Deep Venous Thrombosis and a Very Rare Finding: Inferior Vena Cava Infra-renal Segment Agenesis.

Bilateral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) should prompt investigation for pro-thrombotic conditions and the exclusion of vascular compromise due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The authors present the case of a 47-year-old man admitted with bilateral DVT and diagnosed with inferior vena cava (IVC) infra-renal segment agenesis, and discuss the management of this rare condition. LEARNING POINTS: Bilateral deep vein thrombosis in young and otherwise healthy individuals should prompt investigation of the aetiology and risk factors in case life-long treatment and anticoagulation therapy is required.Although rare, anatomical variations and congenital malformations should be considered even in adult patients.Rare medical cases should prompt a multidisciplinary approach to investigation and treatment, as prognosis will depend on both therapeutic procedures and anticipation of complications.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Biliary Drainage in Two Patients with Difficult Biliary Access.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is the method of choice for biliary drainage, although in some cases standard biliary access is difficult or even impossible. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided endoluminal procedures are an alternative in these cases, although experience with these techniques is still limited. CLINICAL CASE: We present two cases of successful EUS-guided biliary drainage. In the first case, a hepaticogastrostomy was performed in a patient with stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma with obstructive jaundice due to compression of the hilum, where malignant gastric stenosis and previous palliative gastrojejunostomy precluded access to the second part of the duodenum. In the second case, a patient with a pancreatic head adenocarcinoma with duodenal invasion that precluded major papillae identification was submitted to a choledochoduodenostomy. Both procedures occurred without immediate or delayed adverse events, with technical and clinical success. DISCUSSION: Although experience with EUS-guided biliary drainage is still limited, its efficacy and safety is favorable when compared with percutaneous and surgical drainage, and should be considered an alternative to these techniques where sufficient expertise exists.

INTRODUÇÃO: A colangiopancreatografia retrógrada endoscópica é o procedimento de escolha para a drenagem biliar, embora em alguns casos o acesso biliar convencional é difícil ou até impossível. As técnicas de drenagem guiadas por ecoendoscopia são uma alternativa nestes casos, embora a experiência seja ainda limitada. CASO: Apresentamos dois casos de drenagem biliar eficaz guiada por ecoendoscopia. No primeiro caso foi realizada hepaticogastrostomia numa doente com adenocarcinoma gástrico estadio IV, com icterícia obstrutiva devido a compressão hilar pela neoplasia, na qual o acesso à segunda porção duodenal se revelou impossível devido à neoplasia gástrica estenosante e a antecedentes de gastrojejunostomia paliativa. No segundo caso, uma doente com adenocarcinoma cefalo-pancreático com invasão duodenal que impedia a identificação da papila foi submetida a coledocoduodenostomia. Em ambos os procedimentos foi conseguida drenagem biliar eficaz e não ocorreram eventos adversos imediatos ou tardios. Discussão: Apesar de a experiência com técnicas de drenagem biliar guiadas por ecoendoscopia ser limitada, o seu perfil de eficácia e segurança parece ser favorável quando comparada com as alternativas (drenagem percutânea ou cirúrgica), pelo que devem ser consideradas quando exista equipamento e experiência necessária.

Elderly patient with acute, left lower abdominal pain: perforated jejunal diverticulitis (2010:7b).

An elderly patient with acute, left, lower abdominal pain is described, for whom the diagnosis of perforated jejunal diverticulitis was established by computed tomography (CT). The presence of a jejunal segmental inflammatory process, with or without abscess or perforation, in the setting of jejunal diverticulosis, is very suggestive of jejunal diverticulitis.

Imaging of pancreas transplantation and its complications.

Pancreas transplantation is an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus and is being increasingly performed worldwide. Early recognition of graft-related complications is fundamental for graft survival; thus, radiologists must be aware of the transplantation technique, pancreas-graft imaging and postoperative complications. We present normal pancreas-graft imaging appearances and the imaging features of postoperative complications.

Liver teratoma.

True liver teratomas are exceptional tumors, with only 25 cases reported in the radiology literature. Most cases reported were either intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal teratomas that had invaded the liver. The authors present a 27-year-old woman with a liver complex mass found incidentally at computed tomography (CT). The different imaging studies demonstrated that the lesion was composed of macroscopic fat, with a central soft tissue component and a calcification. The patient underwent surgery and the final diagnosis was a benign liver teratoma.

