Vein wall dissection: a rare puncture-related complication of brachiocephalic fistula. Gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic findings

We describe a case of brachiocephalic fistula vein wall dissection (VWD) occurring in a 36-year-old female hemodialysis patient. Unlike subcutaneous or subfascial infiltrations for which the mechanism is blood extravasation, VWD seems to be due to disruption of the fistula vein layers caused by misplacement of the outflow (venous) needle bevel. In this setting, the pressure of the dialysis blood pump acts as the driving force of the dissecting column, extending it proximally. Gray-scale and color Doppler sonography proved to be very useful in the differential diagnosis of VWD, particularly with thrombosis of the fistula. Sonography also helped us decide when to resume cannulations.     

Sonographic and color doppler findings in aortoarteritis (Takayasu arteritis).

OBJECTIVE: To review the sonographic appearance of aortoarteritis. METHODS: A pictorial review of cases is presented. RESULTS: Sonography in conjunction with color and pulsed Doppler imaging is a valuable tool in the evaluation of aortoarteritis. We can accurately diagnose, grade, and follow the progress of the disease. The response to treatment can also be assessed. This presentation reviews the sonographic findings in aortoarteritis. CONCLUSIONS: Color-coded Doppler sonography can facilitate an accurate diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis by the characteristic appearance. Associated organ involvement can also be assessed.     

Abdominal wall endometrioma: An insidious cause of delayed diagnosis

An extremely rare extrapelvic position of endometriosis with a precise incidence of 0.07%–0.47%, leading usually to delayed and false diagnosis. Differential diagnosis should include that rare condition while ultrasonography remains a pivotal tool to unravel that enigma, especially in women with no specific symptoms and surgeries in the past.     

Sonographic evaluation of the lower uterine segment in patients with previous cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the appearance of the lower uterine segment (LUS) in pregnant women with previous cesarean delivery and to compare the LUS thickness with that in women with unscarred uteri. METHODS: In a prospective study, sonographic examination was performed on 53 pregnant women with previous cesarean delivery (cesarean group), 40 nulliparas (nullip-control), and 40 women who had 1 or more childbirths with unscarred uteri (multip-control) between 36 and 38 weeks' gestation to assess the appearance and compare the thickness of the LUS. In the cesarean group, the sonographic findings were correlated with the delivery outcome and the intraoperative LUS appearance. RESULTS: In the cesarean group, 44 patients (83.0%) had a normal-appearing LUS indistinguishable from that of control groups; 2 patients (3.8%) had an LUS defect suggestive of dehiscence; and 7 patients (13.2%) had thickened areas of increased echogenicity with or without myometrial thinning. Although the cesarean group had a thinner LUS (1.9 +/- 1.4 mm) when compared with both the nullip-control group (2.3 +/- 1.1 mm; P > .05) and the multip-control group (3.4 +/- 2.2 mm; P < .001), only the latter difference achieved statistical significance. One of the 2 patients who had a sonographically suspected LUS defect had confirmed uterine dehiscence during surgery. An intraoperatively diagnosed paper-thin LUS, when compared with an LUS of normal thickness, had significantly smaller sonographic LUS measurements (1.1 +/- 0.6 versus 2.0 +/- 0.8 mm, respectively; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: Prior cesarean delivery is associated with a sonographically thinner LUS when compared with those with prior vaginal delivery. Prenatal sonographic examination is potentially capable of diagnosing a uterine defect and determining the degree of LUS thinning in patients with previous cesarean delivery.     

B-flow sonographic evaluation of hemodialysis fistulas: a comparison with low- and high-pulse repetition frequency color and power Doppler sonography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of B-flow sonography in the evaluation of hemodialysis fistulas and to compare this new technique with color and power Doppler sonography. METHODS: In this study, 32 randomly selected patients (mean age, 46 years; age range, 18-87 years) with normally functioning hemodialysis fistulas were evaluated with low- and high-pulse repetition frequency (PRF) color and power Doppler sonography (PRF values of 3 and 10 kHz) and B-flow sonography. All images were reviewed and graded independently by 2 observers for luminal filling with flow signals, visibility of the intimal layer, and overall image quality. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. RESULTS: Statistical analysis with Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank tests revealed that B-flow sonography was superior to other techniques for luminal filling and visibility of the intimal layer (P = .000). For overall image quality, B-flow sonography was also the best method according to the Friedman test (P = .000). However, the Wilcoxon test showed no significant difference between B-flow and high-PRF (10-kHz) color and power Doppler sonography (P = .131). The kappa scores reflected moderate to good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.285-0.784). CONCLUSIONS: B-flow sonography is a relatively new and superior imaging technique that provides direct visualization of the blood echoes and the morphologic characteristics of the surrounding vessel wall simultaneously. During the evaluation of hemodialysis shunts, the major advantage of this technique is its ability to avoid artifacts such as aliasing and overwriting.     

