The Effects of Fatigue From Overnight Shifts on Radiology Search Patterns and Diagnostic Performance.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of overnight shifts (ONS) on radiologist fatigue, visual search pattern, and diagnostic performance. METHODS: This experimental study was approved by the institutional review board. Twelve radiologists (five faculty members and seven residents) each completed two sessions: one during a normal workday ("not fatigued") and another in the morning after an ONS ("fatigued"). Each radiologist completed the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory. During each session, radiologists viewed 20 bone radiographs consisting of normal and abnormal findings. Viewing time, diagnostic confidence, and eye-tracking data were recorded. RESULTS: Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory results demonstrated worsening in all five variables (lack of energy, physical exertion, physical discomfort, lack of motivation, and sleepiness) after ONS (P < .01). Overall, participants demonstrated worse diagnostic performance in the fatigued versus not fatigued state (P < .05). Total viewing time per case was longer when fatigued (35.9 ± 25.8 seconds) than not fatigued (24.8 ± 16.3 seconds) (P < .0001). Total viewing time per case was longer for residents (P < .05). Mean total fixations generated during the search increased by 60% during fatigued sessions (P < .0001). Mean time to first fixate on the fracture increased by 34% during fatigued sessions (P < .0001) and was longer for residents (P < .01). Dwell times associated with true- and false-positive decisions increased, whereas those with false negatives decreased. CONCLUSIONS: After ONS, radiologists were more fatigued with worse diagnostic performance, a 45% increase in view time per case, a 60% increase in total gaze fixations, and a 34% increase in time to fixate on the fracture. The effects of fatigue were more pronounced in residents.

Effect of personality traits on adherence with positive airway pressure therapy in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

PURPOSE: Patient adherence with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is a significant clinical problem in obstructive sleep apnea treatment. Personality traits may be a factor for non-adherence. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between PAP therapy adherence and patient personality traits. METHODS: Patients were screened and recruited during their visit to a sleep clinic. Baseline data were collected from each patient's electronic chart. Behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system (BIS/BAS) scales, short measure of five-factor model personality traits (mini-IPIP), positive and negative affect score (PANAS), and appetitive motivation scores (AMS) tests were used to measure personality traits. Data from the PAP device were obtained following a minimum of an initial 30 days, with adherence defined as >4 h/night on 70% of nights. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression and Pearson correlation tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 400 patients were recruited. Three hundred twenty-one patients had all the data and were included in the study. Behavioral activation system-fun seeking (BAS-FS) and, to a certain extent, negative affect were significantly associated with adherence. Intellect/imagination was marginally significant. Additionally, older age (>65 years), profession, PAP type, side effects, efficiency, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and residual AHI showed significant associations with patient adherence with PAP therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that BAS-FS was still a significant predictor of adherence even after adjusting for other covariates. CONCLUSION: BAS-FS, negative affect, and intellect/imagination are significant factors for adherence to PAP therapy in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Interventional radiologists are often called for emergent control of abnormal uterine bleeding. Bleeding, even heavy bleeding as a result of uterine fibroids is not a common emergent procedure; instead, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, trauma and malignancy associated with bleeding can be the source of many interventional radiology on call events or procedures. Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the most common cause, and is defined as blood loss of 500mL after vaginal delivery or 1000mL after cesarean section. Several authors have suggested a simpler definition of any amount of blood loss that creates hemodynamic instability in the mother. Regardless, PPH can be a life-threatening emergency and is a leading cause of maternal mortality requiring prompt action. Primary PPH is bleeding within the first 24 hour of delivery and secondary PPH is hemorrhage that occurs more than 24 hour after delivery. In addition to death, other serious morbidity resulting from postpartum bleeding includes shock, adult respiratory distress syndrome, coagulopathy, and loss of fertility due to hysterectomy. Transcatheter uterine artery embolization was first introduced as a treatment for PPH in 1979. It is a nonsurgical, minimally invasive, extremely safe and effective treatment for controlling excessive bleeding of the female reproductive track usually after conservative measures have failed, yet somewhat underused. Referring providers have limited awareness of the procedure. In hospitals where interventional radiologists have the experience and technical expertise to perform pelvic arteriography and embolization, this therapeutic option can play a pivotal role in the management of emergent obstetric hemorrhage.

