Multislice helical computed tomography imaging diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary tracheal tumor in cardiothoracic surgery.

Objective: it aimed to explore the value of multislice helical computed tomography (MSCT) in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of primary tracheal tumors. Methods: 64 patients with the primary tracheal tumor who were diagnosed in Wuxi Second People's Hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were selected as the research objects. MSCT imaging was performed on all patients, and suitable surgical methods. The pathological results were compared with original CT, CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE), and Comparisons were made using CT three-dimensional reconstruction images to evaluate the accuracy of MSCT diagnosis. Parameters such as postoperative complications and survival rates were observed to assess surgical effectiveness and safety. Results: Compared with original CT images (70%, 72%, 70%), the diagnostic accuracy of VR images (80%, 80%, 80%), MPVR images (85%, 90%, 92%), and CTVE images (100%, 100%, 100%) was remarkably improved (P<0.05). The three-year survival rate of patients with smooth muscle tumors, malignant tumors, salivary gland adenoma, papillary tumors, and inflammatory polyp was markedly lower than that of the one-year survival rate, with a significant difference (P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was 14.1%, with three cases resulting in complication-related deaths. Conclusion: the diagnostic accuracy of MSCT imaging of primary tracheal tumor was high. The diagnostic accuracy of CTVE was higher than that of VR and MPVR. Besides, surgical treatment of primary tracheal tumor had a substantial effect, with no serious postoperative complications.

Does the Location of Fat Accumulation Affect the Degree of Aortic and Renal Arterial Calcification?

The vascular risk associated with obesity is particularly associated with visceral adiposity, but recent studies suggest that ectopic fat might contribute to the increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Our study aimed to explore the connection between arterial calcification of the aorta and renal arteries with visceral and ectopic fat deposits, including liver, pancreatic, and renal sinus fat. Retrospective analysis of thoracoabdominal multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scans of 302 patients included measurements of calcification volumes of thoracic and abdominal aorta, and of both renal arteries. On the same scans, the visceral fat volume, liver-to-spleen ratio, pancreatic-to-spleen ratio, and both renal sinus fat areas were retrieved. Logistic regression showed the left kidney sinus fat area to be the most strongly associated with calcifications in the aorta and both renal arteries (coef. from 0.578 to 0.913, p < 0.05). The visceral fat positively predicted aortic calcification (coef. = 0.462, p = 0.008), and on the contrary, the pancreatic fat accumulation even showed protective effects on thoracic and abdominal aorta calcification (coef. = -0.611 and -0.761, p < 0.001, respectively). The results suggest that ectopic fat locations differently impact the calcification of arteries, which should be further explored.

MSCT study for adult esophageal diverticulum with secondary broncho-esophageal fistula.

BACKGROUND: Broncho-esophageal fistula (BEF) secondary to esophageal diverticulum is a rare clinical condition, which is often misdiagnosed for a long time. The aim of our study is to summarize and clarify the advantages of MSCT in diagnosing BEF secondary to esophageal diverticulum. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients clinically diagnosed with BEF from January 2005 to January 2022 at Jilin University First Hospital. Only those patients with BEF secondary to esophageal diverticulum and complete clinical data met our enrolled standard. All patients' clinicopathologic characteristics and MSCT features were systemically evaluated. RESULTS: 17 patients were eligible for our cohort study, including male 10 and female 7. The patient's mean age was 42.3 ± 12.5. The chronic cough occurred in all seventeen patients and bucking following oral fluid intake was documented in nine patients. MSCT distinctly suggested the fistulous tract between the bronchi and the esophagus in all patients. The mean diameter of the orifices in the wall of the esophagus was 4.40 ± 1.81 mm. The orifice in the midthoracic esophagus side was 15 cases and 2 cases at the lower thoracic esophagus. The involved bronchus included 13 cases at the right lower lobe bronchus, 1 at the right middle lobe bronchus and 3 at the left lower lobe bronchus. The contrast agent was observed in the pulmonary parenchyma in 10 of 13 patients who underwent esophagogram. No definite fistula was observed in 3 of 11 who underwent gastroscopy, while the intra-operative findings supported the existence of fistula. CONCLUSIONS: BEF secondary to esophageal diverticulum tends to occur between the midthoracic esophagus and the right lower lobe bronchus. Compared with esophagography and gastroscopy, MSCT shows more comprehensive information about the fistulous shape, size, course and lung involvement, which are helpful for establishing diagnosis and guiding subsequent treatment.

