The reinforced cementoplasty with spindles technique.

Reinforced cementoplasty with spindles is a recent technique that is mainly used for pathological fractures or for bone metastases at risk of fracture in locations with shear stresses. The technique is less challenging to perform than percutaneous screw insertion and does not require equipment sterilization. No general anesthetic is required. A small trocar is all that is needed, and sutures are often unnecessary. Reinforced cementoplasty can therefore be considered as a technical evolution of cementoplasty with the simple addition of material within the trocar. This technique deserves more awareness so that it can be included in interventional radiologists' range of procedures.

3D MODEL of an anatomically inert human hand: feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: Surgery for congenital malformation of the hand is complex and protocols are not available. Simulation could help optimize results. The objective of the present study was to design, produce and assess a 3D-printed anatomical support, to improve success in rare and complex surgeries of the hand. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We acquired MRI imaging of the right hand of a 30 year-old subject, then analyzed and split the various skin layers for segmentation. Thus we created the prototype of a healthy hand, using 3D multi-material and silicone printing devices, and drew up a printing protocol suitable for all patients. We printed a base comprising bones, muscles and tendons, with a multi-material 3D printer, then used a 3D silicone printer for skin and subcutaneous fatty cell tissues in a glove-like shape. To evaluate the characteristics of the prototype, we performed a series of dissections on the synthetic hand and on a cadaveric hand in the anatomy lab, comparing realism, ease of handling and the final result of the two supports, and evaluated their respective advantages in surgical and training contexts. A grading form was given to each surgeon to establish a global score. RESULTS: This evaluation highlighted the positive and negative features of the model. The model avoided intrinsic problems of cadavers, such as muscle rigidity or tissue fragility and atrophy, and enables the anatomy of a specific patient to be rigorously respected. On the other hand, vascular and nervous networks, with their potential anatomical variants, are lacking. This preliminary phase highlighted the advantages and inconveniences of the prototype, to optimize the design and printing of future models. It is an indispensable prerequisite before performing studies in eligible pediatric patients with congenital hand malformation. CONCLUSION: The validation of 3D-printed anatomical model of a human hand opens a large field of applications in the area of preoperative surgical planning. The postoperative esthetic and functional benefit of such pre-intervention supports in complex surgery needs assessing.

Combined vertebroplasty and pedicle screw insertion for vertebral consolidation: feasibility and technical considerations.

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and technical accuracy of performing pedicular screw placement combined with vertebroplasty in the radiological setting. METHODS: Patients who underwent combined vertebroplasty and pedicle screw insertion under combined computed tomography and fluoroscopic guidance in 4 interventional radiology centers from 2018 to 2023 were retrospectively assessed. Patient demographics, vertebral lesion type, and procedural data were analyzed. Strict intra-pedicular screw positioning was considered as technical success. Pain score was assessed according to the Visual Analogue Scale before the procedure and in the 1-month follow-up consultation. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients (38 men and 19 women) with a mean age of 72.8 (SD = 11.4) years underwent a vertebroplasty associated with pedicular screw insertion for the treatment of traumatic fractures (29 patients) and neoplastic disease (28 patients). Screw placement accuracy assessed by post-procedure CT scan was 95.7% (89/93 inserted screws). A total of 93 pedicle screw placements (36 bi-pedicular and 21 unipedicular) in 32 lumbar, 22 thoracic, and 3 cervical levels were analyzed. Mean reported procedure time was 48.8 (SD = 14.7) min and average injected cement volume was 4.4 (SD = 0.9) mL. A mean VAS score decrease of 5 points was observed at 1-month follow-up (7.7, SD = 1.3 versus 2.7, SD = 1.7), p < .001. CONCLUSION: Combining a vertebroplasty and pedicle screw insertion is technically viable in the radiological setting, with a high screw positioning accuracy of 95.7%.

A Feasibility Study of CT-Guided Osteosynthesis under Local Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of local anesthesia for perioperative pain control in patients undergoing CT-guided percutaneous osteosynthesis. METHODS: A total of 12 patients underwent percutaneous osteosynthesis under local anesthesia. Intraoperative pain was assessed after the procedure using numerical rating scale (NRS). Patients were also asked to rate their overall experience of the operation using the following scale: "highly comfortable, comfortable, hardly comfortable, uncomfortable" and, finally, "Would you be willing to repeat this intervention again under the same conditions if necessary?" Patients were also clinically followed up at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months using the EQ5D5L scale to assess their pain and quality of life. RESULTS: Patients underwent percutaneous osteosynthesis for osteoporotic (n = 9), pathological (n = 2), or traumatic fractures (n = 1), including the thoraco-lumbar spine (n = 8) or the pelvis (n = 4). The mean of NRS value experienced during the procedure was 3.4/10 (0-8). The overall feeling was highly comfortable (42%), comfortable (50%), hardly comfortable (8%), and uncomfortable (0%). Finally, 75% of patients answered "YES" to the question of repeating the operation under the same conditions if necessary. At follow-up, a significant reduction in pain was observed postoperatively. According to the EQ5D5L scale, there was a significant improvement in pain, mobility, self-activities, autonomy, and perceived quality of life at 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSION: Radiological percutaneous osteosynthesis is an effective technique that can be performed under local anesthesia with a comfortable experience for most of the patients.

