OBJECTIVE: We wanted to prospectively evaluate the interobserver agreement between radiology residents and expert radiologists for interpreting CT images for making the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed 112 consecutive patients, from April 2007 to August 2007, who were referred for combined CT pulmonary angiography and indirect CT venography for clinically suspected acute PE. CT scanning was performed with a 64x0.5 collimation multi-detector CT scanner. The CT studies were initially interpreted by the radiology residents alone and then the CT images were subsequently interpreted by a consensus of the resident plus an experienced general radiologist and an experienced chest radiologist. RESULTS: Two of the 112 CTs were unable to be interpreted (1.7%). Pulmonary artery clots were seen on 36 of the thoracic CT angiographies (32%). The interobserver agreement between the radiology residents and the consensus interpretation was good (a kappa index of 0.73). All of the disagreements (15 cases) were instances of overcall by the resident on the initial interpretation. Deep venous thrombosis was detected in 72% (26 of 36) of the patients who had PE seen on thoracic CT. The initial and consensus interpretations of the CT venography images disagreed for two cases (kappa statistic: 0.96). CONCLUSION: It does not seem adequate to base the final long-term treatment of PE on only the resident's reading, as false positives occurred in 13% of such cases. Timely interpretation of the CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography images should be performed by experienced radiologists for the patients with suspected PE.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Observer Variation ; *Phlebography ; Pulmonary Artery/*radiography ; Pulmonary Embolism/*radiography ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thrombosis/*radiography ; Young Adult

Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a rare germ cell neoplasm of childhood that usually arises from the testis or ovary. The rare cases of YST in various extragonadal locations have been reported, but the primary intrarenal YST is even more uncommon. Here, we report a case of a primary intrarenal YST with tumor thrombus of the inferior vena cava and left renal vein in a 2-year-old boy, with an emphasis on the CT features. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an intrarenal YST with intravascular involvement.
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Renal Veins/pathology/*radiography ; Thrombosis/pathology/radiography ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vena Cava, Inferior/pathology/*radiography

Protein S deficiency is a rare blood disorder associated with an increased risk of thrombosis. Only a few cases of arterial thrombosis of digestive tract have been noted. We report a case of celiac arterial thrombosis and splenic infarction in 46-year-old male with protein S deficiency. Abdominal computed tomography and angiography revealed thrombotic obstruction of the proximal celiac and common hepatic artery with splenic infarction. His total and free antigen of protein S were normal, however, the activity of protein S was low. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed to revascularise celiac and common hepatic artery.
*Celiac Artery/radiography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein S Deficiency/*complications/genetics ; Splenic Infarction/etiology/*radiography ; Thrombosis/etiology/*radiography ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

Azygous vein aneurysm is a rare congenital lesion that needs to be differentiated from mediastinal mass lesions. Although almost of these anomalies are asymptomatic lesions, we experienced an interesting case in which a thrombus within an azygous vein aneurysm in a 75-year-old woman caused pulmonary thromboembolism. The patient was managed by medical treatment for one month and then the thrombus within both the azygous vein aneurysm and the pulmonary arteries completely resolved.
Aged ; Aneurysm/complications/*radiography ; *Azygos Vein ; *Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques ; Female ; Humans ; *Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Pulmonary Embolism/etiology/*radiography ; Thrombosis/complications/*radiography

A pulmonary embolism is a rare, but well described complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty; the majority of cases are caused by acrylic cement. Here, for the first time, we report a case of pulmonary embolism due to a thrombus in the right atrium, which was caused by an acrylic cement foreign body in the right atrium and central veins 6 years after percutaneous vertebroplasty. This case suggests that an acrylic cement foreign body should be considered as a potential source of thrombus formation in patients that develop a pulmonary embolism following percutaneous vertebroplasty.
Foreign Bodies* ; Heart Atria* ; Humans ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Radiography, Interventional ; Thrombosis* ; Veins ; Vertebroplasty*

