Diagnostic Accuracy Parameters Research Articles

The Effect of Severe Coronary Calcification on Diagnostic Performance of Computed Tomography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve Analyses in People with Coronary Artery Disease.

Negative CCTA can effectively exclude significant CAD, eliminating the need for further noninvasive or invasive testing. However, in the presence of severe CAD, the accuracy declines, thus necessitating additional testing. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of noninvasive cFFR derived from CCTA, compared to ICA in detecting hemodynamically significant stenoses in participants with high CAC scores (>400). This study included 37 participants suspected of having CAD who underwent CCTA and ICA. CAC was calculated and cFFR analyses were performed using an on-site machine learning-based algorithm. Diagnostic accuracy parameters of CCTA and cFFR were calculated on a per-vessel level. The median total CAC score was 870, with an IQR of 642-1370. Regarding CCTA, sensitivity and specificity for RCA were 60% and 67% with an AUC of 0.639; a LAD of 87% and 50% with an AUC of 0.688; an LCX of 33% and 90% with an AUC of 0.617, respectively. Regarding cFFR, sensitivity and specificity for RCA were 60% and 61% with an AUC of 0.606; a LAD of 75% and 54% with an AUC of 0.647; an LCX of 50% and 77% with an AUC of 0.647. No significant differences between AUCs of coronary CTA and cFFR for each vessel were found. Our results showed poor diagnostic accuracy of CCTA and cFFR in determining significant ischemia-related lesions in participants with high CAC scores when compared to ICA. Based on our results and study limitations we cannot exclude cFFR as a method for determining significant stenoses in people with high CAC. A key issue is accurate and detailed lumen segmentation based on good-quality CCTA images.

The impact of extended preoperative examination on the treatment tactics choice before the second stage of revision hip arthroplasty

Background. Reinfection and recurrence of periprosthetic infection rates during the second stage of revision hip arthroplasty (RHA) remain quite high. Performing preoperative diagnostic aspiration in patients with the installed hip spacer is a controversial issue. Aims of the study: 1) to compare the diagnostic accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of the used infection markers as a part of preoperative diagnostic protocols in order to exclude reinfection in patients with installed hip spacer before the second stage of RHA; 2) to analyze and compare the microbiological spectrum obtained at the stages of RHA. Methods. Diagnostic accuracy parameters of the used infection markers were assessed in order to exclude reinfection/recurrence in 107 patients with installed hip spacer. All patients were divided into two groups. In Group 1 (prospective), blood tests as well as diagnostic aspiration of synovial fluid were performed within the extended diagnostic protocol. In Group 2 (retrospective), the examination was performed according to the screening preoperative diagnostic protocol including blood tests. The used reference range of inflammatory biomarkers was based on the “small criteria” of ICM 2018. According to the results of the intraoperative microbiological examination of peri-implant tissue samples at the first and second stages of RHA, the analysis of detected microflora was conducted in order to assess probable reinfection/recurrence. Results. According to the results of the intraoperative microbiologic examination during the second stage of RHA, reinfection was detected in 40% of cases: in Group 1 — 9 cases, in Group 2 — 31 case. Synovial fluid was obtained from 85% of cases when preoperative diagnostic aspiration was performed. Synovial fluid could not be obtained in 15% cases (dry joint). Conclusion. Performing preoperative diagnostic aspiration before the second stage of RHA in patients with the installed spacer allowed choosing correct treatment tactics in 9% of cases. The parameters of diagnostic accuracy accounted for 82,6%. In the structure of detected pathogens in case of recurrence and reinfection, the representatives of Gram-positive coagulase-negative flora were the most frequent.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Sonographic Parameters for Renal Artery Stenosis in Adults: A Rapid Literature Review Based on a Statistical Approach

