Readability of Lumbar Spine MRI Reports: Will Patients Understand?

Objective: Radiology reports have traditionally been written for referring clinical providers. However, as patients increasingly access their radiology reports through online medical records, concerns have been raised about their ability to comprehend these complex documents. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of lumbar spine MRI reports.

Prospective Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracy of MR Imaging versus CT for Acute Appendicitis.

Purpose To compare the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in emergency department (ED) patients. Materials and Methods This was an institutional review board-approved, prospective, observational study of ED patients at an academic medical center (February 2012 to August 2014). Eligible patients were nonpregnant and 12- year-old or older patients in whom a CT study had been ordered for evaluation for appendicitis.

Prospective evaluation of the ability of clinical scoring systems and physician-determined likelihood of appendicitis to obviate the need for CT.

Objective: To determine whether clinical scoring systems or physician gestalt can obviate the need for computed tomography (CT) in patients with possible appendicitis.

Methods: Prospective, observational study of patients with abdominal pain at an academic emergency department (ED) from February 2012 to February 2014. Patients over 11 years old who had a CT ordered for possible appendicitis were eligible.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the accuracy of MRI to diagnose appendicitis in the general population.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of all published studies since 2005 that evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the general population presenting to emergency departments.

Materials And Methods: All retrospective and prospective studies evaluating the accuracy of MRI to diagnose appendicitis published in English and listed in PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl Plus, and the Cochrane Library since 2005 were included. Excluded studies were those without an explicitly stated reference standard, with insufficient data to calculate the study outcomes, or if the population enrolled was limited to pregnant women or children.

Myasthenia Gravis Presenting as Persistent Unilateral Ptosis with Facial Droop.

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is classically characterized by fluctuating weakness and fatigability of the ocular, bulbar, limb, or respiratory muscles. Over half of patients with MG will initially experience isolated ocular symptoms in one or both eyes. Most patients report that ocular symptoms are mild or undetectable upon awakening, and worsen throughout the day or with tasks such as driving.