Recipient of the 2003 Sports Physical Therapy Section Excellence in Research Award: Clinical Diagnostic Accuracy and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Patients Referred by Physical Therapists, Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Nonorthopaedic Providers

Author(s):  
Donald Lee Goss
2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (11) ◽  
pp. 2035-2048
Author(s):  
Claudia R Senesac ◽  
Alison M Barnard ◽  
Donovan J Lott ◽  
Kavya S Nair ◽  
Ann T Harrington ◽  
...  

Abstract Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscle degenerative disorder that manifests in early childhood and results in progressive muscle weakness. Physical therapists have long been an important component of the multidisciplinary team caring for people with DMD, providing expertise in areas of disease assessment, contracture management, assistive device prescription, and exercise prescription. Over the last decade, magnetic resonance imaging of muscles in people with DMD has led to an improved understanding of the muscle pathology underlying the clinical manifestations of DMD. Findings from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in DMD, paired with the clinical expertise of physical therapists, can help guide research that leads to improved physical therapist care for this unique patient population. The 2 main goals of this perspective article are to (1) summarize muscle pathology and disease progression findings from qualitative and quantitative muscle MRI studies in DMD and (2) link MRI findings of muscle pathology to the clinical manifestations observed by physical therapists with discussion of any potential implications of MRI findings on physical therapy management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1832.1-1832
Author(s):  
P. Falsetti ◽  
E. Conticini ◽  
C. Baldi ◽  
M. Bardelli ◽  
S. Gentileschi ◽  
...  

Background:SIJ involvement is a characteristic feature of Spondylarthritis (SpA). Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) has been included in the new Assessment of SpA International Society (ASAS) criteria for the classification of Axial SpA. Gray scale US, Color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS), contrast-enhanced CDUS, and spectral Doppler (SD) US has been used in few works to evaluate the inflammatory activity of the SIJ with not conclusive results. Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) was not yet applied to the study of SIJ with active SI.Objectives:The aim of this work was to study with PDUS and SD US the SIJ of patients with suspected active SI, to describe inflammatory flows with spectral wave analysis (SWA) in duplex Doppler US, and to correlate US data with clinical characteristics and the presence of bone marrow edema (BME) in MRI.Methods:22 patients (18 females and 4 males, mean age 35 years) with new onset of inflammatory back pain (IBP), were included. Every patient underwent an US examination in prone position. The sonographers were blinded to the clinical data of the patient. A Esaote Twice US machine, equipped with a convex multifrequency 1-8 MHz probe, was used, with standardized parameters: 1-5 MHz for gray scale, 1.9-2.3 MHz frequency for Doppler with Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) of 1.0 KHz and a color gain just under the artifact limit. SIJ was located as the hypoechoic triangle delimited between the sacrum and iliac bone, and the posterior SI ligament as the upper margin. The first sacral foramen was always localized to avoid measurement of the normal pre-sacral arteries. The PDUS was applied, and if any signals were detected in the SIJ, they were scored with a 3-points scale: 0= absence of signals, 1= isolate vessels, 2= more than one vessel. The signals were also classified as intra-articular or peri-articular. The same vessels were also evaluated using quantitative SD calculating the Resistive Index (RI=peak of systolic flow- end diastolic flow/peak systolic flow), ranging between 0 and 1. Every patient underwent MRI of SIJ within the same week, before treatment. A statistical analysis was performed, estimating the sensitivity and specificity against the gold standard (presence of BME in the same SIJ according to ASAS criteria). The Spearman rank not-parametric test was applied to correlate the presence and grading of BME with PDUS grading and RI. A regression analysis was applied between PDUS results and clinical characteristics.Results:In 14/22 SIJ MRI revealed BME. In 13 of them, PDUS confirmed abnormal hypervascularisation in the intrarticular portion of SI, and in 3 in the periarticular site too. Two SIJ showed hypervascularisation at PD with no BME in MRI. A significant correlation was demonstrated between positivity and grading of PD and presence of BME in MRI (p=0.0005). SD analysis demonstrated low Resistance Index (RI) values in 14 SIJ (mean 0.57). An inverse correlation was demonstrated between RI and grading of BME in MRI (r= -0,6229, p= 0,044). The diagnostic accuracy of SD for detection of active SI varied on the basis of RI cut-off value. The best values of sensitivity (62,5%) and specificity (61,5%) were obtained with a RI cut-off values of 0.60. A multiple regression model demonstrated a significant relationship between PDUS signals and ASDAS (p=0.0382), but not with inflammatory reactants.Conclusion:PDUS and SD US of SIJ can be useful as first imaging assessment in suspected active SI, demonstrating a good diagnostic accuracy compared with MRI. Intra-articular low RI values (<0.60) on SD indicate active SI with good accuracy. Moreover, PDUS signals into the SIJ correlate with clinical symptoms but not with inflammation reactants.Figure 1.Doppler US in SI.Right SIJ with a Doppler signal along the posterior SIJ ligament, and another Doppler signal into the joint, where SD analysis gave a RI of 0,62.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2011 ◽  
Vol 185 (4S) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Colleselli ◽  
Joerg Hennenlotter ◽  
Stefan Krueger ◽  
David Schilling ◽  
Georgios Gakis ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 498-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsey M. Toney ◽  
Kenneth E. Games ◽  
Zachary K. Winkelmann ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman

Reference/Citation: Mugunthan K, Doust J, Kurz B, Glasziou P. Is there sufficient evidence for tuning fork tests in diagnosing fractures? A systematic review. BMJ Open. 2014;4(8):e005238. Clinical Question: Does evidence support the use of tuning-fork tests in the diagnosis of fractures in clinical practice? Data Sources: The authors performed a comprehensive literature search of AMED, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science from each database's start to November 2012. In addition, they manually searched reference lists from the initial search result to identify relevant studies. The following key words were used independently or in combination: auscultation, barford test, exp fractures, fracture, tf test, tuning fork. Study Selection: Studies were eligible based on the following criteria: (1) primary studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of tuning forks; (2) measured against a recognized reference standard such as magnetic resonance imaging, radiography, or bone scan; and (3) the outcome was reported using pain or reduction of sound. Studies included patients of all ages in all clinical settings with no exclusion for language of publication. Studies were not eligible if they were case series, case-control studies, or narrative review papers. Data Extraction: Potentially eligible studies were independently assessed by 2 researchers. All relevant articles were included and assessed for inclusion criteria and value using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool, and relevant data were extracted. The QUADAS-2 is an updated version of the original QUADAS and focuses on both the risk of bias and applicability of a study through a series of questions. A third researcher was consulted if the 2 initial reviewers did not reach consensus. Data for the primary outcome measure (accuracy of the test) were presented in a 2 × 2 contingency table to show sensitivity and specificity (using the Wilson score method) and positive and negative likelihood ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Main Results: A total of 62 citations were initially identified. Six primary studies (329 patients) were included in the review. The 6 studies assessed the accuracy of 2 tuning-fork test methods (pain induction and reduction of sound transmission). The patients ranged in age from 7 to 84 years. The prevalence of fracture in these patients ranged from 10% to 80% using a reference standard such as magnetic resonance imaging, radiography, or bone scan. The sensitivity of the tuning-fork tests was high, ranging from 75% to 92%. The specificity of the tuning-fork tests had a wide range of 18% to 94%. The positive likelihood ratios ranged from 1.1 to 16.5; the negative likelihood ratios ranged from 0.09 to 0.49. Conclusions: The studies included in this review demonstrated that tuning-fork tests have some value in ruling out fractures. However, strong evidence is lacking to support the use of current tuning-fork tests to rule in a fracture in clinical practice. Similarly, the tuning-fork tests were not statistically accurate in the diagnosis of fractures for widespread clinical use. Despite the lack of strong evidence for diagnosing all fractures, tuning-fork tests may be appropriate in rural and remote settings in which access to the gold standards for diagnosis of fractures is limited.


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