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the 95% confidence interval (CI) cutoff for sonographic renal artery stenosis (RAS) parameters. A secondary objective was to determine the diagnostic accuracy parameters of peak systolic velocity (PSV), renal aortic ratio (RAR), acceleration index (AI), and acceleration time (AT) for diagnosing RAS. Materials and Methods: Diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) parameters and 95% CIs were evaluated for the sonographic cutoff values. A total of 31 articles were extracted and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The mean 95% CI cutoff for PSV, RAR, AI, and AT were 192.50 (175.16, 209.84), 3.10 (2.83, 3.38), 3.39 (2.51, 4.27), and 80.78 (68.56, 93.01), respectively. The pooled mean 95% CI sensitivity of PSV, RAR, AI, and AT were 85.90% (79.84, 91.97), 82.34% (77.58, 87.11), 74.92% (64.53, 85.33), and 73.57% (63.01, 84.13), respectively, whereas the pooled mean specificity of the same parameters was 82.52% (75.78, 89.25), 86.97% (83.12, 90.82), 78.93% (66.34, 91.52), and 82.57% (70.70, 94.44), respectively. Conclusion: The pooled mean 95% CI for sensitivity and specificity of the sonographic parameters was concordant with the literature. Based on this higher level of evidence, except RAR, the mean 95% CI cutoff for PSV, AI, and AT were consistent with the cutoff values encountered in the published literature.

Neuropathologic Validation and Diagnostic Accuracy of Presynaptic Dopaminergic Imaging in the Diagnosis of Parkinsonism.

Degeneration of the presynaptic nigrostriatal dopaminergic system is one of the main biological features of Parkinson disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), which can be measured using single-photon emission CT imaging for diagnostic purposes. Despite its widespread use in clinical practice and research, the diagnostic properties of presynaptic nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DAT) imaging in parkinsonism have never been evaluated against the diagnostic gold standard of neuropathology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic parameters of DAT imaging compared with pathologic diagnosis in patients with parkinsonism. Retrospective cohort study of patients with DAT imaging for the investigation of a clinically uncertain parkinsonism with brain donation between 2010 and 2021 to the Queen Square Brain Bank (London). Patients with DAT imaging for investigation of pure ataxia or dementia syndromes without parkinsonism were excluded. Those with a pathologic diagnosis of PD, MSA, PSP, or CBD were considered presynaptic dopaminergic parkinsonism, and other pathologies were considered postsynaptic for the analysis. DAT imaging was performed in routine clinical practice and visually classified by hospital nuclear medicine specialists as normal or abnormal. The results were correlated with neuropathologic diagnosis to calculate diagnostic accuracy parameters for the diagnosis of presynaptic dopaminergic parkinsonism. All of 47 patients with PD, 41 of 42 with MSA, 68 of 73 with PSP, and 6 of 10 with CBD (sensitivity 100%, 97.6%, 93.2%, and 60%, respectively) had abnormal presynaptic dopaminergic imaging. Eight of 17 patients with presumed postsynaptic parkinsonism had abnormal scans (specificity 52.9%). DAT imaging has very high sensitivity and negative predictive value for the diagnosis of presynaptic dopaminergic parkinsonism, particularly for PD. However, patients with CBD, and to a lesser extent PSP (of various phenotypes) and MSA (with predominant ataxia), can show normal DAT imaging. A range of other neurodegenerative disorders may have abnormal DAT scans with low specificity in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism. DAT imaging is a useful diagnostic tool in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism, although clinicians should be aware of its diagnostic properties and limitations. This study provides Class II evidence that DAT imaging does not accurately distinguish between presynaptic dopaminergic parkinsonism and non-presynaptic dopaminergic parkinsonism.

Remote neurological evaluation reliably identifies patients eligible to endovascular therapy while non-eligible to intravenous thrombolysis

