Items tagged “emergency”

Rhabdomyolysis describes the breakdown of striated muscles with the release of intracellular contents and represents a severe muscle injury. MRI is the imaging modality of choice. Rhabdomyolysis is potentially life-threatening although recovery is excellent with early treatment. Clinical presen...

This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists Skull fractures usually occur following significant head injury and may herald underlying neurological pathology. Reference article This is a summary article; read more in our article on skull fractures. Summary anatomy...

Midline shift is one of the most important indicators of increased intracranial pressure due to mass effect. Pathology Any intra-axial or extra-axial lesion (tumor, hemorrhage, abscess, etc.) has the potential to exert mass effect on the brain parenchyma and cause lateral shift of the midline ...

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a group of cardiac diagnoses along a spectrum of severity due to the interruption of coronary blood flow to the myocardium, which in decreasing severity are: ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) unstable an...

Pneumothorax is a serious potential consequence of blunt thoracic trauma and, if misdiagnosed, it may quickly become life-threatening. For a discussion on epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathology, and treatment and prognosis please see the main pneumothorax article.  Radiographic feature...

Congestive cardiac failure (CCF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF) or simply heart failure, refers to the clinical syndrome caused by inherited or acquired abnormalities of heart structure and function, causing a constellation of symptoms and signs that lead to decreased quality and ...

The Geneva score is a clinical decision rule used to estimate the pre-test probability of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients in which this diagnosis was considered. The criteria were originally published by the clinical team of the Geneva University Hospital in 2001 1, and revised and simplifie...

Methanol poisoning is a cause of an acute toxic leukoencephalopathy that also has eventual chronic sequelae.  Epidemiology Methanol is found in a variety of consumer products including perfumes, model aircraft and car fuels, windshield washing solutions, carburator cleaners, solid cooking fuel...

Aortic valve regurgitation, also known as aortic valve insufficiency or aortic valve incompetence, is a valvulopathy that describes leaking of the aortic valve during diastole that causes blood to flow in the reverse direction from the aorta and into the left ventricle. Epidemiology Aortic reg...

Wellens syndrome (also referred to as LAD coronary T-wave syndrome) refers to an ECG pattern specific for critical stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD artery  +/- resultant myocardial infarction in this territory.  The anomalies described occur in patients with recent anginal...

Acetabular fractures are a type of pelvic fracture, which may also involve the ilium, ischium or pubis depending on fracture configuration. Epidemiology Acetabular fractures are uncommon. The reported incidence is approximately 3 per 100,000 per year. This study reported a 63% to 37% male to f...

Pre-eclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy involving new-onset hypertension (systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg) and involvement of one or more other organ systems. Epidemiology Pre-eclampsia affects up to 8% of pregnancies 1. Risk factors diabetes mellitus 2 chronic hypertension ...

A massive pulmonary embolism (PE) represents the most severe manifestation of venous thromboembolic disease and causes acute right ventricular outflow obstruction which can be fatal. The source is sometimes a clinically silent free-floating lower limb thrombus originating from the soleal intramu...

A submassive pulmonary embolism refers to an acute pulmonary embolism with evidence of myocardial necrosis or right ventricular dysfunction in the absence of systemic hypotension. An elevation in troponin I or T provides evidence of myocardial necrosis. Right ventricular dysfunction is defined b...

Abdominal compartment syndrome is a disease defined by the presence of new end-organ dysfunction secondary to elevated intra-abdominal pressure. Radiological diagnosis is difficult and usually suggested when a collection of imaging findings are present in the appropriate clinical setting or if t...

An electrocardiographic finding suggestive of impending myocardial infarction, the de Winter's pattern (or "de Winter's T-waves") describes an abnormality thought to be indicative of acute occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) 2. Timely recognition of this patt...

An ocular foreign body occurs when an orbital foreign body intrudes into the globe itself, often threatening vision, and requiring urgent surgical removal. Clinical presentation Patients present in a highly variable manner based on the precise intraocular location and properties of the foreign...

Dental trauma is common, affecting up to one-third of the population. While often clinically apparent, they may be overlooked in the setting of severe trauma.  Pathology The maxillary incisors are the most commonly injured tooth. Dental trauma is commonly classified as 1,2: luxation ​concuss...

Subglottic stenosis is a condition characterized by narrowing of the subglottic airway (region below the vocal cords). It can be congenital or acquired 1. Epidemiology Subglottic stenosis is the third most common congenital airway abnormality. The incidence of subglottic stenosis has decreased...

Median nerve block is a technique used for providing anesthesia to the median nerve territory, it may be performed at the level of the arm, elbow, forearm or the wrist. Indications fracture reductions surgical repair of fractures incision and drainage of cysts and abscesses post-op...