Significance of an enlarged splenic artery in patients with splenic vein thrombosis.

In an attempt to determine the relationship, if any, between the size of the splenic artery and various clinical aspects of splenic vein thrombosis, including splenomegaly, the clinical and angiographic findings in ten patients with this disorder were reviewed. The size of the splenic artery was found to be unrelated to the nature of the underlying disease, age of the patient, or history of variceal bleeding. An abnormally wide and tortuous splenic artery was identified only in those patients (five) in whom there was also radiographic evidence of splenic enlargement. Since the angiographic finding of an enlarged and tortuous splenic artery is known to correlate closely with increased flow in this vessel, this observation suggests that in patients with isolated splenic vein obstruction an increase in splenic artery flow accompanies splenic enlargement and is probably a critical component of the underlying derangement.

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration: MR evaluation.

This report documents the use of magnetic resonance (MR) in evaluation of intralobar pulmonary sequestration. Because of its distinctive multiplanar capabilities and nonreliance on contrast media to visualize blood vessels, MR can be used to define and characterize the size and course of anomalous arterial feeding vessels. Furthermore, MR can be of value in detecting the presence of mucoid-impacted bronchi within abnormal segments of the lung. It is concluded that in select cases MR may obviate the need for more invasive procedures to establish the diagnosis of pulmonary sequestration.

CT evaluation of esophageal varices.

CT findings in 20 consecutive patients with proven esophageal varices are reviewed and analyzed. In 85% of patients, abnormalities were seen involving the esophageal wall and/or periesophageal region. In 65%, findings specific to varices were present: thickening of esophageal wall, a scalloped contour, and intraluminal protrusions enhancing after a contrast bolus injection. These findings were seen alone or in association with periesophageal varices, which were seen in 45% of patients; evidence of portal hypertension with varices in the lesser omentum was present in 95%. CT has a sensitivity similar to barium esophagram but evaluates better the presence and extent of periesophageal varices and portal hypertension. Normal CT does not rule out esophageal varices because small varices may escape detection, particularly in scans done without a contrast bolus injection.

CT evaluation of pancreatic injury following splenectomy.

A fluid collection in the left subphrenic space immediately after splenectomy is often associated with pancreatic injury. The configuration, location, and vascular supply of the tail of the pancreas explain this postoperative complication. Depending on the degree of injury, the CT findings may show swelling of the tail of the pancreas, ill-defined fluid collections, or a well-encapsulated pancreatic pseudocyst. The diagnosis is confirmed by percutaneous aspiration with amylase determinations and the demonstration of a pancreatic fistula. Failure to diagnose this complication promptly may lead to a protracted postoperative clinical course and the development of a subphrenic abscess or a pancreatic pseudocyst.

Auto-injection of the corpus cavernosum with a vasoactive drug combination for vasculogenic impotence.

Intracavernous injection of papaverine hydrochloride with phentolamine mesylate rapidly produces transitory penile tumescence, which can be followed by erection and coitus provided there is sexual stimulation. Coital penetration was possible in 59 of 62 patients with impotence of divers etiologies (vascular, diabetic, iatrogenic and Peyronie's disease) who underwent injection and were sent home to attempt coitus. One patient had a prolonged erection that was treated successfully with aspiration of a corpus. When coitus was successful the patient was offered training in self-injection. With self-injection 18 patients have had satisfactory coitus without a noteworthy complication; 5 for more than 12 months. The long-term effects of intracavernous injections remain unknown. Intracavernous injection of vasoactive substances (chemical prosthesis) may become a useful alternative treatment. Administration should be restricted to urologists able to manage the possible complication of priapism.

Portal venous thrombosis: correlative analysis of sonography, CT and angiography.

In 17 patients with portal venous thrombosis; nine due to venous invasion by liver tumors, and eight due to benign causes, sonograms and CT scans were reviewed, and the results were correlated with angiography. Sonography detected portal venous thrombosis in 94% and CT in 76%. Sonography was better than CT in the demonstration of the extent of thrombosis. By the detection of solid masses in the liver, and contiguous thrombosis of the segmental portal veins, both sonography and CT were accurate in the differentiation of venous invasion by tumor from benign thrombosis. Angiography was 91% accurate and was unique in the demonstration of arterioportal shunting and detailed vascular anatomy of the portal venous system.

Ultrasonic features of cholangiocarcinoma.

