Converting Energy to Medical Progress [Nuclear Medicine

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

2001-04-01

For over 50 years the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has been investing to advance environmental and biomedical knowledge connected to energy. The BER Medical Sciences program fosters research to develop beneficial applications of nuclear technologies for medical diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Today, nuclear medicine helps millions of patients annually in the United States. Nearly every nuclear medicine scan or test used today was made possible by past BER-funded research on radiotracers, radiation detection devices, gamma cameras, PET and SPECT scanners, and computer science. The heart of biological research within BER has always been the pursuit of improved human health. The nuclear medicine of tomorrow will depend greatly on today's BER-supported research, particularly in the discovery of radiopharmaceuticals that seek specific molecular and genetic targets, the design of advanced scanners needed to create meaningful images with these future radiotracers, and the promise of new radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancers and genetic diseases.

The contribution of physics to Nuclear Medicine: physicians' perspective on future directions.

PubMed

Mankoff, David A; Pryma, Daniel A

2014-12-01

Advances in Nuclear Medicine physics enabled the specialty of Nuclear Medicine and directed research in other aspects of radiotracer imaging, ultimately leading to Nuclear Medicine's emergence as an important component of current medical practice. Nuclear Medicine's unique ability to characterize in vivo biology without perturbing it will assure its ongoing role in a practice of medicine increasingly driven by molecular biology. However, in the future, it is likely that advances in molecular biology and radiopharmaceutical chemistry will increasingly direct future developments in Nuclear Medicine physics, rather than relying on physics as the primary driver of advances in Nuclear Medicine. Working hand-in-hand with clinicians, chemists, and biologists, Nuclear Medicine physicists can greatly enhance the specialty by creating more sensitive and robust imaging devices, by enabling more facile and sophisticated image analysis to yield quantitative measures of regional in vivo biology, and by combining the strengths of radiotracer imaging with other imaging modalities in hybrid devices, with the overall goal to enhance Nuclear Medicine's ability to characterize regional in vivo biology.

Development of Scintillators in Nuclear Medicine.

PubMed

Khoshakhlagh, Mohammad; Islamian, Jalil Pirayesh; Abedi, Seyed Mohammad; Mahmoudian, Babak

2015-01-01

High-quality image is necessary for accurate diagnosis in nuclear medicine. There are many factors in creating a good image and detector is the most important one. In recent years, several detectors are studied to get a better picture. The aim of this paper is comparison of some type of these detectors such as thallium activated sodium iodide bismuth germinate cesium activated yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG: Ce) YAP: Ce "lutetium aluminum garnet activated by cerium" CRY018 "CRY019" lanthanum bromide and cadmium zinc telluride. We studied different properties of these crystals including density, energy resolution and decay times that are more important factors affecting the image quality.

[Costing nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures].

PubMed

Markou, Pavlos

2005-01-01

To the Editor: Referring to a recent special report about the cost analysis of twenty-nine nuclear medicine procedures, I would like to clarify some basic aspects for determining costs of nuclear medicine procedure with various costing methodologies. Activity Based Costing (ABC) method, is a new approach in imaging services costing that can provide the most accurate cost data, but is difficult to perform in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures. That is because ABC requires determining and analyzing all direct and indirect costs of each procedure, according all its activities. Traditional costing methods, like those for estimating incomes and expenses per procedure or fixed and variable costs per procedure, which are widely used in break-even point analysis and the method of ratio-of-costs-to-charges per procedure may be easily performed in nuclear medicine departments, to evaluate the variability and differences between costs and reimbursement - charges.

Development of Scintillators in Nuclear Medicine

PubMed Central

Khoshakhlagh, Mohammad; Islamian, Jalil Pirayesh; Abedi, Seyed Mohammad; Mahmoudian, Babak

2015-01-01

High-quality image is necessary for accurate diagnosis in nuclear medicine. There are many factors in creating a good image and detector is the most important one. In recent years, several detectors are studied to get a better picture. The aim of this paper is comparison of some type of these detectors such as thallium activated sodium iodide bismuth germinate cesium activated yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG: Ce) YAP: Ce “lutetium aluminum garnet activated by cerium” CRY018 “CRY019” lanthanum bromide and cadmium zinc telluride. We studied different properties of these crystals including density, energy resolution and decay times that are more important factors affecting the image quality. PMID:26420984

Converting energy to medical progress [nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2001-04-01

For over 50 years the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has been investing to advance environmental and biomedical knowledge connected to energy. The BER Medical Sciences program fosters research to develop beneficial applications of nuclear technologies for medical diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Today, nuclear medicine helps millions of patients annually in the United States. Nearly every nuclear medicine scan or test used today was made possible by past BER-funded research on radiotracers, radiation detection devices, gamma cameras, PET and SPECT scanners, and computer science. The heart of biologicalmore » research within BER has always been the pursuit of improved human health. The nuclear medicine of tomorrow will depend greatly on today's BER-supported research, particularly in the discovery of radiopharmaceuticals that seek specific molecular and genetic targets, the design of advanced scanners needed to create meaningful images with these future radiotracers, and the promise of new radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancers and genetic diseases.« less

Nuclear Medicine in Pediatric Cardiology.

PubMed

Milanesi, Ornella; Stellin, Giovanni; Zucchetta, Pietro

2017-03-01

introduction in the clinical practice of the first integrated PET/MR scanners and the development of new radiopharmaceuticals, as fluorinated compounds for the study of myocardial perfusion, open new perspectives in the use of nuclear medicine techniques in pediatric cardiology, offering the potential of a detailed noninvasive morphofunctional characterization in many types of CHD. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Epidemiology for the nuclear medicine technologist.

PubMed

Bolus, N E

2001-09-01

The purpose of this article is to introduce the nuclear medicine technologist to the field of epidemiology. There are many applications of epidemiology in nuclear medicine, including research studies that deal with the causes of disease or ways to prevent disease from occurring and investigating the possible effects of ionizing radiation on occupational workers and the general public. One use of an epidemiologic study is to suggest ways to reduce the occurrence of a disease. After reading this article, the nuclear medicine technologist will be familiar with: a) the history and underlying assumptions of epidemiology, b) types of epidemiologic studies, c) what is a valid statistical association for an epidemiologic study, d) proper judgment of cause and effect relationships, e) definitions of epidemiologic terms, and f) an example of a nuclear medicine research study.

Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM) Program. Part 1: the QUANUM Program and Methodology.

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Massardo, Teresa; Mishani, Eyal; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Solanki, Kishor; Bischof Delaloye, Angelika; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Paez, Diana; Pascual, Thomas

2017-11-01

An effective management system that integrates quality management is essential for a modern nuclear medicine practice. The Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the mission of supporting nuclear medicine practice in low- and middle-income countries and of helping them introduce it in their health-care system, when not yet present. The experience gathered over several years has shown diversified levels of development and varying degrees of quality of practice, among others because of limited professional networking and limited or no opportunities for exchange of experiences. Those findings triggered the development of a program named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), aimed at improving the standards of NM practice in low- and middle-income countries to internationally accepted standards through the introduction of a culture of quality management and systematic auditing programs. QUANUM takes into account the diversity of nuclear medicine services around the world and multidisciplinary contributions to the practice. Those contributions include clinical, technical, radiopharmaceutical, and medical physics procedures. Aspects of radiation safety and patient protection are also integral to the process. Such an approach ensures consistency in providing safe services of superior quality to patients. The level of conformance is assessed using standards based on publications of the IAEA and the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and guidelines from scientific societies such as Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM). Following QUANUM guidelines and by means of a specific assessment tool developed by the IAEA, auditors, both internal and external, will be able to evaluate the level of conformance. Nonconformances will then be prioritized and recommendations will be provided during an exit briefing. The

American College of Nuclear Physics 1991 DOE day symposium: Aids and nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1991-12-31

Since first described in 1981, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become the medical dilemma of the century. AIDS retrovirus, and the economic consequences of this exposure are staggering. AIDS has been the topic of conferences and symposia worldwide. This symposium, to be held on January 25, 1991, at the 17th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the American College of Nuclear Physicians, will expose the Nuclear Medicine Physicians/Radiologists to their role in the diagnosis of AIDS, and will educate them on the socio-economic and ethical issues related to this problem. In addition, the Nuclear Medicine Physicians/Radiologists must be awaremore » of their role in the management of their departments in order to adequately protect the health care professionals working in their laboratories. Strategies are currently being developed to control the spread of bloodborne diseases within the health care setting, and it is incumbent upon the Nuclear Medicine community to be aware of such strategies.« less

The role of commercial nuclear pharmacy in the future practice of nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Callahan, R J

1996-04-01

It has been estimated that today 70% to 80% of all radiopharmaceutical doses are dispensed through commercial nuclear pharmacy channels. These services are provided by the approximately 250 facilities in the United States, with some multisite corporations dispensing in excess of 20,000 unit-dose prescriptions per day. As pressures mount within health care institutions to reduce manpower, increase cost-effectiveness, increase participation in managed care contracts, and to seek outside vendors for many services that were previously provided in-house, the future role of the commercial nuclear pharmacy in the practice of nuclear medicine will only continue to increase. The essence of nuclear pharmacy practice is the dispensing of a full range of high quality radiopharmaceuticals in patient-specific unit doses. These doses must be delivered in a timely and cost effective manner, without compromising quality or patient safety. Commercial nuclear pharmacies have expanded to provide such varied functions as radiation safety and waste management, as well as consultative and marketing activities directed towards clinicians within a nuclear medicine practitioners own facility. In-service continuing education programs directed towards physicians and technologists are frequently offered by many commercial nuclear pharmacies. Changes in health care economics, merging and down-sizing in the hospital industry, and the overall impact of managed care on the viability of hospitals in general has resulted in slow growth, or even a small decline in the number of institutionally based nuclear pharmacists. As a result, nuclear medicine practitioners will be looking to the commercial nuclear pharmacies to meet a larger portion of their radiopharmaceutical needs, as well as to value added services, such as education and research and development. Specialized practice settings, such as nuclear cardiology and free-standing nuclear medicine clinics, are especially well suited to the services

Nuclear medicine training and practice in Turkey.

PubMed

Ozcan, Zehra; Bozkurt, M Fani; Erbas, Belkıs; Durak, Hatice

2017-05-01

Nuclear medicine applications in Turkey started in the early 1950s, grew as an independent medical discipline and finally were recognized by the Ministry of Health in 1973. Later on, the professional organization of nuclear medicine physicians and other related professionals including radiopharmacists and technologists under the Turkish Society of Nuclear Medicine were established in 1975. Recently after completing more than a half century in Turkey, nuclear medicine has proved to be a strong and evolving medical field with more than 600 physicians serving for the changing needs of clinical practice throughout these years. This article describes past and present facts in this field and attempts to provide insights into the future which hopefully will be brighter than before.

ACR-SNM Task Force on Nuclear Medicine Training: report of the task force.

PubMed

Guiberteau, Milton J; Graham, Michael M

2011-06-01

The expansion of knowledge and technological advances in nuclear medicine and radiology require physicians to have more expertise in functional and anatomic imaging. The convergence of these two specialties into the new discipline of molecular imaging has also begun to place demands on residency training programs for additional instruction in physiology and molecular biology. These changes have unmasked weaknesses in current nuclear medicine and radiology training programs. Adding to the impetus for change are the attendant realities of the job market and uncertain employment prospects for physicians trained in nuclear medicine but not also trained in diagnostic radiology. With this background, the ACR and the Society of Nuclear Medicine convened the Task Force on Nuclear Medicine Training to define the issues and develop recommendations for resident training.

Peculiarities of organizing the construction of nuclear medicine facilities and the transportation of radionuclide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telichenko, Valeriy; Malykha, Galina; Dorogan, Igor

2017-10-01

The article is devoted to the organization of construction of nuclear medicine facilities in Russia. The article describes the main methods of nuclear medical diagnostics, as well as the peculiarities of nuclear medicine facilities that determine the need for application of specific methods for organizing and managing the construction, methods of requirements management in the organization of construction of nuclear medicine facilities. Sustainable development of the transport of radioactive isotopes from the place of production to places of consumption is very important for the safety of the population. The requirements management system is an important and necessary component in organizing the construction of complex facilities, such as nuclear medicine facilities. The author developed and proposed a requirements management system for the design, construction and operation of a nuclear medicine facility, which provides for a cyclic sequence of actions. This system allows reducing the consumption of resources including material and energy during construction and operation of complex objects.

Examining Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice as a lifelong learning process: opportunities and challenges to the nuclear medicine professional and beyond.

PubMed

Pascual, Thomas N B

2016-08-01

This essay will explore the critical issues and challenges surrounding lifelong learning for professionals, initially exploring within the profession and organizational context of nuclear medicine practice. It will critically examine how the peer-review process called Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice (QUANUM) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can be considered a lifelong learning opportunity to instill a culture of quality to improve patient care and elevate the status of the nuclear medicine profession and practice within the demands of social changes, policy, and globalization. This will be explored initially by providing contextual background to the identity of the IAEA as an organization responsible for nuclear medicine professionals, followed by the benefits that QUANUM can offer. Further key debates surrounding lifelong learning, such as compulsification of lifelong learning and impact on professional change, will then be weaved through the discussion using theoretical grounding through a qualitative review of the literature. Keeping in mind that there is very limited literature focusing on the implications of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process for nuclear medicine professionals, this essay uses select narratives and observations of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process from an auditor's perspective and will further provide a comparative perspective of QUANUM on the basis of other lifelong learning opportunities such as continuing professional development activities and observe parallelisms on its benefits and challenges that it will offer to other professionals in other medical speciality fields and in the teaching profession.

The use of nuclear medicine techniques in the emergency department

PubMed Central

McGlone, B; Balan, K

2001-01-01

Nuclear medicine techniques have received little attention in the practice of emergency medicine, yet radionuclide imaging can provide valuable and unique information in the management of acutely ill patients. In this review, emphasis is placed on the role of these techniques in patients with bone injuries, non-traumatic bone pain and in those with pleuritic chest pain. New developments such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in myocardial infarction are outlined and older techniques such as scrotal scintigraphy are reviewed. Radionuclide techniques are discussed in a clinical context and in relation to alternative imaging modalities or strategies that may be available to the emergency medicine physician. Aspects of a 24 hour nuclear medicine service are considered. PMID:11696487

Standardization of administered activities in pediatric nuclear medicine: a report of the first nuclear medicine global initiative project, part 1-statement of the issue and a review of available resources.

PubMed

Fahey, Frederic H; Bom, Henry Hee-Seong; Chiti, Arturo; Choi, Yun Young; Huang, Gang; Lassmann, Michael; Laurin, Norman; Mut, Fernando; Nuñez-Miller, Rodolfo; O'Keeffe, Darin; Pradhan, Prasanta; Scott, Andrew M; Song, Shaoli; Soni, Nischal; Uchiyama, Mayuki; Vargas, Luis

2015-04-01

The Nuclear Medicine Global Initiative (NMGI) was formed in 2012 and consists of 13 international organizations with direct involvement in nuclear medicine. The underlying objectives of the NMGI were to promote human health by advancing the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, encourage global collaboration in education, and harmonize procedure guidelines and other policies that ultimately lead to improvements in quality and safety in the field throughout the world. For its first project, the NMGI decided to consider the issues involved in the standardization of administered activities in pediatric nuclear medicine. This article presents part 1 of the final report of this initial project of the NMGI. It provides a review of the value of pediatric nuclear medicine, the current understanding of the carcinogenic risk of radiation as it pertains to the administration of radiopharmaceuticals in children, and the application of dosimetric models in children. A listing of pertinent educational and reference resources available in print and online is also provided. The forthcoming part 2 report will discuss current standards for administered activities in children and adolescents that have been developed by various organizations and an evaluation of the current practice of pediatric nuclear medicine specifically with regard to administered activities as determined by an international survey of nuclear medicine clinics and centers. Lastly, the part 2 report will recommend a path forward toward global standardization of the administration of radiopharmaceuticals in children. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

General Nuclear Medicine

MedlinePlus

... The special camera and imaging techniques used in nuclear medicine include the gamma camera and single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT). The gamma camera, also called a scintillation camera, detects radioactive energy that is emitted from the patient's body and ...

