Iterative reconstruction technique with reduced volume CT dose index: diagnostic accuracy in pediatric acute appendicitis

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Didier, Ryne A. [Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, DC7R, Portland, OR (United States); Vajtai, Petra L. [Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Pediatrics, Portland, OR (United States); Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, DC7R, Portland, OR (United States); Hopkins, Katharine L. [Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, DC7R, Portland, OR (United States); Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Pediatrics, Portland, OR (United States)

2014-07-05

Iterative reconstruction technique has been proposed as a means of reducing patient radiation dose in pediatric CT. Yet, the effect of such reductions on diagnostic accuracy has not been thoroughly evaluated. This study compares accuracy of diagnosing pediatric acute appendicitis using contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans performed with traditional pediatric weight-based protocols and filtered back projection reconstruction vs. a filtered back projection/iterative reconstruction technique blend with reduced volume CT dose index (CTDI{sub vol}). Results of pediatric contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans done for pain and/or suspected appendicitis were reviewed in two groups: A, 192 scans performed with the hospital's established weight-based CT protocols and filtered back projection reconstruction; B, 194 scans performed with iterative reconstruction technique and reduced CTDI{sub vol}. Reduced CTDI{sub vol} was achieved primarily by reductions in effective tube current-time product (mAs{sub eff}) and tube peak kilovoltage (kVp). CT interpretation was correlated with clinical follow-up and/or surgical pathology. CTDI{sub vol}, size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) and performance characteristics of the two CT techniques were then compared. Between groups A and B, mean CTDI{sub vol} was reduced by 45%, and mean SSDE was reduced by 46%. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were 96%, 97% and 96% in group A vs. 100%, 99% and 99% in group B. Accuracy in diagnosing pediatric acute appendicitis was maintained in contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT scans that incorporated iterative reconstruction technique, despite reductions in mean CTDI{sub vol} and SSDE by nearly half as compared to the hospital's traditional weight-based protocols. (orig.)

Pain over speed bumps in diagnosis of acute appendicitis: diagnostic accuracy study.

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Ashdown, Helen F; D'Souza, Nigel; Karim, Diallah; Stevens, Richard J; Huang, Andrew; Harnden, Anthony

2012-12-14

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of pain on travelling over speed bumps for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Prospective questionnaire based diagnostic accuracy study. Secondary care surgical assessment unit at a district general hospital in the UK. 101 patients aged 17-76 years referred to the on-call surgical team for assessment of possible appendicitis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios for pain over speed bumps in diagnosing appendicitis, with histological diagnosis of appendicitis as the reference standard. The analysis included 64 participants who had travelled over speed bumps on their journey to hospital. Of these, 34 had a confirmed histological diagnosis of appendicitis, 33 of whom reported increased pain over speed bumps. The sensitivity was 97% (95% confidence interval 85% to 100%), and the specificity was 30% (15% to 49%). The positive predictive value was 61% (47% to 74%), and the negative predictive value was 90% (56% to 100%). The likelihood ratios were 1.4 (1.1 to 1.8) for a positive test result and 0.1 (0.0 to 0.7) for a negative result. Speed bumps had a better sensitivity and negative likelihood ratio than did other clinical features assessed, including migration of pain and rebound tenderness. Presence of pain while travelling over speed bumps was associated with an increased likelihood of acute appendicitis. As a diagnostic variable, it compared favourably with other features commonly used in clinical assessment. Asking about speed bumps may contribute to clinical assessment and could be useful in telephone assessment of patients.

A systematic review on diagnostic accuracy of CT-based detection of significant coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janne d'Othee, Bertrand; Siebert, Uwe; Cury, Ricardo; Jadvar, Hossein; Dunn, Edward J.; Hoffmann, Udo

2008-01-01

Objectives: Systematic review of diagnostic accuracy of contrast enhanced coronary computed tomography (CE-CCT). Background: Noninvasive detection of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) by CE-CCT as an alternative to catheter-based coronary angiography (CCA) may improve patient management. Methods: Forty-one articles published between 1997 and 2006 were included that evaluated native coronary arteries for significant stenosis and used CE-CCT as diagnostic test and CCA as reference standard. Study group characteristics, study methodology and diagnostic outcomes were extracted. Pooled summary sensitivity and specificity of CE-CCT were calculated using a random effects model (1) for all coronary segments, (2) assessable segments, and (3) per patient. Results: The 41 studies totaled 2515 patients (75% males; mean age: 59 years, CAS prevalence: 59%). Analysis of all coronary segments yielded a sensitivity of 95% (80%, 89%, 86%, 98% for electron beam CT, 4/8-slice, 16-slice and 64-slice MDCT, respectively) for a specificity of 85% (77%, 84%, 95%, 91%). Analysis limited to segments deemed assessable by CT showed sensitivity of 96% (86%, 85%, 98%, 97%) for a specificity of 95% (90%, 96%, 96%, 96%). Per patient, sensitivity was 99% (90%, 97%, 99%, 98%) and specificity was 76% (59%, 81%, 83%, 92%). Heterogeneity was quantitatively important but not explainable by patient group characteristics or study methodology. Conclusions: Current diagnostic accuracy of CE-CCT is high. Advances in CT technology have resulted in increases in diagnostic accuracy and proportion of assessable coronary segments. However, per patient, accuracy may be lower and CT may have more limited clinical utility in populations at high risk for CAD

Diagnostic Accuracy of CT in Paediatric Intracranial Neoplastic Lesions - Radiologic and Pathologic Correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, A.

2011-01-01

The frequency of paediatric tumours in developing countries could be attributed to the increased percentage (39% of total population of children) in the overall population. Therefore, extensive researches should be under taken in the field of Paediatric Oncology in the third world. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the diagnostic accuracy of CT by comparing the pre-operative radiological findings of paediatric brain tumours with post-operative histopathological findings on the basis of characteristic radiological features of various tumours. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out in Radiology Dept, KEMU / Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Study was conducted over a period of 3 years from June 2005 till June 2008 and comprised of 100 cases of paediatric brain tumours up to 12 years of age. Cases were also collected from Mayo and Children Hospital, Lahore. Results: Topographically, supratentorial tumours were found more than infratentorial 55 : 45. Low grade were more common than high grade 73 : 27. The most common tumour was astrocytoma with 52 cases. Medulloblastoma ranked the second with 16 cases followed by craniopharyngioma with 12 cases. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of CT scan was found to be 83% when correlated with histopathology. CT proved fairly accurate in detection of paediatric intracranial neoplastic lesions. As CT is relatively commonly available inexpensive modality than MRI so it can be used as non invasive imaging modality. (author)

Consensus-based reporting standards for diagnostic test accuracy studies for paratuberculosis in ruminants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gardner, Ian A.; Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Whittington, Richard

2011-01-01

The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement (www.stard-statement.org) was developed to encourage complete and transparent reporting of key elements of test accuracy studies in human medicine. The statement was motivated by widespread evidence of bias in test accuracy...... studies and the finding that incomplete or absent reporting of items in the STARD checklist was associated with overly optimistic estimates of test performance characteristics. Although STARD principles apply broadly, specific guidelines do not exist to account for unique considerations in livestock...... for Reporting of Animal Diagnostic Accuracy Studies for paratuberculosis), should facilitate improved quality of reporting of the design, conduct and results of paratuberculosis test accuracy studies which were identified as “poor” in a review published in 2008 in Veterinary Microbiology...

Quality of reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies

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Smidt, N.; Rutjes, A.W.; Windt - Mens, van der D.A.W.M.; Ostelo, R.W.J.G.; Reitsma, J.B.; Bouter, L.M.; Vet, de H.C.W.

2005-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate quality of reporting in diagnostic accuracy articles published in 2000 in journals with impact factor of at least 4 by using items of Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement published later in 2003. MATERIALS AND METHODS: English-language articles on

Consensus based reporting standards for diagnostic test accuracy studies for paratuberculosis in ruminants.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gardner, I.A.; Nielsen, S.S.; Whittington, R.J.; Collins, M.T.; Bakker, D.; Harris, B.; Sreevatsan, S.; Lombard, J.E.; Sweeney, R.; Smith, D.R.; Gavalchin, J.; Eda, S.

2011-01-01

The Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement (www.stard-statement.org) was developed to encourage complete and transparent reporting of key elements of test accuracy studies in human medicine. The statement was motivated by widespread evidence of bias in test accuracy studies

Diagnostic accuracy of general physician versus emergency medicine specialist in interpretation of chest X-ray suspected for iatrogenic pneumothorax: a brief report

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Ghane Mohammad-reza

2012-03-01

Conclusion: These findings indicate that the diagnostic accuracy of emergency medicine specialists is significantly higher than those of general physicians. The diagnostic accuracy of both physician groups was higher than the values in similar studies that signifies the role of relevant training given in the emergency departments of the Hospital.

Systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy

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Leeflang, Mariska M G; Deeks, Jonathan J; Gatsonis, Constantine

2008-01-01

More and more systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies are being published, but they can be methodologically challenging. In this paper, the authors present some of the recent developments in the methodology for conducting systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy studies....... Restrictive electronic search filters are discouraged, as is the use of summary quality scores. Methods for meta-analysis should take into account the paired nature of the estimates and their dependence on threshold. Authors of these reviews are advised to use the hierarchical summary receiver...

Systematic Review of the Diagnostic Accuracy and Therapeutic Effectiveness of Sacroiliac Joint Interventions.

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Simopoulos, Thomas T; Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Gupta, Sanjeeva; Aydin, Steve M; Kim, Chong Hwan; Solanki, Daneshvari; Nampiaparampil, Devi E; Singh, Vijay; Staats, Peter S; Hirsch, Joshua A

2015-01-01

The sacroiliac joint is well known as a cause of low back and lower extremity pain. Prevalence estimates are 10% to 25% in patients with persistent axial low back pain without disc herniation, discogenic pain, or radiculitis based on multiple diagnostic studies and systematic reviews. However, at present there are no definitive management options for treating sacroiliac joint pain. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic effectiveness of sacroiliac joint interventions. A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic effectiveness of sacroiliac joint interventions. The available literature on diagnostic and therapeutic sacroiliac joint interventions was reviewed. The quality assessment criteria utilized were the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) checklist for diagnostic accuracy studies, Cochrane review criteria to assess sources of risk of bias, and Interventional Pain Management Techniques-Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment (IPM-QRB) criteria for randomized therapeutic trials and Interventional Pain Management Techniques-Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment for Nonrandomized Studies (IPM-QRBNR) for observational therapeutic assessments. The level of evidence was based on a best evidence synthesis with modified grading of qualitative evidence from Level I to Level V. Data sources included relevant literature published from 1966 through March 2015 that were identified through searches of PubMed and EMBASE, manual searches of the bibliographies of known primary and review articles, and all other sources. For the diagnostic accuracy assessment, and for the therapeutic modalities, the primary outcome measure of pain relief and improvement in functional status were utilized. A total of 11 diagnostic accuracy studies and 14 therapeutic studies were included. The evidence for diagnostic accuracy is Level II for dual diagnostic blocks with at least 70% pain relief as the criterion

Studies on the diagnostic accuracy of lymphography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luening, M.; Stargardt, A.; Abet, L.

1979-01-01

Contradictory reports in the literature on the reliability of lymphography stimulated the authors to test the diagnostic accuracy, employing methods which are approximately analogous to practice, using carcinoma of the cervix as the model on which the study was carried out. Using 21 observers it was found that there was no correlation between their experience and on-target accuracy of the diagnosis. Good observers obtained an accuracy of 85% with good proportions between sensitivity in the recognition of detail, specificity and readiness to arrive at a decision on the basis of discriminatory ability. With the help of the concept of the ROC curves, the position taken up by the observers in respect of diagnostic decisions, and a complex manner of assessing the various characteristic factors determining diagnostic accuracy, are demonstrated. This form of test, which permits manipulation of different variants of diagnosis, is recommended, among other things, for performance control at the end of training and continuing education courses in other fields of x-ray diagnosis as well. (orig.) [de

Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle biopsy in the management of thyroid pathology in the Hospital Mexico in 2011-2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elizondo Herrera, Luis Guillermo

2013-01-01

The nodule has been a very common thyroid pathology; through palpation is located in a 5% of the population and through ultrasound this figure has increased by almost 50%. The thyroid nodule has been the shape of presentation of thyroid cancer; the majority of times asymptomatic and most recently has shown without relation to the size of the nodule, 5 to 15% of thyroid nodules are malignant. This requires to classify clinically, to decide which patient requires surgical management. In Costa Rica, and especially in the CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social); It has had two tools for perform differentiation: ultrasound and FNA (fine needle aspiration biopsy). The diagnostic accuracy of these tests has allowed minimize thyroid surgeries in patients with benign nodules and sift patients with thyroid nodules into search for cancer of thyroid. Previous to routine use of FNA was resected only 14% of malignant nodules, now are resected more than 50%. The diagnostic accuracy of these tests is related to technical aspects and also with the structural and histological features of the lesions valued. The limitations and scope described have allowed to optimize the utilization of direct and indirect costs related to the management of patients with thyroid nodules and decrease morbidity in the management of thyroid pathology. The sensitivity and specificity of fine needle biopsy varies, as is noted in various publications, according to the reference center, has been quite reliable between 0.3 and 3 cm and is highly specific in the case of papillary carcinoma. The diagnostic accuracy of the test has never been studied in the Hospital Mexico. Of the total population for the period 2011-2012, it is documented that the FNA is a study of high specificity (95,5%), with value predictive negative and positive appropriate (>75%) and with an intermediate sensitivity (55,6%). The analysis of ultrasound and FNA as parallel testing has allowed greater sensitivity. The use of ultrasound

Diagnostic accuracy of liver fibrosis based on red cell distribution width (RDW) to platelet ratio with fibroscan in chronic hepatitis B

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Sembiring, J.; Jones, F.

2018-03-01

Red cell Distribution Width (RDW) and platelet ratio (RPR) can predict liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B with relatively high accuracy. RPR was superior to other non-invasive methods to predict liver fibrosis, such as AST and ALT ratio, AST and platelet ratio Index and FIB-4. The aim of this study was to assess diagnostic accuracy liver fibrosis by using RDW and platelets ratio in chronic hepatitis B patients based on compared with Fibroscan. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Adam Malik Hospital from January-June 2015. We examine 34 patients hepatitis B chronic, screen RDW, platelet, and fibroscan. Data were statistically analyzed. The result RPR with ROC procedure has an accuracy of 72.3% (95% CI: 84.1% - 97%). In this study, the RPR had a moderate ability to predict fibrosis degree (p = 0.029 with AUC> 70%). The cutoff value RPR was 0.0591, sensitivity and spesificity were 71.4% and 60%, Positive Prediction Value (PPV) was 55.6% and Negative Predictions Value (NPV) was 75%, positive likelihood ratio was 1.79 and negative likelihood ratio was 0.48. RPR have the ability to predict the degree of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients with moderate accuracy.

The Little Schmidy Pediatric Hospital Fall Risk Assessment Index: A diagnostic accuracy study.

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Franck, Linda S; Gay, Caryl L; Cooper, Bruce; Ezrre, Suzanne; Murphy, Barbette; Chan, June Shu-Ling; Buick, Maureen; Meer, Carrie R

2017-03-01

Falls are among the most common potentially preventable adverse events. Current pediatric falls risk assessment methods have poor precision and accuracy. To evaluate an inpatient pediatric fall risk assessment index, known as the Little Schmidy, and describe characteristics of pediatric falls. Retrospective case control and descriptive study. The dataset included 114 reported falls and 151,678 Little Schmidy scores documented in medical records during the 5-year study period (2007-2011). Pediatric medical and surgical inpatient units of an academic medical center in the western United States. Pediatric hospital inpatients fall risk each day and night shift throughout the patient's hospitalization. Conditional fixed-effects logistic regressions were used to examine predictive relationships between Little Schmidy scores (at admission, highest prior to fall, and just prior to fall) and the patient's fall status (fell or not). The sensitivity and specificity of different cut-off scores were explored. Associations between Little Schmidy scores and patient and hospitalization factors were examined using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression and multilevel mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression. Little Schmidy scores were significantly associated with pediatric falls (pfall risk with sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 49%. Patients with an LS4 score ≥1 were 4 times more likely to fall before the next assessment than patients with a score of 0. LS4 scores indicative of fall risk were associated with age ≥5 years, neurological diagnosis, multiple hospitalizations, and night shift, but not with sex, length of hospital stay, or hospital unit. Of the 114 reported falls, 64% involved a male patient, nearly one third (32%) involved adolescents (13-17 years), most resulted in no (59%) or mild (36%) injury, and most (54%) were related to diagnosis or clinical characteristics. For 60% of the falls, fall precautions had been implemented prior to the fall. The

Diagnostic Accuracy of Coronary CT Angiography for the Evaluation of Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Collet, Carlos; Chevalier, Bernard; Cequier, Angel

2018-01-01

: 44 to 90) and a specificity of 82% (95% CI: 75 to 87). The diagnostic accuracy of coronary CTA was similar to coronary angiography in its ability to identify patients with a significant lesion based on the IVUS criteria (p = 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary CTA has good diagnostic accuracy to detect in-scaffold...... luminal obstruction and to assess luminal dimensions after BVS implantation. Coronary angiography and coronary CTA yielded similar diagnostic accuracy to identify the presence and severity of obstructive disease. Coronary CTA might become the method of choice for the evaluation of patients treated......OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) for bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) evaluation. BACKGROUND: Coronary CTA has emerged as a noninvasive method to evaluate patients with suspected or established coronary artery disease...

Diagnostic accuracy of triage tests to exclude pulmonary embolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mac Gillavry, M. R.; Lijmer, J. G.; Sanson, B. J.; Büller, H. R.; Brandjes, D. P.

2001-01-01

We performed a study in 403 prospectively included patients with suspected pulmonary embolism to compare the accuracy of a combination of the SimpliRED D-dimer assay and an intuitive clinical probability estimate with either one alone. Based on a conjoint diagnostic refer, ence standard, including

Quantifying the Accuracy of a Diagnostic Test or Marker

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Linnet, Kristian; Bossuyt, Patrick M. M.; Moons, Karel G. M.; Reitsma, Johannes B. R.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: In recent years, increasing focus has been directed to the methodology for evaluating (new) tests or biomarkers. A key step in the evaluation of a diagnostic test is the investigation into its accuracy. CONTENT: We reviewed the literature on how to assess the accuracy of diagnostic

Improving diagnostic accuracy using agent-based distributed data mining system.

Science.gov (United States)

Sridhar, S

2013-09-01

The use of data mining techniques to improve the diagnostic system accuracy is investigated in this paper. The data mining algorithms aim to discover patterns and extract useful knowledge from facts recorded in databases. Generally, the expert systems are constructed for automating diagnostic procedures. The learning component uses the data mining algorithms to extract the expert system rules from the database automatically. Learning algorithms can assist the clinicians in extracting knowledge automatically. As the number and variety of data sources is dramatically increasing, another way to acquire knowledge from databases is to apply various data mining algorithms that extract knowledge from data. As data sets are inherently distributed, the distributed system uses agents to transport the trained classifiers and uses meta learning to combine the knowledge. Commonsense reasoning is also used in association with distributed data mining to obtain better results. Combining human expert knowledge and data mining knowledge improves the performance of the diagnostic system. This work suggests a framework of combining the human knowledge and knowledge gained by better data mining algorithms on a renal and gallstone data set.

Accuracy of rockall score for in hospital re bleeding among cirrhotic patients with variceal bleed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asgher, S.; Saleem, M.K.

2015-01-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of Roc kall scoring system for predicting in-hospital re-ble- eding in cirrhotic patients presenting with variceal bleed. Material and Methods: This descriptive case series study was conducted at Department of Medicine Combined Military Hospital Lahore from December 2013 to May 2014. We included patients with liver cirrhosis who presented with upper GI bleeding and showed varices as the cause of bleeding on endoscopy. Clinical and endoscopic features were noted to calculate Rockall score. Patients with score < 2 and > 8 were included. After treating with appropriate pharmacological and endoscopic therapy, patients were followed for re-bleeding for 10 days. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values using 2 x 2 tables. Results: In the study, 175 patients were included. Mean age was 51.5 ± 1.22 years. Male to female ratio was 1.5 to 1.0 out of 175 patients, 157 patients (89.7%) were of low risk group (score = 2) while 18 patients (10.3%) were in high risk group (score > 8). In low risk group, re-bleeding occurred only in 2 patients (1.2%) while in high risk group, re-bleeding occurred in 14 patients (78%). Rockall score was found to have good diagnostic accuracy with sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 97.48%, positive predictive value of 77.8% and negative predictive value of 98.7%. Conclusion: In cases of variceal bleed, frequency of re-bleed is less in patients who are in low risk category with lower Rockall score and high in high risk patients with higher rockall score. The Rockall score has a good diagnostic accuracy in prediction of re-bleed in variceal bleeding. (author)

Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in hepatic tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazir, R.T.; Sharif, M.A.; Iqbal, M.; Amin, M.S.

2010-01-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in liver masses to isolate malignant from benign tumours and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from metastatic tumours. Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Histopathology, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, from June 2004 to June 2005. Methodology: All the patients with liver masses confirmed by ultrasonography, irrespective of age and gender, were included. Patients with inflammatory lesions were excluded from the study. Selected patients underwent fine-needle aspiration under ultrasound guidance followed by needle biopsy. The cytological slides were stained by haematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stain, while Papanicolaou's stain was employed in selective cases. Needle biopsy fragments were fixed in formalin followed by paraffin embedding and staining with H and E stain. Sensitivity and specificity of FNAC in the diagnosis of liver masses was determined using histological diagnosis on liver biopsy as gold standard. Results: There were one hundred subjects. The mean age at presentation was 55 +- 12 years with male to female ratio of 1.7:1. Cytological diagnosis in 19 cases was benign/non-neoplastic and 81 was malignant. Out of the latter, 49 (60.49%) were HCC and 32 (39.51%) were metastatic tumours on cytology. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC in the diagnosis of malignant lesions was 95.2%, 100% and 96% respectively using histological diagnosis on liver biopsy as gold standard. Sensitivity of FNAC to differentiate HCC from metastatic tumours in liver was 96% while specificity was 100% having a diagnostic accuracy of 97.5%. The discrepancy in cyto-histological comparison was mainly seen in well differentiated and poorly-differentiated HCCs. Conclusion: FNAC of the liver masses is a simple, safe, accurate, economical screening test without significant morbidity that can be used to identify the vast majority of

Diagnostic accuracy of the defining characteristics of the excessive fluid volume diagnosis in hemodialysis patients

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Maria Isabel da Conceição Dias Fernandes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the accuracy of the defining characteristics of the excess fluid volume nursing diagnosis of NANDA International, in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Method: this was a study of diagnostic accuracy, with a cross-sectional design, performed in two stages. The first, involving 100 patients from a dialysis clinic and a university hospital in northeastern Brazil, investigated the presence and absence of the defining characteristics of excess fluid volume. In the second step, these characteristics were evaluated by diagnostic nurses, who judged the presence or absence of the diagnosis. To analyze the measures of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Approval was given by the Research Ethics Committee under authorization No. 148.428. Results: the most sensitive indicator was edema and most specific were pulmonary congestion, adventitious breath sounds and restlessness. Conclusion: the more accurate defining characteristics, considered valid for the diagnostic inference of excess fluid volume in patients undergoing hemodialysis were edema, pulmonary congestion, adventitious breath sounds and restlessness. Thus, in the presence of these, the nurse may safely assume the presence of the diagnosis studied.

Diagnostic accuracy of percutaneous cytodiagnosis of hepatic masses, by ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asghar, F.; Riaz, S.

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, usefulness and limitations of ultrasound guided FNAC of hepatic masses. Design: Cross - sectional analytical (comparative study). Place and Duration: Department of histopathology, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Study period 1 year. Material and Methods: A total of 32 patients with solitary or multiple hepatic masses underwent FNAC from March 1999 to March 2000. Adequate aspirates were obtained in all these cases. Smears were stained with May-Grunwald Giemsa, Haematoxylin and Eosin and Papanicolaou stain. Needle biopsies from the same cases were also obtained and processed. These were stained with routine Haematoxylin and Eosin staining. The blood clots obtained during FNAC were fixed in 10% neu-tral buffered formalin. The histopathology of these blood clots was used for cases whose needle core biopsy was not available. The screened FNAC smears were divided into 3 categories i.e., benign (group - I), malignant (group - II), non-neoplastic / inflammatory lesions (including cysts and abscesses) (group - III). Results: Out of 32 cases, 6 were categorized as benign, 18 as malignant, and 8 as non-neoplastic inflammatory lesions. Three false negative diagnoses, including 1 for malignant tumour and 2 for benign tumours was obtained. There was 1 false positive diagnosis for malignancy. FNAC - histological correlation showed a 94.2% sensitivity and 92.3% diagnostic accuracy for malignant tumours, while benign tumours posed maximum diagnostic problems, giving a 66.67% sensitivity and 85.7% diagnostic accuracy. FNAC picked up correctly all the non-neoplastic lesions giving a 100% sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion: Majority of the malignant tumours can be categorized on FNAC, with a high degree of accuracy, while benign tumours should be subjected to biopsy, as there is a relatively greater possibility of false negative diagnosis. (author)

Diagnostic accuracy of sonoelastography in different diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iqra Manzoor

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sonoelastography in patients of primary and secondary health care settings. Google scholar, PubMed, Medline, Medscape, Wikipedia and NCBI were searched in October 2017 for all original studies and review articles to identify the relevant material. Two reviewers independently selected articles for evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of sonoelastography in different diseases based on titles and abstracts retrieved by the literature search. The accuracy of sonoelastography in different diseases was used as the index text, while B-mode sonography, micro pure imaging, surgery and histological findings were used as reference texts. Superficial lymph nodes, neck nodules, malignancy in thyroid nodules, benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes, thyroid nodules, prostate carcinoma, benign and malignant breast abnormalities, liver diseases, parotid and salivary gland masses, pancreatic masses, musculoskeletal diseases and renal disorders were target conditions. The data extracted by the two reviewers concerning selected study characteristics and results were presented in tables and figures. In total, 46 studies were found for breast masses, lymph nodes, prostate carcinoma, liver diseases, salivary and parotid gland diseases, pancreatic masses, musculoskeletal diseases and renal diseases, and the overall sensitivity of sonoelastography in diagnosing all these diseases was 83.14% while specificity was 81.41%. This literature review demonstrates that sonoelastography is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing different disorders of the body.

Diagnostic accuracy of an artificial neural network compared with statistical quantitation of myocardial perfusion images. A Japanese multicenter study

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Nakajima, Kenichi; Matsuo, Shinro [Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa (Japan); Kudo, Takashi [Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki (Japan); Nakata, Tomoaki [Hakodate Goryoukaku Hospital, Hakodate (Japan); Kiso, Keisuke [National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita (Japan); Kasai, Tokuo [Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, Hachioji (Japan); Taniguchi, Yasuyo [Hyogo Brain and Heart Center, Himeji (Japan); Momose, Mitsuru [Tokyo Women' s Medical University, Tokyo (Japan); Nakagawa, Masayasu [Akita City Hospital, Akita (Japan); Sarai, Masayoshi [Fujita Health University Hospital, Toyoake (Japan); Hida, Satoshi [Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo (Japan); Tanaka, Hirokazu [Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ibaraki (Japan); Yokoyama, Kunihiko [Public Central Hospital of Matto Ishikawa, Hakusan (Japan); Okuda, Koichi [Kanazawa Medical University, Kahoku (Japan); Edenbrandt, Lars [University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg (Sweden)

2017-12-15

Artificial neural networks (ANN) might help to diagnose coronary artery disease. This study aimed to determine whether the diagnostic accuracy of an ANN-based diagnostic system and conventional quantitation are comparable. The ANN was trained to classify potentially abnormal areas as true or false based on the nuclear cardiology expert interpretation of 1001 gated stress/rest {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI images at 12 hospitals. The diagnostic accuracy of the ANN was compared with 364 expert interpretations that served as the gold standard of abnormality for the validation study. Conventional summed stress/rest/difference scores (SSS/SRS/SDS) were calculated and compared with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. The ANN generated a better area under the ROC curves (AUC) than SSS (0.92 vs. 0.82, p < 0.0001), indicating better identification of stress defects. The ANN also generated a better AUC than SDS (0.90 vs. 0.75, p < 0.0001) for stress-induced ischemia. The AUC for patients with old myocardial infarction based on rest defects was 0.97 (0.91 for SRS, p = 0.0061), and that for patients with and without a history of revascularization based on stress defects was 0.94 and 0.90 (p = 0.0055 and p < 0.0001 vs. SSS, respectively). The SSS/SRS/SDS steeply increased when ANN values (probability of abnormality) were >0.80. The ANN was diagnostically accurate in various clinical settings, including that of patients with previous myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization. The ANN could help to diagnose coronary artery disease. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of an artificial neural network compared with statistical quantitation of myocardial perfusion images. A Japanese multicenter study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Kenichi; Matsuo, Shinro; Kudo, Takashi; Nakata, Tomoaki; Kiso, Keisuke; Kasai, Tokuo; Taniguchi, Yasuyo; Momose, Mitsuru; Nakagawa, Masayasu; Sarai, Masayoshi; Hida, Satoshi; Tanaka, Hirokazu; Yokoyama, Kunihiko; Okuda, Koichi; Edenbrandt, Lars

2017-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANN) might help to diagnose coronary artery disease. This study aimed to determine whether the diagnostic accuracy of an ANN-based diagnostic system and conventional quantitation are comparable. The ANN was trained to classify potentially abnormal areas as true or false based on the nuclear cardiology expert interpretation of 1001 gated stress/rest 99m Tc-MIBI images at 12 hospitals. The diagnostic accuracy of the ANN was compared with 364 expert interpretations that served as the gold standard of abnormality for the validation study. Conventional summed stress/rest/difference scores (SSS/SRS/SDS) were calculated and compared with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. The ANN generated a better area under the ROC curves (AUC) than SSS (0.92 vs. 0.82, p < 0.0001), indicating better identification of stress defects. The ANN also generated a better AUC than SDS (0.90 vs. 0.75, p < 0.0001) for stress-induced ischemia. The AUC for patients with old myocardial infarction based on rest defects was 0.97 (0.91 for SRS, p = 0.0061), and that for patients with and without a history of revascularization based on stress defects was 0.94 and 0.90 (p = 0.0055 and p < 0.0001 vs. SSS, respectively). The SSS/SRS/SDS steeply increased when ANN values (probability of abnormality) were >0.80. The ANN was diagnostically accurate in various clinical settings, including that of patients with previous myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization. The ANN could help to diagnose coronary artery disease. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy, incremental yield and prognostic value of Determine TB-LAM for routine diagnostic testing for tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients requiring acute hospital admission in South Africa: a prospective cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawn, Stephen D; Kerkhoff, Andrew D; Burton, Rosie; Schutz, Charlotte; Boulle, Andrew; Vogt, Monica; Gupta-Wright, Ankur; Nicol, Mark P; Meintjes, Graeme

2017-03-21

We previously reported that one-third of HIV-positive adults requiring medical admission to a South African district hospital had laboratory-confirmed tuberculosis (TB) and that almost two-thirds of cases could be rapidly diagnosed using Xpert MTB/RIF-testing of concentrated urine samples obtained on the first day of admission. Implementation of urine-based, routine, point-of-care TB screening is an attractive intervention that might be facilitated by use of a simple, low-cost diagnostic tool, such as the Determine TB-LAM lateral-flow rapid test for HIV-associated TB. Sputum, urine and blood samples were systematically obtained from unselected HIV-positive adults within 24 hours of admission to a South African township hospital. Additional clinical samples were obtained during hospitalization as clinically indicated. TB was defined by the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in any sample using Xpert MTB/RIF or liquid culture. The diagnostic yield, accuracy and prognostic value of urine-lipoarabinomannan (LAM) testing were determined, but urine-LAM results did not inform treatment decisions. Consecutive HIV-positive adult acute medical admissions not already receiving TB treatment (n = 427) were enrolled regardless of clinical presentation or symptoms. TB was diagnosed in 139 patients (TB prevalence 32.6%; median CD4 count 80 cells/μL). In the first 24 hours of admission, sputum (spot and/or induced) samples were obtained from 37.0% of patients and urine samples from 99.5% of patients (P < 0.001). The diagnostic yields from these specimens were 19.4% (n = 27/139) for sputum-microscopy, 26.6% (n = 37/139) for sputum-Xpert, 38.1% (n = 53/139) for urine-LAM and 52.5% (n = 73/139) for sputum-Xpert/urine-LAM combined (P < 0.01). Corresponding yields among patients with CD4 counts <100 cells/μL were 18.9%, 24.3%, 55.4% and 63.5%, respectively (P < 0.01). The diagnostic yield of urine-LAM was unrelated to respiratory symptoms, and

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasound in Determining the Cause of Bilious Vomiting in Neonates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alehossein, Mehdi; Abdi, Siamak; Pourgholami, Mohammad; Naseri, Mohsen; Salamati, Payman

2012-01-01

Plain radiography and contrast radiologic studies are traditionally the main options in evaluating neonates presenting with bilious vomiting. While ultrasonography (US) is more available, its diagnostic accuracy is in question. The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of US in evaluating these patients with bilious vomiting. All neonates with bilious vomiting or bilious nasogastric tube drainage presented to a children’s hospital in a 1.5-year period were included. US were performed in all patients. The results were compared with clinical and radiological data and the final diagnosis. We used chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests for analysis. The cause of bilious vomiting for 18 of the 23 included patients was surgical. All patients labeled as surgical candidates by US ended in surgery [positive predictive value (PPV) = 100%], while only 50% of the patients with inconclusive US were operated [negative predictive value (NPV) = 50%, Confidence Interval (CI) 95%: 29%-71%]. The sensitivity and specificity of US in diagnosing intestinal atresia (n = 9) was 89% [CI 95%: (68% - 100%)] and 100%. In cases with malrotation (n = 4) and midgut volvulus (n = 2), sonographic diagnosis was in concordance with final surgical diagnosis. This study suggested that in cases in which US makes a certain diagnosis, its accuracy eliminates the need for further diagnostic tests, but if it is inconclusive, further radiological contrast studies should be tried to make the final diagnosis

Diagnostic Accuracy of MRI-guided Percutaneous Transthoracic Needle Biopsy of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules

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Liu, Shangang, E-mail: 1198685580@qq.com [University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Science, Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, School of Medicine and Life Sciences (China); Li, Chengli, E-mail: chenglilichina@yeah.net [Shandong University, Department of Interventional MRI, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute (China); Yu, Xuejuan, E-mail: yuxuejuan2011@126.com [University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Science, Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, School of Medicine and Life Sciences (China); Liu, Ming, E-mail: mingliuyxs@163.com [Shandong University, Department of Interventional MRI, Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute (China); Fan, Tingyong, E-mail: FTY681105@sohu.com; Chen, Dong, E-mail: 857984870@qq.com; Zhang, Pinliang, E-mail: zhangpinliang@163.com; Ren, Ruimei, E-mail: liusg708@qq.com [University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Science, Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, School of Medicine and Life Sciences (China)

2015-04-15

ObjectiveThe purpose of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs).MethodsRetrospective review of 69 patients who underwent MR-guided PTNB of SPNs was performed. Each case was reviewed for complications. The final diagnosis was established by surgical pathology of the nodule or clinical and imaging follow-up. Pneumothorax rate and diagnostic accuracy were compared between two groups according to nodule diameter (≤2 vs. >2 cm) using χ{sup 2} chest and Fisher’s exact test, respectively.ResultsThe success rate of single puncture was 95.6 %. Twelve (17.4 %) patients had pneumothorax, with 1 (1.4 %) requiring chest tube insertion. Mild hemoptysis occurred in 7 (7.2 %) patients. All of the sample material was sufficient for histological diagnostic evaluation. Pathological analysis of biopsy specimens showed 46 malignant, 22 benign, and 1 nondiagnostic nodule. The final diagnoses were 49 malignant nodules and 20 benign nodules basing on postoperative histopathology and clinical follow-up data. One nondiagnostic sample was excluded from calculating diagnostic performance. A sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in diagnosing SPNs were 95.8, 100, 97.0, 100, and 90.9 %, respectively. Pneumothorax rate, diagnostic sensitivity, and accuracy were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionsMRI-guided PTNB is safe, feasible, and high accurate diagnostic technique for pathologic diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.

Diagnostic accuracy of language sample measures with Persian-speaking preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemi, Yalda; Klee, Thomas; Stringer, Helen

2015-04-01

This study examined the diagnostic accuracy of selected language sample measures (LSMs) with Persian-speaking children. A pre-accuracy study followed by phase I and II studies are reported. Twenty-four Persian-speaking children, aged 42 to 54 months, with primary language impairment (PLI) were compared to 27 age-matched children without PLI on a set of measures derived from play-based, conversational language samples. Results showed that correlations between age and LSMs were not statistically significant in either group of children. However, a majority of LSMs differentiated children with and without PLI at the group level (phase I), while three of the measures exhibited good diagnostic accuracy at the level of the individual (phase II). We conclude that general LSMs are promising for distinguishing between children with and without PLI. Persian-specific measures are mainly helpful in identifying children without language impairment while their ability to identify children with PLI is poor.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Chinese Medicine Diagnosis Scale of Phlegm and Blood Stasis Syndrome in Coronary Heart Disease: A Study Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiao-Qi; Peng, Dan-Hong; Wang, Yan-Ping; Xie, Rong; Chen, Xin-Lin; Yu, Chun-Quan; Li, Xian-Tao

2018-05-03

Phlegm and blood stasis syndrome (PBSS) is one of the main syndromes in coronary heart disease (CHD). Syndromes of Chinese medicine (CM) are lack of quantitative and easyimplementation diagnosis standards. To quantify and standardize the diagnosis of PBSS, scales are usually applied. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CM diagnosis scale of PBSS in CHD. Six hundred patients with stable angina pectoris of CHD, 300 in case group and 300 in control group, will be recruited from 5 hospitals across China. Diagnosis from 2 experts will be considered as the "gold standard". The study design consists of 2 phases: pilot test is used to evaluate the reliability and validity, and diagnostic test is used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the scale, including sensitivity, specififi city, likelihood ratio and area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. This study will evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CM diagnosis scale of PBSS in CHD. The consensus of 2 experts may not be ideal as a "gold standard", and itself still requires further study. (No. ChiCTR-OOC-15006599).

Efficient strategies to find diagnostic test accuracy studies in kidney journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogerson, Thomas E; Ladhani, Maleeka; Mitchell, Ruth; Craig, Jonathan C; Webster, Angela C

2015-08-01

Nephrologists looking for quick answers to diagnostic clinical questions in MEDLINE can use a range of published search strategies or Clinical Query limits to improve the precision of their searches. We aimed to evaluate existing search strategies for finding diagnostic test accuracy studies in nephrology journals. We assessed the accuracy of 14 search strategies for retrieving diagnostic test accuracy studies from three nephrology journals indexed in MEDLINE. Two investigators hand searched the same journals to create a reference set of diagnostic test accuracy studies to compare search strategy results against. We identified 103 diagnostic test accuracy studies, accounting for 2.1% of all studies published. The most specific search strategy was the Narrow Clinical Queries limit (sensitivity: 0.20, 95% CI 0.13-0.29; specificity: 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-0.99). Using the Narrow Clinical Queries limit, a searcher would need to screen three (95% CI 2-6) articles to find one diagnostic study. The most sensitive search strategy was van der Weijden 1999 Extended (sensitivity: 0.95; 95% CI 0.89-0.98; specificity 0.55, 95% CI 0.53-0.56) but required a searcher to screen 24 (95% CI 23-26) articles to find one diagnostic study. Bachmann 2002 was the best balanced search strategy, which was sensitive (0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.94), but also specific (0.74, 95% CI 0.73-0.75), with a number needed to screen of 15 (95% CI 14-17). Diagnostic studies are infrequently published in nephrology journals. The addition of a strategy for diagnostic studies to a subject search strategy in MEDLINE may reduce the records needed to screen while preserving adequate search sensitivity for routine clinical use. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Overinterpretation and misreporting of diagnostic accuracy studies: evidence of "spin".

Science.gov (United States)

Ochodo, Eleanor A; de Haan, Margriet C; Reitsma, Johannes B; Hooft, Lotty; Bossuyt, Patrick M; Leeflang, Mariska M G

2013-05-01

To estimate the frequency of distorted presentation and overinterpretation of results in diagnostic accuracy studies. MEDLINE was searched for diagnostic accuracy studies published between January and June 2010 in journals with an impact factor of 4 or higher. Articles included were primary studies of the accuracy of one or more tests in which the results were compared with a clinical reference standard. Two authors scored each article independently by using a pretested data-extraction form to identify actual overinterpretation and practices that facilitate overinterpretation, such as incomplete reporting of study methods or the use of inappropriate methods (potential overinterpretation). The frequency of overinterpretation was estimated in all studies and in a subgroup of imaging studies. Of the 126 articles, 39 (31%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 23, 39) contained a form of actual overinterpretation, including 29 (23%; 95% CI: 16, 30) with an overly optimistic abstract, 10 (8%; 96% CI: 3%, 13%) with a discrepancy between the study aim and conclusion, and eight with conclusions based on selected subgroups. In our analysis of potential overinterpretation, authors of 89% (95% CI: 83%, 94%) of the studies did not include a sample size calculation, 88% (95% CI: 82%, 94%) did not state a test hypothesis, and 57% (95% CI: 48%, 66%) did not report CIs of accuracy measurements. In 43% (95% CI: 34%, 52%) of studies, authors were unclear about the intended role of the test, and in 3% (95% CI: 0%, 6%) they used inappropriate statistical tests. A subgroup analysis of imaging studies showed 16 (30%; 95% CI: 17%, 43%) and 53 (100%; 95% CI: 92%, 100%) contained forms of actual and potential overinterpretation, respectively. Overinterpretation and misreporting of results in diagnostic accuracy studies is frequent in journals with high impact factors. http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.12120527/-/DC1. © RSNA, 2013.

Mammography: Technique and diagnostic accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chung Ja; Bahk, Yong Whee; Lee, Don Young

1974-01-01

Mammography is now in world wide use, But this has received rather scanty attention in Korea. The purposes of the present communication are twofold: (1) Detailing of technical and photographic aspects of mam in ography and (2) an assessment of its diagnostic accuracy as experienced by us. The clinical materials consisted of 88 cases of mammography performed at the Department of Radiology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College during the 2 years-period from April 1972. We used nonscreen type mammographic or industrial fine- grain films, and a special mammographic device that can be attached to any of the ordinary radiographic machine. Technical factors are shown in Table II. Of 88 cases 19 were operated on or biopsied. There were 7 cases of carcinoma. 8 cases of inflammatory diseases, and 4 cases of benign tumor. Mammographic diagnosis was correct in 85.7% of carcinoma and 87.5% of inflammatory diseases. One misdiagnosis of 7 cases of carcinoma was turned out to be cystosarcoma phylloides. Of 4 cases of benign tumors 2 were correctly diagnosed, and the other 2 mistaken for either inflammatory disease or simple lactating breast. However, none of the benign conditions were diagnosed as malignant process. We found that nonscreen type mammographic or industrial fine-grain films, and hand-processing were necessary in obtaining the mammograms of desirable quality

Diagnostic accuracy research in glaucoma is still incompletely reported: An application of Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD 2015.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuele Michelessi

Full Text Available Research has shown a modest adherence of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA studies in glaucoma to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD. We have applied the updated 30-item STARD 2015 checklist to a set of studies included in a Cochrane DTA systematic review of imaging tools for diagnosing manifest glaucoma.Three pairs of reviewers, including one senior reviewer who assessed all studies, independently checked the adherence of each study to STARD 2015. Adherence was analyzed on an individual-item basis. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of publication year and impact factor on adherence.We included 106 DTA studies, published between 2003-2014 in journals with a median impact factor of 2.6. Overall adherence was 54.1% for 3,286 individual rating across 31 items, with a mean of 16.8 (SD: 3.1; range 8-23 items per study. Large variability in adherence to reporting standards was detected across individual STARD 2015 items, ranging from 0 to 100%. Nine items (1: identification as diagnostic accuracy study in title/abstract; 6: eligibility criteria; 10: index test (a and reference standard (b definition; 12: cut-off definitions for index test (a and reference standard (b; 14: estimation of diagnostic accuracy measures; 21a: severity spectrum of diseased; 23: cross-tabulation of the index and reference standard results were adequately reported in more than 90% of the studies. Conversely, 10 items (3: scientific and clinical background of the index test; 11: rationale for the reference standard; 13b: blinding of index test results; 17: analyses of variability; 18; sample size calculation; 19: study flow diagram; 20: baseline characteristics of participants; 28: registration number and registry; 29: availability of study protocol; 30: sources of funding were adequately reported in less than 30% of the studies. Only four items showed a statistically significant improvement over time: missing data (16, baseline

Comparative diagnostic accuracy in virtual dermatopathology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mooney, E.; Hood, A.F.; Lampros, J.

2011-01-01

studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy and acceptability of virtual slides compared to traditional glass slides. Methods: Ten Nordic dermatopathologists and pathologists were given a randomized combination of 20 virtual and glass slides and asked to identify the diagnoses. They were then asked to give...... their impressions about the virtual images. Descriptive data analysis and comparison of groups using Fisher's exact test were performed. Objective: To compare the diagnostic ability of dermatopathologists and pathologists in two image formats: the traditional (glass) microscopic slides, and whole mount digitized...... of virtual or glass slides did not affect the percentage of questions answered correctly. Seven of nine participants completing the questionnaire, felt virtual microscopy is useful for both learning and testing. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the participants' diagnostic ability using...

Methodological quality of diagnostic accuracy studies on non-invasive coronary CT angiography: influence of QUADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies included in systematic reviews) items on sensitivity and specificity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schueler, Sabine; Walther, Stefan; Schuetz, Georg M.; Schlattmann, Peter; Dewey, Marc

2013-01-01

To evaluate the methodological quality of diagnostic accuracy studies on coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography using the QUADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies included in systematic reviews) tool. Each QUADAS item was individually defined to adapt it to the special requirements of studies on coronary CT angiography. Two independent investigators analysed 118 studies using 12 QUADAS items. Meta-regression and pooled analyses were performed to identify possible effects of methodological quality items on estimates of diagnostic accuracy. The overall methodological quality of coronary CT studies was merely moderate. They fulfilled a median of 7.5 out of 12 items. Only 9 of the 118 studies fulfilled more than 75 % of possible QUADAS items. One QUADAS item (''Uninterpretable Results'') showed a significant influence (P = 0.02) on estimates of diagnostic accuracy with ''no fulfilment'' increasing specificity from 86 to 90 %. Furthermore, pooled analysis revealed that each QUADAS item that is not fulfilled has the potential to change estimates of diagnostic accuracy. The methodological quality of studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive coronary CT is only moderate and was found to affect the sensitivity and specificity. An improvement is highly desirable because good methodology is crucial for adequately assessing imaging technologies. (orig.)

Methodological quality of diagnostic accuracy studies on non-invasive coronary CT angiography: influence of QUADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies included in systematic reviews) items on sensitivity and specificity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schueler, Sabine; Walther, Stefan; Schuetz, Georg M. [Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Charite Medical School, Department of Radiology, Berlin (Germany); Schlattmann, Peter [University Hospital of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Documentation, Jena (Germany); Dewey, Marc [Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Charite Medical School, Department of Radiology, Berlin (Germany); Charite, Institut fuer Radiologie, Berlin (Germany)

2013-06-15

To evaluate the methodological quality of diagnostic accuracy studies on coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography using the QUADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies included in systematic reviews) tool. Each QUADAS item was individually defined to adapt it to the special requirements of studies on coronary CT angiography. Two independent investigators analysed 118 studies using 12 QUADAS items. Meta-regression and pooled analyses were performed to identify possible effects of methodological quality items on estimates of diagnostic accuracy. The overall methodological quality of coronary CT studies was merely moderate. They fulfilled a median of 7.5 out of 12 items. Only 9 of the 118 studies fulfilled more than 75 % of possible QUADAS items. One QUADAS item (''Uninterpretable Results'') showed a significant influence (P = 0.02) on estimates of diagnostic accuracy with ''no fulfilment'' increasing specificity from 86 to 90 %. Furthermore, pooled analysis revealed that each QUADAS item that is not fulfilled has the potential to change estimates of diagnostic accuracy. The methodological quality of studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive coronary CT is only moderate and was found to affect the sensitivity and specificity. An improvement is highly desirable because good methodology is crucial for adequately assessing imaging technologies. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging vs autopsy—A systematic review

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Eriksson, Anders, E-mail: anders.eriksson@rmv.se [Section of Forensic Medicine, Dept of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, PO Box 7016, SE-907 12 Umeå (Sweden); Gustafsson, Torfinn [Section of Forensic Medicine, Dept of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, PO Box 7016, SE-907 12 Umeå (Sweden); Höistad, Malin; Hultcrantz, Monica [Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services, PO Box 3657, SE-103 59 Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm (Sweden); Jacobson, Stella; Mejare, Ingegerd [Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services, PO Box 3657, SE-103 59 Stockholm (Sweden); Persson, Anders [Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, SE-581 85, Linköping Sweden (Sweden)

2017-04-15

Highlights: • The search generated 340 possibly relevant publications, of which 49 were assessed as having high risk of bias and 22 as moderate risk. • Due to considerable heterogeneity of included studies it was impossible to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the various findings. • Future studies need larger materials and improved planning and methodological quality, preferentially from multi-center studies. - Abstract: Background Postmortem imaging has been used for more than a century as a complement to medico-legal autopsies. The technique has also emerged as a possible alternative to compensate for the continuous decline in the number of clinical autopsies. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging for various types of findings, we performed this systematic literature review. Data sources The literature search was performed in the databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library through January 7, 2015. Relevant publications were assessed for risk of bias using the QUADAS tool and were classified as low, moderate or high risk of bias according to pre-defined criteria. Autopsy and/or histopathology were used as reference standard. Findings The search generated 2600 abstracts, of which 340 were assessed as possibly relevant and read in full-text. After further evaluation 71 studies were finally included, of which 49 were assessed as having high risk of bias and 22 as moderate risk of bias. Due to considerable heterogeneity – in populations, techniques, analyses and reporting – of included studies it was impossible to combine data to get a summary estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of the various findings. Individual studies indicate, however, that imaging techniques might be useful for determining organ weights, and that the techniques seem superior to autopsy for detecting gas Conclusions and Implications In general, based on the current scientific literature, it was not possible to determine the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem

Diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging vs autopsy—A systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksson, Anders; Gustafsson, Torfinn; Höistad, Malin; Hultcrantz, Monica; Jacobson, Stella; Mejare, Ingegerd; Persson, Anders

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The search generated 340 possibly relevant publications, of which 49 were assessed as having high risk of bias and 22 as moderate risk. • Due to considerable heterogeneity of included studies it was impossible to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the various findings. • Future studies need larger materials and improved planning and methodological quality, preferentially from multi-center studies. - Abstract: Background Postmortem imaging has been used for more than a century as a complement to medico-legal autopsies. The technique has also emerged as a possible alternative to compensate for the continuous decline in the number of clinical autopsies. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging for various types of findings, we performed this systematic literature review. Data sources The literature search was performed in the databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library through January 7, 2015. Relevant publications were assessed for risk of bias using the QUADAS tool and were classified as low, moderate or high risk of bias according to pre-defined criteria. Autopsy and/or histopathology were used as reference standard. Findings The search generated 2600 abstracts, of which 340 were assessed as possibly relevant and read in full-text. After further evaluation 71 studies were finally included, of which 49 were assessed as having high risk of bias and 22 as moderate risk of bias. Due to considerable heterogeneity – in populations, techniques, analyses and reporting – of included studies it was impossible to combine data to get a summary estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of the various findings. Individual studies indicate, however, that imaging techniques might be useful for determining organ weights, and that the techniques seem superior to autopsy for detecting gas Conclusions and Implications In general, based on the current scientific literature, it was not possible to determine the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem

Diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level for post-neurosurgical bacterial meningitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Xiao, Xiong; Zhang, Junting; Gao, Zhixian; Ji, Nan; Zhang, Liwei

2017-06-01

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) lactate level for Post-neurosurgical Bacterial Meningitis (PBM) at a large sample-size of post-neurosurgical patients. The diagnostic accuracies of routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level to distinguish between PAM and PBM were evaluated with the values of the Area Under the Curve of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUC -ROC ) by retrospectively analyzing the datasets of post-neurosurgical patients in the clinical information databases. The diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations was relatively low (AUC -ROC CSF lactate level achieved rather high diagnostic accuracy (AUC -ROC =0.891; CI 95%, 0.852-0.922). The variables of patient age, operation duration, surgical diagnosis and postoperative days (the interval days between the neurosurgery and examinations) were shown to affect the diagnostic accuracy of these examinations. The variables were integrated with routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level by Fisher discriminant analysis to improve their diagnostic accuracy. As a result, the diagnostic accuracy of blood examinations and CSF lactate level was significantly improved with an AUC -ROC value=0.760 (CI 95%, 0.737-0.782) and 0.921 (CI 95%, 0.887-0.948) respectively. The PBM diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations was relatively low, whereas the accuracy of CSF lactate level was high. Some variables that are involved in the incidence of PBM can also affect the diagnostic accuracy for PBM. Taking into account the effects of these variables significantly improves the diagnostic accuracies of routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Validating a decision tree for serious infection: diagnostic accuracy in acutely ill children in ambulatory care.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbakel, Jan Y; Lemiengre, Marieke B; De Burghgraeve, Tine; De Sutter, An; Aertgeerts, Bert; Bullens, Dominique M A; Shinkins, Bethany; Van den Bruel, Ann; Buntinx, Frank

2015-08-07

Acute infection is the most common presentation of children in primary care with only few having a serious infection (eg, sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia). To avoid complications or death, early recognition and adequate referral are essential. Clinical prediction rules have the potential to improve diagnostic decision-making for rare but serious conditions. In this study, we aimed to validate a recently developed decision tree in a new but similar population. Diagnostic accuracy study validating a clinical prediction rule. Acutely ill children presenting to ambulatory care in Flanders, Belgium, consisting of general practice and paediatric assessment in outpatient clinics or the emergency department. Physicians were asked to score the decision tree in every child. The outcome of interest was hospital admission for at least 24 h with a serious infection within 5 days after initial presentation. We report the diagnostic accuracy of the decision tree in sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and predictive values. In total, 8962 acute illness episodes were included, of which 283 lead to admission to hospital with a serious infection. Sensitivity of the decision tree was 100% (95% CI 71.5% to 100%) at a specificity of 83.6% (95% CI 82.3% to 84.9%) in the general practitioner setting with 17% of children testing positive. In the paediatric outpatient and emergency department setting, sensitivities were below 92%, with specificities below 44.8%. In an independent validation cohort, this clinical prediction rule has shown to be extremely sensitive to identify children at risk of hospital admission for a serious infection in general practice, making it suitable for ruling out. NCT02024282. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A matter of accuracy. Nanobiochips in diagnostics and in research: ethical issues as value trade-offs.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Roux, Ronan

2015-04-01

The paper deals with the introduction of nanotechnology in biochips. Based on interviews and theoretical reflections, it explores blind spots left by technology assessment and ethical investigations. These have focused on possible consequences of increased diffusability of a diagnostic device, neglecting both the context of research as well as increased accuracy, despite it being a more essential feature of nanobiochip projects. Also, rather than one of many parallel aspects (technical, legal and social) in innovation processes, ethics is considered here as a ubiquitous system of choices between sometimes antagonistic values. Thus, the paper investigates what is at stake when accuracy is balanced with other practical values in different contexts. Dramatic nanotechnological increase of accuracy in biochips can raise ethical issues, since it is at odds with other values such as diffusability and reliability. But those issues will not be as revolutionary as is often claimed: neither in diagnostics, because accuracy of measurements is not accuracy of diagnostics; nor in research, because a boost in measurement accuracy is not sufficient to overcome significance-chasing malpractices. The conclusion extends to methodological recommendations.

Same-day diagnosis based on histology for women suspected of breast cancer: high diagnostic accuracy and favorable impact on the patient.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maarten W Barentsz

Full Text Available Same-day diagnosis based on histology is increasingly being offered to patients suspected of breast cancer. We evaluated to which extent same-day diagnosis affected diagnostic accuracy and patients' anxiety levels during the diagnostic phase.All 759 women referred for same-day evaluation of suspicious breast lesions between November 2011-March 2013 were included. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by linking all patients to the national pathology database to identify diagnostic discrepancies, in which case slides were reviewed. Patients' anxiety was measured in 127 patients by the State Trait and Anxiety Inventory on six moments during the diagnostic workup and changes over time (< = 1 week were analyzed by mixed effect models.Core-needle biopsy was indicated in 374/759 patients (49.3% and in 205/759 (27% patients, invasive or in situ cancer was found. Final diagnosis on the same day was provided for 606/759 (79.8% patients. Overall, 3/759 (0.4% discordant findings were identified. Anxiety levels decreased significantly over time from 45.2 to 30.0 (P = <0.001. Anxiety levels decreased from 44.4 to 25.9 (P = <0.001 for patients with benign disease, and remained unchanged for patients diagnosed with malignancies (48.6 to 46.7, P = 0.933. Time trends in anxiety were not affected by other patient or disease characteristics like age, education level or (family history of breast cancer.Same-day histological diagnosis is feasible in the vast majority of patients, without impairing diagnostic accuracy. Patients' anxiety rapidly decreased in patients with a benign diagnosis and remained constant in patients with malignancy.

Diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin in critically ill immunocompromised patients

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Legriel Stéphane

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recognizing infection is crucial in immunocompromised patients with organ dysfunction. Our objective was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT in critically ill immunocompromised patients. Methods This prospective, observational study included patients with suspected sepsis. Patients were classified into one of three diagnostic groups: no infection, bacterial sepsis, and nonbacterial sepsis. Results We included 119 patients with a median age of 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 42-68 years. The general severity (SAPSII and organ dysfunction (LOD scores on day 1 were 45 (35-62.7 and 4 (2-6, respectively, and overall hospital mortality was 32.8%. Causes of immunodepression were hematological disorders (64 patients, 53.8%, HIV infection (31 patients, 26%, and solid cancers (26 patients, 21.8%. Bacterial sepsis was diagnosed in 58 patients and nonbacterial infections in nine patients (7.6%; 52 patients (43.7% had no infection. PCT concentrations on the first ICU day were higher in the group with bacterial sepsis (4.42 [1.60-22.14] vs. 0.26 [0.09-1.26] ng/ml in patients without bacterial infection, P 0.5 ng/ml had 100% sensitivity but only 63% specificity for diagnosing bacterial sepsis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve was 0.851 (0.78-0.92. In multivariate analyses, PCT concentrations > 0.5 ng/ml on day 1 independently predicted bacterial sepsis (odds ratio, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.53-29.3; P = 0.0006. PCT concentrations were not significantly correlated with hospital mortality. Conclusion Despite limited specificity in critically ill immunocompromised patients, PCT concentrations may help to rule out bacterial infection.

Diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin in critically ill immunocompromised patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Bele, Nicolas; Darmon, Michael; Coquet, Isaline; Feugeas, Jean-Paul; Legriel, Stéphane; Adaoui, Nadir; Schlemmer, Benoît; Azoulay, Elie

2011-08-24

Recognizing infection is crucial in immunocompromised patients with organ dysfunction. Our objective was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) in critically ill immunocompromised patients. This prospective, observational study included patients with suspected sepsis. Patients were classified into one of three diagnostic groups: no infection, bacterial sepsis, and nonbacterial sepsis. We included 119 patients with a median age of 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 42-68 years). The general severity (SAPSII) and organ dysfunction (LOD) scores on day 1 were 45 (35-62.7) and 4 (2-6), respectively, and overall hospital mortality was 32.8%. Causes of immunodepression were hematological disorders (64 patients, 53.8%), HIV infection (31 patients, 26%), and solid cancers (26 patients, 21.8%). Bacterial sepsis was diagnosed in 58 patients and nonbacterial infections in nine patients (7.6%); 52 patients (43.7%) had no infection. PCT concentrations on the first ICU day were higher in the group with bacterial sepsis (4.42 [1.60-22.14] vs. 0.26 [0.09-1.26] ng/ml in patients without bacterial infection, P 0.5 ng/ml had 100% sensitivity but only 63% specificity for diagnosing bacterial sepsis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.851 (0.78-0.92). In multivariate analyses, PCT concentrations > 0.5 ng/ml on day 1 independently predicted bacterial sepsis (odds ratio, 8.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.53-29.3; P = 0.0006). PCT concentrations were not significantly correlated with hospital mortality. Despite limited specificity in critically ill immunocompromised patients, PCT concentrations may help to rule out bacterial infection.

Revolutionizing radiographic diagnostic accuracy in periodontics

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Brijesh Sharma

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Effective diagnostic accuracy has in some way been the missing link between periodontal diagnosis and treatment. Most of the clinicians rely on the conventional two-dimensional (2D radiographs. But being a 2D image, it has its own limitations. 2D images at times can give an incomplete picture about the severity or type of disease and can further affect the treatment plan. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT has a better potential for detecting periodontal bone defects with accuracy. The purpose here is to describe how CBCT imaging is beneficial in accurate diagnosis and will lead to a precise treatment plan.

Diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level for post-neurosurgical bacterial meningitis

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Yang Zhang

2017-06-01

Conclusions: The PBM diagnostic accuracy of routine blood examinations was relatively low, whereas the accuracy of CSF lactate level was high. Some variables that are involved in the incidence of PBM can also affect the diagnostic accuracy for PBM. Taking into account the effects of these variables significantly improves the diagnostic accuracies of routine blood examinations and CSF lactate level.

Diagnostic test accuracy of nutritional tools used to identify undernutrition in patients with colorectal cancer: a systematic review.

