title: Noninvasive evaluation of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery with multislice CT in patients with chronic mesenteric ischaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to assess the role of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in patients with suspected chronic mesenteric ischaemia (CMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients (29 men; mean age 68) underwent MSCT angiography of the abdomen for suspected CMI (main clinical finding: postprandial abdominal pain). The scan protocol was detectors/collimation 16/0.75 mm; feed 36 mm/s; rotation time 500 ms; increment 0.4 mm; 120-150 mAs and 120 kVp. A volume of 80 ml of contrast material was administered through an antecubital vein (rate 4 ml/s), followed by 40 ml of saline (rate 4 ml/s). Images were analysed on the workstation with different algorithms (axial image scrolling, multiplanar reconstructions, maximum intensity projection, volume rendering). Targeted central lumen-line reconstructions (curved reconstructions) were obtained along the celiac trunk (CeT) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Vessel occlusions and significant (>50%) stenosis were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Image generation and interpretation required 25 min. Stenosis and/or occlusions were detected in 29 (65%) cases on the CeT and in 32 (71%) on the SMA. Of those lesions (n=61), 44 (49%) were classified as not significant. In 16 (35%) cases, there was a simultaneous stenosis and/or occlusion of the CeT and SMA (confirmed by conventional angiography). In six (13%) cases, there were no lesions affecting the CeT, SMA or their branches (confirmed by clinical follow-up).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSCT angiography can play a major role in the detection of stenosis of the abdominal arteries in patients with suspected CMI.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Parma, Italy. filippocademartiri@hotmail.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cademartiri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malagò
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belgrano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: La Grutta
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Bartolotta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luccichenti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raaijmakers
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mollet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zompatori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crisi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002445:Celiac Artery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior; D008643:Mesentery / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed