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Biomedical subjects

A Nchimi

Publications and source records attributed to A Nchimi.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Duplex ultrasound as first-line screening test for patients suspected of renal artery stenosis: prospective evaluation in high-risk group.

Our objective was to assess how far the progress in ultrasound devices has increased feasibility and accuracy of Duplex ultrasound (DUS) for the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis (RAS), in a population with high prevalence of atherosclerotic renovascular lesions. Ninety-one hypertensive patients with atherosclerotic disease were prospectively evaluated by both DUS and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of the renal arteries. Only proximal criteria (peak systolic velocity >180 mm/s or renal-to-aortic ratio >3.5) were used for the diagnosis of significant RAS (>60% narrowing). For both techniques, two readers were involved for interobserver variability study. Two hundred one arteries were demonstrated by DSA on 182 available kidneys. The prevalence of RAS among the study group was 37%. Sixteen of the 19 accessory arteries were not seen at DUS; in 8 patients, one renal artery was not seen at DUS (feasibility 91%). On the 177 arteries assessed, in comparison with DSA, DUS yielded 96, 91, and 97% mean values of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively. Kappa for interobserver agreement was 0.95 for DUS and 0.92 for DSA. Although still unreliable for the detection of accessory arteries, DUS is in our experience an accurate and reproducible diagnostic test for RAS.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

[Diagnosis of internal carotid artery dissection. Two case reports].

Two cases of acute internal carotid dissection are presented. Typical symptoms, pathogeny and imaging features are reviewed. Magnetic Resonance is actually the best technique for the diagnosis of internal carotid artery dissection, which should be searched in young patients presenting neurologic and cervico-facial symptoms.

Age Factors↗

[Retrocaval ureter in a 10-year-old boy].

Retrocaval ureter is an uncommon abnormality of the inferior vena cava, which is rarely detected in the child due to its non-specific symptomatology. Despite a varying state of severity, chronic ureteral obstruction generally leads to the deterioration of renal function during adulthood. Treatment depends on the symptomatology in question, and surgical management should be as conservative as possible.

Age Factors↗

[Value of MRCP for detection of choledocholithiasis in symptomatic patients: one-year experience with a standardized high resolution breath-hold technique].

In our institution, MRCP is actually replacing diagnostic ERCP. This study is addressing its accuracy in the diagnosis of symptomatic choledocholithiasis. 137 MRCP were performed in patients with upper abdominal pain and biological anomalies (n = 48), pain with cholelithiasis at sonography (n = 69) or non-alcoholic acute pancreatitis (n = 20) on a 1.5 T system with high gradients using a standardized combination of breath-hold HASTE and RARE sequences. We included in our study 74 patients who underwent as second test ERCP (n = 36), peroperative cholangiography (n = 13), or extensive follow-up with laboratory tests and/or sonography (n = 25). All examinations were judged as diagnostic, discrepancies between direct cholangiography and MRCP being noted in 4 patients (5.4%). Lithiasis was misinterpreted on MRCP as bubbles in 2 patients after sphincterotomy or surgery. We had two false positive diagnoses on MRCP: in one patient peroperative cholangiography was negative and in the other one ERCP was negative. With a sensitivity and PPV of 92%, a specificity and NPV of 96% MRCP in our experience is shown as an accurate diagnostic tool for the detection of stone in the common bile duct replacing ERCP.

Adolescent↗

[Diagnosis and follow-up of a large intrahepatic portocaval fistula in a newborn].

Portocaval fistulas are rare and only exceptionally discovered in newborns. We report the case of a large portocaval fistula associated with portal hypoperfusion detected at Doppler US imaging in an otherwise asymptomatic 5 week old infant. The patient remained asymptomatic over the following two years. At that time, preoperative angiogram showed a normal portal venous system and the fistula was surgically closed. Postoperative US showed a normal and patent portal system, without evidence of portal hypertension.

Follow-Up Studies↗

[Traumatic luxation of the posterior tibialis tendon].

Anterior dislocation of the tibialis posterior tendon is a traumatic lesion, which is rarely suspected following ankle trauma. It seems to be promoted by hypoplasia of the retromalleolar sulcus. Surgical treatment is easy and reportedly gives excellent results, but the diagnosis is difficult and absence of diagnosis may result in functional instability of the foot requiring more invasive surgical treatment.

Ankle Injuries↗

[MR aortofemorography versus DSA: prospective evaluation].

PURPOSE: To determine how far MRA of lower limbs obviates the need for pre-therapeutic DSA. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three-step 3-D gadolinium enhanced aortofemorography with a moving bed was prospectively compared to DSA in 49 consecutive patients (40 males, 9 females; age range 38-80 years; mean age 64 years). According to Leriche and Fontaine's clinical gradation of lower limb ischemia, 5 patients were graded I, 37 graded II, 4 graded III, and 3 graded IV. Two observers graded stenoses for DSA and three for MRA. Cohen's kappa statistics were used to evaluate interobserver variability using MRA, as well as to compare MRA to DSA. In addition, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of MRA for the assessment of stenosis superior to 80% were calculated by using DSA as a gold standard, respectively for arterial trunks above and below the level of the knees. RESULTS: Overall accuracy of MRA was 92%. Comparison of DSA and MRA yielded a kappa value of 0.87 (0.95 for arterial trunks located above the level of the knees and 0.75 below). Interobserver agreement was very good. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of MRA for the diagnosis of > 80% stenosis were respectively 98, 98, 85 and 99% above the level of the knees and 87, 91, 77 and 96% below the knees. CONCLUSION: MRA can be considered as valuable technique for the evaluation of peripheral arterial obstructive disease, especially for stenosis located above the level of the knees.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