Publications by authors named "Kacie L Steinbrecher"
Flow artifacts are commonly encountered at contrast-enhanced CT and can be difficult to discern from true pathologic conditions. Therefore, radiologists must be comfortable distinguishing flow artifacts from true pathologic conditions. This is of particular importance when evaluating the pulmonary arteries and aorta, as a flow artifact may be mistaken for a pulmonary embolism or dissection flap.
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- Genetic aortopathy refers to a group of genetic conditions that increase the risk of aortic issues like aneurysms and acute aortic syndrome, classified into heritable or congenital types.
- Identification of these conditions is crucial for medical professionals, as those with genetic forms have different surgical criteria and approaches compared to non-genetic cases.
- Due to overlapping features among various types of aortopathy, a multidisciplinary approach with imaging is necessary for accurate diagnosis and lifelong monitoring.
Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) is classically attributed to three underlying pathologic conditions-aortic dissection (AD), intramural hematoma (IMH), and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU). In the majority of cases, the basics of image interpretation are not difficult and have been extensively reviewed in the literature. In this article, the authors extend existing imaging overviews of AAS by highlighting additional factors related to the diagnosis, classification, and characterization of difficult AAS cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile many of the classic open surgical repairs are still used to repair the ascending aorta, management of the aortic arch has become more complex via implementation of newer open surgical and endovascular techniques. Furthermore, techniques are often combined in novel repairs or to allow extended anatomic coverage. As such, a framework that rests on understanding the expected postoperative appearance is necessary for the diagnostic radiologist to best interpret CT studies in these patients.
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- Hemoptysis is the coughing up of blood, which is a serious clinical symptom that requires careful diagnosis through various methods, with CT scans being the preferred noninvasive tool.
- The process of interpreting CT scans for hemoptysis involves identifying hemorrhage in the lungs and determining whether the bleeding has a specific vascular source, as hemoptysis can arise from both primary and secondary vascular causes.
- Understanding these vascular mechanisms is crucial for radiologists to accurately diagnose the underlying issues leading to hemoptysis and to guide appropriate treatment decisions.