ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Imaging After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

This article reviews evidence for performing various imaging studies in patients with total hip prostheses. Routine follow-up is generally performed with radiography. Radiographs are also usually the initial imaging modality for patients with symptoms related to the prosthesis. Following acute injury with pain, noncontrast CT may add information to radiographic examination regarding the presence and location of a fracture, component stability, and bone stock. Image-guided joint aspiration, noncontrast MRI, and white blood cell scan and sulfur colloid scan of the hip, are usually appropriate studies for patients suspected of having periprosthetic infection. For evaluation of component loosening, wear, and/or osteolysis, noncontrast CT or MRI are usually appropriate studies. Noncontrast MRI is usually appropriate for identifying adverse reaction to metal debris related to metal-on-metal articulations. For assessing patients after hip arthroplasty, who have trochanteric pain and nondiagnostic radiographs, ultrasound, or MRI are usually appropriate studies. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.

Wernicke Encephalopathy From Olfactory Dysfunction After COVID-19 Infection.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions of people worldwide and is caused by infection from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pathogen. While COVID-19 most commonly affects the respiratory system, multiple neurological complications have been associated with this pathogen. We report a case of Wernicke encephalopathy in a young girl with poor oral intake secondary to anosmia and dysgeusia after a COVID-19 infection. CASE REPORT: After a recent infection of COVID-19, a 15-year-old girl developed an overwhelming noxious metallic tase resulting in a 30 lb weight loss from being unable to tolerate oral foods. She presented to the hospital 3 months later with bilateral horizontal conjugate gaze palsies, up beating vertical nystagmus, difficulty with limb coordination and gait ataxia. She was found to have a thiamine level of 51 nmol/L (reference range: 70 to 180 nmol/L) and her brain magnetic resonance imaging showed fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion-weighted imaging changes in the periaqueductal gray and dorsomedial thalami suggestive of Wernicke encephalopathy. She was started on parenteral thiamine replacement and had significant neurological improvement. CONCLUSIONS: As this pandemic continues to progress, more long-term neurological sequelae from COVID-19 such as Wernicke encephalopathy can be expected. Strong clinical suspicion for these complications is needed to allow for earlier diagnosis and faster treatment initiation.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Chronic Foot Pain.

Chronic foot pain is a frequent clinical complaint, which can significantly impact the quality of live in some individuals. These guidelines define best practices with regards to requisition of imaging studies based on specific clinical scenarios, which have been grouped into different variants. Each variant is accompanied by a brief description of the usefulness, advantages, and limitations of different imaging modalities. The present narrative is the result of an exhaustive assessment of the available literature and a thorough review process by a panel of experts on Musculoskeletal Imaging. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on the Mental and Physical Health of Mothers and Children: A Review of the Literature and Policy Implications.

For decades, national paid maternity leave policies of 12 weeks or more have been established in every industrialized country except the United States. Despite women representing 47% of the current U.S. labor force, only 16% of all employed American workers have access to paid parental leave through their workplace. As many as 23% of employed mothers return to work within ten days of giving birth, because of their inability to pay living expenses without income. We reviewed recent studies on the possible effects of paid maternity leave on the mental and physical health of mothers and children. We found that paid maternity leave is associated with beneficial effects on (1) the mental health of mothers and children, including a decrease in postpartum maternal depression and intimate partner violence, and improved infant attachment and child development, (2) the physical health of mothers and children, including a decrease in infant mortality and in mother and infant rehospitalizations, and an increase in pediatric visit attendance and timely administration of infant immunizations, and (3) breastfeeding, with an increase in its initiation and duration. Given the substantial mental and physical health benefits associated with paid leave, as well as favorable results from studies on its economic impact, the United States is facing a clear, evidence-based mandate to create a national paid maternity leave policy. We recommend a national paid maternity leave policy of at least 12 weeks.

CDC's guideline on pediatric mild traumatic brain injury: Recommendations for neurologists.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In September 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an evidence-based guideline on the diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) among children. RECENT FINDINGS: Based on a systematic review of the evidence that covers research published over a 25-year span (1990-2015), the CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline strives to optimize the care of pediatric patients with mTBI. The guideline was developed using a rigorous methodology developed by the American Academy of Neurology. SUMMARY: Clinical practice recommendations in the CDC Pediatric mTBI Guideline can help guide neurologists with critical diagnostic and management decisions and to implement evidence-based strategies for the recovery of their young patients with this injury.

