Mesenteric panniculitis: prevalence, clinicoradiological presentation and 5-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence, clinicoradiological characteristics and outcome of patients with mesenteric panniculitis (MP) in a large hospital-based population. METHODS: Consecutive abdominal CT examinations of 3820 patients were evaluated for MP. Clinical characteristics, therapy and outcome of patients with MP were evaluated during a 5-year follow-up period. A matched pair analysis was performed to further investigate the relation between MP and malignancy. RESULTS: 94 (2.5%) patients with MP were identified (mean age, 66.6 ± 11.2 years, 70.2% male). MP coexisted with malignancy (especially prostatic carcinoma) in 48.9% of patients, and this was slightly but significantly higher than in age- and sex-matched control patients (n = 188, 46.3%). In 48 patients, MP was presumed to be idiopathic. The most frequent presenting symptom was pain (54.3%). Laboratory findings revealed increased acute-phase reactants in half of the patients with MP. CT findings included increased density of mesenterial fat (mean, -56.8 ± 10.8 HU), fat ring sign, tumoural pseudocapsule and small soft-tissue nodules. Patients with MP (14.6%) developed significantly more malignancies during a 5-year follow-up than did the control group (6.9%). One patient was treated with prednisone without satisfactory response. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MP in this study was 2.5%. In most patients, radiologic features included increased mesenteric fat density, fat ring sign and small soft-tissue nodules. MP was associated with a significant higher prevalence of coexisting malignancies and a higher prevalence of future cancer development. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: A more accurate prevalence of MP on CT is demonstrated. An underlying malignancy may play a role.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is not a risk factor for new osteoporotic compression fractures: results from VERTOS II.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: PV is increasingly used as treatment for osteoporotic VCFs. However, controversy exists as to whether PV increases the risk for new VCFs during follow-up. The purpose of our research was to assess the incidence of new VCFs in patients with acute VCFs randomized to PV and conservative therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VERTOS II is a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing PV with conservative therapy in 202 patients. Incidence, distribution, and timing of new VCFs during follow-up were assessed from spine radiographs. In addition, further height loss during follow-up of treated VCFs was measured. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 11.4 months (median, 12.0; range, 1-24 months), 18 new VCFs occurred in 15 of 91 patients after PV and 30 new VCFs in 21 of 85 patients after conservative therapy. This difference was not significant (P = .44). There was no higher fracture risk for adjacent-versus-distant vertebrae. Mean time to new VCF was 16.2 months after PV and 17.8 months after conservative treatment (logrank, P = .45). The baseline number of VCFs was the only risk factor for occurrence (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.05-1.95) and number (P = .01) of new VCFs. After conservative therapy, further height loss of treated vertebrae occurred more frequently (35 of 85 versus 11 of 91 patients, P < .001) and was more severe (P < .001) than after PV. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of new VCFs was not different after PV compared with conservative therapy after a mean of 11.4 months' follow-up. The only risk factor for new VCFs was the number of VCFs at baseline. PV contributed to preservation of stature by decreasing both the incidence and severity of further height loss in treated vertebrae.

Complications and failure of uterine artery embolisation for intractable postpartum haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality around the world. Most patients can be managed conservatively, but patients with intractable bleeding require more aggressive treatment. In these cases uterine artery embolisation (UAE) has proven to be a useful tool to control PPH. The reported success rate of UAE is over 90% with only minor complications. In this case series we studied the effectiveness and complications of UAE. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a case series. SETTING: Case series in a large peripheral hospital in the Netherlands. SAMPLE: Eleven patients who were treated with UAE for intractable PPH from November 2004 to February 2008. METHODS: In this paper we review the results of all patients treated with UAE for intractable PPH in our hospital and focus on the two cases with adverse outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effectiveness, causes of failure of UAE, complications. RESULTS: Nine out of eleven patients were treated successfully with UAE. One patient needed an emergency hysterectomy for intractable bleeding. In the aftermath she developed a vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). Another patient suffered a major thrombo-embolic event of the right leg, for which she underwent embolectomies and despite fasciotomy a necrotectomy. CONCLUSIONS: UAE is a valuable tool in managing major PPH and in most cases it can replace surgery and thus prevent sacrification of the uterus. However, due to blood supply of the uterus by one of the ovarian or aberrant arteries, UAE might fail to control the bleeding. In addition, serious complications such as a thrombo-embolic event or VVF may occur. We hereby present a case of migration of an embolus from the site of re-embolisation into the femoral artery requiring immediate intervention to prevent the loss of the lower leg. This complication demonstrates that gelatine sponge particles could migrate from the internal iliac artery into the external iliac artery.

