Atrial fibrillation was present in 45 of 133 patients. The interquartile range of the Agatston coronary calcium score was 0-471. Coronary CT angiography was diagnostic in 108 of 133 patients. Of these, 93 of 108 had no significant CAD (<= 50% stenosis), and noncoronary cardiovascular surgery was performed in them without preoperative ICA. No patients in this group had postoperative ischemic events at follow-up. Coronary CT angiography was nondiagnostic in 25 of 133 patients who were referred for preoperative ICA. Multivariate analysis showed Agatston score to be the only independent predictor of nondiagnostic coronary CT angiography (odds ratio = 1.002; 95% confidence interval: 1.001,
1.003; P = .001). The best Agatston score cutoff for diagnostic coronary CT angiography was 579.
Conclusion: In nonselected patients scheduled to undergo Z-DEVD-FMK noncoronary cardiovascular
surgery, preoperative ATM inhibitor coronary CT angiography was diagnostic in 81% of cases. Preoperative ICA could be safely avoided in patients without significant CAD by using coronary CT angiography. The Agatston score, but not the presence of atrial fibrillation, was an independent predictor of nondiagnostic coronary CT angiography. (C)RSNA, 2010 Supplemental material: http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.10100384/-/DC1″
“Study Design. Evaluation of degenerated intervertebral discs from a rabbit annular puncture model by using specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, including displacement encoding with stimulated echoes and a fast-spin echo HDAC inhibition (DENSE-FSE) acquisition and
delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC).
Objective. To evaluate a rabbit disc degeneration model by using various MRI techniques. To determine the displacements and strains, spin-lattice relaxation time (T(1)), and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) distribution of degenerated discs as compared to normal and adjacent level discs.
Summary of Background Data. Annular puncture of the intervertebral disc produces disc degeneration in rabbits. DENSE-FSE has been previously demonstrated in articular cartilage for the measurement of soft tissue displacements and strains. MRI also can measure the T(1) of tissue, and dGEMRIC can quantify GAG concentration in cartilage.
Methods. In eight New Zealand white rabbits, the annulus fibrosis of a lumbar disc was punctured. After 4 weeks, the punctured and cranially adjacent motion segments were isolated for MRI and histology. MRI was used to estimate the disc volume and map T(1). DENSE-FSE was used to determine displacements for the estimation of strains. dGEMRIC was then used to determine GAG distributions.
Results. Histology and standard MRI indicated degeneration in punctured discs. Disc volume increased significantly at 4 weeks after the puncture. Displacement of the nucleus pulposus was distinct from that of the annulus fibrosis in most untreated discs but not in punctured discs.