Journal of Ultrasonography最新文献

Aim: To examine the reliability of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging performed to measure the thickness of the transverse abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and lumbar multifidus muscles in females with recurrent low back pain. Material and methods: A sample of 15 women was recruited. Two independent examiners recorded the thickness of their deep abdominal and spinal muscles by rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. Imaging scans of the transverse abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles were performed in the supine position and in the midaxillary line, between the lower edge of the ribcage and the iliac crest. Imaging of the lumbar multifidus was done in the prone position and at the level of the L5/S1 zygapophyseal joints. Imaging scans were performed bilaterally in rest and contraction, three times by the first examiner (at baseline, after two hours, and one week later) and once by the second examiner. Results: Good to excellent within-session intra-rater (ICC = 0.76, 0.97), good to excellent between-session intra-rater reliability (ICC = 0.73, 0.93), and good to excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.73, 0.98) were obtained. Conclusions: The results showed that rehabilitative ultrasound imaging can be used as an excellent reliable instrument by one or two examiners to measure the thickness of the transverse abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique and lumbar multifidus muscles in females with recurrent low back pain.

Background: Duplication of the femoral vein is an important anatomical variation of the venous anatomy which has been shown to have an impact on the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis by compression ultrasonography. The presence of duplication may result in false negative findings while evaluating for deep venous thrombosis, with serious consequences such as pulmonary embolism and death. This metaanalysis aims to determine the pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins. Methods: A systematic search was conducted through the major databases PubMed, Hinari, Embase and Medline to identify studies eligible for inclusion. Appropriate data were extracted and pooled into a random-effects metaanalysis using MetaXL software. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study included the pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins and the prevalence of bilaterally duplicated femoral veins, respectively. Results: A total of 11 studies (n = 3,682 limbs) were included. The overall pooled prevalence of duplicated femoral veins was 19.7% (95% CI 11-30). There was a significant difference in prevalence between cadaveric studies (2%, 95% CI 1-4) and imaging studies (25%, 95% CI 17-34). Conclusion: Duplication of the femoral vein is a common variation in the lower limbs. Routine watch-out should be practiced especially when performing lower limb Doppler studies in cases of deep venous thrombosis in order to avoid misdiagnosis and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Aim of the study: Trisomy 13 is the third most common autosomal trisomy. The following case report shows an atypical case of trisomy 13, highlighting the usefulness of 3D volume storage and reconstruction, and the necessity of careful interpretation of the first trimester screening results. Case description: The results of the first trimester screening tests were interpreted as normal, and invasive tests were not recommended. At 21 weeks, a bright spot in the left ventricle was noted, and fetal echocardiography was performed at 33 weeks. The scan showed a massive pericardial effusion and a pericardial tumor located in front of the right ventricle. Conclusions: The final diagnosis, made postnatally, revealed an atypical right-sided diaphragmatic hernia. Part of the liver was displaced to the pericardial cavity, mimicking a pericardial tumor in a baby with trisomy 13. Following the diagnosis of the lethal disorder, the baby was discharged under a home-based palliative care program and died on the 49^th day of life.

Aim: In polycystic ovarian syndrome, the ovaries become stiffer due to chronic anovulation. We aimed to compare tissue elasticity in terms of shear wave velocities measured using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging technique between the ovaries of polycystic ovarian syndrome women and non-polycystic ovarian syndrome women. Material and methods: The study was designed as a retrospective data analysis of women who underwent transvaginal ultrasound and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in a university hospital between July 2014 and March 2015, for various reasons. There were 32 polycystic ovarian syndrome patients and 32 patients without a diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome. Age, body mass index, fasting glucose levels, cycle day 3 follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, antimullerian hormone levels, and menstrual patterns with clinical hyperandrogenism were evaluated. On the menstrual cycle days 2-4, by performing a transvaginal ultrasound scan, the ovarian volumes and antral follicle counts in both ovaries were recorded for each woman. The ultrasound system was converted into the elastography mode, and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging was performed. Shear wave velocity (m/sec) was measured at least 5 times for each ovary, and the mean value was calculated for each polycystic ovarian syndrome and non-polycystic ovarian syndrome woman. Results: Age, body mass index, fasting glucose levels, cycle day 3 follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, and prolactin levels were similar between the groups (p >0,05). Antimullerian hormone levels, antral follicle counts, and mean ovarian volumes were statistically different between the groups (p <0,05). Mean shear wave velocity values for both ovaries were 2.12 ± 0.82 (0.78-4.9) m/sec in the polycystic ovarian syndrome group, and 1.18 ± 0.41 (0.77-2.0) m/sec in the non-polycystic ovarian syndrome group, which was statistically significantly different (p = 0.016). Conclusion: In our study, we found significantly higher shear wave velocity levels in polycystic ovarian syndrome women than non-polycystic ovarian syndrome women, which indicates an impact of the condition on shear wave velocity. The increased acoustic frequencies cause a decreased response in time to transition, and motion becomes out of phase; in other words, scattered waves are faster in stiffer ovaries. Our results are thus compatible with the pathophysiology of the disease. Shear wave velocity is a beneficial tool for evaluating ovarian elasticity in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients in whom the levels are found to be significantly higher than non-polycystic ovarian syndrome women. In light of these findings, shear wave velocity is expected to be slower than polycystic ovarian syndrome levels in ovulatory women.