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Håkonsen, Sasja Jul; Pedersen, Preben Ulrich; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Kirkpatrick, Pamela

2015-05-15

Effective nutritional screening, nutritional care planning and nutritional support are essential in all settings, and there is no doubt that a health service seeking to increase safety and clinical effectiveness must take nutritional care seriously. Screening and early detection of malnutrition is crucial in identifying patients at nutritional risk. There is a high prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer. To synthesize the best available evidence regarding the diagnostic test accuracy of nutritional tools (sensitivity and specificity) used to identify malnutrition (specifically undernutrition) in patients with colorectal cancer (such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool and Nutritional Risk Index) compared to reference tests (such as the Subjective Global Assessment or Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment). Patients with colorectal cancer requiring either (or all) surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in secondary care. Focus of the review: The diagnostic test accuracy of validated assessment tools/instruments (such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool and Nutritional Risk Index) in the diagnosis of malnutrition (specifically under-nutrition) in patients with colorectal cancer, relative to reference tests (Subjective Global Assessment or Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment). Types of studies: Diagnostic test accuracy studies regardless of study design. Studies published in English, German, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian were considered for inclusion in this review. Databases were searched from their inception to April 2014. Methodological quality was determined using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies checklist. Data was collected using the data extraction form: the Standards for Reporting Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy checklist for the reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy. The accuracy of diagnostic tests is presented in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive

Diagnostic accuracy of insight intraoral film on dental caries

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Yoon, Young Nam; Lee, Byung Do [Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Rae [Kyunghee University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2004-03-15

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of Kodak Insight film with other intra-oral films in the detection of dental caries. Periapical radiographs of 99 extracted human teeth with sound proximal surfaces and interproximal artificial cavities were made on Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Kodak Insight films and automatically processed. Six dentists examined the presence of dental caries using a five-point confidence rating scale and compared the diagnostic accuracy by ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis and ANOVA test. The sensitivity of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.84, 0.77, 0.75 and 0.79 respectively. The specificity of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.97, 0.95, 0.96 and 0.94 respectively. The mean ROC areas (Az) of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.917, 0.910, 0.894, 0.909 respectively. There was no significant differences between Az of Insight film and other films (p = 0.178). Theses results suggested that Kodak Insight film have the comparative diagnostic accuracy of dental caries with Ultraspeed and Ektaspeed films. (77)

Diagnostic accuracy of insight intraoral film on dental caries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Young Nam; Lee, Byung Do; Lee, Sang Rae

2004-01-01

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of Kodak Insight film with other intra-oral films in the detection of dental caries. Periapical radiographs of 99 extracted human teeth with sound proximal surfaces and interproximal artificial cavities were made on Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Kodak Insight films and automatically processed. Six dentists examined the presence of dental caries using a five-point confidence rating scale and compared the diagnostic accuracy by ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis and ANOVA test. The sensitivity of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.84, 0.77, 0.75 and 0.79 respectively. The specificity of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.97, 0.95, 0.96 and 0.94 respectively. The mean ROC areas (Az) of Kodak Ultra speed, Ektaspeed, Agfa Ektaspeed and Insight film were 0.917, 0.910, 0.894, 0.909 respectively. There was no significant differences between Az of Insight film and other films (p = 0.178). Theses results suggested that Kodak Insight film have the comparative diagnostic accuracy of dental caries with Ultraspeed and Ektaspeed films. (77)

Diagnostic Accuracy of Recombinant Immunoglobulin-like Protein A-Based IgM ELISA for the Early Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in the Philippines.

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Emi Kitashoji

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important but largely under-recognized public health problem in the tropics. Establishment of highly sensitive and specific laboratory diagnosis is essential to reveal the magnitude of problem and to improve treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a recombinant LigA protein based IgM ELISA during outbreaks in the clinical-setting of a highly endemic country.A prospective study was conducted from October 2011 to September 2013 at a national referral hospital for infectious diseases in Manila, Philippines. Patients who were hospitalized with clinically suspected leptospirosis were enrolled. Plasma and urine were collected on admission and/or at discharge and tested using the LigA-IgM ELISA and a whole cell-based IgM ELISA. Sensitivity and specificity of these tests were evaluated with cases diagnosed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT, culture and LAMP as the composite reference standard and blood bank donors as healthy controls: the mean+3 standard deviation optical density value of healthy controls was used as the cut-off limit (0.062 for the LigA-IgM ELISA and 0.691 for the whole cell-based IgM ELISA. Of 304 patients enrolled in the study, 270 (89.1% were male and the median age was 30.5 years; 167 (54.9% were laboratory confirmed. The sensitivity and ROC curve AUC for the LigA-IgM ELISA was significantly greater than the whole cell-based IgM ELISA (69.5% vs. 54.3%, p<0.01; 0.90 vs. 0.82, p<0.01 on admission, but not at discharge. The specificity of LigA-IgM ELISA and whole cell-based IgM ELISA were not significantly different (98% vs. 97%. Among 158 MAT negative patients, 53 and 28 were positive by LigA- and whole cell-based IgM ELISA, respectively; if the laboratory confirmation was re-defined by LigA-IgM ELISA and LAMP, the clinical findings were more characteristic of leptospirosis than the diagnosis based on MAT/culture/LAMP.The newly developed LigA-IgM ELISA is more sensitive than the

Diagnostic Accuracy of Global Pharma Health Fund Minilab™ in Assessing Pharmacopoeial Quality of Antimicrobials.

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Pan, Hui; Ba-Thein, William

2018-01-01

Global Pharma Health Fund (GPHF) Minilab™, a semi-quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC)-based commercially available test kit, is widely used in drug quality surveillance globally, but its diagnostic accuracy is unclear. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of Minilab system for antimicrobials, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as reference standard. Following the Minilab protocols and the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China protocols, Minilab-TLC and HPLC were used to test five common antimicrobials (506 batches) for relative concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The prevalence of poor-quality antimicrobials determined, respectively, by Minilab TLC and HPLC was amoxicillin (0% versus 14.9%), azithromycin (0% versus 17.4%), cefuroxime axetil (14.3% versus 0%), levofloxacin (0% versus 3.0%), and metronidazole (0% versus 38.0%). The Minilab TLC had false-positive and false-negative detection rates of 2.6% (13/506) and 15.2% (77/506) accordingly, resulting in the following test characteristics: sensitivity 0%, specificity 97.0%, positive predictive value 0, negative predictive value 0.8, positive likelihood ratio 0, negative likelihood ratio 1.0, diagnostic odds ratio 0, and adjusted diagnostic odds ratio 0.2. This study demonstrates unsatisfying diagnostic accuracy of Minilab system in screening poor-quality antimicrobials of common use. Using Minilab as a stand-alone system for monitoring drug quality should be reconsidered.

Diagnostic accuracy of temporomandibular disorder pain tests: a multicenter study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visscher, C.M.; Naeije, M.; de Laat, A.; Michelotti, A.; Nilner, M.; Craane, B.; Ekberg, E.; Farella, M.; Lobbezoo, F.

2009-01-01

AIMS: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) clinical examination and of the dynamic/static tests for the recognition of TMD pain. Since the diagnosis of TMD pain is especially complicated in persistent orofacial pain

Collaboration between radiological technologists (radiographers) and junior doctors during image interpretation improves the accuracy of diagnostic decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, B.S.; Rainford, L.A.; Gray, J.; McEntee, M.F.

2012-01-01

Rationale and Objectives: In Emergency Departments (ED) junior doctors regularly make diagnostic decisions based on radiographic images. This study investigates whether collaboration between junior doctors and radiographers impacts on diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods: Research was carried out in the ED of a university teaching hospital and included 10 pairs of participants. Radiographers and junior doctors were shown 42 wrist radiographs and 40 CT Brains and were asked for their level of confidence of the presence or absence of distal radius fractures or fresh intracranial bleeds respectively using ViewDEX software, first working alone and then in pairs. Receiver Operating Characteristic was used to analyze performance. Results were compared using one-way analysis of variance. Results: The results showed statistically significant improvements in the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the junior doctors when working with the radiographers for both sets of images (wrist and CT) treated as random readers and cases (p ≤ 0.008 and p ≤ 0.0026 respectively). While the radiographers’ results saw no significant changes, their mean Az values did show an increasing trend when working in collaboration. Conclusion: Improvement in performance of junior doctors following collaboration strongly suggests changes in the potential to improve accuracy of patient diagnosis and therefore patient care. Further training for junior doctors in the interpretation of diagnostic images should also be considered. Decision making of junior doctors was positively impacted on after introducing the opinion of a radiographer. Collaboration exceeds the sum of the parts; the two professions are better together.

Estimating the true accuracy of diagnostic tests for dengue infection using bayesian latent class models.

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Wirichada Pan-ngum

Full Text Available Accuracy of rapid diagnostic tests for dengue infection has been repeatedly estimated by comparing those tests with reference assays. We hypothesized that those estimates might be inaccurate if the accuracy of the reference assays is not perfect. Here, we investigated this using statistical modeling.Data from a cohort study of 549 patients suspected of dengue infection presenting at Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Sri Lanka, that described the application of our reference assay (a combination of Dengue IgM antibody capture ELISA and IgG antibody capture ELISA and of three rapid diagnostic tests (Panbio NS1 antigen, IgM antibody and IgG antibody rapid immunochromatographic cassette tests were re-evaluated using bayesian latent class models (LCMs. The estimated sensitivity and specificity of the reference assay were 62.0% and 99.6%, respectively. Prevalence of dengue infection (24.3%, and sensitivities and specificities of the Panbio NS1 (45.9% and 97.9%, IgM (54.5% and 95.5% and IgG (62.1% and 84.5% estimated by bayesian LCMs were significantly different from those estimated by assuming that the reference assay was perfect. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for a combination of NS1, IgM and IgG cassette tests on admission samples were 87.0%, 82.8%, 62.0% and 95.2%, respectively.Our reference assay is an imperfect gold standard. In our setting, the combination of NS1, IgM and IgG rapid diagnostic tests could be used on admission to rule out dengue infection with a high level of accuracy (NPV 95.2%. Further evaluation of rapid diagnostic tests for dengue infection should include the use of appropriate statistical models.

Towards complete and accurate reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy: The STARD initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bossuyt, P.M.; Reitsma, J.B.; Bruns, D.E.; Gatsonis, C.A.; Glasziou, P.P.; Irwig, L.M.; Lijmer, J.G.; Moher, D.; Rennie, D.; Vet, H.C.W. de

2003-01-01

AIM: To improve the accuracy and completeness of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy in order to allow readers to assess the potential for bias in a study and to evaluate the general isability of its results. METHODS: The standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy (STARD) steering committee searched the literature to identify publications on the appropriate conduct and reporting of diagnostic studies and extracted potential items into an extensive list. Researchers, editors, and members of professional organisations shortened this list during a 2 day consensus meeting with the goal of developing a checklist and a generic flow diagram for studies of diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: The search for published guidelines about diagnostic research yielded 33 previously published checklists, from which we extracted a list of 75 potential items. At the consensus meeting, participants shortened the list to a 25-item checklist, by using evidence whenever available. A prototype of a flow diagram provides information about the method of recruitment of patients, the order of test execution and the numbers of patients undergoing the test under evaluation, the reference standard, or both. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of research depends on complete and accurate reporting. If medical journals adopt the checklist and the flow diagram, the quality of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy should improve to the advantage of clinicians, researchers, reviewers, journals, and the public

An ROC-type measure of diagnostic accuracy when the gold standard is continuous-scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Obuchowski, Nancy A

2006-02-15

ROC curves and summary measures of accuracy derived from them, such as the area under the ROC curve, have become the standard for describing and comparing the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Methods for estimating ROC curves rely on the existence of a gold standard which dichotomizes patients into disease present or absent. There are, however, many examples of diagnostic tests whose gold standards are not binary-scale, but rather continuous-scale. Unnatural dichotomization of these gold standards leads to bias and inconsistency in estimates of diagnostic accuracy. In this paper, we propose a non-parametric estimator of diagnostic test accuracy which does not require dichotomization of the gold standard. This estimator has an interpretation analogous to the area under the ROC curve. We propose a confidence interval for test accuracy and a statistical test for comparing accuracies of tests from paired designs. We compare the performance (i.e. CI coverage, type I error rate, power) of the proposed methods with several alternatives. An example is presented where the accuracies of two quick blood tests for measuring serum iron concentrations are estimated and compared.

BRIEF REPORT: Beyond Clinical Experience: Features of Data Collection and Interpretation That Contribute to Diagnostic Accuracy

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Nendaz, Mathieu R; Gut, Anne M; Perrier, Arnaud; Louis-Simonet, Martine; Blondon-Choa, Katherine; Herrmann, François R; Junod, Alain F; Vu, Nu V

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND Clinical experience, features of data collection process, or both, affect diagnostic accuracy, but their respective role is unclear. OBJECTIVE, DESIGN Prospective, observational study, to determine the respective contribution of clinical experience and data collection features to diagnostic accuracy. METHODS Six Internists, 6 second year internal medicine residents, and 6 senior medical students worked up the same 7 cases with a standardized patient. Each encounter was audiotaped and immediately assessed by the subjects who indicated the reasons underlying their data collection. We analyzed the encounters according to diagnostic accuracy, information collected, organ systems explored, diagnoses evaluated, and final decisions made, and we determined predictors of diagnostic accuracy by logistic regression models. RESULTS Several features significantly predicted diagnostic accuracy after correction for clinical experience: early exploration of correct diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 24.35) or of relevant diagnostic hypotheses (OR 2.22) to frame clinical data collection, larger number of diagnostic hypotheses evaluated (OR 1.08), and collection of relevant clinical data (OR 1.19). CONCLUSION Some features of data collection and interpretation are related to diagnostic accuracy beyond clinical experience and should be explicitly included in clinical training and modeled by clinical teachers. Thoroughness in data collection should not be considered a privileged way to diagnostic success. PMID:17105525

Review: Diagnostic accuracy of PCR-based detection tests for Helicobacter Pylori in stool samples.

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Khadangi, Fatemeh; Yassi, Maryam; Kerachian, Mohammad Amin

2017-12-01

Although different methods have been established to detect Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, identifying infected patients is an ongoing challenge. The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide pooled diagnostic accuracy measures for stool PCR test in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out on various sources, including MEDLINE, Web of Sciences, and the Cochrane Library from April 1, 1999, to May 1, 2016. This meta-analysis adheres to the guidelines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses report (PRISMA Statement). The clinical value of DNA stool PCR test was based on the pooled false positive, false negative, true positive, and true negative of different genes. Twenty-six of 328 studies identified met the eligibility criteria. Stool PCR test had a performance of 71% (95% CI: 68-73) sensitivity, 96% (95% CI: 94-97) specificity, and 65.6 (95% CI: 30.2-142.5) diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) in diagnosis of H. pylori. The DOR of genes which showed the highest performance of stool PCR tests was as follows: 23S rRNA 152.5 (95% CI: 55.5-418.9), 16S rRNA 67.9 (95%CI: 6.4-714.3), and glmM 68.1 (95%CI: 20.1-231.7). The sensitivity and specificity of stool PCR test are relatively in the same spectrum of other diagnostic methods for the detection of H. pylori infection. In descending order of significance, the most diagnostic candidate genes using PCR detection were 23S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and glmM. PCR for 23S rRNA gene which has the highest performance could be applicable to detect H. pylori infection. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fluoroscopically guided automated gun biopsy of chest lesions: diagnostic accuracy and complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Hee Sul; Han, Young Min; Choi, Ki Chul and others

1998-01-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy and frequency of complications of fluoroscopyguided transthoracic needle biopsy, using an automated gun biopsy system. We retrospectively reviewed 86 patients who underwent automated gun biopsy between October 1995 and October 1996. An 18-gauge cutting needle was used in all cases. All biopsies were performed under fluoroscopic guidance by one interventional radiologist. Tissue sufficient for histologic diagnosis was obtained in 73 of 86 biopsies(84.9%). Fifty-six lesions were malignent and 30 were benign. Sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for malignant lesions were 87.5% and 87.5%, respectively while cell type specificity in malignant diagnosis was 91.7%(11/12). Sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for benign lesions were 80.0% and 73.3%, respectively. Postbioptic pneumothorax occurred in three of 86 biopsies(3.5%), one of which required placement of a chest tube. Automated gun biopsy is a simple, safe method for the diagnosis of focal chest lesions. An automated biopsy device offers high diagnostic accuracy in casis involving malignant and benign lesions of the chest, and is particularly useful for determining malignant cell type and specific diagnosis of benign lesions.=20

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography in the Initial Evaluation of Patients with Penetrating Chest Trauma

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Farhad Heydari

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Traumatic chest injuries (TCI are one of the most common causes of referring to the emergency departments, with high mortality and disability. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography versus chest X ray (CXR in detection of hemo-pneumothorax for patients suffering penetrating TCI. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in penetrating TCI victims referred to the emergency department of Shahid Kashani and Alzahra hospitals of Isfahan, Iran, from July 2012 to June 2013. Bedside ultrasonography and plain CXR was done on arrival and three hours after admission. The results of ultrasonography and radiography were separately evaluated by an emergency medicine specialist and a radiologist, who were blind to the aims of the study. Then, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV, negative predictive value (NPV, and kappa coefficient was considered to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography. Results: In this research 64 patients with penetrating chest trauma were assessed (98.4% male. The mean age of them was 25.6±8.5 years (rang: 13-65. The plain radiography revealed the eight (12.5 % cases of pneumothorax and one (1.6% hemothorax. The findings of primary ultrasonography also showed the same number of hemo-pneumothorax. Sensitivity and specificity of primary ultrasound in diagnosis of pneumothorax were 100% (95% Cl: 60.7- 100 and 100.0% (95% Cl, 92.0% to 100.0% and in detection of hemothorax were 100% (95% Cl: 50.5-100 and 100% (95% Cl: 92.8-100, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in the third hour were 100% (95% Cl: 31.3-100 and 100% (95% Cl: 91.4-100, respectively. Conclusion: Findings of the present study have shown that ultrasonography has an acceptable diagnostic accuracy in the initial assessment of patients with penetrating chest trauma. However, because of its dependency on operator

Diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging vs autopsy-A systematic review.

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Eriksson, Anders; Gustafsson, Torfinn; Höistad, Malin; Hultcrantz, Monica; Jacobson, Stella; Mejare, Ingegerd; Persson, Anders

2017-04-01

Background Postmortem imaging has been used for more than a century as a complement to medico-legal autopsies. The technique has also emerged as a possible alternative to compensate for the continuous decline in the number of clinical autopsies. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging for various types of findings, we performed this systematic literature review. Data sources The literature search was performed in the databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library through January 7, 2015. Relevant publications were assessed for risk of bias using the QUADAS tool and were classified as low, moderate or high risk of bias according to pre-defined criteria. Autopsy and/or histopathology were used as reference standard. Findings The search generated 2600 abstracts, of which 340 were assessed as possibly relevant and read in full-text. After further evaluation 71 studies were finally included, of which 49 were assessed as having high risk of bias and 22 as moderate risk of bias. Due to considerable heterogeneity - in populations, techniques, analyses and reporting - of included studies it was impossible to combine data to get a summary estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of the various findings. Individual studies indicate, however, that imaging techniques might be useful for determining organ weights, and that the techniques seem superior to autopsy for detecting gas Conclusions and Implications In general, based on the current scientific literature, it was not possible to determine the diagnostic accuracy of postmortem imaging and its usefulness in conjunction with, or as an alternative to autopsy. To correctly determine the usefulness of postmortem imaging, future studies need improved planning, improved methodological quality and larger materials, preferentially obtained from multi-center studies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An index with improved diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease derived from the Lennard-Jones criteria.

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Reinisch, S; Schweiger, K; Pablik, E; Collet-Fenetrier, B; Peyrin-Biroulet, L; Alfaro, I; Panés, J; Moayyedi, P; Reinisch, W

2016-09-01

The Lennard-Jones criteria are considered the gold standard for diagnosing Crohn's disease (CD) and include the items granuloma, macroscopic discontinuity, transmural inflammation, fibrosis, lymphoid aggregates and discontinuous inflammation on histology. The criteria have never been subjected to a formal validation process. To develop a validated and improved diagnostic index based on the items of Lennard-Jones criteria. Included were 328 adult patients with long-standing CD (median disease duration 10 years) from three centres and classified as 'established', 'probable' or 'non-CD' by Lennard-Jones criteria at time of diagnosis. Controls were patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 170). The performance of each of the six diagnostic items of Lennard-Jones criteria was modelled by logistic regression and a new index based on stepwise backward selection and cut-offs was developed. The diagnostic value of the new index was analysed by comparing sensitivity, specificity and accuracy vs. Lennard-Jones criteria. By Lennard-Jones criteria 49% (n = 162) of CD patients would have been diagnosed as 'non-CD' at time of diagnosis (sensitivity/specificity/accuracy, 'established' CD: 0.34/0.99/0.67; 'probable' CD: 0.51/0.95/0.73). A new index was derived from granuloma, fibrosis, transmural inflammation and macroscopic discontinuity, but excluded lymphoid aggregates and discontinuous inflammation on histology. Our index provided improved diagnostic accuracy for 'established' and 'probable' CD (sensitivity/specificity/accuracy, 'established' CD: 0.45/1/0.72; 'probable' CD: 0.8/0.85/0.82), including the subgroup isolated colonic CD ('probable' CD, new index: 0.73/0.85/0.79; Lennard-Jones criteria: 0.43/0.95/0.69). We developed an index based on items of Lennard-Jones criteria providing improved diagnostic accuracy for the differential diagnosis between CD and UC. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The diagnostic accuracy of integrated positron emission tomography ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The PET-CT findings, including maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax), were compared with the gold standard (tissue or microbiological diagnosis). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and diagnostic accuracy for malignant disease were calculated according to the SUVmax cut-off of ...

Diagnostic accuracy of tests to detect Hepatitis C antibody: a meta-analysis and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Weiming; Chen, Wen; Amini, Ali; Boeras, Debi; Falconer, Jane; Kelly, Helen; Peeling, Rosanna; Varsaneux, Olivia; Tucker, Joseph D; Easterbrook, Philippa

2017-11-01

Although direct-acting antivirals can achieve sustained virological response rates greater than 90% in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infected persons, at present the majority of HCV-infected individuals remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated. While there are a wide range of HCV serological tests available, there is a lack of formal assessment of their diagnostic performance. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate he diagnostic accuracy of available rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and laboratory based EIA assays in detecting antibodies to HCV. We used the PRISMA checklist and Cochrane guidance to develop our search protocol. The search strategy was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42015023567). The search focused on hepatitis C, diagnostic tests, and diagnostic accuracy within eight databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Science Citation Index Expanded, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, SCOPUS, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde and WHO Global Index Medicus. Studies were included if they evaluated an assay to determine the sensitivity and specificity of HCV antibody (HCV Ab) in humans. Two reviewers independently extracted data and performed a quality assessment of the studies using the QUADAS tool. We pooled test estimates using the DerSimonian-Laird method, by using the software R and RevMan. 5.3. A total of 52 studies were identified that included 52,673 unique test measurements. Based on five studies, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of HCV Ab rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were 98% (95% CI 98-100%) and 100% (95% CI 100-100%) compared to an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) reference standard. High HCV Ab RDTs sensitivity and specificity were observed across screening populations (general population, high risk populations, and hospital patients) using different reference standards (EIA, nucleic acid testing, immunoblot). There were insufficient studies to undertake

Transthoracic CT-guided biopsy with multiplanar reconstruction image improves diagnostic accuracy of solitary pulmonary nodules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohno, Yoshiharu; Hatabu, Hiroto; Takenaka, Daisuke; Imai, Masatake; Ohbayashi, Chiho; Sugimura, Kazuro

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the utility of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) image for CT-guided biopsy and determine factors of influencing diagnostic accuracy and the pneumothorax rate. Materials and methods: 390 patients with 396 pulmonary nodules underwent transthoracic CT-guided aspiration biopsy (TNAB) and transthoracic CT-guided cutting needle core biopsy (TCNB) as follows: 250 solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) underwent conventional CT-guided biopsy (conventional method), 81 underwent CT-fluoroscopic biopsy (CT-fluoroscopic method) and 65 underwent conventional CT-guided biopsy in combination with MPR image (MPR method). Success rate, overall diagnostic accuracy, pneumothorax rate and total procedure time were compared in each method. Factors affecting diagnostic accuracy and pneumothorax rate of CT-guided biopsy were statistically evaluated. Results: Success rates (TNAB: 100.0%, TCNB: 100.0%) and overall diagnostic accuracies (TNAB: 96.9%, TCNB: 97.0%) of MPR were significantly higher than those using the conventional method (TNAB: 87.6 and 82.4%, TCNB: 86.3 and 81.3%) (P<0.05). Diagnostic accuracy were influenced by biopsy method, lesion size, and needle path length (P<0.05). Pneumothorax rate was influenced by pathological diagnostic method, lesion size, number of punctures and FEV1.0% (P<0.05). Conclusion: The use of MPR for CT-guided lung biopsy is useful for improving diagnostic accuracy with no significant increase in pneumothorax rate or total procedure time

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for rotator cuff tears in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Smith, T.O., E-mail: toby.smith@uea.ac.uk [Department of Physiotherapy, University of East Anglia (United Kingdom); Back, T. [Department of Physiotherapy, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Toms, A.P. [Department of Radiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Hing, C.B. [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George' s Hospital, London (United Kingdom)

2011-11-15

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound to detect partial and complete thickness rotator cuff tears based on all available clinical trials. Materials and methods: An electronic search of databases registering published and unpublished literature was conducted. All diagnostic accuracy studies that directly compared the accuracy of ultrasound (the index test) to either arthroscopic or open surgical findings (the reference test) for rotator cuff tear were included. The methodological quality of each included study was assessed using the QUADAS form. When appropriate, pooled sensitivity and specificity analysis was conducted, with an assessment of the summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for each analysis. Results: Sixty-two studies assessing 6007 patients and 6066 shoulders were included. Ultrasonography had good sensitivity and specificity for the assessment of partial thickness (sensitivity 0.84; specificity 0.89), and full-thickness rotator cuff tears (sensitivity 0.96; specificity 0.93). However, the literature poorly described population characteristics, assessor blinding, and was based on limited sample sizes. The literature assessing transducer frequency was particularly small in size. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is an appropriate radiological technique for the assessment of rotator cuff tears with an acceptable sensitivity and specificity. The diagnostic test accuracy of ultrasound is superior for the detection of full-thickness compared to partial-thickness cuff tears. Further study assessing the effect of transducer frequency is warranted.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for rotator cuff tears in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, T.O.; Back, T.; Toms, A.P.; Hing, C.B.

2011-01-01

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound to detect partial and complete thickness rotator cuff tears based on all available clinical trials. Materials and methods: An electronic search of databases registering published and unpublished literature was conducted. All diagnostic accuracy studies that directly compared the accuracy of ultrasound (the index test) to either arthroscopic or open surgical findings (the reference test) for rotator cuff tear were included. The methodological quality of each included study was assessed using the QUADAS form. When appropriate, pooled sensitivity and specificity analysis was conducted, with an assessment of the summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for each analysis. Results: Sixty-two studies assessing 6007 patients and 6066 shoulders were included. Ultrasonography had good sensitivity and specificity for the assessment of partial thickness (sensitivity 0.84; specificity 0.89), and full-thickness rotator cuff tears (sensitivity 0.96; specificity 0.93). However, the literature poorly described population characteristics, assessor blinding, and was based on limited sample sizes. The literature assessing transducer frequency was particularly small in size. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is an appropriate radiological technique for the assessment of rotator cuff tears with an acceptable sensitivity and specificity. The diagnostic test accuracy of ultrasound is superior for the detection of full-thickness compared to partial-thickness cuff tears. Further study assessing the effect of transducer frequency is warranted.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Cone-beam Computed Tomography and Conventional Radiography on Apical Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

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Leonardi Dutra, Kamile; Haas, Letícia; Porporatti, André Luís; Flores-Mir, Carlos; Nascimento Santos, Juliana; Mezzomo, Luis André; Corrêa, Márcio; De Luca Canto, Graziela

2016-03-01

Endodontic diagnosis depends on accurate radiographic examination. Assessment of the location and extent of apical periodontitis (AP) can influence treatment planning and subsequent treatment outcomes. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the diagnostic accuracy of conventional radiography and cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging on the discrimination of AP from no lesion. Eight electronic databases with no language or time limitations were searched. Articles in which the primary objective was to evaluate the accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of any type of radiographic technique to assess AP in humans were selected. The gold standard was the histologic examination for actual AP (in vivo) or in situ visualization of bone defects for induced artificial AP (in vitro). Accuracy measurements described in the studies were transformed to construct receiver operating characteristic curves and forest plots with the aid of Review Manager v.5.2 (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark) and MetaDisc v.1.4. software (Unit of Clinical Biostatistics Team of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Madrid, Spain). The methodology of the selected studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Only 9 studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to a qualitative analysis. A meta-analysis was conducted on 6 of these articles. All of these articles studied artificial AP with induced bone defects. The accuracy values (area under the curve) were 0.96 for CBCT imaging, 0.73 for conventional periapical radiography, and 0.72 for digital periapical radiography. No evidence was found for panoramic radiography. Periapical radiographs (digital and conventional) reported good diagnostic accuracy on the discrimination of artificial AP from no lesions, whereas CBCT imaging showed excellent accuracy values. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic accuracy of high-definition CT coronary angiography in high-risk patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iyengar, S.S.; Morgan-Hughes, G.; Ukoumunne, O.; Clayton, B.; Davies, E.J.; Nikolaou, V.; Hyde, C.J.; Shore, A.C.; Roobottom, C.A.

2016-01-01

Aim: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) using a combination of high-definition CT (HD-CTCA) and high level of reader experience, with invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as the reference standard, in high-risk patients for the investigation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and methods: Three hundred high-risk patients underwent HD-CTCA and ICA. Independent experts evaluated the images for the presence of significant CAD, defined primarily as the presence of moderate (≥50%) stenosis and secondarily as the presence of severe (≥70%) stenosis in at least one coronary segment, in a blinded fashion. HD-CTCA was compared to ICA as the reference standard. Results: No patients were excluded. Two hundred and six patients (69%) had moderate and 178 (59%) had severe stenosis in at least one vessel at ICA. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 97.1%, 97.9%, 99% and 93.9% for moderate stenosis, and 98.9%, 93.4%, 95.7% and 98.3%, for severe stenosis, on a per-patient basis. Conclusion: The combination of HD-CTCA and experienced readers applied to a high-risk population, results in high diagnostic accuracy comparable to ICA. Modern generation CT systems in experienced hands might be considered for an expanded role. - Highlights: • Diagnostic accuracy of High-Definition CT Angiography (HD-CTCA) has been assessed. • Invasive Coronary angiography (ICA) is the reference standard. • Diagnostic accuracy of HD-CTCA is comparable to ICA. • Diagnostic accuracy is not affected by coronary calcium or stents. • HD-CTCA provides a non-invasive alternative in high-risk patients.

STARD-BLCM: Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies that use Bayesian Latent Class Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kostoulas, Polychronis; Nielsen, Søren S.; Branscum, Adam J.

2017-01-01

The Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) statement, which was recently updated to the STARD2015 statement, was developed to encourage complete and transparent reporting of test accuracy studies. Although STARD principles apply broadly, the checklist is limited to studies......-BLCM (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies that use Bayesian Latent Class Models), will facilitate improved quality of reporting on the design, conduct and results of diagnostic accuracy studies that use Bayesian latent class models....

A Meta-Analysis of Typhoid Diagnostic Accuracy Studies: A Recommendation to Adopt a Standardized Composite Reference.

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Helen L Storey

Full Text Available Novel typhoid diagnostics currently under development have the potential to improve clinical care, surveillance, and the disease burden estimates that support vaccine introduction. Blood culture is most often used as the reference method to evaluate the accuracy of new typhoid tests; however, it is recognized to be an imperfect gold standard. If no single gold standard test exists, use of a composite reference standard (CRS can improve estimation of diagnostic accuracy. Numerous studies have used a CRS to evaluate new typhoid diagnostics; however, there is no consensus on an appropriate CRS. In order to evaluate existing tests for use as a reference test or inclusion in a CRS, we performed a systematic review of the typhoid literature to include all index/reference test combinations observed. We described the landscape of comparisons performed, showed results of a meta-analysis on the accuracy of the more common combinations, and evaluated sources of variability based on study quality. This wide-ranging meta-analysis suggests that no single test has sufficiently good performance but some existing diagnostics may be useful as part of a CRS. Additionally, based on findings from the meta-analysis and a constructed numerical example demonstrating the use of CRS, we proposed necessary criteria and potential components of a typhoid CRS to guide future recommendations. Agreement and adoption by all investigators of a standardized CRS is requisite, and would improve comparison of new diagnostics across independent studies, leading to the identification of a better reference test and improved confidence in prevalence estimates.

Effects of Experience and Training on Diagnostic Accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Brammer, Robert

The interview process was studied to uncover the relationship of expertise in psychotherapy to the likelihood of accurate diagnosis. Experience and training affect the number of diagnostic questions clinicians ask as compared to personal, family, social, occupational, and history questions; and this in turn affects the accuracy of the diagnoses…

Concurrent and predictive evaluation of malnutrition diagnostic measures in hip fracture inpatients: a diagnostic accuracy study.

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Bell, J J; Bauer, J D; Capra, S; Pulle, R C

2014-03-01

Differences in malnutrition diagnostic measures impact malnutrition prevalence and outcomes data in hip fracture. This study investigated the concurrent and predictive validity of commonly reported malnutrition diagnostic measures in patients admitted to a metropolitan hospital acute hip fracture unit. A prospective, consecutive level II diagnostic accuracy study (n=142; 8 exclusions) including the International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision, Australian Modification (ICD10-AM) protein-energy malnutrition criteria, a body mass index (BMI) Patients were predominantly elderly (median age 83.5, range 50-100 years), female (68%), multimorbid (median five comorbidities), with 15% 4-month mortality. Malnutrition prevalence was lowest when assessed by BMI (13%), followed by MNA-SF (27%), ICD10-AM (48%), albumin (53%) and geriatrician assessment (55%). Agreement between measures was highest between ICD10-AM and geriatrician assessment (κ=0.61) followed by ICD10-AM and MNA-SF measures (κ=0.34). ICD10-AM diagnosed malnutrition was the only measure associated with 48-h mobilisation (35.0 vs 55.3%; P=0.018). Reduced likelihood of home discharge was predicted by ICD-10-AM (20.6 vs 57.1%; P=0.001) and MNA-SF (18.8 vs 47.8%; P=0.035). Bivariate analysis demonstrated ICD10-AM (relative risk (RR)1.2; 1.05-1.42) and MNA-SF (RR1.2; 1.0-1.5) predicted 4-month mortality. When adjusted for age, usual place of residency, comorbidities and time to surgery only ICD-10AM criteria predicted mortality (odds ratio 3.59; 1.10-11.77). Albumin, BMI and geriatrician assessment demonstrated limited concurrent and predictive validity. Malnutrition prevalence in hip fracture varies substantially depending on the diagnostic measure applied. ICD-10AM criteria or the MNA-SF should be considered for the diagnosis of protein-energy malnutrition in frail, multi-morbid hip fracture inpatients.

Diagnostic accuracy of sonography for pleural effusion: systematic review

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Alexandre Grimberg

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The initial method for evaluating the presence of pleural effusion was chest radiography. Isolated studies have shown that sonography has greater accuracy than radiography for this diagnosis; however, no systematic reviews on this matter are available in the literature. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of sonography in detecting pleural effusion, by means of a systematic review of the literature. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a systematic review with meta-analysis on accuracy studies. This study was conducted in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging and in the Brazilian Cochrane Center, Discipline of Emergency Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine, Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp, São Paulo, Brazil. METHOD: The following databases were searched: Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, Embase and Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs. The references of relevant studies were also screened for additional citations of interest. Studies in which the accuracy of sonography for detecting pleural effusion was tested, with an acceptable reference standard (computed tomography or thoracic drainage, were included. RESULTS: Four studies were included. All of them showed that sonography had high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detecting pleural effusions. The mean sensitivity was 93% (95% confidence interval, CI: 89% to 96%, and specificity was 96% (95% CI: 95% to 98%. CONCLUSIONS: In different populations and clinical settings, sonography showed consistently high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detecting fluid in the pleural space.

Diagnostic accuracy of a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walsh, Simon L. F.; Maher, Toby M.; Kolb, Martin

2017-01-01

-index.A total of 404 physicians completed the study. Agreement for IPF diagnosis was higher among expert physicians (κw=0.65, IQR 0.53-0.72, pmeetings (κw=0.54, IQR 0.45-0.64, p....0001). The prognostic accuracy of academic physicians with >20 years of experience (C-index=0.72, IQR 0.0-0.73, p=0.229) and non-university hospital physicians with more than 20 years of experience, attending weekly MDT meetings (C-index=0.72, IQR 0.70-0.72, p=0.052), did not differ significantly (p=0.229 and p=0.......052 respectively) from the expert panel (C-index=0.74 IQR 0.72-0.75).Experienced respiratory physicians at university-based institutions diagnose IPF with similar prognostic accuracy to IPF experts. Regular MDT meeting attendance improves the prognostic accuracy of experienced non-university practitioners...

Using Meta-Analysis to Inform the Design of Subsequent Studies of Diagnostic Test Accuracy

Science.gov (United States)

Hinchliffe, Sally R.; Crowther, Michael J.; Phillips, Robert S.; Sutton, Alex J.

2013-01-01

An individual diagnostic accuracy study rarely provides enough information to make conclusive recommendations about the accuracy of a diagnostic test; particularly when the study is small. Meta-analysis methods provide a way of combining information from multiple studies, reducing uncertainty in the result and hopefully providing substantial…

A new diagnostic accuracy measure and cut-point selection criterion.

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Dong, Tuochuan; Attwood, Kristopher; Hutson, Alan; Liu, Song; Tian, Lili

2017-12-01

Most diagnostic accuracy measures and criteria for selecting optimal cut-points are only applicable to diseases with binary or three stages. Currently, there exist two diagnostic measures for diseases with general k stages: the hypervolume under the manifold and the generalized Youden index. While hypervolume under the manifold cannot be used for cut-points selection, generalized Youden index is only defined upon correct classification rates. This paper proposes a new measure named maximum absolute determinant for diseases with k stages ([Formula: see text]). This comprehensive new measure utilizes all the available classification information and serves as a cut-points selection criterion as well. Both the geometric and probabilistic interpretations for the new measure are examined. Power and simulation studies are carried out to investigate its performance as a measure of diagnostic accuracy as well as cut-points selection criterion. A real data set from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is analyzed using the proposed maximum absolute determinant.

Evaluation of the accuracy of diagnostic scales for a syndrome in Chinese medicine in the absence of a gold standard.

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Wang, Xiao Nan; Zhou, Vanessa; Liu, Qiang; Gao, Ying; Zhou, Xiao-Hua

2016-01-01

The concept of syndromes (zhengs) is unique to Chinese medicine (CM) and difficult to measure. Expert consensus is used as a gold standard to identify zhengs and evaluate the accuracy of existing diagnostic scales for zhengs. But, the use of expert consensus as a gold standard is problematic because the diagnosis of zhengs by expert consensus is not 100 % accurate. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of standardized diagnostic scales for a syndrome zhengs in the absence of a gold standard, with application to internal wind (nei feng) syndrome in ischemic stroke patients. A total of 204 participants (age 41-84 years) with ischemic stroke were assessed by the stroke syndrome differentiation diagnostic criterion (SSDC), ischemic stroke TCM syndrome diagnostic scale (ISDS), and expert syndrome differentiation (ESD). The diagnostic tests and data collection process were conducted over a 10-month period (February 2008 to November 2008) in 10 hospitals across nine cities in China. The Bayesian method was used to estimate the accuracy of the SSDC, ISDS, and ESD. For internal wind syndrome, the estimated sensitivities and specificities of the SSDC, ISDS, and ESD without use of a gold standard were respectively: [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. After adjusting for imperfect gold standard bias, we found that both the sensitivity and specificity of the ISDS were higher than those of the SSDC for diagnosis of internal wind syndrome in ischemic stroke patients.

CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic aspiration biopsy of lung lesions: factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Zhenguo; Zhang Xuezhe; Wang Wu

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic aspiration biopsy of lung lesions. Methods: CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy was performed in 435 patients with surgical pathologic confirmation or clinical follow-up. Univariant statistical analysis and multivariant stepwise Logistic regression analysis were used to study the influence of lesion-related factors (benignancy or malignancy, size, location, depth, presence of cavity), procedure factors (laser-guidance, position of patient) and patient-related factors (sex, age, presence of emphysema); with the accuracy of the diagnosis. Results: 1)289 lesions were diagnosed as malignant ones and 146 as benign ones. The accuracy of CT-guided biopsy was 83.4%(363/435). Univariant analysis showed that the diagnostic accuracies for malignant and benign lesions were 88.9%(257/289) and 72.6%(106/146), respectively (χ 2 =18.71, P=0.00002). Laser-group was superior to non-laser group (88.4% versus 80.9%, respectively, χ 2 =4.00, P=0.0456). Mean diameters of lesions in correct diagnostic group and non-correct diagnostic group were 3.78±1.64 cm and 3.02±1.26 cm, respectively (F=13.79, P=0.0002). 2)Multivariant stepwise Logistic regression analysis showed that among the various factors influencing the final benign or malignant diagnoses (Wald χ 2 =14.01, P=0.0002) and using laser-guidance(Wald χ 2 =3.92, P=0.0477) were significantly associated with the diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions: Final correct diagnoses (benign, malignant) are closely related to the application of laser-guidance for determining the diagnostic accuracy in CT-guided transcutaneous thoracic needle aspiration biopsy. (authors)

Diagnostic Accuracy Comparison of Artificial Immune Algorithms for Primary Headaches

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Ufuk Çelik

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The present study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of immune system algorithms with the aim of classifying the primary types of headache that are not related to any organic etiology. They are divided into four types: migraine, tension, cluster, and other primary headaches. After we took this main objective into consideration, three different neurologists were required to fill in the medical records of 850 patients into our web-based expert system hosted on our project web site. In the evaluation process, Artificial Immune Systems (AIS were used as the classification algorithms. The AIS are classification algorithms that are inspired by the biological immune system mechanism that involves significant and distinct capabilities. These algorithms simulate the specialties of the immune system such as discrimination, learning, and the memorizing process in order to be used for classification, optimization, or pattern recognition. According to the results, the accuracy level of the classifier used in this study reached a success continuum ranging from 95% to 99%, except for the inconvenient one that yielded 71% accuracy.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Clinical Examination and Imaging Findings for Identifying Subacromial Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadogan, Angela; McNair, Peter J; Laslett, Mark; Hing, Wayne A

2016-01-01

The diagnosis of subacromial pathology is limited by the poor accuracy of clinical tests for specific pathologies. The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination and imaging features for identifying subacromial pain (SAP) defined by a positive response to diagnostic injection, and to evaluate the influence of imaging findings on the clinical diagnosis of SAP. In a prospective, diagnostic accuracy design, 208 consecutive patients presenting to their primary healthcare practitioner for the first time with a new episode of shoulder pain were recruited. All participants underwent a standardized clinical examination, shoulder x-ray series and diagnostic ultrasound scan. Results were compared with the response to a diagnostic block of xylocaineTM injected into the SAB under ultrasound guidance using ≥80% post-injection reduction in pain intensity as the positive anaesthetic response (PAR) criterion. Diagnostic accuracy statistics were calculated for combinations of clinical and imaging variables demonstrating the highest likelihood of a PAR. A PAR was reported by 34% of participants. In participants with no loss of passive external rotation, combinations of three clinical variables (anterior shoulder pain, strain injury, absence of symptoms at end-range external rotation (in abduction)) demonstrated 100% specificity for a PAR when all three were positive (LR+ infinity; 95%CI 2.9, infinity). A full-thickness supraspinatus tear on ultrasound increased the likelihood of a PAR irrespective of age (specificity 98% (95%CI 94, 100); LR+ 6.2; 95% CI 1.5, 25.7)). Imaging did not improve the ability to rule-out a PAR. Combinations of clinical examination findings and a full-thickness supraspinatus tear on ultrasound scan can help confirm, but not exclude, the presence of subacromial pain. Other imaging findings were of limited value for diagnosing SAP.

Diagnostic accuracy of surgeons and trainees in assessment of patients with acute abdominal pain.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

Diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of patients with acute abdominal pain in the emergency ward is not adequate. It has been argued that this is because the investigations are carried out predominantly by a trainee. Resource utilization could be lowered if surgeons had a higher initial diagnostic accuracy. Patients with acute abdominal pain were included in a prospective cohort study. A surgical trainee and a surgeon made independent assessments in the emergency department, recording the clinical diagnosis and proposed diagnostic investigations. A reference standard diagnosis was established by an expert panel, and the proportion of correct diagnoses was calculated. Diagnostic accuracy was expressed in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Interobserver agreement for the diagnosis and elements of history-taking and physical examination were expressed by means of Cohen's κ. Certainty of diagnosis was recorded using a visual analogue scale. A trainee and a surgeon independently assessed 126 patients. Trainees made a correct diagnosis in 44·4 per cent of patients and surgeons in 42·9 per cent (P = 0·839). Surgeons, however, recorded a higher level of diagnostic certainty. Diagnostic accuracy was comparable in distinguishing urgent from non-urgent diagnoses, and for the most common diseases. Interobserver agreement for the clinical diagnosis varied from fair to moderate (κ = 0·28-0·57). The diagnostic accuracy of the initial clinical assessment is not improved when a surgeon rather than a surgical trainee assesses a patient with abdominal pain in the emergency department. © 2016 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

French version of the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviour in the Elderly (F-RAGE: Psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy

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Barry Adama

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Aggressive behaviour is the most disturbing and distressing behaviour displayed by elderly people. The prevalence of aggressive behaviour is around 50% among psychogeriatric patients. Objective: This study sought to analyze the psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of the French version of the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviour in the Elderly (F-RAGE. Methods: The F-RAGE was administered to 79 patients hospitalized in a geriatric psychiatry department. A psychiatrist, who was blind to the subjects' RAGE scores, performed the diagnosis for aggressivity based on global clinical impression. The F-RAGE and MMSE were applied by a trained researcher blind to subjects' clinical diagnoses while the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and Neuropsychiatric Inventory were administered by medical and nursing staff. Internal consistency, reliability, cut-off points, sensitivity and specificity for F-RAGE were estimated. Results: F-RAGE showed satisfactory validity and reliability measurements. Regarding reliability, Cronbach's a coefficient was satisfactory with a value of 0.758. For diagnostic accuracy, a cut-off point of 8 points (sensitivity=74.19%; specificity=97.98% and area under curve of 0.960 were estimated to distinguish between aggressive patients and control subjects. Discussion: F-RAGE showed acceptable psychometric properties, supported by evidence of validity and reliability for its use in the diagnosis of aggressive behaviour in elderly.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Detection of Myometrial Invasion in Endometrial Carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masroor, I.; Hussain, Z.; Taufiq, M.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DWMRI) in the detection of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer taking histopathology as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional validation study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Radiology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January to December 2012. Methodology: DWMRI (b-value = 50,400 and 800 s/mm2) was performed in 85 patients of biopsy-proven endometrial carcinoma before hysterectomy using body and spine coil at 1.5 Tesla. DWI was evaluated for presence of myometrial invasion by tumor with histopathology as gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, the negative predictive value and positive predictive value and accuracy of DWI were assessed against the gold standard. Results: On DWI, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 42 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 43. On histopathology, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 53 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 32. Hence sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy for the assessment of myometrial invasion by endometrial tumor on DW images was 90 percentage, 73 percentage, 67 percentage, 92 percentage and 80 percentage, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in detection of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer was 80 percentage. Conclusion: DWI is highly accurate in assessing myometrial invasion and can be used as an adjunct to routine MRI for pre-operative evaluation of myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. (author)

Diagnostic accuracy for X-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afzal, F.; Raza, S.; Shafique, M.

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of x-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest. Study Design: A cross-sectional validational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2013 to Apr 2014. Material and Method: A total of 137 patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) aged 20-50 years of both genders were included in the study. Patients with h/o previous histopathological diagnosis, already taking treatment and pregnant females were excluded. All the patients had chest x-ray and then HRCT. The x-ray and HRCT findings were recorded as presence or absence of the ILD. Results: Mean age was 40.21 ± 4.29 years. Out of 137 patients, 79 (57.66 percent) were males and 58 (42.34 percent) were females with male to female ratio of 1.36:1. Chest x-ray detected ILD in 80 (58.39 percent) patients, out of which, 72 (true positive) had ILD and 8 (false positive) had no ILD on HRCT. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of chest x-ray in diagnosing ILD was 80.0 percent, 82.98 percent, 90.0 percent, 68.42 percent and 81.02 percent respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that chest x-ray is simple, non-invasive, economical and readily available alternative to HRCT with an acceptable diagnostic accuracy of 81 percent in the diagnosis of ILD. (author)

Added value of cost-utility analysis in simple diagnostic studies of accuracy: (18)F-fluoromethylcholine PET/CT in prostate cancer staging.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerke, Oke; Poulsen, Mads H; Høilund-Carlsen, Poul Flemming

2015-01-01

Diagnostic studies of accuracy targeting sensitivity and specificity are commonly done in a paired design in which all modalities are applied in each patient, whereas cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses are usually assessed either directly alongside to or indirectly by means of stochastic modeling based on larger randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However the conduct of RCTs is hampered in an environment such as ours, in which technology is rapidly evolving. As such, there is a relatively limited number of RCTs. Therefore, we investigated as to which extent paired diagnostic studies of accuracy can be also used to shed light on economic implications when considering a new diagnostic test. We propose a simple decision tree model-based cost-utility analysis of a diagnostic test when compared to the current standard procedure and exemplify this approach with published data from lymph node staging of prostate cancer. Average procedure costs were taken from the Danish Diagnosis Related Groups Tariff in 2013 and life expectancy was estimated for an ideal 60 year old patient based on prostate cancer stage and prostatectomy or radiation and chemotherapy. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were deduced from the literature, and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was used to compare lymph node dissection with respective histopathological examination (reference standard) and (18)F-fluoromethylcholine positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FCH-PET/CT). Lower bounds of sensitivity and specificity of FCH-PET/CT were established at which the replacement of the reference standard by FCH-PET/CT comes with a trade-off between worse effectiveness and lower costs. Compared to the reference standard in a diagnostic accuracy study, any imperfections in accuracy of a diagnostic test imply that replacing the reference standard generates a loss in effectiveness and utility. We conclude that diagnostic studies of accuracy can be put to a more extensive use

Diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy computed tomography in patients with gout: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young Ho; Song, Gwan Gyu

2017-08-01

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for patients with gout. We searched the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, and performed a meta-analysis on the diagnostic accuracy of DECT in patients with gout. A total of eight studies including 510 patients with gout and 268 controls (patients with non-gout inflammatory arthritis) were available for the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of DECT were 84.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.3-87.7) and 93.7% (93.0-96.3), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio were 9.882 (6.122-15.95), 0.163 (0.097-0.272), and 78.10 (31.14-195.84), respectively. The area under the curve of DECT was 0.956 and the Q * index was 0.889, indicating a high diagnostic accuracy. Some between-study heterogeneity was found in the meta-analyses. However, there was no evidence of a threshold effect (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.419; p = 0.035). In addition, meta-regression showed that the sample size, study design, and diagnostic criteria were not sources of heterogeneity, and subgroup meta-analyses did not change the overall diagnostic accuracy. Our meta-analysis of published studies demonstrates that DECT has a high diagnostic accuracy and plays an important role in the diagnosis of gout. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency Sonography Aids Diagnostic Accuracy of Torso Injuries: A Study in a Resource Limited Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Edward Tunuka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Clinical evaluation of patients with torso trauma is often a diagnostic challenge. Extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (EFAST is an emergency ultrasound scan that adds to the evaluation of intrathoracic abdominal and pericardial cavities done in FAST (focused assessment with sonography for trauma. Objective. This study compares EFAST (the index test with the routine standard of care (SoC investigations (the standard reference test for torso trauma injuries. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted over a 3-month period. Eligible patients underwent EFAST scanning and the SoC assessment. The diagnostic accuracy of EFAST was calculated using sensitivity and specificity scores. Results. We recruited 197 patients; the M : F ratio was 5 : 1, with mean age of 27 years (SD 11. The sensitivity of EFAST was 100%, the specificity was 97%, the PPV was 87%, and the NPV was 100%. It took 5 minutes on average to complete an EFAST scan. 168 (85% patients were EFAST-scanned. Most patients (82 (48% were discharged on the same day of hospitalization, while 7 (4% were still at the hospital after two weeks. The mortality rate was 18 (9%. Conclusion. EFAST is a reliable method of diagnosing torso injuries in a resource limited context.

Diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasonography in complicated pregnancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cha, Kyung Soo; Kim, Kun Sang; Park, Soo Soung

1983-01-01

Ultrasonography is an invaluable diagnostic method in Obstetrics. It provides safe, speedy and repeatable way to obtain image of normal and abnormal pregnancy. The ultrasonograms of 167 patients with suspicion of complicated pregnancy were analyzed. The results were as follows. 1. 86 patients showed normal ultrasonogram(50.9%). 100% in intrauterine fetal death and gross fetal anomaly, 100% in abnormal fetal position and number, 95% in pregnancy with pelvic mass, 83% in ectopic pregnancy, 81% in abortion, 78% in molar pregnancy, 74% in plancenta previa. 3. Ultrasonic diagnosis of abrupto placenta was difficult. 4. Diagnostic accuracy was 80% in bicornuate uterus and double vagina

Diagnostic accuracy of the Salzburg EEG criteria for non-convulsive status epilepticus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leitinger, Markus; Trinka, Eugen; Gardella, Elena

2016-01-01

Background Several EEG criteria have been proposed for diagnosis of non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), but none have been clinically validated. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the EEG criteria proposed by a panel of experts at the fourth London–Innsbruck Colloquium on Status...... Epilepticus in Salzburg, 2013 (henceforth called the Salzburg criteria). Methods We did a retrospective, diagnostic accuracy study using EEG recordings from patients admitted for neurological symptoms or signs to three centres in two countries (Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark; Aarhus University...

Diagnostic accuracy of automatic normalization of CBV in glioma grading using T1- weighted DCE-MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, Prativa; Gupta, Rakesh K; Gupta, Pradeep K; Awasthi, Ashish; Pandey, Chandra M; Gupta, Mudit; Patir, Rana; Vaishya, Sandeep; Ahlawat, Sunita; Saha, Indrajit

2017-12-01

Aim of this retrospective study was to compare diagnostic accuracy of proposed automatic normalization method to quantify the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) with existing contra-lateral region of interest (ROI) based CBV normalization method for glioma grading using T1-weighted dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). Sixty patients with histologically confirmed gliomas were included in this study retrospectively. CBV maps were generated using T1-weighted DCE-MRI and are normalized by contralateral ROI based method (rCBV_contra), unaffected white matter (rCBV_WM) and unaffected gray matter (rCBV_GM), the latter two of these were generated automatically. An expert radiologist with >10years of experience in DCE-MRI and a non-expert with one year experience were used independently to measure rCBVs. Cutoff values for glioma grading were decided from ROC analysis. Agreement of histology with rCBV_WM, rCBV_GM and rCBV_contra respectively was studied using Kappa statistics and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The diagnostic accuracy of glioma grading using the measured rCBV_contra by expert radiologist was found to be high (sensitivity=1.00, specificity=0.96, pnormalization method showed same percentage of agreement for both expert and non-expert user. rCBV_WM showed an agreement of 88.33% (kappa=0.76,pnormalization of CBV using the proposed method could provide better diagnostic accuracy compared to the manual contralateral based approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Molecular Amplification Tests for Human African Trypanosomiasis-Systematic Review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mugasa, Claire M.; Adams, Emily R.; Boer, Kimberly R.; Dyserinck, Heleen C.; Büscher, Philippe; Schallig, Henk D. H. F.; Leeflang, Mariska M. G.

2012-01-01

Background: A range of molecular amplification techniques have been developed for the diagnosis of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT); however, careful evaluation of these tests must precede implementation to ensure their high clinical accuracy. Here, we investigated the diagnostic accuracy of

Diagnostic accuracy of dual energy CT angiography in patients with diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schabel, C.; Bongers, M.N.; Syha, R.; Ketelsen, D.; Homann, G.; Notohamiprodjo, M.; Nikolaou, K.; Bamberg, F.; Thomas, C.

2015-01-01

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represents a major and highly prevalent complication in patients with diabetes mellitus. The diagnostic, non-invasive work-up by computed tomography angiography (CTA) is limited in the presence of extensive calcification. The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of dual energy CTA (DE-CTA) for the detection and characterization of PAD in patients with diabetes mellitus. In this study 30 diabetic patients with suspected or known PAD were retrospectively included in the analysis. All subjects underwent DE-CTA (Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) prior to invasive angiography, which served as the reference standard. Blinded analysis included assessment of the presence and degree of peripheral stenosis on curved multiplanar reformatting (MPR) and maximum intensity projections (MIP). Conventional measures of diagnostic accuracy were derived. Among the 30 subjects included in the analysis (83 % male, mean age 70.0 ± 10.5 years, 83 % diabetes type 2), the prevalence of critical stenosis in 331 evaluated vessel segments was high (30 %). Dual energy CT identified critical stenoses with a high sensitivity and good specificity using curved MPR (100 % and 93.1 %, respectively) and MIP images (99 % and 91.8 %, respectively). In stratified analysis, the diagnostic accuracy was higher for stenosis pertaining to the pelvic and thigh vessels as compared with the lower extremities (curved MPR accuracy 97.1 % vs. 99.2 vs. 90.9 %; respectively, p < 0.001). The use of DE-CTA allows reliable detection and characterization of peripheral arterial stenosis in patients with diabetes mellitus with higher accuracy in vessels in the pelvic and thigh regions compared with the vessels in the lower legs. (orig.) [de

Impact of an intra-cycle motion correction algorithm on overall evaluability and diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pontone, Gianluca; Bertella, Erika; Baggiano, Andrea; Mushtaq, Saima; Loguercio, Monica; Segurini, Chiara; Conte, Edoardo; Beltrama, Virginia; Annoni, Andrea; Formenti, Alberto; Petulla, Maria; Trabattoni, Daniela; Pepi, Mauro [Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milan (Italy); Andreini, Daniele; Montorsi, Piero; Bartorelli, Antonio L. [Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milan (Italy); University of Milan, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Community Health, Milan (Italy); Guaricci, Andrea I. [University of Foggia, Department of Cardiology, Foggia (Italy)

2016-01-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a novel intra-cycle motion correction algorithm (MCA) on overall evaluability and diagnostic accuracy of cardiac computed tomography coronary angiography (CCT). From a cohort of 900 consecutive patients referred for CCT for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), we enrolled 160 (18 %) patients (mean age 65.3 ± 11.7 years, 101 male) with at least one coronary segment classified as non-evaluable for motion artefacts. The CCT data sets were evaluated using a standard reconstruction algorithm (SRA) and MCA and compared in terms of subjective image quality, evaluability and diagnostic accuracy. The mean heart rate during the examination was 68.3 ± 9.4 bpm. The MCA showed a higher Likert score (3.1 ± 0.9 vs. 2.5 ± 1.1, p < 0.001) and evaluability (94%vs.79 %, p < 0.001) than the SRA. In a 45-patient subgroup studied by clinically indicated invasive coronary angiography, specificity, positive predictive value and accuracy were higher in MCA vs. SRA in segment-based and vessel-based models, respectively (87%vs.73 %, 50%vs.34 %, 85%vs.73 %, p < 0.001 and 62%vs.28 %, 66%vs.51 % and 75%vs.57 %, p < 0.001). In a patient-based model, MCA showed higher accuracy vs. SCA (93%vs.76 %, p < 0.05). MCA can significantly improve subjective image quality, overall evaluability and diagnostic accuracy of CCT. (orig.)

Improvement of Diagnostic Accuracy by Standardization in Diuretic Renal Scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyun, In Young; Lee, Dong Soo; Lee, Kyung Han; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Koh, Chang Soon; Kim, Kwang Myung; Choi, Hwang; Choi, Yong

1995-01-01

We evaluated diagnostic accuracy of diuretic renal scan with standardization in 45 children(107 hydronephrotic kidneys) with 91 diuretic assessments. Sensitivity was 100% specificity was 78%, and accuracy was 84% in 49 hydronephrotic kidneys with standardization. Diuretic renal scan without standardization, sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 38%, and accuracy was 57% in 58 hydronephrotic kidneys. The false-positive results were observed in 25 cases without standardization, and in 8 cases with standardization. In duretic renal scans without standardization, the causes of false-positive results were 10 early injection of lasix before mixing of radioactivity in loplsty, 6 extrarenal pelvis, and 3 immature kidneys of false-positive results were 2 markedly dilated systems postpyeloplsty, 2 etrarenal pevis, 1 immature kidney of neonate , and 2 severe renal dysfunction, 1 vesicoureteral, reflux. In diuretic renal scan without standardization the false-positive results by inadequate study were common, but false-positive results by inadequate study were not found after standardization. The false-positive results by dilated pelvo-calyceal systems postpyeloplsty, extrarenal pelvis, and immature kidneys of, neonates were not dissolved after standardization. In conclusion, diagnostic accuracy of diuretic renal scan with standardization was useful in children with renal outflow tract obstruction by improving specificity significantly.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Eurotest for dementia: a naturalistic, multicenter phase II study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Ana

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Available screening tests for dementia are of limited usefulness because they are influenced by the patient's culture and educational level. The Eurotest, an instrument based on the knowledge and handling of money, was designed to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Eurotest in identifying dementia in customary clinical practice. Methods A cross-sectional, multi-center, naturalistic phase II study was conducted. The Eurotest was administered to consecutive patients, older than 60 years, in general neurology clinics. The patients' condition was classified as dementia or no dementia according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. We calculated sensitivity (Sn, specificity (Sp and area under the ROC curves (aROC with 95% confidence intervals. The influence of social and educational factors on scores was evaluated with multiple linear regression analysis, and the influence of these factors on diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with logistic regression. Results Sixteen neurologists recruited a total of 516 participants: 101 with dementia, 380 without dementia, and 35 who were excluded. Of the 481 participants who took the Eurotest, 38.7% were totally or functionally illiterate and 45.5% had received no formal education. Mean time needed to administer the test was 8.2+/-2.0 minutes. The best cut-off point was 20/21, with Sn = 0.91 (0.84–0.96, Sp = 0.82 (0.77–0.85, and aROC = 0.93 (0.91–0.95. Neither the scores on the Eurotest nor its diagnostic accuracy were influenced by social or educational factors. Conclusion This naturalistic and pragmatic study shows that the Eurotest is a rapid, simple and useful screening instrument, which is free from educational influences, and has appropriate internal and external validity.

Diagnostic accuracy of guys Hospital stroke score (allen score) in acute supratentorial thrombotic/haemorrhagic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zulfiqar, A.; Toori, K. U.; Khan, S. S.; Hamza, M. I. M.; Zaman, S. U.

2006-01-01

A consecutive series of 103 patients, 58% male with mean age of 62 year (range 40-75 years), admitted with supratentorial stroke in our teaching hospital were studied. All patients had Computer Tomography scan brain done after clinical evaluation and application of Allen stroke score. Computer Tomography Scan confirmed thrombotic stroke in 55 (53%) patients and haemorrhagic stroke in 48 (47%) patients. Out of the 55 patients with definitive thrombotic stroke on Computer Tomography Scan, Allen stroke score suggested infarction in 67%, haemorrhage in 6% and remained inconclusive in 27% of cases. In 48 patients with definitive haemorrhagic stroke on Computer Tomography Scan, Allen stroke score suggested haemorrhage in 60%, infarction in 11% and remained inconclusive in 29% of cases. The overall accuracy of Allen stroke score was 66%. (author)

Diagnostic accuracy of MRCP in choledocholithiasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guarise, Alessandro; Mainardi, Paride; Baltieri, Susanna; Faccioli, Niccolo'

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of MRCP in diagnosing choledocholithiasis considering Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as the gold standard. To compare the results achieved during the first two years of use (1999-2000) of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis with those achieved during the following two years (2001-2002) in order to establish the repeatability and objectivity of MRCP results. Materials and methods: One hundred and seventy consecutive patients underwent MRCP followed by ERCP within 72 h. In 22/170 (13%) patients ERCP was unsuccessful for different reasons. MRCP was performed using a 1.5 T magnet with both multi-slice HASTE sequences and thick-slice projection technique. Choledocholithiasis was diagnosed in the presence of signal void images in the dependent portion of the duct surrounded by hyperintense bile and detected at least in two projections. The MRCP results, read independently from the ERCP results, were compared in two different and subsequent periods. Results: ERCP confirmed choledocholithiasis in 87 patients. In these cases the results of MRCP were the following: 78 true positives, 53 true negatives, 7 false positives, and 9 false negatives. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 90%, 88% and 89%, respectively. After the exclusion of stones with diameters smaller than 6 mm, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 100%, 99% and 99%, respectively. MRCP accuracy was related to the size of the stones. There was no significant statistical difference between the results obtained in the first two-year period and those obtained in the second period. Conclusions: MRCP i sufficiently accurate to replace ERCP in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis. The results are related to the size of stones. The use of well-defined radiological signs allows good diagnostic accuracy independent of the learning curve [it

Diagnostic Accuracy of Fall Risk Assessment Tools in People With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, Patricia S.; Mahnken, Jonathan D.; Kluding, Patricia M.

