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MDCT and virtual angioscopy in spontaneous aortocaval fistula

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Abstract

Aortocaval fistula is a rare, less than 1%, but life threatening complication, of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Mortality is high but prompt recognition of the fistula can reduce mortality rate. The multidetector row CT (MDCT) findings in a 69-year-old patient with a complex medical history characterized by previous episodes of myocardial ischemia, is reported. MDCT shows an early homogeneous enhancement of the inferior vena cava, slightly dilated at the liver level and markedly narrowed above the renal vein due to aneurysm compression. The patient underwent to emergency laparotomy but died during surgery for cardiac arrest. MDCT allows a prompt recognition of the fistula and different computerized reconstruction techniques as maximum intensity projection (MIP), multiplanar reformatting (MPR) and virtual angioscopy (VA) added imaging information for surgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sezione di Radiologia DIBIMEL, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via Cardinale Rampolla 1, Palermo, 90142, Italy

    Sergio Salerno, Ida Romano, Teresa De Luca & Antonio Lo Casto

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  1. Sergio Salerno
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  2. Ida Romano
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  3. Teresa De Luca
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  4. Antonio Lo Casto
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Correspondence to Sergio Salerno.

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Salerno, S., Romano, I., De Luca, T. et al. MDCT and virtual angioscopy in spontaneous aortocaval fistula. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 23, 635–638 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-006-9158-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-006-9158-8

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