[Current state of noninvasive vascular diagnosis in Spain]. / Estado actual del diagnóstico vascular no invasivo en España.

OBJECTIVE: Noninvasive vascular diagnosis has become routine in radiology departments in Spain. This article aims to communicate the results of a survey sent to a large number of Spanish hospitals to obtain information about the following aspects of noninvasive vascular diagnosis: who performs it and how, in what conditions it is performed, what problems there are in relation to these techniques, and what the training is like. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In October 2008, we sent a questionnaire to 93 hospitals with training programs in diagnostic imaging and to 45 hospitals without training programs. The questionnaire solicited information about the hospital and its technological and human resources, the organization of the diagnostic imaging department, the performance of different noninvasive vascular examinations, and the respondents' opinions about problems related to these techniques and about the state of training programs. RESULTS: A total of 43 (46%) of the 93 teaching hospitals and 9 (20%) of the non-teaching hospitals responded to the survey. This article uses multiple tables and figures to communicate the responses obtained in the survey. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the survey provide a view of the current state of noninvasive vascular diagnosis in teaching hospitals in Spain in concrete figures. We hope that these data will stimulate diagnostic imaging departments to protect these techniques and to actively promote training in noninvasive vascular diagnosis.

[Multislice CT angiography in the study of aneurysm of the abdominal aorta: comparison of three different volumes of contrast agent]. / Angio-tomografía computarizada multidetector en el estudio del aneurisma de aorta abdominal. Comparación de tres volúmenes de contraste diferentes.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively and quantitatively compare the use of different volumes of contrast in 16-slice CT angiography for the study of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta before and/or after treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From November 2005 to March 2006, we included 63 consecutive patients referred for CT angiography for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta or for post-treatment follow-up. Each patient was randomly assigned to one of three groups: group A was administered 100 mL of contrast agent, group B 80 mL, and group C 60 mL. In all cases, contrast was administered with 40 mL of physiological serum at a rate of 4 ml/s. A 16-detector CT scanner was used. In the last 61 patients, attenuation was measured in different locations using circular ROIs. Hounsfield units were recorded in the first slice (initial contrast), in the last slice (final contrast), at their maximum value, and also at one-second intervals. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in the Hounsfield units recorded in the first slice, in the last slice, or in the maximum values were found between the different groups. Mean values were above 200 in 58 of 61 patients. Weight and body mass index (BMI) were negatively correlated with aortoiliac attenuation. CONCLUSION: Using a 16-detector CT scanner enables the volume of contrast for studies of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta to be reduced considerably; however, 60 mL might not be sufficient for patients with high weight or BMI.