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Imaging findings of arterial calcification due to deficiency of CD73: A case study

A 52-year-old male developed right knee pain after hiking in Guatemala. On his return he underwent a knee MRI for an indication of medial knee pain, which demonstrated a medial meniscal tear. However, the MRI demonstrated marked tortuosity and dense calcification of the popliteal artery, confirmed on subsequent radiographs. Review of previous CT studies of the abdomen and lower extremities showed severe ectasia and arterial calcification in the femoral and popliteal arteries bilaterally, but no calcifications in the aorta and common iliac arteries. Dual energy CT studies of the extremities demonstrated extensive periarticular soft tissue calcification throughout the wrists, hands, ankle and feet without evidence of uric acid. Review of the electronic medical records revealed a diagnosis of Arterial Calcification due to Deficiency of CD73 (ACDC), a rare genetic disorder presenting with debilitating pain in the wrists and hands, claudication of the calves, thighs and buttocks, progressing to chronic ischemia of the feet which may be limb-threatening. The patient was enrolled in an NIH trial of bisphosphonates and dual-antiplatelet therapy with stabilization of symptoms. This case discusses the imaging findings of this rare condition, differential diagnosis to consider, and current management.

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Successful Management of Recurrent High-Flow Priapism Treated with Selective Arterial Embolization: A Case Report.

High-flow priapism is rare, uncontrolled arterial inflow, preceded by penile or perineal trauma and arterial-lacunar fistula. There are several ways to treat high-flow priapism, i.e., conservative management, the use of ice packs, mechanical decompression, surgery, and super-selective arterial embolization. Embolization is currently widely accepted in patients who fail from conservative management. This study aimed to report the use of Gelfoam and microcoil embolization in recurrent high-flow priapism compared to PVA embolization. A 36-year-old man complained of prolonged erection. The erection occurred three days before admission while waking up in the morning, not accompanied by either sexual stimulation or pain. There was a history of fall four days ago in the afternoon, with the patient's groin hitting a rocky ground. Physical examination revealed an erect penis, which felt warm, with an EHS of 4. Blood gas analysis of the corpus cavernosum showed bright red blood with a pH of 7.47, pCO2 of 23.6, pO2 of 145, HCO3 of 17.3, BE of -6, and SaO2 of 99%. Doppler ultrasound examination of the penis showed high-flow priapism. Embolization with PVA was performed, and there were decreased complaints. A few hours later, the erection occurred. Reevaluation was then performed and continued with embolization using Gelfoam and microcoil. There were immediate successful results (EHS of 3) accompanied by a decrease in symptoms. Long-term follow-up has shown a return to normal erectile function six months following the injury. Priapism may happen due to various etiologies. Differentiating high-flow and low-flow is paramount during the acute phase because of different treatment strategies. Conservative management may be applied to high-flow priapism. If conservative management fails, embolization may be attempted. The choice of embolization agent must be taken into account.

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