To assess the clinical utility of replacing microbial culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae with a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), we compared N. gonorrhoeae culture with the cobas 4800 CT/NG test for 18,247 urogenital and 666 nongenital samples. For urogenital specimens, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the cobas N. gonorrhoeae PCR were 98.7%, 10...

To improve the radiologic recognition of pituitary microadenomas that have subtle or no mass effect, the appearance of the normal pituitary gland on computed tomographic (CT) images was studied. Thirteen autopsy specimens of the pituitary gland and sella turcica were examined by coronal CT and histologically sectioned in similar coronal planes. The CT and histologic findings were correlated, th...

INTRODUCTION Self-taken specimens from men who have sex with men (MSM) could be important in reducing high levels of demand on sexual health services. The performance of self-taken specimens for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) from both pharyngeal and rectal sites in asymptomatic MSM was assessed. METHODS MSM were examined according to clinic protoco...

Several diseases may cause craniovertebral instability warranting occiput-cervical fusion. As occipital screw and rod constructs are becoming more popular, requiring that screws be placed either medially or laterally in the occipital bone, the need for clearer anatomical and computed tomography (CT)-confirmed data regarding the relative thickness of the occiput in its various localities has bec...

BACKGROUND Current techniques for measuring in vivo polyethylene wear suffer from a range of problems, resulting in an unacceptable lack of repeatability and/or insufficient accuracy when they are used to measure the low wear rates associated with new, highly crosslinked polyethylene. We describe an improved CT method for measurement of 3D femoral head penetration in PE acetabular cups that has...

OBJECTIVE To enable development of an endoscope for cellular-level optical imaging of the inner ear. STUDY DESIGN A prospective study of 50 cadaveric human temporal bones to define detailed surgical anatomy of the round window (RW) region and the range of angles necessary to reach the RW membrane perpendicularly via the external ear canal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The transcanal angle to the RW...

Gene expression profiling of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens, banked from completed clinical trials and routine clinical care, has the potential to yield valuable information implicating and linking genes with clinical parameters. In order to prepare high-quality cDNA from highly fragmented FFPE-RNA, previously precluded from high-throughput analyses, we have designed a no...

We evaluated the clinical performance of the Bio-Rad Dx CT/NG/MG assay for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urogenital samples in comparison with the Roche COBAS® TaqMan® CT assay for C. trachomatis and an in-house TaqMan PCR assay for M. genitalium. Swab specimens were cultured for N. gonorrhoeae. In this prospective study, urogenital s...

The aim of this study was to identify the shape and route of the bony canal of the posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) and posterior superior alveolar nerve (PSAN) using different identification methods, including computed tomography (CT), panoramic radiograph, and macroscopic evaluation (corpse and dry skull). Twenty-four patients were analyzed by CT and panoramic and posterior anterior ...

INTRODUCTION For developing countries, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their complications are ranked in the top 5 disease categories for which adults seek medical treatment. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) are the three most common STIs worldwide, with TV accounting for over half of the cases. In developing countries, traditiona...