D A Miles1, C S Levi2, J Uhanova1, S Cuvelier1, K Hawkins1, G Y Minuk3,4. 1. Morberg Family Chair in Hepatology, Section of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Rady College of Medicine, John Buhler Research Centre, University of Manitoba, 715 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P4, Canada. 2. Section of Ultrasound, Department of Radiology, Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. 3. Morberg Family Chair in Hepatology, Section of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Rady College of Medicine, John Buhler Research Centre, University of Manitoba, 715 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P4, Canada. gerald.minuk@umanitoba.ca. 4. Section of Ultrasound, Department of Radiology, Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. gerald.minuk@umanitoba.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The high prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the general population warrants determining whether pocket-sized ultrasound devices (PoCUS) might serve as point-of-care screening for NAFLD in busy office practices. METHODS: One hundred adult subjects undergoing conventional abdominal ultrasound (US) examinations for various indications were screened by PoCUS immediately prior to the conventional US procedure. The PoCUS examination only assessed the presence or absence of excess fat. Assessment of other liver pathology was not performed. Investigators (conventional US: an experienced radiologist and PoCUS: a general internist recently trained in the use of PoCUS) were blinded to the results of the alternative imaging. RESULTS: Forty patients (40%) had fatty infiltration of the liver on both conventional US and PoCUS, and 49 (49%) were negative by both modalities. A consensus was reached in two of the 11 remaining subjects with initially discrepant results. The overall sensitivity and specificity of PoCUS relative to conventional US were 91% and 88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of PoCUS by a trained physician for point-of-care screening of patients at risk for NAFLD.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The high prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the general population warrants determining whether pocket-sized ultrasound devices (PoCUS) might serve as point-of-care screening for NAFLD in busy office practices. METHODS: One hundred adult subjects undergoing conventional abdominal ultrasound (US) examinations for various indications were screened by PoCUS immediately prior to the conventional US procedure. The PoCUS examination only assessed the presence or absence of excess fat. Assessment of other liver pathology was not performed. Investigators (conventional US: an experienced radiologist and PoCUS: a general internist recently trained in the use of PoCUS) were blinded to the results of the alternative imaging. RESULTS: Forty patients (40%) had fatty infiltration of the liver on both conventional US and PoCUS, and 49 (49%) were negative by both modalities. A consensus was reached in two of the 11 remaining subjects with initially discrepant results. The overall sensitivity and specificity of PoCUS relative to conventional US were 91% and 88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of PoCUS by a trained physician for point-of-care screening of patients at risk for NAFLD.
Authors: Colin F Royse; David J Canty; John Faris; Darsim L Haji; Michael Veltman; Alistair Royse Journal: Anesth Analg Date: 2012-09-25 Impact factor: 5.108
Authors: Carmen Fierbinteanu-Braticevici; Ion Dina; Ana Petrisor; Laura Tribus; Lucian Negreanu; Catalin Carstoiu Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2010-10-14 Impact factor: 5.742