Peripheral but not axial muscle mass is associated with early mortality in bone metastatic lung cancer patients at diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: Identification of sarcopenia is a key issue in oncology. Several methods may be used to evaluate muscle mass in patients. Routine cancer follow-up computed tomography (CT) provides axial muscle mass whereas whole-body densitometry (DEXA) measures appendicular lean mass (ALM). Up to now, no studies have assessed, in cancer patients, the correlation between CT and DEXA muscle mass indicators and compared their prognostic value. METHODS: We included patients with synchronous bone metastases from lung adenocarcinoma at diagnosis. Diagnosis was confirmed by bone biopsy. Skeletal muscle area was determined semi-automatically on initial CT scan at the T7, T12, and L3 vertebral level using Osirix® software. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated as the ratio of muscle area to height squared. Standardised ALM/height squared data were obtained by DEXA assessment within a 30-day window of CT. RESULTS: A total of 65 patients were included; 47 (72%) were male. Mean±SD age was 65±11.4years. DEXA was available for 46 patients. The performance status was good (<1) for 39 patients. SMI indicators were significantly correlated with each other (rho from 0.3 to 0.7) but moderately correlated with ALM (rho from 0.1 to 0.7). ALM had a good discriminatory ability on 6-month survival (AUC 0.87 [0.76; 0.97]). ALM was associated with early mortality (<6months) (HR=0.29, 95% CI [0.15; 0.57]; P<0.001) but not with later mortality (>6months). In contrast, no significant effect was found for SMI. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral muscle mass (standardized ALM by DEXA) but not axial muscle mass (SMI assessed by CT) was associated with early mortality (<6months) suggesting that cancer-induced muscle loss would affect differently appendicular muscles and axial muscles.

Incidence of Underlying Abnormal Findings on Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Bell Palsy.

Importance: There is no consensus on the benefits of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the facial nerve in patients with suspected idiopathic peripheral facial palsy (PFP) (ie, Bell palsy [BP]). Objectives: To estimate the proportion of adult patients in whom MRI led to correction of an initial clinical diagnosis of BP; to determine the proportion of patients with confirmed BP who had MRI evidence of facial nerve neuritis without secondary lesions; and to identify factors associated with secondary (nonidiopathic) PFP at initial presentation and 1 month later. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective multicenter cohort study analyzed the clinical and radiological data of 120 patients initially diagnosed with suspected BP from January 1, 2018, to April 30, 2022, at the emergency department of 3 tertiary referral centers in France. Interventions: All patients screened for clinically suspected BP underwent an MRI of the entire facial nerve with a double-blind reading of all images. Main Outcomes and Measures: The proportion of patients in whom MRI led to a correction of the initial diagnosis of BP (any condition other than BP, including potentially life-threating conditions) and results of contrast enhancement of the facial nerve were described. Results: Among the 120 patients initially diagnosed with suspected BP, 64 (53.3%) were men, and the mean (SD) age was 51 (18) years. Magnetic resonance imaging of the facial nerve led to a correction of the diagnosis in 8 patients (6.7%); among them, potentially life-threatening conditions that required changes in treatment were identified in 3 (37.5%). The MRI confirmed the diagnosis of BP in 112 patients (93.3%), among whom 106 (94.6%) showed evidence of facial nerve neuritis on the affected side (hypersignal on gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images). This was the only objective sign confirming the idiopathic nature of PFP. Conclusions and Relevance: These preliminary results suggest the added value of the routine use of facial nerve MRI in suspected cases of BP. Multicentered international prospective studies should be organized to confirm these results.

Prognosis of Old Intensive Care COVID-19 Patients at a Glance: The Senior COVID Study.

