Johannes Petersen

Objective Experimental coarctation of the aorta prevents the development of downstream atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to find out whether or not atherosclerotic stenoses protect distal vascular territories from developing atherosclerosis in humans. Design and setting A total of 2125 vascular segments from angiographies of 101 patients were evaluated by calculating the maximum degree of stenosis (NASCET criteria), the degree of calcification, the degree of collaterals and the Friesinger score. Results Stenosis ≥30–49% was found in 685 vascular segments (32.2%), ≥50–69% in 490 (23.1%), ≥70–89% in 373 (17.6%) and ≥90% in 265 (12.5%). If a stenosis of at least ≥70–89% was present in the common iliac, the external iliac or the common femoral artery, the degrees of stenosis distal to it were lower than those on the contralateral side (19.8±22.3% (CI 11.7 to 28.0) vs 25.2±20.7% (CI 21.2 to 29.1); Friesinger scores 1.1±1.2 (CI 0.6 to 1.5) vs 1.4±1.1 (CI 1.2 to 1.6); degrees of calcification 0.8±1.0 (CI 0.4 to 1.1) vs 1.2±1.1 (CI 1.2 to 1.6); pConclusions Atherosclerotic stenoses seem to protect distal vascular territories from developing atherosclerosis. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism of this phenomenon remains to be determined. It could be based on pulse pressure reduction.

Objective The aim of this study was to describe the renal arteries of humans in vivo, as precisely as possible, and to formulate an expected value for the exclusion of renal denervation due to the anatomical situation based on the criteria of the Symplicity HTN trials. Design and setting In a retrospective cohort study, the renal arteries of 126 patients (57 women, 69 men, mean age 60±17.2 years (CI 57.7 to 63.6)) were segmented semiautomatically from high-contrast CT angiographies. Results Among the 300 renal arteries, there were three arteries with fibromuscular dysplasia and one with ostial renal artery stenosis. The first left renal artery was shorter than the right (34±11.4 mm (CI 32 to 36) vs 45.9±15 mm (CI 43.2 to 48.6); p0.05). The first left renal arteries were 1.1±0.4 mm (CI 0.9 to 1.3), and the first right renal arteries were 0.3±0.6 mm (CI 0.1 to 0.5) thinner in women than in men (pConclusions Based on these precise measurements, the anatomical situation as a reason for ruling out denervation appears to be significantly more common than previously suspected. Since this can be the cause of the failure of treatment in some cases, further development of catheters or direct percutaneous approaches may improve success rates.

Previous studies have suggested that marginal periodontitis is a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine whether caries may also be associated with atherosclerosis. The computed tomography data sets of 292 consecutive patients, 137 women and 155 men with a mean age of 54.1±17.3 years, were analyzed. Caries were quantified based on the number of decayed surfaces of all the teeth, and periodontitis was quantified on the basis of the horizontal bone loss in the jaw. The presence of chronic apical periodontitis (CAP) was assessed, and the aortic atherosclerotic burden was quantified using a calcium scoring method. The patients with <1 caries surfaces/tooth had a lower atherosclerotic burden (0.13±0.61 mL) than patients with ≥1 caries surfaces/tooth. The atherosclerotic burden was greater in patients with a higher number of lesions with pulpal involvement and more teeth with chronic apical periodontitis. In the logistical regression models, age (Wald 49.3), number of caries per tooth (Wald 26.4), periodontitis (Wald 8.6), and male gender (Wald 11) were found to be independent risk factors for atherosclerosis. In the linear regression analyses, age and the number of decayed surfaces per tooth were identified as influencing factors associated with a higher atherosclerotic burden, and the number of restorations per tooth was associated with a lower atherosclerotic burden. Dental caries, pulpal caries, and chronic apical periodontitis are associated positively, while restorations are associated inversely, with aortic atherosclerotic burden. Prospective studies are required to confirm these observations and answer the question of possible causality.

Das hepatozelluläre Karzinom stellt in der westlichen Welt eines der häufigsten tumorbedingten Todesursachen dar. Der vorliegende Artikel befasst sich mit der transarteriellen Chemoembolisation (TACE) als palliative Behandlungsmethode.