Thinking beyond pannus: a review of retro-odontoid pseudotumor due to rheumatoid and non-rheumatoid etiologies.

Retro-odontoid pseudotumor, or mass-like retro-odontoid soft tissue thickening, is an uncommon but important imaging finding that may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis, crystal deposition diseases, as well as non-inflammatory conditions such as cervical degenerative changes and mechanical alterations. Retro-odontoid pseudotumor is commonly associated with atlantoaxial microinstability or subluxation. MRI and CT have an important role in the detection and diagnosis of retro-odontoid pseudotumor. However, due to a wide range of imaging characteristics and ambiguous etiology, it is a frequently misunderstood entity. The purpose of this article is to review relevant anatomy of the craniocervical junction; describe various imaging appearances, pathophysiology and histology in both rheumatoid and non-rheumatoid etiologies; and discuss differential diagnosis of retro-odontoid pseudotumor in order to help guide clinical management.

Strengthening the Evidence Base: Recommendations for Future Research Identified Through the Development of CDC's Pediatric Mild TBI Guideline.

OBJECTIVE: The recently published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evidence-based guideline on pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) was developed following an extensive review of the scientific literature. Through this review, experts identified limitations in existing pediatric mTBI research related to study setting and generalizability, mechanism of injury and age of cohorts studied, choice of control groups, confounding, measurement issues, reporting of results, and specific study design considerations. This report summarizes those limitations and provides a framework for optimizing the future quality of research conduct and reporting. RESULTS: Specific recommendations are provided related to diagnostic accuracy, population screening, prognostic accuracy, and therapeutic interventions. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of the recommended approaches will increase the yield of eligible research for inclusion in future systematic reviews and guidelines for pediatric mTBI.

Early Elementary School Outcome in Children With a History of Traumatic Brain Injury Before Age 6 Years.

OBJECTIVE: To describe elementary school outcomes for children who experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) before age 6 years compared with a control group of children with orthopedic injuries. PARTICIPANTS: Children ages 6 to 9 years recruited from community and trauma registries in a large southeastern state. DESIGN: Descriptive findings from the first year of a 3-year longitudinal study. MAIN MEASURES: Child assessment and parent report measures were administered to capture cognitive, language, reading, and behavior outcomes. Medical record review confirmed injuries and injury severity. RESULTS: The TBI group (n = 39) had a mean age of 7.55 years (standard deviation = 1.29) and was 5.15 (standard deviation = 1.56) years postinjury. The TBI group had primarily classified as mild complicated TBI (63%). On average, children in both groups performed within normal limits on most cognitive, language, and reading measures. Group differences were identified in verbal IQ, receptive language, and reading comprehension, with robust performance differences in pragmatic language, story retell and word fluency, and parent report of executive functions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate the importance of in-depth follow-up specialist assessments (eg, neuropsychologist and speech and language pathologists) to identify potential nuanced difficulties in children with mild complicated TBI that may be missed by general evaluations.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Shoulder Pain-Atraumatic.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons for musculoskeletal-related physician visits. Imaging plays an important role in identifying the specific cause of atraumatic shoulder pain. This review is divided into two parts. The first part provides a general discussion of various imaging modalities (radiographs, arthrography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, CT, and MRI) and their usefulness in evaluating atraumatic shoulder pain. The second part focuses on the most appropriate imaging algorithms for specific shoulder conditions including: rotator cuff disorders, labral tear/instability, bursitis, adhesive capsulitis, biceps tendon abnormalities, postoperative rotator cuff tears, and neurogenic pain. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children.

