ABSTRACT
The goal of this study was to assess the usefulness of spiral CT angiography (CTA) with three- dimensional reconstructions in defining intracranial aneurysms, particularly around the Circle of Willis. Two hundred consecutive patients with angiographic and/or surgical correlation were studied between 1993 and 1998, with CTA performed on a GE HiSpeed unit and Windows workstation. The following clinical situations were evaluated: conventional CT suspicion of an aneurysm; follow-up of treated aneurysm remnants or of untreated aneurysms; subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and negative angiography; family or past aneurysm history; and for improved definition of aneurysm anatomy. Spiral CTA detected 140 of 144 aneurysms, and an overall sensitivity of 97%, including 30 of 32 aneurysms 3 mm or less in size. In 38 patients with SAH and negative angiography, CTA found six of the seven aneurysms finally diagnosed. There was no significant artefact in 17 of 23 patients (74%) with clips. The specificity of CTA was 86% with 8 false-positive cases. Spiral CTA is very useful in demonstrating intracranial aneurysms.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Angiography , Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Circle of Willis/diagnostic imaging , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Humans , Imaging, Three-Dimensional , Intracranial Aneurysm/genetics , Intracranial Aneurysm/surgery , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/genetics , Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/surgeryABSTRACT
We describe three cases of severe necrotizing pancreatitis, with Apache II scores of 11, 17 and 22, respectively. There was no significant pancreatic parenchymal perfusion in any of the three patients on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. All three patients were primarily treated with percutaneous drains and all three subsequently required open laparotomies. We do not recommend percutaneous drainage as a definitive therapy for severe necrotizing pancreatitis.