OBJECTIVE: Admission in the intensive care unit of the old patient with coronavirus disease 19 raises an ethical question concerning the scarce resources and their short-term mortality. METHODS: Patients aged over 60 from 7 different intensive care units admitted between March 1, 2020 and May 6, 2020, with a diagnosis of coronavirus disease 19 were included in the cohort. Twenty variables were collected during the admission, such as age, severity (Simplified Acute Physiology Score [SAPS] II), several data on physiological status before intensive care unit comorbidities, evaluation of autonomy, frailty, and biological variables. The objective was to model the 30-day mortality with relevant variables, compute their odds ratio associated with their 95% CI, and produce a nomogram to easily estimate and communicate the 30-day mortality. The performance of the model was estimated with the area under the receiving operating curve. RESULTS: We included 231 patients, among them 60 (26.0%) patients have died on the 30th day. The relevant variables selected to explain the 30-day mortality were Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score (0.82 [0.71-0.94]), age 1.12 (1.07-1.18), SAPS II 1.05 (1.02-1.08), and dementia 6.22 (1.00-38.58). A nomogram was computed to visually represent the final model. Area under the receiving operating curve was at 0.833 (0.776-0.889). CONCLUSIONS: Age, autonomy, dementia, and severity at admission were important predictive variables for the 30-day mortality status, and the nomogram could help the physician in the decision-making process and the communication with the family.

Senior-COVID-Rea Cohort Study: A Geriatric Prediction Model of 30-day Mortality in Patients Aged over 60 Years in ICU for Severe COVID-19.

The SARS-COV2 pandemic induces tensions on health systems and ethical dilemmas. Practitioners need help tools to define patients not candidate for ICU admission. A multicentre observational study was performed to evaluate the impact of age and geriatric parameters on 30-day mortality in patients aged ≥60 years of age. Patients or next of kin were asked to answer a phone questionnaire assessing geriatric covariates 1 month before ICU admission. Among 290 screened patients, 231 were included between March 7 and May 7, 2020. In univariate, factors associated with lower 30-day survival were: age (per 10 years increase; OR 3.43, [95%CI: 2.13-5.53]), ≥3 CIRS-G grade ≥2 comorbidities (OR 2.49 [95%CI: 1.36-4.56]), impaired ADL, (OR 4.86 [95%CI: 2.44-9.72]), impaired IADL8 (OR 6.33 [95%CI: 3.31-12.10], p<0.001), frailty according to the Fried score (OR 4.33 [95%CI: 2.03-9.24]) or the CFS ≥5 (OR 3.79 [95%CI: 1.76-8.15]), 6-month fall history (OR 3.46 [95%CI: 1.58-7.63]). The final multivariate model included age (per 10 years increase; 2.94 [95%CI:1.78-5.04], p<0.001) and impaired IADL8 (OR 5.69 [95%CI: 2.90-11.47], p<0.001)). Considered as continuous variables, the model led to an AUC of 0.78 [95% CI: 0.72, 0.85]. Age and IADL8 provide independent prognostic factors for 30-day mortality in the considered population. Considering a risk of death exceeding 80% (82.6% [95%CI: 61.2% - 95.0%]), patients aged over 80 years with at least 1 IADL impairment appear as poor candidates for ICU admission.

Dual-energy CT hybridation and kernel processing effects on the estimation of bone mineral mass and density: a calcination study on ex vivo human femur.

INTRODUCTION: Recent technological advances with dual-energy quantitative computed tomography (DEQCT) allow to combine two images of different level of energy to obtain simulated mono-energetic images at 60 keV (SIM60KeV-QCT) with improved image contrast in clinical practice. This study includes three topics: (1) compare bone mineral content (BMC), areal and volumetric bone mineral density (aBMD, vBMD) obtained with SIM60KeV-QCT, single-energy QCT (SEQCT), and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); (2) compare ash density and weight with respective vBMD and BMC assessed on SIM60KeV-QCT, SEQCT, and DXA; and (3) compare the influence of reconstruction kernels on the accuracy of vBMD and BMC using ash density and ash weight as the reference values. METHODS: DXA, SEQCT, and DEQCT acquisitions were performed ex vivo on 42 human femurs. Standard kernel (SK) and bone kernel (BK) were applied to each stack of images. Ten diaphyses and 10 femoral necks were cut, scanned, and reconstructed using the techniques described above. Finally, the bone specimens were calcined to obtain the ash weight. RESULTS: QCT analysis (SEQCT, SIM60KeV-QCT) underestimated BMC value compared to DXA. For femoral necks, all QCT analyses provided an unbiased estimate of ash weight but underestimated ash density regardless of the kernel used. For femoral diaphysis, SEQCT BK, SIM60KeV-QCT BK, and SK underestimated ash weight but not ash density. CONCLUSION: BMC and vBMD quantifications with the SIM60KeV-QCT gave similar results as the SEQCT. Further studies are needed to optimize the use of SIM60KeV-QCT in clinical situations. SK should be used given the effect of kernels on QCT assessment.

