Low-Flow Vascular Malformation Pitfalls: From Clinical Examination to Practical Imaging Evaluation--Part 1, Lymphatic Malformation Mimickers.

OBJECTIVE: Palpable subcutaneous masses present in various shapes and sizes in the pediatric population and, accordingly, represent a variety of underlying causes. Lymphatic and venous malformations are among the most common pediatric subcutaneous lesions. However, there are congenital and acquired, as well as benign and malignant, soft-tissue masses that can mimic them clinically and at imaging. CONCLUSION: Here, we review the natural history, wide range of clinical presentations, and varied but characteristic imaging appearance of lymphatic malformations that can pose diagnostic difficulties in children. In addition, the clinical and imaging characteristics of some pediatric soft-tissue pathologies that can mimic lymphatic malformations and clues to reach a proper diagnosis are highlighted.

Low-Flow Vascular Malformation Pitfalls: From Clinical Examination to Practical Imaging Evaluation--Part 2, Venous Malformation Mimickers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the unusual clinical and radiographic features of venous malformations that can give rise to diagnostic confusion. Entities that can have overlapping clinical and imaging features with venous malformations are also reviewed. CONCLUSION: Venous malformations are congenital endothelial malformations secondary to errors in vascular morphogenesis and are usually diagnosed in the first 2 decades of life. The clinical and imaging features of venous malformations often overlap those of other pathologic entities, creating diagnostic confusion. Furthermore, the clinical presentation and imaging appearance of venous malformations can vary, making the diagnosis challenging. Thorough knowledge of the various clinical and imaging features not only of venous malformations but also of the major potential mimic lesions is crucial for clinicians caring for patients with these lesions.

Soft tissue hemangioma with osseous extension: a case report and review of the literature.

Soft tissue hemangiomas are commonly encountered lesions, accounting for 7-10 % of all benign soft tissue masses (Mitsionis et al. J Foot Ankle Surg 16(2):27-9, 2010). While the literature describes the great majority of hemangiomas as asymptomatic and discovered only as incidental findings, they do have the potential to induce reactive changes in neighboring structures (Pastushyn et al. Surg Neurol 50(6):535-47, 1998). When these variants occur in close proximity to bone, they may elicit a number of well-documented reactive changes in osseous tissue (Mitsionis et al. J Foot Ankle Surg 16(2):27-9, 2010; DeFilippo et al. Skelet Radiol 25(2):174-7, 1996; Ly et al. AJR Am J Roentgenol 180(6):1695-700, 2003; Sung et al. Skelet Radiol 27(4):205-10, 1998). However, instances of direct extension into bone by soft tissue hemangiomas--that is, infiltration of the mass's vascular components into nearby osseous tissue--are currently undocumented in the literature. In these cases, imaging plays an important role in differentiating hemangiomas from malignant lesions (Mitsionis et al. J Foot Ankle Surg 16(2):27-9, 2010; Sung et al. Skelet Radiol 27(4):205-10, 1998; Pourbagher, Br J Radiol 84(1008):1100-8, 2011). In this article, we present such a case that involved the sacral spine. Imaging revealed a soft tissue mass with direct extension of vascular components into osseous tissue of the adjacent sacral vertebrae. Biopsy and subsequent histopathologic examination led to definitive diagnosis of soft tissue hemangioma. While MRI is widely regarded as the gold standard imaging modality for evaluating hemangiomas, in this report we describe how CT can aid in narrowing the differential diagnosis when one encounters a vascular lesion with adjacent osseous changes. Furthermore, we review the literature as it pertains to the imaging of soft tissue hemangiomas that occur in proximity to osseous tissue, as well as correlate this case to current theories on the pathogenesis of hemangiomas. Radiologists should be aware that benign soft tissue hemangiomas demonstrate a spectrum of imaging findings, including aggressive-appearing changes to adjacent bone.

Thoracic renal artery: a rare variant. A case study and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Variations in the course of paired renal arteries are common and are known causes of iatrogenic injury. However, a thoracic origin of the renal artery is rare and poses a greater risk for iatrogenic injury especially during thoracic endovascular or surgical interventions. PURPOSE: To describe a renal artery variant, its clinical implications in the context of procedural interventions, and to provide a literature review on renal artery variations. METHODS: An abdominal CT scan with IV contrast was obtained using a GE 64-slice helical CT scanner with subsequent sagittal, coronal, and 3-D reformations. A literature review was performed using Index Medicus. RESULTS: Right renal artery variant arising from the thoracic aorta at the lower aspect of the T10 vertebral body, coursing posteroinferiorly through the right diaphragmatic crux before reaching the right kidney hilum. CONCLUSION: A thoracic origin of the renal artery is an uncommon but important risk factor for vascular injury during endovascular and surgical interventions especially in the thorax. 3-D CT or CT angiography prior to an indicated procedure may prove useful for pre-interventional planning.

