Selective postmortem arterial angiography of head and neck using digital x-ray or computed tomography: A practical and rapid method to identify vascular injuries.

Identification of vascular injuries is crucial for complete postmortem evaluation and understanding of trauma deaths by the Medical Examiner. Some vascular injuries are difficult to evaluate due to challenging anatomic locations, especially in the head and neck. Documenting injuries of the facial and vertebral arteries is challenging and necessitates time-consuming dissections that can create artifacts and disfigurement. In busy medical examiner offices with a significant number of traumatic injuries, finding a creative solution to employ reliable postmortem angiography is desirable. At the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland (OCME), we created and effectively implemented a selective angiography procedure using traditional indwelling Foley catheters and water-soluble barium swallow contrast to evaluate arterial injuries using either digital radiography or computed tomography imaging modalities. This technique and imaging interpretation can be performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathology fellow after basic technical training and basic radiology training. This study outlines the technique, methods, and utilization of the procedure and describes the findings of six deaths due to vascular lesions from different injury mechanisms and disease processes and describes the ease of implementation on a broader scale in busy Medical Examiner's offices.

Spatio-temporal generalized Model Observers methods for Low Contrast Detectability assessment in digital angiography: Application to moving targets.

The purpose of this work is to investigate the feasibility of spatio-temporal generalized Model Observer methods for protocol optimization programs in the field of interventional radiography. Two Model Observers were taken under examination: a Channelized Hotelling Observer with 24 spatio-temporal Gabor channels and a Non Pre-Whitening Model Observer with two different implementations of the spatio-temporal contrast sensitivity function. The images of targets, both stationary and in motion, were acquired in fluoroscopic mode using a CDRAD phantom for signal-present images and an homogenous slab of PMMA for signal-absent ones. After the processing, these images were used to build three series of two alternative forced choice experiments, designed to simulate tasks of clinical interest, and submitted to three human observers in order to set a goal on detectability. A first set of images was used for model tuning and subsequently the verified models were validated throughout a second set of images. Results from the validation phase, for both models, show good agreement with the human observer performances (Root Mean Square Error RMSE ≤ 12%). The tuning phase emerges as a crucial step in building models for angiographic dynamic images; the final agreement underlines the good capability of these spatio-temporal models in simulating human performances, allowing to consider them as a useful and worthwhile tool in protocol optimization when dynamic images are involved.

Comparative study of angiographic changes in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Background: Diabetics are at 5-15 times greater risk of developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and few studies have compared risk factors and distribution and severity of arterial changes in diabetics compared with non-diabetics. Objectives: To compare angiographic changes between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with advanced PAD and correlate them with risk factors. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted of consecutive patients undergoing lower limb arteriography for PAD (Rutherford 3-6) using TASC II and Bollinger et al. angiographic scores. Exclusion criteria were upper limb angiographies, unclear images, incomplete laboratory test results, and previous arterial surgeries. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Fisher's test for discrete data, and Student's t test for continuous data (significance level: p < 0.05). Results: We studied 153 patients with a mean age of 67 years, 50.9% female and 58.2% diabetics. A total of 91 patients (59%) had trophic lesions (Rutherford 5 or 6) and 62 (41%) had resting pain or limiting claudication (Rutherford 3 and 4). Among diabetics, 81.7% were hypertensive, 29.4% had never smoked, and 14% had a history of acute myocardial infarction. According to the Bollinger et al. score, infra-popliteal arteries were more affected in diabetics, especially the anterior tibial artery (p = 0.005), while the superficial femoral artery was more affected in non-diabetics (p = 0.008). According to TASC II, the most severe angiographic changes in the femoral-popliteal segment occurred in non-diabetic patients (p = 0.019). Conclusions: The most frequently affected sectors were the infra-popliteal sectors in diabetics and the femoral sector in non-diabetics.

