Mechanisms of Disease Flashcards
(215 cards)
Sensitivity
True +ve rate proportion of the people that have the disease test +ve. Ie this is the ability to detect everyone who has the disease
Sensitivity formula
TP
TP + FN
Specificity
True -ve rate proportion of people who don’t have the disease test -ve. Ie this is the ability to distinguish who has the disease
Specificity formula
TN
TN + FP
False +ve and false -ve
False +ve is a person identified by the test to have the disease who is infarct normal
False -ve disease sufferers who are missed by the test
D-dimer
Breakdown product of fibrin from blood clot useful in diagnosis of PE. High sensitivity i.e. everyone with a PE will have a raised d-dimer. Low specificity many other causes of raised d-dimer.
Positive predictive value
TP
TP + FP
Negative predictive value
TN
TN + FN
Positive likelihood ratio
Sensitivity
1-Specificity
Values > 1 imply the test is useful
Negative likelihood ratio
1-Sensitivity
Specificity
Values <1 imply the test is useful
Likelihood that test will be negative in somebody with the disease compared to someone who is healthy
ROC curve
Slope = likelihood ratio
Area underneath = power of the test
Pregnancy and developing breasts
200x increased risk of cancer
Plain films
+ve - quick accessible, great for bones
-ve - only 2D representation, pt factors i.e. inspiration, posture
CT
+ve - quick accessible, mass data, useful for blood supply using radioactive contrast
-ve - contrast can be nephrotoxic be aware if using in renal impairment, high doses of radiation beware in pregnancy and children
USS
+ve - quick, safe, no radiation, by the bedside, used to guide interventional procedures
-ve - difficulty to interpret, operator dependent, struggles to be used on obese people
MRI
+ve specific for soft tissue, very good for spinal, no radiation
-ve CI metal!!, slow take approx 30mins, pt needs to be still, very claustrophobic
CURB 65
Confusion (AMTS<8) Urea < 7mmol Resp rate >30 BP <90/6 65+
Bilateral consolidation CXR
Consider legionella. May have neutropenia, lymphopenia, dry cough. Test for antigen in urine
Mx = ciprofloxacin
Air bronchogram
Air filled bronchi (dark) are made visable due to opacification of the alveoli. Caused by pathological process where either fluid, pus or blood fills the alveoli
Causes = pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, bronchcarcioma, ILD, pulmonary haemorraghe
Cryptogenic organsising pneumonia (COP)
PC - similar to infectious pneumonia, fever, wt loss, fatigue, chest pain and SOB often over the course of severe months
CXR resembles consolidation, very hard to distinguish from pneumonia. Classically unilateral or bilateral patchy areas. -ve culture! increased CRP or ESR
Mx - steroids!
Lights criteria for pleural effusions
Exudate = protein >35g/L, pleural protein: serum protein >0.5, pleural LDH: serum LDH >0.6
Causes - infection, malignancy,inflammatory - SLE, RA
Transudate protein <30g/L causes = cirrhosis,HF, renal failure, hypothyroidism, Meigs
CT head interpretation
Acute bleed = white, Hypodense areas often develop over time sign of infarction
Examine cisterns carefully for blood. Look for midline shift of the cortex
NG tubes
Should sit in the stomach to provide nutrition is incorrectly placed may = aspiration pneumonia.
Must pass straight down past the corina
ET tube
Catheter inserted into the trachea to establish and maintain a patent airway. Needs to sit approximately 1-2cm above the corona to equally ventilate both lungs. If poorly placed can lead to collapse of contralateral lung and improper ventilation