Diagnostic accuracy of 64-MDCT angiography in the preoperative evaluation of renal vessels and compared with laparotomy findings in living donor kidney.

INTRODUCTION: Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) angiography is a reliable technique in preoperative renal anatomy evaluation in live renal donors. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the accuracy of early arterial phase findings and compares them with intraoperative findings. METHODS: In this prospective study, 100 potential live donors undergoing preoperative MDCT and nephrectomy during 2010-2013 were included. The examination was performed with a 64-detector scanner including early arterial and venous phase. MDCT angiography started by bolus tracking and venous phase was acquired 9 s after arterial phase. Anatomical findings and vein and artery attenuation values were recorded and arterial phase findings were compared with intraoperative findings. RESULTS: All anatomical findings reported by MDCT in early arterial phase were confirmed by intraoperative findings with sensitivity of 100%. Right renal vein was supernumerary in 17 cases and left renal vein was circumaortic in 3 and retroaortic in 5 cases. Renal arteries had early branching in 13, two arteries in 12 and accessory in 8 cases. Vein and artery attenuation values had significant difference between early arterial and venous phase (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early arterial phase has similar results to venous phase in preoperative evaluation and intraoperative findings and could be used alone to reduce radiation dose.

The elusive link between high sensitivity C-reactive protein and carotid subclinical atherosclerosis in coronary artery bypass grafting candidates: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies demonstrated a modest association between C-Reactive Protein (CRP), stenosis of carotid artery, and carotid Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) in general population. During present study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) and Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CCIMT) in patients who candidate for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). METHODS: The study subjects were enrolled from patients with coronary arteries disease referred from Shahid Madani Hospital (Tabriz, Iran), who have been candidate for elective CABG from January 2005 to August 2007. The common carotid arteries were evaluated with high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography using a 7.5- MHz linear-array transducer to determine the IMT and grade of stenosis. Serum hsCRP level was measured using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: Finally, information of 176 CABG candidates was analysed. The mean age of participants was 62.71 +/- 9.45 years with 1.63 male to female ratio. The mean of CCIMT was 0.69 +/- 0.54 mm. Although there was no significant correlation between serum hsCRP level and CCIMT in patients without carotid stenosis (p=0.113, r=0.186), participants with common carotid artery stenosis had higher levels of serum hsCRP than participants without stenosis (2.42+/-1.30 vs. 1.20+/-0.97 mg/dl; p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Study results showed that there was no correlation between serum hsCRP level and CCIMT in patients without carotid stenosis, but patients with common carotid artery stenosis had higher levels of serum hsCRP than patients without stenosis.