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Background: Helical computed tomography (CT) is a readily available tool for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE); however, its role in the management of patients with clinically suspected PE has not been fully established.Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of using helical CT of the pulmonary arteries as the primary diagnostic test in patients with suspected PE.Design: Multicenter, prospective clinical outcome study.Setting: Two academic hospitals and one large teaching hospital in the Netherlands.Patients: 510 consecutive inpatients and outpatients with clinically suspected PE followed for 3 months.Interventions: Patients underwent helical CT of the pulmonary arteries within 24 hours after presenting with signs and symptoms of PE. If CT results were normal or inconclusive, compression ultrasonography was performed on the same day as CT and repeated on days 4 and 7 if findings on the first compression ultrasonography were normal. When CT or compression ultrasonography results were positive for thromboembolism, anticoagulation was started. Anticoagulation was not started when results of CT were negative for PE or indicated an alternative diagnosis that explained the clinical signs and symptoms, or when results on serial compression ultrasonography were normal.Measurements: Patients received instructions to report any symptoms or signs of PE or deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during the 3-month follow-up period. The authors performed compression ultrasonography or phlebography for suspected DVT and pulmonary angiography for suspected PE.Results: Computed tomography identified PE in 124 of 510 patients (24.3%) and an alternative diagnosis in 130 patients (25.5%); CT scans were normal in 248 patients (48.6%). The CT scan could not be interpreted in 8 patients (1.6%) and was not obtained in 2. Compression ultrasonography revealed DVT in 2 patients at the first examination; findings on repeated compression ultrasonography at days 4 and 7 were normal. Mortality in the patients with normal helical CT scans was 4.1% (10 of 246 patients). No patients in this group died of fatal PE, 1 patient developed nonfatal PE, and venous thromboembolism occurred in 0.4% of these patients (95% CI, 0% to 2.2%). In the patients with alternative diagnoses, 1 patient had DVT on objective testing during follow-up. Mortality in this group was 21.5% (28 of 130 patients); in 1 of these patients, PE could not be confidently ruled out as a contributing cause of death. Venous thromboembolism occurred in 1.5% of these patients (CI, 0.2% to 5.6%).Conclusions: In patients with suspected PE, helical CT can be used safely as the primary diagnostic test to rule out PE. Serial compression ultrasonography has limited additional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complementary to percutaneous intra-abdominal drainage, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) might ameliorate healing of pancreatic fistula and biliary leakage after pancreatoduodenectomy by diversion of bile from the site of leakage. This study evaluated technical and clinical outcomes of PTBD for this indication., Methods: All patients undergoing PTBD for leakage after pancreatoduodenectomy were retrospectively evaluated in two tertiary pancreatic centers (2014-2019). Technical success was defined as external biliary drainage. Clinical success was defined as discharge with a resolved leak, without additional surgical interventions for anastomotic leakage other than percutaneous intra-abdominal drainage., Results: Following 822 pancreatoduodenectomies, 65 patients (8%) underwent PTBD. Indications were leakage of the pancreaticojejunostomy (n = 25; 38%), hepaticojejunostomy (n = 15; 23%) and of both (n = 25; 38%). PTBD was technically successful in 64 patients (98%) with drain revision in 40 patients (63%). Clinical success occurred in 60 patients (94%). Leakage resolved after median 33 days (IQR 21-60). PTBD related complications occurred in 23 patients (35%), including cholangitis (n = 14; 21%), hemobilia (n = 7; 11%) and PTBD related bleeding requiring re-intervention (n = 4; 6%). In hospital mortality was 3% (n = 2)., Conclusion: Although drain revisions and complications are common, PTBD is highly feasible and appears to be effective in the treatment of biliopancreatic leakage after pancreatoduodenectomy., (Copyright © 2021 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To determine effective radiation dose to patients during needle interventions with cone-beam computed tomography (CT) guidance and compare it with the dose during conventional CT-guided interventions., Materials and Methods: Cone-beam CT guidance is a recently developed technique with image acquisition on a flat-panel detector digital angiography system. It is based on a combination of acquired three-dimensional soft-tissue cone-beam CT, dedicated needle trajectory software, and fluoroscopy, providing stereotactic needle guidance. To analyze effective dose, we prospectively recorded all contributing parameters necessary to calculate it in 92 needle interventions (in 88 patients [60 men]; mean age, 63.9 y) using a Monte Carlo program. For CT guidance, we retrospectively scored the necessary parameters during 137 needle interventions (118 patients [81 men]; mean age, 59.5 y) to calculate effective dose with a CT patient dosimetry calculator. The needle interventions were categorized in four regions., Results: Total mean effective doses with cone-beam CT guidance were 7.6 mSv in the upper thorax, 12.3 mSv in the lower thorax, 16.1 mSv in the upper abdomen, and 13.4 mSv in the lower abdomen. Effective doses with uncollimated cone-beam CT alone were 2.0, 2.9, 4.2, and 3.5 mSv in the respective regions. Effective doses with CT-guided interventions were 13.0, 15.1, 20.4, and 15.4 mSv in the respective regions. Cone-beam CT guidance results in a reduction of 13%-42% of total effective dose compared with conventional CT guidance. The dose reduction is mainly attributable to cone-beam CT, not to fluoroscopy., Conclusions: A new needle intervention technique with cone-beam CT guidance results in a considerable effective dose reduction for patients compared with conventional CT guidance., (Copyright © 2011 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Current treatment for type II endoleak includes transarterial embolization and translumbar puncture, but each method has its drawbacks. With real-time three-dimensional fluoroscopy guidance, a cone-beam computed tomography (CT) image is created in which the needle trajectory is determined. The trajectory is superimposed on the fluoroscopy image, allowing real-time needle placement for precise embolization. We have used this method to treat five patients with complex type II endoleaks. All interventions were successful and uncomplicated. At 6-month follow-up, CT scan showed no recurrences. Direct puncture and injection with real-time three-dimensional fluoroscopy guidance shows encouraging results as treatment for complex type II endoleaks after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR)., (Copyright 2010 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)