Effectiveness of low-dose radiation therapy on symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised, double-blinded, sham-controlled trial.

Objectives: Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) for benign disorders such as knee osteoarthritis (OA) is widely used in some parts of the world, despite absence of controlled studies. We evaluated the effect of LDRT on symptoms and inflammation in patients with knee OA.

Methods: In this randomised, double-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial (RCT), we recruited patients with knee OA (clinical ACR criteria) in the Netherlands, aged ≥50 years, pain score ≥5/10 and non-responding to analgesics and exercise therapy.

Predictive factors for new onset or progression of knee osteoarthritis one year after trauma: MRI follow-up in general practice.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate prognostic factors for new onset or progression of degenerative change on follow-up MRI one year after knee trauma and the association with clinical outcome.

Methods: Within a prospective observational cohort study in general practice, we studied a subgroup of 117 patients with acute knee trauma (mean age 41 years, 43% women). Degenerative change was scored on MRI at baseline and after one year follow-up.

Diagnostic accuracy of history taking and physical examination for assessing anterior cruciate ligament lesions of the knee in primary care.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of history taking and physical examination for assessing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) lesions in primary care.

Design: Cross-sectional diagnostic study.

Setting: Primary care.

MRI follow-up of conservatively treated meniscal knee lesions in general practice.

Objective: To evaluate meniscal status change on follow-up MRI after 1 year, prognostic factors and association with clinical outcome in patients with conservatively treated knee injury.

Methods: We analysed 403 meniscal horns in 101 conservatively treated patients (59 male; mean age 40 years) in general practice who underwent initial knee MRI within 5 weeks of trauma. We performed ordinal logistic regression analysis to analyse prognostic factors for meniscal change on follow-up MRI after 1 year, and we assessed the association with clinical outcome.

Diagnostic value of history-taking and physical examination for assessing meniscal tears of the knee in general practice.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of history-taking and physical examination of meniscal tears in general practice.

Design: An observational study determining diagnostic values (sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and likelihood ratios).

Setting: General practice.

MRI follow-up of posttraumatic bone bruises of the knee in general practice.

Objective: Our purpose was to study the natural course of bone bruises in posttraumatic knees and to describe possible determinants of this course.

Subjects And Methods: Prospective MRI follow-up data were gathered for patients with bone bruises after sustained knee trauma. Follow-up ceased when the bone bruise could no longer be discerned or after 1 year of follow-up.

Clinical consequences of posttraumatic bone bruise in the knee.

Background: Bone bruise is often seen in posttraumatic knees, but the clinical relevance is unclear.

Hypothesis: The presence of bone bruise is associated with increased pain severity in patients with sustained knee trauma.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in symptomatic and contralateral knees: prevalence and associations with traumatic history in general practice.

Background: After trauma, internal knee lesions are found in approximately two thirds of patients. However, magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities have also been described in asymptomatic volunteers.

Hypothesis: Not all visualized lesions in symptomatic posttraumatic knees are the result of recent trauma; there are subgroups of lesions that may be preexistent.

Follow-up of posttraumatic ligamentous and meniscal knee lesions detected at MR imaging: systematic review.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review of the literature regarding the natural course of ligamentous and meniscal knee lesions detected at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Materials And Methods: The MEDLINE database was searched from January 1966 to February 2003. Studies were included if all of the following criteria were met: patients had collateral ligament, cruciate ligament, or meniscal lesions; MR imaging was performed in all patients; study included a group and/or subgroup of patients who underwent conservative treatment during follow-up; patients returned to the clinic for follow-up and clinical data or MR imaging outcomes were noted; and article was written in English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, or Norwegian.

Follow-up of occult bone lesions detected at MR imaging: systematic review.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review of the literature regarding the natural course of posttraumatic occult bone lesions (often referred to as bone bruises) detected at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed by searching the MEDLINE database (from January 1966 to February 2003) with the keywords bone bruise, trauma, follow-up, and MRI. Keywords were linked by using the Boolean operator AND.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous transabdominal treatment of a type 2 endoleak.

We describe a case of multiple endoleaks following endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, treated by various methods. A new transabdominal embolization approach using color-flow duplex guidance is presented.

Mycotic aneurysm of the celiac trunk: from early CT sign to rupture.

We present a case of the rapid development and rupture of a mycotic celiac trunk aneurysm. Initially on multislice computed tomography (ms-CT) there was a normal celiac trunk with minimal haziness of the surrounding fat. Only 2 weeks later the patient went into hypovolemic shock due to a ruptured celiac aneurysm.