彩色多普勒超声对甲状腺单发结节良恶性的诊断价值

目的探讨彩色多普勒超声对甲状腺内良性结节与恶性结节的诊断价值。方法分析并比较50例甲状腺内良性结节（包括结节性甲状腺肿和甲状腺腺瘤）与21例甲状腺恶性结节的二维及彩色多普勒超声声像图特征。结果比较甲状腺内良性结节与恶性结节的形状、内部回声、周边回声及结节内部和周边血流分布情况均具有鉴别诊断价值。结论甲状腺内结节形状、内部回声及周边血流信号对甲状腺良、恶性结节的鉴别诊断具有较大的参考价值。     

甲状腺良、恶性结节59例超声诊断分析

目的：分析甲状腺良、恶性结节的二维及彩色多普勒超声声像图特点。方法：回顾性分析经手术病理证实的59例甲状腺结节患者共141个结节的超声图像特征。结果：59例甲状腺结节患者中,良性者51例共129个结节,恶性者8例共12个结节,良、恶性结节在边界、形态、内部回声、微小钙化方面均有差异,恶性结节内部及周边血流信号较丰富,且血供以高阻力为特征。结论：超声对甲状腺良、恶性结节的诊断有重要的应用价值,结合二维声像图及彩色多普勒表现,将有助于良、恶性结节的鉴别诊断。     

超声对多发甲状腺结节的良恶性的鉴别诊断

目的：本文采用二维超声声像图，彩色和脉冲多普勒显像综合应用。对甲状腺结节性病变进行研究，分析各种方法对甲状腺良恶性结节病变的鉴别诊断价值。方法：对50例多发甲状腺结节性病变（共167个结节）分别行二维，彩色、脉冲多普勒显像检查，观察结节的二维声像图特征。结节内部及周边血流及其血流参数特点，将超声诊断结果与病理结果进行对照。结果：二维显示恶性结节多为低回声，边界模糊，无晕环，多见沙粒样钙化（P〈0．05）。CDFI对结节性甲状腺肿的诊断有帮助，但不能鉴别腺瘤和癌，恶性甲状腺结节内部动脉的平均血流峰值流速（PSV）和RI值高于良性甲状腺结节（P〈0．05）。结论：超声对甲状腺结节性病变的诊断有一定的优势，各种方法的综合应用能明显提高甲状腺结节诊断的准确性，对良恶性结节的鉴别具有重要价值。     

彩色多普勒超声对甲状腺结节良恶性鉴别的价值

目的探讨彩色多普勒血流显像（CDFI）对甲状腺结节良恶性肿瘤的鉴别作用。方法用二维声像图、彩色多普勒血流显像方法检查甲状腺患者120例,共计152个病灶,按病灶的声像图特征和血流特点判定为良性和恶性,检查结果与手术后病理对照进行对比分析。结果超声对恶性病灶的检出率方面,其灵敏度、特异度、准确性分别为66.7%、79.0%和78.3%。结论彩色多普勒超声在甲状腺占位性结节的良恶性诊断中具有一定临床的价值。     

彩色多普勒超声在甲状腺癌诊断与鉴别诊断中的应用

目的探讨彩色多普勒超声在甲状腺癌诊断及鉴别诊断中的应用价值。方法回顾分析甲状腺肿瘤患者64例,其中甲状腺癌33例,甲状腺腺瘤31例,全部经手术病理或组织活检证实。观察并比较分析两种病灶的形态、大小、分布、血流形态、动脉血流速度、阻力指数和血流分级。结果甲状腺癌病灶结节多为单发,内部回声减低或回声不均,沙砾样钙化多见,边界不规则,呈蟹足样或有明显毛刺状,结节后方多有声衰减。甲状腺腺瘤病灶结节内部回声减低,相对均质,囊性变多见,少有沙砾样钙化灶,边界规则并可见声晕。恶性结节血流信号丰富,多见穿入性血流,分布杂乱。良性结节中血流信号多分布于病灶的边缘,较规则,病灶内部血流较少。恶性病灶动脉血流速度高及阻力指数显著高于良性结节。结论彩色多普勒超声在甲状腺恶性结节诊断与鉴别诊断中有重要价值。     

