Anchoring a migrating inferior vena cava stent with use of a T-fastener.

An attempt to treat symptomatic stenosis of the inferior vena cava in a patient with metastatic liver disease was complicated by migration of a Wallstent into the right atrium. Effective palliation was achieved by insertion of a second stent, which was anchored by transhepatic insertion of a T-fastener into the intracaval stent. This anchoring maneuver was performed safely under sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance.

Percutaneous abscess drainage: update.

During the approximately 20 years that percutaneous abscess drainage (PAD) has been an extant procedure and as the millennium begins, PAD has become, by consensus, the treatment of choice for abscesses. Indications for PAD continue to expand, and currently almost all abscesses are considered amenable. On occasion, PAD is an adjunctive procedure that provides a beneficial temporizing effect for the surgeon who eventually must operate for a coexisting problem such as a bowel leak. Simple unilocular abscesses are cured almost uniformly by PAD; more complicated abscesses, such as those with enteric fistulas (e.g., diverticular abscess) or pancreatic abscesses, have cure rates ranging from 65% to 90%. Various catheters and insertion techniques have proven effective. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, and fluoroscopy are the staple modalities that guide PAD. PAD is the prototype interventional radiology procedure, providing detection of the abscess by imaging, needling for diagnosis, and catheterization for therapy.

Surgically transplanted ovary simulating a hepatic metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures may alter normal anatomy, confounding the interpretation of cross-sectional imaging studies. This problem is greater if neither a relevant history nor previous comparison studies are available. CASE OUTLINE: In a 29-year-old woman submitted to radical hysterectomy for cervical carcinoma, one ovary was surgically repositioned into the right paracolic gutter out of the radiation field. This ovary simulated a hepatic metastasis on subsequent CT examinations. History was obscure, adding to the interpretive challenge. DISCUSSION: Clues to establishing the correct diagnosis are presented. The availability of an adequate history and previous radiological images are important to prevent diagnostic error.

Spontaneous rupture of adrenal myelolipoma: spiral CT appearance.

We report the helical computed tomographic findings of a symptomatic giant (11 cm) adrenal myelolipoma with spontaneous extracapsular hemorrhage. Narrow collimation (3 mm) imaging and three-dimensional reconstructions were useful to fully characterize the components and location of the lesion. A literature search showed a striking male and right-sided predominance for spontaneously hemorrhagic myelolipomas.

Radiologic management of hepatolithiasis.

We describe the diagnostic workup and therapeutic management of patients with hepatolithiasis from the viewpoint of the interventional radiologist. The diagnosis is best established by direct cholangiography such as percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography or endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. We consider percutaneous transhepatic stone removal a highly successful, minimally invasive, and safe procedure. Access can be gained to the biliary system in almost 100% of patients and complete stone clearance through percutaneous techniques, including stone fragmentation, removal of stones and fragments by baskets, and dilatation of underlying strictures in more than 90%. The role of these radiologic techniques is discussed vis-à-vis endoscopic and surgical alternatives.

Percutaneous drainage of thoracic collections.

Various infected and noninfected thoracic fluid collections may be diagnosed and treated by interventional radiologic techniques. The core procedure of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis has been expanded to allow catheter drainage of empyema, bronchopleural fistula, abscesses in the lung, mediastinum, pericardium, and infected tumors. Tailored use of guidance methods permits effective evacuation of most of these abscesses and noninfected collections. This paper details the authors' approach to each of these entities while highlighting the results and expected pitfalls of these techniques.

Interventional radiology of the biliary tract.

Interventional radiology provides a range of management options applicable to a broad spectrum of patients with biliary tract disorders. This review highlights the importance of these procedures, and illustrates their safety and effectiveness. Percutaneous transcatheter decompression has a well-established role in the management of patients with benign and malignant biliary obstruction. The advent of metallic stents has greatly increased the value of these techniques. Patients with biliary tract calculi can be successfully treated with a variety of percutaneous techniques, obviating surgery and providing a useful alternative to endoscopic methods. Finally, percutaneous cholecystostomy has evolved as a valuable adjunct in the treatment of calculous cholecystitis, as well as providing the definitive cure for many patients with acalculous cholecystitis.

MoSearch: a radiologist-friendly tool for finding-based diagnostic report and image retrieval.