Diagnostic accuracy of abdominal contrast-enhanced multi-slice spiral CT after oral diluted iodide in a time segment for gastrointestinal fistula in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal contrast-enhanced multi-slice spiral CT after oral diluted iodide in a time segment (post-ODI ACE-MSCT) for gastrointestinal fistula (GIF) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with SAP who underwent both post-ODI ACE-MSCT and endoscopy/surgery from 2017 to 2023 were continuously retrospectively involved. Their demographic information and clinical features were recorded prospectively in an in-hospital database. Using endoscopy/surgery results as the reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of post-ODI ACE-MSCT for diagnosing GIF in SAP were calculated by a four-cell table. The consistency of the two diagnostic methods was evaluated by the Kappa test and McNemar's test. RESULTS: Using endoscopy/surgery as the reference standard, a total of 86 cases were divided into the GIF group (N = 52) and the non-GIF group (N = 34). Among the 52 cases of GIF, 88.5% (46/52) cases had a positive result and 11.5% (5/52) cases had a negative result of post-ODI ACE-MSCT for GIF. Among the 34 cases of non-GIF, 2.9% (1/34) case had a positive result and 97.1% (33/34) cases had a negative result of post-ODI ACE-MSCT for GIF. Post-ODI ACE-MSCT had a sensitivity of 88.5% (95% CI 75.9%-95.2%), a specificity of 97.1% (95% CI 82.9%-99.8%), a positive predictive value of 97.9% (95% CI 87.3%-99.9%), a negative predictive value of 84.6% (95% CI 68.8%-93.6%), and an accuracy of 91.9% (83.4%-96.4%). The kappa value was 0.834, and P < 0.001 by McNemar's test. There were no significant differences in diagnostic test characteristics between the two modalities. CONCLUSION: Post-ODI ACE-MSCT can diagnose GIF in SAP in a simple, noninvasive, and accurate way, and can provide earlier imaging evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Optimized early recurrence score for distal cholangiocarcinoma: A new attempt by adding imaging indicators.

PURPOSE: To improve the preoperative prediction efficacy for patients with risk for early recurrence (ER) of distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC). METHODS: 56 patients pathologically diagnosed as DCC were included. Their clinical data and preoperative upper abdominal enhanced MSCT images were retrospectively reviewed to look for risk factors associated with ER. ER scores were calculated by Distal Cholangiocarcinoma Early Recurrence (DICER) score and optimized ER score (OERS). Chi-square test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences between ER group and Non-ER group, DICER score and OERS, and TNM stage and OERS. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors of ER. RESULTS: Of 56 DCC patients, 15 (26.8 %) experienced ER who were classified as ER group. Patients in ER group had significantly higher percentage of soft tissue around superior mesenteric artery (STASMA), positive lymph node, microvascular invasion and TNM stage III than those in Non-ER group, among which STASMA and positive lymph node were found to be independent risk factors for ER of DCC (All P values < 0.050). DICER score was optimized by adding STASMA and positive lymph node score to form OERS. OERS predicted more accurately than DICER score in low- and high-risk patients for ER of DCC (30.0 % vs. 0 %, 50.0 % vs. 75.0 %, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: By adding preoperative imaging indicators, OERS could improve the predictive efficacy for ER of DCC.

Imaging diagnosis analysis and literature review of intrapulmonary solitary fibrous tumor.