Importance: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, in children is a rapidly growing public health concern because epidemiologic data indicate a marked increase in the number of emergency department visits for mTBI over the past decade. However, no evidence-based clinical guidelines have been developed to date for diagnosing and managing pediatric mTBI in the United States. Objective: To provide a guideline based on a previous systematic review of the literature to obtain and assess evidence toward developing clinical recommendations for health care professionals related to the diagnosis, prognosis, and management/treatment of pediatric mTBI. Evidence Review: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Board of Scientific Counselors, a federal advisory committee, established the Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Guideline Workgroup. The workgroup drafted recommendations based on the evidence that was obtained and assessed within the systematic review, as well as related evidence, scientific principles, and expert inference. This information includes selected studies published since the evidence review was conducted that were deemed by the workgroup to be relevant to the recommendations. The dates of the initial literature search were January 1, 1990, to November 30, 2012, and the dates of the updated literature search were December 1, 2012, to July 31, 2015. Findings: The CDC guideline includes 19 sets of recommendations on the diagnosis, prognosis, and management/treatment of pediatric mTBI that were assigned a level of obligation (ie, must, should, or may) based on confidence in the evidence. Recommendations address imaging, symptom scales, cognitive testing, and standardized assessment for diagnosis; history and risk factor assessment, monitoring, and counseling for prognosis; and patient/family education, rest, support, return to school, and symptom management for treatment. Conclusions and Relevance: This guideline identifies the best practices for mTBI based on the current evidence; updates should be made as the body of evidence grows. In addition to the development of the guideline, CDC has created user-friendly guideline implementation materials that are concise and actionable. Evaluation of the guideline and implementation materials is crucial in understanding the influence of the recommendations.

Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: A Systematic Review.

Importance: In recent years, there has been an exponential increase in the research guiding pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) clinical management, in large part because of heightened concerns about the consequences of mTBI, also known as concussion, in children. The CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's (NCIPC) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC), a federal advisory committee, established the Pediatric Mild TBI Guideline workgroup to complete this systematic review summarizing the first 25 years of literature in this field of study. Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the pediatric mTBI literature to serve as the foundation for an evidence-based guideline with clinical recommendations associated with the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI. Evidence Review: Using a modified Delphi process, the authors selected 6 clinical questions on diagnosis, prognosis, and management or treatment of pediatric mTBI. Two consecutive searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, ERIC, CINAHL, and SportDiscus. The first included the dates January 1, 1990, to November 30, 2012, and an updated search included December 1, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The initial search was completed from December 2012 to January 2013; the updated search, from July 2015 to August 2015. Two authors worked in pairs to abstract study characteristics independently for each article selected for inclusion. A third author adjudicated disagreements. The risk of bias in each study was determined using the American Academy of Neurology Classification of Evidence Scheme. Conclusion statements were developed regarding the evidence within each clinical question, and a level of confidence in the evidence was assigned to each conclusion using a modified GRADE methodology. Data analysis was completed from October 2014 to May 2015 for the initial search and from November 2015 to April 2016 for the updated search. Findings: Validated tools are available to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI. A significant body of research exists to identify features that are associated with more serious TBI-associated intracranial injury, delayed recovery from mTBI, and long-term sequelae. However, high-quality studies of treatments meant to improve mTBI outcomes are currently lacking. Conclusions and Relevance: This systematic review was used to develop an evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of pediatric mTBI. While an increasing amount of research provides clinically useful information, this systematic review identified key gaps in diagnosis, prognosis, and management.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Imaging After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the most commonly performed joint replacement procedure in the United States and annual demand for primary TKA is expected to grow by 673% by 2030. The first part provides an overview of imaging modalities (radiographs, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and various nuclear medicine studies) and discusses their usefulness in the imaging evaluation of TKA. The second part focuses on evidence-based imaging and imaging-guided intervention algorithms for the workup of TKA and its complications, including routine follow-up, component wear, periprosthetic infection, aseptic loosening, granulomas/osteolysis, conventional and rotational instability, periprosthetic fracture, patellar complications, and a variety of periprosthetic soft tissue abnormalities. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Density.

Osteoporosis is a considerable public health risk, with 50% of women and 20% of men >50 years of age experiencing fracture, with mortality rates of 20% within the first year. Dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the primary diagnostic modality by which to screen women >65 years of age and men >70 years of age for osteoporosis. In postmenopausal women <65 years of age with additional risk factors for fracture, DXA is recommended. Some patients with bone mineral density above the threshold for treatment may qualify for treatment on the basis of vertebral body fractures detected through a vertebral fracture assessment scan, a lateral spine equivalent generated from a commercial DXA machine. Quantitative CT is useful in patients with advanced degenerative bony changes in their spines. New technologies such as trabecular bone score represent an emerging role for qualitative assessment of bone in clinical practice. It is critical that both radiologists and referring providers consider osteoporosis in their patients, thereby reducing substantial morbidity, mortality, and cost to the health care system. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Stress (Fatigue/Insufficiency) Fracture, Including Sacrum, Excluding Other Vertebrae.

