La empatía, la comunicación efectiva y la asertividad en la práctica médica actual / Empathy, effective communication and assertiveness in current medical practice

Resumen La empatía, la comunicación efectiva y la asertividad en la práctica médica actual representan habilidades y herramientas necesarias y vigentes en un mundo de grandes avances y realidades tecnológicas que no superan, en nuestra perspectiva, lo indispensable para mantener y fortalecer la relación del profesional de la salud con el paciente, específicamente la relación médico-paciente. Es conveniente identificar y reconocer el hecho de que estas relaciones interpersonales deben ser modificadas mediante el reconocimiento de su bidireccionalidad y deben centrarse en un carácter educativo, de retroalimentación y atención mutua, con una mejora continua de la regla de las "15 C": comunicación, cercanía, comprensión, compasión, confianza, capacidad, consistencia, certificación, creatividad, cooperación/coordinación, compromiso bidireccional y conexión, con las resultantes calidad y calidez.

Abstract Empathy, effective communication and assertiveness in current medical practice represent skills and tools necessary and current, in a world of great advances and technological realities that do not surpass, in our perspective, the indispensable use of such tools to maintain and strengthen the relationship of the health professional with the patient and specifically of the doctor-patient relationship. It is convenient to identify and recognize the fact that these interpersonal relationships must be modified by recognizing their bidirectionality and that they should focus on an educational, feedback and mutual attention, with a continuous improvement of the "15 C" rule: communication, closeness, understanding, compassion, confidence, capacity, consistency, certification, creativity, cooperation/coordination and bidirectional commitment and connection, with the resulting quality and warmth.

[The radiologist physician in major trauma evaluation]. / El médico radiólogo en la evaluación del trauma contuso toracoabdominopélvico.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is the most common cause of death in young adults. A multidisciplinary trauma team consists of at least a surgical team, an anesthesiology team, radiologic team, and an emergency department team. OBJECTIVE: Recognize the integration of multidisciplinary medical team in managing the trauma patient and which must include the radiologist physician responsible for the institutional approach to the systematization of the trauma patient regarding any radiological and imaging study with emphasis on the FAST (del inglés, Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma)/USTA, Whole body computed tomography. METHODS: Ultrasound is a cross-sectional method available for use in patients with major trauma. Whole-body multidetector computed tomography became the imaging modality of choice in the late 1990s. RESULTS: In patients with major trauma, examination FAST often is the initial imaging examination, extended to extraabdominal regions. Patients who have multitrauma from blunt mechanisms often require multiple diagnostic examinations, including Computed Tomography imaging of the torso as well as abdominopelvic Computed Tomography angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Multiphasic Whole-body trauma imaging is feasible, helps detect clinically relevant vascular injuries, and results in diagnostic image quality in the majority of patients. Computed Tomography has gained importance in the early diagnostic phase of trauma care in the emergency room. With a single continuous acquisition, whole-body computed tomography angiography is able to demonstrate all potentially injured organs, as well as vascular and bone structures, from the circle of Willis to the symphysis pubis.

[The role of the computed tomography in the identification of the syndrome of pelvic congestion]. / El papel de la tomografía computada en la identificación del síndrome de congestión pélvica.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic congestion syndrome is a condition not yet fully understood, hence provokes controversy. It is cause of up to 40% of visits to the doctor; affecting women of reproductive age who experience non-specific symptoms such as characteristic pelvic pain with more than six months of evolution and difficult to treat dyspareunia in which even narcotics are insufficient for control. OBJECTIVE: To recognize the vascular anatomy of the pelvic cavity and identify the characteristics of pelvic congestion syndrome demonstrable by computed tomography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional and retrospective study at Hospital Angeles del Pedregal, in the Department of Radiology and Imaging with patients who reported imaging studies with key findings to recognize the pelvic congestion syndrome. All women with incidental finding of abnormal dilation of the gonadal vein were included, allowing to suggest pelvic congestion syndrome as a possible diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 17 cases (0.9%) of patients with abdominopelvic pain syndrome who underwent multislice computed tomography to 3 mm, with extension from the lung bases to the pubic symphysis. Predominance of left gonadal vein is conditioned by the anatomical arrangement of the left gonadal vein. During the arterial phase opacification of the gonadal vein was identified in 11 patients (65%), a circumstance that correlates with retrograde venous flow valve incompetence. In computed tomography findings of pelvic congestion syndrome were also identified 12 patients (70%) with abdominopelvic pain syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic congestion syndrome is a rare condition that radiologists do not consider because they don't know it and the clinical diagnoses give no clinical data to suggest this condition. But if one takes into account the literature, it refers to it as the origin of up to 40% of the visits to the gynecologist, and there may be more cases that will increase its prevalence.

