Non invasive but effective
A Canadian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that chest pain in patients with heart disease could be treated as effective with medication over time as with an expensive angioplasty.
Angiography
Guide to treat patients with myocardial bridging
A research team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the University of Texas Medical Branch and RWTH Aachen University in Germany has developed a new classification system devised to guide physicians treating patients with symptomatic myocardial bridging, published in the online edition of Cardiology.
German Radiology Congress 2008
Along with paediatric radiology, interventional radiology will have a high profile at the 89th German Radiology Congress and 5th Joint Congress with the Austrian Radiology Society. Congress presidents Professor Dierk Vorwerk and Professor Richard Fotter outlined what's on the agenda for the expected 6,900 visitors. Training, they pointed out, will aim at those preparing to specialise in…
The 89th German Radiology Congress and the Joint Radiology Congress of the German and Austrian Radiological Societies
In a pre-congress discussion with European Hospital, Joint Congress President Professor Richard Fotter explained why paediatric radiology will be a subject of special interest at the event.
The contrast media controversy
Before discussing a possible connection between gadolinium and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), Dr Herborn offered a brief background:
The hospital protocol for dealing with terrorism
From 2000 to 2007, Israeli hospitals have treated the victims of 148 terrorist attacks.
From head to toe
The new Philips 256-slice Brilliance iCT came in to use recently at the University Hospital in Ulm. The system produces quick, high-res scans with 80% less radiation.
MR contrast agents: A step up from compartmental to targeted imaging
Andrea Martini and Joerg Larsen, of the Institute for Roentgendiagnostics, Braunschweig Teaching Hospitals, Germany, discuss nanotechnology, hybrid imaging and the quest for a personalised medicine.
LightSpeed VCT XT saves resources
The Cardiocentro Ticino in Lugano, Switzerland ' a tertiary care centre specialising in treating patients with coronary artery disease ' carries out around 300 major operations and 2,000 invasive coronary angiographies annually. Six months ago, the hospital acquired state-of-the art equipment, including GE's LightSpeed VCT XT.
Growing market for CT systems in Europe
According to a study from the technology consultancy Frost & Sullivan the market for CT systems in Europe will grow annually by 4% - in 2013 sales will be worth $1.14 billion. Customers' primary request are cardiac imaging applications, but software innovations and improvements in scan time and image acquisition are also distinguishing features of next-generation systems.
For and against - Absorbable metal stents
Coronary stents provide wall wrapping of dissection, prevent elastic recoil, and reduce restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. In addition, drug eluting stents loaded with antiproliferative agents inhibit intimal hyperplasia and offer a further reduction of restenosis.
Furore over increased balloon angioplasty units
A decision by Ab Klink, Minister of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports, to increase the number of balloon angioplasty facilities in hospitals to 30, has prompted the NVVC - the Dutch cardiologists association - to express concern that there will be too many centres and too few patients, and specialists will not be able to maintain the level of skills for this procedure.
Fresh Blood Imaging
In recent years MR angiography techniques have steadily created new possibilities in patient studies. The lack of radiation exposure and the fact that these new techniques are non-invasive, or at most minimally invasive, are just two of the obvious benefits. And in particular, within the last few years contrast-enhanced MR angiography has become an ever more preferred tool. This requires…
Cardiac MSCT Study Assessment with Sure Plaque-Software
Ongoing refinement of modern helical multi-slice CT (MSCT) scanners offers the opportunity for very high temporal and spatial resolution thin-slice data set acquisition. The reconstruction techniques offered (multisegment reconstruction) result in improved temporal resolution down to 40-200 ms and thus also reducing motion artifacts. The SURECardio software package makes possible optimum studies…
Selenium-Based Flat Panel X-ray Detector for Digital Fluoroscopy and Radiography
We have succeeded in developing the first selenium-based flat panel X-ray detector for digital fluoroscopy and radiography. This flat panel X-ray detector efficiently captures X-rays that have passed through the patient's body and converts them directly to digital dynamic and static images. It has been confirmed that images with high spatial resolution and contrast can be obtained. The detector…
Celebrating the New Partnership the "Japanese Way"
The Amphia Hospital in the Netherlands is an amalgamation of three hospitals: the Molengracht and the Langenberg in Breda and the Pasteurlaan in Oosterhout, with a total capacity of 1100 beds. At present, these hospitals are not specifically specialised and consequently there is considerable staff movement from one facility to another. However, in the near future a high-tech facility will be…
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome
Intravascular contrast medium is essential for enhancement of vessels and parenchyma. In this way the relation between vessels and tumours can be detected. Factors that influence the time required for a contrast bolus are the cardiac output of a patient, body weight, hydration status and the condition of the vessels. When a main vessel is occluded because of thrombosis, embolia or trauma a…
Takayasu's Arteritis
The rare disease Takayasu's arteritis (TA) belongs to the vasculitis group of diseases and is also known as inflammatory aortic arch syndrome or as pulseless disease because of its typical clinical picture. The pathological-anatomical manifestations include inflammatory transformation of the media and adventitia with the appearance of giant cells, hence the term giant cell arteritis is also used.…
New Breath for the Avignonnaise Radiology
Twenty years ago, during the construction of the Henri Duffaut Hospital in the community of Avignon, on the banks of the Durance, we transferred our radiology service at the Hospital St. Marthe (today the University Centre of Avignon, classified as a historical monument by the government) to the first floor of the new hospital. Over the years, our service has been restructured and adapted to the…
Carotid Stenting
Arteriosclerosis is well known as a vascular disease and cardiovascular risk factor. In its generalised form it affects not only the peripheral vessels (pelvis, legs) but also the coronary vessels and the carotid arteries. Arteriosclerosis is primarily a manifestation of advancing age, hence it is often accompanied by other diseases of the lungs and the heart as well as by metabolic diseases…
Cardiac Multislice Computed Tomography (MSCT) Angiography
Spiral computed tomography first allowed the seamless acquisition of entire volumina without first separating them into individual slices. With the newest generation of MSCT devices having the 16-slice technology, short gantry rotation time of < 0.5 seconds, and a high performance processor, it is now possible to acquire large amounts of data in a short period of time with high spatial and…
Multislice CT Angiography for Advanced Diagnostics and Therapy Control of Aortic Diseases
Modern imaging modalities are increasingly playing a role in planning therapy for aortic diseases and in follow-up exams after surgery or endovascular intervention. The methods employed for minimally invasive endovascular therapy have been continually improved in recent years and are now being used by vascular surgeons or radiologists to treat thoracic, thoracoabdominal and abdominal aortic…
Three-Dimensional Angiographic Imaging of Intracranial Aneurysms
In the Caucasian population, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm is seen with an incidence of 6 to 8 per 100,000. In some specific countries such as Finland and Japan these numbers rise to 20 per 100,000. 60% of patients presenting with an aneurysmal SAH are female. The presenting symptoms are: thunderclap headache in combination with (temporary) loss of…
Value of Non-Invasine CT Coronary Angiography in Cardiology
Among invasive cardiac catheterization diagnostic methods selective coronary angiography is the gold standard for directly visualizing the coronary system. It allows a definitive and precise diagnosis of coronary heart disease and thus serves as the rational basis for further revascularization procedures.
Clinical Cases: LAD Stenosis and Anomaly
63-year-old male with stable angina. The coronary angiogram showed vessel disease with significant stenosis in the proximal LAD and in the middle of the LCX. PCI with stent performed the day before the CT Angio. The patient was referred to the Aquilion 64 for follow-up.