Cystic renal lesions are commonly seen on a daily basis in abdominal imaging. Even though most cystic renal lesions are benign simple cysts, complex and multifocal cystic renal diseases are also common with a vast number of differentials. One of the rare mimickers of this condition is renal lymphangiectasia, and the disease can be diagnosed if radiologists are aware of the imaging findings, and this can help the physician to offer the appropriate treatment. We report a case series of five cases in our hospital and also review the literature on renal lymphangiectasia, including its pathophysiology, clinical presentation, imaging appearances, complications, treatment, and differentials.
Computed tomography (CT) has undergone a phenomenal evolution since its introduction in 1971 and has revolutionized diagnostic radiology. It is now the cornerstone of diagnostic imaging and has become an inevitable part of the management of patients. Among all the advancements and breakthroughs witnessed over the years, the most recent and most advanced is the dual-energy CT (DECT), also known as spectral CT, introduced in 2006. In DECT, two datasets are obtained by scanning with two different energy spectra (low and high energy). The difference in attenuation can differentiate materials with different elemental compositions but similar attenuation in single-energy CT. Therefore, it has widespread clinical applications based on its potential for material decomposition and virtual monoenergetic imaging. In this review, the principle and hardware of DECT will be presented with an overview of its clinical applications.
Objectives The purpose of our study was to evaluate the virtual monochromatic imaging in detecting hypervascular focal liver lesions in the late arterial phase with third-generation dual-source dual-energy computed tomography and to assess its image quality. Materials and Methods In our study, 80 patients were included. Contrast-enhanced images in the late arterial phase (in the dual-energy mode) were acquired and were post-processed in Syngo, via workstation, using Monoenergetic + software. Five sets of images, one polychromatic energy image (corresponding to 120 kVp single-energy image) and four virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) sets at 40, 50, 60, and 70 keV levels, were generated. All these images were analyzed both objectively and subjectively. The attenuation values were measured, and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of liver and tumor were measured and compared objectively in each dataset. Image noise, image contrast, and diagnostic confidence for liver lesion detection were analyzed subjectively using a five-point scale system. Statistical analysis was performed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, analysis of variance, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results Among the VMI, maximum image noise was observed in the 40 keV image, with a gradual reduction in the image noise being noted with an increase in the VMI energy. The CNR of the hepatic parenchyma and the tumor gradually increased with a reduction in VMI energy from 70 to 40 keV. On subjective analysis, image contrast and image noise were observed to be more in low VMI datasets. In lesion detection, diagnostic confidence with an excellent confidence level was observed with a decrease in VMI energy. Conclusion VMI datasets of 40 to 70 keV from third-generation dual-source DECT provide superior diagnostic accuracy for detecting hypervascular liver lesions. Considering the image noise and lesion detection rate among the VMI datasets, 60 keV VMI is the most helpful dataset for increased liver lesion detection with good image quality.
Objectives Our objective was to analyze the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and the management of segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) in different case scenarios within our medical institution. Materials and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 13 cases of SAM in our institution from July 2017 to March 2020. The images from the cases were collected from picture archiving and communication system (PACS) along with other pertinent clinical information from the hospital's information system. All the patients we studied underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) using a third-generation Siemens SOMATOM Force dual-source CT scanner. Once the dual-phase scanning was completed, the images were analyzed using the workstation's syngo.via software. Results Three out of the 13 cases required stent-grafting of the renal/celiac artery, and the involved branch of the superior mesenteric artery was embolized in one case. The rest of the cases were managed conservatively with antiplatelets/anticoagulants. Subsequent follow-ups of the patients were conducted and showed stabilization/regression of the initial findings without finding any evidence of worsening. Conclusion SAM should be considered when making a differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain when associated with dissection or aneurysms in splanchnic arteries, and in cases of unexplained intra-abdominal hemorrhaging. The radiologist needs to be aware of this possibility to raise suspicion, alert the clinician, and guide appropriate management.
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