Soluble thrombomodulin plasma levels are an early indication of a lethal course in human acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND: The potential to predict severe disease and lethality by using plasma soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 73 patients with acute pancreatitis was analyzed in a prospective 5-year investigation performed at a single institution. METHODS: According to the Atlanta criteria, pancreatitis was classified as mild in 23 patients and as severe in 50 patients. Blood was collected on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 after the onset of pain and analyzed for sTM and CRP. RESULTS: During the period between days 3 and 10 of acute pancreatitis when most of the admissions occurred, sTM levels at a cutoff of 75 ng/mL on day 3 (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 77%; positive predictive value, 38%; negative predictive value, 100%) and 71 ng/mL on day 10 (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 77%; positive predictive value, 41%; negative predictive value, 100%) were predictive of a lethal outcome. With sTM levels, it was not possible to differentiate patients with mild pancreatitis from those with severe pancreatitis (Atlanta classification). In contrast, CRP levels at a cutoff of 113 mg/L on day 3 differentiated severe from mild courses with a diagnostic sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 60%, a positive predictive value of 78%, and a negative predictive value of 69%. CRP levels at a cutoff of 122 mg/L on day 10 differentiated mild from severe courses (nonsurvivors) with a diagnostic sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 72%, a positive predictive value of 86%, and a negative predictive value of 53%. In contrast, differentiation of mild forms of acute pancreatitis from severe pancreatitis (survivors) on day 10 was not possible. CONCLUSIONS: CRP is a valuable marker of disease severity in acute pancreatitis especially in the first period of pancreatitis, whereas sTM identifies early those patients with the most severe courses and a high risk of dying (negative predictive value, 100%). Determination of sTM in addition to CRP offers the opportunity of identifying early those patients who require intensive care most urgently. Of course, further investigations of sTM in acute pancreatitis are indicated to confirm our results.     

Thyroid nodules: comparison of preoperative and intraoperative needle aspirate and definite histological study

The need to discover malignancy is the most challenging dilemma in the management of thyroid nodules, the most common endocrine disorders, affecting 4-5% of the general population. Malignancies account for only 2-3% of cases. The aim of our study was to evaluate the predictive value of preoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in surgical decision making by evaluating the final pathologic diagnosis and comparing it to the preoperative and intraoperative diagnoses. We conducted a prospective study of 30 thyroid resections. The mean age was 49 years (range: 27 to 68 years). Preoperative physical and laboratory examinations, presenting symptoms, imaging studies and predictive values of preoperative and intraoperative FNAC were analyzed. The consistency of the lesion was strongly predictive of malignancy, when "hard". Single lesions were also predictive of malignancy. The diagnostic accuracy of preoperative FNAC vs intraoperative FNAC vs frozen section histopathology was 90% vs 100% vs 96.7%; sensitivity: 91.6% vs 100% vs 100%; specificity: 90.5% vs 100% vs 94.7%, while the positive predictive value was 84.6% vs 100% vs 91.7%, and the negative predictive value 95% vs 100% vs 100%. Ultrasound-guided preoperative FNAC showed high specificity, sensitivity and accuracy in diagnosing malignancy in thyroid nodules. Intraoperative FNAC was more accurate than intraoperative frozen sections in diagnosing malignancy in thyroid nodules.     

Exercise electrocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: preliminary report.

Exercise electrocardiography and rest/exercise myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 were performed in 43 patients with typical angina or atypical chest pain; the results were correlated with those of coronary arteriography. Exercise electrocardiography sensitivity was 65%, specificity was 78%, predictive value for a positive result was 73% and for a negative result was 93%. The low sensitivity of the exercise electrocardiogram was mainly due to the number (13 of 43, 30%) of inconclusive results (no ST-segment change on the electrocardiogram, but failure to attain the target rate), most of which were in the group with typical angina. The predictive value of exercise electrocardiography for both a positive and negative result was excellent in typical angina. In patients with atypical chest pain, the negative predictive value was high (90%) but the positive predictive value was very low (50%). The sensitivity of myocardial perfusion imaging was 71%, specificity was 59%, positive predictive value was 52% and negative predictive value 89%. The low specificity of this test is related to the number of false-positive results obtained, most of which occurred in the group with atypical pain. When the results of exercise electrocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging are combined, the sensitivity is increased but specificity is unacceptably low. However, myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with an inconclusive result from exercise electrocardiography (most of them in the group with typical angina) showed a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 88%, positive predictive value of 80% and negative predictive value of 100%.     

