Assoc. Prof. M.D. Nilgün Güldoğan

A 28-year-old professional freediver from the Black Sea coast presented with recurring headaches after deep dives. Dr. Güldoğan performed a specialized contrast-enhanced MR angiography to assess cerebral blood flow under simulated pressure conditions. The imaging revealed a previously undetected venous sinus stenosis that only became symptomatic during extreme pressure changes. The patient was referred to a vascular neurosurgeon and, following a stent procedure, returned to competitive diving with monitored depth limits.

A 72-year-old retired calligrapher from Istanbul's historic district was found to have an incidental pancreatic cyst on a routine abdominal ultrasound. Dr. Güldoğan utilized dual-energy CT with pancreatic protocol, identifying specific enhancement patterns that suggested a rare serous cystadenoma rather than a premalignant lesion. This avoided unnecessary invasive biopsy, and the patient continues with annual imaging surveillance while maintaining his traditional art practice.

A 7-year-old Syrian refugee with complex congenital heart disease (previously repaired in Turkey) developed unexplained fevers. Dr. Güldoğan performed a cardiac MRI with late gadolinium enhancement, identifying a small myocardial abscess adjacent to the surgical patch that echocardiography had missed. This guided targeted antibiotic therapy and prevented further cardiac deterioration in this vulnerable patient.

A 45-year-old female ceramic artist from Cappadocia presented with chronic hip pain attributed to arthritis. Dr. Güldoğan's pelvic MRI revealed not degenerative changes but extensive pelvic congestion syndrome with unusual venous malformations compressing the sciatic nerve. Embolization treatment provided relief, allowing the artist to resume working at her pottery wheel.