No abstract

Abdominal A-IMT increased at a significant rate in patients with HT. An independent association was found between MBPS and A-IMT, which can both be easily detected by ABPM and B-mode USG. The high MBPS level was considered to be a simple and inexpensive method for detecting subclinical target organ damage. A-IMT measurement should also be a part of abdominal USG, which is a routine examination in HT patients.

No abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of cross-sectional area (CSA), resistive index (RI), and strain ratio (SR) in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Design This prospective and case-control study included patients with a diagnosis of CTS and a healthy control group. The participants were examined with an ultrasound Doppler system equipped with a high-resolution (5–18 MHz) linear probe (Philips L18-5). CSA, RI, and SR values were compared. Results CSA, RI, and SR were found to be effective tools to detect the presence of CTS (regardless of severity). The cut-off value of 11.25 mm2 for CSA had a sensitivity and specificity of 97.2% and 88.0%, respectively. The cut-off value of 0.740 for RI had a sensitivity and specificity of 94.4% and 94.0%, respectively. The cut-off value of 1.95 for SR had a sensitivity and specificity of 97.2% and 84.0%, respectively. In respect of the severity of CTS, ultrasound was found to be an effective method to classify severe CTS cases only. Conclusion The CSA, SR, and RI seem to have excellent accuracy in the diagnosis of CTS. When the grading of severity is considered, ultrasound seems to be sensitive and specific in differentiating severe CTS cases from mild or moderate CTS cases.

Purpose We aimed to investigate the relation between renal cortical stiffness (CS) obtained by shear-wave elastography (SWE) and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) development in interventional treatment-planned acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Methods Our study group consisted of 465 ACS patients. Routine laboratory assessments, B-mode, Doppler, and SWE renal ultrasonography (USG) evaluations were performed. Renal resistive index (RRI), renal pulsatility index (RPI), and acceleration time (AT) and CS were measured. Patients were grouped as with and without CIN. Results Among the study group, 55 patients (11.8%) had CIN. Age, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), basal creatinine, CK-MB and troponin I levels, contrast volume, contrast volume/weight ratio, SYNTAX score, RRI, RPI, AT, and CS values were significantly higher in patients with CIN. eGFR was lower in patients who developed CIN. Age, contrast volume/weight ratio, and CS were determined as independent predictors of CIN occurrence in logistic regression analysis. In multivariate logistic analysis, increase of age (each year), contrast volume/weight (each 0.2 mL/kg), and CS (each 1 kPa) were found to augment the development of CIN by 7.1, 59.5, and 62.3%, respectively. In the ROC analysis, CS had the highest AUROC value. The cutoff value of CS obtained by the ROC curve analysis was 7 kPa for the CIN development (sensitivity: 74.5%, specificity: 72.5%). Conclusion CS value is a simple, cheap, reproducible, noninvasive, and objective parameter for the detection of CIN development. ACS patients should be directed to renal USG, and routine CS value should be written besides USG measurements in reports.

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the thickness and stiffness of the diaphragm, using ultrasound (US) and strain elastography (SE) in patients with hyperkyphosis due to osteoporotic vertebral fracture. Material and methods This prospective and case-control study was conducted between October 2019 and December 2019. Diaphragm thickness, SE, and strain ratio values of patients with hyperkyphosis due to osteoporotic vertebral fracture were compared with those of the control group. Results There were 42 patients (14 males, 28 females) with a mean age of 81.10 ± 6.3 years in the kyphosis group and 36 subjects (11 males, 25 females) with a mean age of 81.00 ± 5.5 years in the control group. End-inspirium thickness, change level, and thickening ratio of the diaphragm were significantly higher in the control group ( p < 0.001 for all). Strain ratio values were significantly higher in the kyphosis group, and the rate of hardest colour code was significantly higher in the control group. The diaphragm thickness at end-inspirium and thickening ratio values correlated positively with the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 , %) and forced vital capacity (FVC, %) values. The strain ratio values correlated inversely with the FEV 1 (%) and FVC (%) values. The diaphragm thickness at end-inspirium and thickening ratio values correlated inversely with the Cobb values and number of vertebra fractures. A positive correlation was determined between the strain ratio values and the Cobb values and number of vertebra fractures. Conclusions Ultrasonography is a promising imaging tool to evaluate and quantify the diaphragm function and stiffness in relevant patients.

ObjectiveThis study was performed to assess the complication and diagnostic rates of computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of pulmonary parenchymal and mediastinal lesions.MethodsPatients who were suspected to have a malignancy based on chest imaging and CT and could not be otherwise diagnosed were evaluated.ResultsSixty-five patients were included; 48 (73.8%) were male and 17 (26.2%) were female. Their average age was 58 years. The lesion size ranged from 11 to 105 mm. The most common specific histologic subtype was adenocarcinoma, and the least common was lymphoma. The diagnostic rate was 90.8%. The mean complication rate was 15.4%. Statistically significant associations were found between the complication rate and needle size and between the needle path length and lesion size.ConclusionCT-guided needle biopsy is an effective diagnostic method for patients with mediastinal and parenchymal lesions before thoracotomy. This method can also reliably differentiate benign and malignant tumors.

No abstract