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Abstract Micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging provides densitometric and functional assessment of lung diseases in animal models, playing a key role either in understanding disease progression or in drug discovery studies. The generation of reliable and reproducible experimental data is strictly dependent on a system’s stability. Quality controls (QC) are essential to monitor micro-CT performance but, although QC procedures are standardized and routinely employed in clinical practice, detailed guidelines for preclinical imaging are lacking. In this work, we propose a routine QC protocol for in vivo micro-CT, based on three commercial phantoms. To investigate the impact of a detected scanner drift on image post-processing, a retrospective analysis using twenty-two healthy mice was performed and lung density histograms used to compare the area under curve (AUC), the skewness and the kurtosis before and after the drift. As expected, statistically significant differences were found for all the selected parameters [AUC 532 ± 31 vs. 420 ± 38 (p

Background: The role of quantitative chest computed tomography (CT) is controversial in the follow-up of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The aim of this study was to test during the follow-up of COVID-19 pneumonia the association between pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and quantitative parameters extrapolated from follow-up (FU) CT scans performed at least 6 months after COVID-19 onset. Methods: The study included patients older than 18 years old, admitted to the emergency department of our institution between 29 February 2020 and 31 December 2020, with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia, who underwent chest CT at admission and FU CT at least 6 months later; PFTs were performed within 6 months of FU CT. At FU CT, quantitative parameters of well-aerated lung and pneumonia extent were identified both visually and by software using CT density thresholds. The association between PFTs and quantitative parameters was tested by the calculation of the Spearman’s coefficient of rank correlation (rho). Results: The study included 40 patients (38% females; median age 63 years old, IQR, 56–71 years old). A significant correlation was identified between low attenuation areas% (%LAAs) p = 0.008) and %DLCO (rho −0.426, 95% CIs −0.678–−0.084, p = 0.017). The remaining quantitative parameters failed to demonstrate a significant association with PFTs (p > 0.05). Conclusions: At follow-up, CT scans performed at least 6 months after COVID-19 pneumonia onset showed %LAAs that were inversely associated with %DLCO and could be considered a marker of irreversible lung damage.

Abstract Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) represent radiologic abnormalities incidentally detected on chest computed tomography (CT) examination, potentially related to interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Numerous studies have demonstrated that ILAs are associated with increased risk of progression toward pulmonary fibrosis and mortality. Some radiological patterns have been proven to be at a higher risk of progression. In this setting, the role of radiologists in reporting these interstitial abnormalities is critical. This review aims to discuss the most recent advancements in understanding this radiological entity and the open issues that still prevent the translation from theory to practice, emphasizing the importance of ILA recognition and adequately reporting in clinical practice.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an acute respiratory syndrome caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread worldwide, significantly affecting the outcome of a highly vulnerable group such as cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical impact of COVID-19 infection on outcome and oncologic treatment of cancer patients. Patient and methods: We retrospectively enrolled cancer patients with laboratory and/or radiologic confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted to our center from February to April 2020. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the clinical data and univariate analyses were performed to investigate the impact of anticancer treatment modifications due to COVID-19 outbreak on the short-term overall survival (OS). Results: Among 61 patients enrolled, 49 (80%) were undergoing anticancer treatment and 41 (67%) had metastatic disease. Most patients were men; median age was 68 years. Median OS was 46.6 days (40% of deaths occurred within 20 days from COVID-19 diagnosis). Among 59 patients with available data on therapeutic course, 46 experienced consequences on their anticancer treatment schedule. Interruption or a starting failure of the oncologic therapy correlated with significant shorter OS. Anticancer treatment delays did not negatively affect the OS. Lymphocytopenia development after COVID was significantly associated with worst outcome. Conclusions: COVID-19 diagnosis in cancer patients may affect their short-term OS, especially in case of interruption/starting failure of cancer therapy. Maintaining/delaying cancer therapy seems not to influence the outcome in selected patients with recent COVID-19 diagnosis.

