Diagnostic Utility Of MRI Research Articles

Current Concepts in Pediatric Septic Arthritis.

Septic arthritis continues to present challenges regarding the clinical diagnosis, workup, and definitive management. Urgent management is essential, so treating surgeons must efficiently work through differential diagnoses, identify concomitant infections, and do a timely irrigation and débridement. The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is increasing, typically resulting in a more rapid progression of symptoms with more severe clinical presentation. The diagnostic utility of MRI has resulted in improved detection of concomitant septic arthritis and osteomyelitis, although MRI must not substantially delay definitive management. Early diagnosis followed by urgent irrigation and débridement and antibiotic therapy are essential for satisfactory long-term outcomes. Antibiotics should not be administered until blood cultures and arthrocentesis fluid are obtained, except in rare cases of a septic or toxic patient. Once cultures are obtained, empiric antibiotic therapy should commence and provide coverage for the most likely pathogens, given the patient's age. Laboratory markers, especially C-reactive protein, should be followed until normalization and correlate with resolution of clinical symptoms. Definitive antibiotic selection should be shared with a pediatric infectious disease specialist, who can help guide the duration of treatment.

The Diagnostic Utility of MRI in the Painful Wrist: When to Reconsider Advanced Imaging in the Pediatric Patient

The Diagnostic Utility of MRI in the Painful Wrist: When to Reconsider Advanced Imaging in the Pediatric Patient

SP0091 MRI in spondyloarthritides - update on the current state

The last decade has seen dramatic advances in the role of MRI in the clinical management of patients with inflammatory arthritis and much research has been done investigating its diagnostic...

Abstract 101: Is Intracerebral Hemorrhage-Associated Ischemia a Consequence of Blood Pressure Lowering?

Introduction: The cause of (presumed) ischemic lesions associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is poorly understood. We investigated the relationship between BP lowering and the incidence of ipsilateral diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) lesions in a prospective ICH cohort. Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive ICH patients in the NIH-funded DiAgnostic Utility of MRI in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage (DASH) study. Two neuroradiologists reviewed the MRIs for evidence of ischemia, defined as: reduced diffusivity ipsilateral to the ICH without evidence of blood products on FLAIR or GRE. Only DWI lesions attributed to tissue compression; vessel compression; or hypoperfusion were included. Patients with post-operative MRIs or insufficient BP data were excluded. Mean arterial blood pressures (MAP) were recorded on admission, and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours. Chi-square and t-tests were used as appropriate. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were created to assess accuracy of predicting DWI lesions. Results: Of 160 patients, 136 met inclusion criteria (median age: 63 (IQR 50-77); median ICH volume: 10 (IQR 4-33cc); median NIHSS: 6 (IQR 2-16); median GCS: 15 (IQR 10-15); median onset to MRI 40 hrs (IQR 25-75). DWI lesions were observed in 78 (57%) patients. Patients with DWI lesions had higher ICH volumes (32 vs 12cc, p < 0.001); higher admission MAP (125 vs 113mmHg, p=0.006); higher maximal MAP reduction (46 vs 33mmHg, p=0.008); and higher mean %MAP reduction (25 vs 17% p=0.006). DWI lesions were not associated with lowest MAP (80 vs 79mmHg, p=0.97) or mean MAP (90 vs 91, p=0.62). ICH volume and maximum MAP reduction predicted DWI lesions with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.61-0.78) and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.53-0.72) respectively. Controlling for ICH volume using logistic regression: for every 10% reduction in MAP the risk of DWI lesions increased substantially (OR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01-1.62). Similarly, each 10% reduction in mean MAP over the first 24 hours had an increased risk of detecting DWI lesions (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.01-1.69). The likelihood of having a DWI lesion was highest in patients with > 30mmHg drop in MAP (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.09-4.6). In ICH < 10cc (N=70), DWI lesions were not associated with ICH volume (4.1 vs 4.8cc, p=0.40) but with higher admission MAP (125 vs 112mmHg, p=0.045); maximum MAP reduction (45 vs 31 mmHg, p=0.03); and maximum % MAP reduction (34 vs 25%, p=0.03). Conclusions: ICH volume and large BP reductions are both associated with the presence of DWI lesions. The likelihood of having a DWI lesion went up by 30% for each 10% drop in MAP from admission, and was 230% higher in patients with > 30 mmHg reduction in MAP. These data suggest that aggressive BP reduction may contribute to ICH associated ischemia, and that percentage-based BP goals may be more appropriate than “one-size fits all” for clinical trial design. Future studies are needed to clarify causation.