Introduction/backgroundEarly identification of suspected stroke patients who might be eligible for a reperfusion strategy is a daily challenge in the management of patient referrals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a remote medical assessment in identifying patients eligible for endovascular therapy (EVT) while not eligible for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), compared with a decision based on bedside clinico-radiological data. MethodsPatients admitted to the emergency department for acute neurological symptoms lasting for less than 24h were prospectively included. Assessment of the clinical severity and medical history was performed simultaneously by two vascular neurologists (VNs), one remotely using a mobile telemedicine solution (NOMADEEC), the other at the bedside. RACE score was calculated from the NIHSS score. At the end of the evaluation, both VNs quoted their treatment convictions (IVT/EVT). Final therapeutic decision following brain and vascular imaging was recorded and compared to remote and bedside predictions. The performances of three different conditions were evaluated: complete medical evaluation (NIHSS+medical history), NIHSS score alone, and RACE score alone. Remote and bedside performances were also compared. Diagnostic accuracy parameters (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) of each condition were estimated, along with their two-sided 95% binomial confidence intervals. ResultsOut of 215 enrolled patients, 186 had a complete evaluation, 91 (54.3%) were diagnosed with an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack and 46 (24.7%) had an intracranial occlusion. Considering the three conditions evaluated remotely, RACE score-based decision provided the best sensitivity 54.6% [95% CI 23.4; 83.2]/specificity 80.6% [73.9; 86.2] combination. However, the complete medical evaluation had the best specificity (88.6% [82.9; 92.9] compared to RACE scores alone (P=0.038). Remote and bedside performances did not differ (κ=0.68 [0.59; 0.77]). Discussion/conclusionThis real-life study performed in the setting of emergency demonstrates that remote medical evaluations including recording of extensive medical information and NIHSS examination to address patient's eligibility to revascularization treatment is swiftly feasible and is as effective as bedside prediction to EVT and/or IVT. Remote standardized medical evaluation might improve the decision of patients’ primary orientation and avoid overcrowding of comprehensive stroke centres.

Diagnostic accuracy of abdominal ultrasound for detection if acute appendicitis taking operative findings as gold standard

This study objective is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (USG). While evaluating acute abdominal conditions, including acute appendicitis acute cholecystitis, and pneumoperitoneum. In this study, 342 patients were evaluated to present with symptoms suggestive of acute abdominal pathology. Researchers included patient data including demographic information and USG findings were collected from medical records. In addition, diagnostic accuracy parameters, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV). Moreover, negative predictive value (NPV), and overall diagnostic accuracy of USG, stratifiend and calculated based on age and gender. The average age of the study was 41.23 ± 6.75 years with a gender distribution. Though the (male: 197, female: 145). USG demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy in detecting acute appendicitis (sensitivity 89.60%, specificity 82.50%. the PPV 88.89%, NPV 83.54%, diagnostic accuracy 86.83%). While the acute cholecystitis (sensitivity 94.44%, specificity 87.10%, diagnostic accuracy 91.04%), and pneumoperitoneum (sensitivity 95.35%, specificity 88.89%, PPV 93.18%, NPV 92.31%, diagnostic accuracy 92.86%). The Stratified analyses by age and gender revealed consistent diagnostic performance of USG. The findings of this study found the diagnostic utility of ultrasonography in evaluating acute abdominal conditions. These results underscore the importance of USG as a frontline imaging modality in the management of acute abdominal emergencies

COMPARISON OF TRANSTHORACIC AND TRANS-ESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN THE DETECTION OF CARDIAC EMBOLI IN AFIB PATIENTS

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) predisposes patients to an increased risk of thromboembolic events, including stroke, due to the formation of cardiac emboli. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are commonly used to detect cardiac emboli in AFib patients, but their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of TTE and TEE in detecting cardiac emboli in AFib patients. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2022 to January 2023. The study included 100 adult patients diagnosed with AFib, undergoing evaluation for suspected cardiac emboli. Both TTE and TEE examinations were performed as part of routine clinical care. Diagnostic accuracy parameters were calculated for both modalities using standard formulas, and comparative analyses were conducted using appropriate statistical tests. SPSS version 25 was used, and a P value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 100 patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), of which 55 were male, and 45 were female. The mean age of the patients was 65 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 7 years). Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated a higher sensitivity in detecting cardiac emboli than transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). TEE identified a significantly higher number of emboli than TTE (48 vs. 40, p < 0.05). TEE was also associated with a lower risk of complications than TTE (0 vs. 2 cases, p < 0.05). Conclusion: In evaluating cardiac emboli in AFib patients, transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed superior diagnostic accuracy and a lower complication risk than transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Therefore, TEE may be considered the preferred imaging modality for this patient population.