The diagnostic reports generated in a radiology department contain a wealth of information. Although radiology information systems can greatly facilitate patient-based access to this information, they typically provide only limited finding-based access. A user-friendly personal computer-based software package that allows radiologists to conduct sophisticated real-time searches of diagnostic reports on the basis of patient characteristics, modality used, anatomy examined, and imaging findings and to easily review, refine, and output the results was designed and implemented in a large academic hospital. A notable feature of this system is the use of synonym-matching and syntactic cues, which allow it to identify findings within the text of a diagnostic report much more accurately than a simple keyword search can. This type of system is easily and inexpensively implemented and is a valuable tool in the support of various research and teaching applications in a radiology department.

Treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts with percutaneous drainage and octreotide. Work in progress.

In an attempt to decrease catheter drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts, a combined regimen of percutaneous drainage and administration of octreotide acetate was used in eight symptomatic patients. Indications for the combined therapy were pseudocyst recurrence (four patients), pancreatic fistula from percutaneous drainage (two patients), or elective treatment to restrict pancreatic drainage. Octreotide acetate was administered subcutaneously in doses of 50-1,000 micrograms three times a day. The drug was well tolerated and produced only limited adverse effects in four patients: pain at the injection site, hypoglycemia, diarrhea, headaches, and lower-extremity edema (more than one adverse effect was experienced by each patient). The combined use of percutaneous drainage and administration of octreotide was effective in seven patients and failed in one patient who had distal pancreatic duct occlusion. In five patients, catheter drainage decreased to no measurable amount by a mean of 13.8 days. These results suggest octreotide is effective in decreasing the output from pancreatic pseudocysts drained percutaneously.

Influence of the stopcock on the efficiency of percutaneous drainage catheters: laboratory evaluation.

The effects of stopcocks on percutaneous fluid drainage were tested in a laboratory model by using a standard stopcock (6-French inner diameter) and a prototype stopcock (9-French inner diameter) connected to 8-, 10-, 12-, 14-, and 16-French catheters. Catheters were immersed in water alone or in viscous fluid with particulate matter, and the system was connected to low wall suction or gravity drainage. The average volume of fluid aspirated in a given period with and without a stopcock was compared for each catheter. The standard stopcock decreased drainage efficiency for these catheters by 13-42%. This decreased drainage efficiency was worse with the larger catheters. Particulate fluid blocked the stopcock connection for all catheters. With the prototype stopcock, drainage of water alone was reduced by 0-9% for the catheters of different sizes. Particulate fluid did not obstruct the prototype stopcock with any size catheter. With gravity drainage, the volume of water aspirated was reduced by 12-42% with the standard stopcock and by 3-6% with the prototype stopcock. These data suggest that stopcock connections greatly influence the efficiency of the percutaneous drainage systems. Stopcocks with larger inner diameters may improve drainage over that achievable with the stopcocks that are currently available.

CT guidance for percutaneous gastrostomy and gastroenterostomy.

The authors describe the value of computed tomographic (CT) guidance for percutaneous gastrostomy (PG) or gastroenterostomy (PGE) in 22 patients with anatomic or pathologic difficulties precluding fluoroscopic guidance. Indications for PG or PGE were decompression for gastrointestinal obstruction (n = 15) or for feeding (n = 7). Thirteen patients previously underwent an unsuccessful attempt at or had been rejected as unsuitable for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. CT guidance was selected because of inability to pass a nasogastric tube due to esophageal obstruction (n = 4), inability to tolerate gastric distention (n = 1), abnormal morphology in or around the stomach (n = 16), or simultaneous performance of a PG in one patient who was undergoing emergency CT-guided abscess drainage. Catheters were placed successfully in all 22 patients. No major complications occurred. CT is valuable for PG or PGE when anatomic or pathologic problems make fluoroscopic or endoscopic puncture unsafe or impossible.

Percutaneous gallbladder puncture and cholecystostomy: results, complications, and caveats for safety.