Bibliometric Analysis of Manuscript Characteristics That Influence Citations: A Comparison of Six Major Radiology Journals.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to investigate radiology manuscript characteristics that influence citation rate, capturing features of manuscript construction that are discrete from study design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive articles published from January 2004 to June 2004 were collected from the six major radiology journals with the highest impact factors: Radiology (impact factor, 5.076), Investigative Radiology (2.320), American Journal of Neuroradiology (AJNR) (2.384), RadioGraphics (2.494), European Radiology (2.364), and American Journal of Roentgenology (2.406). The citation count for these articles was retrieved from the Web of Science, and 29 article characteristics were tabulated manually. A point-biserial correlation, Spearman rank-order correlation, and multiple regression model were performed to predict citation number from the collected variables. RESULTS: A total of 703 articles-211 published in Radiology, 48 in Investigative Radiology, 106 in AJNR, 52 in RadioGraphics, 129 in European Radiology, and 157 in AJR-were evaluated. Punctuation was included in the title in 55% of the articles and had the highest statistically significant positive correlation to citation rate (point-biserial correlation coefficient [rpb] = 0.85, p < 0.05). Open access status provided a low-magnitude, but significant, correlation to citation rate (rpb = 0.140, p < 0.001). The following variables created a significant multiple regression model to predict citation count (p < 0.005, R2 = 0.186): study findings in the title, abstract word count, abstract character count, total number of words, country of origin, and all authors in the field of radiology. CONCLUSION: Using bibliometric knowledge, authors can craft a title, abstract, and text that may enhance visibility and citation count over what they would otherwise experience.

Temporary Anorgasmia Following Uterine Artery Embolization for Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids.

We report a rare case of temporary anorgasmia following uterine artery embolization (UAE) performed for symptomatic uterine fibroids. To our knowledge, this is only the second time that this complication has been reported in the literature. We briefly explore the possible pathophysiologic explanations for this complication and review the effects of UAE compared to hysterectomy on sexual functioning in women.

Clinical information available during emergency department imaging order entry and radiologist interpretation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the proportion of Emergency Department (ED) radiology examinations ordered or interpreted prior to a documented clinical assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected 600 retrospective consecutive ED cases consisting equally of patients whose first ED imaging examination was computed tomography (CT), radiography (XR), or ultrasonography (US). For each patient, the following times were documented: ED arrival, ED departure, ED length of stay (LOS), imaging order entry, image availability, radiology report availability, triage note, ED provider note, and laboratory results. RESULTS: Mean age was 44.2, 66.5% female, and mean ED LOS was 326.2 min. ED LOS was longer for patients who received CT versus XR (343.9 vs. 311.3; p = 0.029). In 25.5% of XR, 10% of CT, and 8% of US cases, the imaging exam was completed before the ED provider note was started. In 20.5% of XR, 6.5% of CT, and 6% of US cases, the radiologist did not have the ED provider note available prior to completing their diagnostic interpretation. In 33.4% of all cases and 57.5% of XR cases, incomplete clinical documentation (triage note, provider note, lab results) was available during radiology report creation. CT and US exams more frequently had clinical data available prior to radiologist interpretation than XR (p < 0.0001). Radiologist turn-around-time was unaffected by clinical information availability. CONCLUSION: Eight percent of ED CT and 10% of ED US examinations were ordered and completed before documented clinical assessment. Thirty-three percent had incomplete clinical assessment performed prior to image interpretation. Further investigation is needed to determine impact on interpretation accuracy.

Emergency Radiology Practice Patterns: Shifts, Schedules, and Job Satisfaction.

PURPOSE: To assess the practice environment of emergency radiologists with a focus on schedule, job satisfaction, and self-perception of health, wellness, and diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: A survey drawing from prior radiology and health care shift-work literature was distributed via e-mail to national societies, teleradiology groups, and private practices. The survey remained open for 4 weeks in 2016, with one reminder. Data were analyzed using hypothesis testing and logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Response rate was 29.6% (327/1106); 69.1% of respondents (n = 226) were greater than 40 years old, 73% (n = 240) were male, and 87% (n = 284) practiced full time. With regard to annual overnight shifts (NS): 36% (n = 118) did none, 24.9% (n = 81) did 182 or more, and 15.6% (n = 51) did 119. There was a significant association between average NS worked per year and both perceived negative health effects (P < .01) and negative impact on memory (P < .01). There was an inverse association between overall job enjoyment and number of annual NS (P < .05). The odds of agreeing to the statement "I enjoy my job" for radiologists who work no NS is 2.21 times greater than for radiologists who work at least 119 NS, when shift length is held constant. Radiologists with 11+ years of experience who work no NS or 1 to 100 NS annually have lower odds of feeling overwhelmed when compared with those working the same number of NS with <10 years' experience. CONCLUSION: There is significant variation in emergency radiology practice patterns. Annual NS burden is associated with lower job satisfaction and negative health self-perception.

