Heterotopic Ossification After Revision Carpal Tunnel Release Causing Mixed Ulnar and Median Compression Neuropathy.

We report a case of heterotopic ossification formation 6 years after a revision carpal tunnel release in a 46-year-old woman, causing new-onset mixed ulnar and median nerve compression symptoms. The patient underwent excision of the heterotopic ossification mass along with decompression of the median and ulnar nerves, and postoperative radiation. Four years after treatment, the patient was completely asymptomatic with full range of motion in her hand and wrist.

Visual Illusions in Radiology: Untrue Perceptions in Medical Images and Their Implications for Diagnostic Accuracy.

Errors in radiologic interpretation are largely the result of failures of perception. This remains true despite the increasing use of computer-aided detection and diagnosis. We surveyed the literature on visual illusions during the viewing of radiologic images. Misperception of anatomical structures is a potential cause of error that can lead to patient harm if disease is seen when none is present. However, visual illusions can also help enhance the ability of radiologists to detect and characterize abnormalities. Indeed, radiologists have learned to exploit certain perceptual biases in diagnostic findings and as training tools. We propose that further detailed study of radiologic illusions would help clarify the mechanisms underlying radiologic performance and provide additional heuristics to improve radiologist training and reduce medical error.

RadRemind!-an Automated Paging System for Reminding Radiology Residents of Their Roles and Responsibilities.

Tasks which are scheduled at irregular intervals afford greater scheduling flexibility but are also more difficult to remember. Difficulty remembering clinical tasks not only create potential inefficiencies in patient care but were also identified as a source of anxiety among our residents. We implemented RadRemind! an automated system of pager notifications in order to improve patient care and reduce residents' anxiety. RadRemind! utilizes only an external shared APACHE, MySQL, PHP server. A set of CRON jobs activate a PHP script which pulls information from our resident schedule as JSON data. It then identifies the appropriate residents to notify and then sends a cURL request to a web-based paging service to trigger notifications to residents' pagers. Each activation of the script was logged in an SQL database. An anonymous survey assessing multiple aspects of efficacy was sent to residents after 3 months of implementation. Seventeen of 29 residents responded to the survey. Residents reported a mean of 2 successful reminders (defined as responsibilities which had been otherwise forgotten prior to the page notification) in the last month which was found to be statistically significant via one-sample t test (t = 3.3, p < 0.01). Paired t test showed a statistically significant (t = 2.9, p = 0.01) decrease of 2 points in reported anxiety. Repeated measures analysis of variance found a statistically significant variation in reported utility (F(3,16) = 15.9, p < 0.01)) by type of reminder such that reminders for interventional radiology call were found to be more useful than reminders for other tasks. Use of an automated paging system is an effective method of reminding residents of irregularly scheduled responsibilities and is associated with reduced scheduling related anxiety.

The Role of the Expert Witness in Radiology: Challenges and Strategies for Overcoming Them.

Expert witnesses provide an important service in malpractice cases in the United States because they educate the jury on the standards of care relevant to a particular case. In cases in which the defendant physician is a radiologist, the decision often rests on whether a retrospectively detected abnormality should have been perceived and reported, an "error of omission." Errors of omission are usually termed "perceptual" in the literature and are the most common cause of malpractice suits in radiology. Allegations often hinge on whether these errors represent a breach of duty by the defendant radiologist and whether they resulted in an injury to the plaintiff or patient. In short, jurors are asked to decide if the radiologist performed below the "standard of care," generally defined as that which a minimally competent, reasonable, or ordinary physician in the same field would do under similar circumstances. The authors describe challenges associated with being an expert witness and provide guidance to radiologists on how to address cases involving alleged perceptual errors.

A Review of Perceptual Expertise in Radiology-How it develops, How we can test it, and Why humans still matter in the era of Artificial Intelligence.

As the first step in image interpretation is detection, an error in perception can prematurely end the diagnostic process leading to missed diagnoses. Because perceptual errors of this sort-"failure to detect"-are the most common interpretive error (and cause of litigation) in radiology, understanding the nature of perceptual expertise is essential in decreasing radiology's long-standing error rates. In this article, we review what constitutes a perceptual error, the existing models of radiologic image perception, the development of perceptual expertise and how it can be tested, perceptual learning methods in training radiologists, and why understanding perceptual expertise is still relevant in the era of artificial intelligence. Adding targeted interventions, such as perceptual learning, to existing teaching practices, has the potential to enhance expertise and reduce medical error.

Primary bone lymphoma of patella: A case report and review of literature.

Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is rare bone disease that accounts for very small number of all primary bone tumors. Among the described sites of PBLs, the patella is an extremely rare example. To date, only a few cases of PBL affecting the patella have been reported. Clinically, these tumors have very similar presentation of pain, decreased range of motion and swelling and, sometimes, pathologic fractures. On radiographs, skeletal lymphoma commonly manifests as osteolytic lesions with ill-defined margins affecting the metaphysis of axial long bones. We present a rare case of patellar adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia in a 58-year-old female who presented with left-knee pain and swelling. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse marrow replacement by a lesion with aggressive features. PET scan demonstrated neoplastic range hypermetabolic FDG uptake within this lesion. Ultrasound-guided biopsy was consistent with PBL.