Sonographic features in 12 cases of proven cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed and correlated with findings on direct cholangiography. Proximal bile duct dilation was present in all cases of cholangiocarcinoma of the intrahepatic ducts except one. A neoplastic bile duct segment was detected in nine of the 12 cases. The neoplasms were seen as narrowed, normal-sized, or enlarged ducts, and contained intraluminal soft-tissue echoes or echogenic bands across the lumens. The sonographic accuracy was greater for lesions involving the bifurcation and the common hepatic duct than for common bile duct lesions. Cholangiography was superior to sonography in determining the length of the involved segment, whereas sonography was superior in detecting hepatic invasion and lymphadenopathy.

Computed tomographic recognition of gastric varices.

The computed tomographic (CT) findings in 13 consecutive patients with proven gastric varices were analyzed and correlated with the radiographic, angiographic, and gastroscopic evaluations. In 11 patients, CT clearly identified large (five) or smaller (six) varices located mainly along the posteromedial wall of the gastric fundus and proximal body of the stomach. Well defined rounded or tubular densities that enhanced during intravenous administration of contrast material and could not be distinguished from the gastric wall were identified. Dense, enhancing, round or tubular, intraluminal filling defects were seen in the cases where the stomach was distended with water. In two patients, the CT diagnosis of gastric varices could not be confidently made. All patients had associated intraabdominal collateral circulation, situated medial to the stomach within the lesser omentum, along the distribution of the coronary venous system. In seven patients, the CT examination correctly diagnosed the pathogenesis of gastric varices by identifying hepatic cirrhosis, calcific pancreatitis, and carcinoma of the pancreas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with venous invasion. Sonographic-angiographic correlation.

Ultrasound was correlated with angiography for assessment of tumor extension to the intrahepatic inferior vena cava, hepatic veins, and portal vein branches in 15 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 85 cases of hepatic metastases. Sonography revealed intraluminal tumor thrombus in 5 cases of HCC (33%), which were confirmed by angiography (sensitivity and specificity = 100%), and in 1 case of hepatic metastases (1%). Sonography was superior in depicting veins obscured or nonopacified on angiography, which in turn demonstrated arteriovenous shunting not appreciated on sonography. Used as the initial procedure for evaluation of venous extension of HCC, ultrasound can suggest the histology (though this must be confirmed by biopsy) and determine the feasibility of resection.

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas. Radiographic, CT, sonographic, and angiographic features.

Solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas is a nonfunctioning tumor seen a slowly enlarging upper abdominal mass in young women. It is usually large, well encapsulated, and undergoing necrotic degeneration. On ultrasound, it is sharply defined, nonhomogeneous, and lacking central enhancement. On angiography, it can be avascular or hypovascular depending on the degree of necrosis. Calcification has not been reported, and metastatic deposits are rare. Excision leads to an excellent prognosis.

Renal arteriovenous fistulas and aneurysm: sonographic findings.

Two cases of congenital renal arteriovenous fistula and one case of intrarenal arterial aneurysm that were prospectively evaluated by real-time sonography are presented. The cirsoid type arteriovenous fistula had a characteristic sonographic appearance and was seen as a cluster of tubular anechoic structures within the kidney; it was supplied by an enlarged renal artery and drained by a dilated renal vein. Both the fistula (aneurysmal type) and the renal artery aneurysm were associated with a peripheral thrombus in the wall of the aneurysm and a central tubular anechoic lumen. The arterial aneurysm was also associated with visible pulsations on real-time sonograms. When present, the sonographic features as seen in these cases should facilitate a correct diagnosis, or at least suggest a renal lesion of vascular origin to be confirmed by renal angiography.

Sonographic evaluation of patients with portal hypertension.

The availability of real-time sonography has facilitated its use in the assessment of patients suspected of portal hypertension. Dilatation of the portal venous system may occur in portal hypertension, and a portal vein diameter greater than 13 mm is indicative of portal hypertension with a sensitivity of about 50%. Sonographic demonstration of lack of caliber variation of the portal system has a sensitivity of about 80%. The presence of venous collaterals can be demonstrated in about 90% of patients suitable for sonography. The coronary gastroesophageal varices can be seen in 90% when they are large sized, and in 65% when they are small sized. Other collaterals such as umbilical vein, duodenal varices, and gastrorenal and splenorenal varices can be detected. Sonography is a valuable screening procedure in the evaluation of portal hypertension and provides valuable information regarding the size and morphology of the liver and spleen, caliber and patency of the portal venous system, and the existence and location of the varices.

