2012 Gottesfeld Award Winners

Abstract

Congratulations to the 2012 Kenneth R. Gottesfeld Award Winners

The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) is pleased to announce the 2012 winners of the Kenneth R. Gottesfeld Award for outstanding articles published in the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The winners were presented with their award at the 2013 SDMS Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1st Place

The Prediction of Liver Disease Status Using a Combination of Sonographic and Doppler-Derived Observations of the Portal Venous System

Joy Guthrie, PhD, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, RCS, RCCS, RVS, FSDMS

Joy is the Immediate Past President of the SDMS. She received her PhD in February 2012 in Public Health-Epidemiology from Walden University 2012. Currently, Joy is the Technical Director/ Ultrasound Supervisor at Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA as well as the Program Director for Community Regional Medical Center Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program. She also holds a position as Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF School of Medicine - Internal Medicine.

Joy has authored multiple articles focusing on original research and case studies for the JDMS. In addition, she has served in several positions on the SDMS and SDMS Foundation board and committees as well as the JDMS Editorial Board.

Abstract: A novel diagnostic test, named the PREW© score, was formulated to predict the known liver disease status of a purposive sample of 500 patients (304 cases and 196 controls) referred for abdominal sonograms. The score was defined by (P R E)/W, where P = portal vein pressure gradient (mm Hg), R = ratio between the observed mean portal vein diameter in the patient (mm) and the mean diameter in healthy subjects (mm), E = echogenicity of liver parenchyma (ECHO grade scale), and W = hepatic venous waveform (1 = monophasic to 3 = triphasic). Cases with PREW scores >50 were about 480 times more likely than the controls to be diagnosed with cirrhosis/ascites. Cases with PREW scores of 16 to 50 were about 6 to 15 times more likely than the controls to be diagnosed with hepatitis and about 15 to 120 times more likely to be diagnosed with cirrhosis/ascites. It was not possible to clearly discriminate between a diagnosis of hepatitis and cirrhosis/ascites if the PREW score was less than 50. The likelihoods of patients with PREW scores >25 being diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) or gallbladder (GB) disease were not statistically significant. A PREW score greater than 25 identified cases diagnosed with hepatitis/cirrhosis/ascites but eliminated diagnoses of NAFLD/NASH/GB. The clinical implication is that a PREW score >50 may help to facilitate the diagnosis of cirrhosis without confirmation by liver biopsy.

2nd Place

The Role of Transabdominal Sonography in Facilitating Successful Brachytherapy Outcomes in Cervical Cancer

Christina K. Phelps, BS, RDMS, RVT

Co-Author: Daniel G. Petereit, MD

Christina received her Bachelor degree in Health Sciences from the University of Wyoming in 2004 and her Associate degree in Ultrasound from Laramie County Community College in 2007. She has been employed with the Rapid City Regional Hospital since June 2007. Christina is currently registered in the Abdomen, Neurosonology, Ob/Gyn, & Vascular specialties.

Abstract: Radiation is a standard of care in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. Radiation consists of external beam radiation and brachytherapy to optimize local control and cure. High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is most commonly used in the United States. Advantages of HDR are outpatient treatment, elimination of exposure to medical staff, patient convenience, and the ability to modify the treatment because multiple fractions are used. Accurate placement of the tandem in the uterus is critical to maximize tumor control and minimize complications. Transabdominal sonography offers real-time imaging of the tandem placement, which allows the radiation oncologist to adjust the tandem position, thus ensuring correct dosimetry and treatment. This article discusses the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. This article further explains the importance of the brachytherapy technique, the role of transabdominal sonography, and how both can lead to a successful outcome for the patient.

3rd Place

A Case-Control Study to Compare the Likelihood of Detecting Liver Disorders Using Coincident Measures of Doppler-Derived Portal Vein Pressure Gradients, Hepatic Venous Waveforms, and the Echogenicity of Liver Parenchyma

Joy Guthrie, PhD, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, RCS, RVS, FSDMS

Co-Authors: Muhammad Y. Sheikh, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF Shana Morrell, PhD, MPH, and Diane Neal, PhD

Joy has authored multiple articles focusing on original research and case studies for the JDMS. In addition, she has served on several SDMS and SDMS Foundation board and committee positions as well as serve on the JDMS Editorial Board.

Abstract: A case-control study based on the records of 465 adult patients receiving abdominal sonograms predicted the likelihood of liver damage, as detected by serum biomarkers, biopsy, and/or endoscopy, to increase systematically with respect to (a) an increase in echogenicity from grade 1 (odds ratio [OR] = 2.94) through 2 (OR = 10.50) to 3 (OR = 14.91) coincident with (b) a dampening of the hepatic venous waveform (HVW) from biphasic (OR = 1.66) to monophasic (OR = 3.68) and (c) a simultaneous elevation in the portal vein pressure gradient, adjusted for portal vein diameter (PVPG) from level 1 (OR = 1.85) through 2 (OR = 3.23) to 3 (OR = 3.35). Echogenicity consistently exhibited higher sensitivities but lower specificities than the HVW and PVPG. The lowest specificities were found among patients with a body mass index >25, proposed to be associated with intrahepatic fat infiltration causing false positives in the absence of hepatopathology.