Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Randomized Double-Blinded Trial on the Effects of Ultrasound Transducer Orientation on Teaching and Learning Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia.
Learning ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia skills, especially needle/ beam alignment, can be especially difficulty for trainees, who can often become frustrated. We hypothesized that teaching novices to orient the transducer and needle perpendicular to their shoulders will improve performance on a standardized task, compared to holding the transducer and needle parallel to the shoulders. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia trainees complete a standardized task more quickly and efficiently when instructed to hold the transducer and needle in an orientation perpendicular to their shoulders.
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To compare older and newer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria for placental invasion and to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI and sonography in determining the depth of placental invasion. ⋯ The diagnosis of placental invasion remains challenging on sonography and MRI, which perform similarly. The presence of 2 or more criteria adds specificity to the diagnosis of placental invasion on MRI.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of Two Injection Techniques for Intra-articular Hip Injections.
Intra-articular hip joint injections have traditionally relied on the use of image guidance to confirm intra-articular needle placement. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) has emerged as a popular tool to aid the clinician in performing intra-articular hip injections. Modern automated injection delivery systems are commercially available and may offer the potential to optimize clinical efficiency while limiting procedural morbidity. The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes and clinical efficiency between two US-guided intra-articular hip injection techniques. The hypothesis was that the use of an automated delivery system for US-guided intra-articular hip joint injections would show superiority in clinical efficiency over traditional syringe injections. ⋯ Use of an automated delivery system for US-guided intra-articular hip injections did not show superior efficiency or patient comfort over traditional syringe injections. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections led to clinically and statistically significant improvements in pain and function for patients with intra-articular hip pain, irrespective of the delivery method. Smoking history and female sex were independent predictors of increased pain associated with intra-articular hip joint injections.
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The purpose of this study was to determine prognostic factors affecting semen parameters in patients with varicocele during the postadolescent period. ⋯ The left peak retrograde flow velocity and reflux grade in the standing position were significantly associated with all semen analysis parameters. This finding supports the use of testicular duplex Doppler sonography as a noninvasive tool for evaluation of testicular function in patients with varicocele and helps clinicians determine patients' fertility status.
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Ultrasound phantoms are invaluable as training tools for vascular access procedures. We developed ultrasound phantoms with wall-less vessels using 3-dimensional printed chambers. ⋯ Several variations on this design are presented, which include branched and stenotic vessels. The results show that 3-dimensional printing can be well suited to the construction of wall-less ultrasound phantoms, with designs that can be readily customized and shared electronically.