The use of psychoeducation for a patient with hepatitis C and psychiatric illness in preparation for antiviral therapy: a case report and discussion.

The standard of care treatment for chronic hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin for 24-48 weeks according to the virus genotype. This therapy is known to have multiple neuropsychiatric side effects. A major concern when evaluating a patient for HCV treatment with a known history of a psychiatric disorder is the risk that the patient's psychiatric disorder will flare or become unmanageable.

Algorithm-based qualitative and semiquantitative identification of prevalent vertebral fracture: agreement between different readers, imaging modalities, and diagnostic approaches.

Unlabelled: We compared SQ and ABQ diagnosis of VF imaged by radiography and X-ray absorptiometry. Mild ABQ VF had stronger associations with osteoporosis than mild SQ VF. Interobserver agreement (radiographic diagnosis) was better for ABQ.

Reliability and accuracy of vertebral fracture assessment with densitometry compared to radiography in clinical practice.

Absorptiometry of the thoraco-lumbar spine at the time of bone densitometry to detect vertebral deformities consistent with fracture is now available. The performance of absorptiometry in clinical practice compared to radiography has not been fully established, especially in the presence of osteoarthritis or scoliosis. Our first objective was to compare absorptiometry to radiography for detection of vertebral deformity in elderly women who were referred for bone densitometry with or without scoliosis or disc space osteoarthritis excluded.

Prevalence of vertebral compression fracture deformity by X-ray absorptiometry of lateral thoracic and lumbar spines in a population referred for bone densitometry.

The presence of a vertebral compression fracture has been demonstrated to be a predictor of future fracture independent of bone mineral density in prospective cohort studies. Fan-beam densitometers are now available that can image the thoracic and lumbar spines and detect deformities consistent with fracture. We report a pilot study of 342 patients referred for bone densitometry who had lateral vertebral imaging performed.