association between lymphadenopathy and collapse in the negative smear group. Moreover, the positive smear group had radiologic manifestation of postprimary TB, whereas the negative smear group had primary TB manifestation.

Background: In the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many cases may be misdiagnosed based on their semiology, laboratory tests or chest computed tomography (CT) images and further evaluation might be helpful in appropriately selected cases. Methods:We are discussing usefulness of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography PET/CT scan in appropriately selected suspicious cases of COVID-19 infection. We are discussing two interesting cases on how18F-FDG PET/CT scan might be helpful to avoid COVID-19 infection diagnostic error. Both cases had clinical symptoms suggestive for COVID-19 infection with nonspecific chest CT scan findings including lung nodules, ground glass opacities (GGOs), consolidations, and mosaic perfusion patterns. This case series was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent obtained from both patients. Results: In one case,18F-FDG PET/CT images demonstrated hypermetabolic mostly peripheral GGOs and nodules in both lungs with subsequent evaluation confirming COVID-19 infection. The second case demonstrated right perihilar consolidation, not well appreciated on noncontrast chest CT images in addition to GGOs and further evaluation confirmed diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic, many cases might be misdiagnosed by either clinicians or radiologists. In appropriately selected cases, FDG PET/CT scan may be helpful during COVID-19 outbreak to avoid diagnostic errors.

Background: A few studies have evaluated the predictive value of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: We performed a retrospective study on 32 HNSCC patients, undergoing PET/CT after completion of planned treatment. The PET/CT volumetric parameters measured separately for primary tumor site and nodal or distant metastases. The primary outcome measure of the study was overall survival. Results: There was significant difference between alive and dead patients regarding some of volumetric parameters. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated association between metabolic tumor burdens with survival outcome. There was also significant difference in time to survival between patients with metastatic metabolic tumor burden and metastatic total lesion glycolysis (TLG) above and below 50th percentile. Conclusion: PET/CT volumetric parameters including metabolic tumor burden and TLG are significant prognostic markers for overall survival of patients with primary HNSCC after treatment.

Background: The use of imaging techniques is important for prompt diagnosis and treatment of atypical mycobacterial infections; it also reduces the burden of these infections. The purpose of the present study was to determine the association between computed tomography (CT) scan findings of pulmonary infection caused by atypical mycobacteria and bacillus count in sputum samples. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational, comparative study included 50 consecutive patients with pulmonary infection caused by atypical mycobacteria, who were hospitalized in Masih-Daneshvari Hospital of Tehran, Iran during 2012–2017. The association between CT scan findings of pulmonary infection caused by atypical mycobacteria and bacillus count in sputum samples was determined in these patients. Results: The results demonstrated that the presence of nodules smaller than 5 mm in diameter, consolidation, bronchiectasis, and pleural thickening were related to bacillus count in sputum samples (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Some CT scan findings, such as nodule diameter smaller than 5 mm, consolidation, bronchiectasis, and pleural thickening, may be indicators of atypical mycobacterial infection. Increased number of involved lobes with bronchiectasis can promote early diagnosis in patients with higher smear and culture grading.

Objective/background: Most tuberculosis cases in children are primary infection, with difficult and imprecise diagnosis mainly based on the existence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Here, we investigated the characteristics of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in lung computed tomography (CT) scans of children with tuberculosis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 75 children with tuberculosis referred to Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from 2009 to 2013. Their medical records were investigated, and CT-scan characteristics were extracted by a radiologist. Results: Mean±standard deviation age of cases was 11.2±4.6 years. CT-scan results indicated 94.7% of cases had lymphadenopathy, with lower paratracheal, upper paratracheal, hilar, and subcarinal forms observed in 81.7%, 69.1%, 53.5%, and 47.9% of cases as the most involved stations in lymph nodes, respectively. In 74.6% of patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, perilymph node fat inflammation (matting) was observed, with 52.11% exhibiting conglomeration. Bronchial pressure was observed in 4.23% of children with tuberculosis, and bilateral-, right-, and left-parenchymal involvement was observed in 42.7%, 25.3%, and 8% of these cases, respectively. Left- and right-pleural effusion and calcification was reported in 6.7%, 12%, and 5.6% of patients, respectively. Additionally, nearly 80% of patients exhibited mediastinal lymphadenopathy and lung-parenchyma involvement simultaneously. Lung-parenchyma involvement was significantly correlated with subcarinal (p

Introduction: Necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis (NSG) is a rare syndrome with unknown etiology. The disease is frequently confused with sarcoidosis and other granulomatous diseases. Diagnosis is made based on typical histologic criteria. No specific laboratory finding can confirm NSG diagnosis. The gender ratio of women to men has been reported as being as high as 4:1 and has a good prognosis. Methods and Results: In this report, the clinical and genetic features were surveyed of a 36-year-old male with extra-pulmonary NSG with unique manifestations, such as inguinal mass with positive smear and negative culture for the infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which was not responsive to the first-line TB treatment and was characterized as a multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB). Later on, he was admitted for the MDR cure, and he did not react to the gold standard of MDR treatment. Finally, he presented with a huge lymphoid granuloma with massive ascites that was diagnosed as an NSG by IHC. He cured well with prednisolone and all symptoms of the disease were gone. At the hospitalization time, all laboratory experiments were well planned, such as a workup for the detection of defects of loop IL-12/IFN-γ, HLA-DR typing, and immunologic workup by flow-cytometry analysis. Conclusion: This is the first case report from patients with unique features of NSG combined with MTB.