Objective: To determine the reliability of knee joint sonography in the evaluation of gouty arthritis. Methodology: A search of Google Scholar, PubMed, NCBI, MEDLINE, and Medscape databases, from 1988 up to 2020. The key search terms used were knee joint; knee joint ultrasound; gout; gouty arthritis, knee joint pain; sensitivity; specificity. The reviewer independently screened the titles and abstracts of the relevant articles and full-text downloads to determine whether the inclusion or exclusion criteria were met. Results: In total, 103 articles were identified through the database search. In addition, 11 articles were identified through other sources. Then, screening was performed, and 9 articles were removed due to duplication. Further screening was done for 105 articles, and 27 articles were excluded due to insufficient information. Seventy-eight full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. A total of 13 full-text articles were excluded due to research performed on animals, as the study had been designed as a review of only human studies. Sixty-three studies were included that had a qualitative synthesis. Conclusion: The knee is a weight-bearing joint and may be affected by a myriad of different pathological conditions, therefore a proper diagnosis is of prime importance for a proper management plan. Ultrasound is a non-invasive, radiation-free, and readily available modality that has high sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of gouty arthritis.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in renal perfusion disorders caused by obstructive uropathy. Case description: We present a case of a patient with a horseshoe kidney, in which the urine outflow from the right part of the kidney was blocked due to the presence of a bladder tumour infiltrating the ureter. Perfusion disorders in both parts of the kidney, visible in computed tomography, were partially reflected in the ultrasound image. Conclusions: Doppler ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be useful for monitoring perfusion disorders in the course of obstructive uropathy, provided that appropriate methodology is developed to compare blood flow in both kidneys.

After COVID-19 vaccination, a spectrum of axillary lymphadenopathy were observed in patients undergoing routine breast ultrasound. Malignancy remains the most serious differential in cases of unilateral axillary adenopathy. Knowledge of axillary ultrasound findings after COVID-19 vaccination is essential to prevent unnecessary biopsy or change in therapy in oncological patients. From March to May 2021, 10 female patients underwent breast ultrasound in our Department for the evaluation of axillary lumps. All the patients received their first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 20-30 days before the exam in the same extremity of the ultrasound evaluation where lymphadenopathy was found. Five patients had a personal history of previous breast cancer, and the radiologist decided to perform a core biopsy (the histology was negative for malignancy). The other five patients with no personal history of cancer underwent ultrasound and returned after a short-term follow-up. Regression of the enlarged lymph nodes was found.

Background: Twinkle artifact, also known as color Doppler comet-tail artifact, occurs behind very strong, granular, and irregular reflecting interfaces such as crystals, stones, or calcification. This is visualized as a random mixture of red and blue pixels in the high-frequency shift spectrum located deep to the interface. Study results have suggested that the sonographic twinkling artifact may aid in the detection of renal stones with a variety of reference standard imaging modalities, including abdominal radiography, excretory urography, gray-scale sonography, and CT. Material and methods: Our retrospective observational study included children who had undergone abdomen/renal ultrasound for kidneys stones in our radiology department between 2013 and 2019. Presence of the twinkle artifact, and stone numbers and sizes were documented. CT examinations done <3 months prior to or after US were retrospectively assessed to confirm the presence of kidney stones as a reference standard. Results: Thirty-three abdominal renal US scans of 33 patients (21 males, 12 females) fulfilled the entry criteria. The interval between the US and CT was <3 months for all patients. The median overall age of the patients was 4 years (IQR: 3.125, range: 1- 165 months), The median number of days between the US and CT was 13 (IQR: 26, range: 0-81 days). US detected 33 hyperechoic foci suspected to be stones; 26 were confirmed as true positive (i.e. showed the twinkle artifact and were seen in CT), 4 were false positive (showed the twinkle artifact but were not seen in CT), and 3 were false negative (did not show the twinkle artifact but were seen in CT). The overall median stone size was 2 mm in the right kidney, and 5 mm in the left kidney (IQR: 6,11 mm), respectively. Twinkle artifact sensitivity was found to be 89.7% (95% CI 39.574%-90%). The twinkle artifact was assessed in all true-positive stones, determining a relatively high PPV of 26/29 (86.7%) for the twinkle artifact. The twinkle artifact was not dependent on stone size. Specificity for the twinkle artifact could not be calculated due to a lack of true negatives. Conclusion: The twinkle artifact is a sensitive US tool for detecting pediatric kidney and ureter stones, but with a small risk of false positive findings.