Recall strategies for patients found to have a nodule in cirrhosis: is there still a role for CEUS?

Development of liver tumors and their evolution to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a multi-step process in which different HCC-etiologies induce continuous rounds of hepatocyte damage and regeneration. Over an extended time, this triggers cirrhosis which is a pathological state of the liver in which lesions can progress to become dysplastic nodules. Later, these nodules may evolve into HCC and occasionally generate metastatic events. To provide optimal care, patients with liver cancer should be managed using a multidisciplinary approach in specialized centers in which all the diagnostic and therapeutic resources are available. Among the different imaging modalities the introduction on contrast agents for ultrasound use has opened new further applications in different clinical settings. In fact, contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been applied for more than ten years and plays increasingly important roles in the management of HCC. Since early 2000, international societies including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the Asian Pacific association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), the Japanese society of Hepatology (JSH), the Italian society for the study of the liver (AISF), the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB), and the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFUSMB) have discussed the important role of CEUS in the diagnosis of HCC. In the present review an update of the literature and a detailed discussion of the present Guidelines regarding the role of CEUS in the evaluation of nodules in cirrhotic patients is offered.

CHALLENGES IN SETTING UP QUALITY CONTROL IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY FACILITIES IN NIGERIA

BACKGROUND

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) was established to regulate and control the use of radioactive and radiation emitting sources in Nigeria. Quality control (QC) on diagnostic radiology equipment form part of the fundamental requirements for the authorization of diagnostic radiology facilities in the Country.

METHOD

Some quality control tests (output, exposure linearity and reproducibility) were measured on the x-ray machines in the facilities that took part in the study. Questionnaire was developed to evaluate the frequencies at which QC tests were conducted in the facilities and the challenges in setting up QC.

RESULTS

Results show great variation in the values of the QC parameters measured. Inadequate cooperation by facilities management, lack of QC equipment and insufficient staff form the major challenges in setting up QC in the facilities under study. The responses on the frequencies at which QC tests should be conducted did not correspond to the recommended standards; indicating that personnel were not familiar with QC implementation and may require further training on QC.

Towards task shifting? A comparison of the accuracy of acute trauma-radiograph reporting by medical officers and senior radiographers in an African hospital

INTRODUCTION

Due to the universal shortage of radiologists, medical officers are largely responsible for acute trauma radiograph reporting in public sector healthcare facilities in well-resourced countries. In poorly-resourced countries, a shortage of medical officers results in most acute trauma radiographs being unreported. In the European Union (EU), experienced radiographers with no specific training have been shown to be more accurate than medical officers in trauma radiograph reporting, while EU radiographers who receive additional training can reach accuracies comparable to radiologists. In some EU countries, the role of the radiographer has been extended to include trauma reporting. However, there has been no study of the accuracy of trauma radiograph reporting by radiographers in Africa, where task-shifting could yield potentially greater benefits, due to shortages of both radiologists and medical officers. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the accuracy of acute trauma-radiograph reporting by medical officers and senior radiographers in an African setting.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted at a South African hospital from November 2013-April 2014. Medical officers and senior radiographers reported the same set of appendicular skeleton trauma radiographs. Reporting accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a consultant radiologist's report as the reference standard. Differences were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test, with p < 0.05 significant.

RESULTS

Senior radiographers achieved significantly higher reporting accuracy and sensitivity than medical officers (81.5% vs 67.8%, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Senior radiographers represent a potentially important resource for acute trauma-radiograph reporting in the public healthcare sector in Africa.

Analysis of statistical biases in studies used to formulate guidelines: the case of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) the case of ARVC

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To analyze the statistical biases in the studies used to derive cardiac magnetic resonance-based major and minor criteria for the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ARVC is a rare disorder of the heart that can lead to sudden death in young adults. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) plays a role in the diagnosis by contributing to the criteria set by experts. The original criteria emphasized qualitative analysis of CMR. The criteria were modified in 2010 to provide quantitative cutoffs.

RESULTS

We apply the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool for systematic review of diagnostic accuracy to the studies cited in the guidelines written in 1994 and revised in 2010. We use the signaling questions in QUADAS-2 to identify different types of statistical bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The studies have understandable biases that affect the sensitivity and specificity of CMR in the diagnosis of ARVC, as well as the truth of the disease state. There is potential to overdiagnose ARVC particularly in low prevalence populations.

Paediatric doses in St Petersburg hospitals

The exposure of paediatric patients during X-ray examinations in St Petersburg hospitals was investigated. Data about radiography examinations were collected, and mean patient effective doses and entrance surface air kerma for each X-ray unit were estimated. The results of the study were compared with other countries practice. This data will be used to optimise paediatric conventional X-ray examinations in Russia.

