Tuberculosis (TB) is a severe infectious disease that still represents a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. For these reasons, clinicians and radiologists should use all the available diagnostic tools in the assessment of the disease in order to provide precise indications about starting an anti-tubercular treatment and reduce risk of TB transmission and complications especially in developing countries where the disease is still endemic. As TB mycobacteria are mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets, the pulmonary parenchyma is usually the first site of infection. As a result, chest imaging plays a central role in the diagnostic process. Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is a portable, non-invasive, radiation-free, and cost-contained technology which could be easily available in resource-limited settings. This perspective article focuses on the potential role of TUS in the diagnosis and management of patients with pulmonary TB. Unfortunately, there are still insufficient evidence and too contrasting data to judge TUS as an appropriate diagnostic method for the screening of the disease. Despite this, TUS may have a useful role in identifying pleural and anterior pericardial effusions or in the identification of abscesses of the anterior chest wall and paraspinal collections in low- and middle-income settings. In addition, TUS seems to have a milestone role in guiding minimally invasive interventional procedures, such as placement of chest tubes, drainage of loculated collections, thoracentesis and pericardiocentesis, and percutaneous biopsy of subpleural pulmonary consolidations or pleural plaques.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8703038 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.753821 | DOI Listing |
Med Phys
January 2025
Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Background: X-ray grating-based dark-field imaging can sense the small angle scattering caused by object's micro-structures. This technique is sensitive to the porous microstructure of lung alveoli and has the potential to detect lung diseases at an early stage. Up to now, a human-scale dark-field CT (DF-CT) prototype has been built for lung imaging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Imaging Inform Med
January 2025
Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, the Netherlands.
Rising computed tomography (CT) workloads require more efficient image interpretation methods. Digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs), generated from CT data, may enhance workflow efficiency by enabling faster radiological assessments. Various techniques exist for generating DRRs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Cardiovasc Imaging
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
The use of conventional contrast agents in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is often limited in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to potential nephrotoxicity. Ferumoxytol, originally developed for iron supplementation, has emerged as a promising alternative MR contrast agent that is safer for patients with CKD. This study aims to present our center's experience with ferumoxytol as a contrast agent in CKD patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Cardiol
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; European Reference Network for Rare, Low Prevalence and Complex Diseases of the Heart (ERN GUARD-Heart), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Background: Little is known about the very long-term outcome in Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) patients.
Objectives: To prospectively evaluate clinical outcome and quality-of-life after surgical repair of ToF.
Methods: Single-centre, longitudinal cohort-study evaluating every decade 144 ToF patients who underwent surgical repair <15 years of age between 1968 and 1980.
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Background: Uncertainty in the diagnosis of lung nodules is a challenge for both patients and physicians. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are increasingly being integrated into medical imaging to assist diagnostic procedures. However, the accuracy of AI systems in identifying and measuring lung nodules on chest computed tomography (CT) scans remains unclear, which requires further evaluation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!