Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common thoracic venous anomaly and may be a component of the complex cardiac pathologies. While it is often asymptomatic, it can lead to significant problems such as arrhythmias and cyanosis. Besides, it can cause serious complications during vascular interventional procedures or the surgical treatment of cardiac anomalies (CA). The clinical significance of PLSVC depends on the drainage site and the accompanying CA. In this article, we will describe the epidemiology, embryology, and anatomic variations of PLSVC. Possible accompanying CA and heterotaxy spectrum will be reviewed with the help of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) images. Radiological pitfalls, differential diagnoses, and the clinical importance of PLSVC will be highlighted.

Since the presence of a familial history of amyloidosis has been defined as the most important risk factor in the development of amyloidosis, we suggest that additional genetic factors may be operative in the development of amyloidosis.

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Acute abdominal pain can be seen in cases with parasitic diseases delivered to emergency departments. The diagnosis of the parasitic disease can be delayed because of the similar clinical signs encountered in other frequently seen causes of acute abdomen. Nevertheless, the features detected in imaging scans can be helpful in the diagnosis. The present study aims to raise awareness about abdominal parasitosis in emergency conditions and also to underline the association between imaging findings and the life cycle of parasites with illustrative cases.

Congenital and hereditary cystic lesions of the abdomen are relatively rare. Correct diagnosis is critical as they may simulate several other benign and malignant acquired diseases of the abdomen. With the correct and appropriate use of imaging, diagnosis may be relatively straightforward and clinical management may be implemented appropriately. The purpose of this article is to describe imaging findings of common and uncommon congenital and hereditary cystic disease of the abdominal organs.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) represents one of the most serious conditions of the gastrointestinal tract with a mortality rate of 10%. The main cause of UGIB is peptic ulcer, accounting for 28%-59% of cases. A rare cause of UGIB is submucosal arterial collaterals, which develop after splenic artery thrombosis. UGIB secondary to gastric submucosal collateral arteries should be considered in patients with endoscopic appearance of varicose veins in the absence of portal hypertension. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the only fast and noninvasive definitive imaging technique for such patients. Keywords: Gastrointestinal hemorrhage, splenic artery, thrombosis, computed tomography No signs of active bleeding were manifested on CTA. In the followup period, the patient died secondary to recurrent bleeding. DISCUSSIONIsolated gastric varices may occur secondary to splenic vein obstruction and accompanying left-sided portal hypertension. Splenic vein obstruction can result from pancreatitis, pancreatic neoplasm, splenic arterial aneurysm, pancreas surgery, and coagulopathies (3). In our case, left-sided portal hypertension was not primarily considered as a cause of UGIB because no evidence of chronic pancreatitis, coagulopathy, or pancreatic neoplasm, as well as no history of abdominal trauma that caused splenic artery thrombosis, was observed.Computed tomography angiography of our patient revealed splenic artery occlusion, tortuous vascular structures in the gastric fundus, and extension of these vascular structures to the splenic hilum. In our case, UGIB was considered to result from collateral arteries. In addition, in our case, significant atherosclerotic changes in major abdominal arteries and a history of cerebrovascular diseases and hypertension led us to assume that chronic atherosclerotic changes were the cause of splenic artery occlusion.The main complication of splenic artery thrombosis is UGIB secondary to submucosal arterial collaterals that feed the spleen. In the literature, UGIB was reported in two patients with congenital absence of splenic artery and in three patients with splenic artery thrombosis (4-8). Suggested collateral pathways in cases of splenic artery thrombosis include anastomosis between the right gastroepiploic artery (from the gastroduodenal artery) and left gastroepiploic artery (from the splenic artery) on the greater curvature of the stomach and gastric branches of the left gastric artery and short gastric arteries (9).In summary, UGIB secondary to gastric submucosal collateral arteries should be considered in patients with an endoscopic appearance of varicose veins in the absence of portal hypertension. CTA is the only fast and noninvasive definitive imaging technique for such patients. Case Report

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Background: Several functional imaging techniques, including monoexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (m-DWI), intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), and diffusion kurtosis (DK) imaging, have been used in differentiating benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors. Combining all three techniques in the same study population may improve differentiation. Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of m-DWI, IVIM, and DK models and their combinations in differentiating benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors. Study Type: Prospective. Population: Fifty patients with benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors divided into nonmyxoid and nonchondroid and myxoid and/or chondroid subgroups. Field strength/Sequence: A 1.5 T/m-DWI, IVIM, and DK single-shot spin-echo echo-planar sequences. Assessment: Minimum and volumetric values of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), pure molecular diffusion (D ivim ), pseudodiffusion (D*), perfusion fraction (f), diffusion coefficient for kurtosis model (D K ), and Kurtosis (K) were compared between all benign and malignant tumors. Subgroup analysis was also performed for nonmyxoid and nonchondroid and myxoid and/or chondroid tumors. Statistical tests: Independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, intraclass correlation coefficient, ROC analysis, and logistic regression analysis. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: ADC min , D ivim-min , D* vol , D K-min, K vol, and K min values showed statistically significant differences between all benign and malignant tumors and nonmyxoid and nonchondroid tumor subgroup. K min showed the highest diagnostic performance in differentiating benign and malignant tumors with AUCs of 0.760 for "all tumors" and 0.825 for the nonmyxoid and nonchondroid tumor subgroup. No significant differences were detected in m-DWI-, IVIM-, and DK-derived parameters for differentiating benign and malignant myxoid and/or chondroid tumors. Only three of 63 combinations of prediction models demonstrated a higher diagnostic performance than K min ; however, improvements were not significantly different. Data conclusion: ADC min , D ivim-min , D* vol , D K-min , K vol , and K min values can be used to differentiate benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors. Our findings suggest that the added value of multiparametric approach in such differentiation is not significant.