The role of MR venography with time-resolved imaging in diagnosis of pelvic congestion syndrome

Background Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) represents a diagnostic challenge due to its variable clinical presentation, complex anatomy, and pathophysiology. Accurate delineation of the venous anatomy, detection of venous reflux or obstruction, its extent will enable interventional radiologists to successfully treat such patients and to avoid recurrence. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows a noninvasive examination of the anatomy and flow inside the pelvic veins in addition to its excellent soft-tissue contrast allowing evaluation of the pelvic organs. Our study is aiming to investigate the role and accuracy of MR venography with time-resolved imaging (TR-MRV) as a diagnostic tool for pretreatment planning of PCS. Results Our study included 25 female patients with mean age 48 ± 12.34, who were referred to the radiology department in the period from April/2019 to April/2020 with clinical and ultrasound features suggesting PCS. TR-MRV was performed and interpreted in a blind fashion evaluating the vascular anatomy, venous dilatation, and reflux. The results were compared to conventional venography as a reference. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of TR-MRV in the detection of ovarian vein reflux were 87%, 80%, and 84%, respectively, versus 75%, 53%, and 72% in internal iliac vein reflux and 92%, 69%, and 64% for pelvic venous plexus reflux. Demonstration of the venous anatomy was excellent in 68% of the patients and was sufficient in 32%. Ovarian vein dilatation was detected in 16 patients by venography and in 10 patients by TR-MRV. The weighted k-values (Cohen's Kappa coefficient statistics) indicated excellent agreement between the two observers for identifying all the refluxing veins by TRI in each patient (k = 0.78). Conclusion MRI with TR imaging has shown high diagnostic accuracy when compared to conventional venography in evaluating pelvic congestion syndrome before endovascular treatment and thus facilitating treatment planning.

Complex vascular anomalies and tissue overgrowth of limbs associated with increased skin temperature and peripheral venous dilatation: parks weber syndrome or PROS?

PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) is a series of congenital, sporadic disorders that are associated with segmental overgrowth phenotypes and postzygotic, somatic gene mutations in the PIK3CA-ATK-mTOR pathway. The variability and overlapping phenotypes between PROS and other complex vascular malformations make the differential diagnosis confusing and challenging. PROS should be considered for the differential diagnosis with other complex vascular malformations and syndromes with a tissue overgrowth phenotype, such as Parkes-Weber syndrome (PWS).Herein, we diagnosed one unique clinically challenging case manifested as capillary malformation (CM), limb overgrowth, as well as increased skin temperature and peripheral venous dilatation of lower limb that indicated a potential fast-flow lesion. The patient was initially diagnosed with PWS. Contrary to the previous diagnosis, based on further MR imaging and digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which ruled out the existence of AVMs and AVFs, and molecular analysis with targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealing a somatic PIK3CA mutation, we ultimately diagnosed that the patient had a unique form of PROS simulating PWS phenotypes. We suggest that it is important to propose the differential diagnosis of PWS and PROS, two diseases that share a common overgrowth phenotype. We recommended radiological diagnosis such as MRI, CT and DSA as well as further molecular diagnosis to provide more information for the assessment of vascular lesions and to further guide clinical treatment strategies.

Diagnostic Accuracy of 3D Contrast-Enhanced T1 High Resolution Isotropic Volume Excitation MRI for Non-Cavernous Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistula

Objective: To determine the accuracy of 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI in diagnosis of non-cavernous intracranial dural AVF compared with DSA. Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients including fourteen dural AVF cases and nineteen control subjects, were included in the present study. They underwent 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI by 3T, contrast-enhanced MRA, and DSA. Two independent readers reviewed 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE images for the presence of transosseous arterial feeders, low signal intensity curvilinear structures in the dural venous sinus, shaggy dural sinus, and cortical venous dilatation. Diagnostic performance values were calculated for 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI. Results: The 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI identified 23 from 29 locations of dural AVFs. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 91.4%, 79.3%, 93.5%, 67.6% and 96.3%, respectively. Shaggy dural sinus and dilated cortical veins were found in 78.6% and 85.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI is a valuable tool for diagnosis of dural AVF as well as exclusion of dural AVF due to high sensitivity and specificity. Keywords: Dural arteriovenous fistula; Dural AVF; 3D contrast-enhanced THRIVE MRI

