audit to evaluate the image quality of magnetic resonance of knee at radiology department of a tertiary care hospital

Objective: To evaluate the quality of MRI scans of knee, performed at Radiology Department of Jinnah Hospital in the light of recommendations of ACR

Study Design: A clinical audit

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Radiology, Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, from August 2015 to February 2016

Methodology: Scans of 20 patients who underwent MRI of knee in August 2015 were studied retrospectively to assess the quality of images obtained in the first audit. Based on the findings of this audit, recommendations were made and re audit was done 6 months later in February 2016 to look for improvement in local practice

Results: In the first audit, images were acquired in all the three necessary planes and the sagittal and coronal images had appropriate slice thickness, interslice gap as well as adequate anatomical coverage in all the patients. However, FOV [field of view] was appropriately set in 66% of cases in axial plane, 5% in sagittal plane, and 0% in coronal plane. Also, the anatomical coverage was not upto the mark in axial plane with 13 studies [66%] having adequate superior coverage, and 16 cases [80%] having recommended inferior anatomical coverage. The re audit performed 6 months later showed improvement with 100% compliance to standards

Conclusion: The first audit showed many shortcomings in acquiring of MRI data in patients undergoing knee MRI with FOV requiring a decrease in all planes and anatomical coverage increase in axial plane. These recommendations were made in departmental meetings and re-audit was done after 6 months. This second audit showed 100 % compliance

Association between antistreptolysin-O serum level and chronic plaque psoriasis in Iraqi patients

Objective: Psoriasis is a disease characterised by T-cell-mediated hyperproliferation of keratinocytes initiated by antigen-presenting cells on the skin. Environmental factors including streptococcus infections and multiple genetic components may be responsible for the pathogenesis of the disease. This study was performed to assess the association between antistreptolysin-O [ASO] serum level and chronic plaque psoriasis

Methods: Serum level of ASO was measured in 45 doctor-diagnosed psoriatic patients with an age range of 10-50 years attending the dermatology outpatient clinic in Al-Hussein Medical City in Kerbala Province - Iraq during the period from March 2014 through July 2015. Psoriatic patients with chronic plaque type were selectively recruited to the study. Another 20 age- and gender-matched persons were chosen as healthy control group. Serum level of ASO was estimated in all patients and control group using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]

Findings: Data revealed a significantly increased serum ASO level in the chronic plaque-type psoriatic patients compared to the healthy control group [P-value < 0.05]

Conclusion: The present study suggests that serum ASO level could be associated with the immunopathogenesis and/or susceptibility to this type of psoriasis