Comparison of Vertebral Artery Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Angiography and Digital Subtraction Angiography in the Diagnosis of Vertebral Artery Stenosis in Patients with Posterior Circulation Ischemia

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical value of vertebral artery ultrasound (VAU), Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) and Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) on vertebral artery stenosis in patients with posterior circulation ischemia. Seventy-three patients with posterior circulation ischemia underwent vertebral artery ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography as well as digital subtraction angiography, and the diagnosis of vertebral artery stenosis (VAS) and the degree of stenosis (normal, mild stenosis, moderate stenosis, severe stenosis, and occlusion) were recorded and compared between digital subtraction angiogram and vertebral artery ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography. The vertebral artery stenosis rates on digital subtraction angiography and vertebral artery ultrasound were 87.30 % (55/63) and 49.20 % (31/63), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant. The rates of vertebral artery stenosis on digital subtraction angiography and, magnetic resonance angiography was 90.38 % (47/52) and 88.46 % (46/ 52), respectively, and the differences was not statistically significant. The sensitivity, accuracy, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of vertebral artery ultrasound in diagnosing vertebral artery stenosis were 51.35 %, 54.76 %, 18.18 %, and 95.00 %, respectively, lower than those of magnetic resonance angiography, which were 91.89 %, 90.48 %, 57.14 %, and 97.14 %, respectively. Of the noninvasive imaging techniques, vertebral artery ultrasound does not accurately characterize vertebral artery stenosis and its degree of stenosis. Magnetic resonance angiography effectively screens for vertebral artery stenosis and its degree of stenosis, and can be used as a reliable tool for vertebral artery stenosis in posterior circulation cerebral infarction, and can be used in conjunction with digital subtraction angiogram in order to improve diagnostic convenience and accuracy.

El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar el valor clínico de la ecografía de la arteria vertebral (VAU), la angiografía por resonancia magnética (ARM) y la angiografía por sustracción digital (DSA) en la estenosis de la arteria vertebral en pacientes con isquemia de la circulación posterior. A 73 pacientes con isquemia de la circulación posterior se les realizó una ecografía de la arteria vertebral y una angiografía por resonancia magnética, así como una angiografía por sustracción digital, y se les diagnosticó estenosis de la arteria vertebral (EVA) y el grado de estenosis (normal, estenosis leve, estenosis moderada, estenosis grave, y oclusión) se registraron y compararon la angiografía por sustracción digital y la ecografía de la arteria vertebral y la angiografía por resonancia magnética. Las tasas de estenosis de la arteria vertebral en la angiografía por sustracción digital y la ecografía de la arteria vertebral fueron del 87,30 % (55/63) y del 49,20 % (31/63), respectivamente, y la diferencia fue estadísticamente significativa. Las tasas de estenosis de la arteria vertebral en la angiografía por sustracción digital y la angiografía por resonancia magnética fueron del 90,38 % (47/52) y del 88,46 % (46/52), respectivamente, y las diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas. La sensibilidad, precisión, valor predictivo negativo y valor predictivo positivo de la ecografía de la arteria vertebral en el diagnóstico de estenosis de la arteria vertebral fueron 51,35 %, 54,76 %, 18,18 % y 95,00 %, respectivamente, inferiores a los de la angiografía por resonancia magnética, que fueron 91,89 %, 90,48 %, 57,14 % y 97,14 %, respectivamente. De las técnicas de imagen no invasivas, la ecografía de la arteria vertebral no caracteriza con precisión la estenosis de la arteria vertebral y su grado de estenosis. La angiografía por resonancia magnética detecta eficazmente la estenosis de la arteria vertebral y su grado de estenosis, y puede usarse como una herramienta confiable para la estenosis de la arteria vertebral en el infarto cerebral de circulación posterior, y puede ser utilizada junto con la angiografía por sustracción digital para mejorar el diagnóstico y la exactitud.

Trombose de veia porta não associada à cirrose - desafio terapêutico / Non-cirrhotic portal vein thrombosis - therapeutic challenge

Resumo A trombose de veia porta (TVP) é uma doença na qual ocorre trombose desde os ramos intra-hepáticos da veia porta, podendo se estender até a veia esplênica e/ou veia mesentérica superior, estando associada, na maioria das vezes, à cirrose hepática. A TVP não associada a cirrose é rara. O objetivo deste artigo foi relatar dois casos de TVP não associados à cirrose, que foram tratados com anticoagulação e tiveram evolução clínica satisfatória.