Efficacy of patient selection strategies for carotid endarterectomy by contrast-enhanced MRA on a 1 T machine and duplex ultrasound in a regional hospital.

AIM: To investigate whether contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) and duplex ultrasound (DUS) could replace digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for diagnosing internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis in regional centres with less specialized technicians and equipment, such as a 1 Tesla MRI machine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six consecutive, symptomatic patients with ICA stenosis, as evidenced using DSA, were included. In the first 34 patients DUS was validated and cut-off criteria were established. Data were analysed by receiver operating characteristic curve and logistic regression. Two observers analysed the DUS and CE-MRA results of 32 patients. Stenoses were categorized in accordance with North American Symptomatic Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) measurement criteria. RESULTS: Peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the ICA was defined as a better parameter for defining stenosis than end diastolic velocity and the PSV ICA:common carotid artery ratio. The optimal PSV threshold was 230cm/s. Four ICAs were not interpretable on DUS, and one on CE-MRA. Two patients did not undergo CE-MRA. The sensitivities and specificities were calculated: for DUS these were 100% and 68% respectively; for observer 1 on CE-MRA these were 93% and 89%, respectively; for observer 2 these were 92% and 87%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for combined DUS/CE-MRA were 100% and 85%, respectively. Seventy-eight percent of CE-MRA and DUS correlated. The weighted Kappa for CE-MRA and DSA were 0.8 and 0.9, respectively. CONCLUSION: DUS and CE-MRA are effective non-invasive methods for selecting patients with ICA stenosis for carotid endarterectomy in non-specialized centres using a 1T machine. The present results suggest that no referrals to more specialized centres for non-invasive diagnostic work-up for carotid artery stenoses will be necessary.

Magnetic resonance techniques in hemodialysis access management.

In this review we describe current applications and future perspectives of MR angiography, MR flow quantification, and interventional MRI in hemodialysis access management. Each section starts with a brief overview of the main techniques that are currently available or under development. This is followed by a survey of the pertinent literature. Each section concludes with a discussion of the reported findings and an indication of research opportunities.

[Diagnostic image (43). Carcinoid of mesentery of small intestine and hepatic metastases]. / Diagnose in beeld (43). Naar de lever gemetastaseerd carcinoid van de dunne darm.

A 49-year-old woman who suffered from vomiting and diarrhea was diagnosed with a carcinoid in the mesentery of the small bowel and metastases in the liver.

[Diagnostic image (67). Fibrous dysplasia of the thorax wall]. / Diagnose in beeld (67). Fibreuze dysplasie van de thoraxwand.

In a 55-year-old woman extensive fibrous dysplasia of the ribs with destruction of the thorax was discovered, for which she was successfully treated surgically.

