Cone-beam CT for breast imaging: Radiation dose, breast coverage, and image quality.

Objective: The primary objectives of this pilot study were to evaluate the radiation dose, breast coverage, and image quality of cone-beam breast CT compared with a conventional mammographic examination. Image quality analysis was focused on the concordance of cone-beam breast CT with conventional mammography in terms of mammographic findings.

Subjects And Methods: This prospective study was performed from July 2006 through August 2008.

Dual-tract transhepatic U-shaped hemodialysis inferior vena cava catheter: a feasibility study in a swine model.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of establishing a U-shaped inferior vena cava (IVC) catheter entirely from a transhepatic approach and to determine the catheter caliber that would provide adequate flow for hemodialysis.

Materials And Methods: Three pigs (weight, 45-50 kg) were used. A peripheral right hepatic vein was accessed transhepatically by using a 22-gauge needle, and a 0.

Post-lymphangiographic computed tomography in chylothorax after esophagogastrectomy: a case report.

Chylothorax is a rare complication of thoracic surgery. Lymphangiography has long been considered to be the standard of reference for diagnosis and post-treatment evaluation while the role of post-lymangiographic CT is debated. We report a case of chylothorax in a 68-year-old male following esophagogastrectomy for which conservative treatment and thoracic duct ligation failed.

Comparison of vasa vasorum after intravascular stent placement with sirolimis drug-eluting and bare metal stents.

The cytostatic drug, sirolimis has shown prevention in neointimal hyperplasia after stent placement. Recent studies have shown persistent inflammation seen with drug-eluting stents (DES) may result in late stent thrombosis. The aim of this study is to compare effects of bare metal stents (BMS) and sirolimis DES on the neointima and vasa vasorum in stented rabbit aortas.

Catheter-Induced Pulmonary Artery Dissection and Contrast Extravasation During Pulmonary Angiography.

Pulmonary artery injury during pulmonary angiography is an uncommon complication. We describe two cases of iatrogenic pulmonary artery extravasation that resulted from the use of pigtail catheters for pulmonary angiography. No further complications occurred and no treatment was necessary in either case.

Catheter thrombolysis of thrombosed hepatic arteries in liver transplant recipients: predictors of success and role of thrombolysis.

Hepatic artery thrombosis is an uncommon complication of liver transplantation. However, it is a major indication for re-transplantation. The use of transcatheter thrombolysis and subsequent surgical revascularization as a graft salvage procedure is discussed.

Endoluminal management of arterioportal fistulae in liver transplant recipients: a single-center experience.

Transcatheter embolization of arterioportal fistulae in liver transplant recipients is restricted to symptomatic arterioportal fistulae. Angiograms of liver transplant recipients from a single university medical center were retrospectively reviewed. Hemodynamically significant arterioportal fistulae were defined as those exhibiting opacification of the main portal vein of the transplanted hepatic graft or its first order branch with or without portal venous changes by Doppler ultrasound imaging.

Incidence of arterial injuries detected by arteriography following percutaneous right-lobe ultrasound-guided core liver biopsies in human subjects.

Purpose: To determine the incidence and significance of arterial injuries detected by angiography subsequent to ultrasound-guided random core liver biopsies in normal healthy adults.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of 55 potential living related liver donors who underwent an ultrasound-guided random liver biopsy and a visceral angiogram was performed (January, 1999 to May, 2002). All liver biopsy samples (obtained by 2-3 18-gauge needle passes) were re-evaluated prospectively by a transplant pathologist for adequacy (defined: >or=5 complete portal triads).

Inadvertent discontinuation of percutaneous nephrostomy catheters in adult native kidneys: incidence and percutaneous management.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and consequences of complete inadvertent percutaneous nephrostomy catheter discontinuation in native kidneys of adults. In addition, this study evaluated the success rate of nephrostomy tract recannulation.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed in adult patients who underwent percutaneous nephrostomy between January 2000 and December 2005.

Safety and efficacy of fluoroscopic versus ultrasound guidance for core liver biopsies in potential living related liver transplant donors: preliminary results.

Purpose: To describe and evaluate the safety and efficacy of fluoroscopically guided percutaneous liver biopsies in comparison with ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous liver biopsies in potential living related liver donors.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of 133 consecutive preoperative workups of potential living related liver donors was performed. The subjects were treated from January 1999 through May 2002.

Elective transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation for portal decompression in the immediate pretransplantation period in adult living related liver transplant recipient candidates: preliminary results.

