Is Lung Ultrasound Imaging a Worthwhile Procedure for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pneumonia Detection?

OBJECTIVES: We compared 2 imaging modalities in patients suspected of having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Blinded to the results of real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing, lung ultrasound (LUS) examinations and chest computed tomography (CT) were performed, and the specific characteristics of these imaging studies were assessed. METHODS: From March 15, 2020, to April 15, 2020, 63 consecutive patients were enrolled in this prospective pilot study. All patients underwent hematochemical tests, LUS examinations, chest CT, and confirmatory rRT-PCR. The diagnostic performance of LUS and chest CT was calculated with rRT-PCR as a reference. The interobserver agreement of radiologists and ultrasound examiners was calculated. Ultrasound and CT features were compared to assess the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Positive and negative likelihood ratios measured the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Nineteen (30%) patients were COVID-19 negative, and 44 (70%) were positive. No differences in demographics and clinical data at presentation were observed among positive and negative patients. Interobserver agreement for CT had a κ value of 0.877, whereas for LUS, it was 0.714. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of chest CT for COVID-19 pneumonia were 93%, 90%, 85%, and 95%, respectively; whereas for LUS, they were 68%, 79%, 88%, and 52%. On receiver operating characteristic curves, area under the curve values were 0.834 (95% confidence interval, 0.711-0.958) and 0.745 (95% confidence interval, 0.606-0.884) for chest CT and LUS. CONCLUSIONS: Lung ultrasound had good reliability compared to chest CT. Therefore, our results indicate that LUS may be used to assess patients suspected of having COVID-19 pneumonia.

Comparison among preoperative single-slice CT and multi-slice CT in simple, closed loop and strangulating bowel obstruction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to compare preoperative single-slice CT (SSCT) and multislice-CT (MSCT) accuracy in the evaluation of patients with bowel obstruction and intestinal necrosis. METHODOLOGY: 64 patients were enrolled. We analyzed the SSCT scans of 30 patients and the MSCT scans of 34 patients with clinical and abdominal plain film evidence of bowel obstruction. Presence, site, kind, and cause of the obstruction were evaluated; specific signs of strangulating or closed loop obstruction and wall necrosis were also identified. Three radiologists interpreted the CT scans independently; a consensus review was obtained, indicating the need of emergency or delayed surgery. The results were assayed on the basis of surgical findings. RESULTS: SSCT and MSCT findings of bowel obstruction presented good correlation with the surgical report. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 86.1%; 89.3%; 91.1%; and 83.3% respectively. The k coefficient of interobserver agreement was significant (0.729; p<0.01). A major difference was observed between findings in SSCT and MSCT in detecting intestinal ischemia (p <0.05); a noteworthy statistical difference between these techniques was observed especially in the sensitivity and specificity of the edema, twisting and/or thickening of mesenteric vessels (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The first objective of abdominal CT in patients with bowel obstruction is to evaluate the need for emergency surgery because delayed operations potentially result in high mortality. A CT presenting high correlation to surgical findings allows a correct surgical timing and planning thanks to the correct identification of site, kind, and causes of bowel obstruction. MSCT presents better results compared to SSCT in assessing intestinal necrosis.

Steady state evaluation of aortic dissections: A feasibility study.

PURPOSE: One the main reasons for the limited use of MRI in the evaluation of aortic dissection in emergency conditions is its long execution time. The authors report their experience regarding a new MRI sequence that reduces execution time and avoids the use of contrast medium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen haemodynamically stable patients with suspected (16 cases, 3 with confirmed diagnosis of aneurysm) or known aortic dissection (2 cases) underwent in emergency conditions 1.5T MRI with Steady-State sequence (Fast Imaging Employing Steady-State Acquisition: GRE 2D; TR 3.5, TE 1.6; Flip Angle 45, bandwidth 125, matrix 224x224, NEX 1, acquisition time per slice 7 s, thickness 6-8 mm, FOV 38; 2D-GE breath-hold sequence requiring cardiac triggering). The results obtained were compared in terms of diagnostic accuracy and execution time with those of classical MRI examination (black blood T1, FSE T2 and 3D MR-angiography) or multislice CT. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of MRI, both with Steady-State sequence and the ''classical'' technique, and multislice CT in the diagnosis of dissection or aneurysm is equal (100%), whereas execution time is 6, 25 and 6 minutes, respectively. Multislice CT proved to be more accurate than Steady-State MRI in evaluating the renal parenchyma and the extension of the dissection to the renal arteries. CONCLUSIONS: The Steady-State MRI sequence provides a diagnosis of aortic dissection or aneurysmal dilatation in a short time and may represent a valuable alternative to CT in emergency settings, especially in patients with reported contraindications to iodinated contrast media.