2012-01-01

Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy affects nearly half of individuals with diabetes and leads to increased fall risk. Evidence addressing fall risk assessment for these individuals is lacking. Objective The purpose of this study was to identify which of 4 functional mobility fall risk assessment tools best discriminates, in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, between recurrent “fallers” and those who are not recurrent fallers. Design A cross-sectional study was conducted. Setting The study was conducted in a medical research university setting. Participants The participants were a convenience sample of 36 individuals between 40 and 65 years of age with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Measurements Fall history was assessed retrospectively and was the criterion standard. Fall risk was assessed using the Functional Reach Test, the Timed “Up & Go” Test, the Berg Balance Scale, and the Dynamic Gait Index. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and overall diagnostic accuracy were calculated for each fall risk assessment tool. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to estimate modified cutoff scores for each fall risk assessment tool; indexes then were recalculated. Results Ten of the 36 participants were classified as recurrent fallers. When traditional cutoff scores were used, the Dynamic Gait Index and Functional Reach Test demonstrated the highest sensitivity at only 30%; the Dynamic Gait Index also demonstrated the highest overall diagnostic accuracy. When modified cutoff scores were used, all tools demonstrated improved sensitivity (80% or 90%). Overall diagnostic accuracy improved for all tests except the Functional Reach Test; the Timed “Up & Go” Test demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy at 88.9%. Limitations The small sample size and retrospective fall history assessment were limitations of the study. Conclusions Modified cutoff scores improved diagnostic accuracy for 3 of 4 fall risk

Comparative analysis of diagnostic accuracy of different brain biopsy procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Deepali; Sharma, Mehar Chand; Sarkar, Chitra; Gupta, Deepak; Singh, Manmohan; Mahapatra, A K

2006-12-01

Image-guided procedures such as computed tomography (CT) guided, neuronavigator-guided and ultrasound-guided methods can assist neurosurgeons in localizing the intraparenchymal lesion of the brain. However, despite improvements in the imaging techniques, an accurate diagnosis of intrinsic lesion requires tissue sampling and histological verification. The present study was carried out to examine the reliability of the diagnoses made on tumor sample obtained via different stereotactic and ultrasound-guided brain biopsy procedures. A retrospective analysis was conducted of all brain biopsies (frame-based and frameless stereotactic and ultrasound-guided) performed in a single tertiary care neurosciences center between 1995 and 2005. The overall diagnostic accuracy achieved on histopathology and correlation with type of biopsy technique was evaluated. A total of 130 cases were included, which consisted of 82 males and 48 females. Age ranged from 4 to 75 years (mean age 39.5 years). Twenty per cent (27 patients) were in the pediatric age group, while 12% (16 patients) were >or= 60-years of age. A definitive histological diagnosis was established in 109 cases (diagnostic yield 80.2%), which encompassed 101 neoplastic and eight nonneoplastic lesions. Frame-based, frameless stereotactic and ultrasound-guided biopsies were done in 95, 15 and 20 patients respectively. Although the numbers of cases were small there was trend for better yield with frameless image-guided stereotactic biopsy and maximum diagnostic yield was obtained i.e, 87% (13/15) in comparison to conventional frame-based CT-guided stereotactic biopsy and ultrasound-guided biopsy. Overall, a trend of higher diagnostic yield was seen in cases with frameless image-guided stereotactic biopsy. Thus, this small series confirms that frameless neuronavigator-guided stereotactic procedures represent the lesion sufficiently in order to make histopathologic diagnosis.

"Anterior convergent" chest probing in rapid ultrasound transducer positioning versus formal chest ultrasonography to detect pneumothorax during the primary survey of hospital trauma patients: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziapour, Behrad; Haji, Houman Seyedjavady

2015-01-01

Occult pneumothorax represents a diagnostic pitfall during the primary survey of trauma patients, particularly if these patients require early positive pressure ventilation. This study investigated the accuracy of our proposed rapid model of ultrasound transducer positioning during the primary survey of trauma patients after their arrival at the hospital. This diagnostic trial was conducted over 12 months and was based on the results of 84 ultrasound (US) exams performed on patients with severe multiple trauma. Our index test (US) was used to detect pneumothorax in four pre-defined locations on the anterior of each hemi-thorax using the "Anterior Convergent" approach, and its performance was limited to the primary survey. Consecutively, patients underwent chest-computed tomography (CT) with or without chest radiography. The diagnostic findings of both chest radiography and chest ultrasounds were compared to the gold-standard test (CT). The diagnostic sensitivity was 78 % for US and 36.4 % for chest radiography (p chest radiography (not significant); the positive predictive values were 74 % for US and 80 % for chest radiography (not significant); the negative predictive values were 94 % for US and 87 % for chest radiography (not significant); the positive likelihood ratio was 10 for US and 18 for chest radiography (p = 0.007); and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.25 for US and 0.65 for chest radiography (p = 0.001). The mean required time for performing the new method was 64 ± 10 s. An absence of the expected diffused dynamic view among ultrasound images obtained from patients with pneumothorax was also observed. We designated this phenomenon "Gestalt Lung Recession." "Anterior convergent" chest US probing represents a brief but efficient model that provides clinicians a safe and accurate exam and adequate resuscitation during critical minutes of the primary survey without interrupting other medical staff activities taking place around the

Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies: The PRISMA-DTA Statement.

Science.gov (United States)

McInnes, Matthew D F; Moher, David; Thombs, Brett D; McGrath, Trevor A; Bossuyt, Patrick M; Clifford, Tammy; Cohen, Jérémie F; Deeks, Jonathan J; Gatsonis, Constantine; Hooft, Lotty; Hunt, Harriet A; Hyde, Christopher J; Korevaar, Daniël A; Leeflang, Mariska M G; Macaskill, Petra; Reitsma, Johannes B; Rodin, Rachel; Rutjes, Anne W S; Salameh, Jean-Paul; Stevens, Adrienne; Takwoingi, Yemisi; Tonelli, Marcello; Weeks, Laura; Whiting, Penny; Willis, Brian H

2018-01-23

Systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy synthesize data from primary diagnostic studies that have evaluated the accuracy of 1 or more index tests against a reference standard, provide estimates of test performance, allow comparisons of the accuracy of different tests, and facilitate the identification of sources of variability in test accuracy. To develop the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagnostic test accuracy guideline as a stand-alone extension of the PRISMA statement. Modifications to the PRISMA statement reflect the specific requirements for reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy studies and the abstracts for these reviews. Established standards from the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network were followed for the development of the guideline. The original PRISMA statement was used as a framework on which to modify and add items. A group of 24 multidisciplinary experts used a systematic review of articles on existing reporting guidelines and methods, a 3-round Delphi process, a consensus meeting, pilot testing, and iterative refinement to develop the PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy guideline. The final version of the PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy guideline checklist was approved by the group. The systematic review (produced 64 items) and the Delphi process (provided feedback on 7 proposed items; 1 item was later split into 2 items) identified 71 potentially relevant items for consideration. The Delphi process reduced these to 60 items that were discussed at the consensus meeting. Following the meeting, pilot testing and iterative feedback were used to generate the 27-item PRISMA diagnostic test accuracy checklist. To reflect specific or optimal contemporary systematic review methods for diagnostic test accuracy, 8 of the 27 original PRISMA items were left unchanged, 17 were modified, 2 were added, and 2 were omitted. The 27-item

The impact of three discharge coding methods on the accuracy of diagnostic coding and hospital reimbursement for inpatient medical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsopra, Rosy; Peckham, Daniel; Beirne, Paul; Rodger, Kirsty; Callister, Matthew; White, Helen; Jais, Jean-Philippe; Ghosh, Dipansu; Whitaker, Paul; Clifton, Ian J; Wyatt, Jeremy C

2018-07-01

Coding of diagnoses is important for patient care, hospital management and research. However coding accuracy is often poor and may reflect methods of coding. This study investigates the impact of three alternative coding methods on the inaccuracy of diagnosis codes and hospital reimbursement. Comparisons of coding inaccuracy were made between a list of coded diagnoses obtained by a coder using (i)the discharge summary alone, (ii)case notes and discharge summary, and (iii)discharge summary with the addition of medical input. For each method, inaccuracy was determined for the primary, secondary diagnoses, Healthcare Resource Group (HRG) and estimated hospital reimbursement. These data were then compared with a gold standard derived by a consultant and coder. 107 consecutive patient discharges were analysed. Inaccuracy of diagnosis codes was highest when a coder used the discharge summary alone, and decreased significantly when the coder used the case notes (70% vs 58% respectively, p coded from the discharge summary with medical support (70% vs 60% respectively, p coding with case notes, and 35% for coding with medical support. The three coding methods resulted in an annual estimated loss of hospital remuneration of between £1.8 M and £16.5 M. The accuracy of diagnosis codes and percentage of correct HRGs improved when coders used either case notes or medical support in addition to the discharge summary. Further emphasis needs to be placed on improving the standard of information recorded in discharge summaries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of FDG-PET in recurrent colorectal carcinoma. An analysis based on the results of questionnaire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Kengo; Kato, Takashi; Inagaki, Hiroshi

2000-01-01

This study was done by the PET working group under Japan Radioisotope Association. The usefulness of [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET in detecting local recurrence of colorectal carcinoma was investigated retrospectively, by the results of questionnaire. Six institutions participated in this study. One hundred and four cases were analyzed to calculate the diagnostic accuracy. The accuracy of FDG-PET in detecting local recurrence of colorectal carcinoma was 96.2%, with two false positive and two false negative cases. We also evaluated the cost-effectiveness of FDG-PET in staging recurrent colorectal carcinoma based on the results of questionnaire. FDG-PET reduced unnecessary radical surgery by 50% in comparison with that in the conventional protocol without PET, and the net savings were about 6.6 billion yen per year in Japan. (author)

Examination of the Accuracy of Coding Hospital-Acquired...

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — A new study, Examination of the Accuracy of Coding Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Stages, published in Volume 4, Issue 1 of the Medicare and Medicaid Research...

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose 256-slice multi-detector coronary CT angiography using iterative reconstruction in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Yang; Ma, Yue; Wang, Yuke; Yu, Mei; Guo, Qiyong [Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Department of Radiology, Shenyang (China); Fan, Weipeng [Central Hospital of Anshan, Department of Radiology, Anshan (China); Vembar, Mani [CT Clinical Science Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH (United States)

2014-01-15

To evaluate the accuracy of low-dose coronary CTA with iterative reconstruction (IR) in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with suspected CAD. Ninety-six patients with suspected CAD underwent low-dose prospective electrocardiogram-gated coronary CTA, with images reconstructed using IR. Image quality (IQ) of coronary segments were graded on a 4-point scale (4, excellent; 1, non-diagnostic). With invasive coronary angiography (ICA) considered the ''gold standard'', the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of coronary CTA were calculated on segment-, vessel- and patient-based levels. The patient data were divided into two groups (Agatston scores of ≥ 400 and <400). The differences in diagnostic performance between the two groups were tested. Diagnostic image quality was found in 98.1 % (1,232/1,256) of segments. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 90.8 %, 95.3 %, 81.8 %, 97.8 % and 94.3 % (segment-based) and 97.2 %, 83.3 %, 94.6 %, 90.9 % and 93.8 % (patient-based). Significant differences between the two groups were seen in specificity, PPV and accuracy (92.1 % vs. 97.9 %, 76.0 % vs. 86.7 %, 91.7 % vs. 96.6 %, P < 0.05; segment-based). The average effective dose was 1.30 ± 0.15 mSv. Low-dose prospective coronary CTA with IR can acquire satisfactory image quality and show high diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected CAD; however, blooming continues to pose a challenge in severely calcified segments. (orig.)

EpCAM-based flow cytometry in cerebrospinal fluid greatly improves diagnostic accuracy of leptomeningeal metastases from epithelial tumors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milojkovic Kerklaan, B.; Pluim, Dick; Bol, Mijke; Hofland, Ingrid; Westerga, Johan; van Tinteren, Harm; Beijnen, Jos H; Boogerd, Willem; Schellens, Jan H M; Brandsma, Dieta

BACKGROUND: Moderate diagnostic accuracy of MRI and initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology analysis results in at least 10%-15% false negative diagnoses of leptomeningeal metastases (LM) of solid tumors, thus postponing start of therapy. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to

Rapid detection of health-care-associated bloodstream infection in critical care using multipathogen real-time polymerase chain reaction technology: a diagnostic accuracy study and systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Warhurst, Geoffrey; Dunn, Graham; Chadwick, Paul; Blackwood, Bronagh; McAuley, Daniel; Perkins, Gavin D; McMullan, Ronan; Gates, Simon; Bentley, Andrew; Young, Duncan; Carlson, Gordon L; Dark, Paul

2015-05-01

There is growing interest in the potential utility of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in diagnosing bloodstream infection by detecting pathogen deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in blood samples within a few hours. SeptiFast (Roche Diagnostics GmBH, Mannheim, Germany) is a multipathogen probe-based system targeting ribosomal DNA sequences of bacteria and fungi. It detects and identifies the commonest pathogens causing bloodstream infection. As background to this study, we report a systematic review of Phase III diagnostic accuracy studies of SeptiFast, which reveals uncertainty about its likely clinical utility based on widespread evidence of deficiencies in study design and reporting with a high risk of bias. Determine the accuracy of SeptiFast real-time PCR for the detection of health-care-associated bloodstream infection, against standard microbiological culture. Prospective multicentre Phase III clinical diagnostic accuracy study using the standards for the reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies criteria. Critical care departments within NHS hospitals in the north-west of England. Adult patients requiring blood culture (BC) when developing new signs of systemic inflammation. SeptiFast real-time PCR results at species/genus level compared with microbiological culture in association with independent adjudication of infection. Metrics of diagnostic accuracy were derived including sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and predictive values, with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Latent class analysis was used to explore the diagnostic performance of culture as a reference standard. Of 1006 new patient episodes of systemic inflammation in 853 patients, 922 (92%) met the inclusion criteria and provided sufficient information for analysis. Index test assay failure occurred on 69 (7%) occasions. Adult patients had been exposed to a median of 8 days (interquartile range 4-16 days) of hospital care, had high levels of organ support activities and recent

The diagnostic accuracy of multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis in diagnosing dehydration after stroke

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Kafri, Mohannad W.; Myint, Phyo Kyaw; Doherty, Danielle; Wilson, Alexander Hugh; Potter, John F.; Hooper, Lee

2013-01-01

Background Non-invasive methods for detecting water-loss dehydration following acute stroke would be clinically useful. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MF-BIA) against reference standards serum osmolality and osmolarity. Material/Methods Patients admitted to an acute stroke unit were recruited. Blood samples for electrolytes and osmolality were taken within 20 minutes of MF-BIA. Total body water (TBW%), intracellular (ICW%) and extracellular water (ECW%), as percentages of total body weight, were calculated by MF-BIA equipment and from impedance measures using published equations for older people. These were compared to hydration status (based on serum osmolality and calculated osmolarity). The most promising Receiver Operating Characteristics curves were plotted. Results 27 stroke patients were recruited (mean age 71.3, SD10.7). Only a TBW% cut-off at 46% was consistent with current dehydration (serum osmolality >300 mOsm/kg) and TBW% at 47% impending dehydration (calculated osmolarity ≥295–300 mOsm/L) with sensitivity and specificity both >60%. Even here diagnostic accuracy of MF-BIA was poor, a third of those with dehydration were wrongly classified as hydrated and a third classified as dehydrated were well hydrated. Secondary analyses assessing diagnostic accuracy of TBW% for men and women separately, and using TBW as a percentage of lean body mass showed some promise, but did not provide diagnostically accurate measures across the population. Conclusions MF-BIA appears ineffective at diagnosing water-loss dehydration after stroke and cannot be recommended as a test for dehydration, but separating assessment by sex, and using TBW as a percentage of lean body weight may warrant further investigation. PMID:23839255

Clinical accuracy data presented as natural frequencies improve dentists' caries diagnostic inference: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

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Nadanovsky, Paulo; Santos, Ana Paula Pires Dos; Lira-Junior, Ronaldo; Oliveira, Branca Heloisa de

2018-01-01

The authors assessed whether dentists' diagnostic inferences differ when test accuracy information is communicated using natural frequencies versus conditional probabilities. A parallel, randomized controlled trial with dentists was carried out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The dentists received a question on the probability of a patient having interproximal caries, given a positive bite-wing radiograph. This question was asked using information that was formulated into either natural frequencies or conditional probabilities. Only 14 (13.9%) of the dentists gave the correct answer; 13 in the natural frequencies group, and 1 in the conditional probabilities group (P natural frequencies group and none in the conditional probabilities group (P = .005). Representing diagnostic test accuracy in natural frequencies substantially helped dentists make diagnostic inferences. Nearly twice as many dentists overestimated the presence of interproximal caries when given information in conditional probabilities. Our study findings show information shared using natural frequencies may be more accurately interpreted by dentists than that based on conditional probabilities. Patients will probably receive different standards of care depending on the format in which dentists receive diagnostic test accuracy information. Copyright © 2018 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dental and dental hygiene students' diagnostic accuracy in oral radiology: effect of diagnostic strategy and instructional method.

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Baghdady, Mariam T; Carnahan, Heather; Lam, Ernest W N; Woods, Nicole N

2014-09-01

There has been much debate surrounding diagnostic strategies and the most appropriate training models for novices in oral radiology. It has been argued that an analytic approach, using a step-by-step analysis of the radiographic features of an abnormality, is ideal. Alternative research suggests that novices can successfully employ non-analytic reasoning. Many of these studies do not take instructional methodology into account. This study evaluated the effectiveness of non-analytic and analytic strategies in radiographic interpretation and explored the relationship between instructional methodology and diagnostic strategy. Second-year dental and dental hygiene students were taught four radiographic abnormalities using basic science instructions or a step-by-step algorithm. The students were tested on diagnostic accuracy and memory immediately after learning and one week later. A total of seventy-three students completed both immediate and delayed sessions and were included in the analysis. Students were randomly divided into two instructional conditions: one group provided a diagnostic hypothesis for the image and then identified specific features to support it, while the other group first identified features and then provided a diagnosis. Participants in the diagnosis-first condition (non-analytic reasoning) had higher diagnostic accuracy then those in the features-first condition (analytic reasoning), regardless of their learning condition. No main effect of learning condition or interaction with diagnostic strategy was observed. Educators should be mindful of the potential influence of analytic and non-analytic approaches on the effectiveness of the instructional method.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Pediatric Teledermatology Using Parent-Submitted Photographs: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

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O'Connor, Daniel M; Jew, Olivia S; Perman, Marissa J; Castelo-Soccio, Leslie A; Winston, Flaura K; McMahon, Patrick J

2017-12-01

Advances in smartphone photography (both quality and image transmission) may improve access to care via direct parent-to-clinician telemedicine. However, the accuracy of diagnoses that are reliant on parent-provided photographs has not been formally compared with diagnoses made in person. To assess whether smartphone photographs of pediatric skin conditions taken by parents are of sufficient quality to permit accurate diagnosis. A prospective study was conducted among 40 patient-parent dyads at a pediatric dermatology clinic at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from March 1 to September 30, 2016, to assess concordance between diagnoses made by an independent pediatric dermatologist based on in-person examination and those based on parental photographs. Half of the patient-parent dyads were randomized for a secondary analysis to receive instructions on how best to take photographs with smartphones. Clinicians were blinded to whether parents had received photography instructions. Half of the patient-parent dyads received a simple, 3-step instruction sheet on how best to take photographs using a smartphone (intervention group); the other half did not (control group). Concordance between photograph-based vs in-person diagnosis in the intervention vs control groups, as quantified using Cohen κ, a measure of interrater agreement that takes into account the possibility of agreement occurring by chance. Among the 40 patient-parent dyads (22 female children and 18 male children; mean [SD] age, 6.96 [5.23] years), overall concordance between photograph-based vs in-person diagnosis was 83% (95% CI, 71%-94%; κ = 0.81). Diagnostic concordance was 89% (95% CI, 75%-97%; κ = 0.88) in a subgroup of 37 participants with photographs considered of high enough quality to make a diagnosis. No statistically significant effect of photography instructions on concordance was detected (group that received instructions, 85%; group that did not receive instructions, 80%; P�

Diagnostic accuracy of scapular physical examination tests for shoulder disorders: a systematic review.

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Wright, Alexis A; Wassinger, Craig A; Frank, Mason; Michener, Lori A; Hegedus, Eric J

2013-09-01

To systematically review and critique the evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests for the scapula in patients with shoulder disorders. A systematic, computerised literature search of PubMED, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library databases (from database inception through January 2012) using keywords related to diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests of the scapula. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool was used to critique the quality of each paper. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria; three were considered to be of high quality. Of the three high-quality studies, two were in reference to a 'diagnosis' of shoulder pain. Only one high-quality article referenced specific shoulder pathology of acromioclavicular dislocation with reported sensitivity of 71% and 41% for the scapular dyskinesis and SICK scapula test, respectively. Overall, no physical examination test of the scapula was found to be useful in differentially diagnosing pathologies of the shoulder.

Factors Determining the Inter-observer Variability and Diagnostic Accuracy of High-resolution Manometry for Esophageal Motility Disorders.

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Kim, Ji Hyun; Kim, Sung Eun; Cho, Yu Kyung; Lim, Chul-Hyun; Park, Moo In; Hwang, Jin Won; Jang, Jae-Sik; Oh, Minkyung

2018-01-30

Although high-resolution manometry (HRM) has the advantage of visual intuitiveness, its diagnostic validity remains under debate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of HRM for esophageal motility disorders. Six staff members and 8 trainees were recruited for the study. In total, 40 patients enrolled in manometry studies at 3 institutes were selected. Captured images of 10 representative swallows and a single swallow in analyzing mode in both high-resolution pressure topography (HRPT) and conventional line tracing formats were provided with calculated metrics. Assessments of esophageal motility disorders showed fair agreement for HRPT and moderate agreement for conventional line tracing (κ = 0.40 and 0.58, respectively). With the HRPT format, the k value was higher in category A (esophagogastric junction [EGJ] relaxation abnormality) than in categories B (major body peristalsis abnormalities with intact EGJ relaxation) and C (minor body peristalsis abnormalities or normal body peristalsis with intact EGJ relaxation). The overall exact diagnostic accuracy for the HRPT format was 58.8% and rater's position was an independent factor for exact diagnostic accuracy. The diagnostic accuracy for major disorders was 63.4% with the HRPT format. The frequency of major discrepancies was higher for category B disorders than for category A disorders (38.4% vs 15.4%; P < 0.001). The interpreter's experience significantly affected the exact diagnostic accuracy of HRM for esophageal motility disorders. The diagnostic accuracy for major disorders was higher for achalasia than distal esophageal spasm and jackhammer esophagus.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Obstructive Airway Adult Test for Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

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Gasparini, Giulio; Vicini, Claudio; De Benedetto, Michele; Salamanca, Fabrizio; Sorrenti, Giovanni; Romandini, Mario; Bosi, Marcello; Saponaro, Gianmarco; Foresta, Enrico; Laforì, Andreina; Meccariello, Giuseppe; Bianchi, Alessandro; Toraldo, Domenico Maurizio; Campanini, Aldo; Montevecchi, Filippo; Rizzotto, Grazia; Cervelli, Daniele; Moro, Alessandro; Arigliani, Michele; Gobbi, Riccardo; Pelo, Sandro

2015-01-01

The gold standard for the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is polysomnography, whose access is however reduced by costs and limited availability, so that additional diagnostic tests are needed. To analyze the diagnostic accuracy of the Obstructive Airway Adult Test (OAAT) compared to polysomnography for the diagnosis of OSA in adult patients. Ninety patients affected by OSA verified with polysomnography (AHI ≥ 5) and ten healthy patients, randomly selected, were included and all were interviewed by one blind examiner with OAAT questions. The Spearman rho, evaluated to measure the correlation between OAAT and polysomnography, was 0.72 (p diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of OSA. It has also been shown to be able to discriminate among the different degrees of severity of OSA. Additional large studies aiming to validate this questionnaire as a screening or diagnostic test are needed.

Digital versus traditional: are diagnostic accuracy rates similar for glass slides versus whole slide images in a non-gynaecological external quality assurance setting?

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Jennifer; Greaves, Janelle; Earls, Peter; Shulruf, Boaz; Van Es, Simone L

2018-04-17

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs introduced virtual microscopy cases into its cytopathology non-gynaecological program after a short pilot phase, to address the challenges of providing a purely glass slide-based external quality assurance program to multiple participants both locally and internationally. The use of whole slide image (WSI) cases has facilitated a more robust program in relation to standardised material and statistical analysis, with access to a wider variety of specimen types and diagnostic entities. Diagnostic accuracy rates on 56 WSI were assessed against the reference diagnosis. A portion (12) of these WSI slides had been used in glass slide format in previous EQA surveys, and the results of these were compared to the responses received as glass slide cases. Overall diagnostic accuracy for the 56 WSI cases was acceptable in comparison to the reference diagnosis. When these 12 cases were analysed individually, for seven of the twelve cases, virtual format was found to be not inferior to glass slides for diagnostic accuracy. For one case, accuracy using WSI for diagnosis was superior to glass format. Diagnostic accuracy, using WSI for cases in our external quality assurance program is acceptable. As the use of digital microscopy in a large scale external quality assurance program (eQAP) offers extensive advantages over a glass slide-based format, our results encourage future comparison of diagnostic accuracy for virtual compared to glass slide format at a point in time where pathologists are becoming increasingly familiar with virtual microscopy in everyday practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The diagnostic accuracy of carcinoembryonic antigen to detect colorectal cancer recurrence – A systematic review

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Sørensen, Caspar G; Karlsson, William K; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) has been used as a tumor marker in the follow-up of colorectal cancer for more than 40 years. Controversy exists regarding its diagnostic applicability due to a relatively low sensitivity and a questionable effect on mortality. The aim of this review...... was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CEA in detecting recurrence after intended curative surgery for primary colorectal cancer. METHODS: Systematic literature searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases, and articles were chosen based on predefined inclusion criteria. Reference lists...

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Slump Test for Identifying Neuropathic Pain in the Lower Limb.

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Urban, Lawrence M; MacNeil, Brian J

2015-08-01

Diagnostic accuracy study with nonconsecutive enrollment. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the slump test for neuropathic pain (NeP) in those with low to moderate levels of chronic low back pain (LBP), and to determine whether accuracy of the slump test improves by adding anatomical or qualitative pain descriptors. Neuropathic pain has been linked with poor outcomes, likely due to inadequate diagnosis, which precludes treatment specific for NeP. Current diagnostic approaches are time consuming or lack accuracy. A convenience sample of 21 individuals with LBP, with or without radiating leg pain, was recruited. A standardized neurosensory examination was used to determine the reference diagnosis for NeP. Afterward, the slump test was administered to all participants. Reports of pain location and quality produced during the slump test were recorded. The neurosensory examination designated 11 of the 21 participants with LBP/sciatica as having NeP. The slump test displayed high sensitivity (0.91), moderate specificity (0.70), a positive likelihood ratio of 3.03, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.13. Adding the criterion of pain below the knee significantly increased specificity to 1.00 (positive likelihood ratio = 11.9). Pain-quality descriptors did not improve diagnostic accuracy. The slump test was highly sensitive in identifying NeP within the study sample. Adding a pain-location criterion improved specificity. Combining the diagnostic outcomes was very effective in identifying all those without NeP and half of those with NeP. Limitations arising from the small and narrow spectrum of participants with LBP/sciatica sampled within the study prevent application of the findings to a wider population. Diagnosis, level 4-.

Appropriateness and diagnostic yield of referrals for oesophagogastroduodenoscopy at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

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Tachi, K; Nkrumah, K N

2011-01-01

Increasing endoscopy workload in open-access services necessitates adoption of appropriateness criteria to check abuse and improve yield. To assess the appropriateness of referrals for oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) and its relationship to yield at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra. Referrals, signs, and symptoms of 375 consecutive patients for diagnostic oesophagogastroduodenoscopy were evaluated over four months. Indications were categorized as appropriate or inappropriate using the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines and endoscopic findings (yield) categorized as positive or negative. The relationship between these was analyzed and the diagnostic accuracy of the guidelines determined. There were 209 (55.7%) females, and 316 (84.3%) open-access procedures. Mean age was 46±17 years. Dyspepsia, 272 (72.5%) and epigastric tenderness, 192 (41.4 %) were the commonest symptom and sign respectively. Only 133 (35.5%) reported alarm symptoms. Appropriate referrals constituted 221(58.9%). Inappropriate referral rate was similar for endoscopists and non-endoscopists. Positive yield was 62.7%. Male sex, age > 45 years, haematemesis, persistent vomiting, gastroenterologists' referrals and epigastric tenderness were the best predictors of positive yield. Gastritis, 121 (32.3%), duodenal ulcer, 48 (12.5%) and oesophagitis, 36 (9.6%) were the leading endoscopy diagnoses. Carcinomas were reported only after 45 years and 18 (81.8%) of the cases had alarm symptoms. Inappropriate referral for OGD rate is high in Accra. Yield is improved by adherence to the ASGE guidelines but its accuracy as a screening tool for OGD at Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital is too low to recommend it for adoption.

Diagnostic accuracy of optical coherence tomography in actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, J; Themstrup, L; De Carvalho, N; Mogensen, M; Pellacani, G; Jemec, G B E

2016-12-01

Early diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is potentially possible using optical coherence tomography (OCT) which provides non-invasive, real-time images of skin with micrometre resolution and an imaging depth of up to 2mm. OCT technology for skin imaging has undergone significant developments, improving image quality substantially. The diagnostic accuracy of any method is influenced by continuous technological development making it necessary to regularly re-evaluate methods. The objective of this study is to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of OCT in basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and actinic keratosis (AK) as well as differentiating these lesions from normal skin. A study set consisting of 142 OCT images meeting selection criterea for image quality and diagnosis of AK, BCC and normal skin was presented uniformly to two groups of blinded observers: 5 dermatologists experienced in OCT-image interpretation and 5 dermatologists with no experience in OCT. During the presentation of the study set the observers filled out a standardized questionnaire regarding the OCT diagnosis. Images were captured using a commercially available OCT machine (Vivosight ® , Michelson Diagnostics, UK). Skilled OCT observers were able to diagnose BCC lesions with a sensitivity of 86% to 95% and a specificity of 81% to 98%. Skilled observers with at least one year of OCT-experience showed an overall higher diagnostic accuracy compared to inexperienced observers. The study shows an improved diagnostic accuracy of OCT in differentiating AK and BCC from healthy skin using state-of-the-art technology compared to earlier OCT technology, especially concerning BCC diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic accuracy of contemporary multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for the detection of lumbar disc herniation

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Notohamiprodjo, S.; Stahl, R.; Braunagel, M.; Kazmierczak, P.M.; Thierfelder, K.M.; Treitl, K.M.; Wirth, S. [University Hospital of Munich, LMU Munich, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); Notohamiprodjo, M. [University Hospital Tuebingen, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany)

2017-08-15

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector CT (MDCT) for detection of lumbar disc herniation with MRI as standard of reference. Patients with low back pain underwent indicated MDCT (128-row MDCT, helical pitch), 60 patients with iterative reconstruction (IR) and 67 patients with filtered back projection (FBP). Lumbar spine MRI (1.5 T) was performed within 1 month. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), annulus fibrosus (AF) and the spinal cord (SC) were determined for all modalities. Two readers independently rated image quality (IQ), diagnostic confidence and accuracy in the diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation using MRI as standard of reference. Inter-reader correlation was assessed with weighted κ. Sensitivity, specificity, precision and accuracy of MDCT for disc protrusion were 98.8%, 96.5%, 97.1%, 97.8% (disc level), 97.7%, 92.9%, 98.6%, 96.9% (patient level). SNR of IR was significantly higher than FBP. IQ was significantly better in IR owing to visually reduced noise and improved delineation of the discs. κ (>0.90) was excellent for both algorithms. MDCT of the lumbar spine yields high diagnostic accuracy for detection of lumbar disc herniation. IR improves image quality so that the provided diagnostic accuracy is principally equivalent to MRI. (orig.)

Ordering of diagnostic information in encoded medical images. Accuracy progression

Science.gov (United States)

Przelaskowski, A.; Jóźwiak, R.; Krzyżewski, T.; Wróblewska, A.

2008-03-01

A concept of diagnostic accuracy progression for embedded coding of medical images was presented. Implementation of JPEG2000 encoder with a modified PCRD optimization algorithm was realized and initially verified as a tool for accurate medical image streaming. Mean square error as a distortion measure was replaced by other numerical measures to revise quality progression according to diagnostic importance of successively encoded image information. A faster increment of image diagnostic importance during reconstruction of initial packets of code stream was reached. Modified Jasper code was initially tested on a set of mammograms containing clusters of microcalcifications and malignant masses, and other radiograms. Teleradiologic applications were considered as the first area of interests.

Diagnostic accuracy of a noninvasive hepatic ultrasound score for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil

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Alessandra Carvalho Goulart

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Noninvasive strategies for evaluating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD have been investigated over the last few decades. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new hepatic ultrasound score for NAFLD in the ELSA-Brasil study. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: Diagnostic accuracy study conducted in the ELSA center, in the hospital of a public university. METHODS: Among the 15,105 participants of the ELSA study who were evaluated for NAFLD, 195 individuals were included in this sub-study. Hepatic ultrasound was performed (deep beam attenuation, hepatorenal index and anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe and compared with the hepatic steatosis findings from 64-channel high-resolution computed tomography (CT. We also evaluated two clinical indices relating to NAFLD: the fatty liver index (FLI and the hepatic steatosis index (HSI. RESULTS: Among the 195 participants, the NAFLD frequency was 34.4%. High body mass index, high waist circumference, diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia were associated with high hepatic attenuation and large anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe, but not with the hepatorenal index. The hepatic ultrasound score, based on hepatic attenuation and the anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe, presented the best performance for NAFLD screening at the cutoff point ≥ 1 point; sensitivity: 85.1%; specificity: 73.4%; accuracy: 79.3%; and area under the curve (AUC 0.85; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.78-0.91]. FLI and HSI presented lower performance (AUC 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69-0.83 than CT. CONCLUSION: The hepatic ultrasound score based on hepatic attenuation and the anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe has good reproducibility and accuracy for NAFLD screening.

Diagnostic accuracy of a noninvasive hepatic ultrasound score for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Science.gov (United States)

Goulart, Alessandra Carvalho; Oliveira, Ilka Regina Souza de; Alencar, Airlane Pereira; Santos, Maira Solange Camara dos; Santos, Itamar Souza; Martines, Brenda Margatho Ramos; Meireles, Danilo Peron; Martines, João Augusto dos Santos; Misciagna, Giovanni; Benseñor, Isabela Martins; Lotufo, Paulo Andrade

2015-01-01

Noninvasive strategies for evaluating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been investigated over the last few decades. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new hepatic ultrasound score for NAFLD in the ELSA-Brasil study. Diagnostic accuracy study conducted in the ELSA center, in the hospital of a public university. Among the 15,105 participants of the ELSA study who were evaluated for NAFLD, 195 individuals were included in this sub-study. Hepatic ultrasound was performed (deep beam attenuation, hepatorenal index and anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe) and compared with the hepatic steatosis findings from 64-channel high-resolution computed tomography (CT). We also evaluated two clinical indices relating to NAFLD: the fatty liver index (FLI) and the hepatic steatosis index (HSI). Among the 195 participants, the NAFLD frequency was 34.4%. High body mass index, high waist circumference, diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia were associated with high hepatic attenuation and large anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe, but not with the hepatorenal index. The hepatic ultrasound score, based on hepatic attenuation and the anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe, presented the best performance for NAFLD screening at the cutoff point ≥ 1 point; sensitivity: 85.1%; specificity: 73.4%; accuracy: 79.3%; and area under the curve (AUC 0.85; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.78-0.91)]. FLI and HSI presented lower performance (AUC 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69-0.83) than CT. The hepatic ultrasound score based on hepatic attenuation and the anteroposterior diameter of the right hepatic lobe has good reproducibility and accuracy for NAFLD screening.

Potential Child Abuse Screening in Emergency Department; a Diagnostic Accuracy Study

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Hossein Dinpanah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Designing a tool that can differentiate those at risk of child abuse with great diagnostic accuracyis of great interest. The present study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Escape instrumentin triage of at risk cases of child abuse presenting to emergency department (ED. Methods: The present diagnosticaccuracy study performed on 6120 of the children under 16 years old presented to ED during 3 years,using convenience sampling. Confirmation by the child abuse team (pediatrician, a socialworker, and a forensicphysician was considered as the gold standard. Screening performance characteristics of Escape were calculatedusing STATA 21. Results: 6120 children with the mean age of 2.19 § 1.12 years were screened (52.7% girls.137 children were suspected victims of child abuse. Based on child abuse team opinion, 35 (0.5% children wereconfirmed victims of child abuse. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio and positive andnegative predictive values of this test with 95% CI were 100 (87.6 – 100, 98.3 (97.9 – 98.6, 25.5 (18.6 – 33.8, 100(99.9 – 100, 0.34 (0.25 – 0.46, and 0 (0 – NAN, respectively. Area under the ROC curve was 99.2 (98.9 – 99.4.Conclusion: It seems that Escape is a suitable screening instrument for detection of at risk cases of child abusepresenting to ED. Based on the results of the present study, the accuracy of this screening tool is 99.2%, which isin the excellent range.

A Best-Evidence Systematic Appraisal of the Diagnostic Accuracy and Utility of Facet (Zygapophysial) Joint Injections in Chronic Spinal Pain.

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Boswell, Mark V; Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Kaye, Alan D; Bakshi, Sanjay; Gharibo, Christopher G; Gupta, Sanjeeva; Jha, Sachin Sunny; Nampiaparampil, Devi E; Simopoulos, Thomas T; Hirsch, Joshua A

2015-01-01

Spinal zygapophysial, or facet, joints are a source of axial spinal pain and referred pain in the extremities. Conventional clinical features and other noninvasive diagnostic modalities are unreliable in diagnosing zygapophysial joint pain. A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of spinal facet joint nerve blocks. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of spinal facet joint nerve blocks in chronic spinal pain. A methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed using Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL). Only diagnostic accuracy studies meeting at least 50% of the designated inclusion criteria were utilized for analysis. The level of evidence was classified as Level I to V based on the grading of evidence utilizing best evidence synthesis. Data sources included relevant literature identified through searches of PubMed and other electronic searches published from 1966 through March 2015, Cochrane reviews, and manual searches of the bibliographies of known primary and review articles. Studies must have been performed utilizing controlled local anesthetic blocks. The criterion standard must have been at least 50% pain relief from baseline scores and the ability to perform previously painful movements. The available evidence is Level I for lumbar facet joint nerve blocks with the inclusion of a total of 17 studies with dual diagnostic blocks, with at least 75% pain relief with an average prevalence of 16% to 41% and false-positive rates of 25% to 44%. The evidence for diagnosis of cervical facet joint pain with cervical facet joint nerve blocks is Level II based on a total of 11 controlled diagnostic accuracy studies, with significant variability among the prevalence in a heterogenous population with internal inconsistency. The prevalence rates ranged from 36% to 67% with at least 80% pain relief as the criterion standard and a false-positive rate of 27% to 63%. The level of evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of thoracic facet

Towards complete and accurate reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy: The STARD initiative

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossuyt, Patrick M.; Reitsma, Johannes B.; Bruns, David E.; Gatsonis, Constantine A.; Glasziou, Paul P.; Irwig, Les M.; Lijmer, Jeroen G.; Moher, David; Rennie, Drummond; de Vet, Henrica C. W.

2003-01-01

Background: To comprehend the results of diagnostic accuracy studies, readers must understand the design, conduct, analysis, and results of such studies. That goal can be achieved only through complete transparency from authors. Objective: To improve the accuracy and completeness of reporting of

Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests of the ankle/foot complex: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwieterman, Braun; Haas, Deniele; Columber, Kirby; Knupp, Darren; Cook, Chad

2013-08-01

Orthopedic special tests of the ankle/foot complex are routinely used during the physical examination process in order to help diagnose ankle/lower leg pathologies. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of ankle/lower leg special tests. A search of the current literature was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Sources, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Studies were eligible if they included the following: 1) a diagnostic clinical test of musculoskeletal pathology in the ankle/foot complex, 2) description of the clinical test or tests, 3) a report of the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical test (e.g. sensitivity and specificity), and 4) an acceptable reference standard for comparison. The quality of included studies was determined by two independent reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Nine diagnostic accuracy studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review; analyzing a total of 16 special tests of the ankle/foot complex. After assessment using the QUADAS-2, only one study had low risk of bias and low concerns regarding applicability. Most ankle/lower leg orthopedic special tests are confirmatory in nature and are best utilized at the end of the physical examination. Most of the studies included in this systematic review demonstrate notable biases, which suggest that results and recommendations in this review should be taken as a guide rather than an outright standard. There is need for future research with more stringent study design criteria so that more accurate diagnostic power of ankle/lower leg special tests can be determined. 3a.

Comparing Diagnostic Accuracy of Cognitive Screening Instruments: A Weighted Comparison Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.J. Larner

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: There are many cognitive screening instruments available to clinicians when assessing patients' cognitive function, but the best way to compare the diagnostic utility of these tests is uncertain. One method is to undertake a weighted comparison which takes into account the difference in sensitivity and specificity of two tests, the relative clinical misclassification costs of true- and false-positive diagnosis, and also disease prevalence. Methods: Data were examined from four pragmatic diagnostic accuracy studies from one clinic which compared the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE with the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, the Test Your Memory (TYM test, and the Mini-Mental Parkinson (MMP, respectively. Results: Weighted comparison calculations suggested a net benefit for ACE-R, MoCA, and MMP compared to MMSE, but a net loss for TYM test compared to MMSE. Conclusion: Routine incorporation of weighted comparison or other similar net benefit measures into diagnostic accuracy studies merits consideration to better inform clinicians of the relative value of cognitive screening instruments.

The diagnostic accuracy of single- and five-field fundus photography in diabetic retinopathy screening by primary care physicians.

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Srihatrai, Parinya; Hlowchitsieng, Thanita

2018-01-01

The aim is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of digital fundus photography in diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening at a single university hospital. This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study. One hundred and ninety-eight diabetic patients were recruited for comprehensive eye examination by two ophthalmologists. Five-field fundus photographs were taken with a digital, nonmydriatic fundus camera, and trained primary care physicians then graded the severity of DR present by single-field 45° and five-field fundus photography. Sensitivity and specificity of DR grading were reported using the findings from the ophthalmologists' examinations as a gold standard. When fundus photographs of the participants' 363 eyes were analyzed for the presence of DR, there was substantial agreement between the two primary care physicians, κ = 0.6226 for single-field and 0.6939 for five-field photograph interpretation. The sensitivity and specificity of DR detection with single-field photographs were 70.7% (95% Confidence interval [CI]; 60.2%-79.7%) and 99.3% (95% CI; 97.4%-99.9%), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for five-field photographs were 84.5% (95% CI; 75.8%-91.1%) and 98.6% (95% CI; 96.5%-99.6%), respectively. The receiver operating characteristic was 0.85 (0.80-0.90) for single-field photographs and 0.92 (0.88-0.95) for five-field photographs. The sensitivity and specificity of fundus photographs for DR detection by primary care physicians were acceptable. Single- and five-field digital fundus photography each represent a convenient screening tool with acceptable accuracy.

Unilateral Hemithorax Opacification on Chest Radiograph : Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest Ultrasonography with CT

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Namkung, Sook; Lee, Kyung Soo; Kwon, O Jung [Samsung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Seung Eun [Sangkye Paek Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-15

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography (US) with computed tomography (CT) inpatients with opacification more than one third of unilateral hemithorax on chest radiograph (CXR). Chest US and CT scans from 41 consecutive patients with opacification more than one third of unilateral hemithorax on CXR were prospectively evaluated by two independent radiologists. Each radiologist recorded 1) the nature of pleural effusion (transudate vs. exudate), 2) presence or absence of pulmonary lesion, 3) the characteristic of pulmonary lesion (consolidation or atelectasis and tumor), and 4) presence of solid pleural tumor. The diagnostic accuracy of chest US was compared with CT scan in patients with pleural, pulmonary or other disease. In 32 patients with pleural effusion, differentiation between transudate and exudate was feasible in 27 (84%) patients with US and 26 (81%) patients with CT. In 32 patients with pulmonary and other pleural diseases, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US in lesion detection were 86%, 75% and 83% respectively when CT was regarded as a diagnostic gold standard. The diagnostic accuracy of chest US is comparable to CT in patients with hemithorax opacification on CXR

Unilateral Hemithorax Opacification on Chest Radiograph : Comparison of Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest Ultrasonography with CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Namkung, Sook; Lee, Kyung Soo; Kwon, O Jung; Chung, Seung Eun

1996-01-01

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography (US) with computed tomography (CT) inpatients with opacification more than one third of unilateral hemithorax on chest radiograph (CXR). Chest US and CT scans from 41 consecutive patients with opacification more than one third of unilateral hemithorax on CXR were prospectively evaluated by two independent radiologists. Each radiologist recorded 1) the nature of pleural effusion (transudate vs. exudate), 2) presence or absence of pulmonary lesion, 3) the characteristic of pulmonary lesion (consolidation or atelectasis and tumor), and 4) presence of solid pleural tumor. The diagnostic accuracy of chest US was compared with CT scan in patients with pleural, pulmonary or other disease. In 32 patients with pleural effusion, differentiation between transudate and exudate was feasible in 27 (84%) patients with US and 26 (81%) patients with CT. In 32 patients with pulmonary and other pleural diseases, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US in lesion detection were 86%, 75% and 83% respectively when CT was regarded as a diagnostic gold standard. The diagnostic accuracy of chest US is comparable to CT in patients with hemithorax opacification on CXR

Diagnostic accuracy of artificially induced vertical root fractures: a comparison of direct digital periapical images with conventional periapical images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ji Un; Kwon, Ki Jeong; Koh, Kwang Joon

2004-01-01

To compare the diagnostic accuracy for the detection of root fractures in CMOS-based digital periapical images with conventional film-based periapical images. Sixty extracted single-root human teeth with closed apices were prepared endodontically and divided into two groups; artificially induced vertical root fracture group and control group. All radiographs were obtained using the paralleling technique. The radiographs were examined by 4 observers three times within a 4 week interval. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was carried out using data obtained from four observers. Intra- and inter-examiner agreements were computed using kappa analysis. The area under the ROC curve (Az) was used as an indicator of the diagnostic accuracy of the imaging system. Az values were as follows: direct-digital images; 0.93, film-based images; 0.92, and inverted digital images; 0.91. There was no significant difference between imaging modalities(P<0.05). The kappa value of inter-observer agreement was 0.42(range:0.28-0.60) and intra-observer agreement was 0.57(range:0.44-0.75). There is no statistical difference in diagnostic accuracy for the detection of vertical root fractures between digital periapical images and conventional periapical images. The results indicate that the CMOS sensor is a good image detector for the evaluation of vertical root fractures.

Hospital discharge diagnostic and procedure codes for upper gastro-intestinal cancer: how accurate are they?

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Stavrou Efty

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Population-level health administrative datasets such as hospital discharge data are used increasingly to evaluate health services and outcomes of care. However information about the accuracy of Australian discharge data in identifying cancer, associated procedures and comorbidity is limited. The Admitted Patients Data Collection (APDC is a census of inpatient hospital discharges in the state of New South Wales (NSW. Our aim was to assess the accuracy of the APDC in identifying upper gastro-intestinal (upper GI cancer cases, procedures for associated curative resection and comorbidities at the time of admission compared to data abstracted from medical records (the ‘gold standard’. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 240 patients with an incident upper GI cancer diagnosis derived from a clinical database in one NSW area health service from July 2006 to June 2007. Extracted case record data was matched to APDC discharge data to determine sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV and agreement between the two data sources (κ-coefficient. Results The accuracy of the APDC diagnostic codes in identifying site-specific incident cancer ranged from 80-95% sensitivity. This was comparable to the accuracy of APDC procedure codes in identifying curative resection for upper GI cancer. PPV ranged from 42-80% for cancer diagnosis and 56-93% for curative surgery. Agreement between the data sources was >0.72 for most cancer diagnoses and curative resections. However, APDC discharge data was less accurate in reporting common comorbidities - for each condition, sensitivity ranged from 9-70%, whilst agreement ranged from κ = 0.64 for diabetes down to κ  Conclusions Identifying incident cases of upper GI cancer and curative resection from hospital administrative data is satisfactory but under-ascertained. Linkage of multiple population-health datasets is advisable to maximise case ascertainment and minimise false

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for the diagnosis of hip femoroacetabular impingement/labral tear

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reiman, M P; Goode, A P; Cook, C E

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Surgery for hip femoroacetabular impingement/acetabular labral tear (FAI/ALT) is exponentially increasing despite lacking investigation of the accuracy of various diagnostic measures. Useful clinical utility of these measures is necessary to support diagnostic imaging and subsequent...

The diagnostic accuracy of screening questionnaires for the identification of adults with epilepsy: a systematic review.

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Keezer, Mark R; Bouma, Hanni K; Wolfson, Christina

2014-11-01

To describe the diagnostic accuracy of screening questionnaires to identify epilepsy in adults, we performed a systematic review of diagnostic studies that assessed the sensitivity and specificity of such screening questionnaires as compared to a physician's clinical assessment. We searched Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to present) and Ovid EMBASE (1947 to present) for studies that estimated the sensitivity and specificity of nonphysician administered screening questionnaires for adults with epilepsy. Both telephone and in-person administered questionnaires were included, whether applied to population or hospital/clinic-based cohorts. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Our initial search strategy resulted in 917 records. We found nine studies eligible for inclusion. The estimated sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaires used to identify persons with a lifetime history of epilepsy ranged from 81.5% to 100% and 65.6% to 99.2%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of these questionnaires in identifying persons with active epilepsy ranged from 48.6% to 100% and 73.9% to 99.9%, respectively. Overall we found a high risk of bias in patient selection and study flow in the majority of studies. We identified nine validation studies of epilepsy screening questionnaires, summarized their study characteristics, presented their results, and performed a rigorous quality assessment. This review serves as a basis for future studies by providing a systematic review of existing work. Future research addressing previous limitations will ultimately allow us to more accurately estimate the burden and risk of epilepsy in the general population. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 International League Against Epilepsy.

Diagnostic accuracy of the MMPI-2 to assess imbalances emphasising in people with substance dependence

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Pablo González-Romero

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The acceptance and respect of the rules governing society and the family unit are essential pillars for the development of a therapeutic program for people with substance dependence disorders. This study proposes a double objective using the scales of the MMPI-2 detectors of mismatches emphasising: what information can provide and what the diagnostic accuracy of the MMPI-2 is to assess these mismatches. As a reference, psychopathic deviation (Pd, social introversion (Si, antisocial practices (ASP, social responsibility (Re, social unrest (SOD, introversion/low positive emotion (PSY-INTR, family problems (FAM, and conjugal stress (MDS were taken. Of the 226 participants, 113 are people with substance dependence and 113 have no dependence or any pathology. Their differences and diagnostic accuracy through the ROC curve were analysed. The results showed different contribution and diagnostic accuracy of the scales.

Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination for anterior knee instability: a systematic review.

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Leblanc, Marie-Claude; Kowalczuk, Marcin; Andruszkiewicz, Nicole; Simunovic, Nicole; Farrokhyar, Forough; Turnbull, Travis Lee; Debski, Richard E; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2015-10-01

Determining diagnostic accuracy of Lachman, pivot shift and anterior drawer tests versus gold standard diagnosis (magnetic resonance imaging or arthroscopy) for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency cases. Secondarily, evaluating effects of: chronicity, partial rupture, awake versus anaesthetized evaluation. Searching MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed identified studies on diagnostic accuracy for ACL insufficiency. Studies identification and data extraction were performed in duplicate. Quality assessment used QUADAS tool, and statistical analyses were completed for pooled sensitivity and specificity. Eight studies were included. Given insufficient data, pooled analysis was only possible for sensitivity on Lachman and pivot shift test. During awake evaluation, sensitivity for the Lachman test was 89 % (95 % CI 0.76, 0.98) for all rupture types, 96 % (95 % CI 0.90, 1.00) for complete ruptures and 68 % (95 % CI 0.25, 0.98) for partial ruptures. For pivot shift in awake evaluation, results were 79 % (95 % CI 0.63, 0.91) for all rupture types, 86 % (95 % CI 0.68, 0.99) for complete ruptures and 67 % (95 % CI 0.47, 0.83) for partial ruptures. Decreased sensitivity of Lachman and pivot shift tests for partial rupture cases and for awake patients raised suspicions regarding the accuracy of these tests for diagnosis of ACL insufficiency. This may lead to further research aiming to improve the understanding of the true accuracy of these physical diagnostic tests and increase the reliability of clinical investigation for this pathology. IV.

Decreased Diagnostic Accuracy of Multislice Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography in Women with Atypical Angina Symptoms

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Wen-Ying Jin

2016-01-01

Conclusions: Although MSCT is a reliable diagnostic modality for the exclusion of significant coronary artery stenoses in all patients, gender and atypical symptoms might have some influence on its diagnostic accuracy.

Detection rates in pediatric diagnostic imaging: a picture archive and communication system compared with a web-based imaging system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, L.; Cramer, B.; Barrett, B.

2006-01-01

This prospective study assesses whether there are differences in accuracy of interpretation of diagnostic images among users of a picture archive and communication system (PACS) diagnostic workstation, compared with a less costly Web-based imaging system on a personal computer (PC) with a high resolution monitor. One hundred consecutive pediatric chest or abdomen and skeletal X-rays were selected from hospital inpatient and outpatient studies over a 5-month interval. They were classified as normal (n = 32), obviously abnormal (n = 33), or having subtle abnormal findings (n = 35) by 2 senior radiologists who reached a consensus for each individual case. Subsequently, 5 raters with varying degrees of experience independently viewed and interpreted the cases as normal or abnormal. Raters viewed each image 1 month apart on a PACS and on the Web-based PC imaging system. There was no relation between accuracy of detection and the system used to evaluate X-ray images (P = 0.92). The total percentage of incorrect interpretations on the Web-based PC imaging system was 23.2%, compared with 23.6% on the PACS (P = 0.92). For all raters combined, the overall difference in proportion assessed incorrectly on the PACS, compared with the PC system, was not significant at 0.4% (95%CI, -3.5% to 4.3%). The high-resolution Web-based imaging system via PC is an adequate alternative to a PACS clinical workstation. Accordingly, the provision of a more extensive network of workstations throughout the hospital setting could have potentially significant cost savings. (author)

Diagnostic Accuracy of Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid-β Isoforms for Early and Differential Dementia Diagnosis.

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Struyfs, Hanne; Van Broeck, Bianca; Timmers, Maarten; Fransen, Erik; Sleegers, Kristel; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; De Deyn, Peter P; Streffer, Johannes R; Mercken, Marc; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan

2015-01-01

Overlapping cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (CSF) levels between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-AD patients decrease differential diagnostic accuracy of the AD core CSF biomarkers. Amyloid-β (Aβ) isoforms might improve the AD versus non-AD differential diagnosis. To determine the added diagnostic value of Aβ isoforms, Aβ(1-37), Aβ(1-38), and Aβ(1-40), as compared to the AD CSF biomarkers Aβ(1-42), T-tau, and P-tau(181P). CSF from patients with dementia due to AD (n = 50), non-AD dementias (n = 50), mild cognitive impairment due to AD (n = 50) and non-demented controls (n = 50) was analyzed with a prototype multiplex assay using MSD detection technology. The non-AD group consisted of frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 17), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB; n = 17), and vascular dementia (n = 16). Aβ(1-37) and Aβ(1-38) increased accuracy to differentiate AD from FTD or DLB. Aβ(1-37), Aβ(1-38), and Aβ(1-40) levels correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination scores and disease duration in dementia due to AD. The Aβ(1-42)/Aβ(1-40) ratio improved diagnostic performance of Aβ(1-42) in most differential diagnostic situations. Aβ(1-42) levels were lower in APOE ε4 carriers compared to non-carriers. Aβ isoforms help to differentiate AD from FTD and DLB. Aβ isoforms increase diagnostic performance of Aβ(1-42). In contrast to Aβ1-42, Aβ isoforms seem to be correlated with disease severity in AD. Adding the Aβ isoforms to the current biomarker panel could enhance diagnostic accuracy.

Cost-Saving Early Diagnosis of Functional Pain in Nonmalignant Pain: A Noninferiority Study of Diagnostic Accuracy.

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Cámara, Rafael J A; Merz, Christian; Wegmann, Barbara; Stauber, Stefanie; von Känel, Roland; Egloff, Niklaus

2016-01-01

Objectives. We compared two index screening tests for early diagnosis of functional pain: pressure pain measurement by electronic diagnostic equipment, which is accurate but too specialized for primary health care, versus peg testing, which is cost-saving and more easily manageable but of unknown sensitivity and specificity. Early distinction of functional (altered pain perception; nervous sensitization) from neuropathic or nociceptive pain improves pain management. Methods. Clinicians blinded for the index screening tests assessed the reference standard of this noninferiority diagnostic accuracy study, namely, comprehensive medical history taking with all previous findings and treatment outcomes. All consenting patients referred to a university hospital for nonmalignant musculoskeletal pain participated. The main analysis compared the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of both index screening tests. Results. The area under the ROC curve for peg testing was not inferior to that of electronic equipment: it was at least 95% as large for finger measures (two-sided p = 0.038) and at least equally as large for ear measures (two-sided p = 0.003). Conclusions. Routine diagnostic testing by peg, which is accessible for general practitioners, is at least as accurate as specialized equipment. This may shorten time-to-treatment in general practices, thereby improving the prognosis and quality of life.

Diagnostic accuracy of mammography readers and their memory performance have no correlation with each other

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kok, P.; Cawson, J.N.; Mercuri, V.; Pitman, A.G.; Gledhill, S.; Shnier, D.; Taft, R.; Zentner, L.

2010-01-01

Full text: The study aims to determine if any association exists between visual memory performance and diagnostic accuracy performance in a group of radiologist mammogram readers. Materials and Methods: One hundred proven mammograms (23 with cancers) were grouped into 5 sets of 20 cases, with sets being of equal difficulty. Pairs of sets were presented in 5 reads (40 cases per read, order random) to a panel of 8 radiologist readers (either present or past screening readers, with experience range from 20 years). The readers were asked to either 'clear' or 'call back' cases depending on need for further workup, and at post-baseline reads to indicate whether each case was 'new' or 'old' (i .e. remembered from prior read). Two sets were presented only at baseline (40 cases per reader), and were used to calculate the reader's false recollection rate. Three sets were repeated post-baseline once or twice (100 cases per reader). Reading conditions were standardised. Results: Memory performance differed markedly between readers. The number of correctly remembered cases (of 100 'old' cases) had a median of 10.5 and range of 0-58. The observed number of false recollections (of 40 'totally new' cases) had a median of 2 and range of 0-17. Diagnostic performance measures were mean (range): sensitivity 0.68 (0.54-0.81); specificity 0.82 (0.74-0.91); positive predictive value (PPV) 0.55 (0.500.65); negative predictive value (NPV) 0.89 (0.86-0.93) and accuracy 0.78 (0.76-0.83). Confidence intervals (CIs; 95%) for each reader overlapped for all the diagnostic parameters, indicating a lack of statistically significant difference between the readers at the 5% level. The most sensitive and the most specific reader showed a trend away from each other on sensitivity, specificity, NPV and PPV; their accuracies were 0.76 and 0.82, respectively, and their accuracy 95% CIs overlapped considerably. Correlation analysis by reader showed no association between observed memory performance and

Search strategies to identify diagnostic accuracy studies in MEDLINE and EMBASE

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beynon, Rebecca; Leeflang, Mariska M. G.; McDonald, Steve; Eisinga, Anne; Mitchell, Ruth L.; Whiting, Penny; Glanville, Julie M.

2013-01-01

A systematic and extensive search for as many eligible studies as possible is essential in any systematic review. When searching for diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) studies in bibliographic databases, it is recommended that terms for disease (target condition) are combined with terms for the

Diagnostic accuracy of modified kenneth jones scoring criteria (mkjsc) in confirmed cases of tuberculosis in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farid, A.; Iqbal, S.M.J.; Hanif, A.

2013-01-01

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The gold standard for the diagnosis of tuberculosis is detection of Mycobacterium tubercle bacilli. However, clinical scoring systems are most widely used for the diagnosis of TB in children. Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of modified Kenneth Jones scoring criteria (MKJSC) in conformed cases of tuberculosis. Methodology: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the department of Paediatrics, King Edward Medical University / Mayo Hospital, Lahore from January to June 2007. One hundred children below 15 years of age were enrolled. They were diagnosed as suspected cases of TB on the basis of fever and cough for more than 15 days. MKJSC was applied and each child was subjected to confirmatory test for TB. Results: There was an overall male preponderance of 54%. The mean age of study population was 1.8 +- 0.7 years. Out of 100 children, 66% were diagnosed as TB cases (23 with confirmatory tests and 43 with MKJSC of 5 or more). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of MKJSC was 73.91%, 44.16%, 28.33%, and 85% respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of MKJSC was 51%. Conclusion: Present study does not support the hypothesis that MKJSC is a good alternative to confirmatory tests to diagnose tuberculosis in children. However, MKJSC is a simple tool, which can be applied to improve the case detection rate in the absence of sophisticated tests. (author)

Coding accuracy for Parkinson's disease hospital admissions: implications for healthcare planning in the UK.

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Muzerengi, S; Rick, C; Begaj, I; Ives, N; Evison, F; Woolley, R L; Clarke, C E

2017-05-01

Hospital Episode Statistics data are used for healthcare planning and hospital reimbursements. Reliability of these data is dependent on the accuracy of individual hospitals reporting Secondary Uses Service (SUS) which includes hospitalisation. The number and coding accuracy for Parkinson's disease hospital admissions at a tertiary centre in Birmingham was assessed. Retrospective, routine-data-based study. A retrospective electronic database search for all Parkinson's disease patients admitted to the tertiary hospital over a 4-year period (2009-2013) was performed on the SUS database using International Classification of Disease codes, and on the local inpatient electronic prescription database, Prescription and Information Communications System, using medication prescriptions. Capture-recapture methods were used to estimate the number of patients and admissions missed by both databases. From the two databases, between July 2009 and June 2013, 1068 patients with Parkinson's disease accounted for 1999 admissions. During these admissions, the Parkinson's disease was coded as a primary or secondary diagnosis. Ninety-one percent of these admissions were recorded on the SUS database. Capture-recapture methods estimated that the number of Parkinson's disease patients admitted during this period was 1127 patients (95% confidence interval: 1107-1146). A supplementary search of both SUS and Prescription and Information Communications System was undertaken using the hospital numbers of these 1068 patients. This identified another 479 admissions. SUS database under-estimated Parkinson's disease admissions by 27% during the study period. The accuracy of disease coding is critical for healthcare policy planning and must be improved. If the under-reporting of Parkinson's disease admissions on the SUS database is repeated nationally, expenditure on Parkinson's disease admissions in England is under-estimated by approximately £61 million per year. Copyright © 2016 The Royal

Diagnostic Accuracy of Focused Assessment with Sonography for Blunt Abdominal Trauma in Pediatric Patients Performed by Emergency Medicine Residents versus Radiology Residents

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Farhad Heydari

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST has been shown to be useful to detect intraperitoneal free fluid in patients with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT. Objective: We compared the diagnostic accuracy of FAST performed by emergency medicine residents (EMRs and radiology residents (RRs in pediatric patients with BAT. Method: In this prospective study, pediatric patients with BAT and high energy trauma who were referred to the emergency department (ED at Al-Zahra and Kashani hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, were evaluated using FAST, first by EMRs and subsequently by RRs. The reports provided by the two resident groups were compared with the final outcome based on the results of the abdominal computed tomography (CT, operative exploration, and clinical observation. Results: A total of 101 patients with a median age of 6.75 ± 3.2 years were enrolled in the study between January 2013 and May 2014. These patients were evaluated using FAST, first by EMRs and subsequently by RRs. A good diagnostic agreement was noted between the results of the FAST scans performed by EMRs and RRs (κ = 0.865, P < 0.001. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy in evaluating the intraperitoneal free fluid were 72.2%, 85.5%, 52%, 93.3%, and 83.2%, respectively, when FAST was performed by EMRs and 72.2%, 86.7%, 54.2%, 93.5%, and 84.2%, respectively, when FAST was performed by RRs. No significant differences were seen between the EMR- and RR-performed FAST. Conclusion: In this study, FAST performed by EMRs had acceptable diagnostic value, similar to that performed by RRs, in patients with BAT.

