Occurrence of spontaneous fistulas detected by contrast filling during computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage placement of splenic and perisplenic fluid collections.

Background: Fistulas are serious complications of splenic and perisplenic fluid accumulations, which are often difficult to detect by routine imaging methods.

Purpose: To evaluate the occurrence of spontaneous fistulas detectable during computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage placement (CTGDP) with contrast filling of splenic or perisplenic fluid collections and to assess characteristics in comparison with perihepatic or peripancreatic fluid accumulations, also being treated with CTGDP.

Material And Methods: In 127 CTGDP-procedures, pre-interventional CTs conducted with intravenous contrast agent were compared to post-interventional CTs including contrast filling of the drain to identify spontaneous fistulas.

Direct analysis of oxidizing agents in aqueous solution with attenuated total reflectance mid-infrared spectroscopy and diamond-like carbon protected waveguides.

A novel approach for the direct detection of oxidizing agents in aqueous solution is presented using diamond-like carbon (DLC) protected waveguides in combination with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mid-infrared spectroscopy. Pulsed laser deposition was applied to produce high-quality DLC thin films on ZnSe ATR crystals with thicknesses of a few 100 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to investigate the surface properties of the DLC films including the sp(3)/sp(2) hybridization ratio of the carbon bonds.