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??New Evaluation of Ultrasonography for Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Breast Cancer LIU Wei, LI Yue, ZHAO Ying, et al.
Corresponding author: WANG Xin, E-mail??xinwangse@126.com
The First Department of Breast Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy,Tianjin, Tianjin 300060, China
Abstract Objective To reduce the postoperative complications of breast cancer and evaluate the value of ultrasonography in detecting ALN metastasis compared with mammography, MRI and PET-CT in patients with breast cancer. Methods 253 breast cancer patients who undergone ultrasonography were studied. The results of the histopathology after surgery were used as diagnostic golden standard. The findings of their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy in diagnosing axillary metastases lymph node of breast cancer were compared. Results The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy obtained by ultrasound were 70.6%, 87.4%, 84.8%, 75.0% and 79.1%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy obtained by mammography were 14.6%, 100%, 100%, 53.9% and 57.3%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy obtained by MRI were 50.0%, 100%, 100%, 71.4%, 77.8%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy obtained by PET-CT were 90.0%, 92.3%, 90.0%, 92.3%, 91.3%. The Kappa value was 0.729. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of experienced doctors and un-experienced doctors were 69.2%, 87.1% and 78.1% ; 62.5 %, 88.2% and 75.8% respectively??P<0.05??. Conclusion Our study indicates that ultrasonography is better than other examinations for predicting axillary node status, moreover the experiences of doctors affect the predicting results.     

Efectividad diagnóstica de la tomografía por emisión de positrones con 18fluorodeoxiglucosa asociada a tomografía axial en la discriminación de benignidad o malignidad de las lesiones suprarrenales

IntroductionThe usefulness of 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with axial tomography (PET-CT) in diagnosing whether adrenal tumours are benign or malignant is assessed.Material and methodsA retrospective study conducted between June 2005 and May 2009 on a consecutive series of patients on whom a PET-CT scan was performed to study suspected malignant adrenal disease. Focal uptakes were assessed, along with the maximum standard uptake value (SUV), and the ratio of the maximum adrenal/hepatic value. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the test, the maximum adrenal uptake values and the ratio for those where the diagnostic yield was maximum.ResultsFifteen patients were included. The final diagnosis showed malignancy in eight and seven were benign. Ten patients had adrenal uptake: three in benign lesions and seven in neoplasias, with a mean uptake value of 6.3 (3.2 in benign lesions and 9.0 in malignant lesions). The mean adrenal/hepatic ratio was 1.8 (0.9 in benign and 2.6 in malignant lesions). When the presence of adrenal uptake is associated with a final diagnosis of malignancy, we obtained a sensitivity of 87.5%, a specificity of 57.1%, and a positive and negative predictive value of 70% and 80%, respectively. An SUV cut-off value of 6, or an adrenal/hepatic uptake ratio of 2, gave a sensitivity of 75%, a specificity of 100%, and a positive and negative predictive value of 100% and 77.7%, respectively.ConclusionsPET-CT has a high ability to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions in the adrenal disease studied.     

