Relationship between sonographic renal length and renal parenchymal thickness in normal adult southeast Nigerians

Aim: To determine the relationship between sonographic renal parenchymal thickness (RPT) and renal length (RL) in normal adult Nigerian. Study design: The RL and RPT of 309 normal subjects within the age range of 18 - 80years were measured sonographically and prospectively. Correlation was performed between RL values and RPT using Pearson Linear `r' test Results: The range of RL value were 8.5-12.9cm and the corresponding mean were 10.33+ 0.7cm and 10.45+ 0.63cm for the right and left kidneys respectively. The range of values for the RPT was 1.40 - 2.4 and the corresponding mean values were 1.91+ 0.20cm and 1.95+ 0.19cm for the right and left kidneys respectively. There was a strong positive correlation between RPT and RL (r = 0.72 and 0.77 for the right and left kidney respectively. However for RL values above 11.0cm the RPT values fluctuated. Conclusion: From this study; for RL above 11.0cm there was no relationship with RPT. The study suggests that for our population groups; kidneys with RL lower than 8.5cm and RPT of 1.40cm or less should not be biopsied in contrast to webb's criteria

Sonographic splenic sizes in normal adult nigerian population

This study aimed to establish ultrasonic splenic dimensions which can be used as normogram for adult Nigerians. 250 adult subjects were scanned prospectively using a 3.5MHZ ultrasound sector probe. The splenic length; width and thickness were btained in the supine position and the weight calculated using Downey's formula. Differences in splenic dimensions were determined using Z test; while the relationship between the splenic dimension and the subjects age; BMI; and height were analysed using Pearson Moment Correlation. The normal splenic sizes obtained ranged from 9.9 -11.5cm (length - L); 6.0-7.5cm (Width W) and 4.0- 4.5cm (thickness -T). The splenic dimensions for males were 11.1 + 0.7cm (L); 7.3 + 0.2cm (w) and 4.2+ 0.2cm (T). The corresponding values for females were 10.6 + 0.7cm; 6.8 + 0.5cm and 4.2 + 0.2cm respectively; thus showing a statistically significant difference between the males and females (P 0.05). A poor correlation was shown to exist between splenic dimensions and age but splenic weight increased with body weight (r0.05); the maximum splenic weights t occurred in the 4 decade in Nigerians nd and in the 2 decade in Caucasians. This finding appears to bear credence to existing opinion by Chauhan et al that splenic recession rather than splenomegaly is prevalent in adults living in endemic falciparum zones. Statistically significant differences between splenic length and weights of the sexes have been established by the study. The good correlation between subject height and splenic length portends profound options of predicating subjects splenic size and matching his ultrasound values with this predicted splenic length (SPL = 1.2 + 0.063)

Relationship between umbilical vein diameter (UVD) and growth parameters in Nigerian foetuses

The intrahepatic diameter of the umbilical vein of 350 normal and singleton fetuses were measured sonographically to establish the relationship between umbilical vein diameter (UVD) and fetal growth parameters. Foetuses from 17 weeks to 40 weeks were evaluated sonographically in mothers who had no history of chronic illness or abnormal liquor volumes. The least squares method was used to fit mean UVD values against G.A. Pearson Moment Correlation analysis was also performed between the mean UVD and the other established growth parameters (BPD and AC) obtained concurrently. There was a steady increase in the foetal UVD with gestational age which is expressed by the equation. GA = 2.36 + 4.84 UVD. The fastest growth rate of the UVD occurred in the last 10 weeks of gestation with a maximum mean value of 9.85 + 0.71mm. The UVD correlated strongly and positively with both BPD and AC

Clinicians opinion on errors in ultrasound reports in South Eastern Nigeria

This study investigated clinicians opinion on common errors in ultrasound reports in South Eastern Nigerian. 238 clinicians from speicialities of internal medicine, surgery, general practice and obstetric/gynaecology selected through stratified random sampling were invloved in ths survey. A questionnaire with four response options ranging from 'very often' to 'never' were used to obtain respondents opinion on the frequency of their observation of common errors in ultrasound reports. The commonest errors identified by respondents were conflicting report (3.73 + 0.62) and missed diagnosis (3.66 + 0.69). On a 4 point scale clinicians indicated that irrespective of the common errors, the ultrasound report was still helpful. The overall mean rating of the clinicians on the extent of common errors in ultrasound report is 2.77 + 0.29. The response indicates that ultrasound reports in the locality are associated with significant errors