Interpretation of positive troponin results among patients with and without myocardial infarction.

Measuring cardiac troponins is integral to diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, troponins may be elevated without AMI, and the use of multiple different assays confounds comparisons. We considered characteristics and serial troponin values in emergency department chest pain patients with and without AMI to interpret troponin excursions. We compared serial troponin in 124 AMI and non-AMI patients from the observational Performance of Triage Cardiac Markers in the Clinical Setting (PEARL) study who presented with chest pain and had at least one troponin value exceeding the 99th percentile of normal. Because 8 assays were used during data collection, we employed a method of scaling the troponin value to the corresponding assay\u27s 99th percentile upper reference limit to standardize the results. In 81 AMI patients, 96% had elevated troponin at the first test following initial elevation, compared to 73% of the 43 non-AMI patients

Non‐invasive coronary angiography using multislice computed tomography

Non‐invasive methods for detection of coronary atherosclerosis have been limited to indirect markers, such as myocardial perfusion or wall motion during exercise or pharmacological stress. However, advances in multislice computed tomography (MSCT) not allow sufficient spatial resolution for direct non‐invasive imaging of the coronary arteries. This review focuses on imaging techniques and clinical applications of MSCT in human studies. Published studies of the diagnostic accuracy of MSCT in native coronary arteries and bypass grafts indicate excellent sensitivity and specificity for detection of 50% diameter stenosis. MSCT is particularly good for evaluating the origin and course of anomalous coronary arteries. MSCT offers the ability to visualise both the lumen and wall of artery, as well as to quantify coronary classification. Further technical developments promise to render MSCT the ideal non‐invasive tool for direct visualisation of the coronary arteries

Undifferentiated Intimal Sarcoma of the Inferior Vena Cava with Extension to the Right Atrium and Renal Vasculature

Primary sarcomas of the great vessels (aorta, pulmonary artery, and inferior vena cava (IVC)) are exceedingly rare. We report a rare case of an undifferentiated intimal sarcoma of the IVC with extension to the right atrium, adrenal, and renal veins. The patient underwent extensive resection, reconstruction of the IVC, and subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy. Patient has tolerated chemotherapy and, at 17 months after resection, the patient remains free of tumor recurrence. Undifferentiated intimal sarcomas remain a rare entity with only five cases of venous undifferentiated intimal sarcomas reported in the literature, two of which occurred in the IVC. Intimal sarcomas tend to carry a poor prognosis with the limited literature available on treatment approaches. Our objective is to highlight this rare entity and possible treatment approach which we utilized. Primary sarcomas of IVC need to be included as part of a complete differential diagnosis in patients with atrial masses or recurrent pulmonary emboli