Development of departmental standard for traceability of measured activity for I-131 therapy capsules used in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, Jp

2011-01-01

International Basic Safety Standards (International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA) provide guidance levels for diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine indicating the maximum usual activity for various diagnostic tests in terms of activities of injected radioactive formulations. An accuracy of ± 10% in the activities of administered radio-pharmaceuticals is being recommended, for expected outcome in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures. It is recommended that the long-term stability of isotope calibrators used in nuclear medicine is to be checked periodically for their performance using a long-lived check source, such as Cs-137, of suitable activity. In view of the un-availability of such a radioactive source, we tried to develop methods to maintain traceability of these instruments, for certifying measured activities for human use. Two re-entrant chambers [(HDR 1000 and Selectron Source Dosimetry System (SSDS)] with I-125 and Ir-192 calibration factors in the Department of Radiotherapy were used to measure Iodine-131 (I-131) therapy capsules to establish traceability to Mark V isotope calibrator of the Department of Nuclear Medicine. Special nylon jigs were fabricated to keep I-131 capsule holder in position. Measured activities in all the chambers showed good agreement. The accuracy of SSDS chamber in measuring Ir-192 activities in the last 5 years was within 0.5%, validating its role as departmental standard for measuring activity. The above method is adopted because mean energies of I-131 and Ir-192 are comparable.

Nanotechnology and nuclear medicine; research and preclinical applications.

PubMed

Assadi, Majid; Afrasiabi, Kolsoom; Nabipour, Iraj; Seyedabadi, Mohammad

2011-01-01

The birth of nanotechnology in human society was around 2000 years ago and soon found applications in various fields. In this article, we highlight the current status of research and preclinical applications and also future prospects of nanotechnology in medicine and in nuclear medicine. The most important field is cancer. A regular nanotechnology training program for nuclear medicine physicians may be welcome.

The contribution of medical physics to nuclear medicine: a physician's perspective.

PubMed

Ell, Peter J

2014-12-01

This paper is the second in a series of invited perspectives by four pioneers of nuclear medicine imaging and physics. A medical physicist and a nuclear medicine clinical specialist each take a backward look and a forward look at the contributions of physics to nuclear medicine. Here is a backward look from a nuclear medicine physician's perspective.

42 CFR 482.53 - Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine... HOSPITALS Optional Hospital Services § 482.53 Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services. If the hospital provides nuclear medicine services, those services must meet the needs of the patients in...

42 CFR 482.53 - Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine... HOSPITALS Optional Hospital Services § 482.53 Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services. If the hospital provides nuclear medicine services, those services must meet the needs of the patients in...

42 CFR 482.53 - Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine... HOSPITALS Optional Hospital Services § 482.53 Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services. If the hospital provides nuclear medicine services, those services must meet the needs of the patients in...

42 CFR 482.53 - Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine... HOSPITALS Optional Hospital Services § 482.53 Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services. If the hospital provides nuclear medicine services, those services must meet the needs of the patients in...

42 CFR 482.53 - Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine... HOSPITALS Optional Hospital Services § 482.53 Condition of participation: Nuclear medicine services. If the hospital provides nuclear medicine services, those services must meet the needs of the patients in...

Material science as basis for nuclear medicine: Holmium irradiation for radioisotopes production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usman, Ahmed Rufai; Khandaker, Mayeen Uddin; Haba, Hiromitsu; Otuka, Naohiko

2018-05-01

Material Science, being an interdisciplinary field, plays important roles in nuclear science. These applications are seen in weaponry, armoured vehicles, accelerator structure and development, semiconductor detectors, nuclear medicine and many more. Present study presents the applications of some metals in nuclear medicine (radioisotope production). The charged-particle-induced nuclear reactions by using cyclotrons or accelerators have become a very vital feature of the modern nuclear medicine. Realising the importance of excitation functions for the efficient production of medical radionuclides, some very high purity holmium metals are generally prepared or purchased for bombardment in nuclear accelerators. In the present work, various methods to obtain pure holmium for radioisotope production have been discussed while also presenting details of our present studies. From the experimental work of the present studies, some very high purity holmium foils have been used in the work for a comprehensive study of residual radionuclides production cross-sections. The study was performed using a stacked-foil activation technique combined with γ-ray spectrometry. The stack was bombarded with 50.4 MeV alpha particle beam from AVF cyclotron of RI Beam Factory, Nishina Centre for Accelerator-Based Science, RIKEN, Japan. The work produced thulium radionuclides useful in nuclear medicine.

What You Should Know About Pediatric Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Safety

MedlinePlus

What You Should Know About Pediatric Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Safety www.imagegently.org What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine uses radioactive isotopes to create pictures of the human body. These pictures ...

Nuclear medicine training and practice in Poland.

PubMed

Teresińska, Anna; Birkenfeld, Bożena; Królicki, Leszek; Dziuk, Mirosław

2014-10-01

In Poland, nuclear medicine (NM) has been an independent specialty since 1988. At the end of 2013, the syllabus for postgraduate specialization in NM has been modified to be in close accordance with the syllabus approved by the European Union of Medical Specialists and is expected to be enforced before the end of 2014. The National Consultant in Nuclear Medicine is responsible for the specialization program in NM. The Medical Center of Postgraduate Training is the administrative body which accepts the specialization programs, supervises the training, organizes the examinations, and awards the specialist title. Specialization in NM for physicians lasts for five years. It consists of 36 months of training in a native nuclear medicine department, 12 months of internship in radiology, 3 months in cardiology, 3 months in endocrinology, 3 months in oncology, and 3 months in two other departments of NM. If a NM trainee is a specialist of a clinical discipline and/or is after a long residency in NM departments, the specialization in NM can be shortened to three years. During the training, there are obligatory courses to be attended which include the elements of anatomy imaging in USG, CT, and MR. Currently, there are about 170 active NM specialists working for 38.5 million inhabitants in Poland. For other professionals working in NM departments, it is possible to get the title of a medical physics specialist after completing 3.5 years of training (for those with a master's in physics, technical physics or biomedical engineering) or the title of a radiopharmacy specialist after completing 3 years of training (for those with a master's in chemistry or biology). At present, the specialization program in NM for nurses is being developed by the Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education. Continuing education and professional development are obligatory for all physicians and governed by the Polish Medical Chamber. The Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine (PTMN) organizes regular

Source Book of Educational Materials for Nuclear Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijar, Mary Lou, Comp.; Lewis, Jeannine T., Comp.

The contents of this sourcebook of educational materials are divided into the following sections: Anatomy and Physiology; Medical Terminology; Medical Ethics and Department Management; Patient Care and Medical Decision-Making; Basic Nuclear Medicine; Diagnostic in Vivo; Diagnostic in Vitro; Pediatric Nuclear Medicine; Radiation Detection and…

Development of a patient-specific dosimetry estimation system in nuclear medicine examination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, H. H.; Dong, S. L.; Yang, H. J.

2011-07-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a patient-specific dosimetry estimation system in nuclear medicine examination using a SimSET-based Monte Carlo code. We added a dose deposition routine to store the deposited energy of the photons during their flights in SimSET and developed a user-friendly interface for reading PET and CT images. Dose calculated on ORNL phantom was used to validate the accuracy of this system. The S values for {sup 99m}Tc, {sup 18}F and {sup 131}I obtained by the system were compared to those from the MCNP4C code and OLINDA. The ratios of S values computed by thismore » system to those obtained with OLINDA for various organs were ranged from 0.93 to 1.18, which are comparable to that obtained from MCNP4C code (0.94 to 1.20). The average ratios of S value were 0.99{+-}0.04, 1.03{+-}0.05, and 1.00{+-}0.07 for isotopes {sup 131}I, {sup 18}F, and {sup 99m}Tc, respectively. The simulation time of SimSET was two times faster than MCNP4C's for various isotopes. A 3D dose calculation was also performed on a patient data set with PET/CT examination using this system. Results from the patient data showed that the estimated S values using this system differed slightly from those of OLINDA for ORNL phantom. In conclusion, this system can generate patient-specific dose distribution and display the isodose curves on top of the anatomic structure through a friendly graphic user interface. It may also provide a useful tool to establish an appropriate dose-reduction strategy to patients in nuclear medicine environments. (authors)« less

Radiation safety audit of a high volume Nuclear Medicine Department

PubMed Central

Jha, Ashish Kumar; Singh, Abhijith Mohan; Shetye, Bhakti; Shah, Sneha; Agrawal, Archi; Purandare, Nilendu Chandrakant; Monteiro, Priya; Rangarajan, Venkatesh

2014-01-01

Introduction: Professional radiation exposure cannot be avoided in nuclear medicine practices. It can only be minimized up to some extent by implementing good work practices. Aim and Objectives: The aim of our study was to audit the professional radiation exposure and exposure rate of radiation worker working in and around Department of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, Tata Memorial Hospital. Materials and Methods: We calculated the total number of nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) procedures performed in our department and the radiation exposure to the radiation professionals from year 2009 to 2012. Results: We performed an average of 6478 PET/CT scans and 3856 nuclear medicine scans/year from January 2009 to December 2012. The average annual whole body radiation exposure to nuclear medicine physician, technologist and nursing staff are 1.74 mSv, 2.93 mSv and 4.03 mSv respectively. Conclusion: Efficient management and deployment of personnel is of utmost importance to optimize radiation exposure in a high volume nuclear medicine setup in order to work without anxiety of high radiation exposure. PMID:25400361

Radiation safety audit of a high volume Nuclear Medicine Department.

PubMed

Jha, Ashish Kumar; Singh, Abhijith Mohan; Shetye, Bhakti; Shah, Sneha; Agrawal, Archi; Purandare, Nilendu Chandrakant; Monteiro, Priya; Rangarajan, Venkatesh

2014-10-01

Professional radiation exposure cannot be avoided in nuclear medicine practices. It can only be minimized up to some extent by implementing good work practices. The aim of our study was to audit the professional radiation exposure and exposure rate of radiation worker working in and around Department of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, Tata Memorial Hospital. We calculated the total number of nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) procedures performed in our department and the radiation exposure to the radiation professionals from year 2009 to 2012. We performed an average of 6478 PET/CT scans and 3856 nuclear medicine scans/year from January 2009 to December 2012. The average annual whole body radiation exposure to nuclear medicine physician, technologist and nursing staff are 1.74 mSv, 2.93 mSv and 4.03 mSv respectively. Efficient management and deployment of personnel is of utmost importance to optimize radiation exposure in a high volume nuclear medicine setup in order to work without anxiety of high radiation exposure.

WE-AB-204-11: Development of a Nuclear Medicine Dosimetry Module for the GPU-Based Monte Carlo Code ARCHER

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, T; Lin, H; Xu, X

Purpose: To develop a nuclear medicine dosimetry module for the GPU-based Monte Carlo code ARCHER. Methods: We have developed a nuclear medicine dosimetry module for the fast Monte Carlo code ARCHER. The coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo transport kernel included in ARCHER is built upon the Dose Planning Method code (DPM). The developed module manages the radioactive decay simulation by consecutively tracking several types of radiation on a per disintegration basis using the statistical sampling method. Optimization techniques such as persistent threads and prefetching are studied and implemented. The developed module is verified against the VIDA code, which is based onmore » Geant4 toolkit and has previously been verified against OLINDA/EXM. A voxelized geometry is used in the preliminary test: a sphere made of ICRP soft tissue is surrounded by a box filled with water. Uniform activity distribution of I-131 is assumed in the sphere. Results: The self-absorption dose factors (mGy/MBqs) of the sphere with varying diameters are calculated by ARCHER and VIDA respectively. ARCHER’s result is in agreement with VIDA’s that are obtained from a previous publication. VIDA takes hours of CPU time to finish the computation, while it takes ARCHER 4.31 seconds for the 12.4-cm uniform activity sphere case. For a fairer CPU-GPU comparison, more effort will be made to eliminate the algorithmic differences. Conclusion: The coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo code ARCHER has been extended to radioactive decay simulation for nuclear medicine dosimetry. The developed code exhibits good performance in our preliminary test. The GPU-based Monte Carlo code is developed with grant support from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering through an R01 grant (R01EB015478)« less

Development of thyroid anthropomorphic phantoms for use in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerqueira, R. A. D.; Maia, A. F.

2014-02-01

The objective of this study was to develop thyroid anthropomorphic phantoms to be used in control tests of medical images in scintillation cameras. The main difference among the phantoms was the neck shape: in the first, called OSCT, it was geometrically shaped, while in the second, called OSAP, it was anthropomorphically shaped. In both phantoms, thyroid gland prototypes, which were made of acrylic and anthropomorphically shaped, were constructed to allow the simulation of a healthy thyroid and of thyroids with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Images of these thyroid anthropomorphic phantoms were obtained using iodine 131 with an activity of 8.695 MBq. The iodine 131 was chosen because it is widely used in studies of thyroid scintigraphy. The images obtained proved the effectiveness of the phantoms to simulate normal or abnormal thyroids function. These phantoms can be used in medical imaging quality control programs and, also in the training of professionals involved in the analysis of images in nuclear medicine centers.

Pulmonary nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loken, M.K.

1987-01-01

This book contains 19 chapters. Some of the titles are: Pulmonary Nuclear Medicine; Radionuclide Venography as an Adjunct to V-P Imaging in the Assessment of Thromboembolic Disease; Assessment of Mucous Transport in the Respiratory Tract by Radioisotopic Techniques; Radiolabeled Blood Cells and Tracers in the Study of Acute Pulmonary Injury and ARDS; and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lungs.

Comparative analysis of dosimetry parameters for nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toohey, R.E.; Stabin, M.G.

For years many have employed the concept of ``total-body dose`` or ``whole-body dose,`` i.e., the total energy deposited in the body divided by the mass of the body, when evaluating the risks of different nuclear medicine procedures. The effective dose equivalent (H{sub E}), first described in ICRP Publication 26, has been accepted by some as a better quantity to use in evaluating the total risk of a procedure, but its use has been criticized by others primarily because the tissue weighting factors were intended for use in the radiation worker, rather than the nuclear medicine patient population. Nevertheless, in ICRPmore » Publication 52, the ICRP has suggested that the H{sub E} may be used in nuclear medicine. The ICRP also has published a compendium of dose estimates, including H{sub E} values, for various nuclear medicine procedures at various ages in ICRP Publication 53. The effective dose (E) of ICRP Publication 60 is perhaps more suitable for use in nuclear medicine, with tissue weighting factors based on the entire population. Other comparisons of H{sub E} and E have been published. The authors have used the program MIRDOSE 3.1 to compute total-body dose, H{sub E}, and E for 62 radiopharmaceutical procedures, based on the best current biokinetic data available.« less

Accuracy and Precision of Radioactivity Quantification in Nuclear Medicine Images

PubMed Central

Frey, Eric C.; Humm, John L.; Ljungberg, Michael

2012-01-01

The ability to reliably quantify activity in nuclear medicine has a number of increasingly important applications. Dosimetry for targeted therapy treatment planning or for approval of new imaging agents requires accurate estimation of the activity in organs, tumors, or voxels at several imaging time points. Another important application is the use of quantitative metrics derived from images, such as the standard uptake value commonly used in positron emission tomography (PET), to diagnose and follow treatment of tumors. These measures require quantification of organ or tumor activities in nuclear medicine images. However, there are a number of physical, patient, and technical factors that limit the quantitative reliability of nuclear medicine images. There have been a large number of improvements in instrumentation, including the development of hybrid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography and PET/computed tomography systems, and reconstruction methods, including the use of statistical iterative reconstruction methods, which have substantially improved the ability to obtain reliable quantitative information from planar, single-photon emission computed tomography, and PET images. PMID:22475429

A profile of Australian nuclear medicine technologist practice.

