Brit J Hosp Med
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Round ligament varicosity is rare and mainly reported during pregnancy. A systematic review of the literature identified 48 relevant studies reporting a total of 159 cases of round ligament varicosity, 158 of which were associated with pregnancy. Where reported, the mean age of the patients was 30.65 years, and 60.2% were of Asian ethnicity. ⋯ No fetal complications or loss were reported. Round ligament varicosity can be misdiagnosed as a groin hernia, which may lead to unnecessary surgery during pregnancy. Therefore, increased awareness of this condition among clinicians is important.
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Contrast-enhanced medical imaging is commonly requested in clinical practice. Contrast media provide better differentiation of tissue enhancement, improves the soft tissue contrast resolution, and enhances the ability to study the physiology and function of the organs and/or systems. However, contrast media may cause complications, especially in patients with renal failure. ⋯ Therefore, precautions should be taken when planning for medical imaging for patients with pre-existing acute kidney injury or end-stage chronic kidney disease, for whom contrast media administration in computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be relatively contraindicated. Alternatively, ultrasound contrast agents can be safely used in patients with acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease. Clinical teams should discuss these patients with radiologists, taking into account the risk-benefits of contrast media, to determine the optimal imaging protocol or modality to answer the clinical query.