Ultrasound in tropical pyomyositis

Tropical pyomyositis is an infection of muscles mainly presenting in black people, occurring in the trunk and limbs. At Hoima Hospital, Uganda, 58 patients (30 men and 28 women) with a mean age of 21 years have been investigated by ultrasound; a total of 81 lesions were present. Two different characteristic images were found; abscess was present in 65 cases while 16 patients showed a diffuse infiltration among the muscular fibers. These two different images correspond to the two stages of histologic and clinical progression described by other authors. Ultrasound is useful to demonstrate the progression of pyomyositis and to determine when and where to drain any abscess.     

Randomized clinical trial of ascorbic acid in the treatment of pressure ulcers

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ascorbic acid supplementation, 500 mg twice daily in the treatment of pressure ulcers as an adjunct to standardized treatment.

The design consisted of a multicenter blinded randomized trial. The control group received 10 mg of ascorbic acid twice daily.

Patients from 11 nursing homes and 1 hospital participated.

Main outcome measures included wound survival, healing rates of wound surfaces, and clinimetric changes over 12 weeks.

Eighty-eight patients were randomized. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that the wound closure probability per unit time (i.e., the closure rate) was not higher in the intervention group than in the control group (Cox hazard ratio of 0.78 [90% precision interval, 0.44–1.39]). Mean absolute healing rates were 0.21 and 0.27 cm²/week in the intervention and control group, respectively (PI of the adjusted difference: −0.17 to 0.13). Relative healing rates and healing velocities did not show favorable results of ascorbic acid supplementation, either. A panel scored slides of the ulcers with a report mark between 1 (bad) and 10 (excellent). The improvement was 0.45 and 0.72 points per week in the intervention and control group, respectively (PI of the adjusted difference: −0.50 to 0.20). With another clinimetric index we could not show any differences, either.

These data do not support the idea that ascorbic acid supplementation (500 vs. 10 mg twice daily) speeds up the healing of pressure ulcers.     

Improved intracranial lesion characterization by tissue segmentation based on a 3D feature map

Our aim was to develop an accurate multispectral tissue segmentation method based on 3D feature maps. We utilized proton density (PD), T₂-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE), and T₁-weighted spin-echo images as inputs for segmentation. Phantom constructs, cadaver brains, an animal brain tumor model and both normal human brains and those from patients with either multiple sclerosis (MS) or primary brain tumors were analyzed with this technique. Initially, misregistration, RF inhomogeneity and image noise problems were addressed. Next, a qualified observer identified samples representing the tissues of interest. Finally, k-nearest neighbor algorithm (k-NN) was utilized to create a stack of color-coded segmented images. The inclusion of T₁ based images, as a third input, produced significant improvement in the delineation of tissues. In MS, our 3D technique was found to be far superior to that based on any combination of 2D feature maps (P < 0.001). We identified at least two distinctly different classes of lesions within the same MS plaque, representing different stages of the disease process. Further, we obtained the regional distribution of MS lesion burden and followed its changes over time. Neuropsychological aberrations were the clinical counterpart of the structural changes detected in segmentation. We could also delineate the margins of benign brain tumors. In malignant tumors, up to four abnormal tissues were identified: 1) a solid tumor core, 2) a cystic component, 3) edema in the white matter, and 4) areas of necrosis and hemorrhage. Subsequent neurosurgical exploration confirmed the distribution of tissues as predicted by this analysis.     

Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound with carbon dioxide microbubbles as adjunct to arteriography of liver tumors

Purpose The goal of the study is to evaluate utility of contrast enhanced ultrasound (US) with carbon dioxide microbubbles in evaluation of hepatic lesions.Methods Twenty eight patients with single or multiple t hepatic lesions (11 hepatocellular carcinoma, 8 hemangiomas, 5 metastases, 1 adenoma, 1 focal nodular hyperplasia, 2 regenerative nodules) were examined. US exam was performed during intraarterial injection of 10 ml of CO₂ through the same catheter employed for liver arteriography. The US exam was videotaped in its salient phases. Characteristics of enhancement were evaluated and correlated with histological findings or patient follow up.Results Sonographic angiography clearly demonstrated vascularization of the lesions. Hepatocellular carcinoma, hemangioma, metastases, focal nodular hyperplasia, and regenerative nodules had very characteristic patterns. The injection of CO₂ allowed detection of small additional nodules.Conclusion Sonographic angiography can improve characterization and staging of hepatic tumors. Low cost and the simplicity of the technique should encourage further experimentation.     

