High Prevalence of Anatomical Variations and Anomalies of the Coronary Arteries Detected by CT Angiography in Symptomatic Patients

Objective:Coronary artery anatomical variations and anomalies are an important topic due to their potential clinical manifestations.This study aims to investigate the prevalence of coronary artery anatomical variations and anomalies in symptomatic patients with coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA).Methods:This is a retrospective study that included all symptomatic patients who had CCTA in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia during a period of seven years.Results:The total number of included patients was 507(60%males)with a mean age of 57.4 years.Approximately 41%had luminal stenoses,averaging 49.7%.The total num-ber of patients with coronary anatomical variations(CAV)and coronary artery anomalies(CAA)was 217(43%).CAV prevalence was 26%,which included 14%non-right coronary dominance,5%short left main coronary artery(LMCA),and 7%division variations(trifurcation and quadrifurcarion)of the LMCA.The prevalence of CAA was 29%,which included 5%origin anomalies,22%myocardial bridge,and 2%course anomalies.Conclusions:A high prevalence of coronary artery anatomic variations and anomalies in symptomatic patients is reported in this study.Systematic reviews,meta-analyses,reporting guidelines,and unified definitions and classifications of cor-onary variations and anomalies are lacking in the literature,presenting potential opportunities for future research and publications.

Correlation between C-reactive Protein and Morphology of Aortic Intramural Hematoma on CT Angiography

Objectives To investigate the morphologic characteristics of intramural hematoma(IMH)on CT angiography(CTA),and evaluate the possible correlation of serum C-reactive protein(CRP)with morphologic characteristics of IMH.Material and Methods Forty-two patients who were initially diagnosed as IMH by aortic CTA and also had serum CRP examination on the same day of CTA were enrolled in this retrospective study,including 30 males and 12 females,with the mean age of 61±14 years old.The volumetric CT data were retrospectively processed and analyzed on post-processing workstation.Based on the thickness of IMH and the length-area curve,the crosssectional area of true lumen and total vessel were measured,the hematoma-vessel ratio(HVR)was calculated.Imaging characteristics were compared between patients who had pathological elevated CRP(>0.8 mg/dl)and those did not.Spearman correlation analyses of CRP level and morphological characteristics of IMH were performed,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic validity of CRP.Results Of all 42 IMH patients,the mean serum CRP was 3.94±4.71 mg/dl,and the mean HVR was 46.7%±14.2%.HVR in patients with elevated CRP was significantly higher than those with normal CRP(49.7%±15.0%vs.40.7%±10.5%,P=0.030).HVR was mildly correlated with CRP in all patients(r=0.48,P<0.001).CRP levels differed neither between patients with Stanford type A and B(P=0.207),nor between patients with and without intimal disruption(P=0.230).To discriminate HVR>47%(the mean value),the area under curve(AUC)were 0.700(95%CI:0.535-0.865)for CRP at a cutoff point of 3.55 mg/dl,with a sensitivity of 54.5%and a specificity of 90.0%.Conclusion CRP was mildly correlated with the severity of cross-sectional hematoma area of IMH,but not with Stanford types and the presence of intimal disruption.

Application of Low Tube Voltage, Low-concentration Contrast Agent Using a 320-row CT in Coronary CT Angiography: Evaluation of Image Quality, Radiation Dose and Iodine Intake