Conventional posteroanterior chest radiographs of 73 patients with mitral valve disease who had surgery were analyzed, and particular attention was directed to the absence of the convexity of the left lower mid cardiacborder (left atrial segment) and to the relation with duration of illness, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) as well as surgical findings. The results obtained are as follows; 1. The flatness or concavity of this segment, despite other evidence of left atrial enlargement, was observed in eleven (64.7%) of17 patients who had left atrial thrombosis and six(10.7%) of 56 patients who did not have thrombosis(false positive diagnosis). Six (35.3%) of the 17 patients who had left atrial thrombosis did not show this finding on radiographs(false positive diagnosis). Six(35.3%) of the 17 patients who had left atrial thrombosis did not showthis finding on radiographs (false negetive diagnosis). Therefore, the accuracy in the diagnosis of thrombosis of left atrium was 64.7%(eleven of seventeen) for patients who had thrombosis of left atrium. 2. The atrial fibrillation was observed in sixteen (94.1%) of 17 patients who had left atrial thrombosis. So, correlation between the presence of left atrial thrombosis and atrial fibrillation was evident. But there was no correlationbetween the duration of illness or the PCWP of patients and the presence of left atrial thrombosis.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Diagnosis ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax ; Thrombosis

Behcet's disease is a chronic multisystemic disorder involving many organs and characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers and relapsing iritis. A case of BD with large vein thrombosis involving superior and inferior vena cava is presented. Large vein thrombosis in BD is not commonly developed and most commonly observed in the inferior or superior vena cava. A review of the literature emphasizes the rarity of the combined superior and inferior vena caval occlusion. Existence of extensive large vein occlusion in BD is associated with limited therapy and poor prognosis.
Adult ; Behcet's Syndrome/diagnosis ; Behcet's Syndrome/complications* ; Disease Progression ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use ; Human ; Phlebography ; Thrombosis/etiology* ; Thrombosis/drug therapy ; Thrombosis/diagnosis ; Vena Cava, Inferior/radiography* ; Vena Cava, Superior/radiography* ; Substances: Fibrinolytic Agents

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a disorder caused by occlusion of the hepatic vein or inferior vena cava. The clinical presentation include abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, ascites, leg edema, collateral venous dilatation of the body trunk, and portal hypertension. In addition, BCS can cause hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in some patients, although its pathogenesis is not yet completely understood. The average reported time lag from diagnosis of BCS to full-blown HCC ranges from several years to several decades. Hepatic carcinogenesis in patients with BCS perhaps reflects a prolonged and persistent liver injury in that it occurs in the primary inferior vena cava obstruction rather than the primary hepatic vein thrombosis. Among patients with BCS, membranous obstruction of the vena cava (MOVC) usually presents an insidious and chronic illness, whereas primary hepatic vein thrombosis presents an acute or subacute illness. We experienced a case of a patient with BCS, which progressed rapidly that HCC developed only nine months after the diagnosis of BCS. The factors causing this rapid progression are still unclear and remain to be investigated.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*etiology/pathology/radiography ; Disease Progression ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Hepatic Vein Thrombosis/*complications/pathology/radiography ; Human ; Liver/*pathology/radiography ; Liver Neoplasms/*etiology/pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

In patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery, data of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are lacking as studied by computed tomographic (CT) pulmonary angiography and indirect CT venography (CTPA-CTV). A prospective observational study was performed for 363 Korean patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery to determine the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), especially proximal DVT and PE. The incidence of VTE was 16.3% (n=59). Of them, 8 patients (2.2%) were symptomatic. The rate of VTE was the highest in patients who underwent total knee replacement (40.4%), followed by hip fracture surgery (16.4%), and total hip replacement (8.7%; P<0.001). The incidence of PE was 6.6% (n=24). Of them, 4 patients (1.1%) were symptomatic. Forty-one patients (11.3%) were in the proximal DVT or PE group. Based on multivariate analysis, total knee replacement and age > or =65 yr were significant risk factors for proximal DVT or PE in patients undergoing major orthopedic surgery (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-5.1; P=0.025; and OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.0-4.4; P=0.046, respectively). Taken together, the overall incidence of PE was 6.6% and rate of symptomatic PE rate was 1.1%. Knee joint replacement and age > or =65 yr were significant risk factors for proximal DVT or PE.
Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; *Orthopedic Procedures ; Phlebography ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Artery/radiography ; Pulmonary Embolism/radiography/surgery ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Venous Thromboembolism/*epidemiology/*radiography ; Venous Thrombosis/radiography/surgery

The Tempofilter II is a widely used temporary vena cava filter. Its unique design, which includes a long tethering catheter with a subcutaneous anchor, facilitates the deployment and retrieval of the device. Despite this, the Tempofilter II has been used only in the inferior vena cava of patients with lower extremity deep venous thrombosis. In this article, we present a case of superior vena cava filtering using the Tempofilter II in patients with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Pulmonary Embolism/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis/radiography/*therapy ; *Vena Cava Filters ; *Vena Cava, Superior