Use Of Ultrasound Equipment Research Articles

Treatment strategies for orbital gas-producing necrotizing fasciitis secondary to odontogenic maxillary sinusitis: Technical notes

This paper presents treatment strategies for orbital necrotizing fasciitis (NF) in a case of a 33-year-old male diagnosed with orbital NF, which developed after dental root canal treatment. Although orbital NF is rare, it is rapidly progressive and can easily lead to the loss of tissue and visual function, sometimes to a life-threatening extent. Prompt and adequate treatment has been a challenge yet remains quite essential. In addition to the conventional approach to NF, such as immediate antibiotic administration and drainage, orbital NF patients like this case were often treated by incorporating additional steps, which include: 1) performing minimally invasive but adequate removal of necrotic tissue through intraoperative use of ultrasound equipment and postoperative use of proteolytic enzyme-containing ointment for chemical debridement; 2) managing intraorbital pressure by lateral cantholysis and orbital floor removal (decompression); and 3) maintaining the aerobic conditions of the wound after surgical drainage via orbital wall removal. Thus far, satisfactory results in patients with extensive NF of the orbit, including the presented case, were achieved with regards to preserving periorbital tissues, vision, and ocular motility through a multidisciplinary approach. These should be considered as optional means of preserving the orbital tissue and visual function.

Study on automatic ultrasound scanning of lumbar spine and visualization system for path planning in lumbar puncture surgery.

In lumbar puncture surgery, compared with the conventional methodologies like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging offers the advantages of being low cost, no radiation and real-time image generation. However, the use of ultrasound equipment in lumbar puncture involves a cumbersome and time-consuming process for the subjective imaging of the overall structure of the lumbar spine in order to determine the exact puncture point and path. Meanwhile, the robotic arm puncture system has the advantages of high precision, good stability and simple and efficient operation. As a result, robotic-assisted ultrasound scanning is valuable for the assessment of a puncture path in spinal tap surgery. In this pursuit, based on the official URSDK development package for a robot arm and the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, the system proposed in the present study involves a program to control the robot arm to clamp down onto an ultrasonic probe to enable automatic scanning and acquisition of images. A three-dimensional reconstruction program based on the visualization toolkit was designed, and a lumbar spine experiment was conducted with this system. A total of 136 two-dimensional ultrasound images were collected in the lumbar spine model experiment by enhancing contrast of and denoising the original ultrasound images, and a linear interpolation algorithm was used to perform the three-dimensional reconstruction of the lumbar spine model. The reconstructed structure was defective, but the location of the spinous process gap was determined with the sagittal and coronal images. The feasibility of the system was verified by the reconstruction results, which can provide a reference for determining the puncture point and path planning in the lumbar puncture surgery.

Transabdominal ultrasound diagnostics of intestinal tumor diseases in adults

Oncological diseases account for the largest share of all diseases of the colon, making up to 45% of all intestinal diseases. The colorectal cancer incidence is increasing every year in almost all countries, including Ukraine. Usually the endoscopic methods of examination and X-ray diagnostics play a key role in colon pathology diagnostics. Transabdominal ultrasound examination was considered a poor method to diagnose a cancer of hollow organs due to the presence of gas in the intestine. The potential possibilities of this method in assessment of the intestinal diseases as well as in studying the prevalence of pathological changes beyond the intestinal wall were underestimated. However, the development of ultrasound devices with high resolution determines the increasing use of transabdominal ultrasound examination to diagnose diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The article is based on literature review as well as on authors’ own observations of ultrasound examination of benign and malignant diseases of the large intestine. The article goes on to analyze possibilities of transabdominal ultrasound diagnostics of pathological changes in the intestine. The results show that widespread use of ultrasound equipment, increasing the resolution of sensors can significantly complement the existing methods of colorectal cancer diagnostics. The use of transabdominal ultrasound examination in cases of colorectal cancer will allow to detect a colon cancer in the preclinical and mildly symptomatic stage, while excluding the influence of ionizing radiation.

MODERN METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF COWS 'DISORDERS AND INFERTILITY

The article presents the results of ultrasound detection of cow calving and infertility. Annotation: In this article, the results of the use of ultrasound equipment in the diagnosis of pregnancy and infertility in cows.

Development and implementation of a quality control protocol for B-mode ultrasound equipment.

