ABSTRACT Objectives: We sought to assess the relationship between stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) before radioactive iodine therapy (RIT), and the dynamic risk stratification 1 year after treatment, and to establish the utility of the sTg as a predictor of response to therapy in these patients. A retrospective chart review of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who underwent RIT after surgery and were followed for at least 1 year, was carried out. Subjects and methods: Patients were classified according to the dynamic risk stratification 1 year after initial treatment. The sTg values before RIT were compared among the groups. ROC curve analysis was performed. Results: Fifty-six patients were enrolled (mean age 44.7 ± 14.4 years, 80.7% had papillary carcinoma). Patients with excellent response had sTg = 2.1 ± 3.3 ng/mL, those with indeterminate response had sTg = 8.2 ± 9.2 ng/mL and those with incomplete response had sTg = 22.4 ± 28.3 ng/mL before RIT (p = 0.01). There was a difference in sTg between excellent and incomplete response groups (p = 0.009) while no difference was found between indeterminate and either excellent or incomplete groups. The ROC curve showed an area under the curve of 0.779 assuming a sTg value of 3.75 ng/mL. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that the higher the sTg before RIT, the greater the likelihood of an incomplete response to initial treatment. A sTg cut-off of 3.75 ng/mL was found to be a good predictor of response to initial treatment in patients with DTC.

Brown tumors are rare skeletal manifestations that occur in less than 2% of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) cases. Even rarer is the occurrence of brown tumor of the orbit, and few cases have been reported around the world. The rare instance of this benign tumor has prompted us to report the case and treatment of an orbital brown tumor in a patient with PHPT caused by parathyroid adenoma. We present the case of a patient undergoing follow-up at a referral center. The 60-year-old female patient, presented herself with progressive swelling in the nasal region, epistaxis and proptosis, she had noticed seven months prior to our examination. Multiple imaging and laboratory findings revealed parathyroid hormone (PTH)-dependent hypercalcemia (total calcium = 14.3 mg/dL and PTH = 1,573 pg/mL), a nodular lesion in the upper pole of the left thyroid lobe and increased uptake in left upper cervical region. The patient underwent left superior parathyroidectomy in September 2011, which led to the normalization of hypercalcemia and regression of the orbital tumor, as seen on control CT scan. This case highlights the spontaneous regression of the brown tumor after surgical management of the parathyroid adenoma.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar se diferentes parâmetros de análise da linfocintilografia permitem a distinção entre membros com e sem linfedema em pacientes com quadro clínico de edema unilateral. MÉTODOS: Levantamento retrospectivo dos exames de 20 pacientes submetidos a linfocintilografia para investigação de edema unilateral de membros inferiores, divididos em pacientes com linfedema primário (grupo 1, n = 7) ou secundário pós-traumático (grupo 2, n = 13). Foi realizada linfocintilografia após injeção subdérmica de soroalbumina humana marcada com tecnécio-99m nos pés, com imagens da região inguinal durante 15 min e imagens dos membros inferiores após 15 min e 1 h. Os parâmetros analisados foram: tempo de aparecimento da cadeia inguinal, índice semiquantitativo (fluxo linfático, difusão intersticial, aspecto dos vasos, tempo de aparecimento e aspecto dos linfonodos inguinais) e inclinação da curva de atividade em função do tempo da região inguinal. As medidas nos membros clinicamente acometidos foram comparadas aos membros sem linfedema em ambos os grupos. RESULTADO: O tempo médio de aparecimento da cadeia inguinal e o índice semiquantitativo foram significativamente maiores nos membros com linfedema que nos membros sem linfedema quando considerados todos os pacientes, com maior retardo e índice semiquantitativo nos membros com linfedema do grupo 1 em relação aos do grupo 2. CONCLUSÃO: A análise do tempo de aparecimento da cadeia inguinal e o índice semiquantitativo fornecem parâmetros objetivos de avaliação do linfedema que podem auxiliar na detecção e seguimento dos pacientes com linfedema.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether different parameters could be used in the analysis of lymphoscintigraphy to distinguish affected from unaffected limbs in patients with unilateral edema. METHODS: Twenty patients who underwent lymphoscintigraphy for screening of unilateral lower limb edema were retrospectively assessed and divided into patients with primary lymphedema (group 1, n = 7) or secondary post-traumatic edema (group 2, n = 13). Technetium 99m-labeled human serum albumin was subdermally administered in the feet, followed by a dynamic lymphoscintigraphy of the pelvis during 15 min and static images of the lower limbs after 15 min and 1 h. Analyzed parameters were detection time of groin activity, semi-quantitative index (lymph flow, interstitial diffusion, aspect of vessels, detection time and aspect of inguinal lymph nodes) and slope of groin time-activity curve. The parameters of clinically affected limbs were compared to those of the contralateral limbs in both groups. RESULTS: Detection time of groin activity and semi-quantitative index were significantly higher in affected limbs considering all patients, with a more severe delay and a higher semi-quantitative index in group 1 compared to group 2. CONCLUSION: Analysis of detection time of groin activity and semi-quantitative index can add objective parameters that can be used in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with lymphedema.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a influência do peso corporal (PC), massa gorda (FM) e massa magra (LM) na densidade mineral óssea (BMD) de várias regiões do esqueleto. PARTICIPANTES: Sessenta e uma mulheres brancas na pós-menopausa (50.1±4.8 anos). MENSURAÇÃO: Medida do BMD através da densitometria duo-energética. Os resultados foram analisados através de regressão linear e os slopes de cada curva foram comparados. RESULTADOS: Mostraram que as correlações PC-, FM- e LM-BMD foram positivas, enquanto que as correlações idade- e anos de climatério-BMD foram negativos. LM foi o principal fator que influenciou o BMD em quase todas as regiões ósseas. CONCLUSÃO: FM e LM apresentam efeito positivo no BMD, entretanto, LM é o principal determinante da massa óssea. Além do mais, maiores valores de LM e FM têm um efeito protetor na diminuição do BMD decorrente da menopausa. Portanto, mulheres no climatério com baixo PC, especialmente, baixo LM apresentam maior risco de desenvolver osteoporose.

AIMS:To investigate the influence of body weight (BW), fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) on the bone mineral density (BMD) of several areas of the skeleton. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty one white postmenopausal women (50.1±4.8 years). MEASUREMENTS: Measurement of BMD by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. The results were analyzed by linear regression and the slopes of each curve were compared. RESULTS: The results showed that the correlations between BW, FM and LM to BMD were positive, whilst the correlations between age and years since menopause to BMD were negative. LM was the main factor that influenced BMD in almost all areas. CONCLUSIONS: FM and LM present a positive effect on BMD, although LM is the main determinant of bone mass. Moreover, higher values of LM and FM present a protective effect against the reduction of BMD combined with menopause. Therefore postmenopausal women with low BW, especially low LM, present serious risk for developing osteoporosis.