[Evaluation of a portable ultrasound device immediately after spiral computed tomography].
OBJECTIVE
Portable ultrasound devices are an established diagnostic tool. They are frequently used in trauma and emergency wards. Multidetector computed tomography (MD-CT) represents the standard imaging method for many diagnostic questions. In some patients, however, there are findings on CT which remain unspecific. In these cases, a complementary ultrasound (US) examination may help to obtain a specific diagnosis. Aim of this study is the evaluation of a portable US device immediately after MD-CT for further work-up of unclear lesions.


METHODS
257 MD-CT examinations were performed during a 3-week period. A portable US device (LogiqBook, GE Medical Systems, Solingen, Deutschland) was used when a lesion found at MD-CT remained unclear. Time intervals between CT and US as well as US examination times were registered.


RESULTS
US was used in 23 of 257 CT examinations (8.9 %), but 3 of these examinations had to be terminated due to unfavourable US conditions. Thus, there remained 19 questions regarding parenchymal lesions in the liver (n = 13), kidney (n = 1) or suprarenal gland (n = 2). Pleural empyema was suspected in the 4 remaining patients. In all of the 20 patients, US helped to narrow down the differential diagnosis of MD-CT results. The mean time span between CT and US was 2.5 min, and the mean US examination time was 6.5 min.


CONCLUSIONS
Portable US immediately after MD-CT helps to narrow down the differential diagnosis of hepatic and pleural lesions with minimal additional effort in time and organization.
Oschatz
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Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum Baumgartner Höhe, Otto Wagner Spital mit Pflegezentrum, Wien, Austria. elisabeth.oschatz@wienkav.at
Prosch
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Schober
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Mostbeck
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G
D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*