Predictive Value of Dual-Energy CT-Derived Metrics for the Use of Bone Substitutes in Distal Radius Fracture Surgery.

(1) Background: Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a significant risk factor for complicated surgery and leads to the increased use of bone substitutes in patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs). No accepted model has yet been established to predict the use of bone substitutes to facilitate preoperative planning. (2) Methods: Unenhanced dual-energy CT (DECT) images of DRFs were retrospectively acquired between March 2016 and September 2020 using the internal PACS system. Available follow-up imaging and medical health records were reviewed to determine the use of bone substitutes. DECT-based BMD, trabecular Hounsfield units (HU), cortical HU, and cortical thickness ratio were measured in non-fractured segments of the distal radius. Diagnostic accuracy parameters were calculated for all metrics using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves and associations of all metrics with the use of bone substitutes were evaluated using logistic regression models. (3) The final study population comprised 262 patients (median age 55 years [IQR 43-67 years]; 159 females, 103 males). According to logistic regression analysis, DECT-based BMD was the only metric significantly associated with the use of bone substitutes (odds ratio 0.96, p = 0.003). However, no significant associations were found for cortical HU (p = 0.06), trabecular HU (p = 0.33), or cortical thickness ratio (p = 0.21). ROC-curve analysis revealed that a combined model of all four metrics had the highest diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.76. (4) Conclusions: DECT-based BMD measurements performed better than HU-based measurements and cortical thickness ratio. The diagnostic performance of all four metrics combined was superior to that of the individual parameters.

Evaluation of Less Invasive Sampling Tools for the Diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) usually relies on invasive samples, but it is unclear whether more patient-friendly tools are good alternatives for diverse lesions when used with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Patients with suspected CL were enrolled consecutively in a prospective diagnostic accuracy study. We compared dental broach, tape disc, and microbiopsy samples with PCR as index tests, using PCR with skin slit samples as reference test. Subsequently, we constructed a composite reference test including microscopy, the 3 index tests and skin slit PCR, and we compared these same tests with the composite reference test. We assessed diagnostic accuracy parameters with 95% confidence intervals for all comparisons. Among 344 included patients, 282 (82.0%) had CL diagnosed, and 62 (18.0%) CL absence, by skin slit PCR. The sensitivity and specificity by PCR were 89.0% (95% confidence interval, 84.8%-92.1%) and 58.1% (45.7%-69.5%), respectively, for dental broach, 96.1% (93.2%-97.8%) and 27.4% (17.9%-39.6%) for tape disc, and 74.8% (66.3%-81.7%) and 72.7% (51.8%-86.8%) for microbiopsy. Several reference test-negative patients were consistently positive with the index tests. Using the composite reference test, dental broach, and skin slit had similar diagnostic performance. Dental broach seems a less invasive but similarly accurate alternative to skin slit for diagnosing CL when using PCR. Tape discs lack specificity and seem unsuitable for CL diagnosis without cutoff. Reference tests for CL are problematic, since using a single reference test is likely to miss true cases, while composite reference tests are often biased and impractical as they require multiple tests.

Predictive Value of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) in the Diagnosis of Asthma for Epidemiological Purposes-An 8-Year Follow-Up Study.

