MRI;

My patient with choledocholithiasis presents with acute abdominal pain, bile duct dilatation and markedly elevated serum aminotransferases (AST and ALT).  Can her markedly elevated AST and ALT levels be caused by cholelithiasis with bile duct obstruction?  

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Although markedly increased serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) are often considered a marker for severe hepatocellular injury or necrosis (particularly when levels exceed 1000 IU/L), occasionally such elevations may also be due to isolated acute biliary duct obstruction caused by choledocholithiasis.1  

In one case series, patients  diagnosed with choledocholithiasis were found to have transient elevations in their AST/ALT (>1000 units/L) directly proportional to the degree of common bile duct dilation in the absence of any hepatocellular disease on imaging. These levels were found to rapidly fall following intervention with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). 2   Intriguingly, the authors of this study suggest that patients who present with severe abdominal pain associated with an acute and markedly elevated serum aminotransferase levels, are more likely to have acute biliary obstruction than hepatocellular disease.3  Several other case series have also shown similar elevations of serum aminotransferases in choledocholithiasis, with some levels reaching >2000 IU/L.4   

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, including pressure-induced damage of hepatocytes and bile salt-induced hepatocyte injury in the setting of acute biliary duct obstruction.2 Of interest, some have proposed that the gallbladder may minimize elevations in serum aminotransferases by protecting the liver from rapid increases in biliary duct pressure.  In fact, more robust elevations in aminotransferases in choledocholithiasis have been observed in those who have had cholecystectomy.4   

So even though choledocholithiasis is traditionally associated with a “cholestatic” pattern of enzyme elevations—with elevated alkaline-phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels 1,3—when associated with bile duct obstruction, it  can also be associated with markedly elevated ALT and AST.  

Bonus Pearl: Did you know that when assessing for choledocholithiasis, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is more sensitive than ultrasound (81% vs 18-74 %).4,5,6  

Contributed by Connor S. Shaw, D.O., Mercy Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri

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References  

  1. Feldman, Mark, et al. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. Elsevier, 2021.  
  2. Tetangco, Eula Plana, et al. “Markedly Elevated Liver Enzymes in Choledocholithiasis in the Absence of Hepatocellular Disease.” Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports, vol. 4, no. 2, 2016, p. 232470961665109., https://doi.org/10.1177/2324709616651092. 
  3. De Angelis C, Marietti M, Bruno M, Pellicano R, Rizzetto M. Endoscopic ultrasound in common bile duct dilatation with normal liver enzymes. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 2015 Jul 10;7(8):799-805. doi: 10.4253/v7.i8.799. PMID: 26191344; PMCID: PMC4501970.
  4. Agahi, A., and A. McNair. “Choledocholithiasis Presenting with Very High Transaminase Level.” Case Reports, vol. 2012, no. nov22 2, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-007268.
  5. Makmun, Dadang, et al. “Sensitivity and Specificity of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography versus Endoscopic Ultrasonography against Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Diagnosing Choledocholithiasis: The Indonesian Experience.” Clinical Endoscopy, vol. 50, no. 5, 2017, pp. 486–490., https://doi.org/10.5946/ce.2016.159.
  6. Ferri, João Victor, et al. “Níveis Elevados De Transaminases Em Um Caso De Coledocolitíase: A Importância Do Reconhecimento Deste Padrão.” Revista De Medicina, vol. 96, no. 2, 2017, p. 131., https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1679-9836.v96i2p131-133.   

Disclosures: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Mercy Hospital-St. Louis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, their affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

 

My patient with choledocholithiasis presents with acute abdominal pain, bile duct dilatation and markedly elevated serum aminotransferases (AST and ALT).  Can her markedly elevated AST and ALT levels be caused by cholelithiasis with bile duct obstruction?  

Why is my diabetic patient complaining of arm pain and localized edema for couple of weeks without an obvious cause?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Aside from the usual suspects associated with a painful extremity (eg, trauma, deep venous thrombosis and soft tissue infections), think of spontaneous diabetic myonecrosis (DMN), also known as diabetic muscle infarction (1-3).

