Pan-vascular diseases encompass a range of systemic conditions characterized by sharing a common pathologic basis of vascular deterioration. Due to the complexity of these diseases, a thorough understanding on their similarities and differences is essential for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as one of the commonly used medical imaging techniques, has been widely applied in the diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases. Particularly, the integration of MRI with contrast agents and multi-parameter imaging techniques significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy, reducing the likelihood of missed or incorrect diagnoses. Recently, a variety of nano-magnetic resonance contrast agents have been developed and applied to the magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of diseases. These nanotechnology-based contrast agents provide multiple advantages, ensuring more precise and forward-looking imaging of pan-vascular conditions. In this review, the diverse application strategies of nanomaterials-enhanced MRI techniques in the diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases were systematically summarized, by classifying them into the commonly used MRI sequences in clinical practice. Additionally, the potential advantages and challenges associated with the clinical translation of nanomaterial-enhanced MRI were also discussed. This review not only offers a novel perspective on the precise diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases, but also serves as a valuable reference for future clinical practice and research in the field.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Contrast Media ; Vascular Diseases/diagnostic imaging* ; Nanostructures

INTRODUCTION: An echocardiographic calcium score (ECS) predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. Its utility in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is unknown. METHODS: This cross-sectional study assessed 125 patients on PD. The ECS (range 0-8) was compared between subjects with CVD and those without. RESULTS: Among the subjects, 54 had CVD and 71 did not. Subjects with CVD were older (69 years vs. 56 years, P < 0.001) and had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (81.5% vs. 45.1%, P < 0.001). They had lower diastolic blood pressure (72 mmHg vs. 81 mmHg, P < 0.001), lower phosphate (1.6 mmol/L vs. 1.9 mmol/L, P = 0.002), albumin (30 g/L vs. 32 g/L, P = 0.001), parathyroid hormone (34.4 pmol/L vs. 55.8 pmol/L, P = 0.002), total cholesterol (4.5 vs. 4.9, P = 0.047), LDL cholesterol (2.4 mmol/L vs. 2.8 mmol/L, P = 0.019) and HDL cholesterol (0.8 mmol/L vs. 1.1 mmol/L, P = 0.002). The ECS was found to be higher in subjects with CVD than in those without (2 vs. 1, P = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only DM and age were independently associated with CVD. CONCLUSION The ECS was significantly higher in PD patients with CVD than in those without, reflecting a higher vascular calcification burden in the former. It is a potentially useful tool to quantify vascular calcification in PD patients.
Humans ; Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnostic imaging* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Calcium ; Peritoneal Dialysis/adverse effects* ; Vascular Calcification/epidemiology* ; Echocardiography

Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; diagnosis ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; diagnosis ; Coronary Vessels ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Troponin I ; metabolism ; Vascular Diseases ; congenital ; diagnosis

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: We report the case of a long, solitary, rosary-shaped neurofibroma that was misdiagnosed as another disease due to the patient's surgical history involving repetitive procedures and its abnormal appearance. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Neurofibroma is an intradural-extramedullary spinal tumor. It is generally not difficult to diagnose due to its frequent occurrence and specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. However, to date, neurofibromatosis stigmata and long, solitary, rosary-shaped neurofibromas have rarely been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 60-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to persistent pain, despite previous surgery and repetitive procedures. On physical examination, vision loss, hearing loss, skin discoloration, or subcutaneous nodules were not observed. A neurologic examination revealed normal motor and sensory function and voiding sensation. No pathologic reflexes such as the Babinski sign were observed. Previous sequential MRIs revealed intradural lesions that progressed from the thoracic vertebra 11 to the lumbar vertebra 3. She had no signs of neurofibromatosis stigmata, and the neurologic examination was unremarkable. The initial diagnosis was based on serial MRIs, which revealed a parasite infestation, a spinal cord tumor (myxopapillary-type ependymoma with hemorrhage), arachnoiditis, and vascular malformations. Total mass excision was performed, and the final diagnosis was neurofibroma. RESULTS: There were no signs of a tumor remnants or local recurrence in a 1-year follow-up MRI study. CONCLUSIONS: Although intradural spinal tumors are very rare, their clinical features are nonspecific and resemble other degenerative spinal diseases, including spinal stenosis and disc herniation. These diseases may easily be overlooked by physicians.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Christianity ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Ependymoma ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Neurofibroma* ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurologic Examination ; Parasites ; Physical Examination ; Recurrence ; Reflex ; Reflex, Babinski ; Sensation ; Skin ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; Spinal Diseases ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine ; Vascular Malformations

Adolescent ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Male ; Pelvis ; injuries ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging

INTRODUCTIONThe gold standard for evaluation of the lower extremity arterial tree is catheter angiography. Duplex arterial-occlusive imaging or duplex ultrasonography arteriography, a noninvasive technique, is used as the first-line investigation in patients with peripheral vascular disease at our centre. Based on the results of duplex imaging, patients who require angiographic intervention then proceed with simultaneous catheter arteriography and intervention. This study aimed to compare the results of duplex imaging alone as the first-line investigation against the eventual results of catheter angiography, and to assess the impact of the former on patients' clinical outcomes.

METHODSAll cases involving patients who underwent duplex imaging followed by angiographic intervention, from May 2008 to February 2009, were discussed at weekly interdisciplinary meetings. Only patients who underwent lower limb imaging were included in the study. Those who were involved in grafts and stent surveillance studies, as well as those with incomplete duplex images were excluded.

