Diagnostic value of MR and CT enterography in post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Post-operative recurrence is a critical issue in the surveillance of Crohn's disease after ileocecal resection. This meta-analysis aims to assess the diagnostic yield of enterography techniques in post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. A systematic electronic bibliographic databases search was conducted. The inclusion criteria of original articles were: Utilized MR enterography or CT enterography after ileocolonic resection; Documented recurrence by ileo-colonoscopy (Rutgeerts' score ≥ i2); Provided crude data of diagnostic performance. A random-effect method was used for analysis. Relative risk and diagnostic value of each imaging feature were calculated. Eleven studies (11 populations and 589 patients) were included (4 CTE and 7 MRE with 248 and 341 patients, respectively). The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the enterography were 91% (95% CI: 0.85-0.95) and 75% (95% CI: 0.56-0.87), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CTE were 93% (95% CI: 0.87-0.96) and 67% (95% CI: 0.35-0.90), respectively. MRE revealed pooled sensitivity and specificity of 90% (95% CI: 0.78-0.96) and 78% (95% CI: 0.57-0.90), respectively. The inter-study heterogeneity was low for sensitivity (I2 = 29%, p-value = 0.17) and high for specificity (I2 = 85%, p-value < 0.01). Wall enhancement, anastomosis wall thickening, anastomosis stenosis, pre-anastomotic dilatation, penetrating lesion, comb sign, and perivisceral edema were significantly higher in POR patients. Wall thickening and penetrating lesion were the most sensitive (81%) and specific (97%) findings, respectively. MRE and CTE exhibit high sensitivity and acceptable specificity (especially MRE) for detection of recurrence in Crohn's disease which makes them an effective initial screening tool and reserves ileo-colonoscopy for those patients with inconclusive enterography results.

Diagnostic performance of deep learning models versus radiologists in COVID-19 pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Although several studies have compared the performance of deep learning (DL) models and radiologists for the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia on CT of the chest, these results have not been collectively evaluated. We performed a meta-analysis of original articles comparing the performance of DL models versus radiologists in detecting COVID-19 pneumonia. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on the three main medical literature databases, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, for articles published as of February 1st, 2023. We included original scientific articles that compared DL models trained to detect COVID-19 pneumonia on CT to radiologists. Meta-analysis was performed to determine DL versus radiologist performance in terms of model sensitivity and specificity, taking into account inter and intra-study heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. Based on the meta-analytic calculations, DL models had significantly higher pooled sensitivity (0.933 vs. 0.829, p < 0.001) compared to radiologists with similar pooled specificity (0.905 vs. 0.897, p = 0.746). In the differentiation of COVID-19 versus community-acquired pneumonia, the DL models had significantly higher sensitivity compared to radiologists (0.915 vs. 0.836, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: DL models have high performance for screening of COVID-19 pneumonia on chest CT, offering the possibility of these models for augmenting radiologists in clinical practice.

Whole-body low-dose CT can be of value in prostate cancer decision-making: a retrospective study on 601 patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic value of whole-body low-dose computed tomography (CT) to detect bone metastasis in prostate cancer (PCa) patients and its possible utility in therapeutic decision-making. Also, to determine the valuable CT features for lesion characterisation. METHODS: This IRB-approved retrospective study reviewed PCa patients who underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in our centre from March 2017 to August 2022. Two board-certified radiologists and one nuclear medicine specialist reported all whole-body low-dose CT scans separately, unaware of the 68Ga-PSMA-PET results. The per-lesion and per-patient diagnostic performances were calculated. Also, the significance of CT features was evaluated. Moreover, the inter-observer agreement was analysed. A two-tailed p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: From 727 reviewed PCa patients, 601 (mean age = 68.7 ± 8.1) were found to be eligible, including 211 (35.1%) referrals for initial staging and 390 (64.9%) for evaluating the extent of the disease after biochemical recurrence. Per-patient diagnostic analysis for three reviewers showed 81.0-89.4% sensitivity and 96.6-98.5% specificity in detecting osteo-metastasis. It was able to correctly detect high-burden disease based on both CHAARTED and LATITUDE criteria. Regarding the value of underlying CT features, size > 1 cm, ill-defined borders, presence of soft-tissue component, and cortical destruction were statistically in favour of metastasis. Also, Hu > 900 was in favour of benign entities with 93% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Although not as accurate as 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, whole-body low-dose CT might precisely classify PCa patients considering therapeutic decision-making. Additionally, we proposed diagnostic CT features that could help radiologists with better characterisation of the detected lesions. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The whole-body low-dose CT can be considered valuable in the clinical decision-making of prostate cancer patients. This modality may obviate performing multiple imaging sessions and high-cost scans in patients diagnosed with the high-burden disease.