Comparação das alterações angiográficas entre pacientes diabéticos e não diabéticos com doença arterial periférica / Comparative study of angiographic changes in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease

Resumo Contexto Os diabéticos possuem risco de 5 a 15 vezes maior para o desenvolvimento de doença arterial periférica (DAP), e poucos estudos compararam fatores de risco e a distribuição e gravidade de alterações arteriais angiográficas entre diabéticos e não diabéticos. Objetivos Comparar alterações angiográficas entre pacientes diabéticos e não diabéticos com DAP avançada, correlacionando-as com demais fatores de risco. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo transversal retrospectivo de pacientes consecutivos submetidos a arteriografia de membros inferiores por DAP (Rutherford de 3 a 6), usando os escores angiográficos TASC II e de Bollinger et al. Os critérios de exclusão incluíram arteriografias de membros superiores, exames incompletos ou sem nitidez e cirurgias prévias. A análise estatística incluiu o teste do qui-quadrado ou exato de Fisher para variáveis discretas e o teste t para variáveis contínuas (significância: p < 0,05). Resultados Foram estudados 153 pacientes com idade média de 67 anos, sendo 50,9% do sexo feminino e 58,2% diabéticos. Um total de 91 pacientes (59%) tinha lesão trófica (Rutherford 5 ou 6), enquanto 62 (41%) tinham dor em repouso ou claudicação limitante (Rutherford 3 e 4). Entre os diabéticos, 81,7% eram hipertensos, 29,4% nunca fumaram e 14% tinham antecedente de infarto do miocárdio. Pelo escore de Bollinger et al., as artérias infrapoplíteas foram as mais comprometidas, em especial a tibial anterior (p = 0,005) nos diabéticos, enquanto a femoral superficial foi mais acometida nos não diabéticos (p = 0,008). Pelo TASC II, as alterações arteriográficas mais graves ocorreram no segmento fêmoro-poplíteo nos pacientes não diabéticos (p = 0,019). Conclusões Os setores infrapoplíteos foram os mais comprometidos nos diabéticos, enquanto o setor femoral foi o mais acometido nos não diabéticos.

Abstract Background Diabetics are at 5-15 times greater risk of developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and few studies have compared risk factors and distribution and severity of arterial changes in diabetics compared with non-diabetics. Objectives To compare angiographic changes between diabetic and non-diabetic patients with advanced PAD and correlate them with risk factors. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted of consecutive patients undergoing lower limb arteriography for PAD (Rutherford 3-6) using TASC II and Bollinger et al. angiographic scores. Exclusion criteria were upper limb angiographies, unclear images, incomplete laboratory test results, and previous arterial surgeries. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Fisher's test for discrete data, and Student's t test for continuous data (significance level: p < 0.05). Results We studied 153 patients with a mean age of 67 years, 50.9% female and 58.2% diabetics. A total of 91 patients (59%) had trophic lesions (Rutherford 5 or 6) and 62 (41%) had resting pain or limiting claudication (Rutherford 3 and 4). Among diabetics, 81.7% were hypertensive, 29.4% had never smoked, and 14% had a history of acute myocardial infarction. According to the Bollinger et al. score, infra-popliteal arteries were more affected in diabetics, especially the anterior tibial artery (p = 0.005), while the superficial femoral artery was more affected in non-diabetics (p = 0.008). According to TASC II, the most severe angiographic changes in the femoral-popliteal segment occurred in non-diabetic patients (p = 0.019). Conclusions The most frequently affected sectors were the infra-popliteal sectors in diabetics and the femoral sector in non-diabetics.

Aneurismas intracranianos: epidemiologia e análise morfológica por angiografia digital / Intracranial aneurisms: epidemiology and morphological analysis by digital angiography

Introdução: Aneurismas intracranianos (AIC) são dilatações vasculares de elevada prevalência que podem ser identificadas por angiotomografia, angiorressonância e por angiografia de subtração digital (ASD), exame considerado padrão-ouro. Para AIC não rotos, ainda inexiste consenso absoluto sobre padronização de conduta terapêutica, que depende, intrinsecamente, de aspectos morfológicos e topográficos ao exame angiográfico. Objetivo: Analisar características epidemiológicas, morfológicas e topográficas de AIC não rotos identificados por ASD e as correlacionar com fatores de risco. Método: Foram considerados 160 prontuários eletrônicos de pacientes com AIC não rotos diagnosticados por ASD entre 2014 e 2018. Variáveis consideradas foram aspectos epidemiológicos (gênero, idade e grupo étnico), morfológicos (formato, presença ou ausência de colo e tamanho), topografia, número de AIC por paciente e fatores de risco (hipertensão arterial sistêmica, tabagismo e etilismo), com análise estatística por correlação de Spearman. Resultados: De 160 pacientes, avaliaram-se 207 AIC não rotos. Houve predomínio do sexo feminino, da faixa etária de 60 a 69 anos e da etnia branca. Em relação a fatores de risco, 58,75% apresentavam hipertensão arterial sistêmica. A maioria dos pacientes apresentava um único aneurisma, e a localização mais prevalente foi artéria carótida interna direita. Predominaram aneurismas saculares, pequenos (menor que 7 mm) e de colo largo. Demonstrou-se correlação estatística entre tamanho e localização (p < 0,001), tamanho e tipo de colo (p = 0,0005) e entre formato e tipo de colo (p < 0,001). Conclusão: Houve prevalência de AIC não rotos em indivíduos do sexo feminino de meia idade, brancos e hipertensos, com predomínio de aneurisma sacular não lobulado, único, pequeno, de colo largo em artéria carótida interna direita. Presença de correlação estatística de AIC sacular com colo largo, AIC gigante em artéria carótida interna, e de AIC pequeno com colo largo. [au]

