Current Issue : April-June Volume : 2023 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 7 Articles
The current research aims to assess the staff and patients’ effective doses during Nuclear medicine (NM) bone scans procedures. The administered activity was utilized to quantify the patients’ effective doses, while personnel’s effective doses were quantified using thermoluminescent detectors (TLD-100). The average administered activity was 650 (440 to 1440) MBq procedures using SPECT gamma camera system. The average annual staff effective dose (mSv) was estimated to be 2.3 (0.1 to 4.9). The typical patient’s effective dose was 4.9 (3.6 to 6.0) mSv per procedure. Staff exposure within the yearly effective dose limits. Patients’ exposure optimization is required based on patient weight. Estimating staff eye lens doses is suggested to confirm that the yearly effective radiation doses are within the safety range....
Objectives: To investigate the necessity of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in adrenal venous sampling (AVS). Methods: This retrospective study included 120 consecutive patients with primary hyperaldosteronism who underwent AVS. Based on the learning curve of the interventional radiologists, the patients were divided into the learning (n = 36) and proficiency (n = 84) groups chronologically. Based on the imaging pattern of the right adrenal vein (RAV), the patients were divided into the typical (n = 36) and atypical (n = 84) groups. The success rate, radiation dose, and sampling time were compared among the entire study population and each subgroup. Results: A total of 69 patients underwent CBCT, whereas 51 patients did not. The overall success rate was 85.8%, and no difference was noted between patients with and without CBCT (P = 0.347). However, radiation dose (P = 0.018) and sampling time (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in patients who underwent CBCT than in patients who did not. In learning group, CBCT improved success rate from 62.5 to 96.4% (P = 0.028), whereas it was not found in the proficiency group (P = 0.693). Additionally, success rate in patients with an atypical RAV imaging pattern was significantly higher when CBCT was used than when it was not used (P = 0.041), whereas no difference was noted in patients with typical RAV imaging pattern (P = 0.511). Conclusion: For physicians not very experienced doing AVS, there is a clear significant improvement in success rate when CBCT is used. However, CBCT only has minimal benefit for experienced operators, meanwhile CBCT may take an extra time and increase the radiation dose during AVS....
A digital twin is a virtual model developed to accurately reflect a physical thing or a system. In radiology, a digital twin of a radiological device enables developers to test its characteristics, make alterations to the design or materials, and test the success or failure of the modifications in a virtual environment. Innovative technologies, such as AI and -omics sciences, may build virtual models for patients that are continuously adjustable based on live-tracked health/lifestyle parameters. Accordingly, healthcare could use digital twins to improve personalized medicine. Furthermore, the accumulation of digital twin models from real-world deployments will enable large cohorts of digital patients that may be used for virtual clinical trials and population studies. Through their further refinement, development, and application into clinical practice, digital twins could be crucial in the era of personalized medicine, revolutionizing how diseases are detected and managed. Although significant challenges remain in the development of digital twins, a structural modification to the current operating models is occurring, and radiologists can guide the introduction of such technology into healthcare....
Background: There are no recommendations for the use of standardised CT reports in oncology in our country. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT reports of pancreatic tumors in the city of Ouagadougou. Materials and Methods: Descriptive, multicenter, cross-sectional study conducted from 1st January 2013 to 31 December 2021. It concerned CT scan reports from five public and private imaging centers in the city of Ouagadougou. During the study period, 41 reports of pancreatic tumors were collected. We evaluated the reports using the standardized model developed by the Society of Abdominal Radiology and the American Pancreatic Association as a reference. Results: CT scan reports were not standardised. The writing style was free. Concerning the lesion, the aspect of the tumor at the pancreatic time was the item with the least information (24.4%). The status of the superior mesenteric artery was mentioned in 17%, the celiac trunk and the portal trunk in 12.2% of cases and 9.7% for the superior mesenteric vein. No report noted the appearance of the common hepatic artery. The status of the lymph nodes, liver and peritoneal cavity was mentioned in all reports. The exact location of the lymph nodes was not specified. The analysis of the reports classified them into two groups: potentially resectable tumours in the absence of secondary locations in 31.7% of cases and locally advanced tumours or presence of metastases in 68.3% of cases. Conclusion: The CT reports were not standardized. The items allowing evaluating the loco-regional extension of the tumor were the least specified. This may suggest the high rate of potentially resectable tumours in our study....