Stereotactic radiosurgery outcome for deep-seated cerebral arteriovenous malformations in the brainstem and thalamus/basal ganglia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Deep-seated unruptured AVMs located in the thalamus, basal ganglia, or brainstem have a higher risk of hemorrhage compared to superficial AVMs and surgical resection is more challenging. Our systematic review and meta-analysis provide a comprehensive summary of the stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) outcomes for deep-seated AVMs. This study follows the guidelines set forth by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement. We conducted a systematic search in December 2022 for all reports of deep-seated arteriovenous malformations treated with SRS. Thirty-four studies (2508 patients) were included. The mean obliteration rate in brainstem AVM was 67% (95% CI: 0.60-0.73), with significant inter-study heterogeneity (tau2 = 0.0113, I2 = 67%, chi2 = 55.33, df = 16, p-value < 0.01). The mean obliteration rate in basal ganglia/thalamus AVM was 65% (95% CI: 0.58-0.72) with significant inter-study heterogeneity (tau2 = 0.0150, I2 = 78%, chi2 = 81.79, df = 15, p-value < 0.01). The presence of deep draining veins (p-value: 0.02) and marginal radiation dose (p-value: 0.04) were positively correlated with obliteration rate in brainstem AVMs. The mean incidence of hemorrhage after treatment was 7% for the brainstem and 9% for basal ganglia/thalamus AVMs (95% CI: 0.05-0.09 and 95% CI: 0.05-0.12, respectively). The meta-regression analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation (p-value < 0.001) between post-operative hemorrhagic events and several factors, including ruptured lesion, previous surgery, and Ponce C classification in basal ganglia/thalamus AVMs. The present study found that radiosurgery appears to be a safe and effective modality in treating brainstem, thalamus, and basal ganglia AVMs, as evidenced by satisfactory rates of lesion obliteration and post-surgical hemorrhage.

Diagnostic models for the detection of intrauterine growth restriction and placental insufficiency severity based on magnetic resonance imaging of the placenta.

Purpose: We aimed to provide diagnostic models based on different parameters of placental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), as well as the severity of placental insufficiency. Material and methods: We included 44 foetuses with appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA) and 46 foetuses with documented IUGR, defined as the estimated foetal weight (EFW) below the 10th centile. Using Doppler ultrasound, IUGR cases were divided into 2 groups: 1) IUGR with severity signs: EFW < 3rd centile, or cerebroplacental ratio < 5th centile, or abnormal umbilical/uterine artery pulsatility index; and 2) non-severe IUGR without any of this criterion. For all these participants, placental MRI was performed in the third gestational trimester, and its parameters were compared between AGA and IUGR, as well as between the severe and non-severe IUGR groups. Two diagnostic models consisting of significant predictors were developed, and their performance was investigated with accuracy metrics. Results: The severity signs were detected in 25 (54.3%) IUGR cases. The diagnostic model for the differentiation of IUGR from AGA revealed an acceptable performance (area under the curve [AUC] of 0.749) and consisted of 2 variables: 1) the largest size of infarct ≥ 25 mm (odds ratio [OR] = 5.01, p = 0.001), and 2) thickness : volume ratio ≥ 0.043 (OR = 3.76, p = 0.027); while, the logistic regression model for detection of the severity signs was even better, with AUC = 0.862, and comprised of 2 predictors: 1) placental infarct percent ≥ 10% (OR = 26.73, p = 0.004), and 2) placental globular shape (OR = 5.40, p = 0.034). Conclusions: Placental MRI parameters can differentiate IUGR from AGA, and more precisely, assess the severity of placental insufficiency in IUGR foetuses.