Abstract 3051: Blood Pressure Thresholds to Predict the Cause of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction: Chronic hypertension is a common cause of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but not all patients who are hypertensive on hospital presentation have an ICH caused by hypertension (htnICH). We sought to determine blood pressure (BP) thresholds that correlated with a presumed htnICH in a prospective cohort. Methods: The NIH-funded Diagnostic Utility of MRI in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage (DASH) study prospectively enrolled consecutive ICH patients to determine the utility of routine MRI in the diagnosis and management of these patients. Contrast angiography was pursued in a predefined patient subset. At 3 months, ICH cause was determined by the treating stroke physician after review of all clinical information, including MRI in the acute and chronic phase, pathology, and clinic follow-up, as available. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS: χ2; 2 tailed t-tests; and Mann-Whitney U tests were used as appropriate. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were created and results expressed as area under curve (AUC). Results: We included 136 patients in this report (age: 63±17yrs; ICH volume: 22±27cc; NIHSS: 9±8; GCS: 13±3). Of these, 70% had a history of hypertension, 40% had an admission SBP> 180mmHg, and 22% an admission SBP >200mmHg. Sixty patients (44%) had htnICH as their final diagnosis. A history of hypertension was associated with htnICH (χ2=11.8, p<0.001), but 48% (46/95) of patients with a history of hypertension did not have a htnICH. Patients with a htnICH had: higher SBP (189 vs 157mmHg, p<0.0001); higher MAP (131 vs 110mmHg, p<0.0001), higher NIHSS (12 vs 6.5, p<0.0001); smaller ICH volumes (16.6 vs 26.0cc, p=0.03); and non-lobar hematomas (χ2=62.3, p180mmHg was 74% specific and 58% sensitive for a subsequent diagnosis of htnICH, a SBP> 200mmHg was 90% specific and 37% sensitive, and a MAP >132mmHg was 90% specific and 45% sensitive. Using ROC analysis, MAP predicted hypertensive etiology with an AUC of 0.75 (p<0.0001, 95% CI: 0.67-0.83). Patients with htnICH and MAP 132mmHg based on age, NIHSS, gender, ICH volume, or ICH location (lobar vs non-lobar). Conversely, patients with non-htnICH and MAP >132mmHg on admission tended to have larger ICH volumes (44 vs 24cc, p=0.07) and higher NIHSS (10 vs 6, p=0.21), but did not differ by location from those with a MAP<132mmHg. Non-lobar location alone was 74% specific and 93% sensitive for htnICH, and a non-lobar ICH or a MAP>132mmHg was 64% specific and 95% sensitive for htnICH. Conclusions: In our cohort, a history of hypertension predicted htnICH no better than chance. An admission SBP >200mmHg or a MAP >132mmHg predicted htnICH in 90% of these patients, but missed two-thirds of cases. ICH location alone was a sensitive predictor of htnICH, but blood pressure thresholds were more specific.

Abstract 3148: Self Reported Quality of Life After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Is a Modified Rankin Scale Score of 4 Worth it?

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) trials often define poor outcome as a modified Rankin Scale Score (mRS) ≥4. While mRS score thresholds are important for demonstrating treatment effect, they do no tell physicians if a treatment outcome is “worth it.” Little self-reported quality of life (QOL) data exists to guide physicians, so opinions during academic discussions and/or family meetings may be driven by personal bias. We sought to describe both self and surrogate reported QOL in ICH survivors in relation to mRS score. Methods: Consecutive ICH patient were prospectively enrolled in the NIH-funded DiAgnostic Utility of MRI in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage (DASH) study. Survivors were followed up at 3 months in clinic and at 12 months by telephone. At each time point, patients or surrogates were asked to rate the patient’s QOL as: excellent, good, fair, or poor. mRS scores were determined by an investigator through a semi-structured interview. Results: Self reported QOL was available in 95 patients with 143 QOL ratings, and surrogate reported QOL in 66 patients with 84 QOL ratings. Of self-reporters with a mRS of 4, 29% reported at least a good QOL, and 93% rated at least a fair QOL ( Figure 1). Of self-reporters with a mRS of 3, 58% reported at least a good QOL, and 97% rated at least a fair QOL. Patients with a mRS of 4 were less likely to report a poor QOL than surrogate raters (χ 2 =3.9, p=0.05, Figure 2). In all patients, both self-reported and surrogate reported QOL were only loosely associated with mRS (R 2 =0.25 and R 2 =0.12, respectively). Forty-eight patients had self-reported QOL at 3 and 12 months. In these patients mRS improved in 16 (33%) patients without an associated improvement in QOL. Seven patients (15%) reported an improvement in QOL, but only 3 had an improvement in their mRS between 3 and 12 months. In 3 (6%) patients, the mRS worsened while QOL remained unchanged. No change in mRS was seen in 8 (17%) patients who reported worse QOL at 12 than at 3 months. Conclusions: Self reported QOL is only loosely correlated with mRS for the individual patient. Patient surrogates are more prone to rate QOL of patients with a mRS of 4 as poor than patients themselves. These data are clinically relevant as mRS alone may not capture the satisfaction of the individual patient with their outcome.

Diagnostic Utility of MRI in Early Spondyloarthritis

The introduction of MRI in spondyloarthritis (SpA) constitutes a major advance and is increasingly being implemented in clinical practice in cases in which clinical suspicion of SpA is high yet pelvic radiography is equivocal. Recent studies and development of consensus by international experts support the routine use of specific MRI sequences and scanning protocols for the evaluation of the sacroiliac joints in diagnostic work-up. There is also agreement that the finding of bone marrow edema in the sacroiliac joints carries a high probability of SpA, and emerging data indicate that the finding of erosion may also be diagnostically helpful, even in preradiographic SpA. Recent studies suggest that the diagnostic role of MRI may be further enhanced through the study of additional MRI sequences and prospective studies using systematic methodologies aimed at further scrutiny of structural lesions and the contribution of spinal imaging. Interest in MRI for SpA is poised for substantial growth.

Diagnostic utility of MRI in elite throwing athletes with medial elbow pain

Diagnostic utility of MRI in elite throwing athletes with medial elbow pain