Background: Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the chest mainly arises from the pleura, but intrapulmonary SFT is rare. This study aimed to review and discuss the chest multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of intrapulmonary SFT and summarize existing literature on the disease in order to improve clinicians' understanding and diagnosis of this disease. Methods: The imaging findings and clinical data of 4 surgically and pathologically confirmed intrapulmonary SFT cases were retrospectively analyzed in terms of location, morphology, size, density, border, enhancement level of the lesion, and its relationship with surrounding tissue. These findings were combined with a review of 61 cases reported in the literature to characterize the features of intrapulmonary SFT. Results: A total of 65 patients with intrapulmonary SFT were reviewed, consisting of 30 females and 35 males. Of these cases, 21 had a lesion in the left lower lobe, more than in any other part of the lungs. The lesions were clear, had a quasicircular boundary, and were distinctly separated from surrounding tissue. Under plain scan, the 4 cases investigated in this study showed lesions of even density, and enhanced scanning revealed geographic enhancement in 2 cases. Of the 65 cases examined, 56 cases were benign, and the remaining 9 cases were borderline or malignant. Conclusions: The imaging findings of intrapulmonary SFT demonstrated certain features, such as lesions with a clear boundary and even density. Imaging examination is important for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this disease.

MSCT findings of primary Pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To improve diagnostic accuracy of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (PMEC) through multi-detector computed tomography (MSCT) findings. METHODS: MSCT findings of 27 histopathologically confirmed PMEC cases were retrospectively analyzed, including the location, size, margin, density, enhancement of the lesion and accompanying signs. RESULTS: Among the 27 PMEC cases, 6 (6/27, 22.2%) were the large airway pattern, 14 were (14/27, 51.9%) the pulmonary hilum pattern, and 7 (7/27, 26.9%) were the peripheral pattern. Among those 20 cases with central pattern(6 large airway and 14 pulmonary hilum patterns), 6 presented mild enhancement, 4 moderate enhancement, 5 severe enhancement, 5 heterogeneous enhancement, and 3 with calcification. 7 cases with peripheral patterns were presented as solid pulmonary nodules and masses, 3 with severe enhancement, 1 with moderate enhancement and 3 with mild enhancement. Four cases accompanied by lymph nodal metastasis, and 7 cases with distant organ metastasis. Age(t = -3.132, p = 0.005), enlarged lymph node (x2 = 9.281, p = 0.005), and distant metastasis(x2 = 7.816, p = 0.008) were statistically significant in the low-grade group and high-grade group. CONCLUSIONS: MSCT images of PMEC patients demonstrated some characteristic findings, which would help improve the diagnostic accuracy of the disease.

Influence of a new motion correction algorithm (CardioCapture) on the correlation between heart rate and optimal reconstruction phase.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a new motion correction algorithm (CardioCapture) on the correlation between heart rate and optimal reconstruction phase by evaluating the impact of wide detector CT combined with CardioCapture on CCTA image quality. Materials and methods: All cases were examined from April 2021 to September 2021. Two experienced radiologists scored these images on a four-point Likert scale. First, all images were divided into eight groups according to HR (at an interval of 5 bpm). The subjective score of images, the frequency of used CardioCapture, and the proportion of the diastolic reconstruction phase were compared in each group. Then, all cases were divided into two groups, one group was reconstructed using the automatic temporal reconstruction algorithm (Ephase) only, and the other group was reconstructed using the Ephase with the CardioCapture. The relationship between HR and the diastolic reconstruction phase was analyzed by the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC). Result: The data of 515 patients were studied. With the increase in HR, the subjective image score decreased, the frequency of CardioCapture increased, and the phase ratio of diastolic reconstruction decreased. When the HR was less than 70 bpm, the percentage of excellence image in each group surpassed 94.90%. The highest utilization rate of CardioCapture was 65.22%, and the lowest proportion of diastolic reconstruction was 72.46%. When 70 bpm < HR ≤ 75 bpm, the image excellence rate was 90.43%, the CardioCapture utilization rate was 82.05%, and the diastolic reconstruction rate was 56.41%.When 75 bpm < HR ≤ 80 bpm, the image excellence rate was 87.91%, the CardioCapture utilization rate was 80.65%, and the diastolic reconstruction was 6.45%.When the HR > 80 bpm, the image excellence rate was 80.00%, the CardioCapture utilization rate was 75.00%, and the diastolic reconstruction rate was 22.50%. The best cut-off point between HR and the diastolic reconstruction ROC curve in the groups without CardioCapture was 65 bpm, while that in groups with CardioCapture was 68 bpm. Conclusion: The CardioCapture can effectively improve the image quality of CCTA with high HR. By maintaining the HR below 68 bpm and utilizing the prospective ECG-gated narrow phase axial scan, it is possible to ensure optimal image quality and concurrently reduce radiation dose.

