Angiographic delay: a viable alternative to surgical delay.

Background: Selective embolization of the inferior epigastric arteries can serve as a method for transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap delay. The purpose of this study was to determine whether delay by selective arterial embolization is comparable to traditionally surgically delayed TRAM flaps as reported in the literature, in terms of skin and fat necrosis, and to examine whether certain risk factors play a role in TRAM flap fat necrosis despite angiographic delay.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed for 88 consecutive patients who underwent unilateral TRAM flap breast reconstruction after selective embolization of bilateral inferior epigastric arteries.

Unusual pulmonary lesion of vascular origin: a noninvasive diagnostic approach.

Despite the lack of pathologic confirmation, we believe that we are reporting an isolated pulmonary artery branch stenosis with poststenotic dilatation. The differential diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary lesion should include this unusual entity. Digital subtraction angiography offers a safe, minimally invasive way to confirm this anomaly.

MR evaluation of Chiari I malformations at 0.15 T.

Twelve patients with known or presumed Chiari I malformations and two with clinical diagnoses of multiple sclerosis were examined by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MR confirmed or established the diagnosis of Chiari I malformation in all 14 cases. The spin-echo technique with a short time to echo (TE = 40 msec) and a short time to recover (TR = 1000 msec) provided optimum imaging of tonsillar position, hydromyelia cavities, and cervicomedullary "kinking.