Diagnostic accuracy of tests to detect hepatitis B surface antigen: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis

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Ali Amini

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV infection is characterised by the persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg. Expanding HBV diagnosis and treatment programmes into low resource settings will require high quality but inexpensive rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs in addition to laboratory-based enzyme immunoassays (EIAs to detect HBsAg. The purpose of this review is to assess the clinical accuracy of available diagnostic tests to detect HBsAg to inform recommendations on testing strategies in 2017 WHO hepatitis testing guidelines. Methods The systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA guidelines using 9 databases. Two reviewers independently extracted data according to a pre-specified plan and evaluated study quality. Meta-analysis was performed. HBsAg diagnostic accuracy of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs was compared to enzyme immunoassay (EIA and nucleic-acid test (NAT reference standards. Subanalyses were performed to determine accuracy among brands, HIV-status and specimen type. Results Of the 40 studies that met the inclusion criteria, 33 compared RDTs and/or EIAs against EIAs and 7 against NATs as reference standards. Thirty studies assessed diagnostic accuracy of 33 brands of RDTs in 23,716 individuals from 23 countries using EIA as the reference standard. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 90.0% (95% CI: 89.1, 90.8 and 99.5% (95% CI: 99.4, 99.5 respectively, but accuracy varied widely among brands. Accuracy did not differ significantly whether serum, plasma, venous or capillary whole blood was used. Pooled sensitivity of RDTs in 5 studies of HIV-positive persons was lower at 72.3% (95% CI: 67.9, 76.4 compared to that in HIV-negative persons, but specificity remained high. Five studies evaluated 8 EIAs against a chemiluminescence immunoassay reference standard with a pooled sensitivity and specificity of 88.9% (95% CI: 87.0, 90.6 and

Diagnostic accuracy of maternal anthropometric measurements as predictors for dystocia in nulliparous women

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Alijahan, Rahele; Kordi, Masoumeh; Poorjavad, Munira; Ebrahimzadeh, Saeed

2014-01-01

Background: Dystocia is one of the important causes of maternal morbidity and mortality in low-income countries. This study was aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of maternal anthropometric measurements as predictors for dystocia in nulliparous women. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 447 nulliparous women who referred to Omolbanin hospital. Several maternal anthropometric measurements such as height, transverse and vertical diameters of Michaelis sacral rhomboid area, foot length, head circumference, vertebral and lower limb length, symphysio-fundal height, and abdominal girth were taken in cervical dilatation ≤ 5 cm. Labor progression was controlled by a researcher blind to these measurements. After delivery, the accuracy of individual and combined measurements in prediction of dystocia was analyzed. Dystocia was defined as cesarean section and vacuum or forceps delivery for abnormal progress of labor (cervical dilatation less than 1 cm/h in the active phase for 2 h, and during the second stage, beyond 2 h or fetal head descend less than 1 cm/h). Results: Among the different anthropometric measurements, transverse diameter of the Michaelis sacral rhomboid area ≤9.6 cm, maternal height ≤ 155 cm, height to symphysio-fundal height ratio ≤4.7, lower limb length ≤78 cm, and head circumference to height ratio ≥ 35.05 with accuracy of 81.2%, 68.2%, 65.5%, 63.3%, and 61.5%, respectively, were better predictors. The best predictor was obtained by combination of maternal height ≤155 cm or the transverse diameter of the Michaelis sacral rhomboid area ≤9.6 cm and Johnson's formula estimated fetal weight ≥3255 g, with an accuracy of 90.5%, sensitivity of 70%, and specificity of 93.7%. Conclusions: Combination of other anthropometric measurements and estimated fetal weight with maternal height in comparison to maternal height alone leads to a better predictor for dystocia. PMID:24554954

Diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in cavitary pulmonary lesions

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Zhuang, Yi-Ping, E-mail: yipingzhuang2010@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Institute and Hospital, No. 42 Baiziting Road, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu (China); Wang, Hai-Yan, E-mail: mycherishgirl@sohu.com [Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Institute and Hospital, No. 42 Baiziting Road, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu (China); Zhang, Jin, E-mail: yari_zj@hotmail.com [Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Institute and Hospital, No. 42 Baiziting Road, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu (China); Feng, Yong, E-mail: fengyong119@sohu.com [Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Institute and Hospital, No. 42 Baiziting Road, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu (China); Zhang, Lei, E-mail: motozl163@163.com [Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Institute and Hospital, No. 42 Baiziting Road, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu (China)

2013-01-15

Objective: CT-guided transthoracic biopsy is a well-established method in the cytologic or histologic diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. The knowledge of its diagnostic performance and complications for cavitary pulmonary lesions is limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy and safety of CT-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in cavitary pulmonary lesions. Materials and methods: 102 consecutive patients with pulmonary cavitary lesions received CT-guided FNAB with use of an 18-gauge (n = 35) or 20-gauge (n = 67) Chiba for histology diagnosis. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of FNAB were calculated as compared with the final diagnosis. Complications associated with FNAB were observed. The diagnostic accuracy and complications were compared between patients with different lesion sizes and different cavity wall thickness. Results: The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of FNAB were 96.3%, 98.0%, and 96.1%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnosis accuracy in different lesion size (<2 cm vs ≥2 cm), or different cavity wall thickness (<5 mm vs ≥5 mm) were not different (P > 0.05; 0.235). More nondiagnostic sample was found in wall thickness <5 mm lesions (P = 0.017). Associated complications included pneumothorax in 9 (8.8%) patients and alveolar hemorrhage in 14 patients (13.7%) and hemoptysis in 1 patient (1%). No different rate of complications was found with regard to lesion size, wall thickness, length of the needle path and needle size (P > 0.05). Conclusion: CT-guided FNAB can be effectively ad safely used for patients with pulmonary cavitary lesions.

PCA3 and PCA3-Based Nomograms Improve Diagnostic Accuracy in Patients Undergoing First Prostate Biopsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginie Vlaeminck-Guillem

2013-08-01

Full Text Available While now recognized as an aid to predict repeat prostate biopsy outcome, the urinary PCA3 (prostate cancer gene 3 test has also been recently advocated to predict initial biopsy results. The objective is to evaluate the performance of the PCA3 test in predicting results of initial prostate biopsies and to determine whether its incorporation into specific nomograms reinforces its diagnostic value. A prospective study included 601 consecutive patients addressed for initial prostate biopsy. The PCA3 test was performed before ≥12-core initial prostate biopsy, along with standard risk factor assessment. Diagnostic performance of the PCA3 test was evaluated. The three available nomograms (Hansen’s and Chun’s nomograms, as well as the updated Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial risk calculator; PCPT were applied to the cohort, and their predictive accuracies were assessed in terms of biopsy outcome: the presence of any prostate cancer (PCa and high-grade prostate cancer (HGPCa. The PCA3 score provided significant predictive accuracy. While the PCPT risk calculator appeared less accurate; both Chun’s and Hansen’s nomograms provided good calibration and high net benefit on decision curve analyses. When applying nomogram-derived PCa probability thresholds ≤30%, ≤6% of HGPCa would have been missed, while avoiding up to 48% of unnecessary biopsies. The urinary PCA3 test and PCA3-incorporating nomograms can be considered as reliable tools to aid in the initial biopsy decision.

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography in non-traumatic acute abdominal pain: prospective study and systematic review.

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Alshamari, Muhammed; Norrman, Eva; Geijer, Mats; Jansson, Kjell; Geijer, Håkan

2016-06-01

Abdominal radiography is frequently used in acute abdominal non-traumatic pain despite the availability of more advanced diagnostic modalities. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography, at similar radiation dose levels. Fifty-eight patients were imaged with both methods and were reviewed independently by three radiologists. The reference standard was obtained from the diagnosis in medical records. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. A systematic review was performed after a literature search, finding a total of six relevant studies including the present. Overall sensitivity with 95 % CI for CT was 75 % (66-83 %) and 46 % (37-56 %) for radiography. Specificity was 87 % (77-94 %) for both methods. In the systematic review the overall sensitivity for CT varied between 75 and 96 % with specificity from 83 to 95 % while the overall sensitivity for abdominal radiography varied between 30 and 77 % with specificity 75 to 88 %. Based on the current study and available evidence, low-dose CT has higher diagnostic accuracy than abdominal radiography and it should, where logistically possible, replace abdominal radiography in the workup of adult patients with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain. • Low-dose CT has a higher diagnostic accuracy than radiography. • A systematic review shows that CT has better diagnostic accuracy than radiography. • Radiography has no place in the workup of acute non-traumatic abdominal pain.

Diagnostic accuracy of Tc-99m MIBI scintimammography in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jung Mi; Choi, Joon Young; Lee, Kyung Han; Kim, Sang Eun; Kim, Byung Tae; Nam, Suk Jin; Yang, Jung Hyun

1998-01-01

For the characterization of breast mass, the results of Tc-99m MIBI scintimmamography were much varied between studies. This may result from various factors including tumor size, experience of observer and expression of MDR gene, So, we evaluated the influence of tumor size, knowledge of clinical information, experience of observer and expression of Pgp53 gene on the accuracy of MIBI scintimmamography for the characterization of breast mass. MIBI scintimmamography was prospectively performed in 44 patients with breast masses before surgical resection. The anterior and both lateral prone chest images were acquired at 5 min and 3 hour after injection of 740 MBq of Tc-99m MIBI. Two independent observers reviewed the images for characterization of breast mass without any clinical information. Then the images were reviewed with knowledge of clinical information including tumor size and location. If lesions proved to be malignant, presence of Pgp53 was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The comparisons of intraobserver/interobserver diagnostic accuracy and variance were performed by chi-square test and kappa test, respectively. The 54.4% of all lesions (24/44) were malignant. The sensitive, specificity and accuracy of scintimmamography were 73.3%, 82.8%, 79.5% and 73.3%, 84.5%, 80.7% with/without clinical information in observer A, and 76.7%, 86.2%, 83% and 70%, 89.7%, 83% with/without clinical information in observer B, respectively. There were no significant differences in sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between two observers or in same observer with/without clinical information. The agreement for the characterization of breast mass between the two observers was significantly excellent (κ=0.876/ κ=0.897 with/without clinical information, respectively). Intraobserver variance according to the knowledge of clinical information was also small ( κ=0.795 in observer A; κ=0.900 in observer B). Pgp53 was positive in 8 lesions. The sensitivities of

Accuracy of different diagnostic tests for early, delayed and late prosthetic joint infection.

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Fernández-Sampedro, M; Fariñas-Alvarez, C; Garces-Zarzalejo, C; Alonso-Aguirre, M A; Salas-Venero, C; Martínez-Martínez, L; Fariñas, M C

2017-08-25

A combination of laboratory, histopathological and microbiological tests for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) have been strongly recommended. This study aims to characterize the accuracy of individual or group tests, such as culture of sonicate fluid, synovial fluid and peri-implant tissue, C-reactive protein (CRP) and histopathology for detection of early, delayed and late PJI. A prospective study of patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty from February 2009 to February 2014 was performed in a Spanish tertiary health care hospital. The diagnostic accuracy of the different methods was evaluated constructing receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve areas. One hundred thirty consecutive patients were included: 18 (13.8%) early PJI, 35 (27%) delayed PJI and 77 (59.2%) late PJI. For individual parameters, the area under the ROC curve for peri-implant tissue culture was larger for early (0.917) than for delayed (0.829) and late PJI (0.778), p = 0.033. There was a significantly larger difference for ROC area in the synovial fluid culture for delayed (0.803) than for early (0.781) and late infections (0.679), p = 0.039. The comparison of the areas under the ROC curves for the two microbiological tests showed that sonicate fluid was significantly different from peri-implant tissue in delayed (0.951 vs 0.829, p = 0.005) and late PJI (0.901 vs 0.778, p = 0.000). The conjunction of preoperative parameters, synovial fluid culture and CRP, improved the accuracy for late PJI (p = 0.01). The conjunction of histopathology and sonicate fluid culture increased the area under ROC curve of sonication in early (0.917 vs 1.000); p = 0.06 and late cases (0.901 vs 0.999); p < 0.001. For early PJI, sonicate fluid and peri-implant tissue cultures achieve the same best sensitivity. For delayed and late PJI, sonicate fluid culture is the most sensitive individual diagnostic method. By combining histopathology and peri-implant tissue, all early, 97% of

Diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory parameters in community-acquired pneumonia

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Nusbaumer Charly

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP is the most frequent infection-related cause of death. The reference standard to diagnose CAP is a new infiltrate on chest radiograph in the presence of recently acquired respiratory signs and symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory biomarkers for CAP. Methods 545 patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infection, admitted to the emergency department of a university hospital were included in a pre-planned post-hoc analysis of two controlled intervention trials. Baseline assessment included history, clinical examination, radiography and measurements of procalcitonin (PCT, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP and leukocyte count. Results Of the 545 patients, 373 had CAP, 132 other respiratory tract infections, and 40 other final diagnoses. The AUC of a clinical model including standard clinical signs and symptoms (i.e. fever, cough, sputum production, abnormal chest auscultation and dyspnea to diagnose CAP was 0.79 [95% CI, 0.75–0.83]. This AUC was significantly improved by including PCT and hsCRP (0.92 [0.89–0.94]; p Conclusion PCT, and to a lesser degree hsCRP, improve the accuracy of currently recommended approaches for the diagnosis of CAP, thereby complementing clinical signs and symptoms. PCT is useful in the severity assessment of CAP.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Clinical Methods for Detection of Diabetic Sensory Neuropathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arshad, A. R.; Alvi, K. Y.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the accuracy of clinical methods for detection of sensory neuropathy as compared to biothesiometry. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: 1 Mountain Medical Battalion, Azad Kashmir, from October 2013 to September 2014. Methodology: Patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled by convenience sampling. Exclusion criteria included other identifiable causes of neuropathy, extensive ulceration of feet, amputated feet, those on treatment for neuropathy and unwilling patients. Average of 3 vibration perception threshold values measured with a biothesiometer on distal hallux was calculated. Ten gm monofilament was used to examine touch sensation over dorsal surfaces of great toes. Vibration sensation was checked over the tips of great toes using 128Hz tuning fork. Ankle jerks were checked bilaterally. Result: Neuropathy (vibration perception threshold > 25 volts) was present in 34 (21.12 percentage) out of 161 patients and 93 (57.76 percentage) were symptomatic. Measures of diagnostic accuracy for monofilament, tuning fork and ankle jerks were: sensitivity 41.18 percentage, 55.88 percentage and 64.71 percentage; specificity 92.91 percentage, 93.70 percentage and 80.31 percentage; positive predictive value (PPV) 60.87 percentage, 70.37 percentage and 46.81 percentage; negative predictive value (NPV) 85.51 percentage, 88.81 percentage and 89.47 percentage; and, diagnostic accuracy 81.99 percentage, 85.71 percentage and 77.02 percentage, respectively. Values for any 1 positive sign, any 2 positive signs or all 3 positive signs were: sensitivity 35.29 percentage, 14.71 percentage and 32.35 percentage; specificity 81.89 percentage, 93.70 percentage and 99.21 percentage; PPV 34.29 percentage, 38.46 percentage and 91.67 percentage; NPV 82.54 percentage, 80.41 percentage and 84.56 percentage; and, diagnostic accuracy 72.05 percentage, 77.02 percentage and 85.09 percentage, respectively. Conclusion: Clinical methods are

Accuracy of ICD-10 Coding System for Identifying Comorbidities and Infectious Conditions Using Data from a Thai University Hospital Administrative Database.

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Rattanaumpawan, Pinyo; Wongkamhla, Thanyarak; Thamlikitkul, Visanu

2016-04-01

To determine the accuracy of International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding system in identifying comorbidities and infectious conditions using data from a Thai university hospital administrative database. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among patients hospitalized in six general medicine wards at Siriraj Hospital. ICD-10 code data was identified and retrieved directly from the hospital administrative database. Patient comorbidities were captured using the ICD-10 coding algorithm for the Charlson comorbidity index. Infectious conditions were captured using the groups of ICD-10 diagnostic codes that were carefully prepared by two independent infectious disease specialists. Accuracy of ICD-10 codes combined with microbiological dataf or diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) and bloodstream infection (BSI) was evaluated. Clinical data gathered from chart review was considered the gold standard in this study. Between February 1 and May 31, 2013, a chart review of 546 hospitalization records was conducted. The mean age of hospitalized patients was 62.8 ± 17.8 years and 65.9% of patients were female. Median length of stay [range] was 10.0 [1.0-353.0] days and hospital mortality was 21.8%. Conditions with ICD-10 codes that had good sensitivity (90% or higher) were diabetes mellitus and HIV infection. Conditions with ICD-10 codes that had good specificity (90% or higher) were cerebrovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, cancer HIV infection, and all infectious conditions. By combining ICD-10 codes with microbiological results, sensitivity increased from 49.5 to 66%for UTI and from 78.3 to 92.8%for BS. The ICD-10 coding algorithm is reliable only in some selected conditions, including underlying diabetes mellitus and HIV infection. Combining microbiological results with ICD-10 codes increased sensitivity of ICD-10 codes for identifying BSI. Future research is

Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance arthrography of the shoulder: dependence on the level of training of the performing radiologist for diagnostic accuracy

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Theodoropoulos, John S. [University of Toronto, Division of Orthopaedics, Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network, Toronto, ON (Canada); Andreisek, Gustav [University of Toronto, Department of Medical Imaging, Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network, Toronto, ON (Canada); University Hospital Zuerich, Institute for Diagnostic Radiology, Zuerich (Switzerland); Harvey, Edward J. [McGill University, Division of Orthopaedics, MUHC - Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Wolin, Preston [Center for Athletic Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States)

2010-07-15

Discrepancies were identified between magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and clinical findings in patients who had MR imaging examinations evaluated by community-based general radiologists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of MR imaging examinations of the shoulder with regard to the training level of the performing radiologist. A review of patient charts identified 238 patients (male/female, 175/63; mean age, 40.4 years) in whom 250 arthroscopies were performed and who underwent MR imaging or direct MR arthrography in either a community-based or hospital-based institution prior to surgery. All MR imaging and surgical reports were reviewed and the diagnostic performance for the detection of labral, rotator cuff, biceps, and Hill-Sachs lesions was determined. Kappa and Student's t test analyses were performed in a subset of cases in which initial community-based MR images were re-evaluated by hospital-based musculoskeletal radiologists, to determine the interobserver agreement and any differences in image interpretation. The diagnostic performance of community-based general radiologists was lower than that of hospital-based sub-specialized musculoskeletal radiologists. A sub-analysis of re-evaluated cases showed that musculoskeletal radiologists performed better. {kappa} values were 0.208, 0.396, 0.376, and 0.788 for labral, rotator cuff, biceps, and Hill-Sachs lesions (t test statistics: p =<0.001, 0.004, 0.019, and 0.235). Our results indicate that the diagnostic performance of MR imaging and MR arthrography of the shoulder depends on the training level of the performing radiologist, with sub-specialized musculoskeletal radiologists having a better diagnostic performance than general radiologists. (orig.)

Evaluating radiographers' diagnostic accuracy in screen-reading mammograms: what constitutes a quality study?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debono, Josephine C; Poulos, Ann E

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to first evaluate the quality of studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of radiographers as mammogram screen-readers and then to develop an adapted tool for determining the quality of screen-reading studies. A literature search was used to identify relevant studies and a quality evaluation tool constructed by combining the criteria for quality of Whiting, Rutjes, Dinnes et al. and Brealey and Westwood. This constructed tool was then applied to the studies and subsequently adapted specifically for use in evaluating quality in studies investigating diagnostic accuracy of screen-readers. Eleven studies were identified and the constructed tool applied to evaluate quality. This evaluation resulted in the identification of quality issues with the studies such as potential for bias, applicability of results, study conduct, reporting of the study and observer characteristics. An assessment of the applicability and relevance of the tool for this area of research resulted in adaptations to the criteria and the development of a tool specifically for evaluating diagnostic accuracy in screen-reading. This tool, with further refinement and rigorous validation can make a significant contribution to promoting well-designed studies in this important area of research and practice

Effect of data compression on diagnostic accuracy in digital hand and chest radiography

Science.gov (United States)

Sayre, James W.; Aberle, Denise R.; Boechat, Maria I.; Hall, Theodore R.; Huang, H. K.; Ho, Bruce K. T.; Kashfian, Payam; Rahbar, Guita

1992-05-01

Image compression is essential to handle a large volume of digital images including CT, MR, CR, and digitized films in a digital radiology operation. The full-frame bit allocation using the cosine transform technique developed during the last few years has been proven to be an excellent irreversible image compression method. This paper describes the effect of using the hardware compression module on diagnostic accuracy in hand radiographs with subperiosteal resorption and chest radiographs with interstitial disease. Receiver operating characteristic analysis using 71 hand radiographs and 52 chest radiographs with five observers each demonstrates that there is no statistical significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between the original films and the compressed images with a compression ratio as high as 20:1.

Systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of the non-English versions of Addenbrooke's cognitive examination - revised and III.

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Noor; Stott, Joshua

2017-12-11

This systematic review aims to review the evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of the non-English updated versions of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) - the ACE-Revised (ACE-R) and the ACE-III - in the diagnosis of dementia. A systematic search resulted in 16 eligible studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of ACE-R and ACE-III in ten different languages. Most studies were assessed as of medium to low quality using Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidance. The findings of excellent diagnostic accuracy are compromised by the methodological limitations of studies. While studies generally reported excellent diagnostic accuracy across and within different languages, optimal cut-offs even within particular language versions, varied. There is a need for future research to address these limitations through adherence to STARD guidelines. The ACE-III is particularly under-evaluated and should be a focus of future research. The variance in obtained optimal cut-offs within language versions is an issue compromising clinical utility and could be addressed in future work through use of a-priori defined thresholds.

Diagnostic accuracy of surface coil MRI in assessing cartilaginous invasion in laryngeal tumours. Do we need contrast-agent administration?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preda, Lorenzo; Conte, Giorgio; Bonello, Luke; Giannitto, Caterina; Tagliabue, Elena; Raimondi, Sara; Ansarin, Mohssen; De Benedetto, Luigi; Cattaneo, Augusto; Maffini, Fausto; Bellomi, Massimo

2017-01-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI performed using surface coils, with and without contrast medium, in predicting thyroid and cricoid cartilage infiltration in laryngeal tumours, and to investigate whether the radiologist's experience influences diagnostic accuracy. We retrospectively enrolled patients with biopsy-proven laryngeal cancer who had undergone preoperative staging MRI and open surgery. Two radiologists with different experience (senior vs. junior) reviewed the MR images without (session A1) and with contrast medium (session A2) separately. We calculated the accuracy of MRI with and without contrast medium in detecting infiltration of the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. Interobserver agreement was calculated by Cohen's Kappa (k). Forty-two patients were enrolled, for a total of 62 cartilages. In session A1 the senior and junior radiologists showed an accuracy of 85% and 71%, respectively, with k = 0.53 (0.33-0.72). In session A2 the senior and junior radiologists showed an accuracy of 84% and 77%, respectively, with k = 0.68 (0.49-0.86). Staging of laryngeal tumours with surface coil MRI showed good diagnostic accuracy in assessing cartilaginous infiltration. We observed similar values of diagnostic accuracy for the analysis performed with and without contrast medium for the senior radiologist. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of surface coil MRI in assessing cartilaginous invasion in laryngeal tumours. Do we need contrast-agent administration?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Preda, Lorenzo [Universita degli Studi di Pavia, Department of Clinical-Surgical Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, Pavia (Italy); Division of Radiology, National Center of Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO Foundation), Pavia (Italy); Conte, Giorgio [Universita degli Studi di Milano, Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Milan (Italy); Bonello, Luke [Division of Radiology, Poliambulanza Hospital, Brescia (Italy); Giannitto, Caterina [European Institute of Oncology, Division of Radiology, Milan (Italy); Tagliabue, Elena; Raimondi, Sara [European Institute of Oncology, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milan (Italy); Ansarin, Mohssen; De Benedetto, Luigi; Cattaneo, Augusto [European Institute of Oncology, Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Milan (Italy); Maffini, Fausto [European Institute of Oncology, Division of Pathology, Milan (Italy); Bellomi, Massimo [European Institute of Oncology, Division of Radiology, Milan (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Milano, Oncology and Haematology/Oncology Department, Milan (Italy)

2017-11-15

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI performed using surface coils, with and without contrast medium, in predicting thyroid and cricoid cartilage infiltration in laryngeal tumours, and to investigate whether the radiologist's experience influences diagnostic accuracy. We retrospectively enrolled patients with biopsy-proven laryngeal cancer who had undergone preoperative staging MRI and open surgery. Two radiologists with different experience (senior vs. junior) reviewed the MR images without (session A1) and with contrast medium (session A2) separately. We calculated the accuracy of MRI with and without contrast medium in detecting infiltration of the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. Interobserver agreement was calculated by Cohen's Kappa (k). Forty-two patients were enrolled, for a total of 62 cartilages. In session A1 the senior and junior radiologists showed an accuracy of 85% and 71%, respectively, with k = 0.53 (0.33-0.72). In session A2 the senior and junior radiologists showed an accuracy of 84% and 77%, respectively, with k = 0.68 (0.49-0.86). Staging of laryngeal tumours with surface coil MRI showed good diagnostic accuracy in assessing cartilaginous infiltration. We observed similar values of diagnostic accuracy for the analysis performed with and without contrast medium for the senior radiologist. (orig.)

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of the HemoCue device for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To assess the validity of the HemoCue in relation to the gold-standard laboratory method. Methods. A cross-sectional study of children aged 6 - 8 years, analysing the diagnostic accuracy of the HemoCue in determining Hb levels in venous blood. Agreement between the HemoCue and laboratory techniques was evaluated ...

Meta-analysis diagnostic accuracy of SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools: a case of UTG1A1 gene mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Galehdari, Hamid; Saki, Najmaldin; Mohammadi-Asl, Javad; Rahim, Fakher

2013-01-01

Crigler-Najjar syndrome (CNS) type I and type II are usually inherited as autosomal recessive conditions that result from mutations in the UGT1A1 gene. The main objective of the present review is to summarize results of all available evidence on the accuracy of SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools compared to published clinical result for the prediction of in nsSNPs that leads to disease using prediction performance method. A comprehensive search was performed to find all mutations related to CNS. Database searches included dbSNP, SNPdbe, HGMD, Swissvar, ensemble, and OMIM. All the mutation related to CNS was extracted. The pathogenicity prediction was done using SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools include SIFT, PHD-SNP, PolyPhen2, fathmm, Provean, and Mutpred. Overall, 59 different SNPs related to missense mutations in the UGT1A1 gene, were reviewed. Comparing the diagnostic OR, PolyPhen2 and Mutpred have the highest detection 4.983 (95% CI: 1.24 - 20.02) in both, following by SIFT (diagnostic OR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.07 - 9.83). The highest MCC of SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools, was belong to SIFT (34.19%) followed by Provean, PolyPhen2, and Mutpred (29.99%, 29.89%, and 29.89%, respectively). Hence the highest SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools ACC, was fit to SIFT (62.71%) followed by PolyPhen2, and Mutpred (61.02%, in both). Our results suggest that some of the well-established SNP-based pathogenicity detection tools can appropriately reflect the role of a disease-associated SNP in both local and global structures.

The diagnostic accuracy of serologic and molecular methods for detecting visceral leishmaniasis in HIV infected patients: meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gláucia Fernandes Cota

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL, a potentially fatal disease, has emerged as an important opportunistic condition in HIV infected patients. In immunocompromised patients, serological investigation is considered not an accurate diagnostic method for VL diagnosis and molecular techniques seem especially promising. OBJECTIVE: This work is a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of serologic and molecular tests for VL diagnosis specifically in HIV-infected patients. METHODS: Two independent reviewers searched PubMed and LILACS databases. The quality of studies was assessed by QUADAS score. Sensitivity and specificity were pooled separately and compared with overall accuracy measures: diagnostic odds ratio (DOR and symmetric summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC. RESULTS: Thirty three studies recruiting 1,489 patients were included. The following tests were evaluated: Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT, Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, immunoblotting (Blot, direct agglutination test (DAT and polimerase chain reaction (PCR in whole blood and bone marrow. Most studies were carried out in Europe. Serological tests varied widely in performance, but with overall limited sensitivity. IFAT had poor sensitivity ranging from 11% to 82%. DOR (95% confidence interval was higher for DAT 36.01 (9.95-130.29 and Blot 27.51 (9.27-81.66 than for IFAT 7.43 (3.08-1791 and ELISA 3.06 (0.71-13.10. PCR in whole blood had the highest DOR: 400.35 (58.47-2741.42. The accuracy of PCR based on Q-point was 0.95; 95%CI 0.92-0.97, which means good overall performance. CONCLUSION: Based mainly on evidence gained by infection with Leishmania infantum chagasi, serological tests should not be used to rule out a diagnosis of VL among the HIV-infected, but a positive test at even low titers has diagnostic value when combined with the clinical case definition. Considering the available evidence, tests based on DNA

The accuracy of transvaginal sonography to detect endometriosis cyst

Science.gov (United States)

Diantika, M.; Gunardi, E. R.

2017-08-01

Endometriosis is common in women of reproductive age. Late diagnosis is still the main concern. Currently, noninvasive diagnostic testing, such as transvaginal sonography, is recommended. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the accuracy of transvaginal sonography in diagnosing endometrial cysts in patients in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. This diagnostic study was carried out at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital between January 2014 and June 2015. Outpatients suspected have an endometrial cyst based on the patient history and a clinical examination was recruited. The patients were then evaluated using transvaginal sonography by an experienced sonologist, according to the research protocol. The gold standard test was a histological finding in the removed surgical mass. Ninety-eight patients were analyzed. An endometrial cyst was confirmed by histology in 85 patients (87%). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of transvaginal sonography was established to be 85% (a range of 71-99%), 93%, 77%, 96%, and 63%, respectively. A significantly higher area under the curve was identified using transvaginal sonogpraphy compared to that achieved with a clinical examination alone (85% versus 79%). Transvaginal sonography was useful in diagnosing endometrial cysts in outpatients and is recommended in daily clinical practice.

Ultrathin needle (25G) aspiration lung biopsy: diagnostic accuracy and complication rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oikonomou, A.; Matzinger, F.R.; Seely, J.M.; Dennie, C.J.; Macleod, P.J.

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and complication rate of 25-G fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the lung in patients with suspected malignant focal lesions and abnormal lung function. The 25-G FNAB was performed in 123 patients who underwent prebiopsy CT and pulmonary function tests. Retrospective evaluation included pulmonary function, cytology, size of the lesion, depth of location, presence of emphysema on CT, needle passes, pneumothorax and drainage. The final diagnosis (gold standard) was based on histopathology after surgical resection or follow-up and response to treatment. Sixty-one patients had normal lung function or mild impairment (group 1) and 62 had moderate or severe impairment (group 2). Pneumothorax occurred in 26 of 126 procedures (20.6%) with drainage needed in 11 (8.7%). In group 2 pneumothorax occurred in 19 of 63 procedures (30.15%) with drainage needed in 11 (17.5%). The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of cytology results were 93.6, 100 and 94.4%, respectively. FEV1 (p=0.014), FEV1/FVC (p=0.005), FEF25-75 (p=0.001), DLCO (p=0.013) and presence of emphysema on CT (p<0.001) correlated with pneumothorax (Students t test). The 25-G lung FNAB is accurate and safe in diagnosing malignancy in patients with severe lung functional abnormality. Patients with moderate to severe airway obstruction have a higher prevalence of pneumothorax than patients with mild or no functional impairment

Diagnostic accuracy of static CT perfusion for the detection of myocardial ischemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørgaard, Mathias Holm; Kofoed, Klaus Fuglsang; Linde, Jesper James

2016-01-01

: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of studies examining the diagnostic accuracy of static CTP imaging alone or combined with coronary CT angiography (CTA) in comparison to single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), magnetic resonance perfusion (MRP), and/or invasive coronary angiography...

Diagnostic Accuracy and Pitfalls of Preoperative Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Salivary Gland Lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

TAHOUN, N.; EZZAT, N.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in salivary gland lesions. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 82 patients presented at NCI, Cairo University with salivary gland lesion who underwent preoperative FNAC diagnosis with subsequent excision and histopathologic assessment. Cytology results were classified as negative, positive, suspicious for cancer and inadequate. The definitive histopathologic report according to WHO Histological typing was the gold standard diagnosis against which FNAC was compared. Results: Our study included 82 patients who underwent preoperative FNAC of major salivary glands with subsequent surgical excision. Male to female ratio was 1.4: 1. The median age was 42 years. Parotid gland was involved in (68.3%), submandibular in (28%) and sub mental gland in (3.7%). Forty cases (48.8%) were cytologically diagnosed as benign lesions, 26 (31.7%) were malignant and 10 (12.2%) were suspicious. Cytological findings were non diagnostic in 6 (7.3%). The most common benign cytologic diagnosis was pleomorphic adenoma; 16 out of 40 cases (40%), while the most common malignant tumor was carcinoma; 22 out of 26 cases (84.6%). Cytologic diagnoses were compared with histopathologic ones and were true-negative in 37 (92.5%), true-positive in 33 (91.6%), false-negative in 3 (8.3%) and false-positive in 3 (7.5%) cases regarding detection of malignant tumors. The cytologic diagnosis achieved a sensitivity of 91.7%; a specificity of 92.5%, PPV 91.6%, NPV 92.5% and diagnostic accuracy 92%. The rates of agreement of histopathologic type for benign and malignant tumors were 89.2% and 91%, respectively. Conclusion: The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FNAC were 91.7%, 92.5% and 92%, respectively. Attention to subtle morphologic changes, pitfalls and limitations are important to increase diagnostic accuracy. Multidirectional aspiration is preferred to avoid selective

201Tl-SPECT in low-grade gliomas: diagnostic accuracy in differential diagnosis between tumour recurrence and radionecrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Rio, Manuel; Martinez del Valle Torres, Dolores; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Antonio; Llamas-Elvira, Jose Manuel; Lozano, Simeon Ortega; Font, Carlos Ramos; Lopez Ramirez, Escarlata; Katati, Majed

2004-01-01

The aim of this work was to describe the usefulness of a simple 201 Tl single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technique in the differential diagnosis between tumour recurrence and radionecrosis during the follow-up of patients treated for low-grade gliomas. The study population comprised 84 patients treated for low-grade gliomas who showed suspicion of tumour recurrence during their follow-up. All patients were examined by neuro-anatomical imaging procedures (CT, MRI) and 201 Tl-SPECT. 201 Tl-SPECT images were assessed by visual analysis based only on the information on the prescription form and by estimation of the uptake index (ratio of mean counts in the lesion to those in the contralateral mirror area). Examiners were blinded to the results of other tests. Under these conditions, the neuro-anatomical procedures yielded 26.2% inconclusive reports, with a global diagnostic accuracy of 0.61, a sensitivity of 0.63 and a specificity of 0.59. The global diagnostic accuracy for 201 Tl-SPECT was 0.83, with a sensitivity of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.76. Diagnostic pitfalls were observed in regions with physiological 201 Tl uptake, i.e. the posterior cranial fossa, diencephalon, lateral ventricles and cavernous and longitudinal venous sinuses. An uptake index cut-off value of 1.25 showed a sensitivity of 0.90 and specificity of 0.80 for detection of tumour activity. 201 Tl-SPECT has adequate diagnostic accuracy to be part of routine algorithms in the follow-up of patients with low-grade glioma suspected of tumour recurrence, as an alternative to neuro-anatomical procedures and not solely as a complementary test. (orig.)

Accuracy of Administrative Billing Codes to Detect Urinary Tract Infection Hospitalizations

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Matthew; Auger, Katherine A.; Hain, Paul D.; Jerardi, Karen E.; Myers, Angela L.; Rahman, Suraiya S.; Williams, Derek J.; Shah, Samir S.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Hospital billing data are frequently used for quality measures and research, but the accuracy of the use of discharge codes to identify urinary tract infections (UTIs) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9) discharge codes to identify children hospitalized with UTIs. METHODS: This multicenter study conducted in 5 children's hospitals included children aged 3 days to 18 years who had been admitted to the hospital, undergone a urinalysis or urine culture, and discharged from the hospital. Data were obtained from the pediatric health information system database and medical record review. With the use of 2 gold-standard methods, the positive predictive value (PPV) was calculated for individual and combined UTI codes and for common UTI identification strategies. PPV was measured for all groupings for which the UTI code was the principal discharge diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 833 patients in the study. The PPV was 50.3% with the use of the gold standard of laboratory-confirmed UTIs but increased to 85% with provider confirmation. Restriction of the study cohort to patients with a principle diagnosis of UTI improved the PPV for laboratory-confirmed UTI (61.2%) and provider-confirmed UTI (93.2%), as well as the ability to benchmark performance. Other common identification strategies did not markedly affect the PPV. CONCLUSIONS: ICD-9 codes can be used to identify patients with UTIs but are most accurate when UTI is the principal discharge diagnosis. The identification strategies reported in this study can be used to improve the accuracy and applicability of benchmarking measures. PMID:21768320

Effect Size (Cohen's d of Cognitive Screening Instruments Examined in Pragmatic Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew J. Larner

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Many cognitive screening instruments (CSI are available to clinicians to assess cognitive function. The optimal method comparing the diagnostic utility of such tests is uncertain. The effect size (Cohen's d, calculated as the difference of the means of two groups divided by the weighted pooled standard deviations of these groups, may permit such comparisons. Methods: Datasets from five pragmatic diagnostic accuracy studies, which examined the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, the Mini-Mental Parkinson (MMP, the Six-Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, the Test Your Memory test (TYM, and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R, were analysed to calculate the effect size (Cohen's d for the diagnosis of dementia versus no dementia and for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment versus no dementia (subjective memory impairment. Results: The effect sizes for dementia versus no dementia diagnosis were large for all six CSI examined (range 1.59-1.87. For the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment versus no dementia, the effect sizes ranged from medium to large (range 0.48-1.45, with MoCA having the largest effect size. Conclusion: The calculation of the effect size (Cohen's d in diagnostic accuracy studies is straightforward. The routine incorporation of effect size calculations into diagnostic accuracy studies merits consideration in order to facilitate the comparison of the relative value of CSI.

Diagnostic accuracy of an MRI protocol of the knee accelerated through parallel imaging in correlation to arthroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnaiter, Johannes Walter; McKenna-Kuettner, Axel; Roemer, Frank; May, Matthias Stefan; Janka, Rolf; Uder, Michael; Wuest, Wolfgang; Patzak, Hans-Joachim

2018-01-01

Parallel imaging allows for a considerable shortening of examination times. Limited data is available about the diagnostic accuracy of an accelerated knee MRI protocol based on parallel imaging evaluating all knee joint compartments in a large patient population compared to arthroscopy. 162 consecutive patients with a knee MRI (1.5 T, Siemens Aera) and arthroscopy were included. The total MRI scan time was less than 9 minutes. Meniscus and cartilage injuries, cruciate ligament lesions, loose joint bodies and medial patellar plicae were evaluated. Sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), as well as diagnostic accuracy were determined. For the medial meniscus, the values were: SE 97 %, SP 88 %, PPV 94 %, and NPV 94 %. For the lateral meniscus the values were: SE 77 %, SP 99 %, PPV 98 %, and NPV 89 %. For cartilage injuries the values were: SE 72 %, SP 80 %, PPV 86 %, and NPV 61 %. For the anterior cruciate ligament the values were: SE 90 %, SP 94 %, PPV 77 %, and NPV 98 %, while all values were 100 % for the posterior cruciate ligament. For loose bodies the values were: SE 48 %, SP 96 %, PPV 62 %, and NPV 93 %, and for the medial patellar plicae the values were: SE 57 %, SP 88 %, PPV 18 %, and NPV 98 %. A knee MRI examination with parallel imaging and a scan time of less than 9 minutes delivers reliable results with high diagnostic accuracy.

Diagnostic accuracy and treatment management of depression in elderly primary care patients.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Volkers, A.C.; Nuyen, J.; Verhaak, P.F.M.; Schellevis, F.G.

2003-01-01

Background: The negative impact of major depression on the risk of somatic diseases, mortality and social functioning is prominent in elderly patients. Aim: We investigated how accurately general practitioners (GPs) diagnose depression in old age and if diagnostic accuracy is related to patient and

Sonography of acute appendicitis in pregnant women: diagnostic accuracy by the stage of gestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sam Soo; Lee, Sang Wook; Rho, Myung Ho

2004-01-01

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women according to the trimester. A retrospective review was performed on 103 pregnant women who underwent sonography with clinically suspected acute appendicitis. The sonographic technique used involved either the graded compression or a non-compression method. All the sonograms were obtained after changing the patient's position and identifying the diseased appendix. The criterion for a sonographic diagnosis of acute appendicitis was the visualization of a non-compressible appendix with a maximal diameter ≥ 6 mm. The sonographic findings were correlated with the surgical findings and clinical follow-up. Acute appendicitis was confirmed by both the surgical and pathological findings in 48 out of 103 pregnant women. Ultrasound established the diagnosis in 34 of the 48 patients with proven appendicitis. There were false-positives in 2 patients and false-negatives in 14 patients. Among the 55 patients who had a normal appendix, 30 patients improved at the clinical follow-up and 25 patients had other intra-abdominal disorders. The diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasound was 94% in the first trimester, 81% in the second trimester, and 76% in the third trimester. The overall accuracy was found to be 84%, with a 71% sensitivity and a 96% specificity. No significant difference was found in the diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasound according to the trimester in which the acute appendicitis occurred. Therefore, regardless of the stage of gestation, sonography is a valuable procedure for diagnosing acute appendicitis

Is diagnostic accuracy for detecting pulmonary nodules in chest CT reduced after a long day of reading?

Science.gov (United States)

Krupinski, Elizabeth A.; Berbaum, Kevin S.; Caldwell, Robert; Schartz, Kevin M.

2012-02-01

Radiologists are reading more cases with more images, especially in CT and MRI and thus working longer hours than ever before. There have been concerns raised regarding fatigue and whether it impacts diagnostic accuracy. This study measured the impact of reader visual fatigue by assessing symptoms, visual strain via dark focus of accommodation, and diagnostic accuracy. Twenty radiologists and 20 radiology residents were given two diagnostic performance tests searching CT chest sequences for a solitary pulmonary nodule before (rested) and after (tired) a day of clinical reading. 10 cases used free search and navigation, and the other 100 cases used preset scrolling speed and duration. Subjects filled out the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI) and the oculomotor strain subscale of the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) before each session. Accuracy was measured using ROC techniques. Using Swensson's technique yields an ROC area = 0.86 rested vs. 0.83 tired, p (one-tailed) = 0.09. Using Swensson's LROC technique yields an area = 0.73 rested vs. 0.66 tired, p (one-tailed) = 0.09. Using Swensson's Loc Accuracy technique yields an area = 0.77 rested vs. 0.72 tired, p (one-tailed) = 0.13). Subjective measures of fatigue increased significantly from early to late reading. To date, the results support our findings with static images and detection of bone fractures. Radiologists at the end of a long work day experience greater levels of measurable visual fatigue or strain, contributing to a decrease in diagnostic accuracy. The decrease in accuracy was not as great however as with static images.

Tree-structured vector quantization of CT chest scans: Image quality and diagnostic accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosman, P.C.; Tseng, C.; Gray, R.M.; Olshen, R.A.; Moses, L.E.; Davidson, H.C.; Bergin, C.J.; Riskin, E.A.

1993-01-01

The quality of lossy compressed images is often characterized by signal-to-noise ratios, informal tests of subjective quality, or receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves that include subjective appraisals of the value of an image for a particular application. The authors believe that for medical applications, lossy compressed images should be judged by a more natural and fundamental aspect of relative image quality: their use in making accurate diagnoses. They apply a lossy compression algorithm to medical images, and quantify the quality of the images by the diagnostic performance of radiologists, as well as by traditional signal-to-noise ratios and subjective ratings. The study is unlike previous studies of the effects of lossy compression in that they consider non-binary detection tasks, simulate actual diagnostic practice instead of using paired tests or confidence rankings, use statistical methods that are more appropriate for non-binary clinical data than are the popular ROC curves, and use low-complexity predictive tree-structured vector quantization for compression rather than DCT-based transform codes combined with entropy coding. Their diagnostic tasks are the identification of nodules (tumors) in the lungs and lymphadenopathy in the mediastinum from computerized tomography (CT) chest scans. For the image modality, compression algorithm, and diagnostic tasks they consider, the original 12 bit per pixel (bpp) CT image can be compressed to between 1 bpp and 2 bpp with no significant changes in diagnostic accuracy

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Volume Rendering Images of Multi-Detector CT for the Detection of Lumbar Transverse Process Fractures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yun Hak; Chun, Tong Jin [Dept. of Radiology, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-01-15

To compare the accuracy of three-dimensional computed tomographic (3D CT) volume rendering techniques with axial images of multi-detector row computed tomography to identify lumbar transverse process (LTP) fractures in trauma patients. We retrospectively evaluated 42 patients with back pain as a result of blunt trauma between January and June of 2010. Two radiologists examined the 3D CT volume rendering images independently. The confirmation of a LTP fracture was based on the consensus of the axial images by the two radiologists. The results of 3D CT volume rendering images were compared with the axial images and the diagnostic powers (sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy) were calculated. Seven of the 42 patients had twenty five lumbar transverse process fractures. The diagnostic power of the 3D CT volume rendering technique is as accurate as axial images. Reader 1, sensitivity 96%, specificity 100%, accuracy 99.9%; and Reader 2 sensitivity 100%, specificity 99.8%, accuracy 99.8%. The accordance of the two radiologists was 99.8%. 3D CT volume rendering images can alternate axial images to detect lumbar transverse process fractures with good image quality.

Accuracy of PfHRP2 versus Pf-pLDH antigen detection by malaria rapid diagnostic tests in hospitalized children in a seasonal hyperendemic malaria transmission area in Burkina Faso.

Science.gov (United States)

Maltha, Jessica; Guiraud, Issa; Lompo, Palpouguini; Kaboré, Bérenger; Gillet, Philippe; Van Geet, Chris; Tinto, Halidou; Jacobs, Jan

2014-01-13

In most sub-Saharan African countries malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are now used for the diagnosis of malaria. Most RDTs used detect Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 (PfHRP2), though P. falciparum-specific parasite lactate dehydrogenase (Pf-pLDH)-detecting RDTs may have advantages over PfHRP2-detecting RDTs. Only few data are available on the use of RDTs in severe illness and the present study compared Pf-pLDH to PfHRP2-detection. Hospitalized children aged one month to 14 years presenting with fever or severe illness were included over one year. Venous blood samples were drawn for malaria diagnosis (microscopy and RDT), culture and complete blood count. Leftovers were stored at -80 °C and used for additional RDT analysis and PCR. An RDT targeting both PfHRP2 and Pf-pLDH was performed on all samples for direct comparison of diagnostic accuracy with microscopy as reference method. PCR was performed to explore false-positive RDT results. In 376 of 694 (54.2%) included children, malaria was microscopically confirmed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value were 100.0, 70.9, 69.4 and 100.0%, respectively for PfHRP2-detection and 98.7, 94.0, 91.6 and 99.1%, respectively for Pf-pLDH-detection. Specificity and PPV were significantly lower for PfHRP2-detection (p <0.001). For both detection antigens, specificity was lowest for children one to five years and in the rainy season. PPV for both antigens was highest in the rainy season, because of higher malaria prevalence. False positive PfHRP2 results were associated with prior anti-malarial treatment and positive PCR results (98/114 (86.0%) samples tested). Among children presenting with severe febrile illness in a seasonal hyperendemic malaria transmission area, the present study observed similar sensitivity but lower specificity and PPV of PfHRP2 compared to Pf-pLDH-detection. Further studies should assess the diagnostic accuracy and safety of an

Diagnostic Accuracy of Tests for Polyuria in Lithium-Treated Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinahan, James Conor; NiChorcorain, Aoife; Cunningham, Sean; Freyne, Aideen; Cooney, Colm; Barry, Siobhan; Kelly, Brendan D

2015-08-01

In lithium-treated patients, polyuria increases the risk of dehydration and lithium toxicity. If detected early, it is reversible. Despite its prevalence and associated morbidity in clinical practice, it remains underrecognized and therefore undertreated. The 24-hour urine collection is limited by its convenience and practicality. This study explores the diagnostic accuracy of alternative tests such as questionnaires on subjective polyuria, polydipsia, nocturia (dichotomous and ordinal responses), early morning urine sample osmolality (EMUO), and fluid intake record (FIR). This is a cross-sectional study of 179 lithium-treated patients attending a general adult and an old age psychiatry service. Participants completed the tests after completing an accurate 24-hour urine collection. The diagnostic accuracy of the individual tests was explored using the appropriate statistical techniques. Seventy-nine participants completed all of the tests. Polydipsia severity, EMUO, and FIR significantly differentiated the participants with polyuria (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.646, 0.760, and 0.846, respectively). Of the tests investigated, the FIR made the largest significant change in the probability that a patient experiences polyuria (3500 mL/24 hours; interval likelihood ratio, 14). Symptomatic questioning, EMUO, and an FIR could be used in clinical practice to inform the prescriber of the probability that a lithium-treated patient is experiencing polyuria.

Diagnostic accuracies of MR enterography and CT enterography in symptomatic Crohn's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Michael Dam; Kjeldsen, Jens; Rafaelsen, Søren Rafael

2011-01-01

diagnostic accuracies for detection of small bowel CD and stenosis. In symptomatic patients with CD and high disease prevalence, positive predictive values are favorable but negative predictive values are low. Consequently, MRE and CTE can be relied upon, if a positive result is obtained whereas a negative...

Web-based tools for quality assurance and radiation protection in diagnostic radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Moores, B M; Charnock, P; Ward, M

2010-01-01

Practical and philosophical aspects of radiation protection in diagnostic radiology have changed very little over the past 50 y even though patient doses have continued to rise significantly in this period. This rise has been driven by technological developments, such as multi-slice computed tomography, that have been able to improve diagnostic accuracy but not necessarily provide the same level of risk-benefit to all patients or groups of patients given the dose levels involved. Can practical radiation protection strategies hope to keep abreast of these ongoing developments? A project was started in 1992 in Liverpool that aimed to develop IT driven quality assurance (QA)/radiation protection software tools based upon a modular quality assurance dose data system. One of the modules involved the assessment of the patient entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) for an X-ray examination that was based upon the use of calibrated X-ray tube exposure factors to calculate ESAK as well as collecting appropriate patient details (age, sex, weight, thickness etc). The package also contained modules for logging all necessary equipment performance QA data. This paper will outline the experience gained with this system through its transition from a local application on a stand alone PC within the department to the current web-based approach. Advantages of a web-based approach to delivering such an application as well as centrally storing data originating on many hospital sites will be discussed together with the scientific support processes that can be developed with such a system. This will include local, national and international considerations. The advantages of importing radiographic examination details directly from other electronic storage systems such as a hospital's radiology information system will be presented together with practical outcomes already achieved. This will include the application of statistical techniques to the very large data sets generated. The development

Web-based tools for quality assurance and radiation protection in diagnostic radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moores, B. M.; Charnock, P.; Ward, M.

2010-01-01

Practical and philosophical aspects of radiation protection in diagnostic radiology have changed very little over the past 50 y even though patient doses have continued to rise significantly in this period. This rise has been driven by technological developments, such as multi-slice computed tomography, that have been able to improve diagnostic accuracy but not necessarily provide the same level of risk-benefit to all patients or groups of patients given the dose levels involved. Can practical radiation protection strategies hope to keep abreast of these ongoing developments? A project was started in 1992 in Liverpool that aimed to develop IT driven quality assurance (QA)/radiation protection software tools based upon a modular quality assurance dose data system. One of the modules involved the assessment of the patient entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) for an X-ray examination that was based upon the use of calibrated X-ray tube exposure factors to calculate ESAK as well as collecting appropriate patient details (age, sex, weight, thickness etc). The package also contained modules for logging all necessary equipment performance QA data. This paper will outline the experience gained with this system through its transition from a local application on a stand alone PC within the department to the current web-based approach. Advantages of a web-based approach to delivering such an application as well as centrally storing data originating on many hospital sites will be discussed together with the scientific support processes that can be developed with such a system. This will include local, national and international considerations. The advantages of importing radiographic examination details directly from other electronic storage systems such as a hospital's radiology information system will be presented together with practical outcomes already achieved. This will include the application of statistical techniques to the very large data sets generated. The development

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical and blood examination for sepsis in potentially infected neonates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ari Mulyani

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Background Neonatal sepsis remains a diagnostic challenge due to its nonspesific symptoms and signs. Blood culture as the gold standard is still a problem because it takes time, is expensive, and not every health facility is able to perionn. Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of clinical symptoms, hematologic findings, and C-reactive protein (CRP in neonatal sepsis. Methods Samples were taken from potentially infected neonates admitted to the Matemal-Perinatal Unit of Sardjito Hospital, between December 1st, 2000 and March 31st, 2001 using at least one of the criteria: prematurity, very low birth weight infants, matemal pyrexia during delivery, premature membrane rupture, or thick, cloudy amniotic fluid. Clinical symptoms, total leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet count, CRP, and blood culture as the gold standard were examined. Results Among 99 neonates enrolled, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of clinical symptoms were 79.3%, 75.7%, 57.5%, and 89.9%, respectively; leukopenia/leukocytosis were 27.6%, 85.7%, 44.4%, and 74.1%; neutropenia! neutrophilia were 41.4%, 71.4%, 37.5%, and 74.6%; thrombocytopenia were 79.3%, 51.8%, 40.4%, and 85.7%; positive CRP were 58.6%,78.6%,53.1%, and 82.1%. Parallel tests increased the sensitivity up to 89.7%. Specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and likelihood ratio were 44.3%, 40%, 91.2%, and 1.6, respectively. Serial tests increased the specificity up to 88.6%. Sensitivity, positive and negative predictive value, and likelihood ratio were 58.6%, 68%, 83.8%, and 5.1, respectively. Conclusion Clinical sepsis, thrombocytopenia, and CRP are sufficiently accurate as diagnostic tests for sepsis in potentially infected neonates. Parallel tests will increase the sensitivity, while serial tests increase the specificity.

MDCT arthrography of the wrist: Diagnostic accuracy and indications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Filippo, Massimo; Pogliacomi, Francesco; Bertellini, Annalisa; Araoz, Philip A.; Averna, Raffaele; Sverzellati, Nicola; Ingegnoli, Anna; Corradi, Maurizio; Costantino, Cosimo; Zompatori, Maurizio

2010-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and indications of arthrography with Multidetector Computed Tomography (arthro-MDCT) of the wrist in patients with absolute or relative contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and in patients with periarticular metal implants using diagnostic arthroscopy as the gold standard. Materials and methods: After intra-articular injection of iodixanol and volumetric acquisition, 43 wrists in patients of both genders (18 females, 25 males, age range 32-60 years) were examined with a 16-detector-row CT scanner. Fifteen patients had prior wrist surgery. The patients had arthralgia, degenerative and traumatic arthropathies as well as limited range of motion, but no radiologically detected fractures. All examinations were interpreted by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists. The findings were compared with arthroscopic findings carried out within 28 days of the CT study. Results: In non-operated and operated wrists the comparison between arthro-MDCT and arthroscopy showed sensitivity, specificity and accuracy ranging between 92% and 94% for triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), between 80% and 100% for intrinsic ligaments located within the proximal carpal compartment, and between 94% and 100% for articular cartilage. Inter-observer agreement between two radiologists, in the evaluation of all types of lesions, was almost perfect (k = 0.96) and statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Arthro-MDCT of the wrist provides an accurate diagnosis to identify chondral, fibrocartilaginous and intra-articular ligament lesions in patients who cannot be evaluated by MRI, and in post-surgical patients.

MDCT arthrography of the wrist: Diagnostic accuracy and indications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Filippo, Massimo [Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Radiological Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Via Gramsci, 14, 43100 Parma (Italy)], E-mail: massimo.defilippo@unipr.it; Pogliacomi, Francesco [Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Functional Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Via Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma (Italy); Bertellini, Annalisa [Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Radiological Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Via Gramsci, 14, 43100 Parma (Italy); Araoz, Philip A. [Department of Radiology, Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (United States); Averna, Raffaele; Sverzellati, Nicola; Ingegnoli, Anna [Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Radiological Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Via Gramsci, 14, 43100 Parma (Italy); Corradi, Maurizio; Costantino, Cosimo [Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Functional Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Parma, Parma Hospital, Via Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma (Italy); Zompatori, Maurizio [Department of Radiological and Histopathological Sciences, Policlinic S.Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna (Italy)

2010-04-15

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and indications of arthrography with Multidetector Computed Tomography (arthro-MDCT) of the wrist in patients with absolute or relative contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and in patients with periarticular metal implants using diagnostic arthroscopy as the gold standard. Materials and methods: After intra-articular injection of iodixanol and volumetric acquisition, 43 wrists in patients of both genders (18 females, 25 males, age range 32-60 years) were examined with a 16-detector-row CT scanner. Fifteen patients had prior wrist surgery. The patients had arthralgia, degenerative and traumatic arthropathies as well as limited range of motion, but no radiologically detected fractures. All examinations were interpreted by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists. The findings were compared with arthroscopic findings carried out within 28 days of the CT study. Results: In non-operated and operated wrists the comparison between arthro-MDCT and arthroscopy showed sensitivity, specificity and accuracy ranging between 92% and 94% for triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), between 80% and 100% for intrinsic ligaments located within the proximal carpal compartment, and between 94% and 100% for articular cartilage. Inter-observer agreement between two radiologists, in the evaluation of all types of lesions, was almost perfect (k = 0.96) and statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Arthro-MDCT of the wrist provides an accurate diagnosis to identify chondral, fibrocartilaginous and intra-articular ligament lesions in patients who cannot be evaluated by MRI, and in post-surgical patients.

Reported estimates of diagnostic accuracy in ophthalmology conference abstracts were not associated with full-text publication.

Science.gov (United States)

Korevaar, Daniël A; Cohen, Jérémie F; Spijker, René; Saldanha, Ian J; Dickersin, Kay; Virgili, Gianni; Hooft, Lotty; Bossuyt, Patrick M M

2016-11-01

To assess whether conference abstracts that report higher estimates of diagnostic accuracy are more likely to reach full-text publication in a peer-reviewed journal. We identified abstracts describing diagnostic accuracy studies, presented between 2007 and 2010 at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting. We extracted reported estimates of sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). Between May and July 2015, we searched MEDLINE and EMBASE to identify corresponding full-text publications; if needed, we contacted abstract authors. Cox regression was performed to estimate associations with full-text publication, where sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were logit transformed, and DOR was log transformed. A full-text publication was found for 226/399 (57%) included abstracts. There was no association between reported estimates of sensitivity and full-text publication (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.98, 1.22]). The same applied to specificity (HR 1.00 [95% CI 0.88, 1.14]), AUC (HR 0.91 [95% CI 0.75, 1.09]), and DOR (HR 1.01 [95% CI 0.94, 1.09]). Almost half of the ARVO conference abstracts describing diagnostic accuracy studies did not reach full-text publication. Studies in abstracts that mentioned higher accuracy estimates were not more likely to be reported in a full-text publication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of disease severity distribution on the performance of quantitative diagnostic methods and proposal of a novel 'V-plot' methodology to display accuracy values.

Science.gov (United States)

Petraco, Ricardo; Dehbi, Hakim-Moulay; Howard, James P; Shun-Shin, Matthew J; Sen, Sayan; Nijjer, Sukhjinder S; Mayet, Jamil; Davies, Justin E; Francis, Darrel P

2018-01-01

Diagnostic accuracy is widely accepted by researchers and clinicians as an optimal expression of a test's performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of disease severity distribution on values of diagnostic accuracy as well as propose a sample-independent methodology to calculate and display accuracy of diagnostic tests. We evaluated the diagnostic relationship between two hypothetical methods to measure serum cholesterol (Chol rapid and Chol gold ) by generating samples with statistical software and (1) keeping the numerical relationship between methods unchanged and (2) changing the distribution of cholesterol values. Metrics of categorical agreement were calculated (accuracy, sensitivity and specificity). Finally, a novel methodology to display and calculate accuracy values was presented (the V-plot of accuracies). No single value of diagnostic accuracy can be used to describe the relationship between tests, as accuracy is a metric heavily affected by the underlying sample distribution. Our novel proposed methodology, the V-plot of accuracies, can be used as a sample-independent measure of a test performance against a reference gold standard.

