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To address prospectively the potential of CT of the abdomen and pelvis to demonstrate deep vein thrombosis in patients suspected of acute pulmonary embolism and investigated with helical CT of the pulmonary arteries.197 patients presenting non-diagnostic scintigraphy and negative Doppler US of lower limbs and IVC were included. They had helical CT of the pulmonary arteries (5mm collimation, 1:1 pitch, reconstruction every 2.5 mm, injection of 120 mL of contrast media at a rate of 3 mL/sec). Ninety seconds after the end of the thoracic acquisition, abdominal and pelvic CT were acquired (7 mm collimation every 12 mm).3 (1.5%) of 197 patients had an unknown thrombosis of the caval system (renal vein, ovarian vein, lilac veins). A fourth patient had an unknown thrombosis of the mesenteric vein. All these patients had a pulmonary embolism (4/40). None of the 157 patients without pulmonary embolism at helical CT showed deep venous thrombosis.In our study, CT of the abdomen and pelvis disclosed an unknown thrombosis of a deep vein of the abdomen and pelvis that can explain the pulmonary embolism in 7.5% of patients.

The authors describe a case of partiel anomalous pulmonary venous drainage of the entire right lung in the azygos vein, without cardiac septal defect discovered on a systematic chest X-ray that showed a right paratrachea mass. MR imaging demonstrated the abnormal pulmonary vessel draining into the azygos arch.

Twenty-five cases of thoracic hydatic disease, studied by CT since 1982, are reviewed. Fifteen patients were Maghrebin, 10 were native. The lungs were interested 22 times, the mediastinum 3 times and the heart only once. Complications of hydatic disease were present 8 times. We compare contribution of CT to the other diagnosis criterious. Our results show the accuracy of CT for the diagnosis of non complicated cyst and the lack of specificity for complicated cysts.

Since 1992, spiral CT scanners replace conventional CT units in radiology departments. In the first part of this paper, we present some technical considerations concerning spiral CT (continuous rotation and emission of the source-detector; continuous translation of the patient at a constant rate through the gantry), as well as advantages and limitations of volumic acquisition. The main advantages can be summerized as: reduction of the acquisition time, optimization of contrast enhancement with intravenous opacification, and post processing allowing retrospective creation of overlapping images, multiplanar reconstructions, and 3-D reconstructions. Spiral CT improves lesions detection and characterization. Disadvantages are due to contrast media injection and radiation exposure. Then we describe clinical applications in the carcinologic field concerning pharyngo-laryngeal tumors, bronchogenic carcinoma, mediastinal tumors, pulmonary nodules, sub-diaphragmatic tumors. However, tumors of brain, spine, bone, and soft tissue are better explorated with MRI. Authors conclude on the future improvements of spiral CT.

Forty-three patients with renal artery stenoses were examined with time of flight MR angiography using maximum intensity projection and surface shaded rendering, and with digital substraction angiography. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.83 and 0.78 for main and secondary arteries, 0.87 and 0.84 for main arteries. In azotemic patients, the positive predictive value was estimated at 40%-70% and the negative predictive value at 95%-98%, while the prevalence of renal artery stenoses varied from 10% to 30%. These results validate MRI for the detection of renal artery stenoses in this population. Surface shaded display was more accurate than maximum intensity projection to reconstruct time of flight sequences and to grade renal artery stenoses.

to evaluate high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the diagnosis of broncholithiasis.10 patients with broncholithiasis underwent chest X ray, fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), CT and HRCT.in 9 cases, chest X rays were abnormal but the diagnosis of broncholithiasis can't never be affirmed. In 9 cases, FOB was abnormal: broncholith were identified in only 2 cases; the other diagnosis were tumor like stenosis (n = 3), inflammatory stenosis (n = 3), extrinsic compression (n = 1). On conventional CT scan, broncholithiasis was suspected in 8 patients but because of volume averaging the relationship between calcified lymph nodes and bronchial tree was difficult to determine exactly. Only HRCT sections, sometimes tilted in the axis of the middle lobar bronchus, can affirm the endobronchial or peribronchial location of calcified lymph nodes in all patients.conventional CT scan can suggest the presence of broncholithiasis but HRCT sections are need to affirm the diagnosis.

To assess US, CT and MR findings in women having puerperal ovarian vein thrombosis with clot protrusion into the inferior vena cava.We retrospectively reviewed the duplex US (n = 9), CT (n = 5) and MR (n = 5) examinations of 9 patients with 8 right ovarian vein thrombosis, and one left ovarian vein thrombosis.US findings allowed for the diagnosis of ovarian vein thrombosis in all patients in showing enlarged tubular echogenic thrombus within the retroperitoneum with clot protrusion in the IVC in all cases. CT scan and MRI demonstrated ovarian vein thrombosis in all the cases in which it was performed but failed to show a mobile thrombus within the IVC in one patient.Duplex US is a reliable technique to show puerperal ovarian vein thrombosis and its extension to the IVC. CT scan and MR imaging can be used to precise the extension to the IVC.