High resolution computed tomography in asthma.

OBJECTIVES: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) can detect the structural abnormalities in asthma. This study attempts to correlate these abnormalities with clinical and pulmonary function test (PFT) data. METHODS: Consecutive stable asthma patients attending Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait, were subjected to HRCT during a six month period from July 2004 to December 2004, after initial evaluation and PFT. RESULTS: Of the 28 cases, sixteen (57.1%) had moderate, 6 (21.4%) had mild and 6 (21.4%) had severe persistent asthma. Thirteen (46.4%) patients had asthma for 1 to 5 years and 12 (42.9%) were having asthma for >10 years. Bronchial wall thickening (57.1%), bronchiectasis (28.6%), mucoid impaction (17.9%), mosaic attenuation (10.7%), air trapping (78.6%) and plate like atelectasis (21.4%) were noted. Bronchial wall thickening (p=0.044) and bronchiectasis (p=0.063) were most prevalent in males. Ten (35.7%) patients exhibited mild, 9 (32.1%) had moderate and 3 (10.7%) had severe air trapping. The difference in Hounsfield units between expiratory and inspiratory slices (air trapping) when correlated with percent-predicted FEV1 in right upper (r=0.25; p=0.30), left upper (r=0.20; p=0.41), right mid (r=0.15; p=0.53), left mid (r=-0.04; p=0.60), right lower (r=0.04; p=0.86) and left lower zones (r=-0.13; p=0.58) showed no relation. The same when correlated as above with the percent predicted FEF 25-75 did not show any significant association. The presence of air trapping was compared with sex (p=0.640), nationality (p=1.000), disease duration (p=1.000) and severity of symptoms (p=0.581). CONCLUSION: Abnormal HRCT findings are common in asthma; however, air trapping when present was not related to the duration or severity of the illness or to the FEV1.

Percutaneous coblation nucleoplasty in patients with contained lumbar disc prolapse: 1 year follow-up in a prospective case series.

BACKGROUND: Nucleoplasty appears a successful minimally-invasive treatment for symptomatic contained disc herniation (protrusion). The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the effectiveness of nucleoplasty for alleviating pain and dysfunction in our patients. METHOD: All patients who presented with established low back and/or leg pain of at least 3 months' duration were clinically followed for 1 year following the nucleoplasty procedure. Self-reported grading of pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and subjective global rating of overall satisfaction were recorded and analysed. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients, aged between 20 and 65 years who were treated with nucleoplasty were included in the study. No complications were noted. At the 12-month-follow-up, the median VAS and RMDQ scores were significantly reduced in the patients who were considered successful (VAS by 6-7 points, RMDQ by 8 points) compared to the patients who were considered failed showing much less reduction. (P = 0.000 in both cases; Mann-Whitney U test.) There was no significant difference in the baseline VAS and RMDQ scores in the two groups. Patients who were considered to have failed the procedure tended to be older. Multi-level disc decompression did not appear to be a risk factor for failure. CONCLUSIONS: This disc decompression procedure was a safe and effective treatment option for carefully selected patients affected by low back and leg pain due to contained disc herniation.