PubMed

Adams, Edwina J; Cox, Jennifer M; Adamson, Barbara J; Schofield, Deborah J

2008-01-01

Nuclear medicine in Australia has encountered significant change over the past 30 years, with a move to privately owned practices, technological advances and the transfer of education of the nuclear medicine technologist (NMT) from technical college apprenticeships to university degrees. Currently, shortages of nuclear medicine technologists are reported in some states of Australia. It is not known whether changes in NMT practice or the type of centre in which an NMT works have an influence on retention of staff. The primary objective of this survey was to establish a profile of NMT practice in Australia, with the aim of producing baseline data that could be used in further research to establish levels of retention and job satisfaction. Chief technologists in three states of Australia were invited to respond to a written questionnaire. The questionnaire included data about staffing levels, imaging modalities, procedures performed, and movement of staff. Findings presented will relate to the profile of practice data only. Forty-eight (54%) chief technologists responded to the questionnaire with 73% working in privately owned practices. The majority of centres employ up to two full-time equivalent nuclear medicine technologists and have two gamma cameras and one full-time equivalent nuclear medicine physician. Most centres perform a limited range of studies with bone scans predominating. More than half the centres make some use of a centralized radiopharmacy service. Further research is required to determine how these changes may impact on workplace satisfaction and in turn, on retention.

What is the purpose of emission computed tomography in nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phelps, M.E.

1977-01-01

ECT is a mathematical and physical concept, an instrument, a radionuclide tracer technique, a research procedure and it is certainly both an old (Kuhl began his work in the late fifties) and a new concept. It also has great and unique potential as a diagnostic technique. It is interesting that the basic principles of medical CT were exemplified and developed in Nuclear Medicine by Kuhl and coworkers and the concept of ''physiologic or function tomography'' provides a technique to advance the original charter of Nuclear Medicine in the use of radionuclides for the measure of metabolism and physiologic function.

A Perspective of the future of nuclear medicine training and certification

PubMed Central

Arevalo-Perez, Julio; Paris, Manuel; Graham, Michael M.; Osborne, Joseph R.

2016-01-01

Nuclear Medicine has evolved from a medical subspecialty using quite basic tests to one using elaborate methods to image organ physiology and has truly become “Molecular Imaging”. Concurrently, there has also been a timely debate about who has to be responsible for keeping pace with all of the components of the developmental cycle; imaging, radiopharmaceuticals and instrumentation. Since the foundation of the ABNM, the practice of Nuclear Medicine and the process toward certification have undergone major revisions. At present, the debate is focused on the inevitable future convergence of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. The potential for further cooperation or fusion of the American Board of Radiology (ABR) and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine (ABNM) is likely to bring about a new path for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging training. If the merger is done carefully, respecting the strengths of both partners equally, there is an excellent potential to create a hybrid Nuclear Medicine – Radiology specialty that combines Physiology and Molecular Biology with detailed anatomic imaging that will sustain the innovation that has been central to nuclear medicine residency and practice. Herein, we also introduce a few basic trends in imaging utilization in the United States. These trends do not predict future utilization, but highlight the need for an appropriately credentialed practitioner to interpret these examinations and provide value to the healthcare system. PMID:26687859

Position of nuclear medicine techniques in the diagnostic work-up of neuroendocrine tumors.

PubMed

Bombardieri, E; Seregni, E; Villano, C; Chiti, A; Bajetta, E

2004-06-01

In recent years nuclear medicine has contributed to the impressive development of the knowledge of neuroendocrine tumors in terms of biology (receptor scintigraphy), pharmacology (development of new tracers), and therapy (radiometabolic therapy). At present, it is impossible to plan the management of a patient affected by a neuroendocrine tumor without performing nuclear medicine examinations. The contribution of nuclear medicine had affected and improved the management of these patients by offering various important options that are part of the modern diagnosis and treatment protocols. The clinical experience and the literature confirm that, among the wide variety of tracers and nuclear medicine modalities available today, metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) and DTPA-D-Phe-octreotide (pentetreotide) are the radiopharmaceuticals of current clinical use. Several new somatostatin analogues are under investigation. Positron emission tomography (PET) supplies a range of labelled compounds to be used for the visualization of tumor biochemistry. In addition to the first routinely used PET tracer in oncology, 18F-labelled deoxyglucose (FDG), a number of radiopharmaceuticals based on different precursors such as fluorodopamine and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) are going to gain a clinical role. Of course, the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors has to be based on integrated information derived from different examinations including nuclear medicine studies. The clinical presentation of neuroendocrine tumors is highly variable: sometimes they manifest typical or atypical symptoms but they may also be detected by chance during an X-ray or ultrasound examination carried out for other reasons. At disease presentation nuclear medicine modalities are sometimes able to direct physicians towards the clinical diagnosis thanks to the specificity of their imaging mechanisms. They also play a role in disease staging and restaging, patient follow-up and treatment monitoring. In addition, the

Guidelines on nuclear medicine imaging in neuroblastoma.

PubMed

Bar-Sever, Zvi; Biassoni, Lorenzo; Shulkin, Barry; Kong, Grace; Hofman, Michael S; Lopci, Egesta; Manea, Irina; Koziorowski, Jacek; Castellani, Rita; Boubaker, Ariane; Lambert, Bieke; Pfluger, Thomas; Nadel, Helen; Sharp, Susan; Giammarile, Francesco

2018-06-25

Nuclear medicine has a central role in the diagnosis, staging, response assessment and long-term follow-up of neuroblastoma, the most common solid extracranial tumour in children. These EANM guidelines include updated information on 123 I-mIBG, the most common study in nuclear medicine for the evaluation of neuroblastoma, and on PET/CT imaging with 18 F-FDG, 18 F-DOPA and 68 Ga-DOTA peptides. These PET/CT studies are increasingly employed in clinical practice. Indications, advantages and limitations are presented along with recommendations on study protocols, interpretation of findings and reporting results.

Nuclear analytical techniques in medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cesareo, R.

1988-01-01

This book acquaints one with the fundamental principles and the instrumentation relevant to analytical technique based on atomic and nuclear physics, as well as present and future biomedical applications. Besides providing a theoretical description of the physical phenomena, a large part of the book is devoted to applications in the medical and biological field, particularly in hematology, forensic medicine and environmental science. This volume reviews methods such as the possibility of carrying out rapid multi-element analysis of trace elements on biomedical samples, in vitro and in vivo, by XRF-analysis; the ability of the PIXE-microprobe to analyze in detail and tomore » map trace elements in fragments of biomedical samples or inside the cells; the potentiality of in vivo nuclear activation analysis for diagnostic purposes. Finally, techniques are described such as radiation scattering (elastic and inelastic scattering) and attenuation measurements which will undoubtedly see great development in the immediate future.« less

Utilization of nuclear medicine scintigraphy in Taiwan, 1997-2009.

PubMed

Hung, Mao-Chin; Hsieh, Wanhua Annie; Chang, Peter Wushou; Hwang, Jeng-Jong

2011-12-01

To analyze the utilization of nuclear medicine scintigraphy in the Taiwanese population within the national health-care system between 1997 and 2009. Based on the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database of 1997-2009, a retrospective population-based analysis was conducted. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed to analyze the frequencies and longitudinal trends in the utilization of diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures during the period. In addition, correlation analysis was applied to determine the correlated factors in the utility of nuclear medicine scintigraphy. The annual total nuclear medicine scintigraphy was estimated to be 256,389 on average in 1997-2009 and 11.7 per 1,000 population over the period. The frequency had increased by 67% over the years, from 8.2 per 1,000 population in 1997 to 13.7 per 1,000 population in 2009. The most frequently performed procedures were whole-body bone scans (33.4% of total) and myocardial perfusion scans (29.4% of total), with 4,615 and 5,620 increments per year, respectively. Most patients were in the age group of 41-65 years old when taking examinations. In addition, male subjects were slightly more than female patients (51.5 vs. 48.5%). Furthermore, the frequencies of whole-body bone scans and PET scans were proportional to the incidences of cancers (correlation coefficients were 0.96 and 0.94, respectively). The utilization of nuclear medicine scintigraphy with the National Health Insurance system in Taiwan has been changed considerably in the past 13 years. Both whole-body bone scan and myocardial perfusion scan were performed most often with significantly increases. The trend of nuclear medicine scintigraphy may have potential impact on making health-care policy in Taiwan.

A Training Manual for Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Guy H.; Alexander, George W.

This manual was prepared for a training program in Nuclear Medicine Technology at the University of Cincinnati. Instructional materials for students enrolled in these courses in the training program include: Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation, Radionuclide Measurements, Radiation Protection, and Tracer Methodology and Radiopharmaceuticals. (CS)

Quality assurance in nuclear medicine facilities; availability of final recommendations--FDA. Notice.

PubMed

1985-05-13

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of final recommendations prepared by its Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) on quality assurance programs in nuclear medicine facilities. The final recommendations include the agency's rationale for the recommendations as well as references that can be used as well as references that can be used as guides in conducting quality control monitoring. These final recommendations are available as a technical report in CDRH's radiation recommendations series. They are intended to encourage and promote the development of voluntary quality assurance programs in nuclear medicine facilities.

Nuclear Medicine Physics: The Basics. 7th ed.

PubMed

Mihailidis, Dimitris

2012-10-01

Nuclear Medicine Physics: The Basics. 7th ed. Ramesh Chandra, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer Business. Philadelphia, 2012. Softbound, 224 pp. Price: $69.99. ISBN: 9781451109412. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Assessment of OEP health's risk in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santacruz-Gomez, K.; Manzano, C.; Melendrez, R.; Castaneda, B.; Barboza-Flores, M.; Pedroza-Montero, M.

2012-10-01

The use of ionizing radiation has been increased in recent years within medical applications. Nuclear Medicine Department offers both treatment and diagnosis of diseases using radioisotopes to controlled doses. Despite the great benefits to the patient, there is an inherent risk to workers which remains in contact with radiation sources for long periods. These personnel must be monitored to avoid deterministic effects. In this work, we retrospectively evaluated occupationally exposed personnel (OEP) to ionizing radiation in nuclear medicine during the last five years. We assessed both area and personal dosimetry of this department in a known Clinic in Sonora. Our results show an annual equivalent dose average of 4.49 ± 0.70 mSv in OEP without showing alarming changes in clinical parameters analyzed. These results allow us to conclude that health of OEP in nuclear medicine of this clinic has not been at risk during the evaluated period. However, we may suggest the use of individual profiles based on specific radiosensitivity markers.

IAEA programs in empowering the nuclear medicine profession through online educational resources.

PubMed

Pascual, Thomas Nb; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Kashyap, Ravi; Nunez-Miller, Rodolfo

2013-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) programme in human health aims to enhance the capabilities in Member States to address needs related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases through the application of nuclear techniques. It has the specific mission of fostering the application of nuclear medicine techniques as part of the clinical management of certain types of diseases. Attuned to the continuous evolution of this specialty as well as to the advancement and diversity of methods in delivering capacity building efforts in this digital age, the section of nuclear medicine of the IAEA has enhanced its program by incorporating online educational resources for nuclear medicine professionals into its repertoire of projects to further its commitment in addressing the needs of its Member States in the field of nuclear medicine. Through online educational resources such as the Human Health Campus website, e-learning modules, and scheduled interactive webinars, a validation of the commitment by the IAEA in addressing the needs of its Member States in the field of nuclear medicine is strengthened while utilizing the advanced internet and communications technology which is progressively becoming available worldwide. The Human Health Campus (www.humanhealth.iaea.org) is the online educational resources initiative of the Division of Human Health of the IAEA geared toward enhancing professional knowledge of health professionals in radiation medicine (nuclear medicine and diagnostic imaging, radiation oncology, and medical radiation physics), and nutrition. E-learning modules provide an interactive learning environment to its users while providing immediate feedback for each task accomplished. Webinars, unlike webcasts, offer the opportunity of enhanced interaction with the learners facilitated through slide shows where the presenter guides and engages the audience using video and live streaming. This paper explores the IAEA's available online

UK nuclear medicine survey, 1992-93.

PubMed

Elliott, A T; Elliott, F M; Shields, R A

1996-01-01

A postal survey of UK nuclear medicine departments was undertaken to collate information on equipment, numbers of procedures and staffing levels for the years 1992 and 1993. It was estimated that there are 235 sites undertaking nuclear medicine, the total number of procedures performed being some 490,000 in 1993 compared with 430,000 in 1989. Informal investigation suggests that the increase is due to greater usage of myocardial perfusion and lung ventilation/perfusion studies. Wide variations were noted in staffing levels, with only 22% of departments having medical cover of half-time equivalent or better: over 30% of departments have less than one consultant session per week. Approximately 20% of departments claimed to have no physics input, with a further 20% having less than one session per week.

Audit of nuclear medicine scientific and technical standards.

PubMed

Jarritt, Peter H; Perkins, Alan C; Woods, Sandra D

2004-08-01

The British Nuclear Medicine Society has developed a process for the service-specific organizational audit of nuclear medicine departments. This process identified the need for a scheme suitable for the audit of the scientific and technical standards of a department providing such a service. This document has evolved following audit visits of a number of UK departments. It is intended to be used as a written document to facilitate the audit procedure and may be used for both external and self-audit purposes. Scientific and technical standards have been derived from a number of sources, including regulatory documents, notes for guidance and peer-reviewed publications. The audit scheme is presented as a series of questions with responses graded according to legal and safety obligations (A), good practice (B) and desirable aspects of service delivery (C). This document should be regarded as part of an audit framework and should be kept under review as the process evolves to meet the future demands of this high-technology-based clinical service.

Current research in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in Italy: highlights of the 10th National Congress of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

PubMed

Cuocolo, A

2011-06-01

The 10th National Congress of the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (AIMN) took place in Rimini on March 18-21, 2011 under the chairmanship of Professor Stefano Fanti. The program was of excellent quality and put a further step for the settlement of the standardized AIMN congress structure. A large industrial exhibition demonstrated the latest technological innovations and developments within the field. The congress was a great success with more than 1100 total participants and more than 360 abstracts received. Of these, 40 abstracts were accepted for oral and 285 for poster presentations. The original investigations presented were related to different areas of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, with particular focus on advances in instrumentation and data processing, progress in radiochemistry and pharmacy, novel diagnostics and therapeutics, and new insights in well established areas of clinical application, such as oncology, cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, endocrinology, paediatrics, and infection and inflammation. Noteworthy, several presentations at this congress, focusing on quantitative interpretation of the imaging data and on pragmatic endpoints, such as adverse outcomes, identified when nuclear medicine procedures achieved clinical effectiveness for patient care and patient management and further demonstrated that nuclear medicine plays a crucial role in the contemporary medical scenario. This highlights lecture is only a brief summary of the large amount of data presented and discussed, which can be found in much greater detail in the congress abstract book, published as volume 55, supplement 1 of the Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging in April 2011.

Radiation exposure to sonographers from nuclear medicine patients: A review.