Intraoperative frozen section analysis in revision total joint arthroplasty

A prospective study of the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for frozen sections against cultures obtained at the time of revision total joint replacement was done. One hundred twenty-one revision total joint replacements were done in 92 men and 29 women. A positive frozen section with more than 10 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high power field was compared with the intraoperative cultures. Twenty-one patients who had revision surgery had greater than 10 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high power field. Of these, 14 patients had positive cultures. The remaining 100 patients had less than 10 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high power field, but seven had positive cultures. Statistical analysis of frozen sections for all total joint arthroplasties revealed a 67% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 67% positive predictive value, and 93% negative predictive value. Analysis of frozen sections for total hip arthroplasties revealed a 45% sensitivity, 92% specificity, 55% positive predictive value, and 88% negative predictive value. Analysis for total knee arthroplasties revealed 100% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 82% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. Comparisons of sensitivity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value between total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty were significant. The results indicate that the use of intraoperative frozen section analysis with greater than 10 polymorphonuclear leukocytes per high power field as an indication of infection lacks the positive predictive value and sensitivity for accurate determination of prosthetic infection at the time of revision total hip arthroplasty. Frozen sections have an acceptable sensitivity and positive predictive value in total knee arthroplasty. The results of the current study show the limitation of using frozen sections as a diagnostic test for infection in revision total hip arthroplasty.     

The Comparison of Ottawa Ankle Rules and Shetty test performances in foot-ankle trauma patients visited to the emergency department

BackgroundThe Ottawa Ankle Rules (OARs) and Shetty test (ST), are assessment guidelines intended to minimize radiographs in patients with ankle trauma. The aim of this study is to determine and compare the effectiveness of OARs and ST in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) with foot and ankle trauma.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was carried out in the ED of a tertiary care teaching hospital. OARs and ST were practiced by different doctors to patients, who were admitted with foot and ankle trauma. X-ray images were analyzed by a radiologist. Accuracy measures were covered such as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value.ResultsThe study was completed a total of 207 patients, after achieving the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 33.1±16.3, and 96 (46.4%) were female. For OARs, it was determined that as sensitivity 97.22%, specificity 48.89%, positive predictive value 50.36%, negative predictive value 97.06%, positive likelihood ratio 1.9 and negative likelihood ratio 0.06. If the OARs had been used, there would have been a 32.8% reduction in the ankle X-ray system. For the ST, it was determined that as sensitivity 51.39%, specificity 85.93%, positive predictive value 66.07%, negative predictive value 76.82%, positive likelihood ratio 3.65 and negative likelihood ratio 0.57.DiscussionThe OARs can be used as a screening tool, due to causing the high sensitivity in foot and ankle traumas. The ST was found to be inefficient in this study. In addition, the significant reduction in the number of X-rays with the use of OARs is another major result of the study.     

Transhepatic portal vein catheterization for localization of sporadic and MEN gastrinomas: a ten-year experience

We review here the 10-year experience at the University of Michigan with 35 patients with gastrin hypersecretion who underwent transhepatic venous sampling (THVS) for tumor localization. Since 1978 THVS has been done routinely in all patients with gastrinoma syndrome considered for operation. Thirty-one patients had proved gastrinomas--21 benign sporadic tumors and 10 tumors associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type-I (MEN I) syndrome. The correlation between the site of the maximal gradient and location of a sporadic tumor was poor. Overall sensitivity was only 35%, specificity 89%, and negative predictive value 89%. If gradients were regionalized to three areas--body and tail, gastrinoma triangle, and hepatic lobes--then sensitivity was 94%, positive predictive value 94%, and specificity 97%, with a negative predictive value of 97%. The maximal gastrin gradient above the mean for other values gave the greatest sensitivity and specificity. In MEN I syndrome, only four of eight patients with macroadenomas had their tumors correctly localized, a sensitivity of 50% and specificity and negative predictive value of 75%. In 19 patients who had operative localization of sporadic gastrinoma, computed tomography had a sensitivity of 31%, specificity of 66%, positive predictive value of 83%, and negative predictive value of 15%. Selective angiography was better, with a sensitivity of 29%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 100%. Regionalization to the triangle proved valuable for detection of microgastrinomas, as was measurement of hepatic vein gastrins for identification of intrahepatic tumors. In MEN I syndrome, if regionalization was achieved (50%), tumor resection appeared to offer hope of "cure." We conclude that THVS is the best tool for tumor regionalization to the pancreatic tail and body, gastrinoma triangle, and hepatic lobes. It has allowed us to achieve surgical cure in 19 of 21 patients with sporadic gastrinomas and improvement in four of eight patients with MEN I syndrome.     

