Intra-articular steroid for adhesive capsulitis: does hydrodilatation give any additional benefit? A randomized control trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefit offered by capsular hydrodilatation in addition to intra-articular steroid injections in cases of adhesive capsulitis, assess outcomes in diabetic patients with capsular hydrodilatation as compared to non-diabetics and correlate duration of symptoms with outcome based on the type of intervention given. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective double-blinded randomized control trial included patients presenting with clinical features of adhesive capsulitis with no evidence of rotator cuff pathology and randomized them into two groups-intra-articular steroid with hydrodilatation (distension group) and only intra-articular steroid (non-distension group) with intervention being performed as per the group allotted. Primary outcome measure was Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) scores which were taken pre-intervention, at 1.5, 3 and 6 months post-intervention, which were assessed by generalized linear model statistics and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: Although there was statistically significant drop in SPADI in both groups over time [F(1.9, 137.6) = 112.2; p < 0.001], mean difference in SPADI between the 2 groups was not statistically significant (1.53; CI:-3.7 to 6.8; p = 0.56). There was no significant difference between both groups among diabetics [F(1,38) = 0.04; p = 0.95] and no significant difference between diabetic and non-diabetic patients who received hydrodilatation [F(1.8, 60) = 2.26; p = 0.12]. There was no significant correlation between the reduction in SPADI scores and duration of symptoms in any subset of the study population. CONCLUSION: Shoulder joint hydrodilatation offered no additional benefit compared to intra-articular steroid injections for shoulder adhesive capsulitis. Outcome for diabetics and non-diabetics were similar and there was no correlation between duration of symptoms and outcome.

Magnetic Resonance Neurography of the Brachial Plexus Using 3D SHINKEI: Comparative Evaluation with Conventional Magnetic Resonance Sequences for the Visualization of Anatomy and Detection of Nerve Injury at 1.5T.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This work aims at optimizing and studying the feasibility of imaging the brachial plexus at 1.5T using 3D nerve-SHeath signal increased with INKed rest-tissue RARE imaging (3D SHINKEI) neurography sequence by comparing with routine sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on a 1.5T Achieva scanner. It was designed in two parts: (a) Optimization of SHINKEI sequence at 1.5T; and (b) Feasibility study of the optimized SHINKEI sequence for generating clinical quality magnetic resonance neurography images at 1.5T. Simulations and volunteer experiments were conducted to optimize the T2 preparation duration for optimum nerve-muscle contrast at 1.5T. Images from the sequence under study and other routine sequences from 24 patients clinically referred for brachial plexus imaging were scored by a panel of radiologists for diagnostic quality. Injury detection efficacy of these sequences were evaluated against the surgical information available from seven patients. RESULTS: T2 preparation duration of 50 ms gives the best contrast to noise between nerve and muscle. The images of 3D SHINKEI and short-term inversion recovery turbo spin-echo sequences are of similar diagnostic quality but significantly better than diffusion weighted imaging with background signal suppression. In comparison with the surgical findings, 3D SHINKEI has the lowest specificity; however, it had the highest sensitivity and predictive efficacy compared to other routine sequences. CONCLUSION: 3D SHINKEI sequence provides a good nerve-muscle contrast and has high predictive efficacy of nerve injury, indicating that it is a potential screening sequence candidate for brachial plexus scans at 1.5T also.

CT based measurement of anatomical dimensions of femur and its relevance in nail designs for proximal femoral fractures.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to obtain computed tomography (CT) based measurements of femoral dimensions in adults, to identify its relevance with intramedullary nails used in the management of proximal femur fractures and to suggest a best fitting implant dimensions to our population. To best of our knowledge our study would be first to compile different CT based dimension in single study. METHODS: In our retrospective study of 50 femurs, CT based femoral dimensions measured in standardized cuts and compared with previous studies and commonly available proximal femur intramedullary devices. RESULTS: 68.4 was the mean age in our study, neck shaft angle (NSA) was 127.2±5.20, anteversion 11.2±7.40, endosteal isthmus diameter was 11.9 ± 1.7 mm, anterior radius of curvature (ROC) was 116.8 ± 20 mm, horizontal femoral offset 37.5 ± 4.6 mm, medio-lateral angle 7.8±1.60, with good inter and intra observer correlation. Femoral length and neck width was positively correlated to head diameter, horizontal femoral offset with medio-lateral (ML) angle. One of the 50 femur studied had the parameters in the range of available implant and could match appropriately. CONCLUSION: CT based dimensions in our population is different from other population. Based on this study, a design modification of nails used in present day management of proximal femur fractures has been recommended.

Preoperative Staging of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas: Comparison of USG and CT with Intraoperative Findings and Histopathology.

To study the efficacy of USG and CECT in preoperative staging of differentiated thyroid carcinomas in comparison to the intraoperative and histopathological findings. A prospective, observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital over a period of one and a half years where USG and CECT of 23 subjects with histopathologically proven differentiated thyroid malignancy were analysed to study the characteristics of the primary tumour, lymphatic metastasis and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the radiological investigations in comparison to the intra-operative and histopathological findings. When compared with intraoperative and histopathological T-staging, USG had an accuracy of 69.5% and 73.9% and CECT had an accuracy of 78.2% and 73.9% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of USG and CECT in determining a malignant nodule was 71.4% and 33.3% and 52.4% and 66.7% respectively. The N-staging according to the histopathological examination findings was in agreement with that of USG in 65.2% and CECT in 65.2% patients. The sensitivity and specificity of USG was 94.4% and 41.7% and that of CECT was 92.2% and 44.4% respectively in detecting lymphatic metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of USG was 94.4% and 44.4% and that of CECT was 92.2% and 27.3% respectively in detecting lateral compartment lymphatic metastasis. USG identifies the characteristics of the malignant nodules better and CECT has a higher identifying central compartment lymphatic metastasis. CECT should be used as an adjunct to ultrasound to determine the extent of lymphatic metastasis and staging of disease.