PubMed

Earl, Victoria Jean; Badawy, Mohamed Khaldoun

2018-06-01

Following nuclear medicine scans a patient can be a source of radiation exposure to the hospital staff, including sonographers. Sonographers are not routinely monitored for occupational radiation exposure as they do not commonly interact with radioactive patients or other sources of ionizing radiation. This review aims to find evidence relating to the risk and amount of radiation the sonographer is exposed to from nuclear medicine patients. It is established in the literature that the radiation exposure to the sonographer following diagnostic nuclear medicine studies is low and consequently the risk is not significant. Nevertheless, it is paramount that basic radiation safety principles are followed to ensure any exposure to ionizing radiation is kept as low as reasonably achievable. Practical recommendations are given to assist the sonographer in radiation protection. Nuclear medicine therapy procedures may place the sonographer at higher risk and as such consultation with a Radiation Safety Officer or Medical Physicist as to the extent of exposure is recommended. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

PREFACE: International Conference on Image Optimisation in Nuclear Medicine (OptiNM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christofides, Stelios; Parpottas, Yiannis

2011-09-01

Conference logo The International Conference on Image Optimisation in Nuclear Medicine was held at the Atlantica Aeneas Resort in Ayia Napa, Cyprus between 23-26 March 2011. It was organised in the framework of the research project "Optimising Diagnostic Value in SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging" (YΓΕΙΑ/ΔYΓΕΙΑ/0308/11), funded by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation and the European Regional Development Fund, to present the highlights of the project, discuss the progress and results, and define future related goals. The aim of this International Conference was to concentrate on image optimization approaches in Nuclear Medicine. Experts in the field of nuclear medicine presented their latest research results, exchanged experiences and set future goals for image optimisation while balancing patient dose and diagnostic value. The conference was jointly organized by the Frederick Research Centre in Cyprus, the Department of Medical and Public Health Services of the Cyprus Ministry of Health, the Biomedical Research Foundation in Cyprus and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Poland. It was supported by the Cyprus Association of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, and the Cyprus Society of Nuclear Medicine. The conference was held under the auspices of the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine. The conference scientific programme covered several important topics such as functional imaging; image optimization; quantification for diagnosis; justification; simulations; patient dosimetry, staff exposures and radiation risks; quality assurance and clinical audit; education, training and radiation protection culture; hybrid systems and image registration; and new and competing technologies. The programme consisted of 13 invited and keynote presentations as well as workshops, round table discussions and a number of scientific sessions. A total of 51 speakers presented their

Current global and Korean issues in radiation safety of nuclear medicine procedures.

PubMed

Song, H C

2016-06-01

In recent years, the management of patient doses in medical imaging has evolved as concern about radiation exposure has increased. Efforts and techniques to reduce radiation doses are focussed not only on the basis of patient safety, but also on the fundamentals of justification and optimisation in cooperation with international organisations such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the World Health Organization. The Image Gently campaign in children and Image Wisely campaign in adults to lower radiation doses have been initiated in the USA. The European Association of Nuclear Medicine paediatric dosage card, North American consensus guidelines, and Nuclear Medicine Global Initiative have recommended the activities of radiopharmaceuticals that should be administered in children. Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), developed predominantly in Europe, may be an important tool to manage patient doses. In Korea, overexposure to radiation, even from the use of medical imaging, has become a public issue, particularly since the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. As a result, the Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission revised the technical standards for radiation safety management in medical fields. In parallel, DRLs for nuclear medicine procedures have been collected on a nationwide scale. Notice of total effective dose from positron emission tomography-computed tomography for cancer screening has been mandatory since mid-November 2014. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Nuclear medicine. Bibliography from Nuclear Science Abstracts, Volumes 31--33

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-12-01

References to 4362 publications related to nuclear medicine announced in Nuclear Science Abstracts (NSA) volumes 31(Jan.--June 1975), 32(July--Dec. 1975), and 33(Jan.--June 1976) are contained in this bibliography. References are arranged in order by the original NSA abstract number which approximately places them in chronological order. Sequence numbers appear beside each reference, and the indexes refer to these sequence numbers. Indexes included are: Corporate, Personal Author, Subject, and Report Number.

NMR clinical imaging and spectroscopy: Its impact on nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-02-02

This is a collection of four papers describing aspects of past and future use of nuclear magnetic resonance as a clinical diagnostic tool. The four papers are entitled (1) What Does NMR Offer that Nuclear Medicine Does Not by Jerry W. Froelich, (2) Oncological Imaging: Now, Future and Impact Jerry W. Froelich, (3) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/Spectroscopic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine: Past, Present and Future by H. Cecil Charles, and (4) MR Cardiology: Now, Future and Impact by Robert J. Herfkens.

NMR clinical imaging and spectroscopy: Its impact on nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-02-02

This is a collection of four papers describing aspects of past and future use of nuclear magnetic resonance as a clinical diagnostic tool. The four papers are entitled (1) What Does NMR Offer that Nuclear Medicine Does Not? by Jerry W. Froelich, (2) Oncological Imaging: Now, Future and Impact Jerry W. Froelich, (3) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy/Spectroscopic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine: Past, Present and Future by H. Cecil Charles, and (4) MR Cardiology: Now, Future and Impact by Robert J. Herfkens.

Will the Australian nuclear medicine technologist workforce meet anticipated health care demands?

PubMed

Adams, Edwina; Schofield, Deborah; Cox, Jennifer; Adamson, Barbara

2008-05-01

Determination of national nuclear medicine technologist workforce size was made from census data in 2001 and 1996 and from the professional body in 2004. A survey conducted by the authors in 2005 provided retention patterns in north-eastern Australia and suggested causes. Utilisation of nuclear medicine diagnostic services was established through the Medicare Benefits Schedule group statistics. More than half the nuclear medicine technologist workforce is under 35 years of age. Attrition commences from age 30, with very few workers over 55 years. In 2005 there was a 12% attrition of the survey workforce. In the past decade, service provision increased while workforce size decreased and the nuclear medicine technologist workforce is at risk of failing to meet the anticipated rise in health service needs.

Assessment of OEP health's risk in nuclear medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santacruz-Gomez, K.; Manzano, C.; Melendrez, R.

The use of ionizing radiation has been increased in recent years within medical applications. Nuclear Medicine Department offers both treatment and diagnosis of diseases using radioisotopes to controlled doses. Despite the great benefits to the patient, there is an inherent risk to workers which remains in contact with radiation sources for long periods. These personnel must be monitored to avoid deterministic effects. In this work, we retrospectively evaluated occupationally exposed personnel (OEP) to ionizing radiation in nuclear medicine during the last five years. We assessed both area and personal dosimetry of this department in a known Clinic in Sonora. Ourmore » results show an annual equivalent dose average of 4.49 {+-} 0.70 mSv in OEP without showing alarming changes in clinical parameters analyzed. These results allow us to conclude that health of OEP in nuclear medicine of this clinic has not been at risk during the evaluated period. However, we may suggest the use of individual profiles based on specific radiosensitivity markers.« less

Radiation doses for pediatric nuclear medicine studies: comparing the North American consensus guidelines and the pediatric dosage card of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine.

PubMed

Grant, Frederick D; Gelfand, Michael J; Drubach, Laura A; Treves, S Ted; Fahey, Frederic H

2015-04-01

Estimated radiation dose is important for assessing and communicating the risks and benefits of pediatric nuclear medicine studies. Radiation dose depends on the radiopharmaceutical, the administered activity, and patient factors such as age and size. Most radiation dose estimates for pediatric nuclear medicine have not been based on administered activities of radiopharmaceuticals recommended by established practice guidelines. The dosage card of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) and the North American consensus guidelines each provide recommendations of administered activities of radiopharmaceuticals in children, but there are substantial differences between these two guidelines. For 12 commonly performed pediatric nuclear medicine studies, two established pediatric radiopharmaceutical administration guidelines were used to calculate updated radiation dose estimates and to compare the radiation exposure resulting from the recommendations of each of the guidelines. Estimated radiation doses were calculated for 12 common procedures in pediatric nuclear medicine using administered activities recommended by the dosage card of the EANM (version 1.5.2008) and the 2010 North American consensus guidelines for radiopharmaceutical administered activities in pediatrics. Based on standard models and nominal age-based weights, radiation dose was estimated for typical patients at ages 1, 5, 10 and 15 years and adult. The resulting effective doses were compared, with differences greater than 20% considered significant. Following either the EANM dosage card or the 2010 North American guidelines, the highest effective doses occur with radiopharmaceuticals labeled with fluorine-18 and iodine-123. In 24% of cases, following the North American consensus guidelines would result in a substantially higher radiation dose. The guidelines of the EANM dosage card would lead to a substantially higher radiation dose in 39% of all cases, and in 62% of cases in which patients

Considerations for setting up an order entry system for nuclear medicine tests.

PubMed

Hara, Narihiro; Onoguchi, Masahisa; Nishida, Toshihiko; Honda, Minoru; Houjou, Osamu; Yuhi, Masaru; Takayama, Teruhiko; Ueda, Jun

2007-12-01

Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise-Japan (IHE-J) was established in Japan in 2001 and has been working to standardize health information and make it accessible on the basis of the fundamental Integrating Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) specifications. However, because specialized operations are used in nuclear medicine tests, online sharing of patient information and test order information from the order entry system as shown by the scheduled workflow (SWF) is difficult, making information inconsistent throughout the facility and uniform management of patient information impossible. Therefore, we examined the basic design (subsystem design) for order entry systems, which are considered an important aspect of information management for nuclear medicine tests and needs to be consistent with the system used throughout the rest of the facility. There are many items that are required by the subsystem when setting up an order entry system for nuclear medicine tests. Among these items, those that are the most important in the order entry system are constructed using exclusion settings, because of differences in the conditions for using radiopharmaceuticals and contrast agents and appointment frame settings for differences in the imaging method and test items. To establish uniform management of patient information for nuclear medicine tests throughout the facility, it is necessary to develop an order entry system with exclusion settings and appointment frames as standard features. Thereby, integration of health information with the Radiology Information System (RIS) or Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) based on Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standards and real-time health care assistance can be attained, achieving the IHE agenda of improving health care service and efficiently sharing information.

Necessity of Internal Monitoring for Nuclear Medicine Staff in a Large Specialized Chinese Hospital.

PubMed

Wang, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Qing-Zhao; Zhang, Zhen; Hou, Chang-Song; Li, Wen-Liang; Yang, Hui; Sun, Quan-Fu

2016-04-12

This work intends to quantify the risk of internal contaminations in the nuclear medicine staff of one hospital in Henan province, China. For this purpose, the criteria proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to determine whether it is necessary to conduct internal individual monitoring was applied to all of the 18 nuclear medicine staff members who handled radionuclides. The activity of different radionuclides used during a whole calendar year and the protection measures adopted were collected for each staff member, and the decision as to whether nuclear medicine staff in the hospital should be subjected to internal monitoring was made on the basis of the criteria proposed by IAEA. It is concluded that for all 18 members of the nuclear medicine staff in the hospital, internal monitoring is required. Internal exposure received by nuclear medicine staff should not be ignored, and it is necessary to implement internal monitoring for nuclear medicine staff routinely.

Necessity of Internal Monitoring for Nuclear Medicine Staff in a Large Specialized Chinese Hospital

PubMed Central

Wang, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Qing-Zhao; Zhang, Zhen; Hou, Chang-Song; Li, Wen-Liang; Yang, Hui; Sun, Quan-Fu

2016-01-01

This work intends to quantify the risk of internal contaminations in the nuclear medicine staff of one hospital in Henan province, China. For this purpose, the criteria proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to determine whether it is necessary to conduct internal individual monitoring was applied to all of the 18 nuclear medicine staff members who handled radionuclides. The activity of different radionuclides used during a whole calendar year and the protection measures adopted were collected for each staff member, and the decision as to whether nuclear medicine staff in the hospital should be subjected to internal monitoring was made on the basis of the criteria proposed by IAEA. It is concluded that for all 18 members of the nuclear medicine staff in the hospital, internal monitoring is required. Internal exposure received by nuclear medicine staff should not be ignored, and it is necessary to implement internal monitoring for nuclear medicine staff routinely. PMID:27077874

Estimation of internal exposure to 99Mo in nuclear medicine patients.

PubMed

Silva, I C O A; Lucena, E A; Souza, W O; Dantas, A L A; Dantas, B M

2010-05-10

(99m)Tc is the most widely used radionuclide in nuclear medicine. It is obtained by elution of (99)Mo-(99m)Tc generators. Depending on the quality of the generator and its integrity, (99)Mo may be extracted from the column during the elution process, becoming a radionuclidic impurity in the (99m)Tc eluate. This fact would impart an unnecessary dose to the patients submitted to diagnostic procedures. The aim of this work is to evaluate (99)Mo incorporation and internal effective doses in nuclear medicine patients through bioassay techniques, providing information on the metabolism of molybdenum in humans. A methodology based on in vivo and in vitro measurements was developed. In vivo measurements were performed with a NaI detector installed in the IRD WBC. Urine samples were analysed with a HPGe at the IRD bioassay laboratory. Patients showed detectable activities of (99)Mo in whole body and urine. Results were interpreted with AIDE software. Estimated incorporation was compared to predicted values based on ICRP model. Effective doses were in the order of micro sieverts. Results suggest the need to implement a routine quality control program of radionuclidic impurity of (99)Mo in (99m)Tc eluates to be conducted by radiopharmacy laboratories of nuclear medicine centers.

Nuclear Medicine | RadTown USA | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2018-05-01

>Nuclear medicine procedures can help detect and treat disease by using a small amount of radioactive material, called a radiopharmaceutical. Some radiopharmaceuticals are used with imaging equipment to detect diseases.

Nuclear medicine technologist training in European countries.

PubMed

Lass, Piotr

2002-08-01

This article overviews the training of nuclear medicine technologists in chosen European countries, the United States and Canada. There are basically two types of training: at medical schools following secondary school, without any university degree, usually on a 2- or 3-year basis, or else as a university course, leading to a BSc degree after 3 years, and in some countries to an MSc degree after an additional 2 years. In the United States both systems coexist, while in Europe the picture varies from country to country. The number of hours devoted to nuclear medicine also varies between curricula. Some efforts are being made to unify this system by transition to the university model of education in many European countries.

Nuclear medicine in cancer diagnosis and therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernov, V.; Zeltchan, R.; Medvedeva, A.; Sinilkin, I.; Bragina, O.

2017-09-01

Early cancer diagnosis remains one of the most actual problems of medicine, since it allows using the most effective methods of cancer treating. Unlike most diagnostic methods used in oncology, the methods of nuclear medicine allow assessing not so much the anatomic changes in the organ as the disturbance of metabolic processes in tumors and surrounding tissues. The authors describe the main radiopharmaceuticals used for diagnose and radiotherapy of malignant tumors.

Application for internal dosimetry using biokinetic distribution of photons based on nuclear medicine images.

PubMed

Leal Neto, Viriato; Vieira, José Wilson; Lima, Fernando Roberto de Andrade

2014-01-01

This article presents a way to obtain estimates of dose in patients submitted to radiotherapy with basis on the analysis of regions of interest on nuclear medicine images. A software called DoRadIo (Dosimetria das Radiações Ionizantes [Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry]) was developed to receive information about source organs and target organs, generating graphical and numerical results. The nuclear medicine images utilized in the present study were obtained from catalogs provided by medical physicists. The simulations were performed with computational exposure models consisting of voxel phantoms coupled with the Monte Carlo EGSnrc code. The software was developed with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack and the project template Windows Presentation Foundation for C# programming language. With the mentioned tools, the authors obtained the file for optimization of Monte Carlo simulations using the EGSnrc; organization and compaction of dosimetry results with all radioactive sources; selection of regions of interest; evaluation of grayscale intensity in regions of interest; the file of weighted sources; and, finally, all the charts and numerical results. The user interface may be adapted for use in clinical nuclear medicine as a computer-aided tool to estimate the administered activity.

