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Biomedical subjects

G J de Lacey

Publications and source records attributed to G J de Lacey.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Rationalising abdominal radiography in the accident and emergency department.

A retrospective analysis is presented of 100 consecutive patients attending an accident department and referred for abdominal radiography. In general the reasons for requesting supine films appeared sound. Five per cent of referrals were for haematemesis which is not a valid reason for plain radiography. An erect abdominal film as a routine request is indicated only in suspected intestinal obstruction (4% in this series), but 83% of patients were referred for both erect and supine films. If haematemesis were excluded as a reason for X-ray referral, and if erect films were limited to suspected intestinal obstruction, 95% of the patients would still have been referred for radiography, but almost half the abdominal films would not have been required. This would have reduced film wastage, workload and more important, gonadal irradiation.

Adolescent↗

The hypertransradiant hemithorax: the importance of lateral decentring, and the explanation for its appearance due to rotation.

Experimental evidence is presented indicating that 80% of the increase in unilateral film blackening on the chest radiograph resulting from rotation of the patient is due to asymmetrical absorption of the X-ray beam. Scatter contributes 20% to this increase in blackening. The effect on the radiograph of lateral decentring is also described. In the rotated patient, the hypertransradiant hemithorax always occurs on the side to which the patient is rotated, and is independent of the projection. If this rule is broken, then decentring or a thoracic abnormality is present.

Absorption↗

The radiology of nasal injuries: problems of interpretation and clinical relevance.

Films of 50 normal patients and 50 dry skulls were examined to detect lines which might stimulate a nasal fracture. These were visible on the occipito-mental view but on the lateral view any line which reaches the anterior cortex must be regarded as a fracture. The results of an analysis of 100 patients with trauma to the nasal bone are also presented. It is concluded that radiography of the nasal bone is an unnecessary examination unless requested by the E.N.T. surgeon, and this will in any case occur infrequently.

Fractures, Bone↗