Patients undergoing recurrent CT exams: assessment of patients with non-malignant diseases,reasons for imaging and imaging appropriateness

To determine percent of patients without malignancy and ≤ 40 years of age with high cumulative radiation doses through recurrent CT exams and assess imaging appropriateness. From the cohort of patients who received cumulative effective dose (CED) of ≥ 100 mSv over a 5-year period, a sub-set was identified with non-malignant disease. The top 50 clinical indications leading to multiple CTs were determined. Clinical decision support (CDS) system scores were analyzed using a widely adopted standard of 1–3 (red) as “not usually appropriate,” 4–6 (yellow) “may or may not be appropriate,” and 7–9 (green) “usually appropriate.” Clinicians reviewed patient records to assess compliance with appropriate use criteria (AUC). 9.6% of patients in our series were with non-malignant conditions and 1.4% with age ≤ 40 years. CDS scores (rounded) were 2% red, 38% yellow, 27% green, and 33% unscored CTs. Clinical society guidelines for CT exams, wherever available, were followed in 87.5 to 100% of cases. AUCs were not available for several clinical indications as also referral guidelines for serial CT imaging. More than half of CT exams were unrelated to follow-up of a primary chronic disease. We are faced with a situation wherein patients in age ≤ 40 years require or are thought to require many CT exams over the course of a few years but the radiation risk creates concern. There is a fair number of conditions for which AUC are not available. Suggested solutions include development of CT scanners with lesser radiation dose and further development of appropriateness criteria.     

Anisotropic Bladder Planning Target Volume in Bladder Radiation Therapy

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate 3 planning target volume (PTV) margin expansions and determine the most appropriate volume to be used in bladder preservation therapy when using daily cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). We aimed to establish whether a smaller PTV expansion is feasible without risking geographical miss.

Reliability of Sonoelastography in Ductal Carcinoma

The objective of the study was to evaluate the reliability of sonoelastography in ductal carcinoma in patients in primary and secondary health care settings. Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Medscape, Wikipedia and NCBI were searched in January 2018 for all original research and review articles to identify relevant studies. Two reviewers selected the articles independently for based on the title and abstract. The selection criteria were sonoelastography accuracy for diagnosing ductal carcinoma as index text, B-mode sonography, and micropure imaging; surgery and histologic findings were used as reference text; and benign and malignant breast abnormalities and ductal carcinoma were used as target conditions. Two reviewers extracted the data on selected study characteristics, and the results were used to construct the tables and figures. Fifteen studies on ductal carcinoma were found. The overall sensitivity of sonoelastography in diagnosing ductal carcinoma was 85.7%, and the specificity, 79.8%. On the basis of the literature review, it was concluded that sonoelastography has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing ductal carcinoma.     

Pediatric valve replacement, 15 years experience in Oman

Background Despite improving surgical techniques, treatment of heart valve disease in children remains controversial. Somatic growth and adequate anticoagulation are of concern when children undergo valve replacement. We conducted this study to evaluate the performance of valves in this age group. Methods 42 children under the age of 13 years who underwent valve replacement were included in this study. Totally, 50 valves were implanted in 42 patients: 48 were mechanical prostheses, two were bioprosthetic both in pulmonary position. 37 (74%) valves were implanted in mitral position, 10 (20%) in aortic position, 1 (2%) in tricuspid position and 2 (4%) in pulmonary position. Preoperatively, 14 (33,3%) patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV, while 27 (64.2%) were in NYHA class III. Results There were 2 (4.7%) hospital deaths and 2 (4.7%) late deaths while 2 (4.7%) patients were lost to follow up. The mean follow up period was 9.4 yrs. 35 (83.3%) patients are in NYHA Class I and free of all medications except warfarin. 3 (7.1%) patients have undergone 5 successful pregnancies. The median INR was 2.23. Major thrombo-embolic episode occurred in 1 (2.3%) patient. Conclusions In view of the problems of sizing, anticoagulation and need for re-operation at an early age, there is a reluctance to replace valves in children. This study shows that despite these problems, valve replacement can be undertaken safely and successfully in children, when repair has failed or not technically feasible.     