Small bowel diverticulitis: an imaging review of an uncommon entity.

In this review, we discuss the clinical and radiologic findings of small bowel diverticulosis, which is infrequently encountered during practice and far less common than colonic diverticulosis. Small bowel diverticulosis can present with a range of emergent symptomatic complications including diverticulitis, perforation, or hemorrhage. Here, we focus on the clinical features, pathogenesis, radiologic findings, and treatment of small bowel diverticulitis. Although not routinely considered in the differential diagnosis of an acute abdomen, prospective radiologic diagnosis of small bowel diverticulitis is important and can lead to conservative treatment thus preventing unnecessary exploratory laparotomy.

Point-of-Care Reference Materials Increase Practice Compliance With Societal Guidelines for Incidental Findings in Emergency Imaging.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an educational framework encouraging the systematic application of national societal recommendations regarding the imaging evaluation and follow-up of incidental findings (IFs) in the emergency department. METHODS: After institutional review board approval was received, consecutive CT and ultrasonographic examinations from the emergency department over a 2-month period were collected. Examination reports were categorized by study type and evaluated individually for the presence of IFs that fit into the following core categories: solid or subsolid pulmonary nodules, liver lesions, splenic lesions, gallbladder polyps, pancreatic cystic lesions, adrenal nodules, adnexal cysts on CT or ultrasonography, thyroid nodules (CT), and abnormal lymph nodes. Subsequently, after an educational intervention consisting of printed and electronic references, e-mail, and verbal communication detailing societal guidelines and the introduction of voice recognition macros, data were recollected in the same fashion for an additional 2-month period. RESULTS: A total of 3,131 imaging events occurred in the 2-month preintervention period, yielding 514 total incidental findings. Of these 514 findings, 67.5% were correctly managed and 32.5% were incorrectly managed according to societal recommendations. In the postintervention period, 3,793 imaging events yielded 499 total incidental findings. Of these 499 findings, 80.2% were correctly managed and 19.8% were incorrectly managed. The increased rate of reporting incidental findings in concordance with societal guidelines was statistically significant (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Point-of-care decision support reference materials increase radiologist compliance with societal guidelines for incidental findings. Compliance with societal guidelines improves patient care and has cost-saving implications.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: expected post-procedural findings and adverse events.

Complications related to endoscopy are commonly encountered in the emergency department (ED) due to an increased use of outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic upper gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures. A majority of these procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, and patients with post-procedural symptoms may return to the ED. Since these patients often undergo computed tomography (CT) for diagnosis of post-procedure complications, the emergency radiologist should be familiar with the spectrum of expected post-procedural findings, as well as common and rare complications. We present a pictorial review of post-endoscopy complications and review imaging protocols in different clinical scenarios.

Structured report compliance: effect on audio dictation time, report length, and total radiologist study time.

The purpose of this study was to examine structured template use among emergency radiologists, and if this influences audio dictation time, radiology report length, or total radiologist study time. Retrospective data collection of consecutive occurrences of seven common imaging examinations interpreted by a dedicated emergency radiology division over a 2-month period yielded 3449 reports. Templates had been in place for >3 years. For each examination, we documented the individual audio dictation time (ADT), total words, and total time the radiologist spent on a study from report creation until final signing. In 81.2 % (n = 2772) of all cases, a basic template was used. In 2.8 % (n = 78) of these template-use cases, the radiologist removed key elements from the structured template. Of the 3417 reports with complete data, mean ADT was 37.3 s, mean word length was 132.3 (of which, on average, 64 were dictated), and total radiologist time per study (TRT) was 349.7 s. Study type was significantly associated with ADT, total words, and TRT (p < 0.001). Template usage decreased ADT (p < 0.001) by 47 %, but did not affect total word length or TRT. Parameters varied by individual attending (p < 0.001): 20 % (2/10) of attendings had differences in report length when using versus not using templates (p < 0.001). With long-term template usage, compliance with structured templates is high, and few radiologists significantly alter the templates. Template use decreases ADT and for a small fraction of radiologists impacts total word length and has a mixed impact on TRT.