Percutaneous embolization of renal pseudoaneurysms: A retrospective study.

Introduction: We evaluated the efficacy of the mixture of autologous blood and a hemostatic agent, oxidized regenerative cellulose (ORC), as an alternative material for ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous embolization of renal pseudoaneurysm (PA). Methods: In this retrospective study, consecutive patients diagnosed with renal PA were included. The exclusion criteria were: PA of the main renal artery, tiny PA not visualized on the colour doppler ultrasonography, PA more than 3 cm in max diameter or extracapsular PA with the possibility of massive bleeding, and patients with a history of coagulation disorders. After localizing the PA, a mixture of autologous blood and ORC was injected under US guidance with a 15G coaxial needle. Patients were followed up for at least 6 months. Results: Twenty-nine patients with PA were included, of which 26 had a history of percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and three patients had a history of renal biopsy (24 men and five women with an average age of 44.3 years). Gross hematuria was the most common mode of presentation. The mean size of the PA was 16.6 mm and the mean duration of follow-up was 9 months. The clinical and the technical success rate was 100%. The PA could be thrombosed in all the patients with a single-session of injection. No acute (hematoma, infection, and bleeding) or chronic (thromboembolic events, renal cortical atrophy, and recurrence) complications were seen. Conclusion: Percutaneous embolization of renal PA under US guidance with a mixture of autologous blood and ORC is an efficient and easily available first-line method to treat this potentially life-threatening condition when endovascular embolization or other expensive thrombotic agents are not available.

Minimally invasive procedures for hypothalamic hamartoma-related epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) is a rare, nonmalignant, heterotopic developmental malformation that consists of a mixture of normal neurons and glial cells. Resection of HHs has been associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Therefore, minimally invasive ablation methods could be the best treatment option for HH. The most frequently used minimally invasive options for HH ablation are radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT), laser ablation (LA), and stereotactic radiosurgery. METHODS: To investigate three minimally invasive procedures in the treatment of refractory seizures related to HH, the authors conducted a systematic search in March 2022 in the MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Seizure freedom was the primary outcome of interest. The authors defined seizure freedom as Engel class I or International League Against Epilepsy class 1 or 2 or as the reported term "seizure freedom." The secondary outcome was long-term complications reported in studies. Both random- and fixed-effects models were used to calculate the pooled proportion of seizure freedom and complication rate with 95% confidence intervals. A modified version of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal to assess the risk of bias was used. RESULTS: The authors included 15 studies with 422 patients (RFT, n = 190; LA, n = 171; and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery [GKRS], n = 61). Generally, the mean incidences of overall seizure freedom after minimally invasive procedures were 77% (95% CI 0.74-0.81) and 68% (95% CI 0.57-0.79) using fixed- and random-effects models, respectively. The mean incidence of overall seizure freedom after RFT was 69% (95% CI 0.63-0.75), and the mean incidences of overall seizure freedom after LA and GKRS were 87% (95% CI 0.82-0.92) and 44% (95% CI 0.32-0.57), respectively. The total complication rate with minimally invasive procedures was 13% (95% CI 0.01-0.26). The complication rate in each treatment was as follows: 5% (95% CI 0.0-0.12) for RFT, 20% (95% CI 0.0-0.47) for LA, and 22% (95% CI 0-0.65) for GKRS. Meta-regression analysis showed an association between older age and higher complication rates in the LA group. CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, LA showed superiority in seizure freedom over the other two methods. The complication rate associated with RFT was less than those in the other two methods; however, this difference was not statistically significant.

Does Adding a Cardia Biopsy Improve Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Detection Rate by the Sydney System Protocol?