Diagnostic accuracy at several reduced radiation dose levels for CT imaging in the diagnosis of appendicitis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Di; Khatonabadi, Maryam; Kim, Hyun; Jude, Matilda; Zaragoza, Edward; Lee, Margaret; Patel, Maitraya; Poon, Cheryce; Douek, Michael; Andrews-Tang, Denise; Doepke, Laura; McNitt-Gray, Shawn; Cagnon, Chris; DeMarco, John; McNitt-Gray, Michael

2012-03-01

Purpose: While several studies have investigated the tradeoffs between radiation dose and image quality (noise) in CT imaging, the purpose of this study was to take this analysis a step further by investigating the tradeoffs between patient radiation dose (including organ dose) and diagnostic accuracy in diagnosis of appendicitis using CT. Methods: This study was IRB approved and utilized data from 20 patients who underwent clinical CT exams for indications of appendicitis. Medical record review established true diagnosis of appendicitis, with 10 positives and 10 negatives. A validated software tool used raw projection data from each scan to create simulated images at lower dose levels (70%, 50%, 30%, 20% of original). An observer study was performed with 6 radiologists reviewing each case at each dose level in random order over several sessions. Readers assessed image quality and provided confidence in their diagnosis of appendicitis, each on a 5 point scale. Liver doses at each case and each dose level were estimated using Monte Carlo simulation based methods. Results: Overall diagnostic accuracy varies across dose levels: 92%, 93%, 91%, 90% and 90% across the 100%, 70%, 50%, 30% and 20% dose levels respectively. And it is 93%, 95%, 88%, 90% and 90% across the 13.5-22mGy, 9.6-13.5mGy, 6.4-9.6mGy, 4-6.4mGy, and 2-4mGy liver dose ranges respectively. Only 4 out of 600 observations were rated "unacceptable" for image quality. Conclusion: The results from this pilot study indicate that the diagnostic accuracy does not change dramatically even at significantly reduced radiation dose.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating diagnostic test accuracy: A practical review for clinical researchers-Part II. general guidance and tips

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Won; Choi, Sang Hyun; Huh, Jimi; Park, Seong Ho; Lee, June Young

2015-01-01

Meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies differs from the usual meta-analysis of therapeutic/interventional studies in that, it is required to simultaneously analyze a pair of two outcome measures such as sensitivity and specificity, instead of a single outcome. Since sensitivity and specificity are generally inversely correlated and could be affected by a threshold effect, more sophisticated statistical methods are required for the meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy. Hierarchical models including the bivariate model and the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic model are increasingly being accepted as standard methods for meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies. We provide a conceptual review of statistical methods currently used and recommended for meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies. This article could serve as a methodological reference for those who perform systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies

The Accuracy of Diagnostic Methods for Diabetic Retinopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the recommended glycemic measures for diagnosing diabetic retinopathy.We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science databases from inception to July 2015 for observational studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG, and 2-hour plasma glucose (2h-PG. Random effects models for the diagnostic odds ratio (dOR value computed by Moses' constant for a linear model and 95% CIs were used to calculate the accuracy of the test. Hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves (HSROC were used to summarize the overall test performance.Eleven published studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled dOR values for the diagnosis of retinopathy were 16.32 (95% CI 13.86-19.22 for HbA1c and 4.87 (95% CI 4.39-5.40 for FPG. The area under the HSROC was 0.837 (95% CI 0.781-0.892 for HbA1c and 0.735 (95% CI 0.657-0.813 for FPG. The 95% confidence region for the point that summarizes the overall test performance of the included studies occurs where the cut-offs ranged from 6.1% (43.2 mmol/mol to 7.8% (61.7 mmol/mol for HbA1c and from 7.8 to 9.3 mmol/L for FPG. In the four studies that provided information regarding 2h-PG, the pooled accuracy estimates for HbA1c were similar to those of 2h-PG; the overall performance for HbA1c was superior to that for FPG.The three recommended tests for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in nonpregnant adults showed sufficient accuracy for their use in clinical settings, although the overall accuracy for the diagnosis of retinopathy was similar for HbA1c and 2h-PG, which were both more accurate than for FPG. Due to the variability and inconveniences of the glucose level-based methods, HbA1c appears to be the most appropriate method for the diagnosis diabetic retinopathy.

The combined use of conventional MRI and MR spectroscopic imaging increases the diagnostic accuracy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

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Cervo, Amedeo [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Cocozza, Sirio, E-mail: siriococozza@hotmail.it [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Saccà, Francesco [Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Giorgio, Sara M.d.A. [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Morra, Vincenzo Brescia [Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Tedeschi, Enrico [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Marsili, Angela; Vacca, Giovanni [Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Palma, Vincenzo [U.O.C. Neurofisiopatologia, PO S. Gennaro ASL Napoli 1, Naples (Italy); Brunetti, Arturo [Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University “Federico II”, Naples (Italy); Quarantelli, Mario [Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute, National Research Council, Naples (Italy)

2015-01-15

Highlights: • We assessed in ALS the diagnostic accuracy of MRI signal and MRS data used alone and in combination. • We found that T2-hypointensity and NAA decrease in motor cortex are two independent phenomena. • These two variables taken alone do not provide acceptable diagnostic accuracy in ALS. • The same variables, when used in combination, improve the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in ALS. - Abstract: Purpose: We aimed to assess, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the diagnostic accuracy of the combined use of conventional MRI signal changes (namely, hypointensity of the precentral cortex and hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts on T2-weighted images), and N-Acetyl-Aspartate (NAA) reduction in the motor cortex at Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), which are affected by limited diagnostic accuracy when used separately. Methods: T2-hypointensity and NAA/(Choline + Creatine) ratio of the precentral gyrus and T2-hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts were measured in 84 ALS patients and 28 healthy controls, using a Region-of-Interest approach. Sensitivity and specificity values were calculated using Fisher stepwise discriminant analysis, and cross-validated using the leave-one-out method. Results: Precentral gyrus T2 signal intensity (p < 10{sup −4}) and NAA peak (p < 10{sup −6}) were significantly reduced in patients, and their values did not correlate significantly to each other both in patients and controls, while no significant differences were obtained in terms of T2-hyperintensity of the corticospinal tract. Sensitivity and specificity of the two discriminant variables, taken alone, were 71.4% and 75.0%, for NAA peak, and 63.1% and 71.4% for T2-hypointensity, respectively. When using these two variables in combination, a significant increase in sensitivity (78.6%) and specificity (82.1%) was achieved. Conclusions: Precentral gyrus T2-hypointensity and NAA peak are not significantly correlated in ALS patients, suggesting that they

The combined use of conventional MRI and MR spectroscopic imaging increases the diagnostic accuracy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervo, Amedeo; Cocozza, Sirio; Saccà, Francesco; Giorgio, Sara M.d.A.; Morra, Vincenzo Brescia; Tedeschi, Enrico; Marsili, Angela; Vacca, Giovanni; Palma, Vincenzo; Brunetti, Arturo; Quarantelli, Mario

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We assessed in ALS the diagnostic accuracy of MRI signal and MRS data used alone and in combination. • We found that T2-hypointensity and NAA decrease in motor cortex are two independent phenomena. • These two variables taken alone do not provide acceptable diagnostic accuracy in ALS. • The same variables, when used in combination, improve the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in ALS. - Abstract: Purpose: We aimed to assess, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the diagnostic accuracy of the combined use of conventional MRI signal changes (namely, hypointensity of the precentral cortex and hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts on T2-weighted images), and N-Acetyl-Aspartate (NAA) reduction in the motor cortex at Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), which are affected by limited diagnostic accuracy when used separately. Methods: T2-hypointensity and NAA/(Choline + Creatine) ratio of the precentral gyrus and T2-hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts were measured in 84 ALS patients and 28 healthy controls, using a Region-of-Interest approach. Sensitivity and specificity values were calculated using Fisher stepwise discriminant analysis, and cross-validated using the leave-one-out method. Results: Precentral gyrus T2 signal intensity (p < 10 −4 ) and NAA peak (p < 10 −6 ) were significantly reduced in patients, and their values did not correlate significantly to each other both in patients and controls, while no significant differences were obtained in terms of T2-hyperintensity of the corticospinal tract. Sensitivity and specificity of the two discriminant variables, taken alone, were 71.4% and 75.0%, for NAA peak, and 63.1% and 71.4% for T2-hypointensity, respectively. When using these two variables in combination, a significant increase in sensitivity (78.6%) and specificity (82.1%) was achieved. Conclusions: Precentral gyrus T2-hypointensity and NAA peak are not significantly correlated in ALS patients, suggesting that they reflect

Diagnostic accuracy of serum iga anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody in the diagnosis of celiac disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lodhi, M. A.; Ayub, A.; Saleem, M. Z.; Munir, T.

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of serum IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody in the diagnosis of celiac disease taking histopathology as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the department of Pediatrics, Military Hospital Rawalpindi from April 2015 to July 2016. Patients and Methods: Ninety-five consecutive children presenting with suspicion of celiac disease were included in this study after taking written informed consent. A predesigned proforma was used to record patient’s demographic details. Anti-tTG level of >=25 U/ml was taken as diagnostic of celiac disease while results of histopathology on endoscopic biopsy were taken as gold standard. Results: The mean age of the patients was 6.48 ± 3.20 years and majority (n=53, 55.8 percent) of the children were aged between 5 to 10 years. The serum anti-tTG level ranged from 8.0 U/ml to 759.0 U/ml with a mean of 298.75 ± 225.51 U/ml. Taking a cut-off value of >=25 U/ml for anti-tTG, 81 (85.3 percent) children were suspected of celiac disease. Histopathology of endoscopic biopsy confirmed celiac disease in 68 (71.6 percent) children with 62 true positive, 19 false positive, 6 false negative and 8 true negative cases. It yielded 91.18 percent sensitivity, 29.63 percent specificity and 73.68 percent accuracy for anti-tTG (>=25 U/ml) in the diagnosis of celiac disease with positive and negative predictive values of 76.54 percent and 57.14 percent respectively. Conclusion: IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (>=25 U/ml) was found to be highly sensitive test for the detection of celiac disease in children. (author)

Intelligent model-based diagnostics for vehicle health management

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Jianhui; Tu, Fang; Azam, Mohammad S.; Pattipati, Krishna R.; Willett, Peter K.; Qiao, Liu; Kawamoto, Masayuki

2003-08-01

The recent advances in sensor technology, remote communication and computational capabilities, and standardized hardware/software interfaces are creating a dramatic shift in the way the health of vehicles is monitored and managed. These advances facilitate remote monitoring, diagnosis and condition-based maintenance of automotive systems. With the increased sophistication of electronic control systems in vehicles, there is a concomitant increased difficulty in the identification of the malfunction phenomena. Consequently, the current rule-based diagnostic systems are difficult to develop, validate and maintain. New intelligent model-based diagnostic methodologies that exploit the advances in sensor, telecommunications, computing and software technologies are needed. In this paper, we will investigate hybrid model-based techniques that seamlessly employ quantitative (analytical) models and graph-based dependency models for intelligent diagnosis. Automotive engineers have found quantitative simulation (e.g. MATLAB/SIMULINK) to be a vital tool in the development of advanced control systems. The hybrid method exploits this capability to improve the diagnostic system's accuracy and consistency, utilizes existing validated knowledge on rule-based methods, enables remote diagnosis, and responds to the challenges of increased system complexity. The solution is generic and has the potential for application in a wide range of systems.

Diagnostic Accuracy of microEEG: A Miniature, Wireless EEG Device

OpenAIRE

Grant, Arthur C.; Abdel-Baki, Samah G.; Omurtag, Ahmet; Sinert, Richard; Chari, Geetha; Malhotra, Schweta; Weedon, Jeremy; Fenton, Andre A.; Zehtabchi, Shahriar

2014-01-01

Measuring the diagnostic accuracy (DA) of an EEG device is unconventional and complicated by imperfect interrater reliability. We sought to compare the DA of a miniature, wireless, battery-powered EEG device (“microEEG”) to a reference EEG machine in emergency department (ED) patients with altered mental status (AMS). 225 ED patients with AMS underwent 3 EEGs. EEG1 (Nicolet Monitor, “reference”) and EEG2 (microEEG) were recorded simultaneously with EEG cup electrodes using a signal splitter. ...

Impact of lossy compression on diagnostic accuracy of radiographs for periapical lesions

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Eraso, Francisco E.; Analoui, Mostafa; Watson, Andrew B.; Rebeschini, Regina

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lossy Joint Photographic Experts Group compression for endodontic pretreatment digital radiographs. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty clinical charge-coupled device-based, digital radiographs depicting periapical areas were selected. Each image was compressed at 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 48, and 64 compression ratios. One root per image was marked for examination. Images were randomized and viewed by four clinical observers under standardized viewing conditions. Each observer read the image set three times, with at least two weeks between each reading. Three pre-selected sites per image (mesial, distal, apical) were scored on a five-scale score confidence scale. A panel of three examiners scored the uncompressed images, with a consensus score for each site. The consensus score was used as the baseline for assessing the impact of lossy compression on the diagnostic values of images. The mean absolute error between consensus and observer scores was computed for each observer, site, and reading session. RESULTS: Balanced one-way analysis of variance for all observers indicated that for compression ratios 48 and 64, there was significant difference between mean absolute error of uncompressed and compressed images (P <.05). After converting the five-scale score to two-level diagnostic values, the diagnostic accuracy was strongly correlated (R (2) = 0.91) with the compression ratio. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that high compression ratios can have a severe impact on the diagnostic quality of the digital radiographs for detection of periapical lesions.

The diagnostic accuracy of 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging for detecting root avulsions in traumatic adult brachial plexus injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, Ryckie G; Itte, Vinay; Rankine, James J; Ridgway, John P; Bourke, Grainne

2018-03-01

Identification of root avulsions is of critical importance in traumatic brachial plexus injuries because it alters the reconstruction and prognosis. Pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging is gaining popularity, but there is limited and conflicting data on its diagnostic accuracy for root avulsion. This cohort study describes consecutive patients requiring brachial plexus exploration following trauma between 2008 and 2016. The index test was magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 Tesla and the reference test was operative exploration of the supraclavicular plexus. Complete data from 29 males was available. The diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for root avulsion(s) of C5-T1 was 79%. The diagnostic accuracy of a pseudomeningocoele as a surrogate marker of root avulsion(s) of C5-T1 was 68%. We conclude that pseudomeningocoles were not a reliable sign of root avulsion and magnetic resonance imaging has modest diagnostic accuracy for root avulsions in the context of adult traumatic brachial plexus injuries. III.

Do technical parameters affect the diagnostic accuracy of virtual bronchoscopy in patients with suspected airways stenosis?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Catherine M.; Athanasiou, Thanos; Nair, Sujit; Aziz, Omer; Purkayastha, Sanjay; Konstantinos, Vlachos; Paraskeva, Paraskevas; Casula, Roberto; Glenville, Brian; Darzi, Ara

2005-01-01

Purpose: Virtual bronchoscopy has gained popularity over the past decade as an alternative investigation to conventional bronchoscopy in the diagnosis, grading and monitoring of airway disease. The effect of technical parameters on diagnostic outcome from virtual bronchoscopy has not been determined. This meta-analysis aims to estimate accuracy of virtual compared to conventional bronchoscopy in patients with suspected airway stenosis, and evaluate the influence of technical parameters. Materials and methods: A MEDLINE search was used to identify relevant published studies. The primary endpoint was the 'correct diagnosis' of stenotic lesions on virtual compared to conventional bronchoscopy. Secondary endpoints included the effects of the technical parameters (pitch, collimation, reconstruction interval, rendering method, and scanner type), and date of publication on the diagnostic accuracy of virtual bronchoscopy. Results: Thirteen studies containing 454 patients were identified. Meta-analysis showed good overall diagnostic performance with 85% calculated pooled sensitivity (95% CI 77-91%), 87% specificity (95% CI 81-92%) and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947. Subgroups included collimation of 3 mm or more (AUC 0.948), pitch of 1 (AUC 0.955), surface rendering technique (AUC 0.935), and reconstruction interval of more than 1.25 mm (AUC 0.914). There was no significant difference in accuracy accounting for publication date, scanner type or any of the above variables. Weighted regression analysis confirmed none of these variables could significantly account for study heterogeneity. Conclusion: Virtual bronchoscopy performs well in the investigation of patients with suspected airway stenosis. Overall sensitivity and specificity and diagnostic odds ratio for diagnosis of airway stenosis were high. The effects of pitch, collimation, reconstruction interval, rendering technique, scanner type, and publication date on diagnostic accuracy were not significant

STARD 2015: An Updated List of Essential Items for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossuyt, P.M.; Reitsma, J.B.; Bruns, D.E.; Gatsonis, C.A.; Glasziou, P.P.; Irwig, L.; Lijmer, J.G.; Moher, D.; Rennie, D.; de Vet, H.C.W.; Kressel, H.Y.; Rifai, N.; Golub, R.M.; Altman, D.G.; Hooft, L.; Korevaar, D.A.; Cohen, J.F.

2015-01-01

Incomplete reporting has been identified as a major source of avoidable waste in biomedical research. Essential information is often not provided in study reports, impeding the identification, critical appraisal, and replication of studies. To improve the quality of reporting of diagnostic accuracy

Diagnostic accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficient and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine for differentiation of multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease.

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Atsushi Umemura

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It is often hard to differentiate Parkinson's disease (PD and parkinsonian variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-P, especially in the early stages. Cardiac sympathetic denervation and putaminal rarefaction are specific findings for PD and MSA-P, respectively. PURPOSE: We investigated diagnostic accuracy of putaminal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC test for MSA-P and (123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG scintigram for PD, especially in early-stage patients. METHODS: The referral standard diagnosis of PD and MSA-P were the diagnostic criteria of the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Criteria and the second consensus criteria, respectively. Based on the referral standard criteria, diagnostic accuracy [area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC, sensitivity and specificity] of the ADC and MIBG tests was estimated retrospectively. Diagnostic accuracy of these tests performed within 3 years of symptom onset was also investigated. RESULTS: ADC and MIBG tests were performed on 138 patients (20 MSA and 118 PD. AUC was 0.95 and 0.83 for the ADC and MIBG tests, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 85.0% and 89.0% for MSA-P diagnosis by ADC test and 67.0% and 80.0% for PD diagnosis by MIBG test. When these tests were restricted to patients with disease duration ≤ 3 years, the sensitivity and specificity were 75.0% and 91.4% for the ADC test (MSA-P diagnosis and 47.7% and 92.3% for the MIBG test (PD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Both tests were useful in differentiating between PD and MSA-P, even in the early stages. In early-stage patients, elevated putaminal ADC was a diagnostic marker for MSA-P. Despite high specificity of the MIBG test, careful neurological history and examinations were required for PD diagnosis because of possible false-negative results.

Diagnostic accuracy of apparent diffusion coefficient and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine for differentiation of multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Umemura, Atsushi; Oeda, Tomoko; Hayashi, Ryutaro; Tomita, Satoshi; Kohsaka, Masayuki; Yamamoto, Kenji; Sawada, Hideyuki

2013-01-01

It is often hard to differentiate Parkinson's disease (PD) and parkinsonian variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-P), especially in the early stages. Cardiac sympathetic denervation and putaminal rarefaction are specific findings for PD and MSA-P, respectively. We investigated diagnostic accuracy of putaminal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) test for MSA-P and (123)I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigram for PD, especially in early-stage patients. The referral standard diagnosis of PD and MSA-P were the diagnostic criteria of the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Criteria and the second consensus criteria, respectively. Based on the referral standard criteria, diagnostic accuracy [area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity] of the ADC and MIBG tests was estimated retrospectively. Diagnostic accuracy of these tests performed within 3 years of symptom onset was also investigated. ADC and MIBG tests were performed on 138 patients (20 MSA and 118 PD). AUC was 0.95 and 0.83 for the ADC and MIBG tests, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 85.0% and 89.0% for MSA-P diagnosis by ADC test and 67.0% and 80.0% for PD diagnosis by MIBG test. When these tests were restricted to patients with disease duration ≤ 3 years, the sensitivity and specificity were 75.0% and 91.4% for the ADC test (MSA-P diagnosis) and 47.7% and 92.3% for the MIBG test (PD diagnosis). Both tests were useful in differentiating between PD and MSA-P, even in the early stages. In early-stage patients, elevated putaminal ADC was a diagnostic marker for MSA-P. Despite high specificity of the MIBG test, careful neurological history and examinations were required for PD diagnosis because of possible false-negative results.

Diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for tuberculosis in live badgers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julian A Drewe

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis is notoriously difficult in live animals, yet important if we are to understand the epidemiology of TB and devise effective strategies to limit its spread. Currently available tests for diagnosing TB in live Eurasian badgers (Meles meles remain unvalidated against a reliable gold standard. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of three tests for TB in badgers in the absence of a gold standard. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A Bayesian approach was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and optimal use of mycobacterial culture, gamma-interferon assay and a commercially available serological test using multiple samples collected from 305 live wild badgers. Although no single test was judged to be sufficiently sensitive and specific to be used as a sole diagnostic method, selective combined use of the three tests allowed guidelines to be formulated that allow a diagnosis to be made for individual animals with an estimated overall accuracy of 93% (range: 75% to 97%. Employing this approach in the study population of badgers resulted in approximately 13 out of 14 animals having their true infection status correctly classified from samples collected on a single capture. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This method of interpretation represents a marked improvement on the current procedure for diagnosing M. bovis infection in live badgers. The results should be of use to inform future test and intervention strategies with the aim of reducing the incidence of TB in free-living wild badger populations.

The accuracy of postoperative, non-invasive Air-Test to diagnose atelectasis in healthy patients after surgery: a prospective, diagnostic pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrando, Carlos; Romero, Carolina; Tusman, Gerardo; Suarez-Sipmann, Fernando; Canet, Jaume; Dosdá, Rosa; Valls, Paola; Villena, Abigail; Serralta, Ferran; Jurado, Ana; Carrizo, Juan; Navarro, Jose; Parrilla, Cristina; Romero, Jose E; Pozo, Natividad; Soro, Marina; Villar, Jesús; Belda, Francisco Javier

2017-05-29

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) while breathing room air for 5 min (the 'Air-Test') in detecting postoperative atelectasis. Prospective cohort study. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by measuring the agreement between the index test and the reference standard CT scan images. Postanaesthetic care unit in a tertiary hospital in Spain. Three hundred and fifty patients from 12 January to 7 February 2015; 170 patients scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia who were admitted into the postsurgical unit were included. The Air-Test was performed in conscious extubated patients after a 30 min stabilisation period during which they received supplemental oxygen therapy via a venturi mask. The Air-Test was defined as positive when SpO 2 was ≤96% and negative when SpO 2 was ≥97%. Arterial blood gases were measured in all patients at the end of the Air-Test. In the subsequent 25 min, the presence of atelectasis was evaluated by performing a CT scan in 59 randomly selected patients. The primary study outcome was assessment of the accuracy of the Air-Test for detecting postoperative atelectasis compared with the reference standard. The secondary outcome was the incidence of positive Air-Test results. The Air-Test diagnosed postoperative atelectasis with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.90 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.98) with a sensitivity of 82.6% and a specificity of 87.8%. The presence of atelectasis was confirmed by CT scans in all patients (30/30) with positive and in 5 patients (17%) with negative Air-Test results. Based on the Air-Test, postoperative atelectasis was present in 36% of the patients (62 out of 170). The Air-Test may represent an accurate, simple, inexpensive and non-invasive method for diagnosing postoperative atelectasis. NCT02650037. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is

Reliability and diagnostic accuracy of history and physical examination for diagnosing glenoid labral tears.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsworth, Matthew K; Doukas, William C; Murphy, Kevin P; Mielcarek, Billie J; Michener, Lori A

2008-01-01

Glenoid labral tears provide a diagnostic challenge. Combinations of items in the patient history and physical examination will provide stronger diagnostic accuracy to suggest the presence or absence of glenoid labral tear than will individual items. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 1. History and examination findings in patients with shoulder pain (N = 55) were compared with arthroscopic findings to determine diagnostic accuracy and intertester reliability. The intertester reliability of the crank, anterior slide, and active compression tests was 0.20 to 0.24. A combined history of popping or catching and positive crank or anterior slide results yielded specificities of 0.91 and 1.00 and positive likelihood ratios of 3.0 and infinity, respectively. A positive anterior slide result combined with either a positive active compression or crank result yielded specificities of 0.91 and positive likelihood ratio of 2.75 and 3.75, respectively. Requiring only a single positive finding in the combination of popping or catching and the anterior slide or crank yielded sensitivities of 0.82 and 0.89 and negative likelihood ratios of 0.31 and 0.33, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of individual tests in previous studies is quite variable, which may be explained in part by the modest reliability of these tests. The combination of popping or catching with a positive crank or anterior slide result or a positive anterior slide result with a positive active compression or crank test result suggests the presence of a labral tear. The combined absence of popping or catching and a negative anterior slide or crank result suggests the absence of a labral tear.

Clinical utility of the DSM-5 alternative model for borderline personality disorder: Differential diagnostic accuracy of the BFI, SCID-II-PQ, and PID-5.

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, J Christopher; Madan, Alok; Allen, Jon G; Patriquin, Michelle; Sharp, Carla; Oldham, John M; Frueh, B Christopher

2018-01-01

With the publication of DSM 5 alternative model for personality disorders it is critical to assess the components of the model against evidence-based models such as the five factor model and the DSM-IV-TR categorical model. This study explored the relative clinical utility of these models in screening for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Receiver operator characteristics and diagnostic efficiency statistics were calculated for three personality measures to ascertain the relative diagnostic efficiency of each measure. A total of 1653 adult inpatients at a specialist psychiatric hospital completed SCID-II interviews. Sample 1 (n=653) completed the SCID-II interviews, SCID-II Questionnaire (SCID-II-PQ) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI), while Sample 2 (n=1,000) completed the SCID-II interviews, Personality Inventory for DSM5 (PID-5) and the BFI. BFI measure evidenced moderate accuracy for two composites: High Neuroticism+ low agreeableness composite (AUC=0.72, SE=0.01, ptrait constellation for diagnosing BPD. Limitations of the study include the single inpatient setting and use of two discrete samples to assess PID-5 and SCID-II-PQ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of disease severity distribution on the performance of quantitative diagnostic methods and proposal of a novel ‘V-plot’ methodology to display accuracy values

Science.gov (United States)

Dehbi, Hakim-Moulay; Howard, James P; Shun-Shin, Matthew J; Sen, Sayan; Nijjer, Sukhjinder S; Mayet, Jamil; Davies, Justin E; Francis, Darrel P

2018-01-01

Background Diagnostic accuracy is widely accepted by researchers and clinicians as an optimal expression of a test’s performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of disease severity distribution on values of diagnostic accuracy as well as propose a sample-independent methodology to calculate and display accuracy of diagnostic tests. Methods and findings We evaluated the diagnostic relationship between two hypothetical methods to measure serum cholesterol (Cholrapid and Cholgold) by generating samples with statistical software and (1) keeping the numerical relationship between methods unchanged and (2) changing the distribution of cholesterol values. Metrics of categorical agreement were calculated (accuracy, sensitivity and specificity). Finally, a novel methodology to display and calculate accuracy values was presented (the V-plot of accuracies). Conclusion No single value of diagnostic accuracy can be used to describe the relationship between tests, as accuracy is a metric heavily affected by the underlying sample distribution. Our novel proposed methodology, the V-plot of accuracies, can be used as a sample-independent measure of a test performance against a reference gold standard. PMID:29387424

Diagnostic Accuracy 99mTc-DISIDA Scintigraphy in Biliary Atresia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyun, In Young; Lee, Dong Soo; Lee, Kyung Han; Kim, Jong Ho; Chung, June Key; Suh, Jung Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Koh, Chang Soon

1994-01-01

We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of 99m Tc-DISIDA scintigraphy as a mean of differentiating biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis. 99m Tc-DISIDA scintigraphy was visually interpreted by assessing the presence or absence of radioactivity in the intestine or gall bladder. In patients without intestinal radioactivity, we measured the hepatic retention index and the hepatic uptake index. The hepatic retention index was expressed as the amount of change of liver activity from 5 minutes to 30 minutes postinjection. The hepatic uptake index was graded visually with 5 minute images using the following scoring scheme :grade 0 (normal hepatic uptake), grade 1 (decreased hepatic up take), grade 2 (hepatic uptake equal to cardiac uptake), and grade 3 (hepatic uptake less than cardiac uptake). Age, total bilirubin, and hepatic uptake index were compared between the biliary atresia and the neonatal hepatitis group, between neonatal hepatitis patients with and without intestinal radioactivity, and between the biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis patients with absent intestinal radioactivity. The results were as follows : l) None of the 30 biliary atresia patients showed intestinal radioactivity, while 31/40 neonatal hepatitis patients showed intestinal radioactivity. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the presence of intestinal radioactivity or the diagnosis of biliary atresia was 100%, 78%, and 87%, respectively. 2) In patients with absent intestinal radioactivity the mean hepatic retention index was 1.5 ± 0.6 in the 16 biliary atresia patient,s, and 1.1 ± 0.2 in the 7 neonatal hepatitis patients(p 99m Tc-DISIDA scintigraphy is accurate in the differential diagnosis of biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis. In patients without intestinal radioactivity, the hepatic retention index and hepatic uptake index, along with the patients age and total bilirubin level may supplement diagnosis and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Superficial inflammatory and primary neoplastic lymphadenopathy: diagnostic accuracy of power-doppler sonography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magarelli, N.; Guglielmi, G.; Savastano, M.; Toro, V.; Sborgia, M.; Fioritoni, G.; Mattei, P.A.; Steinbach, L.; Bonomo, L.

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of a cut-off of the resistive index of 0.5 for the differentiation between inflammatory and neoplastic primary lymphadenopathies. Subjects and methods: We measured the resistive index of superficial enlarged lymph nodes in a total of 50 patients (29 males and 21 females; age range 12-72 years, mean age 41.6 year) using an ATL 5000 HDI. A resistive index greater than or equal to 0.5 indicated an inflammatory lymph node and a resistive index <0.5 was consistent with neoplastic primary lymphadenopathies. The gold standard was either surgical biopsy or lymph-node reduction seen with ultrasound examination after antibiotic therapy. Results: The sensitivity of the resistive index for distinguishing inflammatory from neoplastic lymphadenopathy was 84.6%, the specificity 100% and the diagnostic accuracy 95.7% (P<0.001, statistically significant). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that power-Doppler using a resistive index cut-off of 0.5 was a valid technique for distinguising between inflammatory and primary neoplastic lymph nodes in patients with superficial lymphadenopathies

Study design requirements for RNA sequencing-based breast cancer diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mer, Arvind Singh; Klevebring, Daniel; Grönberg, Henrik; Rantalainen, Mattias

2016-02-01

Sequencing-based molecular characterization of tumors provides information required for individualized cancer treatment. There are well-defined molecular subtypes of breast cancer that provide improved prognostication compared to routine biomarkers. However, molecular subtyping is not yet implemented in routine breast cancer care. Clinical translation is dependent on subtype prediction models providing high sensitivity and specificity. In this study we evaluate sample size and RNA-sequencing read requirements for breast cancer subtyping to facilitate rational design of translational studies. We applied subsampling to ascertain the effect of training sample size and the number of RNA sequencing reads on classification accuracy of molecular subtype and routine biomarker prediction models (unsupervised and supervised). Subtype classification accuracy improved with increasing sample size up to N = 750 (accuracy = 0.93), although with a modest improvement beyond N = 350 (accuracy = 0.92). Prediction of routine biomarkers achieved accuracy of 0.94 (ER) and 0.92 (Her2) at N = 200. Subtype classification improved with RNA-sequencing library size up to 5 million reads. Development of molecular subtyping models for cancer diagnostics requires well-designed studies. Sample size and the number of RNA sequencing reads directly influence accuracy of molecular subtyping. Results in this study provide key information for rational design of translational studies aiming to bring sequencing-based diagnostics to the clinic.

A study of diagnostic imaging in pancreatic trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirota, Masashi; Kanazumi, Naohito; Kato, Koichi; Eguchi, Takehiko; Kobayashi, Hironobu; Suzuki, Yuichi; Kimura, Jiro; Ishii, Masataka

2002-01-01

Pancreatic trauma treatment depends on pancreatic ductal injury. We examined the usefulness and problems of diagnostic imaging, such as enhanced CT, ERP, and CT after ERP, in pancreatic trauma. Subjects were 12 patients with pancreatic trauma treated in our hospital between April 1993 and March 2000. Enhanced CT was performed in 6 patients undergoing diagnostic imagings and ERP in 4 of the 6. Overall diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic ductal injury in enhanced CT was 16.7% and accuracy in ERP with CT after ERP was 100%. Intraoperative diagnosis of main pancreatic ductal injury was difficult in 1 of 2 patients in whom ERP failed. The importance of preoperative diagnostic imaging is thus clear. We expect that MRCP, recently evaluated in pancreatic disease diagnosis, will become a new pancreatic trauma modality. (author)

Current status of diagnostic imaging in dental university hospitals in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Takehito; Fujita, Minoru; Katoh, Tsuguhisa; Kobayashi, Kaoru; Okano, Tomohiro; Sato, Kenji; Wada, Shinichi

2004-01-01

The diagnostic imaging examinations in all 29 dental university hospitals in Japan were analyzed during a 1-year period from April 1999 to March 2000. The total number of patients examined was 790859, which corresponded to 27271 patients per hospital on average, with a range from 7872 to 62904. Relative to the total number of patients, intraoral radiography was found to have been most frequently performed, 59% on average, with a range from 40% to 80%, depending on the hospital. Extraoral radiography, mostly panoramic radiography, was 36% on average with the range from 18% to 56%. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the percentages of intraoral and extraoral radiography, relative to the total number of all types of imaging examinations. Computed tomography (CT) examinations were performed with their own apparatuses in 27 hospitals with a frequency of 2.9% of patients in all imaging examinations on average and 9.1% at maximum. The scanning parameter of milliampere seconds (mAs) for individual types of routinely performed CT examinations varied widely, and thus the patient dose can be expected to be considerably reduced, without reducing the amount of diagnostic information to be obtained. Other imaging examinations performed were magnetic resonance imaging in 11 hospitals, X-ray fluoroscopy in 8 hospitals, ultrasonography in 20, nuclear medicine in 5, and bone densitometry in 1 hospital. (author)

Automated registration of diagnostic to prediagnostic x-ray mammograms: Evaluation and comparison to radiologists' accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinto Pereira, Snehal M.; Hipwell, John H.; McCormack, Valerie A.; Tanner, Christine; Moss, Sue M.; Wilkinson, Louise S.; Khoo, Lisanne A. L.; Pagliari, Catriona; Skippage, Pippa L.; Kliger, Carole J.; Hawkes, David J.; Santos Silva, Isabel M. dos

2010-01-01

Purpose: To compare and evaluate intensity-based registration methods for computation of serial x-ray mammogram correspondence. Methods: X-ray mammograms were simulated from MRIs of 20 women using finite element methods for modeling breast compressions and employing a MRI/x-ray appearance change model. The parameter configurations of three registration methods, affine, fluid, and free-form deformation (FFD), were optimized for registering x-ray mammograms on these simulated images. Five mammography film readers independently identified landmarks (tumor, nipple, and usually two other normal features) on pairs of diagnostic and corresponding prediagnostic digitized images from 52 breast cancer cases. Landmarks were independently reidentified by each reader. Target registration errors were calculated to compare the three registration methods using the reader landmarks as a gold standard. Data were analyzed using multilevel methods. Results: Between-reader variability varied with landmark (p<0.01) and screen (p=0.03), with between-reader mean distance (mm) in point location on the diagnostic/prediagnostic images of 2.50 (95% CI 1.95, 3.15)/2.84 (2.24, 3.55) for nipples and 4.26 (3.43, 5.24)/4.76 (3.85, 5.84) for tumors. Registration accuracy was sensitive to the type of landmark and the amount of breast density. For dense breasts (≥40%), the affine and fluid methods outperformed FFD. For breasts with lower density, the affine registration surpassed both fluid and FFD. Mean accuracy (mm) of the affine registration varied between 3.16 (95% CI 2.56, 3.90) for nipple points in breasts with density 20%-39% and 5.73 (4.80, 6.84) for tumor points in breasts with density <20%. Conclusions: Affine registration accuracy was comparable to that between independent film readers. More advanced two-dimensional nonrigid registration algorithms were incapable of increasing the accuracy of image alignment when compared to affine registration.

Comparison of exercise perfusion and ventricular function imaging: an analysis of factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of each technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osbakken, M.D.; Okada, R.D.; Boucher, C.A.; Strauss, H.W.; Pohost, G.M.

1984-01-01

Exercise thallium-201 perfusion scans and gated equilibrium blood pool scans were performed in 120 catheterized patients with a chest pain syndrome. Eighty-six patients had coronary artery disease and 34 patients did not. The effects of gender, propranolol, exercise level, exercise ischemia, history of typical angina, history of previous myocardial infarction, electrocardiographic Q waves, number of diseases vessels and extent of coronary artery obstruction on diagnostic accuracy were evaluated. Thallium scans and anginal history were less sensitive for detecting coronary disease in women (men: thallium 79%; angina 77%; women: 54 and 46%, respectively; p less than 0.05). Exercise level did not significantly affect the diagnostic accuracy of either scan. Thallium and gated scans were both highly sensitive (95%) in detecting disease in 20 patients with a prior myocardial infarction, angina and a positive electrocardiogram. The sensitivity of the thallium scan significantly decreased as the number of diseased vessels decreased. Both thallium and gated scans were less frequently positive in patients with atypical angina or no Q waves, but were not significantly influenced by electrocardiographic ischemia. The sensitivity and specificity of both scans were low in 57 patients with the combination of atypical angina, no history of infarction and equivocal stress electrocardiogram thallium. When stress thallium scan evaluation included the electrocardiogram and thallium scan interpretation, the diagnostic accuracy was 81%. When all the information from gated scans (wall motion, ejection fraction, pulmonary blood volume) was combined for final gated scan evaluation, the diagnostic accuracy was 83%. When electrocardiographic data were added to all three gated scan variables, diagnostic accuracy was 77%

The study of diagnostic accuracy of chest nodules by using different compression methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Zhigang; Kuncheng, L.I.; Zhang Jinghong; Liu Shuliang

2005-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of small nodules in the chest by using different compression methods. Method: Two radiologists with 5 years experience twice interpreted 39 chest images by using lossless and lossy compression methods. The time interval was 3 weeks. Each time the radiologists interpreted one kind of compressed images. The image browser used the Unisight software provided by Atlastiger Company in Shanghai. The interpreting results were analyzed by the ROCKIT software and the ROC curves were painted by Excel 2002. Results: In studies of receiver operating characteristics for scoring the presence or absence of nodules, the images with lossy compression method showed no statistical difference as compared with the images with lossless compression method. Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of chest nodules by using the lossless and lossy compression methods had no significant difference, we could use the lossy compression method to transmit and archive the chest images with nodules

Instantaneous wave-free ratio as an alternative to fractional flow reserve in assessment of moderate coronary stenoses: A meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Maini, Rohit; Moscona, John; Katigbak, Paul; Fernandez, Camilo; Sidhu, Gursukhmandeep; Saleh, Qusai; Irimpen, Anand; Samson, Rohan; LeJemtel, Thierry

2017-12-27

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) remains underutilized due to practical concerns related to the need for hyperemic agents. These concerns have prompted the study of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR), a vasodilator-free index of coronary stenosis. Non-inferior cardiovascular outcomes have been demonstrated in two recent randomized clinic trials. We performed this meta-analysis to provide a necessary update of the diagnostic accuracy of iFR referenced to FFR based on the addition of eight more recent studies and 3727 more lesions. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Central, ProQuest, and Web of Science databases for full text articles published through May 31, 2017 to identify studies addressing the diagnostic accuracy of iFR referenced to FFR≤0.80. The following keywords were used: "instantaneous wave-free ratio" OR "iFR" AND "fractional flow reserve" OR "FFR." In total, 16 studies comprising 5756 lesions were identified. Pooled diagnostic accuracy estimates of iFR versus FFR≤0.80 were: sensitivity, 0.78 (95% CI, 0.76-0.79); specificity, 0.83 (0.81-0.84); positive likelihood ratio, 4.54 (3.85-5.35); negative likelihood ratio, 0.28 (0.24-0.32); diagnostic odds ratio, 17.38 (14.16-21.34); area under the summary receiver-operating characteristic curve, 0.87; and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 0.81 (0.78-0.84). In conclusion, iFR showed excellent agreement with FFR as a resting index of coronary stenosis severity without the undesired effects and cost of hyperemic agents. When considering along with its clinical outcome data and ease of application, the diagnostic accuracy of iFR supports its use as a suitable alternative to FFR for physiology-guided revascularization of moderate coronary stenoses. We performed a meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of iFR referenced to FFR. iFR showed excellent agreement with FFR as a resting index of coronary stenosis severity without the undesired effects and cost of hyperemic agents. This supports its use as a suitable

Does the Reporting Quality of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies, as Defined by STARD 2015, Affect Citation?

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Young Jun; Chung, Mi Sun; Koo, Hyun Jung; Park, Ji Eun; Yoon, Hee Mang; Park, Seong Ho

2016-01-01

To determine the rate with which diagnostic test accuracy studies that are published in a general radiology journal adhere to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) 2015, and to explore the relationship between adherence rate and citation rate while avoiding confounding by journal factors. All eligible diagnostic test accuracy studies that were published in the Korean Journal of Radiology in 2011-2015 were identified. Five reviewers assessed each article for yes/no compliance with 27 of the 30 STARD 2015 checklist items (items 28, 29, and 30 were excluded). The total STARD score (number of fulfilled STARD items) was calculated. The score of the 15 STARD items that related directly to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 was also calculated. The number of times each article was cited (as indicated by the Web of Science) after publication until March 2016 and the article exposure time (time in months between publication and March 2016) were extracted. Sixty-three articles were analyzed. The mean (range) total and QUADAS-2-related STARD scores were 20.0 (14.5-25) and 11.4 (7-15), respectively. The mean citation number was 4 (0-21). Citation number did not associate significantly with either STARD score after accounting for exposure time (total score: correlation coefficient = 0.154, p = 0.232; QUADAS-2-related score: correlation coefficient = 0.143, p = 0.266). The degree of adherence to STARD 2015 was moderate for this journal, indicating that there is room for improvement. When adjusted for exposure time, the degree of adherence did not affect the citation rate.

Dose the reporting quality of diagnostic test accuracy studies, as defined by STARD 2015, affect citation?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Young Jun; Chung, Mi Sun; Koo, Hyun Jung; Park, Ji Eun; Yoon, Hee Mang; Park, Seong Ho

2016-01-01

To determine the rate with which diagnostic test accuracy studies that are published in a general radiology journal adhere to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) 2015, and to explore the relationship between adherence rate and citation rate while avoiding confounding by journal factors. All eligible diagnostic test accuracy studies that were published in the Korean Journal of Radiology in 2011–2015 were identified. Five reviewers assessed each article for yes/no compliance with 27 of the 30 STARD 2015 checklist items (items 28, 29, and 30 were excluded). The total STARD score (number of fulfilled STARD items) was calculated. The score of the 15 STARD items that related directly to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 was also calculated. The number of times each article was cited (as indicated by the Web of Science) after publication until March 2016 and the article exposure time (time in months between publication and March 2016) were extracted. Sixty-three articles were analyzed. The mean (range) total and QUADAS-2-related STARD scores were 20.0 (14.5–25) and 11.4 (7–15), respectively. The mean citation number was 4 (0–21). Citation number did not associate significantly with either STARD score after accounting for exposure time (total score: correlation coefficient = 0.154, p = 0.232; QUADAS-2-related score: correlation coefficient = 0.143, p = 0.266). The degree of adherence to STARD 2015 was moderate for this journal, indicating that there is room for improvement. When adjusted for exposure time, the degree of adherence did not affect the citation rate

Dose the reporting quality of diagnostic test accuracy studies, as defined by STARD 2015, affect citation?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Young Jun; Chung, Mi Sun; Koo, Hyun Jung; Park, Ji Eun; Yoon, Hee Mang; Park, Seong Ho [Dept. of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-09-15

To determine the rate with which diagnostic test accuracy studies that are published in a general radiology journal adhere to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) 2015, and to explore the relationship between adherence rate and citation rate while avoiding confounding by journal factors. All eligible diagnostic test accuracy studies that were published in the Korean Journal of Radiology in 2011–2015 were identified. Five reviewers assessed each article for yes/no compliance with 27 of the 30 STARD 2015 checklist items (items 28, 29, and 30 were excluded). The total STARD score (number of fulfilled STARD items) was calculated. The score of the 15 STARD items that related directly to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 was also calculated. The number of times each article was cited (as indicated by the Web of Science) after publication until March 2016 and the article exposure time (time in months between publication and March 2016) were extracted. Sixty-three articles were analyzed. The mean (range) total and QUADAS-2-related STARD scores were 20.0 (14.5–25) and 11.4 (7–15), respectively. The mean citation number was 4 (0–21). Citation number did not associate significantly with either STARD score after accounting for exposure time (total score: correlation coefficient = 0.154, p = 0.232; QUADAS-2-related score: correlation coefficient = 0.143, p = 0.266). The degree of adherence to STARD 2015 was moderate for this journal, indicating that there is room for improvement. When adjusted for exposure time, the degree of adherence did not affect the citation rate.

Diagnostic markers of urothelial cancer based on DNA methylation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chihara, Yoshitomo; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Kanai, Yae; Fujimoto, Hiroyuki; Sugano, Kokichi; Kawashima, Kiyotaka; Liang, Gangning; Jones, Peter A; Fujimoto, Kiyohide; Kuniyasu, Hiroki

2013-01-01

Early detection and risk assessment are crucial for treating urothelial cancer (UC), which is characterized by a high recurrence rate, and necessitates frequent and invasive monitoring. We aimed to establish diagnostic markers for UC based on DNA methylation. In this multi-center study, three independent sample sets were prepared. First, DNA methylation levels at CpG loci were measured in the training sets (tumor samples from 91 UC patients, corresponding normal-appearing tissue from these patients, and 12 normal tissues from age-matched bladder cancer-free patients) using the Illumina Golden Gate methylation assay to identify differentially methylated loci. Next, these methylated loci were validated by quantitative DNA methylation by pyrosequencing, using another cohort of tissue samples (Tissue validation set). Lastly, methylation of these markers was analyzed in the independent urine samples (Urine validation set). ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these 12 selected markers. Of the 1303 CpG sites, 158 were hyper ethylated and 356 were hypo ethylated in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. In the panel analysis, 12 loci showed remarkable alterations between tumor and normal samples, with 94.3% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity. Similarly, corresponding normal tissue could be distinguished from normal tissues with 76.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy for UC of these markers determined in urine samples was high, with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Based on these preliminary findings, diagnostic markers based on differential DNA methylation at specific loci can be useful for non-invasive and reliable detection of UC and epigenetic field defect

[Diagnostic accuracy of malignancy risk index II in post-menopausal women with adnexal tumours].

Science.gov (United States)

Treviño-Báez, Joaquín Darío; Cantú-Cruz, Javier Alejandro; Medina-Mercado, Javier; Abundis, Alberto

2016-01-01

The purpose of the diagnostic evaluation of adnexal tumours is to exclude the possibility of malignancy. The malignancy risk index II identifies patients at high risk for ovarian cancer. The cut-off value is greater than 200. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of malignancy risk index II in post-menopausal women with adnexal tumours in relation to the histopathological results. A total of 138 women with an adnexal mass were studied. The malignancy risk index II was determined in all of them. They were divided into two groups according to the histopathology results; 69 patients with benign tumours and 69 patients with malignant tumours. A diagnostic test type analysis was performed with respect to the results of malignancy risk index II ≤ 200 or greater than this. The percentages and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The accuracy was 81.8% (75.5-88.3), sensitivity 76.8% (66.9-86.7), specificity 87% (79.1-94.9), with a positive predictive value of 85.5% (76.7-94.3), and a negative predictive value of 78.9% (69.7-88.1). The positive likelihood ratio was 590, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.266. The malignancy risk index II has good performance in the proper classification of post-menopausal women with adnexal masses, both benign and malignant, with an accuracy of 81.8%. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Quantitative Sensory Testing to Discriminate Inflammatory Toothache and Intraoral Neuropathic Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Porporatti, André Luís; Costa, Yuri Martins; Stuginski-Barbosa, Juliana; Bonjardim, Leonardo Rigoldi; Duarte, Marco Antônio Hungaro; Conti, Paulo César Rodrigues

2015-10-01

A differential diagnosis between inflammatory toothache (IT) and intraoral neuropathic pain is challenging. The aim of this diagnostic study was to quantify somatosensory function of subjects with IT (acute pulpitis) and atypical odontalgia (AO, intraoral neuropathic pain) and healthy volunteers and to quantify how accurately quantitative sensory testing (QST) discriminates an IT or AO diagnosis. The sample consisted of 60 subjects equally divided (n = 20) into 3 groups: (1) IT, (2) AO, and (3) control. A sequence of 4 QST methods was performed over the dentoalveolar mucosa in the apical maxillar or mandibular area: mechanical detection threshold, pain detection threshold (PDT), dynamic mechanical allodynia, and temporal summation. One-way analysis of variance, Tukey post hoc analyses, and z score transformation were applied to the data. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio of the QST methods were calculated (α = 5%). Somatosensory abnormalities were found for the AO group, which is consistent with a low detection threshold to touch and pain and the presence of mechanical allodynia. For the IT group, no somatosensory abnormality was observed when compared with the control group. The most accurate QST to discriminate the diagnostic differences between IT and healthy individuals is the PDT. The diagnostic differences between AO and healthy individuals and between IT and AO are best discriminated with the mechanical detection threshold, PDT, and dynamic mechanical allodynia. The proposed QST methods may aid in the differential diagnosis between IT and AO with strong accuracy and may be used as complementary diagnostic tests. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Imaging Modalities and Injection Techniques for the Diagnosis of Femoroacetabular Impingement/Labral Tear

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reiman, Michael P.; Thorborg, Kristian; Goode, Adam P.

2017-01-01

Background: Diagnosing femoroacetabular impingement/acetabular labral tear (FAI/ALT) and subsequently making a decision regarding surgery are based primarily on diagnostic imaging and intra-articular hip joint injection techniques of unknown accuracy. Purpose: Summarize and evaluate the diagnostic...... probability of disease was demonstrated. Positive imaging findings increased the probability that a labral tear existed by a minimal to small degree with the use of magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiogram (MRI/MRA) and ultrasound (US) and by a moderate degree for CTA. Negative imaging findings...... decreased the probability that a labral tear existed by a minimal degree with the use of MRI and US, a small to moderate degree with MRA, and a moderate degree with CTA. Clinical Relevance: Although findings of the included studies suggested potentially favorable use of these modalities for the diagnosis...

Rectal cancer staging: Multidetector-row computed tomography diagnostic accuracy in assessment of mesorectal fascia invasion

Science.gov (United States)

Ippolito, Davide; Drago, Silvia Girolama; Franzesi, Cammillo Talei; Fior, Davide; Sironi, Sandro

2016-01-01

AIM: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) as compared with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in identifying mesorectal fascia (MRF) invasion in rectal cancer patients. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with biopsy proven rectal adenocarcinoma referred for thoracic and abdominal CT staging were enrolled in this study. The contrast-enhanced MDCT scans were performed on a 256 row scanner (ICT, Philips) with the following acquisition parameters: tube voltage 120 KV, tube current 150-300 mAs. Imaging data were reviewed as axial and as multiplanar reconstructions (MPRs) images along the rectal tumor axis. MRI study, performed on 1.5 T with dedicated phased array multicoil, included multiplanar T2 and axial T1 sequences and diffusion weighted images (DWI). Axial and MPR CT images independently were compared to MRI and MRF involvement was determined. Diagnostic accuracy of both modalities was compared and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: According to MRI, the MRF was involved in 51 patients and not involved in 40 patients. DWI allowed to recognize the tumor as a focal mass with high signal intensity on high b-value images, compared with the signal of the normal adjacent rectal wall or with the lower tissue signal intensity background. The number of patients correctly staged by the native axial CT images was 71 out of 91 (41 with involved MRF; 30 with not involved MRF), while by using the MPR 80 patients were correctly staged (45 with involved MRF; 35 with not involved MRF). Local tumor staging suggested by MDCT agreed with those of MRI, obtaining for CT axial images sensitivity and specificity of 80.4% and 75%, positive predictive value (PPV) 80.4%, negative predictive value (NPV) 75% and accuracy 78%; while performing MPR the sensitivity and specificity increased to 88% and 87.5%, PPV was 90%, NPV 85.36% and accuracy 88%. MPR images showed higher diagnostic accuracy, in terms of MRF involvement, than native axial images

Multiple diagnostic approaches to palpable breast mass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, Soo Yil; Kim, Kie Hwan; Moon, Nan Mo; Kim, Yong Kyu; Jang, Ja June [Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1985-12-15

The combination of the various diagnostic methods of palpable breast mass has improved the diagnostic accuracy. From September 1983 to August 1985 pathologically proven 85 patients with palpable breast masses examined with x-ray mammography, ultrasonography, penumomammography and aspiration cytology at Korea Cancer Center Hospital were analyzed. The diagnostic accuracies of each methods were 77.6% of mammogram, 74.1% of ultrasonogram, 90.5% of penumomammogram and 92.4% of aspiration cytology. Pneumomammograms was accomplished without difficulty or complication and depicted more clearly delineated mass with various pathognomonic findings; air-ductal pattern in fibroadenoma (90.4%) and cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-halo in fibrocystic disease (14.2%), fibroadenoma (100%), cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-cystogram in cystic type of fibrocystic disease (100%) and vaculoar pattern or irregular air collection without retained peripheral gas in carcinoma.

Multiple diagnostic approaches to palpable breast mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, Soo Yil; Kim, Kie Hwan; Moon, Nan Mo; Kim, Yong Kyu; Jang, Ja June

1985-01-01

The combination of the various diagnostic methods of palpable breast mass has improved the diagnostic accuracy. From September 1983 to August 1985 pathologically proven 85 patients with palpable breast masses examined with x-ray mammography, ultrasonography, penumomammography and aspiration cytology at Korea Cancer Center Hospital were analyzed. The diagnostic accuracies of each methods were 77.6% of mammogram, 74.1% of ultrasonogram, 90.5% of penumomammogram and 92.4% of aspiration cytology. Pneumomammograms was accomplished without difficulty or complication and depicted more clearly delineated mass with various pathognomonic findings; air-ductal pattern in fibroadenoma (90.4%) and cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-halo in fibrocystic disease (14.2%), fibroadenoma (100%), cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-cystogram in cystic type of fibrocystic disease (100%) and vaculoar pattern or irregular air collection without retained peripheral gas in carcinoma

Accuracy of diagnostic imaging modalities for peripheral post-traumatic osteomyelitis - a systematic review of the recent literature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Govaert, Geertje A. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Surgery, Subdivision of Trauma Surgery, Groningen (Netherlands); University of Utrecht, University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Trauma Surgery, Utrecht (Netherlands); IJpma, Frank F.; Reininga, Inge H. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Surgery, Subdivision of Trauma Surgery, Groningen (Netherlands); McNally, Martin [Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Bone Infection Unit, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford (United Kingdom); McNally, Eugene [Oxford Musculoskeletal Radiology, Oxford (United Kingdom); Glaudemans, Andor W. [University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen (Netherlands)

2017-08-15

Post-traumatic osteomyelitis (PTO) is difficult to diagnose and there is no consensus on the best imaging strategy. The aim of this study is to present a systematic review of the recent literature on diagnostic imaging of PTO. A literature search of the EMBASE and PubMed databases of the last 16 years (2000-2016) was performed. Studies that evaluated the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), three-phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS), white blood cell (WBC) or antigranulocyte antibody (AGA) scintigraphy, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and plain computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing PTO were considered for inclusion. The review was conducted using the PRISMA statement and QUADAS-2 criteria. The literature search identified 3358 original records, of which 10 articles could be included in this review. Four of these studies had a comparative design which made it possible to report the results of, in total, 17 patient series. WBC (or AGA) scintigraphy and FDG-PET exhibit good accuracy for diagnosing PTO (sensitivity ranged from 50-100%, specificity ranged from 40-97% versus 83-100% and 51%-100%, respectively). The accuracy of both modalities improved when a hybrid imaging technique (SPECT/CT and FDG-PET/CT) was performed. For FDG-PET/CT, sensitivity ranged between 86 and 94% and specificity between 76 and 100%. For WBC scintigraphy + SPECT/CT, this is 100% and 89-97%, respectively. Based on the best available evidence of the last 16 years, both WBC (or AGA) scintigraphy combined with SPECT/CT or FDG-PET combined with CT have the best diagnostic accuracy for diagnosing peripheral PTO. (orig.)

Performance of in-hospital mortality prediction models for acute hospitalization: Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Motomura Noboru

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective In-hospital mortality is an important performance measure for quality improvement, although it requires proper risk adjustment. We set out to develop in-hospital mortality prediction models for acute hospitalization using a nation-wide electronic administrative record system in Japan. Methods Administrative records of 224,207 patients (patients discharged from 82 hospitals in Japan between July 1, 2002 and October 31, 2002 were randomly split into preliminary (179,156 records and test (45,051 records groups. Study variables included Major Diagnostic Category, age, gender, ambulance use, admission status, length of hospital stay, comorbidity, and in-hospital mortality. ICD-10 codes were converted to calculate comorbidity scores based on Quan's methodology. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was then performed using in-hospital mortality as a dependent variable. C-indexes were calculated across risk groups in order to evaluate model performances. Results In-hospital mortality rates were 2.68% and 2.76% for the preliminary and test datasets, respectively. C-index values were 0.869 for the model that excluded length of stay and 0.841 for the model that included length of stay. Conclusion Risk models developed in this study included a set of variables easily accessible from administrative data, and still successfully exhibited a high degree of prediction accuracy. These models can be used to estimate in-hospital mortality rates of various diagnoses and procedures.

Contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography of neck vessels: does dephasing effect alter diagnostic accuracy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosottini, M.; Calabrese, R.; Murri, L.; Puglioli, M.; Zampa, V.; Michelassi, M.C.; Ortori, S.; Bartolozzi, C.

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced MRA (CEMRA) compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in studying neck vessels of 48 patients. In three groups of patients, we used three MRA protocols differing for voxel size to assess if intravoxel dephasing effects could modify accuracy of CEMRA. Accuracy and correlation with DSA results were calculated in all patients and separately in the three groups. A qualitative analysis of the likeness between morphology of the stenosis in CEMRA and DSA images was also assessed. In all patients accuracy and agreement with DSA were 96% and k=0.85 in subclavian arteries, 96% and k=0.84 in vertebral artery, 97% and k=0.88 in common carotid arteries, and 94% and k=0.86 in internal carotid arteries. In the three groups accuracy and agreement with DSA did not show any significant difference. Qualitative analysis of CEMRA and DSA images revealed a better agreement in depicting the morphology of stenosis using a smaller voxel size. The CEMRA represents a powerful tool for the non-invasive evaluation of neck vessels. Overestimation trend of CEMRA is confirmed and the reduction of voxel size, decreasing the dephasing intravoxel effect, allows to have a better overlapping of stenosis morphology on CEMRA compared with DSA, but it does not yield diagnostic gain in the stenosis grading. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of imaging modalities for internal derangements of temporomandibular joint

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Kaoru; Igarashi, Chinami; Yuasa, Masao; Imanaka, Masahiro; Kondoh, Toshirou

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and review the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of imaging diagnosis for temporomandibular disorders. The role of diagnostic imaging is to detect and document specific anatomic abnormalities associated with the signs and symptoms in the temporomandibular joint. Magnetic resonance imaging (MR imaging) can accurately depict disc displacement and disc deformity. MR imaging is our first choice among the various imaging modalities for the patients with clinical signs and symptoms. However, it has been shown that intra-capsular adhesions and perforations of the disc and retrodiscal tissue are sometimes not detected by MR imaging. To improve the diagnostic technique for adhesions and perforations, double-contrast arthrotomography with fluoroscopy should be employed. The irregular surface of the eminences and the glenoid fossae shown by MR imaging and tomography are correlated with subchondral bone exposure by arthroscopy. Erosion of the condyles detected by MR imaging, tomography and rotational panoramic radiography is correlated with subchondral bone exposure detected by arthroscopy. (author). 69 refs

Diagnostic performance of a multiple real-time PCR assay in patients with suspected sepsis hospitalized in an internal medicine ward.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasqualini, Leonella; Mencacci, Antonella; Leli, Christian; Montagna, Paolo; Cardaccia, Angela; Cenci, Elio; Montecarlo, Ines; Pirro, Matteo; di Filippo, Francesco; Cistaro, Emma; Schillaci, Giuseppe; Bistoni, Francesco; Mannarino, Elmo

2012-04-01

Early identification of causative pathogen in sepsis patients is pivotal to improve clinical outcome. SeptiFast (SF), a commercially available system for molecular diagnosis of sepsis based on PCR, has been mostly used in patients hospitalized in hematology and intensive care units. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of SF, compared to blood culture (BC), in 391 patients with suspected sepsis, hospitalized in a department of internal medicine. A causative pathogen was identified in 85 patients (22%). Sixty pathogens were detected by SF and 57 by BC. No significant differences were found between the two methods in the rates of pathogen detection (P = 0.74), even after excluding 9 pathogens which were isolated by BC and were not included in the SF master list (P = 0.096). The combination of SF and BC significantly improved the diagnostic yield in comparison to BC alone (P < 0.001). Compared to BC, SF showed a significantly lower contamination rate (0 versus 19 cases; P < 0.001) with a higher specificity for pathogen identification (1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.99 to 1.00, versus 0.94, 95% CI of 0.90 to 0.96; P = 0.005) and a higher positive predictive value (1.00, 95% CI of 1.00 to 0.92%, versus 0.75, 95% CI of 0.63 to 0.83; P = 0.005). In the subgroup of patients (n = 191) who had been receiving antibiotic treatment for ≥24 h, SF identified more pathogens (16 versus 6; P = 0.049) compared to BC. These results suggest that, in patients with suspected sepsis, hospitalized in an internal medicine ward, SF could be a highly valuable adjunct to conventional BC, particularly in patients under antibiotic treatment.

Diagnostic accuracy of emergency nurse practitioners versus physicians related to minor illnesses and injuries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Linden, Christien; Reijnen, Resi; de Vos, Rien

2010-01-01

Our objectives were to determine the incidence of missed injuries and inappropriately managed cases in patients with minor injuries and illnesses and to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of the emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) compared with junior doctors/senior house officers (SHOs). In a

Evidence-based diagnostics: adult septic arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Christopher R; Schuur, Jeremiah D; Everett, Worth W; Pines, Jesse M

2011-08-01

Acutely swollen or painful joints are common complaints in the emergency department (ED). Septic arthritis in adults is a challenging diagnosis, but prompt differentiation of a bacterial etiology is crucial to minimize morbidity and mortality. The objective was to perform a systematic review describing the diagnostic characteristics of history, physical examination, and bedside laboratory tests for nongonococcal septic arthritis. A secondary objective was to quantify test and treatment thresholds using derived estimates of sensitivity and specificity, as well as best-evidence diagnostic and treatment risks and anticipated benefits from appropriate therapy. Two electronic search engines (PUBMED and EMBASE) were used in conjunction with a selected bibliography and scientific abstract hand search. Inclusion criteria included adult trials of patients presenting with monoarticular complaints if they reported sufficient detail to reconstruct partial or complete 2 × 2 contingency tables for experimental diagnostic test characteristics using an acceptable criterion standard. Evidence was rated by two investigators using the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS). When more than one similarly designed trial existed for a diagnostic test, meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model. Interval likelihood ratios (LRs) were computed when possible. To illustrate one method to quantify theoretical points in the probability of disease whereby clinicians might cease testing altogether and either withhold treatment (test threshold) or initiate definitive therapy in lieu of further diagnostics (treatment threshold), an interactive spreadsheet was designed and sample calculations were provided based on research estimates of diagnostic accuracy, diagnostic risk, and therapeutic risk/benefits. The prevalence of nongonococcal septic arthritis in ED patients with a single acutely painful joint is approximately 27% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 17

Therapy evaluation and diagnostic accuracy in neuroendocrine tumours: assessment of radiological methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elvin, A.

