Lemierre syndrome is a rare disease characterized by internal jugular vein thrombosis and septic emboli, and it primarily occurs in healthy young individuals; this disease usually follows an acute oropharyngeal infection. To the best of our knowledge, only a few reports about this disease have appeared in the radiologic literature. We report here the radiologic findings of a case of Lemierre syndrome in a young healthy female adolescent who had a history of acute pharyngotonsilitis. Chest radiographs showed lung nodules that displayed cavitary changes with rapid progression on the serial studies. High-resolution CT scan showed multi-focal patchy consolidations that connect with vessels, and this was suggestive of septic pulmonary embolism. Ultrasonography and CT scan of the neck revealed right internal jugular vein thrombosis.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Lemierre Syndrome* ; Lung ; Neck ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rare Diseases ; Thrombosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Although pulsatile tinnitus can be audible, objective demonstration of this heartbeat-synchronous sound has rarely been successful. We report a rare case of pulsatile tinnitus in a 44-yr-old female patient, which was induced by a large mastoid emissary vein (MEV) and objectively documented by Doppler sonography of the left posterior auricular region. The tinnitus was intermittent and the patient could adapt to the tinnitus without intervention on the mastoid emissary vein. These findings suggest that a single large MEV can cause pulsatile tinnitus in the absence of other vascular abnormalities, and imaging studies of the posterior fossa and Doppler ultrasonography can aid the diagnosis in such cases.
Adult ; Dilatation, Pathologic/complications ; Female ; Humans ; Jugular Veins/radiography/ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mastoid/blood supply/ultrasonography ; Tinnitus/*diagnosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective and prospective study is to evaluate the efficiency of ultrasound (US) guidance as a method of decreasing the malposition rate of central venous catheterization (CVC) in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 379 patients who underwent landmark-guided CVC (Group A) and prospectively enrolled 411 patients who underwent US-guided CVC (Group B) in the ED of a tertiary hospital. Malposition of the CVC tip is identified when the tip is not located in the superior vena cava (SVC). In Group B, we performed US-guided intravascular guide-wire repositioning and then confirmed the location of the CVC tip with chest radiography when the guide-wire was visible in any three other vessels rather than in the approached vessel. In the case of a guide-wire inserted into the right subclavian vein (SCV), the left SCV and both internal jugular veins (IJV) were referred to as the three other vessels. The two subject groups were compared in terms of the malposition rate using Fisher's exact test (significance = p < 0.05). RESULTS: There were 38 malposition cases out of a total of 790 CVCs. The malposition rates of Groups A and B were 5.5% (21) and 4.1% (17), respectively, and no statistically significant difference in malposition rate between the two groups was found. In Group B, the malposition rate was decreased from 4.1% (17) to 1.2% (5) after the guide-wire was repositioned with US guidance, which led to a statistically significant difference in malposition rate (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The authors concluded that repositioning the guide-wire with US guidance increased correct placement of central venous catheters toward the SVC.
Catheterization, Central Venous* ; Central Venous Catheters* ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Subclavian Vein ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography ; Vena Cava, Superior

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous placement of a Greenfield titanium filter in the inferior vena cava (IVC) for the prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with DVT underwent percutaneous Greenfield titanium filter placement. The indications included recurrent pulmonary embolism or failed anticoagulation therapy in six patients, extensive PE in three, and prophylaxis for high risk of PE in the remaining three. In all cases the filter was positioned after confirming the anatomy, patency, and presence of thrombosis of the IVC and renal veins by inferior vena cavography. Long-term follow-up study involved clinical evaluation, plain radiography, Doppler ultrasonography and CT scanning. RESULT: Filter placement [infrarenal in ten patients (83%) and suprarenal in two (17%)] was technically successful in all cases (100%). The venous approach involved the right femoral vein in eight patients (67%) and the right internal jugular vein in four (33%). Complications included overlapping of the filter legs in three patients (25%), and misplacement in one (8%). After filter placement, no further PE developed. In all of five patients followed up for two years, the IVC maintained patency without evidence of caval perforation or occlusion. CONCLUSION: In patients with DVT, percutaneous placement of a Greenfield titanium filter is a safe and effective method for the prevention of PE.
Femoral Vein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Leg ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Radiography ; Renal Veins ; Thrombosis ; Titanium* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Vena Cava Filters* ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Venous Thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the technical success and complication rates of the radiologic placement of central venous ports via the internal jugular vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1254 central venous ports implanted at our institution between August 2002 and October 2009. All procedures were guided by using ultrasound and fluoroscopy. Catheter maintenance days, technical success rates, peri-procedural, as well as early and late complication rates were evaluated based on the interventional radiologic reports and patient medical records. RESULTS: A total of 433386 catheter maintenance days (mean, 350 days; range 0-1165 days) were recorded. The technical success rate was 99.9% and a total of 61 complications occurred (5%), resulting in a post-procedural complication rate of 0.129 of 1000 catheter days. Among them, peri-procedural complications within 24 hours occurred in five patients (0.4%). There were 56 post-procedural complications including 24 (1.9%, 0.055 of 1000 catheter days) early and 32 (2.6%, 0.074 of 1000 catheter days) late complications including, infection (0.6%, 0.018 of 10000 catheter days), thrombotic malfunction (1.4%, 0.040 of 1000 catheter days), nonthrombotic malfunction (0.9%, 0.025 of 1000 catheter days), venous thrombosis (0.5%, 0.014 of 1000 catheter days), as well as wound problems (1.1%, 0.032 of 1000 catheter days). Thirty six CVPs (3%) were removed due to complications. Bloodstream infections and venous thrombosis were the two main adverse events prolonging hospitalization (mean 13 days and 5 days, respectively). CONCLUSION: Radiologic placement of a central venous port via the internal jugular vein is safe and efficient as evidenced by its high technical success rate and a very low complication rate.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Catheterization, Central Venous/*methods ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; *Jugular Veins ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology ; *Radiography, Interventional ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; *Ultrasonography, Interventional