Abstract Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a disease in which thrombosis occurs from the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein, and may extend to the splenic vein and/or superior mesenteric vein. It is most often associated with liver cirrhosis. PVT not associated with cirrhosis is rare. The aim of this article is to report two cases of PVT in which it was not associated with cirrhosis. Both were treated with anticoagulation and clinical progress afterwards was good.

Comparing cardiac CT angiography and MR angiography in evaluating left ventricular function and volumes / Comparación de la angiografía por TC y la angiografía por RM para evaluar la función y los volúmenes del ventrículo izquierdo

Abstract Background: cardiovascular diseases are among the principal causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Prevention, early diagnosis and treatment can play an important role in reducing complication of cardiovascular diseases. Objectives: Considering increasing popularity of cardiac computed tomography CT angiography (CTA) in one side and also magnetic esonance angiography (MRA) as gold standard modality on the other side, we decided to perform this meta-analysis study to compare cardiac CTA and MRA in evaluating left ventricular volumes. Method: this study is a systematic review in which we included all studies with inclusion criteria and without exclusion criteria up to 30 December, 2019. Studies were selected after searching on different databases and articles in bibliography of included studies. Obtained studies were screened for quality. Required data were extracted and were then analyzed via STATA 11 statistical package. Results: among 90 articles obtained in primary search, finally 19 studies entered data extraction and synthesis. Based on our meta-analysis, standardized mean difference was -0.09 (95% CI -0.2, 0.02) for end systolic volume (ESV), -0.10 (95% CI -0.22, 0.01) for end diastolic volume (EDV), 0.10 (95% CI -0.01, 0.22) for ejection fraction (EF) and -0.09 (95% CI -0.23, 0.04) for stroke volume (SV). Conclusion: Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis showed that there is no statistically significant difference between CTA and MRA in evaluating ESV, EDV, EF and SV. Based on our findings, it can be interpreted that CTA has similar accuracy with MRA in evaluating ventricular volumes.

Resumen Introducción: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares están entre las principales causas de morbimortalidad global. La prevención, el diagnóstico precoz y el tratamiento pueden desempeñar un papel importante en la reducción de las complicaciones de las enfermedades cardiovasculares. Objetivo: Teniendo en cuenta la creciente popularidad de la angiografía por tomografía computarizada (ATC) cardiaca, por un lado, y también la angiografía por resonancia magnética (ARM) como el método de referencia, por el otro, decidimos llevar a cabo un metaanálisis para comparar la ATC y la ARM cardiaca en la evaluación de los volúmenes del ventrículo izquierdo. Método: Revisión sistemática en la cual incluimos todos los estudios con criterios de inclusión y sin criterios de exclusión hasta el 30 de diciembre de 2019. Los estudios se seleccionaron de diferentes bases de datos y artículos de las bibliografías de los estudios incluidos. Los estudios obtenidos se examinaron para evaluar su calidad. Los datos requeridos fueron extraídos y luego analizados utilizando el paquete estadístico STATA 11. Resultados: De los 90 artículos obtenidos en la búsqueda primaria, finalmente 19 estudios entraron a extracción de datos y síntesis. Según nuestro metaanálisis, la diferencia de medias estandarizada fue de −0.09 (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%] −0.2 a 0.02) para el volumen sistólico final (VSF), −0.10 (IC95%: −0.22 a 0.01) para el volumen diastólico final (VDF), 0.10 (IC95%: −0.01 a 0.22) para la fracción de eyección (FE) y − 0.09 (IC95%: −0.23 a 0.04) para el volumen sistólico (VS). Conclusiones: Los resultados de esta revisión sistemática y metaanálisis mostraron que no existe una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre la ATC y la ARM en la evaluación del VSF, el VDF, la FE y el VS. Basado en nuestros hallazgos, se puede interpretar que la ATC tiene una precisión parecida a la ARM en la evaluación de los volúmenes ventriculares.