BACKGROUND: The Sydney system offers a standard biopsy protocol for detection and follow-up of gastric preneoplastic lesions such as intestinal metaplasia (IM). The highest frequency of cardia-type gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) in Iran has been documented in the north-western part of the country. This study aims to investigate the effect of the addition of mucosal biopsies of gastric cardia to the standard Sydney protocol on the rate of detection of IM in the asymptomatic residents of this high-risk region for proximal gastric cancer. METHODS: A retrospective new analysis was performed on the previous data obtained in cross-sectional endoscopic screening in 2000 as well as a biopsy study of 508 asymptomatic volunteer residents in Meshkinshahr district, Ardabil province. The screening study was conducted in a group of residents aged 40 years and older who did not have any previous GI or hemodynamic problems. RESULTS: Intestinal metaplasia at the Sydney protocol sampling sites was detected in 107 samples belonging to 76 of the 508 (14.99%) volunteers. Twenty-one patients had IM at the cardia. Of these, five patients had IM-cardia (IM only at the cardia). Therefore, adding a cardia biopsy to the set of biopsies diagnosed five more IM cases which were not diagnosed on the standard Sydney protocol (P=0.062). CONCLUSION: The addition of a biopsy from the cardia to the Sydney protocol biopsy set does not seem to improve the frequency of detection of IM in the residents of this high-risk geographic area for proximal gastric carcinoma.

Diagnostic Performance of Clinical Examination Versus Ultrasonography in the Detection of Developmental Dysplasia of Hip: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a spectrum of diseases involving the femoroacetabular joint. Due to the controversies over the value of different strategies used for DDH screening, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of standard physical examination maneuvers on the diagnosis of DDH, compared to the Graf ultrasonography (US) method. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched until the end of October 2020. Studies that (i) used the Ortolani test, Barlow test, or limited hip abduction (LHA) test to assess the risk of DDH in physical examination, (ii)used the Graf US method to examine DDH in sonography, and (iii) provided adequate data to extract the diagnostic performance were included. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated for clinical examinations. Results: A total of 25 studies (72,079 patients in total) were considered eligible to enter the present study. The pooled data of the Ortolani-Barlow test demonstrated a sensitivity of 36% (95% CI:0.25-0.48) and specificity of 98% (95% CI:0.93-0.99). Calculated pooled sensitivity and specificity for the limited hip abduction exam were obtained at 45% (95% CI:0.24-0.69) and 78% (95% CI:0.62-0.88) respectively. A separate analysis of the studies using both exams revealed a sensitivity of 57% (95% CI:0.30-0.82) and a specificity of 95% (95% CI:0.68-0.99). Conclusion: Based on the results, the investigated clinical examinations have high specificity but low sensitivity to detect the DDH; therefore, they have limited application as a screening test. If obliged to rely on clinical examinations for screening, the combination of Ortolani-Barlow and LHA tests can provide more sensitivity than either of these tests performed independently.

Low-Dose Whole Lung Irradiation for Treatment of COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Studies dating back to a century ago have reported using low-dose radiation therapy for the treatment of viral and bacterial pneumonia. In the modern era, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, several groups worldwide have researched the applicability of whole lung irradiation (WLI) for the treatment of COVID-19. We aimed to bring together the results of these experimental studies. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis searching PubMed and Scopus databases for clinical trials incorporating WLI for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Required data were extracted from each study. Using the random-effects model, the overall pooled day 28 survival rate, survival hazard ratio, and intubation-free days within 15 days after WLI were calculated, and forest plots were produced. RESULTS: Ten studies were identified, and eventually, 5 were included for meta-analysis. The overall survival hazard ratio was calculated to be 0.85 (0.46-1.57). The pooled mean difference of intubation-free days within 15 days after WLI was 1.87, favoring the WLI group (95% confidence interval, -0.02 to 3.76). The overall day 28 survival rate of patients receiving WLI for the 9 studies with adequate follow-up data was 74% (95% confidence interval, 61-87). Except for 2 studies, the other 8 studies were assessed to have moderate to high risk of bias, and there were many differences among the designs of the studies, included patients, primary endpoints, outcome measurement methods, and reporting of the results. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a mild improvement in intubation-free days, WLI had no significant effect on patients' overall survival. Currently, we cannot recommend routine use of WLI for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19.

