OBJECTIVE: With the improvement of surgical techniques, instruments and diagnostic imaging, the aneurysmal surgery could be performed less invasively with less retraction of neural structure and more smaller craniotomy. The authors present a superior orbital rim approach as minimally invasive anterior circulation aneurysm surgery. METHODS: Superior orbital rim approach was performed for the treatment of the anterior circulation aneurysms with or without clinoidectomy. We considered the indications and limitations of this approach and compared this approach with conventional approaches. RESULTS: The operative technique can be used in all cases of anterior circulation aneurysms and could give us excellent results, especially, in internal carotid artery aneurysms. In cases of middle cerebral artery aneurysms, more wide and lateral approaches were used. In general, operation time was shortened and transfusion was not needed. CONCLUSION: The superior orbital rim approach is a good alternative procedure to conventional microsurgical approach in treating anterior circulation aneurysms.
Aneurysm* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Craniotomy ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Orbit*

Diagnosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is challenging because of its rarity and uncertain etiology. It frequently occurs in young women during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, and rarely found in elder women with no history of cardiovascular disease or coronary risk factors. In this article we report a case of SCAD in a 75-year-old woman without traditional cardiovascular risk factors who presented with syncope and mild chest discomfort. There were no abnormal electrocardiographic changes and no elevated cardiac enzymes were detected. Computed tomography of brain revealed nothing abnormal. Coronary artery disease was suspected. Coronary angiogram revealed dissection in the middle left circumflex artery. The patient underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and was free of symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Our report suggests that emergency coronary angiography is indicated if syncope caused by coronary artery disease is suspected.
Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging in the diagnosis of aortic dissection.

METHODSEighty-two patients with aortic dissection were admitted. The role of IVUS was evaluated and compared with CT, MRI, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), Duplex scanning and digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

RESULTSThe different laminar appearance of the outer wall of the true and false lumen, characteristic alterations in the true and false lumen junction and the thrombosis in the false lumen detected by IVUS were useful to differentiate the true from the false lumen. Static and dynamic narrowing, causing visceral ischemia could be detected by IVUS imaging. The detection rate of entry site by IVUS was 100%, higher than CT (28%), MRI (22%), TTE (2%) and TEE (61%), P < 0.01, having no statistic difference with DSA (88%). The detection rate of the distal end of the dissection by IVUS was 100%, higher than Duplex (21%), P < 0.01, but had no statistic difference as compared with CT (89%) and MRI (86%). The detection rate of visceral arteries by IVUS was 98%, higher than CT (56%), MRI (57%), Duplex (17%) and DSA (66%), P < 0.01. The aortic diameter measured by IVUS was correlated well with CT measurement (r = 0.94, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSA full picture of aortic dissection can be obtained using IVUS imaging. It has an advantage over routine examinations in detecting visceral artery origin and clarifying visceral ischemia causes.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; diagnostic imaging ; Aorta ; diagnostic imaging ; Aortic Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

Aneurysm ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Child ; Coronary Aneurysm ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

With the advancement of multi-detector spiral computer tomography (MSCT) and Z-axis resolution, CT has progressively been applied in showing the anatomy and disease of vessels; therefore, CTA is increasingly important to the diagnosis of vascular diseases. In this paper we focuses on a review of the progress of MSCT and CTA in diagnosing aortic diseases.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; diagnostic imaging ; Aortic Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; Aortic Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Takayasu Arteritis ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

The traditional classification, diagnosis, and treatment of intracranial aneurysms are based on the characteristics of their vascular lumen. However, in the past few years, some advances in MRI technology with high-resolution imaging can assess the pathology of intracranial vascular walls. Compared with traditional methods of computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiograhpy, and digital subtraction angiography, high resolution magnetic resonance imaging technology can help us to newly understand the disease by directly evaluating the characteristics of vascular wall, such as aneurysm wall thickness, inflammation, enhancement, permeability and hemodynamics. At present, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used in clinic to assess the rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms, which is of great significance for guiding the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
Aneurysm, Ruptured/diagnostic imaging* ; Cerebral Angiography ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Risk Assessment ; Technology

Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnostic imaging ; Basilar Artery ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Vertebral Artery ; diagnostic imaging

Aged ; Aortic Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; diagnostic imaging ; Echocardiography ; Giant Cell Arteritis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male

Pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm is one kind of rare splanchnic artery aneurysm. Hemorrhage from the lesion could be life-threatening. We present a case which color Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography angiography (CTA) only showed pancreatic pseudocyst on the background of chronic pancreatitis at first, but contrast-enhanced ultrasound detected blood flow in the pseudocyst and a pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm was worked up several days after. Finally, the pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm was confirmed by digital subtracted angiography. It might suggest the potential advantage of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating this kind of disease in comparison of CTA.
Adult ; Aneurysm, False ; diagnostic imaging ; Duodenum ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Pancreas ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

A 68-year-old woman presented with weight loss of 7 kg over two years. Clinical examination revealed no specific abnormality and the patient was otherwise asymptomatic. Chest radiography performed to screen for malignancy revealed a soft tissue opacity projected over the mediastinum. Computed tomography of the thorax showed an enhancing anterior mediastinal mass with heterogeneous enhancement and contrast pooling in the arterial phase, followed by homogeneous enhancement in the venous phase, consistent with an aneurysm arising from the superior vena cava. This case highlights superior vena cava aneurysms as extremely rare causes of anterior mediastinal masses. Other causes of anterior mediastinal masses were also discussed.
Aged ; Aneurysm ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vena Cava, Superior ; diagnostic imaging