Radiologic determination of intravascular volume status using portable, digital chest radiography: a prospective investigation in 100 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To answer the following questions: Can the digital chest roentgenogram (CXR) be used to differentiate patients' volume status? Do clinical data alter radiologists' accuracy in interpreting the digital CXR? DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Nine adult intensive care units of a tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS: One hundred thirty-five consecutive patients with pulmonary artery catheters, of whom 35 were excluded because of unacceptable pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) tracings. METHODS: Each patient had a portable, anteroposterior, supine digital CXR. Clinicians evaluated volume status and then measured hemodynamic data within 1 hr of the CXR. Digital CXRs were independently interpreted on two separate occasions (with and without clinical information) by three experienced chest radiologists, and these interpretations were compared with hemodynamic data. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients, 39 had PAOP >18 mm Hg, whereas 61 had PAOP <18 mm Hg. Radiologists' accuracy in differentiating volume status increased with incorporation of clinical data (56% without vs. 65% with clinical data, p =.009). Using objective receiver operating characteristic-derived cutoffs of 70 mm for vascular pedicle width and 0.55 for cardiothoracic ratio, radiologists' accuracy in differentiating PAOP >18 mm Hg from PAOP <18 mm Hg was 70%. The intrareader and the inter-reader correlation coefficients were very high. The likelihood ratio of the CXR in determining volume status using the objective vascular pedicle width and cardiothoracic ratio measures was 3.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.9-6.0), significantly higher than subjective CXR interpretations with and without clinical data (p <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Differentiating intravascular volume status with portable, supine, digital CXRs may be improved by using objective cutoffs of vascular pedicle width >70 mm and cardiothoracic ratio >0.55 or by incorporating clinical data.

Identifying risk factors for imminent death in cancer patients with acute dyspnea.

A substantial proportion of cancer patients presenting to an emergency center (EC) or clinic with acute dyspnea survives fewer than 2 weeks. If these patients could be identified at the time of admission, physicians and patients would have additional information on which to base decisions to continue therapy to extend life or to refocus treatment efforts on palliation and/or hospice care alone. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for imminent death (survival

MRI of primary lymphoma of bone: cortical disorder as a criterion for differential diagnosis.

To investigate the pattern and dimension of cortical bone abnormality on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a feature to distinguish primary lymphoma of bone from osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, 46 patients with primary malignant bone lesions with a soft tissue mass (16 osteosarcomas, 15 Ewing sarcomas, 15 lymphomas) were examined with MRI (T1-weighted pre-/postcontrast spin-echo sequences and T2-weighted spin-echo and fast spin-echo sequences; 1.5 T system). Qualitative image analysis revealed no differences for signal characteristics and enhancement. Lymphomas appeared significantly more often homogeneous (47%; Ewing sarcoma 20%; osteosarcoma 6%/o), and patients were significantly older (cutoff point 30 years). Lymphomas showed significantly less frequent cortical abnormality (60%; Ewing sarcoma 87%; osteosarcoma 100%), complete penetration (13%; Ewing sarcoma 67%; osteosarcoma 87%), focal destruction (13%; Ewing sarcoma 40%; osteosarcoma 81%), and complete destruction (0%; Ewing sarcoma 13%; osteosarcoma 19%). In conclusion, primary lymphoma of bone is characterized by minimal cortical changes despite an accompanying soft tissue mass in a patient over 30 years of age.

Fundamentals course for 1st-year radiology residents.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors set out to provide 1st-year residents with basic knowledge to make conferences more useful, to make their knowledge more uniform, and to assess their competency to begin night call. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Faculty taught three afternoon sessions a week in subspecialty areas of radiology, including physics, during the 1st 6 months of residency. Material selected was believed to be essential for the understanding of that subspecialty's didactic lecture series. Emphasis was also placed on diagnoses residents would be expected to make once they began taking night call. Material was presented through lectures, images, and unknown cases. An examination was administered at the end of the course. Residents were allowed to begin night call only after completing the course and passing the final examination. RESULTS: All 1st-year residents completed the course and passed the examination. Their scores ranged from 70% to 83.3%. CONCLUSION: Residents liked the course and reported feeling ready to begin call. Faculty reported the residents who completed the course were more knowledgeable prior to formal rotations than residents from previous years who had not taken the course.

Dyspnea in cancer patients. Etiology, resource utilization, and survival-implications in a managed care world.

