Multislice CT angiography of the plantar arch: A case report

Abstract

The aim of this case report is to present a multislice CT angiography (CTA) procedure with regards to its application for viewing the plantar arch. The toes of a 64-year old patient who had recently undergone a proximal wedge osteotomy procedure for correction of a hallux valgus deformity were becoming necrotic and gangrenous, and a CTA was requested to determine the vascular sufficiency of the plantar arch. A 16-detector row CT scanner with 1.25mm slice thickness and 0.625mm reconstruction interval was used to reconstruct multiplanar reformats, maximum intensity projections and three-dimensional volume rendered images of the foot in question in both arterial and venous phases to determine if pathology of the plantar arch was present. The 3D reconstructed images of CTA demonstrated a loss of continuity of the plantar arch between the first and third metatarsals. This case report shows the diagnostic value of multislice CT angiography, especially, 3D visualisation in the assessment of peripheral vascular branches.