18F-PSMA PET/CT与mpMRI对前列腺癌盆腔淋巴结转移诊断价值的比较

目的比较18F-前列腺特异性膜抗原(PSMA)-1007 PET/CT与多参数磁共振(mpMRI)对前列腺癌盆腔淋巴结转移的诊断效能。方法回顾性分析2018年11月至2021年4月于四川省肿瘤医院同期行18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT和mpMRI检查的30例前列腺癌患者的临床病理资料。年龄(68.4±6.4)岁, 术前血清总前列腺特异性抗原45.70(16.07, 100.00)ng/ml。30例中14例PET/CT淋巴结阳性, 7例mpMRI淋巴结阳性。术前临床T分期:T1期1例, T2期20例, T3期6例, T4期3例;危险度分层高危29例, 中危1例。30例均行腹腔镜根治性前列腺切除术+盆腔扩大淋巴结清扫术。根据术后淋巴结病理检查结果, 分析两种影像学检查诊断前列腺癌盆腔淋巴结转移的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值, 同时采用Kappa检验分析两种影像学检查与术后淋巴结病理结果的一致性。结果本组30例术后病理均为前列腺癌, 其中10例盆腔淋巴结阳性。以术后病理作为诊断金标准, 按照盆腔淋巴结转移例数计算诊断效能, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT的敏感性、...     

Polyomavirus polymerase chain reaction as a surrogate marker of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy

BACKGROUND: Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) is a significant cause of allograft loss after renal transplantation. A noninvasive assay that can guide the evaluation of PVAN would be of clinical value. We compared the utility of BK virus (BKV) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and urine cytology in screening for concurrent PVAN. METHODS: We used PCR to test urine and plasma samples from renal recipients simultaneously for BKV DNA. Additionally, we tested urine samples for decoy cells. Sample results were correlated with biopsy-proven PVAN. Receiver-operator characteristic curves were used to determine viral load thresholds associated with concurrent PVAN. RESULTS: In this cross-sectional study, BKV viruria, viremia, and urinary decoy cells were detected in 24%, 9%, and 13% of renal recipients, respectively. Among 114 patients who had renal allograft biopsy, four (3.5%) were diagnosed with PVAN. Using pathology as gold standard for the diagnosis of PVAN, BKV viremia threshold of >1.6E+04 copies/mL had 100% sensitivity, 96% specificity, 50% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. A BKV viruria threshold of >2.5E+07 copies/mL had 100% sensitivity, 92% specificity, 31% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value. In contrast, urine decoy cells had 25% sensitivity, 84% specificity, 5% positive predictive value, and 97% negative predictive value for the diagnosis of concurrent PVAN. CONCLUSION: BKV PCR may be a clinically useful noninvasive test to identify renal recipients with concurrent PVAN. BKV DNA >1.6E+04 copies/mL of plasma and >2.5E+07 copies/mL of urine were highly associated with concurrent PVAN whereas a negative PCR test makes the diagnosis of PVAN highly unlikely.     

The value of synovial biopsy, joint aspiration and C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of late peri-prosthetic infection of total knee replacements

We analysed the serum C-reactive protein level, synovial fluid obtained by joint aspiration and five synovial biopsies from 145 knee replacements prior to revision to assess the value of these parameters in diagnosing late peri-prosthetic infection. Five further synovial biopsies were used for histological analysis. Samples were also obtained during the revision and incubated and analysed in an identical manner for 14 days. A total of 40 total knee replacements were found to be infected (prevalence 27.6%). The aspiration technique had a sensitivity of 72.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 58.7 to 86.3), a specificity of 95.2% (95% CI 91.2 to 99.2), a positive predictive value of 85.3% (95% CI 73.4 to 100), a negative predictive value of 90.1% (95% CI 84.5 to 95.7) and an accuracy of 89%. The biopsy technique had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 98.1% (95% CI 95.5 to 100), a positive predictive value of 95.2% (95% CI 88.8 to 100), a negative predictive value of 100% and an accuracy of 98.6%. C-reactive protein with a cut-off-point of 13.5 mg/l had a sensitivity of 72.5% (95% CI 58.7 to 86.3), a specificity of 80.9% (95% CI 73.4 to 88.4), a positive predictive value of 59.2% (95% CI 45.4 to 73.0), a negative predictive value of 88.5% (95% 81.0 to 96.0 CI) and an accuracy of 78.1%. We found that biopsy was superior to joint aspiration and C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of late peri-prosthetic infection of total knee replacements.     

