Category Investigations
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

MRI and the Critically Ill

MRI and the Critically Ill: Restricted access to patients; Remote monitoring; MR compatible equipment; Safety of patients and staff; Getting the highest quality scan possible
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Osmolar Gap

Osmolar Gap: Osmolar gap = Osmolality (measured) - Osmolarity (calculated): NOTE: is a pragmatic clinical aid - the units are different (osmolality =mOsm/kg and osmolarity = mOsm/L) so it doesn't make mathematical sense!
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Spinal Imaging

Spinal Imaging: CT is the best way to image the spine for bony injuries (will miss 6% of discoligamentous injuries). If suspected soft tissue or spinal cord injury -> patient requires an MRI
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Stool specimens

OVERVIEW microscopy and culture is useful in community acquired diarrhoeal syndromes (not useful otherwise) in-hospital:— blood = ischaemic bowel or surgical cause— diarrhoea = rule out Clostridium difficile infection MICROSCOPY parasites, cysts, ova: giardia, cryptosporidium, blastocystis red and white cells:…

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Bone Marrow Biopsy: Confirm diagnosis. Allows therapy to be targeted. Needs to be done only, if the answer cannot be seen from peripheral blood already.
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Coagulation Profile

OVERVIEW PROTHROMBIN TIME -> warfarin-> vitamin K deficiency-> liver disease-> DIC-> artefact: incorrect sampling or increased haematocrit (> 55%) ACTIVATED PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTIN TIME -> heparin-> DIC-> haemophilia-> liver disease THROMBIN TIME -> heparin-> DIC-> hypofibrinogenaemia-> fibrin degradation products FIBRINOGEN ->…