甲状腺良恶性结节的超声特征及血流情况分析

目的观察甲状腺良恶性结节的超声特征、血流情况及微血管密度(MVD)值,探讨超声鉴别诊断结节良恶性的可行性。方法选取经手术病理证实的112例甲状腺结节患者(共128个结节),二维超声观察其大小、纵横比、形态、边界、内部回声及有无钙化;应用半定量方法对结节内彩色血流信号进行分级,并对其内部血流分布进行分型。采用免疫细胞化学方法以CD34标记结节内部的微血管内皮细胞,半定量计算MVD值。结果 128个结节中,恶性结节81个,良性结节47个。良恶性结节在低回声、形态不规则、边界不清晰、纵横比≥1及是否有微小钙化等方面比较差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。100个结节为多血供,28个为少血供。67个恶性结节呈病灶中心型或周边环绕的血管分布,14个恶性结节病灶内无血管;38个良性结节呈病灶中心型或周边环绕的血管分布,9个良性结节病灶内无血管。恶性结节MVD值为39.6±5.7,显著低于良性结节MVD值72.1±6.2,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论甲状腺结节的二维超声特征如低回声、形态不规则、边界不清晰、纵横比≥1及是否有微小钙化具有较高的鉴别诊断价值,结节中心部位的血流增多不能作为鉴别诊断的关键依据,恶性结节内部MVD值低于良性结节,其机理尚待进一步研究。     

超声造影鉴别诊断甲状腺结节良恶性的价值

目的 探讨超声造影对鉴别诊断甲状腺结节良恶性的价值.方法 回顾性分析39个甲状腺结节的彩色多普勒血流显像及超声造影灌注过程,观察病灶周边及内部造影剂灌注强度,通过时间-强度曲线分析,比较病灶周边感兴趣区(ROI)峰值强度(PI)与达峰时刻病灶内部ROI相对应的造影剂灌注强度(II)的差异程度,计算两者差值△I及诊断良、恶性结节的△I分界值.结果 甲状腺恶性结节造影增强模式多为弥漫性整体增强(94.12%),良性结节多为周边先于内部增强(86.36%),并以周边环状增强为主,内部轻微增强或始终无增强.初步界定△I＞6.08 dB时,良性结节可能性大,敏感度为85.71%;△I＜2.89 dB时,恶性结节可能性大,敏感度为82.35%.结论 超声造影对鉴别甲状腺结节的良恶性有一定实用价值.     

二维及彩色多普勒超声在乳腺肿块超声诊断中的应用

目的：探讨二维及彩色多普勒超声对乳腺良恶性肿块的鉴别诊断价值。方法：采用二维及彩色多普勒超声对76例乳腺肿块进行检查，用彩色多普勒对肿块进行血流参数检测，分别评价肿块内部血流信号。结果：乳腺良恶性肿块均有其特定的超声特征，良性肿块46．8％能检出血流信号，83．0％为0－I级，RI偏低；恶性肿块82．8％能检出血流信号，69％为Ⅱ-Ⅲ级，RI偏高。结论：二维及彩色多普勒超声有助于乳腺肿块的良恶性鉴别诊断，是乳腺癌诊断中一种有价值的影像诊断方法。     

彩色多普勒超声在诊断甲状腺癌中的应用

目的探讨甲状腺癌的灰阶及彩色多普勒超声表现,寻求鉴别甲状腺良恶性结节的可靠影像学检查方法。方法经术后病理证实甲状腺癌和良性结节各60例,重点分析甲状腺结节的内部回声、边界、血流分布、频谱形态以及收缩期峰值血流速度(PSV)、阻力指数(RI)。结果超声诊断甲状腺癌的准确度、敏感度及特异度分别为89.2%、86.7%及91.7%。低回声、无包膜、内部微钙化作为鉴别甲状腺良恶性结节差异有显著统计学意义(P<0.005)。内部血流较丰富、频谱多普勒舒张期无血流或出现反向血流、高阻力型动脉血流频谱是甲状腺癌较特异的征象。以RI>0.7鉴别甲状腺良恶性结节,差异有统计学意义(P<0.005),其诊断甲状腺癌的准确度、敏感度和特异度分别为65.8%、63.3%和68.3%。术前超声对颈部淋巴结转移诊断的符合率为78.8%(41/52),对阳性淋巴结病例诊断的符合率为75.0%(12/16)。结论高频彩色超声对鉴别甲状腺良恶性结节具有重要临床价值。     