DMN is characterized by abrupt onset of painful swelling of the affected muscle, most often of the lower extremities, but also occasionally upper extremities. DMN occurs in patients with longstanding DM whose blood glucose control has deteriorated over time, often with nephropathy, retinopathy and/or neuropathy (1-3).

Couple of things to remember when considering DMN in your differential of a painful extremity. First, except for localized edema and tenderness over the involved muscle, the exam may be unremarkable. Specifically, there is no erythema or signs of compartment syndrome and fever is absent in the great majority of patients (~90%) (2). Even white blood cell count and creatine kinase (CK) are usually normal. The reason for normal CK at presentation is not clear but CK might have already peaked by the time of patient presentation (3). In contrast, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are usually elevated (>80%) (1).

MRI (without contrast in patients with renal insufficiency) is the imaging of choice with muscle enlargement and edema with hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images and other changes, including perifascial, perimuscular and or subcutaneous edema (1-3). Muscle biopsy is not currently recommended because of its adverse impact on time to symptomatic improvement. Non-surgical therapy, with rest, analgesia and glycemic control is usually recommended (1-3).

 
Though its exact cause is still unclear, atherosclerosis, diabetic microangiopathy, vasculitis with thrombosis and ischemia-reperfusion injury have been posited as potential precipitants for DMN. The role of anti-phospholipid syndrome, particularly in patients with type I DM, is unclear (1,2).

 
Bonus pearl: Did you know that symptoms of DMN may last for weeks with at least one-third of patients having a recurrence in the same muscle or elsewhere (1)?

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Reference
1. Horton WB, Taylor JS, Ragland TJ, et al. Diabetic muscle infarction: a systematic review. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care 2015;3:e000082.
2. Trujillo-Santos AJ. Diabetic muscle infarction. An underdiagnosed complication of long-standing diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003;26:211-15.
3. Diabetes muscle infarction in end-stage renal disease:A scoping review on epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. World J Nephrol 2018;7:58-64.

Why is my diabetic patient complaining of arm pain and localized edema for couple of weeks without an obvious cause?

My patient with cirrhosis has hypohonia and cogwheel rigidity. Is there a connection between cirrhosis and Parkinson’s disease?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

There is a high prevalence of extra-pyramidal or Parkinson-like (PL) clinical findings in patients with cirrhosis. In fact, over 75% of patients with cirrhosis may exhibit PL signs, such as tremor, rigidity, and akinesia, with 88% also showing hyperintensity in the globus pallidus of basal ganglia on T1-weighted brain MRI.1

What’s even more interesting is the similarity between PL clinical and MRI findings among patients with cirrhosis and those with Manganese (Mn) toxicity.2,3 More specifically, similar MRI findings involving the globus pallidus have been reported in Mn-exposed workers, patients with cirrhosis, and those undergoing total parenteral nutrition with excessive Mn replacement. 4 These observations seem more than coincidental as 67% of patients with cirrhosis have been reported to have elevated blood Mn concentrations, with significantly higher levels in patients with previous portacaval anastomoses or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).1

Mn-induced parkinsonism is distinguishable from classic Parkinson’s disease in several ways, including the absence of Lewy bodies, more frequent dystonia, and less resting tremor.5 Also, remember that Mn-induced PL disease does NOT respond to L-dopa, a drug used to treat early stages of PD. 5 This finding can be explained by the fact that, in contrast to Parkinson’s disease where many of the dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra of the brain degenerate resulting in dopamine deficiency, in Mn-induced PL disease the problem is release of dopamine into synapses not its production.5

The association between liver disease and Mn toxicity is not totally surprising because liver plays a major role in the excretion of Mn through the bile.6

Bonus Pearl: Did you know that due to its paramagnetic properties, manganese can be effectively seen by MRI!

