Publications by authors named "John Mathieson"
Objectives: The Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations suggests that patients suspected of transient ischemic attack (TIA)/minor stroke receive urgent brain imaging, preferably computed tomography angiography (CTA). Yet, high requisition rates for non-cerebrovascular patients overburden limited radiological resources, putting patients at risk. We hypothesize that our clinical decision support tool (CDST) developed for risk stratification of TIA in the emergency department (ED), and which incorporates Canadian guidelines, could improve CTA utilization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To report neural plasticity changes after severe traumatic brain injury.
Setting: Case-control study.
Participants: Canadian soldier, Captain Trevor Greene survived a severe open-traumatic brain injury during a 2006 combat tour in Afghanistan.
Purpose: A study was performed to evaluate the ACR Select software in determining the level of appropriateness of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Island Health in British Columbia.
Methods: A total of 1228 consecutive CT and MRI studies performed in a 3-day period were entered into a software program provided by the National Decision Support Company based on the ACR Appropriateness Criteria. The program was able to analyze 93% (1141) of these studies.
Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate whether a bowel preparation used for computed tomography (CT) colonography could also be suitable for same-day colonoscopy regardless of which test was done first.
Method: Six different endoscopists working at 3 separate hospitals evaluated 75 patients who underwent colonoscopy after receiving a bowel preparation that contained contrast material used to tag fecal and fluid material to facilitate CT colonography. This bowel preparation has been used in more than 1500 CT colonography studies.
Purpose: This study was designed to determine whether a reduction in oral contrast dose and a change in timing of administration will result in less residual material in the colonic lumen.
Method: We retrospectively assessed, in a blinded fashion, the amount and nature of residual material in the colon in 40 patients who received computed tomography colonography. Half of the cohort received the standard bowel-preparation regimen, whereas a sex- and age-matched test arm received the modified regimen.
Purpose: The Radiology Department, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, BC, with the support of gastroenterologists and surgeons, was awarded a BC Innovation fund to run a pilot project of computed tomographic colonography to reduce an unacceptably long 2-year colonoscopy waiting list. Funds were approved in April 2007 for a 1-year project, which was completed on March 31, 2008.
Methods: This article describes the challenges of delivering a high-volume computed tomographic colonography program at a busy community hospital, with discussion of the results for the 2,005 patients who were examined.
Background: Despite contemporary therapies for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), morbidity and mortality remain high. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are common among patients with ACS and may contribute to ongoing risk. Strategies that raise levels of HDL cholesterol, such as inhibition of cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), might reduce risk after ACS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This study was designed to assess whether spasmolytic drugs are helpful in computed tomography colonography (CTC), as there is conflict in the literature.
Method: We assessed retrospectively in a blinded fashion colonic distention in 149 individuals, one-half of whom had intravenous (IV) Buscopan during CTC. Colonic segments (n = 1788) were analyzed by 2 observers, and allocated to one of 4 grades of distention.