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Early detection and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) can reduce incidences of acute myocardial infarction. In this study, we determined the proper use of contributing risk factors and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) when screening asymptomatic patients with coronary arterial stenoses using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). We reviewed 934 consecutive patients who received CACS and CCTA between December 2013 and November 2016. At least one cardiovascular disease risk factor was present in each of the 509 asymptomatic participants. Patients were grouped based on CACS into “zero,” “minimal” (0 400). Males over 45 years old with diabetes mellitus and hypertension had a higher risk of significant coronary stenosis. In multivariate analysis, age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus remained significant predictors of stenosis. A CACS of zero occurred in 227 patients (44.6%). There were no significant differences between the “zero” and “minimal” groups (p = 0.421), but the “mild,” “moderate,” and “excessive” groups showed correlations with significant coronary stenosis. Age, sex, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were associated with higher risk of significant coronary stenosis. Asymptomatic patients with CACSs of zero do not require CCTA, and thereby avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.

Background and Objectives: To investigate whether multidisciplinary team (MDT) intervention is associated with improved survival for patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma with liver or lung metastasis (CRA-LLM). Methods: We enrolled 161 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed CRA-LLM at Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital between January 2007 and December 2017. In total, 75 patients with CRA-LLM received MDT intervention, and 86 patients did not receive MDT intervention. To evaluate prognostic factors for overall death, we performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of the overall death rate in all patients. Overall survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared using the log-rank test (P < .001). Results: A multivariate Cox regression analysis of the overall death rate in patients with CRA-LLM showed that age ≤ 65 years, systemic chemotherapy, curative-intent treatments, and MDT intervention are strong prognostic factors. The adjusted hazard ratio of death risk for age ≤ 65 years, systemic chemotherapy, curative-intent treatments, and MDT intervention were 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40-0.92; P = .019), 0.19 (95% CI, 0.12-0.32; P = .001), 0.25 (95% CI, 0.13-0.50; P = .001), and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.25-0.65; P = .001), respectively. The 3-year overall survival rates in patients with CRA-LLM receiving MDT intervention and not receiving MDT intervention were 48.75% and 24.21%, respectively. Conclusion: MDT intervention is associated with improved survival for patients with CRA-LLM.

This study investigates the radiation dose and image quality of patients not receiving β-blockers for cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) with or without the optimization of electrocardiographic (ECG) pulsing window. The differences in patient characteristics are also characterized. Normal-weight and obese patients (n = 154) with heart rates between 65 and 80 beats per minutes (bpm) during the prospective axial scanning were enrolled retrospectively. The ECG pulsing windows were set at 50% to 75% (Group A) or 60% to 75% (Group B) of the R-R interval for patients with heart rate variability higher than or not exceeding ±5 bpm, respectively. The effective doses of individual patient were estimated from the dose length product of the CCTA scan. Two radiologists independently reviewed the images and applied a 4-point Likert scale for image quality assessment. The patients’ characteristics were compared along with the patients’ effective doses between groups. The optimized pulsing window significantly reduced the average radiation dose for normal-weight and obese patients by 33% and 27%, respectively. The CCTA image quality of patients in Group A was not different overall from those obtained from Group B. Nondiabetic obese patients were more likely to be accepted for the use of the optimized pulsing window. Unlike obese patients, normal-weight patients revealed no characteristic difference between Groups A and B. This study indicates an equivalent efficacy of using optimized pulsing windows for reducing the radiation dose for patients without β-blocker administration between different body weight groups. Nevertheless, gender and diabetic status became prominent characteristics in the obese group when matching up with the optimized pulsing window.

Inferior mesenteric vein thrombosis is a rare complication after laparoscopic procedures. We presented a case of a 55-year-old woman who suffered from abdominal pain for two days. She received laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for sigmoid colon cancer two weeks ago. Computed tomography scan revealed a thrombus of the inferior mesenteric vein. The patient was managed conservatively in hospital. Her condition improved gradually without further symptoms and she was discharged after two weeks.

A 31-year-old woman with epithelioid sarcoma of the thigh is presented. The patient had had a progressively growing mass in her left thigh for 4 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a subcutaneous mass with a central area of hypointensity and serpiginous hyperintensity in the peripheral portion. Such findings have not been reported before. Histologic findings were compatible with epithelioid sarcoma.

Mesenteric neurilemmoma is extremely rare. We present a case of a 45-year-old man with mesenteric neurilemmoma, with CT, MRI and angiographic findings. The patient was healthy and had had no symptoms previously. CT and MRI images revealed a 2.2-cm well-defined, soft-tissue mass adjacent to the posterior border of the left lobe of the liver. The tumor mass displayed a heterogenous low signal on T2-weighted image and peripheral enhancement after gadolinium administration. Angiography showed a hypervascular mass beneath the tail of pancreas, which was supplied by small branches of middle splenic artery. Histopathology revealed a mesentery neurilemmoma composed of spindle tumor cells.

We report a case of hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) in a woman who was not a carrier of viral hepatitis and had a normal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. CT scan showed a well-enhanced mass in the arterial-phase followed by early washout in the portal venous-phase in the lateral segment of the liver. Angiography revealed a hypervascular tumor in the liver with rapid washout of the contrast. If a hepatic tumor is found in a female patient with normal AFP level who is not a carrier of hepatitis and is free of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, tissue biopsy should precede treatment to avoid misdiagnosis of liver PEComa as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Inflammatory pseudotumors rarely occur in the spleen. We report such a case with characteristic computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. A CT scan showed an isodense nodular mass with gradual mild enhancement on delayed-phase contrast-enhanced images. MRI showed a mass with isointense signal on T1-weighted images and hypointense signal on T2-weighted images. The tumor mass showed progressive inhomogeneous enhancement on gadolinium-enhanced images. The patient received splenectomy, and histologic diagnosis was compatible with inflammatory pseudotumor.

Osseous hemangiopericytoma is rare. We present a case of a 30-year-old woman with low-back pain with radiation to the left buttock for 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a tumor mass with areas of serpentine signal void pattern in the sacrum suggestive of a vascular tumor. Neither calcifications nor layered blood serum were noted. Histological diagnosis was compatible with osseous hemangiopericytoma.

We report computed tomography (CT) findings for a rare case of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the greater omentum from a 47-year-old female patient. The tumor presented ash a palpable mass lesion in the umbilical region for the last two months. Multidetector CT scan of the abdomen showed a 14-cm soft-tissue mass with calcification and necrosis within the greater omentum. As a result, a follicular dendritic cell sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a solitary omentum mass, especially one with coarse and chunk-like calcifications.