Purpose or Case Report: Compression syndrome is the entrapment of any vessel or luminal structure by another vessel. These are often due to an underlying anatomic anomaly or variant. Though seen in young and healthy individuals, compression syndromes may have severe clinical outcomes including arterial ischemia, embolism, early satiety, hypertension, weight loss, dyspnea, venous stasis and thrombosis. The purpose of this educational exhibit is to familiarize radiologists and clinicians alike with the clinical presentation, best diagnostic imaging modalities and characteristic imaging features for the diagnosis of compression syndromes in the pediatric population.
Methods & Materials: We will review the clinical presentation, imaging techniques and features of compression syndromes in which a vessel compresses another vessel such as May-Thurner Syndrome (left common iliac vein compression syndrome) and Nutcracker Syndrome (renal vein entrapment syndrome) as well as those in which a nonvascular structure compresses a vessel as in Paget-Schroetter Syndrome (effort thrombosis) and popliteal artery entrapment. We will also discuss compression syndromes in which vessels compress luminal structures such as innominate artery compression syndrome, superior mesenteric artery syndrome, and uretero-pelvic junction obstruction.
Results:
Conclusions: Compression syndromes often occur in young, healthy individuals and may present with a variety of subtle and non-specific symptoms. Often the unusual clinical presentation and imaging features must be correlated to diagnose compression syndromes. It is important to familiarize clinicians and radiologists with these entities, as prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent any long term morbidity or sequelae.