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References

  1. Spahr L, Butterworth RF, Fontaine S, et al. Increased blood manganese in cirrhotic patients: relationship to pallidal m agnetic resonance signal hyperintensity and neurological symptoms. Hepatology 1996;24:1116-1120. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8903385
  2. Hauser RA, Zesiewicz TA, Rosemurgy AS, et al. Manganese intoxication and chronic liver failure. Ann Neurol 1994;36:871-75. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7998773
  3. Krieger S, Jaub M, Jansen O, et al. Neuropsychiatric profile and hyperintense globus pallidus on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images in liver cirrhosis. Gastroenterol 1996;111:147-55. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8698193
  4. Lucchini R, Albini E, Placidi D, et al. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and manganese exposure. Neurotoxicity 2000;21:769-75. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11130281
  5. Kwakye GF, Paoliello MMB, Mukhopadhyay S, et al. Manganese-induced parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease: Shared and distinguishable features. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2015;12;7519-40. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26154659
  6. Chen P, Bornhorst J, Aschner M. Manganese metabolism in humans. Frontiers in Science, Landmark, 2018;23:1655-79. https://www.bioscience.org/2018/v23/af/4665/fulltext.htm

 

My patient with cirrhosis has hypohonia and cogwheel rigidity. Is there a connection between cirrhosis and Parkinson’s disease?

Can my patient with renal insufficiency safely undergo gadolinium-based contrast MRI?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

It may be possible for patients with renal insufficiency, including those with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), to undergo MRI using potentially safer preparations of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) with “very low, if any” risk of the feared nephrogenic systemic sclerosis (NSF). 1

In contrast to the so called “linear” chelates of gadolinium (eg, gadodiamide, gadopentetate), “cyclic” GBCA’s (eg, gadoteridol) have not been clearly associated with NSF. 2 A Veterans Administration study involving gadoteridol identified no cases of NSF among the 141 patients on hemodialysis following 198 exposures. 2 In fact, the 2017 American College of Radiology (ACR) Manual on Contrast Media reports the risk of NSF with cyclic chelates as “very low, if any”. 1 A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis involving 4931 patients with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease (ie, GFR <30mL/min per 1.73 m2) failed to find any cases of NSF after receiving group II GBCAs (eg, non-linear, including cyclic).2a When a cyclic GBCA is used in patients with ESKD, however, hemodialysis has been recommended as soon as possible after MRI. 3

GBCAs are chelates with 2 major components: gadolinium and either a linear or cyclic ligand. Cyclic ligands bind to gadolinium more avidly, resulting in lower probability of circulating renally-cleared free gadolinium which when deposited in tissue is thought to potentially trigger NSF.2

Although NSF is characterized by progressive fibrosis of skin and soft tissue, it may involve multiple organs with an estimated 30% mortality rate. 4

 Bonus Pearl: Did you know NSF is really a new disease, with no evidence of its existence before 1997?

 

Contributed by Richard Newcomb, MD, Mass General Hospital, Boston, MA.

 

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References

  1. “Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis”. In ACR Manual on Contrast Media; Version 10.3; May 31, 2017. https://www.acr.org/-/media/ACR/Files/Clinical-Resources/Contrast_Media.pdf
  2. Reilly RF. Risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis with gadoteridol (ProHance) in patients who are on long-term hemodialysis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2008;3:747-51. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18287249.                                                   2a.  Woolen SA. Shankar PR, Gagnier JJ, et al. Risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disedse reciving a group II gadolinium-based contrast agent: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med 2020;180:223-230. Risk of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in Patients With Stage 4 or 5 Chronic Kidney Disease Receiving a Group II Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Chronic Kidney Disease | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network
  3. Wang Y, Alkasab TK, Nari O, et al. Incidence of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis after adoption of restrictive gadolinium-based contrast agent guidelines. Radiology 2011;260:105-111.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21586680
  4. Schlaudecker JD, Bernheisel CR. Gadolinium-associated nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Am Fam Physician 2009;80:711-14. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1001/p711.pdf

 

Disclosures: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Mercy Hospital-St. Louis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University, their affiliate academic healthcare centers, or its contributors. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

 

Can my patient with renal insufficiency safely undergo gadolinium-based contrast MRI?

200 pearls and counting! Take the Pearls4Peers quiz #2!