PURPOSE:We aimed to assess the association between features of epicardial adipose tissue and demographic, morphometric and clinical data, in a large population of symptomatic patients with clinical indication to cardiac computed tomography (CT) angiography.METHODS:Epicardial fat volume (EFV) and adipose CT density of 1379 patients undergoing cardiac CT angiography (918 men, 66.6%; age range, 18–93 years; median age, 64 years) were semi-automatically quantified. Clinical variables were compared between diabetic and nondiabetic patients to assess potential differences in EFV and adipose CT density. Multiple regression models were calculated to find the clinical variables with a significant association with EFV and adipose CT density.RESULTS:The median EFV in diabetic patients (112.87 mL) was higher compared with nondiabetic patients (82.62 mL; P < 0.001). The explanatory model of the multivariable analysis showed the strongest associations between EFV and BMI (β=0.442) and age (β=0.365). Significant yet minor association was found with sex (β=0.203), arterial hypertension (β=0.072), active smoking (β=0.068), diabetes (β=0.068), hypercholesterolemia (β=0.046) and cardiac height (β=0.118). The mean density of epicardial adipose tissue was associated with BMI (β=0.384), age (β=0.105), smoking (β=0.088), and diabetes (β=0.085).CONCLUSION:In a large population of symptomatic patients, EFV is higher in diabetic patients compared with nondiabetic patients. Clinical variables are associated with quantitative features of epicardial fat.

The immune regulation of cancer growth and regression has been underscored by the recent success of immunotherapy. The possibility that immune microenvironmental factors may impact on clinical outcome and treatment response still requires intense investigations. Hereby, supporting data of the research article “Integrated CT Imaging and Tissue Immune Features Disclose a Radio-Immune Signature with High Prognostic Impact on Surgically Resected NSCLC” [1], are presented. With the ultimate aim to provide non-invasive prognostic scores, we report on our approach to correlate different Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) profiles with CT imaging-derived qualitative (semantic, CT-SFs) and quantitative (radiomic, CT-RFs) features in a cohort of 60 surgically resected NSCLC. The renowned characterization of TIME, essentially based on the score evaluation of Programme Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs), was implemented here by the assessment of effector and suppressor phenotypes including the analysis of Programme Death receptor 1 (PD-1). Thus, we defined two main TIME categories: hot inflamed (PD-L1high, CD8/CD3high and PD-1/CD8low) as opposed to cold inactive (PD-L1low, CD8/CD3lowand PD-1/CD8high). Importantly, as reported in the extended publication [1], these distinctive immune contextures identified different prognostic classes and were decoded by radiomics. To corroborate our radiomic approach, a comparative estimation of CT-RFs extracted from 60 NSCLC and 13 non neoplastic tissues was undertaken, documenting high discrimination ability. Moreover, we tested the potential association of qualitative radiologic features with clinico-pathological and TIME parameters. Taken together, our findings suggest that CT-SFs and CT-RFs may underlay specific patterns of lung cancer.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive degenerative lung disease leading to respiratory failure and death. Although anti-fibrotic drugs are now available for treating IPF, their clinical efficacy is limited and lung transplantation remains the only modality to prolong survival of IPF patients. Despite its limitations, the bleomycin (BLM) animal model remains the best characterized experimental tool for studying disease pathogenesis and assessing efficacy of novel potential drugs. In the present study, the effects of oropharyngeal (OA) and intratracheal (IT) administration of BLM were compared in C57BL/6 mice. The development of lung fibrosis was followed in vivo for 28 days after BLM administration by micro-computed tomography and ex vivo by histological analyses (bronchoalveolar lavage, histology in the left lung to stage fibrosis severity and hydroxyproline determination in the right lung). In a separate study, the antifibrotic effect of Nintedanib was investigated after oral administration (60 mg/kg for two weeks) in the OA BLM model. Lung fibrosis severity and duration after BLM OA and IT administration was comparable. However, a more homogeneous distribution of fibrotic lesions among lung lobes was apparent after OA administration. Quantification of fibrosis by micro-CT based on % of poorly aerated tissue revealed that this readout correlated significantly with the standard histological methods in the OA model. These findings were further confirmed in a second study in the OA model, evaluating Nintedanib anti-fibrotic effects. Indeed, compared to the BLM group, Nintedanib inhibited significantly the increase in % of poorly aerated areas (26%) and reduced ex vivo histological lesions and hydroxyproline levels by 49 and 41%, respectively. This study indicated that micro-computed tomography is a valuable in vivo technology for lung fibrosis quantification, which will be very helpful in the future to better evaluate new anti-fibrotic drug candidates.