Angiomyolipoma with minimal fat on MDCT: can counts of negative-attenuation pixels aid diagnosis?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether counts of pixels with subzero attenuation on CT scans can aid in the diagnosis of renal angiomyolipoma with minimal fat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 33 angiomyolipomas identified among 719 renal masses resected from 702 patients over 4 years, 15 masses in 15 patients were prospectively diagnosed on the basis of the presence of fat at MDCT. The 18 patients with minimal-fat angiomyolipoma and a matched (age, sex, tumor size) cohort of patients with renal cell carcinoma were included in this study. Three radiologists independently counted the number of pixels with attenuation less than -10, -20, and -30 HU. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the number of pixels at each cutoff was used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value with the following criteria: 1, more than 10 pixels less than -20 HU; 2, more than 20 pixels less than -20 HU; 3, more than 5 pixels less than -30 HU. RESULTS: Using criterion 1, reader A identified six angiomyolipomas; reader B, five; and reader C, two. The combined sensitivity was 24%; specificity, 98%; and positive predictive value, 69%. Using criterion 2, reader A identified three angiomyolipomas; reader B, four; and reader C, two. The combined sensitivity was 17%; specificity, 100%; and positive predictive value, 100%. Using criterion 3, reader A identified four angiomyolipomas; reader B, four; and reader C, two. The combined sensitivity was 18%; specificity, 100%; and positive predictive value, 100%. CONCLUSION: CT findings of more than 20 pixels with attenuation less than -20 HU and more than 5 pixels with attenuation less than -30 HU have a positive predictive value of 100% in detection of angiomyolipoma, but most angiomyolipomas with minimal fat cannot be reliably identified on the basis of an absolute pixel count.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease: integrating the barium esophagram before and after antireflux surgery.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common medical problem in the United States. As a result, laparoscopic antireflux surgery is a common surgical procedure. At the authors' institution, the barium esophagram before and after antireflux surgery is a critical examination in patients with GERD. This article summarizes the authors' examination protocol and describes how the findings are integrated in the care of these patients.

Imaging findings in incidental intrahepatic portal venous shunts.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to describe the imaging findings in incidentally discovered intrahepatic portal venous shunts. CONCLUSION: Intrahepatic portal venous shunts are uncommon hepatic vascular anomalies that are often not associated with manifestations of liver disease or symptoms. They are most often solitary and in the left hepatic lobe. Identification of 25 intrahepatic portal venous shunts at a single institution over 6 years suggests that they may be more common than previously known and that with an increasing use of imaging, they may be identified more often in the future.

The predictive value of helical computed tomography for collecting-system entry during nephron-sparing surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the ability of helical computed tomography (CT) including multiplanar reformatting and volume rendering (3D CT) to predict collecting system entry at surgery, as helical CT can be used to delineate renal tumour and normal renal anatomy before nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Knowledge of the possibility of collecting system entry during surgery might either dissuade some surgeons from NSS in elective situations or influence the operative approach or ablative technology in cases where NSS is imperative, or prepare the surgeon for the possibility of collecting system repair. We reviewed all 3D CT (349 scans) obtained before NSS at our institution over three consecutive years. Tumour size, central tumour extension, and presence of calyceal involvement were prospectively recorded at the time of 3D rendering. Collecting system entry was analysed for these three CT variables, and for three clinical variables (tumour side, size and surgical approach) collected retrospectively from the medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS: Of 344 patients, 170 had collecting system entry reported at surgery. There were statistically significant associations between collecting system entry and central tumour location by CT (sensitivity 58.8%, specificity 80.5%, P < 0.001), calyceal involvement at CT (sensitivity 53.5%, specificity 78.2%, P < 0.001), and tumour size on CT of > 4 cm (sensitivity 39.4%, specificity 74.7%, P = 0.005). There were no significant associations with side or type of surgery (P > 0.83). CONCLUSION: Helical CT is a reliable predictor of calyceal entry at surgery.