Objective: To determine the assumed influence of the number of renal arteries, the distribution and extent of renal artery stenosis (RAS), and the kidney length on calcified aortic atherosclerotic plaque burden. Methods: The computed tomographic angiographies of 1381 patients were analyzed retrospectively using a volumetric aortic calcium scoring method. The Spearman method was used to calculate the correlation between kidney length, number and diameter of renal arteries, as well as number, degree, and location of RASs on main or additional renal arteries with the extent of aortic atherosclerosis. Logistic regression analyses were conducted with the target variable “calcification present or absent.” Results: Patients with multiple renal arteries (38.3%) had lower plaque volumes than patients without such variants (0.55 ± 0.97 vs 0.64 ± 1.06 mL; P < 0.05). Renal artery stenoses affected all renal vessels with equal frequency. The aortic calcium score correlated with the number of RASs ( P < 0.0001) and the maximum degree of RAS up to a threshold of 60%. Location of an RAS in the various renal arteries was irrelevant. In regression analyses, the presence of RAS (Wald = 5.523), the degree of RAS (Wald = 6.251), and age (Wald = 223.1) were positive predictors of the aortic calcium score, whereas kidney length (Wald = 9.564) proved to be a negative predictor. Conclusion: The aortic calcium score correlates with both the number of RASs and the maximum degree of RAS up to a threshold of 60% but correlates inversely with the number of renal arteries. Renal artery stenosis affects all renal vessels with equal frequency, and this finding should be considered in screening procedures.

Background: Detection of risk factors for an air embolism in the left atrium, left ventricle, or systemic circulation (systemic air embolism, SAE) during a percutaneous core needle biopsy (PCNB) of the thorax.Methods: In a retrospective observational study, all PCNBs of the thorax in 610 patients between 2007 and 2009 were analyzed. The SmartStep™ technique (General Electric) was used for the biopsy, with which the examiner can prepare a batch of three 1.25-mm or 2.5-mm collimated slices within a second using a foot switch in the CT room to check the needle position. The image data thus generated and the control CT scans that followed were examined retrospectively for the presence of intravascular air. Intravascular air was defined as two or more adjacent voxels with absorption values of < -200 HU in the left atrium, left ventricle, aorta, or arteries during or after the procedure. The univariate statistical analysis of categorical variables was made using 2 by 2 tables and the Fisher test. The groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Finally, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for the occurrence of an SAE.Results: The radiological incidence of an SAE during a PCNB was 3.8% (23/610 patients), whereas the clinically apparent incidence was 0.49%. Two patients developed clinical symptoms consisting of transient hemiplegia or transient amaurosis; one died due to a fatal SAE of the coronary arteries. The mortality was thus 0.16%. The depth of the needle in the lesion (Wald: 6.859), endotracheal anesthesia (Wald: 5.721), location of the lesion above the level of the left atrium (Wald: 5.159), and prone position of the patients (Wald: 4.317) were independent risk factors for the incidence of an SAE (p < 0.05 each). Using explorative criteria, the acute angle of the needle to the tumor surface, and the transition of ventilated lung were independent factors. The frequency of biopsies, needle penetration depth, and tumor location near the diaphragm or in the lower lobe also played a subordinate role, not however, the needle penetration depth through the lung.Conclusion: If possible, the PCNB should be performed under local anesthesia. We recommend avoiding endotracheal anesthesia and prone position. Whenever possible, patients should be positioned on the back in such a way that the tumor is lower than the left atrium. The tip of the needle should be within the tumor during the biopsy procedure.

Normal ultrasound values for pole-to-pole kidney length (LPP) are well established for children, but very little is known about normal kidney size and its influencing factors in adults. The objectives of this study were thus to establish normal CT values for kidney dimensions from a group of unselected patients, identify potential influencing factors, and to estimate their significance.

We report on a case of an impar umbilical artery (IUA) in an 18-year-old woman. The aorta branched off at level L2 into a ventral IUA and a dorsal aorta. The strong IUA produced the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), the renal artery of a left-sided duplex kidney, and the right-sided ovarian artery before it turned to the right to merge into the right common iliac artery. From the aorta arose the lumbar arteries, the median sacral artery, lateral sacral arteries, and iliolumbar arteries before it turned to the left. Both vessels were connected by an artery 0.8 cm in diameter running infraperitoneal, from the left side of which the uterine artery arose for a left paramedian uterus didelphys. This anatomical situation is presented for the first time using an arterial contrast enhanced CT and is discussed within the context of previously known cases.