The Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism

CT angiography is becoming more and more used to perform diagnoses of pulmonary embolism, replacing perfusion lung scintigraphy, which, up to some time ago, was considered the gold standard in this diagnosis. In order to compare these two techniques, an international multicentric randomized trial [...]

Breast Screening With Mri

The American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines for breast cancer screening, using magnetic resonance (RMI) together with traditional mammography. In these recommendations, we find the following advises: • A yearly screening with RMI is recommended for patients with BRCA mutation and for [...]

False Positives With Mammography

False positives are unfortunately common events with mammographies, so it becomes important to know which effects they produce on women. Some researchers have performed a systematic review of literature, identifying 23 trials concerning false mammographic positivities. Women having a falsely [...]

Complications of Colonscopy

Since colonscopy is more and more spreading, because of screening diagnostic procedures, it is important to know which can be its complications. Some Californian researchers examined electronic medical records of 16.318 screening colonscopies performed on symptomatic patients. Complications (among [...]

Mammography at 40

In almost all industrialized nations, mammographic screening is proposed since 50, basing this choice on the evidence of a shown decrease in breast cancer mortality. But in the USA, some guidelines tend to advise starting mammography at 40, even if the usefulness of screening at this age is not at [...]

CT in Chest Pain

Multilayer CT technique has acquired more and more importance as a diagnostic non-invasive method for the diagnosis of coronary atheromasic plaques. In this prospective study, partially sponsored by the producer of the X-ray machinery, the usefulness of multilayer CT was evaluated in 103 patients [...]

Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Esophageal Varices

In patients with cirrhosis the endoscopic screening is indicated to verify the possible presence of esophageal varices, in order to start a preventive therapy with beta-blockers to avoid bleeding. Esophageal varices are associated with both thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly. In a previous study, [...]

PSA Screening Frequency in Elderly

It is not clear yet if PSA screening is able to decrease the specific mortality due to prostate cancer in healthy elderly, but it is however accepted at a general level that the test performance is not indicated when life expectance is lower than 10 years. Some researchers of the American Veterans [...]

Double-Balloon Enteroscopy

X-ray sensibility towards the origin of small intestine bleedings is relatively low, so people are always searching new imaging techniques. The use of video capsules improved the situation, but their use does not allow the execution of biopsies or therapeutical procedures. Recently, a new endoscopy [...]

Screening for Hemocromatosis

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) periodically releases updates of guidelines, always concluding with a recommendation classified in this way:

1. The intervention is strongly recommended
2. The intervention is recommended
3. There are neither [...]

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