Stress fractures, including both fatigue and insufficiency types, are frequently encountered in clinical practice as a source of pain in both athletes and patients with predisposing conditions. Radiography is the imaging modality of choice for baseline diagnosis. MRI has greatly improved our ability to diagnose radiographically occult stress fractures. Tc-99m bone scan and CT may also be useful as diagnostic tools. Although fatigue and insufficiency fractures can be self-limited and go onto healing even without diagnosis, there is usually value in initiating prompt therapeutic measures as incomplete stress fractures have the potential of progressing to completion and requiring more invasive treatment or delay in return to activity. This is particularly important in the setting of stress fractures of the femoral neck. Accuracy in the identification of these injuries is also relevant because the differential diagnosis includes entities that would otherwise be treated significantly different (ie, osteoid osteoma, osteomyelitis, and metastasis). The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Suspected Osteomyelitis, Septic Arthritis, or Soft Tissue Infection (Excluding Spine and Diabetic Foot).

Infection of the musculoskeletal system is a common clinical problem. Differentiating soft tissue from osseous infection often determines the appropriate clinical therapeutic course. Radiographs are the recommend initial imaging examination, and although often not diagnostic in acute osteomyelitis, can provide anatomic evaluation and alternative diagnoses influencing subsequent imaging selection and interpretation. MRI with contrast is the examination of choice for the evaluation of suspected osteomyelitis, and MRI, CT, and ultrasound can all be useful in the diagnosis of soft tissue infection. CT or a labeled leukocyte scan and sulfur colloid marrow scan combination are alternative options if MRI is contraindicated or extensive artifact from metal is present. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Chronic Extremity Joint Pain-Suspected Inflammatory Arthritis.

Evaluation for suspected inflammatory arthritis as a cause for chronic extremity joint pain often relies on imaging. This review first discusses the characteristic osseous and soft tissue abnormalities seen with inflammatory arthritis and how they may be imaged. It is essential that imaging results are interpreted in the context of clinical and serologic results to add specificity as there is significant overlap of imaging findings among the various types of arthritis. This review provides recommendations for imaging evaluation of specific types of inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathy, gout, calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease (or pseudogout), and erosive osteoarthritis. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Chronic Back Pain Suspected Sacroiliitis-Spondyloarthropathy.

Inflammatory sacroiliitis or the seronegative axial spondyloarthropathies often presents as back pain or sacroiliac joint pain of more than 3-month duration with inflammatory symptoms and typically in patients younger than 45 years of age. Imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and disease monitoring. This article addresses the appropriate sequence of initial imaging for evaluation of a suspected spondyloarthropathy, the imaging follow-up of treatment response and the special considerations for imaging of trauma in patients with ankylosis of the spine. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Chronic Hip Pain.

Chronic hip pain is a common clinical problem whose cause is often elucidated by imaging. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria for chronic hip pain define best practices of image ordering. Clinical scenarios are followed by the imaging choices and their appropriateness. The information is in ordered tables with an accompanying narrative explanation to guide physicians to order the right test. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Building Workforce Capacity Abroad While Strengthening Global Health Programs at Home: Participation of Seven Harvard-Affiliated Institutions in a Health Professional Training Initiative in Rwanda.

A consortium of 22 U.S. academic institutions is currently participating in the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program (HRH Program). Led by the Rwandan Ministry of Health and funded by both the U.S. Government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the primary goal of this seven-year initiative is to help Rwanda train the number of health professionals necessary to reach the country's health workforce targets. Since 2012, the participating U.S. academic institutions have deployed faculty from a variety of health-related disciplines and clinical specialties to Rwanda. In this Article, the authors describe how U.S. academic institutions (focusing on the seven Harvard-affiliated institutions participating in the HRH Program-Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) have also benefited: (1) by providing opportunities to their faculty and trainees to engage in global health activities; (2) by establishing long-term, academic partnerships and collaborations with Rwandan academic institutions; and (3) by building the administrative and mentorship capacity to support global health initiatives beyond the HRH Program. In doing this, the authors describe the seven Harvard-affiliated institutions' contributions to the HRH Program, summarize the benefits accrued by these institutions as a result of their participation in the program, describe the challenges they encountered in implementing the program, and outline potential solutions to these challenges that may inform similar future health professional training initiatives.