Role of high-resolution peripheral nerve magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing median nerve tethering in a case of both-bone forearm fracture in a child.

Forearm fractures are common injuries in pediatric patients. We present a case of median nerve tethering as a complication of both-bone forearm fracture in a child, with an emphasis on MRI as an appropriate and important complement to clinical and electrodiagnostic examination. Early intervention is essential because delayed surgical management of median nerve tethering can result in poor clinical outcomes as a result of irreversible muscle denervation. In this case, we highlight the importance of MRI to facilitate management, including early surgical intervention when appropriate, in median neuropathy following forearm fractures.

Current State of Surgical Lighting.

Surgical performance in the operating room (OR) is supported by effective illumination, which mitigates the inherent environmental, operational, and visual challenges associated with surgery. Three critical components are essential to optimize operating light as illumination: (1) centering on the surgeon's immediate field, (2) illuminating a wide or narrow field with high-intensity light, and (3) penetrating into a cavity or under a flap. Furthermore, optimal surgical illumination reduces shadow, glare, and artifact in visualization of the surgical site. However, achieving these principles is more complex than at first glance, requiring a detailed examination of the variables that comprise surgical illumination. In brief, efficacious surgical illumination combines sufficient ambient light with the ability to apply focused light at specific operative stages and angles. But, brighter is not always merely better; rather, a nuanced approach, cognizant of the challenges inherent in the OR theater, can provide for a thoughtful exploration of how surgical illumination can be utilized to the best of its ability, ensuring a safe and smooth surgery for all.

Prospective respiratory triggering improves high-resolution brachial plexus MRI quality.

BACKGROUND: Oblique sagittal MRI sequences, orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the brachial plexus, can reliably depict morphologic and signal abnormalities. However, nerve visualization may be obscured by ghosting artifact from periodic respiratory motion. Respiratory triggering (RT) with a thoracoabdominal bellows can reduce ghosting artifact, but it is not routinely used for brachial plexus MRI. Furthermore, the efficacy of prospective RT for brachial plexus imaging has not yet been reported. PURPOSE: To compare brachial plexus MRI sequences acquired with and without respiratory triggering. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: Five volunteers and 20 patients were included. Each subject was imaged with and without RT during the same session. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Proton density or T2 -weighted Dixon fat suppressed sequences were obtained at 3.0T using receive-only 16-channel flexible array coils. ASSESSMENT: Three musculoskeletal radiologists blindly evaluated each sequence using subjective scoring criteria for ghosting artifact, nerve conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence. Nerve conspicuity scores at three distinct plexus levels were summed to calculate an overall image quality score. STATISTICAL TESTS: Marginal proportional odds logistic regression models were used to compare all scores between RT and non-RT. Gwet's agreement coefficient was used to assess interobserver and intraobserver reliability. RESULTS: Mean scan time per sequence increased from 4:25 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI], 4:02-4:49 min) with non-RT to 6:09 minutes (95% CI, 5:42-6:35 min) with RT. RT reduced ghosting artifact (odds ratio [OR] = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09-0.46, P < 0.001), improved overall image quality (OR = 4.88, 95% CI: 2.18-10.95, P < 0.001), and increased diagnostic confidence (OR = 3.72, 95% CI: 1.61-8.63, P = 0.002) for all readers. Interobserver agreement for ghosting artifact and image quality was substantial to almost perfect (AC2 = 0.74-0.85). Interobserver agreement for all other scores was moderate to almost perfect (AC2 = 0.61-0.82). Intraobserver agreement was substantial to almost perfect for all parameters (AC2 = 0.76-1.0). DATA CONCLUSION: Prospective RT with bellows can effectively minimize ghosting artifact and improve image quality for brachial plexus MRI within clinically optimal acquisition times. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2.

Developing a Community-Academic Partnership to Promote Mental Health Among Underserved Preadolescent Girls in Boston, Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Strong Women Strong Girls (SWSG) supports positive mentoring relationships between college women and preadolescent girls in underserved communities. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) seeks to advance population health through learning, discovery, and communication. OBJECTIVE: To establish a community-academic partnership between SWSG staff and HSPH researchers, understand the mental health experiences and needs of SWSG girls, and inform research-based mental health promotion activities for SWSG girls. METHODS: The lead community and academic partners participated in the Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Partnership Academy and established a steering committee (SC) to develop the partnership and implement CBPR projects. LESSONS LEARNED: Clear leadership and ongoing communication were critical to developing and sustaining our partnership. Engaging various SWSG community members in different ways and at different points in the research process was central to successfully implementing our CBPR project. CONCLUSIONS: Our community-academic partnership provides a foundation for promoting mental health among preadolescent girls in underserved Boston communities through both research and action.