Abstract Background To report the prevalence of pleural plaques in a lung cancer screening trial by low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) and to test the association with incidence of lung cancer and mortality. Methods The LDCT of 2303 screenees were retrospectively reviewed with the specific aim of describing the prevalence and features of pleural plaques. Self-administered questionnaire was used to assess asbestos exposure. Frequency of lung cancer, lung cancer mortality, and overall mortality were detailed according to presence of pleural findings. Statistical analyses included comparison of mean or median, contingency tables, and Cox model for calculation of hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Among male screenees, 31/1570 (2%) showed pleural abnormalities, 128/1570 (8.2%) disclosed asbestos exposure, 23/31 (74.2%) subjects with pleural plaques consistently denied exposure to asbestos. There was a trend for higher frequency of lung cancer among subjects with pleural plaques (9.7% vs 4.2%). Lung cancer in subjects with pleural plaques was always diagnosed in advanced stage. Subjects with pleural plaques showed HR 5.48 (95% CI 1.61–18.70) for mortality from lung cancer. Conclusions Pleural plaques are a risk factor for lung cancer mortality that can be detected in lung cancer screening by LDCT, also in subjects that are not aware of asbestos exposure. Trial registration NCT02837809 - Retrospectively registered July 1, 2016 - Enrolment of first participant September 2005.

PURPOSE:We aimed to perform intraindividual comparison of computed tomography (CT) parameters, image quality, and radiation exposure between standard CT angiography (CTA) and high-pitch dual source (DS)-CTA, in subjects undergoing serial CTA of thoracoabdominal aorta.METHODS:Eighteen subjects with thoracoabdominal CTA by standard technique and high-pitch DS-CTA technique within 6 months of each other were retrieved for intraindividual comparison of image quality in thoracic and abdominal aorta. Quantitative analysis was performed by comparison of mean aortic attenuation, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Qualitative analysis was performed by visual assessment of motion artifacts and diagnostic confidence. Radiation exposure was quantified by effective dose. Image quality was apportioned to radiation exposure by means of figure of merit.RESULTS:Mean aortic attenuation and noise were higher in high-pitch DS-CTA of thoracoabdominal aorta, whereas SNR and CNR were similar in thoracic aorta and significantly lower in high-pitch DS-CTA of abdominal aorta (P = 0.024 and P = 0.016). High-pitch DS-CTA was significantly better in the first segment of thoracic aorta. Effective dose was reduced by 72% in high-pitch DS-CTA.CONCLUSION:High-pitch DS-CTA without electrocardiography-gating is an effective technique for imaging aorta with very low radiation exposure and with significant reduction of motion artifacts in ascending aorta; however, the overall quality of high-pitch DS-CTA in abdominal aorta is lower than standard CTA.

Objectives This multicentre study aimed to investigate the overall mortality of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare CPFE-SSc characteristics with those of other SSc subtypes (with interstitial lung disease—ILD, emphysema or neither).Methods Chest CTs, anamnestic data, immunological profile and pulmonary function tests of patients with SSc were retrospectively collected. Each chest CT underwent a semiquantitative assessment blindly performed by three radiologists. Patients were clustered in four groups: SSc-CPFE, SSc-ILD, SSc-emphysema and other-SSc (without ILD nor emphysema). The overall mortality of these groups was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the stratified log-rank test; Kruskal-Wallis test, t-Student test and χ² test assessed the differences between groups. P

The present work develops and analysis the main parameters of a test section for natural convection in case of failure of the pumping system as much as the loss of coolant in refrigeration accidents. For this realization a combination of laws of basic similarity and an innovative scale methodology, known as Fractional Scaling Analysis (FSA), was de-veloped. The depressurizing is analyzed when a rupture occurs in one of the primary system piping of the AP1000 nuclear reactor. This reactor is developed by Westinghouse Electric Co., which is a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) with an electric power equal to 1000MW. Such a reactor is provided with a passive safety system that promotes con-siderable improvements in the safety, reliability, protection and reduction of costs of a nuclear power plant. The FSA is based on two concepts: fractional scale and hierarchy. It is used to provide experimental data that generate quantita-tive evaluation criteria as well as operational parameters in thermal and hydraulic processes of nuclear power plants. The results were analyzed with the use of computational codes.

