Online ISSN: 2515-8260

An analytical cross-sectional study to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting nasal bone fractures compared with CT as the reference standard

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Dr. Naresh Tripathi, Dr. Anchal Sharma, Dr. Govind Khatri, Dr. Sahil Chawla, Dr. Aditya Kaul, Dr. Yashaswi Sharma

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in detecting nasal bone fractures compared with CT as the reference standard. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Maharshi Medical College & Hospital, Kumarhatti, Dist. Solan, Himachal Pradesh, pin code 173229 for the period of 1 year. The study group consisted of 100 patients with nasal bone fracture who were investigated by physical examination. These patients were then examined by conventional radiography and sonography. Physical examination was considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of nasal bone fracture. All patients were investigated radiographically by a lateral and a Waters view X-ray at the beginning. The results were evaluated by a radiologist. The reports were then recorded as either “positive” or “negative” according to the existence of nasal bone fracture. Then, patients were examined by sonography. Soft tissue edema and subperiosteal hematoma was also examined as a possible predictor to differentiate an acute from a chronic fracture. The negative and positive likelihood ratios (LR- and LR+), NPV and PPV were calculated and used for determining the diagnostic accuracy. The LR-of ultrasonography was lower than radiography. The LR+of sonography for the diagnosis of nasal bone fracture was 65.20 [9.28-390.10] which represents a large and conclusive increase in the likelihood of the fracture in the presence of positive findings. Furthermore, LR of sonography was 0.14 [0.10-0.21] which proposed a large to moderate decrease in the likelihood of the fracture, in the presence of negative findings. LR+ of radiography was 6.20 [2.87-6.27] which showed a small increase of the likelihood of fracture in positive results and the LR¯ of x-ray was 0.36 [0.21-0.42] which proposed a small decrease in the likelihood of the fractures when the findings were negative.

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