Prolonged heterogeneous liver enhancement on contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged heterogeneous liver enhancement (PHLE) is a rare phenomenon that is similar to the ultrasound findings of portal venous gas. The purpose of this report is to describe the phenomenon of PHLE after the injection of the ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue(®). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2000 to 2013, 13 patients with PHLE ("cloudy", "wool-like") after bolus injection of SonoVue(®) were observed. The height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of the patients, and the number of injections were analyzed. In addition, the literature was reviewed. RESULTS: The phenomenon occurred as early as 2 minutes after bolus contrast administration and lasted up to 5 hours on both B-mode and contrast-specific ultrasound. 8/13 (62 %) patients received two or more boluses. None of the patients experienced SonoVue(®)-related side effects or health problems. The phenomenon was not reproducible in 3 patients who received a second SonoVue(®) injection 24 hours after receiving the first. CONCLUSION: This phenomenon is more likely to occur in patients who receive high-dose (or multiple) injections of UCA. It may occur as early as 2 minutes after contrast administration, and therefore, may affect the evaluation of focal liver lesions in the late phase. This phenomenon should not be misdiagnosed as a pathological finding of the liver.

Study of skin-fabric interactions of relevance to decubitus: friction and contact-pressure measurements.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Prolonged pressure as well as friction and shear forces at the skin-textile interface are decisive physical parameters in the development of decubitus. The present article describes the contact phenomena at the skin-textile interface and the development of a purpose-built textile friction analyser (TFA) for the tribological assessment of skin-fabric interactions, in connection with decubitus prevention. METHODS: Interface pressure distributions were recorded in the pelvic and femoral regions between supine persons and a foam mattress. Fabrics made of various natural and synthetic yarns were investigated using the TFA. A vertical load of 7.7 kPa was applied to the swatches, simulating high interface pressures at the skin-fabric interface and clinical conditions of bedridden persons. Fabrics were rubbed in reciprocating motions against a validated skin-simulating material to determine static as well as dynamic friction coefficients (COFs). RESULTS: Maximum contact pressures ranged from 5.2 to 7.7 kPa (39-58 mmHg) and exceeded the capillary closure pressure (32 mmHg) in all investigated bedding positions. For both COFs, a factor of 2.5 was found between the samples with the lowest and highest values. Our results were in a similar range to COFs found in measurements on human skin in vivo. The results showed that our test method can detect differences of 0.01 in friction coefficients. CONCLUSION: TFA measurements allow the objective and reliable study of the tribology of the skin-textile biointerface and will be used to develop medical textiles with improved performance and greater efficacy for decubitus prevention.

[Value of gynecologic sonography within the scope of preoperative diagnosis. I. Retrospective evaluation of clinically and sonographically suspected diagnoses in 1,168 patients]. / Uber den Stellenwert der gynäkologischen Sonographie im Rahmen der präoperativen Diagnostik. Teil I: Retrospektive Bewertung klinischer und sonographischer Verdachtsdiagnosen bei 1168 Patientinnen.

In 1168 women patients operated on between January 1981 and July 1984 at the Department of Gynaecology of the University of Tübingen it was possible to control retrospectively the suspected diagnoses that had been made preoperatively, both clinically as well as sonographically, the control being based on an examination of the site of operation and/or the histological preparation. Sonographic examination was mostly effected after clinical examination while being aware of the clinically suspected diagnosis. Preoperative clinical diagnosis was found to be mostly correct in 816 patients (69.9%). After subsequent sonographical examination the proportion of correct diagnoses rose to 961 cases (82.3%). The diagnostic "positive addition"--a total of 145 cases (12.4%)--represents a significant improvement in preoperative clinical diagnosis (p less than 0.001), especially also in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the ovary (p less than 0.05). No impairment of sonographic diagnosis was seen as a result of obesity. In addition, it was also possible to clarify by sonography another 73 cases of 107 that had remained unclear after clinical examination (68%). The results are discussed in detail, broken down according to 19 typical gynaecological diagnoses. For the clinician it is quite evident that there are clear indications for the additional use of sonography after clinical examination. In the following prospective part II of the study this result is analyzed in respect of its causes by clinical and sonographic examination conducted independent of each other.