Ultrasound Simulation Training for Radiology Residents-Curriculum Design and Implementation

Medical simulation training can be used to improve clinician performance, teach communication and professionalism skills, and enhance team training. Radiology residents can benefit from simulation training in diagnostic ultrasound, procedural ultrasound, and communication skills prior to direct patient care experiences. This paper details a weeklong ultrasound simulation training curriculum for radiology residents during the PGY-1 clinical internship. The organization of established teaching methods into a dedicated course early in radiology residency training with the benefit of a multi-disciplinary approach makes this method unique. This framework can be adapted to fit learners at different skill levels or with specific procedural needs.

Axillary Anatomy and Pathology: Pearls and "Pitfalls" for Thoracic Imagers

The axilla contains several important structures which exist in a relatively confined anatomic space between the neck, chest wall, and upper extremity. While neoplastic lymphadenopathy may be among the most common axillary conditions, many other processes may be encountered. For example, expanded use of axillary vessels for access routes for endovascular procedures will increase the need for radiologists to access vessel anatomy, patency, and complications that may arise. Knowledge of axillary anatomy and pathology will allow the imager to systematically evaluate the axillae using various imaging modalities.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Noninvasive Clinical Staging of Primary Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. The major risk factor for lung cancer is personal tobacco smoking, particularly for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and squamous cell lung cancers, but other significant risk factors include exposure to secondhand smoke, environmental radon, occupational exposures, and air pollution. Education and socioeconomic status affect both incidence and outcomes. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma, comprises about 85% of lung cancers. SCLC accounts for approximately 13% to 15% of cases. Prognosis is directly related to stage at presentation. NSCLC is staged using the eighth edition of the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) criteria of the American Joint Committee on Cancer. For SCLC the eighth edition of TNM staging is recommended to be used in conjunction with the modified Veterans Administration Lung Study Group classification system distinguishing limited stage from extensive stage SCLC. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Occupational Lung Diseases

Ordering the appropriate diagnostic imaging for occupational lung disease requires a firm understanding of the relationship between occupational exposure and expected lower respiratory track manifestation. Where particular inorganic dust exposures typically lead to nodular and interstitial lung disease, other occupational exposures may lead to isolated small airway obstruction. Certain workplace exposures, like asbestos, increase the risk of malignancy, but also produce pulmonary findings that mimic malignancy. This publication aims to delineate the common and special considerations associated with occupational lung disease to assist the ordering physician in selecting the most appropriate imaging study, while still stressing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Acute Respiratory Illness in Immunocompromised Patients

The immunocompromised patient with an acute respiratory illness (ARI) may present with fever, chills, weight loss, cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain. The number of immunocompromised patients continues to rise with medical advances including solid organ and stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy, and immunomodulatory therapy, along with the continued presence of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Given the myriad of pathogens that can infect immunocompromised individuals, identifying the specific organism or organisms causing the lung disease can be elusive. Moreover, immunocompromised patients often receive prophylactic or empiric antimicrobial therapy, further complicating diagnostic evaluation. Noninfectious causes for ARI should also be considered, including pulmonary edema, drug-induced lung disease, atelectasis, malignancy, radiation-induced lung disease, pulmonary hemorrhage, diffuse alveolar damage, organizing pneumonia, lung transplant rejection, and pulmonary thromboembolic disease. As many immunocompromised patients with ARI progress along a rapid and potentially fatal course, timely selection of appropriate imaging is of great importance in this setting. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking, or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Acute Respiratory Illness in Immunocompetent Patients

Acute respiratory illness, defined as cough, sputum production, chest pain, and/or dyspnea (with or without fever), is a major public health issue, accounting for millions of doctor office and emergency department visits every year. While most cases are due to self-limited viral infections, a significant number of cases are due to more serious respiratory infections where delay in diagnosis can lead to morbidity and mortality. Imaging plays a key role in the initial diagnosis and management of acute respiratory illness. This study reviews the current literature concerning the appropriate role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of the immunocompetent adult patient initially presenting with acute respiratory illness. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Imaging of Possible Tuberculosis

Pulmonary tuberculosis remains a major cause of disease worldwide and an important public health hazard in the United States. The imaging evaluation depends to a large degree on clinical symptoms and whether active disease is suspected or a subject is at high risk for developing active disease. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Minimally invasive endoscopic staging of suspected lung cancer

CONTEXT

In patients with suspected lung cancer, the presence of mediastinal lymph node metastasis is a critical determinant of therapy and prognosis. Invasive staging with pathologic confirmation is recommended. Many methods for staging exist; mediastinoscopy, an invasive procedure requiring general anesthesia, is currently regarded as the diagnostic standard.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of 3 methods of minimally invasive endoscopic staging (and their combinations): traditional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), endobronchial ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA), and transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). In particular, we aimed to compare EBUS-FNA with TBNA.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Invasive staging of the mediastinum among consecutive patients with suspected lung cancer at a US academic medical center from November 2004 through October 2006.

INTERVENTION

TBNA, EBUS-FNA, and EUS-FNA performed sequentially as a single combined procedure.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Sensitivity for detecting mediastinal lymph node metastases, using pathologic confirmation and 6- to 12-month clinical follow-up as the criterion standard.