Anomalía coronaria sospechada por el signo "RAC" en resonancia magnética cardíaca / Anomalous coronary artery suspected by cardiac magnetic resonance "RAC" sign

Abstract A 63 year-old-male was admitted with a non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Due to poor acoustic windows ventricular function could not be evaluated by echocardiography. Magnetic resonance (CMR) revealed normal biventricular size and function without fibro- sis and portraying a rare finding consisting of a tubular structure originated in the aortic root following a retro aortic course between the aorta and left atrium, traversing through the atrioventricular groove. These characteristics raised the suspicion of an anomalous coronary artery origin. Coronary angiography confirmed the presence of two coronary arteries, the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left circumflex artery (LCx) originating from the right coronary sinus via two separate ostia. The LCx followed a retro aortic course proximally be- fore irrigating the left ventricular lateral wall. From the left coronary sinus, the left anterior descending artery followed its normal course with a thin diagonal vessel that presented an acute plaque. Due to these low-risk findings, medical management was chosen.

Clinical Value of 1.5-T Non-contrast Whole-heart Magnetic Resonance Coronary Angiography in Evaluating the Severity of Coronary Stenosis / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 1.5-T non-contrast free-breathing whole-heart magnetic resonance coronary angiography(MRCA)for≥50% and≥70% coronary artery stenosis in coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods Forty-one patients clinically scheduled for invasive coronary angiography(ICA)underwent 1.5-T non-contrast free-breathing whole-heart MRCA.The diagnostic performance for≥50% and≥70% stenosis was evaluated and compared using ICA as a reference standard.Results MRCA was completed in all the 41 patients with the total acquisition time of(10.1 ± 2.2)min.The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of MRCA for≥50% and≥70% stenosis were 100%(95%

Characteristics of high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging of cervicocerebral artery dissection and the influential factors of vascular recanalization / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Cervicocerebral artery dissection (CAD) is one of the important causes for ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged people. CAD is dangerous and untimely diagnosis and treatment are likely to result in severe disability. Early diagnosis and timely intervention can greatly improve the prognosis of patients. This study was to investigate the imaging features of CAD on high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HRMR-VWI) and to analyze the influential factors of vascular recanalization.@*METHODS@#A total of 19 CAD patients with both baseline HRMR-VWI and follow-up data of vascular imaging in the period from April 2017 to December 2019 in Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were retrospectively analyzed. The diseased vessels were divided into a recovery group and a unrecovered group. After treatment, diseased vessels with no residual arterial dissection and no residual stenosis in the lumen were included in the recovery group. Diseased vessels with stenosis, occlusion or residual dissection were included in the unrecovered group. Diseased vessels were divided into a ischemic stroke group and a non-ischemic stroke group according to the presence or absence of ischemic stroke in the area supplied by the diseased vessels. Differences in clinical data and HRMR-VWI imaging findings were compared between the groups.@*RESULTS@#A total of 26 vessels were involved, including 14 (53.8%) internal carotid artery extracranial segment, 8 (30.8%) vertebral artery extracranial segment, 3 (11.5%) vertebral artery intracranial segment, and 1 (3.9%) basilar artery. Ischemic stroke occurred in 16 diseased vascular supply areas. Intramural hematoma was all observed in the baseline HMR-VWI of the affected vessels. There were 18 vessels (69.2%) in the recovery group and 8 vessels (30.8%) in the unrecovered group. Compared with the vessels in the recovery group, the vessels in the unrecovered group were mostly found in the intracranial segment (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Intramural hematoma is a common imaging manifestation of CAD and can be shown clearly and accurately on HRMR-VWI. Recanalization rate of CAD is high, and the recanalization of CAD in intracranial segment is slower than that of CAD in extracranial segment, which can prolong the review time.