甲状腺结节内钙化的高频彩超诊断与分析

目的探讨高频彩超对甲状腺结节内钙化的诊断价值。方法对经手术与病理证实的甲状腺结节患者,术前作常规超声检查,对有结节内钙化的进行超声图像分析。结果233例患者中,病理结果内为良性结节205例(占91.9%),其中结节内钙化灶43例(占良性结节的20。9%),恶性结节(甲状腺癌)18例(占8。1%),其中14例伴有结节内钙化点(占恶性结节的77。8%)。甲状腺结节内钙化的超声图像以结节内钙化的分布、数量、形态、大小以及结节边界是否光滑、规则、有无包膜,彩色多普勒(CDFI)测定结节周边及内部血流来鉴别结节性质。结论高频彩超对发现病灶并鉴别良恶性肿瘤具有明确的临床价值,综合分析甲状腺结节二维及CDFI征象可提高对其鉴别诊断准确性。     

Guns and Knives in New Mexico: Patterns of Penetrating Trauma, 1978–1993

Objective: To identify patterns of nonfatal and fatal penetrating trauma among children and adults in New Mexico using ED and medical examiner data.
Methods: The authors retrospectively sampled in 5-year intervals all victims of penetrating trauma who presented to either the state Level-1 trauma center or the state medical examiner from a 16-year period (1978–1993). Rates of nonfatal and fatal firearm and stabbing injury were compared for children and adults.
Results: Rates of nonfatal injury were similar (firearm, 34.3 per 100,000 person-years; stabbing, 35.1). However, rates of fatal injury were significantly different (firearm, 21.9; stabbing, 2.7; relative risk: 8.2; 95% confidence interval: 5.4, 12.5). From 1978 to 1993, nonfatal injury rates increased for children (p = 0.0043) and adults (p < 0.0001), while fatal penetrating injury remained constant. The increase in nonfatal injury in children resulted from increased firearm injury rates. In adults, both stabbing and firearm nonfatal injury rates increased.
Conclusions: Nonfatal injury data suggest that nonfatal violence has increased; fatal injury data suggest that violent death rates have remained constant. Injury patterns vary by age, mechanism of trauma, and data source. These results suggest that ED and medical examiner data differ and that both are needed to guide injury prevention programs.     

Interprofessional approaches to creating safe,high quality health care

Three supplementary perspectives are presented arguing that interprofessional collaboration is both necessary and desirable. Nonetheless, there are often too many serious intra-professional barriers and obstacles to interprofessional collaboration to make it successful. Some of these barriers, it is argued and illustrated, are found in the multiple ways in which professional identity is tacitly acquired and embodied in the practitioners' habitual, everyday practice. The paper then explores ways in which reflection, especially Second order reflection, can help to elucidate and overcome these obstacles, as well as increasing professional adaptability and competence.     

Systematic Reviews Published in the January 2011 Issue of The Cochrane Library

ABSTRACT

The Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews is published quarterly as a DVD and monthly online. The January 2011 issue (first quarterly DVD for 2011) contains 4515 complete reviews, 1985 protocols for reviews in production, and 13,521 one-page summaries of systematic reviews published in the general medical literature. In addition, there are citations of 641,000 randomized controlled trials, and 14,018 cited papers in the Cochrane methodology register. The health technology assessment database contains over 9300 citations. One hundred and seven new reviews have been published in the last 3 months, of which five have potential relevance for practitioners in pain and palliative medicine.     

Prospects for the control of neglected tropical diseases by mass drug administration

The prospects for the control of neglected tropical diseases, including soil-transmitted helminthiasis, shistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma, through mass drug administration, are exemplified by the elimination of the trachoma as a public-health problem in Morocco. In spite of this and other striking successes, mass drug administration programs are faced with major challenges resulting from suboptimal coverage and lack of efficacy. At current suboptimal coverage rates, programs may need prolongation for an extended period, increasing costs and undermining sustainability. Community participation through health education and information appears to be crucial to improve coverage and to achieve sustainability. Implementation of complementary measures, such as vector control, improved hygiene and environmental sanitation, are important to further control transmission and to prevent re-emergence of the infection and, again, may only be achieved effectively through community-based initiatives. To reduce costs and to relieve pressure on the health system, combining neglected tropical disease programs in areas where diseases coexist and integration with existing control programs for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS is advocated. The risk of developing drug resistance is of particular concern in view of the lack of alternative drugs, and reduced treatment efficacy due to emerging resistance is evident for the soil-transmitted helminths and onchocerciasis. Given the risk for the development of drug resistance and the need for a high degree of participation, close attention should be paid to the monitoring of the coverage and efficacy of the different program components.     

