METHODS: Twenty-six patients on HD underwent US and CT scans on the same day, postdialysis session. QMT for rectus femoris (RF) and vastus intermedius (VI) muscles was taken at the midpoint (MID) and two-thirds (2/3) of both thighs and CSA of the RF muscle (RFCSA ), respectively. Correlation between US and CT measurements was determined by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot.
RESULTS: ICC (95% CI) computed between US and CT was 0.94 (0.87-0.97), 0.97 (0.93-0.99), 0.94 (0.87-0.97), 0.94 (0.86-0.97), and 0.92 (0.83-0.97) for RFMID , VIMID, RF2/3, VI2/3 , and RFCSA , respectively (all P < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis indicated no bias in agreement between both methods.
CONCLUSION: The US imaging offers a valid and quick bedside assessment approach to assess muscle wasting in HD patients.
METHODOLOGY: A retrospective chart review on computed tomography paranasal sinus (CTPNS) was conducted. A total of 200 patients who had clinical and endoscopic findings of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and undergone CTPNS were reviewed. The CTPNS was evaluated for the presence of frontal cell variants according to IFAC and mucosal changes consistent with frontal sinus involvement.
RESULT: A total of 400 sides of the CTPNS were analyzed. The agger nasi cells (ANCs) were the most common (95.5%) followed by supra bulla cells (SBCs) (60.8%), supra bulla frontal cells (SBFCs) (53.0%), supra agger cells (SACs) (50.0%), supra agger frontal cells (SAFCs) (36.0%), frontal septal cells (FSCs) (8.3%), and supraorbital ethmoidal cells SOECs (5.5%). There was significant association between SOEC (p = 0.001) and FSC (p = 0.044) with the development of frontal sinusitis.
CONCLUSIONS: Apart from ANCs, the posterior-based cells (SBCs and SBFCs) have higher prevalence than the anterior-based cells (SACs and SAFCs). Despite being the least, both SOECs and FSCs are significantly associated with frontal sinusitis.
MATERIAL & METHOD: 61 road traffic accidental death cases underwent both PMCT and conventional autopsy. The imaging findings were compared to the conventional autopsy findings.
RESULT: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for liver injuries in PMCT was 71%, 82%, 68% and 85% while that of splenic injuries was 73%, 80%, 55% and 90% respectively. The accuracy of PMCT scan was 79% for both liver and splenic injuries. There is strong association between lower left ribs fracture and splenic injury (p=0.005) and significant association between positive liver and splenic PMCT finding and intraabdominal fatal injury (p=0.037).
CONCLUSION: In conclusion PMCT has high specificity and NPV for liver and splenic injuries; however the sensitivity and PPV are low. The overall accuracy is not high enough to enable PMCT to be used as a replacement for conventional autopsy; however it is a useful complementary examination and has potential to be used as decision making tool for selective internal autopsy.