Russian practical guidance on radiological support for justification of X-ray and nuclear medicine examinations

An important part of the justification process is assessment of the radiation risks caused by exposure of a patient during examination. The authors developed official national methodology both for medical doctors and sanitary inspectors called 'assessment of radiation risks of patients undergoing diagnostic examinations with the use of ionizing radiation'. The document addresses patients of various age groups and a wide spectrum of modern X-ray and nuclear medicine examinations. International scale of risk categorisation was implemented by the use of effective dose with account for age dependence of radiation risk. The survey of effective doses in radiology, including CT, mammography, and intervention radiology, and nuclear medicine, including single-photon emission tomography and positron emission tomography, for patients of various age groups from several regions of Russia was used for the risk assessment. The output of the methodology is a series of tables for each diagnostic technology with lists of examinations for three age groups (children/adolescents, adults and seniors) corresponding to various radiation risk categories.

Changing practice to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy

Based on updated evidence, a radiology nurse systematically engaged a multidisciplinary staff in testing a protocol to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy related to computed tomography. In a quality improvement project, the protocol combined preprocedure oral hydration with postprocedure intravenous saline. This protocol safely improved kidney function, reduced postprocedure time, and decreased annual cost. By applying theory, being persistent, presenting sound evidence, and unifying the team, one concerned staff nurse profoundly affected patient care and policy in an entire medical center.

The clinical impact of subspecialized radiologist reinterpretation of abdominal imaging studies, with analysis of the types and relative frequency of interpretation discrepancies

PURPOSE

The primary objective of this study was to determine the clinical impact and value of abdominal imaging reinterpretations by subspecialized abdominal imagers.

METHODS

Secondary interpretations for computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and ultrasound (US) abdominal studies performed outside our institution over a 7-month period were retrospectively compared to the primary (outside) interpretation, with interpretive differences recorded. Clinical notes, pathology and subsequent imaging determined ground truth diagnosis and the clinical impact of any interpretive discrepancies were graded as having high, medium, or little/no clinical impact. Interpretive comparisons were scored into categories: (1) no difference; (2) incidental findings of no clinical impact; (3) finding not reported; (4) significance of finding undercalled; (5) significance of finding overcalled; (6) finding misinterpreted; and (7) multiple discrepancy types in one report.

RESULTS

398 report comparisons were reviewed on 380 patients. There were 300 CT, 60 MR, and 38 US examinations. The primary report had 5.0% (20/398) high clinical impact interpretive discrepancies and 7.5% (30/398) medium clinical impact discrepancies. The subspecialized secondary report had no high clinical impact discrepancies and 8/398 (2.0%) medium clinical impact discrepancies. In order of frequency, high and medium impact discrepancies in the primary report consisted of 50% overcalls, 26% unreported findings, 18% undercalls, 4% misinterpretations, and 2% multiple discrepancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Subspecialty review of abdominal imaging exams can provide clinical benefit. Half of the discrepancies in this series of abdominal reinterpretations were due to overcalls.

The use of lower resolution viewing devices for mammographic interpretation: implications for education and training

AIMS

To establish whether lower resolution, lower cost viewing devices have the potential to deliver mammographic interpretation training.

METHODS

On three occasions over eight months, fourteen consultant radiologists and reporting radiographers read forty challenging digital mammography screening cases on three different displays: a digital mammography workstation, a standard LCD monitor, and a smartphone. Standard image manipulation software was available for use on all three devices. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) were used to determine the significance of differences in performance between the viewing devices with/without the application of image manipulation software. The effect of reader's experience was also assessed.

RESULTS

Performance was significantly higher (p < .05) on the mammography workstation compared to the other two viewing devices. When image manipulation software was applied to images viewed on the standard LCD monitor, performance improved to mirror levels seen on the mammography workstation with no significant difference between the two. Image interpretation on the smartphone was uniformly poor. Film reader experience had no significant effect on performance across all three viewing devices.

CONCLUSION

Lower resolution standard LCD monitors combined with appropriate image manipulation software are capable of displaying mammographic pathology, and are potentially suitable for delivering mammographic interpretation training.

KEY POINTS

• This study investigates potential devices for training in mammography interpretation. • Lower resolution standard LCD monitors are potentially suitable for mammographic interpretation training. • The effect of image manipulation tools on mammography workstation viewing is insignificant. • Reader experience had no significant effect on performance in all viewing devices. • Smart phones are not suitable for displaying mammograms.