BACKGROUND:Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent manifestation of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), an autoimmune disease of salivary and lacrimal glands, and affects approximately 20% of patients. No clinical or serological features appear to be useful to predict its presence, severity or progression, and chest high-resolution computed tomography (CT) remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Semiquantitative CT (SQCT) based on visual assessment (Goh and Taouli scoring) can estimate ILD extent, although it is burdened by relevant intra- and interobserver variability. Quantitative chest CT (QCT) is a promising alternative modality to assess ILD severity. AIM:To determine whether QCT assessment can identify extensive or limited lung disease in patients with SS and ILD. METHODS:This multi-center, cross-sectional and retrospective study enrolled patients with SS and a chest CT scan. SQCT assessment was carried out in a blinded and centralized manner to calculate both Goh and Taouli scores. An operator-independent analysis of all CT scans with the open-source software platform Horos was used to evaluate the QCT indices. Patients were classified according to the extent of ILD and differences in QCT index distribution were investigated with non-parametric tests. RESULTS:From a total of 102 consecutive patients with SS, the prevalence of ILD was 35.3% (36/102). There was a statistically significant difference in QCT index distribution between the SS with ILD and SS without ILD groups (p20% (by Goh score) had a QCT index statistically different from those with limited ILD extent (p

Background. The latest version of the Fleischner Society guidelines for management of incidental pulmonary nodules was published in 2017. The main purpose of these guidelines is to reduce the number of unnecessary computed tomography (CT) examinations during the follow-up of small indeterminate nodules. Objective. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of these guidelines for management of solid indeterminate pulmonary nodules (SIPNs) ≤ 250 mm3. Materials and Methods. During a 7-year period, we retrospectively reviewed the chest CT scans of 672 consecutive patients with SIPNs. The study sample was selected according to the following inclusion criteria: solitary SIPN; diameter ≥ 3 mm; volume ≤ 250 mm3; two or more CT scans performed with the same scanner and same acquisition/reconstruction protocol; thin-section 1-mm images in DICOM format; histologic diagnosis or follow-up ≥ 2 years; and no oncological history. Applying these criteria, a total of 27 patients with single SIPNs ≤ 250 mm3 were enrolled. For each SIPN, the volume and doubling time were calculated using semiautomatic software throughout the follow-up period. For each SIPN, we applied the Fleischner Society guidelines, and the recommended management was compared to what was actually done. Results. A significant volumetric increase was detected in 5/27 (18.5%) SIPNs; all growing nodules were observed in high-risk patients. In these SIPNs, a histologic diagnosis of malignancy was obtained. Applying the Fleischner Society recommendations, all five malignant nodules would have been identified. None of the SIPNs < 100 mm3 in low-risk patients showed significant growth during the follow-up period. The application of the new guidelines would have led to a significant reduction in follow-up CT examinations (Hodges-Lehmann median difference, -2 CT scans; p = 0.0001). Conclusion. The application of the updated Fleischner Society guidelines has been shown to be effective in the management of SIPNs ≤ 250 mm3 with a significant reduction in radiation dose.

Objetivo: conocer las características epidemiológicas de pacientes que ingresan por sepsis severa (SS) y shock séptico (ShS); valorar la implementación de recomendaciones de la campaña Sobrevivir a las Sepsis (CSS) y determinar variables asociadas con mal pronóstico vital. Diseño: estudio prospectivo, observacional, cohorte única, multicéntrico, durante un año (setiembre 2011 - agosto 2012). Ámbito: cinco centros de Montevideo, del subsector público y privado con cobertura de 800.000 habitantes. Pacientes y métodos: 153 pacientes que ingresaron con diagnóstico de SS y ShS a las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) de forma consecutiva. Variables de interés principales: aquellas relacionadas con características del paciente y episodio de sepsis, medidas diagnósticas y terapéuticas según la CSS en las primeras 48 horas, y pronósticas en UCI, hospital y a los seis meses. Resultados: se incluyeron 153 pacientes, la mediana de edad fue 68 años, la de Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) fue de 24; 73,9% recibieron asistencia respiratoria mecánica (ARM), con una mediana de 8 días. La mediana de estadía en CTI fue de 12 y la de estadía hospitalaria fue de 19 días. De los episodios de SS, ShS, 69,3% de los casos fue comunitario; 77,8% presentó shock, y 37,9% inmunodebilidad-inmunocompromiso. Predominó la sepsis de origen respiratorio en 30,1%, se aisló microorganismos en 64,1%, siendo bacterianas 95,9%. La mortalidad en CTI fue 49,7%, hospitalaria 54,9% y a seis meses 58,8%. Se asociaron a mayor mortalidad hospitalaria: edad, APACHE II, inmunodebilidad-compromiso, demoras de ingreso a UCI e inicio de antimicrobianos y balance positivo. Conclusiones: los pacientes ingresan a UCI con formas severas o estado biológico comprometido. Existen demoras y limitaciones en el diagnóstico y terapéutica inicial, situaciones que se asocian a mayor mortalidad hospitalaria.

