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Biomedical subjects

S McCarthy

Publications and source records attributed to S McCarthy.

139 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

High field imaging of the normal pancreas.

Fifty MR scans conducted at 1.5 T were evaluated to assess how well the pancreas could be identified. A total of 128 sets of images were reviewed. The pancreatic head was identified in 81%, 82% and 74% of scans with T1, intermediate and T2-weighting, respectively. The body was identified in 100%, 96% and 70% and tail in 96%, 87% and 54% on those respective sequences. Relative contrast was calculated between pancreas and: liver, spleen, muscle, fat, stomach and small bowel. The variability seen in contrast compared to stomach and small bowel suggests that consistent MR visualization of the pancreas will probably necessitate the use of an oral contrast agent.

Adolescent↗

Women living with drug abuse and HIV disease: drug abuse treatment access and secondary prevention issues.

In collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Health Resources and Services Administration is conducting a multisite, longitudinal study on issues of service needs, service utilization, and access to care for drug abusers with HIV. This article discusses access to drug abuse treatment and HIV secondary prevention for 116 women interviewed during the study's first year in five U.S. cities. Using interview data from 115 service providers in those same cities, it also discusses drug abuse treatment availability and barriers to service expansion for drug users with HIV. Study findings indicate that there are highly significant gaps between the drug abuse treatment services these women feel they need and those they have been able to receive; these were particularly pronounced for drug detoxification and residential and outpatient drug-free treatment. Women who used crack cocaine or injection drugs had particularly high levels of need for residential and outpatient drug abuse treatment, while women who use crack were found to have significantly less experience with the drug abuse treatment system than IDUs. HIV secondary prevention was also found to be a critical need for these women, many of whom were engaging in behaviors that place them at risk for reinfection, infection with other diseases, and transmission to others. Providers indicated that lack of funding was the major barrier to expanding services for this population; other barriers, such as lack of ancillary services and transportation, were also noted. Two positive findings were that many drug abuse treatment agencies in these cities provide a wide range of ancillary services and that many different kinds of agencies offer drug abuse treatment services.

Adolescent↗

CT of aortoenteric fistulas.

We compared CT findings with endoscopic, angiographic and surgical results in ten patients suspected of having an aortoenteric fistula (AEF) because of gastrointestinal bleeding (seven) or recurrent sepsis (three). CT correctly diagnosed AEF in six patients and excluded it in the other four. CT findings of AEF consisted of perigraft fluid (PGF) (5/6) and/or gas within the bed of the graft (4/6) later than three months after graft surgery. All six patients with AEF had perigraft infections; PGF with gas was found in 50%, PGF alone in 33%, and in one patient perigraft gas alone was found. Angiography and endoscopy failed to identify AEF. Our findings indicate that CT should be the initial imaging procedure in patients with suspected AEF who do not require immediate surgical intervention.

Angiography↗

Improving the accuracy of digital CT pelvimetry.

Digital pelvimetry is performed to assess the feasibility of vaginal breech delivery. This provides measurements of the anteroposterior inlet, transverse inlet, and interspinous distance. The transverse inlet measurement determined from an anteroposterior ScoutView can be inaccurate if its level is not at the gantry isocenter. Using a simple geometric argument, the theoretical error of this measurement is calculated and a method provided to allow for correction of this error.

Humans↗

The reliability of radiologists' quality assessment of MR pelvic scans.

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability of radiologists' subjective assessment of the quality of MR scans of the pelvis. A four-grade ordinal subjective scale, based on the degree of artifact and contrast between pelvic organs, was developed in a pilot study by two MR radiologists. Forty pelvic scans were graded "blindly" in random order by the same two "practiced" MR radiologists, and an objective measurement of scan artifact was obtained for each scan. Twenty-eight pelvic scans were also graded by two "unpracticed" radiologists not involved in the development of the scale. For the practiced radiologists, the interobserver percentage agreement was 80% (weighted kappa of 0.78) and the intraobserver percentage agreement was 75% (weighted kappa of 0.73). For the unpracticed radiologists the percentage agreement was 61% and the weighted kappa was 0.55. The correlation between the subjective and objective measurement was only 0.27. In conclusion, the objective measurement of scan artifact showed poor correlation with the radiologists' subjective assessment of scan quality. The subjective assessment demonstrated satisfactory reliability and, therefore, could be considered as an additional outcome measurement for scan quality in clinical trials or as a relevant measure of quality assurance.

Artifacts↗

Fast spin echo STIR imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to evaluate the image quality, contrast characteristics, and possible clinical utility of STIR images obtained using a fast SE (FSE) technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The signal and contrast characteristics of FSE STIR images were evaluated using a lipid/water phantom and normal volunteers. Based upon these results, optimal FSE STIR imaging parameters were chosen. Conventional STIR and FSE STIR images were then obtained (while maintaining an equal number of section locations between the two sequences) in a series of 14 patients with known musculoskeletal abnormalities. These images were compared side by side by two experienced MR radiologists for image quality and lesion detection. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the FSE STIR images and conventional STIR images in lesion detection, image quality, motion artifact, or final diagnosis. CONCLUSION: STIR imaging provides optimal contrast for detection of many pathologic abnormalities. This is especially true for musculoskeletal tumors and infection. The long imaging time and reduced number of sections obtainable with conventional SE (CSE) STIR sequences limit their routine use. Our results show that FSE STIR images of the musculoskeletal system can be obtained up to seven times more rapidly than CSE STIR images without compromising lesion detection or image quality.