Assessment of interstitial lung disease among black rheumatoid arthritis patients.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting reports exist regarding the racial and the gender distribution of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). In a major population study of predominately Whites, RA-ILD was reported mainly among smoker middle-aged men. However, recent data suggest that the disease is that of elderly women. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence and identify the gender differences and clinical characteristics of RA-ILD in a predominantly Black population. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from the records of 1142 patients with RA diagnosis by ICD codes of which 503 cases met the inclusion criteria for the study. Eighty-six patients had chronic respiratory symptoms of cough and dyspnea and were further assessed by our multidisciplinary group of investigators. Thirty-two subjects with an established diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis met the diagnostic criteria for interstitial lung disease. RESULTS: Of the 32 patients with RA-ILD, mean age was 62.6 ± 2.2 (± SEM), 93.7% were females, and 89% Blacks with a BMI = 29.2 (Kg/m2). Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) was found in 24/32 (75%) of the cases. Seventy-two percent of the RA-ILD patient had seropositive RA. Smoking history was reported in 31.3% of the cohort, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 32.3%, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 65.6%. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates RA-ILD among Blacks is predominantly a disease of elderly females with higher rates of GERD and CVD risk factors. Further studies are needed to identify the pathogenetic differences accounting for the gender distribution of RA-ILD among Black and White populations.Key Points• First study to assess ILD among predominantly Black RA patients.• The prevalence of RA-associated ILD was 6.36%, affecting mostly women in their sixth decade with seropositive disease.• COPD was the most common airway disease among non-RA-ILD Black population.• GERD was found in approximately one-third of patients with RA-associated ILD versus one-fifth of those RA patients without any lung disease.

Thyroid acropachy: A rare skeletal manifestation of autoimmune thyroid disease.

Thyroid acropachy is a rare complication of autoimmune thyroid disease with characteristic imaging findings. Clinically, it presents as nail clubbing, swelling of digits and toes, almost always in association with thyroid ophthalmopathy and dermopathy. On radiographs, it manifests as prominent irregular and spiculated periosteal new bone formation in the hands and feet. We present a 52-year-old man with history of Graves' disease who presented with swelling of the hands and feet. Radiographs of the hands and feet revealed marked diffuse soft tissue edema and characteristic periosteal new bone formation most consistent with thyroid acropachy.

Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Therapeutic Patterns among Urban Black Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have nearly twice the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population. We aimed to assess, in a predominantly Black population, the prevalence of traditional and RA-specific CVD risk factors and therapeutic patterns. Utilizing ICD codes, we identified 503 RA patients ≥18 years old who were seen from 2010 to 2017. Of them, 88.5% were Black, 87.9% were women and 29.4% were smokers. CVD risk factors (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia) were higher than in previously reported White RA cohorts. Eighty-seven percent of the patients had at least one traditional CVD risk factor, 37% had three or more traditional CVD risk factors and 58% had RA-specific risk factors (seropositive RA, >10 years of disease, joint erosions, elevated inflammatory markers, extra-articular disease, body mass index (BMI) < 20). CV outcomes (coronary artery disease/myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke) were comparable to published reports. Higher steroid use, which increases CVD risk, and lesser utilization of biologics (decrease CV risk) were also observed. Our Black RA cohort had higher rates of traditional CVD risk factors, in addition to chronic inflammation from aggressive RA, which places our patients at a higher risk for CVD outcomes, calling for revised risk stratification strategies and effective interventions to address comorbidities in this vulnerable population.

Communication errors in radiology - Pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Communication failures are a common cause of patient harm and malpractice claims against radiologists. In addition to overt communication breakdowns among providers, it is also important to address the quality of communication to optimize patient outcomes. In this review, we describe common communication failures and potential solutions providing a framework for radiologists to improve health care delivery.

Combined Labeled Leukocyte and Technicium 99 Sulfur Colloid Bone Marrow Imaging: Differentiating Primary Pyomyositis Pseudotumor from Osteomyelitis and Multiple Bone Infarcts.

A 53 year old-female patient with lupus had undergone a cephalo-medullary nailing for a femur shaft fracture 30 years ago. This was complicated by osteomyelitis, requiring multiple debridement procedures and hardware removal. Recently, she developed a painful soft tissue mass in the same region, which was ultimately diagnosed as pyomyositis. Because of chronic bone changes due to her past history, traditional imaging could not differentiate between osteomyelitis infarction and pseudotumor. A combined indium-labeled leukocyte scan with a technetium-99 sulfur colloid marrow scan ruled out osteomyelitis and guided proper treatment without osseous debridement and thus prevented unnecessary cross-contamination of the bone.

Shoulder Lesion in a 69 Year Old Woman.

