Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): Radiographic appearances, complications and imaging artefacts for radiologists.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of cardiopulmonary support primarily used in cardiothoracic and intensive care unit (ICU) settings. The purpose of this review is to familiarise radiologists with the imaging features of ECMO devices, their associated complications and appropriate imaging protocols for contrast-enhanced CT imaging of ECMO patients. This paper will provide a brief introduction to ECMO and the imaging modalities utilised in ECMO patients, followed by a description of the types of ECMO available and cannula positioning.

Transcaval biopsy of a mediastinal mass compressing the superior vena cava.

Imaging-guided percutaneous chest biopsy is a commonly performed procedure and considered the minimally invasive gold standard for histopathological investigation of thoracic masses. Recognized complications include pneumothorax, air embolism, and seeding of the biopsy tract. We describe a novel approach to diagnostic sampling of a mediastinal mass in a critically unwell patient using a transjugular hepatic biopsy needle.

Adrenal crisis secondary to bilateral adrenal haemorrhage after hemicolectomy.

Unlabelled: Adrenal haemorrhage is a rare cause of adrenal crisis, which requires rapid diagnosis, prompt initiation of parenteral hydrocortisone and haemodynamic monitoring to avoid hypotensive crises. We herein describe a case of bilateral adrenal haemorrhage after hemicolectomy in a 93-year-old female with high-grade colonic adenocarcinoma. This patient's post-operative recovery was complicated by an acute hypotensive episode, hypoglycaemia and syncope, and subsequent computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen revealed bilateral adrenal haemorrhage.