Pre-Existing Interstitial Lung Abnormalities in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Their Follow Up after Therapy.

Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are incidentally found nondependent parenchymal abnormalities affecting more than 5% of any lung zone and are potentially related to interstitial lung disease and worsening post-treatment outcomes in malignancies and infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and type of ILA changes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and their change in the follow-up period. This retrospective single-center study included 113 patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC who underwent lung MSCT prior to treatment. ILAs were reported in 13.3% of patients on pretreatment MSCT. Patients with ILAs were significantly older (median 75 vs. 67 years). ILAs were most prevalent in lower zones (73.3%) (p = 0.0045). The most reported ILA subtype was subpleural non-fibrotic (60%) (p = 0.0354). Reticulations were the most frequently described pattern (93.3%) (p < 0.0001). Progression of ILAs was reported in almost 30% of patients after receiving therapy. Patients with pre-existing ILAs were more likely to develop radiation-induced lung fibrosis after adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.0464). In conclusion, ILA's incidence, distribution and presentation were similar to previous research conducted in other special cohorts. Our research suggests a possible association of more frequent radiation pneumonitis with ILA changes in patients with HNSCC, which should be further investigated.

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency After Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation: A Sub-analysis from a Phase I-II Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation (MSCT) and cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET) therapies on the limbus of patients suffering from limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). METHODS: A sub-analysis of a phase I-II randomized, controlled, and double-masked clinical trial was performed to assess the changes in the anatomical structures of the limbus. In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) analysis was carried out in LSCD eyes before and 12 months after allogeneic MSCT or CLET. Epithelial phenotype of the central cornea, as well as the presence of transition zones and palisades of Vogt in the limbus, were assessed using Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Twenty-three LSCD (14 MSCT and nine CLET) eyes were included. The epithelial phenotype of the central cornea improved significantly (p < 0.001) from 15 (eight MSCT, seven CLET) and eight (six MSCT, two CLET) LSCD eyes showing conjunctival and mixed phenotypes, respectively, to eight (five MSCT, three CLET), five (two MSCT, three CLET), and ten (seven MSCT, three CLET) eyes showing conjunctival, mixed, and corneal phenotypes, respectively. Transition areas and palisades of Vogt were observed in at least one quadrant in nine (five MSCT, four CLET) and 16 (nine MSCT, seven CLET), and in four (two MSCT, two CLET) and six (three MSCT, three CLET) LSCD eyes before and after surgery, respectively. Changes in the transition zones and palisades were solely significant (p = 0.046) for the nasal and inferior quadrants, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MSCT and CLET improved the central corneal epithelial phenotype despite only minor changes in the anatomical structures of the limbus, as detected by IVCM technology. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01562002.

Clinical value of quantitative parameters of MSCT in the diagnosis of occult femoral neck fractures.

