Clinical and imaging outcomes of OptionELITE vena cava filter placement procedures.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the clinical and imaging outcomes after placement of the OptionELITE inferior vena cava (IVC) filter (Argon Medical Devices, Plano, TX). METHODS: The clinical characteristics and imaging findings of patients who had undergone OptionELITE filter placement at six affiliated hospitals between January 1, 2013 and April 19, 2019, were analyzed. Data were obtained from the Radiology Information System, imaging database, and electronic medical records. The patients were followed up until 1 month after filter removal, death, or the first clinic visit and imaging study after June 1, 2019. RESULTS: A total of 603 filter placement procedures in 594 patients were evaluated. Of the 603 procedures, 602 were technically successful (99.8%). Of the 594 patients, 356 had presented with acute pulmonary embolism and/or deep vein thrombosis. A total of 189 filters were retrieved from the 191 patients for whom retrieval had been attempted at 4.3 ± 6.3 months (median, 2.5 months) after placement. The 414 filters without removal procedures had been followed up for 14.8 ± 17.7 months (median, 6.9 months). During the follow-up period, 57 patients (9.5%) had developed new or worsening deep vein thrombosis caudal to the filter and 19 (3.2%) had experienced new symptomatic nonfatal pulmonary embolism after filter placement. One filter had migrated and fractured, and another filter had fractured and a strut was lost. Perforation was demonstrated equivocally in 12 (3%) and definitely in 17 (4.3%) of 399 patients with adequate imaging studies available, with penetration into surrounding structures in 13 patients (3.3%). Of 332 patients with adequate imaging studies, 12 (3.6%) had developed substantial IVC thrombosis and 4 (1.2%) had developed IVC occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of symptomatic pulmonary embolism and filter-related complications were low after OptionELITE IVC filter placement, and filter retrieval, when attempted, was 99% successful.

Post Yttrium-90 Imaging.

Transarterial radioembolization with yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) is a mainstay for the treatment of liver cancer. Imaging the distribution following delivery is a concept that dates back to the 1960s. As ß particles are created during 90 Y decay, bremsstrahlung radiation is created as the particles interact with tissues, allowing for imaging with a gamma camera. Inherent qualities of bremsstrahlung radiation make its imaging difficult. SPECT and SPECT/CT can be used but suffer from limitations related to low signal-to-noise bremsstrahlung radiation. However, with optimized imaging protocols, clinically adequate images can still be obtained. A finite but detectable number of positrons are also emitted during 90 Y decay, and many studies have demonstrated the ability of commercial PET/CT and PET/MR scanners to image these positrons to understand 90 Y distribution and help quantify dose. PET imaging has been proven to be superior to SPECT for quantitative imaging, and therefore will play an important role going forward as we try and better understand dose/response and dose/toxicity relationships to optimize personalized dosimetry. The availability of PET imaging will likely remain the biggest barrier to its use in routine post- 90 Y imaging; thus, SPECT/CT imaging with optimized protocols should be sufficient for most posttherapy subjective imaging.