Background: To assess the potential of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map in predicting aggressiveness of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) based on whole-tumor histogram-based analysis. Methods: A total of 88 patients with PTC confirmed by pathology, who underwent neck magnetic resonance imaging, were enrolled in this retrospective study. Whole-lesion histogram features were extracted from ADC maps and compared between the aggressive and non-aggressive groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed for identifying independent predictive factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the performances of significant factors, and an optimal predictive model for aggressiveness of PTC was developed. Results: The aggressive and non-aggressive groups comprised 67 (mean age, 44.03 ± 13.99 years) and 21 (mean age, 43.86 ± 12.16 years) patients, respectively. Five histogram features were included into the final predictive model. ADC_firstorder_TotalEnergy had the best performance (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.77). The final combined model showed an optimal performance, with AUC and accuracy of 0.88 and 0.75, respectively. Conclusions: Whole-lesion histogram analysis based on ADC maps could be utilized for evaluating aggressiveness in PTC....
Background: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most serious postoperative complications after colorectal anastomosis. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the early detection of AL in patients with clinically suspected AL after rectal anterior resection. Methods: This was a prospective study including patients who underwent anterior resection and postoperative MRI examination. AL was diagnosed by comprehensive indictors, which were mainly confirmed by clinical signs, symptoms, and retrograde contrast enema (RCE) radiography. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of diagnosing AL with MRI were calculated. Results: In total, 347 patients received anterior resection for rectal cancer, and 28 patients were suspected to have AL. Finally, 23 patients were included and received MRI examination. The median time interval from surgery to MRI was 10 days (3–21 days). The median distance from anastomosis to anal verge was 4.0 cm (2.0–10 cm), and 11 patients underwent diverted ileostomy. Eighteen patients had an anastomotic leak, including one patient who had a pelvic abscess and five patients who had no evidence of AL in the MRI examination. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 94.4% (95% CI 70.6% to 99.7%) and 80% (95% CI 29.8% to 98.9%), respectively. The PPV was 0.94 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.99) and the NPV was 0.80 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.99). For patients who had anastomosis less than 5 cm, the diagnostic accuracy of MRI was 93.7% (15/16). T2-weighted imaging with fat suppression can effectively reveal the leak track. Conclusions: The accuracy of plain MRI examination in diagnosing AL was favorable for patients with a suspected AL. T2-weighted imaging with fat suppression was the best imaging modality to diagnose AL. A multicenter prospective study with more samples is needed to further determine the safety and feasibility of MRI in the diagnosis of AL....
Background: High-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary-interstitial brachytherapy (IC-ISBT) is an effective treatment for bulky, middle, and advanced cervical cancer. In this study, we compared the differences between 60Co and 192Ir HDR IC-ISBT plans in terms of radiobiological and dosimetric parameters, providing a reference for clinical workers in brachytherapy. Methods: A total of 30 patients with cervical cancer receiving HDR IC-ISBT were included in this study, and IC-ISBT plans for each individual were designed with both 60Co and 192Ir at a prescribed dose of CTV D90 = 6 Gy while keeping the dose to OARs as low as possible. Physical dose and dose–volume parameters of CTV and OARs were extracted from TPS. The EQD2, EUBED, EUD, TCP, and NTCP were calculated using corresponding formulas. The differences between the 60Co and 192Ir IC-ISBT plans were compared using the paired t-test. Results: In each patient’s 60Co and 192Ir IC-ISBT plan, the average physical dose and EQD2 of 60Co were lower than those of 192Ir, and there were statistically significant differences in D2cc and D1cc for the OARs (p < 0.05); there were statistically significant differences in D0.1 cc for the bladder (p < 0.05) and no significant differences in D0.1 cc for the rectum or intestines (p > 0.05). The EUBED ratio (60Co/192Ir) at the CTV was mostly close to 1 when neither 60Co or 192Ir passed their half-lives or when both passed two half-lives, and the difference between them was not significant; at the OARs, the mean value of 60Co was lower than that of 192Ir. There was no statistical difference between 60Co and 192Ir in the EUD (93.93 versus 93.92 Gy, p > 0.05) and TCP (97.07% versus 97.08%, p > 0.05) of the tumors. The mean NTCP value of 60Co was lower than that of 192Ir. Conclusions: Considering the CTV and OARs, the dosimetric parameters of 60Co and 192Ir are comparable. Compared with 192Ir, the use of 60Co for HDR IC-ISBT can ensure a similar tumor control probability while providing better protection to the OARs. In addition, 60Co has obvious economic advantages and can be promoted as a good alternative to 192Ir....
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