Radiology
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Comparative Study
Appendicitis: evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of US, Doppler US, and laboratory findings.
To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of ultrasonography (US), Doppler US, and laboratory findings in the diagnosis of appendicitis. ⋯ A threshold 6-mm diameter of the appendix under compression is the most accurate US finding for appendicitis and has high NPV and PPV.
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Comparative Study
Superiority of pentobarbital versus chloral hydrate for sedation in infants during imaging.
To compare the effectiveness and safety of oral pentobarbital and oral chloral hydrate for sedation in infants younger than 1 year during magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT). ⋯ Although oral pentobarbital and oral chloral hydrate are equally effective, the incidence of adverse events with pentobarbital was significantly reduced.
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A system for grading lumbar nerve root compromise (no compromise, contact of disk material with nerve root, deviation of nerve root, and compression of nerve root) was tested in the interpretation of routine magnetic resonance images of 500 lumbar nerve roots in 250 symptomatic patients. Intra- and interobserver reliability was assessed for three independent observers. ⋯ Correlation of image-based grading with surgical grading was high (r = 0.86). The image-based grading system enabled reliable evaluation and reporting of nerve root compromise.
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To evaluate thin-section computed tomographic (CT) abnormalities in patients in the intensive care unit during the late stage of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). ⋯ The CT features of late-stage ARDS caused by SARS are similar to those seen in late-stage ARDS of other causes, with no apparent differences between patients who do and patients who do not receive prolonged mechanical ventilation. The presence of cysts in one patient who received short-term and one patient who received no mechanical ventilation suggests that severe SARS-induced ARDS may independently result in cyst formation.