A 50-year-old woman comes to her doctor complaining of low back pain for exactly 1 month after a fall. She has no history of fever, unexplained weight loss, diabetes, and cancer. She had a hysterectomy for fibroids at age 40. Which of the following characteristics would prompt further evaluation?
Read DetailsA 45-year-old man without significant past medical history presents with severe back pain after lifting boxes at work 2 days ago. Other than his back pain, his review of symptoms is negative. The pain radiates from his lower back down his posterior thigh to his great toe when you perform both a straight leg raise test and the contralateral leg raise. His strength, sensation, and reflexes are preserved. Which of the following imaging studies should be done immediately?
Read DetailsA 65-year-old man with a history of chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and degenerative joint disease presents with acute onset of severe pain of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint and swelling of the left first toe. Physical examination shows exquisite tenderness of the joint, with swelling, warmth, and erythema. The patient has no history of trauma or other significant medical problems. Synovial fluid analysis and aspiration is most likely to show which of the following?
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