Multidirectional depiction of internal carotid arterial stenosis: three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography versus rotational and conventional digital subtraction angiography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether and to what extent greater number of projection images obtained at three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance (MR) angiography versus conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) causes overestimation of internal carotid arterial (ICA) stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DSA (two or three projections), rotational angiography (16 or 32 projections), and 3D TOF MR angiography (12 projections) were performed in 47 stenotic ICAs of 38 symptomatic patients. Two observers independently measured maximum stenosis, and the mean differences among MR angiography, DSA, and rotational angiography were compared. RESULTS: Three rotational and five MR angiograms were nondiagnostic. Seven MR angiograms of ICA stenoses showed a signal void and were excluded from analysis. On the remaining 32 angiograms, mean differences in maximum stenosis for observers 1 and 2, respectively, were 7% (95% CI: 3%, 12%) and 8% (95% CI: 3%, 13%) at MR angiography versus DSA and 2% (95% CI: -2%, 7%) and -1% (95% CI: -5%, 3%) at MR angiography versus rotational angiography. ICA stenosis was graded significantly higher at MR angiography versus DSA, whereas, it was not overestimated at MR angiography versus rotational angiography. The difference in maximum stenosis at MR angiography versus DSA was significantly different from that of MR angiography versus rotational angiography. CONCLUSION: Apparent overestimation of ICA stenosis at 3D TOF MR angiography versus conventional DSA may be partly explained by the greater number of projection images available at 3D TOF MR angiography.

Maximum internal carotid arterial stenosis: assessment with rotational angiography versus conventional intraarterial digital subtraction angiography.

PURPOSE: To assess how often rotational angiography depicts more severe internal carotid arterial stenosis compared with conventional intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in two or three projections and how frequently this factor may affect patient treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rotational angiography (16 or 32 projections) was performed in addition to DSA in 47 stenotic internal carotid arteries (ICAs) in 38 symptomatic patients. ICA stenosis was measured independently at DSA and at rotational angiography with North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria. The degree of stenosis was categorized as 0%-29%, 30%-49%, 50%-69%, or 70%-99%. RESULTS: In three ICAs, rotational angiography was nondiagnostic. In 28 of the remaining 44 ICAs, the degree of stenosis was categorized similarly with DSA and rotational angiography, whereas with rotational angiography, 15 ICAs were classified one category higher and one ICA was classified two categories higher, owing to the increased number of projections available. Seventy percent to 99% stenosis was demonstrated in 18 ICAs with DSA and in 25 ICAs with rotational angiography. Thus, rotational angiography could have facilitated a change in the optimal treatment (from nonsurgical treatment to carotid arterial endarterectomy) in seven ICAs. CONCLUSION: Compared with DSA in two or three projections, rotational angiography frequently depicts more severe ICA stenosis. This indicates a limitation of DSA in depicting the maximum ICA stenosis.

Duplex ultrasonography in assessing restenosis of renal artery stents.

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy and optimal threshold values of duplex ultrasonography (US) in assessing restenosis of renal artery stents. METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive patients with 33 renal arteries that had previously been treated with placement of a Palmaz stent underwent duplex US prior to intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which was the reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy of in-stent peak systolic velocity (PSV) and reno-aortic ratio (RAR = PSV renal stent/PSV aorta) in detecting > 50% in-stent restenosis were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve. Sensitivity and specificity were determined using the optimal threshold values, and using published threshold values: RAR > 3.5 and in-stent PSV > 180 cm/sec. RESULTS: Six examinations were technically inadequate. Nine stents had residual or restenosis > 50% at DSA. The two duplex parameters were equally accurate since areas under the curves were similar (0.943). With optimal threshold values of 226 cm/sec for PSV and 2.7 for RAR, sensitivities and specificities were 100% and 90%, and 100% and 84%, respectively. Using the published duplex criteria resulted in sensitivities and specificities of 100% and 74% for PSV, and 50% and 89% for RAR. CONCLUSION: Duplex US is a sensitive modality for detecting in-stent restenosis if laboratory-specific threshold values are used.

Lumen reduction measurements of the internal carotid artery before and after Levovist enhancement: reproducibility and agreement with angiography.

