AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 1995
Can ultrasound probes and coupling gel be a source of nosocomial infection in patients undergoing sonography? An in vivo and in vitro study.
At our institution, ultrasound probes are wiped with a clean, dry, soft, absorbent paper towel after each procedure as a basic standard of probe disinfection. However, it was unclear if this provided a sufficient level of decontamination. This study was designed to determine if the ultrasound probe and coupling gel can act as a vector of nosocomial infection and to describe a cost-effective method of probe handling that allows optimal control of infection. ⋯ Ultrasound probes that are wiped with a paper towel until they are visibly clean do not contribute to nosocomial infections. Additional antiseptic solutions such as Hibidil are not necessary. We suggest that probes be simply wiped with a clean, dry, nonsterile paper towel between procedures, including probes used on contaminated scanning fields, open wounds, and cutaneous infections. After the final procedure of the day, probes should be cleaned with a liquid cleaning solution such as Hibidil to remove all traces of coupling gel, which could support the overnight growth of bacteria. This would decontaminate the probes and prevent the overnight growth of bacteria. This method would be both a cost-effective and time-efficient protocol for controlling infection.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 1995
Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease: long-term sonographic findings in patients surviving the neonatal period.
We studied the sonographic findings and the changes in renal function seen on long-term follow-up of children who had the initial diagnosis of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease made in the neonatal period. ⋯ In patients with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease who survive the neonatal period, kidney size as seen on sonograms does not continue to increase despite the patients' linear growth and maintained normal renal function. Rather, a decrease in kidney size and change in echogenicity occurs, producing a pattern that is similar to that seen on sonograms of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease but without the marked increase in kidney size that occurs in that entity. This changing cystic pattern on follow-up sonograms may be the reason that previous descriptions of the sonographic findings in cases of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease have varied and why a decrease in size may not herald deteriorating renal function.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 1995
CT diagnosis and localization of rupture of the bladder in children with blunt abdominal trauma: significance of contrast material extravasation in the pelvis.
The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of CT performed with maximal bladder distension in showing extravasation of IV contrast material as a means of detecting and localizing bladder rupture in children after blunt trauma. ⋯ The use of a scanning delay at CT prior to imaging the pelvis showed extravasation of IV contrast material in all seven children with bladder rupture. Intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal bladder rupture could be differentiated on the basis of the distribution of extravasated contrast material seen on CT scans.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 1995
Diagnosis of appendiceal abscess in children with acute appendicitis: value of color Doppler sonography.
We performed color Doppler imaging of the right lower quadrant in children with acute appendicitis to characterize the imaging findings indicative of appendiceal perforation and to determine the value of this technique in diagnosing appendiceal abscesses. ⋯ Our results indicate that the best color Doppler sonographic predictors of appendiceal perforation are a hyperemic periappendiceal or pelvic fluid collection and periappendiceal soft-tissue hyperemia. A hyperemic, loculated fluid collection appears specific for the diagnosis of abscess.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 1995
Comparative StudyBiliary sludge after liver transplantation: 2. Treatment with interventional techniques versus surgery and/or oral chemolysis.
Interventional treatment of biliary sludge in liver transplant recipients includes transhepatic biliary drainage and saline irrigation, catheter chemolysis and/or basket extraction, and endoscopic intervention. The purpose of this study was to compare these interventional procedures with oral chemolysis and with surgical treatment of biliary sludge in order to evaluate the effectiveness of interventional procedures as an alternative to surgery in the treatment of this complication. ⋯ Interventional techniques are effective therapeutic alternatives for treating biliary sludge occurring after liver transplantation and should be considered before surgical procedures. An indication for interventional procedures in biliary sludge is lack of success of oral chemolysis and an absence of other complications that require surgery or retransplantation.