Accuracy of MRI findings in chronic lateral ankle ligament injury: comparison with surgical findings.

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in chronic lateral ankle ligament injury in comparison with that of surgical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight cases (25 men, 23 women, mean age 36 years) of clinically suspected chronic ankle ligament injury underwent MRI studies and surgery. Sagittal, coronal, and axial, T1-weighted, spin-echo, proton density and T2-weighted, fast spin-echo images with fat saturation were obtained in all patients. MRI examinations were read in consensus by two fellowship-trained academic musculoskeletal radiologists who evaluated the lateral ankle ligaments, including the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) without clinical information. The results of the MRI studies were then compared with the surgical findings. RESULTS: The MRI findings of ATFL injury showed a sensitivity of detection of complete tears of 75% and specificity of 86%. The sensitivity of detection of partial tears was 75% and the specificity was 78%. The sensitivity of detection of sprains was 44% and the specificity was 88%. Regarding the MRI findings of CFL injury, the sensitivity of detection of complete tears was 50% and the specificity was 98%. The sensitivity of detection of partial tear was 83% and the specificity was 93%. The sensitivity of detection of sprains was 100% and the specificity was 90%. Regarding the ATFL, the accuracies of detection were 88, 58, 77, and 85% for no injury, sprain, partial tear, and complete tear, respectively, and for the CFL the accuracies of detection were 90, 90, 92, and 96% for no injury, sprain, partial tear, and complete tear, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of a complete tear of the ATFL on MRI is more sensitive than the diagnosis of a complete tear of the CFL. MRI findings of CFL injury are diagnostically specific but are not sensitive. However, only normal findings and complete tears were statistically significant between ATFL and CFL (p < 0.001).

Prognostic factors in FIGO stage IB-IIA small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated surgically: results of a multi-center retrospective Korean study.

BACKGROUND: To determine the clinical and pathologic prognostic factors in surgically treated patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB-IIA small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix (SCNEC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 68 patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA SCNEC surgically treated from January 1997 to December 2003 in Korea. RESULTS: Of the 68 patients, 43 had FIGO stage IB1 SCNEC, 15 had stage IB2, and 10 had stage IIA. Seven were treated with radical surgery alone; 11 with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by radical surgery; 24 with radical surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy; and 26 with radical surgery followed by adjuvant radiation or chemoradiation. After a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 6-113 months), the 2-year and 5-year survival rates for all patients were 64.6% and 46.6%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage was predictive of poor prognosis. Patients who received NACT showed poorer prognosis than those who did not receive NACT. Adjuvant chemoradiation did not improve survival compared with adjuvant chemotherapy alone. CONCLUSIONS: FIGO stage may act as a surrogate for factors prognostic of survival. Primary radical surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is the preferred treatment modality for patients with early stage SCNEC.

Diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation. Current status.

The most accepted diagnostic methods of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) are the physical examinations and the evaluation of right atrial pressure. However, these methods are not consistently diagnostic, and a "silent" form of TR has been recognized. The current status of noninvasive and invasive diagnostic techniques is reviewed.

Radiation therapy for surgically proven para-aortic node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma.

The impact of para-aortic field radiation therapy upon survival was studied among 26 patients with para-aortic nodal metastases from carcinoma of the endometrium. Seventeen of these 26 patients received postoperative radiation therapy to the para-aortic field as a part of their primary therapy. Sixteen of the 17 also received adjuvant hormonal therapy. Nine of 17 patients (53%) are alive without evidence of disease (18-55 months) with a median survival time of 27 months. Of the remaining eight patients, six (35%) died of endometrial cancer at 6-38 months, with a median survival time of 14.5 months. Five of these patients had distant disease. Two of the 17 patients (12%) died of intestinal obstruction felt to be secondary to radiation enteritis, one of whom was disease free. No difference in survival was detected in patients treated with radiation therapy with microscopic versus macroscopic nodal involvement. Of the nine patients who did not receive para-aortic radiation, eight were treated with hormonal therapy (n = 6) or chemotherapy (n = 2). Seven patients died of disease from 5-28 months, with a median survival time of 13 months. One patient is alive at 12 months. Survival in the 17 patients treated with para-aortic radiation was better than the eight patients not treated with para-aortic radiation (p = 0.004). This survival difference remained significant for patients with microscopic but not macroscopic nodal disease. Para-aortic field radiation appears to improve survival, but has a significant complication rate, and should be reserved for patients with histologic evidence of para-aortic metastases.