Susceptibility vessel sign in subacute stroke patients with large vessel occlusion / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the presentation of susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) in subacute stroke patients with large vessel occlusion.@*METHODS@#We collected consecutive stroke patients who were admitted to Peking University First Hospital from December 2017 to August 2019 retrospectively. Those who had intracranial large vessel occlusion and received sensitivity weighted imaging (SWI) within 3 to 14 days after stroke onset were included in our analysis. The diagnosis of large vessel occlusion was based on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The demographic information, clinical characteristics and imaging results were obtained from medical record. The occurrence rates of SVS sign were compared between stroke patients with cardioembolism (CE) and large artery atherosclerosis (LAA). In the sensitivity analysis, we performed a subgroup analysis in those patients who received SWI within 7 to 14 days after stroke onset. We also compared the occurrence rate of SVS sign between the patients with and without atrial fibrillation.@*RESULTS@#A total of 51 patients, 19 females and 32 males, with an average age of (63.04±11.23) years were analyzed in this study. Compared with LAA group, the patients in CE group were older and more likely to have an atrial fibrillation (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the CE group and LAA group in gender, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, smoking, or National Institute of Health stroke scale(NIHSS) score at admission. SVS sign was found in 30 patients. Of whom, 3 were in CE group and 27 in LAA group. The occurrence rate of SVS sign was higher in the LAA group than in the CE group significantly (65.9% vs. 30.0%, P=0.039). The subgroup analysis showed that, in the patients who received SWI examination within 7 to 14 days after stroke onset, the differences between the two groups were still statistically significant (0 vs. 72.7%, P=0.006). Another sensitivity analysis showed that, the rate of SVS in the patients with atrial fibrillation was significantly lower than those patients without atrial fibrillation (25% vs. 65.1%, P=0.043).@*CONCLUSION@#In subacute stroke patients, the occurrence rate of SVS sign in CE group was lower than that of LAA group. The significance of SVS sign in the differentiation of stroke subtype needs further validation.

Endovascular management of dissecting posterior cerebral artery aneurysm associated with persistent hypoglossal artery: A case report / Tratamento endovascular do aneurisma dissecante da artéria cerebral posterior associado à artéria hipoglossa persistente: relato de caso

Abstract Persistent embryological connections between the anterior and posterior circulations are rare entities. Persistent hypoglossal artery is the second most common persistent carotid-basilar anastomosis. As it is often associated with hypoplasia of vertebral arteries, it poses a challenge during endovascular interventions. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman who presented with occipital headache of four weeks' duration. Magnetic Resonance Angiography showed hypoplastic vertebral arteries with a persistent hypoglossal artery arising from the cervical segment of the left internal carotid artery and supplying the entire posterior circulation, associated with a dissecting aneurysm of the right posterior cerebral artery. Endovascular parent vessel occlusion was performed for the dissecting posterior cerebral artery aneurysm by navigating the guide catheter, microwire, and microcatheter through the persistent hypoglossal artery because the vertebral arteries were hypoplastic. Post-intervention, the patient did not develop any neurological deficit and was discharged in a stable condition.

Resumo Conexões embriológicas persistentes entre as circulações anterior e posterior são entidades raras. A artéria hipoglossa persistente é a segunda anastomose carotídeo-basilar persistente mais comum. Como está frequentemente associada à hipoplasia das artérias vertebrais, apresenta um desafio durante as intervenções endovasculares. Apresentamos o caso de uma mulher de 32 anos que apresentou cefaleia occipital com duração de quatro semanas. A angiografia por ressonância magnética mostrou artérias vertebrais hipoplásicas com artéria hipoglossa persistente surgindo do segmento cervical da artéria carótida interna esquerda e suprindo toda a circulação posterior com um aneurisma dissecante da artéria cerebral posterior direita. A oclusão endovascular do vaso parental foi realizada para o aneurisma da dissecção da artéria cerebral posterior pela passagem de cateter guia, microfio e microcateter pela artéria hipoglossa persistente, pois as artérias vertebrais eram hipoplásicas. Após a intervenção, a paciente não apresentou déficit neurológico e recebeu alta em uma condição estável.

Hematoma subperiosteal orbitário secundário a barotrauma em aviação civil / Orbital subperiosteal hematoma secondary to barotrauma in civil aviation

RESUMO Os diagnósticos diferenciais que compõem as proptoses agudas são, muitas vezes, desafiadores. A anamnese e o exame clínico exigem do oftalmologista atenção especial aos detalhes que permitem diferenciar quadros relativamente benignos e autolimitados de quadros que evoluirão com incapacidades permanentes. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente de 49 anos que, durante viagem de avião, apresentou dor ocular, hematoma periorbitário e proptose do olho esquerdo súbitos. Referia diplopia aguda incapacitante. Exames de tomografia e angiorressonância magnética confirmaram diagnóstico de sinusopatia do seio etmoidal esquerdo e hematoma subperiosteal da órbita esquerda, associado ao barotrauma. Apesar de raro, o diagnóstico de hematoma subperiosteal não traumático deve ser considerado diferencial em relação a proptoses agudas, sendo a anamnese fundamental para essa elucidação diagnóstica.

