Radiología
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Renal colic is a common reason for presentation to emergency departments, and imaging has become fundamental for the diagnosis and clinical management of this condition. Ultrasonography and particularly noncontrast computed tomography have good diagnostic performance in diagnosing renal colic. ⋯ It is essential to use computed tomography techniques that minimize radiation and to use alternatives like ultrasonography in pregnant patients and children. In this article, we review the epidemiology, clinical and radiologic presentations, and clinical management of ureteral lithiasis.
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Magnetic resonance neurography is a technique that complements clinical and electrophysiological study of the peripheral nerves and brachial and lumbosacral plexuses. Numerous focal processes (inflammatory, traumatic, primary tumors, secondary tumors) and diffuse processes (diabetic polyneuropathy, chronic idiopathic demyelinating polyneuropathy due to amyloidosis or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) can involve the lumbosacral plexus. This article reviews the anatomy of the lumbosacral plexus, describes the technique for neurography of the plexus at our institution, and shows the diverse diseases that affect it.
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A clinical trial is an experimental study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a treatment or diagnostic technique in human beings. To ensure the methodological quality of a clinical trial and the validity of its results, various checklists have been elaborated to identify biases that could invalidate its conclusions. This article focuses on the points we need to consider in the critical evaluation of a clinical trial. ⋯ Randomization, follow-up (or analysis of losses), blinding, and equivalence between groups (apart from the intervention itself) are some key aspects related to design. In the "results" section, we need to consider what measures of clinical efficacy were used (relative risk, odds ratio, or number needed to treat, among others) and the precision of the results (confidence intervals). Once we have confirmed that the clinical trial fulfills these criteria, we need to determine whether the results can be applied in our environment and whether the benefits obtained justify the risks and costs involved.
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The ultrasonographic diagnosis of pneumothorax is based on the analysis of artifacts. It is possible to confirm or rule out pneumothorax by combining the following signs: lung sliding, the A and B lines, and the lung point. One fundamental advantage of lung ultrasonography is its easy access in any critical situation, especially in patients in the intensive care unit. For this reason, chest ultrasonography can be used as an alternative to plain-film X-rays and computed tomography in critical patients and in patients with normal plain films in whom pneumothorax is strongly suspected, as well as to evaluate the extent of the pneumothorax and monitor its evolution.
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Peroneal neuropathy is the most common mononeuropathy of the lower limbs. The causes of peroneal neuropathy include trauma, tumors of the nerve and nerve sheath, entrapment, and others like perineurioma, fibromatosis, lymphoma, and intraneural and externeural ganglia. ⋯ In this article, we describe the MR anatomy of the peroneal nerve, its relations, and the muscles it innervates. We also discuss the clinical and electrophysiological manifestations of peroneal neuropathy, describe the technical parameters used at our institution, and illustrate the MR appearance of various diseases that involve the peroneal nerve.