1993-01-01

The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonically guided biopsy-gun biopsies was assessed in a group of 47 patients with suspected pancreatic carcinoma. A correct diagnosis was obtained in 44 of the 47 patients (94%). Biopsy-gun biopsy of the pancreas is considered a useful, reliable and non-traumatic method for the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy. Twenty-five patients with known neuroendocrine tumour disease were biopsied with 1.2 mm and 0.9 mm biopsy-gun needles. The influence of treatment-related fibrosis was also evaluated. The overall diagnostic accuracy with the 0.9 mm needle was 69% as compared to 92% with the 1.2 mm needle. In order to assess the diagnostic accuracy rate for radiologists with different experience of biopsy procedures 175 cases of renal biopsy-gun biopsies were evaluated. No statistical significant difference was found between the different operators. The role of duplex Doppler ultrasound in monitoring interferon treatment-related changes in carcinoid metastases was evaluated. It present duplex Doppler ultrasound does not seem to play a role in the evaluation of tumour therapy in carcinoid patients. Therapy response evaluation was performed with MR imaging in a group of 17 patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases. A significant difference was found between patients responding to and patients with failure of treatment in terms of tumour T1, contrast enhancement and signal intensity ratio. This indicates that MR investigation may be used in therapy monitoring of patients with neuroendocrine metastases. The neuroendocrine-differentiated colonic carcinoma cell line (LCC-18) was transplanted to 29 mice to establish a tumour/animal model that would allow the monitoring of changes with MR imaging induced by interferon therapy and to evaluate whether the therapeutic response could be modulated by different interferon dosages. Interferon does not seem to have any prolonged anti-proliferative effect on the LCC-18 tumour cell line when transplanted to

Diagnostic accuracy of tuberculous lymphadenitis fine needle aspiration biopsy confirmed by PCR as gold standard

Science.gov (United States)

DSuryadi; Delyuzar; Soekimin

2018-03-01

Indonesia is the second country with the TB (tuberculosis) burden in the world. Improvement in controlling TB and reducing the complications can accelerate early diagnosis and correct treatment. PCR test is a gold standard. However, it is quite expensive for routine diagnosis. Therefore, an accurate and cheaper diagnostic method such as fine needle aspiration biopsy is needed. The study aimsto determine the accuracy of fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted to the samples from patients suspected with tuberculous lymphadenitis. The fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB)test was performed and confirmed by PCR test.There is a comparison to the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of both methods. Sensitivity (92.50%), specificity (96.49%), accuracy (94.85%), positive predictive value (94.87%) and negative predictive value (94.83%) were in FNAB test compared to gold standard. We concluded that fine needle aspiration biopsy is a recommendation for a cheaper and accurate diagnostic test for tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosis.

Comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MRI to PET/CT-acquired FDG brain exams for seizure focus detection: a prospective study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paldino, Michael J.; Jones, Jeremy Y.; Mahmood, Nadia; Sher, Andrew; Hayatghaibi, Shireen; Seghers, Victor [Texas Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Houston, TX (United States); Yang, Erica [SimonMed Imaging, Department of Radiology, Scottsdale, AZ (United States); Zhang, Wei [Texas Children' s Hospital, Outcomes and Impact Service, Houston, TX (United States); Krishnamurthy, Ramkumar [Nationwide Children' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Columbus, OH (United States)

2017-10-15

There is great interest in positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) as a clinical tool due to its capacity to provide diverse diagnostic information in a single exam. The goal of this exam is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MR-acquired [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) brain exams to that of PET/CT with respect to identifying seizure foci in children with localization-related epilepsy. Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent were obtained for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, prospective study. All patients referred for clinical FDG-PET/CT exams of the brain at our institution for a diagnosis of localization-related epilepsy were prospectively recruited to undergo an additional FDG-PET acquisition on a tandem PET/MR system. Attenuation-corrected FDG images acquired at PET/MR and PET/CT were interpreted independently by five expert readers. Readers were blinded to the scanner used for acquisition and attenuation correction as well as all other clinical and imaging data. A Likert scale scoring system (1-5) was used to assess image quality. The locale of seizure origin determined at multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery work rounds was considered the reference standard. Non-inferiority testing for paired data was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MR to that of PET/CT. The final study population comprised 35 patients referred for a diagnosis of localization-related epilepsy (age range: 2-19 years; median: 11 years; 21 males, 14 females). Image quality did not differ significantly between the two modalities. The accuracy of PET/MR was not inferior to that of PET/CT for localization of a seizure focus (P=0.017). The diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET images acquired on a PET/MR scanner and generated using MR-based attenuation correction was not inferior to that of PET images processed by traditional CT-based correction. (orig.)

Comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MRI to PET/CT-acquired FDG brain exams for seizure focus detection: a prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paldino, Michael J.; Jones, Jeremy Y.; Mahmood, Nadia; Sher, Andrew; Hayatghaibi, Shireen; Seghers, Victor; Yang, Erica; Zhang, Wei; Krishnamurthy, Ramkumar

2017-01-01

There is great interest in positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) as a clinical tool due to its capacity to provide diverse diagnostic information in a single exam. The goal of this exam is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MR-acquired [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) brain exams to that of PET/CT with respect to identifying seizure foci in children with localization-related epilepsy. Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent were obtained for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, prospective study. All patients referred for clinical FDG-PET/CT exams of the brain at our institution for a diagnosis of localization-related epilepsy were prospectively recruited to undergo an additional FDG-PET acquisition on a tandem PET/MR system. Attenuation-corrected FDG images acquired at PET/MR and PET/CT were interpreted independently by five expert readers. Readers were blinded to the scanner used for acquisition and attenuation correction as well as all other clinical and imaging data. A Likert scale scoring system (1-5) was used to assess image quality. The locale of seizure origin determined at multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery work rounds was considered the reference standard. Non-inferiority testing for paired data was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of PET/MR to that of PET/CT. The final study population comprised 35 patients referred for a diagnosis of localization-related epilepsy (age range: 2-19 years; median: 11 years; 21 males, 14 females). Image quality did not differ significantly between the two modalities. The accuracy of PET/MR was not inferior to that of PET/CT for localization of a seizure focus (P=0.017). The diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET images acquired on a PET/MR scanner and generated using MR-based attenuation correction was not inferior to that of PET images processed by traditional CT-based correction. (orig.)

Automated registration of diagnostic to prediagnostic x-ray mammograms: Evaluation and comparison to radiologists' accuracy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinto Pereira, Snehal M.; Hipwell, John H.; McCormack, Valerie A.; Tanner, Christine; Moss, Sue M.; Wilkinson, Louise S.; Khoo, Lisanne A. L.; Pagliari, Catriona; Skippage, Pippa L.; Kliger, Carole J.; Hawkes, David J.; Santos Silva, Isabel M. dos [Cancer Research UK Epidemiology and Genetics Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT (United Kingdom); Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Lifestyle and Cancer Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, Lyon 69008 (France); Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey SM2 5NG (United Kingdom); St. George' s Healthcare NHS Trust and South West London Breast Screening Service, London SW17 0QT (United Kingdom); Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Cancer Research UK Epidemiology and Genetics Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT (United Kingdom)

2010-09-15

Purpose: To compare and evaluate intensity-based registration methods for computation of serial x-ray mammogram correspondence. Methods: X-ray mammograms were simulated from MRIs of 20 women using finite element methods for modeling breast compressions and employing a MRI/x-ray appearance change model. The parameter configurations of three registration methods, affine, fluid, and free-form deformation (FFD), were optimized for registering x-ray mammograms on these simulated images. Five mammography film readers independently identified landmarks (tumor, nipple, and usually two other normal features) on pairs of diagnostic and corresponding prediagnostic digitized images from 52 breast cancer cases. Landmarks were independently reidentified by each reader. Target registration errors were calculated to compare the three registration methods using the reader landmarks as a gold standard. Data were analyzed using multilevel methods. Results: Between-reader variability varied with landmark (p<0.01) and screen (p=0.03), with between-reader mean distance (mm) in point location on the diagnostic/prediagnostic images of 2.50 (95% CI 1.95, 3.15)/2.84 (2.24, 3.55) for nipples and 4.26 (3.43, 5.24)/4.76 (3.85, 5.84) for tumors. Registration accuracy was sensitive to the type of landmark and the amount of breast density. For dense breasts ({>=}40%), the affine and fluid methods outperformed FFD. For breasts with lower density, the affine registration surpassed both fluid and FFD. Mean accuracy (mm) of the affine registration varied between 3.16 (95% CI 2.56, 3.90) for nipple points in breasts with density 20%-39% and 5.73 (4.80, 6.84) for tumor points in breasts with density <20%. Conclusions: Affine registration accuracy was comparable to that between independent film readers. More advanced two-dimensional nonrigid registration algorithms were incapable of increasing the accuracy of image alignment when compared to affine registration.

Accuracy of abdominal lymph node scintigraphy in tumor diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucharczyk, D.

1978-01-01

In view of the diagnostical correspondence between lymph node scintigraphy and X-ray lymphograpy, this dissertation, which is based on 110 systematic comparative evaluations, examines the diagnostical weight of the scintigraphic criteria for tumor growth, discusses diagnostical discrepancies and confirms the efficacy of lymph node scintigraphy in detecting malignomas. In discussing the diagnostical results in the light of previous experience, the shortcomings of the nuclear medical method in tumor diagnostics are shown to be attributable to the uncertainty of the individual scintigraphic criteria. Owing to the variability of the lymph node system as to topography, anatomy and retention rate and the fact that it cannot morphologically be well differentiated in the scintigram, X-ray lymphography to verify the scintigraphic result and preclude misinterpretation remains an indispensable measure. (orig.) [de

Diagnostic Accuracy of a Self-Report Measure of Patellar Tendinopathy in Youth Basketball.

Science.gov (United States)

Owoeye, Oluwatoyosi B A; Wiley, J Preston; Walker, Richard E A; Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; Emery, Carolyn A

2018-04-27

Study Design Prospective diagnostic accuracy validation study. Background Engaging clinicians for diagnosis of patellar tendinopathy in large surveillance studies is often impracticable. A self-report measure, the Oslo Sports Research Trauma Centre patellar tendinopathy (OSTRC-P) Questionnaire, an adaptation of the OSTRC Questionnaire may provide a viable alternative. Objectives To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the OSTRC-P Questionnaire in detecting patellar tendinopathy in youth basketball players when compared to clinical evaluation. Methods Following the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies guidelines, 208 youth basketball players (aged 13-18 years) were recruited. Participants completed the OSTRC-P Questionnaire (index test) prior to a clinical evaluation (reference standard) by a physiotherapist blinded to OSTRC-P Questionnaire results. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values (PVs), likelihood ratios (LRs) and posttest probabilities were calculated. Linear regression was used to examine the association between OSTRC-P Questionnaire severity score and patellar tendinopathy severity rating during single leg decline squat (SLDS). Results The final analysis included 169 players. The OSTRC-P Questionnaire had a sensitivity of 79% (95%CI: 65%, 90%), specificity of 98% (95%CI: 94%, 100%), positive PV of 95%, negative PV of 92%, positive LR of 48 and negative LR of 0.21. The posttest probabilities were 95% and 8% given positive and negative results, respectively. A positive association was found between OSTRC-P Questionnaire and SLDS rating [(β = .08 (95%CI: .03, .12) (p = .001)]. Conclusions The OSTRC-P Questionnaire is an acceptable alternative to clinical evaluation for self-reporting patellar tendinopathy and grading its severity in settings involving youth basketball players. Level of Evidence Diagnosis, level 1b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 27 Apr 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.8088.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound, computed tomography, and endoscopic retrograde choleangiopancreatography in the detection of obstructive jaundice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasanen, P.A.; Partainen, K.; Pikkarainen, P.; Alhava, E.; Pirinen, A.; Janatuinen, E.

1991-01-01

The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the distinction between extrahepatic and intrahepatic causes of jaundice. The limit for the inclusion to the study was defined as a serum bilirubin concentration ≥40μmol/l. Altogether 187 jaundiced patients were studied. The sensitivities of US, CT and ERCP were 63%, 77%, and 87%, respectively. The differences between all these methods were statistically significant. The specificities and positive predictive values were high, reaching 96-99%, but the negative predictive values were low, ranging between 38% and 60%. Choledochal stone disease constituted the main etiology of false-negative studies in all investigations. Imaging procedures have a prominent role in the diagnostic study of the jaundiced patient, but it is obvious that their diagnostic accuracy may vary between institutions because of the variance in local experience and expertise and because of the differences in diseases causing jaundice. 37 refs., 5 tabs

Tune-Based Halo Diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cameron, Peter

2003-01-01

Tune-based halo diagnostics can be divided into two categories -- diagnostics for halo prevention, and diagnostics for halo measurement. Diagnostics for halo prevention are standard fare in accumulators, synchrotrons, and storage rings, and again can be divided into two categories -- diagnostics to measure the tune distribution (primarily to avoid resonances), and diagnostics to identify instabilities (which will not be discussed here). These diagnostic systems include kicked (coherent) tune measurement, phase-locked loop (PLL) tune measurement, Schottky tune measurement, beam transfer function (BTF) measurements, and measurement of transverse quadrupole mode envelope oscillations. We refer briefly to tune diagnostics used at RHIC and intended for the SNS, and then present experimental results. Tune-based diagnostics for halo measurement (as opposed to prevention) are considerably more difficult. We present one brief example of tune-based halo measurement

Source localization of rhythmic ictal EEG activity: a study of diagnostic accuracy following STARD criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Beniczky, Sándor; Lantz, Göran; Rosenzweig, Ivana; Åkeson, Per; Pedersen, Birthe; Pinborg, Lars H; Ziebell, Morten; Jespersen, Bo; Fuglsang-Frederiksen, Anders

2013-10-01

Although precise identification of the seizure-onset zone is an essential element of presurgical evaluation, source localization of ictal electroencephalography (EEG) signals has received little attention. The aim of our study was to estimate the accuracy of source localization of rhythmic ictal EEG activity using a distributed source model. Source localization of rhythmic ictal scalp EEG activity was performed in 42 consecutive cases fulfilling inclusion criteria. The study was designed according to recommendations for studies on diagnostic accuracy (STARD). The initial ictal EEG signals were selected using a standardized method, based on frequency analysis and voltage distribution of the ictal activity. A distributed source model-local autoregressive average (LAURA)-was used for the source localization. Sensitivity, specificity, and measurement of agreement (kappa) were determined based on the reference standard-the consensus conclusion of the multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery team. Predictive values were calculated from the surgical outcome of the operated patients. To estimate the clinical value of the ictal source analysis, we compared the likelihood ratios of concordant and discordant results. Source localization was performed blinded to the clinical data, and before the surgical decision. Reference standard was available for 33 patients. The ictal source localization had a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 76%. The mean measurement of agreement (kappa) was 0.61, corresponding to substantial agreement (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.84). Twenty patients underwent resective surgery. The positive predictive value (PPV) for seizure freedom was 92% and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 43%. The likelihood ratio was nine times higher for the concordant results, as compared with the discordant ones. Source localization of rhythmic ictal activity using a distributed source model (LAURA) for the ictal EEG signals selected with a standardized method

Diagnostic validity of methods for assessment of swallowing sounds: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Taveira, Karinna Veríssimo Meira; Santos, Rosane Sampaio; Leão, Bianca Lopes Cavalcante de; Neto, José Stechman; Pernambuco, Leandro; Silva, Letícia Korb da; De Luca Canto, Graziela; Porporatti, André Luís

2018-02-03

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a highly prevalent comorbidity in neurological patients and presents a serious health threat, which may lead to outcomes of aspiration pneumonia, ranging from hospitalization to death. This assessment proposes a non-invasive, acoustic-based method to differentiate between individuals with and without signals of penetration and aspiration. This systematic review evaluated the diagnostic validity of different methods for assessment of swallowing sounds, when compared to Videofluroscopic of Swallowing Study (VFSS) to detect oropharyngeal dysphagia. Articles in which the primary objective was to evaluate the accuracy of swallowing sounds were searched in five electronic databases with no language or time limitations. Accuracy measurements described in the studies were transformed to construct receiver operating characteristic curves and forest plots with the aid of Review Manager v. 5.2 (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark). The methodology of the selected studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. The final electronic search revealed 554 records, however only 3 studies met the inclusion criteria. The accuracy values (area under the curve) were 0.94 for microphone, 0.80 for Doppler, and 0.60 for stethoscope. Based on limited evidence and low methodological quality because few studies were included, with a small sample size, from all index testes found for this systematic review, Doppler showed excellent diagnostic accuracy for the discrimination of swallowing sounds, whereas microphone-reported good accuracy discrimination of swallowing sounds of dysphagic patients and stethoscope showed best screening test. Copyright © 2018 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A study on the diagnostic accuracy of gastrofiberscopy in the diagnosis of various gastric diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, Soo Il; Park, Charn Il; Kim, Young Kun; Oh, In Hyuk [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1971-10-15

Gastrofiberscopy as well as roentgenologic examination of stomach, is now considered to be one of the indispensable diagnostic method of gastric disease. In general it is agreed that the roentgenologic examination is convenient for observation of shape, contour, motor function and gross lesion of stomach white gastrofiberscopy is especially valuable in detection of mucosal changes or small lesions of stomach. For evaluation of gastrofiberscopy in the diagnosis of various gastric diseases, the diagnostic accuracy of gastrofiberscopy was studied in 964 cases who underwent the fiberscopic examination in SNUH during the period from March 1, 1968 till April 30, 1971. The following results were obtained. 1. Each fiberscopic diagnosis in the 964 cases was classified as follows: normal stomach 414 cases (42.9%), gastritis 74 cases (7.7%), gastric ulcer 134 cases (13.9%), healed ulcer 14 cases (1.5%), benign pyloric stenosis 15 cases (1.6%), suspicious duodenal ulcer 23 cases (2.4%), gastric polyp 6 cases (0.6%), leiomyoma 1 case (0.1%), bezoar 2 cases (0.2%), xanthoma 1 case (0.1%), gastric carcinoma 237 case (24.6%), extrinstic mass 1 case (0.1%), post-operative condition 9 cases (0.9%), unsatisfactory examination 31 cases (3.2%), indeterminate diagnosis 2 cases (0.2%). 2. In various gastric diseases, the coincidence rate of diagnosis between fiberscopic and roentgenologic examination was studied and the obtained results are as follows: in normal stomach 72.9% (302/414), gastric ulcer 69.4% (93/134), healed ulcer 42.9% (6/14), benign pyloric stenosis 86.7% (13/15), duodenal ulcer 100.0% (23/23), gastric polyp 66.7% (4/6), gastric carcinoma 87.8% (208/237), post operative condition 66.7% (6/9). The overall result shows that the diagnostic coincidence between the two methods was observed in 67.7% of the cases (653/964). 3. The diagnostic accuracy of fiberscopic examination was 85.7% (24/28) in the diagnosis of gastric ulcer, 75.0% (6/8) in the diagnosis of benign pyloric

A study on the diagnostic accuracy of gastrofiberscopy in the diagnosis of various gastric diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chin, Soo Il; Park, Charn Il; Kim, Young Kun; Oh, In Hyuk

1971-01-01

Gastrofiberscopy as well as roentgenologic examination of stomach, is now considered to be one of the indispensable diagnostic method of gastric disease. In general it is agreed that the roentgenologic examination is convenient for observation of shape, contour, motor function and gross lesion of stomach white gastrofiberscopy is especially valuable in detection of mucosal changes or small lesions of stomach. For evaluation of gastrofiberscopy in the diagnosis of various gastric diseases, the diagnostic accuracy of gastrofiberscopy was studied in 964 cases who underwent the fiberscopic examination in SNUH during the period from March 1, 1968 till April 30, 1971. The following results were obtained. 1. Each fiberscopic diagnosis in the 964 cases was classified as follows: normal stomach 414 cases (42.9%), gastritis 74 cases (7.7%), gastric ulcer 134 cases (13.9%), healed ulcer 14 cases (1.5%), benign pyloric stenosis 15 cases (1.6%), suspicious duodenal ulcer 23 cases (2.4%), gastric polyp 6 cases (0.6%), leiomyoma 1 case (0.1%), bezoar 2 cases (0.2%), xanthoma 1 case (0.1%), gastric carcinoma 237 case (24.6%), extrinstic mass 1 case (0.1%), post-operative condition 9 cases (0.9%), unsatisfactory examination 31 cases (3.2%), indeterminate diagnosis 2 cases (0.2%). 2. In various gastric diseases, the coincidence rate of diagnosis between fiberscopic and roentgenologic examination was studied and the obtained results are as follows: in normal stomach 72.9% (302/414), gastric ulcer 69.4% (93/134), healed ulcer 42.9% (6/14), benign pyloric stenosis 86.7% (13/15), duodenal ulcer 100.0% (23/23), gastric polyp 66.7% (4/6), gastric carcinoma 87.8% (208/237), post operative condition 66.7% (6/9). The overall result shows that the diagnostic coincidence between the two methods was observed in 67.7% of the cases (653/964). 3. The diagnostic accuracy of fiberscopic examination was 85.7% (24/28) in the diagnosis of gastric ulcer, 75.0% (6/8) in the diagnosis of benign pyloric

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of ureteral stones: Accuracy and factors influencing on diagnostic sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Young Mi; Han, Sang Seok; Chang, Seung Kuk; Joo, Sang Hoo; Lee, Jeong Sik; Eun, Choong Ki [Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Pusan (Korea, Republic of)

1999-12-15

To determine the accuracy of ultrasonographic diagnosis in patients with clinically suspected ureteral stones and to evaluate the factors influencing on the diagnostic sensitivity for the detection of ureteral stone. The patients (115 cases) with proven presence or absence of ureteral stones were included in the study. At first, both sided kidney and proximal ureters were examined on each decubitus position and then middle ureters were done if proximal ureters were visualized. On the supine view, distal ureters and UVJ were scanned through the acoustic window of the filled bladder. KUB (20 cases), IVU (62 cases), AGP (7 cases), RGP (3 cases), ESWL (9 cases), CT (9 cases), and patients' history of spontaneous passage of stones (5 cases) were included as confirmation methods. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the ultrasonographic diagnosis of ureteral stones were calculated and the factors influencing on the sensitivity on the focus of the position and size of ureteral stone, visibility of ureter, the presence or absence of renal stone and hydronephrosis were analyzed. Of 82 cases with proven ureteral stone, 72 cases were revealed on ultrasonography and there was one false positive examination among 33 cases with proven absence of ureteral stone. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 90%. The ultrasonographic detection rates of ureteral stones as correlated with their locations were 83% (24/29), 100% (11/11), 80% (16/20), and 100% (21/21) of each group of proximal, middle, distal ureter, and UVJ stones. Of 61 stones, those as correlated with their sizes, were 82% (37/45) and 94% (15/16) of each group less than 10 mm and more than 11 mm. Those as correlated with the presence or absence of ureteral visualization on ultrasonography were 92% (69/75) and 43% (3/7) of each group. Those as correlated with presence of absence of renal stones were 85% (41/48) and 91% (31/34) of each group. Those as correlated with presence or absence of hydronephrosis were 89

Diagnostic accuracy of atypical p-ANCA in autoimmune hepatitis using ROC- and multivariate regression analysis.

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Terjung, B; Bogsch, F; Klein, R; Söhne, J; Reichel, C; Wasmuth, J-C; Beuers, U; Sauerbruch, T; Spengler, U

2004-09-29

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (atypical p-ANCA) are detected at high prevalence in sera from patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), but their diagnostic relevance for AIH has not been systematically evaluated so far. Here, we studied sera from 357 patients with autoimmune (autoimmune hepatitis n=175, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) n=35, primary biliary cirrhosis n=45), non-autoimmune chronic liver disease (alcoholic liver cirrhosis n=62; chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) n=21) or healthy controls (n=19) for the presence of various non-organ specific autoantibodies. Atypical p-ANCA, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antibodies against smooth muscles (SMA), antibodies against liver/kidney microsomes (anti-Lkm1) and antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) were detected by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, antibodies against the M2 antigen (anti-M2), antibodies against soluble liver antigen (anti-SLA/LP) and anti-Lkm1 by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. To define the diagnostic precision of the autoantibodies, results of autoantibody testing were analyzed by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and forward conditional logistic regression analysis. Atypical p-ANCA were detected at high prevalence in sera from patients with AIH (81%) and PSC (94%). ROC- and logistic regression analysis revealed atypical p-ANCA and SMA, but not ANA as significant diagnostic seromarkers for AIH (atypical p-ANCA: AUC 0.754+/-0.026, odds ratio [OR] 3.4; SMA: 0.652+/-0.028, OR 4.1). Atypical p-ANCA also emerged as the only diagnostically relevant seromarker for PSC (AUC 0.690+/-0.04, OR 3.4). None of the tested antibodies yielded a significant diagnostic accuracy for patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, HCV or healthy controls. Atypical p-ANCA along with SMA represent a seromarker with high diagnostic accuracy for AIH and should be explicitly considered in a revised version of the diagnostic score for AIH.

Meta-analysis for diagnostic accuracy studies: a new statistical model using beta-binomial distributions and bivariate copulas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuss, Oliver; Hoyer, Annika; Solms, Alexander

2014-01-15

There are still challenges when meta-analyzing data from studies on diagnostic accuracy. This is mainly due to the bivariate nature of the response where information on sensitivity and specificity must be summarized while accounting for their correlation within a single trial. In this paper, we propose a new statistical model for the meta-analysis for diagnostic accuracy studies. This model uses beta-binomial distributions for the marginal numbers of true positives and true negatives and links these margins by a bivariate copula distribution. The new model comes with all the features of the current standard model, a bivariate logistic regression model with random effects, but has the additional advantages of a closed likelihood function and a larger flexibility for the correlation structure of sensitivity and specificity. In a simulation study, which compares three copula models and two implementations of the standard model, the Plackett and the Gauss copula do rarely perform worse but frequently better than the standard model. We use an example from a meta-analysis to judge the diagnostic accuracy of telomerase (a urinary tumor marker) for the diagnosis of primary bladder cancer for illustration. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Diagnostic accuracy of semi-automatic quantitative metrics as an alternative to expert reading of CT myocardial perfusion in the CORE320 study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostovaneh, Mohammad R; Vavere, Andrea L; Mehra, Vishal C; Kofoed, Klaus F; Matheson, Matthew B; Arbab-Zadeh, Armin; Fujisawa, Yasuko; Schuijf, Joanne D; Rochitte, Carlos E; Scholte, Arthur J; Kitagawa, Kakuya; Dewey, Marc; Cox, Christopher; DiCarli, Marcelo F; George, Richard T; Lima, Joao A C

2018-04-03

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of semi-automatic quantitative metrics compared to expert reading for interpretation of computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging. The CORE320 multicenter diagnostic accuracy clinical study enrolled patients between 45 and 85 years of age who were clinically referred for invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Computed tomography angiography (CTA), CTP, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and ICA images were interpreted manually in blinded core laboratories by two experienced readers. Additionally, eight quantitative CTP metrics as continuous values were computed semi-automatically from myocardial and blood attenuation and were combined using logistic regression to derive a final quantitative CTP metric score. For the reference standard, hemodynamically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) was defined as a quantitative ICA stenosis of 50% or greater and a corresponding perfusion defect by SPECT. Diagnostic accuracy was determined by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Of the total 377 included patients, 66% were male, median age was 62 (IQR: 56, 68) years, and 27% had prior myocardial infarction. In patient based analysis, the AUC (95% CI) for combined CTA-CTP expert reading and combined CTA-CTP semi-automatic quantitative metrics was 0.87(0.84-0.91) and 0.86 (0.83-0.9), respectively. In vessel based analyses the AUC's were 0.85 (0.82-0.88) and 0.84 (0.81-0.87), respectively. No significant difference in AUC was found between combined CTA-CTP expert reading and CTA-CTP semi-automatic quantitative metrics in patient based or vessel based analyses(p > 0.05 for all). Combined CTA-CTP semi-automatic quantitative metrics is as accurate as CTA-CTP expert reading to detect hemodynamically significant CAD. Copyright © 2018 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Balloon dilatation biopsy of the biliary stricture through the percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage tract: Feasibility and diagnostic accuracy

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Hong, Ji Hoon; Ryeom, Hun Kyu; Jang, Yun Jin; Kim, Gab Chul; Cho, Seung Hyun; Song, Jung Hup [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2016-01-15

To evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of the balloon dilatation biopsy for the biliary stricture through the percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) tract. The study included 35 patients who underwent balloon dilatation biopsy for the biliary stricture through the PTBD tract. Balloon dilatation was done with a balloon catheter of 10-mm or 12-mm diameter. Soft tissue adherent to the retrieved balloon catheter and soft tissue components separated by gauze filtration of evacuated bile were sampled for histopathologic examination. The results were compared with the final diagnosis which was made by clinical and imaging follow-up for mean 989 days (n = 34) and surgery with histopathologic examination (n = 1). Procedure-related complications and diagnostic accuracy were assessed. Tissues suitable for histopathologic examination were obtained in 31 out of 35 patients (88.6%). In 3 patients, self-limiting hemobilia was noted. No major complication was noted. The sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive and negative predictive values for diagnosis of malignant stricture were 70.0%, 100%, 90.3%, 100%, and 87.5%, respectively. Balloon dilatation biopsy of the biliary stricture through the PTBD tract is a feasible and accurate diagnostic method. It can be a safe alternative to the endoscopic retrograde cholangiography biopsy or forceps biopsy through the PTBD tract.

Diagnostic accuracy of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT compared with that of contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast at 3 T

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Magometschnigg, Heinrich F.; Baltzer, Pascal A.; Fueger, Barbara; Helbich, Thomas H.; Weber, Michael [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Vienna (Austria); Karanikas, Georgios [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Vienna (Austria); Dubsky, Peter [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Surgery, Vienna (Austria); Rudas, Margaretha [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Pathology, Vienna (Austria); Pinker, Katja [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Vienna (Austria); Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York (United States)

2015-10-15

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of prone {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT with that of contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) at 3 T in suspicious breast lesions. To evaluate the influence of tumour size on diagnostic accuracy and the use of maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub MAX}) thresholds to differentiate malignant from benign breast lesions. A total of 172 consecutive patients with an imaging abnormality were included in this IRB-approved prospective study. All patients underwent {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI of the breast at 3 T in the prone position. Two reader teams independently evaluated the likelihood of malignancy as determined by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI independently. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT data were qualitatively evaluated by visual interpretation. Quantitative assessment was performed by calculation of SUV{sub MAX}. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, area under the curve and interreader agreement were calculated for all lesions and for lesions <10 mm. Histopathology was used as the standard of reference. There were 132 malignant and 40 benign lesions; 23 lesions (13.4 %) were <10 mm. Both {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI achieved an overall diagnostic accuracy of 93 %. There were no significant differences in sensitivity (p = 0.125), specificity (p = 0.344) or diagnostic accuracy (p = 1). For lesions <10 mm, diagnostic accuracy deteriorated to 91 % with both {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI. Although no significant difference was found for lesions <10 mm, CE-MRI at 3 T seemed to be more sensitive but less specific than {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT. Interreader agreement was excellent (κ = 0.85 and κ = 0.92). SUV{sub MAX} threshold was not helpful in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI at 3 T showed equal diagnostic accuracies in breast cancer diagnosis. For lesions <10 mm, diagnostic accuracy deteriorated, but was equal for {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and CE-MRI at 3 T. For lesions <10 mm, CE-MRI at 3 T seemed

Diagnostic accuracy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in gallbladder cancer: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Annunziata, Salvatore; Pizzuto, Daniele Antonio; Caldarella, Carmelo; Galiandro, Federica; Sadeghi, Ramin; Treglia, Giorgio

2015-10-28

To meta-analyze published data about the diagnostic accuracy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the evaluation of primary tumor in patients with gallbladder cancer (GBCa). A comprehensive literature search of studies published through 30(th) June 2014 regarding the role of (18)F-FDG PET and PET/CT in the evaluation of primary gallbladder cancer (GBCa) was performed. All retrieved studies were reviewed. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of (18)F-FDG PET or PET/CT in the evaluation of primary GBCa were calculated. The area under the summary receiving operator characteristics curve (AUC) was calculated to measure the accuracy of these methods. Sub-analyses considering the device used (PET vs PET/CT) were carried out. Twenty-one studies comprising 495 patients who underwent (18)F-FDG PET or PET/CT for suspicious GBCa were selected for the systematic review. The meta-analysis of 13 selected studies provided the following results: sensitivity 87% (95%CI: 82%-92%), specificity 78% (95%CI: 68%-86%). The AUC was 0.88. Improvement of sensitivity and specificity was observed when PET/CT was used. (18)F-FDG-PET and PET/CT demonstrated to be useful diagnostic imaging methods in the assessment of primary tumor in GBCa patients, nevertheless possible sources of false-negative and false-positive results should be kept in mind. PET/CT seems to have a better diagnostic accuracy than PET alone in this setting.

The diagnostic accuracy of Clinical Dehydration Scale in identifying dehydration in children with acute gastroenteritis: a systematic review.

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Falszewska, Anna; Dziechciarz, Piotr; Szajewska, Hania

2014-10-01

To systematically update diagnostic accuracy of the Clinical Dehydration Scale (CDS) in clinical recognition of dehydration in children with acute gastroenteritis. Six databases were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies in which population were children aged 1 to 36 months with acute gastroenteritis; index test was the CDS; and reference test was post-illness weight gain. Three studies involving 360 children were included. Limited evidence showed that in high-income countries the CDS provides strong diagnostic accuracy for ruling in moderate and severe (>6%) dehydration (positive likelihood ratio 5.2-6.6), but has limited value for ruling it out (negative likelihood ratio 0.4-0.55). In low-income countries, the CDS has limited value either for ruling moderate or severe dehydration in or out. In both settings, the CDS had limited value for ruling in or out dehydration dehydration 3% to 6%. The CDS can help assess moderate to severe dehydration in high-income settings. Given the limited data, the evidence should be viewed with caution. © The Author(s) 2014.

Dual-energy CTA in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Study of diagnostic accuracy and impeding factors

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Klink, Thorsten [Wuerzburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Univ. Inst. of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology; Wilhelm, Theresa; Roth, Christine [Univ. Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Marburg (Germany). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Heverhagen, Johannes T. [Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Univ. Inst. of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology

2017-05-15

The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of dual-energy CT angiography (DE-CTA) in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) and to identify factors that impede its diagnostic accuracy. Dual-source DE-CTA scans of the lower extremities of 94 patients were retrospectively compared to the diagnostic reference standard, digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Two independent observers assessed PAOD incidence, image quality, artifacts, and diagnostic accuracy of DE-CTA in 1014 arterial segments on axial, combined 80/140 kVp reconstructions and on 3 D maximum intensity projections (MIP) after automated bone and plaque removal. The impact of calcifications, image quality, and image artifacts on the diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using Fisher's exact test. Furthermore, interobserver agreement was analyzed. Two observers achieved sensitivities of 98.0% and 93.9%, respectively, and specificities of 75.0% and 66.7%, respectively, for detecting stenoses of >50% of the lower extremity arteries. Calcifications impeded specificity, e.g. from 81.2% to 46.2% for reader 1 (p<0.001). Specificity increased with higher image quality, e.g. from 70.0% to 76.4% for reader 1 (p<0.001). Artifacts decreased the specificity of reader 2 (p<0.001). The overall interobserver agreement ranged between moderate and substantial for stenosis detection and calcified plaques. Conclusion DE-CTA is accurate in the detection of arterial stenoses of >50% in symptomatic PAOD patients. Calcified atherosclerotic plaques, image quality, and artifacts may impede specificity.

Delirium diagnosis defined by cluster analysis of symptoms versus diagnosis by DSM and ICD criteria: diagnostic accuracy study.

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Sepulveda, Esteban; Franco, José G; Trzepacz, Paula T; Gaviria, Ana M; Meagher, David J; Palma, José; Viñuelas, Eva; Grau, Imma; Vilella, Elisabet; de Pablo, Joan

2016-05-26

Information on validity and reliability of delirium criteria is necessary for clinicians, researchers, and further developments of DSM or ICD. We compare four DSM and ICD delirium diagnostic criteria versions, which were developed by consensus of experts, with a phenomenology-based natural diagnosis delineated using cluster analysis of delirium features in a sample with a high prevalence of dementia. We also measured inter-rater reliability of each system when applied by two evaluators from distinct disciplines. Cross-sectional analysis of 200 consecutive patients admitted to a skilled nursing facility, independently assessed within 24-48 h after admission with the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R98) and for DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, DSM-5, and ICD-10 criteria for delirium. Cluster analysis (CA) delineated natural delirium and nondelirium reference groups using DRS-R98 items and then diagnostic systems' performance were evaluated against the CA-defined groups using logistic regression and crosstabs for discriminant analysis (sensitivity, specificity, percentage of subjects correctly classified by each diagnostic system and their individual criteria, and performance for each system when excluding each individual criterion are reported). Kappa Index (K) was used to report inter-rater reliability for delirium diagnostic systems and their individual criteria. 117 (58.5 %) patients had preexisting dementia according to the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly. CA delineated 49 delirium subjects and 151 nondelirium. Against these CA groups, delirium diagnosis accuracy was highest using DSM-III-R (87.5 %) followed closely by DSM-IV (86.0 %), ICD-10 (85.5 %) and DSM-5 (84.5 %). ICD-10 had the highest specificity (96.0 %) but lowest sensitivity (53.1 %). DSM-III-R had the best sensitivity (81.6 %) and the best sensitivity-specificity balance. DSM-5 had the highest inter-rater reliability (K =0.73) while DSM-III-R criteria were the least

Image quality, radiation dose and diagnostic accuracy of 70 kVp whole brain volumetric CT perfusion imaging: a preliminary study

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Fang, Xiao Kun; Ni, Qian Qian; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Chen, Guo Zhong; Luo, Song; Zhang, Long Jiang; Lu, Guang Ming [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Schoepf, U.J. [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Charleston, SC (United States); Fuller, Stephen R.; De Cecco, Carlo N. [Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Charleston, SC (United States)

2016-11-15

To evaluate image quality and diagnostic accuracy for acute infarct detection and radiation dose of 70 kVp whole brain CT perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) reconstructed from CTP source data. Patients were divided into three groups (n = 50 each): group A, 80 kVp, 21 scanning time points; groups B, 70 kVp, 21 scanning time points; group C, 70 kVp, 17 scanning time points. Objective and subjective image quality of CTP and CTA were compared. Diagnostic accuracy for detecting acute infarct and cerebral artery stenosis ≥ 50 % was calculated for CTP and CTA with diffusion weighted imaging and digital subtraction angiography as reference standards. Effective radiation dose was compared. There were no differences in any perfusion parameter value between three groups (P > 0.05). No difference was found in subjective image quality between three groups (P > 0.05). Diagnostic accuracy for detecting acute infarct and vascular stenosis showed no difference between three groups (P > 0.05). Compared with group A, radiation doses of groups B and C were decreased by 28 % and 37 % (both P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with 80 kVp protocol, 70 kVp brain CTP allows comparable vascular and perfusion assessment and lower radiation dose while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy in detecting acute infarct. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of single photon emission CT in Alzheimer-type dementia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanyu, Haruki; Abe, Shinei; Arai, Hisayuki; Asano, Tetsuichi; Iwamoto, Toshihiko; Takasaki, Masaru; Suzuki, Takanari

1992-01-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 123 I-IMP in Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD), we studied 46 ATD patients and 23 healthy controls. The patients fulfilled the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable or definite ATD and were classified as having mild, moderate, and severe ATD by neuropsychological examinations. To assess regional cerebral blood flow, we performed qualitative SPECT image analysis without any knowledge of the subject's clinical classification. The image was regarded as abnormal if cerebral blood flow was reduced in the unlilateral or bilateral temporoparietal association areas, with or without any reduction of flow in other brain regions. The diagnostic sensitivity (abnormal image/ patient) of 123 I-IMP SPECT in mild, moderate and severe ATD was 67%, 86% and 92%, because an abnormal image was found in only 2/23 healthy controls. Eight ATD patients without reduced temporoparietal perfusion showed normal perfusion or frontal hypoperfusion. These results suggest that 123 I-IMP SPECT may provide an accurate and sensitive diagnostic marker for ATD. The detection of these characteristic abnormalities of cerebral perfusion could well be applied to the clinical diagnosis of ATD. (author)

Diagnostic accuracy of single photon emission CT in Alzheimer-type dementia

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Hanyu, Haruki; Abe, Shinei; Arai, Hisayuki; Asano, Tetsuichi; Iwamoto, Toshihiko; Takasaki, Masaru; Suzuki, Takanari [Tokyo Medical Coll. (Japan)

1992-06-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [sup 123]I-IMP in Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD), we studied 46 ATD patients and 23 healthy controls. The patients fulfilled the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable or definite ATD and were classified as having mild, moderate, and severe ATD by neuropsychological examinations. To assess regional cerebral blood flow, we performed qualitative SPECT image analysis without any knowledge of the subject's clinical classification. The image was regarded as abnormal if cerebral blood flow was reduced in the unlilateral or bilateral temporoparietal association areas, with or without any reduction of flow in other brain regions. The diagnostic sensitivity (abnormal image/ patient) of [sup 123]I-IMP SPECT in mild, moderate and severe ATD was 67%, 86% and 92%, because an abnormal image was found in only 2/23 healthy controls. Eight ATD patients without reduced temporoparietal perfusion showed normal perfusion or frontal hypoperfusion. These results suggest that [sup 123]I-IMP SPECT may provide an accurate and sensitive diagnostic marker for ATD. The detection of these characteristic abnormalities of cerebral perfusion could well be applied to the clinical diagnosis of ATD. (author).

Diagnostic accuracy and patient acceptance of MRI in children with suspected appendicitis

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Thieme, Mai E.; Valdehueza, Zaldy D.; Wiarda, Bart M. [Medical Centre Alkmaar, Department of Radiology, Alkmaar (Netherlands); Leeuwenburgh, Marjolein M.N. [Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam, Department of Surgery, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Bouman, Donald E. [Medical Spectrum Twente, Department of Radiology, Enschede (Netherlands); Bruin, Ivar G.J.M. de; Schreurs, W.H.; Houdijk, Alexander P.J. [Medical Centre Alkmaar, Department of Surgery, Alkmaar (Netherlands); Stoker, Jaap [Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2014-03-15

To compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound in children with suspected appendicitis. In a single-centre diagnostic accuracy study, children with suspected appendicitis were prospectively identified at the emergency department. All underwent abdominal ultrasound and MRI within 2 h, with the reader blinded to other imaging findings. An expert panel established the final diagnosis after 3 months. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of three imaging strategies: ultrasound only, conditional MRI after negative or inconclusive ultrasound, and MRI only. Significance between sensitivity and specificity was calculated using McNemar's test statistic. Between April and December 2009 we included 104 consecutive children (47 male, mean age 12). According to the expert panel, 58 patients had appendicitis. The sensitivity of MRI only and conditional MRI was 100 % (95 % confidence interval 92-100), that of ultrasound was significantly lower (76 %; 63-85, P < 0.001). Specificity was comparable among the three investigated strategies; ultrasound only 89 % (77-95), conditional MRI 80 % (67-89), MRI only 89 % (77-95) (P values 0.13, 0.13 and 1.00). In children with suspected appendicitis, strategies with MRI (MRI only, conditional MRI) had a higher sensitivity for appendicitis compared with a strategy with ultrasound only, while specificity was comparable. (orig.)

Optimizing imaging in suspected appendicitis (OPTIMAP-study: A multicenter diagnostic accuracy study of MRI in patients with suspected acute appendicitis. Study Protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bossuyt Patrick MM

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In patients with clinically suspected appendicitis, imaging is needed to substantiate the clinical diagnosis. Imaging accuracy of ultrasonography (US is suboptimal, while the most accurate technique (CT is associated with cancer related deaths through exposure to ionizing radiation. MRI is a potential replacement, without associated ionizing radiation and no need for contrast medium administration. If MRI is proven to be sufficiently accurate, it could be introduced in the diagnostic pathway of patients with suspected appendicitis, increasing diagnostic accuracy and improving clinical outcomes, without the risk of radiation induced cancer or iodinated contrast medium-related drawbacks. The multicenter OPTIMAP study was designed to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in patients with suspected acute appendicitis in the general population. Methods/Design Eligible for this study are consecutive patients presenting with clinically suspected appendicitis at the emergency department in six centers. All patients will undergo imaging according to the Dutch guideline for acute appendicitis: initial ultrasonography in all and subsequent CT whenever US does not confirm acute appendicitis. Then MRI is performed in all patients, but the results are not used for patient management. A final diagnosis assigned by an expert panel, based on all available information including 3-months follow-up, except MRI findings, is used as the reference standard in estimating accuracy. We will calculate the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and inter-observer agreement of MRI, and aim to include 230 patients. Patient acceptance and total imaging costs will also be evaluated. Discussion If MRI is found to be sufficiently accurate, it could replace CT in some or all patients. This will limit or obviate the ionizing radiation exposure associated risk of cancer induction and contrast medium induced nephropathy with CT, preventing the burden and

Diagnostic Accuracy of Imaging Modalities and Injection Techniques for the Diagnosis of Femoroacetabular Impingement/Labral Tear: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiman, Michael P; Thorborg, Kristian; Goode, Adam P; Cook, Chad E; Weir, Adam; Hölmich, Per

2017-09-01

Diagnosing femoroacetabular impingement/acetabular labral tear (FAI/ALT) and subsequently making a decision regarding surgery are based primarily on diagnostic imaging and intra-articular hip joint injection techniques of unknown accuracy. Summarize and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of various imaging modalities and injection techniques relevant to hip FAI/ALT. Systematic review with meta-analysis. A computer-assisted literature search was conducted of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases using keywords related to diagnostic accuracy of hip joint pathologic changes. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were used for the search and reporting phases of the study. Quality assessment of bias and applicability was conducted using the Quality of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool. Random effects models were used to summarize sensitivities (SN), specificities (SP), likelihood ratios (+LR and -LR), diagnostic odds ratios (DOR), and respective confidence intervals (CI). The search strategy and assessment for risk of bias revealed 25 articles scoring above 10/14 on the items of the QUADAS. Four studies investigated FAI, and the data were not pooled. Twenty articles on ALT qualified for meta-analysis. Pretest probability of ALT in the studies in this review was 81% (72%-88%), while the pretest probability of FAI diagnosis was 74% (95% CI, 51%-91%). The meta-analysis showed that computed tomography arthrography (CTA) demonstrated the strongest overall diagnostic accuracy: pooled SN 0.91 (95% CI, 0.83-0.96); SP 0.89 (95% CI, 0.74-0.97); +LR 6.28 (95% CI, 2.78-14.21); -LR 0.11 (95% CI, 0.06-0.21); and DOR 64.38 (95% CI, 19.17-216.21). High pretest probability of disease was demonstrated. Positive imaging findings increased the probability that a labral tear existed by a minimal to small degree with the use of magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiogram (MRI/MRA) and ultrasound (US

Diagnostic indicators for peptic ulcer perforation at a tertiary care hospital in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suriya C

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Chutikarn Suriya1, Nongyao Kasatpibal2, Wipada Kunaviktikul2, Toranee Kayee31Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, 2Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, 3Department of Surgery, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, ThailandIntroduction: Limited data currently exists regarding the diagnostic indicators of peptic ulcer perforation for early detection among patients in Thailand. Delayed diagnosis and treatment for an ulcer can be life-threatening, resulting in shock or death.Objective: To determine the diagnostic indicators of peptic ulcer perforation.Material and methods: A cohort study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Thailand from 2005 to 2009. Peptic ulcer patients aged 15 years and over admitted to the surgical department were included. The diagnostic indicators used criteria of the patients' final diagnoses and operations, coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, which included patient profiles, gender, age, coexisting illnesses, personal habits, signs and symptoms, laboratory investigations, radiological finding, and treatment role. Exponential risk regression analyses to obtain relative risk (RR estimates for diagnostic indicators were analyzed using Stata® statistical software package, version 11 (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX.Results: The study included 1290 patients. Of these, 57% reported perforated peptic ulcer. Multivariate analysis showed five diagnostic indicators: signs and symptoms including intense abdominal pain (RR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–2.06, tenderness (RR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.17–3.21, and guarding (RR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.05–2.20; X-ray with free air (RR = 2.80, 95% CI 2.08–3.77; and referral from other hospitals (RR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.03–1.82.Conclusion: Five diagnostic indicators for peptic ulcer perforation monitoring were suggested from this study. Improving diagnostic

Diagnostic accuracy of medical imagings and an integrated statistical approach to diagnosis. With special attention to hepatocellular carcinoma

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Kawahira, Kosaburo

1985-05-01

Twenty-two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 36 without were clinically studied using angiography, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US) and Tc-99m phytate scintigraphy (RI). Diagnoses were confirmed by biopsy, surgery or autopsy, in all 58 patients. The judgement of multi-readers was obtained, independently. For a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, angiography was the most useful. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of this modality were 0.67, 0.85 and 0.78, respectively. Specificity and accuracy of US were 0.84 and 0.67, respectively, thereby US was the second best modality. CT was more useful than than RI for a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, in this series. Diagnostic accuracy of the 4 modalities in the diagnosis of liver mass were also discussed. To integrate these 4 images for a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, a multivariate analysis was made. The diagnostic accuracy of the system was considerably higher than that of any single modality.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Preoperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in Detecting Occult Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinomas in Benign Multinodular Goitres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrios K. Manatakis

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR ratios in detecting occult papillary thyroid microcarcinomas in benign, multinodular goitres. Methods. 397 total thyroidectomy patients were identified from the institutional thyroid surgery database between 2007 and 2016 (94 males, 303 females, mean age 53 ± 14.5 years. NLR and PLR were calculated as the absolute neutrophil and absolute platelet counts divided by the absolute lymphocyte count, respectively, based on the preoperative complete blood cell count. Results. NLR was significantly higher in carcinomas and microcarcinomas compared to benign pathology (p=0.026, whereas a direct association could not be established for PLR. Both NLR and PLR scored low in all parameters of diagnostic accuracy, with overall accuracy ranging between 45 and 50%. Conclusions. As surrogate indices of the systemic inflammatory response, NLR and PLR are inexpensive and universally available from routine blood tests. Although we found higher NLR values in cases of malignancy, NLR and PLR cannot effectively predict the presence of occult papillary microcarcinomas in otherwise benign, multinodular goitres.

Beyond Diagnostic Accuracy: The Clinical Utility of Diagnostic Tests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossuyt, Patrick M. M.; Reitsma, Johannes B.; Linnet, Kristian; Moons, Karel G. M.

2012-01-01

Like any other medical technology or intervention, diagnostic tests should be thoroughly evaluated before their introduction into daily practice. Increasingly, decision makers, physicians, and other users of diagnostic tests request more than simple measures of a test's analytical or technical

Diagnostic accuracy of fracture detection in suspected non-accidental injury: the effect of edge enhancement and digital display on observer performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Offiah, A.C. [Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom) and Institute of Child Health, London (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: amaka.offiah@gosh.nhs.uk; Moon, L. [Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom); Hall, C.M. [Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom); Todd-Pokropek, A. [Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College London, London (United Kingdom)

2006-02-15

AIM: To compare the effect of varying degrees of edge enhancement and method of digital image display on fracture detection in suspected non-accidental injury (NAI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty radiographs from post-mortem skeletal surveys in 13 children with suspected NAI were selected. Images were obtained using a Fuji 5000R computed radiography system. Hard copies were printed with edge enhancement factors 0, 0.5 and 1.2. Images (edge enhancement 0.5) were also displayed on a 1K{sup 2} monitor. Six observers independently evaluated all 200 images for the presence of abnormality. Observers also scored each image for visualization of soft tissues, visualization of trabecular markings and overall image quality. The paired Student's t-test and location receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis were used to compare quality scores and diagnostic accuracy of each display method. Individual and pooled true-positive rates (sensitivity) were determined. For the purposes of ROC analysis, histology was taken as the gold standard. RESULTS: There was no difference in duration of hard and soft-copy reading sessions (p=0.76). After image manipulation soft-copy radiographs scored significantly better for image quality than hard copy (p<0.0001). Pooled observer sensitivity (at a specificity of 90%) was below 50% for all display methods. Diagnostic accuracy varied significantly between observers. Diagnostic accuracy of individual observers was not affected by display method. CONCLUSION: In suspected NAI, diagnostic accuracy of fracture detection is generally low. Diagnostic accuracy appears to be affected more by observer-related factors than by the method of digital image display.

42 CFR 410.28 - Hospital or CAH diagnostic services furnished to outpatients: Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... or under arrangements made by a participating hospital or participating CAH, except in the case of an...). (d) Rules on emergency services furnished to outpatients by nonparticipating hospitals are set forth... supervision” means the definition specified in § 410.32(b)(3)(ii). (f) The rules for clinical diagnostic...

Accuracy of CT-guided biopsies in 158 patients with thoracic spinal lesions

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Hao, D.J.; He, B.R.; Liu, T.J.; Zhao, Q.P. (Dept. of Spinal Surgery, Xian Red Cross Hospital, Xian Shaanxi (China)), email: zqpddn1@gmail.com; Sun, H.H. (Dept. of Orthopaedic, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical Univ., Xian Shaanxi (China)); Jiang, Y.H. (Dept. of Radiology, Xian Red Cross Hospital, Xian Shaanxi (China))

2011-11-15

Background. Inconsistent accuracies of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsies have been reported in previous studies. Purpose. To determine the accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy, to compare the results with those previously reported, and to determine if there are any factors that influence the accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy. Material and Methods. In total, 158 consecutive CT-guided percutaneous thoracic spine procedures (performed at the Dept. of Spinal Surgery, Xian Red Cross Hospital between April 2000 and July 2010) were reviewed. The 158 lesions were categorized by location and radiographic features. Pathological and clinical follow-up were used to determine accuracy. Results. The diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy was 90.5% overall. Biopsy of metastatic bone disease (98.2%) was significantly more accurate than biopsies of primary tumors (80.9%) and of hematological malignancies (47.0%) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy was significantly higher for the lower thoracic spine (97.6%) than for the middle (90.0%) or upper thoracic spine (80.4%) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.025, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for lytic lesions (96.4%) than for sclerotic lesions (81.3%) (P < 0.010). The accuracy of biopsies performed using the transpedicular approach (91.0%) was not significantly different from that of biopsies performed using posterolateral approaches (91.5%) (0.25 < P < 0.5). Conclusion. Percutaneous CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy is a viable alternative to open surgical biopsy. The diagnostic accuracy was not affected by any of the variables except for lesion level, histology, and radiographic features

Accuracy of CT-guided biopsies in 158 patients with thoracic spinal lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, D.J.; He, B.R.; Liu, T.J.; Zhao, Q.P.; Sun, H.H.; Jiang, Y.H.

2011-01-01

Background. Inconsistent accuracies of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsies have been reported in previous studies. Purpose. To determine the accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy, to compare the results with those previously reported, and to determine if there are any factors that influence the accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy. Material and Methods. In total, 158 consecutive CT-guided percutaneous thoracic spine procedures (performed at the Dept. of Spinal Surgery, Xian Red Cross Hospital between April 2000 and July 2010) were reviewed. The 158 lesions were categorized by location and radiographic features. Pathological and clinical follow-up were used to determine accuracy. Results. The diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy was 90.5% overall. Biopsy of metastatic bone disease (98.2%) was significantly more accurate than biopsies of primary tumors (80.9%) and of hematological malignancies (47.0%) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.005, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy of CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy was significantly higher for the lower thoracic spine (97.6%) than for the middle (90.0%) or upper thoracic spine (80.4%) (P < 0.05 and P < 0.025, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for lytic lesions (96.4%) than for sclerotic lesions (81.3%) (P < 0.010). The accuracy of biopsies performed using the transpedicular approach (91.0%) was not significantly different from that of biopsies performed using posterolateral approaches (91.5%) (0.25 < P < 0.5). Conclusion. Percutaneous CT-guided thoracic spinal biopsy is a viable alternative to open surgical biopsy. The diagnostic accuracy was not affected by any of the variables except for lesion level, histology, and radiographic features

Receiver operating characteristic analysis of eyewitness memory: comparing the diagnostic accuracy of simultaneous versus sequential lineups.

Science.gov (United States)

Mickes, Laura; Flowe, Heather D; Wixted, John T

2012-12-01

A police lineup presents a real-world signal-detection problem because there are two possible states of the world (the suspect is either innocent or guilty), some degree of information about the true state of the world is available (the eyewitness has some degree of memory for the perpetrator), and a decision is made (identifying the suspect or not). A similar state of affairs applies to diagnostic tests in medicine because, in a patient, the disease is either present or absent, a diagnostic test yields some degree of information about the true state of affairs, and a decision is made about the presence or absence of the disease. In medicine, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis is the standard method for assessing diagnostic accuracy. By contrast, in the eyewitness memory literature, this powerful technique has never been used. Instead, researchers have attempted to assess the diagnostic performance of different lineup procedures using methods that cannot identify the better procedure (e.g., by computing a diagnosticity ratio). Here, we describe the basics of ROC analysis, explaining why it is needed and showing how to use it to measure the performance of different lineup procedures. To illustrate the unique advantages of this technique, we also report 3 ROC experiments that were designed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of simultaneous versus sequential lineups. According to our findings, the sequential procedure appears to be inferior to the simultaneous procedure in discriminating between the presence versus absence of a guilty suspect in a lineup.

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography in non-traumatic acute abdominal pain: prospective study and systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alshamari, Muhammed; Geijer, Haakan; Norrman, Eva; Geijer, Mats; Jansson, Kjell

2016-01-01

Abdominal radiography is frequently used in acute abdominal non-traumatic pain despite the availability of more advanced diagnostic modalities. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography, at similar radiation dose levels. Fifty-eight patients were imaged with both methods and were reviewed independently by three radiologists. The reference standard was obtained from the diagnosis in medical records. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. A systematic review was performed after a literature search, finding a total of six relevant studies including the present. Overall sensitivity with 95 % CI for CT was 75 % (66-83 %) and 46 % (37-56 %) for radiography. Specificity was 87 % (77-94 %) for both methods. In the systematic review the overall sensitivity for CT varied between 75 and 96 % with specificity from 83 to 95 % while the overall sensitivity for abdominal radiography varied between 30 and 77 % with specificity 75 to 88 %. Based on the current study and available evidence, low-dose CT has higher diagnostic accuracy than abdominal radiography and it should, where logistically possible, replace abdominal radiography in the workup of adult patients with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography in non-traumatic acute abdominal pain: prospective study and systematic review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alshamari, Muhammed; Geijer, Haakan [Oerebro University, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden); Norrman, Eva [Oerebro University, Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden); Geijer, Mats [Lund University and Skaane University Hospital, Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Lund (Sweden); Jansson, Kjell [Oerebro University, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Oerebro (Sweden)

2016-06-15

Abdominal radiography is frequently used in acute abdominal non-traumatic pain despite the availability of more advanced diagnostic modalities. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of low-dose CT compared with abdominal radiography, at similar radiation dose levels. Fifty-eight patients were imaged with both methods and were reviewed independently by three radiologists. The reference standard was obtained from the diagnosis in medical records. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. A systematic review was performed after a literature search, finding a total of six relevant studies including the present. Overall sensitivity with 95 % CI for CT was 75 % (66-83 %) and 46 % (37-56 %) for radiography. Specificity was 87 % (77-94 %) for both methods. In the systematic review the overall sensitivity for CT varied between 75 and 96 % with specificity from 83 to 95 % while the overall sensitivity for abdominal radiography varied between 30 and 77 % with specificity 75 to 88 %. Based on the current study and available evidence, low-dose CT has higher diagnostic accuracy than abdominal radiography and it should, where logistically possible, replace abdominal radiography in the workup of adult patients with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain. (orig.)

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist–Civilian Version in a Representative Military Sample

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karstoft, Karen-Inge; Andersen, Søren B.; Bertelsen, Mette

2014-01-01

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C; Weathers, Litz, Herman, Huska, & Keane, 1993) and to establish the most accurate cutoff for prevalence estimation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a representative...

Accuracy of FDG-PET-CT in the Diagnostic Work-up of Vascular Prosthetic Graft Infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruggink, J. L. M.; Glaudemans, A. W. J. M.; Saleem, B. R.; Meerwaldt, R.; Alkefaji, H.; Prins, T. R.; Start, R. H. J. A.; Zeebregts, C. J.

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) compared with computed tomography (CT) scanning and added value of fused FDG-PET CT in diagnosing vascular prosthetic graft infection. Design: Prospective cohort study with

Improving plasma shaping accuracy through consolidation of control model maintenance, diagnostic calibration, and hardware change control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baggest, D.S.; Rothweil, D.A.; Pang, S.

1995-12-01

With the advent of more sophisticated techniques for control of tokamak plasmas comes the requirement for increasingly more accurate models of plasma processes and tokamak systems. Development of accurate models for DIII-D power systems, vessel, and poloidal coils is already complete, while work continues in development of general plasma response modeling techniques. Increased accuracy in estimates of parameters to be controlled is also required. It is important to ensure that errors in supporting systems such as diagnostic and command circuits do not limit the accuracy of plasma parameter estimates or inhibit the ability to derive accurate plasma/tokamak system models. To address this issue, we have developed more formal power systems change control and power system/magnetic diagnostics calibration procedures. This paper discusses our approach to consolidating the tasks in these closely related areas. This includes, for example, defining criteria for when diagnostics should be re-calibrated along with required calibration tolerances, and implementing methods for tracking power systems hardware modifications and the resultant changes to control models

Including osteoprotegerin and collagen IV in a score-based blood test for liver fibrosis increases diagnostic accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosselut, Nelly; Taibi, Ludmia; Guéchot, Jérôme; Zarski, Jean-Pierre; Sturm, Nathalie; Gelineau, Marie-Christine; Poggi, Bernard; Thoret, Sophie; Lasnier, Elisabeth; Baudin, Bruno; Housset, Chantal; Vaubourdolle, Michel

2013-01-16

Noninvasive methods for liver fibrosis evaluation in chronic liver diseases have been recently developed, i.e. transient elastography (Fibroscan™) and blood tests (Fibrometer®, Fibrotest®, and Hepascore®). In this study, we aimed to design a new score in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) by selecting blood markers in a large panel and we compared its diagnostic performance with those of other noninvasive methods. Sixteen blood tests were performed in 306 untreated CHC patients included in a multicenter prospective study (ANRS HC EP 23 Fibrostar) using METAVIR histological fibrosis stage as reference. The new score was constructed by non linear regression using the most accurate biomarkers. Five markers (alpha-2-macroglobulin, apolipoprotein-A1, AST, collagen IV and osteoprotegerin) were included in the new function called Coopscore©. Using the Obuchowski Index, Coopscore© shows higher diagnostic performances than for Fibrometer®, Fibrotest®, Hepascore® and Fibroscan™ in CHC. Association between Fibroscan™ and Coopscore© might avoid 68% of liver biopsies for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis. Coopscore© provides higher accuracy than other noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in CHC. The association of Coopscore© with Fibroscan™ increases its predictive value. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene expression-based molecular diagnostic system for malignant gliomas is superior to histological diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirahata, Mitsuaki; Iwao-Koizumi, Kyoko; Saito, Sakae; Ueno, Noriko; Oda, Masashi; Hashimoto, Nobuo; Takahashi, Jun A; Kato, Kikuya

2007-12-15

Current morphology-based glioma classification methods do not adequately reflect the complex biology of gliomas, thus limiting their prognostic ability. In this study, we focused on anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, which typically follow distinct clinical courses. Our goal was to construct a clinically useful molecular diagnostic system based on gene expression profiling. The expression of 3,456 genes in 32 patients, 12 and 20 of whom had prognostically distinct anaplastic oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma, respectively, was measured by PCR array. Next to unsupervised methods, we did supervised analysis using a weighted voting algorithm to construct a diagnostic system discriminating anaplastic oligodendroglioma from glioblastoma. The diagnostic accuracy of this system was evaluated by leave-one-out cross-validation. The clinical utility was tested on a microarray-based data set of 50 malignant gliomas from a previous study. Unsupervised analysis showed divergent global gene expression patterns between the two tumor classes. A supervised binary classification model showed 100% (95% confidence interval, 89.4-100%) diagnostic accuracy by leave-one-out cross-validation using 168 diagnostic genes. Applied to a gene expression data set from a previous study, our model correlated better with outcome than histologic diagnosis, and also displayed 96.6% (28 of 29) consistency with the molecular classification scheme used for these histologically controversial gliomas in the original article. Furthermore, we observed that histologically diagnosed glioblastoma samples that shared anaplastic oligodendroglioma molecular characteristics tended to be associated with longer survival. Our molecular diagnostic system showed reproducible clinical utility and prognostic ability superior to traditional histopathologic diagnosis for malignant glioma.

