Detecting asymptomatic cement pulmonary embolisms following vertebral augmentation using dual-energy computed tomography pulmonary angiography.

Background And Purpose: Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) pulmonary angiography can reliably detect cement pulmonary embolisms (CPEs) and parenchymal perfusion defects. This prospective observational study investigated CPEs in asymptomatic patients using DECT.

Methods: We enrolled 42 patients who underwent vertebroplasty or received cement screws for vertebral augmentation, examining them using spinal computed tomography and DECT pulmonary angiography.

Association of CT-DSA vascular assessment and perioperative outcomes in metastatic spinal surgery.

Introduction: Computed tomography-digital subtraction angiography (CT-DSA) is a radiological method for assessing spinal metastatic tumor vascularity. The study aimed to investigate the association between CT-DSA results and perioperative outcomes in spinal metastatic surgery.

Material And Methods: Patients who underwent spinal metastatic operations with preoperative CT-DSA examinations at any time between January 2018 to December 2022.

Associations of diabetes status and glucose measures with outcomes after endovascular therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke: an analysis of the nationwide TREAT-AIS registry.

Background: Hyperglycemia affects the outcomes of endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study compares the predictive ability of diabetes status and glucose measures on EVT outcomes using nationwide registry data.

Methods: The study included 1,097 AIS patients who underwent EVT from the Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Diagnostic performance of computed tomography-digital subtraction angiography and conventional magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating the vascularity of osseous spinal tumors.

Background And Purpose: Patients with hypervascular spinal tumors may have severe blood loss during tumor resection, which increases the risks of perioperative morbidity and mortality. However, the preoperative evaluation of tumor vascularity may be challenging; moreover, the reliability of the data obtained in conventional preoperative noninvasive imaging is debatable. In this study, we compared conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and subtraction computed tomography angiography (CTA) in terms of their performance in vascularity evaluation.

The Clinical Outcome of Carotid Blowout Syndrome Showing Non-bleeding Angiography.

Objective: Patient with carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) may demonstrated non-bleeding digital subtraction angiography (DSA) without identifying pseudoaneurysm or contrast extravasation. Our objective is to evaluate the clinical outcomes for this specific subset of patients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 172 CBS patients who received DSA for evaluation of transarterial embolization (TAE) between 2005 and 2022, of whom 19 patients had non-bleeding DSA and did not undergo TAE.

Imaging Characteristics and Interpretation Strategy for Renal Hyperparathyroidism: A Retrospective 4-Dimensional Computed Tomography Study.

Objective: Parathyroidectomy treats uncontrolled renal hyperparathyroidism (RHPT), requiring identification of all glands. Three types of enhancement are proposed. Type A lesions have higher arterial phase attenuation than the thyroid, type B lesions lack higher arterial phase attenuation but have lower venous phase attenuation, and type C lesions have neither higher arterial phase attenuation nor lower venous phase attenuation than the thyroid.

Prevalence and clinical features of carotid artery web in patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

Purpose: Carotid artery web (CaW) is a rare focal fibromuscular dysplasia that can lead to embolic strokes with large vessel occlusion. This condition can be effectively treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Our study aims to assess the prevalence of CaW among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who underwent EVT and to compare the clinical characteristics of CaW with other carotid artery pathologies.

Comparing Low- or Standard-Dose Alteplase in Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From a Nationwide Registry.

Background: Timely intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy are the standard reperfusion treatments for large vessel occlusion stroke. Currently, it is unknown whether a low-dose thrombolytic agent (0.6 mg/kg alteplase) can offer similar efficacy to the standard dose (0.

Association of Ferroptosis with Severity and Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Endovascular Thrombectomy: A Case-control Study.

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, is characterized by intracellular accumulation of iron and reactive oxygen species-induced lipid peroxidation. Animal experiments have shown the important roles of ferroptosis in ischemic stroke, but the evidence in human stroke is insufficient. This prospective study evaluated the associations between plasma ferroptosis biomarkers at hyperacute stage and long-term outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Association of temporalis muscle thickness with functional outcomes in patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy.

Introduction: Temporalis muscle thickness (TMT) is a surrogate marker for sarcopenia. This study investigated the association of TMT with clinical outcomes in patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for stroke involving acute large vessel occlusion (LVO).

Material And Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients who had undergone EVT between September 2014 and December 2021 at three thrombectomy-capable institutes.