CT histogram analysis in pathologically proven adrenal masses.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to evaluate a histogram analysis method for distinguishing adrenal adenomas from metastases, pheochromocytomas, and adrenocortical carcinomas on CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pathology database was searched, and 335 adrenalectomies from 1995 to 2002 were identified. CT images were available for retrospective review in 187 patients (93 males, 94 females; age range, 15-84 years; mean age, 55.2 years) with 208 adrenal masses. This included 112 adenomas in 104 patients, 48 metastases in 39 patients, 40 pheochromocytomas in 36 patients, and eight adrenocortical carcinomas in eight patients. Histogram analysis was performed using a circular region of interest for mean attenuation, number of pixels, number of negative pixels (< 0 H), and percentage of negative pixels by two interpreters. Areas of necrosis were excluded from measurements. Observer agreement was calculated. RESULTS: In 72 of 76 (94.7%) and 63 of 72 (87.5%) adenomas, respectively, interpreters found attenuation values greater than 10 H contained negative pixels on unenhanced CT scans. None of the enhanced adenomas had mean attenuation less than or equal to 10 H, but 24 (38.7%) and 28 (45.2%), respectively, had negative pixels. Negative pixels were present in unenhanced and enhanced metastases, pheochromocytomas, and carcinomas. Using a 5% or 10% negative pixel threshold value to diagnose adenoma improved specificity but diminished sensitivity. Specificity for a 10% negative pixel threshold was approximately 88% for unenhanced CT scans and 99% for enhanced CT scans, with sensitivities of 71% and 12%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although specificity for the diagnosis of adenomas on enhanced CT scans with histogram analysis was high when a 10% negative pixel threshold was used, low sensitivity likely limits clinical usefulness.

Comparison of CT findings in symptomatic and incidentally discovered pheochromocytomas.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of incidental pheochromocytomas, whether their imaging characteristics differ from those of pheochromocytomas in symptomatic patients, and whether they differ from adenomas using CT densitometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records from 335 adrenalectomies performed at our institution from 1995 to 2002 were reviewed, and 71 pheochromocytomas were identified. Thirty-three patients had CT examinations performed at our institution that were available for retrospective review. From electronic and hard-copy medical records, patient age and sex, the indications for imaging, and biochemistry activity were recorded. Pheochromocytomas were classified as symptomatic or incidental on the basis of clinical presentation. These groups were compared for differences in patient age, adrenal mass volume and maximal diameter based on CT dimensions, attenuation on unenhanced CT, attenuation on enhanced CT during the portal phase, the presence of calcifications, low attenuation or cystic changes, biochemical activity, and hypertension. Statistical significance was assessed with the Student's t test or chi-square test, as appropriate. RESULTS: Nineteen incidental (57.6%) and 14 symptomatic (42.4%) adrenal pheochromocytomas were in the study. There was a significant difference between the two groups as to whether hypertension was present (incidental, 10/19 [52.6%]; symptomatic, 14/14 [100%]; p = 0.0025). We found a trend toward calcification present in more symptomatic patients (incidental, 0/19 [0%]; symptomatic, 4/14 [28.6%]; p = 0.0670). No statistically significant difference was noted in the mean patient age (incidental, 51.7 years; symptomatic, 45.9 years), mean volume of the mass (incidental, 74.0 cm(3); symptomatic, 78.2 cm(3)), mean maximal diameter of the mass (incidental, 5.26 cm; symptomatic, 5.33 cm), mean attenuation on unenhanced CT (incidental, 36.6 H; symptomatic, 34.2 H), mean attenuation on enhanced CT (incidental, 93.7 H; symptomatic, 104.3 H), necrosis score or biochemical activity (incidental, 17/18 [94.4%]; symptomatic, 12/14 [85.7%]). No attenuation value of any pheochromocytoma was less than 10 H on unenhanced CT (median, 35 H; range, 17-59 H). CONCLUSION: In our study population, 57.6% of the pheochromocytomas were incidental, more than in most reported series. A history of hypertension was more frequent in the symptomatic group (p = 0.0025), but no radiologic parameters that allow differentiation of incidental and symptomatic pheochromocytomas were found. None of the pheochromocytomas had attenuation values of less than 10 H on unenhanced CT scans.