Ionizing Radiation Knowledge Among Emergency Department Providers.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge of ionizing radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging examinations among emergency department (ED) providers. METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was distributed to ED providers in a five-hospital university-affiliated health care system. Providers included attending emergency medicine (EM) physicians, EM residents, and midlevel providers (MLPs) (nurse practitioners and physicians assistants). Data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred six of 210 providers (41 attending physicians, 32 residents, and 31 MLPs) completed the survey, for a response rate of 50.5%. More than two in five providers (44.6%) could not correctly identify which of six common imaging modalities used ionizing radiation. MLPs were more likely to incorrectly identify radiography (25%) and fluoroscopy (29%) as modalities that did not use ionizing radiation (P = .01 and P = .25 respectively). Fewer attending physicians (14.6%) than residents (37.5%) were not very comfortable or were uncomfortable explaining the risks of radiation to patients. Nearly half of attending physicians (47.5%) and nearly three-quarters of residents (71.9%) were not very comfortable, were uncomfortable, or were extremely uncomfortable explaining the amount of radiation in certain imaging tests to patients. MLPs were more likely to incorrectly rank a selection of imaging tests by radiation exposure (P = .002). MLPs were more likely to incorrectly answer a question on the effects of ionizing radiation on patients (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Among ED providers, there are knowledge gaps regarding the presence and effect of ionizing radiation in diagnostic imaging tests. MLPs were more likely to make factual errors, while EM residents were least comfortable counseling patients about radiation risks.

Incidental findings in emergency imaging: frequency, recommendations, and compliance with consensus guidelines.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of incidental findings (IFs) in emergency department (ED) imaging reports and evaluate the adherence of imaging recommendations to consensus societal guidelines for IFs. A retrospective review of consecutive ED computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) reports from two university-affiliated EDs over a 2-month period was performed. Each imaging report was reviewed in its entirety, and incidental findings were documented along with recommendations for additional imaging. Imaging recommendations were compared to published societal guidelines from the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Fleischner Society. Three thousand one hundred thirty-one total cases consisting of 1967 CTs and 1164 US contained 514 incidental findings (16.4 %), with 329 CT IFs (64 %) and 185 US IFs (36 %). The ovary was the most common organ for an IF (n = 214, 42 %). Of all IFs, 347 (67.5 %) recommendations were concordant with societal guidelines and 167 (32.5 %) were discordant. 39.8 % of CT recommendations were discordant, while 19.5 % of US recommendations were discordant (p < 0.0001). Incidental findings are commonly encountered in the emergent setting. Variable adherence to societal guidelines is noted. Targeted radiologist education and technological solutions may decrease rates of discordance.

Lipofibromatous Hamartoma of the Median Nerve: A Case Report.

Lipofibromatous hamartoma is a rare and slow growing benign fibro-fatty tumor. It is characterized by the proliferation of mature adipocytes within the epineurium and the perineurium of the peripheral nerves. In the upper extremity, it most commonly affects the median nerve. Median nerve involvement commonly leads to pain, numbness, paresthesia and carpal tunnel syndrome. This article presents a case of lipofibromatous hamartoma in an 8-year-old child followed by a discussion of the epidemiology, diagnosis, imaging details and treatment options for this condition.

Amyand's Hernia: A Case Report.

Amyand's hernia is a rare and atypical hernia characterized by the herniation of the appendix into the inguinal sac. This hernia may be present without symptoms until inflammation of the appendix may lead to incarceration, strangulation, necrosis, perforation or rupture. Early symptoms include tenderness and inguinal swelling which may be misdiagnosed as a strangulated hernia. This condition can be difficult to diagnose clinically. Ultrasound and Computed Tomography may aid in diagnosis. This article presents a rare case of Amyand's hernia followed by a discussion of the epidemiology, diagnosis, imaging details and treatment options for this condition.

A review of the current use of rituximab in autoimmune diseases.

Rituximab is a human/murine chimeric monoclonal antibody primarily used for treating non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. Recently it has also been used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. A literature review was conducted to determine the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of some of these autoimmune diseases. Multiple mechanisms proposed for the rituximab mediated B cell depletion are also discussed. The efficacy of rituximab is well-established and it is FDA approved for treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis. In this review, data on the use of rituximab is presented from 92 studies involving 1197 patients with the following diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis, Grave's disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, pemphigus vulgaris, hemophilia A, cold agglutinin disease, Sjogren's syndrome, graft vs. host disease, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, cryoglobulinemia, IgM mediated neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, idiopathic membranous nephropathy, dermatomyositis, and opsoclonus myoclonus. The efficacy varies among different autoimmune diseases. The cumulative data would suggest that in the vast majority of studies in this review, RTX has a beneficial role in their treatment. While rituximab is very effective in the depletion of B cells, current research suggests it may also influence other cells of the immune system by re-establishing immune homeostasis and tolerance. The safety profile of RTX reveals that most reactions are infusion related. In patients with autoimmune diseases the incidence of serious and severe side effects is low. Systemic infection still remains a major concern and may result in death.