Introduction: Intracranial aneurysms (IA) are vascular dilations that are highly prevalent and that can be identified by angiotomography, angioresonance and digital subtraction angiography (DSA), an exam considered the gold standard. For unruptured IA, there is still no absolute onsensus on standardization of therapeutic conduct, which depends, intrinsically, on morphological and topographic aspects on angiographic examination. Objective: Analyze the epidemiological, morphological and topographic characteristics of unruptured IA identified by DSA and to correlate with risk factors. Method: 160 electronic medical records of patients with unruptured IA diagnosed by DSA between 2014 and 2018 were considered. Variables considered were epidemiological (gender, age and ethnic group), morphological aspects (shape, presence or absence of neck and size), topography, number of IA per patient and risk factors (systemic arterial hypertension, smoking and alcoholism), with statistical analysis by Spearman correlation. Results: Out of 160 patients, 207 unruptured IA were evaluated. There was a predominance of females, aged 60 to 69 years and white ethnicity. Regarding risk factors, 58.75% had systemic arterial hypertension. Most patients have a single aneurysm, and the most prevalent location was the right internal carotid artery. Saccular, small (less than 7 mm) and large-necked aneurysms predominated. There was a statistical correlation between size and location (p <0.001), size and type of neck (p = 0.0005) and between shape and type of neck (p <0.001).Conclusion: Prevalence of unruptured IA in middle-aged, white and hypertensive women, with a predominance of a single small non-lobulated saccular aneurysm with a large neck in the right internal carotid artery. Correlation of saccular IA with large neck, giant IA in internal carotid artery, and small IA with large neck. [au]

Repeated cerebellar infarction in the affected nondominant vertebral artery distribution with reversible vertebral artery occlusion elicited by head tilt: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Bow hunter's syndrome or stroke (BHS) is characterized by rotational vertebrobasilar insufficiency elicited by rotation of the neck. It is caused by dynamic and reversible occlusion of the vertebral artery (VA). Reversible symptoms of rotational vertebrobasilar insufficiency are described as bow hunter's syndrome, although brain infarction is rarely reported as bow hunter's stroke. OBSERVATIONS: A 70-year-old man experienced repeated cerebellar infarctions three times in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) distribution of the nondominant right VA connecting the basilar artery. The onset of symptoms indicating cerebellar infarcts and the patient's head position changes were unrelated. Dynamic digital angiography (DA) revealed that the nondominant right VA was occluded by an osteophyte from the C4 vertebral body, and the right PICA branches were shown to be passing through the distal right VA from the left VA. These findings were observed when the patient's head was tilted to the right. An arterio-arterial embolic mechanism was suggested as the cause of repeated cerebellar infarctions. LESSONS: Transient nondominant VA occlusion has been rarely reported as a cause of BHS when the head is tilted. To confirm the diagnosis of BHS, additional head tilt is recommended when performing dynamic DA in patients with a cervical osteophyte.

Flow evaluation of STA-MCA bypass using quantitative ultrasonography: An alternative to standard angiography for follow up of bypass graft.

