A novel technique to measure severity of pediatric pectus excavatum using white light scanning.

Background/purpose

Computed tomography (CT) derived Haller Index (HI) remains the standard for quantifying severity in patient with pectus excavatum (PE). Optical scanning described in literature reports optimistic results and new indices that correlate with HI. This study assessed the feasibility of a handheld White Light Scanner (WLS) to obtain 3D measurements and indices of PE deformity.

Food group intake patterns and associated nutrient profiles of the US population

We developed a method for evaluating food group intake patterns using dietary recall data (n = 11,529) from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used this method to examine the relationship of these food group intake patterns to nutrient intake and to selected biochemical indexes of nutritional status. We evaluated each 24-hour dietary intake recall for the presence or omission of five broad food groups--dairy, meat, grain, fruit, and vegetable. The five most prevalent patterns and the proportion of the population reporting them was as follows: all food groups, 33.6%; no fruit, 23.9%; no dairy and fruit, 9.0%; no dairy, 8.0%; and no fruit and vegetable, 5.6%. In the most prevalent pattern, all food groups were consumed; this was the only pattern that provided mean amounts of all of the key vitamins and minerals at levels greater than or equal to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). This pattern also was reported by the lowest proportion of individuals consuming less than 100% RDA of the key nutrients. Patterns in which both fruit and vegetables were consumed were associated with highest levels of serum vitamin C. The consistency of these results indicates that screening diets for food group consumption can quickly provide meaningful information about their quality.     

Cardiac imaging in the evaluation of patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain

Conclusions  Despite the utility and benefits that each imaging modality has to offer, it is easy to see why there is still no perfect choice for a noninvasive cardiac imaging modality to assist in the management of chest pain patients. All of the current imaging techniques have their own significant strengths and weaknesses when compared with other modalities. SPECT and echocardiography are wellestablished technologies that can directly assess the presence of myocardial ischemia and its functional consequence on RF; newer and more expensive techniques such as MDCT and CMR can directly assess coronary anatomy and have just started to be evaluated in the acute chest pain setting. There are no studies that directly compare these technologies, and more data are clearly needed before the question of whether anatomic imaging versus perfusion/function imaging is the better approach can be answered. Other comparisons such as relative safety, availability, logistics, and cost-effectiveness between the various technologies are also lacking. Of all of the imaging modalities discussed, MCE is the only portable technology. The images do not require expensive software or other technology for offline processing before interpretation, and any trained cardiologist can read the study at the bedside or, potentially, over the Internet, providing near-instantaneous results in the acute cardiac setting, where time is of the essence. MCE is also relatively cheap compared with other technologies, a potential advantage for payors but not necessarily for payees. How reimbursement rates and fee structures eventually affect clinical practice is also unknown. Despite these and other questions that need to be answered before any one technique will be used exclusively, the future of noninvasive cardiac imaging remains an exciting and ever-changing field. The adaptation of any one of these techniques into its proper role in the ED Journal of Nuclear Cardiology Wyrick and Wei 753 Volume 13, Number 6;749-55 Cardiac imaging in patients with chest pain will take considerably more time and effort in terms of research, money, and time-tested clinical experience.     

Group B streptococcal endocarditis mimicking mitral valve myxoma

A patient with group B streptococcal endocarditis and large vegetations resembling mitral valve myxoma is described. Group B streptococcal endocarditis and the differential diagnosis of vegetations and cardiac tumors are briefly reviewed.