The nuclear cardiology report: Problems,predictors, and improvement. A report from the ICANL database

Background  

The quality of nuclear cardiology reports is essential for the effective communication of results of cardiac radionuclide imaging and has never been evaluated for compliance with the ICANL standards. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate required reporting elements and site characteristics to determine differences in the compliance of applicant nuclear cardiology laboratories with The ICANL Standards, and identify potential mechanisms for improvement.     

心脏CT放射剂量的研究成果及展望

本文重点介绍了近年来厂家和众多研究者提出的降低冠状动脉CT扫描放射剂量的技术。深入讨论了心电门控模式的发展现状及低管电压协议和前瞻门控的应用。同时     

Calcaneal fractures: what the surgeon needs to know

The calcaneus is an uncommonly fractured bone that plays a critical role in foot biomechanics, weight-bearing, and the ability to wear a shoe. The radiologist acts as a consultant during screening, operative planning, and follow-up imaging of these often complex injuries. Effective communication between radiologist and surgeon requires an understanding of calcaneal anatomy, goals of surgical reduction, and factors that affect patient management and outcomes. In the following pictorial review we will discuss radiologic screening/classification/characterization and their correlation with surgical management and patient morbidity.     

Postpartum hemorrhage: what every radiologist needs to know

Postpartum hemorrhage is among the most common causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as a blood loss of greater than 500 mL or any amount that, if not replaced, could cause shock or death in the mother. The most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage is uterine atony. This occurs when the normal myometrium fails to contract after delivery of the placenta. The initial treatment involves the administration of intravenous oxytocin and uterine massage. If the initial maneuvers fail to stop the postpartum hemorrhage, other techniques, such as uterine packing, suture techniques, uterine or hypogastric artery ligation, can be considered. In the last 30 years, a new angiographic approach for treatment of postpartum hemorrhage has emerged. Pelvic arterial embolization, after emerging as a treatment option to control and prevent pregnancy-related hemorrhage, has been established to be safe and effective. The goal of treatment for all causes of postpartum hemorrhage is cessation of bleeding in a timely fashion, before the onset of consumptive coagulopathy and end organ damage.     

Shoulder: what the orthopaedic doctor needs to know

Diagnosing shoulder pathology accurately requires both clinical expertise and the ability to interpret and correlate radiographic studies. Variational anatomy of the shoulder combined with the complexity of physical examination makes this difficult. Physical examination of the shoulder often leaves the surgeon with more than one working diagnosis. Imaging studies of the shoulder are more valuable if used to confirm a working diagnosis as opposed to reading the study in a vacuum. Clinical correlation should also be considered for any and all findings on an imaging study. Collaboration of the surgeon and the radiologist is essential in reducing the number of over-reported findings that are clinically insignificant. The surgeon should directly communicate with the radiologist as to his or her working diagnosis and the goal of the study. In this way the surgeon and radiologist become superior diagnosticians.     

The radiological report: what is useful for the referring physician?

To assess what constitutes a useful radiological report for referring physicians, we sent a questionnaire to 200 doctors (general practitioners, internists, and surgeons). Questions testing style, length of the report, and several points of content, including mention of clinical correlation, negative findings, and sequence of further investigations, were included. The principal qualities useful to the clinician were clarity, brevity, and clinical correlation. Advice on planning of future investigations was especially valued by general practitioners.     

Obstetric ultrasound: What the radiologist needs to know

Obstetric ultrasound forms an integral part of modern obstetric care. This includes the use of ultrasound for screening as well as in diagnostic and therapeutic roles. Radiologists involved in this field must have the appropriate training and expertise to match the type of investigation or screening procedure to be undertaken. There should be an explicit understanding of this training and expertise both for the referring obstetrician and expectant mother. All radiologists involved in the care of women should have a thorough understanding of the normal and abnormal appearances of the first trimester as early pregnancy disorders present to the generalist; however, a smaller number of radiologists are involved in anomaly screening and management of growth disorders and still fewer in tertiary referral work. Obstetric medical practice is increasingly litigious and the aims of screening ultrasound and the limitations (false-negative and false-positive rates) should be explicit not only to the referring clinician but also to the expectant parents prior to screening. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound should be known in order that the expectant mother can give informed consent. Electronic Publication