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is the fourth most common symptom of patients who present to the emergency department (ED) at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and may, in some patients with advanced cancer, represent a clinical marker for the terminal phase of their disease. This retrospective study describes the clinical characteristics of these patients, the resource utilization associated with the management of dyspnea, and the survival of patients with this symptom. METHODS: The authors randomly selected 122 of 1068 patients presenting with dyspnea for a retrospective analysis. The median age of the patients was 58 years (range, 23-90 years) and 53% were female. Underlying malignancies were breast cancer (30%), lung cancer (37%), and other cancers (34%). Approximately 94% of the patients had received prior cancer treatment and the majority (69%) had uncontrolled, progressive disease. RESULTS: The most common treatments administered in the ED were oxygen (31%), beta-2 agonists (14%), antibiotics (12%), and narcotics (11%). Approximately 60% of patients were admitted to the hospital from the ED for further treatment of dyspnea and the underlying malignancy, and the median length of stay was 9 days. The median overall survival after the ED visit for dyspnea was 12 weeks. Specific diagnoses were associated with different median survival rates: lung cancer patients: 4 weeks; breast cancer patients: 22 weeks (P = 0.0073, vs. lung cancer); and other cancer diagnoses: 27 weeks (P = 0.0027, vs. lung cancer). CONCLUSIONS: Lung cancer patients presenting to the ED with dyspnea have much shorter survival than patients with other malignancies. For some patients, the presence of dyspnea requiring emergency treatment may indicate a phase in their illness in which resources should be shifted from acute intervention with hospitalization to palliative and supportive care measures.

Radionuclide imaging in the evaluation of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis.

Despite controversy over its exact role, radionuclide imaging plays an important role in the evaluation of patients suspected of having osteomyelitis. The differentiation between osteomyelitis and cellulitis is best accomplished by using a three-phase technique using Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP). Frequently, it is necessary to obtain multiple projections and magnification views to adequately assess suspected areas. It is recommended that a Ga-67 or In-111 leukocyte scan be performed in those cases where osteomyelitis is strongly suspected clinically and the routine bone scan is equivocal or normal. Repeated bone scan after 48 to 72 h may demonstrate increased radioactivity in the case of early osteomyelitis with the initial photon-deficient lesion. In-111 leukocyte imaging is useful for the evaluation of suspected osteomyelitis complicating recent fracture or operation, but must be used in conjunction with clinical and radiographic correlation. The recognition of certain imaging patterns appears helpful to separate osteomyelitis from septic arthritis or cellulitis.

Parosteal osteosarcoma: radiologic-pathologic correlation with emphasis on CT.

Parosteal osteosarcoma, a distinct entity in which the neoplasm arises on the bone surface, presents characteristic features. Thorough radiologic and histologic evaluation and early definitive surgery usually result in a favorable prognosis and make limb salvage feasible in many adult patients. Twenty-six patients with proven parosteal osteosarcoma were seen at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston. All were examined by conventional radiography, 16 by CT, and one by both CT and MR. CT is valuable for the evaluation of tumor invasion of the medullary canal, involvement of the cortex, and extension into the soft tissues, findings frequently not demonstrable by other noninvasive techniques. Additional information is obtained regarding the presence and location of satellite lesions and intralesional radiolucent areas and the relationship of the vascular bundle to the tumor mass. These findings are important for planning both percutaneous biopsy and surgery.

Computer-assisted scheduling of radiology resident call.

The difficulties inherent in assigning an entire residency group fair and equivalent daily call prompted the development of a computerized scheduling program at The University of Texas at Houston. Written in COBOL, the program is run on a CDC mainframe computer. Logic parameters restrict the number and frequency of calls per month, and each resident is coded for five available call types at two university hospitals. The foundation of the program's operation is an arbitrary point scale applied to each call type determined by its difficulty and time commitment. Residents' point totals each month are roughly balanced within a prescribed range, with call exchanges made by the computer if necessary. The computer-generated schedules are flexible and equitable, require little manual correction, and save time for the chief resident and the residency secretary.

Technetium-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin arteriography for detection of abnormally positioned arterial catheters during infusion chemotherapy.