To explore the clinical value of quantitative parameters of multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) in the diagnosis of occult femoral neck fractures.The clinical data of 94 patients with suspected occult femoral neck fractures admitted to our hospital from April 2021 to April 2022 were selected for retrospective analysis, and they were divided into group A (accurate diagnosis, n = 63) and group B (non-occult femoral neck fractures, n = 31) according to the results of pathological and surgical diagnosis as the gold standard. All patients received MSCT examination to obtain quantitative parameters related to imaging, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to comprehensively evaluate the clinical value of quantitative parameters of MSCT in the diagnosis of occult femoral neck fractures.The quantitative parameters of MSCT in group A were overtly lower than those in group B (P < 0.05). The AUC value, Youden index and sensitivity of the combined detection were higher than those of single detection.The use of quantitative parameters of MSCT effectively reduces the missed diagnosis rate of occult femoral neck fractures, which could make an accurate diagnosis of the fracture type, as a basis for the formulation of clinical treatment plans.

Differentiation of localized pneumonic-type lung adenocarcinoma from localized pulmonary inflammatory lesion based on clinical data and multi-slice spiral computed tomography imaging features.

Background: Localized pneumonic-type lung adenocarcinoma (L-PLADC) is a special type of lung adenocarcinoma, which mimicking localized pulmonary inflammatory lesion (L-PIL), and many delayed diagnoses of L-PLADC have been identified due to insufficient clinical understanding or the lack of knowledge regarding the radiological findings. Multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) not only observes the fine structure of the lesion clearly, but also can evaluate the lesion and its surrounding tissues more intuitively, stereoscopically, and accurately using a variety of reconstruction techniques. The present study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of clinical data and MSCT imaging features in differentiating L-PLADC from L-PIL. Methods: The clinical data and chest MSCT imaging features of 71 patients with L-PLADC and 70 patients with L-PIL were retrospectively analyzed. Seventy-one patients with L-PLADC underwent surgical resection or puncture and were confirmed as having invasive adenocarcinoma by pathology. Seventy patients with L-PIL were confirmed by clinical anti-inflammatory treatment or by puncture and surgery. The Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze the clinical data and MSCT imaging features of the included patients. Variables with P<0.05 in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine the independent risk factors for the diagnosis of L-PLADC. Results: The clinical data analysis showed that multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that irregular air bronchogram [odds ratio (OR) =15.946; P<0.001], ground-glass opacity (GGO) component (OR =12.369; P<0.001), pleural traction (OR =10.982; P<0.001), necrosis (OR =0.078; P<0.001), adjacent bronchial wall thickening (OR =0.017; P<0.001), pleural thickening (OR =0.074; P<0.001), and respiratory symptoms were independent risk factors for the diagnosis of L-PLADC [OR =0.117; the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values were 0.989, 97.2%, 94.3%, and 95.7%, respectively]. Conclusions: L-PLADC and L-PIL exhibit different clinical and MSCT imaging features. Determining these characteristics is conducive to the early diagnosis and clinical treatment of L-PLADC.

Sex estimation using orbital measurements in the Croatian population.

The aim of this study was to test the sexual dimorphism of orbital measurements in the Croatian population using multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) images. We have retrospectively taken 414 head CT scans of adults from Croatian clinical hospitals in Split and Zagreb (214 males and 200 females) with slice thickness < 1 mm and no pathological or traumatic changes that could affect the measurements. DICOM files were imported into Stratovan Checkpoint Software and viewed in 2D and 3D using semi-transparent 3D volume rendering. Eight standard measurements were calculated based on twelve orbital landmarks (six paired). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to explore sexual and regional differences, and linear discriminant analysis was used to develop sex classification models. The PCA showed separation based on sex and region, and additional analysis demonstrated that females and males in Split and Zagreb differed in four orbital measurements (P ≤ 0.001). Only those measurements that did not show regional differences were further analyzed, and all showed statistically significant sexual dimorphism. The accuracy of univariate functions for sex estimation ranged from 53.43 to 71.88%, and for multivariate function, the accuracy was 73.45%. The orbital measurements of the Croatian population showed restricted forensic significance for sex classification. On the other hand, we have shown that they can have a potential for exploring the inter- and intra-population differences.

The Correlation Between the D-Dimer Values and Anatomical Distribution of Pulmonary Embolism.