Valoración mediante TC multidetector de las variantes anatómicas en las arterias coronarias / Anomalous coronary arteries: an evaluation with CT-multidetector

Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio es mostrar que el TC multidetector es un método útil para valorar las anomalías de las arterias coronarias, pues ofrece una visión tridimensional, identifica orígenes anómalos y curso anatómico en relación con los grandes vasos, y se convierte así en una herramienta eficaz con la que pueden contar el cardiólogo, el hemodinamista o el cirujano de corazón para planear un procedimiento intervencionista. Metodología: Se revisaron retrospectivamente 1180 estudios coronarios con TC multidetector realizados durante el período de noviembre 1 de 2002 a abril 30 de 2006, evaluándose el origen, forma del ostium y recorrido de las arterias coronarias. Hallazgos: Se detectaron 26 (2.2%) pacientes con anormalidades anatómicas de las arterias coronarias, 14 hombres y 12 mujeres, con una edad promedio de 60 años, 23 (88.46%) de estos pacientes fueron remitidos para valoración por dolor torácico y sospecha de evento coronario agudo. Entre las anormalidades anatómicas de las arterias coronarias se encontraron: ausencia de tronco izquierdo, (4); dos arterias coronarias derechas con ostium individual, (1); arteria circunfleja con origen en seno derecho, (2); y trayecto retrocardiaco, (1); duplicación de vasos, (6); nacimiento anterior de la arteria coronaria derecha, (1); arteria coronaria derecha con origen en el seno de Valsalva izquierdo y trayecto interarterial, (4); puente intramiocárdico, (3); salida retroaórtica de la arteria circunfleja, (1); salida de los tres vasos del seno coronario derecho, (1); ostium alto de la arteria coronaria derecha, (1); fístula arteriovenosa, (1); y rama de la arteria mamaria derecha a la primera diagonal, (1). Conclusión: El TC multidetector ofrece una clara visualización del origen y curso de las arterias coronarias anómalas con una visión anatómica en tercera dimensión que no es posible determinar con angiografía convencional y es especialmente útil para determinar la relación con los grandes vasos.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to demonstrate that TC multidetector is a good method for assessment of coronary artery anomalies, allowing a tridimensional view, identifying their anomalous origin and anatomic course in relation to great vessels, it represents a very useful tool for cardiologists, hemodynamists or cardiac surgeons in the planning of an interventional procedure. Methods: One hundred and eighty studies about coronary 16-CT multidetector published from November 1, 2002 to April 30, 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The coronary arteries origin and course and the ostium shape were evaluated. Results: Twenty six (2.2%) patients with anatomic abnormalities of the coronary arteries were found, 14 males and 12 females, the mean age was 60 years and 23 (88.46%) of these patients were referred for assessment of thoracic pain or suspicion of an acute coronary event. The anatomic abnormalities found in coronary arteries were: left trunk absence, (4); two right coronary arteries with an individual ostium each, (1); a circumflex artery originating from the right sinus, (2) and retrocardiac trajectory, (1); duplication of vessels, (6); anterior origin of the right coronary artery, (1); a right coronary artery originating from the left sinus of Valsalva and interarterial trajectory, (4); intramyocardial bridge, (3); retroaortic exit from the circumflex artery, (1); exit of the three vessels from the right coronary sinus, (1); a high right coronary artery ostium, (1); an arteriovenous fistula, (1); and a mammary artery branch from the first diagonal artery, (1). Conclusions: The 16-CT multidetector offers a clear visualization of the origin and course of the anomalous coronary arteries with a tridimensional anatomic view not achieved by conventional angiography, especially for assessing their relationship with the great vessels.

Massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding from idiopathic ileocolonic varix: report of a case.

Idiopathic varices of the entire colon are very rare. We report on a 64-year-old patient with massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage from an extensive ileocolonic varix. Diagnosis was established by colonoscopy. The patient underwent an emergency ileocolectomy with satisfactory results. This rare case shows the importance of colonoscopy in the evaluation of patients with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage and reminds us that sometimes the diagnosis is not what we expect. Recognition of this abnormality is important because varices may be the cause of massive lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.