Citations

AbstractThe integration of biomarkers into medical practice has revolutionized the field of radiology, allowing for enhanced diagnostic accuracy, personalized treatment strategies, and improved patient care outcomes. This review offers radiologists a comprehensive understanding of the diverse applications of biomarkers in medicine. By elucidating the fundamental concepts, challenges, and recent advancements in biomarker utilization, it will serve as a bridge between the disciplines of radiology and epidemiology. Through an exploration of various biomarker types, such as imaging biomarkers, molecular biomarkers, and genetic markers, I outline their roles in disease detection, prognosis prediction, and therapeutic monitoring. I also discuss the significance of robust study designs, blinding, power and sample size calculations, performance metrics, and statistical methodologies in biomarker research. By fostering collaboration between radiologists, statisticians, and epidemiologists, I hope to accelerate the translation of biomarker discoveries into clinical practice, ultimately leading to improved patient care.

Abstract Background Hemiarthroplasty may be indicated for patients with distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) arthritis. Recently, the use of the pyrocarbon metacarpophalangeal implant has been proposed as a novel means of treating DRUJ arthritis due to the materials improved mechanical properties and wear characteristics. Purpose This study compares midterm outcomes of metallic and pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasties for the treatment of symptomatic DRUJ arthritis. Questions of interest included outcomes and complications. Materials and Methods In total, 32 hemiarthroplasties, 10 metallic and 22 pyrocarbon, were performed between 2010 and 2020 by three surgeons at one tertiary medical center. Patients' retrospective outcomes were extracted from the electronic medical record. Results Postoperatively, the metallic implant group (mean follow-up: 38 months) demonstrated decreased pain but no changes in range of motion. Comparatively, the pyrocarbon group experienced an improved range of motion and postoperative pain (p < 0.05). Radiographic analysis demonstrated 10% of metallic implants and 9% of pyrocarbon implants to have resulted in thinning of the lateral cortex of the radius at the final follow-up. Minor complications in metallic and pyrocarbon implant groups warranting reoperation occurred at rates of 10 and 13.5% while implant failure occurred at a rate of 30 and 18%, respectively. Discussion Within this study, pyrocarbon implants resulted in significant functional improvement with comparable complication and failure rates to the metallic implant. Long-term stability demonstrated efficacy for both techniques in symptomatic DRUJ treatment. Type of Study/Level of Evidence Observational Case Series IV.