Postcircumcision necrosis of the glans penis: gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic findings

We report the case of a 2-week-old male infant who developed necrosis of the glans penis as a result of circumcision. Based on the clinical absence of impairment of micturition on gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic findings, which showed the relatively superficial necrosis of the skin layers without underlying damage to the corpora cavernosa or urethra, a conservative approach was chosen with a good prognosis. A 4-month follow-up sonograpic examination revealed evidence of glans healing with superficial skin epithelization. These findings may lead to mild cosmetic damage, but no future functional complications are expected. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic evaluation of the ischemic process of the glans in a neonate with this rare complication of circumcision.     

Abdominal wall hernia mesh repair: sonography of mesh and common complications.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were (1) to review the sonographic in vitro and in vivo appearances of mesh for surgical repair of abdominal wall hernias, (2) to describe sonographic techniques and discuss the limitations of sonography in evaluation of mesh hernia repair, and (3) to illustrate common complications after mesh repair shown with sonography. METHODS: We identified interesting cases from the musculoskeletal sonographic database as well as from the teaching files of the authors, with surgical or other cross-sectional imaging corroboration. RESULTS: A compilation of the sonographic appearances of mesh used for anterior abdominal wall and inguinal hernia repair and complications diagnosable by sonography is presented. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography can be effective for evaluation of mesh and complications after mesh repair of anterior abdominal wall and inguinal hernias.     

Leydig cell tumors of the testis: gray scale and color Doppler sonographic appearance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the gray scale and color Doppler sonographic features of Leydig cell tumors of the testis in a series of patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the sonographic appearance of 10 proven Leydig cell tumors in 9 patients aged 26 to 47 years. Sonographic features that were reviewed included the size and echogenicity of the tumors, presence of cystic areas or calcifications, and distribution pattern of detectable blood flow on color or power Doppler imaging. RESULTS: The tumors ranged from 0.4 to 3.0 cm in diameter, but most were less than 1.0 cm in diameter. In 1 testis, 2 discrete Leydig cell tumors were found. Nine (90%) of the 10 tumors were homogeneously hypoechoic. Only 1 tumor was isoechoic with the testis. None of the tumors contained calcifications. Of 8 tumors with color Doppler imaging, 7 (88%) showed a characteristic pattern of increased peripheral blood flow, which was either circumferential or punctate. Only 1 tumor was found with internal hypervascularity. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral hypervascularity in a hypoechoic testicular tumor that has little or no internal color Doppler flow should suggest the possibility of a Leydig cell tumor, and consideration should be given to testicle-sparing surgery.     

Torsed appendix testis: gray scale and color Doppler sonographic findings compared with normal appendix testis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the size, shape, echogenicity, and blood flow of the appendix testis on sonography in control subjects and in patients with a torsed appendix testis and to evaluate the usefulness as well as the limitations of these criteria. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 11 lesions with torsed appendix testes and 15 normal appendix testes in 12 children. The following gray scale and color Doppler sonographic features were analyzed: size, shape, echogenicity, and blood flow of the appendix testis. RESULTS: The size of the appendix testis was larger in patients with a torsed appendix testis than in the control subjects (P < .05). A spherical shape of the appendix testis was more common in patients with a torsed appendix testis (P < .05). There was no blood flow within both the torsed and normal appendix testes. However, the frequency of increased periappendiceal blood flow was higher in patients with a torsed appendix testis (P < .05). There was no significant difference in the echogenicity between the torsed and normal appendix testes. CONCLUSIONS: Gray scale and color Doppler sonography may be helpful in the diagnosis of torsion of the appendix testis. A size of 5 mm or larger, spherical shape, and increased periappendiceal blood flow are indicative of a torsed appendix testis.     

The sonographic and color Doppler features of retained products of conception.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the sonographic features of retained products of conception (RPOCs). METHODS: Cases of clinically suspected RPOCs referred for pelvic sonography between September 1994 and July 2001 were identified. Patient age, indication, gestational age at delivery, and days postpartum were recorded and sonographic findings were reviewed. Outcomes were determined from medical records and pathology reports. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-three cases were identified. Indications for pelvic sonography included vaginal bleeding in 82 (50%), pelvic pain in 77 (47%), and fever in 55 (34%). Gestational age at delivery ranged from 14 to 43 weeks (mean, 37 weeks), and the sonographic examination was performed from 0 to 95 days postpartum (mean, 21 days). Thirty-six patients underwent surgical intervention, and 28 of these had RPOCs. The remaining 127 patients were followed clinically. An endometrial mass was the most sensitive (79%) and specific (89%) sonographic feature for RPOCs. The isolated finding of either complex fluid in the endometrial canal or a thick endometrium measuring greater than 10 mm had low sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values. None of the patients with RPOCs had normal sonographic findings. The absence of an endometrial mass or complex fluid and an endometrial thickness of less than 10 mm were considered normal findings. Color Doppler flow was detected in the endometrium somewhat more often when RPOCs were present than in the absence of RPOCs (75% versus 40%). CONCLUSIONS: An endometrial mass is the most sensitive finding for RPOCs. If no mass or endometrial fluid is seen and the endometrial thickness is less than 10 mm, RPOCs are extremely unlikely. The absence of blood flow does not exclude the diagnosis of RPOCs.     

