The Danish Sarcoma Database.

Aim: The aim of the database is to gather information about sarcomas treated in Denmark in order to continuously monitor and improve the quality of sarcoma treatment in a local, a national, and an international perspective.

Study Population: Patients in Denmark diagnosed with a sarcoma, both skeletal and ekstraskeletal, are to be registered since 2009.

Main Variables: The database contains information about appearance of symptoms; date of receiving referral to a sarcoma center; date of first visit; whether surgery has been performed elsewhere before referral, diagnosis, and treatment; tumor characteristics such as location, size, malignancy grade, and growth pattern; details on treatment (kind of surgery, amount of radiation therapy, type and duration of chemotherapy); complications of treatment; local recurrence and metastases; and comorbidity.

YKL-40 expression in soft-tissue sarcomas and atypical lipomatous tumors. An immunohistochemical study of 49 tumors.

Background And Purpose: YKL-40 is a glycoprotein that is expressed in many types of cancer cells. In some cancers, there is a correlation between high serum YKL-40 levels on the one hand and more aggressive disease and early death on the other. YKL-40 has never been studied in patients with soft-tissue sarcomas (STSs).

[Malignant tumours of the hand].

Malignant tumours of the hand are rare and are often misdiagnosed. A painful swelling of the hand or digits are often diagnosed with an infection, benign tumours such as ganglion cysts, or arthritis. Wounds that do not heal despite adequate treatment should be biopsied to rule out malignancy.

A retrospective study of the association between shortening of the clavicle after fracture and the clinical outcome in 136 patients.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the association between shortening of the clavicle after a united midshaft fracture and clinical outcome. Second, the purpose was to compare the results obtained by conservative treatment with either a figure-of-eight bandage or a simple sling.

Materials And Methods: This study included 136 patients with a united, conservatively treated, midshaft clavicle fracture.

Pseudoaneurysm of the posterior circumflex humeral artery diagnosed by sonography.

We report a rare case of a pseudoaneurysm of the posterior circumflex humeral artery, probably related to a steroid injection in the shoulder 3 months earlier. The clinical presentation was atypical and the location not previously described in the literature. The patient was referred with a painless, nonpulsatile mass in the posterior shoulder region and was suspected of a malignant soft-tissue tumor.

[Elbow arthroplasty].

Each year, about 80 elbow arthroplasties are performed in Denmark. Approximately two thirds are done due to rheumatoid arthritis, the others due to comminuted fractures of the elbow, especially in elderly patients. The prosthesis is fixed with or without bone cement, and there are two different types of elbow prostheses: linked, in which the humerus and ulna are connected by a sloppy hinge, and non-linked, in which stability is dependent on the soft tissues of the elbow.

[Shoulder arthroplasty].

Every year, almost 500 shoulder arthroplasties are performed in Denmark. About two-thirds are done due to fractures of the proximal humerus. Other common indications are rheumatoid arthritis and primary or secondary arthrosis.

The advantages of MRI in the detection of occult hip fractures.

While the displaced hip fracture can be visualized easily by plain radiography, the non-displaced fracture may be radiographically occult and require different imaging modalities, e.g., MRI for proper visualization.

MRI diagnosis of fracture of the scaphoid bone: impact of a new practice where the images are read by radiographers.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiographers are able to evaluate MRI examinations with regard to scaphoid fractures to save patients unnecessary immobilization and clinical and radiographic examinations, and to reduce the costs for the hospital as well as society in general.

Materials And Methods: Over a 1-year period 224 consecutive patients with a suspected clinical scaphoid fracture but negative radiography were referred for MRI and examined within 11 hours. The MR images were primarily evaluated by the MRI radiographer on duty.

Prospective comparison of differences in bone mineral density adjacent to two biomechanically different types of cementless femoral stems.

We compared the differences in bone mineral density (BMD) adjacent to two biomechanically different cementless femoral stems (Spotorno and Evolution-K). Measurements were performed within the first week after surgery and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively in a prospective study of 31 patients with 37 total hip arthroplasties. A modified Harris hip score and a visual analogue score for patient satisfaction was used to evaluate the clinical outcome.

[Posttraumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle].

Posttraumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle (ODC) is a very rare condition that occurs after acute injury or repetitive microtrauma of the shoulder and which is characterized by persistent shoulder pain, restricted shoulder motion, and progressive osteolytic changes at the outer end of the clavicle. A case of posttraumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicleis presented and the aetiology, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

[Reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament using bone-patellar tendon-borne graft or fascia lata graft. A retrospective study of functional results].