DIAM device for low back pain in degenerative disc disease : 24 months follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of the DIAM device in patients affected by low back pain due to degenerative disc disease. BACKGROUND: Recently a number of interspinous devices for dynamic interspinous distraction-stabilization have entered the clinical practice in Europe. All of these devices have a common property of acting on the posterior part of the functional spinal unit by distracting the spinous processes and avoiding extension of the treated segment. Consequently, these systems seem to improve the cross-sectional area of the thecal sac and enlarge the diameter of the intervertebral foramina. What was found as a collateral observation after implantation of these devices was that those patients affected by low back pain, improved significantly in their pain level. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifty-two consecutive patients were included in the study. There were 29 females and 23 males, aged between 29 and 77 years (mean 49.4 ± s.d. 12.4). The pre-operative symptom duration ranged from 6 to 84 months (mean 31.8 ± s.d. 20.2, median 24 months).The following diagnostic measures were performed in each patient: MRI, dynamic X-rays and provocative discography positive for pain reproduction.The patients were followed for pain by VAS and for functional status by self-reported Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. The minimum follow-up was 24 months (24-36). The intermediate follow-up at 6, 12 and 18 months was tested for, too. RESULTS: To determine the number of improved patients we have arbitrarily selected a cut-off criteria based on a ≥30% of improvement as calculated on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire scale comparing the 24 months values to the baseline values. Forty-six patients (88%) were considered as success and 2 (4%) were considered as failure. No long-term complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary report indicates that the DIAM device could possibly be useful in the treatment of LBP due to DDD. Further research with RCT is necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Accuracy of 64-multidetector-row computed tomography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the accuracy of 64-multidetector-row computed tomography coronary angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-two patients suspected of having CAD underwent CTA using a 64-slice CT scanner before a scheduled, conventional coronary angiogram (CCA). Blinded assessment of CTA to detect CAD was performed. The accuracy of CTA in detecting significant stenoses (> or =50%) was compared to CCA. Data analysis was performed on 73 patients because the scans were nondiagnostic in 5 patients and 14 refused to undergo coronary angiography. RESULTS: The CTAs of 21 of these 73 patients were considered as normal; 19 were confirmed on CCA. For the remaining 52 diagnosed as abnormal, 51 were confirmed on CCA. For patient-based analysis, CTA had a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 96%, a positive predictive value of 98% and a negative predictive value of 90%. For the whole vessel, the sensitivity of CTA was 60-100%, for all vessels and the specificity was 82-100%. Pooled sensitivity was 92% and pooled specificity was 98%. For the segments, the sensitivity of CTA was 64% or above for all vessels except for the distal left anterior descending artery (40%), mid circumflex artery (50%) and posterior descending artery (60%); the pooled sensitivity was 79%. The specificity for the segments was 82-100% for all vessels and pooled specificity was 94%. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity and specificity for patient-based analysis and for the main coronary vessels were high whereas for the segments, the sensitivity was moderately good, but the specificity was high, confirming that a negative CTA is useful to rule out significant CAD. A coordinated classification system between radiologists and cardiologists is required to eliminate errors in segment classification.

Relative contribution of digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography in interpreting serum prostate-specific antigen values for screening prostate cancer in Arab men.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the utility of digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in men in Arabia, an are of the world with a relatively low incidence of this disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 329 patients suspected of having prostate cancer on account of raised serum PSA level (>4 ng/ml), DRE or TRUS findings, underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. Raised PSA individually as well as combined, or a lesion suspicious of carcinoma on DRE or TRUS was recorded as PSA(+), DRE(+) or TRUS(+), respectively. The contribution of DRE, TRUS and serum PSA to the diagnosis of prostate cancer was analysed. RESULTS: Of the 329 patients who had prostate biopsies 109 cases (33.1%) had PCa. Of these 109 patients 56 (51%) had DRE(+), 77 (42%) had TRUS(+) and 49 (66%) had both DRE(+) and TRUS(+). Statistical analysis revealed that DRE(+) tripled the probability for cancer. PSA over a range of 10-50 ng/mL demonstrated an increasing cancer probability ranging from 2 to 3 fold. TRUS(+) was only significantly associated with cancer risk if PSA was elevated. The presence of all three factors increased the cancer probability by 6 to 7 fold. CONCLUSION: TRUS findings are dependent on PSA for interpretation while DRE(+) with elevated PSA makes PCa more likely.

Technical observations on the assessment of thyroid volume by palpation and ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of increased thyroid volume, in field studies of goiter prevalence, has been based on inspection and palpation of the thyroid. Because clinical examination, compared with ultrasonography, has a low positive predictive value for the presence of a goiter, it overestimates goiter prevalence. It also has the problem of marked interobserver variability. This led to the use of ultrasonographic scanners in field studies. The problem with the latter is the cost and skill required for the complicated linear measures and their translation to lobe volume and then thyroid volume. We studied patients to determine whether this complicated assessment could be simplified. METHODS: We studied palpation in 31 patients with thyroid disease in whom individual ultrasonographic linear dimensions were also obtained in their 62 thyroid lobes to determine their relationship to thyroid lobe volume. RESULTS: Palpation revealed poor discrimination of smaller thyroid sizes as determined by ultrasonography. Stepwise linear regression (backward selection) revealed that of the 3 thyroid dimensions, only the lateromedial dimension of the thyroid lobe had a significant correlation to lobe volume, accounting for 82.5% of the variability in lobe volume. The lobe volume (in milliliters) is given by the lobe lateromedial dimension (in centimeters) multiplied by 13 minus a constant of 15. CONCLUSIONS: A simple linear ultrasonographic measurement of the thyroid lateromedial dimension, which can be done with little training, is as good as more complicated measures of thyroid volume estimation by ultrasonography and is an ideal method for identifying goiters in field surveys.