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Multiple choice (choose 1 answer)
1. Which of the following classes of antibiotics is associated with peripheral neuropathy?
a. Penicillins
b. Cephalosporins
c. Macrolides
d. Quinolones

 

 

2. The best time to test for inherited thrombophilia in a patient with acute deep venous thrombosis is…
a. At least 1 week after stopping anticoagulants and a minimum of 3 months of anticoagulation
b. Just before initiating anticoagulants
c. Once anticoagulation takes full effect
d. Any time, if suspected

 

 

3. All the following is true regarding brain MRI abnormalities following a seizure, except…
a. They are observed following status epilepticus only
b. They are often unilateral
c. They may occasionally be associated with leptomeningeal contrast enhancement
d. Abnormalities may persist for weeks or months

 

 

4. Which of the following is included in the quick SOFA criteria for sepsis?
a. Heart rate
b. Serum lactate
c. Temperature
d. Confusion

 

 

5. All of the following regarding iron replacement and infection is true, except…
a. Many common pathogens such as E.coli and Staphylococcus sp. depend on iron for their growth
b. Association of IV iron replacement and increased risk of infection has not been consistently demonstrated
c. A single randomized-controlled trial of IV iron in patients with active infection failed to show increased infectious complications or mortality with replacement
d. All of the above is true

 

True or false

1. Constipation may precede typical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease by 10 years or more
2. Urine Legionella antigen testing is >90% sensitive in legionnaire’s disease
3. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection should be particularly suspected in males over 50 years of age presenting with acute chest pain
4. Urine dipstick for detection of blood is >90% sensitive in identifying patients with rhabdomyolysis and CK >10,000 U/L
5. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for venous thrombophlebitis

 

 

 

Answer key
Multiple choice questions:1=d; 2=a;3=a;4=d;5=c
True or false questions:1=True; 2,3,4,5=False

 

200 pearls and counting! Take the Pearls4Peers quiz #2!

Can a seizure cause abnormalities on the brain MRI?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , Leave a comment

Yes it can, and the MRI abnormalities could represent seizure’s effects on the brain, not the seizure’s structural cause. Seizure-related MRI changes are often associated with status epilepticus, but have also been reported in complex partial status epilepticus.1,2

T2-weighted MRI images may show increased signal intensity at the cortical gray matter, subcortical white matter, or hippocampus. The MRI changes are unilateral about one-half of the cases, while in about 8% of patients leptomeningeal contrast-enhancement may be observed. Partial simple and complex seizures are associated with hippocampal involvement.3

The increased signal intensity following seizures is thought to be due to increased metabolism at the epileptogenic area, which in turn results in increased oxygen consumption, hypoxia, hypercarbia, lactic acidosis, and ultimately vasodilation and edema.

Reversibility of MRI changes following seizures has been noted between 15 and 150 days (average, 62 days). A structural abnormality is more likely the cause of a seizure when the MRI changes do not resolve during this period.3 Therefore, seizure-induced brain-MRI abnormalities remain a diagnosis of exclusion.

References

  1. Kim JA, Chung JI, Yoon PH, et al. Transient MR signal changes in patients with generalized tonicoclonic seizure or status epilepticus: periictal diffusion-weighted imaging. Am J Neuroradiol 2001; 22:1149–1160 http://www.ajnr.org/content/22/6/1149.long
  2. Henry TR, Brunberg DI, Pennell PB, et al. Focal cerebral magnetic resonance changes associated with partial status epilepticus. Epilepsia 1994; 35:35–41 http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.916.5237&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  3. Cianfoni A, Caulo M, Cerase A, et al. Seizure-induced brain lesions: a wide spectrum of variably reversible MRI abnormalities. Eur J Radiol. 2013; 82(11):1964-72. http://www.ejradiology.com/article/S0720-048X(13)00271-4/fulltext

 

Contributed by Johan H.L. Boneschansker, MD, Mass General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Can a seizure cause abnormalities on the brain MRI?

My patient with low back pain was just diagnosed with a lumbar spinal epidural abscess. Should I order an MRI of the rest of the spine?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , Leave a comment

First, look closely for any signs or symptoms which may suggest cord involvement due to spinal epidural abscess (SEA) at other levels of the spine (in this case cervical or thoracic) which would necessitate an urgent MRI. Be particularly on the lookout for new pain (particularly radicular) or paresthesias involving the abdomen, chest or upper extremities (with or without weakness)1.