Diagnostic accuracy of DXA compared to conventional spine radiographs for the detection of vertebral fractures in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adiotomre, E.; Summers, L.; Digby, M.; Allison, A.; Walters, S.J.; Broadley, P.; Lang, I.; Morrison, G.; Bishop, N.; Arundel, P.; Offiah, A.C.

2017-01-01

In children, radiography is performed to diagnose vertebral fractures and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess bone density. In adults, DXA assesses both. We aimed to establish whether DXA can replace spine radiographs in assessment of paediatric vertebral fractures. Prospectively, lateral spine radiographs and lateral spine DXA of 250 children performed on the same day were independently scored by three radiologists using the simplified algorithm-based qualitative technique and blinded to results of the other modality. Consensus radiograph read and second read of 100 random images were performed. Diagnostic accuracy, inter/intraobserver and intermodality agreements, patient/carer experience and radiation dose were assessed. Average sensitivity and specificity (95 % confidence interval) in diagnosing one or more vertebral fractures requiring treatment was 70 % (58-82 %) and 97 % (94-100 %) respectively for DXA and 74 % (55-93 %) and 96 % (95-98 %) for radiographs. Fleiss' kappa for interobserver and average kappa for intraobserver reliability were 0.371 and 0.631 respectively for DXA and 0.418 and 0.621 for radiographs. Average effective dose was 41.9 μSv for DXA and 232.7 μSv for radiographs. Image quality was similar. Given comparable image quality and non-inferior diagnostic accuracy, lateral spine DXA should replace conventional radiographs for assessment of vertebral fractures in children. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of DXA compared to conventional spine radiographs for the detection of vertebral fractures in children

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adiotomre, E. [Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Radiology Department, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Sheffield Children' s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Radiology Department, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Summers, L.; Digby, M. [University of Sheffield, Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Allison, A.; Walters, S.J. [University of Sheffield, School of Health and Related Research, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Broadley, P.; Lang, I. [Sheffield Children' s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Radiology Department, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Morrison, G. [Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Medical Physics, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Bishop, N.; Arundel, P. [University of Sheffield, Academic Unit of Child Health, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); Offiah, A.C. [Sheffield Children' s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Radiology Department, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom); University of Sheffield, Academic Unit of Child Health, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (United Kingdom)

2017-05-15

In children, radiography is performed to diagnose vertebral fractures and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess bone density. In adults, DXA assesses both. We aimed to establish whether DXA can replace spine radiographs in assessment of paediatric vertebral fractures. Prospectively, lateral spine radiographs and lateral spine DXA of 250 children performed on the same day were independently scored by three radiologists using the simplified algorithm-based qualitative technique and blinded to results of the other modality. Consensus radiograph read and second read of 100 random images were performed. Diagnostic accuracy, inter/intraobserver and intermodality agreements, patient/carer experience and radiation dose were assessed. Average sensitivity and specificity (95 % confidence interval) in diagnosing one or more vertebral fractures requiring treatment was 70 % (58-82 %) and 97 % (94-100 %) respectively for DXA and 74 % (55-93 %) and 96 % (95-98 %) for radiographs. Fleiss' kappa for interobserver and average kappa for intraobserver reliability were 0.371 and 0.631 respectively for DXA and 0.418 and 0.621 for radiographs. Average effective dose was 41.9 μSv for DXA and 232.7 μSv for radiographs. Image quality was similar. Given comparable image quality and non-inferior diagnostic accuracy, lateral spine DXA should replace conventional radiographs for assessment of vertebral fractures in children. (orig.)

Measuring diagnostic and predictive accuracy in disease management: an introduction to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Ariel

2006-04-01

Diagnostic or predictive accuracy concerns are common in all phases of a disease management (DM) programme, and ultimately play an influential role in the assessment of programme effectiveness. Areas, such as the identification of diseased patients, predictive modelling of future health status and costs and risk stratification, are just a few of the domains in which assessment of accuracy is beneficial, if not critical. The most commonly used analytical model for this purpose is the standard 2 x 2 table method in which sensitivity and specificity are calculated. However, there are several limitations to this approach, including the reliance on a single defined criterion or cut-off for determining a true-positive result, use of non-standardized measurement instruments and sensitivity to outcome prevalence. This paper introduces the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis as a more appropriate and useful technique for assessing diagnostic and predictive accuracy in DM. Its advantages include; testing accuracy across the entire range of scores and thereby not requiring a predetermined cut-off point, easily examined visual and statistical comparisons across tests or scores, and independence from outcome prevalence. Therefore the implementation of ROC as an evaluation tool should be strongly considered in the various phases of a DM programme.

DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF CLINICAL AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN KNEE MENISCI AND LIGAMENTOUS INJURIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilesh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of clinical diagnosis compared to MRI findings in ligamentous and meniscal injuries with respect to arthroscopic confirmation as a gold standard. METHODS 485 patients with knee injuries were prospectively assessed by clinical evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging and correlated after therapeutic arthroscopy. The overall accuracy, clinically productive values of sensitivity and specificity was derived. The actual value of the test with respect to positive predictive and negative predictive value was also derived, taking arthroscopic findings as confirmatory. The overall partial and total agreement among the clinical, MRI and arthroscopy was documented. RESULTS The overall accuracy for clinical examination was 85, 92, 100 and 100 and accuracy for MRI was 90, 97, 97 and 97 for detecting medial meniscus, lateral meniscus, ACL and PCL tears respectively. Clinically lateral meniscus tears are difficult to diagnose clinically with negative predictive value (90 whereas ACL injuries do not need MRI for diagnosis as evident by a high negative predictive value (100 of clinical examination. Total agreement with the clinical findings confirmed by arthroscopy was 64.40% which was relatively high as compared to total agreement of MRI findings which was only 31.50%. We found similar total agreement versus total disagreement of both clinical and MRI to be only 2.74% indicating very high accuracy in clinical diagnosis of meniscal and ligamentous injuries combined. CONCLUSION The clinical evaluation alone is sufficient to diagnose meniscal and ACL/PCL pathologies and MRI should be considered only as a powerful negative diagnostic tool. The arthroscopy decision should not be heavily dependent on MRI for ligamentous injuries but reverse is true for meniscal lesions. MR evaluation functions as a powerful negative diagnostic tool to rule out doubtful and complex knee injuries.

Can rapid integrated polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostics for gastrointestinal pathogens improve routine hospital infection control practice? A diagnostic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pankhurst, Louise; Macfarlane-Smith, Louissa; Buchanan, James; Anson, Luke; Davies, Kerrie; O'Connor, Lily; Ashwin, Helen; Pike, Graham; Dingle, Kate E; Peto, Timothy Ea; Wordsworth, Sarah; Walker, A Sarah; Wilcox, Mark H; Crook, Derrick W

2014-08-01

Every year approximately 5000-9000 patients are admitted to a hospital with diarrhoea, which in up to 90% of cases has a non-infectious cause. As a result, single rooms are 'blocked' by patients with non-infectious diarrhoea, while patients with infectious diarrhoea are still in open bays because of a lack of free side rooms. A rapid test for differentiating infectious from non-infectious diarrhoea could be very beneficial for patients. To evaluate MassCode multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the simultaneous diagnosis of multiple enteropathogens directly from stool, in terms of sensitivity/specificity to detect four common important enteropathogens: Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and norovirus. A retrospective study of fixed numbers of samples positive for C. difficile (n = 200), Campylobacter spp. (n = 200), Salmonella spp. (n = 100) and norovirus (n = 200) plus samples negative for all these pathogens (n = 300). Samples were sourced from NHS microbiology laboratories in Oxford and Leeds where initial diagnostic testing was performed according to Public Health England methodology. Researchers carrying out MassCode assays were blind to this information. A questionnaire survey, examining current practice for infection control teams and microbiology laboratories managing infectious diarrhoea, was also carried out. MassCode assays were carried out at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. Further multiplex assays, carried out using Luminex, were run on the same set of samples at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The questionnaire was completed by various NHS trusts. Sensitivity and specificity to detect C. difficile, Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and norovirus. Nucleic acids were extracted from 948 clinical samples using an optimised protocol (200 Campylobacter spp., 199 C. difficile, 60 S. enterica, 199 norovirus and 295 negative samples; some samples contained more than one pathogen). Using the Mass

Can use of an administrative database improve accuracy of hospital-reported readmission rates?

Science.gov (United States)

Edgerton, James R; Herbert, Morley A; Hamman, Baron L; Ring, W Steves

2018-05-01

Readmission rates after cardiac surgery are being used as a quality indicator; they are also being collected by Medicare and are tied to reimbursement. Accurate knowledge of readmission rates may be difficult to achieve because patients may be readmitted to different hospitals. In our area, 81 hospitals share administrative claims data; 28 of these hospitals (from 5 different hospital systems) do cardiac surgery and share Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) clinical data. We used these 2 sources to compare the readmissions data for accuracy. A total of 45,539 STS records from January 2008 to December 2016 were matched with the hospital billing data records. Using the index visit as the start date, the billing records were queried for any subsequent in-patient visits for that patient. The billing records included date of readmission and hospital of readmission data and were compared with the data captured in the STS record. We found 1153 (2.5%) patients who had STS records that were marked "No" or "missing," but there were billing records that showed a readmission. The reported STS readmission rate of 4796 (10.5%) underreported the readmission rate by 2.5 actual percentage points. The true rate should have been 13.0%. Actual readmission rate was 23.8% higher than reported by the clinical database. Approximately 36% of readmissions were to a hospital that was a part of a different hospital system. It is important to know accurate readmission rates for quality improvement processes and institutional financial planning. Matching patient records to an administrative database showed that the clinical database may fail to capture many readmissions. Combining data with an administrative database can enhance accuracy of reporting. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Method of Diabetes Based on Support Vector Machine and Tongue Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianfeng Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this research is to develop a diagnostic method of diabetes based on standardized tongue image using support vector machine (SVM. Methods. Tongue images of 296 diabetic subjects and 531 nondiabetic subjects were collected by the TDA-1 digital tongue instrument. Tongue body and tongue coating were separated by the division-merging method and chrominance-threshold method. With extracted color and texture features of the tongue image as input variables, the diagnostic model of diabetes with SVM was trained. After optimizing the combination of SVM kernel parameters and input variables, the influences of the combinations on the model were analyzed. Results. After normalizing parameters of tongue images, the accuracy rate of diabetes predication was increased from 77.83% to 78.77%. The accuracy rate and area under curve (AUC were not reduced after reducing the dimensions of tongue features with principal component analysis (PCA, while substantially saving the training time. During the training for selecting SVM parameters by genetic algorithm (GA, the accuracy rate of cross-validation was grown from 72% or so to 83.06%. Finally, we compare with several state-of-the-art algorithms, and experimental results show that our algorithm has the best predictive accuracy. Conclusions. The diagnostic method of diabetes on the basis of tongue images in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM is of great value, indicating the feasibility of digitalized tongue diagnosis.

An Expert System-Based Approach to Hospitality Company Diagnosis

OpenAIRE

Balfe, Andrew; O'Connor, Peter; McDonnell, Ciaran

1994-01-01

This paper describes the development of a prototype Expert System-based Analysis and Diagnostic (ESAD) package for the Hotel and Catering Industry. This computerised tool aids the hospitality manager in methodically scrutinising the hotel unit and environment, combining key information with systematic reasoning. The system searches through its extensive knowledge base, investigating complicated relationships. The number of possibilities considered is increased which will broaden the depth and...

Analysis of prostate cancer localization toward improved diagnostic accuracy of transperineal prostate biopsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshiro Sakamoto

2014-09-01

Conclusions: The concordance of prostate cancer between prostatectomy specimens and biopsies is comparatively favorable. According to our study, the diagnostic accuracy of transperineal prostate biopsy can be improved in our institute by including the anterior portion of the Apex-Mid and Mid regions in the 12-core biopsy or 16-core biopsy, such that a 4-core biopsy of the anterior portion is included.

Development and Diagnostic Accuracy of the Screening of the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucas de Francisco Carvalho

Full Text Available Abstract: The assessment of personality disorders assumes unquestioned clinical relevance when considering the prevalence rates in the general population. Tests assessing the typical pathological traits of these disorders has been adapted to and developed in Brazil. However, there is a gap in the country of screening tools for personality disorders. Screening tools are designed to allow a fast and informative application on the likelihood of a positive diagnosis, where the consequence should be conveyed to a diagnostic assessment. Using as a base the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory (IDCP, developed at the national level, the objective of this research was to develop a screening tool for personality disorders, as well as investigate its diagnostic accuracy. The study included 1,196 people, aging between 18 and 73 years (M = 26.32, SD = 8.69, and 64.1% female. The sample was divided into clinical and non-clinical group. We used an empirical approach based on criteria for selection of items similar to those adopted in the development of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was used (MMPI. The logistic regression analysis and also the calculation of Cohen's d indicated the items that best discriminate against people with personality disorders and those without this diagnosis. We achieved a final set of 15 items with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity for screening test. We discusses the strengths and limitations of screening version of the IDCP and guidelines for further study.

Protective shielding parameters of diagnostic x-ray rooms in some hospitals in Benue State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agba, E.H.; Gemanam, S.; Sombo, T.

2011-01-01

Protective shielding parameters of diagnostic x-ray units at Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Baki Hospital, Gboko and Mkar Christian Hospital, Gboko have been determined using a radiation meter, (Inspector, Exp.S.E). The parameters determined include: Operating potential, Workload and Use factors of each diagnostic x-ray room. These parameters were used to estimate the primary and secondary protective barriers for the hospitals. The primary and secondary protective barrier values at Mkar Christian Hospital, Baki Hospital, Gboko and Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi are found to be: 11.0±0.11 x10 -1 mm and 9.0±9x10 -2 mm; 6.0±6.0x10 -1 mm and 6.0±6.0x10 -2 mm; and 7.0±7.0x10 -1 mm and 6.0±6.0x10 -2 mm respectively. The wall thicknesses around the x-ray rooms of the respective hospitals are 300±3.0x1 0 -1 mm for Mkar Christian Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, while that of Baki Hospital, Gboko is 270±2.7x10 -1 mm. The measured wall thicknesses are seen to be adequate protective structural shields on the basis of International NCRP Standards on Structural Shielding.

Diagnostic accuracy of exercise thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography in patients with left bundle branch block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larcos, G.; Gibbons, R.J.; Brown, M.L.

1991-01-01

Recent reports have proposed that abnormal apical or anterior wall perfusion with exercise thallium-201 imaging may increase diagnostic accuracy for disease of the left anterior descending artery in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB). To evaluate these suggestions, 83 patients with LBBB who underwent thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography and coronary angiography within an interval of 3 months were retrospectively reviewed. There were 59 men and 24 women aged 33 to 84 years (mean 65). Myocardial perfusion to the apex, anterior wall and anterior septum were scored qualitatively by consensus of 2 experienced observers and by quantitative analysis in comparison with a normal data base. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of perfusion defects in these segments were then expressed according to angiographic findings. Significant stenosis of vessels within the left anterior descending artery territory was present in 38 patients. By receiver-operator characteristic analysis, a fixed or reversible defect within the apex by the qualitative method was the best criterion for coronary artery disease. However, although highly sensitive (79 and 85% by the qualitative and quantitative methods, respectively), an apical defect was neither specific (38 and 16%, respectively), nor accurate (57 and 46%, respectively). Perfusion abnormalities in the anterior wall and septum were also of limited diagnostic accuracy. Thus, modified interpretative criteria in patients with LBBB are not clinically useful in the assessment of left anterior descending artery disease

Diagnostic Performance of the Intraoral Radiographs on the Interproximal Dental Caries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Soo Ji; Kang, Byung Cheol

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluated the diagnostic performance of the senior dental students for the proximal dental caries in intraoral radiographs and to compare it with the dental hospital residents, the reference group. It was also investigated the diagnostic performance according to the carious lesion depth. Thirty-five intraoral periapical and bitewing radiographs with 213 proximal surface included in this study were selected from the dental patients at Chonnam National University Hospital. The observers were 181 senior dental students from 5 dental schools and 40 dentists who were second year resident from 5 dental hospitals. They were asked to evaluate the presence ro the absence of the proximal dental caries. The results were as follows : 1. The mean of the hitting rate for the overall observers was 184.51 surfaces and the diagnostic accuracy was 86.62%. 2. The diagnostic performance of the sound proximal tooth surfaces was very high, i.e., 91.5% true negative rate and 8.5% false positive rate. 3. The diagnostic performance of the dentist group was higher than the student group (P 0.001).

Lesion type and reader experience affect the diagnostic accuracy of breast MRI: A multiple reader ROC study

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Baltzer, Pascal A.T., E-mail: patbaltzer@gmail.com [Department of Biomedical Imaging and Imge-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Kaiser, Werner Alois [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07740 Jena (Germany); Dietzel, Matthias, E-mail: dietzelmatthias2@hotmail.com [Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen (Germany)

2015-01-15

Highlights: • The main findings of our study are, that reader experience and lesion type (i.e., mass versus non-mass enhancement) are independent predictors of the diagnostic accuracy of breast MRI. • Specifically, benign and malignant non-mass lesions cannot be differentiated with sufficient accuracy, especially if readers are not experienced. • We conclude that future research in breast MRI should focus on non-mass lesions, as these are the problem makers in modern breast MRI. - Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the influence of lesion type (mass versus non-mass) and reader experience on the diagnostic performance of breast MRI (BMRI) in a non-screening setting. Materials and methods: Consecutive patients (mean age, 55 ± 12 years) with breast lesions that were verified by biopsy or surgery, and who had had BMRI as part of their diagnostic workup, were eligible for this retrospective single-center study. Cancers diagnosed by biopsy before BMRI were excluded to eliminate biological and interpretation bias due to biopsy or chemotherapy effects (n = 103). Six blinded readers (experience level, high (HE, n = 2); intermediate (IE, n = 2); and low (LE, n = 2)) evaluated all examinations and assigned independent MRI BI-RADS ratings. Lesion type (mass, non-mass, focal) was noted. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and logistic regression analysis was performed to compare diagnostic accuracies. Results: There were 259 histologically verified lesions (123 malignant, 136 benign) investigated. There were 169 mass (103 malignant, 66 benign) and 48 non-mass lesions (19 malignant, 29 benign). Another 42 lesions that met the inclusion criteria were biopsied due to conventional findings (i.e., microcalcifications, architectural distortions), but did not enhance on MRI (41 benign, one DCIS). ROC analysis revealed a total area under the curve (AUC) between 0.834 (LE) and 0.935 (HI). Logistic regression identified a significant effect of non-mass lesions (P < 0.0001) and

Does PACS improve diagnostic accuracy in chest radiograph interpretations in clinical practice?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hurlen, Petter; Borthne, Arne; Dahl, Fredrik A.; Østbye, Truls; Gulbrandsen, Pål

2012-01-01

Objectives: To assess the impact of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) on the diagnostic accuracy of the interpretation of chest radiology examinations in a “real life” radiology setting. Materials and methods: During a period before PACS was introduced to radiologists, when images were still interpreted on film and reported on paper, images and reports were also digitally stored in an image database. The same database was used after the PACS introduction. This provided a unique opportunity to conduct a blinded retrospective study, comparing sensitivity (the main outcome parameter) in the pre and post-PACS periods. We selected 56 digitally stored chest radiograph examinations that were originally read and reported on film, and 66 examinations that were read and reported on screen 2 years after the PACS introduction. Each examination was assigned a random number, and both reports and images were scored independently for pathological findings. The blinded retrospective score for the original reports were then compared with the score for the images (the gold standard). Results: Sensitivity was improved after the PACS introduction. When both certain and uncertain findings were included, this improvement was statistically significant. There were no other statistically significant changes. Conclusion: The result is consistent with prospective studies concluding that diagnostic accuracy is at least not reduced after PACS introduction. The sensitivity may even be improved.

Diagnostic accuracy of dual-source CT coronary angiography in a population unselected for degree of coronary artery calcification and without heart rate modification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, C.-J.; Hsu, J.-C.; Lai, Y.-J.; Wang, K.-L.; Lee, J.-Y.; Li, A.-H.; Chu, S.-H.

2010-01-01

Aim: To assess the ability of coronary angiography performed using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) to evaluate coronary artery disease (CAD) in a population with unselected heart rates and extensive coronary calcification. Materials and methods: Forty-four patients at intermediate to high risk for CAD underwent both DSCT coronary angiography and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) within 30 days. No beta blockers were administered prior to imaging. Image quality and quantitatively stenosis of all coronary segments with a diameter ≥1.5 mm were accessed. Patients were stratified according to mean heart rate (<70 versus ≥70 bpm) and heart rate variability (<10 versus ≥10 bpm). DSCT detection of coronary stenosis by segment, vessel, and patient characteristics were compared to the reference standard of ICA. Results: Diagnostic accuracy for all patients was high regarding sensitivity (97%), positive predictive value (PPV, 84.2%), and negative predictive value (NPV, 83.3%) but low regarding specificity (45.5%) with a moderate interobserver agreement (Kappa = 0.50). The accuracy for vessel-based diagnosis was high regarding sensitivity (96.6%), specificity (80.8%), PPV (80.3%), and NPV (96.7%). The segment-based diagnostic results revealed a moderate interobserver agreement for image quality and sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for all segments of 66.9, 97.8, 90.8, and 89.9%, respectively. Conclusion: DSCT coronary angiography has high diagnostic accuracy in assessing CAD among patients at intermediate to high risk without using heart rate-modulating premedication. DSCT is not superior to ICA for diagnosis of calcified segments.

Routine clinical heart examinations using SQUID magnetocardiography at University of Tsukuba Hospital

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Inaba, T.; Nakazawa, Y.; Yoshida, K.; Kato, Y.; Hattori, A.; Kimura, T.; Hoshi, T.; Ishizu, T.; Seo, Y.; Sato, A.; Sekiguchi, Y.; Nogami, A.; Watanabe, S.; Horigome, H.; Kawakami, Y.; Aonuma, K.

2017-11-01

A 64-channel Nb-based DC-SQUID magnetocardiography (MCG) system was installed at the University of Tsukuba Hospital (UTH) in March 2007 after obtaining Japanese pharmaceutical approval and insurance reimbursement approval. In the period between 2008 and 2016, the total number of patients was 10 085. The heart diseases diagnosed in fetuses as well as adults are mainly atrial arrhythmia, abnormal repolarization, ventricular arrhythmia, and fetal arrhythmia. In most cases of insufficient diagnostic accuracy with electrocardiography, SQUID MCG precisely revealed these heart diseases as an abnormal electrical current distribution. Based on success in routine examinations, SQUID MCG is now an indispensable clinical instrument with diagnostic software tuned up during routine use at UTH.

Interstitial lung disease: Diagnostic accuracy and safety of surgical lung biopsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Guerra

2009-05-01

Full Text Available This study reports our experience, diagnostic accuracy and safety of surgical lung biopsy in patients with interstitial lung diseases. From January 1998 – December 2007 surgical lung biopsy was performed in 53 patients (22 female [41.5%]; age 47.2 ± 13 years. A total of 37 patients (69.8% underwent videothoracoscopic lung biopsy and minithoracotomy was performed in 16 patients (30.2%. Right lung was the choice in 47 patients (88.7%. Postoperative complications were rare (9.4% and included three prolonged air leaks (5.7%, one pneumothorax re-quiring a chest drain (1.9%, and one haemothorax requiring reoperation (1.9%. One patient died of cardiac arrest of unknown cause. Average chest tube duration was 4.4 ± 3 days and average hospital stay 5.4 ± 4 days. Lung biopsy contributed to the diagnosis in 50 patients (94.3%. In conclusion, the potential benefits of diagnostic surgical lung biopsy must be considered against the risks of the procedure especially in patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Resumo: Os autores descrevem a sua casuística de biópsias pulmonares cirúrgicas em doentes com doença pulmonar intersticial, de forma a determinar a acuidade diagnóstica, os riscos e a morbimortalidade associados ao procedimento. Entre Janeiro de 1998 e Dezembro de 2007, 53 doentes (idade média de 47,2 ± 13 anos foram referenciados para a realização de biópsia pulmonar cirúrgica, dos quais 22 eram mulheres (41,5%. As biópsias pulmonares foram realizadas quer por videotoracoscopia (37 doentes, 69,8%, quer por minitoracotomia (16 doentes, 30,2%. Foi escolhido o pulmão direito para biopsar em 88,7% dos casos. Registaram-se complicações pós-operatórias em 5 doentes (9,4%: fuga aérea prolongada em 3 doentes (5,7%, persistência de loca de pneumotórax num doente (1,9% e hemorragia com necessidade de revisão de hemostase noutro doente (1,9%. Ocorreu um �

Diagnostic accuracy of history, physical examination, and bedside ultrasound for diagnosis of extremity fractures in the emergency department: a systematic review.

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Joshi, Nikita; Lira, Alena; Mehta, Ninfa; Paladino, Lorenzo; Sinert, Richard

2013-01-01

Understanding history, physical examination, and ultrasonography (US) to diagnose extremity fractures compared with radiography has potential benefits of decreasing radiation exposure, costs, and pain and improving emergency department (ED) resource management and triage time. The authors performed two electronic searches using PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies published between 1965 to 2012 using a strategy based on the inclusion of any patient presenting with extremity injuries suspicious for fracture who had history and physical examination and a separate search for US performed by an emergency physician (EP) with subsequent radiography. The primary outcome was operating characteristics of ED history, physical examination, and US in diagnosing radiologically proven extremity fractures. The methodologic quality of the studies was assessed using the quality assessment of studies of diagnostic accuracy tool (QUADAS-2). Nine studies met the inclusion criteria for history and physical examination, while eight studies met the inclusion criteria for US. There was significant heterogeneity in the studies that prevented data pooling. Data were organized into subgroups based on anatomic fracture locations, but heterogeneity within the subgroups also prevented data pooling. The prevalence of fracture varied among the studies from 22% to 70%. Upper extremity physical examination tests have positive likelihood ratios (LRs) ranging from 1.2 to infinity and negative LRs ranging from 0 to 0.8. US sensitivities varied between 85% and 100%, specificities varied between 73% and 100%, positive LRs varied between 3.2 and 56.1, and negative LRs varied between 0 and 0.2. Compared with radiography, EP US is an accurate diagnostic test to rule in or rule out extremity fractures. The diagnostic accuracy for history and physical examination are inconclusive. Future research is needed to understand the accuracy of ED US when combined with history and physical examination for upper

Detecting depressive and anxiety disorders in distressed patients in primary care; comparative diagnostic accuracy of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

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Terluin, Berend; Brouwers, Evelien P M; van Marwijk, Harm W J; Verhaak, Peter F M; van der Horst, Henriëtte E

2009-08-23

Depressive and anxiety disorders often go unrecognized in distressed primary care patients, despite the overtly psychosocial nature of their demand for help. This is especially problematic in more severe disorders needing specific treatment (e.g. antidepressant pharmacotherapy or specialized cognitive behavioural therapy). The use of a screening tool to detect (more severe) depressive and anxiety disorders may be useful not to overlook such disorders. We examined the accuracy with which the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) are able to detect (more severe) depressive and anxiety disorders in distressed patients, and which cut-off points should be used. Seventy general practitioners (GPs) included 295 patients on sick leave due to psychological problems. They excluded patients with recognized depressive or anxiety disorders. Patients completed the 4DSQ and HADS. Standardized diagnoses of DSM-IV defined depressive and anxiety disorders were established with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to obtain sensitivity and specificity values for a range of scores, and area under the curve (AUC) values as a measure of diagnostic accuracy. With respect to the detection of any depressive or anxiety disorder (180 patients, 61%), the 4DSQ and HADS scales yielded comparable results with AUC values between 0.745 and 0.815. Also with respect to the detection of moderate or severe depressive disorder, the 4DSQ and HADS depression scales performed comparably (AUC 0.780 and 0.739, p 0.165). With respect to the detection of panic disorder, agoraphobia and social phobia, the 4DSQ anxiety scale performed significantly better than the HADS anxiety scale (AUC 0.852 versus 0.757, p 0.001). The recommended cut-off points of both HADS scales appeared to be too low while those of the 4DSQ anxiety scale appeared to be too high. In general

Influence of heart rate on diagnostic accuracy and image quality of 16-slice CT coronary angiography: comparison of multisegment and halfscan reconstruction approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewey, Marc; Teige, Florian; Hamm, Bernd; Laule, Michael

2007-01-01

The lower the heart rate the better image quality in multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography. We prospectively assessed the influence of heart rate on per-patient diagnostic accuracy and image quality of MSCT coronary angiography and compared adaptive multisegment and standard halfscan reconstruction. A consecutive cohort of 126 patients scheduled to undergo conventional coronary angiography was examined with 16-slice CT. For all heart rate groups, per-patient diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for multisegment than halfscan reconstruction with values of 95 vs. 79% (p 74 bpm, 41 patients). Differences in diagnostic accuracy between adjacent heart rate groups were only significant for halfscan reconstruction for the comparison between the 65-74 and >74 bpm group (p < 0.05). The vessel lengths free of motion artifacts were significantly longer with multisegment reconstruction in all heart rate groups and for all coronary arteries (p < 0.005). For noninvasive MSCT coronary angiography, both per-patient diagnostic accuracy and image quality decline with increasing heart rate, and multisegment reconstruction at high heart rates yields similar results as standard halfscan reconstruction at low heart rates. (orig.)

Accuracy of clinical diagnosis in knee arthroscopy.

OpenAIRE

Brooks, Stuart; Morgan, Mamdouh

2002-01-01

A prospective study of 238 patients was performed in a district general hospital to assess current diagnostic accuracy rates and to ascertain the use and the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning in reducing the number of negative arthroscopies. The pre-operative diagnosis of patients listed for knee arthroscopy was medial meniscus tear 94 (40%) and osteoarthritis 59 (25%). MRI scans were requested in 57 patients (24%) with medial meniscus tear representing 65% (37 patien...

Secondary Signs May Improve the Diagnostic Accuracy of Equivocal Ultrasounds for Suspected Appendicitis in Children

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Partain, Kristin N.; Patel, Adarsh; Travers, Curtis; McCracken, Courtney; Loewen, Jonathan; Braithwaite, Kiery; Heiss, Kurt F.; Raval, Mehul V.

2016-01-01

Introduction Ultrasound (US) is the preferred imaging modality for evaluating appendicitis. Our purpose was to determine if including secondary signs (SS) improves diagnostic accuracy in equivocal US studies. Methods Retrospective review identified 825 children presenting with concern for appendicitis and with a right lower quadrant (RLQ) US. Regression models identified which SS were associated with appendicitis. Test characteristics were demonstrated. Results 530 patients (64%) had equivocal US reports. Of 114 (22%) patients with equivocal US undergoing CT, those with SS were more likely to have appendicitis (48.6% vs 14.6%, pappendicitis (61.0% vs 33.6%, pappendicitis included fluid collection (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 13.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.1–82.8), hyperemia (OR=2.0, 95%CI 1.5–95.5), free fluid (OR=9.8, 95%CI 3.8–25.4), and appendicolith (OR=7.9, 95%CI 1.7–37.2). Wall thickness, bowel peristalsis, and echogenic fat were not associated with appendicitis. Equivocal US that included hyperemia, a fluid collection, or an appendicolith had 96% specificity and 88% accuracy. Conclusion Use of SS in RLQ US assists in the diagnostic accuracy of appendicitis. SS may guide clinicians and reduce unnecessary CT and admissions. PMID:27039121

The relationship between the C-statistic of a risk-adjustment model and the accuracy of hospital report cards: a Monte Carlo Study.

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Austin, Peter C; Reeves, Mathew J

2013-03-01

Hospital report cards, in which outcomes following the provision of medical or surgical care are compared across health care providers, are being published with increasing frequency. Essential to the production of these reports is risk-adjustment, which allows investigators to account for differences in the distribution of patient illness severity across different hospitals. Logistic regression models are frequently used for risk adjustment in hospital report cards. Many applied researchers use the c-statistic (equivalent to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of the logistic regression model as a measure of the credibility and accuracy of hospital report cards. To determine the relationship between the c-statistic of a risk-adjustment model and the accuracy of hospital report cards. Monte Carlo simulations were used to examine this issue. We examined the influence of 3 factors on the accuracy of hospital report cards: the c-statistic of the logistic regression model used for risk adjustment, the number of hospitals, and the number of patients treated at each hospital. The parameters used to generate the simulated datasets came from analyses of patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in Ontario, Canada. The c-statistic of the risk-adjustment model had, at most, a very modest impact on the accuracy of hospital report cards, whereas the number of patients treated at each hospital had a much greater impact. The c-statistic of a risk-adjustment model should not be used to assess the accuracy of a hospital report card.

Diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid and evaluation of discordant cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Ch.

2015-01-01

The main role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) lies in differentiating between a malignant and benign thyroid nodule. It greatly influences the treatment decision. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the cytology–histopathology correlation and to analyze the cause of diagnostic errors with an eventual aim to improve diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods This is a retrospective study comparing cytology and corresponding histopathology report in 724 thyroid cases. The statistical analysis included false positive rate, false negative rate, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy. Results On cytological examination, 635/724 were reported as benign, 68 malignant and 21 suspicious. On histopathological examination, 626/635 cases were confirmed as benign but there were 9 discordant cases. Among the other cases histopathology diagnosis of malignancy matched in 66/68 and 11/21 cases. Diagnosis correlated in 703/724 cases (97%) [p < 0.001]. False positive and false negative rates were 1.9% and 10.5%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 89.5% and 98%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 84.6% and negative predictive value was 98.6%. Accuracy of FNA was 97%. Conclusion In spite of high accuracy of FNAC in differentiating between a benign and malignant lesion, certain pitfalls should be kept in mind. The common false negative diagnoses were follicular pattern cases which constitute a ‘gray zone’, cystic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and papillary micro carcinoma. The reason for false positive diagnoses was the occurrence of nuclear features characteristic of PTC in other thyroid lesions. Awareness of pathologist regarding these pitfalls can minimize false negative/positive diagnoses

Diagnostic accuracy of serological diagnosis of hepatitis C and B using dried blood spot samples (DBS): two systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lange, Berit; Cohn, Jennifer; Roberts, Teri; Camp, Johannes; Chauffour, Jeanne; Gummadi, Nina; Ishizaki, Azumi; Nagarathnam, Anupriya; Tuaillon, Edouard; van de Perre, Philippe; Pichler, Christine; Easterbrook, Philippa; Denkinger, Claudia M

2017-11-01

Dried blood spots (DBS) are a convenient tool to enable diagnostic testing for viral diseases due to transport, handling and logistical advantages over conventional venous blood sampling. A better understanding of the performance of serological testing for hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) from DBS is important to enable more widespread use of this sampling approach in resource limited settings, and to inform the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on testing for HBV/HCV. We conducted two systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of HCV antibody (HCV-Ab) and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) from DBS samples compared to venous blood samples. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health and Cochrane library were searched for studies that assessed diagnostic accuracy with DBS and agreement between DBS and venous sampling. Heterogeneity of results was assessed and where possible a pooled analysis of sensitivity and specificity was performed using a bivariate analysis with maximum likelihood estimate and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). We conducted a narrative review on the impact of varying storage conditions or limits of detection in subsets of samples. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess risk of bias. For the diagnostic accuracy of HBsAg from DBS compared to venous blood, 19 studies were included in a quantitative meta-analysis, and 23 in a narrative review. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were 98% (95%CI:95%-99%) and 100% (95%CI:99-100%), respectively. For the diagnostic accuracy of HCV-Ab from DBS, 19 studies were included in a pooled quantitative meta-analysis, and 23 studies were included in a narrative review. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were 98% (CI95%:95-99) and 99% (CI95%:98-100), respectively. Overall quality of studies and heterogeneity were rated as moderate in both systematic reviews. HCV-Ab and HBsAg testing using DBS compared to venous blood sampling was associated with excellent diagnostic accuracy

Changes in hospitalization rate and mortality after acute myocardial infarction in Denmark after diagnostic criteria and methods changed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abildstrøm, Steen Zabell; Rasmussen, Søren; Madsen, Mette

2004-01-01

AIMS: To analyse the effect of the change in diagnostic criteria for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the use of troponin as a diagnostic marker on the hospitalization rate and mortality of hospitalized AMI patients from 1994 to 2001. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients (> or =30 years) admitted...... for their first AMI were identified using the National Patient Registry in Denmark. We registered when each hospital introduced troponin as a diagnostic marker. The reported hospitalization rate decreased until 1998 and then increased substantially from 1999 to 2001 from 3472 to 4163 per million inhabitants (19.......9%) for men and from 1648 to 2020 per million inhabitants (22.6%) for women. Troponin use was associated with a significant 14% increase in hospitalization rate in this period [rate ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-1.18]. The effect of troponin was greatest among patients 70 years and older (rate...

Health-based risk adjustment: is inpatient and outpatient diagnostic information sufficient?

Science.gov (United States)

Lamers, L M

Adequate risk adjustment is critical to the success of market-oriented health care reforms in many countries. Currently used risk adjusters based on demographic and diagnostic cost groups (DCGs) do not reflect expected costs accurately. This study examines the simultaneous predictive accuracy of inpatient and outpatient morbidity measures and prior costs. DCGs, pharmacy cost groups (PCGs), and prior year's costs improve the predictive accuracy of the demographic model substantially. DCGs and PCGs seem complementary in their ability to predict future costs. However, this study shows that the combination of DCGs and PCGs still leaves room for cream skimming.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Barr and Blethyn radiological scoring systems for childhood constipation assessed using colonic transit time as the gold standard

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Jackson, Claire R.; Wylie, Anna B.Z.; Adams, Charlotte [Royal Victoria Infirmary, Department of Paediatric Surgery, Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom); Lee, Richard E. [Royal Victoria Infirmary, Department of Radiology, Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom); Jaffray, Bruce [University of Newcastle upon Tyne, School of Clinical Medical Sciences (Child Health), Sir James Spence Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom)

2009-07-15

Constipation is a common childhood symptom and abdominal radiography is advocated in diagnosis and management. To assess the reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of the Barr and Blethyn systems for quantifying constipation on abdominal radiographs in children. Radiographs were scored by three observers of increasing radiological experience (student, junior doctor, consultant). Abdominal radiographs produced during measurement of colonic transit time (CTT) were classified as constipated or normal based on the value of the transit time, and were scored using both systems by observers blinded to the CTT. Abdominal radiographs obtained in children for reasons other than constipation were classed as normal and similarly scored. Reproducibility was measured using the kappa statistic. Diagnostic accuracy was measured using the area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Using either system, scores were higher for constipated children (P<0.01). The consultant produced higher scores than the other observers (P<0.01). Interobserver reproducibility was moderate with the best kappa value only 0.48. The best correlation between score and CTT was 0.51 (junior doctor scores). Diagnostic accuracy of the scores was only moderate, with the largest AUC for a ROC curve of 0.84 for the consultant using the Barr score. Scoring of abdominal radiographs in the assessment of childhood constipation should be abandoned because it is dependent on the experience of the observer, is poorly reproducible, and does not accurately discriminate between constipated children and children without constipation. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of the Barr and Blethyn radiological scoring systems for childhood constipation assessed using colonic transit time as the gold standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, Claire R.; Wylie, Anna B.Z.; Adams, Charlotte; Lee, Richard E.; Jaffray, Bruce

2009-01-01

Constipation is a common childhood symptom and abdominal radiography is advocated in diagnosis and management. To assess the reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of the Barr and Blethyn systems for quantifying constipation on abdominal radiographs in children. Radiographs were scored by three observers of increasing radiological experience (student, junior doctor, consultant). Abdominal radiographs produced during measurement of colonic transit time (CTT) were classified as constipated or normal based on the value of the transit time, and were scored using both systems by observers blinded to the CTT. Abdominal radiographs obtained in children for reasons other than constipation were classed as normal and similarly scored. Reproducibility was measured using the kappa statistic. Diagnostic accuracy was measured using the area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Using either system, scores were higher for constipated children (P<0.01). The consultant produced higher scores than the other observers (P<0.01). Interobserver reproducibility was moderate with the best kappa value only 0.48. The best correlation between score and CTT was 0.51 (junior doctor scores). Diagnostic accuracy of the scores was only moderate, with the largest AUC for a ROC curve of 0.84 for the consultant using the Barr score. Scoring of abdominal radiographs in the assessment of childhood constipation should be abandoned because it is dependent on the experience of the observer, is poorly reproducible, and does not accurately discriminate between constipated children and children without constipation. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of coronary CT angiography using 3{sup rd}-generation dual-source CT and automated tube voltage selection: Clinical application in a non-obese and obese patient population

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Mangold, Stefanie [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany); Wichmann, Julian L. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); University Hospital Frankfurt, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Frankfurt (Germany); Schoepf, U.J. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Charleston, SC (United States); Caruso, Damiano [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); University of Rome ' ' Sapienza' ' , Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, Rome (Italy); Tesche, Christian [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Heart Centre Munich-Bogenhausen, Department of Cardiology, Munich (Germany); Steinberg, Daniel H.; Bayer, Richard R. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Charleston, SC (United States); Varga-Szemes, Akos; Stubenrauch, Andrew C.; Biancalana, Matthew; De Cecco, Carlo N. [Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States); Nikolaou, Konstantin [Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany)

2017-06-15

To investigate diagnostic accuracy of 3{sup rd}-generation dual-source CT (DSCT) coronary angiography in obese and non-obese patients. We retrospectively analyzed 76 patients who underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and invasive coronary angiography. Prospectively ECG-triggered acquisition was performed with automated tube voltage selection (ATVS). Patients were dichotomized based on body mass index in groups A (<30 kg/m{sup 2}, n = 37) and B (≥30 kg/m{sup 2}, n = 39) and based on tube voltage in groups C (<120 kV, n = 46) and D (120 kV, n = 30). Coronary arteries were assessed for significant stenoses (≥50 % luminal narrowing) and diagnostic accuracy was calculated. Per-patient overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy were 96.9 %, 95.5 %, 93.9 %, 97.7 % and 96.1 %, respectively. Sensitivity and NPV were lower in groups B and D compared to groups A and C, but no statistically significant differences were observed (group A vs. B: sensitivity, 100.0 % vs. 93.3 %, p = 0.9493; NPV, 100 % vs. 95.5 %, p = 0.9812; group C vs. D: sensitivity, 100.0 % vs. 92.3 %, p = 0.8462; NPV, 100.0 % vs. 94.1 %, p = 0.8285). CCTA using 3{sup rd}-generation DSCT and (ATVS) provides high diagnostic accuracy in both non-obese and obese patients. (orig.)

Diagnostic accuracy of coronary CT angiography using 3"r"d-generation dual-source CT and automated tube voltage selection: Clinical application in a non-obese and obese patient population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangold, Stefanie; Wichmann, Julian L.; Schoepf, U.J.; Caruso, Damiano; Tesche, Christian; Steinberg, Daniel H.; Bayer, Richard R.; Varga-Szemes, Akos; Stubenrauch, Andrew C.; Biancalana, Matthew; De Cecco, Carlo N.; Nikolaou, Konstantin

2017-01-01

To investigate diagnostic accuracy of 3"r"d-generation dual-source CT (DSCT) coronary angiography in obese and non-obese patients. We retrospectively analyzed 76 patients who underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and invasive coronary angiography. Prospectively ECG-triggered acquisition was performed with automated tube voltage selection (ATVS). Patients were dichotomized based on body mass index in groups A (<30 kg/m"2, n = 37) and B (≥30 kg/m"2, n = 39) and based on tube voltage in groups C (<120 kV, n = 46) and D (120 kV, n = 30). Coronary arteries were assessed for significant stenoses (≥50 % luminal narrowing) and diagnostic accuracy was calculated. Per-patient overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy were 96.9 %, 95.5 %, 93.9 %, 97.7 % and 96.1 %, respectively. Sensitivity and NPV were lower in groups B and D compared to groups A and C, but no statistically significant differences were observed (group A vs. B: sensitivity, 100.0 % vs. 93.3 %, p = 0.9493; NPV, 100 % vs. 95.5 %, p = 0.9812; group C vs. D: sensitivity, 100.0 % vs. 92.3 %, p = 0.8462; NPV, 100.0 % vs. 94.1 %, p = 0.8285). CCTA using 3"r"d-generation DSCT and (ATVS) provides high diagnostic accuracy in both non-obese and obese patients. (orig.)

Estimating diagnostic test accuracies for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae accounting for the complexities of population structure in food animals.

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Sonja Hartnack

Full Text Available For swine dysentery, which is caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae infection and is an economically important disease in intensive pig production systems worldwide, a perfect or error-free diagnostic test ("gold standard" is not available. In the absence of a gold standard, Bayesian latent class modelling is a well-established methodology for robust diagnostic test evaluation. In contrast to risk factor studies in food animals, where adjustment for within group correlations is both usual and required for good statistical practice, diagnostic test evaluation studies rarely take such clustering aspects into account, which can result in misleading results. The aim of the present study was to estimate test accuracies of a PCR originally designed for use as a confirmatory test, displaying a high diagnostic specificity, and cultural examination for B. hyodysenteriae. This estimation was conducted based on results of 239 samples from 103 herds originating from routine diagnostic sampling. Using Bayesian latent class modelling comprising of a hierarchical beta-binomial approach (which allowed prevalence across individual herds to vary as herd level random effect, robust estimates for the sensitivities of PCR and culture, as well as for the specificity of PCR, were obtained. The estimated diagnostic sensitivity of PCR (95% CI and culture were 73.2% (62.3; 82.9 and 88.6% (74.9; 99.3, respectively. The estimated specificity of the PCR was 96.2% (90.9; 99.8. For test evaluation studies, a Bayesian latent class approach is well suited for addressing the considerable complexities of population structure in food animals.

Effects of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction on radiation dose reduction and diagnostic accuracy of pediatric abdominal CT

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Bae, Sohi; Kim, Myung-Joon; Lee, Mi-Jung [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Children' s Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Choon-Sik [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Wook; Hong, Jung Hwa [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-12-15

Since children are more radio-sensitive than adults, there is a need to minimize radiation exposure during CT exams. To evaluate the effects of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) on radiation dose reduction, image quality and diagnostic accuracy in pediatric abdominal CT. We retrospectively reviewed the abdominal CT examinations of 41 children (24 boys and 17 girls; mean age: 10 years) with a low-dose radiation protocol and reconstructed with ASIR (the ASIR group). We also reviewed routine-dose abdominal CT examinations of 41 age- and sex-matched controls reconstructed with filtered-back projection (control group). Image quality was assessed objectively as noise measured in the liver, spleen and aorta, as well as subjectively by three pediatric radiologists for diagnostic acceptability using a four-point scale. Radiation dose and objective image qualities of each group were compared with the paired t-test. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by reviewing follow-up imaging studies and medical records in 2012 and 2013. There was 46.3% dose reduction of size-specific dose estimates in ASIR group (from 13.4 to 7.2 mGy) compared with the control group. Objective noise was higher in the liver, spleen and aorta of the ASIR group (P < 0.001). However, the subjective image quality was average or superior in 84-100% of studies. Only one image was subjectively rated as unacceptable by one reviewer. There was only one case with interpretational error in the control group and none in the ASIR group. Use of the ASIR technique resulted in greater than a 45% reduction in radiation dose without impairing subjective image quality or diagnostic accuracy in pediatric abdominal CT, despite increased objective image noise. (orig.)

Effects of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction on radiation dose reduction and diagnostic accuracy of pediatric abdominal CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Sohi; Kim, Myung-Joon; Lee, Mi-Jung; Yoon, Choon-Sik; Kim, Dong Wook; Hong, Jung Hwa

2014-01-01

Since children are more radio-sensitive than adults, there is a need to minimize radiation exposure during CT exams. To evaluate the effects of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) on radiation dose reduction, image quality and diagnostic accuracy in pediatric abdominal CT. We retrospectively reviewed the abdominal CT examinations of 41 children (24 boys and 17 girls; mean age: 10 years) with a low-dose radiation protocol and reconstructed with ASIR (the ASIR group). We also reviewed routine-dose abdominal CT examinations of 41 age- and sex-matched controls reconstructed with filtered-back projection (control group). Image quality was assessed objectively as noise measured in the liver, spleen and aorta, as well as subjectively by three pediatric radiologists for diagnostic acceptability using a four-point scale. Radiation dose and objective image qualities of each group were compared with the paired t-test. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by reviewing follow-up imaging studies and medical records in 2012 and 2013. There was 46.3% dose reduction of size-specific dose estimates in ASIR group (from 13.4 to 7.2 mGy) compared with the control group. Objective noise was higher in the liver, spleen and aorta of the ASIR group (P < 0.001). However, the subjective image quality was average or superior in 84-100% of studies. Only one image was subjectively rated as unacceptable by one reviewer. There was only one case with interpretational error in the control group and none in the ASIR group. Use of the ASIR technique resulted in greater than a 45% reduction in radiation dose without impairing subjective image quality or diagnostic accuracy in pediatric abdominal CT, despite increased objective image noise. (orig.)

Image-guided automated needle biopsy of 106 thoracic lesions: a retrospective review of diagnostic accuracy and complication rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, S.; Dyer, J.; Guest, P.

2000-01-01

We reviewed the diagnostic accuracy and complication rates of transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) with an automated 18-gauge core biopsy needle and gun, using either fluoroscopic or CT guidance. One hundred six lesions were biopsied in 103 patients between 1992 and 1998. Hard-copy images, imaging reports, pathology reports and clinical notes were reviewed. In 3 patients it was not possible to establish the lesion as either malignant or benign from the available follow-up, so these were removed from the analysis of diagnostic accuracy. Adequate samples for histological diagnosis were obtained in 104 of 106 (98 %) biopsies. There were 75 of 85 (88 %) true-positive core biopsies for malignant lesions and a specific cell type was identified in 70 of 85 (82 %) cases. A specific histological diagnosis was obtained in 12 of 18 (66 %) biopsies. There was a 19 % rate of pneumothorax with only 2.4 % requiring drainage. Minor haemoptysis occurred in 3.8 % of procedures. The TNB technique with an automated core biopsy needle provides a high level of diagnostic accuracy, effectively distinguishes cell type in malignancy and provides a definite diagnosis in benign disease more frequently than fine needle aspiration (FNA). There is no increased complication rate compared with FNA. (orig.)

Psychometric Properties and Diagnostic Accuracy of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in a Sample of Iranian Women

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Gholam Reza Kheirabadi

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS has been used as a reliable screening tool for postpartum depression in many countries. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of the EPDS in a sample of Iranian women.Methods: Using stratified sampling 262 postpartum women (2 weeks-3 months after delivery were selected from urban and rural health center in the city of Isfahan. They were interviewed using EPDS and Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS. Data were assessed using factor analysis, diagnosis analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve, Cronbach's alpha and Pearson correlation coefficient.Results: The age of then participants ranged 18-45 years (26.6±5.1. Based on a cut-off point of >13 for HDRS, 18.3% of the participants. The overall reliability (Cronbach's alpha of EPDS was 0.79. There was a significant correlation (r2=0.60, P value<0.01 between EPDS and HDRS. Two factor analysis showed that anhedonia and depression were two explanatory factors. At a cut-off point12 the sensitivity of the questionnaire was 78% (95% CI: 73%-83% and its specificity was 75% (95% CI: 72%-78%. Conclusion: The Persian version of the EPDS showed appropriate psychometric properties diagnostic accuracy index. It can be used by health system professionals for detection, assessment and treatment for mothers with post partum depression.

CT coronary angiography: Influence of different cardiac reconstruction intervals on image quality and diagnostic accuracy

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Dewey, Marc [Department of Radiology, Charite Medical School, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany)], E-mail: marc.dewey@charite.de; Teige, Florian [Department of Radiology, Charite Medical School, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany); Rutsch, Wolfgang [Department of Cardiology, Charite Medical School, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany)], E-mail: wolfgang.rutsch@charite.de; Schink, Tania [Department of Medical Biometry, Charite Medical School, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany)], E-mail: peter.martus@charite.de; Hamm, Bernd [Department of Radiology, Charite Medical School, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany)

2008-07-15

Purpose: To prospectively analyze image quality and diagnostic accuracy of different reconstruction intervals of coronary angiography using multislice computed tomography (MSCT). Materials and methods: For each of 47 patients, 10 ECG-gated MSCT reconstructions were generated throughout the RR interval from 0 to 90%, resulting in altogether 470 datasets. These datasets were randomly analyzed for image quality and accuracy and compared with conventional angiography. Statistical comparison of intervals was performed using nonparametric analysis for repeated measurements to account for clustering of arteries within patients. Results: Image reconstruction intervals centered at 80, 70, and 40% of the RR interval resulted (in that order) in the best overall image quality for all four main coronary vessels. Eighty percent reconstructions also yielded the highest diagnostic accuracy of all intervals. The combination of the three best intervals (80, 70, and 40%) significantly reduced the nondiagnostic rate as compared with 80% alone (p = 0.005). However, the optimal reconstruction interval combination achieved significantly improved specificities and nondiagnostic rates (p < 0.05). The optimal combination consisted of 1.7 {+-} 0.9 reconstruction intervals on average. In approximately half of the patients (49%, 23/47) a single reconstruction was optimal. In 18 (38%), 3 (6%), and 3 (6%) patients one, two, and three additional reconstruction intervals were required, respectively, to achieve optimal quality. In 28% of the patients the optimal combination consisted of reconstructions other than the three best intervals (80, 70, and 40%). Conclusion: Multiple image reconstruction intervals are essential to ensure high image quality and accuracy of CT coronary angiography.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Rating Scales for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-analysis.

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Chang, Ling-Yin; Wang, Mei-Yeh; Tsai, Pei-Shan

2016-03-01

The Child Behavior Checklist-Attention Problem (CBCL-AP) scale and Conners Rating Scale-Revised (CRS-R) are commonly used behavioral rating scales for diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. To evaluate and compare the diagnostic performance of CBCL-AP and CRS-R in diagnosing ADHD in children and adolescents. PubMed, Ovid Medline, and other relevant electronic databases were searched for articles published up to May 2015. We included studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of either CBCL-AP scale or CRS-R for diagnosing ADHD in pediatric populations in comparison with a defined reference standard. Bivariate random effects models were used for pooling and comparing diagnostic performance. We identified and evaluated 14 and 11 articles on CBCL-AP and CRS-R, respectively. The results revealed pooled sensitivities of 0.77, 0.75, 0.72, and 0.83 and pooled specificities of 0.73, 0.75, 0.84, and 0.84 for CBCL-AP, Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised, Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised, and Conners Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire (ASQ), respectively. No difference was observed in the diagnostic performance of the various scales. Study location, age of participants, and percentage of female participants explained the heterogeneity in the specificity of the CBCL-AP. CBCL-AP and CRS-R both yielded moderate sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing ADHD. According to the comparable diagnostic performance of all examined scales, ASQ may be the most effective diagnostic tool in assessing ADHD because of its brevity and high diagnostic accuracy. CBCL is recommended for more comprehensive assessments. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

C-arm cone-beam CT virtual navigation-guided percutaneous mediastinal mass biopsy: Diagnostic accuracy and complications

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Kim, Hyungjin [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Aerospace Medical Group, Air Force Education and Training Command, Jinju (Korea, Republic of); Park, Chang Min; Goo, Jin Mo [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Min [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

To assess the usefulness of C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) virtual navigation-guided percutaneous mediastinal mass biopsy in terms of diagnostic accuracy and complication rates. Seventy-eight CBCT virtual navigation-guided percutaneous mediastinal mass biopsies were performed in 75 patients (M:F, 38:37; mean age, 48.55 ± 18.76 years). The procedural details, diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and complication rate were investigated. Mean lesion size was 6.80 ± 3.08 cm, skin-to-target distance was 3.67 ± 1.80 cm, core needle biopsy rate was 96.2 % (75/78), needle indwelling time was 9.29 ± 4.34 min, total procedure time was 13.26 ± 5.29 min, number of biopsy specimens obtained was 3.13 ± 1.02, number of CBCTs performed was 3.03 ± 0.68, rate of lesion border discrimination from abutting mediastinal structures on CBCT was 26.9 % (21/78), technical success rate was 100 % (78/78), estimated effective dose was 5.33 ± 4.99 mSv, and the dose area product was 12,723.68 ± 10,665.74 mGy.cm{sup 2}. Among the 78 biopsies, 69 were malignant, 7 were benign and 2 were indeterminate. Diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of malignancies were 97.1 % (67/69), 100 % (7/7) and 97.4 % (74/76), respectively, with a complication rate of 3.85 % (3/78), all of which were small pneumothoraces. CBCT virtual navigation-guided biopsy is a highly accurate and safe procedure for the evaluation of mediastinal lesions. (orig.)

Accuracy of diagnostic ultrasound in patients with suspected subacromial disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ottenheijm, R.P.; Jansen, M.J.; Staal, J.B.; Bruel, A. van den; Weijers, R.E.; Bie, R.A. de; Dinant, G.J.

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for detecting subacromial disorders in patients presenting in primary and secondary care settings. DATA SOURCES: Medline and Embase were searched on June 9, 2010. In addition, the reference list of 1 systematic review and all included

Molecular tools for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis: systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Ruiter, C. M.; van der Veer, C.; Leeflang, M. M. G.; Deborggraeve, S.; Lucas, C.; Adams, E. R.

2014-01-01

Molecular methods have been proposed as highly sensitive tools for the detection of Leishmania parasites in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. Here, we evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tools in a meta-analysis of the published literature. The selection criteria were original studies that

Assessing FDG-PET diagnostic accuracy studies to develop recommendations for clinical use in dementia.

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Boccardi, Marina; Festari, Cristina; Altomare, Daniele; Gandolfo, Federica; Orini, Stefania; Nobili, Flavio; Frisoni, Giovanni B

2018-04-30

FDG-PET is frequently used as a marker of synaptic damage to diagnose dementing neurodegenerative disorders. We aimed to adapt the items of evidence quality to FDG-PET diagnostic studies, and assess the evidence available in current literature to assist Delphi decisions for European recommendations for clinical use. Based on acknowledged methodological guidance, we defined the domains, specific to FDG-PET, required to assess the quality of evidence in 21 literature searches addressing as many Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) questions. We ranked findings for each PICO and fed experts making Delphi decisions for recommending clinical use. Among the 1435 retrieved studies, most lacked validated measures of test performance, an adequate gold standard, and head-to-head comparison of FDG-PET and clinical diagnosis, and only 58 entered detailed assessment. Only two studies assessed the accuracy of the comparator (clinical diagnosis) versus any kind of gold-/reference-standard. As to the index-test (FDG-PET-based diagnosis), an independent gold-standard was available in 24% of the examined papers; 38% used an acceptable reference-standard (clinical follow-up); and 38% compared FDG-PET-based diagnosis only to baseline clinical diagnosis. These methodological limitations did not allow for deriving recommendations from evidence. An incremental diagnostic value of FDG-PET versus clinical diagnosis or lack thereof cannot be derived from the current literature. Many of the observed limitations may easily be overcome, and we outlined them as research priorities to improve the quality of current evidence. Such improvement is necessary to outline evidence-based guidelines. The available data were anyway provided to expert clinicians who defined interim recommendations.

Applying Activity Based Costing (ABC) Method to Calculate Cost Price in Hospital and Remedy Services.

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Rajabi, A; Dabiri, A

2012-01-01

Activity Based Costing (ABC) is one of the new methods began appearing as a costing methodology in the 1990's. It calculates cost price by determining the usage of resources. In this study, ABC method was used for calculating cost price of remedial services in hospitals. To apply ABC method, Shahid Faghihi Hospital was selected. First, hospital units were divided into three main departments: administrative, diagnostic, and hospitalized. Second, activity centers were defined by the activity analysis method. Third, costs of administrative activity centers were allocated into diagnostic and operational departments based on the cost driver. Finally, with regard to the usage of cost objectives from services of activity centers, the cost price of medical services was calculated. The cost price from ABC method significantly differs from tariff method. In addition, high amount of indirect costs in the hospital indicates that capacities of resources are not used properly. Cost price of remedial services with tariff method is not properly calculated when compared with ABC method. ABC calculates cost price by applying suitable mechanisms but tariff method is based on the fixed price. In addition, ABC represents useful information about the amount and combination of cost price services.

A Performance Evaluation of Diagnostic X-ray Unit Depends on the Hospitals Size

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Park, Ju Hun [Kaya University, Gimhae (Korea, Republic of); Im, In Chul [Gwangju Health College University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Dong, Kyung Rae [Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Se Sik [College of Health Science, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2009-03-15

The purpose of this study is to measure the tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose of diagnostic X-ray unit in each doctor offices, hospitals and general hospitals for evaluating the performance of such device, to learn the method and technology of its measurement and to suggest its importance. Research subjects were total 30 X-ray units and divided into groups of 10 X-ray units each. The tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose were measured using percentage average error, and then reproducibility of exposure dose was measured through calculating coefficient of variation. The results are like followings; The tube voltage correctness examination showed that incongruent devices among total 30 X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%). The tube current correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 3 devices (10.0%). The tube current volume correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 4 devices (13.3%). Finally, according to exposure time correctness examination, incongruent X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%) and according to reproducibility examination of exposure dose, incongruent X-ray units were 7 devices (23.3%). Above results showed serious problem in performance management based on management regulation of diagnostic X-ray unit; it means that regular checkout and safety management are required, and as doing so, patients will be able to receive good quality of medical service by the reduction of radiation exposure time, image quality administration, unnecessary retake and etc. Therefore, this study suggests that the performance of diagnostic X-ray units should be checked regularly

A Performance Evaluation of Diagnostic X-ray Unit Depends on the Hospitals Size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ju Hun; Im, In Chul; Dong, Kyung Rae; Kang, Se Sik

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to measure the tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose of diagnostic X-ray unit in each doctor offices, hospitals and general hospitals for evaluating the performance of such device, to learn the method and technology of its measurement and to suggest its importance. Research subjects were total 30 X-ray units and divided into groups of 10 X-ray units each. The tube voltage, the tube current/volume, exposure time and exposure dose were measured using percentage average error, and then reproducibility of exposure dose was measured through calculating coefficient of variation. The results are like followings; The tube voltage correctness examination showed that incongruent devices among total 30 X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%). The tube current correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 3 devices (10.0%). The tube current volume correctness examination showed that incongruent X-ray units were 4 devices (13.3%). Finally, according to exposure time correctness examination, incongruent X-ray units were 5 devices (16.7%) and according to reproducibility examination of exposure dose, incongruent X-ray units were 7 devices (23.3%). Above results showed serious problem in performance management based on management regulation of diagnostic X-ray unit; it means that regular checkout and safety management are required, and as doing so, patients will be able to receive good quality of medical service by the reduction of radiation exposure time, image quality administration, unnecessary retake and etc. Therefore, this study suggests that the performance of diagnostic X-ray units should be checked regularly

Accuracy of frozen-section combined with imprint and fine needle aspiration biopsy in thyroid nodules

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Benyamin Makes

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Thyroid malignancy can be found on 5% of thyroid nodules. In order to better managed of thyroid nodules, skills to differentiate benign from malignant cases were needed. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB was done preoperatively while frozen section (FS and imprint cytology (IC should be done intra-operatively. The objective of this research paper is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FNAB versus frozen section combined with imprint cytology (FS+IC in thyroid nodules at the Anatomic-Pathology Department FMUI-CM Hospital, Jakarta. This diagnostic test, used data from clinico-pathological records in Anatomic Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine University of Indonesia / Dr.Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia during 1999-2003. Specimens with complete data of FNAB results, data of FS and slides of IC. All formalin fixed`specimens were reevaluated and used as the golden standard. Sensitivity, spesificity and accuracy of FS+IC were higher than FNAB (86.8% vs 73.7% ; 99.0% vs 83.9% ; 94.8% vs 80.5% respectively. If the results of FNAB were concordant with the result of FS+IC, the combined examination yields accuracy of 95.1%. The evaluation of frozen section combined with imprint cytology is very useful, because this examination significantly showed high accuracy in diagnosing thyroid malignancy. (Med J Indones 2007; 16:89-93Keywords: thyroid nodules, FNAB, frozen section, imprint cytology, accuracy

An indicator cell assay for blood-based diagnostics.