Color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of superficial lymphomatous lymph nodes.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a retrospective study to document the sonographic and color Doppler characteristics of lymphomatous superficial lymph nodes. METHODS: We selected 130 individuals who underwent sonography, color Doppler imaging, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, and surgical removal of the nodes with the final diagnosis of lymphoma (87) and chronic adenitis (43). During sonography, for each node we considered the longitudinal and axial diameters, long/short axis ratio, visibility of the hilum, and the internal echogenicity of the node. During the color and power Doppler examination, we classified the nodes into 3 patterns: type I, "hilar normal"; type II, "hilar activated"; and type III, "peripheral." RESULTS: Sonographic evidence was not significant. With color Doppler sonography, 97% of nodes affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 94% of nodes affected by Hodgkin lymphoma, and 100% of non-neoplastic nodes showed hilar vascularity. Type I seemed more frequently associated with inflammation, and type II was more frequently associated with lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of peripheric subcapsular vessels, which is typical of metastasis, is definitely rare in lymphoma (with the possible exception of the uncommon subtypes of high-grade lymphomas). The differential diagnosis between lymphoma and lymphadenitis is frequently impossible on the basis of sonographic and color Doppler patterns alone; therefore, clinical evaluation and biopsy are generally mandatory.

Hemoperitoneum following ovarian cyst rupture: CT usefulness in the diagnosis.

PURPOSE: The rupture of an ovarian cyst is among the most frequent causes of hemoperitoneum in women, and especially in young women. An ultrasound (US) examination performed in emergency allows the easy detection of fluids leaking into the abdomen. It may however be difficult to establish whether this fluid is blood and identify the cyst or the signs of a cystic rupture. The aim of the present study was the assessment of CT diagnostic capabilities in cases of hemoperitoneum following cyst rupture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT abdominal studies performed in emergency in 15 patients with surgical findings of ovarian cyst rupture and consequent hemoperitoneum were retro-spectively reviewed. An ultrasound examination carried out in 12 women was positive in all cases for abdominal effusion, without however confirming the presence of an ovarian cyst or without definitely defining the cystic rupture. Spiral CT examinations were performed with a preliminary unenhanced study of the abdomen (10-mm thickness image acquisitions, 10-mm intervals) and with scans obtained after injection of 150 cc of contrast medium (c.m.) at the speed of 2 cc/sec, 60-sec delay; late-phase acquisition scans of the pelvic cavity were obtained in eight of the 15 patients. RESULTS: CT imaging allowed the depiction of the effusion in all cases. This was limited to the pelvic cavity in five cases and extended to the upper abdomen in the remaining ten patients; in seven of these ten cases, a difference in the density between the upper abdomen and the pelvic cavity was detected. An ovarian cyst was visualized in 11 patients; in eight of them, an irregular opacification of the walls was recorded, suggesting the diagnosis of cystic rupture. In the remaining four cases, a c.m. extravasation was observed, starting from the adnexal region, intracystic in one of them. In all these patients, a hyperdense collection in the pelvic cavity was documented in late-phase acquisitions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: CT imaging in cases of bleeding due to ovarian cyst rupture permits the acquisition of useful diagnostic information: a different effusion density in the pelvic cavity and in the upper abdomen, the direct visualization of the cystic mass (even when involved in a large effusion), the irregularity of opacified cystic walls (a sign of cyst rupture), and finally, the direct extravasion and collection of the c.m. in the pelvic cavity. These is fundamental information in those cases in whom US findings are negative or doubtful.