Trends in radiation exposure from clinical nuclear medicine procedures in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Yi, Yanling; Zheng, Junzheng; Zhuo, Weihai; Gao, Linfeng

2012-03-01

This study was designed to assess the trends in the frequencies of nuclear medicine procedures in Shanghai, China, and to determine their contributions to the per capita effective dose to the Shanghai population. The mean activities of radionuclides administered by nuclear medicine departments were compared with the Chinese national guidelines on diagnostic reference levels. On the basis of the three surveys carried out by Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 1996, 1998, and 2008, the typically administered radiopharmaceuticals, levels of activity, the number of procedures, and population were systematically analyzed to assess the frequencies of nuclear medicine procedures and the per capita effective dose. The frequencies were approximately 2.77, 3.46, and 6.63 per 1000 people in 1996, 1998, and 2008, respectively. The annual per capita doses from diagnostic nuclear medicine were estimated to be 0.016, 0.022, and 0.032 mSv in 1996, 1998, and 2008, respectively. The annual frequency of therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures increased from 0.131 to 0.430 per 1000 people in the intervening 12 years. In the 12 years before 2008, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in nuclear medicine in Shanghai increased continuously, and the annual per capita dose doubled. Increases in PET imaging and bone scans were the major contributors to the increasing frequency and magnitude of radiation exposure to the population. The activities administered for most diagnostic procedures were generally consistent with the designated reference levels.

AAPM/SNMMI Joint Task Force: report on the current state of nuclear medicine physics training.

PubMed

Harkness, Beth A; Allison, Jerry D; Clements, Jessica B; Coffey, Charles W; Fahey, Frederic H; Gress, Dustin A; Kinahan, Paul E; Nickoloff, Edward L; Mawlawi, Osama R; MacDougall, Robert D; Pizzutiello, Robert J

2015-09-08

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) recognized the need for a review of the current state of nuclear  medicine physics training and the need to explore pathways for improving nuclear medicine physics training opportunities. For these reasons, the two organizations formed a joint AAPM/SNMMI Ad Hoc Task Force on Nuclear Medicine Physics  Training. The mission of this task force was to assemble a representative group of stakeholders to:• Estimate the demand for board-certified nuclear medicine physicists in the next 5-10 years,• Identify the critical issues related to supplying an adequate number of physicists who have received the appropriate level of training in nuclear medicine physics, and• Identify approaches that may be considered to facilitate the training of nuclear medicine physicists.As a result, a task force was appointed and chaired by an active member of both organizations that included representation from the AAPM, SNMMI, the American Board of Radiology (ABR), the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine (ABSNM), and the Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP). The Task Force first met at the AAPM Annual Meeting in Charlotte in July 2012 and has met regularly face-to-face, online, and by conference calls. This manuscript reports the findings of the Task Force, as well as recommendations to achieve the stated mission.

AAPM/SNMMI Joint Task Force: report on the current state of nuclear medicine physics training

PubMed Central

Allison, Jerry D.; Clements, Jessica B.; Coffey, Charles W.; Fahey, Frederic H.; Gress, Dustin A.; Kinahan, Paul E.; Nickoloff, Edward L.; Mawlawi, Osama R.; MacDougall, Robert D.; Pizzuitello, Robert J.

2015-01-01

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) recognized the need for a review of the current state of nuclear medicine physics training and the need to explore pathways for improving nuclear medicine physics training opportunities. For these reasons, the two organizations formed a joint AAPM/SNMMI Ad Hoc Task Force on Nuclear Medicine Physics Training. The mission of this task force was to assemble a representative group of stakeholders to: Estimate the demand for board‐certified nuclear medicine physicists in the next 5–10 years,Identify the critical issues related to supplying an adequate number of physicists who have received the appropriate level of training in nuclear medicine physics, andIdentify approaches that may be considered to facilitate the training of nuclear medicine physicists. As a result, a task force was appointed and chaired by an active member of both organizations that included representation from the AAPM, SNMMI, the American Board of Radiology (ABR), the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine (ABSNM), and the Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP). The Task Force first met at the AAPM Annual Meeting in Charlotte in July 2012 and has met regularly face‐to‐face, online, and by conference calls. This manuscript reports the findings of the Task Force, as well as recommendations to achieve the stated mission. PACS number: 01.40.G‐ PMID:26699325

Nuclear Medicine Technologists' Perception and Current Assessment of Quality: A Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section Survey.

PubMed

Mann, April; Farrell, Mary Beth; Williams, Jessica; Basso, Danny

2017-06-01

In 2015, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) launched a multiyear quality initiative to help prepare the technologist workforce for an evidence-based health-care delivery system that focuses on quality. To best implement the quality strategy, the SNMMI-TS first surveyed technologists to ascertain their perception of quality and current measurement of quality indicators. Methods: An internet survey was sent to 27,989 e-mail contacts. Questions related to demographic data, perceptions of quality, quality measurement, and opinions on the minimum level of education are discussed in this article. Results: A total of 4,007 (14.3%) responses were received. When asked to list 3 words or phrases that represent quality, there were a plethora of different responses. The top 3 responses were image quality, quality control, and technologist education or competency. Surveying patient satisfaction was the most common quality measure (80.9%), followed by evaluation of image quality (78.2%). Evaluation of image quality (90.3%) and equipment functionality (89.4%) were considered the most effective measures. Technologists' differentiation between quality, quality improvement, quality control, quality assurance, and quality assessment seemed ambiguous. Respondents were confident in their ability to assess and improve quality at their workplace (91.9%) and agreed their colleagues were committed to delivering quality work. Of note, 70.7% of respondents believed that quality is directly related to the technologist's level of education. Correspondingly, respondents felt there should be a minimum level of education (99.5%) and that certification or registry should be required (74.4%). Most respondents (59.6%) felt that a Bachelor's degree should be the minimum level of education, followed by an Associate's degree (40.4%). Conclusion: To best help nuclear medicine technologists provide quality care, the SNMMI-TS queried technologists to

Assessment of radiation safety awareness among nuclear medicine nurses: a pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunus, N. A.; Abdullah, M. H. R. O.; Said, M. A.; Ch'ng, P. E.

2014-11-01

All nuclear medicine nurses need to have some knowledge and awareness on radiation safety. At present, there is no study to address this issue in Malaysia. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the level of knowledge and awareness on radiation safety among nuclear medicine nurses at Putrajaya Hospital in Malaysia and (2) to assess the effectiveness of a training program provided by the hospital to increase the knowledge and awareness of the nuclear medicine nurses. A total of 27 respondents attending a training program on radiation safety were asked to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists 16 items and were categorized into two main areas, namely general radiation knowledge and radiation safety. Survey data were collected before and after the training and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test. Respondents were scored out of a total of 16 marks with 8 marks for each area. The findings showed that the range of total scores obtained by the nuclear medicine nurses before and after the training were 6-14 (with a mean score of 11.19) and 13-16 marks (with a mean score of 14.85), respectively. Findings also revealed that the mean score for the area of general radiation knowledge (7.59) was higher than that of the radiation safety (7.26). Currently, the knowledge and awareness on radiation safety among the nuclear medicine nurses are at the moderate level. It is recommended that a national study be conducted to assess and increase the level of knowledge and awareness among all nuclear medicine nurses in Malaysia.

Application for internal dosimetry using biokinetic distribution of photons based on nuclear medicine images*

PubMed Central

Leal Neto, Viriato; Vieira, José Wilson; Lima, Fernando Roberto de Andrade

2014-01-01

Objective This article presents a way to obtain estimates of dose in patients submitted to radiotherapy with basis on the analysis of regions of interest on nuclear medicine images. Materials and Methods A software called DoRadIo (Dosimetria das Radiações Ionizantes [Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry]) was developed to receive information about source organs and target organs, generating graphical and numerical results. The nuclear medicine images utilized in the present study were obtained from catalogs provided by medical physicists. The simulations were performed with computational exposure models consisting of voxel phantoms coupled with the Monte Carlo EGSnrc code. The software was developed with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack and the project template Windows Presentation Foundation for C# programming language. Results With the mentioned tools, the authors obtained the file for optimization of Monte Carlo simulations using the EGSnrc; organization and compaction of dosimetry results with all radioactive sources; selection of regions of interest; evaluation of grayscale intensity in regions of interest; the file of weighted sources; and, finally, all the charts and numerical results. Conclusion The user interface may be adapted for use in clinical nuclear medicine as a computer-aided tool to estimate the administered activity. PMID:25741101

[Integrative medicine development in China: enlightenment from Kampo medicine].

PubMed

Gao, Peng-fei

2011-10-01

Japanese Kampo medicine has made huge progress in the 300-year development, especially in Kampo education, research and development of Kampo medicinal drugs, and industrialization and internationalization of Kampo medicine in recent 30 years. Based on the study of Japanese Kampo medicine, this article discussed some characteristics of Kampo medicine. For example, the emphasis of Kampo medicine research is the effectiveness and scientificalness; classical prescriptions are the main application in Kampo medicine while it also values correspondence between prescription and syndrome as well as abdomen examination; Kampo medicine emphasized the continuity of education after graduation; international development is accelerating in the research of Kampo medicinal drugs. Such a development strategy of Kampo medicine may benefit the development of integrative medicine in China.

Study of nuclear medicine practices in Portugal from an internal dosimetry perspective.

PubMed

Bento, J; Teles, P; Neves, M; Santos, A I; Cardoso, G; Barreto, A; Alves, F; Guerreiro, C; Rodrigues, A; Santos, J A M; Capelo, C; Parafita, R; Martins, B

2012-05-01

Nuclear medicine practices involve the handling of a wide range of pharmaceuticals labelled with different radionuclides, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This work intends to evaluate the potential risks of internal contamination of nuclear medicine staff in several Portuguese nuclear medicine services and to conclude about the requirement of a routine internal monitoring. A methodology proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), providing a set of criteria to determine the need, or not, for an internal monitoring programme, was applied. The evaluation of the risk of internal contaminations in a given set of working conditions is based on the type and amount of radionuclides being handled, as well as the safety conditions with which they are manipulated. The application of the IAEA criteria showed that 73.1% of all the workers included in this study should be integrated in a routine monitoring programme for internal contaminations; more specifically, 100% of workers performing radioimmunoassay techniques should be monitored. This study suggests that a routine monitoring programme for internal exposures should be implemented in Portugal for most nuclear medicine workers.

Short- and long-term responses to molybdenum-99 shortages in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Ballinger, J R

2010-11-01

Most nuclear medicine studies use (99)Tc(m), which is the decay product of (99)Mo. The world supply of (99)Mo comes from only five nuclear research reactors and availability has been much reduced in recent times owing to problems at the largest reactors. In the short-term there are limited actions that can be taken owing to capacity issues on alternative imaging modalities. In the long-term, stability of (99)Mo supply will rely on a combination of replacing conventional reactors and developing new technologies.

Initial experience with a nuclear medicine viewing workstation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witt, Robert M.; Burt, Robert W.

1992-07-01

Graphical User Interfaced (GUI) workstations are now available from commercial vendors. We recently installed a GUI workstation in our nuclear medicine reading room for exclusive use of staff and resident physicians. The system is built upon a Macintosh platform and has been available as a DELTAmanager from MedImage and more recently as an ICON V from Siemens Medical Systems. The workstation provides only display functions and connects to our existing nuclear medicine imaging system via ethernet. The system has some processing capabilities to create oblique, sagittal and coronal views from transverse tomographic views. Hard copy output is via a screen save device and a thermal color printer. The DELTAmanager replaced a MicroDELTA workstation which had both process and view functions. The mouse activated GUI has made remarkable changes to physicians'' use of the nuclear medicine viewing system. Training time to view and review studies has been reduced from hours to about 30-minutes. Generation of oblique views and display of brain and heart tomographic studies has been reduced from about 30-minutes of technician''s time to about 5-minutes of physician''s time. Overall operator functionality has been increased so that resident physicians with little prior computer experience can access all images on the image server and display pertinent patient images when consulting with other staff.

Nuclear oncology, a fast growing field of nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivier, Pierre

2004-07-01

Nuclear Medicine in oncology has been for a long time synonymous with bone scintigraphy, the first ever whole body imaging modality, and with treatment of thyroid cancer with iodine-131. More recently, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) using peptides such as 111In-labelled octreotide became a reference imaging method in the detection and staging of neuroendocrine tumors while 131I- and 123I-MIBG remain the tracers of reference for pheochromocytomas and neuroblastomas. Lymphoscintigraphic imaging based on peritumoral injection of 99mTc-labelled colloids supports, in combination with per operative detection, the procedure of sentinel node identification in breast cancers and melanomas. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is currently experiencing a considerable growth in oncology based on the use of 18F-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose), a very sensitive, although non-specific, tumor tracer. Development of instrumentation is crucial in this expansion of PET imaging with new crystals being more sensitive and hybrid imagers that permit to reduce the acquisition time and offer fused PET-CT images. Current developments in therapy can be classified into three categories. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) based on monoclonal antibodies (or fragments) labelled with beta-emitters. This technique has recently made its entrance in clinical practice with a 90Y-labelled anti-CD20 antibody ( 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin ®)) approved in US for the treatment of some subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Radionuclide-bone pain palliation has experienced developments with 153Sm-EDTMP, 186Re-HEDP or 89Sr, efficient in patients with widespread disease. Last, the same peptides, as those used in SRS, are being developed for therapy, labelled with 90Y, 111In or 177Lu in patients who failed to respond to other treatments. Overall, nuclear oncology is currently a fast growing field thanks to the combined developments of radiopharmaceuticals and instrumentation.

Monte Carlo simulations in Nuclear Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loudos, George K.

2007-11-01

Molecular imaging technologies provide unique abilities to localise signs of disease before symptoms appear, assist in drug testing, optimize and personalize therapy, and assess the efficacy of treatment regimes for different types of cancer. Monte Carlo simulation packages are used as an important tool for the optimal design of detector systems. In addition they have demonstrated potential to improve image quality and acquisition protocols. Many general purpose (MCNP, Geant4, etc) or dedicated codes (SimSET etc) have been developed aiming to provide accurate and fast results. Special emphasis will be given to GATE toolkit. The GATE code currently under development by the OpenGATE collaboration is the most accurate and promising code for performing realistic simulations. The purpose of this article is to introduce the non expert reader to the current status of MC simulations in nuclear medicine and briefly provide examples of current simulated systems, and present future challenges that include simulation of clinical studies and dosimetry applications.

Nuclear Medicine in the Philippines: A Glance at the Past, a Gaze at the Present, and a Glimpse of the Future

PubMed Central

Bautista, Patricia A.; Luis, Teofilo O.L. San

2016-01-01

While the introduction of radioactive tracers in the study of metabolic pathways has been well-documented in clinical thyroidology as early as 1924, the widespread utilization in other clinical specialties has been hampered by slow developments in radiation-detecting devices and in the production of appropriate radiopharmaceuticals, in addition to the morbid fear of radiation. In the Philippines, the first radioisotope laboratory was established in 1956. Ten years later, the Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine was formed. Through the years, challenges were overcome, foundations were laid down, growth was encouraged, friendships with other organizations were built, adjustments were made, and rules were enforced. To date, there are approximately 58 nuclear medicine centers randomly distributed from north to south of the Philippines, 7 accredited nuclear medicine training institutions, 95 board-certified nuclear medicine physicians (a few of whom are also internationally recognized), and a regionally-indexed Philippine Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Qualifying examinations for technologists were also recently instated. International relations are constantly strengthened by sending trainees abroad and accepting foreign trainees here, as well as participating in conferences and other endeavors. While the cost of putting up nuclear medicine centers in the Philippines is still prohibitive, it should not pose too much of a constraint as there are foreign and local parties willing to help. With appropriate instrumentation, targeting radiopharmaceuticals and trained human resources, nuclear medicine can indeed contribute much to health care delivery. PMID:27408901

42 CFR Appendix F to Part 75 - Standards for Licensing Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Radiation Therapy...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... licensed as Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, or Radiation Therapy Technologists. 2. Licenses... radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology. 2. Special eligibility to take the...-referenced examination in radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology shall be...