PURPOSEWe aimed to assess the relation between basic clinical parameters and evolution of solitary pure ground-glass nodules (pGGN) in the lungs.METHODSBaseline and follow-up computed tomography (CT) of patients with solitary pGGN were selected and two radiologists independently reviewed CTs for nodule characterization. CT features of solitary pGGN were manually measured maximum diameter (D1) and its orthogonal diameter (D2), mean diameter (mD), D1 to D2 ratio as surrogate of roundness, and location according to lobar anatomy. Longitudinal changes were assessed and solitary pGGNs were classified as resolved or persisting. Persisting nodules were further classified as stable or grown according to an increase in mD of ≥2 mm or appearance of solid component. Baseline CT features of solitary pGGNs and clinical metrics of patients were compared between resolved and persisting nodules and, thereafter, between stable and grown lesions.RESULTSA total of 95 subjects with solitary pGGN were included. After a median 16-month follow-up, 20 nodules resolved, while 75 persisted. Among persisting nodules, 18 were grown and 57 were stable. Grown nodules showed larger D1 and mD compared with stable pGGNs (P < 0.001). Subjects with grown nodules were older (P = 0.021). Logistic regression analyses showed higher likelihood of growth for nodules ≥10 mm (odds ratio [OR], 8.355; P = 0.001) and subjects older than 67 years (OR, 3.656; P = 0.034).CONCLUSIONNodules ≥10 mm in subjects older than 67 years showed higher likelihood of growth. These data could contribute to a more individual approach to the management of solitary pGGN.

Se describen las características clínicas de una serie de casos de infecciones por Listeria monocytogenes en una Unidad de Terapia Intensiva polivalente, en Montevideo, Uruguay. Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo, de una serie de casos de Listeriosis Invasiva ingresadas entre julio 2010 y julio 2013 a dicha Unidad. Se incluyeron todos los casos confirmados. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de las variables de interés. Se encontraron 11 casos de Listeriosis Invasiva. En relación al sexo fueron 6 hombres y 5 mujeres, la media de edad fue de 62 años con un desvío estándar ± 12 años y un rango de 22 a 83 años. La media de APACHE II fue de 23 con un desvío estándar ± 9. La mediana del tiempo de estadía en UTI fue de 8 días con un rango intercuartílico de 6. El requerimiento de asistencia respiratoria mecánica fue de 81,8%. Los factores predisponentes detectados fueron diabetes mellitus, enfermedad neoplásica, alcoholismo, inmunosupresión y/o corticoides y edad avanzada. Las presentaciones clínicas fueron: cinco meningitis, tres sepsis, una paciente obstétrica, una bacteremia por infección por catéter y una peritonitis espontánea. En todos los casos se detectaron factores predisponentes. El antibiótico más utilizado fue la ampicilina. La mortalidad global fue de 63% con una mortalidad estandarizada de 1.36. Se concluyó que la Listeriosis Invasiva se presentó en pacientes con uno o más factores predisponentes. El cuadro clínico más frecuente fue secundario a la infección del sistema nervioso central. Se asoció con una elevada mortalidad.

PURPOSEWe aimed to assess the correlation between pulmonary hemorrhage and pneumothorax in computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration (TTFNA), particularly its possible value as protection against the development of pneumotorax.MATERIALS AND METHODSWe reviewed the CT images of 538 patients (364 males and 174 females, mean age 70 years, range 36–90 years) who underwent CT-guided TTFNA of pulmonary nodules between January 2008 and September 2013. The following CT findings were assessed: pulmonary hemorrhage (type 1, along the needle track; type 2, perilesional; low-grade, ≤6 mm; high-grade, >6 mm), pneumothorax, distance between the target nodule and the pleural surface, and emphysema.RESULTSPneumothorax occurred in 154 cases (28.6%) and pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in 144 cases (26.8%). The incidence of pneumothorax was lower in patients showing type 1 and high-grade pulmonary hemorrhage pattern. The incidence of pneumothorax in biopsies ≥30 mm from pleural surface was 26% (12/46) in cases showing this pattern, while it was 71.4% (30/42) when this pattern was not seen. Similarly, the incidence of pneumothorax in biopsies