Bacterial meningitis: an update of new treatment options

The outcome of bacterial meningitis critically depends on the rapid initiation of bactericidal antibiotic therapy and adequate management of septic shock. In community-acquired meningitis, the choice of an optimum initial empirical antibiotic regimen depends on the regional resistance patterns. Pathogens resistant to antibacterials prevail in nosocomial bacterial meningitis. Dexamethasone is recommended as adjunctive therapy for community-acquired meningitis in developed countries. In comatose patients, aggressive measures to lower intracranial pressure <20 mmHg (in particular, external ventriculostomy, osmotherapy and temporary hyperventilation) were effective in a case–control study. Although many experimental approaches were protective in animal models, none of them has been proven effective in patients. Antibiotics, which are bactericidal but do not lyse bacteria, and inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases or complement factor C5 appear the most promising therapeutic options. At present, vaccination is the most efficient method to reduce disease burden. Palmitoylethanolamide appears promising to enhance the resistance of the brain to infections.     

Prise en charge des entorses externes de cheville : étude clinique préliminaire sur l’efficacité du dispositif Myolux™

Ankle sprains are the most common injury of the musculoskeletal system and are associated with significant societal and economic impacts. It has been proven that classical therapeutic strategies may not be effective in preventing recurrent injuries: the recurrence rates reported in the literature can reach 73%. In order to provide an effective rehabilitation solution, a destabilizing orthosis was developed. This device is equipped with a mechanical articulator reproducing the subtalar mechanics and placed under the heel. In this paper, we present the main results of a preliminary clinical study conducted between 2004 and 2007. All subjects included in this study were treated with the abovementioned orthosis during 10 rehabilitation sessions of 30 minutes each. Data show a relatively low recurrence rate of 12% for the overall population. Moreover, it's of primary importance to note that this satisfactory ratio is largely reduced (3% of recurrence rate) for the 29 patients who performed one training session per month after the 10th initial rehabilitation sessions. Hence, the destabilizing orthosis appears to be an effective solution to prevent recurrent ankle sprains. However, joint protection requires long-term and regular training sessions. This result has motivated the development of a similar device allowing patients to perform training sessions at home. Finally, data obtained in this study are promising awaiting the final results of the comparative, multicentric and independent clinical trials currently managed by the Hospices Civils de Lyon.     

Imaging choices in occult hip fracture

Background: Hip fracture is a common injury, with an incidence rate of > 250,000 per year in the United States. Diagnosis is particularly important due to the high dependence on the integrity of the hip in the daily life of most people. Objectives: In this article we review the literature focused on hip fracture detection and discuss advantages and limitations of each major imaging modality. Discussion: Plain radiographs are usually sufficient for diagnosis as they are at least 90% sensitive for hip fracture. However, in the 3–4% of Emergency Department (ED) patients having hip X-ray studies who harbor an occult hip fracture, the Emergency Physician must choose among several methods, each with intrinsic limitations, for further evaluation. These methods include computed tomography, scintigraphy, and magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion: We present an evidence-based algorithm for the evaluation of a patient suspected to have an occult hip fracture in the ED. Also outlined are future directions for research to distinguish more effective techniques for identifying occult hip fractures.     

Systematic Reviews Published in the April 2012 Issue of the Cochrane Library

ABSTRACT

The Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews is published quarterly as a DVD but monthly online. The April 2012 issue (second DVD for 2012) contains 5045 complete reviews, 2182 protocols for reviews in production, and 17,084 short summaries of systematic reviews published in the general medical literature. In addition, there are citations of 674,000 randomized controlled trials, and 15,400 cited papers in the Cochrane methodology register. The health technology assessment database contains just over 11,000 citations. One hundred and seventeen new reviews have been published in the last 3 months of which 12 have potential relevance for practitioners in pain and palliative medicine. The impact factor of the Cochrane Library stands at 6.186. Readers are encouraged to access the full report for any articles of interest as only a brief commentary is provided.     

Platelets,thrombosis, coagulation,and atherosclerosis

When I first got the invitation to join a medical delegation going to Moldova, I thought for a moment that our destination was the fictional country in the old Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup. On further checking, it turns out that entertaining place was called Freedonia. I now know that Moldova is indeed a real country, bordered on the west by Romania and on the other three sides by the Ukraine. It is a proud country, rich with traditions, and its people are warm, giving, eager to learn ways to improve their healthcare system, and deeply appreciative of our attempts to help them in the task.