Ultrasound Changes Care of Some Patients with Rheumatic ConditionsApril 24, 2009Ultrasound can be used to make an appropriate decision regarding care for patients with rheumatic conditions involving the hands and feet, according to a study performed at St. Joseph's Healthcare/McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. The study included 62 patients. Results showed that, "approximately 50% of patients had a change in management following ultrasound evaluation," said Srinivasan Harish, lead author of the study. "Certainty in clinical findings significantly increased following ultrasound, ranging from 24% to 56% for various findings," he said. "Sonography appears to play a key role in helping rheumatologists determine whether or not disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) would be useful in patients who are difficult to assess clinically. Results from our study showed that there was a significant decrease in the use of these drugs when these patients had an ultrasound examination. "Rheumatologists typically request plain radiographs as their primary imaging modality for rheumatologic diseases. However our study shows that ultrasound may play a more influential role," said Dr. Harish. This study will be presented at the 2009 ARRS Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, on Wednesday, April 29. For a copy of the full study, please contact Heather Curry via email at hcurry@arrs.org. About ARRS The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) was founded in 1900 and is the oldest radiology society in the United States. Its monthly journal, the American Journal of Roentgenology, began publication in 1906. Radiologists from all over the world attend the ARRS annual meeting to participate in instructional courses, scientific paper presentations and scientific and commercial exhibits related to the field of radiology. The Society is named after the first Nobel Laureate in Physics, Wilhelm Rƶentgen, who discovered the x-ray in 1895. American Roentgen Ray Society |
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| Related Ultrasound Current Events and Ultrasound News Articles Engineer designs micro-endoscope to seek out early signs of cancer Traditional endoscopes provide a peek inside patients' bodies. Now, a University of Florida engineering researcher is designing ones capable of a full inspection. Young athletes need dual screening tests for heart defects, study suggests To best detect early signs of life-threatening heart defects in young athletes, screening programs should include both popular diagnostic tests, not just one of them, according to new research from heart experts at Johns Hopkins. Routine evaluation of prostate size not as effective in cancer screening, Mayo study finds New Mayo Clinic research studied the association between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate size and found that routine annual evaluation of prostate growth is not necessarily a predictor for the development of prostate cancer. Newly revised guidelines for managing thyroid cancer published in Thyroid journal The American Thyroid Association has released new, revised Management Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Longer toes, unique ankle structure aid sprinters Longer toes and a unique ankle structure provide sprinters with the burst of acceleration that separates them from other runners, according to biomechanists. Short heels make elite sprinters super speedy When 100 m sprinters launches themselves from the starting blocks, the race can be won or lost in the first few strides. Acceleration through the first few strides is the key to winning gold. Neurologists Investigate Possible New Underlying Cause of MS Neurologists at the University at Buffalo are beginning a research study that could overturn the prevailing wisdom on the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS). Berkeley researchers create first hyperlens for sound waves Ultrasound and underwater sonar devices could "see" a big improvement thanks to development of the world's first acoustic hyperlens. Created by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the acoustic hyperlens provides an eightfold boost in the magnification power of sound-based imaging technologies. Clots traveling from lower veins may not be the cause of pulmonary embolism in trauma patients A report from a team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physicians calls into question the longstanding belief that pulmonary embolism (PE) - the life-threatening blockage of a major blood vessel in the lungs - is caused in trauma patients by a blood clot traveling from vessels deep within the legs or lower torso. Thyroid surgery safe for older patients, study finds Thyroid surgery is safe for older patients, say physicians who found only slight differences in rates of complications and hospital readmissions in a multi-year study. More Ultrasound Current Events and Ultrasound News Articles |
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