NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF BLEEDING PULMONARY-ARTERY ANEURYSMS DUE TO BEHCET-DISEASE

Because of its ability to depict intravascular, intramural, and extram ural pathology, non-invasive imaging is well suited to assessing life- threatening hemoptysis that may complicate Behcet disease. We made exc lusive use of CT angiography supplemented by MR to Identity pulmonary thromboembolism, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and bilateral pulmonary artery aneurysms with signs of previous unilateral-rupture. Two-dimens ional reformatted CT images provided surgeons with a road map of upstr eam a downstream vascular relationships prior to aneurysm resection. I maging findings were confirmed by surgery and pathology. Non-invasive imaging proved to be a useful alternative to standard catheter arterio graphy in the preoperative assessment of hemoptysis in this patient wi th Behcet disease.