PURPOSE: To date, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has been considered as the gold imaging modality for assessing graft patency after extracranial-intracranial bypass. The utility of a noninvasive and quantitative method of assessing graft flow postoperatively was evaluated by using quantitative ultrasonography. METHOD: All STA-MCA bypass surgery performed over a 5-year period at a single institution were reviewed. Measured by duplex ultrasonography, pre-operative (day1) and post-operative (day1, day7, 3month and 6 month) graft blood flow rates were recorded and analyzed. Results were correlated to Matsushima grade determined by DSA performed within 24 h when ultrasonography was conducted to confirm the graft function. RESULTS: 100 patients with 131 operated hemispheres were included in this study. The mean flow rates in the STA graft on pre-operative day1, post-operative day 1 and 7, at 3- and 6-month postoperatively were 24.1, 106.7, 112.6, 97.4 and 79.7 ml/min respectively. The mean post-operative flow in the STA graft graded as A/B/C were significantly different (168.0 ± 34.8 ml/min, 91.0 ± 15.5, 42.1 ± 17.2 ml/min, respectively, p = 0.000). 124.5 ml/min and 65.5 ml/min are good cut-off value for predicting post-operative graft Matsushima grade. The analysis also showed excellent agreement between ultrasonography and DSA for assessing bypass function (κ = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: The patency of the STA grafts can be assessed noninvasively by quantitative ultrasonography, which results are comparable to those of conventional DSA. This, therefore, suggest that quantitative ultrasonography may be an alternative method to standard DSA for serial follow up of STA grafts.

Clinical applications of digital angiography with the harmonization function in body interventional radiology.

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is frequently applied in interventional radiology (IR). When DSA is not useful due to misregistration, digital angiography (DA) as an alternative option is used. In DA, the harmonization function (HF) works in real time by harmonizing the distribution of gray steps or reducing the dynamic range; thus, it can compress image gradations, decrease image contrast, and suppress halation artifacts. DA with HF as a good alternative to DSA is clinically advantageous in body IR for generating DSA-like images and simultaneously reducing various motion artifacts and misregistrations caused by patient body motion, poor breath-holding, bowel and ureter peristalsis, and cardiac pulsation as well as halation artifacts often stemming from the lung field. Free-breath DA with HF can improve body IR workflow and decrease the procedure time by reducing the risk of catheter dislocation and using background structures as anatomical landmarks, demonstrating reduced radiation exposure relative to DSA. Thus, HF should be more widely and effectively utilized for appropriate purposes in body IR. This article illustrates the basic facts and principles of HF in DA, and demonstrates clinical advantages and limitations of this function in body IR.

Model observers for Low Contrast Detectability evaluation in dynamic angiography: A feasible approach.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of spatio-temporal generalisation of mathematical methods for protocol optimisation in interventional radiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two model observers were considered:Furthermore, Low Contrast Detectability (LCD) was evaluated with a generalised statistical method by taking into account the noise integration capability of the human eye. A series of two alternative force choices (2AFC) experiments performed by four observers were used to evaluate the reliability of the proposed models. The evaluation of the mathematical methods was performed by comparing their results to the human observer performances in two steps: 1. Firstly, a series of simulated images were used to tune the models 2. In the second phase, tuned models were applied both to simulated images and actual images obtained with a commercial phantom to evaluate detectability scores. RESULTS: Evaluation with simulated images shows a good agreement with 2AFC results (RMSE < 10%). Phantom-based evaluations show a general decrease of such agreement, characterized by an RMSE lower than 16%. CONCLUSIONS: The agreement with human observer experiments supports the feasibility of the proposed generalisations. Thus, they could be introduced in quality control programmes for a deeper protocol-characterisation or for clinical protocol-optimization when dynamic images are involved.

