HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eisenstat, R. S. Articles by Katz, D. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Eisenstat, R. S. Articles by Katz, D. S. Social Bookmarking                      What's this? Hotlight (NEW!) What's Hotlight?

The "Flat Cava" Sign Revisited

What is its Significance in Patients Without Trauma?

¹ Department of Radiology, Winthrop University Hospital, 259 First St., Mineola, NY 11501.
² Brooke Army Medical Center, 3851 Roger Brooke Dr., Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX 78234.

View larger version (151K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1A. —52-year-old man with hypotension at time of CT scan and "flat cava" sign at first three of four levels. Patient had severe colitis, which led to sepsis, hypovolemia, and hypotension (blood pressure, 100/50 mm Hg) and was being administered dopamine to maintain blood pressure. Total craniocaudal extent of flattened inferior vena cava was approximately 10 cm. CT scan with oral and IV contrast shows flattening of inferior vena cava (arrows) just below intrahepatic cava. Ratio of maximal transverse (2.8-cm) to anteroposterior (0.6-cm) dimension of cava was 4.7:1.

View larger version (125K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1B. —52-year-old man with hypotension at time of CT scan and "flat cava" sign at first three of four levels. Patient had severe colitis, which led to sepsis, hypovolemia, and hypotension (blood pressure, 100/50 mm Hg) and was being administered dopamine to maintain blood pressure. Total craniocaudal extent of flattened inferior vena cava was approximately 10 cm. CT scan at level just below renal veins shows flattened inferior vena cava (arrow). Ratio of maximal transverse (2.7-cm) to anteroposterior (0.6-cm) dimension of cava is 4.5:1.

View larger version (149K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2A. —89-year-old woman with flattened inferior vena cava at first three of four levels and normal blood pressure. Patient was imaged for epigastric pain and was found to have sigmoid diverticulitis. Craniocaudal extent of flattened inferior vena cava was approximately 10 cm. CT scan with oral contrast shows flattened inferior vena cava (arrows) at level just below intrahepatic cava. Ratio of maximal transverse (3.0-cm)-to-anteroposterior (0.5-cm) dimension was 6:1.

View larger version (146K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2B. —89-year-old woman with flattened inferior vena cava at first three of four levels and normal blood pressure. Patient was imaged for epigastric pain and was found to have sigmoid diverticulitis. Craniocaudal extent of flattened inferior vena cava was approximately 10 cm. CT scan at level just below renal veins shows flattened inferior vena cava (arrows), with ratio of maximal transverse (3.6-cm)-to-anteroposterior (0.6-cm) dimension of 6:1.

View larger version (133K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2C. —89-year-old woman with flattened inferior vena cava at first three of four levels and normal blood pressure. Patient was imaged for epigastric pain and was found to have sigmoid diverticulitis. Craniocaudal extent of flattened inferior vena cava was approximately 10 cm. CT scan at level halfway between renal veins and caval bifurcation shows flattened inferior vena cava (arrows), with ratio of maximal transverse (2.7-cm)-to-anteroposterior (0.7-cm) dimension of 3.9:1.

View larger version (31K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. —Summary of clinical status and inferior vena cava flattening on CT scans in 500 inpatients without trauma.

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Technorati