Intracardiac phonocardiography in tricuspid regurgitation: relation to clinical and angiographic findings.

Intracardiac phonocardiograms were obtained from the right atrium in order to study the relation between the clinical signs of tricuspid regurgitation, intracardiac murmurs and the degree of regurgitation demonstrated on right ventriculography with use of a preshaped catheter. In five patients with no heart disease, right ventriculograms showed no evidence of tricuspid regurgitation and intracardiac phonocardiograms in the right atrium demonstrated no murmur. Among 35 patients with valvular heart disease, a Carvallo sign (increased intensity of systolic murmur during inspiration) was present in 19 and absent in 16. All 19 patients with a Carvallo sign had variable degrees of tricuspid regurgitation on right ventriculography, and intracardiac phonocardiograms were positive for tricuspid regurgitation in 18. Among 16 patients with an absent Carvallo sign, neither right ventriculography nor intracardiac phonocardiography was indicative of tricuspid regurgitation in 5. Five patients had 1+ regurgitation and the intracardiac phonocardiogram was positive in three of these five patients. The other six patients showed 3+ to 4+ regurgitation and the intracardiac phonocardiogram was positive for tricuspid regurgitation in all. In conclusion, (1) the Carvallo sign is a reliable indicator of tricuspid regurgitation but its absence does not rule it out, and (2) right ventriculography using a preshaped catheter and intracardiac phonocardiography are useful in detecting clinically unrecognized tricuspid regurgitation.

Diagnosis of severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Fifty-nine patients were studied who had severe tricuspid regurgitation which was confirmed by right ventriculography and during surgery in order to determine the incidence of clinical, radiologic, and hemodynamic clues of severe tricuspid regurgitation. Eighty-eight percent of patients had Carvallo sign alone or in combination with pulsatile liver or prominent jugular venous V waves, and the classic triad was present in 42 percent. Most patients had enlargement of the right atrium on chest x-ray film. The classical "ventricularization" pattern of right atrial pressure was seen in 30 percent, prominent V waves with rapid Y descents were present in 37 percent, and normal contour of right atrial waves with normal mean pressure was seen in 33 percent. The inspiratory maneuver was helpful to induce the ventricularization pattern or prominent V waves with rapid Y descents especially in patients with normal right atrial pressure waves. In conclusion, right ventriculography is a sensitive and accurate method for detecting and quantitating tricuspid regurgitation in the absence of the diagnostic physical findings.

Ventricular function before and after mitral valve replacement.

To evaluate right ventricular function following mitral valve replacement, we studied 84 patients with isolated mitral valve disease with the use of first-pass radionuclide angiography before, 1 week after, and up to 1 year after operation. The right ventricular ejection fraction for the entire group improved from 29% +/- 11% to 43% +/- 10% (p less than 0.001) at 1 week. This increase was maintained at 3 months (41% +/- 10%) and up to year after operation (40% +/- 12%). The improvement was found not to be influenced by either the type of valvular lesion or the presence and/or level of pulmonary hypertension. When the patients were grouped according to the type of prosthetic valve placed at operation, the right ventricular ejection fraction increased in all patients within 1 week of operation, with sustained improvement at 3 months postoperatively. Thereafter, it began to decline in patients receiving a Carpentier bioprosthesis while being maintained in those patients who received disc valves. Further analysis revealed that those patients who receiving the larger Carpentier bioprostheses had a greater deterioration of right ventricular function than those receiving the smaller Carpentier valves. Left ventricular function in the entire group was normal preoperatively (62% +/- 16%) and was unchanged at 1 week (60% +/- 16%) and a 1 year (59% +/- 16%) after operation.

Determination of the need for tricuspid valve replacement: value of preoperative right ventricular angiocardiography.

