RoadtoHealthBlog

This month, nine major medical specialty groups published a list of 45 tests and procedures that often have no clear benefit for patients and can cause harm — CT scans for simple headaches, for example, and X-rays for routine lower back pain. (Source: RWJF News Digest – Quality/Equality)

Via: MedWorm: Back Pain

A 74-year-old man developed a severe low back pain and a fever. In the initial examinations, a collapse of the L5 anterosuperior vertebral body and narrowing of the L4/5 disc space were identified on radiographs, and the laboratory data showed inflammatory results. A computed tomography (CT) and a magnetic resonance imaging showed collapse of L5. A needle biopsy was performed to make a diagnosis; however, an abdominal pain and a hypotension appeared after the biopsy. An abdominal CT showed a hematoma in the retroperitoneal space, and an angiography revealed a left fourth lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm was treated with transcatheter placement of microcoils. Although haemorrhagic complications following needle biopsy are very rare, patients with large amounts of vertebral d…

By: MedWorm: Back Pain

Authors: Montoriol PF, Bellini R, Michel JL PMID: 21933982 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The British Journal of Radiology)

Hat Tip To: MedWorm: Back Pain

To the Editor: A 51-year-old Caucasian man presented with left shoulder pain. His history was significant for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on the left side of his upper back, excised with clear margins in 1999. He had no history of additional cutaneous malignancies. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (CT) scans of the left shoulder revealed a large soft tissue mass along the inferolateral scapula extending into the adjacent teres minor muscle and between the teres minor and major muscles. There was significant left axillary lymphadenopathy. A bone scan was negative for abnormal activity, and a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was negative for metastatic disease. (Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology)

By: MedWorm: Back Pain

We describe the CT and MRI findings of a rare case that had persistence of multiple emissary veins and presented clinically with tinnitus. The radiological findings included a dilated left mastoid emissary vein, bilateral petrosquamosal sinuses, posterior condylar veins, occipital emissary veins and an intrapetrous venule. The left petrosquamosal sinus had an unusual origin from the dilated mastoid emissary vein. The patient also had major anomalies of posterior fossa venous sinuses which are discussed. A relevant review of literature is included. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-5DOI 10.1007/s00276-011-0822-xAuthors Narvir Singh Chauhan, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College-Tanda, Set No A3, Type IV Quarters, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, …

Source: MedWorm Query: tinnitus

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CT-guided blood patching targeting observed or potential leak sites can be effective in the treatment of intracranial hypotension. Prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy and compare outcomes with other treatment options. (Source: American Journal of Neuroradiology)

Via: MedWorm Query: tinnitus

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CT-guided blood patching targeting observed or potential leak sites can be effective in the treatment of intracranial hypotension. Prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm efficacy and compare outcomes with other treatment options. (Source: American Journal of Neuroradiology)

Hat Tip To: MedWorm Query: tinnitus

Physicians from Purdue Pharma LP, Stamford, CT, showcased study results that demonstrate the analgesic efficacy and safety of Butrans for the relief of moderate to severe chronic low back pain in opioid-naive patients. Butrans is a transdermal delivery system that provides systemic delivery of buprenorphine, a Schedule III medication, continuously over a 7-day period. “Butrans is a new treatment for chronic pain that was approved [by the Food and Drug Administration] on June 30, 2010, and is available in the market today,” said Deborah Steiner, MD, MS, medical director at Purdue Pharma… (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Via: MedWorm: Back Pain

We report the evolution of thoracic spine pneumatocysts, one that enlarged rapidly with resorption of fluid and one that resolved. A 65-year-old female with lower back and left leg pain underwent MRI of the lumbar spine, which demonstrated a well-defined lesion in a T10 vertebral body of low-signal on T(1) and T(2) weighted imaging. CT confirmed this as a gas-containing cyst. Review of previous imaging showed that this lesion had initially contained fluid and had expanded rapidly over 14 months. It also showed smaller pneumatocysts, which had resolved. The variable natural history and imaging features of pneumatocysts make them an important differential diagnosis of an intravertebral lesion. Their aetiology is not known, but previous case reports suggest that they can occur spontaneously o…

Origin: MedWorm: Back Pain