Atrial tachyarrhythmias is a known complication after cardiac surgery and represents a major cause of morbidity, increased length of hospital stay, and economic costs. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder. And it is often associated with other atrial tachyarrhythmias, such as atrial flutter (AFlu), premature atrial complexes, and multifocal atrial tachycardia. Postoperative atrial fibrillation is often self-limiting, but it may require anticoagulation therapy and either a rate or rhythm control strategy. We provide a complete and updated review about mechanisms, risk factors, and treatment strategies for the main atrial tachyarrhythmias (atrial fibrillation).
To analyze the CT features of solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas (SPTP), and correlation with the pathological findings of the disease so as to improve the diagnostic abilities, the CT images and the clinical manifestations, we retrospectively analyzed the pathological materials of 23 cases with surgery and pathology proved SPTP. In the 23 patients, 21 cases were female (91.3%) and 2 were male (8.7%). The most common symptom was abdominal discomfort with dull pain in 12 patients (52.2%). Others included the pancreatic mass that was detected incidentally during physical examination in 9 patients (39.1%), nausea/vomiting in 2 patients (8.7%). And 1 case of female patients had 2 lesions. In the 24 tumors, 6 cases were located at the head (25.0%), 3 were at neck (12.5%), 8 cases were at body (33.3%), and 7 cases were at tail of pancreas respectively (29.2%). The long-axis diameter ranged from 2.1cm to 20.1cm (mean 6.4cm). 9 tumors were mostly solid component (37.5%), 10 tumors were contained similar proportion of solid and cystic part (41.7%), and mainly cystic components in 5 tumors (20.8%). In 9 of the 23 patients, calcification was found in the tumor (39.1%). In 2 of the 23 patients, bleeding was seen in the mass (8.7%). The dilation of intrahepatic bile duct was found in 1 patient (8.7%). Liver metastasis was showed in one patient (8.7%). On post-contrast CT scan, solid parts demonstrated mild enhancement at the arterial phase. At the portal phase, solid parts were enhanced continuously in all cases, and the enhancement degrees were lower than normal pancreatic tissue. The cystic parts of all lesions showed no enhancement. Pseudo papillary structure, hemorrhage, necrosis, or cystic degeneration were found in all patients by histological study. In a word, SPTP has comparatively characteristic CT imaging features consistent with histological features, when combined with clinical manifestations, could be correctly diagnosed and differentially diagnosed.
ObjectiveTo determine the diagnosis method for an elderly male patient with hematuria by means of evidence-based practice, so as to provide references for clinical diagnosis. MethodWe searched databases including PubMed, EMbase, and The Cochrane Library up to Nov. 2014, to collect relevant diagnostic evidence for elderly patients with hematuria. ResultsCompared with MRI, CT had higher sensitivity and specificity in determination of lesion location in where the hematuria was caused by tumor. ConclusionsCT scan may be better for patients with hematuria to determine the location of lesion.
ObjectiveTo explore the utility of magnetic resonance-T1ρ-weighted imaging (T1ρWI) in the diagnosis of human primary hepatic carcinoma. MethodsNine patients were prospectively collected from West China Hospital of Sichuan University during January 2014 and June 2014, who had liver lesion that identified by the ultrasound or CT examination, and then were verified as primary hepatic carcinoma with pathological biopsy. A routine T2WI, pre-and post-contrast T1WI, pre-and post-contrast T1ρWI were performed on a 3.0 T clinical imager. The tumor-to-normal-tissue contrast was compared between pre-contrast T1ρWI/post-contrast T1ρWI and other sequences respectively, to investigate the value of T1ρWI in the diagnosis of human primary hepatic carcinoma. ResultsThe tumor-to-normal-tissue contrast of pre-and post-contrast T1WI were lower than that of pre-contrast T1ρWI (t=3.532, P=0.008; t=3.666, P=0.006), while there was no statistical difference between T2WI and pre-contrast T1ρWI (t=-1.448, P=0.186). And compared with post-contrast T1ρWI, post-contrast T1WI had lower tumor-to-normal-tissue contrast (t=3.468, P=0.008). ConclusionsT1ρWI can provide a better image of human primary hepatic carcinoma, thus T1ρWI is expected to become a new and useful method in MR scanning. It also shows potential value who can be used as an artery imaging that without using contrast agents.
