Evaluation of Coronary Artery Diffuse Calcification Stenosis by Corrected Coronary Opacification Difference.

OBJECTIVES: The artifacts produced by calcification on coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) have a great influence on the diagnosis of coronary stenosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the value of corrected coronary opacification (CCO) difference in the diagnosis of stenosis in diffusely calcified coronary arteries (DCCAs). METHODS: A total of 84 patients were enrolled. The CCO difference across the diffuse calcification was measured through CCTA. Coronary arteries were grouped according to the extent of stenosis obtained by invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the CCO differences between different groups and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the CCO difference. RESULTS: Among the 84 patients, 58 patients had one DCCA, 14 patients had 2 DCCAs, and 12 patients had 3 DCCAs. A total of 122 coronary arteries were examined, 16 showed no significant stenosis, 42 had <70% stenosis, and 64 had 70-99% stenosis. The median CCO differences among the 3 groups were 0.064, 0.117, and 0.176, respectively. There were significant differences between the group without stenosis and the group with 70-99% stenosis (H = -3.581, P = 0.001), and between the group with <70% stenosis and the group with 70-99% stenosis (H = -2.430, P = 0.045). The area under the ROC curve was 0.681 and the optimal cut-off point was 0.292. Taking the ICA results as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of ≥70% coronary stenosis with a cut-off point of 0.292 were 84.4% and 44.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CCO difference could be useful in the diagnosis of ≥70% severe coronary stenosis in DCCA. Through this non-invasive examination, the CCO difference could be a reference for clinical treatment.

Dynamic Volume Computed Tomography for Characterizing Pulsatile Tinnitus Caused by Sigmoid Sinus Diverticulum with Bone Defects: Clinical Implications.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the diagnosis of dynamic volume computed tomography (CT) for pulsatile tinnitus caused by sigmoid sinus diverticulum (SSD) and bone defects. METHODS: Data obtained by dynamic volume CT from 35 patients with SSD were retrospectively collected. Then the ear morphological parameters, including bone defect, transverse sinus stenosis, position of the jugular bulb, jugular bulb diverticulum, defect of the jugular bulb wall, gross venous sinus thrombosis and SSD, and blood perfusion parameters, including cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT), were evaluated and compared between the tinnitus side and the asymptomatic side of the ear. RESULTS: The maximum diameters of the bone defects on the tinnitus side were greater than those on the asymptomatic side (Horizontal 6.36±2.35mm vs. 1.12±0.78mm; Longitudinal 4.87±1.25 vs. 0.88±0.06mm). Dynamic volume CT visually displayed the SSD herniated into the adjacent mastoid via the bone defect. Transverse sinus stenosis, high position of the jugular bulb, jugular bulb diverticulum, defect of the jugular bulb wall, and gross venous sinus thrombosis were present more frequently on the tinnitus side than on the asymptomatic side (P < 0.05). Moreover, CBF, CBV, and MTT were significantly greater on the tinnitus side than on the asymptomatic side (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dynamic volume CT examination is an effective method for the diagnosis of pulsatile tinnitus caused by SSD with bone defects.

Linear scleroderma in a child with central nervous system involvement: clinical and radiological features.

Linear scleroderma is the most common type of localized scleroderma in children. Lesions rarely involve areas other than the skin, and nervous system involvement is even rare. We reported a case of a 6-year-old girl who was admitted to the hospital with recurrent seizures for 4 weeks. Before that, she had left frontal plaques for more than 1 year. Radiological imaging of the brain showed multiple abnormal lesions and skin biopsy of the plaques indicated scleroderma. After drug therapy, the girl had no recurrence of epilepsy, and no obvious abnormalities were found in the reexamination of neuroimaging. We performed further radiological examination on this patient and reviewed the literatures for this rare case.

The predictive value of coronary artery calcification score combined with bone mineral density for the 2-year risk of cardiovascular events in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

PURPOSE: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive value of coronary artery calcification score (CACs) combined with bone mineral density (BMD) for the risk of cardiovascular diseases in MHD patients. METHODS: From January 2017 to January 2019, we enrolled 112 MHD patients and 112 controls in Ningbo First Hospital, and retrospectively counted the cardiovascular events in the next 2 years after enrollment. According to the occurrence of cardiovascular events, the MHD patients were divided into CVD group and non-CVD group. The differences of vertebral BMD and CACs between the two groups were compared. ROC curve, Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analyses were used for assess the predictive value of 2-year cardiovascular events in MHD patients. RESULTS: Among 112 MHD patients, 49 (43.75%) patients had cardiovascular events. The results showed that the average value of BMD in MHD patients was significantly lower than that in the control group (99.88 ± 30.99 VS. 108.35 ± 23.98, P = 0.0231). The CACs in MHD patients were significantly higher than that in the control group (317.81 ± 211.53 VS. 190.03 ± 100.50, P < 0.001). The results between CVD group and the non-CVD group were to the same direction (BMD: 81.12 ± 31.28 VS. 114.48 ± 21.61, P < 0.001; CACs: 447.16 ± 234.11 VS. 217.21 ± 119.03, P < 0.001). Besides, CACs combined with BMD yield an AUC of 0.875 with a sensitivity of 79.60%, a specificity of 82.50%. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analyses indicated that CACs and BMD were independently associated with high risk of cardiovascular events in MHD patients. CONCLUSION: The combination of CACs and vertebral BMD could predict the occurrence of cardiovascular events in MHD patients to some extent.

Massive congenital immature teratoma of the lateral ventricle in a 33-day infant comorbidity with atrial septal defect.

Congenital teratomas are extremely rare and mainly midline tumors arising in the pineal regions in childhood brain tumors which are rarer cases occur in the lateral ventricle. Atrial septal defect (ASD) is detected in approximately 0.15% of newborns. We report an intracranial massive immature teratoma of the lateral ventricle in a 33-day-old infant on account of its rare location, comorbidity, and rapidly increasing size after surgery. Based on our information, this was the first case of congenital immature teratoma of the lateral ventricle comorbidity with ASD.