The follow-up included 128 (out of 447) children, 70 girls and 58 boys. The FeNO was measured at baseline only. The prevalence of asthma-like symptoms was measured with the adopted version of the ISAAC questionnaire. After 8 years of FeNO measurement, 5 new cases of asthma, 2 cases of attacks of dyspnoea, 1 case of wheezy in the chest, and 18 cases of allergic rhinitis occurred. The FeNO values, measured at the baseline of the study, for new cases of the above diseases were 53.4 ± 75.9 ppb, 11 ± 1.5 ppb, 12.0 ppb, and 16.3 ± 12.4 ppb, respectively. The best diagnostic accuracy parameters were found in the new cases of asthma, where the sensitivity was 40.0%, the specificity was 98.6%, and the AUC was 66.6%. The diagnostic odds ratio was 46.9 when considering the FeNO cut-off >35 ppb. The FeNO measurement is a fair method for asthma prognosis in early school-aged children with asthma-like symptoms measured on the population level but requires further confirmation at the clinical level with more accurate diagnostic tools.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced mammography and breast MRI in the diagnosis of breast cancer and detection of tumor size.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and dynamic breast MRI techniques for diagnosing breast lesions, assess the diagnostic accuracy of CEM's using histopathological findings, and compare lesion size measurements obtained from both methods with pathological size. This prospective study included 120 lesions, of which 70 were malignant, in 104 patients who underwent CEM and MRI within a week. Two radiologists independently evaluated the MR and CEM images in separate sessions, using the BI-RADS classification system. Additionally, the maximum sizes of lesion were measured. Diagnostic accuracy parameters and the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed for the two modalities. The correlation between the maximum diameter of breast lesions observed in MRI, CEM, and pathology was analyzed. The overall diagnostic values for MRI were as follows: sensitivity 97.1%, specificity 60%, positive predictive value (PPV) 77.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) 93.8%, and accuracy 81.7%. Correspondingly, for CEM, the sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 97.14%, 81.67%, 60%, 77.27%, and 93.75%, respectively. The ROC analysis of CEM revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.907 for observer 1 and 0.857 for observer 2, whereas MRI exhibited an AUC of 0.910 for observer 1 and 0.914 for observer 2. Notably, CEM showed the highest correlation with pathological lesion size (r = 0.660 for observer 1 and r = 0.693 for observer 2, p < 0.001 for both). CEM can be used with high sensitivity and similar diagnostic performance comparable to MRI for diagnosing breast cancer. CEM proves to be a successful diagnostic method for precisely determining tumor size.

Precisão diagnóstica dos níveis das citocinas IL-6, IL-10 e TNF-α em pacientes com comprometimento cognitivo leve: revisão sistemática e metanálise

ABSTRACT There is growing evidence suggesting an association between neurodegeneration and inflammation playing a role in the pathogenesis of age-associated diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to verify evidence on the diagnostic accuracy parameters of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Methods: A search of Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Web of Science and Science Direct databases was performed and nine observational studies associated with peripheral inflammatory biomarkers in MCI were identified. Mean (±standard deviation — SD) concentrations of these biomarkers and values of true positives, true negatives, false positives and false negatives for MCI and healthy controls (HC) were extracted from these studies. Results: Significantly higher levels of IL-10 were observed in subjects in the MCI group and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were lower compared to HC. For the other investigations, no differences were found between the groups. Our meta-analysis for the TNF-α biomarker revealed high heterogeneity between studies in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: These findings do not support the involvement of inflammatory biomarkers for detection of MCI, although significant heterogeneity was observed. More studies are needed to evaluate the role of these cytokines in MCI, as well as in other stages of cognitive decline and all-cause dementias.

Diagnostic accuracy of a point-of-care antigen test for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in a primary care population (RAPTOR-C19)

ObjectivesLimited evidence exists for the diagnostic performance of point-of-care tests for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in community healthcare. We carried out a prospective diagnostic accuracy study of the LumiraDx™ SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A or B assay in primary care. MethodsTotal of 913 adults and children with symptoms of current SARS-CoV-2 infection were recruited from 18 UK primary care practices during a period when Omicron was the predominant COVID variant of concern (June 2022 to December 2022). Trained health care staff performed the index test, with diagnostic accuracy parameters estimated for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza against real-time reverse-transcription PCR (rtRT-PCR). Results151/887 participants were SARS-CoV-2 rtRT-PCR positive, 109 positive for Influenza A, 6 for Influenza B. Index test sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 was 80.8% (122 of the 151, 95% CI, 73.6–86.7%) and specificity 98.9% (728 of the 736, 95% CI, 97.9–99.5%). For influenza A, sensitivity was 61.5% (67 of the 109, 95% CI, 51.7–70.6%) and specificity 99.4% (771 of the 776, 95% CI, 98.5–99.8%). Sensitivity to detect SARS-CoV-2 and influenza dropped sharply at rtRT-PCR cycle thresholds (Ct) > 30. DiscussionsThe LumiraDx™ SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A/B assay had moderate sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic patients in primary care, with lower performance with high rtRT-PCR Ct. Negative results in this patient group cannot definitively rule out SARS-CoV-2 or influenza.

