Self-reported skills and self-confidence in point-of-care ultrasound: a cross-sectional nationwide survey amongst Finnish emergency physicians.

Background: The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasing. Numerous investigators have evaluated the learning curves in POCUS, but there are no published studies on how emergency physicians perceive their own competence level with this skill.

Methods: A nationwide survey amongst Finnish emergency physicians was conducted.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a new tool for imaging the superficial lymphatic vessels of the upper limb.

Background: Despite the new lymphatic imaging methods, there is still a need for a straightforward method of detecting lymphatic abnormalities. Our goal was to investigate the feasibility of applying a contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) procedure as a new approach for visualising the superficial lymphatic vessels of the upper limb.

Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers were examined with CEUS after bilateral intradermal injection of Sonazoid® contrast agent in distal antebrachium.

2D-shear wave elastography in the evaluation of suspicious superficial inguinal lymph nodes: Reproducibility and region of interest selection.

Purpose: To assess the ability of 2D-Shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) to evaluate its reproducibility, to define the optimal orientation and size of the region of interest (ROI), and to differentiate benign from malignant inguinal lymph nodes (LNs).

Method: Thirty-two suspicious inguinal LNs from 21 patients were evaluated with 2D-SWE. SWE measurements were obtained in two orthogonal planes.

Cost-minimization modeling of venous thromboembolism diagnostics: performing limited compression ultrasound in primary health care reduces costs compared to referring patients to a hospital.

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether diagnosing a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in primary health care using limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) can save resources compared to referring these patients to hospital. According to the current literature, LCUS is as safe as a standard protocol based on a whole-leg ultrasound (US).

Methods: We created a standardized patient for this cost-analysis model based on 76 patients that were referred to hospital for a suspected DVT.

Teaching limited compression ultrasound to general practitioners reduces referrals of suspected DVT to a hospital: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background: The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine whether teaching limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) to general practitioners (GP) would reduce the number of patients with a suspected lower extremity DVT referred to a hospital for ultrasound (US) examination. According to the current literature, an LCUS protocol is a safe way to diagnose or exclude lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and a good option to radiologist-performed whole-leg ultrasound (US), especially in remote health care units where there may be a limited availability of radiological services.

Methods: Between 2015 and 2016, altogether 13 GPs working in the same primary care unit were trained in LCUS for DVT diagnostics.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion parameters in ovarian cancer: Good accuracy in identifying high HIF-1α expression.

Background: Hypoxia significantly influences treatment response and clinical outcome in solid tumors. A noninvasive marker for hypoxia will help physicians in treatment planning and encourage the efficient use of hypoxia targeted therapies. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pharmacokinetic dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) perfusion parameters are associated with a specific marker of hypoxia, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) in ovarian cancer (OC).

Prognostic value of preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objectives: To investigate whether semi-quantitative and pharmacokinetic perfusion dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) parameters are associated with traditional prognostic factors and can predict clinical outcome in ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods: This prospective study, approved by local ethical committee, enrolled 38 patients with primary OC, 2011-2014. After preoperative DCE-MRI (3.

Primary and metastatic ovarian cancer: Characterization by 3.0T diffusion-weighted MRI.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) measured by 3.0T diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) associate with histological aggressiveness of ovarian cancer (OC) or predict the clinical outcome. This prospective study enrolled 40 patients with primary OC, treated 2011-2014.

[Axillary ultrasound for a breast cancer patient and changing international treatment practices].

Introduction: We explored the effects of novel treatment practices on radiological examinations of the axilla in Finland.

Patients And Methods: Axillary ultrasound was performed for 178 new breast cancer patients preoperatively. A core biopsy was taken from the suspected lymph nodes, and the finding was compared with the postoperative results.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in 3.0 Tesla Breast MRI: Diagnostic Performance and Tumor Characterization Using Small Subregions vs. Whole Tumor Regions of Interest.

Introduction: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values are increasingly reported in breast MRI. As there is no standardized method for ADC measurements, we evaluated the effect of the size of region of interest (ROI) to diagnostic utility and correlation to prognostic markers of breast cancer.

Methods: This prospective study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board; the need for written informed consent for the retrospective analyses of the breast MRIs was waived by the Chair of the Hospital District.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound -guided axillary lymph node core biopsy: Diagnostic accuracy in preoperative staging of invasive breast cancer.

Objectives: To evaluate accuracy of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-sentinel procedure followed by core biopsy (CB) and marking in patients with breast cancer. To compare the axillary metastatic tumour burden in patients with positive vs. negative CB results.

Preoperative axillary staging with 3.0-T breast MRI: clinical value of diffusion imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient.

The axillary staging in newly diagnosed breast cancer is under major evolution. The aims of this study were to define the diagnostic performance of 3.0-T diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the detection of axillary metastases in newly diagnosed breast cancer, to assess apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) for histopathologically confirmed metastatic lymph nodes in a clinical setting.

Very low mammographic breast density predicts poorer outcome in patients with invasive breast cancer.

Objectives: To examine the prognostic value of mammographic breast density (MBD) and mammographic features and their relationship with established prognostic factors in patients with invasive breast cancer.

Methods: Mammographic characteristics of 270 patients were analyzed. MBD was classified according to percentile density (<5%, 5-10%, 10-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, >75%) and further categorized into very low density (VLD; <10%), low density (LOD; <25%) and mixed density (MID; >25%).

Axillary lymph node biopsy in newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer: comparative accuracy of fine-needle aspiration biopsy versus core-needle biopsy.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographically (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and core-needle biopsy (CNB) of the axillary lymph nodes (LNs) of patients with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: This prospective single-center study had institutional review board approval, and written informed consent was obtained. Between April 2011 and March 2012, 178 consecutive patients (182 axillae) were evaluated by using axillary US.