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Samuel A Danziger

Full Text Available We have established proof of principle for the Indicator Cell Assay Platform™ (iCAP™, a broadly applicable tool for blood-based diagnostics that uses specifically-selected, standardized cells as biosensors, relying on their innate ability to integrate and respond to diverse signals present in patients' blood. To develop an assay, indicator cells are exposed in vitro to serum from case or control subjects and their global differential response patterns are used to train reliable, disease classifiers based on a small number of features. In a feasibility study, the iCAP detected pre-symptomatic disease in a murine model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS with 94% accuracy (p-Value = 3.81E-6 and correctly identified samples from a murine Huntington's disease model as non-carriers of ALS. Beyond the mouse model, in a preliminary human disease study, the iCAP detected early stage Alzheimer's disease with 72% cross-validated accuracy (p-Value = 3.10E-3. For both assays, iCAP features were enriched for disease-related genes, supporting the assay's relevance for disease research.

Diagnostic Accuracy of MRI Versus CT for the Evaluation of Acute Appendicitis in Children and Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinner, Sonja; Pickhardt, Perry J; Riedesel, Erica L; Gill, Kara G; Robbins, Jessica B; Kitchin, Douglas R; Ziemlewicz, Timothy J; Harringa, John B; Reeder, Scott B; Repplinger, Michael D

2017-10-01

Appendicitis is frequently diagnosed in the emergency department, most commonly using CT. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced MRI with that of contrast-enhanced CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis in adolescents when interpreted by abdominal radiologists and pediatric radiologists. Our study included a prospectively enrolled cohort of 48 patients (12-20 years old) with nontraumatic abdominal pain who underwent CT and MRI. Fellowship-trained abdominal and pediatric radiologists reviewed all CT and MRI studies in randomized order, blinded to patient outcome. Likelihood for appendicitis was rated on a 5-point scale (1, definitely not appendicitis; 5, definitely appendicitis) for CT, the unenhanced portion of the MRI, and the entire contrast-enhanced MRI study. ROC curves were generated and AUC compared for each scan type for all six readers and then stratified by radiologist type. Image test characteristics, interrater reliability, and reading times were compared. Sensitivity and specificity were 85.9% (95% CI, 76.2-92.7%) and 93.8% (95% CI, 89.7-96.7%) for unenhanced MRI, 93.6% (95% CI, 85.6-97.9%) and 94.3% (95% CI, 90.2-97%) for contrast-enhanced MRI, and 93.6% (95% CI, 85.6-97.9%) and 94.3% (95% CI, 90.2-97%) for CT. No difference was found in the diagnostic accuracy or interpretation time when comparing abdominal radiologists to pediatric radiologists (CT, 3.0 min vs 2.8 min; contrast-enhanced MRI, 2.4 min vs 1.8 min; unenhanced MRI, 1.5 min vs 2.3 min). Substantial agreement between abdominal and pediatric radiologists was seen for all methods (κ = 0.72-0.83). The diagnostic accuracy of MRI to diagnose appendicitis was very similar to CT. No statistically significant difference in accuracy was observed between imaging modality or radiologist subspecialty.

Evidence synthesis to inform model-based cost-effectiveness evaluations of diagnostic tests: a methodological review of health technology assessments

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Bethany Shinkins

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Evaluations of diagnostic tests are challenging because of the indirect nature of their impact on patient outcomes. Model-based health economic evaluations of tests allow different types of evidence from various sources to be incorporated and enable cost-effectiveness estimates to be made beyond the duration of available study data. To parameterize a health-economic model fully, all the ways a test impacts on patient health must be quantified, including but not limited to diagnostic test accuracy. Methods We assessed all UK NIHR HTA reports published May 2009-July 2015. Reports were included if they evaluated a diagnostic test, included a model-based health economic evaluation and included a systematic review and meta-analysis of test accuracy. From each eligible report we extracted information on the following topics: 1 what evidence aside from test accuracy was searched for and synthesised, 2 which methods were used to synthesise test accuracy evidence and how did the results inform the economic model, 3 how/whether threshold effects were explored, 4 how the potential dependency between multiple tests in a pathway was accounted for, and 5 for evaluations of tests targeted at the primary care setting, how evidence from differing healthcare settings was incorporated. Results The bivariate or HSROC model was implemented in 20/22 reports that met all inclusion criteria. Test accuracy data for health economic modelling was obtained from meta-analyses completely in four reports, partially in fourteen reports and not at all in four reports. Only 2/7 reports that used a quantitative test gave clear threshold recommendations. All 22 reports explored the effect of uncertainty in accuracy parameters but most of those that used multiple tests did not allow for dependence between test results. 7/22 tests were potentially suitable for primary care but the majority found limited evidence on test accuracy in primary care settings

Recommended aerobic fitness level for metabolic health in children and adolescents: a study of diagnostic accuracy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adegboye, Amanda Ra; Anderssen, Sigmund A; Froberg, Karsten

2011-01-01

Objective To define the optimal cut-off for low aerobic fitness and to evaluate its accuracy to predict clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. Design Study of diagnostic accuracy using a cross-sectional database. Setting European Youth Heart Study...... would be expected by chance (AUC >0.5) for all cut-offs. Conclusions Aerobic fitness is easy to measure, and is an accurate tool for screening children with clustering of cardiovascular risk factors. Promoting physical activity in children with aerobic fitness level lower than the suggested cut...

Adults with suspected central nervous system infection: A prospective study of diagnostic accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Khatib, Ula; van de Beek, Diederik; Lees, John A; Brouwer, Matthijs C

2017-01-01

To study the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory features in the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infection and bacterial meningitis. We included consecutive adult episodes with suspected CNS infection who underwent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. The reference standard was the diagnosis classified into five categories: 1) CNS infection; 2) CNS inflammation without infection; 3) other neurological disorder; 4) non-neurological infection; and 5) other systemic disorder. Between 2012 and 2015, 363 episodes of suspected CNS infection were included. CSF examination showed leucocyte count >5/mm 3 in 47% of episodes. Overall, 89 of 363 episodes were categorized as CNS infection (25%; most commonly viral meningitis [7%], bacterial meningitis [7%], and viral encephalitis [4%]), 36 (10%) episodes as CNS inflammatory disorder, 111 (31%) as systemic infection, in 119 (33%) as other neurological disorder, and 8 (2%) as other systemic disorders. Diagnostic accuracy of individual clinical characteristics and blood tests for the diagnosis of CNS infection or bacterial meningitis was low. CSF leucocytosis differentiated best between bacterial meningitis and other diagnoses (area under the curve [AUC] 0.95) or any neurological infection versus other diagnoses (AUC 0.93). Clinical characteristics fail to differentiate between neurological infections and other diagnoses, and CSF analysis is the main contributor to the final diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The diagnostic accuracy of TCD for intracranial arterial stenosis/occlusion in patients with acute ischemic stroke: the importance of time interval between detection of TCD and CTA.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Jingxia; Zhou, Qin; Ouyang, Huangqing; Zhang, Shaofeng; Lu, Zuneng

2013-11-01

To evaluate prospectively the diagnostic accuracy of transcranial doppler (TCD) as an additional screening tool for intracranial arterial steno-occlusive disease against computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) if both are performed in a short time interval. Between July 2011 and May 2012, 128 patients who were hospitalized within 24 hours of symptom onset and fulfilled the criteria for the clinical diagnosis of AIS were enrolled. Bedside detection of TCD was accomplished immediately after admission. High-resolution brain CTA was performed within 3 hours after the completion of TCD and the images were interpreted by a neuroradiologist blinded to TCD findings. The accuracy parameters of TCD against CTA were calculated after computation of true-positive, false-positive, true negative, and false-negative values. Among the 128 patients, there were 68 males and 60 females, aged 61.4 ± 17.5 years. The mean time interval between the detection of TCD and CTA was 89.7 (77.8) minutes. In 65% of patients, both examinations were performed with less than a half-hour interval between them. The diagnostic accuracy of TCD for different arteries showed slight distinction. Transcranial doppler demonstrated the most accurate diagnosis for middle cerebral artery (MCA), where TCD showed 35 true-positive, 0 false-negative, 1 false-positive, and 92 true-negative studies compared with CTA. Furthermore, elevated MCA velocities on TCD correlated well with the severity of intracranial stenosis detected on CTA. Vertebral artery (VA) is one of the arteries with the lowest sensitivity for TCD diagnosis (sensitivity 63.4%, specificity 96.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) 89.6%, negative predictive value (NPV) 84.8%, and accuracy 85.9%). In 20 cases (15.6%), TCD showed findings complementary to CTA (real-time embolization, collateral flow patterns, and steal phenomenon). Transcranial doppler shows high diagnostic accuracy against CTA if both are

Accuracy of the Timed Up and Go test for predicting sarcopenia in elderly hospitalized patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Bruno Prata; Gomes, Isabela Barboza; Oliveira, Carolina Santana de; Ramos, Isis Resende; Rocha, Mônica Diniz Marques; Forgiarini Júnior, Luiz Alberto; Camelier, Fernanda Warken Rosa; Camelier, Aquiles Assunção

2015-05-01

The ability of the Timed Up and Go test to predict sarcopenia has not been evaluated previously. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Timed Up and Go test for predicting sarcopenia in elderly hospitalized patients. This cross-sectional study analyzed 68 elderly patients (≥60 years of age) in a private hospital in the city of Salvador-BA, Brazil, between the 1st and 5th day of hospitalization. The predictive variable was the Timed Up and Go test score, and the outcome of interest was the presence of sarcopenia (reduced muscle mass associated with a reduction in handgrip strength and/or weak physical performance in a 6-m gait-speed test). After the descriptive data analyses, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of a test using the predictive variable to predict the presence of sarcopenia were calculated. In total, 68 elderly individuals, with a mean age 70.4±7.7 years, were evaluated. The subjects had a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 5.35±1.97. Most (64.7%) of the subjects had a clinical admission profile; the main reasons for hospitalization were cardiovascular disorders (22.1%), pneumonia (19.1%) and abdominal disorders (10.2%). The frequency of sarcopenia in the sample was 22.1%, and the mean length of time spent performing the Timed Up and Go test was 10.02±5.38 s. A time longer than or equal to a cutoff of 10.85 s on the Timed Up and Go test predicted sarcopenia with a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 88.7%. The accuracy of this cutoff for the Timed Up and Go test was good (0.80; IC=0.66-0.94; p=0.002). The Timed Up and Go test was shown to be a predictor of sarcopenia in elderly hospitalized patients.

Impact of intravascular enhancement, heart rate, and calcium score on diagnostic accuracy in multislice Computed Tomography coronary angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cademartiri, Filippo; Mollet, Nico R.; Kriestin, Gabriel P.; Runza, Giuseppe; Bartolotta, Tommaso Vincenzo; Galia, Massimo; Midiri, Massimo; Belgrano, Manuel; Pozzi Mucelli, Roberto

2005-01-01

Purpose. To assess the effect of intravascular enhancement, heart rate, and calcium score on diagnostic accuracy in the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis using 16-row multislice computed tomography (MSCT). Materials and methods. One hundred patients (88 males; 59±11 years) with suspected coronary artery disease who had undergone conventional coronary angiography (CA) and MSCT-CA were retrospectively enrolled for the study. Patients underwent a MSCT-CA, with the following protocol: collimation 16x0.75 mm, gantry rotation time 420 ms, feed/rotation 2.8 mm, kV 120, mAs 400-500. The protocol for contrast material administration was 100 ml of Iodixanol 320 mgI/nl at 4 ml/s and the scan delay was defined with a bolus tracking technique. In all patients vascular enhancement was measured in the aortic root, and the left and the right coronary arteries. The average enhancement was used to divide the population in two groups of 50 patients each, one with lower enhancement (Low), and one with higher enhancement (High). In the two groups diagnostic accuracy (per coronary segment) for the detection of significant stenosis (≥50% lumen reduction) was evaluated in vessels ≥2mm in diameter using quantitative CA as the reference standard. The differences in diagnostic accuracy were compared with a Chi-square test and a p [it

Diagnostic accuracy of full-body linear X-ray scanning in multiple trauma patients in comparison to computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joeres, A.P.W.; Heverhagen, J.T.; Bonel, H. [Inselspital - University Hospital Bern (Switzerland). Univ. Inst. of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology; Exadaktylos, A. [Inselspital - University Hospital Bern (Switzerland). Dept. of Emergency Medicine; Klink, T. [Inselspital - University Hospital Bern (Switzerland). Univ. Inst. of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology; Wuerzburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

2016-02-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of full-body linear X-ray scanning (LS) in multiple trauma patients in comparison to 128-multislice computed tomography (MSCT). 106 multiple trauma patients (female: 33; male: 73) were retrospectively included in this study. All patients underwent LS of the whole body, including extremities, and MSCT covering the neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. The diagnostic accuracy of LS for the detection of fractures of the truncal skeleton and pneumothoraces was evaluated in comparison to MSCT by two observers in consensus. Extremity fractures detected by LS were documented. The overall sensitivity of LS was 49.2%, the specificity was 93.3%, the positive predictive value was 91%, and the negative predictive value was 57.5%. The overall sensitivity for vertebral fractures was 16.7%, and the specificity was 100%. The sensitivity was 48.7% and the specificity 98.2% for all other fractures. Pneumothoraces were detected in 12 patients by CT, but not by LS.40 extremity fractures were detected by LS, of which 4 fractures were dislocated, and 2 were fully covered by MSCT. The diagnostic accuracy of LS is limited in the evaluation of acute trauma of the truncal skeleton. LS allows fast whole-body X-ray imaging, and may be valuable for detecting extremity fractures in trauma patients in addition to MSCT.

Recommendations for reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McGrath, Trevor A.; Alabousi, Mostafa; Skidmore, Becky; Korevaar, Daniël A.; Bossuyt, Patrick M. M.; Moher, David; Thombs, Brett; McInnes, Matthew D. F.

2017-01-01

This study is to perform a systematic review of existing guidance on quality of reporting and methodology for systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) in order to compile a list of potential items that might be included in a reporting guideline for such reviews: Preferred Reporting Items

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for deep vein thrombosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodacre, Steve; Sampson, Fiona; Thomas, Steve; Beek, Edwin van; Sutton, Alex

2005-01-01

Ultrasound (US) has largely replaced contrast venography as the definitive diagnostic test for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). We aimed to derive a definitive estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of US for clinically suspected DVT and identify study-level factors that might predict accuracy. We undertook a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of diagnostic cohort studies that compared US to contrast venography in patients with suspected DVT. We searched Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Database of Reviews of Effectiveness, the ACP Journal Club, and citation lists (1966 to April 2004). Random effects meta-analysis was used to derive pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity. Random effects meta-regression was used to identify study-level covariates that predicted diagnostic performance. We identified 100 cohorts comparing US to venography in patients with suspected DVT. Overall sensitivity for proximal DVT (95% confidence interval) was 94.2% (93.2 to 95.0), for distal DVT was 63.5% (59.8 to 67.0), and specificity was 93.8% (93.1 to 94.4). Duplex US had pooled sensitivity of 96.5% (95.1 to 97.6) for proximal DVT, 71.2% (64.6 to 77.2) for distal DVT and specificity of 94.0% (92.8 to 95.1). Triplex US had pooled sensitivity of 96.4% (94.4 to 97.1%) for proximal DVT, 75.2% (67.7 to 81.6) for distal DVT and specificity of 94.3% (92.5 to 95.8). Compression US alone had pooled sensitivity of 93.8 % (92.0 to 95.3%) for proximal DVT, 56.8% (49.0 to 66.4) for distal DVT and specificity of 97.8% (97.0 to 98.4). Sensitivity was higher in more recently published studies and in cohorts with higher prevalence of DVT and more proximal DVT, and was lower in cohorts that reported interpretation by a radiologist. Specificity was higher in cohorts that excluded patients with previous DVT. No studies were identified that compared repeat US to venography in all patients. Repeat US

Diagnostic accuracy of the STRATIFY clinical prediction rule for falls: A systematic review and meta-analysis

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Billington, Jennifer

2012-08-07

AbstractBackgroundThe STRATIFY score is a clinical prediction rule (CPR) derived to assist clinicians to identify patients at risk of falling. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the overall diagnostic accuracy of the STRATIFY rule across a variety of clinical settings.MethodsA literature search was performed to identify all studies that validated the STRATIFY rule. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. A STRATIFY score of ≥2 points was used to identify individuals at higher risk of falling. All included studies were combined using a bivariate random effects model to generate pooled sensitivity and specificity of STRATIFY at ≥2 points. Heterogeneity was assessed using the variance of logit transformed sensitivity and specificity.ResultsSeventeen studies were included in our meta-analysis, incorporating 11,378 patients. At a score ≥2 points, the STRATIFY rule is more useful at ruling out falls in those classified as low risk, with a greater pooled sensitivity estimate (0.67, 95% CI 0.52–0.80) than specificity (0.57, 95% CI 0.45 – 0.69). The sensitivity analysis which examined the performance of the rule in different settings and subgroups also showed broadly comparable results, indicating that the STRATIFY rule performs in a similar manner across a variety of different ‘at risk’ patient groups in different clinical settings.ConclusionThis systematic review shows that the diagnostic accuracy of the STRATIFY rule is limited and should not be used in isolation for identifying individuals at high risk of falls in clinical practice.

Second International Diagnostic Accuracy Study for the Serological Detection of West Nile Virus Infection

OpenAIRE

Sanchini, Andrea; Donoso-Mantke, Oliver; Papa, Anna; Sambri, Vittorio; Teichmann, Anette; Niedrig, Matthias

2013-01-01

Background: In recent decades, sporadic cases and outbreaks in humans of West Nile virus (WNV) infection have increased. Serological diagnosis of WNV infection can be performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay (IFA) neutralization test (NT) and by hemagglutination-inhibition assay. The aim of this study is to collect updated information regarding the performance accuracy of WNV serological diagnostics. Methodology/Principal findings: In 2011, the E...

Molecular Tools for Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy

Science.gov (United States)

de Ruiter, C. M.; van der Veer, C.; Leeflang, M. M. G.; Deborggraeve, S.; Lucas, C.

2014-01-01

Molecular methods have been proposed as highly sensitive tools for the detection of Leishmania parasites in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. Here, we evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tools in a meta-analysis of the published literature. The selection criteria were original studies that evaluate the sensitivities and specificities of molecular tests for diagnosis of VL, adequate classification of study participants, and the absolute numbers of true positives and negatives derivable from the data presented. Forty studies met the selection criteria, including PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The sensitivities of the individual studies ranged from 29 to 100%, and the specificities ranged from 25 to 100%. The pooled sensitivity of PCR in whole blood was 93.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.0 to 95.2), and the specificity was 95.6% (95% CI, 87.0 to 98.6). The specificity was significantly lower in consecutive studies, at 63.3% (95% CI, 53.9 to 71.8), due either to true-positive patients not being identified by parasitological methods or to the number of asymptomatic carriers in areas of endemicity. PCR for patients with HIV-VL coinfection showed high diagnostic accuracy in buffy coat and bone marrow, ranging from 93.1 to 96.9%. Molecular tools are highly sensitive assays for Leishmania detection and may contribute as an additional test in the algorithm, together with a clear clinical case definition. We observed wide variety in reference standards and study designs and now recommend consecutively designed studies. PMID:24829226

The diagnostic accuracy of detecting malignant transformation of low-grade glioma using O-(2-[F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine positron emission tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bashir, Asma; Brennum, Jannick; Broholm, Helle

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE The diagnostic accuracy of O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine (FET) PET scanning in detecting the malignant transformation of low-grade gliomas (LGGs) is controversial. In this study, the authors retrospectively assessed the diagnostic potential of FET PET in patients with MRI-suspected ...

Diagnostic accuracy of three different MRI protocols in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jesuratnam-Nielsen, Kayalvily; Løgager, Vibeke Berg; Munkholm, Pia; Thomsen, Henrik S

2015-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used for workup and control of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, disagreement remains as to how the MRI should be performed. To compare prospectively the diagnostic accuracy of MRI with neither oral nor intravenous contrast medium (plain MRI), magnetic resonance follow-through (MRFT) and MR enteroclysis (MRE) using MRE as the reference standard in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Plain MRI and MRE were carried out in addition to MRFT. All patients underwent both plain MR and MRFT on the same day and MRE within seven days. For the evaluation, the bowel was divided into nine segments. One radiologist, blinded to clinical findings, evaluated bowel wall thickness, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), mural hyperenhancement, and other inflammatory changes in each bowel segment. Twenty patients (6 men, 14 women; median age, 43.5 years; age range, 26–76 years) underwent all three examinations; 10 with Crohn’s disease (CD), three with ulcerative colitis (UC), and seven with IBD unclassified (IBD-U). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were in the range of 0–75%, 81–96%, and 75–95% for wall thickening, and 0–37%, 59–89%, and 50–86% for DWI in plain MRI, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were in the range of 0–50%, 96–100%, and 90–100% for wall thickening, 0–50%, 84–97%, and 82–95% for DWI, and 0–71%, 94–100%, and 85–100% for mural hyperenhancement in MRFT, respectively. The use of oral and intravenous contrast agent improves detection of bowel lesions resulting in MRFT remaining the superior choice over plain MRI for diagnostic workup in patients with IBD

Confirmatory Tests for the Diagnosis of Primary Aldosteronism: A Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Ying; Yang, Shumin; He, Wenwen; Hu, Jinbo; Cheng, Qingfeng; Wang, Yue; Luo, Ting; Ma, Linqiang; Zhen, Qianna; Zhang, Suhua; Mei, Mei; Wang, Zhihong; Qing, Hua; Bruemmer, Dennis; Peng, Bin; Li, Qifu

2018-01-01

The diagnosis of primary aldosteronism typically requires at least one confirmatory test. The fludrocortisone suppression test is generally accepted as a reliable confirmatory test, but it is cumbersome. Evidence from accuracy studies of the saline infusion test (SIT) and the captopril challenge test (CCT) has provided conflicting results. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the SIT and CCT using fludrocortisone suppression test as the reference standard. One hundred thirty-five patients diagnosed with primary aldosteronism and 101 patients diagnosed with essential hypertension who completed the 3 confirmatory tests were included for the diagnostic accuracy analysis. The areas under the receiver-operator characteristics curves of the CCT and SIT were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-0.98) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.92-0.98), respectively, using post-test plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) for diagnosis. However, the areas under the receiver-operator characteristics curves of the CCT decreased to 0.71 (95% CI, 0.65-0.77) when the PAC suppression percentage was used to diagnose primary aldosteronism. The optimal cutoff of PAC post-CCT was set at 11 ng/dL, resulting in a sensitivity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.95) and a specificity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83-0.95), which were not significantly different from those of SIT (with PAC post-SIT set at 8 ng/dL, sensitivity: 0.85 [95% CI, 0.78-0.91], P =0.192; specificity: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.85-0.97], P =0.551). In conclusion, both CCT and SIT are accurate alternatives to the more complex fludrocortisone suppression test. Because CCT is safe and much easier to perform, it may serve as a more feasible alternative. When interpreting the results of CCT, PAC post-CCT is highly recommended. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Influence of heart rate on diagnostic accuracy and image quality of 16-slice CT coronary angiography: comparison of multisegment and halfscan reconstruction approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dewey, Marc; Teige, Florian; Hamm, Bernd [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Department of Radiology, Chariteplatz 1, P.O. Box 10098, Berlin (Germany); Laule, Michael [Department of Cardiology, Charite, Berlin (Germany)

2007-11-15

The lower the heart rate the better image quality in multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography. We prospectively assessed the influence of heart rate on per-patient diagnostic accuracy and image quality of MSCT coronary angiography and compared adaptive multisegment and standard halfscan reconstruction. A consecutive cohort of 126 patients scheduled to undergo conventional coronary angiography was examined with 16-slice CT. For all heart rate groups, per-patient diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for multisegment than halfscan reconstruction with values of 95 vs. 79% (p < 0.05, <65 bpm, 38 patients), 85 vs. 66% (p < 0.05, 65-74 bpm, 47 patients), and 78% vs. 41% (p < 0.001, >74 bpm, 41 patients). Differences in diagnostic accuracy between adjacent heart rate groups were only significant for halfscan reconstruction for the comparison between the 65-74 and >74 bpm group (p < 0.05). The vessel lengths free of motion artifacts were significantly longer with multisegment reconstruction in all heart rate groups and for all coronary arteries (p < 0.005). For noninvasive MSCT coronary angiography, both per-patient diagnostic accuracy and image quality decline with increasing heart rate, and multisegment reconstruction at high heart rates yields similar results as standard halfscan reconstruction at low heart rates. (orig.)

Novel Infiltration Diagnostics based on Laser-line Scanning and Infrared Temperature Field Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xinwei [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2017-12-08

This project targets the building energy efficiency problems induced by building infiltration/leaks. The current infiltration inspection techniques often require extensive visual inspection and/or whole building pressure test. These current techniques cannot meet more than three of the below five criteria of ideal infiltration diagnostics: 1. location and extent diagnostics, 2. building-level application, 3. least surface preparation, 4. weather-proof, and 5. non-disruption to building occupants. These techniques are either too expensive or time consuming, and often lack accuracy and repeatability. They are hardly applicable to facades/facades section. The goal of the project was to develop a novel infiltration diagnostics technology based on laser line-scanning and simultaneous infrared temperature imaging. A laboratory scale experimental setup was designed to mimic a model house of well-defined pressure difference below or above the outside pressure. Algorithms and Matlab-based programs had been developed for recognition of the hole location in infrared images. Our experiment based on laser wavelengths of 450 and 1550 nm and laser beam diameters of 4-25 mm showed that the location of the holes could be identified using laser heating; the diagnostic approach however could not readily distinguish between infiltration and non-infiltration points. To significantly improve the scanning throughput and recognition accuracy, a second approach was explored, developed, and extensively tested. It incorporates a liquid spray on the surface to induce extra phase change cooling effect. In this spray method, we termed it as PECIT (Phase-change Enhanced Cooling Infrared Thermography), phase-change enhanced cooling was used, which significantly amplifies the effect of air flow (infiltration and exfiltration). This heat transfer method worked extremely well to identify infiltration and exfiltration locations with high accuracy and increased throughput. The PECIT technique was

Effects of using the developing nurses' thinking model on nursing students' diagnostic accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tesoro, Mary Gay

2012-08-01

This quasi-experimental study tested the effectiveness of an educational model, Developing Nurses' Thinking (DNT), on nursing students' clinical reasoning to achieve patient safety. Teaching nursing students to develop effective thinking habits that promote positive patient outcomes and patient safety is a challenging endeavor. Positive patient outcomes and safety are achieved when nurses accurately interpret data and subsequently implement appropriate plans of care. This study's pretest-posttest design determined whether use of the DNT model during 2 weeks of clinical postconferences improved nursing students' (N = 83) diagnostic accuracy. The DNT model helps students to integrate four constructs-patient safety, domain knowledge, critical thinking processes, and repeated practice-to guide their thinking when interpreting patient data and developing effective plans of care. The posttest scores of students from the intervention group showed statistically significant improvement in accuracy. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Thoracic injury rule out criteria and NEXUS chest in predicting the risk of traumatic intra-thoracic injuries: A diagnostic accuracy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Saeed; Radfar, Fatemeh; Baratloo, Alireza

2018-05-01

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of NEXUS chest and Thoracic Injury Rule out criteria (TIRC) models in predicting the risk of intra-thoracic injuries following blunt multiple trauma. In this diagnostic accuracy study, using the 2 mentioned models, blunt multiple trauma patients over the age of 15 years presenting to emergency department were screened regarding the presence of intra-thoracic injuries that are detectable via chest x-ray and screening performance characteristics of the models were compared. In this study, 3118 patients with the mean (SD) age of 37.4 (16.9) years were studied (57.4% male). Based on TIRC and NEXUS chest, respectively, 1340 (43%) and 1417 (45.4%) patients were deemed in need of radiography performance. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of TIRC were 98.95%, 62.70%, 21.19% and 99.83%. These values were 98.61%, 59.94%, 19.97% and 99.76%, for NEXUS chest, respectively. Accuracy of TIRC and NEXUS chest models were 66.04 (95% CI: 64.34-67.70) and 63.50 (95% CI: 61.78-65.19), respectively. TIRC and NEXUS chest models have proper and similar sensitivity in prediction of blunt traumatic intra-thoracic injuries that are detectable via chest x-ray. However, TIRC had a significantly higher specificity in this regard. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detecting depressive and anxiety disorders in distressed patients in primary care; comparative diagnostic accuracy of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verhaak Peter FM

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Depressive and anxiety disorders often go unrecognized in distressed primary care patients, despite the overtly psychosocial nature of their demand for help. This is especially problematic in more severe disorders needing specific treatment (e.g. antidepressant pharmacotherapy or specialized cognitive behavioural therapy. The use of a screening tool to detect (more severe depressive and anxiety disorders may be useful not to overlook such disorders. We examined the accuracy with which the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS are able to detect (more severe depressive and anxiety disorders in distressed patients, and which cut-off points should be used. Methods Seventy general practitioners (GPs included 295 patients on sick leave due to psychological problems. They excluded patients with recognized depressive or anxiety disorders. Patients completed the 4DSQ and HADS. Standardized diagnoses of DSM-IV defined depressive and anxiety disorders were established with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC analyses were performed to obtain sensitivity and specificity values for a range of scores, and area under the curve (AUC values as a measure of diagnostic accuracy. Results With respect to the detection of any depressive or anxiety disorder (180 patients, 61%, the 4DSQ and HADS scales yielded comparable results with AUC values between 0.745 and 0.815. Also with respect to the detection of moderate or severe depressive disorder, the 4DSQ and HADS depression scales performed comparably (AUC 0.780 and 0.739, p 0.165. With respect to the detection of panic disorder, agoraphobia and social phobia, the 4DSQ anxiety scale performed significantly better than the HADS anxiety scale (AUC 0.852 versus 0.757, p 0.001. The recommended cut-off points of both HADS scales appeared to be too low while those of the 4DSQ anxiety

The diagnostic test accuracy of ultrasound for the detection of lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, S K; Smith, T O

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic test accuracy of ultrasound for the detection of lateral epicondylitis. An electronic search of databases registering published (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect) and unpublished literature was conducted to January 2013. All diagnostic accuracy studies that compared the accuracy of ultrasound (index test) with a reference standard for lateral epicondylitis were included. The methodological quality of each of the studies was appraised using the QUADAS tool. When appropriate, the pooled sensitivity and specificity analysis was conducted. Ten studies investigating 711 participants and 1077 elbows were included in this review. Ultrasound had variable sensitivity and specificity (sensitivity: 64%-100%; specificity: 36%-100%). The available literature had modest methodological quality, and was limited in terms of sample sizes and blinding between index and reference test results. There is evidence to support the use of ultrasound in the detection of lateral epicondylitis. However, its accuracy appears to be highly dependent on numerous variables, such as operator experience, equipment and stage of pathology. Judgement should be used when considering the benefit of ultrasound for use in clinical practice. Further research assessing variables such a transducer frequency independently is specifically warranted. Level II. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Proposed Diagnostic Criteria for Smartphone Addiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Chiang, Chih-Lin; Lin, Po-Hsien; Chang, Li-Ren; Ko, Chih-Hung; Lee, Yang-Han; Lin, Sheng-Hsuan

2016-01-01

Global smartphone penetration has led to unprecedented addictive behaviors. The aims of this study are to develop diagnostic criteria of smartphone addiction and to examine the discriminative ability and the validity of the diagnostic criteria. We developed twelve candidate criteria for characteristic symptoms of smartphone addiction and four criteria for functional impairment caused by excessive smartphone use. The participants consisted of 281 college students. Each participant was systematically assessed for smartphone-using behaviors by psychiatrist's structured diagnostic interview. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the candidate symptom criteria were analyzed with reference to the psychiatrists' clinical global impression. The optimal model selection with its cutoff point of the diagnostic criteria differentiating the smartphone addicted subjects from non-addicted subjects was then determined by the best diagnostic accuracy. Six symptom criteria model with optimal cutoff point were determined based on the maximal diagnostic accuracy. The proposed smartphone addiction diagnostic criteria consisted of (1) six symptom criteria, (2) four functional impairment criteria and (3) exclusion criteria. Setting three symptom criteria as the cutoff point resulted in the highest diagnostic accuracy (84.3%), while the sensitivity and specificity were 79.4% and 87.5%, respectively. We suggested determining the functional impairment by two or more of the four domains considering the high accessibility and penetration of smartphone use. The diagnostic criteria of smartphone addiction demonstrated the core symptoms "impaired control" paralleled with substance related and addictive disorders. The functional impairment involved multiple domains provide a strict standard for clinical assessment.

Proposed Diagnostic Criteria for Smartphone Addiction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Hsuan Lin

Full Text Available Global smartphone penetration has led to unprecedented addictive behaviors. The aims of this study are to develop diagnostic criteria of smartphone addiction and to examine the discriminative ability and the validity of the diagnostic criteria.We developed twelve candidate criteria for characteristic symptoms of smartphone addiction and four criteria for functional impairment caused by excessive smartphone use. The participants consisted of 281 college students. Each participant was systematically assessed for smartphone-using behaviors by psychiatrist's structured diagnostic interview. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the candidate symptom criteria were analyzed with reference to the psychiatrists' clinical global impression. The optimal model selection with its cutoff point of the diagnostic criteria differentiating the smartphone addicted subjects from non-addicted subjects was then determined by the best diagnostic accuracy.Six symptom criteria model with optimal cutoff point were determined based on the maximal diagnostic accuracy. The proposed smartphone addiction diagnostic criteria consisted of (1 six symptom criteria, (2 four functional impairment criteria and (3 exclusion criteria. Setting three symptom criteria as the cutoff point resulted in the highest diagnostic accuracy (84.3%, while the sensitivity and specificity were 79.4% and 87.5%, respectively. We suggested determining the functional impairment by two or more of the four domains considering the high accessibility and penetration of smartphone use.The diagnostic criteria of smartphone addiction demonstrated the core symptoms "impaired control" paralleled with substance related and addictive disorders. The functional impairment involved multiple domains provide a strict standard for clinical assessment.

Diagnostic accuracy of detection and quantification of HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA using dried blood spot (DBS) samples - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lange, Berit; Roberts, Teri; Cohn, Jennifer; Greenman, Jamie; Camp, Johannes; Ishizaki, Azumi; Messac, Luke; Tuaillon, Edouard; van de Perre, Philippe; Pichler, Christine; Denkinger, Claudia M; Easterbrook, Philippa

2017-11-01

. Varying storage conditions resulted in a decrease in accuracy for quantification but not for reported positivity. These findings show a high level of diagnostic performance for the use of DBS for HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA detection. However, this was based on a limited number and quality of studies. There is a need for development of standardized protocols by manufacturers on the use of DBS with their assays, as well as for larger studies on use of DBS conducted in different settings and with varying storage conditions.

Transbronchial Lung Cryobiopsy and Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Lung Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease. A Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Iftikhar, Imran H; Alghothani, Lana; Sardi, Alejandro; Berkowitz, David; Musani, Ali I

2017-07-01

Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy is increasingly being used for the assessment of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. Several studies have shown larger biopsy samples and higher yields compared with conventional transbronchial biopsies. However, the higher risk of bleeding and other complications has raised concerns for widespread use of this modality. To study the diagnostic accuracy and safety profile of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy and compare with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) by reviewing available evidence from the literature. Medline and PubMed were searched from inception until December 2016. Data on diagnostic performance were abstracted by constructing two-by-two contingency tables for each study. Data on a priori selected safety outcomes were collected. Risk of bias was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to obtain summary estimates of the diagnostic accuracy. The pooled diagnostic yield, pooled sensitivity, and pooled specificity of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy were 83.7% (76.9-88.8%), 87% (85-89%), and 57% (40-73%), respectively. The pooled diagnostic yield, pooled sensitivity, and pooled specificity of VATS were 92.7% (87.6-95.8%), 91.0% (89-92%), and 58% (31-81%), respectively. The incidence of grade 2 (moderate to severe) endobronchial bleeding after transbronchial lung cryobiopsy and of post-procedural pneumothorax was 4.9% (2.2-10.7%) and 9.5% (5.9-14.9%), respectively. Although the diagnostic test accuracy measures of transbronchial lung cryobiopsy lag behind those of VATS, with an acceptable safety profile and potential cost savings, the former could be considered as an alternative in the evaluation of patients with diffuse parenchymal lung diseases.

Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography improves diagnostic accuracy in the symptomatic setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Tennant, S L; James, J J; Cornford, E J; Chen, Y; Burrell, H C; Hamilton, L J; Girio-Fragkoulakis, C

2016-11-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM), and gauge its "added value" in the symptomatic setting. A retrospective multi-reader review of 100 consecutive CESM examinations was performed. Anonymised low-energy (LE) images were reviewed and given a score for malignancy. At least 3 weeks later, the entire examination (LE and recombined images) was reviewed. Histopathology data were obtained for all cases. Differences in performance were assessed using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, and lesion size (versus MRI or histopathology) differences were calculated. Seventy-three percent of cases were malignant at final histology, 27% were benign following standard triple assessment. ROC analysis showed improved overall performance of CESM over LE alone, with area under the curve of 0.93 versus 0.83 (p<0.025). CESM showed increased sensitivity (95% versus 84%, p<0.025) and specificity (81% versus 63%, p<0.025) compared to LE alone, with all five readers showing improved accuracy. Tumour size estimation at CESM was significantly more accurate than LE alone, the latter tending to undersize lesions. In 75% of cases, CESM was deemed a useful or significant aid to diagnosis. CESM provides immediately available, clinically useful information in the symptomatic clinic in patients with suspicious palpable abnormalities. Radiologist sensitivity, specificity, and size accuracy for breast cancer detection and staging are all improved using CESM as the primary mammographic investigation. Copyright © 2016 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An MRI-based diagnostic framework for early diagnosis of dyslexia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Baz, A.; Casanova, M.; Mott, M.; Switala, A.; Gimel'farb, G.

2008-01-01

A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for early diagnosis of dyslexia was developed and tested. Dyslexia can severely impair the learning abilities of children so improved diagnostic methods are needed. Neuropathological studies show abnormal anatomy of the cerebral white matter (CWM) in dyslexic brains. We sought to develop an MRI-based macroscopic neuropathological correlate to the minicolumnopathy of dyslexia that relates to cortical connectivity: the gyral window. The brains of dyslexic patients often exhibit decreased gyrifications, so the thickness of gyral CWM for dyslexic subjects is greater than for normal subjects. We developed an MRI-based method for assessment of gyral CWM thickness with automated recognition of abnormal (e.g., dyslexic) brains. In vivo data was collected from 16 right-handed dyslexic men aged 18-40 years, and a group of 14 controls matched for gender, age, educational level, socioeconomic background, handedness and general intelligence. All the subjects were physically healthy and free of history of neurological diseases and head injury. Images were acquired with the same 1.5T MRI scanner (GE, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with voxel resolution 0.9375 x 0.9375 x 1.5 mm using a T1-weighted imaging sequence protocol. The ''ground truth'' diagnosis to evaluate the classification accuracy for each patient was given by the clinicians. The accuracy of diagnosis/classification of both the training and test subjects was evaluated using the Chi-square test at the three confidence levels - 85, 90 and 95% - in order to examine significant differences in the Levy distances. As expected, the 85% confidence level yielded the best results, the system correctly classified 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects (a 100% accuracy) and 14 out of 14 control subjects (a 100% accuracy). At the 90% confidence level, 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects were still classified correctly; however, only 13 out of 14 control subjects were correct, bringing the accuracy rate for the

An MRI-based diagnostic framework for early diagnosis of dyslexia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Baz, A. [University of Louisville, Bioengineering Department, Louisville, KY (United States); Casanova, M.; Mott, M.; Switala, A. [University of Louisville, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Louisville, KY (United States); Gimel' farb, G. [University of Auckland, Computer Science Department, Auckland (New Zealand)

2008-09-15

A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for early diagnosis of dyslexia was developed and tested. Dyslexia can severely impair the learning abilities of children so improved diagnostic methods are needed. Neuropathological studies show abnormal anatomy of the cerebral white matter (CWM) in dyslexic brains. We sought to develop an MRI-based macroscopic neuropathological correlate to the minicolumnopathy of dyslexia that relates to cortical connectivity: the gyral window. The brains of dyslexic patients often exhibit decreased gyrifications, so the thickness of gyral CWM for dyslexic subjects is greater than for normal subjects. We developed an MRI-based method for assessment of gyral CWM thickness with automated recognition of abnormal (e.g., dyslexic) brains. In vivo data was collected from 16 right-handed dyslexic men aged 18-40 years, and a group of 14 controls matched for gender, age, educational level, socioeconomic background, handedness and general intelligence. All the subjects were physically healthy and free of history of neurological diseases and head injury. Images were acquired with the same 1.5T MRI scanner (GE, Milwaukee, WI, USA) with voxel resolution 0.9375 x 0.9375 x 1.5 mm using a T1-weighted imaging sequence protocol. The ''ground truth'' diagnosis to evaluate the classification accuracy for each patient was given by the clinicians. The accuracy of diagnosis/classification of both the training and test subjects was evaluated using the Chi-square test at the three confidence levels - 85, 90 and 95% - in order to examine significant differences in the Levy distances. As expected, the 85% confidence level yielded the best results, the system correctly classified 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects (a 100% accuracy) and 14 out of 14 control subjects (a 100% accuracy). At the 90% confidence level, 16 out of 16 dyslexic subjects were still classified correctly; however, only 13 out of 14 control subjects were correct, bringing the

Costs, charges, and revenues for hospital diagnostic imaging procedures: differences by modality and hospital characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Sistrom, Christopher Lee; McKay, Niccie L

2005-06-01

This study examined financial data reported by Florida hospitals concerning costs, charges, and revenues related to imaging services. Financial reports to the Florida Hospital Uniform Reporting System by all licensed acute care facilities for fiscal year 2002 were used to calculate four financial indices on a per procedure basis. These included charge, net revenue, operating expense (variable cost), and contribution margin. Analysis, stratified by cost center (imaging modality), tested the effects of bed size, ownership, teaching status, and urban or rural status on the four indices. The mean operating expense and charge per procedure were as follows: computed tomography (CT): $51 and $1565; x-ray and ultrasound: $55 and $410; nuclear medicine (NM): $135 and $1138; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): $165 and $2048. With all four modalities, for-profit hospitals had higher charges than not-for-profit and public facilities. Excepting NM, however, the difference by ownership disappeared when considering net revenue. Operating expense did not differ by ownership type or bed size. Operating expense (variable cost) per procedure is considerably lower for CT than for MRI. Consequently, when diagnostically equivalent, CT is preferable to MRI in terms of costs for hospitals. If the cost structure of nonhospital imaging is at all similar to hospitals, the profit potential for performing CT and MRI seems to be substantial, which has relevance to the issue of imaging self-referral.

A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of provocative tests of the neck for diagnosing cervical radiculopathy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rubinstein, S.M.; Pool, J.J.; van Tulder, M.W.; Riphagen, II; de Vet, H.C.W.

2007-01-01

Clinical provocative tests of the neck, which position the neck and arm inorder to aggravate or relieve arm symptoms, are commonly used in clinical practice in patients with a suspected cervical radiculopathy. Their diagnostic accuracy, however, has never been examined in a systematic review. A

Diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG-PET and PET/CT in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign pleural lesions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Treglia, Giorgio; Sadeghi, Ramin; Annunziata, Salvatore; Lococo, Filippo; Cafarotti, Stefano; Bertagna, Francesco; Prior, John O; Ceriani, Luca; Giovanella, Luca

2014-01-01

To systematically review and meta-analyze published data about the diagnostic accuracy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/computed tomography (CT) in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign pleural lesions. A comprehensive literature search of studies published through June 2013 regarding the diagnostic performance of (18)F-FDG-PET and PET/CT in the differential diagnosis of pleural lesions was carried out. All retrieved studies were reviewed and qualitatively analyzed. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR+ and LR-) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of (18)F-FDG-PET or PET/CT in the differential diagnosis of pleural lesions on a per-patient-based analysis were calculated. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to measure the accuracy of these methods. Subanalyses considering device used (PET or PET/CT) were performed. Sixteen studies including 745 patients were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis of 11 selected studies provided the following results: sensitivity 95% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 92-97%), specificity 82% (95%CI: 76-88%), LR+ 5.3 (95%CI: 2.4-11.8), LR- 0.09 (95%CI: 0.05-0.14), DOR 74 (95%CI: 34-161). The AUC was 0.95. No significant improvement of the diagnostic accuracy considering PET/CT studies only was found. (18)F-FDG-PET and PET/CT demonstrated to be accurate diagnostic imaging methods in the differential diagnosis between malignant and benign pleural lesions; nevertheless, possible sources of false-negative and false-positive results should be kept in mind. Copyright © 2014 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of symptoms and signs

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Giesen, Leonie GM

2010-10-24

Abstract Background Acute urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common bacterial infections among women presenting to primary care. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal reference standard threshold for diagnosing UTI. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of symptoms and signs in women presenting with suspected UTI, across three different reference standards (102 or 103 or 105 CFU\\/ml). We also examine the diagnostic value of individual symptoms and signs combined with dipstick test results in terms of clinical decision making. Methods Searches were performed through PubMed (1966 to April 2010), EMBASE (1973 to April 2010), Cochrane library (1973 to April 2010), Google scholar and reference checking. Studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of symptoms and signs of an uncomplicated UTI using a urine culture from a clean-catch or catherised urine specimen as the reference standard, with a reference standard of at least ≥ 102 CFU\\/ml were included. Synthesised data from a high quality systematic review were used regarding dipstick results. Studies were combined using a bivariate random effects model. Results Sixteen studies incorporating 3,711 patients are included. The weighted prior probability of UTI varies across diagnostic threshold, 65.1% at ≥ 102 CFU\\/ml; 55.4% at ≥ 103 CFU\\/ml and 44.8% at ≥ 102 CFU\\/ml ≥ 105 CFU\\/ml. Six symptoms are identified as useful diagnostic symptoms when a threshold of ≥ 102 CFU\\/ml is the reference standard. Presence of dysuria (+LR 1.30 95% CI 1.20-1.41), frequency (+LR 1.10 95% CI 1.04-1.16), hematuria (+LR 1.72 95%CI 1.30-2.27), nocturia (+LR 1.30 95% CI 1.08-1.56) and urgency (+LR 1.22 95% CI 1.11-1.34) all increase the probability of UTI. The presence of vaginal discharge (+LR 0.65 95% CI 0.51-0.83) decreases the probability of UTI. Presence of hematuria has the highest diagnostic utility, raising the post-test probability of

Software-based hybrid perfusion SPECT/CT provides diagnostic accuracy when other pulmonary embolism imaging is indeterminate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Nishant; Xie, Karen; Mar, Winnie; Anderson, Thomas M.; Carney, Benjamin; Mehta, Nikhil; Machado, Roberto; Blend, Michael J.; Lu, Yang [University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System, Chicago (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

To investigate the diagnostic performance of perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (Q-SPECT/CT) in patients suspected to have pulmonary embolism (PE) but with indeterminate computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or planar ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans. This retrospective study included two groups of patients. Group I consisted of 49 patients with nondiagnostic CTPA. These 49 patients underwent subsequent V/Q scans. Further Q-SPECTs were obtained in patients with indeterminate planar images and fused with existing CTPA. Group II consisted of 182 non-CTPA patients with indeterminate V/Q scans. These 182 patients underwent further Q-SPECT and separate noncontrast low-dose CT chest. Fusion Q-SPECT/CT scans were obtained through FDA-approved software and interpreted according to published criteria as positive, negative, or indeterminate for PE. Upon retrospective analyses, the final diagnosis was made using composite reference standards including all available clinical and imaging information for at least 6-month follow-up. In group I patients, 1 was positive, 24 were negative, and another 24 (49 %, 24/49) were indeterminate. In the subsequent 24 Q-SPECT/CTPAs, 4 were positive, 19 were negative, and 1 was indeterminate (4.2 %, 1/24). In group II patients, 9 (4.9 %, 9/182) were indeterminate, 33 were positive, and 140 were negative. The combined nondiagnostic rate for Q-SPECT/CT was only 4.9 % (10/206). There was six false-negative and one false-positive Q-SPECT/CT examinations. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of Q-SPECT/CT were 85.7 % (36/42), 99.4 % (153/154), 97.3 % (36/37) and 96.2 % (153/159), respectively. Q-SPECT/CT improves the diagnostic rate with promising accuracy in diagnosing PE that yields a satisfactory clinical verdict, especially when the CTPA and planar V/Q scan are indeterminate.

Diagnostic accuracy of the electromyography parameters associated with anterior knee pain in the diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Deisi; Kuriki, Heloyse Uliam; Silva, Cristiano Rocha; Alves, Neri; Mícolis de Azevedo, Fábio

2014-08-01

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the surface electromyography (sEMG) parameters associated with referred anterior knee pain in diagnosing patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Sensitivity and specificity analysis. Physical rehabilitation center and laboratory of biomechanics and motor control. Pain-free subjects (n=29) and participants with PFPS (n=22) selected by convenience. Not applicable. The diagnostic accuracy was calculated for sEMG parameters' reliability, precision, and ability to differentiate participants with and without PFPS. The selected sEMG parameter associated with anterior knee pain was considered as an index test and was compared with the reference standard for the diagnosis of PFPS. Intraclass correlation coefficient, SEM, independent t tests, sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive likelihood ratios, and negative and positive predictive values were used for the statistical analysis. The medium-frequency band (B2) parameter was reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient=.80-.90), precise (SEM=2.71-3.87 normalized unit), and able to differentiate participants with and without PFPS (Ppain showed positive diagnostic accuracy values (specificity, .87; sensitivity, .70; negative likelihood ratio, .33; positive likelihood ratio, 5.63; negative predictive value, .72; and positive predictive value, .86). The results provide evidence to support the use of EMG signals (B2-frequency band of 45-96 Hz) of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles with referred anterior knee pain in the diagnosis of PFPS. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical and laboratory signs associated to serious dengue disease in hospitalized children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheila Moura Pone

2016-09-01

Conclusions: Lethargy, abdominal distension, pleural effusion, and hypoalbuminemia were the best clinical and laboratorial markers of serious dengue disease in hospitalized children, while bleeding, severe hemorrhage, hemoconcentration and thrombocytopenia did not reach adequate diagnostic accuracy. In pediatric referral hospitals, the absence of hemoconcentration does not imply absence of plasma leakage, particularly in children with previous fluid replacement. These findings may contribute to the clinical management of dengue in children at referral hospitals.

Diagnostic accuracy of modified CT severity index in assessing severity of acute pancreatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehan, A.; Shaukat, A.

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of serum iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) in detection of iron deficiency. Study Design: Descriptive, analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology, from January 2013 to October 2015. Methodology: Data of 1,815 patients with results of serum iron, TIBC and ferritin from January 2013 to October 2015 was retrieved from Laboratory information System (LIMS) of AFIP. Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) guidelines were followed. Subjects of either gender, aged 1 - 68 years were included. Cases with raised serum ferritin levels (male > 336 ng/ml, female > 307 ng/ml) were excluded. Serum Ferritin was taken as gold standard with specificity of 99% and sensitivity of 80% at concentration of 30 ng/ml. Transferrin saturation was determined by dividing serum iron by TIBC and multiplying by 100. Results: Out of 1,815 subjects, 931 (51.29%) were males and 884 (48.71%) were females. The median age of the patients were 29.1 years (Inter-quartile range, IQR 19.1). Taking ferritin as gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of serum iron was 63.5% and 38.6%, respectively; while that of TIBC was 64.5 % and 42.8%, respectively. Ferritin showed poor correlation with iron, TIBC and transferrin saturation. Conclusion: Serum iron and TIBC give no additional information in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and these tests are redundant for the diagnosis of iron deficiency state, if serum ferritin is available. (author)

Improvement of diagnostic accuracy, and clinical evaluation of computed tomography and ultrasonography for deep seated cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arimizu, Noboru

1980-01-01

Cancers of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas which were difficult to be detected at an early stage were studied. Diagnostic accuracy of CT and ultrasonography for vesectable small cancers was investigated by the project team and coworkers. Only a few cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, cancer of the common bile duct, and cancer of the pancreas head, with the maximum diameter of 1 - 2 cm, were able to be diagnosed by CT. There seemed to be more false negative cases with small cancers of that size. The limit of the size which could be detected by CT was thought to be 2 - 3 cm. Similar results were obtained by ultrasonography. Cancer of the pancreas body with the maximum diameter of less than 3.5 cm could not be detected by both CT and ultrasonography. Diagnostic accuracy of CT for liver cancer was improved by selective intraarterial injection of contrast medium. Improvement of the quality of ultrasonograms was achieved through this study. Merits and demerits of CT and ultrasonography were also compared. (Tsunoda, M.)

Improvement of diagnostic accuracy, and clinical evaluation of computed tomography and ultrasonography for deep seated cancers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arimizu, N [Chiba Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

1980-06-01

Cancers of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas which were difficult to be detected at an early stage were studied. Diagnostic accuracy of CT and ultrasonography for resectable small cancers was investigated by the project team and co-workers. Only a few cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, cancer of the common bile duct, and cancer of the pancreas head, with the maximum diameter of 1 - 2 cm, were able to be diagnosed by CT. There seemed to be more false negative cases with small cancers of that size. The limit of the size which could be detected by CT was thought to be 2 - 3 cm. Similar results were obtained by ultrasonography. Cancer of the pancreas body with the maximum diameter of less than 3.5 cm could not be detected by both CT and ultrasonography. Diagnostic accuracy of CT for liver cancer was improved by selective intraarterial injection of contrast medium. Improvement of the quality of ultrasonograms was achieved through this study. Merits and demerits of CT and ultrasonography were also compared.

Chilean version of the INECO Frontal Screening (IFS-Ch: Psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josefina Ihnen

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: This study sought to analyze the psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of the Chilean version of the INECO Frontal Screening (IFS-Ch in a sample of dementia patients and control Methods: After adapting the instrument to the Chilean context and obtaining content validity evidence through expert consultation, the IFS-Ch was administered to 31 dementia patients and 30 control subjects together with other executive assessments (Frontal Assessment Battery [FAB], Modified version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [MCST], phonemic verbal fluencies [letters A and P] and semantic verbal fluency [animals] and global cognitive efficiency tests (Mini mental State Examination [MMSE] and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised [ACE-R]. Caregivers of dementia patients and proxies of control subjects were interviewed with instruments measuring dysexecutive symptoms (Dysexecutive Questionnaire [DEX], dementia severity (Clinical Dementia Rating Scale [CDR] and functional status in activities of daily living (Activities of Daily Living Scale [IADL] and Technology-Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire [T-ADLQ]. Convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency reliability, cut-off points, sensitivity and specificity for the IFS-Ch were estimated. Results: Evidence of content validity was obtained. Evidence of convergent validity was also found showing significant correlations (p<0.05 between the IFS-Ch and the other instruments measuring: executive functions (FAB, r=0.935; categories achieved in the MCST, r=0.791; perseverative errors in the MCST, r= -0.617; animal verbal fluency, r=0.728; A verbal fluency, r=0.681; and P verbal fluency, r=0.783, dysexecutive symptoms in daily living (DEX, r= -0.494, dementia severity (CDR, r= -0.75 and functional status in activities of daily living (T-ADLQ, r= -0.745; IADL, r=0.717. Regarding reliability, a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.905 was obtained. For diagnostic accuracy

Diagnostic accuracy of presepsin (sCD14-ST) as a biomarker of infection and sepsis in the emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

de Guadiana Romualdo, Luis García; Torrella, Patricia Esteban; Acebes, Sergio Rebollo; Otón, María Dolores Albaladejo; Sánchez, Roberto Jiménez; Holgado, Ana Hernando; Santos, Enrique Jiménez; Freire, Alejandro Ortín

2017-01-01

Presepsin is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis. However, results reported about its value to diagnose sepsis in an emergency department (ED) are controversial, probably due to differences in the design of the studies. We have evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of presepsin for infection and sepsis, compared with procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP), in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with suspected infection. 223 patients with suspected infection were enrolled for the study. Blood samples were collected on admission for measurement of biomarkers. Definitive diagnosis was obtained afterwards by analysis of digital medical records. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to determine the diagnostic accuracy. Infection was confirmed in 200 patients, including 130 with non-complicated infection and 70 with sepsis. Median CRP, PCT and presepsin levels were significantly higher in patients with infection and sepsis. PCT was the biomarker with the highest performance for infection (ROC AUC: 0.910); for sepsis, PCT (ROC AUC: 0.815) and presepsin (ROC AUC: 0.775) shown a similar performance. Although presepsin is a valuable biomarker for diagnosis of infection and sepsis, its diagnostic accuracy in our study does not improve that of PCT. Its introduction in clinical practice is not justified. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic accuracy of CT in assessing extra-regional lymphadenopathy in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Dorine S J; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Fegrachi, Samira; Besselink, Marc G; Zuithoff, Nicolaas P A; Borel Rinkes, Inne H; van Leeuwen, Maarten S; Molenaar, I Quintus

2014-12-01

Computed tomography (CT) is the most widely used method to assess resectability of pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. One of the contra-indications for curative resection is the presence of extra-regional lymph node metastases. This meta-analysis investigates the accuracy of CT in assessing extra-regional lymph node metastases in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. We systematically reviewed the literature according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting on CT assessment of extra-regional lymph nodes in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were included. Data on baseline characteristics, CT-investigations and histopathological outcomes were extracted. Diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity and specificity were calculated for individual studies and pooled data. After screening, 4 cohort studies reporting on CT-findings and histopathological outcome in 157 patients with pancreatic or peri-ampullary cancer were included. Overall, diagnostic accuracy, specificity and NPV varied from 63 to 81, 80-100% and 67-90% respectively. However, PPV and sensitivity ranged from 0 to 100% and 0-38%. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 25%, 86%, 28% and 84% respectively. CT has a low diagnostic accuracy in assessing extra-regional lymph node metastases in pancreatic and peri-ampullary cancer. Therefore, suspicion of extra-regional lymph node metastases on CT alone should not be considered a contra-indication for exploration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison between the diagnostic accuracy of clinico-pathological and molecular tests for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelica Stranieri

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP of conventional clinic-pathological tests with that of molecular tests such as routine PCR and PCR followed by the sequencing of the Spike (S gene. Blood, effusion and tissues specimens were collected from 21 FIP suspected cats. In vivo examination consisted of CBC, serum protein electrophoresis, AGP measurement, cytological and biochemical examination and the evaluation of the ΔTNC on effusions, and of molecular tests such the screening PCR (target: 3’UTR region and the PCR directed towards the S gene followed by the amplification products sequencing in order to detect the aminoacidic substitution recently considered diagnostic for FIP1. These molecular techniques were applied to tissues collected during necropsy, which also allowed forming an FIP group (13 cats and a non-FIP group (5 cats based on histology and immunohistochemistry. The best test on tissues was immunohistochemistry (sens: 92.3%; spec: 100%, while the screening PCR suffered of low specificity (spec: 33.3% and the S gene sequencing showed low sensitivity (sens: 69.2%.On effusions, the best tests resulted screening PCR and cytology (sens and spec: 100% in comparison with the ΔTNC measurement (sens: 85.7 %; spec: 100% and the S gene sequencing (sens: 42.8%; spec: 100%.On blood, the best test resulted AGP measurement (sens: 81.8%; spec: 100%, while serum protein electrophoresis showed a surprisingly low sensitivity (sens: 41.7%. Screening PCR (sens: 55.6%; spec: 100% and S gene sequencing (sens: 33.3%; spec: 100% proved again low accuracy.

Molecular tools for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis: systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.

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de Ruiter, C M; van der Veer, C; Leeflang, M M G; Deborggraeve, S; Lucas, C; Adams, E R

2014-09-01

Molecular methods have been proposed as highly sensitive tools for the detection of Leishmania parasites in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. Here, we evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tools in a meta-analysis of the published literature. The selection criteria were original studies that evaluate the sensitivities and specificities of molecular tests for diagnosis of VL, adequate classification of study participants, and the absolute numbers of true positives and negatives derivable from the data presented. Forty studies met the selection criteria, including PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The sensitivities of the individual studies ranged from 29 to 100%, and the specificities ranged from 25 to 100%. The pooled sensitivity of PCR in whole blood was 93.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.0 to 95.2), and the specificity was 95.6% (95% CI, 87.0 to 98.6). The specificity was significantly lower in consecutive studies, at 63.3% (95% CI, 53.9 to 71.8), due either to true-positive patients not being identified by parasitological methods or to the number of asymptomatic carriers in areas of endemicity. PCR for patients with HIV-VL coinfection showed high diagnostic accuracy in buffy coat and bone marrow, ranging from 93.1 to 96.9%. Molecular tools are highly sensitive assays for Leishmania detection and may contribute as an additional test in the algorithm, together with a clear clinical case definition. We observed wide variety in reference standards and study designs and now recommend consecutively designed studies. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Diagnostic Accuracy of APRI, AAR, FIB-4, FI, and King Scores for Diagnosis of Esophageal Varices in Liver Cirrhosis: A Retrospective Study.

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Deng, Han; Qi, Xingshun; Peng, Ying; Li, Jing; Li, Hongyu; Zhang, Yongguo; Liu, Xu; Sun, Xiaolin; Guo, Xiaozhong

2015-12-20

BACKGROUND Aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), FIB-4, fibrosis index (FI), and King scores might be alternatives to the use of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for the diagnosis of esophageal varices (EVs) in liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to evaluate their diagnostic accuracy in predicting the presence and severity of EVs in liver cirrhosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS All patients who were consecutively admitted to our hospital and underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy between January 2012 and June 2014 were eligible for this retrospective study. Areas under curve (AUCs) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and splenectomy. RESULTS A total of 650 patients with liver cirrhosis were included, and 81.4% of them had moderate-severe EVs. In the overall analysis, the AUCs of these non-invasive scores for predicting moderate-severe EVs and presence of any EVs were 0.506-0.6 and 0.539-0.612, respectively. In the subgroup analysis of patients without UGIB, their AUCs for predicting moderate-severe varices and presence of any EVs were 0.601-0.664 and 0.596-0.662, respectively. In the subgroup analysis of patients without UGIB or splenectomy, their AUCs for predicting moderate-severe varices and presence of any EVs were 0.627-0.69 and 0.607-0.692, respectively. CONCLUSIONS APRI, AAR, FIB-4, FI, and King scores had modest diagnostic accuracy of EVs in liver cirrhosis. They might not be able to replace the utility of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for the diagnosis of EVs in liver cirrhosis.