Quality assurance (QA) of ultrasound (US) equipment is currently required in only a few countries around the world. In Greece, no national or other norms exist for regulating the use of US equipment. However, to obtain accreditation for the radiology department of a Greek hospital, the establishment and implementation of a quality control (QC) protocol and a QA programme for US equipment was required. A literature review regarding US QC/QA procedures was performed. The information collected was used as a guide to create a QC/QA protocol and to obtain an appropriate US QC phantom. Drafting and testing of the initial protocol lasted 6months. Its final version was implemented for 18months in two US systems and five US transducers. The QC tests included in the protocol evaluate mechanical and electrical safety, image display, uniformity, penetration depth, distance accuracy, greyscale display, anechoic object imaging, geometric distortion, and axial/lateral resolution. The only QC test that failed was the test for uniformity since intense non-uniformities were observed that led to the replacement of two linear transducers. US imaging is considered safe and, where appropriate, is preferred over imaging modalities that use ionizing radiation. However, the lack of QC/QA implies that US image quality is not routinely monitored. Therefore, the possibility of malfunctions that may go undetected and lead to wrong diagnosis cannot be excluded. A QC/QΑ programme can contribute to the elimination of such errors and ensure that performance is maintained over time.

Procedures Guided by Ultrasonography in Injectable Treatments in Knee, Hip and Shoulder Pathologies

The pathologies of the musculoskeletal system continue to be one of the main causes of the reduction of quality of life and are the main causes of disability with increasing incidence. The use of ultrasound equipment has gained importance, mainly with the improvement of image quality and technology. Currently, ultrasound has become the main diagnostic tool in traumatic, inflammatory and degenerative lesions in soft tissue conditions, and in the monitoring of joints, ligaments, cartilage and muscles. This work aims to present a review of the indicators of the use of intervention techniques with ultrasound equipment in musculoskeletal system disorders in knee, shoulder and hip joints.

Ultrasound Measurement in M Mode of Peristalsis and Gastric Emptying

The use of ultrasound equipment in routine clinical evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract is still standby. Objective: to show an alternative application of ultrasound technique for monitoring peristalsis and gastric emptying through an executable routine implemented in LabVIEW. Methods: an ultrasound equipment (Medison SONACE 800 SE) was used in ten healthy subjects and four patients; dominant peristalsis frequency and gastric emptying were measured after fasting nights of the patients; subjects ingested, first 300 mL of water and then a solid meal (240 kCal). Results: the video acquisition in M mode and imaging processing were performed in a LabVIEW platform, as long as digital signal processing was carried out in matlab 2008a; peristaltic frequency of 2.4 cpm (cycles per minute) and a half time of the gastric emptying around 35 s were found. Discussion: these findings are congruent with similar evaluations of GI tract obtained by using the gold standard technique. So, ultrasound technique is now an alternative procedure for gastric evaluation with the advantage that patients are free of ionizing radiation, and these equipments are amply available in the world hospitals.

The Use of Ultrasound Equipment of General Use for In Vivo Study of Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles Introduction in Mice

In the biological sciences, many studies using mouse models are limited by the inability to gather experimental information in vivo and noninvasively. The MRI scanners with very high magnetic field for the study of little objects like mice are available only in few research laboratories. Clinical ultrasound could be successfully used to study the structure of animal tissues, including small ones. Ultrasound scanning with a linear 10-12 MHz transducer of ultrasound scanner HITACHI Hi Vision 900 was carried out to visualize organs of mice. Doppler techniques were applied for blood flow analysis. Sonoelastography was used to study mouse organs elasticity. We use ultrasound visualization of patterns in mice using high-frequency transducers. Experimental mice organs were investigated by authorities in similar criteria as ultrasound diagnostic is performed in humans. The useful information in study groups was found. Interventions of mouse organs like kidneys, liver, lungs etc., were performed under ultrasound guidance for the introduction of different substances and modeling of the pathological processes. The new approach can maximize the effectiveness of science experiments, and continue studies for dynamic observations on the animal. Previously, in order to investigate the changes the mice had to be killed and open. Intervention sonography is effective for aiming modeling of pathological processes in mice. Preliminary results indicate a positive effect of cerium dioxide nanoparticles introduction in mice in evaluating degenerative changes by the general principles of sonography.

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Practical applications of ultrasound: getting the best out of your ultrasound machine

Recently, there has been an explosion in the use of ultrasound outside the confines of the conventional imaging department. Many specialties are waking up to the huge potential for focused ultrasound and ultrasound guidance for interventions. Unfortunately, to date, very few formal ultrasound courses are available or accessible to specialist groups. The result is, in some cases, the purchase and use of ultrasound equipment by individuals with little or no training. A good understanding of the basic physics of ultrasound is helpful, but this is of little real value unless the operator can apply this in practice. When faced with a technically challenging examination, users need to be able to fit together their knowledge of underlying principles, an awareness of what each equipment control does and an appreciation of why the scan may be difficult. The aim of this paper is to provide clinicians who are new to ultrasound with an overview of key equipment controls and to indicate how these can be optimized.

