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Purpose: To assess reperfusion rates after coil embolization for pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) using time-resolved magnetic resonance (MR) angiography or pulmonary angiography., Materials and Methods: Patients with PAVMs who underwent embolization and met the following inclusion criteria were included: (a) embolization was performed using bare or fibered platinum microcoils or both, (b) the complete cessation of flow was confirmed by digital subtraction angiography, and (c) follow-up examinations were conducted with time-resolved MR angiography or pulmonary angiography. Coil embolization was performed in 16 patients with 24 untreated or reperfused PAVMs. Sac embolization was performed for 12 untreated PAVMs. Feeding artery embolization was performed as primary embolization in each of the 12 reperfused PAVMs. Five PAVMs were treated 2 to 4 times because of reperfusion. The study included 32 coil embolizations. Follow-up images were reviewed, and reperfusion rates were assessed. The relationships between reperfusion and the location of PAVM, size of PAVM (feeding artery and venous sac), coils (number and total length), timing of embolization (primary or repeat embolization), and types of coils used (with or without fibered coils) were examined., Results: Reperfusion rates at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months were 8%, 27%, 36%, and 49%, respectively, for the 12 untreated PAVMs (primary embolization) and 50%, 50%, 92%, and 100%, respectively, for the 12 reperfused PAVMs (repeat embolization) (P = .0062). No significant differences were observed in the other parameters measured., Conclusions: When evaluated with time-resolved MR angiography or pulmonary angiography, reperfusion rates after coil embolization for PAVM were considerably high, particularly with repeat embolization., (Copyright © 2015 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The pulmonary artery (PA) is involved in most congenital heart diseases; and in these patients it is necessary to evaluate precisely the PA configuration and development. The accuracy of 16 multidetector row computed tomography (16-MDCT) in evaluating the central PA was evaluated., Materials and Methods: 16-MDCT and angiocardiography (ACG) were performed in 26 patients with various congenital heart diseases aged 7 days to 9 years (median 1.2 years). We reconstructed coronal oblique images along the long axis of the right and left PAs and measured the PA diameter and Nakata's PA index, which were compared with those obtained by ACG., Results: Correlations between PA diameters [R (2) = 0.80, standard error of the estimate (SEE)=1.3, n=52] and PA indices (R(2)=0.81, SEE=42, n=26) obtained from coronal oblique images and ACG were excellent. Bland-Altman plots showed a mean +/- SD difference of -0.3+/-1.3 mm for the PA diameter and +/-15.1 +/-41.5 for the PA index., Conclusion: 16-MDCT might be useful for evaluating the central PA in patients with congenital heart disease.

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the visibility of the hilar lymph nodes (LNs) using advanced virtual monoenergetic low-keV images compared with early-phase contrast-enhanced CT. Dual energy contrast-enhanced CT was performed for pre-operative evaluation of lung cancer at 20 and 60 s after administration of contrast media in 50 patients (32 males and 18 females; mean age, 69 years). Five kinds of images (A: 20 s/120 kV; B: 60 s/40 keV; C: 60 s/50 keV; D: 60 s/120 kV; E: 60 s/100 kV) were reconstructed. We measured the CT number of the bilateral main pulmonary arteries (PAs), pulmonary veins (PVs) and hilar LNs, and evaluated the differences in CT number (Hounsfield units, HUs) between the PA/PV and LNs (PA–LN and PV–LN contrast). Artifacts from the superior vena cava (SVC) were also evaluated. The mean PA–LN contrast (HU) was 415 in image group A, 299 in B, 180 in C, 80 in D, and 100 in E. The mean PV–LN contrasts in each group were 306, 287, 177, 78, and 99, respectively. Image group B showed the second highest PA–LN contrast following image group A. There was no significant difference in the PV–LN contrast between image groups A and B. The PA–LN and PV–LN contrasts of image groups B and C were significantly higher than those of E. SVC artifacts were lower in the delayed-phase images (Group B–E) than in Group A. To evaluate the hilar LNs with a single image series, advanced virtual monoenergetic 40-keV imaging at the delayed 60-s phase seems to be the most valuable. Advanced virtual monoenergetic image is useful for evaluation of both hilar LNs and tumors in the delayed phase without artifact derived from the streak artifact from dense contrast media in the SVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]