Diagnostics

Objective Evaluation of Stethoscopes
The stethoscope is one of the most basic instruments used by practitioners for initial diagnosis of respiratory conditions.

Magnetic resonance lung function – a breakthrough for lung imaging and functional assessment? A phantom study and clinical trial
Chronic lung diseases are a major issue in public health. A serial pulmonary assessment using imaging techniques free of ionizing radiation and which provides early information on local function impairment would therefore be a considerably important development.

Marked stem cell factor expression in the airways of lung transplant recipients
Airways repair is critical to lung function following transplantation. We hypothesised that the stem cell factor (SCF) could play a role in this setting.

Selected Reading

• Evaluation of rapid identification method for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex using the immunochromatographic slide test kit
• Mutations including IS6110 insertion in the gene encoding the MPB64 protein of Capilia TB-negative Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates
• Simple and rapid identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by immunochromatographic assay using anti-MPB64 monoclonal antibodies
• New simple and rapid test for culture confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: a multicenter study
• Standardization of laboratory tests for tuberculosis and their proficiency testing

Selected Reading

• Effect of compensated renal dysfunction on approved heart failure markers: direct comparison of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP
• The diagnostic accuracy and utility of a B-type natriuretic peptide test in a community population of patients with suspected heart failure
• Influence of renal function on N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients admitted for dyspnoea in the Emergency Department: comparison with brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)
• Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide in assessment of acute dyspnea
• Head to head comparison of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with/without left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Selected Reading

• Examination of induced sputum in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
• Cost effectiveness of the induced sputum technique for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-infected patients
• The high burden of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in African HIV-1-infected children hospitalized for severe pneumonia
• Use of the polymerase chain reaction technique on induced-sputum samples for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in HIV-infected patients. A clinical and cost-analysis study
• Detection of Pneumocystis carinii in induced sputum samples of HIV positive patients