Multislice CT virtual angioscopy of the abdomen.

BACKGROUND

Computed tomographic (CT) angiography represents an important clinical tool in the evaluation of vascular disorders. Virtual angioscopy can be reconstructed with volumetric CT data sets. We evaluated the feasibility and clinical value of this application in the assessment of abdominal vessels.

METHODS

Data sets of CT angiographic studies obtained with helical (n = 120) and multislice (n = 180) CT scanners were analyzed on a workstation for postprocessing. Vascular evaluation was done on conventional enhanced axial images, three-dimensional reconstructions, and virtual angioscopic images.

RESULTS

We made 123 studies in patients without aortic disease. Of the patients evaluated for stent-graft treatment, 63 showed normal patency, seven had partial thrombosis of the stent-graft, five showed total occlusion of the stent-graft, and 10 had leaks. From the 92 remaining CT studies, 63 vascular aneurysms and nine dissections were diagnosed.

CONCLUSION

The current technology produces high-quality virtual angioscopic images. Although axial and multiplanar views are usually adequate for detecting a vascular disorder, virtual angioscopic views better define anatomic details.