Extremely low-dose MDCT useful for reducing hospital stay for patients with acute abdominal painMay 07, 2007Extremely low-dose MDCT of the abdomen and pelvis is useful in providing needed diagnostic information and reducing hospital stay in patients with acute nonspecific abdominal pain, according to a new study by researchers from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. For the study, researchers analyzed the findings of 163 patients who had nonspecific abdominal pain and who underwent ultra-low-dose MDCT of the abdomen and pelvis. All of these patients would have otherwise undergone three view abdominal X-ray serris according to standard department protocol. "We found that 61 patients (37%) were able to be discharged the same day from the emergency department based on negative findings on MDCT," said Unni Udayasankar, MD, lead author of the study. The mean duration of the hospital stay overall for the study population was 2.4 days. "Patients with unspecified abdominal pain usually have to get abdominal X-rays," said Dr. Udayasankar. "Abdominal X-rays lack accuracy in patients with acute abdominal pain. Our study focused on the feasibility of substituting three-view abdominal X-rays with ultra-low-dose MDCT and assess its impact on patient care and management," said Dr. Udayasankar. "With developments in CT technology it is now feasible to acquire good quality images at extremely low radiation doses. Patients with acute abdominal pain who would otherwise have undergone three-view abdominal X-rays may be evaluated with ultra-low-dose MDCT at comparable radiation doses. CT studies improved reader confidence and resulted in early diagnosis and patient management," added Dr. Udayasankar. American Roentgen Ray Society |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Abdominal Pain Current Events and Abdominal Pain News Articles Fewer emergency patients seen within recommended time frame One in four emergency department patients in 2006 waited longer to be evaluated by a clinician than recommended at triage, an increase from one in five in 1997. Mayo Clinic study shows people with heart devices can 'digest' advanced diagnostic technology safely A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that video capsule endoscopy (CE), a procedure that uses wireless technology in diagnosing intestinal disease, is safe for patients with heart devices. New research reveals 41 percent increase in children's short stay hospital admissions The number of children being admitted to hospitals in England for short stays increased by 41 per cent between 1996 and 2006, according to research published in PLoS One today. Study finds partner abuse leads to wide range of health problems Women abused by intimate partners suffer higher rates of a wide variety of doctor-diagnosed medical maladies compared to women who were never abused, according to a new study of more than 3,000 women. Implementation of acute care surgery service provides more timely patient care A new study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that the establishment of an acute care surgery service can help surgeons at academic medical centers provide more timely care to the growing number of patients who are transferred from the emergency room or smaller hospitals and who require an immediate operation. UNC study: Children can greatly reduce abdominal pain by using their imagination Children with functional abdominal pain who used audio recordings of guided imagery at home in addition to standard medical treatment were almost three times as likely to improve their pain problem, compared to children who received standard treatment alone. Antidepressant and placebo are equally effective in child pain relief When used "off-label," the antidepressant amitriptyline works just as well as placebo in treating pain-predominant gastrointestinal disorders in children, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Milk is safe, even encouraged, for some children after treatment for milk allergy Some children with a history of severe milk allergy can safely drink milk and consume other dairy products every day, according to research led by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and published in the Aug. 10 online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Endoscopy within 24 hours shows better outcomes in elderly with peptic ulcer bleeding A new study shows that elderly patients who underwent endoscopy within one day of presentation for peptic ulcer bleeding had a two-day shorter hospital stay and were less likely to require upper gastrointestinal surgery than patients who did not receive endoscopy within the first day of presentation. What is alternative treatment for irritable bowel syndrome when conventional therapy has failed? IBS remains a common intestinal disorder causing significant discomfort and poor quality of life in patients who have the diagnosis. More Abdominal Pain Current Events and Abdominal Pain News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||