42 CFR Appendix F to Part 75 - Standards for Licensing Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Radiation Therapy...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... licensed as Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, or Radiation Therapy Technologists. 2. Licenses... radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology. 2. Special eligibility to take the...-referenced examination in radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology shall be...

42 CFR Appendix F to Part 75 - Standards for Licensing Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Radiation Therapy...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... licensed as Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, or Radiation Therapy Technologists. 2. Licenses... radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology. 2. Special eligibility to take the...-referenced examination in radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology shall be...

42 CFR Appendix F to Part 75 - Standards for Licensing Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Radiation Therapy...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... licensed as Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, or Radiation Therapy Technologists. 2. Licenses... radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology. 2. Special eligibility to take the...-referenced examination in radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology shall be...

NCRP report 160 and what it means for medical imaging and nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Bolus, Norman E

2013-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to briefly explain report 160 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement and the significance of the report to medical imaging as a whole and nuclear medicine specifically. The implications of the findings of report 160 have had repercussions and will continue to affect all of ionizing radiation medical imaging. The nuclear medicine community should have an understanding of why and how report 160 is important. After reading this article, the nuclear medicine technologist will be familiar with the main focus of report 160, the significant change that has occurred since the 1980s in the ionizing radiation exposure of people in the United States, the primary background source of ionizing radiation in the United States, the primary medical exposure to ionizing radiation in the United States, trends in nuclear medicine procedures and patient exposure, and a comparison of population doses between 2006 and the early 1980s as outlined in report 160.

Medical History in the Hellenic Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

PubMed

Otte, Andreas

2017-01-01

The Hellenic Journal of Nuclear Medicine is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary end of 2017. On board of the editorial team since 2003, this journal has influenced me like a good friend over the many past years. From time to time, the journal has published interesting and valuable historical notes. They show that nuclear medicine has a history and that medicine is its basis. They also teach us today, and some of the ancient perspectives and approaches are still valid. The reader of HJNM may be interested in these historical contributions, as they are timeless. Therefore, it was our idea to summarize these in the following pages. Where there is a link to the free article, this is noted. Upon opening all articles, you will find out that these are a book or so of its own. In thanks to the editor-in-chief of the Journal for his continuing support on the historical section. Below we refer to the historical papers of the Journal: History of Nuclear Medicine. Nuclear Medicine and History of Science and Philosophy: Atomic Theory of the Matter. G.N. Sfakianakis, 2001; 4(3); 155-60. Editorial. Pioneers of nuclear medicine, Madame Curie. P.C. Grammaticos. 2004; 7(1); 29-30. http://nuclmed.web.auth.gr/ magazine/eng/jan04/editorial.htm Editor's note. Hippocrates' Oath. The editor. 2004; 7(1); 31. Editorial. Useful known and unknown views of the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates and his teacher Democritus. P. Grammaticos, A. Diamantis. 2008; 11(1): 2-4. http://nuclmed.web.auth.gr/magazine/eng/jan08/2.pdf Special Article. The contribution of Maria Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie to Nuclear and Medical Physics. A hundred and ten years after the discovery of radium. A. Diamantis, E. Magiorkinis, 2008; 11(1): 33-8. http://nuclmed.web.auth.gr/magazine/ eng/jan08/33.pdf Brief Historical Review. Lymphatic system and lymphoscintigraphy. P. Valsamaki. 2009; 12(1): 87-89. http://nuclmed.web. auth.gr/magazine/eng/jan09/89.pdf (In Greek) Historical Review. The philosophic and

Short- and long-term responses to molybdenum-99 shortages in nuclear medicine

PubMed Central

Ballinger, J R

2010-01-01

Most nuclear medicine studies use 99Tcm, which is the decay product of 99Mo. The world supply of 99Mo comes from only five nuclear research reactors and availability has been much reduced in recent times owing to problems at the largest reactors. In the short-term there are limited actions that can be taken owing to capacity issues on alternative imaging modalities. In the long-term, stability of 99Mo supply will rely on a combination of replacing conventional reactors and developing new technologies. PMID:20965898

A nuclear chocolate box: the periodic table of nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Blower, Philip J

2015-03-21

Radioisotopes of elements from all parts of the periodic table find both clinical and research applications in radionuclide molecular imaging and therapy (nuclear medicine). This article provides an overview of these applications in relation to both the radiological properties of the radionuclides and the chemical properties of the elements, indicating past successes, current applications and future opportunities and challenges for inorganic chemistry.

In Vitro Evaluation of Molecular Tumor Targets in Nuclear Medicine: Immunohistochemistry Is One Option, but Under Which Conditions?

PubMed

Reubi, Jean Claude

2017-12-01

The identification of new molecular targets for diagnostic and therapeutic applications using in vitro methods is an important challenge in nuclear medicine. One such method is immunohistochemistry, increasingly popular because it is easy to perform. This review presents the case for conducting receptor immunohistochemistry to evaluate potential molecular targets in human tumor tissue sections. The focus is on the immunohistochemistry of G-protein-coupled receptors, one of the largest families of cell surface proteins, representing a major class of drug targets and thus playing an important role in nuclear medicine. This review identifies common pitfalls and challenges and provides guidelines on performing such immunohistochemical studies. An appropriate validation of the target is a prerequisite for developing robust and informative new molecular probes. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Highlights lecture EANM 2016: "Embracing molecular imaging and multi-modal imaging: a smart move for nuclear medicine towards personalized medicine".

PubMed

Aboagye, Eric O; Kraeber-Bodéré, Françoise

2017-08-01

The 2016 EANM Congress took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 15 to 19 October under the leadership of Prof. Wim Oyen, chair of the EANM Scientific Committee. With more than 6,000 participants, this congress was the most important European event in nuclear medicine, bringing together a multidisciplinary community involved in the different fields of nuclear medicine. There were over 600 oral and 1,200 poster or e-Poster presentations with an overwhelming focus on development and application of imaging for personalized care, which is timely for the community. Beyond FDG PET, major highlights included progress in the use of PSMA and SSTR receptor-targeted radiopharmaceuticals and associated theranostics in oncology. Innovations in radiopharmaceuticals for imaging pathologies of the brain and cardiovascular system, as well as infection and inflammation, were also highlighted. In the areas of physics and instrumentation, multimodality imaging and radiomics were highlighted as promising areas of research.

Functional renal imaging: new trends in radiology and nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Durand, Emmanuel; Chaumet-Riffaud, Philippe; Grenier, Nicolas

2011-01-01

The objective of this work is to compare the characteristics of various techniques for functional renal imaging, with a focus on nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging. Even with low spatial resolution and rather poor signal-to-noise ratio, classical nuclear medicine has the advantage of linearity and good sensitivity. It remains the gold standard technique for renal relative functional assessment. Technetium-99m ((99m)Tc)-labeled diethylenetriamine penta-acetate remains the reference glomerular tracer. Tubular tracers have been improved: (123)I- or (131)I-hippuran, (99m)Tc-MAG3 and, recently, (99m)Tc-nitrilotriacetic acid. However, advancement in molecular imaging has not produced a groundbreaking tracer. Renal magnetic resonance imaging with classical gadolinated tracers probably has potential in this domain but has a lack of linearity and, therefore, its value still needs evaluation. Moreover, the advent of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis has delayed its expansion. Other developments, such as diffusion or blood oxygen level-dependent imaging, may have a role in the future. The other modalities have a limited role in clinical practice for functional renal imaging. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimated collective effective dose to the population from nuclear medicine examinations in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Skrk, Damijan; Zontar, Dejan

2013-01-01

Background A national survey of patient exposure from nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures was performed by Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration in order to estimate their contribution to the collective effective dose to the population of Slovenia. Methods A set of 36 examinations with the highest contributions to the collective effective dose was identified. Data about frequencies and average administered activities of radioisotopes used for those examinations were collected from all nuclear medicine departments in Slovenia. A collective effective dose to the population and an effective dose per capita were estimated from the collected data using dose conversion factors. Results The total collective effective dose to the population from nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures in 2011 was estimated to 102 manSv, giving an effective dose per capita of 0.05 mSv. Conclusions The comparison of results of this study with studies performed in other countries indicates that the nuclear medicine providers in Slovenia are well aware of the importance of patient protection measures and of optimisation of procedures. PMID:24133396

The 2011 nuclear medicine technology job analysis project of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

PubMed

Anderson, Dan; Hubble, William; Press, Bret A; Hall, Scott K; Michels, Ann D; Koenen, Roxanne; Vespie, Alan W

2010-12-01

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) conducts periodic job analysis projects to update the content and eligibility requirements for all certification examinations. In 2009, the ARRT conducted a comprehensive job analysis project to update the content specifications and clinical competency requirements for the nuclear medicine technology examination. ARRT staff and a committee of volunteer nuclear medicine technologists designed a job analysis survey that was sent to a random sample of 1,000 entry-level staff nuclear medicine technologists. Through analysis of the survey data and judgments of the committee, the project resulted in changes to the nuclear medicine technology examination task list, content specifications, and clinical competency requirements. The primary changes inspired by the project were the introduction of CT content to the examination and the expansion of the content covering cardiac procedures.

A computer program for calculation of approximate embryo/fetus radiation dose in nuclear medicine applications.

PubMed

Bayram, Tuncay; Sönmez, Bircan

2012-04-01

In this study, we aimed to make a computer program that calculates approximate radiation dose received by embryo/fetus in nuclear medicine applications. Radiation dose values per MBq-1 received by embryo/fetus in nuclear medicine applications were gathered from literature for various stages of pregnancy. These values were embedded in the computer code, which was written in Fortran 90 program language. The computer program called nmfdose covers almost all radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine applications. Approximate radiation dose received by embryo/fetus can be calculated easily at a few steps using this computer program. Although there are some constraints on using the program for some special cases, nmfdose is useful and it provides practical solution for calculation of approximate dose to embryo/fetus in nuclear medicine applications. None declared.

The production of radionuclides for nuclear medicine from a compact, low-energy accelerator system.

PubMed

Webster, William D; Parks, Geoffrey T; Titov, Dmitry; Beasley, Paul

2014-05-01

The field of nuclear medicine is reliant on radionuclides for medical imaging procedures and radioimmunotherapy (RIT). The recent shut-downs of key radionuclide producers have highlighted the fragility of the current radionuclide supply network, however. To ensure that nuclear medicine can continue to grow, adding new diagnostic and therapy options to healthcare, novel and reliable production methods are required. Siemens are developing a low-energy, high-current - up to 10 MeV and 1 mA respectively - accelerator. The capability of this low-cost, compact system for radionuclide production, for use in nuclear medicine procedures, has been considered. The production of three medically important radionuclides - (89)Zr, (64)Cu, and (103)Pd - has been considered, via the (89)Y(p,n), (64)Ni(p,n) and (103)Rh(p,n) reactions, respectively. Theoretical cross-sections were generated using TALYS and compared to experimental data available from EXFOR. Stopping power values generated by SRIM have been used, with the TALYS-generated excitation functions, to calculate potential yields and isotopic purity in different irradiation regimes. The TALYS excitation functions were found to have a good agreement with the experimental data available from the EXFOR database. It was found that both (89)Zr and (64)Cu could be produced with high isotopic purity (over 99%), with activity yields suitable for medical diagnostics and therapy, at a proton energy of 10MeV. At 10MeV, the irradiation of (103)Rh produced appreciable quantities of (102)Pd, reducing the isotopic purity. A reduction in beam energy to 9.5MeV increased the radioisotopic purity to 99% with only a small reduction in activity yield. This work demonstrates that the low-energy, compact accelerator system under development by Siemens would be capable of providing sufficient quantities of (89)Zr, (64)Cu, and (103)Pd for use in medical diagnostics and therapy. It is suggested that the system could be used to produce many other

ARRONAX, a high-energy and high-intensity cyclotron for nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Haddad, Ferid; Ferrer, Ludovic; Guertin, Arnaud; Carlier, Thomas; Michel, Nathalie; Barbet, Jacques; Chatal, Jean-François

2008-07-01

This study was aimed at establishing a list of radionuclides of interest for nuclear medicine that can be produced in a high-intensity and high-energy cyclotron. We have considered both therapeutic and positron emission tomography radionuclides that can be produced using a high-energy and a high-intensity cyclotron such as ARRONAX, which will be operating in Nantes (France) by the end of 2008. Novel radionuclides or radionuclides of current limited availability have been selected according to the following criteria: emission of positrons, low-energy beta or alpha particles, stable or short half-life daughters, half-life between 3 h and 10 days or generator-produced, favourable dosimetry, production from stable isotopes with reasonable cross sections. Three radionuclides appear well suited to targeted radionuclide therapy using beta ((67)Cu, (47)Sc) or alpha ((211)At) particles. Positron emitters allowing dosimetry studies prior to radionuclide therapy ((64)Cu, (124)I, (44)Sc), or that can be generator-produced ((82)Rb, (68)Ga) or providing the opportunity of a new imaging modality ((44)Sc) are considered to have a great interest at short term whereas (86)Y, (52)Fe, (55)Co, (76)Br or (89)Zr are considered to have a potential interest at middle term. Several radionuclides not currently used in routine nuclear medicine or not available in sufficient amount for clinical research have been selected for future production. High-energy, high-intensity cyclotrons are necessary to produce some of the selected radionuclides and make possible future clinical developments in nuclear medicine. Associated with appropriate carriers, these radionuclides will respond to a maximum of unmet clinical needs.

A U.S. Multicenter Study of Recorded Occupational Radiation Badge Doses in Nuclear Medicine.

PubMed

Villoing, Daphnée; Yoder, R Craig; Passmore, Christopher; Bernier, Marie-Odile; Kitahara, Cari M

2018-05-01

Purpose To summarize occupational badge doses recorded for a sample of U.S. nuclear medicine technologists. Materials and Methods Nine large U.S. medical institutions identified 208 former and current nuclear medicine technologists certified after 1979 and linked these individuals to historic badge dose records maintained by a commercial dosimetry company (Landauer), yielding a total of 2618 annual dose records. The distributions of annual and cumulative occupational doses were described by using summary statistics. Results Between 1992 and 2015, the median annual personal dose equivalent per nuclear medicine technologist was 2.18 mSv (interquartile range [IQR], 1.25-3.47 mSv; mean, 2.69 mSv). Median annual personal dose equivalents remained relatively constant over this period (range, 1.40-3.30 mSv), while maximum values generally increased over time (from 8.00 mSv in 1992 to 13.9 mSv in 2015). The median cumulative personal dose equivalent was 32.9 mSv (IQR, 18.1-65.5 mSv; mean, 51.4 mSv) for 45 technologists who had complete information and remained employed through 2015. Conclusion Occupational radiation doses were well below the established occupational limits and were consistent with those observed for nuclear medicine technologists worldwide and were greater than those observed for nuclear and general medical workers in the United States These results should be informative for radiation monitoring and safety efforts in nuclear medicine departments. © RSNA, 2018 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Nuclear medicine techniques in the assessment of alkaptonuria.

