Comprehensive musculoskeletal sonographic evaluation of the hand and wrist.

Sonography is widely used for evaluation of hand and wrist lesions. The easy accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and good diagnostic accuracy of sonography coupled with the numerous benefits of real-time imaging make it desirable. The aim of this article is to describe the typical sonographic appearances of lesions in the hand and wrist that are encountered frequently in routine clinical practice, such as inflammatory arthropathies, tumors, traumatic injuries, foreign bodies, and nerve entrapment syndromes. Relevant anatomy, scanning methods, and recent developments in musculoskeletal sonography are also discussed.

Detection of free intraperitoneal fluid in healthy young men.

OBJECTIVES: Free intraperitoneal fluid is a secondary sign of abdominal disorders. The detection of small volumes of fluid has been documented as a normal finding in women of childbearing age and also in pediatric sonography. However, the finding of free fluid in asymptomatic men has not been similarly documented by sonography. We postulate that with high-frequency linear probes, small volumes of fluid may be detected in asymptomatic men without underlying abdominal disorders. METHODS: Ten healthy male volunteers underwent targeted abdominal sonographic examinations after an overnight fast and in an immediate postprandial state. The findings were documented, and representative images were saved for analysis. RESULTS: We found small slivers or geometric collections of fluid between bowel loops in 4 of the 10 volunteers. No obvious correlation between the detection of fluid and the nutritional or hydration status of the patient was identified. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that small volumes of pelvic free fluid in healthy men can be normal and do not necessarily indicate underlying disorders. The role of free fluid identification as an indicator of major intra-abdominal disorders must be viewed with caution and with careful clinical correlation.

Oxygen reservoir bags simulating chest pathology: a case series.

BACKGROUND: We present a series of plain chest radiographs taken in acute settings, with artifactual projections from oxygen reservoir bags. These artifacts are shown to simulate chest pathology in each case. OBJECTIVES: The identification of artifacts on imaging prevents misdiagnosis and potential mistreatment of patients in acute settings. We highlight patterns of findings caused by the projection of oxygen reservoir bags in radiographs taken in the emergency setting. CASE REPORTS: We present plain chest films in 4 patients taken in the acute setting, either in the emergency department or acute admissions unit. In this case series, oxygen reservoir bags simulate pneumothoraces, lung edges, and bullous disease. CONCLUSION: Artifacts on chest radiographs are potential causes of misdiagnosis and subsequent inappropriate treatment. By highlighting the patterns created by the projection of oxygen reservoir bags, emergency physicians, radiologists, and reporting radiographers will be aware of the potential problems.

Nicotine place preference in the mouse: influences of prior handling, dose and strain and attenuation by nicotinic receptor antagonists.

RATIONALE: Although conditioned place preferences (CPPs) are seen with most abused drugs, nicotine does not always produce a preference in this design. OBJECTIVES: The goals of the present experiment were to (1) examine various factors that could contribute to these inconsistent results and (2) begin to evaluate the specific nicotinic receptors involved in the nicotine CPP. METHODS: The influences of prior handling, environmental habituation, and injection habituation on a nicotine CPP were first evaluated in ICR mice. Subsequently, various nicotine doses were assessed for their abilities to produce a CPP, and the effectiveness of nicotinic receptor antagonists in attenuating this preference was examined. Finally, nicotine CPPs were assessed in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice to examine the influence of strain in this design. RESULTS: Nicotine CPPs were seen in handled/environmentally habituated, but not in unhandled, ICR mice. Habituation to the injection techniques failed to strengthen the preference. In ICR mice, a CPP was seen with one intermediate dose of nicotine. This CPP was attenuated by mecamylamine and dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHbetaE). A nicotine CPP was also seen in C57BL/6J, but not in DBA/2J, mice. CONCLUSION: Earlier handling experience and strain are important factors when evaluating a nicotine CPP in the mouse. In addition, certain nicotinic receptors underlie the nicotine CPP, indicating that this model can elucidate underlying mediators of nicotine reward.