[CT of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis and its differential diagnoses]. / Computertomographische Diagnostik der akuten linksseitigen Kolondivertikulitis und ihre Differenzialdiagnostik.

PURPOSE: This review shows the diagnostic potential of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis. METHODS: Using a single detector spiral CT, standard examination of the entire abdomen is performed after oral and rectal administration of diluted iodinated contrast medium with collimation of 8 mm, pitch of 1.5, and reconstruction increment of 8 mm before and after intravenous contrast injection. Intravenous administration of spasmolytic agents, various patient positions, and the thin-section technique with 3-5 mm slices are beneficial in difficult cases. RESULTS: The differential diagnosis of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis includes tumorous, inflammatory, and ischemic diseases of the colon as well as infarctions of epiploic appendages and the omentum majus. The knowledge of the various CT criteria of acute colonic diverticulitis and their differential diagnoses helps to establish a correct diagnosis in a wide majority of cases. CONCLUSION: At present, CT is the diagnostic procedure of choice for assessing acute diverticulitis. Distinct knowledge of the CT features helps to differentiate the various entities accurately.

[Computed tomography (CT) of acute diverticulitis of the cecum and ascending colon]. / Computertomographie bei akuter rechtsseitiger Kolondivertikulitis.

Acute diverticulitis of the cecum and ascending colon, also called right-sided diverticulitis, represents a relatively rare disorder in the western hemisphere. Pseudodiverticula and, less frequently, solitary congenital diverticula are regarded as the underlying causes of acute diverticulitis. We report the helical CT findings in four patients with acute right-sided colonic diverticulitis. The CT was performed with a collimation of 8 mm, a pitch of 1.5 and an increment of 8 mm, and with variable administration of intravenous, oral and rectal contrast material. In two of the four patients, the acute diverticulitis was detected in the cecum and ascending colon, respectively. In two patients, the diagnosis could be confirmed during surgery and subsequent histologic examination of the resected specimen. On the initial CT studies, acute diverticulitis was correctly diagnosed in two patients and suspected in one patient without identifying an inflamed diverticulum. In one patient, the offending diverticulum in the ascending colon caused an inflammatory pseudotumor at the level of the ileocecal region. This process was initially mistaken as Crohn's disease. The CT diagnosis of a right-sided colonic diverticulitis is based on an inflamed diverticulum in the center of pericolic inflammatory changes and a preserved wall enhancement (target sign). Other CT findings, such as fatty pericolic infiltration and colon wall thickening, are rather non-specific and can also be found in a number of different ileocolic disorders, especially in colon cancer. In selected cases, the diagnosis can only be established by follow up CT after the pericolic infiltration has markedly subsided and an offending diverticulum has emerged.

[CT findings in acute small bowel diverticulitis]. / Computertomographie bei akuter Dünndarmdivertikulitis.

Small bowel diverticulitis is a rare cause of an acute abdomen. Originating from acquired diverticula of the jejunum, less often of the ileum, or Meckel diverticulum, the symptoms are nonspecific, simulating other acute inflammatory disorders, such as appendicitis, cholecystitis or colonic diverticulitis. The diagnosis of small bowel diverticulitis is solely based on radiologic findings, with computed tomography (CT) regarded as the method of choice. In recent years, a number of case reports have described the spectrum of the CT features in acute small bowel diverticulitis and its dependence on the severity of the inflammatory process. Typical findings are an inflamed diverticulum, inflammatory mesenteric infiltration, extraluminal gas collection and mural edema of adjacent small bowel loops with resultant separation of bowel loops. An enterolith is rarely found in an inflamed diverticulum. Complications include abscesses, fistulae, small bowel obstruction and free perforation with peritonitis. Small bowel diverticulitis can be a diagnostic problem if it involves the terminal ileum or Meckel's diverticulum. For preoperative confirmation of the presumed diagnosis of small bowel diverticulitis on CT, an enteroclysis for acquired diverticula or a technetium scan for Meckel's diverticulum should be performed. We present the CT findings in three patients of acute small bowel diverticulitis, two affecting the jejunum and one a Meckel's diverticulum.

Prevalence, morphology and biology of renal cell carcinoma in von Hippel-Lindau disease compared to sporadic renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Renal cell carcinoma occurs as a sporadic tumor but may be part of the autosomal dominant von Hippel-Lindau disease, characterized by retinal and central nervous system hemangioblastoma, pheochromocytoma, pancreatic cysts and renal cell carcinoma. We determine the prevalence of von Hippel-Lindau disease in a series of unselected renal cell carcinoma cases by molecular genetic analysis, and compare sporadic to von Hippel-Lindau renal cell carcinoma with respect to morphology and biology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We established registers comprising 63 subjects with von Hippel-Lindau renal cell carcinoma, belonging to 30 distinct families (register A), and 460 unselected patients operated on for renal cell carcinoma in an 11-year period (register B). Molecular genetic analysis of the von Hippel-Lindau gene was performed for living patients of register A, representing 80% of von Hippel-Lindau families, and register B, 62% living patients, to identify von Hippel-Lindau germline mutations. In addition, register B was evaluated by a questionnaire (95% response) for familial occurrence of von Hippel-Lindau disease. RESULTS: The prevalence of von Hippel-Lindau renal cell carcinoma was 1.6% in 189 consenting unselected renal cell carcinoma patients. Risk factors for occult germline von Hippel-Lindau gene mutations in register B included familial renal cell carcinoma in 3 of 3 patients (100%), multifocal or bilateral renal cell carcinoma in 1 of 10 (10%) and age younger than 50 years at diagnosis in 1 of 33 (3%). Compared to sporadic von Hippel-Lindau renal cell carcinoma was characterized by an occurrence 25 years earlier, association with renal cysts, multifocal and bilateral tumors, cystic organization and low grade histology, and a better 10-year survival (p < 0.001 each). In von Hippel-Lindau disease metastases occurred only in tumors larger than 7 cm. CONCLUSIONS: von Hippel-Lindau differs from sporadic renal cell carcinoma in morphology and biology. Our data provide arguments for planning surgery for von Hippel-Lindau renal cell carcinoma and should stimulate future investigations.

[The place of angiography and radiologic intervention before and after liver transplantation]. / Stellenwert der Angiographie und radiologischen Intervention vor und nach Lebertransplantation.

The study demonstrates the value of angiography and radiological interventions before and after liver transplantation. From September 1988 till February 1991 84% out of 124 hepatic transplant recipients underwent pretransplant angiography evaluation for the exact demonstration of arterial and portal venous blood supply of the liver. Posttransplant angiography was performed in cases with suspected vascular complications, chronic rejection, and spleno-hepatic steal syndrome. Radiological interventions were performed for bacteriological examination and percutaneous drainage of encapsulated fluid collections.

[Angiography and interventional radiologic procedures in liver transplantation. III. Radiologic interventions after transplantation]. / Angiographische und interventionell-radiologische Verfahren bei Lebertransplantation. Teil III: Radiologische Interventionen nach Transplantation.

Eleven patients after liver transplantation underwent 17 radiological interventions. Most of the cases were encapsulated fluid collections with episodes of fever. Radiological interventions make re-operations unnecessary in the majority of the cases. Our data are compared with those of other publications.