ABSTRACT
Objective To study the role of pulmonary angiography with 16-detector row spiral CT in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE).Methods Forty-nine patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism were examined prospectively with 16-detector row spiral CT pulmonary angiography.Contrast enhanced 3-mm section thickness was used to scan the entire chest and the raw data were used to perform the reconstruction with 1-mm section thickness and multiplanar reformation (MPR).The axial images of 3-mm,1-mm section thickness,and MPR were compared.Results PE were diagnosed in 42 of 49 patients,and 352 branches were detected,including 8 left or right main pulmonary arteries,96 lobar arteries,132 segmental vessels,and 116 subsegmental arteries.For displaying the emboli in main pulmonary arteries and lobar arteries,the results of the images with 3-mm,1-mm section thicknesses and MPR were identical.But 1-mm-thick section yielded higher rate of detecting emboli in segmental and subsegmental pulmonary arteries compared with 3-mm-thick sections,and there was significant difference statistically (P0.05).Conclusion 16-detector row spiral CT pulmonary angiography is non-invasive,fast,and highly sensitive for PE,and it should be the modality of choice for the diagnosis of PE.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the value of 16-slice spiral computed tomography angiography(16SCTA) and reconstruction technique in the diagnosis of vascular diseases. Methods Using 0.75 mm collimation,1mm slice thickness and 0.5mm repitition,16SCTA was performed in 100 patients with suspected vascular diseases.Reconstruction methods were multiple planar reconstruction(MPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP) and volume rendering technique(VRT). Results 65 patients were proved by pathology or DSA in 100 vascular diseases,which included cerebral aneurysm(n=8),brain arteriovenous malformation(AVM,n=2),pulmonary AVM(n=6),pulmonary artery embolism with thrombus of the lower limb vein(n=9),pulmonary sequestration(n=4),coronary artery soft plaque and / or calcification(n=20),aortic aneurysm(n=12),renal artery stenosis(n=3),superior mesenteric artery thrombus(n=2),femoral artery stenosis(n=1),soft tissue hemangioma(n=33).Three reconstruction techniques showed the size,shape and extent of the lesion and displayed the lesion in any directions.VRT could display three-dimensionally the lesion.MPR and MIP could show the thrombus of lesion,MIP and VRT could display the calcification of lesion. Conclusion Application of every 16 SCTA reconstruction technique can display clearly lesion and replace DSA in diagnosis of vascular diseases,and provides another reliable diagnostic method for patients and has clinical importance for treatment.