The effect of low voltage and low concentration contrast agent on image quality of coronary CT angiography,radiation dose and iodine intake was evaluated.A total of 121 patients with body mass index(BMI)<26 kg/m2 and heart rate(HR)<70 beats/min were randomly divided into four groups:group A(n=31,80 kVp,270 mgl/mL);group B(n=33,100 kVp,270 mgl/mL);group C(h=30,100 kVp,320 mgl/mL);group D(w=27,100 kVp,400 mgl/mL).The automatic current modulation system and the iterative algorithm for reconstruction were adopted in each group.The CT values and SD values of the aortic root(AR),subcutaneous fat,left coronary artery opening(LCA),and right coronary artery opening(RCA)were measured in all groups,the signalto-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast noise ratio(CNR)were calculated,and effective radiation dose and iodine intake were recorded.The subjective assessment for image quality was performed by two physicians using a 4-point scale.The results were compared using the one-way ANOVA and rank sum tests.The image quality of the four groups met the clinical diagnostic requirements.The CT values of AR in groups A,B,C,and D were 537.6±71.4,447.2±81.9,445.2±64.9 and 518.5±94.9 Hu,respectively,with no significant difference between group A and group D,or between group B and group C,while CT values in groups B and C were significantly lower than those in groups A and D(P<0.05).In groups A,B,C,and D,the LCA SNR values were 22.7±9.1,23.3±9.1,23.3±7.7 and 26.6±8.9,and the RCA CNR values were 26.9±9.&28.5±11.4,27.7土&8 and 32」±10.6,respectively.The AR visual scores in groups A,B,C and D were 3.8±0.2,3.9±0.3,3.9±0.3 and 4.0±0.3,respectively.There were no significant differences in SNR,CNR and visual score among the four groups(P>0.05).The radiation doses in groups A,B,C and D were 2.6±1.4,3.6±1.&4.9±3.5 and 4.9±2.8 mSv,respectively.The radiation dose in group A was significantly less than that in the rest three groups(P<0.05).The iodine intakes in groups A,B,C and D were 14.9±1.5,15.0±1.5,17.7±2.0 and 18.1±2.5 g,respectively.There was no significant difference in the intake of iodine between groups C and D,or between groups A and B,while iodine intake in groups A and B were significantly reduced as compared with that in groups C and D(P<0.05).It was concluded that for patients with low BMI and controlled HR,compared to 100 kVp tube voltage combined with multiple concentration contrast agents,80 kVp combined with 270 mgl/mL contrast agent is enough to ensure the quality of the images,and can reduce the radiation dose significantly,while reducing the amount of iodine intake notably,thus reducing the incidence of adverse reaction.

Multislice spiral CT angiography in evaluation of liver transplantation candidates

BACKGROUND: Orthotopic liver transplantation has be- come the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver disease. This study was designed to study whether multislice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) could be used for preoperative evaluation for orthotopic liver transplanta- tion candidates. METHODS: Eighty consecutive potential candidates for liver transplantation were evaluated with dual-phase three-di- mensional CT angiography (3DCTA). The arterial-phase was used to create vascular maps of the celiac axis (inclu- ding the origin of the hepatic common artery, left gastric artery and splenic artery) and origin of the superior mesen- teric artery. The portal venous-phase was used to analyze portal vein thrombosis and collateral vascularization of the portal vein. Statistical analyses were made using the chi- square test for differences between hepatic arterial anatomy of 80 patients and Michel's anatomy of 200 patients. Appearance of MSCTA and operative results of 16 patients were analyzed. RESULTS; Sixty-two patients (77.5%) showed conven- tional and 18 (22.5%) nonconventional hepatic arterial anatomy. A significant difference was found between the two groups in anatomy of the hepatic artery (P <0.05). Celiac axis stenosis was observed in 6 patients, SA aneu- rysm in 2, small-caliber hepatic arterial vessels in 2, and portal vein thrombosis in 15. Vascular structures of 16 ope- rative patients were well defined. CONCLUSION: As a noninvasive examination, MSCTA can provide a comprehensive preoperative vascular evalua- tion for liver transplantation candidates.

The application study of dual-energy CT nonlinearblending technique in pulmonary angiography

Objective This study aimed to explore the feasibility of enhancing image quality in computed tomography(CT) pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and reducing radiation dose using the nonlinear blending (NLB)technique of dual-energy CT.Methods A total of 61 patients scheduled for CTPA were enrolled, and 30 patients underwent dual-energyscanning. Nonlinear blending images (NLB group) and three groups of linear blending images (LB group,80 kV group, and 140 kV group) were reconstructed after scanning;31 patients underwent single-energyscanning (120 kV group). The CT values and standard deviations of the pulmonary trunk, left and rightpulmonary arteries, and ipsilateral back muscle at the bifurcation level of the left and right pulmonaryarteries were measured. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the fivegroups were calculated. The subjective image quality of the five groups was assessed. The radiation dosesof the dual- and single-energy groups were recorded and calculated.Results The CNR and SNR values of blood vessels in the NLB group were significantly higher than thosein the LB, 140 kV, and 80 kV groups (CNR of pulmonary artery trunk: t = 3.50, 4.06, 7.17, all P < 0.05;SNRof pulmonary trunk: t = 3.76, 4.71, 6.92, all P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in the CNR andSNR values between the NLB group and 120 kV group (P > 0.05). The effective radiation dose of the dualenergygroup was lower than that of the single-energy group (t = –4.52, P < 0.05). The subjective scores ofimages in the NLB group were the highest (4.28 ± 0.74).Conclusion The NLB technique of dual-energy CT can improve the image quality of CTPA and reducethe radiation dose, providing more reliable imaging data for the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

Predictors of inaccurate coronary arterial stenosis assessment by CT angiography

ABSTRACT Objectives This study sought to investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics associated with diagnostic inaccuracy of computed tomography angiography （CTA） for detecting obstructive coronary artery disease （CAD） defined by quantitative coronary angiography （QCA）.