A Comparative Study of 64-Slice Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA) and Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) in the Identification of Coronary Artery Stenosis.

The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of 64-Slice Coronary Computer Tomography Angiography (CCTA) and Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) in the identification of significant coronary artery stenosis (>50% luminal narrowing). A total of 120 patients suspected of having coronary artery disease were divided into two groups, with 60 patients in each group. Group 1 underwent CCTA and group 2 underwent MPI. Diagnostic accuracy parameters, image quality, radiation exposure, and procedure time were compared. CCTA demonstrated higher sensitivity (90% vs. 80%, p = 0.049) and similar specificity (75% vs. 70%, p = 0.453) compared to MPI. Image quality was slightly superior in the CCTA group. Radiation exposure was significantly lower in the CCTA group compared to the MPI group (3.5 ± 1.2 mSv vs. 9.4 ± 1.7 mSv, p < 0.001). The procedure time for CCTA was also significantly less than that for MPI (10.3 ± 2.1 minutes vs. 45.2 ± 5.3 minutes, p < 0.001). CCTA showed superior sensitivity, image quality, and efficiency compared to MPI while exposing patients to a lower radiation dose. Further multicenter studies with larger patient populations are needed to validate these findings.

Diagnostic performance of modern computed tomography in cruciate ligament injury detection: A comprehensive study

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of modern single and dual-energy computed tomography (CT) for assessing the integrity of the cruciate ligaments in patients that sustained acute trauma. MethodsPatients who underwent single- or dual-energy CT followed by 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or knee joint arthroscopy between 01/2016 and 12/2022 were included in this retrospective, monocentric study. Three radiologists specialized in musculoskeletal imaging independently evaluated all CT images for the presence of injury to the cruciate ligaments. An MRI consensus reading of two experienced readers and arthroscopy provided the reference standard. Diagnostic accuracy parameters and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) were the primary metrics for diagnostic performance. ResultsCT images of 204 patients (median age, 49 years; IQR 36 – 64; 113 males) were evaluated. Dual-energy CT yielded significantly higher diagnostic accuracy and AUC for the detection of injury to the anterior (94% [240/255] vs 75% [266/357] and 0.89 vs 0.66) and posterior cruciate ligaments (95% [243/255] vs 87% [311/357] and 0.90 vs 0.61) compared to single-energy CT (all parameters, p <.005). Diagnostic confidence and image quality were significantly higher in dual-energy CT compared to single-energy CT (all parameters, p <.005). ConclusionsModern dual-energy CT is readily available and can serve as a screening tool for detecting or excluding cruciate ligament injuries in patients with acute trauma. Accurate diagnosis of cruciate ligament injuries is crucial to prevent adverse outcomes, including delayed treatment, chronic instability, or long-term functional limitations.

Diagnostic accuracy of urine biomarkers for urinary tract infection in older women: a case-control study

ObjectivesUrinary tract infection (UTI) is common among older women. However, diagnosis is challenging because of frequent chronic lower urinary tract symptoms, cognitive impairment, and a high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). Current urine diagnostics lack specificity, leading to unnecessary treatment and antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 12 urine biomarkers for diagnosing UTI in older women. MethodsIn this case-control study, cases were women ≥65 years with ≥2 new-onset lower urinary tract symptoms, pyuria, and one uropathogen ≥104 CFU/mL. Controls were asymptomatic and classified as ASB (one uropathogen ≥105 CFU/mL), negative culture, or mixed flora. Urine biomarker concentrations were measured through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and ELISA. Diagnostic accuracy parameters of individual biomarkers and a biomarker model were derived from receiver operating characteristic curves. ResultsWe included 162 community-dwelling and institutionalized older women. Five urine inflammatory biomarkers demonstrated high discriminative ability (area under the curve ≥0.80): interleukin 6, azurocidin, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2, and C-X-C motif chemokine 9. Azurocidin exhibited the highest diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 86% [95% CI 75%–93%] and specificity 89% [95% CI 82%–94%] at 16.7 ng/mmol creatinine). A combined biomarker and pyuria model showed improved diagnostic accuracy in patients with UTI and ASB, compared with pyuria alone. DiscussionWe identified several urine biomarkers that accurately differentiated older women with UTI from asymptomatic women, including ASB. These findings represent a potential advancement towards improved diagnostics for UTI in older women and warrant validation in a diverse population.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Convolutional Neural Network Based Machine Learning Algorithms in Endoscopic Severity Prediction of Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis.