人体重心测试系统诊断颈性眩晕的评价

目的：建立一种生物力学测试方法,为临床诊断颈性眩晕提供量化依据。方法：2004年7月至2006年11月,应用人体重心测试系统对86例正常人（男40例,女46例;年龄20～74岁,平均30岁）和75例颈性眩晕患者（男16例,女59例;年龄20～74岁,平均44.5岁）进行定量测试和定性诊断,并用目前颈性眩晕的临床诊断方法（cur-rent diagnosical method of cervical vertigo,CDM法）作为对照,进行临床诊断性试验。对静态站立睁、闭眼时重心测试诊断颈性眩晕（static posturography method of cervical vertigo,SPG法）的临床价值进行评价。结果：闭眼时SPG法诊断颈性眩晕的灵敏度为76%,特异度为93%,Youden指数为69%,符合率为85.1%;阳性预测值为90.5%,阴性预测值为93%,阳性似然比为10.893,阴性似然比为0.258。睁眼时SPG法诊断颈性眩晕的灵敏度为49.3%,特异度为87.2%,Youden指数为38.6%,符合率为69.6%;阳性预测值为77.1%,阴性预测值为87.2%,阳性似然比为3.857,阴性似然比为0.581。无论睁眼还是闭眼状态,正常人的重心移动轨迹图以前后型为多见,颈性眩晕患者则以弥散型为多见。结论：闭眼时人体重心测试法能较准确地鉴别颈性眩晕患者与正常者,其真实性、可靠性及临床应用价值较好,已达到客观化、量化诊断颈性眩晕的基本要求。而睁眼状态时的漏诊率较高,难以满足临床诊断要求。     

Efficacy of combined technetium-99m sulfur colloid/indium-111 leukocyte scans to detect infected total hip and knee arthroplasties

The reliability of combined indium-111 leukocyte/technetium-99m sulfur colloid scans, with and without the addition of blood pooling and blood flow studies, in the diagnosis of infected total joint arthroplasty was investigated. Both scans were performed on 58 patients before reoperation of total hip or knee arthroplasty in the period 1996-1999. Results for imaging alone included 100% specificity, 46% sensitivity, 100% positive predictive value, 84% negative predictive value, and 88% accuracy. Inclusion of blood pooling and flow phase data improved results to 66% sensitivity, 89% negative predictive value, and 90% accuracy, with reductions in specificity (98%) and positive predictive value (91%). Routine use of these radionuclide scans is not supported by these data.     

Accuracy of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging in detecting failure of breast implants filled with silicone gel.

We prospectively studied the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) for preoperative detection of rupture in 35 single-lumen implants filled with silicone gel in 18 patients. The positive predictive value of US for rupture of an implant was 70% and the negative predictive value 64%. Sensitivity and specificity were 44% and 87%, respectively. Accuracy, defined as the total true positive and true negative values divided by the total number of implants studied was 66%. The positive predictive value of MRI was 100% and the negative predictive value 90%. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 88% and 100% and the accuracy 94%. MRI offers significantly better diagnostic sensitivity (p = 0.02) and accuracy (p = 0.004), and should be regarded as the "gold standard" in the evaluation of rupture of breast implants filled with silicone gel. When MRI is not readily available, US is an acceptable alternative.     