RESULTS

Among 138 patients who met all study criteria, 42 (30%) had malignant lymph nodes. EBUS-FNA was more sensitive than TBNA, detecting 29 (69%) vs 15 (36%) malignant lymph nodes (P = .003). The combination of EUS-FNA and EBUS-FNA (EUS plus EBUS) had higher estimated sensitivity (93% [39/42]; 95% confidence interval, 81%-99%) and negative predictive value (97% [96/99]; 95% confidence interval, 91%-99%) compared with either method alone. EUS plus EBUS also had higher sensitivity and higher negative predictive value for detecting lymph nodes in any mediastinal location and for patients without lymph node enlargement on chest computed tomography.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that EBUS-FNA has higher sensitivity than TBNA and that EUS plus EBUS may allow near-complete minimally invasive mediastinal staging in patients with suspected lung cancer. These results require confirmation in other studies but suggest that EUS plus EBUS may be an alternative approach for mediastinal staging in patients with suspected lung cancer.

The chest in profile

SUMMARY

Radiology has been abounding with technological advances since the chest film first became the mainstay in diagnosing thoracic disease, and yet the conventional chest examination has endured as a front-line tool. The ability to perceive structural alterations is facilitated by a solid foundation in anatomy, which should be easy to achieve in a practice environment in which CT has become so commonplace. Not only is knowledge of anatomic nuances important for analysis of conventional radiographs, but it can only be an asset as multiplanar imaging is increasingly utilized and new modalities are developed over time. Some fundamental anatomic variations are revisited here through correlating the perspective provided by the lateral radiograph with the equally common one provided by routine axial CT images.

Reflecting upon the left superior mediastinum

Pathology developing within the confines of the superior mediastinum may produce changes that appear quite subtle on conventional radiographs. The zone of contact of lung with the left superior mediastinum is represented radiographically as a series of interrelated pleural reflections. These reflections may be altered by mediastinal disease, and an understanding of this anatomy can facilitate detection of abnormalities.

Multiple lung abscesses due to Ochroconis gallopavum, a dematiaceous fungus, in a nonimmunocompromised wood pulp worker

An occurrence of multiple chronic lung abscesses managed by lobectomy is described. These abscesses were present for 13 years in the patient, a nonimmunocompromised wood pulp worker. The patient had hemoptysis at presentation. The organism isolated was Ochroconis gallopavum, a dematiaceous fungus known to cause disease in immunocompromised patients and epidemic encephalitis in poultry. The fungus is typically found in warm environments and in decaying compost; for this reason, we postulate that his illness was occupationally acquired.

US-assisted bronchoscopy with use of miniature transducer-containing catheters

PURPOSE

To demonstrate the value of ultrasound (US) guidance during flexible bronchoscopic procedures in a series of patients with known or suspected pulmonary neoplasms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

US-guided bronchoscopy was carried out as an adjunct to conventional bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of mediastinal, hilar, or parenchymal neoplasms in 25 patients with masses previously detected with chest radiography or computed tomography. Miniature transducer-containing catheters were inserted through the biopsy port of the flexible bronchoscope, and cross-sectional real-time US scans of tumors, lymph nodes, and blood vessels were obtained.

RESULTS

Among six cases of peripheral masses and 19 cases of central masses, additional information was provided in 18 cases (72%). This information was used to choose the optimal site for transmural biopsy.

CONCLUSION

These preliminary results suggest that this US procedure may become an important diagnostic tool during bronchoscopy, due to the ability to identify structures beyond the lumen of the tracheobronchial tree.

Chlorambucil treatment of sarcoidosis

1) PURPOSE: To demonstrate usefulness of chlorambucil in patients with severe sarcoidosis unresponsive to, or intolerant of, corticosteroids. 2) PATIENTS AND METHODS: Corticosteroid therapy was required in 192 (48%) of 401 patients with sarcoidosis seen at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital 1985-89. Chlorambucil was given to 31 of these patients because complicating diseases or problems made adequate corticosteroid dosage impossible (5 cases) or because of failure of corticosteroid in tolerable doses to control the disease (26 cases). 3) RESULTS: Marked improvement was observed in 15 cases, and moderate improvement in 13 others. Chlorambucil was well tolerated and complications attributable to immunosuppression did not occur. A six month course of chlorambucil was often followed by relapse, and prolonged therapy in reduced dosage appears necessary in most patients requiring this treatment. 4) CONCLUSION: Failure of corticosteroids in tolerable dosage to control sarcoidosis is not uncommon, and in such patients chlorambucil treatment is a useful alternative.

CT evidence of calcification within a small cell carcinoma of the lung

Calcification in bronchogenic carcinoma is rare. When found it is usually focal in nature and felt by many to be coincidental granulomatous disease. To our knowledge this case report is the first computerized tomography (CT) description of diffuse, amorphous calcification in bronchogenic carcinoma, specifically, small cell.

Intraosseous pneumatocysts of the ilium. Findings on radiographs and CT scans

CT scans demonstrated a localized collection of gas adjacent to a normal sacroiliac joint in 5 patients. In each case the lesion was sharply demarcated by a thin sclerotic rim. A benign bone cyst was confirmed histologically in 2 cases. The radiologist should be aware of this appearance so as to avoid invasive procedures based on a misdiagnosis of infection or neoplasm.