This case series emphasizes the role of USG in the diagnosis of isolated soft tissue cysticercosis. We assessed its value for identifying features such as the location of the cyst, the presence or absence of abscess, and the presence or absence of a scolex within the cyst. Three USG patterns were seen and are described.
SUMMARY A method of diagnosing gastrooesophageal reflux using ultrasound is described. This method was compared with barium swallow examination in 20 patients and found to be as accurate in infants and young children.Gastro-oesophageal reflux is an important cause of failure to thrive in infants and children. It may also lead to blood loss and repeated chest infections and is implicated as one of the factors in 'cot death'.' Barium swallow examination is the established method of diagnosing reflux in infants and children. In our department 64 barium examinations were carried out in 1982 for suspected gastro-oesophageal reflux. We describe a method of diagnosing this important condition using real time ultrasound equipment.
Materials and methodTwenty infants and children from age 4 days to 16 years were studied by both barium and ultrasound techniques. The examinations were performed by two operators. The barium swallow was done first and was followed almost immediately by ultrasound, without the second operator knowing the result of the barium examination.For the barium examination, a standard technique was used combined with fluoroscopy and spot films. Ultrasound examinations were carried out with the patient in the supine position. A commercially available real time sector scanner (ATL 500) was used with 3.5 MHz in-line transducer with a 900 sector. The transducer was placed in the epigastrium below the xiphisternum to obtain a midline sagittal section going through the skin and subcutaneous tissues, left lobe of the liver, aorta, left hemidiaphragm, and the spine. It is important that the section contains several centimetres length of the long axis of the aorta and certainly 1 to 2 cm above and 2 cm below the diaphragm. The transducer is then moved to the right of the midline (approximately 2 cm) and the beam is angled slightly medially to ensure that the aorta remains in the section. In our experience, the cardia is outlined easily with this slight angulation of the beam. To ensure that the oesophagus empties completely the baby is held in the erect position or the child is made to sit up at least twice and is then scanned again in the supine position. The examination is observed on the screen and recorded intermittently on a video cassette recorder. Hard copy on photographic paper is obtained by a freeze frame facility but this leads to considerable degradation of the recorded detail of the dynamic nature of the reflux.Results
Context:To evaluate the additional information that susceptibility weighted sequences and datasets would provide in acute stroke.Aims:The aim of this study were to assess the value addition of susceptibility weighted magnetic resonance imaging (SWI) of brain in patients with acute arterial infarct.Materials and Methods:All patients referred for a complete brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between March 2010 and March 2011 at our institution had SWI as part of routine MRI (T1, T2, and diffusion imaging). Retrospective study of 62 consecutive patients with acute arterial infarct was evaluated for the presence of macroscopic hemorrhage, petechial micro-bleeds, dark middle cerebral artery (MCA) sign and prominent vessels in the vicinity of infarct.Results:SWI was found to detect hemorrhage not seen on other routine MRI sequences in 22 patients. Out of 62 patients, 17 (10 petechial) had hemorrhage less than 50% and 5 patients had greater than 50% area of hemorrhage. A “dark artery sign” due to thrombus within the artery was seen in 8 out of 62 patients. Prominent cortical and intraparenchymal veins were seen in 14 out of 62 patients.Conclusions:SWI has been previously shown to be sensitive in detecting hemorrhage; however is not routinely used in stroke evaluation. Our study shows that SWI, by virtue of identifying unsuspected hemorrhage, central occluded vessel, and venous congestion is additive in value to the routine MR exam and should be part of a routine MR brain in patients suspected of having an acute infarct.
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