The authors describe the technical results in 127 patients who underwent diagnostic gallbladder puncture and percutaneous cholecystostomy. The procedures were performed for a variety of indications including treatment of acute calculous or acalculous cholecystitis, drainage of obstructive jaundice or gallbladder perforation, percutaneous removal or dissolution of gallstones, diagnostic cholecystocholangiography, and gallbladder biopsy. Successful completion of the intended procedure was achieved in 125 of 127 patients (98.4%). Major complications occurred in 11 patients (8.7%); these included bile peritonitis, bleeding, vagal reactions, hypotension, catheter dislodgement, and acute respiratory distress. Minor complications were noted in five patients (3.9%). The 30-day mortality rate was 3.1% (four patients); the deaths were due to the underlying diseases. The data help support percutaneous cholecystostomy as a primary interventional radiologic procedure that has an extremely high likelihood of technical success. Recommendations to minimize or avoid complications are presented.

A simple method to lock large mushroom-tip catheters.

Dislodgment is a major drawback with large-bore Malecot catheters. A locking mechanism with a suture affixed to the distal portion of the mushroom tip is described. In a 32-month period, 17 Malecot catheters with locking mechanisms were placed in 15 patients. One catheter dislodged as a result of suture failure. A variation in design prevented subsequent failure of sutures. This simple locking mechanism prevents collapse of the catheter wings and thereby maintains catheter placement.

Imaging of the percutaneous cholecystostomy tract: observations and utility.

The technique and observations in 28 patients who underwent imaging of the percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) tract are described. Imaging of the tracts was performed by injecting contrast material through an end-hole dilator during catheter removal (n = 13) or through an end-hole dilator with a side adapter over a thin guide wire (n = 15); the latter method permitted simple catheter reinsertion if the tract was poorly formed. Catheters were removed between 9 and 158 days (mean, 36.6 days; median, 29.5 days) after PC. Twenty-three patients had well-formed tracts and five patients did not. Among the five patients with a poorly formed tract, two experienced no sequela as a result of catheter withdrawal, two underwent immediate catheter reinsertion, and one developed bile peritonitis; this last patient was treated with repeated PC and antibiotics. All patients in whom a catheter was placed for at least 20 days had a well-formed, intact tract. Imaging of the PC tract is helpful to identify patients who have an immature tract. In a patient with a poorly formed tract, catheter reinsertion may be advisable to prevent bile leakage and peritonitis.

US-guided transvaginal drainage of pelvic abscesses and fluid collections.

Ultrasound (US)-guided transvaginal needle or catheter drainage was performed in 14 women for a variety of pelvic abscesses and fluid collections; tubo-ovarian abscesses and postoperative collections were most common. Diagnosis was achieved in all 14 patients (100%), including one patient with suspected ovarian carcinoma who underwent only diagnostic needle aspiration and no therapeutic drainage. Abscesses or fluid collections were evacuated in 13 of 13 patients (100%) with either needle (n = 7) or catheter (n = 6) drainage (with appropriate antibiotics). Twelve of the 14 patients (86%) were spared an operation; surgery was undertaken in two patients for a persistent tubo-ovarian phlegmon. No major complications were associated with drainage. Catheters were removed an average of 6.7 days after insertion. The success, safety, and advantages of US-guided transvaginal drainage in our early experience suggest its use as an alternative to standard percutaneous catheter procedures to diagnose and drain certain pelvic abscesses and fluid collections.

Case report: unusual appearance of a giant adrenal pseudocyst.

Adrenal pseudocysts are uncommon lesions which usually present with abdominal discomfort and swelling due to their large size. The computed tomographic appearances typically demonstrate a smooth thin-walled low attenuation mass with peripheral curvilinear calcification. This case demonstrates the unusual appearances of a pseudocyst with multiple central punctate calcifications as a result of repeated haemorrhage. The radiological appearance of this complex mass mimicked an hydatid cyst. The increase in size of the pseudocyst is demonstrated over a 4 year period.

Embolization of a catheter-related hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after long-term biliary drainage.

Hemobilia is a frequent complication of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, occurring most commonly at the time of initial catheter placement. The authors report on the angiographic diagnosis and embolization of a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery in a patient with hemobilia. This occurred after 2.5 years of catheter drainage for biliary obstruction due to malignant disease. Bleeding as a complication of biliary drainage can be the result of inadvertent placement of catheter side holes in the hepatic parenchyma, iatrogenic arterioportal and arteriohepatic venous shunts and pseudoaneurysms. This case report illustrates that hemobilia, even with long-term percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, may be associated with a radiologically treatable, drainage-related vascular abnormality rather than simply diffuse hemorrhage from a friable tumor.