Endoscopic assessment of ulcerative colitis (UC) can be performed by Mayo Endoscopic Score (MES), or the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS). In this meta-analysis, we assessed the pooled diagnostic accuracy parameters of deep machine learning, by means of convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms, in predicting UC severity on endoscopic images. Databases including Medline, Scopus, and Embase, were searched in June 2022. Outcomes of interest were the pooled accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). Standard meta-analysis methods were employed using the random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2statistics. Twelve studies were included in the final analysis. The pooled diagnostic parameters of CNN-based machine learning algorithms in endoscopic severity assessment of UC were: Accuracy 91.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) [88.3-93.8],I2=84%), sensitivity 82.8% ([78.3-86.5],I2=89%), specificity 92.4% ([89.4-94.6],I2=84%), PPV 86.6% ([82.3-90],I2=89%) and NPV 88.6% ([85.7-91],I2=78%). Subgroup analysis revealed significantly better sensitivity and PPV with UCEIS scoring system as compared to MES (93.6% [87.5-96.8],I2=77% vs 82% [75.6-87],I2=89%, p=0.003; and 93.6% [88.7-96.4],I2=68% vs 83.6% [76.8-88.8],I2=77%; p=0.007, respectively). CNN-based machine learning algorithms demonstrated excellent pooled diagnostic accuracy parameters in the endoscopic severity assessment of UC. Utilizing UCEIS scores in CNN training might offer better results than MES. Further studies are warranted to establish these findings in real-life.

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of two point-of-care tests for COVID-19 when used in symptomatic patients in community settings in the UK primary care COVID diagnostic accuracy platform trial (RAPTOR-C19).

Point-of-care lateral flow device antigen testing has been used extensively to identify individuals with active SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of two point-of-care tests (POCTs) for SARS-CoV-2 in routine community care. Adults and children with symptoms consistent with suspected current COVID-19 infection were prospectively recruited from 19 UK general practices and two COVID-19 testing centres between October 2020 and October 2021. Participants were tested by trained healthcare workers using at least one of two index POCTs (Roche-branded SD Biosensor Standard™ Q SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test and/or BD Veritor™ System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2). The reference standard was laboratory triplex reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) using a combined nasal/oropharyngeal swab. Diagnostic accuracy parameters were estimated, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), overall, in relation to RT-PCR cycle threshold and in pre-specified subgroups. Of 663 participants included in the primary analysis, 39.2% (260/663, 95% CI 35.5% to 43.0%) had a positive RT-PCR result. The SD Biosensor POCT had sensitivity 84.0% (178/212, 78.3% to 88.6%) and specificity 98.5% (328/333, 96.5% to 99.5%), and the BD Veritor POCT had sensitivity 76.5% (127/166, 69.3% to 82.7%) and specificity 98.8% (249/252, 96.6% to 99.8%) compared with RT-PCR. Sensitivity of both devices dropped substantially at cycle thresholds ≥30 and in participants more than 7 days after onset of symptoms. Both POCTs assessed exceed the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency target product profile's minimum acceptable specificity of 95%. Confidence intervals for both tests include the minimum acceptable sensitivity of 80%. In symptomatic patients, negative results on these two POCTs do not preclude the possibility of infection. Tests should not be expected to reliably detect disease more than a week after symptom onset, when viral load may be reduced. ISRCTN142269.

Do malpractice claim clinical case vignettes enhance diagnostic accuracy and acceptance in clinical reasoning education during GP training?