Imaging Effect and Accuracy Analysis of 64-Slice Spiral CT in the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Stenosis

Objective:To analyze the imaging effect and accuracy of 64-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis.Methods:30 patients with suspected coronary heart disease admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected.All patients underwent both 64-slice spiral CT and digital subtraction angiography(DSA).DSA is considered the gold standard for diagnosis,so it was used to analyze the diagnostic performance of 64-slice spiral CT.Results:(1)The diagnostic results of digital subtraction angiography and 64-slice spiral CT was analyzed and compared with each other.The 64-slice spiral CT had an accuracy of 96.67%(29/30),a sensitivity 96.55%(28/29),and a specificity of 100.00%(1/1)in diagnosing coronary artery stenosis.(2)There was no significant difference between 64-slice spiral CT and digital subtraction angiography in the positive detection rate of anterior descending artery lesion,the positive detection rate of left main lesion,the positive detection rate of left circumflex artery lesion and the positive detection rate of right coronary artery lesion(P>0.05).(3)There was no significant difference between 64-slice spiral CT examination and DSA examination in identifying mild stenosis,moderate stenosis,and severe stenosis of coronary arteries(P>0.05).Conclusion:64-slice spiral CT examination can accurately determine the degree of occlusion of coronary arteries,which allows for the accurate diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis.

Computed tomography perfusion and computed tomography angiography for prediction of clinical outcomes in ischemic stroke patients after thrombolysis

Cerebral blood perfusion and cerebrovascular lesions are important factors that can affect the therapeutic efficacy of thrombolysis.At present,the majority of studies focus on assessing the accuracy of lesion location using imaging methods before treatment,with less attention to predictions of outcomes after thrombolysis.Thus,in the present study,we assessed the efficacy of combined computed tomography（CT） perfusion and CT angiography in predicting clinical outcomes after thrombolysis in ischemic stroke patients.The study included 52 patients who received both CT perfusion and CT angiography.Patients were grouped based on the following criteria to compare clinical outcomes：（1） thrombolytic and non-thrombolytic patients,（2） thrombolytic patients with CT angiography showing the presence or absence of a vascular stenosis,（3） thrombolytic patients with CT perfusion showing the presence or absence of hemodynamic mismatch,and（4） different CT angiography and CT perfusion results.Short-term outcome was assessed by the 24-hour National Institution of Health Stroke Scale score change.Long-term outcome was assessed by the 3-month modified Rankin Scale score.Of 52 ischemic stroke patients,29 were treated with thrombolysis and exhibited improved short-term outcomes compared with those without thrombolysis treatment（23 patients）.Patients with both vascular stenosis and blood flow mismatch（13 patients） exhibited the best short-term outcome,while there was no correlation of long-term outcome with CT angiography or CT perfusion findings.These data suggest that combined CT perfusion and CT angiography are useful for predicting short-term outcome,but not long-term outcome,after thrombolysis.

Preoperative assessment of vascular anatomy of inferior mesenteric artery by volume-rendered 3D-CT for laparoscopic lymph node dissection with left colic artery preservation in lower sigmoid and rectal cancer

AIM： To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery （LCA） and the inferior mesenteric artery （IMA） by computed tomography （CT） scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparoscopic colorectal operation. METHODS： From February 2004 to May 2005, 100 patients （63 men, 37 women） underwent angiography performed with a 16-scanner multi-detector row CT unit （Toshiba, Aquilion 16）. All images were analyzed on a workstation （AZE Ltd, Virtual Place Advance 300）. The distance from the root of the IMA to the bifurcation of the LCA was measured by curved multi-planar reconstruction on a workstation. RESULTS： The IMA could be visualized in all the cases, but the LCA was missing in two patients. The mean distance from the root of the IMA to the root of the LCA was 42.0 mm （range, 23.2-75.0 mm）. There were no differences in gender, arterial branching types, body weight, height, and body mass index. CONCLUSION： Volume-rendered 3D-CT is helpful to assess the vascular branching anatomy for laparoscopic surgery.

