Red blood cell survival in long-term dialysis patients.

Background: Shortening of red blood cell (RBC) survival contributes to the anemia of chronic kidney disease. The toxic uremic environment accounts for the decreased RBC life span. The contribution of mechanical damage caused by hemodialysis to the shortened life span is unclear.

What arteries are detectable in the precarinal space on contrast-enhanced CT?

Although the precarinal space is critical in the interpretation of computed tomography (CT) of the thorax, vascular structures within the space have not been well documented. The aim of this study was to investigate vascular structures in the precarinal space that are detectable with contrast-enhanced CT scans. Contrast-enhanced CT chest scans from 90 patients aged 17-78 years (41 male, 49 female) were analyzed retrospectively.