Peripheral flow index is a reliable and early indicator of regional block success

We investigated the usefulness of peripheral flow index (PFI) measurement using a standard pulse oximetry digit probe for early prediction of successful regional blocks. Sixty-six patients scheduled for limb surgery underwent either axillary or sciatic block using a nerve stimulator technique with mepivacaine 1.5%. PFI, which is the ratio of the pulsatile versus the nonpulsatile component of the pulse oximetry signal, was recorded from 10 min before block insertion until 30 min afterwards. PFI recordings of the unblocked limb were similarly recorded. Pinprick and cold sensation were assessed at 5-min intervals until 30 min after blockade. An increase in PFI by a factor of 1.55 at 10 min after axillary block placement (P = 0.006), and 12 min after sciatic block placement (P = 0.001) was required to predict a successful block. The sensitivity and specificity of PFI was 100% for predicting axillary block outcomes at this time. Positive predictive value was 95% and negative predictive value was 93%. For sciatic blocks, sensitivity and specificity were 90% and 100%, respectively. The calculated positive predictive value at time 12 min for sciatic blocks was 94% and negative predictive value was 92%. At 15 min after block placement, cold and pinprick sensations had the same calculated values for sensitivity and specificity at 71% and 100%, respectively, for axillary blocks. For sciatic blocks, cold sensation had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 100%, whereas pinprick had a sensitivity of just 20% with a specificity of 100%. We conclude that PFI provides a simple, early, and objective assessment of the success and failure of nerve blocks.     

Perfusion Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Rule‐Out Test for Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a leading cause of mortality after heart transplantation. Noninvasive imaging techniques used in CAV evaluation have important limitations. In a cross‐sectional study, we investigated perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to determine an optimal myocardial perfusion reserve index (MPR) cutoff for detecting CAV using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. We evaluated CMR performance using sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratio analysis. We included 29 patients (mean 5 ± 4 years after transplant) scheduled for coronary angiography with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) who completed CMR. CAV was defined as maximal intimal thickness (MIT) >0.5 mm by IVUS of the left anterior descending artery. CAV was evident in 19 patients (70%) on IVUS (mean MIT 0.82 ± 0.42 mm). MPR was significantly lower in patients with MIT ≥0.50 mm (1.35 ± 0.23 vs. 1.71 ± 0.45, p = 0.013). There was moderate inverse correlation between MPR and MIT (r = ?0.36, p = 0.075). The optimal MPR cutoff ≤1.68 for predicting CAV showed sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 63%, a negative predictive value of 100%, a positive predictive value of 86% and a positive likelihood ratio of 2.7. An MPR ≤1.68 has high negative predictive value, suggesting its potential as a test to rule out CAV.     

Ultrasonic diagnosis in suspected acute appendicitis: probable or certain indications for surgery?]

The diagnostic accuracy and the clinical impact of routine ultrasonography performed by 4 surgeons, were prospectively studied in 366 unselected patients admitted for suspected acute appendicitis. Clinical and sonographic findings on admission were correlated with laparotomy findings, pathological outcome and clinical as well as follow-up data. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis were 55.3%, 94.6% and 84.2% respectively (positive predictive value (PPV) 75.8%, negative predictive value (NPV) 87.3%). Ultrasound enabled visualization of the disease in 67 of 85 (prevalence 23.3%) patients with a histologically confirmed acute appendicitis; false positive results were recorded in 7 cases (sensitivity 78.8%, specificity 97.5%, accuracy 93.1%, PPV 90.5%, NPV 93.8%). Ultrasound was particularly useful in patients presenting with equivocal or highly unsuspective signs of acute appendicitis: of 38 patients with an acute appendicitis in this group ultrasonography enabled to make the diagnosis in 26. The combined approach of clinical evaluation and routine ultrasonography markedly improved the diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 85.9%, specificity 96.4%, accuracy 94%) and substantially reduced the negative laparotomy rate (7.9%) in patients with suspected acute appendicitis. It is concluded, that ultrasonographic evaluation of the patient with suspected acute appendicitis performed by surgeons is of great assistance in surgical practice.     

