Three cases in which preoperative evaluation of pulmonary vessels was useful using Versa Web^TM

Abstract

We have been using CT angiography to locate evaluate pulmonary vessels for the identification of factors such as the presence of variations prior to pulmonary lobectomy or segmentectomy. A 320-row area detector CT scanner was installed in January 2009, allowing for the more detailed imaging of vessels. However, CT angiography is performed using a standard protocol, which may result in poor images of key vessels in some cases. Versa Web^TM client software (Ziosoft Inc., Tokyo, Japan) was installed in September 2009, which allows the surgeon to easily manipulate and save CT angiography images via a web browser. The detailed mapping of pulmonary vessels by preoperative CT angiography should make pulmonary lobectomy safer and faster, particularly upper lobectomy, segmentectomy, and cases of incomplete lobulation.