RESULTSDuring the study period, 113 duplex imaging studies of the lower limb followed by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty were performed at our hospital for peripheral vascular disease. The iliac artery was visualised in 40 images, but could not be visualised in 73 images. There was a potential change in management in three cases due to radiological differences between the duplex images and angiography films.

CONCLUSIONIn our series, duplex imaging was found to be accurate enough to guide initial clinical management of patients with peripheral vascular disease. This modality is the preferred first-line investigation for such patients at our centre.

Angiography ; methods ; Angioplasty ; methods ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Leg ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Reproducibility of Results ; Ultrasonography ; methods ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex ; methods

Major vascular complications related to pancreatitis can cause life-threatening hemorrhage and have to be dealt with as an emergency, utilizing a multidisciplinary approach of angiography, endoscopy or surgery. These may occur secondary to direct vascular injuries, which result in the formation of splanchnic pseudoaneurysms, gastrointestinal etiologies such as peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal varices, and post-operative bleeding related to pancreatic surgery. In this review article, we discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms, diagnostic modalities, and treatment of pancreatic vascular complications, with a focus on the role of minimally-invasive interventional therapies such as angioembolization, endovascular stenting, and ultrasound-guided percutaneous thrombin injection in their management.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Hemostatics/administration & dosage ; Humans ; Pancreatitis/*complications ; Stents ; Thrombin/administration & dosage ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vascular Diseases/diagnosis/*etiology/physiopathology/*therapy ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/*methods

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of two arterial closure devices, Angioseal and Perclose, in patients undergoing coronary angiography and invasive interventions.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to April 2011, 997 inpatients underwent coronary angiography and interventions with arterial closure using Perclose (486 cases) or Angioseal (511 cases). The time to ambulation and hemostasis, major vascular complications and deployment success rate with the two devices were compared.

RESULTSThe time to hemostasis was significantly shorter in Angioseal group than in Perclose group (3∓0.9 min vs 10.8∓4.8 min, P<0.001), but the time to ambulation was comparable between the two groups (6.4∓1.2 h vs 6.3∓0.7 h, P>0.05). The incidences of vascular complications showed no significant differences between the two groups (4.5% vs 3.7%, P>0.05), and none of the cases in either group developed femoral artery thrombosis or low limb embolism following the procedures. The deployment success rate was comparable between the two groups (97.8% vss 98.6%, P>0.05), and deployment failure was associated mainly with mishandling and design defect of the devices.

CONCLUSIONSAngioseal and Perclose are both effective and safe for arterial closure with reduced hemostasis and ambulation time and low incidences of vascular complications. Angioseal appears to have better performance than Perclose in shortening the hemostasis time and is easier to handle.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; China ; Coronary Angiography ; adverse effects ; Coronary Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; surgery ; Hemostatic Techniques ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of multidetector row spiral computed tomography in the diagnosis of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES).

METHODTen patients (13 limbs) were diagnosed as PAES through open surgery in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2006 to December 2009, among whom three (30.0%) had both limbs involved.

RESULTSEleven limbs (84.6%) had occlusions in popliteal artery at admission. While only 15.4% of the patients were diagnosed as PAES by positional stress test, Doppler ultrasound, and arterial angiography, the disease was confirmed in all 10 patients by spiral computed tomography. As shown by inter-operative exploration, the PAES types included type 1 (n=2, 15.4%), 2(n=5, 38.5%),3 (n=4, 30.8%), and 5 (n=2, 15.4%). Two limbs underwent popliteal artery release only, 8 limbs underwent politeal artery release, thromboendarterectomy, and angioplasty with a venous or prosthetic patch, and 3 patients underwent catheter-based thrombolysis and popliteal artery release subsequently. During the follow-up (mean: 22 months; range: 4-33 months), the primary patency rate was 92.3% (12/13), the total patency rate was 100% (13/13), and the limb salvage rate was 100%.

CONCLUSIONPositional stress test, Doppler ultrasound, and arterial angiography play limited roles in the diagnosis of PAES with popliteal artery occlusion, while multidetector row spiral computed tomography is much helpful in diagnosing and typing PAES.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Angiography ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Popliteal Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of multi-slice CT findings to the clinical staging and prognosis of intestinal obstruction due to mesenteric blood vessel infarction.

METHODSFifty-four patients with intestinal obstruction resulting from infarction of the mesenteric vein or artery underwent multi-slice CT scanning, and the CT findings were analyzed for their relation with the intestinal ischemia and prognosis.

RESULTSSixteen patients were confirmed to have mesenteric arterial thrombosis (29%) and 40 had mesenteric venous thromboses (71%) by multi-slice CT scanning. The total mortality rate was 29%, of which mesenteric artery infarction took up 87% and mesenteric vein infarction 5%. The prognosis of the patients was closely related to the cause of the bowel infarction. Such CT findings as increased intensity of the intestinal canal and decreased enhancement and thickening of the bowel wall indicated favorable prognosis, whereas the signs of paper-thin wall sign, fecal sign, pneumatosis of the bowel wall, mesenteric veno gas and pneumoperitoneum all suggested poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONMulti-slice CT scanning can identify mesenteric blood vessel infarction resulting in intestinal obstruction, and the CT signs can offer objective and valuable information for clinical staging and prognostic evaluation.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Mesenteric Ischemia ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology