Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of accidental extracardiac findings in multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography of coronary arteries.Methods: Patients with suspected coronary artery disease were evaluated with multidetector computed tomography during injection of contrast material. Images were reviewed for extracardiac findings which were classified as therapy needed, further workup needed, follow-up needed, and no further action needed.Findings: Extracardiac findings were detected in 24.30% of patients. The frequency of the findings classified as needed therapy, needed workup, needed follow-up, and no further action needed was 1.94%, 8.02%, 10.94%, and 3.40%, respectively.Conclusion: The prevalence of noncardiac findings on cardiac multidetector computed tomography was noticeable. To avoid missing clinically important findings, all the fields of cardiac multidetector computed tomography should be evaluated carefully.

CT angiography (CTA) has revolutionized vascular imaging. Vessels smaller than 1mm in diameter can be visualized with single slice CTA and vessels 2 mm or more in diameter can be diagnostically evaluated. The acquisition of 3D data volumes makes it possible to generate "angiographic" views that facilitate anatomic orientation.With the advent of multi slice CTA, near isotropic resolution becomes available for most applications and allows evaluation of even smaller vessels.Multi slice scanning makes CTA less technically challenging and more robust. It reduces scan time and the vulnerability to motion artifacts, and may be used to substantially decrease the required contrast material volume to as little as 50 ml in selected cases.The advantages of CTA over arterial angiography (DSA) include substantially lower invasiveness, less cost, less radiation exposure, and better patient tolerance. Diagnostic advantages include simultaneous visualization of the vessel wall and lumen, and the ability to study vascular anatomy from arbitrary viewing angles using only one data acquisition.CTA even allows projections (such as Caudocranial) that cannot be obtained with conventional angiographic techniques.Although CTA can replace diagnostic ultrasound with its various Doppler techniques, it may be preferred over CTA in regions that are easily accessible by sonography or when flow information is required. It also holds advantages whenever bedside imaging is to be preferred.Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has become the common place in the last few years. The improvements in pulse sequence design, hardware design, and post processing methods make it possible to acquire data in a short period with excellent vascular visualization in a variety of clinical applications.Contrast -enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) offers competitive results to CTA, although spatial resolution is often lower than with multi slice CT scanning. The lack of ionizing radiation of MRA is important in young patients, for vascular screening, and for patients requiring repeated follow-up examinations.In patients with impaired renal function, contrast-enhanced MRA requires less (and therefore less nephrotoxic) contrast material.Dynamic MRA examinations offer therapeutically relevant additional information in only a relatively small number of cases and flow quantification with MR may again increase the importance for therapeutic decision-making.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a noninvasive imaging method with a high diagnostic value and minimal complications for evaluating coronary arteries. Therefore, in cases with low and moderate probabilities of coronary artery disease, CCTA can be a good alternative to conventional coronary angiography (CCA). Previous studies with 64-slice CTA have tried to determine its diagnostic accuracy compared with CCA as the gold standard. In this survey, we compared the results of 256-slice CCTA with CTA. Method: The present cross-sectional descriptive study evaluated 53 patients (36 men) undergoing CCTA and then CCA (except for 4 patients with pervious CCAs). Our primary goal was to compare the 2 imaging methods for the evaluation of coronary lesions and their runoff. Results: In the coronary artery bypass graft group, the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA for the arterial graft lesions (left internal mammary artery to left anterior descending) had 72. 73% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 84. 2% negative predictive value and its diagnostic accuracy for the venous graft lesions had 100% sensitivity, 80% to 100% specificity, 80% to 100% positive predictive value, and 66. 4% to 100% negative predictive value. Apropos runoff (adequacy of perfusion), CCTA had 100% sensitivity, 63. 64% specificity, 80% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value in the arterial grafts and 54% to 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in the venous grafts. In the percutaneous coronary intervention group, CCTA had 90% specificity, and 75% positive predictive value, and 0% negative predictive value in the differentiation of significant from nonsignificant in-stent restenoses. Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of CCTA in determining the severity of arterial graft stenoses and their runoff was similar to that reported in previous studies with 64-slice CTA. Strikingly, CCTA had low sensitivity for significant in-stent restenosis.

Background: Transradial access is one of the main access techniques in angiography. This method is technically more difficult as it is associated with radial artery occlusion. Radial artery cannulation from the dorsal surface of the hand in the snuffbox area has been introduced as a suitable solution to overcome some of the disadvantages of the standard radial artery method. This study was conducted to compare the incidence of radial artery occlusion and other complications in the two methods. Methods: This study was conducted on 100 patients Who were referred to the Imam Hospital in Ahvaz from 22 September 2020 to 19 Mach 2021. 50 patients underwent angiography with normal radial artery access and 50 patients underwent snuffbox angiography. Basic characteristics including age, sex, underlying disease (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia), family history of coronary artery disease, medical history including chronic coronary artery disease, stable ischemic heart disease, smoking, and LVEF, and also the length of hospital stay was also collected and recorded. All subjects in the two groups underwent radial artery ultrasound in the forearm and snuffbox 24 hours after angiography. Also, angiographic complications including radial artery occlusion (thrombosis), pain, hematoma and anesthesia were recorded. Results: In the present study, the mean age in the two groups was similar (about 50-60 years). The distribution of sex, diabetes, weight, height and blood pressure was homogeneous in both groups. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of thrombosis and pain between the two groups. The results of this study showed that in the snuffbox angiography group, the number of uncomplicated cases was significantly more than the radial angiography group and in the snuffbox angiography group, the number of postoperative pain and thrombosis cases was significantly lower. The length of hospital stay in the Snuffbox group was shorter than the radial group, but there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Snuffbox angiography has fewer complications compared to the usual transradial method, so it can be used as a safe method for angiography.

