Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized controlled trial of ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture.
Evidence showing the systematic utility of ultrasound imaging during lumbar puncture (LP) in the emergency department is lacking. Our hypothesis was that ultrasound-assisted LP would increase the success rate and ease of performing LP with a greater benefit in obese patients. ⋯ The use of ultrasound for LP significantly reduced the number of failures in all patients and improved the ease of the procedure in obese patients.
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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential importance and need for further investigation of thyroid lesions detected during imaging investigations unrelated to the thyroid gland (thyroid incidentalomas). The management of these lesions is controversial because most malignancies detected will be papillary microcarcinomas, which will not manifest as overt disease. ⋯ The management and importance of the thyroid incidentaloma remain controversial, although problems relating to these issues are likely to become increasingly common in radiologic practice. Once an incidentaloma has been observed, formal clinical and sonographic assessment should be considered, with fine-needle aspiration cytologic examination as appropriate, after an informed discussion with patient.