Application of manual carbon dioxide angiography in endovascular treatment for arteriosclerosis obliterans of lower extremity in patients with renal insufficiency or iodine allergy / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To assess the safety and diagnostic accuracy of manual carbon dioxide (C02) digital angiography in performing endovascular therapy (EVT) for arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) of lower extremity in patients who have renal insufficiency or iodine allergy. Methods The clinical data of 19 patients with lower extremity ASO complicated by renal insufficiency or iodine allergy, who were admitted to authors' hospital to receive EVT of lower extremity with intraoperative C02 angiography during the period from January 2013 to March 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Using manual bolus injection of C02, or with additional use of minimum dose of iodinated contrast media, CO2 angiography was performed so as to guide EVT procedure. The safety and diagnostic accuracy of manual C02 angiography were evaluated. Results A total of 21 endovascular treatments were performed in 19 patients with lower extremity ASO, and a total of 28 arterial segment lesions were treated. The technical success rate was 100％. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) was improved from preoperative 0. 56±0. 08 to postoperative 0. 74±0. 07, the difference was statistically significant (t= -20. 605, P＜0. 00l). The mean serum creatinine (sCr) levels tested at 48 h and one week after the treatment were (159. 91±33. 21) μmol/L and (143. 44±43. 59) μmol/L respectively, which were not significantly different from preoperative (139. 5±37. 6) μmol/L (t=-1. 098, P=0. 285), and none of these results met the standard of contrast nephropathy. Among the 21 times of EVT procedure, additional use of iodinated contrast media was employed in 13 procedures, the average used amount of iodine contrast agent was (12±5. 5) mL. After the treatment, sCr level was elevated, the estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were lower than 50 mL· min-1 · 1. 73 m-2, which restored to preoperative level in one week. CO2 angiography showed that the image quality of all arteries above the knee joint met the requirements of treatment, except for one patient whose images could not accurately display the length and extent of the stenosis due to restenosis of the superficial femoral artery. The image quality of the arteries below the knee level was usual. Conclusion In performing EVT procedure to treat lower extremity ASO the use of C02 angiography is safe. The image quality of all arteries above the knee joint is satisfactory, it can significantly reduce, or even avoid, the use of iodine contrast agents. Therefore, this technique is especially suitable for patients who have renal insufficiency or iodine allergy. (J Intervent Radiol, 2018, 27:211-214)

Localization of the carotid bifurcation according to hyoid bone and mandibular angle / Localización de la bifurcación carotídea según el hueso hióides y el ángulo mandibular

The aim of this study was to determine the carotid bifurcation level in relation with the hyoid bone and mandibular angle. Common carotid artery is the largest artery in the neck, and it gives off two terminal branches, namely external and internal carotid arteries. The bifurcation level of it shows variations, however it is usually situated at the level of C4 vertebra or at the upper border of thyroid cartilage. On the other hand, carotid bifurcation may be situated as low as T3 vertebra, or as high as the level of hyoid bone. In this study, conventional angiographic images of 112 patients were used. The distances of carotid bifurcation to hyoid bone and mandibular angle were measured on those images. In addition, right and left side difference was determined. The distance of carotid bifurcation level to the mandibular angle was measured as 21.26 ± 8.57 mm on the right and 20.25 ± 8.75 mm on the left side in males, and 19.72 ± 8.89 on the right, and 18.5 ± 9.25 mm on the left side in females. Distance between the carotid bifurcation level and hyoid bone ranged 1.94 ± 12.69 mm in female and 3.04 ± 9.00 mm in male on the left side. Having information about the level of carotid bifurcation is important in surgical and radiological procedures for determining the appropriate surgical procedure, and to prevent complications. We believe that the results of this study will shed light to planning of all interventions concerning common carotid artery.

El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el nivel de bifurcación carotídea en relación con el hueso hioides y el ángulo de la mandíbula. La arteria carótida común es la arteria más grande del cuello, y tiene dos ramas terminales, las arterias carótidas externa e internas. El nivel de bifurcación muestra variaciones, sin embargo suele situarse a nivel de la cuarta vértebra cervical o en el margen superior del cartílago tiroideo. Por otro lado, la bifurcación carotídea puede estar situada tan baja como a nivel de la tercera vértebra torácica, o tan alta como a nivel del hueso hioides. En este estudio se utilizaron imágenes angiográficas convencionales de 112 pacientes. Se midieron las distancias de la bifurcación carotídea con el hueso hioides y el ángulo de la mandíbula en esas imágenes. Además, se determinó la diferencia entre los lados derecho e izquierdo. La distancia entre el nivel de bifurcación carotídea y el ángulo de la mandíbula se midió, siendo de 21,26 ± 8,57 mm a la derecha y 20,25 ± 8,75 mm en el lado izquierdo, en los hombres, y 19,72 ± 8,89 a la derecha y 18,5 ± 9,25 mm a la izquierda en mujeres. La distancia entre el nivel de bifurcación de la carótida y el hueso hioides osciló entre 1,94 ± 12,69 mm en mujeres y, 3,04 ± 9,00 mm en hombres, en el lado izquierdo. La información sobre el nivel de bifurcación carotídea es importante en los procedimientos quirúrgicos y radiológicos para determinar el procedimiento quirúrgico apropiado y prevenir complicaciones. Creemos que los resultados de este estudio arrojarán luz a la planificación de las intervenciones relacionadas con la arteria carótida común.