Recovery of Functional Memory T Cells in Lung Transplant Recipients Following Induction Therapy with Alemtuzumab

Profound T-cell depletion with the monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab facilitates reduced maintenance immunosuppression in abdominal and lung transplantation. While the phenotype of the post-depletional T cells has been characterized, little is known about their function. In the present study, global and CMV-specific T-cell function was assessed longitudinally in 23 lung transplant (LTx) recipients using T-cell assays (ImmuKnow and T Cell Memory, Cylex, Columbia, MD) during the first year posttransplant after induction therapy. Recovery of mitogen responses were seen at 2 weeks posttransplantation (65%PHA; 58% Con A), despite the low number of circulating T cells (<2%). These responses declined at 4-5 months (24%PHA; 54% Con A) and were partially reconstituted by 9 months (46% PHA; 73% Con A). CMV-specific responses recovered in 80% of R+ patients as early as 2 weeks posttransplant (n = 5) and 72% of patients had a memory response by 3 months (n = 11). In contrast, only 2 of 5 patients who did not exhibit memory responses pre-transplant (R-) developed transient CMV-specific T-cell responses. Our results show that profound depletion of T cells induced by alemtuzumab spares the functional subset of CMV-specific memory T cells. Conversely, CMV R- patients predepletion may require a prolonged period of prophylaxis.     

Reconstruction of the wrist pseudoarthrosis due to radioulnar fractures with vascularized fibular graft in a child with neurofibromatosis

Nonunion in the forearm following a radioulnar fracture is one of the nightmares of the orthopedic surgeon. Fortunately, it is rare. We treated a large bone defect of the forearm, using a vascularized fibular graft after excision of the unhealed bone segment in a 10-year-old boy with neurofibromatosis. This situation followed a double fracture that had been operated on several times using conventional methods. Following the debridement of the unhealthy tissues in the pseudoarthrotic region, the vascularized fibula was placed on the dorsal surface of the proximal radius fragment. The distal fragment of the radius was inserted into the fibular cavity and fixation was established with a Kirschner wire distally and with a plate proximally. Only two screws were used to fix the plate. The peroneal artery was anastomosed with the radial artery; one of its venae comitantes was anastomosed with the cephalic vein in an end-to-end fashion. After surgery, the elbow was immobilized at 90 degrees of flexion with a splint for 6 weeks. One year after surgery, forearm stabilization and elbow and hand functions were very satisfactory. However, because the distal epiphyses of the bones were destroyed following the repeated surgery and the original trauma itself, a very prominent difference between the two forearms occurred, suggesting the need for bone lengthening in the future. By presenting this case we would like to conclude that one can expect good bone healing with a vascularized bone transfer in these cases when there is not enough space to place screws, but support can be provided by an external splint and K wire.     

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis

PURPOSE: A retrospective, 12-year review of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis was undertaken at a county hospital, with emphasis on presentation signs and symptoms. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with presence of intramural air were included in the study. The following signs and symptoms were studied: evidence of respiratory distress, use of umbilical catheters, white blood cell count and temperature at presentation, time interval from birth to diagnosis and time interval from diagnosis to operative intervention, presence of intramural air, air in biliary tree or free air, changes in abdominal girth, and presence of occult or gross blood in stools. Comparison was done among infants who had surgical or medical treatment, premature and full-term infants, and infants who had neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis less than or more than 20 days after birth. RESULTS: Eleven patients had a fatal outcome, with an overall survival of 87 percent. Sixty-four patients were treated medically and 18 had operative treatment. Mortality of the surgically treated group was 44 percent. Neonates who had surgical intervention had a left shift of the white blood cell count more commonly present, and all had documented abdominal distention. There were 62 premature and 20 full-term neonates in the group. Full-term neonates developed neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis earlier after birth (5.3 days compared with 15.3 days in the premature neonate group). Full-term neonates had a better prognosis in our series. Presentation of symptoms more than 20 days after birth did not change outcome. CONCLUSION: Our results reflect the experience of a community-based hospital. Clinical acumen remains the cornerstone of diagnosis and management.     

A Management of Early CRPS I Caused by Ankle Sprain: A Case Report

Abstract:   We present a case of a 13-year-old boy who developed signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain/early Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Type I, formerly known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), after spraining his ankle while wrestling. Aggressive pain control, using medications and sympatholytic blocks, with physical therapy and rehabilitation, led to the resolution of his painful condition. This prevented the disease from possibly progressing to a full-blown case of CRPS I (RSD) that is very challenging to treat.     

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase: Nuclear translocation participates in neuronal and nonneuronal cell death

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) protein levels increase in particulate fractions in association with cell death in HEK293 cells, S49 cells, primary thymocytes, PC12 cells, and primary cerebral cortical neuronal cultures. Subcellular fractionation and immunocytochemistry reveal that this increase primarily reflects nuclear translocation. Nuclear GAPDH is tightly bound, resisting extraction by DNase or salt treatment. Treating primary thymocytes, PC12 cells, and primary cortical neurons with antisense but not sense oligonucleotides to GAPDH prevents cell death. Because cell-death-associated nuclear translocation of GAPDH and antisense protection occur in multiple neuronal and nonneuronal systems, we propose that GAPDH is a general mediator of cell death and uses nuclear translocation as a signaling mechanism.