Ultrasound primary care

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INTRODUCTION: In the current times, fetal growth monitoring has become readily available with the help of Doppler ultrasound. Identification of pregnancies that are at risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality has been a primary goal of obstetric care. Doppler study is a fast, non-invasive test that provides significant information about the hemodynamic status of the fetus. It is an efficient diagnostic modality to assess fetal compromise, which helps in timely intervention in high-risk pregnancies for better perinatal outcomes...

OBJECTIVE: To examine long-term complications in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP), with and without surgical mesh implants. DESIGN: Longitudinal open cohort study from 1 April 2006 (or 1 April 2012) to 30 November 2018. SETTING: The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Gold database, which is linked to Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) inpatient data, the HES Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DID), Office for National Statistics mortality data and Index of Multiple Deprivation socio-economic status data...

Renal lymphangiectasia, a rare entity of the renal lymphatic system affecting both genders and all ages, can manifest bilaterally or unilaterally and has been referred to by various terms, such as renal lymphangiomatosis, renal lymphangioma, and others. Distinguishing this condition from common pathologies, such as polycystic kidney disease or hydronephrosis, is crucial. This article presents an innovative clinical case of unilateral renal lymphangiectasia in a 67-year-old woman with a relevant medical history...

OBJECTIVES: Clinical examination alone cannot reliably rule out significant traumatic abdominal injury. Computed tomography (CT) has become the primary method for evaluating blunt abdominal trauma and clinicians rely heavily on it to rule out abdominal injury. Ultrasound examination may miss significant abdominal injury particularly in stable patients. The use of a contrast agent improves ultrasound sensitivity to visceral abdominal injuries. The objective of this diagnostic study is to compare bedside contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) performed by emergency physicians to CT in hemodynamically stable adults for the assessment of blunt abdominal trauma and evaluate CEUS accuracy outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Osgood-Schlatter is the most frequent growth-related injury affecting about 10% of physically active adolescents. It can cause long-term pain and limitations in sports and physical activity, with potential sequela well into adulthood. The management of Osgood-Schlatter is very heterogeneous. Recent systematic reviews have found low level evidence for surgical intervention and injection therapies, and an absence of studies on conservative management. Recently, a novel self-management approach with exercise, education, and activity modification, demonstrated favorable outcomes for adolescents with patellofemoral pain and Osgood-Schlatter in prospective cohort studies...

Epicutaneo-cava catheters are the most widely used central venous catheters in the neonate, but their insertion and management are potentially associated with several complications, both during placement (failure to proceed with the catheter, primary malposition, etc.) and during maintenance (infection, venous thrombosis, catheter dislocation, secondary malposition, etc.). Recent studies have identified methods and techniques that may be effective in minimizing the risk of most of these complications. This paper proposes a structured, sequential insertion bundle-nicknamed "the SIECC protocol" (SIECC = Safe Insertion of Epicutaneo-Cava Catheters)-which includes seven evidence-based strategies which have been proven to increase the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of the procedure...

BACKGROUND: Adverse changes in muscle health (size and quality) are common in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Nutrition delivery may attenuate such changes, yet the relationship with muscle health remains poorly understood. This study explored the association between energy and protein delivery and changes in muscle health measured using ultrasound from baseline to day 10 and 20 in patients receiving ECMO. METHODS: A secondary analysis of data from a prospective study quantifying changes in muscle health using ultrasound in adults receiving ECMO was completed...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound surveillance has become the new standard of care in stage III melanoma after the 2017 Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial II (MSLT-II) demonstrated non-inferior 3-year survival compared with complete lymph node dissection. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to quantify diagnostic performance and adherence rates of ultrasound surveillance for melanoma locoregional metastasis, offering insights into real-world applicability. METHODS: Conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically searched the Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception until 11 October 2023...