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the functional results using two different types of reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Material And Methods: A retrospective comparison of 34 patients operated with a fascia lata graft and 26 patients operated with a bone-patellar tendon-bone graft. The patients were evaluated twice with a postoperative Lysholm score, a preoperative and postoperative Tegner score, and a postoperative knee-laxity test.

Clinical decision making in the acutely injured knee based on repeat clinical examination and MRI.

To determine the correlation between Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and clinical examination of the knee after an acute injury, and to see to what extent MRI affected the planned treatment, we examined 90 consecutive patients in a prospective study, clinically and with an extremity Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanner. The number of meniscal lesions, bone bruises and osteochondral lesions found on MRI was significantly higher than the clinical examinations indicated. Despite this, the treatment was only changed in 6 cases.

Bone bruise in the acutely injured knee.

We used MRI to study the lesions in a consecutive group of 64 patients with an acute trauma of the knee and normal plain radiography during the winter season. Bone bruise was present in 35 of the patients, and these were referred to subsequent MRI 4 and 12 months later. After 4 months bone bruise was still present in 69% of the patients and after 12 months in 12%.

Diagnosis of scaphoid fracture and dedicated extremity MRI.

We evaluated the value of dedicated extremity magnetic resonance imaging (E-MRI) in patients with clinical suspicion of a scaphoid fracture and normal initial radiographs. 52 patients underwent E-MRI within a mean of 4 (2-10) days after trauma. Follow-up radiographs were performed at average 11 (8-14) weeks after trauma, and these images were used as the "gold standard".

Ultrasonic measurement of the anterior translation in the shoulder joint.

A new method for measuring the anterior translation in the shoulder joint by dynamic ultrasound was evaluated. We placed a 3.5-MHz transducer on the shoulder anteriorly.

Necrosis of the femoral head after kidney transplantation.

We reviewed the medical records of 750 patients (445 men, 305 women), who had received a kidney transplant during the period 1968-1995, for any sign of necrosis of the femoral head. For post-operative immunosuppression, 374 patients had received high-dose corticosteroids (average 12.5 g during the first year post-operatively), while 376 patients had received low-dose corticosteroids (average 6.

Changes in bone mineral density adjacent to two biomechanically different types of cementless femoral stems in total hip arthroplasty.

We have compared the differences in bone mineral density (BMD) adjacent to two biomechanically different cementless femoral stems used for total hip arthroplasty. Measurements were performed 12 to 38 months after surgery in a cross sectional study of 29 patients. Of these, 15 had arthroplasties using an "off the shelf" type cementless femoral stem (Spotorno), while 14 had a custom made cementless stem (Evolution-K).

Multiplanar reconstruction in MR imaging of the knee. Comparison with standard sagittal and coronal images.

Purpose: To compare standard MR sagittal and coronal imaging of the knee with the MR technique of finer sagittal imaging and subsequent reconstruction in any plane.

Material And Methods: Forty-seven patients took part in the study. Two radiologists each made two independent interpretations in every case, based on images of: a) 4-mm sagittal and coronal slices; and b) 1.

MRI preferable to diagnostic arthroscopy in knee joint injuries. A double-blind comparison of 47 patients.

We compared the findings of low-field MRI of the knee with those of subsequent arthroscopy. In a double-blind set-up, 47 patients with knee joint injuries were enrolled. Two radiologists independently interpreted the MRI examinations and consensus was obtained in case of discrepancy.

[Relevance of the 112-emergency calls among the clientele of the emergency department of the Herlev hospital admitting office].

It is a common view, shared by Emergency Department staff and ambulance crews, that a large number of patients unnecessarily use Emergency Service ambulances instead of transporting themselves to the hospital by other, more appropriate means. In this retrospective study, 528 consecutive Emergency Service calls to the Herlev Hospital Casualty/Emergency Department during a six week period were reviewed for relevance. Attention was solely aimed at the relevance of the use of Emergency Service ambulances in each case, but not on patient or health care providers' perception of urgency.

Skeletal metastases of unknown origin: a retrospective analysis of 29 cases.

The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic strategy in identifying occult primary carcinomas in metastatic bone disease. The records of 29 patients seen between 1983 and 1993 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients had been evaluated nonuniformly with a wide array of diagnostic procedures.