Characteristics of vascular lesions in patients with posterior circulation infarction according to age and region of infarct

Patients with posterior circulation infarction underwent CT angiography and magnetic resonance angiography. Intracranial and extracranial vasculopathy was evaluated according to age group and location of stroke. Patients aged 〉 60 years and 〈 60 years had similar rates of vertebral artery dominance and vertebrobasilar artery developmental or origin anomalies. Vertebrobasilar artery stenosis or occlusion and tortuosity occurred more frequently in patients aged 〉 60 years than 〈 60 years. The rates of vertebrobasilar artery anomalies and tortuosity were high in patients with posterior circulation infarction. Vertebrobasilar artery tortuosity occurred more frequently in patients aged 〉 60 years, whereas vertebrobasilar artery developmental anomalies occurred with similar frequency in patients aged 〈 60 years and 〉 60 years. Patients with infarction of the brainstem or cerebellum were more ~ikely to have vertebral artery stenosis or occlusion, basi^ar artery stenosis or occlusion, vertebral artery dominance or tortuosity, and basilar artery tortuosity, and patients with infarction of the thalamus, medial temporal, or occipital lobes were more likely to have stenosis or occlusion of the vertebral or basilar arteries. Vertebrobasilar artery tortuosity, vertebral artery dominance （hypoplasia）, and congenital variations of the vertebrobasilar system may lead to posterior circulation infarction at different locations in different age groups.

Evaluation of computed tomography obstruction index in guiding therapeutic decisions and monitoring percutanous catheter fragmentation in massive pulmonary embolism

In the present study, we evaluated computed tomography pulmonary angiography （CTPA） in guiding therapeutic decisions and monitoring patients undergoing percutaneous catheter fragmentation in acute massive pulmonary embolism. From Jan 2003 to Dec 2009, 35 patients were diagnosed with acute massive pulmonary embolism by CTPA （TO） and treated with percutaneous catheter fragmentation. The severity was assessed by CT obstruction index （Qanadli index） and compared with Miller index. CTPA, oxygen saturation （SaO2） and pulmonary artery pressure were performed as follow-up index. The mean percentage of Qanadli index was （55 ± 13）% （range, 40%- 75%）, and Miller index was （62 ± 15）% （range, 45%-85%）. Correlations between them were statistically significant （r = 0.867, P 〈 0.0001）. The Qanadli index showed significant reduction [TO： （55±13）%; TI： （12±10）%; P 〈 0.001] in 33 patients. Significant correlation was observed between the Qanadli index, SaO2 （r = 0.934）, and pulmonary artery pressure （r = 0.813）. The Qanadli index provides an accurate method for distinguishing massive pulmonary embolism from sub-massive pulmonary embolism. It can be used to determine therapeutic options and monitor clinical outcomes.

Morphological characteristics associated with rupture risk of multiple intracranial aneurysms

Objective: To identify the morphological parameters that are related to intracranial aneurysms(IAs) rupture using a case-control model.Methods: A total of 107 patients with multiple IAs and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage between August 2011 and February 2017 were enrolled in this study.Characteristics of IAs location, shape, neck width, perpendicular height, depth, maximum size, flow angle, parent vessel diameter(PVD), aspect ratio(AR) and size ratio(SR) were evaluated using CT angiography.Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors associated with IAs rupture.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed on the final model, and the optimal thresholds were obtained.Results: IAs located in the internal carotid artery(ICA) was associated with a negative risk of rupture, whereas AR, SR1(height/PVD) and SR2(depth/PVD) were associated with increased risk of rupture.When SR was calculated differently, the odds ratio values of these factors were also different.The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that AR, SR1 and SR2 had cut-off values of 1.01, 1.48 and 1.40, respectively.SR3(maximum size/PVD) was not associated with IAs rupture.Conclusions: IAs located in the ICA are associated with a negative risk of rupture, while high AR(>1.01), SR1(>1.48) or SR2(>1.40) are risk factors for multiple IAs rupture.

Could the number of CT angiograms be reduced in emergency department patients suspected of pulmonary embolism?