OBJECTIVES: Fetuses with single ventricle physiology (SVP) exhibit reductions in fetal cerebral oxygenation with associated delays in fetal brain growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Maternal supplemental oxygen (MSO) has been proposed to improve fetal brain growth but current evidence on dosing, candidacy, and outcomes are limited. In this pilot study, we evaluated the safety and feasibility of continuous low-dose MSO in the setting of SVP. METHODS: This single-centre, open-label, pilot phase 1 safety and feasibility clinical trial included 25 pregnant individuals with a fetal diagnosis of SVP...

PURPOSE: Isolated locoregional recurrence of breast cancer (ILRR) and contralateral breast cancer (CBC) affect up to 20% of all breast cancer (BC) patients in the first 20 years after primary diagnosis. Treatment options comprise surgical interventions and further systemic therapies depending on the histological subtype. Patients with hereditary breast or ovarian cancer (HBOC) undergo MRI, mammography, and ultrasound in the aftercare of BC, while non-HBOC (nHBOC) patients do not regularly receive MRI...

OBJECTIVE: The Objective was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of thoracic ultrasound (TUS) for detecting (ILD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respiratory symptoms. METHODS: Individuals with RA visiting Rheumatological outpatient clinics in the Region of Southern Denmark were systematically screened for dyspnoea, cough, recurrent pneumonia, prior severe pneumonia or a chest X-ray indicating interstitial abnormalities. Eighty participants with a positive screening were consecutively included...

Introduction Computed tomography (CT) has a high sensitivity for diagnosing COVID-19 pneumonia in critically ill patients, but it has significant limitations. Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is an imaging method increasingly used in intensive care units. Our primary aim is to evaluate the relationship between LUS and CT images by scoring a critically ill patient who was previously diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and underwent CT, as well as to determine their relationship with the patient's oxygenation. Methods This was a single-center, prospective observational study...

INTRODUCTION: Point-of-care ultrasound has become a universal practice, employed by physicians across various disciplines, contributing to diagnostic processes and decision-making. AIM: To assess the association of reduced (<50%) left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) based on prospective point-of-care ultrasound operated by medical students using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool and 1-year primary composite outcome, including mortality and readmission for cardiovascular-related causes...

BACKGROUND: The reliability of determining fluid responsiveness during surgery in geriatric patients is challenging. Our primary outcome was to determine the reliability of Corrected Flow Time (FTc) in predicting fluid responsiveness. METHODS: Elderly patients undergoing major surgery under general anesthesia were included. Measurements of common carotid artery diameter, velocity time integral, and systolic flow time (FT) were performed before and after a fluid challenge...

BACKGROUND: Intravascular ultrasound-guided percutaneous coronary intervention has been shown to result in superior clinical outcomes compared with angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention. However, insufficient data are available concerning the advantages of intravascular ultrasound guidance for patients with an acute coronary syndrome. This trial aimed to investigate whether the use of intravascular ultrasound guidance, as compared with angiography guidance, improves the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention with contemporary drug-eluting stents in patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome...

BACKGROUND: With the increasing prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC), optimizing perioperative management is of paramount importance. This study investigates the potential of stellate ganglion block (SGB), known for its stress response-mediating effects, in improving postoperative recovery. We postulate that preoperative SGB may enhance the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing laparoscopic CRC surgery. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 57 patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery at a single center...

INTRODUCTION: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) performed by emergency physicians (EP) has emerged as an effective alternative to radiology department ultrasounds for the diagnosis of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Systematic reviews suggested good sensitivity and specificity overall for EP-performed POCUS for DVT diagnosis, yet high levels of heterogeneity were reported. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to provide the most up-to-date estimates of the accuracy of EP-performed POCUS for diagnosis of DVT and to explore potential correlations with test performance...

Body composition assessment plays a pivotal role in understanding health, disease risk, and treatment efficacy. This narrative review explores two primary aspects: imaging techniques, namely ultrasound (US) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile health apps in telehealth for body composition. Although US is valuable for assessing subcutaneous fat and muscle thickness, DXA accurately quantifies bone mineral content, fat mass, and lean mass. Despite their effectiveness, accessibility and cost remain barriers to widespread adoption...