Reduction of Radiation Exposure Using Dynamic Trace Digital Angiography and Spot Fluoroscopy During Adrenal Venous Sampling.

PURPOSE: To compare radiation exposure of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) using dynamic trace digital angiography (DTDA) and spot fluoroscopy with that using conventional methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AVS was performed in 11 patients using DTDA and spot fluoroscopy (Group A) and 11 patients using conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with collimation (Group B). Radiation exposure and image quality of adrenal venography using a five-point scale were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The acquisition dose-area product (DAP) using DTDA and fluoro-DAP using spot fluoroscopy in Group A were lower than those using conventional DSA (5.3 ± 3.7 vs. 29.1 ± 20.1 Gy cm2, p < 0.001) and collimation (33.3 ± 22.9 vs. 59.1 ± 35.7 Gy cm2, p = 0.088) in Group B. The total DAP in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B (38.6 ± 25.9 vs. 88.2 ± 53.6 Gy cm2, p = 0.006). The peak skin dose for patients and operator radiation exposure in Group A were significantly lower than those in Group B (403 ± 340 vs. 771 ± 416 mGy, p = 0.030, and 17.1 ± 14.8 vs. 36.6 ± 21.7 µSv, p = 0.013). The image quality of DTDA (4.4 ± 0.6) was significantly higher than that of digital angiography (3.8 ± 0.9, p = 0.011) and equivalent to that of DSA (4.3 ± 0.8, p = 0.651). CONCLUSIONS: Radiation exposure during AVS can be reduced by approximately half for both patients and operators by using DTDA and spot fluoroscopy without sacrificing image quality.

Comparación de las medidas obtenidas por resonancia magnética con reconstrucción tridimensional y las obtenidas por angiografía digital para el diagnóstico de coartación de aorta / Comparison between the measurements obtained by magnetic resonance and digital angiography in patients with aortic coarctation

Introducción. La angiografía digital (AD) transcateterismo es el estándar de oro en el diagnóstico de la coartación de aorta (CoAo) aunque la resonancia magnética (RM) ha mostrado utilidad en la evaluación del sistema cardiovascular. La medición de los segmentos del arco aórtico facilita la selección de los candidatos para angioplastia transcateterismo evitando una cirugía torácica. No hay reportes de estudios comparativos de las medidas de los diferentes segmentos aórticos, obtenidas por RM y AD. Material y métodos. Se estudiaron 49 pacientes con RM y AD que ingresaron con CoAo entre enero de 2002 y diciembre de 2003. Se determinó el tipo de CoAo. Se midieron los segmentos aórticos por RM y AD y se compararon por medio de correlación lineal (Pearson). En 43 pacientes se realizó angioplastia con globo. Resultados. La variabilidad en la medición de los diferentes segmentos entre ambos métodos fueron: aorta ascendente 1.99-2.10 mm (desviación estándar (DE) 2.7-2.8), arco aórtico 1.79-2 mm (DE 2.55-2.99), istmo 1.53-1.56 mm (DE 2-2.17), aorta descendente 1.75-1.78 mm (DE 2.54-2.55). Las medidas comparadas por correlación lineal muestran r entre 0.80 y 0.999, excepto en arco aórtico por RM que obtuvo r de 0.57. Conclusión. La evaluación con RM de niños con CoAo puede sustituir a la realizada mediante AD ya que una variación de 1.5 a 2.1 mm en las medidas obtenidas por ambos métodos no interfiere con la decisión terapéutica. Sólo debe realizarse la medición del arco aórtico en 2 proyecciones.

Introduction. Quantitative aortic arch analysis may improve the selection of candidates for angioplasty who are most likely to benefit from the procedure. Digital angiography (DA) has traditionally been the definitive preoperative diagnostic procedure for aortic coarctation (AoCo), but magnetic resonance (MR) imaging affords good spatial resolution and excellent contrast between blood vessels and soft tissues and offers great potential for delineating thoracic cardiovascular structures. Material and methods. Forty nine patients with AoCo were examined with MR and DA between June 2002 and December 2003. The site and type of AoCo were determined and the measurements of aortic arch segments were obtained. We realized balloon angioplasty in 43 patients. Results. We compared the measurements using Pearson's linear correlation. The variability of the measurements was: ascending aorta 1.99-2.1 mm (standard deviation [SD] 2.7-2.8), aortic arch 1.79-2 mm (SD 2.55-2.99), aortic isthmus 1.53-1.56 mm (SD 2-2.17), and descending aorta 1.75-1.78 mm (SD 2.54-2.55). The lineal correlation of Pearson for measurements were; r =0.80-0.999 but the aortic arch was r =0.57 by MR. Conclusion. We conclude that quantitative MR measurements of aorta may be used to diagnose of AoCo and avoid using DA. To obtain precise measurements of aortic arch in patients with AoCo, MR should include 2 projections.