This study was undertaken to identify the prevalence of pulmonary embolism （PE） in the emergency department （ED） of an urban teaching hospital and also to test a Bayesian model in estimating the number of CT pulmonary angiography （CTA） expected to be performed in an emergency department. The data for this study was obtained through a retrospective review of electronic medical records for all ED patients suspected of PE who underwent chest CTA or ventilation perfusion scanning （V/Q） between 2009 and 2010. The data is presented as means and standard deviation for continuous variables and percentages with 95% confidence intervals （95%CI） for proportions. The prevalence of PE was used as pre-test probability in the Bayesian model. Post-test probability was obtained using a Fagan nomogram and likelihood ratios for CTA. A total of 778 patients （560 females） with mean age of 50 years （range 18-98 years） were enrolled （98.3% underwent chest CTA and 1.7% underwent V/Q scan）. A total of 69 patients had PE, rendering an overall prevalence of 8.9% （95%CI, 7.1% to 11.1%） for PE. We calculated that 132 CTA＇s per year could be avoided in our institution, without compromising safe exclusions of PE （keeping post-test probability of PE below 2%）. Despite differences in our patient populations and/or study designs, the prevalence of PE in our institution is about average compared to other institutions. Our proposed model for calculating redundant chest CTA is simple and can be used by institutions to identify overuse of CTA.

Incidental Finding of a Fenestrated Vertebrobasilar Junction Aneurysm

Basilar artery fenestration is a rare anatomical variation resulting from the failed fusion of the two vertebral arteries during embryonic life. In order of frequency, it is the second most common location of vascular fenestrations after the anterior communicating artery. Vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms are uncommon but often associated with basilar artery fenestration. We report the case of a fenestrated vertebrobasilar junction saccular aneurysm in a 57-year-old woman. The diagnosis was incidentally made on CT angiography which found the anatomical variant and the aneurysm. The radiological features illustrating this association are detailed here and a brief discussion of its pathogenesis and management was made. Vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms are rare and their presence should suggest an associated basilar fenestration.

Angiographic Features of Intracranial Aneurisms in Mali: A Preliminary Study of 105 Patients

Introduction: Rupture of intracranial aneurisms leads to severe morbidity and mortality. There are two modalities of treatment surgery and endovascular treatment. The diagnosis is made by angiography (DSA, CTA, RMA). The angiographic features used to assess the risk of the complications and choose the treatment modality are size, location and aneurism morphology. Materials and Methods: We reviewed and analyzed the computed tomographic angiography and magnetic resonance angiography of all patients admitted to the hospital of Mali with IAs from 2015 to 2021 either 7 years. Patients who were less than 18 years old, those with non-aneurysmal SAH, patients who request a discharge and those with an incomplete angiographic description of the IAs were excluded from the analysis. Results: We have collected 105 patients with 109 aneurysms. The sex ratio was 2/1 in favor of females. The mean age was 44.51 years with the range from 18 to 70 years. The presentation mode was subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in 97% of cases. 76.19% had confirmed high blood pressure before the bleeding. 19.04% were diabetics. 98% of our patients have made a CT angiography and 2% have made MR angiography for the aneurysm diagnosis. 97.24% of aneurisms were located in the anterior part of the Willis circle. 39.44% of these aneurisms were the anterior communicating complex aneurysm. 27.52% of aneurysm had a small size, 42.20% had a medium size, 20.18% large size against 5.50% of the giant (Figure 3) and the middle cerebral artery was the most involved in the least. 95.41% of cases were saccular aneurysms against 4.59% fusiform. Conclusion: The angiographic feature of an intracranial aneurism in the Malian population may differ from other populations of the sub-region. The anterior communicating complex aneurysm is more common and the aneurism of the posterior part of the Willis circle is less common. We found the aneurism size ≥ 6 mm, ACA, MCA and Pcom more frequent.