ObjectiveTo assess the value of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) in the diagnosis and resectability judgement of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). MethodsThe CT findings of 28 patients who were confirmed HAE by surgical pathological examination were retrospectively analyzed. Comparative analysis were made between the CT findings and surgical pathology. ResultsAltogether 45 lesions in hepatic were detected. Lesions mainly revealed an infiltrating tumor-like hepatic mass with irregular margins and heterogeneous contents with varied attenuation, including scattered hyper-attenuating calcifications and hypo-attenuating areas corresponding to necrosis, no substantial enhancement, however, the fibro-inflammatory component surrounding the parasitic tissue was enhanced faintly in the delayed phase, and clearly demarcated from surrounding parenchyma. MSCT angiography (CTA) depicted signs of infiltration of hepatic vessels such as pushed, compression, displacement, stenosis, encasement and interruption. Compared with findings of operation, the sensitivity and specificity value of MSCT for evaluating the hepatic artery system disorders were 67%, 97%; and for portal venous system were 83%, 93%; and for hepatic venous system were 84%, 91%; while for inferior vena cava were 85%, 100%. Twelve cases which were evaluated as resectable by MSCT were in accordance with surgical findings. In the rest 16 patients which were judged as non-resectable by MSCT, only 2 patients were radical treatment through partial excision, repair and reconstruction for the involvement of large vessels and bile ducts. ConclusionMSCT is accuracy in the diagnosis and assessment of vessels complication of HAE. It has an important value to evaluate the resectability of HAE and the planning of treatment.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the comparative cost-effectiveness of thrombolysis treatment of ischemic stroke based on outcomes of CT perfusion (CTP). MethodsWe applied the methods of systematic review to evaluate the studies abroad about the cost effectiveness of CTP diagnosis outcomes used for selecting stroke patients for thrombolysis treatment. We also evaluated the domestic studies about the cost-effectiveness of CTP in China by establishing a decision tree model. ResultsA total of 2 economics studies were included. The results showed that, the cost-effectiveness ratios of CT, CTP and MRI for selecting stroke patients for thrombolysis treatment were 2 983.7 ￡/QALY, 2 951.4 ￡/QALY and 2 982.9 ￡/ QALY, respectively, in the UK; 100 483.5＄/QALY and 99 406.1＄/QALY just for CT and CTP, respectively, in the US; and the evaluation outcomes by establishing the decision tree model showed that, 113 492.4 ￥/QALY, 113 615￥/QALY and 120 831.9 ￥/QALY, respectively, in China. ConclusionAll international and domestic studies' results show that CTP is more cost-effective than CT/MRI in selecting stroke patients for thrombolysis treatment.
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes and clinical significance of cardiac structure and function evaluation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for patients with pectus excavatum deformity at preoperation. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 54 patients (24 children and 30 adults) who underwent pectus excavatum surgery from June 2012 to June 2014. There were 48 males and 6 females at age of 7-33 (19.08±5.17) years. All the patients underwent CMR using 1.5 Tesla scanner for evaluation of compressing and displacement of the heart. The major and minor dimensions of right ventricle were measured. The right ventricle end-diastole volume (RVEDV), right ventricle end-systolic volume (RVESV), and right ventricle ejection fraction (RVEF) were also recorded and analyzed. ResultsThe heart compression and displacement occurred in 83.3% of the children group and 90.0% of the adults group. The extent of heart displacement in the adults was more serious than that in the children (76.86%±13.30% vs. 67.99%±8.15%, P<0.05). The structure of right ventricle were striking distorted because right atrum or right ventricule below valve ring was compressed locally, with the major dimension of right ventricle obviously increased, and the minor dimension of right ventricle obviously decreased. The indices of right ventricle major dimension and right ventricle minor dimension were 61.14±0.44 mm/m2 and 14.82±2.52 mm/m2 in the children, 49.54±15.40 mm/m2 and 18.90 ±3.14 mm/m2 in the adults. The RVEDV and RVESV were significantly higher in the adults than those in the children (139.09±29.08 ml vs. 121.50±31.27 ml; 73.61±16.05 ml vs. 64.92±19.28 ml; P<0.05). RVEF was similar between the children and the adults (45.29%±4.14% vs. 46.30±6.09%). The patients' symptoms disappeared after correction of pectus excavatum. ConclusionCMR is an useful method for evaluating right ventricular structure and functions in patients with cardiac compression and distortion by pectus excavatum before operation, which can bring strong indications for pectus excavatum repair surgery.