ICG-enhanced digital angiography and photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration

Choroidal neovascular membranes are often poorly defined on fluorescein angiography because of fluorescein leakage or blockage of hyperfluorescence by overlying hemorrhage, lipid, turbid fluid, or pigment. Indocyanine green (ICG) is a highly protein-bound dye in the near infrared portion of the spectrum. Therefore, ICG remained in and around the neovascular membrane and enhanced the visualization of certain membranes poorly defined with fluorescein. ICG penetrated through the overlying turbid tissue, and improved the visualization of the underlying choroidal neovascular membrane. Using an infrared angiography system, the authors obtained 21 ICG-angiograms with suspected choroidal neovascularization, and compared them to fluorescein angiograms. In 5 of the 21 eyes, occult choroidal neovascularization was well delineated on the ICG angiograms. In 2 eyes, we were able to detect a well-defined choroidal neovascular membrane underlying a subretinal hemorrhage. In 12 of the 21 eyes with choroidal neovascular membrane, we performed argon-green laser photocoagulation applying the overlay technique of the ICG angiogram to red-free photo or the early fluorescein angiogram, and evaluated the effect of full coverage laser treatment.

Utilidade da angiografia digital na realizaçäo da angioplastia coronária: análise de 100 casos / Utility of Digital Angiography in the Coronary Angioplasty. Analysis of 100 Cases

Objetivo - Analisar a real contribuição da angiografia digital para a realização da angioplastia coronária e como ela ajudaria na otimização dos resultados da dilatação. Métodos - Cem pacientes uniarteriais, sem angioplastia ou cirurgia de revascularização prévias, submetidos à dilatação de estenoses coronárias entre janeiro e dezembro de 1990. Além do registro cinecoronariográfico convencional foram feitas aquisições digitais antes do procedimento, para medir o diâmetro da artéria, escolhendo-se, dessa forma, o cateter balão mais adequado para cada caso, e também para quantificar a importância da estenose coronária a ser tratada. Novas aquisições eram feitas durante o procedimento para medir o diâmetro no local dilatado e, logo após a retirada do sistema dilatador, um novo registro digital permitia a quantificação da lesão residual e o diâmetro final do segmento tratado. Resultados - A estenose média pré-angioplastia era de 78,2%. O diâmetro de referência médio era de 2,8mm e no local estenosado 0,8mm. A relação balão/artéria era 0,9:1. A lesão residual pós-angioplastia foi de 13,6% e o diâmetro no local dilatado aumentou para 2,6mm. Não houve complicações em qualquer paciente. Conclusão - A angiografia digital é um método útil para os laboratórios que se dedicam a intervenções coronárias pois permite a confirmação da severidade anatômica da estenose, otimizar a escolha do cateter-balão a ser utilizado e monitorar os resultados obtidos, quantificando a lesão residual e medindo o diâmetro final atingido

Purpose - To analyse the actual contribution of digital angiography in the angioplasty setting and to assess its utility to optimize angioplasty results. Methods - One hundred patients with single vessel coronary artery disease, without previous angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery, who underwent angioplasty from January to December 1990. Views were obtained in standard films and also in digitized angiograms. The latter was acquired before angioplasty in order to precisely quantify the stenosis and also to measure the reference diameter of the artery that was used and to choose the balloon catheterfor each case. New acquisitions were done during and after the end of the procedure to confirm the residual stenosis and to measure the final diameter. Results - The mean stenosis pre angioplasty was 78.2%, the mean reference diameter 2.8 mm and the mean diameter at the stenotic site 0.8mm. The balloon artery relation was 0.9:1. After angioplasty the residual stenosis was 13.6% and the dilated segment had a final diameter of 2. 6mm. There were no complications in any patient. Conclusion - Digital angiography is a useful methodfor laboratories devoted to coronary interventions forit allows confirmation of the severity of the stenosis, optimizes the balloon/artery relation, monitors partial results and measures the residual stenosis as well as the final diameter.