Milwaukee Shoulder Syndrome (MSS) is a painful progressive arthropathy in which hydroxyapatite crystal deposition in synovial tissue induces lysosomal release of collagenase and neutral proteases. These enzymes are destructive to periarticular tissue, including the synovium, articular cartilage, rotator cuff muscles, and the intrasynovial cortical bone. MSS predominantly occurring in women (90%) over the age of 70 years of age with a clinical history marked by recurrent joint effusions and pain, which classically worsens at night. Our patient is a 69-year-old woman who presented with progressive shoulder pain, most prominent at night, with limited range of motion and swelling; intermittent discharge; and intermittent neck pain that radiated to her right upper extremity. Her medical history was notable for invasive carcinoma of the right breast treated with mastectomy and radiation. She was also treated with radiation therapy for right shoulder pain and a lucent right shoulder lesion presumed to be metastatic breast cancer. The remainder of her medical history consists of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and uneventful bilateral total knee arthroplasties. At presentation, she denied constitutional symptoms. Based on the patient's history and physical exam the differential diagnosis included primary and metastatic malignancy, radiation induced sarcoma and necrosis, infection, Charcot disease, and crystal arthropathies. Physical exam, laboratory findings, and imaging studies led us to the diagnosis of MSS.

Systemic Error in Radiology.

OBJECTIVE: Interpretive errors in diagnostic imaging result in significant patient morbidity and mortality, but the importance of errors and process failures in the imaging cycle other than during image interpretation is underappreciated. In this article, we describe these errors and potential solutions, providing a framework to improve patient safety and understand the changing roles of radiologists beyond image interpretation. CONCLUSION: For comprehensive improvements to health care delivery, other failures in the cycle besides diagnostic interpretive error-such as ordering inappropriate studies, PACS failures, and a lack of accurate clinician contact information (with resultant communication failure)-should be recognized as contributors to patient harm because they lead to wasted resources and delayed care. By taking ownership of the entire imaging cycle, radiologists can increase their net worth to patient care and cement their roles as experts in the effective, evidence-based use of imaging technologies.

van Neck-Odelberg Disease: A 3.5-Year Follow-Up Case Report and Systematic Review.

V an Neck-Odelberg disease (VND) is a benign skeletal overgrowth of the ischiopubic synchondrosis (IPS) in prepubescent patients. There is a paucity of long-term follow-up data and reviews on management decision-making. We report on a 15-year-old female, with a history of sickle-cell disease (HbSS), presenting with unilateral groin pain. Patient's physical examination, radiographs, and a literature-review determined a diagnosis of VND. Conservative treatment was issued. Clinical symptoms resolved at three months, followed by complete lesion resolution at three years. Additionally, a search of Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, and OVID databases was performed. Reports including VND/IPS diagnosis, treatment, or follow-up decisions were identified. Systematic-review found 17 relevant articles, reporting on 29 patients. Patients presented with groin (51.7%) or buttock (20.7%) pain, and were diagnosed using X-ray (n=23) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (n=17). Twenty-five patients were treated conservatively, with two (8.0%) reports of surgical intervention. Average follow-up was 6.25 months. Our case report and systematic-review support conservative treatment for VND.

Interpretive Error in Radiology.

OBJECTIVE: Although imaging technology has advanced significantly since the work of Garland in 1949, interpretive error rates remain unchanged. In addition to patient harm, interpretive errors are a major cause of litigation and distress to radiologists. In this article, we discuss the mechanics involved in searching an image, categorize omission errors, and discuss factors influencing diagnostic accuracy. Potential individual- and system-based solutions to mitigate or eliminate errors are also discussed. CONCLUSION: Radiologists use visual detection, pattern recognition, memory, and cognitive reasoning to synthesize final interpretations of radiologic studies. This synthesis is performed in an environment in which there are numerous extrinsic distractors, increasing workloads and fatigue. Given the ultimately human task of perception, some degree of error is likely inevitable even with experienced observers. However, an understanding of the causes of interpretive errors can help in the development of tools to mitigate errors and improve patient safety.

Tired in the Reading Room: The Influence of Fatigue in Radiology.

Commonly conflated with sleepiness, fatigue is a distinct multidimensional condition with physical and mental effects. Fatigue in health care providers and any secondary effects on patient care are an important societal concern. As medical image interpretation is highly dependent on visual input, visual fatigue is of particular interest to radiologists. Humans analyze their surroundings with rapid eye movements called saccades, and fatigue decreases saccadic velocity. Oculomotor parameters may, therefore, be an objective and reproducible metric of fatigue and eye movement analysis can provide valuable insight into the etiology of fatigue-related error.

Ultrasound evaluation of the shoulder.

This article discusses ultrasound examination of the shoulder and highlights some of its utility. The focus is on normal shoulder anatomy and pathology involving the rotator cuff, biceps tendon, and other related miscellaneous conditions.

MR imaging of tumors and tumor-like lesions of the upper extremity.

Many tumor and tumor-like lesions of the bone and soft tissues may involve the upper extremity. Certain lesions, however, are unique to this location. As is usually the case, MR is most sensitive to detection and most accurate in depicting the extent of involvement of these lesions. MR signal characteristics may aid in differential diagnosis. Conventional radiographs are often more specific in regard to the underlying histopathology.