Abnormal systemic venous connection possibly associated with a persistent right umbilical vein; a case report

BACKGROUND: Abnormal venous connections involving a persistent right umbilical vein are rare. In a minority of cases the liver is entirely bypassed and the condition is associated with multiple congenital malformations. CASE PRESENTATION: The described case illustrates a systemic venous drainage that was severely abnormal in a newborn girl with a truncus arteriosus type II congenital heart defect. Injection of contrast medium through the umbilical vein catheter revealed a very peculiar venous connection that passed anterio-laterally through the right hemithorax before crossing in an oblique fashion towards the superior vena cava. CONCLUSIONS: This venous drainage may be the result of a persistent right umbilical vein connecting with the superior vena cava

Tracheal agenesis - a report of two cases

Tracheal agenesis is a rare and in most cases lethal anomaly. It may be suspected because of lack of audible crying, and is often diagnosed right after birth with water soluble contrast medium injected into the oesophagus. We report two cases which were identified at our institution in the last 10 years. Imaging studies and medical records were reviewed in both cases. Patient number one was studied with a single slice computed tomography, patient number two with multislice detector computed tomography (MDCT) with 64 rows. The advantage of MDCT in demonstrating the rare condition of tracheal agenesis and with the same examination showing other coexisting anomalies is discussed. Conclusion: MDCT with 64 rows is an excellent diagnostic tool in diagnosing tracheal agenesis and showing other coexisting anomalies at the same time

Can visual analogue scale be used in radiologic subjective image quality assessment?

Background Assessment of qualitative or subjective image quality in radiology is traditionally performed using a fixed-point scale even though reproducibility has proved challenging. Objective Image quality of 3-T coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography was evaluated using three scoring methods, hypothesizing that a continuous scoring scale like visual analogue scale would improve the assessment. Materials and methods Adolescents corrected for transposition of the great arteries with arterial switch operation, ages 9–15 years (n=12), and healthy, age-matched controls (n=12), were examined with 3-D steady-state free precession magnetic resonance imaging. Image quality of the coronary artery origin was evaluated by using a fixed-point scale (1–4), visual analogue scale of 10 cm and a visual analogue scale with reference points (figurative visual analogue scale). Satisfactory image quality was set to a fixed-point scale 3=visual analogue scale/figurative visual analogue scale 6.6 cm. Statistical analysis was performed using Cohen kappa coefficient and agreement index. Results The mean interobserver scores for the fixed-point scale, visual analogue scale and figurative visual analogue scale were, respectively, in the left main stem 2.8, 5.7, 7.0; left anterior descending artery 2.8, 4.7, 6.6; circumflex artery 2.5, 4.5, 6.2, and right coronary artery 3.2, 6.3, 7.7. Scoring with a fixed-point scale gave an intraobserver κ of 0.52–0.77 while interobserver κ was lacking. For visual analogue scale and figurative visual analogue scale, intraobserver agreement indices were, respectively, 0.08–0.58 and 0.43–0.71 and interobserver agreement indices were up to 0.5 and 0.65, respectively. Conclusion Qualitative image quality evaluation with coronary 3-D steady-state free precession MR angiography, using a visual analogue scale with reference points, had better reproducibility compared to a fixed-point scale and visual analogue scale. Image quality, being a continuum, may be better determined by this method

Can visual analogue scale be used in radiologic subjective image quality assessment?

Background Assessment of qualitative or subjective image quality in radiology is traditionally performed using a fixed-point scale even though reproducibility has proved challenging. Objective Image quality of 3-T coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography was evaluated using three scoring methods, hypothesizing that a continuous scoring scale like visual analogue scale would improve the assessment. Materials and methods Adolescents corrected for transposition of the great arteries with arterial switch operation, ages 9–15 years (n=12), and healthy, age-matched controls (n=12), were examined with 3-D steady-state free precession magnetic resonance imaging. Image quality of the coronary artery origin was evaluated by using a fixed-point scale (1–4), visual analogue scale of 10 cm and a visual analogue scale with reference points (figurative visual analogue scale). Satisfactory image quality was set to a fixed-point scale 3=visual analogue scale/figurative visual analogue scale 6.6 cm. Statistical analysis was performed using Cohen kappa coefficient and agreement index. Results The mean interobserver scores for the fixed-point scale, visual analogue scale and figurative visual analogue scale were, respectively, in the left main stem 2.8, 5.7, 7.0; left anterior descending artery 2.8, 4.7, 6.6; circumflex artery 2.5, 4.5, 6.2, and right coronary artery 3.2, 6.3, 7.7. Scoring with a fixed-point scale gave an intraobserver κ of 0.52–0.77 while interobserver κ was lacking. For visual analogue scale and figurative visual analogue scale, intraobserver agreement indices were, respectively, 0.08–0.58 and 0.43–0.71 and interobserver agreement indices were up to 0.5 and 0.65, respectively. Conclusion Qualitative image quality evaluation with coronary 3-D steady-state free precession MR angiography, using a visual analogue scale with reference points, had better reproducibility compared to a fixed-point scale and visual analogue scale. Image quality, being a continuum, may be better determined by this method

3.0T MR coronary angiography after arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries—Gd-FLASH versus non-enhanced SSFP. A feasibility study

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