Popliteal Artery Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

The popliteal artery is a relatively short vascular segment but is affected by a unique set of pathologic conditions. These conditions, which may be common throughout the arterial system or exclusive to the popliteal artery, include atherosclerosis, popliteal artery aneurysm, arterial embolus, trauma, popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, and cystic adventitial disease. The clinical manifestations, imaging appearances, and treatment options associated with these pathologic conditions differ significantly. Consequently, the radiologist should be familiar with these conditions to direct imaging for accurate diagnosis and treatment and to prevent loss of limb.

Sonography of the knee joint

“…Ultrasound can be used to measure an aneurysm of the popliteal artery; power Doppler sonography can identify the neck of the aneurysm and differentiate between patent and thrombosed parts [30] (Fig. 15).…”

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery (CADPA): a case report

“…The pulse on the suffering limb distally to the stenosis is weaker on palpation. ABI is significantly lower in comparison with the contralateral limb and is reduced after physical effort [9]. What characterizes CADPA is Ishikawa sign, manifested by loss of pulses in foot arteries during knee flexion [10,11].…”

“…CT and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) show a single, few centimetres long cystic lesion that centrally compresses the vessel, giving the image of clepsydra-shaped stenosis (Fig. 2) or polycystic structure that ex-centrally bends and narrows the arterial lumen [9]. Due to precise imaging of vessels and the relations between the cyst and the surrounding structures, as well as the possibility of differential diagnostics of other popliteal artery diseases (atherosclerosis, aneurysm, popliteal entrapment syndrome -PAES), MRA is the examination of choice.…”

Cystic Adventitial Disease of the Popliteal Artery: Report on Three Cases and Review of the Literature

“…Other previously reported characteristic features include fluctuation in the severity of the symptoms [59][60][61] . Cases of longer recovery time after cessation of exercise compared to typical claudicants and atypical symptoms suggesting a musculoskeletal rather than a vascular disorder have also been described 16,61,62 . Longer recovery time was observed in our first patient.…”