Objective: To assess the renal cortical perfusion parameters by the imaging of computed tomography (CT) in patients of essential hypertension (EH) with target organ damage.
Methods: A total of 90 subjects with the entire information including 59 EH patients were studied. The EH patients were divided into 2 groups: EH + target organ damage group,n=30 and EH without target organ damage group,n=29. In addition, there was a Control group,n=31 healthy volunteers. All subjects received 128-slice dual-source CT renal perfusion scanning, the quantitative perfusion of renal cortex blood lfow (BF), blood volume (BV), time to peak (TTP) and the mean transit time (MTT) were examined and compared among different groups.
Results: There were 90/97 (92.8%) participants eligible for perfusion analysis. Compared to Control group, EH without target organ damage group had the similar parameters of BF, BV, MTT and TTP,P>0.05. While EH + target organ damage group had decreased BF (214.6 ± 36.1) ml/(min?100 ml ) than Control group (262.1 ± 26.6) ml/(min?100 ml ),P<0.01, and BV, TTP, MTT were similar to Control group,P>0.05. Compared to EH without target organ damage group, the EH + target organ damage group presented decreased BF (214.6 ±3 6.1) ml/(min?100 ml ) vs (268.9 ± 33.1) ml/(min?100 ml ), P<0.01 and prolonged MTT, TTP,P< 0.05.
Conclusion: CT imaging may evaluate the renal cortical perfusion changes, and especially BF which can relfect the renal perfusion more sensitively than other parameters in EH + target organ damage patients.

Objective: To quantitatively study the incidental extra-cardiac ifndings (ECFs) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) in order to better recognize those lesions in clinical practice.
Methods: A total of 1169 suspected CAD patients received CCTA in our hospital from 2011-06 to 2013-03 and 1030 patients were enrolled in this study. There were 589 in-patients, 441 out-patients and 549 patients≥60 years of age,481 patients < 60 years of age. 3 physicians evaluated the incidental ECFs in the full ifeld of view (FOV) in different window level and window width for lung, mediastinum, thorax and upper abdominal areas. Clinical relevance of ECFs were classiifed by corresponding scores. Score 1, the patients with severe lesion need immediate treatment, score 2, the lesion with clinical and prognostic signiifcance and score 3, the ifnding without clinical signiifcance.
Results: There were 197/1030 (19.1%) patients having 224 ECFs and 27 (2.6%) patients having 2 ECFs; 90/1030 (8.7%) patients having 106 signiifcant lesions including 3 (0.3%) of lung cancer and 8 (0.8%) of pulmonary embolism; 107 patients with 118 lesions without signiifcance. ECFs were found in 114/589 (19.4%) in-patients and in 83/441 (18.8%) out-patients, P>0.05; 76/481 (15.8%) of patients < 60 years of age and 121/549 (22.0%) of patients≥60 years,P<0.05.
Conclusion: Unexpected ECFs detection rate was 19.1% in patients undergoing CCTA without further radiation exposure by reconstruction with the full FOV setting, and 8.7% of ECFs had clinical signiifcance. Radiologists should routinely analyze the extra-cardiac organs in CCTA.

Objective: To explore the features of ascending aortic distensibility (AAD) and risk factors in pre-hypertension (PHT) patients. Methods: A total of 206 participants who received retrospective ECG-triggered coronary CTA by physical check-up or by clinically suspected coronary artery disease (CTA) were enrolled. The participants were divided into 2 groups: Control group, the subjects with normal blood pressure,n=85 and Pre-hypertension group,n=121. A 128 slice dual-source CT scanner was used and the image was automatically reconstructed at every 5% absolute phases in entire R-R interval. The beginning of left coronary artery plane was deifned as the reference and 25 mm above the reference plane was deifned as interested region. ADD value was calculated. Results: Compared with Control group, Pre-hypertension group had decreased AAD,P<0.01 and similar normalized cross-sectional area (Ss),P>0.05; ADD value was similar among different gender and blood lipid levels. Correlation analysis presented that AAD was negatively related to age (r=-0.69,P=0.001), systolic blood pressure (r=-0.37,P=0.001), pulse pressure(r=-0.43,P=0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin (r=-0.43,P<0.05). Age and systolic blood pressure were the independent risk factors for AAD decline (standardized β=-0.66,P=0.001) and (standardized β=-0.44,P=0.001). Conclusion: Without additional contrast media consumption and radiation dosage, retrospective ECG-triggered coronary CTA may detect AAD changes with risk factors at the early stage in pre-hypertension patients which is helpful to distinguish the high risk individuals.

