Dear Ultrasound Insider,
Soft-tissue masses can be a common cause of imaging referrals, and ultrasound may be just the tool to effectively triage those patients.
To evaluate the use of ultrasound as a first-line tool, researchers at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the U.K. studied 358 consecutive patients presenting with soft-tissue masses over a six-month period. Ultrasound was able to accurately and cost-effectively direct patients to the most appropriate management pathway, according to Richard Robinson.
He presented the institution's research at the 2008 RSNA meeting in Chicago. As an Ultrasound Insider subscriber, you have access to this Insider Exclusive before it's published for the rest of our AuntMinnie.com members. To learn more about ultrasound for soft-tissue masses, click here.
In other articles we're highlighting this month in your Ultrasound Digital Community, a transcranial Doppler screening program was recently found to reduce the stroke rate in children with sickle cell disease. Also, an ultrasound-guided technique was shown to provide long-term relief of plantar fasciitis. In addition, MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) was determined to be safe and effective for outpatient fibroid treatment.
Stay tuned for additional coverage from the 2008 RSNA meeting. Have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered? As always, please feel free to drop me a line.
Happy holidays from all of us at AuntMinnie.com!
