Celik, Aziz Inan; Bezgin, Tahir; Baytugan, Nart Zafer; Coskun, Resit; Karaaslan, Muhammet Bugra; Cagdas, Metin

Background: The potential effects of cardiovascular comorbidities on the clinical outcomes in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remain unclear. Identification of the coronary and non-coronary cardiovascular findings may help to stratify the patients' prognosis. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the coronary and the non-coronary cardiovascular findings in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Methods: We studied a total of 594 SARS-CoV-2 patients who were hospitalized and performed a non-cardiac gated thoracic computed tomography. Two blinded radiologists assessed the coronary artery calcification segment involvement score (CACSIS) and non-coronary atherosclerosis cardiovascular findings (NCACVF). The baseline characteristics of the patients and CT findings were evaluated according to survival status. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent predictors of mortality. Results: At a mean follow-up of 8 (4–12.5) days, 44 deaths occurred (7.4%). Compared to survivors, non-survivors had increased CACSIS [27.3% (CACSIS = 0) vs 25% (CACSIS 1–5) vs 47.7% (CACSIS >5), p < 0.001]. Similarly, on NCACVF, non-survivors had much more major findings compared to survivors (29.5% vs. 2.7%, respectively, p < 0.001). At multivariable analysis, age (p = 0.009), creatinine (p < 0.001), hs-cTnI (p = 0.004) and NCACVF (HR 1.789; 95% CI 1.053–3.037; p = 0.031) maintained a significant independent association with in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Our study shows that coronary and non-coronary cardiovascular findings on non-cardiac gated thoracic CT may help to predict mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Kupeli, Ali; Kocak, Mehmet; Goktepeli, Mehmet; Karavas, Erdal; Danisan, Gurkan

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between healthy brain aging and T1 relaxation time obtained by T1 mapping. Materials and methods: A total of 211 (102 males, 109 females; age range: 20–89 years; mean age: 54 years) healthy volunteers underwent T1 mapping between July 2018 and January 2019. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed on T1 maps in different anatomical regions, including the thalamus, putamen, globus pallidus, head of the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, genu of the corpus callosum, and frontal lobe white matter (WM). Additionally, linear and quadratic regression analyses of ROIs were performed. Results: There were significant quadratic and negative linear correlations between T1 relaxation times in the thalamus, putamen, and age (p < .001). Although the nucleus accumbens did not show a significant relationship between T1 relaxation times and age by linear regression (p = .624), a statistically significant relationship was obtained by quadratic regression (p < .001). For the globus pallidus, head of the caudate nucleus, genu of the corpus callosum and frontal lobe WM the quadratic regression analysis showed a better relationship than the linear correlation analysis. Conclusion: Age-related changes in T1 relaxation time vary by location in GM and WM.

Taydas, Onur; Kantarci, Mecit; Bayraktutan, Ummugulsum; Ogul, Hayri

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate extremely rare cases of supradiaphragmatic origin of the renal artery, with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings. Methods: The study included 9 patients diagnosed with supra-diaphragmatic originating renal artery between 2010 and 2017. The patients were 7 females and 2 males with a mean age of 58.25 years (range, 41–71 years). MR imaging was applied to all patients. Results: In 2 patients, lumen loss was of a moderate degree, and mild in 3 patients. Renal artery stenosis was not observed in the remaining 4 patients. None of the patients had advanced luminal stenosis. The distance of the renal arteries to the diaphragmatic crus was 24 mm at the longest and 8 mm at the shortest. Congenital anomaly was found in 6 patients. Of the 9 patients, 7 had concomitant hypertension, and 2 had no history of hypertension. Conclusions: The anomaly of supradiaphragmatic origin of the renal artery is rare but may be associated with renal artery stenosis, which may then result in hypertension. The clinician should investigate renal artery origin anomalies and renal artery compression syndrome in hypertensive cases where the cause cannot be explained.