Our aim was to assess reproducibility of three different lumen reduction measuring methods--North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial, European Carotid Surgery Trial, and common carotid--using power Doppler and color Doppler sonography before and after Levovist enhancement. We included 20 symptomatic patients with mild or severe carotid disease. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial, European Carotid Surgery Trial, and common carotid measurements on longitudinal views and European Carotid Surgery Trial measurements on transverse views were performed. Examinations were repeated and the results compared to assess reproducibility of measurements. Correlation with angiography was obtained by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients. Reproducibility was significantly better (P < 0.05) for European Carotid Surgery Trial and common carotid measurements (95% limits of agreement between -10% to 10% and -19% to 17%) as compared to North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial measurements (95% limits of agreement between -11% to 21% and -21% to 23%). Variability of measurements after enhancement increased slightly (not significant) for both power and color Doppler sonography. Additionally, European Carotid Surgery Trial measurements, using nonenhanced power Doppler or color Doppler sonography, did not correlate significantly with angiography, whereas North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and common carotid measurements correlated well with angiography, particularly in power Doppler mode after enhancement (r = 0.88 and r = 0.82, respectively). We conclude that for lumen reduction measurements of the internal carotid artery with power and color Doppler sonography, the common carotid method is the only method that is reproducible and has good correlation with angiography, which slightly improves after Levovist enhancement.

Changes over time in optimal duplex threshold for the identification of patients eligible for carotid endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Two surgical trials established that carotid endarterectomy is beneficial to symptomatic patients who have a severe internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis on angiograms. Duplex ultrasonography-derived hemodynamic parameters show a good correlation with angiography and are often used for detecting severe ICA stenoses. However, duplex performance is ultrasound machine and operator dependent. Over time both may change, possibly affecting duplex performance. We compared duplex performance of 2 time periods in 1 specific vascular laboratory using angiography as the gold standard. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent both angiography and duplex examinations of the ICA were evaluated (first period, 60 patients; second period, 61 patients). Peak systolic velocity and several other hemodynamic parameters and ratios were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curves in their ability to detect severe ICA stenoses. The optimal parameter and threshold were determined for each period. Subsequently, duplex test characteristics were compared after the optimal thresholds of both the first and the second periods were applied in the second period. RESULTS: In both periods peak systolic velocity of the ICA was the best test parameter; areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were similar (0.957 and 0.954, respectively). However, the optimal threshold was different. The optimal threshold in the second period was 270 cm/s. When the optimal threshold of 210 cm/s of the first period was applied in the second period, test characteristics changed significantly. Sensitivity increased from 98% to 100%, and specificity decreased from 85% to 71% (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The optimal threshold for detecting severe ICA stenoses with duplex ultrasonography in our laboratory changed over time. Individual laboratories should assess duplex accuracy regularly and adjust adopted criteria if necessary to keep diagnostic performance optimal.

Reproducibility of measurements of intima-media thickness and distensibility in the common carotid artery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess reproducibility of ultrasonographic measurements of arterial distensibility and intima-media thickness (IMT) in the common carotid arteries. DESIGN: Prospective study. MATERIALS: Measurements of IMT and arterial distensibility were performed on-line in B-mode and M-mode, respectively. Blood pressure was assessed. From the measured variables stiffness indices were derived. METHODS: Twenty-five persons were included in the IMT study, both healthy subjects and patients with atherosclerotic disease. Distensibility was measured in a randomly selected subgroup of 10 persons. All subjects were examined by two different sonographers on the same day and were re-examined after 1 or 2 weeks. RESULTS: When data from both carotid arteries were combined, the interobserver coefficient of variation of IMT was on average 11.7%, of diastolic diameter 3.3% of distension and relative distension 11.8%, of distensibility coefficient 12.3%, and of stiffness parameter beta 19%. Intraobserver variability was slightly lower than interobserver variability. Variability for measurements in the right common carotid artery only was higher than for measurements of both carotid arteries combined. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that reproducibility of measurements of IMT and arterial distensibility of the common carotid artery, by B-mode and M-mode ultrasonography respectively, is acceptable when used in large studies.