AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2011
Analysis and prioritization of near-miss adverse events in a radiology department.
The purpose of this study is to describe a method for the evaluation and prioritization of near-miss events in a radiology department. ⋯ This method was constructed from standardized definitions of outcome severity, the ability of current systems to detect or mitigate an adverse event or outcome, and event frequency and offers a tool for systematic evaluation and stratification of near-miss adverse events.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2011
Clinical TrialHigh-resolution MRI of carotid plaque with a neurovascular coil and contrast-enhanced MR angiography: one-stop shopping for the comprehensive assessment of carotid atherosclerosis.
The objective of our study was to assess a protocol of study of carotid atherosclerosis coupling vascular wall imaging and luminal imaging in the same examination and to evaluate the accuracy of high-resolution MRI with a neurovascular coil in carotid plaque characterization. ⋯ In patients with carotid atherosclerosis, ongoing CE-MRA with a neurovascular coil for the simultaneous detection of unstable plaques is feasible. Our MR protocol accurately identifies the major features of vulnerable plaque.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2011
Does a clinical decision rule using D-dimer level improve the yield of pulmonary CT angiography?
The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of incorporating a mandatory clinical decision rule and selective d-dimer use on the yield of pulmonary CT angiography (CTA). ⋯ Guidelines combining a clinical decision rule with d-dimer level significantly improved the utilization of pulmonary CTA and positive yield for PE.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2011
MDCT findings in Baastrup disease: disease or normal feature of the aging spine?
Baastrup disease is characterized by the development of abnormal contact between adjacent spinous processes. The clinical significance remains unresolved, a few studies showing Baastrup disease as a cause of back pain. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of Baastrup disease in a large unselected cohort to determine whether it is part of the expected spectrum of degenerative changes in the aging spine. ⋯ Baastrup disease occurs with high frequency among the elderly. Our data show that it develops with increasing age and is part of the expected degenerative changes in the aging spine. Because of the nearly universal association with other degenerative changes, we urge caution before diagnosing Baastrup disease as the cause of back pain.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 2011
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialInterpretation of positron emission mammography and MRI by experienced breast imaging radiologists: performance and observer reproducibility.
In preparation for a multicenter trial of positron emission mammography (PEM) and MRI in women with newly diagnosed cancer, the two purposes of this study were to validate training of breast imagers in standardized interpretation of PEM and to validate performance of the same specialists interpreting MRI. ⋯ With minimal training, experienced breast imagers showed high performance in interpreting PEM images. Performance in MRI interpretation by the same observers validated expected clinical practice.