Lung Ultrasound for the Emergency Diagnosis of Pneumonia,Acute Heart Failure,and Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Asthma in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Lung ultrasound can accelerate the diagnosis of life-threatening diseases in adults with respiratory symptoms.

超声造影增强模式鉴别软组织肿块良恶性

Objective: To investigate the ability of contrast enhancement patterns of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating benign and malignant soft tissue tumours.     

Diagnostic sensitivity of electrophysiology and ultrasonography in ulnar neuropathies of different severity

ObjectiveTo assess the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying clinical severity in 135 consecutive patients.MethodsClinical severity of ulnar neuropathy was graded on a 4 point scale from very mild (symptoms only) to severe (marked atrophy of intrinsic hand muscles). Sensitivity and localization ability of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound were assessed for each point of the scale.ResultsUltrasound had higher sensitivity than electrophysiology in clinically very mild (20% and 3% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) and mild (62% and 47% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) neuropathies, had greater localizing ability in axonal ulnar neuropathies, and identified nerve hypermobility.Ultrasound nerve cross-sectional area had strong positive correlation with both clinical and electrophysiological severity scores, but with significant overlap across the severity groups.ConclusionThe diagnostic work-up of ulnar neuropathies was improved by using both electrophysiology and ultrasound at all levels of clinical severity. Ultrasound increased the diagnostic yield in very mild and mild neuropathies, localized all the ulnar neuropathies with abnormal non-localizing electrophysiology and identified nerve hypermobility.SignificanceThis is the first detailed analysis of the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying severity.     

Ultrasound-guided Brachytherapy for Cervix Cancer

Radiotherapy and brachytherapy are the definitive treatments for locally advanced cervix cancer. The use of soft-tissue imaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, has enhanced their effectiveness and improved clinical outcomes. However, the use of magnetic resonance imaging is largely restricted to well-resourced centres in both the first and developing world and remains elusive to many less advantaged centres, particularly those in areas with a high burden of cervix cancer. Ultrasound is an accessible, affordable and accurate imaging modality that can be used throughout the brachytherapy procedure. Ultrasound is primarily used to ensure safe insertion of the applicator but can also be used to guide planning. The methods used to utilise ultrasound images for planning are described. Ultrasound is particularly useful as a verification aid to confirm applicator placement after patients are moved and transferred around the radiotherapy department. It can also be used to verify the dimensions of treatment volumes over the course of brachytherapy. There is a crucial unmet need for an accessible economical soft-tissue imaging modality in cervical brachytherapy. Ultrasound has the potential to meet this need.     

实时超声引导下显微手术切除脑深部病灶

目的探讨术中超声引导在脑深部病灶显微手术中的应用价值。方法自2004年开始我们在脑深部病灶显微手术中采用实时超声引导病灶定位,指引手术中皮层入路及路径的选择,并使用术中超声影像动态了解病变位置的变化情况、手术切除的范围,利用实时影像辅助判断病变切除程度。结果28例脑深部病灶,病灶直径为1.0～5.9cm,病理诊断包括蛛网膜囊肿5例,海绵状血管瘤2例,动静脉畸形2例,肿瘤7例,脑内血肿12例。所有病例均显微镜下全切,术后28例患者均恢复良好,神经功能保存良好,无新的神经功能损害,无手术并发症。结论术中超声引导是一种简便有效的脑深部病灶定位方法,操作简便,定位准确,能够实时指引手术路径和动态了解手术切除病灶的范围,与显微神经外科配合能够有效地避免额外的手术损伤,提高手术精度。     

Female pelvic floor. Descriptive anatomy and clinical exploration by transvaginal ultrasound

In order to assess the state and pathology of the woman's pelvis minor, a number of methods are commonly used among practitioners, encompassing clinical exploration, radiology, MRN, urodynamics, endoscopy and echography.

Echography has been poorly used in clinical pelvic exploration and its reliability is actually a matter of controversy 1. However, echographic surveys can provide us with valuable gynecological data on the state and pathologies of the soft pelvis, within the genital regions or even going beyond them, i.e. the rectal channel, bladder, urethra, anus, vascular plexuses, and all of their supporting tissues.

At our research unit, we have been employing Transvaginal Ultrasound echography (TVU) for a long time in conjunction with other pelvis-focused methods in order to study different kinds of pelvic alterations. TVU has proven to be friendly to use, fast, harmless and inexpensive, allowing serial explorations and producing high-quality dynamic images (loop-cinema, video-tape). Furthermore, this method is fairly aseptic in that the occurrence of faeces in the rectal ampolla is not a nuisance but a bonus in tracking the contours of the rectum walls and other topographical features which would be otherwise difficult to survey.

A complete pelvic floor TVU may add no longer than 5-8 minutes to a routine gynecological examination, can be implemented by the general gynecologist and generates data that can be further studied by the appropriate specialist for a more insightful evaluation 2.     

B超引导下经皮肺穿刺针吸活检对周围型肺肿块的诊断价值

目的探讨Ｂ超引导下经皮肺穿刺针吸活检对周围型肺肿块的诊断价值。方法对３１例患者施行Ｂ超引导肺穿刺针吸活检５６次，进行细胞学和细菌学检查。结果穿刺取材成功率为９３．６％，所获细胞学资料与手术病理诊断或临床治疗随访对照，定性诊断符合率为８９．７％。结论该诊断方法简便实用，并发症轻微，适于临床推广应用。     

Spleen sizing by ultrasound in polycythaemia and thrombocythaemia: comparison with SPECT

Detection of non-palpable early splenic enlargement may aid diagnosis of primary polycythaemia (PP) and primary thrombocythaemia (PT). In this study linear spleen sizing by ultrasound has been compared with spleen volume estimation by single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) in 26 patients. Spleen length by ultrasound correlated well with SPECT volume estimation.
Ultrasound spleen length was also measured in 60 normal control subjects where the upper limit of the 95% reference range was 11.6 cm. Changes in spleen length with both age and body weight were substantial and overshadowed the imperfect reproducibility of this method. Therefore, interpretation of an individual's measured spleen length should be in relation to that predicted for adults of the same age and weight, particularly at the extremes of the younger, heavier patients and also the older, lighter patients.
Ultrasound spleen lengths of different patient groups (21 PP, 26 PT, 17 idiopathic erythrocytosis, 12 secondary polycythaemia, nine apparent polycythaemia) were compared both using the measured overall reference range and the differences from the values predicted for their age and weight. The comparison showed that almost all patients with PP whose spleens were not palpable had spleen lengths greater than the upper limit for the normal control group, but separation from the other patient groups was incomplete.
Detection of non-palpable splenomegaly by ultrasound length should remain a 'minor' criterion amongst the 'proposed modified diagnostic criteria' of PP.