Spinal tuberculosis: CT and MRI feature.

BACKGROUND: Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is perhaps the most clinically important extrapulmonary form of the disease. Early recognition is therefore necessary to minimize residual spinal deformity and/or permanent neurological deficit. We defined the CT and MRI image morphology of spinal TB and correlated the imaging features of these two modalities. METHODS: CT (29 patients) and MRI (11 patients) images were retrospectively analyzed in 30 patients with proved spinal TB. CT and MRI findings were compared in cases with both imaging tests (10 cases). The parameters assessed were the type and extent of bone and soft tissue involvement. RESULTS: The majority of the 30 patients were males (n=18) in the 30-49 year age group (43%). The most common clinical presentation was backache (73.3%) followed by fever (63.3%) and malaise (36.6%). The lumbar spine was the commonest site of the disease (43.3%) followed by the thoracic region (36.6%). A fragmentary type of bone destruction was the most frequent CT feature of the disease (48.2%) followed by the lytic type (24.1%). Intervertebral disc destruction (72%) and paravertebral mass/abscess (65.5%) were other features. Of the 11 patients who had an MRI, contiguous vertebral disease with disc destruction was seen in 10 cases. In 4 patients, there was distant vertebral disease in addition to the disease at the symptomatic site. CONCLUSIONS: MRI offers excellent visualization of the bone and soft tissue components of spinal tuberculosis and helps to identify disease at distant asymptomatic sites. CT is useful in assessing bone destruction, but is less accurate in defining the epidural extension of the disease and therefore its effect on neural structures. MR imaging clearly demonstrated the extent of soft tissue disease and its effect on the theca/cord and foramen in cases with doubtful CT findings.

Is fasting a necessary preparation for abdominal ultrasound?

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of fasting on the technical success of abdominal ultrasound examination. METHODS: In a randomized, prospective study, 150 patients for abdominal ultrasound were divided into two groups of 75 patients each with instructions to fast for six hours or have normal breakfast respectively. RESULT: The technical success of the abdominal ultrasound performed by radiologists blinded to the instruction did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: It appears that routine fasting before abdominal ultrasound is not necessary.

CT features in abdominal tuberculosis: 20 years experience.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is endemic in the developing world and is reemerging in the West. Since computed tomography (CT) has the ability to demonstrate changes in the peritonium, mesentry, lymphnodes, bowel and solid organs and is being increasingly used for primary evaluation of abdominal conditions, it is important to be familiar with the CT features of the disease. METHODS: CT findings were retrospectively analysed in 49 patients with proved abdominal TB. Patients with genitourinary TB and with AIDS/HIV were not included in the study. RESULTS: Peritoneal involvement was the most common feature (77.5%) with ascites (wet peritonitis) seen in more than half the cases (55.2%). The rest showed peritoneal, mesenteric or omental thickening or mass formation but no ascites (dry peritonitis). Other findings included lymphadenopathy (46.9% mainly of diffuse nature, bowel wall thickening (38%) and solid organ involvement (20.4%). CONCLUSIONS: CT reliably demonstrates the entire range of findings which need interpretation in the light of clinical and laboratory data.

Diagnosis of choledocholithiasis and bile duct stenosis by magnetic resonance cholangiogram.

We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in the diagnosis of bile duct calculi and stenosis. Two-dimensional fast spin echo (FSE) MR cholangiograms were performed using torso multicoil array as a surface coil and respiratory triggering in 50 patients suspected of having bile duct disease. Coronal and axial images were acquired and reviewed prospectively by two radiologists. Direct cholangiographic correlation (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography [ERCP], intraoperative cholangiogram, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram) and surgery were available for comparison and were reviewed by two radiologists. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRC in diagnosing bile duct dilatation, choledocholithiasis and stenosis were evaluated. It yielded a sensitivity and a specificity of 100% in diagnosing bile duct dilatation. In the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis, MRC yielded a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity and an accuracy of 96%. Bile duct stenosis was diagnosed with a sensitivity and a specificity of 100%. We concluded that MRC exhibited high accuracy in diagnosing bile duct stenosis and choledocholithiasis.