Clinical utility of noncontrast computed tomography attenuation value (hounsfield units) to differentiate adrenal adenomas/hyperplasias from nonadenomas: Cleveland Clinic experience.

Radiological characterization of an adrenal tumor as adenoma may decrease the need for follow-up imaging studies, biopsies, and unnecessary adrenalectomies. We retrospectively reviewed 299 adrenalectomies in 290 patients at Cleveland Clinic Foundation over a recent 5-yr period to assess the value of noncontrast Hounsfield units (HU) in characterizing whether an adrenal mass is adenoma or nonadenoma. The mean (+/- SD) HU value for the adrenocortical adenoma/hyperplasia group was 16.2 +/- 13.6 and significantly lower (P < 0.0001) than primary adrenocortical cancers (36.9 +/- 4.1), metastases (39.2 +/- 15.2), and pheochromocytomas (38.6 +/- 8.2). The sensitivity and specificity for 10- and 20-HU cutoff values to differentiate adenomas/hyperplasias from nonadenomas were 40.5 and 100% and 58.2 and 96.9%, respectively. The size of the adrenal tumor had less value with only 40.7 and 81.3% sensitivity and 94.7 and 61.4% specificity for 2- and 4-cm cutoff values. A combination of less than or equal to 4-cm adrenal mass size and noncontrast computed tomography HU less than or equal to 20 had 42.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Our study, the largest with surgical histopathology as the gold standard for diagnosis, supports a noncontrast computed tomography attenuation value of 10 HU as a safe cutoff value to differentiate adrenal adenomas/hyperplasias from nonadenomas.

Tumor renal quístico multiocular: Nefroma quístico. Informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Multiocular cystic renal tumor: Cystic nephroma. A case report and review of the literature

Se trata de paciente preescolar masculino, sin antecedentes de importancia, que es referido por médico general a este centro hospitalario, al ser consultado por la madre al detectar ésta la presencia de masa en el flanco izquierdo del paciente. Por dicha razón es referido, realizándosele estudios de ultrasonografía, urograma excretor y tomografía computada de abdomen que demuestran la presencia de masa quística multilocular renal izquierda con remanente de parénquima renal funcional hacia el polo superior, mismo que es desplazado por la presencia de dicha masa. Se decide realizar cirugía (nefrectomía total) ante la sospecha de lesión tumoral maligna del tipo tumor de Wilms quístico, obteniéndose el informe histopatológico de nefroma quístico. Actualmente el paciente cursa asintomático.

Síndrome de Meckel - Gruber: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Mekel-Grubr syndrome: case report

El motivo de esta presentación es establecer la correlación de los hallazgos del USG con los anatomopatológicos del producto permitiendo implantar búsquedas intencionadas en los estudios de Ultrasonido obstétrico. Ante la presencia de encefalocele se justifica una observación dirigida a los riñones y a la mano fetal para descartar el síndrome de Meckel - Gruber (encefalocele, polidactilia, riñones quísticos displásicos, microcefalia, etc.) porque el riesgo de recurrencia de este síndrome autosómico recesivo es mucho más alto que el encefalocele solo. Cuando el Síndrome de Meckel - Gruber presenta displasia quística de los riñones siempre se observará oligohidramnios.

Diagnóstico ultrasonográfico de la inversión uterina: informe de una paciente y revisión de la literatura / Ultrasonographic diagnosis of uterus inversion

La inversión uterina es una complicación postpartum que representa una urgencia obstétrica. En este artículo, se presenta la historia de una paciente en la que la evaluación clínica no fue concluyente y el ultrasonido permitió demostrar hallazgos de inversión uterina incompleta, logrando con ello establecer en forma inmediata medidas de manejo y disminuir la morbilidad de dicha urgencia.

Consentimiento informado para el uso de medios de constraste en radiología / Informe consent for the use of contrast media in radiology

La utilización de los métodos de radiología e imagen en el diagnóstico médico requieren con frecuencia el uso de medios de contraste que son potencialmente riesgosos y de acuerdo a la legislación vigente, es necesario recabar el consentimiento del paciente al ser sometido a dichos procedimientos.Es importante que el paciente entienda claramente en qué consiste el estudio y los riesgos que implica, antes de que firme el consentimiento informado.Es de la incumbencia del médico tratante explicar al paciente, de una manera clara, sencilla y objetiva, lo que implica el hecho de someterse a los múltiples procedimientos diagnósticos o terapéuticos.