Additional value of chest CT AI-based quantification of lung involvement in predicting death and ICU admission for COVID-19 patients.

Objectives: We evaluated the contribution of lung lesion quantification on chest CT using a clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI) software in predicting death and intensive care units (ICU) admission for COVID-19 patients. Methods: For 349 patients with positive COVID-19-PCR test that underwent a chest CT scan at admittance or during hospitalization, we applied the AI for lung and lung lesion segmentation to obtain lesion volume (LV), and LV/Total Lung Volume (TLV) ratio. ROC analysis was used to extract the best CT criterion in predicting death and ICU admission. Two prognostic models using multivariate logistic regressions were constructed to predict each outcome and were compared using AUC values. The first model ("Clinical") was based on patients' characteristics and clinical symptoms only. The second model ("Clinical+LV/TLV") included also the best CT criterion. Results: LV/TLV ratio demonstrated best performance for both outcomes; AUC of 67.8% (95% CI: 59.5 - 76.1) and 81.1% (95% CI: 75.7 - 86.5) respectively. Regarding death prediction, AUC values were 76.2% (95% CI: 69.9 - 82.6) and 79.9% (95%IC: 74.4 - 85.5) for the "Clinical" and the "Clinical+LV/TLV" models respectively, showing significant performance increase (+ 3.7%; p-value<0.001) when adding LV/TLV ratio. Similarly, for ICU admission prediction, AUC values were 74.9% (IC 95%: 69.2 - 80.6) and 84.8% (IC 95%: 80.4 - 89.2) respectively corresponding to significant performance increase (+ 10%: p-value<0.001). Conclusions: Using a clinical AI software to quantify the COVID-19 lung involvement on chest CT, combined with clinical variables, allows better prediction of death and ICU admission.

Fracture Risk Evaluation of Bone Metastases: A Burning Issue.

Major progress has been achieved to treat cancer patients and survival has improved considerably, even for stage-IV bone metastatic patients. Locomotive health has become a crucial issue for patient autonomy and quality of life. The centerpiece of the reflection lies in the fracture risk evaluation of bone metastasis to guide physician decision regarding physical activity, antiresorptive agent prescription, and local intervention by radiotherapy, surgery, and interventional radiology. A key mandatory step, since bone metastases may be asymptomatic and disseminated throughout the skeleton, is to identify the bone metastasis location by cartography, especially within weight-bearing bones. For every location, the fracture risk evaluation relies on qualitative approaches using imagery and scores such as Mirels and spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS). This approach, however, has important limitations and there is a need to develop new tools for bone metastatic and myeloma fracture risk evaluation. Personalized numerical simulation qCT-based imaging constitutes one of these emerging tools to assess bone tumoral strength and estimate the femoral and vertebral fracture risk. The next generation of numerical simulation and artificial intelligence will take into account multiple loadings to integrate movement and obtain conditions even closer to real-life, in order to guide patient rehabilitation and activity within a personalized-medicine approach.

Risk factors associated with day-30 mortality in patients over 60 years old admitted in ICU for severe COVID-19: the Senior-COVID-Rea Multicentre Survey protocol.

INTRODUCTION: With the spread of COVID-19 epidemic, health plans must be adapted continuously. There is an urgent need to define the best care courses of patients with COVID-19, especially in intensive care units (ICUs), according to their individualised benefit/risk ratio. Since older age is associated with poorer short-term and long-term outcomes, prediction models are needed, that may assist clinicians in their ICU admission decision. Senior-COVID-Rea was designed to evaluate, in patients over 60 years old admitted in ICU for severe COVID-19 disease, the impact of age and geriatric and paraclinical parameters on their mortality 30 days after ICU admission. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre survey protocol to be conducted in seven hospitals of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France. All patients over 60 years old admitted in ICU for severe COVID-19 infection (or their legally acceptable representative) will be proposed to enter the study and to fill in a questionnaire regarding their functional and nutritional parameters 1 month before COVID-19 infection. Paraclinical parameters at ICU admission will be collected: lymphocytes and neutrophils counts, high-fluorescent lymphoid cells and immature granulocytes percentages (Sysmex data), D-dimers, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine, CT scan for lung extension rate as well as clinical resuscitation scores, and the delay between the first signs of infection and ICU admission. The primary outcome will be the overall survival at day 30 post-ICU admission. The analysis of factors predicting mortality at day 30 will be carried out using univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Multivariate logistic regression will consider up to 15 factors.The ambition of this trial, which takes into account the different approaches of geriatric vulnerability, is to define the respective abilities of different operational criteria of frailty to predict patients' outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was ethically approved. The results of the primary and secondary objectives will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04422340.