Background: Pulmonary Embolism (PE) represents a life-threatening medical emergency that, given the serious complications, requires urgent application of anticoagulant therapy. In addition to other factors that are taken into account when choosing a therapy for treatment of PE, the anatomical distribution of thrombi is also considered-whether it is a central, lobar, segmental or subsegmental PE. D-dimer is an intermediate product of degradation of fibrin molecules and its values in the plasma are increased in the case of PE, but also in other diseases. Objective: To determine whether there is a difference in D-dimer values in subjects with different anatomical distribution of PE. Methods: The study included 100 subjects with diagnosed PE by using MSCT and/or V/P SPECT and with measured values of D-dimer. Results: Out of 100 subjects, PE was not diagnosed in 37 subjects, while 63 subjects PE was diagnosed. All subjects with diagnosed PE were divided into 3 groups regarding the anatomical localization of thrombus: lobar, segmental or subsegmental. Average D-dimer values were calculated for all 3 groups. Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference in D-dimer values between subjects with different anatomical distribution of PE. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in D-dimer values between subjects with different anatomical distribution od PE-lobar, segmental and subsegmental PE.

Beaver tail liver on pediatric chest X-ray.

Beaver tail liver is an anatomical liver variant presenting as elongated left lobe of liver which extends laterally to the spleen. It can present with symptoms or be detected accidentally. We present a case of a 2-year-old asymptomatic patient who was had an X-ray of the chest describing a shadow of unknown origin located left paracardial and the diagnosis of "beaver tail liver" was confirmed after a multi-slice computed tomography of thorax and abdomen was done. We give an overview of very sparse available literature on this anatomical variant while emphasizing the rarity of diagnosis in pediatric population and clinical importance of this variant.

DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

The aim of this study was to determine the association of clinical presentation, the Wells scoring system and D-dimer values with MSCT pulmonary angiography. A case control study was conducted in the Emergency Department of the Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh throughout 2019. Patients with a referral diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism by MSCT pulmonary angiography or postmortem, and the second group consisted of patients excluded from pulmonary embolisms. For the Wells score, D-dimers, troponin, respiratory rate and peripheral blood oxygen saturation, statistically significant differences were found between groups of patients with confirmed or excluded pulmonary embolism (p <0.001). For heart rate, chest pain, syncope, and hemoptysis, no statistically significant differences were found between these two groups of patients. Deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities was found by ultrasound in > 70% of patients with massive a pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism was confirmed in all patients for whom a high risk was calculated according to the Wells score. In conclusion, a low degree of clinical probability (according to the Wells score), along with a normal concentration of D-dimer, are a sure strategy in excluding pulmonary embolism.

Heterotopic Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement in Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation and Refractory Right Heart Failure.

Torrential tricuspid regurgitation may lead to heart failure and poor survival and quality of life. Heterotopic transcatheter tricuspid replacement is increasingly offered to patients unsuitable for direct valve repair or replacement. We describe 1 patient treated by transcatheter implantation of 2 self-expanding valves in the venae cavae with a multimodality imaging approach. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Multimodality imaging in the diagnosis of bioprosthetic aortic valve endocarditis: A case report.

Introduction: Prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVE) is a diagnostic challenge even in the era of multimodality cardiovascular imaging. Case presentation: The patient was a 67-year-old male with a three-year history of bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement who presented with persistent fever and negative blood cultures. The initial transthoracic echocardiography revealed a thickened aortic root. An abscess formation was visualized upon subsequent three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography and positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT). The patient underwent an urgent necrotic tissue debridement and a redo Bentall surgery. The real-time polymerase chain reaction of excised tissues was positive for Streptococcus. Clinical discussion: The diagnosis of PVE and its complications requires the integration of clinical, microbiological, and serial imaging data. Although advanced imaging modalities like PET/CT allow a timely diagnosis and management, their routine use in resource-limited scenarios is difficult. Conclusion: Multimodality cardiovascular imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of PVE. Serial echocardiographic and clinical assessments are possible alternatives when the access to advanced cardiovascular imaging modalities is limited.