Intratesticular varicocele: gray scale and color Doppler sonographic appearance.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gray scale and color Doppler appearances of intratesticular varicocele (ITV) in a relatively large series of men and to compare the findings with those previously reported. METHODS: Fifteen ITVs found in 12 men referred for sonographic examination of a variety of scrotal conditions were retrospectively evaluated. Review of the side, location, shape, and diameter of the dilated veins, the presence of an extratesticular varicocele (ETV), and the color Doppler appearance of the ITV before and during the Valsalva maneuver was performed. RESULTS: Seven (47%) of 15 ITVs were located in the left testis, 2 (13%) in the right, and 3 (20%) bilateral. Eighty-six percent of the ITVs were associated with an ipsilateral ETV. The locations of the ITVs were subcapsular in 60% of the cases and within or near the mediastinum of the testis in 40%. The shapes of the ITVs were tubular in 46%, oval in 27%, and both tubular and oval in the remaining 27%. Color Doppler imaging showed spontaneous flow in 60% of cases, whereas in the remaining 40%, the blood flow could be seen only after the Valsalva maneuver. CONCLUSIONS: Intratesticular varicocele is a rare condition with a variable clinical and sonographic appearance. It is usually associated with ETV. It occurs in the left, right, or both testes and may be subcapsular or mediastinal in location. The prevalence of a subcapsular location of ITVs in this series was by far higher than previously mentioned in the literature. The Valsalva maneuver plays a very important role in the diagnosis of ITV because in almost half of cases, the flow will not show up spontaneously.     

Second-trimester sonographic comparison of the lower uterine segment in pregnant women with and without a previous cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare measurements of the lower uterine segment during a second-trimester sonographic examination in women with and without a previous cesarean delivery. METHODS: Women undergoing second-trimester sonographic examination, 24 with a history of cesarean delivery and 30 control subjects with no history of cesarean delivery, were recruited for transvaginal sonographic evaluation of the lower uterine segment with a high-frequency probe. The uterine niche or previous cesarean scar site was defined as a small triangular anechoic defect in the anterior wall of the uterus. The uterine wall thickness was measured successively at the level where the bladder dome meets the lower uterine segment. Measurements were obtained with cursors at the interface of the urine-bladder and the amniotic fluid-decidua. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and P < .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The uterine niche was identified in 14 (58%) of 24 women with a previous cesarean delivery. The lower uterine segment was significantly thinner in women with a previous cesarean delivery compared with control subjects (mean +/- SD, 4.7 +/- 1.1 versus 6.6 +/- 2.0 mm; P < .001). In the previous cesarean group, the mean lower uterine segment thickness was similar in the 5 women with 2 cesarean deliveries when compared with those with 1 cesarean delivery (4.6 +/- 1.0 versus 4.7 +/- 1.4 mm; P = .91). In a linear regression model, the only variable retaining significance in the prediction of uterine wall thickness was previous cesarean delivery (P= .002). Maternal age, parity, number of previous cesarean deliveries, and gestational age did not attain significance in the model. CONCLUSIONS: The lower uterine segment during a second-trimester sonographic examination is significantly thinner in women with a previous cesarean delivery. Identification of the scar niche is possible in most of these women.     

彩色多普勒超声产前诊断胎儿前腹壁畸形

目的 探讨彩色多普勒超声(CDU)在产前诊断胎儿前腹壁畸形(AAWDs)中的价值。方法 回顾性分析21胎经引产或随访证实的胎儿AAWDs声像图特征。结果 21胎AAWDs中,8胎为腹裂,10胎为脐膨出,3胎为体蒂异常。CDU确诊19胎,误诊2胎,诊断准确率90.48％。结论 CDU通过辨认胎儿脐带与AAWDs的关系,能较准确地显示AAWDs的病理特征,在胎儿AAWDs的诊断与鉴别诊断中起重要作用。     