Long-term outcomes with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus sunitinib in first-line treatment of patients with advanced sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid features (sRCC) have a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. First-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) provided efficacy benefits over sunitinib (SUN) in patients with intermediate/poor-risk sRCC at 42 months minimum follow-up in the phase 3 CheckMate 214 trial. In this exploratory post hoc analysis, we report clinical efficacy of NIVO+IPI in sRCC after a minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Outcome of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are often excluded from clinical trials of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). This study investigated the outcome in these patients.

Methods: From September 2014 to July 2021, all patients undergoing EVT for anterior circulation stroke in two stroke centers in Taiwan were included.

Efficacy of preoperative embolization for metastatic spinal tumor surgery using angiographic vascularity assessment.

Objectives: Preoperative embolization (PE) for metastatic spinal tumors is a method of minimizing intraoperative blood loss during aggressive surgery. This study specified angiographic standards and investigated the influence of these and other factors on blood loss in patients with spinal metastases and various pathologies.

Methods: The cohort comprised 126 consecutive patients receiving PE from 2015 to 2021.

FRACTION-RCC: nivolumab plus ipilimumab for advanced renal cell carcinoma after progression on immuno-oncology therapy.

Background: The role and sequencing of combination immuno-oncology (IO) therapy following progression on or after first-line IO therapy has not been well-established. The Fast Real-time Assessment of Combination Therapies in Immuno-ONcology (FRACTION) program is an open-label, phase 2 platform trial designed to evaluate multiple IO combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) who progressed during or after prior IO therapy. Here, we describe the results for patients treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab.

Investigating sphingolipids as biomarkers for the outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients receiving endovascular treatment.

Background: Long-chain ceramides are associated with the mechanisms and clinical outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed to investigate the plasma ceramides and sphingosine-1-phosphate in AIS patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) and their associations with outcomes.

Methods: Plasma samples were collected from 75 AIS patients who underwent EVT before (T1), immediately after (T2), and 24 h after (T3) the procedures and 19 controls that were matched with age, sex, and co-morbidities.

A Proposed Algorithm for Managing Cerebral Proliferative Angiopathy.

Objective: Cerebral proliferative angiopathy (CPA) is a rare disease, characterized by a large vascular nidus, diffuse angiogenesis, and intermingled normal brain tissue. Conservative treatment, endovascular intervention, indirect revascularization, and radiotherapy have been applied to treat this disease. However, some cases deteriorate even after non-conservative treatment, and there has been no standard of treatment for this disease so far.

Conditional survival and long-term efficacy with nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus sunitinib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Conditional survival estimates provide critical prognostic information for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). Efficacy, safety, and conditional survival outcomes were assessed in CheckMate 214 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02231749) with a minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Prehospital-Stroke-Scale Parameterized Hospital Selection Protocol for Suspected Stroke Patients Considering Door-to-Treatment Durations.

Background To mitigate uncertainty that may arise in the judgment of emergency medical technicians when relying on a prehospital stroke scale at the scene, we propose a hospital selection protocol that considers the uncertainty of a prehospital stroke scale and the actual door-to-treatment durations, and we have developed a web-based system to be used with mobile devices. Methods and Results This hospital selection protocol incorporates real-time, estimated transport time obtained from Google Maps, historical median door-to-treatment duration at hospitals that only provide the standard intravenous thrombolysis treatment, and at hospitals with endovascular thrombectomy for probable large-vessel occlusion cases. We have validated the efficiency of the proposed protocol and compared it with other strategies used by emergency medical technicians when deciding on a receiving hospital.

Posterior Limb of Internal Capsule Infarct Predicts Functional Outcome in Acute Terminal Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion After Thrombectomy.

Purposes: This study investigated the impact of posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC) infarct on outcomes of acute internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) and the diagnostic accuracy of pretreatment noncontrast computerized tomography (NCCT) and computerized tomography angiography (CTA) findings.

Methods: Patients who underwent EVT for acute ICA occlusion between September 2014 and August 2020 were included in the study. The patients were dichotomized as PLIC infarct or spared.

Long-term outcomes of moyamoya disease following indirect revascularization in middle adulthood: A prospective, quantitative study.

Background/purpose: Our previous study demonstrated that indirect revascularization is effective in the treatment of adult moyamoya patients. This prospective study aims to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of indirect revascularization in moyamoya patients in middle adulthood.

Methods: From January 2013 to June 2019, moyamoya patients more than 40 years of age underwent indirect revascularizations were studied.