Objective: To study the features of spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (SISMAD) by unexpected detection of renal artery dual-source CT (DSCT) imaging in hypertension patients. Methods: A total of 4107 patients with suspected secondary hypertension received renal artery DSCT examination in our hospital from 2010-03 to 2015-04 were studied and SISMAD was unexpectedly found in 12 patients. There were 3 patients with mild abdominal pain and the rest without obvious abdominal symptoms. The position and length, true and false lumens, detached tunica intimal flap and branch involvement of dissection, intestinal wall edema and ileus were recorded. Results: SISMAD in all 12 (0.3%) patients were found unexpectedly. Axial CT with post-processing technique clearly displayed the ruptured tunica intimal orifice, true and false lumens, detached intimal flap; the branches were all originated from true lumen. According to Sakamoto classification, all 12 patients were belong to Type I as the true and false lumens were with an entry and re-entry respectively, no filling defect in false lumen. The distance from orifice of dissection to root of abdominal aorta was (26.7 ± 11.3) mm and the length of dissection was (35.1 ± 11.7) mm.There were 10 patients with aneurysmal expansion with the diameter of (11.9 ± 2.5) mm. Conclusion: Unexpected detection of SISMAD by renal artery CT imaging was about 0.3%, radiologist should pay special attention to find superior mesenteric artery dissection in hypertension patients.

Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Cyst

Objective:To explore the long-term prognosis evaluation value and risk factors of normal coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with suspected coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods:The clinical data of 332 patients with suspected CAD from June 2006 to July 2017 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received more than 2 times of CCTA examination, and the baseline CCTA was normal. Patients were followed up for at least 4 years, and the endpoints were coronary neo-plaque on CCTA or cardiovascular events.Results:Among 332 patients, the interval time between baseline and follow-up CCTA and clinical follow-up time were (5.6 ± 0.5) and (9.8 ± 0.6) years, 304 patients had normal baseline and follow-up CCTA (group Ⅰ); 28 patients had normal baseline CCTA while abnormal follow-up (group Ⅱ), the patient found coronary neo-plaque, and the incidence of coronary neo-plaque was 8.4% (28/332). Two patients (0.6%, 2/332) suffered from cardiovascular events, all of whom were in group Ⅱ. In group Ⅱ, a total of 34 coronary neo-plaques were found on follow-up CCTA. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis results showed that smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidemia were the independent risk factors of normal baseline while follow-up CCTA with neo-plaque in patients with suspected CAD ( β = 0.84, 0.83 and 0.84; OR = 2.37, 2.32 and 2.33; P<0.01). Conclusions:The suspected CAD patients with normal baseline CCTA have a good long-term prognosis. However, the patients who have risk factors such as smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidemia should be taken seriously, especially the patients who have normal baseline while follow-up CCTA with neo-plaque.

Objective To explore the value of plaque-to-aorta CT value ratio(standardized CT value)in differentiating coronary lipid and fibrous plaques,and to preliminarily analyze the stability of the cutoff.Methods Patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography(CCTA)and intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)within 1 week were included.The plaque CT value was obtained by measuring the all,four and two short-axis planes,respectively.The CT value of the ascending aorta was measured and standardized(plaque-to-aorta CT value ratio).The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves of the standardized and the traditional CT values were drawn.Results A total of 60 patients with 74 plaques were included,35 lipid and 39 fibrous plaques were diagnosed by IVUS.The aorta CT value was significantly correlated with the plaque(r=0.420,P<0.01);the cutoffs for the CT value of all,four and two plaque slices were 55 HU,48 HU and 52 HU,respectively,and all there of the cutoffs of standardized CT value were 0.149;the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value(PPV)and negative predictive value(NPV)of four-slice traditional and standardized CT values to differentiate lipid and fibrous plaques were 69%,87%,83%,76%and 91%,82%,82%,91%,respectively.Conclusion Compared with traditional CT value,the standardized CT value can greatly improve the sensitivity and NPV in differentiating coronary lipid and fibrous plaques,while maintaining modest to high specificity and PPV.Furthermore,the cutoff is stable.