WFUMB guidelines and recommendations for clinical use of ultrasound elastography: Part 2: breast

The breast section of these Guidelines and Recommendations for Elastography produced under the auspices of the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) assesses the clinically used applications of all forms of elastography used in breast imaging. The literature on various breast elastography techniques is reviewed, and recommendations are made on evidence-based results. Practical advice is given on how to perform and interpret breast elastography for optimal results, with emphasis placed on avoiding pitfalls. Artifacts are reviewed, and the clinical utility of some artifacts is discussed. Both strain and shear wave techniques have been shown to be highly accurate in characterizing breast lesions as benign or malignant. The relationship between the various techniques is discussed, and recommended interpretation based on a BI-RADS-like malignancy probability scale is provided. This document is intended to be used as a reference and to guide clinical users in a practical way.

WFUMB guidelines and recommendations for clinical use of ultrasound elastography: Part 1: basic principles and terminology

Conventional diagnostic ultrasound images of the anatomy (as opposed to blood flow) reveal differences in the acoustic properties of soft tissues (mainly echogenicity but also, to some extent, attenuation), whereas ultrasound-based elasticity images are able to reveal the differences in the elastic properties of soft tissues (e.g., elasticity and viscosity). The benefit of elasticity imaging lies in the fact that many soft tissues can share similar ultrasonic echogenicities but may have different mechanical properties that can be used to clearly visualize normal anatomy and delineate pathologic lesions. Typically, all elasticity measurement and imaging methods introduce a mechanical excitation and monitor the resulting tissue response. Some of the most widely available commercial elasticity imaging methods are 'quasi-static' and use external tissue compression to generate images of the resulting tissue strain (or deformation). In addition, many manufacturers now provide shear wave imaging and measurement methods, which deliver stiffness images based upon the shear wave propagation speed. The goal of this review is to describe the fundamental physics and the associated terminology underlying these technologies. We have included a questions and answers section, an extensive appendix, and a glossary of terms in this manuscript. We have also endeavored to ensure that the terminology and descriptions, although not identical, are broadly compatible across the WFUMB and EFSUMB sets of guidelines on elastography (Bamber et al. 2013; Cosgrove et al. 2013).

Medical physics personnel for medical imaging: requirements, conditions of involvement and staffing levels-French recommendations

The French regulations concerning the involvement of medical physicists in medical imaging procedures are relatively vague. In May 2013, the ASN and the SFPM issued recommendations regarding Medical Physics Personnel for Medical Imaging: Requirements, Conditions of Involvement and Staffing Levels. In these recommendations, the various areas of activity of medical physicists in radiology and nuclear medicine have been identified and described, and the time required to perform each task has been evaluated. Criteria for defining medical physics staffing levels are thus proposed. These criteria are defined according to the technical platform, the procedures and techniques practised on it, the number of patients treated and the number of persons in the medical and paramedical teams requiring periodic training. The result of this work is an aid available to each medical establishment to determine their own needs in terms of medical physics.

Twenty years of radiobiology in clinical practice: the Italian contribution

AIMS AND BACKGROUND

To present the Italian state-of-the-art contribution to radiobiology of external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and radionuclide radiotherapy.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN

A survey of the literature was carried out, using PubMed, by some independent researchers of the Italian group of radiobiology. Each paper was reviewed by researchers of centers not comprising its authors. The survey was limited to papers in English published over the last 20 years, written by Italian investigators or in Italian institutions, excluding review articles.

RESULTS

A total of 135 papers have been published in journals with an impact factor, with an increase in the number of published papers over time, for external beam radiotherapy rather than radionuclide radiotherapy. The quantity and quality of the papers researched constitutes a proof of the enduring interest in clinical radiobiology among Italian investigators.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey could be useful to individuate expert partners for an Italian network on clinical radiobiology, addressing future collaborative investigations.

State of structured reporting in radiology, a survey

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To survey North American radiologists on current practices in structured reporting and language.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An e-mail invitation was sent to the Association of University Radiologists membership (comprising 910 members) to participate in an online survey that addressed development, use, and experience of structured reporting, language, and imaging classification or reporting systems and personal dictation styles.

RESULTS

Of the 910 members e-mailed, 265 (29.1%) responded, 90.6% of whom were from academic teaching hospitals. There were no significant differences in responses based on group size or region of practice. Of all the respondents, 51.3% come from groups that developed structured reporting for at least half of their reports and only 10.9% for none. A significantly fewer 13% of respondents used rigid unmodifiable structures or checklists rather than adaptable outlines; 59.5% respondents report being satisfied or very satisfied with their structured reports, whereas a significantly fewer 13% report being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Structured reports were reportedly significantly more likely to be required, appreciated, and to decrease errors in departments using many structured reports compared to groups with less widespread use.

CONCLUSIONS

Most academic radiology departments are using or experimenting with structured reports. Although radiologist satisfaction with standardization is significant, there are strong opinions about their limitations and value. Our survey suggests that North American radiologists are invested in exploring structured reporting and will hopefully inform future study on how we define a standard report and how much we can centralize this process.