PubMed

Vinjamuri, Sobhan; Ramesh, Chandakacharla N; Jarvis, Jonathan; Gallagher, Jim A; Ranganath, Lakshminarayana L

2011-10-01

Alkaptonuria is a rare autosomal recessive disorder due to a lack of the enzyme homogentisate dioxygenase, leading to ochronosis, a process of accumulation of a melanin-like polymer of homogentisic acid in cartilage and other collagenous structures. Patients develop severe osteoarthropathy that resembles osteoarthritis. Although the diagnosis of alkaptonuria is not particularly challenging in view of the blue-black discolouration of visible connective tissue and the presence of homogentisic acid in urine, the natural history of alkaptonuria remains poorly understood. Patients would benefit immensely from an objective assessment of their disease status and from a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology and associated physical changes. Isotope bone scans, which are commonly used to identify the extent of involvement of bones in cancerous processes, have also been increasingly used for characterizing the extent of arthropathy in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Semiquantitative scores based on the extent of involvement of joints have been used to describe the involvement of large joints in the context of symptomatic treatment for osteoarthritis. A similar semiquantitative isotope bone scan score depending on the involvement of the number of large joints in patients with alkaptonuria can be formulated and validated in a suitable cohort of patients. Bone densitometry measurement using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning is an internationally accepted tool to assess the risk and extent of osteoporosis, and is increasingly used to assess the additional fracture risk in patients with arthropathy. We believe that, currently, nuclear medicine techniques can provide useful information, which can be incorporated into disease severity scores for alkaptonuria. Once the biological basis for alkaptonuria is better understood, it is feasible that nuclear medicine techniques of even greater sensitivity and specificity can be developed, thereby

Using Nuclear Medicine Imaging Wisely in Diagnosing Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

Censullo, Andrea

2017-01-01

Abstract In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on efficient and accurate diagnostic testing, exemplified by the American Board of Internal Medicine’s “Choosing Wisely” campaign. Nuclear imaging studies can provide early and accurate diagnoses of many infectious disease syndromes, particularly in complex cases where the differential remains broad. This review paper offers clinicians a rational, evidence-based guide to approaching nuclear medicine tests, using an example case of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia in a patient with multiple potential sources. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) with computed tomography (CT) and sulfur colloid imaging with tagged white blood cell (WBC) scanning offer the most promise in facilitating rapid and accurate diagnoses of endovascular graft infections, vertebral osteomyelitis (V-OM), diabetic foot infections, and prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). However, radiologists at different institutions may have varying degrees of expertise with these modalities. Regardless, infectious disease consultants would benefit from knowing what nuclear medicine tests to order when considering patients with complex infectious disease syndromes. PMID:28480283

Nuclear medicine in clinical urology and nephrology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tauxe, W.N.; Dubousky, E.V.

This book presents explanations of current procedures involving the kidney with information of the performance of each test, its rationale, and interpretation. The information covers all currently used radiopharmaceuticals, radiation dosimetry, instrumentation, test protocols, and mathematical principles of pathophysiology as they relate to nuclear medicine studies. Information is provided on which radiopharmaceutical, instrument, or computer application to use, and when.

[Consequences for military medicine of new nuclear weapons developments].

PubMed

Vogler, H

1985-01-15

The development and production of qualitatively new nuclear weapons (e.g. neutron weapons) has consequences also for the medical protection under conditions of war. In the present paper the peculiarities of these new systems of arms as well as the profile of injured persons which is to be expected after use of neutron weapons are analysed and general conclusions for the medical service are drawn.

Stochastic online appointment scheduling of multi-step sequential procedures in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Pérez, Eduardo; Ntaimo, Lewis; Malavé, César O; Bailey, Carla; McCormack, Peter

2013-12-01

The increased demand for medical diagnosis procedures has been recognized as one of the contributors to the rise of health care costs in the U.S. in the last few years. Nuclear medicine is a subspecialty of radiology that uses advanced technology and radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. Procedures in nuclear medicine require the use of radiopharmaceuticals, are multi-step, and have to be performed under strict time window constraints. These characteristics make the scheduling of patients and resources in nuclear medicine challenging. In this work, we derive a stochastic online scheduling algorithm for patient and resource scheduling in nuclear medicine departments which take into account the time constraints imposed by the decay of the radiopharmaceuticals and the stochastic nature of the system when scheduling patients. We report on a computational study of the new methodology applied to a real clinic. We use both patient and clinic performance measures in our study. The results show that the new method schedules about 600 more patients per year on average than a scheduling policy that was used in practice by improving the way limited resources are managed at the clinic. The new methodology finds the best start time and resources to be used for each appointment. Furthermore, the new method decreases patient waiting time for an appointment by about two days on average.

Trends of population radiation adsorbed dose from diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in Iran: 1985-1989

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammadi, H.; Tabeie, F.; Saghari, M.

1995-04-01

In view of the rapid expansion of diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in Iran, this study was undertaken to examine trends of nuclear medicine practice in the country and to determine the mean effective dose equivalent per patient and per capita. Comprehensive national data covering 93% of all nuclear medicine centers in 1985-1989 were obtained. The total number of nuclear medicine examinations inc teased by 42% during these years. The relative frequency of thyroid investigations was 84% followed by liver/spleen and bone procedures (7% and 6%, respectively). {sup 99m}Tc was the radionuclide of choice for 86% of investigation while {sup 131}Imore » alone accounted for 59% of collective effective dose equivalent. The annual average number of nuclear medicine procedures per 1,000 people was 1.9. For the thyroid, the highest number (48%) of patients investigated was in the 15-29 y age group and the lowest (3%) was in the >64 y age group. The male to female ratio of thyroid and cardiac patient was 0.18 and 3.64, respectively. The numbers of males and females studied for the remaining eight procedures were less frequent and about the same. The mean effective dose equivalent per patient and per capita was about 4.3 mSv and 8 {mu}Sv, respectively. {sup 131}I was responsible for most of collective effective dose equivalent produced by nuclear medicine. Therefore, future efforts should be concentrated on dose reduction for diagnostic {sup 131}I tests.« less

Self-assessment of current knowledge in nuclear medicine (second edition)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Selby, J.B.; Frey, G.D.; Cooper, J.F.

1981-01-01

In this updated second edition, the order of contents of the textbook has been reorganized. It has been divided into main parts: Basic Science and Clinical Nuclear Medicine. Basic Science, Part I, encompasses basic physics, radiation protection, interaction of radiation with matter and radiation detection, imaging, nuclear pharmacy, and radiation biology. Part II, Clinical Nuclear Medicine, covers the central nervous system, bone, gastroenterology (liver/spleen), cardiovascular system, pulmonary system, genitourinary system, thyroid and endocrine systems, gallium studies, radioassay, hematology, and therapy. The total number of pages of the current edition is increased to 250 from the 213 of the first editionmore » but there are fewer questions because those in the basic science area have been carefully selected to 60 of the original 98 questions. Compared with the previous edition, there are two advantages in the current one: (1) the addition of explanatory answers; and (2) the inclusion of up-to-date scintiphotos replacing rectilinear scan illustrations.« less

Poster - 03: How to manage a nuclear medicine PET-CT for radiation oncology patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hinse, Martin; Létourneau, Étienne; Duplan, Danny

Purpose: Development of an adapted multidisciplinary procedure designed to optimize the clinical workflow between radiation therapy (RT) and nuclear medicine (NM) for a PET-CT located in the NM department. Methods : The radiation oncologist (RO) prescribes the PET-CT exam and the clinical RT therapist gives all the necessary information to the patient prior to the exam. The immobilization accessories are prepared in the RT department. The RT and NM therapists work together for radiotracer injection, patient positioning and scan acquisition. The nuclear medicine physician (NMP) will study the images, draw Biological Target Volumes (BTVs) and produce a full exam report.more » Results : All tasks related to a planning PET-CT are done within 48 hours from the request by the RO to the reception of the images with the NMP contours and report. Conclusions : By developing a complete procedure collectively between the RT and NM departments, the patient benefits of a quick access to a RT planning PET-CT exam including the active involvement of every medical practitioners in these fields.« less

Dictionary/handbook of nuclear medicine and clinical imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iturralde, M.P.

This book covers the following topics: Fundamentals of English medical etymology, Abbreviations, acronyms, symbols, denotations, and signs commonly used or defined in the dictionary, Characteristics of the elements, Characteristics of practicable radioisotopes and of selected radionuclides commonly used in nuclear medicine, Properties and production of radionuclides, Radioactive decay, Radiopharmaceuticals, and Radiation dosimetry.

Sources and magnitude of occupational and public exposures from nuclear medicine procedures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This Report addresses the sources of exposures incurred in the practice of nuclear medicine and provides the necessary data to evaluate the magnitude of exposures to those directly associated with that practice and to those who provide nursing care to the patients containing radiopharmaceuticals. Exposure to members of the public are also addressed. The primary emphasis of this Report is on these individuals and not on the patient, since the patient receives the direct benefit from the nuclear medicine procedure. It is recognized that the patient also receives the bulk of any potential radiation decrement.

Nuclear medicine technologist education and training in Europe: literature and web-based findings.

PubMed

Matos, Ana C; Massa, Raquel C; Lucena, Filipa M; Vaz, Tânia R

2015-06-01

The education and training of a nuclear medicine technologist (NMT) is not homogeneous among European countries, which leads to different scope of practices and, therefore, different technical skills are assigned. The goal of this research was to characterize the education and training of NMT in Europe. This study was based on a literature research to characterize the education and training of NMT and support the historical evolution of this profession. It was divided into two different phases: the first phase included analysis of scientific articles and the second phase included research of curricula that allow health professionals to work as NMT in Europe. The majority of the countries [N=31 (89%)] offer the NMT curriculum integrated into the high education system and only in four (11%) countries the education is provided by professional schools. The duration in each education system is not equal, varying in professional schools (2-3 years) and high education level system (2-4 years), which means that different European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, such as 240, 230, 222, 210 or 180 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, are attributed to the graduates. The professional title and scope of the practice of NMT are different in different countries in Europe. In most countries of Europe, nuclear medicine training is not specific and curriculum does not demonstrate the Nuclear Medicine competencies performed in clinical practice. The heterogeneity in education and training for NMT is an issue prevalent among European countries. For NMT professional development, there is a huge need to formalize and unify educational and training programmes in Europe.

The effectiveness of wastewater treatment in nuclear medicine: Performance data and radioecological considerations.

PubMed

Sudbrock, F; Schomäcker, K; Drzezga, A

2017-01-01

For planned and ongoing storage of liquid radioactive waste in a designated plant for a nuclear medicine therapy ward (decontamination system/decay system), detailed knowledge of basic parameters such as the amount of radioactivity and the necessary decay time in the plant is required. The design of the plant at the Department of Nuclear Medicine of the University of Cologne, built in 2001, was based on assumptions about the individual discharge of activity from patients, which we can now retrospectively validate. The decontamination factor of the plant is at present in the order of 10 -9 for 131 I. The annual discharges have been continuously reduced over the period of operation and are now in the region of a few kilobecquerels. This work emphasizes the high efficacy of the decontamination plant to reduce the amount of radioactivity released from the nuclear medicine ward into the environment to almost negligible levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curriculum for education and training of medical physicists in nuclear medicine: recommendations from the EANM Physics Committee, the EANM Dosimetry Committee and EFOMP.

PubMed

Del Guerra, Alberto; Bardies, Manuel; Belcari, Nicola; Caruana, Carmel J; Christofides, Stelios; Erba, Paola; Gori, Cesare; Lassmann, Michael; Lonsdale, Markus Nowak; Sattler, Bernhard; Waddington, Wendy

2013-03-01

To provide a guideline curriculum covering theoretical and practical aspects of education and training for Medical Physicists in Nuclear Medicine within Europe. National training programmes of Medical Physics, Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine physics from a range of European countries and from North America were reviewed and elements of best practice identified. An independent panel of experts was used to achieve consensus regarding the content of the curriculum. Guidelines have been developed for the specialist theoretical knowledge and practical experience required to practice as a Medical Physicist in Nuclear Medicine in Europe. It is assumed that the precondition for the beginning of the training is a good initial degree in Medical Physics at master level (or equivalent). The Learning Outcomes are categorised using the Knowledge, Skill and Competence approach along the lines recommended by the European Qualifications Framework. The minimum level expected in each topic in the theoretical knowledge and practical experience sections is intended to bring trainees up to the requirements expected of a Medical Physicist entering the field of Nuclear Medicine. This new joint EANM/EFOMP European guideline curriculum is a further step to harmonise specialist training of Medical Physicists in Nuclear Medicine within Europe. It provides a common framework for national Medical Physics societies to develop or benchmark their own curricula. The responsibility for the implementation and accreditation of these standards and guidelines resides within national training and regulatory bodies. Copyright © 2012 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear medicine technologists are able to accurately determine when a myocardial perfusion rest study is necessary

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS), typically a stress and a rest study is performed. If the stress study is considered normal, there is no need for a subsequent rest study. The aim of the study was to determine whether nuclear medicine technologists are able to assess the necessity of a rest study. Methods Gated MPS using a 2-day 99mTc protocol for 121 consecutive patients were studied. Visual interpretation by 3 physicians was used as gold standard for determining the need for a rest study based on the stress images. All nuclear medicine technologists performing MPS had to review 82 training cases of stress MPS images with comments regarding the need for rest studies, and thereafter a test consisting of 20 stress MPS images. After passing this test, the nuclear medicine technologists in charge of a stress MPS study assessed whether a rest study was needed or not or if he/she was uncertain and wanted to consult a physician. After that, the physician in charge interpreted the images and decided whether a rest study was required or not. Results The nuclear medicine technologists and the physicians in clinical routine agreed in 103 of the 107 cases (96%) for which the technologists felt certain regarding the need for a rest study. In the remaining 14 cases the technologists were uncertain, i.e. wanted to consult a physician. The agreement between the technologists and the physicians in clinical routine was very good, resulting in a kappa value of 0.92. There was no statistically significant difference in the evaluations made by technicians and physicians (P = 0.617). Conclusions The nuclear medicine technologists were able to accurately determine whether a rest study was necessary. There was very good agreement between nuclear medicine technologists and physicians in the assessment of the need for a rest study. If the technologists can make this decision, the effectiveness of the nuclear medicine department will improve. PMID:22947251

Understanding the cause of an unreadable nuclear medicine image: a case of unexpected results with 123I whole-body scintigraphy.

PubMed

Skweres, Justin; Yang, Zhiyun; Gonzalez-Toledo, Eduardo

2014-12-01

When unexpected results are obtained with standard image collection, the nuclear medicine physician must consider many technical factors that may have contributed. When image quality is poor, prior radiotracer administration, among other things, should always be considered. Our case demonstrates how knowledge of patient history and basic principles of nuclear medicine physics allows recognition of the septal penetration artifact. This allows the nuclear medicine physician to tailor the exam to an individual patient and obtain the most useful diagnostic information for the clinician. © 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Liver phantom for quality control and training in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima Ferreira, Fernanda Carla; Souza, Divanizia do Nascimento

2011-10-01

In nuclear medicine, liver scintigraphy aims to verify organ function based on the radionuclide concentration in the liver and bile flow and is also used to detect tumors. Therefore it is necessary to perform quality control tests in the gamma camera before running the exam to prevent false results. Quality control tests of the gamma camera should thus be performed before running the exam to prevent false results. Such tests generally use radioactive material inside phantoms for evaluation of gamma camera parameters in quality control procedures. Phantoms can also be useful for training doctors and technicians in nuclear medicine procedures. The phantom proposed here has artifacts that simulate nodules; it may take on different quantities, locations and sizes and it may also be mounted without the introduction of nodules. Thus, its images may show hot or cold nodules or no nodules. The phantom consists of acrylic plates hollowed out in the centre, with the geometry of an adult liver. Images for analyses of simulated liver scintigraphy were obtained with the detector device at 5 cm from the anterior surface of the phantom. These simulations showed that this object is suitable for quality control in nuclear medicine because it was possible to visualize artifacts larger than 7.9 mm using a 256×256 matrix and 1000 kcpm. The phantom constructed in this work will also be useful for training practitioners and technicians in order to prevent patients from repeat testing caused by error during examinations.