B型超声对诊断半月板损伤的临床价值

自１９８７年以来，我院采用Ｂ超对半月板进行实验研究并对２６４例病人进行检测，结果表明Ｂ超不仅能显示半月板图象还能区分正常与异常半月板。Ｂ超诊断的临床符合率为８６．３６％，手术符合率为９５％。本检查具有无创性，不接触ｘ射线，操作简便等优点。     

Appendicitis in the era of ultrasound: Are plain radiographs still useful?

We reviewed plain radiographs of 215 pediatric patients with surgically proven appendicitis to study the value of plain radiography for diagnosis.     

Turbulent stress measurements downstream of three bileaflet heart valve designs in pigs

Objective: Mechanical heart valves can cause thromboembolic complications, possibly due to abnormal flow patterns that produce turbulence downstream of the valve. The objective of this study was to investigate whether three different bileaflet valve designs would exhibit clinically relevant differences in downstream turbulent stresses. Methods: Three bileaflet mechanical heart valves (Medtronic Advantage^®, CarboMedics© Orbis™ Universal and St. Jude Medical^® Standard) were implanted into 19 female 90 kg pigs. Blood velocity was measured during open chest conditions in the cross sectional area downstream of the valves with 10 MHz ultrasonic probes connected to a modified Alfred^® Pulsed Doppler equipment. As a measure of turbulence, Reynolds normal stress (RNS) was calculated at three different cardiac output ranges (3–4, 4.5–5.5, 6–7 L/min). Results: Data from 12 animals were obtained. RNS correlated with increasing cardiac outputs. The highest instantaneous RNS observed in these experiments was 47 N/m², and the mean RNS taken spatially over the cross sectional area of the aorta during systole was between 3 N/m² and 15 N/m². In none of the cardiac output ranges RNS values exceeded the lower critical limit for erythrocyte or thrombocyte damage for any of the valve designs. Conclusions: Reynolds normal stress values were below 100 N/m² for all three valve designs and the difference in design was not reflected in generation of turbulence. Hence, it is unlikely that any of the valve designs causes flow induced damage to platelets or erythrocytes.     

多发性颅骨内血管瘤一例报告并文献复习

目的探讨多发性颅骨内血管瘤的临床特征和预后。方法报告1例多发性颅骨内血管瘤病例,结合相关文献分析该疾病的X线、CT、MRI和DSA等临床特征,探讨治疗效果和预后。结果多发性颅骨内血管瘤临床上极为罕见,大约占所有骨肿瘤的0.2%。X线平片检查见整个颅骨内蜂窝状改变,CT、MRI显示颅骨溶骨性病变或糜烂并向颅内外发展,DSA造影病变无染色,病理显示大小不等的异常血管,骨结构异常以及出血征象。外科治疗效果不佳。结论多发性颅骨血管瘤为颅骨内破坏性病变,涉及整个颅骨的多发性颅骨血管瘤,外科治疗效果不佳。     

New perspectives for the use of contrast-enhanced liver ultrasound in clinical practice

The introduction of second-generation microbubble ultrasound contrast agents and the development of contrast specific ultrasound techniques have improved the ability of contrast enhanced ultrasound in detecting and characterising liver lesions, offering new perspectives for its exploitation in clinical hepatology. Indeed, several studies have demonstrated a high diagnostic accuracy in focal lesion characterisation (85-96%) in patients either with or without underlying chronic liver disease. This review article describes the basic principles of contrast enhanced ultrasound, defines the different vascular features of benign and malignant liver lesions, and assesses its clinical impact in different clinical scenarios, according to the guidelines of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, contrast enhanced ultrasound enables the characterisation of focal liver lesions, regardless of the presence or absence of underlying chronic liver disease. Contrast enhanced ultrasound is also useful in staging and follow-up of cancer patients and in monitoring local ablative treatment. Contrast enhanced ultrasound is expected to be considerably increased and replace many computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations in near future, according to the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology guidelines. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures in order to meet the demand for an increasing number of these procedures.     

珠海市横琴岛嗜人按蚊生态习性研究

目的:研究珠海市横琴岛嗜人按蚊的生态习性。方法:蚊媒调查方法。结果:横琴岛嗜人按蚊主要孳生于水质清凉、遮阴良好的淡水沟溪及有丰富水体的香蕉地和甘蔗地等。属人、牛血兼吸品种，趋吸人血比例为76、34％，吸血后外逸比例为92、77％，夜间吸血活动高峰在午夜后至次日清晨，全年高峰季节在8～10月。结论:该地嗜人按蚊有人、牛血兼吸，趋吸人血比例较大陆品种低，偏野栖，夜间吸血活动持续时间长，全年活动高峰季节长的生态特点。