Diagnostic investigation of the abdominal vasculature by means of electron-beam computed tomography

Purpose: To evaluate the potential of electron-beam computed tomography (EB T) in the pre- and postinterventional assessment of vascular abdominal path ologies. Material and methods: Forty patients with implanted transjugular portosyste mic shunt (TIPS), 12 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease an d 8 patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular i mplantation of bifurcation stents were prospectively examined with contrast -enhanced EBT during one year. The evaluation included analysis of time-den sity curves (TDC) and 3D reconstructions. Results were compared with Dopple r sonography and/or DSA. Results: In 30 of 40 TIPS patients, identical results were found with EBT, Doppler sonography and/or DSA. Reduced perfusions of the TIPS,which were su bsequently confirmed by DSA, could not be shown with EBT in 3 patients. Nin e of 12 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and angiographi cally proven stenosis (>75%) showed a reduced and delayed peak density of t he time-density curves. The quantification of arterial stenosis, however, d id not follow the angiographic values. In all patients with the implanted b ifurcation stents, EBT could correctly exclude a leakage of the stent. Conclusion: EBT has certain avantages over conventional spiral CT in the ev aluation of abdominal vascular pathologies due to the additional assessment of perfusion parameters. Clinical indications for the use of EBT are seen especially in the postinterventional follow-up of patients with implanted s tents.