Value of C-Arm Computed Tomography to Evaluate Stent Deployment During Femoro-Popliteal Revascularization.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of C-arm computed tomography (CT) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in detecting incomplete stent expansion (ISE) after superficial femoral artery (SFA) stenting using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as a gold standard.

Materials: Fifty patients with symptomatic SFA occlusive disease requiring angioplasty were prospectively included. Once technical success (<30 % residual stenosis) was obtained on post-procedural DSA, C-arm CT and IVUS were acquired.

Impact of contrast injection and stent-graft implantation on reproducibility of volume measurements in semiautomated segmentation of abdominal aortic aneurysm on computed tomography.

Purpose: To assess the impact of contrast injection and stent-graft implantation on feasibility, accuracy, and reproducibility of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) volume and maximal diameter (D-max) measurements using segmentation software.

Materials And Methods: CT images of 80 subjects presenting AAA were divided into four equal groups: with or without contrast enhancement, and with or without stent-graft implantation. Semiautomated software was used to segment the aortic wall, once by an expert and twice by three readers.

Stent implantation in coronary porcine arteries is associated with early activation of TNFalpha and TNFalpha receptor II expression.

Inflammation present in restenosis after angioplasty is associated with production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNFalpha). However, limited data exist on the possible increase in TNFalpha and TNFalpha receptor expression induced during the chronic phase after stenting. To this end, swine underwent balloon denudation (PTCA) and stent implantation in coronary arteries.

Estradiol blocks the induction of CD40 and CD40L expression on endothelial cells and prevents neutrophil adhesion: an ERalpha-mediated pathway.

Objective: Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) was shown to induce CD40 and CD40L expression on endothelial cells (ECs) and consequently to promote neutrophil adhesion. The pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of estrogens are well recognized but their role on the regulation of CD40 and CD40L expression on ECs remains undefined.

Methods And Results: Treatment of porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) with IFN-gamma for 24 h enhanced CD40 and CD40L expression by 97% and 78%, respectively.