Ultrasound-guided versus blind subacromial corticosteroid and local anesthetic injection in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome: A randomized study of efficacy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the effects of ultrasound (US)-guided and blind subacromial corticosteroid and local anesthetic (LA) injection in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) on shoulder pain, range of motion (ROM), and functionality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prospective study was conducted between 01 February 2017 and 31 May 2017. A total of 29 patients with clinical findings and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) consistent with SIS were randomized into two groups: 14 patients received US-guided subacromial corticosteroid and LA injection and 15 patients received a blind subacromial corticosteroid and LA injection. Patients were evaluated before and one month after treatment. One patient was lost to follow up. The primary outcome measure was a visual analog scale (VAS) for shoulder pain. Secondary outcomes were active shoulder ROM in flexion and abduction, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and the modified Constant-Murley Score (CMS). RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (11 males, 17 females; mean age 39.5 in the US guided group and 42.5 in the blind group; range 20 to 64 years in both groups) completed the study. There was a significant improvement in VAS for shoulder pain, active ROM, DASH questionnaire score and modified CMS in both groups four weeks after treatment (p<0.05). There was no between-group difference in VAS, ROM or DASH questionnaire scores. Following treatment, the modified CMS in the US-guided injection group was higher than in the blind injection group (p=0.02). However, when the mean change in modified CMS in the US-guided injection group was compared to that of the blind injection group, the difference was insignificant (p=0.23). CONCLUSION: Both US-guided and blind subacromial steroid injection improve shoulder pain, ROM, and functionality in SIS; one treatment option was not found to be superior to the other. Therefore, blind injection can be performed in clinical settings where US is not available. Equally, blind injection can also be performed in patients who have a definite diagnosis of SIS based on clinical and MRI findings.

Diagnostic Analysis of Computed Tomography Patterns in Patients With Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis After Solid-Organ Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess initial and follow-up computed tomography findings of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in solid-organ transplant recipients and to examine the most common computed tomography patterns during hospitalization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2011 to September 2016, the total number of solid-organ transplant patients at our institution was 784. These patients consisted of 550 kidney, 164 liver, and 67 heart transplant recipients. Of these, 15 patients had a proven diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis according to clinical and radiologic features with culture evidence of aspergillosis from bronchoalveolar lavage or lung biopsy. Computed tomography examinations were performed at initial diagnosis and at follow-up for evaluation of treatment. Computed tomography patterns were retrospectively evaluated by 2 experienced radiologists. Configurations and types of the largest lesions in each of the 15 patients were evaluated, and changes to lesions during treatment were recorded. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis patterns were categorized into 6 main groups: ground-glass opacity, nodules, irregular nodules, patchy consolidation, cavity, and tree-in-bud patterns. RESULTS: The most common patterns were ground-glass opacity and irregular nodules, which were observed in 12 of 15 patients (80%), followed by regular nodules (73%), patchy consolidation and cavity (26%), and tree-in-bud pattern (20%). Long-term follow-up computed tomography studies showed that the regular nodules, tree-in-bud patterns, and groundglass opacity areas gradually reduced by 50% in 4 weeks. However, patchy consolidations and irregular nodules showed less regression than the other lesions over the 4-week period. CONCLUSIONS: Irregular nodules and ground-glass opacity were the most common computed tomography patterns in our solid-organ transplant recipients. Computed tomography patterns without irregular nodules and patchy consolidations may be associated with better prognosis due to their relatively rapid healing.

Liver Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor with an Unusual Location: Diagnostic Characteristics with Multidetector Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Primary perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) of the liver is a very rare tumor that originates from mesenchyma. Gastrointestinal tract with perivascular distribution is the most common anatomic sites of these tumors. Only few cases of hepatic PEComa have been described so far. Malignant PEComas exhibit aggressive behavior with poor prognosis, making early diagnosis crucial. Hereby, we report a 79-year-old female with unusually located mass in the liver. A partial curative hepatectomy has been done, and PEComa was diagnosed histopathologically. No evidence of recurrence was observed during the 6-month follow-up.