Diagnostic value of lacrimal scintigraphy in the evaluation of lacrimal drainage system obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: A systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of lacrimal scintigraphy (LS) versus anatomical methods in the evaluation of the nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was performed using electronic bibliographic databases until the end of May 2021. Inclusion criteria: (a) used LS as a diagnostic method to evaluate NLDO; (b) used anatomical studies [including syringing, irrigation, probing, and dacryocystography (DCG)] as reference tests; and (c) provided adequate crude data. A hierarchical method was used to pool the sensitivity and specificity. The hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic model was performed. Additionally, the studies' heterogeneity and publication bias were analyzed. All analyses were conducted by the 'Midas' module of STATA 16. RESULTS: Twelve articles (with 14 separate populations) were considered eligible to enter the meta-analysis. They were divided into two groups based on the reference standard method, called irrigation and DCG groups. In the irrigation group, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 89% [95% confidence interval (CI), 72-96%] and 25% (95% CI, 8-56%), respectively. In DCG group, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 97% (95% CI, 85-100%) and 27% (95% CI, 0.12-0.49), in turn. CONCLUSION: LS is a sensitive modality to evaluate the anatomical obstruction of NLD. In contrast, it shows low pooled specificity compared with anatomical methods. Thus, LS can be used as the first noninvasive modality for the evaluation of epiphora. However, in case of any abnormality, confirmatory procedures are required.

Diagnostic performance of prone-only myocardial perfusion imaging versus coronary angiography in the detection of coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Although prone position is considered as a complementary protocol in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), there is no consensus on its capability to find coronary artery disease (CAD), independently. The primary aim of this review was to report pooled sensitivity and specificity for prone position MPI in detection of CAD. In addition, the results were compared to the supine position's performance. METHODS: Electronic bibliographic databases, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science (Science and Social Science Citation Index), Scopus, PubMed, and EMBASE until the end of June 2020 were searched. Studies were included based on the inclusion criteria of (1) evaluated the prone position MPI, (2) defined CAD with coronary angiography (CAG), using the threshold of ≥ 50% stenosis, (3) Adequate data were provided to extract the diagnostic performance. QUADAS-2 tool was utilized to assess the quality of included studies. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated for prone and supine positions, separately. The hierarchical summary ROC curves were also drawn. RESULTS: Ten individual studies with the data of the 1490 patients for the prone position and 1138 patients for the supine position were included. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for the prone position were 83% and 79%, respectively. These results were calculated for the supine position as the sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 67%. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the prone position in detecting the right coronary artery territory defects were 70% and 84%, in turn. CONCLUSION: In the suspicion for the CAD, prone position with comparable sensitivity and higher specificity can be an acceptable alternative to the supine position as the standard method. Also, in the cases of possible defects in the RCA territory, prone position showed to be a superior standard.

68Ga-PSMA PET in prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the observer agreement.

PURPOSE: The performance of 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT-MR has been evaluated in prostate cancer (PCa), showing significant results. However, even a technically accurate imaging procedure requires a high interobserver agreement in its interpretation to implement in patients' management. This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the interobserver variability in 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT-MR imaging in PCa patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the interobserver variability, including studies: (1) providing Kappa (K) as the inter-observer agreement test or the essential data to calculate it, (2) providing the K confidence interval or the essential crude data to calculate it, (3) measuring K statistic based on the appropriate use criteria for the inter-observer agreement. RESULTS: Twelve studies, providing 1585 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT-MR studies reviewed by 62 independent readers, were included. In general, the pooled inter-observer agreement was interpreted as substantial for all analyzed groups, including tumoral lesions in the prostate bed, lymphadenopathies, bone metastasis, and soft-tissue metastasis (all between 0.6 and 0.8). The regional lymphadenopathy group (0.74) obtained the highest agreement, while the lowest was for soft tissue metastasis (0.65). CONCLUSION: This study showed a substantial interobserver agreement in the overall interpretation and detecting locoregional and distant involvement with 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT-MR in PCa patients.