Otherwise, whether an MRI of the entire spine should be routinely obtained after a diagnosis of SEA in the absence of any suggestive signs or symptoms is less clear, in part related to lack of properly designed studies.1-4

Nevertheless, a retrospective study involving 233 patients with SEA may shed some light on the subject. Based on 22 cases of noncontiguous SEA (9.4% of total), the following independent risk factors were identified3:

  • Delay in presentation (≥1 week of symptoms)
  • Concomitant area of infection outside the spine and paraspinal region
  • ESR > 95 mm/h at presentation

Probability of non-contiguous SEA based on the number of risk factors was as follows:

  • 3 risk factors: 73%
  • 2 risk factors: 13%
  • 1 risk factor: 2%
  • Zero risk factor: 0%

Despite several shortcomings and the need to confirm its findings2,3, this study helps raise awareness of the potential for concurrent but asymptomatic SEA elsewhere in the spine whenever SEA is diagnosed.

 

References

  1. Bond A, Manian FA. Spinal epidural abscess: a review with special emphasis on earlier diagnosis. BioMed Res International 2016;Volume 2016, Article ID 1614328. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2016/1614328/
  2. Schoenfeld AJ, Hayward RA. Predicting modeling for epidural abscess: what we can, can’t, and should do about it. Spine J 2015;15:102-104. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S152994301401554X
  3. Ju KL, Kim SD, Melikian R, et al. Predicting patients with concurrent noncontiguous spinal epidural abscess lesions. Spine J 2015;15:95-101. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24953159
  4. Pfister HW, vonRosen F, Yousry T. MRI detection of epidural spinal abscesses at noncontiguous sites. J Neurol 1996;243:315-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8965103
My patient with low back pain was just diagnosed with a lumbar spinal epidural abscess. Should I order an MRI of the rest of the spine?

My patient with a medicated adhesive patch is having an MRI. Should the patch be removed before the procedure?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , Leave a comment

The nonadhesive backing of some medicated or transdermal patches (TPs) contain aluminum or other metals that can become heated during an MRI1.  FDA is aware of skin burns at the patch site in several patients wearing an aluminized TP during an MRI2.

The following TPs have been reported by the FDA to have aluminized backing: Androderm (testosterone transdermal system); 2. Catapres-TTS (clonidine transdermal system); 3. Nicoderm (nicotine transdermal system); 4. Nicotrol (nicotine transdermal system); 5. Prostep (nicotine transdermal system);6. Habitrol (nicotine transdermal system); 7. Nicotine transdermal system (generic nicotine transdermal system); 8. Transderm Nitro (nitroglycerin transdermal system); 9. Trasnsderm Scop (scopolamine transdermal system).

Other TPs that have metal backing but not necessarily carrying FDA warning include Flector (diclofenac), estradiol, Duragesic (fentanyl), Synera (lidocaine and tetracaine), methyl salicylate and menthol (over the counter), Oxytrol (oxybutynin), Exelon (rivastigmine), Neupro (rotigotine), and Emsam (selegiline)3.  

In short, it is advisable that TPs with metal backing (either listed above or others)  be removed prior to MRI.

 

References

  1. Kuehn B. FDA warning: remove drug patches before MRI to prevent burns to skin. JAMA. 2009;301:1328
  2. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scienceforums/forum06/k-26.htm , accessed April 19, 2017.
  3. http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/alexander-kantorovich-pharmd-bcps/2016/08/transdermal-patches-that-must-be-removed-before-mri , accessed April 19,2017.
My patient with a medicated adhesive patch is having an MRI. Should the patch be removed before the procedure?

When should I suspect spinal epidural abscess in my 55 year old patient with severe back pain?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , Leave a comment

 It cannot be overemphasized that up 50% of patients with spinal epidural abscess (SEA) have no known risk factors,  one-half may have no fever,  and 20-40% lack leukocytosis1. In fact, the “classic triad” of back pain, fever, and neurological deficits is found only in the minority of patients!  No wonder that up to 75% of patients SEA are misdiagnosed on their initial healthcare encounter1!

Potential “red flags” for infectious causes of low back pain include age >50 y, night pain, unremitting pain even when supine, duration > 6 weeks, fever, chills, night sweats, weight loss, conditions associated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (eg intravenous drug use), incontinence, saddle anesthesia, and severe or rapidly progressive neurologic deficits1,2.  