Interim outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis from the All-Comer CLOUT Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The multicenter, prospective, single arm CLOUT registry assesses the safety and effectiveness of the ClotTriever System (Inari Medical, Irvine, CA) for the treatment of acute and nonacute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in all-comer patients. Reported here are the outcomes of the first 250 patients. METHODS: All-comer patients with lower extremity DVT were enrolled, including those with bilateral DVT, those with previously failed DVT treatment, and regardless of symptom duration. The primary effectiveness end point is complete or near-complete (≥75%) thrombus removal determined by independent core laboratory-adjudicated Marder scores. Safety outcomes include serious adverse events through 30 days and clinical outcomes include post-thrombotic syndrome severity, symptoms, pain, and quality of life through 6 months. RESULTS: The median age was 62 years and 40% of patients had contraindications to thrombolytics. A range of thrombus chronicity (33% acute, 35% subacute, 32% chronic) was observed. No patients received thrombolytics and 99.6% were treated in a single session. The median thrombectomy time was 28 minutes. The primary effectiveness end point was achieved in 86% of limbs. Through 30 days, one device-related serious adverse event occurred. At 6 months, 24% of patients had post-thrombotic syndrome. Significant and sustained improvements were observed in all clinical outcomes, including the Revised Venous Clinical Severity Score, the numeric pain rating scale, and the EuroQol Group 5-Dimension Self-Report Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The 6-month outcomes from the all-comer CLOUT registry with a range of thrombus chronicities demonstrate favorable effectiveness, safety, and sustained clinical improvements.

Limb Preservation Using Edetate Disodium-based Chelation in Patients with Diabetes and Critical Limb Ischemia: An Open-label Pilot Study.

Background In 2015, there were 30.3 million patients with diabetes in the US, including 25.2% of people ages 65 or older and 108,000 hospitalizations for non-traumatic amputations. Severe diabetic limb disease includes critical limb ischemia (CLI ) due to an infrapopliteal disease with foot pain and ischemic ulcerations including gangrene. Environmentally acquired toxic metals, such as lead and cadmium, have been associated with cardiovascular disease. Thus, we designed the present unblinded pilot study to determine whether there was a signal of benefit for edetate disodium-based infusions in patients with critical limb ischemia. Methods This was an open-label pilot study in 10 patients with diabetes and critical limb ischemia. Each patient received up to 50 edetate disodium-based infusions and was assessed for safety, clinical efficacy, metal excretion, and quality of life. The primary endpoint was to assess the effect of edetate disodium-based therapy plus vitamins in patients with diabetes and infra-popliteal peripheral artery disease presenting with severe CLI and determine if there were improvements in vascular flow parameters. Results We enrolled 10 (60% male) predominantly Caucasian (90%) subjects. The mean age was 75.3 (8.0) years. Smoking was reported by 30%. There were 70% with coronary artery disease (30% had prior coronary artery bypass grafting) and 50% had a prior lower-extremity amputation, three having previous minor amputations and two major amputations. There were no major adverse cardiovascular events during the infusion phase through the one-year follow-up. Patients completing 40 infusions demonstrated complete wound healing and improvement in the quality of life. Conclusion Patients with diabetes and CLI treated with a regimen of edetate disodium-based infusions demonstrated a potential signal of benefit and preliminary evidence of safety. The Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy in Critical Limb Ischemia (TACT3a), a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial now in progress, will further test these findings.

On the Cutting Edge: Wound Care for the Endovascular Specialist.

Clinical outcomes in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) depend not only on endovascular restoration of macrovascular blood flow but also on aggressive periprocedural wound care. Education about this area of CLI therapy is essential not only to maximize the benefits of endovascular therapy but also to facilitate participation in the multidisciplinary care crucial to attaining limb salvage. In this article, we review the advances in wound care products and therapies that have granted the wound care specialist the ability to heal previously nonhealing wounds. We provide a primer on the basic science behind wound healing and the pathogenesis of ischemic wounds, familiarize the reader with methods of tissue viability assessment, and provide an overview of wound debridement techniques, dressings, hyperbaric therapy, and tissue offloading devices. Lastly, we explore emerging technology on the horizons of wound care.

Acute gastric volvulus: a deadly but commonly forgotten complication of hiatal hernia.

Gastric volvulus is a rare condition resulting from rotation of the stomach beyond 180 degrees. It is a difficult condition to diagnose, mostly because it is rarely considered. Furthermore, the imaging findings are often subtle resulting in many cases being diagnosed at the time of surgery or, as in our case, at autopsy. We present the case of a 76-year-old man with an extensive medical history, including coronary artery disease with multiple bypass grafts, who became diaphoretic and nauseated while eating. His presumptive diagnosis at arrival to the hospital was an acute coronary event; however, his initial cardiac work-up was negative. A computed tomography scan revealed a type III hiatal hernia. The following day, after consistent complaints of nausea and episodes of nonbloody emesis, he suddenly became hypotensive, tachycardic and had an episode of coffee-ground emesis. Subsequently, the patient's condition suddenly deteriorated and resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful. The autopsy revealed a partially sliding hiatal hernia, which was consistent with the radiologic impression. Additionally, a gastric volvulus was present with extensive, focally transmural necrosis involving the body/fundus. Gastric volvulus is a rare entity with variable, nonspecific clinical presentations, which requires a high level of suspicion for radiologic diagnosis. Acute cases have a high mortality rate and require emergency surgery. This case highlights the value of autopsy in the diagnosis of unsuspected cases of gastric volvulus when death occurs prior to surgical intervention.