Outcome of open reduction and Kirschner wire fixation in pediatric radial neck fracture.

BACKGROUND: Radial neck fracture in children is rare. This study attempted to evaluate the outcome of surgically treated patients and any associated complications. METHODS: This study evaluated 23 children under 15 years of age with radial neck fracture who were treated with open reduction between 2006 and 2016 to determine their range of motion, postoperative complications, and radiographic outcomes. The results were assessed clinically using the Mayo clinic elbow performance score. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration for patients was 34.6 months. The average postoperative angulation was 3.6°. Hypoesthesia was reported in only 9% of patients, and none of the patients complained of postoperative pain. The postoperative X-ray results were excellent in 60% and good in 40%. No radiographic complications were identified. The elbow score was excellent in 87% and good in 13% (mean score, 96.74). There was a statistical relationship between range of motion limitations and age, degree of fracture, initial displacement, and surgical pin removal time. CONCLUSIONS: Although most patients accept the closed reduction method as a primary treatment, the present study suggests that an open-reduction approach has been associated with optimal therapeutic outcomes for patients in whom closed reduction was not satisfactory or indicated.

Anthracosis, a Distinct Cause of Vocal Fold Paralysis: Case Series.

Vocal fold paralysis (VFP) can happen in various conditions due to mediastinal LADs, however no study has proposed anthracosis as an etiology. Here we discussed the chest CT features of anthracosis related LADs causing VFP. Among 41 cases of pulmonary anthracosis, 10 had VFP that all were presented with hoarseness. The paralysis was unilateral (left side) in all cases. Extra-nodal infiltration and conglomeration of lymph nodes were significantly higher in patients with paralysis. Left paratracheal, pre-vascular, and aortopulmonary window lymph nodes were seen in all patients. We propose that mediastinal LADs secondary to anthracosis could be a reason for left side VFP.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography Method of Graf in the detection of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Background: The present study aimed to perform a meta-analysis on the performance of Graf's ultrasonography method in the detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Methods: A query was conducted on electronic bibliographic databases until the end of October 2020. The inclusion criteria entailed: 1. the use of Graf method in less than 12 weeks of age, 2. the use of follow-up as reference test, and 3. provision of crude data. Pooled diagnostic performance measures were calculated. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) checklist was utilized to assess the quality of the included studies. The hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic (HROC) curves were also drawn. Results: Six articles (including seven populations, 11,012 patients) were considered eligible. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were obtained at 93% (95% CI: 0.57-0.99) and 97% (95% CI:0.86-0.99), respectively (area under curve= 0.99). The pooled positive and negative likelihood ratio, as well as diagnostic odds ratio, was reported as 28.4, 0.07, and 396, respectively. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, Graf's method is a useful ultrasonography technique with acceptable accuracy for screening DDH in neonates. However, there are uncertainties about the best population and age for screening. Furthermore, more attention should be paid to the proper training of this method to reduce the number of operator errors.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Enterography in the Evaluation of Colonic Abnormalities in Crohn's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To Evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) for detecting colonic involvement of Crohn's disease (CD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search of the electronic bibliographic databases was conducted. The inclusion criteria of published original articles were: (1) Utilized MRE to evaluate colon; (2) Patients with documented CD by colonoscopy; (3) Provided crude data of diagnostic performance in the large bowel; (4) Performed segmental evaluation. The colorectal segments were defined as the right colon, transverse colon, left colon, and rectum. A hierarchical bivariate method was used for analysis. RESULTS: Eleven articles (12 populations and 987 patients) were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the studies were 69% (95% CI: 0.52-0.82) and 95% (95% CI:0.92-0.97), respectively (AUC = 0.95). The pooled positive and negative likelihood ratios were 14 (95% CI:7.5-26.3) and 0.31 (95% CI:0.19-0.51), respectively. Regarding segments, the left colon had the highest sensitivity (60%) and lowest specificity (92%), while the transverse colon showed lowest sensitivity (49%) and highest specificity (95%). Comparing the age groups, MRE sensitivity and specificity was 80% and 95%, versus 62% and 94%, in pediatrics and adults respectively. CONCLUSION: MRE has a high specificity to detect colon pathologies in CD, while the sensitivity is low. Therefore, the test has a high value to rule in CD, while negative results are not sufficient to rule it out. Meanwhile, considering the higher sensitivity rate of the test in pediatrics, it has the potential to be used as a first-line investigation.

