OBJECTIVE: To evaluate diagnostic yield and feasibility of integrating testing for TB and COVID-19 using molecular and radiological screening tools during community-based active case-finding (ACF).
METHODS: Community-based participants with presumed TB and/or COVID-19 were recruited using a mobile clinic. Participants underwent simultaneous point-of-care (POC) testing for TB (sputum; Xpert Ultra) and COVID-19 (nasopharyngeal swabs; Xpert SARS-CoV-2). Sputum culture and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR served as reference standards. Participants underwent ultra-portable POC chest radiography with computer-aided detection (CAD). TB infectiousness was evaluated using smear microscopy, cough aerosol sampling studies (CASS), and chest radiographic cavity detection. Feasibility of POC testing was evaluated via user-appraisals.
RESULTS: Six hundred and one participants were enrolled, with 144/601 (24.0%) reporting symptoms suggestive of TB and/or COVID-19. 16/144 (11.1%) participants tested positive for TB, while 10/144 (6.9%) tested positive for COVID-19 (2/144 [1.4%] had concurrent TB/COVID-19). Seven (7/16 [43.8%]) individuals with TB were probably infectious. Test-specific sensitivity and specificity (95% CI) were: Xpert Ultra 75.0% (42.8-94.5) and 96.9% (92.4-99.2); Xpert SARS-CoV-2 66.7% (22.3-95.7) and 97.1% (92.7-99.2). Area under the curve (AUC) for CAD4TB was 0.90 (0.82-0.97). User appraisals indicated POC Xpert to have \'good\' user-friendliness.
CONCLUSIONS: Integrating TB/COVID-19 screening during community-based ACF using POC molecular and radiological tools is feasible, has a high diagnostic yield, and can identity probably infectious persons.

Background and Objectives: Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer in the world for both men and women as well as the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The aim of this study is to summarize the radiological characteristics between primary lung adenocarcinoma subtypes and to correlate them with FDG uptake on PET-CT. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 102 patients with pathohistologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. A PET-CT examination was performed on some of the patients and the values of SUVmax were also correlated with the histological and morphological characteristics of the masses in the lungs. Results: The results of this analysis showed that the mean size of AIS-MIA (adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma) cancer was significantly lower than for all other cancer types, while the mean size of the acinar cancer was smaller than in the solid type of cancer. Metastases were significantly more frequent in solid adenocarcinoma than in acinar, lepidic, and AIS-MIA cancer subtypes. The maximum standardized FDG uptake was significantly lower in AIS-MIA than in all other cancer types and in the acinar predominant subtype compared to solid cancer. Papillary predominant adenocarcinoma had higher odds of developing contralateral lymph node involvement compared to other types. Solid adenocarcinoma was associated with higher odds of having metastases and with higher SUVmax. AIS-MIA was associated with lower odds of one unit increase in tumor size and ipsilateral lymph node involvement. Conclusions: The correlation between histopathological and radiological findings is crucial for accurate diagnosis and staging. By integrating both sets of data, clinicians can enhance diagnostic accuracy and determine the optimal treatment plan.

暂无摘要。

BACKGROUND: Dirofilariasis is a vector-borne disease caused by parasitic nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria spp., considered an emerging concern in both veterinary and human medicine. Climate changes and human activities, such as pet travel, contribute to the spread of diseases to new non-endemic regions. Poland is dominated by subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by D. repens infections. Cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis, also known as a heartworm disease is much more rare with only single autochthonous cases reported so far. Also, imported infections are observed sporadically in dogs traveling to endemic countries. In this study, we report the first case of a dog in Poland, never having traveled abroad, co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis.
METHODS: A 14-year-old mixed breed, an intact male dog with fever, lightly pale mucosal membranes, moderate abdominal pain, and a mild cough was presented in a veterinary clinic in Warsaw, Poland. The examination of the blood sample collected for complete morphology and biochemistry revealed the presence of live microfilariae. Presence of the DNA of both microfilariae species was detected using Real-Time PCR with species-specific primers.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the remaining diagnostic methods like Knott\'s test, antigen test or echocardiography did not reveal the presence of D. immitis, we discussed the impact of microfilariae periodicity and low worm burden infections on the limited efficiency of these techniques. We strongly recommend using a mixed diagnostic approach for the most sensitive and specific diagnosis since the ideal diagnostic method does not exist, and several factors may contribute to misdiagnosis. Furthermore, we considered factors that contribute to the uncontrolled spread of dirofilariasis such as climate changes, introduction of new species of mosquitoes competent for the transmission of the disease, and wildlife animals as an important reservoir of this parasitosis. Given that Poland shares borders with countries classified as endemic and pre-endemic for D. immitis, such as Slovakia and Ukraine, it is reasonable to anticipate a rise in autochthonous heartworm infections and shifts in the epidemiological pattern of dirofilariasis in the coming years.