Hemodynamic effects of combined antihypertensive therapy during exercise in men with arterial hypertension and chronic venous diseases

Introduction. Currently, there is insufficient data on the effect of modern antihypertensive therapy (AHT) on venous circulation, especially during physiological stress.Aim of the study – the investigation was to study the hemodynamic effects of a combination of a calcium channel blocker (CCB) and an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor during exercise in men with arterial hypertension (AH) and chronic venous diseases (CVD).Material and methods. In 46 men 30–50 years old with AH on the background of AHT, a comparative assessment of the dynamics of SBP, DBP, peripheral venous pressure (PVP), ultrasound parameters of venous blood flow of the left leg in response to physical activity (Ruffier’s test) was performed. The parameters were assessed in 23 patients with hypertension without CVD and 23 patients with hypertension and CVD. We studied the reaction before and after 14 days of combined AHT with the use of CCB (Amlodipine) and an ACE inhibitor (Lisinopril).Results. Before treatment, the response to exercise in patients of both groups was the same and was manifested by a twofold increase in the area of the lumen of the veins and a drop in blood flow velocity. Patients with CVD before treatment with exercise were characterized by an altered systemic hemodynamic response, more frequent cases of venous dilatation and decreased blood flow velocity. After AHT with exercise, both groups showed normalization and identity of SBP. DBP, PVP, a decrease in the severity of venous dilatation and a decrease in blood flow velocity. Patients with CVD after AHT in response to exercise are characterized by more pronounced venous dilatation and higher blood flow velocity.Conclusion. After 14 days of antihypertensive therapy in patients with hypertension without chronic venous disease and in patients with hypertension and chronic venous disease during exercise normalization of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, PVP, a decrease in venous dilatation and a decrease in blood flow velocity are noted. Patients with CVD after AHT under load are characterized by varicose veins and accelerated venous blood flow.

Paramacular Acute Middle Maculopathy Associated with Glyceryl Trinitrate

An unusual case of nitroglycerin-induced Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy (PAMM) is presented. A 50-year-old patient with sudden vision loss and scotoma was followed up with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), optical coherence tomography-angiography (OCT-A), and fluorescein angiography (FA). An anal fissure treated with glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) 0.2% ointment with headache and dizziness after application was reported. Fundoscopy OS revealed mild retinal venous dilatation and tortuosity with scattered blot hemorrhages and subtle, parafoveal, whitish lesions in the outer retina. SS-OCT revealed diffuse, hyperreflective lesions in the inner plexiform (IPL), inner nuclear (INL), and outer plexiform layers (OPL). OCT-A revealed focal dropout in the deep capillary plexus. FA showed masking due to blot hemorrhages and early punctuate leakage in the inner retina. This entity was identified as nitroglycerin-induced PAMM. Over the following 8 months, after discontinuation of the ointment application, the patient was symptom-free with stable visual acuity. OCT revealed INL/OPL thinning and confirmed complete lesion resolution. This first report of retinal vascular abnormalities due to nitrite ointment provides an insight into an unknown side effect of nitroglycerin ointment use. A dose-dependent correlation between GTN application and retinal vascular abnormalities remains to be confirmed.

Review article inferior vena cava thrombosis: a case series of patients observed in Taiwan and literature review

Inferior vena cava thrombosis (IVCT) is rare and can be under-recognized. However, the associated complications and mortality may be severe. We report the first case series of IVCT observed in Taiwan with a brief literature review. Eight Taiwanese patients with IVCT between May 2012 and December 2019 were enrolled in this study. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT, 8/8) and pulmonary embolism (5/8) were reported. Various risk factors were identified, including an unretrieved inferior vena cava (IVC) filter, pregnancy, surgery, presence of lupus of anticoagulants, essential thrombocythemia, antithrombin deficiency, and hemoglobin H disease. Of note, four of our patients experienced complete IVC thrombosis with bilateral lower extremity swelling (due to DVT) and abdominal wall superficial venous dilatation, while four other patients presented with partial IVCT and unilateral DVT. The etiology, clinical characteristics, presentations, diagnosis, and treatment of IVCT were reviewed.