Of 530 patients undergoing tricuspid valve surgery from January 1, 1961 through December 31, 1987, those 362 patients having had preoperative right ventricular angiocardiography were studied. Mean age was 58.5 years. There were 71 males and 291 females. Tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) was performed in 126 (34.8%), and 236 underwent tricuspid valve repair (65.2%). The predominant pathology was combined tricuspid insufficiency and stenosis in 18 patients (4.9%), and isolated tricuspid insufficiency in 344 (95.1%). There were no complications related to the right ventriculogram. Preoperative angiographic severity of tricuspid valve incompetence was grade 1 in 23 patients (6.4%), grade 2 in 65 (17.9%), grade 3 in 109 (30.1%), and grade 4 in 165 (45.6%). Intraoperative assessment of the severity of tricuspid valve incompetence correlated 72% of the time with the preoperative angiographic assessment, in those patients with more severe degrees of incompetence (grade 3+ or 4+), p (X 2) less than 0.001. Increasing severity of preoperative angiographic triscuspid valve incompetence was associated with the requirement for TVR (vs. repair), p (X 2) = 0.0002. In conclusion, preoperative right ventricular angiography is a useful method for assessing tricuspid valve function and may predict the requirement for TVR in patients undergoing tricuspid valve surgery.

The use of the hepatic pressure maneuver to identify the murmur of tricuspid regurgitation.

To enhance the bedside diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation, the influence of manual pressure applied below the liver on lower left sternal border murmurs was determined in 23 patients. All 23 subjects had right ventriculograms and right atrial phonocardiograms. The sign was positive in 13 cases, including 3 who were without a Carvallo sign. The application of manual pressure below the liver is a simple and valid additional maneuver for identifying the murmur of tricuspid regurgitation.

Atrial natriuretic peptide response to ionic and nonionic contrast left ventriculography.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels were measured prior to and at 1 and 5 minutes postcontrast left ventriculography with an ionic contrast agent (diatrizoate), and a nonionic agent (iopamidol) and the results were compared. Since ionic contrast agents have been found to cause an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and nonionic agents have been found to have less of an effect on LVEDP, we investigated the response of ANP levels, which have been found to increase secondary to increased LVEDP (atrial pressure), with both agents. A group of 38 patients who were scheduled for left heart catheterization for suspected coronary artery disease was included (19 in each group) and blood samples for ANP levels were drawn from the left ventricles. At the same time, heart rate, LVEDP, and left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) were also measured. It was found that the LVEDP increased significantly for both agents at 1 minute postventriculography, but no further change occurred at 5 min. Heart rate increased significantly in the diatrizoate group at 1 minute with a return of heart rate to preventriculography levels at 5 min, while the ANP level and LVSP remained unchanged at 1 minute postventriculography with both agents but increased significantly at 5 min in the diatrizoate group only. This difference in ANP response is not correlated with the LVEDP. The response of ANP may be related to heart rate and/or LVSP.

Giant Lambl's excrescences of papillary muscle and aortic valve: echocardiographic, angiographic, and pathologic findings.

A 54-year-old female with rheumatic heart disease was found to have a mass in the left ventricle by echocardiography and angiography. Subsequently, giant Lambl's excrescences of papillary muscle and aortic valve were confirmed by operation and pathologic examination. Possible complication from cardiac catheterization could be avoided by the utilization of echocardiography prior to catheterization.

Acute hemodynamic effects of nifedipine during supine exercise in patients with prior myocardial infarction.

Twelve male patients age 36-66, 8 on clinical doses of beta blocker, with old transmural myocardial infarction underwent rest and matched workload exercise before and 30 min after 20 mg sublingual nifedipine during cardiac catheterization. For the group, resting heart rate, aortic pressure, pulmonary wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance, cardiac index, and left ventricular ejection fraction were normal. Exercise duration was 12.5 +/- 1.5 min. Comparing exercise before and after nifedipine, heart rate, cardiac index, and mean velocity circumferential fiber shortening increased, while mean aortic pressure, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic volume and left ventricular end-systolic volume decreased with no significant change in double product, pulmonary arteriolar resistance and left ventricular ejection fraction. Therefore, for the range of left ventricular dysfunction in this study group and with 8 patients concurrently on beta blocker, nifedipine 20 mg s.l. produced significant improvement in hemodynamics at rest and exercise.

Silent coronary artery-left ventricular fistula: a disorder of the thebesian system?

Two cases with abnormal electrocardiogram were found to have the unusual direct communication between the coronary artery and left ventricular chamber without any manifestations of the other reported coronary arterial fistula.