BackgroundUsing malpractice claims cases as vignettes is a promising approach for improving clinical reasoning education (CRE), as malpractice claims can provide a variety of content- and context-rich examples. However, the effect on learning of adding information about a malpractice claim, which may evoke a deeper emotional response, is not yet clear. This study examined whether knowing that a diagnostic error resulted in a malpractice claim affects diagnostic accuracy and self-reported confidence in the diagnosis of future cases. Moreover, suitability of using erroneous cases with and without a malpractice claim for CRE, as judged by participants, was evaluated.MethodsIn the first session of this two-phased, within-subjects experiment, 81 first-year residents of general practice (GP) were exposed to both erroneous cases with (M) and erroneous cases without (NM) malpractice claim information, derived from a malpractice claims database. Participants rated suitability of the cases for CRE on a five-point Likert scale. In the second session, one week later, participants solved four different cases with the same diagnoses. Diagnostic accuracy was measured with three questions, scored on a 0–1 scale: (1) What is your next step? (2) What is your differential diagnosis? (3) What is your most probable diagnosis and what is your level of certainty on this? Both subjective suitability and diagnostic accuracy scores were compared between the versions (M and NM) using repeated measures ANOVA.ResultsThere were no differences in diagnostic accuracy parameters (M vs. NM next step: 0.79 vs. 0.77, p = 0.505; differential diagnosis 0.68 vs. 0.75, p = 0.072; most probable diagnosis 0.52 vs. 0.57, p = 0.216) and self-reported confidence (53.7% vs. 55.8% p = 0.390) of diagnoses previously seen with or without malpractice claim information. Subjective suitability- and complexity scores for the two versions were similar (suitability: 3.68 vs. 3.84, p = 0.568; complexity 3.71 vs. 3.88, p = 0.218) and significantly increased for higher education levels for both versions.ConclusionThe similar diagnostic accuracy rates between cases studied with or without malpractice claim information suggests both versions are equally effective for CRE in GP training. Residents judged both case versions to be similarly suitable for CRE; both were considered more suitable for advanced than for novice learners.

SAMe-TT2R2 to Predict Clinical Outcomes and Time in Therapeutic Range in Patients on Vitamin K Antagonists: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The SAMe-TT2R2 score identifies patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) who are more likely to have poor time in therapeutic range (TTR); however, the association between SAMe-TT2R2 and clinical outcomes remains controversial. The objective is to assess the association of SAMe-TT2R2 score with clinical outcomes and poor TTR in patients on VKAs. We searched using the term "SAMe-TT2R2." Original articles reporting clinical outcomes and SAMe-TT2R2 scores before October 2021 were included. Odds ratios (ORs) of clinical outcomes, diagnostic accuracy parameters of poor TTR (<60%-70%), and mean TTR were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models. Ten studies were included (N = 22 894); 4 showed pooled changes in TTR of -3.61% (95% CI:-4.88% to -2.35%) and -3.98% (95% CI: -6.08% to -1.87%) at SAMe-TT2R2 scores ≥2 and ≥3, respectively, compared with lower scores. The diagnostic accuracy parameters for poor TTR were too heterogeneous to conclude. SAMe-TT2R2 ≥3 significantly correlated with all adverse events (OR = 1.43 [95% CI: 1.29-1.54; P < 0.001]), composite thromboembolism (OR = 1.53 [95% CI: 1.19-1.97; P = 0.001]), and composite bleeding (OR = 1.33 [95% CI: 1.12-1.59; P = 0.001] regardless of the indication, while an SAMe-TT2R2 ≥2 significantly correlated with mortality (OR = 1.32 [95% CI: 1.02-1.70; P = 0.033]). We found no relationship between an SAMe-TT2R2 ≥3 and mortality or between a score ≥2 and clinical outcomes. Patients on VKAs with SAMe-TT2R2 ≥3 experienced more adverse events, bleeding, and thromboembolism compared with patients who had an SAMe-TT2R2 <3. However, the score had limited and inconclusive predictability for poor TTR in the study.