Persistent median artery in the carpal tunnel: color Doppler ultrasonographic findings.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the ultrasonographic and color Doppler ultrasonographic findings in 2 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome associated with a persistent median artery and to report the frequency of this anatomic variation in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Two patients with the clinical appearance of carpal tunnel syndrome and 100 wrists and distal forearms of 50 asymptomatic volunteers were examined with ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography. The frequency and size of a persistent median artery and its relationship to median nerve anatomy in the carpal tunnel were evaluated. RESULTS: A large persistent median artery of 3 mm in diameter was found in the affected hands in both patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Findings were confirmed at surgery. Among the asymptomatic volunteers, a persistent median artery could be found in 13 (26%, 10 [20%] unilateral and 3 [6%] bilateral), with a mean diameter of 1.1 mm (range, 0.5-1.7 mm). In 10 (63%) of 16 hands, the persistent median artery was associated with high division of the median nerve or a bifid nerve configuration in the carpal tunnel. CONCLUSIONS: A persistent median artery is a common condition in healthy individuals and in most cases is related to median nerve variations such as high division or a bifid nerve. Because a persistent median artery has a superficial course close to the transverse carpal ligament, preoperative diagnosis of this anatomic variation may be of clinical importance.     

Gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic findings in a case of mesenteric Castleman's disease incidentally detected in a patient with Graves' disease

We report a case of localized Castleman's disease of mesentery, studied with sonography, that was incidentally detected as an abdominal mass in a patient with Graves' disease. Its lymphatic nature and mesenteric origin was indicated preoperatively on the basis of gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic features.     

Polypoid adenomyomas: sonohysterographic and color Doppler findings with histopathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to describe the sonographic features of polypoid adenomyomas of the uterus and to determine the diagnostic role of sonohysterography and color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of these lesions. METHODS: The sonographic findings for 46 histologically proved cases of polypoid adenomyomas of the uterus, accumulated over 10 years, were reviewed retrospectively. The pathologic diagnoses included typical polypoid adenomyoma (n = 36), atypical polypoid adenomyoma (n = 7), and low-grade adenosarcoma arising in polypoid adenomyoma (n = 3). RESULTS: Of 46 total uterine tumors, 31 were in the corpus, 12 were in the fundus, and 3 were in the isthmus. The mean tumor size was 3.5 cm (range, 0.5-9 cm). The tumors were polypoid in 30 cases, pedunculated in 11 cases, and sessile in the remaining 5 cases. Of the pedunculated tumors, 5 protruded into the endocervical canal and 2 had prolapsed into the vagina. Three distinct sonographic patterns were identified with respect to the presence of cystic areas: a solid mass (pattern 1) in 12 cases, a solid mass with cystic areas (pattern 2) in 32 cases, and a predominantly cystic mass (pattern 3) in 2 cases. The characteristic sonographic features of polypoid adenomyomas included heterogeneous or homogeneous isoechogenicity relative to the myometrium, a smooth surface, a poorly defined margin with the underlying myometrium, hemorrhagic foci, posterior shadowing, a single vascular pedicle entering the mass, and associated adenomyosis in the myometrium. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the sonographic appearance of polypoid adenomyomas may facilitate diagnosis and may help distinguish these tumors from other polypoid uterine tumors.     

Celiac artery compression syndrome in children, adolescents, and young adults: clinical and color duplex sonographic features in a series of 59 cases.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal pain is one of the most common conditions in childhood and adolescence. Celiac artery compression syndrome (CACS) is rarely suspected in this population. We present clinical and sonographic features from a series of 59 patients with this disorder. METHODS: A total of 3449 patients from 0 to 18 years were investigated with 7639 abdominal color duplex sonographic examinations. Celiac artery flow velocity was measured at the branching off from the aorta in inspiration, expiration, and in between. Diagnosis of CACS was made if a greater than 2-fold acceleration of peak systolic flow in the celiac artery compared to the abdominal aorta or a peak systolic velocity greater than 200 cm/s was measured in the mid position and if a variation of flow velocity occurred during respiration. In 22 cases, angiography (21 magnetic resonance angiography and 1 digital subtraction angiography) was used to prove sonographic diagnosis. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients (among them 81% female) from 22 months to 19 years (clustering between 14 and 17 years) fulfilling color Doppler sonographic criteria of CACS were found, for a prevalence of 1.7%. Their symptoms included, among others, abdominal pain (71%), nausea (29%), thoracic pain (22%), heartburn (17%), weight loss (15%), vomiting (15%), systolic murmur (15%), postprandial accentuation of symptoms (15%), diarrhea (14%), respiratory discomfort (14%), and syncope (12%). CONCLUSIONS: Celiac artery compression syndrome is more prevalent than expected, and conditions not usually connected to the disease were found. Alertness to CACS is recommended, especially in patients with a combination of characteristic symptoms. Color Doppler sonography is the modality of choice for diagnosing CACS.