Background: Coronary angiography is an invasive procedure used to diagnose coronary artery disease, and standard nursing care before, during, and after this procedure. A comparison of the current care with the existing standards can lead to improved nursing care quality, increased patient safety, and reduced medical costs. Objectives: Therefore, the aim of this study was to audit the nursing care provided before angiography. Methods: In this analytical descriptive study, the nursing care provided to 400 patients undergoing coronary angiography was evaluated using the event-based sampling method in the angiography ward of hospitals affi liated to Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected by a demographic form and a standard nursing care checklist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (i. e., frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and analytical statistics (i. e., chi-square, independent t-test and analysis of variance) in SPSS 18 version. Results: Before angiography, nursing care compliance score was 51. 63  4. 21, which was signifi cantly diff erent than the normal value (normal score: 61-81). At the preoperative stage, 25 (6. 3%), 374 (93. 5%), and 1 (3%) caring cases, the standard of nursing care was poor, moderate, and good, respectively. Conclusions: Based on our results, in one case, the provided nursing care was in accordance with the standard of nursing care at the preoperative stage of angiography, which can be attributed to the lack of education, control, facilities and awareness among nurses about the importance of standard care.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine sensitivity and specificity of 3D- Time-Of-Flight and Phase Contrast Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in comparison with intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IA- DSA) in detection of intracranial aneurysms.Methods: 54 patients with 22 aneurysms underwent MRA and then IA-DSA prospectively from October 2002 till December 2003.Results: MRA detected 20 aneurysm where as IA- DSA scored 22 (90.9%). false positive in MRA was 18.1% (4 cases) and no false positive was in IA- DSA. So sensitivity of MRA in detection of intracranial aneurysms is 90.9%, and specificity is 88.8%.Positive predictive value of 83.3% and negative predictive value of 94.1% is also calculated.Conclusion: MRA is a valuable non- invasive technique in the detection of intracranial aneurysms that can be a proper screening test for this purpose.

Introduction: Cerebrovascular angiography is a method of diagnosing cerebrovascular disorders. Invasive procedures induce anxiety in patients. Poor management of anxiety may be life-threatening for patients. It is the duty of nurses to reduce anxiety. Given the prevalence of anxiety in patients awaiting cerebrovascular angiography and its detrimental complications and also the critical role of nurses in the psychosomatic support of patients and their struggle to reduce anxiety, the use of different methods of patient education such as familiarizing them with diagnostic and therapeutic processes is of utmost significance. This study investigated the effect of orientation tour on anxiety in candidates of cerebrovascular angiography. Methods: In this experimental study, 114 patients awaiting cerebrovascular angiography presenting to Imam Hussein Hospital and Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, capital of Iran, were selected with a convenient sampling method and assigned randomly to either case or control groups. The control group just received routine education in the ward. In contrast, the case group received routine education in the ward and instructions on performing angiography and its pre-, peri-, and post-operative care. Demographics questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used to collect data. Patients' anxiety was measured twice with this instrument at hospitalization and after the intervention. The gleaned data were analyzed with SPSS21 using independent t-test, Chi-square test, and ANOVA. Results: Distribution of age was the same in both groups (P < 0. 11). Independent t-test showed a significant difference in the mean score of anxiety before intervention in the control group (9. 2) and case group (7. 2) (P = 0. 02). This test also indicated a significant difference in the mean score of patients' anxiety after intervention in both the control group (9. 7) and case group (6. 7) (P = 0. 001). However, using data collected before the orientation tour as the covariate, repeated measures ANOVA showed a significantly more significant reduction of anxiety in the case group. Conclusions: According to our findings, participation in the angiography room orientation tour leads to reduced anxiety in patients awaiting cerebrovascular angiography. The use of this method is advisable for patients before diagnostic and therapeutic processes.

Computed tomography angiography has become an important tool in the diagnosis and management of various diseases of the central nervous system and of the head and neck. In this review, the technical background for performing CTA of the head and neck will be briefly reviewed, including CTA technique protocol optimization to perform high quality CTA, which is necessary for accurate diagnosis. Timing issues and importance of bolus geometry will be stressed. The various indications of performing CTA of the brain and of the head and neck will be reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of CTA over MRA in these areas will be discussed. Various applications of CTA in evaluation of acute/sub acute stroke, extra cranial and intracranial atherosclerotic disease, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, post-subarachnoid hemorrhage vasospasm, trauma, arterial dissections, Dural fistulas, adjunct to tumor evaluations, and a few other miscellaneous disorders will be reviewed and clinical examples will be provided. Computed tomography demography will also be briefly discussed. Various 3D post processing strategies will be highlighted during the presentation.

CT angiography is used to diagnose various acute and chronic conditions including aneurysm, stenosis, dissections, thrombosis, emboli, traumatic injuries and malformations. The most important neuro imaging application of CTA is in the evaluation of patients with stroke.This presentation will focus on the technique, the wide spectrum of CTA imaging findings and comparison with other techniques.