ABSTRACT Differential diagnoses of acute proptosis are often challenging. History and clinical examination require from ophthalmologists special attention to details, which make it possible to differentiate relatively benign and self-limited conditions from those that will progress to permanent disabilities. We report a 49-year-old female patient who had sudden eye pain, periorbital hematoma and proptosis of the left eye during a commercial flight. She also complained of disabling acute diplopia. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography imaging confirmed the diagnosis of subperiosteal hematoma of the left orbit, associated with left ethmoid sinus disease. Although rare, non-traumatic subperiosteal hematoma should be considered in differential diagnoses of acute proptosis, and history taking is fundamental to elucidate the picture.

Current uses of intracranial vessel wall imaging for clinical practice: a high-resolution MR technique recently available / Usos atuais do estudo de parede vascular intracraniana na prática clínica: uma técnica de RM de alta resolução recentemente disponível

ABSTRACT Intracranial vessel wall imaging plays an increasing role in diagnosing intracranial vascular diseases. With the growing demand and subsequent increased use of this technique in clinical practice, radiologists and neurologists should be aware of the choices in imaging parameters and how they affect image quality, clinical indications, methods of assessment, and limitations in the interpretation of these images. Due to the improvement of the MRI techniques, the possibility of accurate and direct evaluation of the abnormalities in the arterial vascular wall (vessel wall imaging) has evolved, adding substantial data to diagnosis when compared to the indirect evaluation based on conventional flow analyses. Herein, the authors proposed a comprehensive approach of this technique reinforcing appropriated clinical settings to better use intracranial vessel wall imaging.

RESUMO O estudo angiográfico intracraniano não invasivo está sendo amplamente utilizado no diagnóstico de doenças vasculares intracranianas. Com a crescente demanda e o aumento subsequente do uso dessa técnica na prática clínica, radiologistas e neurologistas devem estar cientes das opções nos parâmetros de imagem e como estes afetam a qualidade da imagem, as indicações clínicas, os métodos de avaliação e as limitações na interpretação dessas imagens. Devido ao aprimoramento das técnicas de imagem por RM, a possibilidade de avaliação precisa e direta das anormalidades na parede vascular arterial (vessel wall imaging) evoluiu, agregando dados substanciais ao diagnóstico quando comparados à avaliação indireta baseada em análises de fluxo convencionais. Neste artigo, os autores discorrem sobre a avaliação e interpretação dos achados de imagem desta nova técnica e suas aplicações clínicas.

Hamartoma fibroso de la infancia: reporte de caso / Fibrous hamartoma of infancy: a case report

Resumen: El hamartoma fibroso de la infancia (FHI) es una lesión rara de tejidos blandos en niños con morfología trifásica característica. El principal problema con estas lesiones es el diagnóstico diferencial con otras masas de tejidos blandos, en particular sarcomas, que requieren un afrontamiento clínico y terapéutico diferente. Presentamos un caso de un infante de 10 meses con un crecimiento asintomático de una masa axilar que, tras realizarse angioresonancia magnética y biopsia se confirmó el diagnóstico de FHI.

Abstract: Fibrous hamartomas of childhood (FHC) are rare soft tissue lesions in infants and young children with characteristic three-phase morphology.The main problem with these lesions is differentiating it from other soft tissue masses, in particular sarcomas, which require a different clinical and therapeutic approach. We present a case of a 10-month-old infant with asymptomatic growth of a left axillary mass that, after magnetic resonance angiography and biopsy, the diagnosis of FHC was confirmed.

Síndrome de Klipper-Trenaunay-Weber con compromiso vesical y uterino tratado por vía endoscópica y endovascular / Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome with vesical and uterine involvement treated by endoscopic and endovascular routes

