MRI-based 3-dimensional volumetric assessment of fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy in rotator cuff tears.

BACKGROUND: The Goutallier and Warner Classification systems are useful in determining rotator cuff reparability. Data are limited on how accurately the scapular-Y view used in both systems reflects the 3-dimensional (3-D) changes in fatty infiltration (FI) and muscle atrophy (MA). Tendon retraction in the setting of a cuff tear may also influence the perception of these changes. This study's objectives were to (1) measure the 3-D volume of the supraspinatus muscle in intact rotator cuffs, and with varying magnitudes of retraction; (2) measure the 3-D volume of FI in the supraspinatus muscle in these conditions; and (3) determine the influence of tendon retraction on measured FI and MA using the Goutallier and Warner Classification Systems. METHODS: Between August 2015 and February 2016, all shoulder magnetic resonance images (MRIs) at the Portland VA Medical Center were standardized to include the medial scapular border. MRIs and charts were reviewed for inclusion/exclusion criteria. Included MRIs were categorized into 4 groups based on rotator cuff retraction. Supraspinatus muscle and fossa were traced to create 3-D volumes. FI and MA were measured within the supraspinatus. The supraspinatus muscle was graded among 6 physicians using the Goutallier and Warner classification systems. These grades were compared to 3-D measured FI and MA. The influence of tendon retraction on the measured grades were also evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred nine patients met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Ten MRIs for each group (N = 40) were included for image analysis. Supraspinatus volume tracings were highly reproducible and consistent between tracers. Supraspinatus muscle volumes decreased while global FI and MA increased with greater degrees of tendon retraction. In muscles with less than 10% global fat, fat concentrated in the lateral third of the muscle. In muscle with more than 10% global fat content, it distributed more diffusely throughout the muscle from medial to lateral. In comparing the scapular-Y to a medial cut, there was no consistent trend in FI whereas MA was more accurate at the medial cut. CONCLUSION: Parasagittal imaging location did not significantly influence the Goutallier score; however, assessment of MA using the Warner score leads readers to perceive less MA medially regardless of the magnitude of tendon retraction. The pattern of FI within the supraspinatus muscle changes from a laterally based location around the muscle-tendon junction to a more diffuse, global infiltration pattern when the whole muscle fat content exceeds 10%.

Thoracic kyphosis assessment in postmenopausal women: an examination of the Flexicurve method in comparison to radiological methods.

The Flexicurve ruler is an alternative method to radiographs for measuring thoracic kyphosis (curvature), but it is not certain that it is comparable. This study shows that Flexicurve can estimate radiographic vertebral centroid angles with less error than Cobb angles but that its accuracy would be inadequate for most clinical purposes. INTRODUCTION: The Flexicurve ruler provides a non-radiological method of measuring thoracic kyphosis (TK) that has moderately strong correlations with the gold-standard radiographic Cobb angle method, while consistently underestimating the TK angle. Cobb angles can include measurement errors that may contribute to poor agreement, particularly in older populations. The vertebral centroid angle could be a better radiographic reference method for the validation of Flexicurve. Using two separate radiographic measurements of TK, we examined the validity of Flexicurve. We aimed to ascertain the level of agreement between measures and to empirically explore reasons for between-method differences. METHODS: TK angles determined using Flexicurve and radiographic Cobb and vertebral centroid methods were compared using data from 117 healthy postmenopausal women (mean (SD) age 61.4 (7.0) years). Bland and Altman plots were used to assess differences between methods. Age, bone mineral density and body mass index were examined as characteristics that might explain any differences. RESULTS: Flexicurve angles were scaled prior to analysis. There was no statistically significant difference between angles produced by Flexicurve and vertebral centroid methods (MD - 2.16°, 95%CI - 4.35° to 0.03°) although differences increased proportionally with TK angles. Flexicurve angles were significantly smaller than radiographic Cobb angles and depending on the scaling method used, systematic error ranged between - 2.48° and - 5.19°. Age accounts for some of the differences observed (R2 < 0.08, p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: TK measured using the Flexicurve shows better agreement with the radiographic vertebral centroid method, but inaccuracy of the Flexicurve increases with increasing angle of kyphosis.

Accelerating clinical drug development for children with tuberculosis.

Despite urgent need, the development, approval and availability of child-friendly anti-tuberculosis drugs lag significantly behind that of adults, with children having been ignored in anti-tuberculosis drug development research. This paper outlines possible strategies for accelerating and better integrating the development of drugs and regimens for pediatric tuberculosis (TB) into existing drug development pathways for adults: initiation of pediatric studies of new treatments as soon as promising efficacy data have been generated in adults following successful phase II studies, shifting from the current age de-escalated approach to concomitant enrollment of children from the various age groups in studies, and leveraging the concepts of both the Unified Pathway and regimen development that have helped speed the study and development of novel regimens in adults.

Facilitating higher order thinking skills in nurse education: a prototype database for teaching wound assessment and management skills.

The introduction of university based nurse education in Australia has nursing students spending more time in the classroom and less time in clinical settings. This decrease in clinical exposure may result in reduced opportunities for students to develop pertinent patient assessment and management skills. This is particularly true of skills required for effective wound assessment and management. Computerised databases offer an innovative method of teaching or refining these skills in a cost and time-effective manner without risk to patients or students. Such technology can also provide important grounding in data identification, hypothesis testing, problem solving and clinical decision making skills. This paper explores the underlying pedagogical principles of database use and describes the development of the prototype closed database, DECUBITUS. The prototype database included the following data fields; physical assessment, clinical diagnosis, risk assessment, wound assessment and treatment modality. The introduction of more sophisticated databases will permit the storage of visual images of actual wounds thus providing an additional dimension to the teaching of wound assessment and management.

The psychological assessment of cochlear implant patients.

The use of a cochlear implant (CI) to restore some acoustical input to patients with complete acquired hearing loss may be expected to result in changes in their psychological functioning. CI programmes should therefore include a careful psychological screening of all candidates and subsequent psychological assessments of patients who receive implants. Procedures used in the psychological assessment of CI candidates and patients outlined in the literature, as well as those used in the Royal Ear Hospital (REH) programme, are discussed. It is concluded that standard psychological tests of personality and intellectual functioning are of limited value in the screening of CI candidates and the postoperative evaluation of patients. It is proposed that more useful information be obtained by an analysis of the possible functional value of the implant to each individual candidate and by assessment of actual postoperative changes in the patient's behaviour. Unless an implant leads to improvements in the patient's psychosocial functioning, the device is unlikely to be used. Examples of this approach in assessing the REH candidates and patients are given.