ABSTRACT
Real time sonography was performed in 52 patients with ascites to evaluate the accuracy of sonography in differentiating an exudative from a transudative collection. The echogenicity of ascites was graded I, II and III using the echogenicity of normal abdominal viscera as comparative standard reference points. Grade I collections (31 patients) were either absolutely anechoic, or showed few internal echoes secondary to particulate matter. Grade II collections (7 patients) were hypoechoic as compared to the liver and spleen. Grade III collections (14 patients) had an echogenicity similar to or greater than that of the liver and spleen. The results of diagnostic aspiration in all patients were then compared to the sonographic grade of the ascitic fluid. All transudates (28 patients) had a Grade I echogenicity. Only 3 patients with an exudative ascites had a Grade I echogenicity. The remaining 21 patients with an exudative collection had an echogenicity equal to or greater than Grade II. Using these results, an ascitic fluid echogenicity of Grade I had a 92.32% sensitivity, 100% specificity, a positive predictive value of 1 and a negative predictive value of 0.875 in diagnosing transudates. An ascitic fluid echogenicity of Grade II or more had a sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 1 and a negative predictive value of 0.903 in diagnosing transudates.
Subject(s)
Adult , Ascites/etiology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Male , Peritonitis, Tuberculous/complicationsABSTRACT
Eleven patients (8 males, 3 females) undergoing limb-lengthening procedures were subjected to weekly conventional radiography along with fortnightly skeletal sonography of the distraction site, to assess the rate of new bone production and complications. The radiographs were assessed for: (i) distance between the distracted bone ends, (ii) presence of new bone formation at the distraction site, (iii) regeneration of the cortical outline and (iv) overlaying soft tissue abnormality. The sonographs were assessed for: (i) distance between the distracted bone ends, (ii) rate of new bone formation, (iii) density of the new bone produced, (iv) integrity and continuity of the cortical outline and (v) overlaying soft tissue abnormality. Our results indicate the superiority of sonography over conventional radiographs in: (i) detecting early new bone formation, (ii) establishing cortical and medullary canal remodelling, (iii) detecting soft tissue complications at the distraction site and (iv) determining the presence of fluid collection at the distraction site, in patients with delayed consolidation. Conventional radiographs were more accurate in determining the distance between the two distracted bone ends, and thus the degree of distraction achieved. Ideal assessments of events at the distraction site can be achieved by a combined assessment of conventional radiotherapy and skeletal sonography.
Subject(s)
Bone Lengthening , Bone Regeneration/physiology , External Fixators , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Leg Length Inequality/etiology , Male , Postoperative Complications/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
The fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and ultrasound radiologic features of a solitary retroperitoneal angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (AFLNH), hyaline vascular type are described. Based on a combination of the two, this diagnosis can be suggested in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal mass.