El síndrome de Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber (SKTW) es una rara malformación venosa que, en general afecta a los miembros inferiores y, más raramente, a los superiores. Se caracteriza por formaciones angiomatosas cutáneas, várices e hipertrofia del miembro afectado. El compromiso genitourinario es sumamente infrecuente. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 14 años. Ingresó por hematuria macroscópica de 48 h de evolución y metrorragia con grave compromiso hemodinámico. Se encontraba en estudio por presentar un hemangioma en el miembro inferior izquierdo que se extendía hasta la región pelviana. La uretrocistofibroscopía demostró la presencia de múltiples lesiones angiomatosas diseminadas en forma amplia en la vejiga, algunas de ellas con sangrado activo. La angioresonancia mostró una voluminosa formación hipervascularizada en contacto con la pared vesical a la cual desplazaba y fístulas arteriovenosas a nivel pelviano y en el miembro inferior izquierdo confirmando el diagnóstico etiológico. Se realizó una embolización arterial selectiva de los territorios ilíacos interno y externo e inmediatamente después una endocoagulación láser de los focos angiomatosos sangrantes. La hematuria remitió completamente en las 24 h posteriores al procedimiento. La metrorragia asociada al SKTW fue controlada mediante la utilización de análogos LHRH y progestágenos.

Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTWS) is a rare venous malformation that generally affects the lower limbs and, more infrequently, the upper limbs. It is characterized by cutaneous angiomatous formations, varicose veins and hypertrophy of the affected limb. The involvement of the genitourinary tract is extremely infrequent. We expose the case of a 14 years old female patient who was admitted for macroscopic hematuria of 48 hours of evolution and metrorrhagia with severe hemodynamic decompensation. The patient was under study for presenting a hemangioma in the lower left limb that extended to the pelvic region. Urethrocystofibroscopy showed the presence of multiple wide-spread angiomatous lesions in the bladder, some of them with active bleeding. The angio-resonance showed a voluminous hypervascular formation in contact with the bladder wall showing several arteriovenous fistulas at the pelvic level and in the left lower limb confirming the etiological diagnosis. A selective arterial embolization of the internal and external iliac territories was performed and then, a laser endocoagulation of the bleeding angiomatous foci was carried out. The hematuria completely stopped within 24 hours later of the procedure. The metrorrhagia associated with KTWS was controlled by the use of LHRH analogs and progestogens.

Feasibility of Non-contrast-enhanced Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography at 3.0T / 中国医学科学院学报

To evaluate the feasibility of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (NCE-MRA) on a 3.0T scanner. Totally 36 volunteers and 24 patients with clinically suspected coronary artery disease underwent NCE-MRA. The quality of the NCE-MRA images was graded for each segment on a four-point scale. The subjects were divided into two groups according to image quality. The age,body mass index (BMI),heart rate,end-expiratory diaphragm displacement,and respiratory diaphragm motion amplitude were evaluated and compared. The average image quality score of every segment was above 2 points. The proximal and middle segments of left anterior descending artery had significantly higher quality scores than the distal segments (=0.000) and the proximal segment of left circumflex coronary artery had significantly higher quality scores than the distal segments (=0.000),the proximal segment of right coronary artery also had a significant higher quality score than its distal segment (=0.001). The image quality was good in 38 subjects (64.4%). The heart rate [(66.35±9.39) beat/min (75.32±11.67) beat/min] (=0.002) and the body mass index [(24.72±3.33) kg/m (27.82±3.61) kg/m ] (=0.002) were significantly different between the good image quality group and the poor image quality group. The end-expiratory diaphragm displacement in good image quality group was (4.43±2.07)mm,which was significantly lower than that in poor image quality group [(9.26±7.62)mm](=0.013). The respiratory diaphragm motion amplitude [(21.35±6.02) mm] in good image quality group was significantly lower than that in poor image quality group [(30.68±14.20)mm](=0.012). NCE-MRA on 3.0T is a feasible tool for visualization of the proximal and middle segments of coronary arteries,and the image quality can be optimized by controlling heart rate and respiration in the future.

Progress in the role of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging technology in the risk assessment of intracranial aneurysm rupture / 中南大学学报(医学版)

The traditional classification, diagnosis, and treatment of intracranial aneurysms are based on the characteristics of their vascular lumen. However, in the past few years, some advances in MRI technology with high-resolution imaging can assess the pathology of intracranial vascular walls. Compared with traditional methods of computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiograhpy, and digital subtraction angiography, high resolution magnetic resonance imaging technology can help us to newly understand the disease by directly evaluating the characteristics of vascular wall, such as aneurysm wall thickness, inflammation, enhancement, permeability and hemodynamics. At present, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used in clinic to assess the rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms, which is of great significance for guiding the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Alpha Stent for Coiling of Unruptured, Wide-Necked, Distal Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms: Safety and Effectiveness at 6 Months