Effects of Obesity on Axillary Lymph Node Structure: Association of Hilar Fat Deposition and Alterations in Cortex Width.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the effects of obesity on the structure of axillary lymph nodes in women with no evidence of breast or axilla pathology. Method: In this prospective study, we documented the body mass index of 204 women who were referred for screening mammography. Two radiologists have independently viewed the mammograms to find the largest axillary lymph node and reported its dimensions. Independent sample T-test was used to evaluate the association of the above indices with participants' body mass index. Associations between indices were investigated using multiple regression analyses. Results: All measurements of axillary lymph nodes and hilo-cortical ratio were significantly increased with increasing body mass index (p<0.001), except for cortex width (p=0.15). There were strong associations (p < 0.001) between increasing hilum length and increasing lymph node length (R²=0.90), increasing hilum width and increasing lymph node width (R²=0.85), and increasing hilum width and decreasing cortex width (R²=0.12). There was no association between cortex width and lymph node width (R²=0.0001). Inter-rater reliability ranged from 0.49 to 0.70. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that axillary lymph nodes with a bigger hilum width had a smaller cortex width in obese but apparently normal population. Considering the important role of axillary lymph node cortex in their immune function, this may be a cause for immune dysfunction of axillary lymph nodes in obesity and explain the worse prognosis of breast cancer in obese women. The limited number of participants, the 2-dimensional nature of mammograms and the difficulty of measuring the dimensions of axillary lymph nodes using mammography were important limitations of this study. Implications for practice: Obesity may result in structural change and dysfunction of axillary lymph nodes. Dysfunction of axillary lymph nodes may have a role in worse prognosis of breast cancer in obese patients.

Diagnostic value of shear wave sonoelastography in differentiation of benign from malignant thyroid nodules.

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy of shear wave elastography (SWE), using both qualitative and quantitative methods, alone and in conjunction with other B-mode features. METHOD: 117 patients with 123 nodules were studied both by conventional ultrasonography and SWE. Size, echogenicity, margins, internal calcification (micro- or macro-calcification), composition, shape and color Doppler were assessed for each nodule. The elasticity was assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Velocity in the ROI (Region of Interest) was calculated in the stiffest portions for 3 times, and maximum and mean velocity were obtained. ROC curve was analyzed to calculate the best cut-off value of the SWV (Shear Wave Velocity). Univariate logistic regression was used to examine the maximum and mean SWV as discrete variables and the results were compared to key variables of conventional US (Ultrasound) features. RESULT: 123 nodules in 117 patients were evaluated. Poor margins, hypoechogenicity, micro-calcification, color Doppler grades III and IV, color map grades IV and V, maximum and minimum velocity had significant correlation with malignancy. The highest Nagelkerke R2 belonged to maximum and mean velocity (R2 = 41.2 and 39 respectively) which propose them as the strongest predictors of malignancy. The best cut-off point for differentiation of benign from malignant nodules was 3.63 m/s for maximum velocity (sensitivity of 90 %, specificity of 78.2 %,) and 3.44 m/s for mean velocity (sensitivity of 90 %, specificity of 76.4 %). CONCLUSION: The Real-time SWE is a promising test for the preoperative malignancy risk stratification of patients and maximum velocity has the strongest predictive value for both conventional and elastography variables.