Partial segmental thrombosis of the corpus cavernosum (PSTCC) is a rare condition predominantly occurring in young men. We report a case of a 44-year-old man presenting with a spontaneous painful mass in the right proximal cavernous corpus (CC) one day following a prolonged run. An ultrasonography and MRI identified a thrombus in the CC. Anticoagulants and analgesics were prescribed, a non-surgical approach was chosen. Symptoms disappeared in a week as apparent by a reduction of thrombus on the MRI. Three years later, a residual thrombus with fibrosis was detected. Patient continues to be asymptomatic at the time of follow-up.

UNASSIGNED: Uterocolon fistula is one of the complications of intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. Not only may IUD materials cause perforation, but some other risk factors may contribute to its development including uterine abnormalities, thus IUD is contraindicated in patients with anatomical anomaly.
UNASSIGNED: P3A1 woman, 50 years old with a history of IUD use for 16 years presented with complaints of fecal discharge from the vagina 8 months ago which worsened after IUD extraction. Physical examination revealed no abdominal tenderness. Speculum examination found feces in the cervical canal. CT scan examination showed multiple uterocolon fistulas and uterine didelphys. Diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy were carried out and found a recto-uterine fistula, then the patient was scheduled for colostomy and reanastomosis with the stapler method.
UNASSIGNED: Diagnosis was very difficult to establish despite proper imaging modalities. The use of direct visual diagnostics (hysteroscopy and laparoscopy) can be a good alternative for the diagnosis of uterocolon fistula. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on recto-uterine fistula in a patient with long-term use of IUD and uterine didelphys.

In high-burden settings, low-complexity screening tests for tuberculosis (TB) could expand the reach of community-based case-finding efforts. The potential costs and cost-effectiveness of approaches incorporating these tests are poorly understood.
We developed a microsimulation model assessing 3 approaches to community-based case-finding in hypothetical populations (India-, South Africa-, The Philippines-, Uganda-, and Vietnam-like settings) with TB prevalence 4 times that of national estimates: (1) screening with a point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) test, (2) screening with a more sensitive \"Hypothetical Screening test\" (95% sensitive for Xpert Ultra-positive TB, 70% specificity; equipment/labor costs similar to Xpert Ultra, but using a $2 cartridge) followed by sputum Xpert Ultra if positive, or (3) testing all individuals with sputum Xpert Ultra. Costs are expressed in 2023 US dollars and include treatment costs.
Universal Xpert Ultra was estimated to cost a mean $4.0 million (95% uncertainty range: $3.5 to $4.6 million) and avert 3200 (2600 to 3900) TB-related disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100 000 people screened ($670 [The Philippines] to $2000 [Vietnam] per DALY averted). CRP was projected to cost $550 (The Philippines) to $1500 (Vietnam) per DALY averted but with 44% fewer DALYs averted. The Hypothetical Screening test showed minimal benefit compared to universal Xpert Ultra, but if specificity were improved to 95% and per-test cost to $4.5 (all-inclusive), this strategy could cost $390 (The Philippines) to $940 (Vietnam) per DALY averted.
Screening tests can meaningfully improve the cost-effectiveness of community-based case-finding for TB but only if they are sensitive, specific, and inexpensive.

Osteoid osteoma of the cuneiform bone is an exceedingly rare and easily missed cause of foot pain. The uncharacteristic and nonspecific radiographs of such intra-articular osteoid osteoma further increase difficulty in making the diagnosis. To date, there has been no description of intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the intermediate cuneiform bone causing articular degeneration in any published literatures. We present a case of intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the intermediate cuneiform bone causing articular degeneration, who underwent curettage, allograft bone graft, and navicular-cuneiform arthrodesis. The patient presented with radiographic bone union, full motor function recovery and pain-free at the 22-month follow-up. This report adds to the existing literature. Intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the intermediate cuneiform bone causing articular degeneration is an exceedingly rare and easily missed cause of foot pain. It proves a complicated and challenging task to identify intra-articular osteoid osteoma. Clinicians should be particularly careful not to exclude the possibility of arthritis and, thus, vigilant when choosing the surgical option.

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Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-rI) is a largely reversible, subacute encephalopathy, which is considered as a rare variant of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Although the diagnosis of this inflammatory vasculopathy is generally clinico-pathologic, a probable or possible diagnosis can often be established based on current clinico-radiological diagnostic criteria. This is important since CAA-rI is considered as a treatable disorder, which most commonly occurs in the elderly population. Behavioral changes and cognitive deterioration are highlighted as the most common clinical signs of CAA-rI, followed by a heterogeneous spectrum of typical and atypical clinical presentations. However, despite the well-established clinical and radiological features incorporated in the current diagnostic criteria for this CAA variant, this rare disorder is still insufficiently recognized and treated. Here, we have shown three patients diagnosed with probable CAA-rI, with significant heterogeneity in the clinical and neuroradiological presentations, followed by different disease courses and outcomes after the introduction of immunosuppressive treatment. Moreover, we have also summarized up-to-date literature data about this rare, yet underdiagnosed, immune-mediated vasculopathy.