Joint, bone, spine : revue du rhumatisme
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To assess the feasibility and safety of caudal epidural glucocorticoid injections performed with ultrasound guidance. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided caudal glucocorticoid injection is a fast, easy-to-perform, well accepted procedure. In our study, an epidurogram confirming that the needle was in the epidural space was obtained in 27 of 28 patients.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Assessment of calcific tendonitis of rotator cuff by ultrasonography: comparison between symptomatic and asymptomatic shoulders.
Calcific tendonitis of rotator cuff is observed on plain radiographs in 10% of adults, but remains asymptomatic in half these cases. We looked for differences on ultrasound (US) and power Doppler findings between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases of shoulder calcific tendonitis. ⋯ Positive power Doppler signal within the calcific deposit and SSB widening are US features strongly associated with pain. Moreover, larger calcifications are also more symptomatic. According to these results, US can help physicians to confirm that calcification is responsible for shoulder pain.
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Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in its established and early forms accounts for more than 5% of all cases of chronic low back pain. Attention has focused recently on decreasing the time from symptom onset to the diagnosis of AS, which currently ranges from five to 10 years. An earlier diagnosis would lead to improved management, in particular thanks to the recent introduction and continuing development of biotherapies, such as TNFalpha antagonists, and new imaging techniques, including Doppler ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging have proved capable of detecting early signs of AS. ⋯ Several groups have been working on means of improving the early diagnosis of AS. An algorithm for the early diagnosis of axial AS developed by Rudwaleit et al. needs to be confirmed by prospective studies. The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) has just issued new diagnostic criteria for AS that performed well in a large cohort of patients with recent-onset low back pain.