Can the axial cross-sectional area of the tibial nerve be used to diagnose tarsal tunnel syndrome? An ultrasonography study.

INTRODUCTION: The axial cross-sectional area (CSA) of the tibial nerve can be measured with ultrasonography. In patients who have posteromedial tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS), there is little information on the nerve's CSA even though this information could be useful for determining whether the nerve is damaged. This led us to carry out a case-control study in which the tibial nerve's axial CSA was measured in healthy patients and in patients with TTS. HYPOTHESIS: The tibial nerve's axial CSA can be used as a diagnostic criterion for TTS. METHODS: Twenty-three patients (27 feet) (11 men, 12 women, mean age=54±14 years), who had clinical and electroneuromyography signs of TTS, were compared to 21 healthy adults (8 men, 13 women, mean age 39±10 years). An ultrasonography examination was carried out to look for a source of nerve compression, then the axial CSA of the tibial nerve was measured 10cm above the tarsal tunnel (lCSA) and inside the tunnel itself (ttCSA). The difference between the two measurements was then calculated: ΔCSA=ttCSA-lCSA. The data were analysed using correlation tests and non-parametric tests, a multivariate linear regression and ROC tests. RESULTS: A compressive cause was found by ultrasonography in 13 patients. The mean values of ttCSA and ΔCSA were 20.1±8.8 mm2 [6-42] vs. 10.3±2.3 mm2 [8-14] (p=0.0001) and 9.8±6.7 mm2 [0-29] vs. -0.2±1.8 mm2 [-3-4] (p<0.0001) in the patients and the controls, respectively. The differences in ΔCSA remained significant in the multivariate analysis after adjusting for age and weight. The best threshold for ttCSA in the TTS group was 15 mm2 with 74% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The best threshold for ΔCSA was 5mm2 with 81% sensitivity and 100% specificity. DISCUSSION: The difference in the measured axial CSA of the tibial nerve by ultrasonography between the posteromedial tarsal tunnel and 10cm above the tunnel is a key data point for the diagnosis of tarsal tunnel syndrome with and without compressive etiology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, diagnostic case-control study.

Chest CT for rapid triage of patients in multiple emergency departments during COVID-19 epidemic: experience report from a large French university hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic performances of chest CT for triage of patients in multiple emergency departments during COVID-19 epidemic, in comparison with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. METHOD: From March 3 to April 4, 2020, 694 consecutive patients from three emergency departments of a large university hospital, for which a hospitalization was planned whatever the reasons, i.e., COVID- or non-COVID-related, underwent a chest CT and one or several RT-PCR tests. Chest CTs were rated as "Surely COVID+," "Possible COVID+," or "COVID-" by experienced radiologists. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated using the final RT-PCR test as standard of reference. The delays for CT reports and RT-PCR results were recorded and compared. RESULTS: Among the 694 patients, 287 were positive on the final RT-PCR exam. Concerning the 694 chest CT, 308 were rated as "Surely COVID+", 34 as "Possible COVID+," and 352 as "COVID-." When considering only the "Surely COVID+" CT as positive, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV reached 88.9%, 90.2%, 88%, 84.1%, and 92.7%, respectively, with respect to final RT-PCR test. The mean delay for CT reports was three times shorter than for RT-PCR results (187 ± 148 min versus 573 ± 327 min, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: During COVID-19 epidemic phase, chest CT is a rapid and most probably an adequately reliable tool to refer patients requiring hospitalization to the COVID+ or COVID- hospital units, when response times for virological tests are too long. KEY POINTS: • In a large university hospital in Lyon, France, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of chest CT for COVID-19 reached 88.9%, 90.2%, 88%, 84.1%, and 92.7%, respectively, using RT-PCR as standard of reference. • The mean delay for CT reports was three times shorter than for RT-PCR results (187 ± 148 min versus 573 ± 327 min, p < 0.0001). • Due to high accuracy of chest CT for COVID-19 and shorter time for CT reports than RT-PCR results, chest CT can be used to orient patients suspected to be positive towards the COVID+ unit to decrease congestion in the emergency departments.

Ilio-psoas impingement with a dual-mobility liner: an original case report and review of literature.

Ilio-psoas impingement after total hip arthroplasty often occurs with the metallic rim of the acetabular cup. The main causes are poor cup anteversion or anterior wall defect. We firstly report here the case of a patient complaining of iliopsoas impingement due to contact with the liner of a dual-mobility device. Ultrasonography and Computed Tomographic scan clearly showed the direct mechanical contact of the dual-mobility liner with the iliopsoas tendon.