Investigating the Fetal Circulation: Liver, Renal and Intracranial Vasculature

Whilst interrogation of the umbilical artery (and vein) using Doppler has been a standard part of fetal assessment for over 20 years, the role of other vessels amenable to study has been subject to a slower development. Initial interest in other vessels concentrated on fetal assessment in conditions where fetal growth was sub-optimal, but as the use of ultrasound equipment with colour and pulsed wave Doppler has become more commonplace, so have the applications become wider. Examination of the fetal circulation now has a role in detection of aneuploidy, risk assessment in monochorionic twins, noninvasive assessment of fetal anaemia and the investigation of structural malformations. Whilst there is no indication for routine Doppler examination in obstetric ultrasound, there are many specific indications, some of which are only relevant to tertiary level scans. However, application of Doppler in the assessment of suspected anomalies is appropriate in the routine setting in many situations. The techniques for examining blood flow in different fetal vessels are essentially the same as those employed for the umbilical artery. The fetus needs to be quiescent. The direction of flow in the vessel should be as near vertical to the transducer as possible, with the sampling gate being small enough to accommodate the vessel. Angle correction is not essential for assessment of resistance, but is required for absolute velocities. Care should be taken to avoid excess pressure with the transducer, particularly on the fetal head, as this does affect blood flow.

Percutaneous ultrasound guided thrombin injection: A new method for treating postcatheterization femoral pseudoaneurysms

Purpose: Since its introduction in 1991, ultrasound guided compression repair of postcatheterization femoral artery pseudoaneurysms has been shown to be effective. Disadvantages of ultrasound guided compression repair include patient discomfort during compression, inability to treat noncompressible pseudoaneurysms, prolonged use of ultrasound equipment and personnel, limited success with patients being treated with anticoagulants, and some early recurrences. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate a new method of treating femoral pseudoaneurysms, percutaneous ultrasound guided thrombin injection. Methods: Under duplex ultrasound guidance, a 22- or 25-gauge needle was percutaneously positioned within the pseudoaneurysm. Without compressing the pseudoaneurysm, 0.5 to 1 ml thrombin solution (1000 U/ml) was injected to induce thrombosis. Early in the study, the procedure was modified to allow more than one injection. After successful thrombosis, the patients were kept at rest in bed for at least 1 hour. Duplex ultrasound examination was repeated in 1 to 4 days. Distal pulses and ankle-brachial indexes were measured before and after the procedure. Results: Twenty of 21 consecutive pseudoaneurysms were successfully treated with thrombin injection. Fifteen pseudoaneurysms thrombosed immediately (<20 seconds) after one injection. The other five had partial thrombosis after one injection and complete thrombosis immediately after a second injection. The one failure occurred in a patient who had only one injection and then underwent subsequent ultrasound guided compression repair, which failed. No patient required sedation or analgesia during thrombin injection. There were no procedure-related complications and no recurrences. Conclusions: Percutaneous ultrasound guided thrombin injection appears to be a safe and expeditious method for treating postcatheterization femoral pseudoaneurysms. It has significant advantages with respect to ultrasound guided compression repair or surgical repair. (J Vasc Surg 1998;27:1032-8.)

Cleaning and disinfection protocol for external use of ultrasound equipment

Cleaning and disinfection protocol for external use of ultrasound equipment

Topical glucocorticoids with improved benefit/risk ratio: Do they exist?

Topical glucocorticoids are still among the dermatologicals most frequently used. This is due to their undebatable potency in inflammatory skin disease. Their use is limited by the fear of side effects both systemic and topical, especially skin atrophy. Hence, congeners with an increased benefit-risk ratio are urgently needed and research on new drugs no longer focuses on more active drugs but safer ones. Only recently, evidence has been forwarded that the goal is realistic. Some new glucocorticoids, especially the nonfluorinated double-ester type such as prednicarbate, appear promising. In fact, they seem to affect fibroblast growth in vitro as well as skin thickness in vivo less than equipotent conventional glucocorticoids. Pertinent findings in humans have been obtained with the use of ultrasound equipment. The relevant aspects of chemistry, pharmacology, clinical benefits, and toxicology of the various glucocorticoids old and new are reviewed, as are potential future alternatives.