The imaging techniques in patients treated for lung cancer may be challenging to interpret. Radiologists are often asked to evaluate computed tomography (CT) scans after surgery, and this interpretation requires an understanding of both the timing and type of the surgical procedure. However, follow-up strategies are still not well defined. The assessment of tumor response to chemoradiotherapy relies on a tight integration of CT and clinical findings. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) with fluorodeoxyglucose may help to exclude tumor recurrence when the sole CT scan is equivocal. More efforts are needed to validate the tools for volumetric tumor measurement in routine practice and to demonstrate their superiority compared to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Familiarity with the assessment of lung cancer perfusion is also important because of the increasing use of cytostatic therapy. In this review, we outlined the imaging assessment of tumor recurrence after surgery and the role of CT, magnetic resonance imaging, and PET-CT in the follow-up after chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation.

The interhemispheric coherence of electroencephalogram was studied in a group of healthy individuals in the age range of 20-50 years. The results showed higher coherence for all bands in parietal regions (P3-P4). It was observed that individuals with high values of coherence for a certain frequency band in a pair of electrodes also showed high values of coherence for other bands across other pairs of electrodes. No significant influence on interhemispheric coherence was found for age, gender or hand dominance.A coerência inter-hemisférica do eletrencefalograma foi estudada em uma população de indivíduos normais, na faixa etária de 20 a 50 anos. Os resultados mostraram maior valor de coerência para todas as bandas nas regiões parietais(P3-P4). Foi observado que em indivíduos com alto valor de coerência para determinada banda em um determinado par de eletrodos, também apresentam alto valor de coerência para outras bandas nos outros pares de eletrodos. Não foi observada influência da idade, sexo ou dominância manual no valor da coerência inter-hemisférica.

BACKGROUND: Factors determining the shape of the human rib cage are not completely understood. We aimed to quantify the contribution of anthropometric and COPD-related changes to rib cage variability in adult cigarette smokers. METHODS: Rib cage diameters and areas (calculated from the inner surface of the rib cage) in 816 smokers with or without COPD, were evaluated at three anatomical levels using computed tomography (CT). CTs were analyzed with software, which allows quantification of total emphysema (emphysema%). The relationship between rib cage measurements and anthropometric factors, lung function indices, and %emphysema were tested using linear regression models. RESULTS: A model that included gender, age, BMI, emphysema%, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)%, and forced vital capacity (FVC)% fit best with the rib cage measurements (R(2) = 64% for the rib cage area variation at the lower anatomical level). Gender had the biggest impact on rib cage diameter and area (105.3 cm(2); 95% CI: 111.7 to 98.8 for male lower area). Emphysema% was responsible for an increase in size of upper and middle CT areas (up to 5.4 cm(2); 95% CI: 3.0 to 7.8 for an emphysema increase of 5%). Lower rib cage areas decreased as FVC% decreased (5.1 cm(2); 95% CI: 2.5 to 7.6 for 10 percentage points of FVC variation). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that simple CT measurements can predict rib cage morphometric variability and also highlight relationships between rib cage morphometry and emphysema.

ABSTRACT Electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence is a parameter that enables evaluation of cerebral connectivity. It may be related to the functional state of the brain. In the elderly, it may reflect the neuronal loss caused by aging. Objective To describe characteristics of coherence in nonagenarians. Methods We evaluated interhemispheric coherence for the alpha band in 42 cognitively normal individuals aged 90 to 101 years. Coherence values in the occipital electrode (O1O2), in the resting state with closed eyes, were calculated by means of spectral analysis using digital EEG EMSA 32 channels, 12 bits and a frequency of 200 Hz. Results The mean coherence value for the alpha band at O1O2 was 0.65 (SD 0.13). No significant differences were found between men and women. Conclusions The findings from this study did not show any decrease in interhemispheric coherence for the alpha band in cognitively normal nonagenarians. This may be useful as a standard value for this age group.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of patients with spinal fractures and the characteristics of the population at risk attended at a university hospital. Methods: The study population is composed of 202 patients diagnosed and treated for vertebral fracture due to trauma. The variables were correlated with each other and the correlations with p