Dear Ultrasound Insider,
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) often accompanies hydrocephalus in newborns and infants. It requires both quick and accurate diagnosis and rapid and efficient treatment, but this represents a challenge. ICP can be diagnosed invasively by lumbar puncture, but this method isn't so accurate.
German researchers have found that shear-wave elastography has a clinical role in these cases. Don't miss our news report.
In other developments, investigators from Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo have examined whether treatment outcomes in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis can be improved by targeting imaging remission as assessed by ultrasound in addition to clinical remission. They found that ultrasound failed in this regard, and they think it's important to keep aware of the modality's limitations in these cases.
Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures continue to grow in popularity. The U.K. Royal College of Radiologists has released a 22-page document about service provision, particularly staffing and workforce aspects. This report contains a wealth of practical and timely information, and you can download it free of charge.
How to optimize therapy for uterine fibroids is another topic of enduring appeal. A recent Dutch study has concluded that MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound is a safe and effective procedure for uterine fibroids, and its reintervention rate compares well to that of uterine artery embolization.
Meanwhile, researchers from a top London facility have highlighted the potential benefits of ultrasound scans performed late in pregnancy. After evaluating 52,400 single-fetus pregnancies, they concluded that assessing pregnancy at 35 to 37 weeks of gestation with ultrasound helps predict the development of preeclampsia and plan delivery of babies that are small or large for their gestational age. Also, they believe later scans can identify abnormalities overlooked on early exams.
Dr. Helmut Diefenthal pioneered the implementation of medical imaging in East Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. One of his main achievements was to introduce ultrasound at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Moshi, Tanzania. You can read more in our tribute article by Dr. Adrian Thomas.
This letter highlights just a few of the many articles posted over the past month or so in the Ultrasound Community. Please see the full list below.
