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Biomedical subjects

S A DeLuca

Publications and source records attributed to S A DeLuca.

116 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

The challenge of cost control.

Specific steps are suggested to cope with the variable costs of diagnostic examinations and film use. More importantly, fixed costs which constitute most of the expenses in radiology, should also be controlled. Since nonphysician salaries are a large part of fixed costs, factors which affect productivity must be investigated and understood. Unfortunately, current regulatory and reimbursement procedures thwart efforts to improve productivity and control expenses.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1980

The oblique view: an unnecessary component of the initial adult lumbar spine examination.

A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the diagnostic contribution of oblique views in 200 consecutive lumbar spine examinations done in adults. In four cases (two percent) there was a change in the radiographic interpretation when the oblique views were used for diagnosis. Considering the low diagnostic and therapeutic yield, as well as the gonadal radiation dose, the authors feel that the oblique view should not be a routine part of the initial lumbar spine examination in adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Errors of interpretation as elicited by a quality audit of an emergency radiology facility.

A process-oriented quality care audit was performed in a large metropolitan hospital emergency radiology facility with an annual volume of over 50,000 examinations. One aspect of the audit dealt with errors found among interpretations by radiology residents, the initial interpreters of x-ray studies. Misinterpretations were identified by staff radiologists, who checked all examinations and countersigned the reports. Error rates were correlated with duration of training and were separated as to significance and whether the errors were false-negative (omission) or false-positive (commission). The false-positive to false-negative ratio was 27:73% which is in agreement with previous studies. For all cases of errors, the significance of change in interpretation was high in 20%, moderate in 29% and low in 51%. The effect of inadequate clinical history on the rate and significance of interpretation errors was also determined. When clinical information was inadequate, the significance was high in 27%, moderate in 40% and low in 33%.

Diagnostic Errors↗
PubMed1975

The spleen-lung interface as diagnostic information.

Left anterior, lateral, and posterior views on 50 consecutive RES-lung scams were examined. Normal patients had continuity of activity between the left lung and the spleen on all three views. Patients with subphrenic abscess or large left pleural effusions showed no continuity between lung and spleen activity on any view, while other abnormalities, most commonly cardiomegaly, accounted for lack of lung-spleen continuity on the anterior view only. It is suggested that in all combined RES-lung studies, the left side be examined as well as the right for abnormalities adjacent to the left diaphragm.

Female↗