The sonographic quantitative assessment of the deltoid muscle to detect type 2 diabetes mellitus: a potential noninvasive and sensitive screening method?

Background: In our previous published study, we demonstrated that a qualitatively assessed elevation in deltoid muscle echogenicity on ultrasound was both sensitive for and a strong predictor of a type 2 diabetes (T2DM) diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate if a sonographic quantitative assessment of the deltoid muscle can be used to detect T2DM.

Methods: Deltoid muscle ultrasound images from 124 patients were stored: 31 obese T2DM, 31 non-obese T2DM, 31 obese non-T2DM and 31 non-obese non-T2DM.

Sonographic evaluation of the association between calcific tendinopathy and rotator cuff tear: a case-controlled comparison.

Objectives: To compare the incidence of rotator cuff (RC) tears on shoulder ultrasounds of patients with RC calcific tendinopathy (CaT) to that of a control group without CaT.

Method: In this retrospective case-control study, 50 shoulder ultrasounds of patients with CaT were compared independently by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists to 50 patients from a control group without CaT to catalog the number and type of RC tears. RC tears in the CaT group were further characterized based on location, into tears in the specific tendon(s) containing calcium versus all tendon tears.

Statins in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy.

Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions are common procedures that utilize iodinated contrast medium to visualize the coronary arterial tree and treat stable and unstable ischemic heart syndromes. Exposure to contrast agents can cause acute and persistent worsening of renal function leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Certain patient characteristics such as age, presence of diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, hemodynamic instability on presentation, and type and volume of contrast used can increase the risk of developing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and its subsequent complications.