Citations

Patient portals are websites or apps where patients can access their health information from their Electronic Health Records (EHR). This study was conducted via an online survey to identify what factors influence an EHR patient portal user to believe that the portal is a valuable part of their health care. In total 395 survey responses were included in a logistic regression model. Our results suggest that only 24.1% of our survey responders consider their EHR portals as a valuable part of their health care. Participants who are more likely to consider EHR portals as valuable were those who found EHR portals useful for information, trusted their portal; believed their portals were important in managing health, those who believed their portals were easy to use, and those who developed a habit of using their portals. This study contributes to the understanding of what factors support the perceived value of EHR portals.

Spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulas (SEDAVFs) are rare complex lesions often presenting with protean clinical manifestations secondary to compressive symptoms or congestive myelopathy. The imaging manifestations of SEDAVFs on MR angiography/MRI include high T2 signal in the spinal cord, vascular engorgement of the epidural space, and prominent intradural vascular flow voids. Given the complexity of these lesions, they are best characterized anatomically on catheter angiography where careful inspection of arterial feeders and venous drainage patterns can be performed. The imaging hallmark of an SEDAVF on angiography is the presence of a dilated epidural venous pouch through which spinal and paraspinal veins are secondarily opacified. In the lower thoracic and lumbar spine, SEDAVFs are usually located in the ventral epidural space and fed mainly by the anteriorly coursing epidural arteries. In the cervical and upper thoracic spine, SEDAVFs and their feeding arteries are more typically located laterally in the spinal canal. Current treatment options include transarterial or transvenous endovascular embolization with liquid embolic agents or coils, and surgical resection/disconnection of the fistula. Further research is needed to better characterize how and why these lesions form and to identify the best treatment modalities.