Sonography of pyonephrosis: a prospective study.

Sonograms of 73 patients with 92 hydronephrotic kidneys were prospectively reviewed in an attempt to differentiate hydronephrosis from pyonephrosis. Sonographic diagnosis of pyonephrosis was based on the presence of persistent internal echoes, dispersed or dependent, within the dilated pelvocaliceal system. In group 1, consisting of 38 patients without clinical evidence of renal infection, sonography revealed the collecting system distended by urine to be anechoic, for a specificity of 100%. In group 2, consisting of 34 patients with clinical suspicion of renal infection, sonography showed internal echoes within the fluid-filled collecting system in 10 cases; nine of these had pyonephrosis (sensitivity of 90%), and one had hemorrhagic debris without infection (false-positive rate 3%). In the other 24 patients, sonography correctly predicted the absence of infection in all but one case (specificity 97%, false-negative rate 10%). It is concluded that in patients with clinical suspicion of renal infection, sonography has a high degree of accuracy (96%) in the differentiation of pyonephrosis from hydronephrosis.

Sonography of portosystemic venous collaterals in portal hypertension.

Portosystemic venous collaterals were studied with sonography in 40 patients with known portal hypertension. Eight patients had technically inadequate scans, while 32 had optimal scans. Sixty groups of venous collaterals were identified. At least one collateral pathway was seen in 28 patients, for a sensitivity of 88% for the 32 patients with optimal scans and 70% for the total group. The overall sensitivity for detection of coronary-gastroesophageal collaterals was 80% and 64%, respectively. The small size of the coronary-gastroesophageal varices in early portal hypertension seems to be the most important factor limiting detection in patients suitable for sonography.

Computed tomography of ureteral obstruction.

Although hydronephrosis can usually be diagnosed by urography and/or pyelography, the etiology of the obstruction may not be apparent. Computed tomography (CT) is usually helpful in evaluation of these cases. In 36 cases in which CT was performed solely to determine the cause of ureteral obstruction of uncertain etiology, it proved to be of value in 33 instances (91.7%). The disease processes encountered in this series included metastatic carcinoma to the ureter or periureteral tissues(22), lymphoma (one), primary ureteral tumor (two), radiolucent ureteral stone (four), adjacent ileocolitis (two), aortic or iliac artery aneurysm (two), fibrous band(one), urinoma (one), and radiation fibrosis (one). In three cases (8.3%) an etiologic diagnosis could not be made by CT. These patients had radiation therapy to treat malignant disease, and recurrent tumor responsible for ureteral obstruction could not be distinguished from radiation fibrosis.

Adrenal adenoma associated with renal cell carcinoma.

Four cases of nonfunctioning adrenal adenomas associated with renal cell carcinoma are reported. The adenomas were found incidentally during angiographic examination of the renal carcinoma, and originally were thought to be metastases to the adrenal gland. Reports in the pathologic literature indicate an increased incidence of adrenal adenomas in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Adrenal adenomas occur in 12%-15% of patients with renal cell carcinoma as compared to 2%-3% of the general population. Since a vascular metastasis to the adrenal gland and an adrenal adenoma may appear identical angiographically, awareness of this association is important to avoid overdiagnosis of metastatic disease.

Renal emphysema secondary to traumatic renal infarction.

Renal emphysema is most often due to emphysematous pyelonephritis in diabetics. The emphysema is the result of infection by gas-forming organisms. Intrarenal gas can also be seen under noninfective conditions. The report is a case of renal emphysema following traumatic renal infarction.

Involvement of the inferior vena cava in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Inferior vena cavography plays an important role in the staging of renal cell carcinoma. The renal angiograms and inferior vena cavograms in a series of patients with renal cell carcinoma were reviewed to determine which patients require cavography. Our findings show that renal angiography is of great value in suggesting tumor involvement of the renal vein or vena cava, and that the decision to do cavography can be made from the angiographic findings. In the series of 172 patients with renal carcinoma, 15 or 9% had inferior vena cava involvement.

Unsuspected aortic dissection: the chronic "healed" dissection.

Of all aortic dissections, 10% are chronic. Typically they arise distal to the left subclavian artery and have reentry points into the true lumen. Pain may be minimal or absent and patients often present with cardiac failure. Chronic dissections are more likely to appear radiographically as atherosclerotic aneurysms on a chest film than are acute dissections. Four cases of chronic dissections found incidentally during angiography are presented.