Transcatheter embolization of hepatic arteriovenous fistula in Osler-Weber-Rendu disease--a case report.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Weber-Rendu disease) is associated with arteriovenous fistulas throughout the body that can cause hemodynamic abnormalities. Owing to their size and extent, surgical repair is often not feasible. A patient referred for presumed valvular heart disease is described. On the basis of oximetry data at cardiac catheterization, a large intrahepatic arteriovenous fistula was discovered by aortography. This finding and a history of recurrent epistaxis were consistent with Osler-Weber-Rendu disease. Owing to the size of the fistula, embolization of the right hepatic artery with Gianturco coils was chosen as treatment, with resultant symptomatic improvement and decreased arteriovenous shunting.

Intravenous adenosine (adenoscan) versus exercise in the noninvasive assessment of coronary artery disease by SPECT.

Fifteen patients at a mean age of 58 underwent adenosine and maximal exercise thallium SPECT imaging. All scans were performed 1 week apart and within 4 weeks of cardiac catheterization. SPECT imaging was performed after the infusion of 140 micrograms/kg/min of adenosine for 6 minutes. Mean heart rate increment during adenosine administration was 67 +/- 3.7 to 77 +/- 4.1. Mean blood pressure was 136 +/- 7.2 to 135 +/- 6.2 systolic and 78 +/- 1.8 to 68 +/- 2.6 diastolic. No adverse hemodynamic effects were observed. There were no changes in PR or QRS in intervals. Five stress ECGs were ischemic. No ST changes were observed with adenosine. Although 68% of the patients had symptoms of flushing, light-headedness, and dizziness during adenosine infusion, symptoms resolved within 1 minute of dosage adjustment or termination of the infusion in all but one patient, who required theophylline. Sensitivity for coronary artery detection was 77% and specificity 100%. Concordance between adenoscans and exercise thallium scintigraphy was high (13/15 = 87%). In two patients, there were minor scintigraphic differences. The authors conclude that adenosine is a sensitive, specific, and safe alternative to exercise testing in patients referred for thallium imaging and may be preferable to dipyridamole.

Aortic balloon valvuloplasty.

Fifty-eight patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent successful aortic balloon valvuloplasty. The mean aortic valve gradient was reduced from 65 +/- 22 to 32 +/- 13 mmHg with symptomatic improvement. The procedure is an effective palliative procedure for patients with high surgical risk.

Correlation between the position of transducers and mitral valve gradient in mitral stenosis.

To assess the severity of mitral stenosis related to the level of transducers, the mitral valve gradient using pulmonary wedge and left ventricle was obtained from 15 patients. The mitral gradient was obtained with both transducers at mid chest level. Then, the level of each transducer was realigned with the catheter tip in the pulmonary capillary wedge and in the left ventricle using lateral fluoroscopy and the mitral gradient was re-measured. At the mid chest level, the mean mitral valve gradient was 14 +/- 6.2 mm Hg with a mitral valve area of 1.3 +/- 0.6 cm2. With the adjusted level of transducers, the mitral valve gradient was 18.7 +/- 6.8 mm Hg with a valve area of 1.0 +/- 0.5 cm2. The difference was that the level of catheter tip in the wedge was 3.5 cm below the mid chest level and the one in the left ventricle was 2.5 cm higher than the mid chest level. This result suggested that the mitral valve gradient obtained at mid chest level underestimated the severity of mitral stenosis.

Clinical trial of the disposable transducer catheter.

We compared the intracardiac and intravascular pressures obtained by a conventional strain gauge transducer (CT) with a recently developed disposable high-fidelity transducer catheter (DT) during cardiac catheterization. CT was positioned at the patient's midchest level. The pressure measurements obtained by DT compared favorably with those of CT. Femoral arterial pressures by the two methods showed no statistical difference. Right heart pressures were similar using both transducers. However, right ventricular pressures by DT in five of eight patients were lower than that from CT. Higher pulmonary arterial pressures were noted in two of seven patients and higher pulmonary capillary wedge pressures were seen in four patients using DT compared to CT. None of these differences were of statistical significance. These pressure differences may be due to transducer position. Because the midchest position of CT does not precisely define the anatomic location of the cardiac chamber being studied, pressure measurements can be overestimated or underestimated. DT eliminates this problem, as well as overshooting and concern with air bubbles in the catheter system commonly associated with CT. Therefore DT may provide accurate hemodynamic measurements. It would appear to be useful regardless of patient position and may be useful in ambulatory hemodynamic determinations.