Williams's syndrome is characterised by unusual facies, abnormal growth and development, and variable cardiovascular anomalies. The most common of these are supravalvar aortic stenosis and peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis; but other lesions have been described, including pulmonary valve stenosis, septal defects, and peripheral systemic arterial stenosis.1Studies of the natural course of these cardiovascular anomalies are limited.2`We report the results of serial cardiac catheterisation in ten patients with Williams's syndrome who had supravalvar aortic stenosis or peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis or both.
Patients and methodsThe ten patients were referred to and followed at the Izaak Walton Killam Children's Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. These were all of the patients in whom
PET/CT data coregistered with intraprocedural CT images can guide needle placement in the viable portion of the lesion, thus increasing the chances of achieving a definitive diagnosis. This approach can offer a significant incremental benefit while performing image-guided biopsies.
AIM:To describe various approaches of computed tomography (CT)-guided core biopsy and evaluate its ability to obtain adequate tissue for the assessment of mediastinal masses.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Between February 2004 and October 2006, 83 percutaneous CT-guided biopsies of mediastinal lesions were performed on 82 patients under local anesthesia. Coaxial needles were used and minimum of 3-4 cores were obtained. Post-biopsy CT scan was performed and patients observed for any complications. Tissue samples were taken to Pathology Department in formalin solution.RESULTS:From the 83 biopsies, adequate tissue for histological diagnosis was obtained in 80 (96%), and the biopsy was considered diagnostic. Of the 80 diagnostic biopsies, 74 biopsy samples were definitive for neoplastic pathology and 6 biopsy samples revealed no evidence of malignancy. There were no major complications. Minor complications were recorded in 5 patients.CONCLUSION:Percutaneous image-guided core biopsy of mediastinal lesions is an accurate, safe and cost-effective tool for the initial assessment of patients with mediastinal masses.
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