Adipose Tissue↗

Conspicuity of normal and pathologic female pelvic anatomy: comparison of gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images and fast spin echo T2-weighted images.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to compare the conspicuity of normal and pathologic female pelvic anatomy between gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images and fast SE (FSE) T2-weighted images. METHOD: In 48 consecutive female patients, pre- and postenhanced T1-weighted images were compared with FSE T2-weighted images acquired with a phased array coil. Normal zonal anatomy (ZA) and pathologic abnormalities in gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images were rated as increased, decreased, or without change in conspicuity as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. RESULTS: The normal ZA of the uterine corpus on T1-weighted images showed a decrease in conspicuity in 93% of patients and an increase in 7% compared with FSE T2-weighted images. Conspicuity of cervical ZA on T1-weighted images was decreased in 86%, increased in 6%, and without change in 8% as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. ZA of the vagina on T1-weighted images was decreased in 94% and increased in 6% as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. On T1-weighted images, ovarian anatomy delineation was decreased in 95% and increased in 5% as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. Conspicuity of malignant pathologic abnormalities on T1-weighted images was decreased in 81%, increased in 11%, and without change in 8% as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. In patients with benign disease, conspicuity on T1-weighted images was decreased in 92%, increased in none, and without change in 8% as compared with FSE T2-weighted images. The p value for all categories was < 0.0001. CONCLUSION: Conspicuity of both normal and pathologic anatomy was significantly decreased on enhanced T1-weighted images. The use of gadolinium cannot replace T2-weighted scans for delineation of anatomy and disease and should be reserved to cases in which standard imaging sequences are not sufficiently diagnostic.

Adolescent↗

The effect of acipimox in patients with type 2 diabetes and persistent hyperlipidaemia.

A placebo-controlled, double-blind study was performed to assess the effect of 12 weeks treatment with acipimox (250 mg three times per day) on lipoproteins and glycaemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes. All patients studied had persistent hyperlipidaemia despite acceptable glycaemic control on treatment with diet alone or diet and oral hypoglycaemic agents, achieving glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) of less than 10.5% but with fasting total triglycerides greater than 2.5 mmol l-1 or total cholesterol greater than 6.5 mmol l-1. Forty-eight patients were randomized to treatment, 21 to acipimox and 27 to placebo; 43 completed the trial. All patients had been diabetic for at least 1 year. Total cholesterol fell by 6% and total triglycerides by 19% following 12 weeks of acipimox, compared to rises in the placebo group of 1% and 16%, respectively (p less than 0.05). There were no significant differences between acipimox and placebo in the change in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, apolipoproteins AI, AII, or B, or in glycaemic control during the treatment period. Acipimox is effective in reducing fasting total cholesterol and total triglycerides in patients with Type 2 diabetes with acceptable blood glucose control but persistent hyperlipidaemia. Acipimox does not adversely affect glucose tolerance.

Apolipoproteins↗

Quality control for the board of directors.

At the Metropolitan General Hospital in Windsor, Ontario, a 69-point methodology has been developed and implemented to evaluate whether the board is discharging its principal responsibilities effectively. This process has received an initial positive assessment by the board, and its benefits to the board include clearer expectations about performance and improved information. This article describes the development and assessment of the evaluation methodology.

Efficiency↗

Genotypic and phenotypic variation in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is characterized by an increase in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, tendon xanthomata, and premature atherosclerosis. In homozygotes, phenotypic expression of the disorder is dominated by genotypic variation at the LDL-receptor gene locus, with other influences, like gender, exerting relatively little effect. In contrast, phenotypic variation in heterozygotes is influenced not only by the nature of the underlying gene mutation but also by gender, diet, and other forms of genetic polymorphism, including the apolipoprotein E genotype.

Age Factors↗

Computed tomographic (CT) guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy: the Yale experience.

Fifty-one CT-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsies (PFNAB) were performed on 46 consecutive patients over 15 months. Cytologies were obtained to identify primary or secondary malignancy in the abdomen, pelvis, retroperitoneum, bone, and paraspinal region. Adequate cytologic material was obtained in 50 of 51 biopsies. There were 29 true-positive, 0 false-positive, 12 true-negative, and two false-negative cases with an overall accuracy rate of 95 percent. There was one minor complication, mesenteric hemorrhage, which did not require transfusion. Fifteen of the 51 biopsies were performed on outpatients. The procedure is an accurate, safe, and cost-effective nonsurgical means of diagnosing primary or secondary malignancy.

Adult↗

Women living with substance abuse and HIV disease: medical care access issues.

This paper presents first-year findings from a multi-site, longitudinal study being coordinated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on access to care for drug abusers with HIV. The sample of 116 women and 187 men in five sites (Denver, Detroit, New Haven, New Orleans, and St. Louis) were interviewed regarding HIV testing history, HIV disease course, and use of health and social services. For both men and women, there were significant gaps between the medical services they reported needing and those they received. Significantly more women needed and received mental health services. Cost and waiting times emerged as the most important barriers to care. The study also found that significantly fewer women than men subjects received pre- and post-test counseling and were advised to get medical services after their first positive HIV test. Overall, first-year study results suggest that multiple barriers in access to service exist for drug-using women, the largest group of women affected by HIV in the United States.

Adolescent↗

Ethics of fertility treatment.

This article is the second in our series looking at issues surrounding fertility treatment. It outlines the role of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in regulation and in protecting the public.

Ethics, Medical↗