Ultrasound evaluation of the radial artery in young adults - A pilot study.

The radial artery is a vessel frequently used in various medical procedures which carry a risk of complications. One such method used to minimize the number of complications is a profound knowledge of the artery's diameter, which allows for appropriate selection of an instrument to use for puncture. The purpose of this study is to determine the diameter of the radial artery and its depth from the skin surface in young adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 96 volunteers participated in the study. The average age of the volunteers was 20.43 years. All participants underwent a B-mode ultrasonography to measure the distal radial artery's diameter. Certified anthropometric instruments were used to determine the relation between the artery diameter and the selected basic anthropometric parameters. RESULTS: The mean right arterial diameter for the entire examined population at the level of the styloid process was mean 1.42 (SD 0.26) mm and its distance to the skin was mean 4.00 (SD1.20) mm. Statistical analysis revealed the presence of moderate positive relationship between the diameter of the radial artery and body weight and between the diameter of the radial artery and BMI. A weak correlation between the artery diameter and the width of the wrist was also present. CONCLUSION: In the present work, we aimed to determine the dimensions of the distal section of the radial artery in young people free from symptoms of cardiovascular diseases. The obtained initial study results advise selecting instruments for vascular puncture individually, with special attention paid to slender people with slim wrists.

Fetal sigmoid colon mesentery made visible by routine ultrasound in the first and second trimester of pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is a routine procedure performed during pregnancy to monitor the status of the human fetus, including the development of the digestive tract. The aim of this publication was to determine the shape of the fetal sigmoid colon mesentery during the first and second trimester of pregnancy by means of ultrasound. METHODS: The study was performed in 45 pregnant women (age: 36.4 years on average, range 25-45) during a routine ultrasound examination. The fetuses were between 12 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. The shape of the fetal sigmoid colon mesentery was analyzed. RESULTS: We visualized the triangular shape of the mesentery in all 45 cases. A prevalence of scalene or isosceles acute triangles was found in both trimesters. At the 12-13 weeks we observed 5 different forms of mesenteric triangles - the scalene or isosceles acute triangles appeared at 33.3% and 28.6%, respectively. The obtuse scalene was present in 23.8 %. In the 2nd trimester (20-22 weeks) 4 types were found, among them 37.5 % acute scalene and 33.3 % acute isosceles. CONCLUSIONS: The fetal sigmoid colon mesentery can be visualized from the 12th week of pregnancy. The triangular shape of the sigmoid colon mesentery is easy to follow during routine ultrasound examinations.