Wall shear stress in intracranial aneurysms and adjacent arteries

Hemodynamic parameters play an important role in aneurysm formation and growth. However, it is difficult to directly observe a rapidly growing de novo aneurysm in a patient. To investigate possible associations between hemodynamic parameters and the formation and growth of intracranial aneurysms, the present study constructed a computational model of a case with an internal carotid artery aneurysm and an anterior communicating artery aneurysm, based on the CT angiography findings of a patient. To simulate the formation of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm and the growth of the internal carotid artery aneurysm, we then constructed a model that virtually removed the anterior communicating artery aneurysm, and a further two models that also progressively decreased the size of the internal carotid artery aneurysm. Computational simulations of the fluid dynamics of the four models were performed under pulsatile flow conditions, and wall shear stress was compared among the different models. In the three aneurysm growth models, increasing size of the aneurysm was associated with an increased area of low wall shear stress, a significant decrease in wall shear stress at the dome of the aneurysm, and a significant change in the wall shear stress of the parent artery. The wall shear stress of the anterior communicating artery remained low, and was significantly lower than the wall shear stress at the bifurcation of the internal carotid artery or the bifurcation of the middle cerebral artery. After formation of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm, the wall shear stress at the dome of the internal carotid artery aneurysm increased significantly, and the wall shear stress in the upstream arteries also changed significantly. These findings indicate that low wall shear stress may be associated with the initiation and growth of aneurysms, and that aneurysm formation and growth may influence hemodynamic parameters in the local and adjacent arteries.

Cerebellar Syndrome Revealing a Giant Postero Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report and a Review of Literature

Context: Cerebellar syndrome caused by disturbances of balance and coordination is not an uncommon neurological disorder. It has varied etiologies usually caused by tumor processes or suppurative collections. Vascular causes remain very rare, especially when it is a giant aneurysm of PICA representing 1% of intracranial aneurysms. Treating giant PICA aneurysms is a very difficult task for neurosurgeons because the surgical dissection can lead to severe damage due to the intimate relationship of PICA with the brainstem or nerve structures. We report a case of giant PICA aneurysm responsible for cerebellar syndrome successfully treated with surgery. The objective of this work is to draw the attention of practitioners to this unusual cause which can lead to diagnosis wandering and a lack of planning at the time of management. Case report: A 65 years old hypertensive patient was seen for a progressive disturbance of balance and walking disorder, but worsened in the last three months with no notion of fever. On admission, the patient was lucid, oriented in time and space and presented with static and kinetic cerebellar syndrome. Brain CT-scan without and with contrast revealed a tissular mass in the posterior fossa suggesting a tumor process, however, CT angiography showed a giant aneurysm of the PICA after reconstruction. A careful microdissection by a sub-occipital approach was decided. Opening the large cistern made it possible to visualize the aneurysm sack surrounded by a yellowish gliosis. The reclining and microdissection revealed the neck of the aneurysm, which was clipped to exclude the giant aneurysm in block. Postoperative follow-up was simple with progressive improvement in the cerebellar syndrome and walking over three months. Conclusion: Giant aneurysm of the PICA is rare. The localization in the posterior cerebral fossa can be confusing. Microsurgery gives a good result.

Successful endoscopic sclerotherapy for bleeding gastric varices with combined cyanoacrylate and aethoxysklerol

Two patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hyper-tension related to hepatitis infection were admitted to Shanghai Ruijin Hospital due to recurrent melena and hematemesis. Isolated gastric varices were observed in the gastric fundus during the retroflexion of gastroscope. We carried out endoscopic sclerotherapy successfully for bleeding gastric varices with combined cyanoacrylate and aethoxysklerol, which disappeared dramatically several months after two courses of sclerotherapy for each patient. No complication and clinical signs of gastrointestinal re-bleeding were observed during the 6-mo endoscopic follow-up. CT portal angiography (CTPA) has been widely used in the assessment of variceal treatment and improves the results of endoscopic injection therapy.

Threedimensional electron beam CT angiography in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms

Objective To assess the accuracy of three dimensional electron beam CT angiography (3D EBCTA) in the detection of intracranial aneurysms Methods 31 patients with suspected cerebral aneurysms (including 3 post operative patients) were examined by 3D EBCTA Those receiving angiography or surgery acted as controls Maximum intensity projection (MIP) and shaded surface display (SSD) reconstruction ways were selected Results 24 aneurysms were found in 23 patients Of the 31 patients, false positive was noted in 1 patient,and false negative in 2 on 3D EBCTA The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 92 0%, 88 9%, 91 2%, 95 8% and 80 0% respectively Conclusion 3D EBCTA is an noninvasive, rapid, valuable method in diagnosis and screening of patients with suspected aneurysms The reconstruction modes such as MIP and SSD should be used together to optimise the visualization