Preoperative axillary ultrasound scan: its accuracy in assessing the axillary nodal status in carcinoma breast

The aim of this study is to report the accuracy of ultrasound scan in axillary node staging in breast carcinoma. Eighty-four patients with breast cancer attending a breast clinic were entered in this study and axillary ultrasound scan was performed using a 7.5 MHz probe. The sensitivity of ultrasound scan in detection of axillary nodal metastasis was 74% with a specificity of 89%, positive predictive value of 87%, negative predictive value of 84% and overall accuracy of 83%. The sensitivity was low (38%) when nodes were small or non-palpable. The Likelihood Ratio (LR) for the test positive was 6.37 and the LR for the test negative was 0.29. The combined assessment (Clinical Examination+Ultrasound scan+FNA) of axillary node status was very sensitive--88%, with a specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 88% and overall accuracy of 92%. Ultrasound scan of axilla is a valuable method of preoperatively assessing axillary nodal status, and may prove useful in managing patients with breast cancer.     

Periprosthetic infection: where do we stand with regard to Gram stain?

Background and purpose One of the routinely used intraoperative tests for diagnosis of periprosthetic infection (PPI) is the Gram stain. It is not known if the result of this test can vary according to the type of joint affected or the number of specimen samples collected. We examined the role of this diagnostic test in a large cohort of patients from a single institution.Materials and methods A positive gram stain was defined as the visualization of bacterial cells or “many neutrophils” (> 5 per high-power field) in the smear. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of each individual diagnostic arm of Gram stain were determined. Combinations were performed in series, which required both tests to be positive to confirm infection, and also in parallel, which necessitated both tests to be negative to rule out infection.Results The presence of organisms and “many” neutrophils on a Gram smear had high specificity (98–100%) and positive predictive value (89–100%) in both THA and TKA. The sensitivities (30–50%) and negative predictive values (70–79%) of the 2 tests were low for both joint types. When the 2 tests were combined in series, the specificity and positive predictive value were absolute (100%). The sensitivity and the negative predictive value improved for both THA and TKA (43–64% and 82%, respectively).Interpretation Although the 2 diagnostic arms of Gram staining can be combined to achieve improved negative predictive value (82%), Gram stain continues to have little value in ruling out PPI. With the advances in the field of molecular biology, novel diagnostic modalities need to be designed that can replace these traditional and poor tests.     

术后3 h血清淀粉酶检测对ERCP术后胰腺炎的预测价值

目的 评估ERCP术后3 h血清淀粉酶值对ERCP术后胰腺炎（post-ERCP pancreatitis,PEP）的预测价值。方法 收集2011年10月1日至2014年12月1日我院328例连续行ERCP的患者术后3 h和24 h血清淀粉酶值,并统计PEP的发生情况。将是否发生PEP作为状态变量,两个时间点的血清淀粉酶作为检验变量,采用SPSS13.0系统作ROC曲线,分析术后3 h和24 h血清淀粉酶对PEP的预测价值。结果 328例患者中诊断PEP共17例（5.18%）。术后3 h血清淀粉酶值≤200 U/L共194例（59.15%）,其中PEP 2例（1.03%）;术后3 h血清淀粉酶值>200 U/L共134例（40.85%）,其中PEP 15例（11.19%）;两者比较有统计学差异（x²=19.731;P<0.001）。术后3 h血清淀粉酶值ROC曲线下面积为0.845,诊断准确度良好,最佳Cut-off值为280 U/L,灵敏度82.4%,特异度74.3%,阳性预测值14.7%,阴性预测值98.7%,准确度74.4%,Youden指数56.4%。术后24 h血清淀粉酶值≤600 U/L共284例（86.59%）,其中PEP 1例（0.35%）;术后24 h血清淀粉酶值>600 U/L共44例（13.41%）,其中PEP 16例（36.36%）;两者比较有统计学差异（x²=93.341;P<0.001）。术后24 h血清淀粉酶值ROC曲线下面积为0.977,诊断价值高,最佳Cut-off值为534.5 U/L,灵敏度100%,特异度89.1%,阳性预测值33.3%,阴性预测值100%,准确度89.6%,Youden指数89.1%。结论 ERCP术后3 h血清淀粉酶值对PEP有较好的早期预测价值,特别是有很好的阴性预测价值;当术后3 h血清淀粉酶值>200 U/L并且有胰管插管时,需高度警惕PEP的发生。