New surgical strategy to induce liver hypertrophy: role of MDCT-volumetry to monitor and predict liver growth.

Background/aims: To describe the role of MDCT-volumetry to monitor and predict liver hypertrophy in a recently introduced surgical technique in patients needing hepatectomy.

Methodology: This prospective study was approved by the local research and ethics committee and patient informed consent was obtained. Twelve consecutive patients were selected for associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged-hepatectomy procedure.

Esophageal cancer characterization with pneumo-64-MDCT.

Early diagnosis and accurate staging of esophageal cancer are both essential for therapeutic strategy planning. Endoscopic ultrasound, CT, and positron emission tomography have all been used in the preoperative staging of esophageal cancer separately or in various combinations. Each imaging method has its strengths and weaknesses.

Prenatal diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias: contribution of three-dimensional computed tomography.

Objective: To describe the contribution of 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) in the prenatal diagnosis of skeletal dysplasias (SD) in a cohort of patients with inconclusive diagnosis by ultrasound (US).

Methods: Between May 2007 and February 2010, six pregnant women with suspected fetal SD on US examination but with no specific diagnosis were studied with 3D-CT. The images were evaluated by a multidisciplinary team who proposed a likely diagnosis.

Direct 64-row MDCT venography in the diagnosis of an inferior vena cava leiomyosarcoma.

We report the usefulness of a technique called direct-MDCT venography in the diagnostic workup of a patient with an inferior vena cava leiomyosarcoma. The technique consists in the injection of contrast agent through both lower limbs achieving maximum enhancement in the inferior vena cava. Images are similar to those of the gold standard conventional cavography.

Esophageal cancer: pneumo-64-MDCT.

Background: Pre-surgical characterization and staging of esophageal cancer with only one imaging method could be useful since gastric invasion determines the scope of resection and the kind of surgery to be performed. Our aim is to demonstrate the usefulness of Pneumo-64-MDCT (PnCT64) in the presurgical characterization of esophageal neoplasms in correlation with surgical findings.

Materials And Methods: A total of 50 patients with diagnosis of esophageal neoplasm were prospectively studied.