Thrombin is a naturally occurring coagulation protein that converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin and plays a vital role in the coagulation cascade and in turn haemostasis. Thrombin also promotes platelet activation. In the last few years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of thrombin by radiologists in a variety of clinical circumstances. It is best known for its use in the treatment of pseudoaneurysms following angiography. However, there are now a variety of cases in the literature describing the treatment of traumatic, inflammatory and infected aneurysms with thrombin in a variety of locations within the human body. There have even been recent reports describing the use of thrombin in conventional aneurysms as well as ruptured aneurysms. Its use has also been described in the treatment of endoleaks (type II) following aneurysm repair. In nearly all of these cases, treatment with thrombin requires imaging guidance. Recently, thrombin has also been used as a topical treatment post-percutaneous intervention to reduce or stop bleeding. Most radiologists have only a limited knowledge of the pharmacodynamics of thrombin, its wide range of utilisation and its limitations. Apart from a few case reports and case series, there is little in the radiological literature encompassing the wide range of applications that thrombin may have in the radiology department. In this review article, we comprehensively describe the role and pathophysiology of thrombin, describing with examples many of its potential uses. Techniques of usage as well as pitfalls and limitations are also described.

Subdermal contraceptive devices represent a popular choice of contraception. Whilst often removed without the use of imaging, circumstances exist where imaging is required. Ultrasound is the modality of choice. The optimal technique and typical sonographic appearances are detailed in this article.

Sir—We read with great interest the well-written and informative paper by Burli et al. 1 Burli P. Winterbottom A.P. Cousins C. et al. Imaging appearances and endovascular management of uncommon pseudoaneurysms. Clin Radiol. 2008; 63: 1254-1264 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar recently published in the Journal. We would like to report our experience in the management of pseudoaneurysms, in particular, gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysms. Imaging appearances and endovascular management of uncommon pseudoaneurysmsClinical RadiologyVol. 63Issue 11PreviewPseudoaneurysms are uncommon and their aetiology is varied. They occur in numerous anatomical locations and present with a multitude of clinical presentations sometimes life-threatening. This review describes the causes, sites, and presentations of uncommon pseudoaneurysms, as well as illustrating their diagnostic appearances and endovascular management. Full-Text PDF

Coeliac disease is a malabsorption syndrome in which dietary gluten damages the small bowel mucosa. Gluten contains gliadin, the primary toxic component that is primarily found in wheat, barley and rye products. The initial diagnosis of coeliac disease is usually made by endoscopic biopsy of the jejunum although sometimes imaging features can suggest the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, patients need to be diet compliant and monitored for potential complications. Many complications are more common when dietary compliance is poor. Complications include intussusception (usually intermittent), ulcerative jejunitis, osteomalacia, cavitating lymph node syndrome and an increased risk of malignancies such as lymphoma, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Radiological evaluation is central in the evaluation of these complications. Imaging may assist both in the diagnosis and staging of complications as well as enabling radiological guided percutaneous biopsy for complications of coeliac disease such as lymphoma. As coeliac disease is a relatively common disorder, it is likely that most radiologists will encounter the disease and its potential complications. The aim of this review article is to discuss and illustrate the role of modern radiology in evaluating the many presentations of this complex disease.

Adenomyomatosis is a relatively common abnormality of the gall bladder, with a reported incidence of between 2.8 and 5%. Although mainly confined to the adult study group, a number of cases have been reported in the paediatric study group. It is characterized pathologically by excessive proliferation of the surface epithelium and hypertrophy of the muscularis propria of the gall bladder wall, with invagination of the mucosa into the thickened muscularis forming the so-called 'Rokitansky-Aschoff' sinuses. The condition is usually asymptomatic and is often diagnosed as an incidental finding on abdominal imaging. The radiological diagnosis is largely dependent on the visualization of the characteristic Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses. As the condition is usually asymptomatic, the importance of making a correct diagnosis is to prevent misinterpretation of other gall bladder conditions such as gall bladder cancer, leading to incorrect treatment. In the past, oral cholecystography was the main imaging method used to make this diagnosis. In most institutions, oral cholecystography is no longer carried out, and the diagnosis is now more commonly seen on cross-sectional imaging. In this review article, we describe the manifestations of adenomyomatosis on the various imaging methods, with an emphasis on more modern techniques such as magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. A brief section on oral cholecystography to aid readers familiar with this technique in understanding the comparable imaging features on more modern imaging techniques is included.

Obesity is a chronic disease that is now a global epidemic. The numbers of obese people are exponentially rising in Europe, and it is projected that in Europe by 2010 there will be 150 million obese people. The obesity-related health crisis does not only affect adults, with one in four European children now overweight. Radiologists, both adult and paediatric, need to be aware of the magnitude of the problem, and obese patients cannot be denied radiologic evaluation due to their size. Missed diagnosis, appointment cancellation and embarrassing situations for patients when they are referred for a radiological examination for which they are not suitable are all issues that can be avoided if careful provision is made to accommodate the needs of the obese patient requiring radiologic evaluation. This paper will discuss the epidemiology of obesity and the role of radiology in the assessment of obesity and disorders of fat metabolism. The limitations obesity poses to current radiological equipment and how the radiologist can optimise imaging in the obese patient will be described. Dose reference levels and dose control are discussed. Examples of how obesity both hinders and helps the radiologist will be illustrated. Techniques and pre-procedural preparation to help the obese patient in the interventional suite are discussed.

Horseshoe kidney is the most common renal fusion anomaly and the patients are prone to a variety of complications, such as stone disease, pelviureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction, trauma, infections and tumours. As result of the abnormal anatomy of a horseshoe kidney, imaging and treatment pathways vary substantially from the normal kidney. In this review, we describe the role of modern imaging in depicting horseshoe kidneys and their complications, in tandem with the role the interventional radiologist plays in treating these patients.

condition using a combination of endoscopy and lithotripsy initially, followed by surgery in selected cases. We recently encountered a similar case of obstruction of the duodenum by a large gallstone. In our case however, the gallstone lay outside the duodenum rather than within the lumen Dear Sir, We read with interest the excellent paper Buchs et al. [1] recently published in Digestion . In their paper, the authors describe a case of duodenal obstruction related to a huge intraluminal gallstone. They then propose an algorithm for the management of suspected cases of this Published online: July 2, 2007