The aim of this study was the determination of blood flow characteristics and parameters in the hand arteries of patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (pRP) and comparison with the results of healthy subjects. The diameter, resistive index and flow volume of the digital, ulnar and radial arteries of the patients with pRP and the control group were measured at rest and after cold provocation. The flow starting time (FST) in the digital artery and the flow normalising time (FNT) of all three arteries were also recorded after cold provocation. The diameter and flow volume of the digital and ulnar arteries of the patients were lower at rest, but resistive index was significantly high in all arteries. After cold provocation, the diameters of the radial and ulnar arteries and the flow volume of the digital arteries of the patients were significantly lower than those of the controls. The mean FST was 3.6 +/- 3.8 min for the patients and 0.9 +/- 1.2 min for the controls. The mean FNT was significantly longer in all the arteries of the patients; FNT cutoff times for the radial, ulnar and digital arteries were 6.5, 5.5 and 6.5 min, respectively. The measurements of the diameter, resistive index and flow volume of all the arteries measured before and after cold provocation as well as FST of the digital artery and FNT of all the arteries may facilitate in providing additional information in pRP patients.

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is a good, noninvasive alternative for the diagnosis and follow-up of coronary artery disease. It is also a highly reliable technique for detecting coronary artery anomalies and evaluating bypass graft patency (1-4). Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) can also be calculated because the continuous acquisition of CT in spiral mode during ECG gating generates a data set that contains all information about the phases of the cardiac cycle.Accurate determination of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is important for clinical diagnosis, risk stratification and prognosis estimation in many patients with cardiac disease. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard technique for assessing left ventricular volumes and EF. However, MRI is a costly, time-consuming examination and is not widely available for this purpose. By comparison, 2D echocardiography (2DE) is more readily available for assessing left ventricular systolic function due to its lower cost.The primary purpose of this study was to compare 16-slice MDCT and 2DE in terms of displaying left ventricular systolic function. As a secondary target, reconstructions based on 1-mm-and 2-mm-thick slices were compared for their ability to analyze left ventricular systolic function. Materials and methods PatientsPatients who were referred to the radiology department to be evaluated for coronary artery disease by MDCT were recruited. Exclusion criteria were renal insufficiency (plasma creatinine >2 mg/dL), allergy to iodinated contrast media and atrial fibrillation. A subsequent echocardiogram was performed on the same day as MDCT.The study was approved by the ethics committee of our institution, and all patients gave informed consent for participation in the study. Multidetector CTMDCT was performed using a 16-detector Toshiba Aquilion system (Toshiba Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan). The imaging and reconstruction parameters were as follows: detector collimation, 16 mm x 0.75 mm; voltage, 120 kV; effective tube current, 350 mA or 400 mA (depending on the patient size) and gantry rotation time, 420-500 ms. All CT scans were obtained in the craniocaudal direction. Image acquisition was performed during an inspiratory breath-hold. If not contraindicated, patients who had a prescan heart rate exceeding 70 beats per minute were given a single oral dose of 100 mg metoprolol 1 hour before the examination.A 100-ml bolus of a non-ionic contrast agent (Iomeprol, Iomeron 350 mgI/mL, Bracco, Italy) was injected in the antebrachial vein with a flow PURPOSETo compare multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DE) for left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); and to make comparison between reconstructions of 1-mm and 2-mm slice thickness at MDCT in left ventricular analysis by using a semiautomated segmentation algorithm. MATERIALS AND METHODSIn 43 patients global left ventricular systolic function was assessed by using both MDCT an...

MSCT provides reliable and good results for the evaluation of mitral regurgitation.