ESR and C-reactive protein (CRP) are almost uniformly elevated in SEA1 and can serve as a good starting point in excluding this condition when in doubt.   In patients ≥50 y of age with low back pain, obtaining ESR routinely has been suggested for detection of systemic disease (eg cancer, infection)3.  Similarly, in a recent algorithm of severe back pain, routine measurements of ESR and CRP, even in the absence of any neurological findings, has been recommended1; elevation of either may necessitate consideration of MRI.

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References:

  1. Bond, A, Manian FA. Spinal epidural abscess: a review with special emphasis on earlier diagnosis. BioMed Res International 2016; https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2016/1614328/http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1614328  
  2. Della-Giustina. Acute low back pain: recognizing the “red flags” in the workup. Consultant 2013;53:436-440. http://www.consultant360.com/article/acute-low-back-pain-recognizing-%E2%80%9Cred-flags%E2%80%9D-workup
  3. Jarvik JG, Deyo RA. Diagnostic evaluation of low back pain with emphasis on imaging. Ann Intern Med 2002;137:586-597. http://annals.org/aim/article/715687/diagnostic-evaluation-low-back-pain-emphasis-imaging

Disclosures: The listed questions and answers are solely the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Mercy Hospital-St. Louis or its affiliate healthcare centers, Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School or its affiliated institutions. Although every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the author is far from being perfect. The reader is urged to verify the content of the material with other sources as deemed appropriate and exercise clinical judgment in the interpretation and application of the information provided herein. No responsibility for an adverse outcome or guarantees for a favorable clinical result is assumed by the author. Thank you!

Additional disclosure: The author of this post (FAM) also coauthored reference 1.

When should I suspect spinal epidural abscess in my 55 year old patient with severe back pain?

How accurate is EKG when evaluating for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)?

FA Manian MD, MPH, , , , , , , Leave a comment

A systematic review comparing 6 EKG criteria for LVH (including commonly used Sokolow-Lyon [defined below], Cornell voltage index or product, Gubner, and Romhilt-Estes scores 4 or 5) with echocardiography reported very low median sensitivities; “highest” sensitivity was found using the Sokolow-Lyon criteria (median 21%, 4-52%). Median specificities were  89% (53-100%) and 99% (71-100%) for Sokolow-Lyon and Romhilt-Estes criteria (5 points) (1).

LVH definition of selected EKG indexes

Sokolow-Lyon index: SV1+(RV5 or V6)>35 mm 

Cornell voltage index: men, RaVL+SV3>28 mm; women, RaVL+SV3>20 mm

Modified Cornell: RaVL>11mm (>10 mm, ref. 3)

Gubner: RI+SIII>24mm

More recently, MRI has become the gold standard for in-vivo LV mass measurement. In a study involving patients with aortic stenosis undergoing MRI, EKG generally had poor negative predictive value (NPV) (<70% by most criteria), but high positive predictive value (PPV) (>90% by most criteria) for LVH; for Sokolow-Lyon criteria, the NPV and PPV were 46% and 90%, respectively (2). 

In another MRI study involving patients with various cardiovascular conditions (eg hypertension, CAD), RaVL alone (>10mm) performed better than Sokolow-Lyon (AUC 0.78, specificity 95.5%) but its sensitivity was still nothing to brag about (36.5%) (3).

So, EKGs are better at ruling in than ruling out LVH!

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References

1.Pewsner D, Juni P, Egger M, et al. Accuracy of electrocardiography in diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in arterial hypertension: systematic review. BMJ 2007. doi:10.1136/bmj.39276.636354.AE  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2001078

2.Buchner S, Debl K, Haimerl J, et al.  Electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in aortic valve disease: evaluation of ECG criteria by cardiovascular magnetic resonance. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson  2009; 11:18. https://jcmr-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1532-429X-11-18

3.Courand P-Y, Grandjean A, Charles P, et al. R wave in aVL lead is a robust index of left ventricular hypertrophy: a cardiac MRI study. Am J Hypertension 2015;28:1038-48. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25588700

 

Contributed in part by Khin-Kyemon Aung, medical student, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

How accurate is EKG when evaluating for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)?