Treatment of inoperable gastric outlet obstruction caused by tumor compression is difficult and often unsatisfactory. The case of a 56-year-old female patient in whom self-expanding stents were implanted, successfully enabling oral nutrition, is reported.

A system for three-dimensional (3D) presentation of intravascular ultrasound (US) images was designed. A standard hardware configuration based on personal computer equipment was used for acquisition and processing of image data. Pullback imaging with the US catheter was controlled by a specially designed motor assembly and performed either in equidistant 1-10 mm steps or at a constant retraction speed. Curvature of the vessel was documented on biplane digital subtraction angiograms and the US images were arranged according to the vessel shape in the angiograms. 3D reconstruction appears essential for spatial orientation of intravascular US and may be helpful in the planning of vascular interventions for a better appreciation of the extent and morphology of vascular lesions.

CT-guided biopsy of hepatic lesions with the 18-g biopsy needle is of equivalent diagnostic accuracy when compared with the 14-g needle.

No abstract

MR guided visualization of a field inhomogeneity catheter is a simple concept which can be realised on each MR scanner and may allow intravascular MR guided interventions in future.