Pielonefritis enfisematosa: revisión retrospectiva y análisis de la literatura / Imaging of emphysematous pyelonephritis and review of the literature

La pielonefritis enfisematosa es una infección rara, difusa, fulminante, necrosante, supurativa, con producción rápida de gas que se disemina a través de la vía sanguínea a otros órganos, complicación fatal de una pielonefritis aguda.Es casi exclusiva de pacientes diabéticos en edad avanzada o media y en ocasiones la PE se diagnostica antes que la diabetes.El diagnóstico debe establecerse radiológicamente y hoy el mejor método de imagen y el que la literatura mundial avala como la forma más otil y práctica es la tomografía computada. El objeto de este artículo es analizar los signos radiológicos más comunes con base en imágenes obtenidas en nuestro servicio.

Ultrasonografía de urgencia: informe epidemiológico / Ultrasonography in emergency medicine: an epidemiologic trial

La evaluación ultrasonográfica en situaciones de dolor abdominal agudo, no traumático permite una apreciación rápida y precisa, diferencia aquéllas situaciones que ameritan cirugía inmediata de aquellas que no y pueden manejarse con tratamiento médico. La USG está indicada específicamente para la evaluación de pacientes con sospecha de apendicitis aguda, colecistitis aguda, colangitis ascendente y abscesos hepáticos. Es necesario establecer con precisión cuándo y a quién realizar dicho método de imagenes sin dejar de lado a la información clínica

Tomografía computada del estrecho torácico superior / Computerized tomography for assessment of the upper thoracic strait

Se realizó estudio clínico-radiológico, retro y prospectivo, descriptivo, no comparativo, con revisión de la literatura médica del estrecho torácico superior por tomografía computada. Fueron revisados 250 estudios de TC siendo realizados en el 52 por ciento de los casos en pacientes masculino, 48 por ciento de los casos en pacientes femeninos y en el 20.25 por ciento de los casos, en edades entre 61 y 70 años, así mismo se encontraron 24 por ciento de los estudios normales, 37 por ciento fueron eliminados por no cubrir los criterios de selección y 39 por ciento estudios con patología de ETS. El ETS representa la unión entre la base del cuello y el mediastino. Es un plano paralelo a la primera costilla y es más alto posterior que anteriormente. El contenido del ETS es de gran importancia radiológica: Tráquea, Esófago, TBV; TBA: Timo, grasa mediastinal. Un gran porcentaje de masas en el ETS están en relación a bocio intratorácico. Por TC dichas masas son demostradas por las siguientes características: continuidad con el tejido tiroideo cervical, presencia de calcificaciones puntiformes, en anillo; heterogéneas; evidencia de números de atenuación altos con elevación de los mismos al aplicar contraste endovenoso; desplazamiento lateral de estructuras vasculares sin afectarlas; extensión del mismo entre la tráquea y el esófago. Cualquier tipo de anormalidad mediastinal puede presentarse en el ETS. El ETS sirve de vía de extensión de procesos patológicos del cuello hacia el mediastino y viceversa

Ameloblastoma: presentación de un enfermo y revisión de la literatura / Ameloblastoma. Case presentation and review of the litterature

El ameloblastoma se origina de la lámina dentaria o de sus derivados, es un tumor localmente invasor, el más agresivo y frecuente de los tumores odontogénicos. Es de crecimiento lento que invade localmente, con una alta tendencia a la recidiva. Puede ser periférico o intraósea, que es el más frecuente. El periférico es menos agresivo e invasor y con una tendencia a la recidiva. Presenta un patrón histológico variado siendo los más comunes el folicular y el plexiforme. Las formas foliculares con más recidivantes que los plexiformes y las multioculares más que las uniloculares. Radiológicamente es una lesión radiolúcida, quística que se extiende de la región molar hasta la porción superior de la rama mandibular, con multilocularidad, variación en el tamaño de las loculaciones, expansión de la cortical, bordes bien definidos y resorción de las raíces dentales. Su incidencia alta de recidiva y lo complejo de las estructuras faciales que afectan hace que su abordaje terapeútico deba realizarse con base en un criterio médico multidisciplinario