Concordance of clinical, histopathologic and direct Immunofluorescence findings in patients with intraepidermal immunobullous disorders.

Objective: To determine the concordance among clinical, histopathological and immunofluorescence as diagnostic methods for intraepidermal immunobullous disorders. METHODS: The prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Skin Diseases, Karachi, from December 2020 to December 2022, and comprised adult patients of either gender presenting with complaints of bullae, vesicles, pustules and crusts on the skin or mucous membrane. Diagnostic findings of each patient as obtained by clinical assessment, microscopy and direct immunofluorescence were compared. Data was analysed using SPSS 19. RESULTS: Of the 81 patients, 41(50.6%) were males and 40(49.4%) were females. The overall median age was 35 years (interquartile range: 23 years), with 66(75%) patients aged 19-55 years. The predominant body site involved was the trunk 49(60.5%), followed by mucosa 26(32.1%). Clinical diagnosis detected 80(98.7%) cases, compared to 76(93.8%) by microscopy and 81(100%) by direct immunofluorescence. Conclusion: Direct immunofluorescence was found to be the gold standard for a confirmatory diagnosis of intraepidermal immunobullous disorders, especially when clinical and histopathology findings were inconclusive.

Performance of overnight on-call radiology residents in interpreting unenhanced abdominopelvic magnetic resonance imaging studies performed for pediatric right lower quadrant abdominal pain.

BACKGROUND: Abdominopelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly being used to evaluate children with abdominal pain suspected of having acute appendicitis. At our institution, these examinations are preliminarily interpreted by radiology residents, especially when performed after hours. OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of preliminary reports rendered by radiology residents in this setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred seventy-seven pediatric abdominopelvic MRI examinations were included. The preliminary (resident) and final (attending) radiology reports were coded as diagnosing acute appendicitis or no acute appendicitis. The concordance between resident and attending radiologist interpretations was calculated. Additionally, both resident and attending reports were compared to available surgical pathology or clinical follow-up data. RESULTS: Overall concordance rate for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was 97.1%. Concordance for verified cases of acute appendicitis was 93.4%. Concordance rates did not differ by residents' postgraduate year levels. When compared against surgical pathology or clinical follow-up data, residents demonstrated 91.2% sensitivity and 97.6% specificity. There was no statistically significant difference in the sensitivity or specificity of resident or attending radiologist interpretations. CONCLUSION: Radiology residents demonstrate high concordance with attending pediatric radiologists in their interpretations of pediatric abdominopelvic MRI for acute appendicitis. The diagnostic performances of residents and attendings were comparable.

Diffuse periostitis as the primary presenting radiological finding in an AML patient with disease relapse.

Acute myelogenous leukemia is a hematologic malignancy defined by the presence of myeloid blasts causing bone marrow infiltration. Evaluation and workup of acute myelogenous leukemia is based on comprehensive medical history, physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and bone marrow sampling. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the study of choice in the evaluation of this disease including the initial evaluation, treatment follow-up, and complications. Herein, we report a case of relapse of the acute myelogenic leukemia in an adult patient who presented with diffuse periostitis in his lower extremities diagnosed on MR imaging and confirmed on Technetium bone scan, which also showed periostitis along the bilateral humeri. To our knowledge, this was not previously reported in the English literature.

Cervical Funneling: Potential Pitfall of Point-of-Care Pelvic Ultrasound.

Though point-of-care ultrasound applications continue to expand, there are findings that are not within the scope of emergency ultrasound. It is important for emergency physicians to be aware of incidental findings that can be identified on comprehensive ultrasounds performed by other imaging departments in order to fully understand the limitations of bedside ultrasound. In this case, a gravid patient presented to the emergency department with pelvic cramping and vaginal bleeding. Point-of-care transabdominal pelvic ultrasound examination was performed and demonstrated cervical funneling. In the appropriate patient, cervical insufficiency due to cervical funneling may be an indication for cerclage in a pregnant patient.