Purpose: To evaluate (i) the efficacy of purposeful creation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) before transplantation to optimize potential living related liver transplantation (LRLTx) and (ii) the efficacy of TIPS creation in this setting in reducing perioperative resource utilization.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review was performed of the records of patients who underwent adult LRLTx with or without preoperative TIPS creation from October 2003 through April 2005. Patients were evaluated for preoperative parameters (Child-Pugh class, Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II score, and coagulation parameters), intraoperative parameters (blood transfusion requirements and operative time), and postoperative parameters (intensive care unit stay, hospital stay, and 30-day repeat operation and mortality rates).

Transhepatic dilation of anastomotic biliary strictures in liver transplant recipients with use of a combined cutting and conventional balloon protocol: technical safety and efficacy.

Purpose: To determine the safety and technical efficacy of a transhepatic dilation protocol involving the use of a combined cutting and conventional balloon protocol in the management of anastomotic biliary strictures in adult liver transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of adult transplant recipients undergoing transhepatic cutting balloon dilation for anastomotic biliary strictures was performed over a period of 8 months. Cutting balloon dilation was followed by conventional balloon dilation with use of a balloon with a diameter at least as large as that of the initial cutting balloon.

Transhepatic balloon dilation of anastomotic biliary strictures in liver transplant recipients: the significance of a patent hepatic artery.

Purpose: To determine the significance of hepatic artery steno-occlusive disease on the patency of anastomotic biliary strictures in liver transplant recipients after transhepatic balloon dilation.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of records of all patients undergoing transhepatic balloon dilation for anastomotic biliary strictures after orthotopic liver transplantation was performed over an 8-year period. Patency of the anastomosis was based on subsequent cholangiography.

Arc of buhler: incidence and diameter in asymptomatic individuals.

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and diameter of the Arc of Buhler by power injection digital subtraction angiography in asymptomatic patients. A retrospective evaluation of 120 combined celiac (CAx) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) angiograms was carried out on potential live related liver transplant donors (asymptomatic patients) performed from January 1999 to May 2002. The diameter of the Arc of Buhler was calculated with reference to the 5 French catheters used to perform the diagnostic angiograms.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in a living donor left lateral segment liver transplant recipient: technical considerations.

The technical aspects of placing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) in liver transplant recipients with full allografts have well been described. In the era of live related hepatic donors, and the growing population of their recipients, it is likely that TIPS shunts will be placed in failing transplant lobes/segments. Growing allografts that are initially undersized can have an unconventional orientation of the hepatic and portal veins, which may also change with remodeling and rotation of the graft during their growth.

Hepatic artery stenosis in liver transplant recipients: primary treatment with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of hepatic artery percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in the treatment of hepatic artery stenosis (HAS).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all cases of HAS documented by angiography from January 1995 to June 2003 at the authors' institution. Management was evaluated and long-term patency was documented by Doppler ultrasonography.

Superselective microcoil embolization for the treatment of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of superselective microcoil embolization for the treatment of lower gastrointestinal (LGI) hemorrhage.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of LGI superselective microcoil embolization data for a 10-year period was performed. During this period, twenty-two patients with evidence on angiography of LGI bleeding underwent superselective microcoil embolization.

Luminal diameter and vasa vasorum response to stent dilation in the rabbit aorta.

Rationale And Objectives: We examined the changes in luminal diameter and vasa vasorum after stent dilation of the aorta of nonatherosclerotic rabbits.

Methods: Balloon-expandable stents were placed in the aortas of rabbits at the L3 level and were expanded. After 8 weeks, the rabbits were euthanized, perfused with barium sulfate particles, frozen, sectioned, and X-rayed.

Changes in serum magnesium during excretory urography. A comparison of ionic and nonionic contrast media.

Rationale And Objectives: It is known that ionic contrast media (CM) bind magnesium and that patients with asthma often benefit from magnesium injections. Similarly, asthmatics have a higher incidence of CM reactions. This work tests the hypothesis that ionic CM alter serum magnesium more than nonionic CM.

Microangiography of the rabbit temporomandibular joint in the open and closed jaw positions.

The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that jaw position significantly affects the vascular morphology of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The study was performed using intravascular perfusion with 30% Micropaque and 40% gelatin. Six anesthetized New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 2 groups of three.

Renal handling and physiologic effects of the paramagnetic contrast medium Gd-DOTA.

Gadolinium DOTA (Gd-DOTA) is a magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent similar to Gd-DTPA but with greater stability in vitro. The effects of a high intravenous dose (0.5 mmol/kg) of Gd-DOTA (1360 mOsm/kg) on renal excretory function and its general systemic effects are examined in this animal study.

Incidence of fibrillation with isotonic contrast media for intra-arterial coronary digital subtraction angiography.

Intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) can produce coronary artery opacification with isotonic contrast media. In this study we have examined the importance of electrolyte composition in isotonic formulations on the incidence of fibrillation. Right coronary injections of media were made for 25 s in anesthetized dogs.