The arterial catheter position of 500 courses of intra-arterial chemotherapy were monitored by intraarterially introduced Technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin (MAA) particles. Seventeen instances of abnormally positioned catheters (3.4%) were detected by MAA arterial perfusion (MAAAP). All these abnormally positioned catheters were subsequently repositioned resulting in improved tumor perfusion. Plain radiographs obtained in eight instances failed to reveal the abnormally positioned catheter in four, while all eight of these abnormally positioned catheters were detected by MAAAP. Abnormally positioned catheters detected by MAAAP were either immediately after arterial catheter placement (nine instances) or during the course of chemotherapy (eight instances). Of the right instances of displaced catheters during intra-arterial chemotherapy, six instances were accompanied by clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of displaced catheter. Arteriovenous shunting was documented in 5 of 12 hepatic MAAAP studies as evidenced by increased lung activity. When the catheters were displaced in these cases, the lung activity changed: completely disappearing in two instances; decreasing in two instances and remaining unchanged in one.

The prodrome, Kaposi sarcoma, and infections associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: radiologic findings in 39 patients.

The radiographic findings in 39 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were reviewed. Twenty five of the 39 patients had infections and 14 had Kaposi sarcoma and opportunistic infections. A prodromal phase, which is seen in many patients and is associated with lymphoid hyperplasia, lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly, is described. Recognition of the problem is important in alerting the patient to the early detection of infections and/or Kaposi sarcoma.

An algorithmic approach to the roentgenographic evaluation of head trauma: medical and financial implications.

An algorithm was devised for the evaluation of patients with acute head trauma. The effectiveness of this strategy was tested with a retrospective chart review of 608 patients seen in a community hospital emergency room. The results of the algorithmic approach were compared to the original management of the patients. A financial savings of 65% was achieved and no significant intracranial pathology was missed using this approach.

Eosinophilic granuloma of bone: diagnosis and management.

Fifty patients with eosinophilic granuloma of bone were reviewed. Thirty-one lesions were in the head and neck, 24 in the extremities, seven in the pelvis, and five in the ribs. The lesions were lytic with ill-defined margins, endosteal erosion, and solid periosteal reaction. The diagnoses were obtained by surgical biopsy in 36 patients and by percutaneous biopsy in 14. Twenty-six lesions were treated with radiotherapy, 14 by surgery, and nine by surgery and radiotherapy. The last 14 cases have been treated by percutaneous injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate into the lesion. Healing was obtained in every lesion. There were no complications.

The sacral arcuate lines in upper sacral fractures.

The anteroposterior radiographs of 50 patients with multiple fractures of the pelvic ring were analyzed and the findings compared with the interpretation made at the time of admission. Thirty-six of the 50 patients (72%) had associated sacral fractures. Sixty-one percent of the sacral fractures had been missed on the initial examination. Disruption, displacement, deformity, and density changes of the sacral arcuate lines are described as signs of sacral fracture.

Anterior subluxation of the cervical spine: hyperflexion sprain.

Anterior subluxation (hyperflexion sprain) is localized, purely ligamentous disruption of the cervical spine caused by a limited flexion force. When associated with a simple wedge fraction, also a flexion injury, anterior subluxation may be the more significant lesion. Radiographically, anterior subluxation is characterised by (1) a localized kyphotic angulation at the level of injury; (2) anterior rotation, or displacement, of the subluxed vertebra; (3) anterior narrowing and posterior widening of the disc space; (4) widening of the space between the subluxed vertebral body and the subjacent articular masses; (5) displacement of the inferior articulating facets of the subluxed vertebra with respect to their contiguous subjacent facets; and (6) widening of the interspinous space ("fanning"). The localized kyphotic angulation at the level of ligamentous disruption distinguishes pathologic anterior subluxation from diffuse "reversal of the normal cervical lordosis"; produced by voluntary positioning or muscle spasm. Anterior subluxation is clinically significant because of the approximate 20% incidence of delayed instability due to impaired ligamentous healing.

Gray scale ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology.

Ultrasound can provide significant information in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, Fetal presentation, presence of multiple gestation, and gross fetal abnormalities are easily determined. Measurement of the biparietal diameter correlates more closely with gestational age than does use of the fetogram. In addition, there is no evidence of fetal toxicity by this method, and the placenta is easily located. Ultrasound is the preferred method for diagnosis of placenta previa. Abnormalities of the early gestational period including missed abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy also can be diagnosed by ultrasound. The cystic or solid nature of pelvic masses can be assessed as well as their relationship to the uterus and adnexa.