Evaluating Two Measures of Lumbar Spine MRI Overuse: Administrative Data Versus Chart Review.

Purpose: Lumbar spine (LS) MRI overuse may be identified in administrative data, but these data may lack the detailed clinical information needed to correctly assess overuse. The aim of this study was to compare chart review with analysis of administrative data to determine the appropriateness of LS MRI.

Methods: The sensitivity and specificity of the administrative method were determined, with inappropriateness regarded as the positive result, as if chart review determined the true state.

Content-based image retrieval in radiology: analysis of variability in human perception of similarity.

We aim to develop a better understanding of perception of similarity in focal computed tomography (CT) liver images to determine the feasibility of techniques for developing reference sets for training and validating content-based image retrieval systems. In an observer study, four radiologists and six nonradiologists assessed overall similarity and similarity in 5 image features in 136 pairs of focal CT liver lesions. We computed intra- and inter-reader agreements in these similarity ratings and viewed the distributions of the ratings.

Portal vein thrombosis following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity.

Introduction: Portal vein thrombosis has been documented after laparoscopic general surgery and has been uncommonly observed after laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Among bariatric operations, the sleeve gastrectomy is being performed with ever-increasing frequency. Here we report the case of a man who presented with portal vein thrombosis after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Using contrast-enhanced helical CT to visualize arterial extravasation after blunt abdominal trauma: incidence and organ distribution.

Objective: We evaluated the incidence and organ distribution of arterial extravasation identified using contrast-enhanced helical CT in patients who had sustained abdominal visceral injuries and pelvic fractures after blunt trauma.

Subjects And Methods: Five hundred sixty-five consecutive patients from four level I trauma centers who had CT scans showing abdominal visceral injuries or pelvic fractures were included in this series. The presence or absence of arterial extravasation, as well as the anatomic sites of arterial extravasation, was noted.