Renocaval Bypass for Acute Renal Failure and Haematuria Following Left Renal Vein Ligation During Aorto-Bifemoral Bypass

Ligation of the left renal vein is an accepted manoeuvre where it is difficult to access the pararenal abdominal aorta for the open treatment of aortic occlusive or aneurysmal disease. There is some controversy regarding the long-term effect of this on renal function. We describe the case of a 37-year-old gentleman who underwent an elective aorto-bifemoral bypass for aorto-iliac occlusive disease with symptoms of short distance claudication, with intra-operative ligation of the left renal vein. This was complicated by post-operative acute renal failure and haematuria, with CT findings of left renal venous dilatation and peri-renal stranding. The patient underwent successful left renocaval bypass with reversed great saphenous vein, with subsequent resolution of haematuria and improvement in renal function. The syndrome of acute renal failure and haematuria is a rare but possible complication of left renal vein ligation during aortic surgery, and restoration of renal venous outflow via renocaval bypass in this instance was an effective method of treating this complication.

Assessing Changes in Diabetic Retinopathy Caused by Diabetes Mellitus and Glaucoma Using Support Vector Machines in Combination with Differential Evolution Algorithm

The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes related to diabetic retinopathy (DR) (no changes, small or moderate changes) in patients with glaucoma and diabetes using artificial intelligence instruments: Support Vector Machines (SVM) in combination with a powerful optimization algorithm—Differential Evolution (DE). In order to classify the DR changes and to make predictions in various situations, an approach including SVM optimized with DE was applied. The role of the optimizer was to automatically determine the SVM parameters that lead to the lowest classification error. The study was conducted on a sample of 52 patients: particularly, 101 eyes with glaucoma and diabetes mellitus, in the Ophthalmology Clinic I of the “St. Spiridon” Clinical Hospital of Iaşi. The criteria considered in the modelling action were normal or hypertensive open-angle glaucoma, intraocular hypertension and associated diabetes. The patients with other types of glaucoma pseudoexfoliation, pigment, cortisone, neovascular and primitive angle-closure, and those without associated diabetes, were excluded. The assessment of diabetic retinopathy changes were carried out with Volk lens and Fundus Camera Zeiss retinal photography on the dilated pupil, inspecting all quadrants. The criteria for classifying the DR (early treatment diabetic retinopathy study—ETDRS) changes were: without changes (absence of DR), mild forma nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (the presence of a single micro aneurysm), moderate form (micro aneurysms, hemorrhages in 2–3 quadrants, venous dilatations and soft exudates in a quadrant), severe form (micro aneurysms, hemorrhages in all quadrants, venous dilatation in 2–3 quadrants) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (disk and retinal neovascularization in different quadrants). Any new clinical element that occurred in subsequent checks, which led to their inclusion in severe nonproliferative or proliferative forms of diabetic retinopathy, was considered to be the result of the progression of diabetic retinopathy. The results obtained were very good; in the testing phase, a 95.23% accuracy has been obtained, only one sample being wrongly classified. The effectiveness of the classification algorithm (SVM), developed in optimal form with DE, and used in predictions of retinal changes related to diabetes, was demonstrated.

Left Ovarian Venous Dilatation in Patients who Underwent Cardiac Surgery

Objective: Compression of gonadal venous return results in left ovarian venous dilatation, which can cause pelvic congestion syndrome-related symptoms such as dysmenorrhea and metrorrhagia. Left renal vein compression and left ovarian vein compression are associated with a narrowed aortomesenteric angle, and a low body mass index is associated with left renal vein compression. This study aimed to assess physical characteristics and left ovarian venous dilatation in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Methods: Among 164 patients who underwent cardiac surgery at our hospital in 2018, there were 43 female patients (26%). Left ovarian venous dilatation was diagnosed using preoperative plain computed tomography. We assessed their physical characteristics, clinical features, and outcomes, and image findings, including aortomesenteric distance and angle. Results: Among the 43 female patients, three showed left ovarian venous dilatation. No symptoms related to compression of gonadal venous return were observed in the female patients. Patients with left ovarian venous dilatation showed significantly reduced aortomesenteric distance. Their body mass index was significantly low. Conclusion: Leptosome females with low body mass index can develop reduced aortomesenteric distance resulting in left ovarian venous dilatation, although it is not always directly related to the appearance of symptoms. Pelvic congestion syndrome should be considered in leptosome female patients planning to undergo cardiac surgery.