42 CFR Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... technologist credentialed in nuclear medicine technology. 2. Instructional Staff—(a) Responsibilities. The...—Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists A. Sponsorship 1... certificate documenting completion of the program. 2. Educational programs may be established in: (a...

42 CFR Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... technologist credentialed in nuclear medicine technology. 2. Instructional Staff—(a) Responsibilities. The...—Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists A. Sponsorship 1... certificate documenting completion of the program. 2. Educational programs may be established in: (a...

42 CFR Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... technologist credentialed in nuclear medicine technology. 2. Instructional Staff—(a) Responsibilities. The...—Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists A. Sponsorship 1... certificate documenting completion of the program. 2. Educational programs may be established in: (a...

42 CFR Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... technologist credentialed in nuclear medicine technology. 2. Instructional Staff—(a) Responsibilities. The...—Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists A. Sponsorship 1... certificate documenting completion of the program. 2. Educational programs may be established in: (a...

Radiation dose to technologists per nuclear medicine examination and estimation of annual dose.

PubMed

Bayram, Tuncay; Yilmaz, A Hakan; Demir, Mustafa; Sonmez, Bircan

2011-03-01

Conventional diagnostic nuclear medicine applications have been continuously increasing in most nuclear medicine departments in Turkey, but to our knowledge no one has studied the doses to technologists who perform nuclear medicine procedures. Most nuclear medicine laboratories do not have separate control rooms for technologists, who are quite close to the patient during data acquisition. Technologists must therefore stay behind lead shields while performing their task if they are to reduce the radiation dose received. The aim of this study was to determine external radiation doses to technologists during nuclear medicine procedures with and without a lead shield. Another aim was to investigate the occupational annual external radiation doses to Turkish technologists. This study used a Geiger-Müller detector to measure dose rates to technologists at various distances from patients (0.25, 0.50, 1, and 2 m and behind a lead shield) and determined the average time spent by technologists at these distances. Deep-dose equivalents to technologists were obtained. The following conventional nuclear medicine procedures were considered: thyroid scintigraphy performed using (99m)Tc pertechnetate, whole-body bone scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate, myocardial perfusion scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile, and (201)Tl (thallous chloride) and renal scanning performed using (99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid. The measured deep-dose equivalent to technologists per procedure was within the range of 0.13 ± 0.05 to 0.43 ± 0.17 μSv using a lead shield and 0.21 ± 0.07 to 1.01 ± 0.46 μSv without a lead shield. Also, the annual individual dose to a technologist performing only a particular scintigraphic procedure throughout a year was estimated. For a total of 95 clinical cases (71 patients), effective external radiation doses to technologists were found to be within the permissible levels. This study showed that a 2-mm lead shield

Recommendations for Nuclear Medicine Technologists Drawn from an Analysis of Errors Reported in Australian Radiation Incident Registers.

PubMed

Kearney, Nicole; Denham, Gary

2016-12-01

When a radiation incident occurs in nuclear medicine in Australia, the incident is reported to the relevant state or territory authority, which performs an investigation and sends its findings to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. The agency then includes these data in its Australian Radiation Incident Register and makes them available to the public as an annual summary report on its website. The aim of this study was to analyze the radiation incidents included in these annual reports and in the publically available state and territory registers, identify any recurring themes, and make recommendations to minimize future incidents. A multidisciplinary team comprising a nuclear medicine technologist, a radiation therapist, and a diagnostic radiographer analyzed all nuclear medicine technology-, radiation therapy-, and diagnostic radiography-related incidents recorded in the Australian Radiation Incident Register and in the registers of New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania between 2003 and 2015. Each incident was placed into 1 of 18 categories, and each category was examined to determine any recurring causes of the incidents. We analyzed 209 nuclear medicine incidents. Their primary cause was failure to comply with time-out protocols (85.6%). By analyzing both the causes and the rates of radiation incidents, we were able to recommend ways to help prevent them from being repeated. Information drawn from the Australian Radiation Incident Register and 5 state registers has revealed steps that can be taken by any nuclear medicine department to prevent repetition of the incidents that have already occurred. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Medical student disaster medicine education: the development of an educational resource

PubMed Central

Domres, Bernd D.; Stahl, Wolfgang; Bauer, Andreas; Houser, Christine M.; Himmelseher, Sabine

2010-01-01

Background Disaster medicine education is an enormous challenge, but indispensable for disaster preparedness. Aims We aimed to develop and implement a disaster medicine curriculum for medical student education that can serve as a peer-reviewed, structured educational guide and resource. Additionally, the process of designing, approving and implementing such a curriculum is presented. Methods The six-step approach to curriculum development for medical education was used as a formal process instrument. Recognized experts from professional and governmental bodies involved in disaster health care provided input using disaster-related physician training programs, scientific evidence if available, proposals for education by international disaster medicine organizations and their expertise as the basis for content development. Results The final course consisted of 14 modules composed of 2-h units. The concepts of disaster medicine, including response, medical assistance, law, command, coordination, communication, and mass casualty management, are introduced. Hospital preparedness plans and experiences from worldwide disaster assistance are reviewed. Life-saving emergency and limited individual treatment under disaster conditions are discussed. Specifics of initial management of explosive, war-related, radiological/nuclear, chemical, and biological incidents emphasizing infectious diseases and terrorist attacks are presented. An evacuation exercise is completed, and a mass casualty triage is simulated in collaboration with local disaster response agencies. Decontamination procedures are demonstrated at a nuclear power plant or the local fire department, and personal decontamination practices are exercised. Mannequin resuscitation is practiced while personal protective equipment is utilized. An interactive review of professional ethics, stress disorders, psychosocial interventions, and quality improvement efforts complete the training. Conclusions The curriculum offers

[Adrenal incidentaloma and nuclear medicine examination].

PubMed

Tenenbaum, F

2009-03-01

In the setting of adrenal incidentaloma, nuclear medicine evaluation is only indicated after biological and imaging work-up has been completed. MIBG scintigraphy is helpful to characterize pheochromocytomas. In lesions without MIBG uptake, 18F FDG or 18F DOPA PET can be considered to characterize chromaffin cell tumours. To characterize lesions of the adrenal cortex, iodocholesterol scintigraphy is performed to confirm the origin of the adenoma and the benign or malignant nature of the lesion since benign adenomas show tracer uptake and malignant lesions show no tracer uptake. 18F FDG PET only characterizes the lesion as benign or malignant.

Two signs indicative of successful access in nuclear medicine cerebrospinal fluid diversionary shunt studies.

PubMed

Bermo, Mohammed S; Khalatbari, Hedieh; Parisi, Marguerite T

2018-05-08

Successful shunt access is the first step in a properly performed nuclear medicine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt study. To determine the significance of the radiotracer configuration at the injection site during initial nuclear medicine CSF shunt imaging and the lack of early systemic radiotracer activity as predictors of successful shunt access. With Institutional Review Board approval, three nuclear medicine physicians performed a retrospective review of all consecutive CSF shunt studies performed in children at our institution in 2015. Antecedent nuclear medicine CSF shunt studies in these patients were also assessed and included in the review. The appearance of the reservoir site immediately after radiotracer injection was classified as either figure-of-eight or round/ovoid configuration. The presence or absence of early systemic distribution of the tracer on the 5-min static images was noted and separately evaluated. A total of 98 nuclear medicine ventriculoperitoneal CSF shunt studies were evaluated. Figure-of-eight configuration was identified in 87% of studies and, when present, had 93% sensitivity, 78% specificity, 92% accuracy, 98% positive predictive value (PPV) and 54% negative predictive value (NPV) as a predictor of successful shunt access. Early systemic activity was absent in 89 of 98 studies. Lack of early systemic distribution of the radiotracer had 98% sensitivity, 78% specificity, 96% accuracy, 98% PPV and 78% NPV as a predictor of successful shunt access. Figure-of-eight configuration in conjunction with the absence of early systemic tracer activity had 99% PPV for successful shunt access. Figure-of-eight configuration at the injection site or lack of early systemic radiotracer activity had moderate specificity for successful shunt access. Specificity and PPV significantly improved when both signs were combined in assessment.

Effective Dose in Nuclear Medicine Studies and SPECT/CT: Dosimetry Survey Across Quebec Province.

PubMed

Charest, Mathieu; Asselin, Chantal

2018-06-01

The aims of the current study were to draw a portrait of the delivered dose in selected nuclear medicine studies in Québec province and to assess the degree of change between an earlier survey performed in 2010 and a later survey performed in 2014. Methods: Each surveyed nuclear medicine department had to complete 2 forms: the first, about the administered activity in selected nuclear medicine studies, and the second, about the CT parameters used in SPECT/CT imaging, if available. The administered activities were converted into effective doses using the most recent conversion factors. Diagnostic reference levels were computed for each imaging procedure to obtain a benchmark for comparison. Results: The distributions of administered activity in various nuclear medicine studies, along with the corresponding distribution of the effective doses, were determined. Excluding 131 I for thyroid studies, 67 Ga-citrate for infectious workups, and combined stress and rest myocardial perfusion studies, the remainder of the 99m Tc-based studies delivered average effective doses clustered below 10 mSv. Between the 2010 survey and the 2014 survey, there was a statistically significant decrease in delivered dose from 18.3 to 14.5 mSv. 67 Ga-citrate studies for infectious workups also showed a significant decrease in delivered dose from 31.0 to 26.2 mSv. The standardized CT portion of SPECT/CT studies yielded a mean effective dose 14 times lower than the radiopharmaceutical portion of the study. Conclusion: Between 2010 and 2014, there was a significant decrease in the delivered effective dose in myocardial perfusion and 67 Ga-citrate studies. The CT portions of the surveyed SPECT/CT studies contributed a relatively small fraction of the total delivered effective dose. © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Determining the pregnancy status of patients before diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures: the Australian experience.

PubMed

James, Daphne J; Cardew, Paul; Warren-Forward, Helen M

2011-09-01

Ionizing radiation used in diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures has the potential to have biologic effects on a fetus. Nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) therefore have a responsibility to ensure that they question all patients of childbearing age about their pregnancy status before starting any procedure, to avoid unnecessary fetal irradiation. In Australia, there are no clearly defined practice guidelines to assist NMTs in determining whom to question or how to question their patients. Semistructured interviews were conducted with chief NMTs and staff NMTs in 8 nuclear medicine departments in Australia. Questions were based around 5 areas: regulations and policy, fetal radiation exposure, questioning of the patient, difficulties in determining pregnancy status, and the impact of the use of hybrid imaging. Audio files of the interviews were transcribed and coded. Topics were coded into 5 themes: policy and awareness of guidelines, questioning the patient, radiation knowledge, decisions and assumptions made by NMTs, and the use of pregnancy testing. There was a wide variation in practice between and within departments. NMTs demonstrated a lack of knowledge and awareness of the possible biologic effects of radiation. This study identified a need in Australia for nuclear medicine to arrive at a consensus approach to verifying a patient's pregnancy status so that NMTs can successfully question patients about their pregnancy status. Continuing education programs are also required to keep NMTs up to date in their knowledge.

TH-AB-206-00: Challenges and Opportunities for Nuclear Medicine Theranostics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

In the past few decades, the field of nuclear medicine has made long strides with the continued advancement of related sciences and engineering and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides. Leveraging these advancements while combining the advantages of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides into one radiopharmaceutical has also created a new subfield “theranostics” in nuclear medicine that has the potential to further propel the field into the future. This session is composed of two talks; one focused on the physics principles of theranostics from properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides to dosimetric models and quantification; while the second describesmore » preclinical and clinical applications of theranostics and discusses the challenges and opportunities of bringing them to the clinic. At the end of the session the listener should be able to identify: The different properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides Which radionuclides are selected for which nuclear medicine therapies and why How PET can be used to accurately quantify the uptake of tumor targeting molecules How individualized dosimetry can be performed from the management of thyroid cancer to novel radiolabeled antibody therapies Promising pre-clinical radiopharmaceutical pairs in prostate cancer and melanoma. Promising clinical Theranostics in neuroendocrine cancers. Challenges of bringing Theranostics to the clinic. E. Delpassand, RITA Foundation -Houston; SBIR Grant; CEO and share holder of RadioMedix.« less

Nuclear Medicine and Resources for Patients: How Complex are Online Patient Educational Materials?

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; Shah, Kush; Agarwal, Nitin; Kim, Sung M; Intenzo, Charles M

2018-02-02

The Internet is a major source of healthcare information for patients. The American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommend that consumer healthcare websites be written between a 3rd and 7th grade level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of readability of patient education websites pertaining to nuclear medicine. Methods: Ten search terms were Googled and the top 10 links for each term were collected and analyzed for their level of readability using 10 well-established readability scales. Results: Collectively the 99 articles were written at an 11.8 grade level (standard deviation of 3.4). Only 5 of the 99 articles were written at the NIH and AMA recommended 3rd to 7th grade. Conclusion: There is a clear discordance between the readability level of nuclear medicine related imaging terms with the NIH and AMA guidelines. This disconnect may negatively impact patient understanding contributing to poor health outcomes. Copyright © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Evaluation of an internet-based e-learning module to introduce nuclear medicine to medical students: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Diessl, Stefanie; Verburg, Frederik A; Hoernlein, Alexander; Schumann, Martin; Luster, Markus; Reiners, Christoph

2010-12-01

The advent of electronic learning, the so-called e-learning, offers new possibilities for instruction in addition to the traditional face-to-face teaching in the education of medical students. To evaluate the additional educational value of a voluntary e-learning module in a nuclear medicine course for third-year medical students. Twenty exemplary nuclear medicine patient cases from our department were developed for e-learning purposes and presented on the internet using the web-based training program ‘CaseTrain’. Subsequently, three selected test cases were handled and evaluated by an unselected population of third-year medical students. One hundred and twenty-eight students studied the three patient cases and filled out the evaluation questionnaire completely. The most important result is that both the interest in and the subjective feeling of the knowledge level regarding the specialized field of nuclear medicine had increased significantly after working through the three e-learning cases. Ninety-seven percent of the evaluating students considered the use of computer-based learning useful. The subjective grading of the content of the cases and the handling of the software were graded with high marks by the participants, 1.9 and 2.0, respectively, on a linear scale with 1 being the best and 6 being the worst. The addition of e-learning to face-to-face teaching as a form of ‘blended learning’ is highly appreciated by medical students, and will provide an effective medium for bringing better understanding of nuclear medicine to future colleagues.

DICOM image quantification secondary capture (DICOM IQSC) integrated with numeric results, regions, and curves: implementation and applications in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xinhua; Xu, Xiaoyin; Voss, Stephan

2017-03-01

In this paper, we describe an enhanced DICOM Secondary Capture (SC) that integrates Image Quantification (IQ) results, Regions of Interest (ROIs), and Time Activity Curves (TACs) with screen shots by embedding extra medical imaging information into a standard DICOM header. A software toolkit of DICOM IQSC has been developed to implement the SC-centered information integration of quantitative analysis for routine practice of nuclear medicine. Primary experiments show that the DICOM IQSC method is simple and easy to implement seamlessly integrating post-processing workstations with PACS for archiving and retrieving IQ information. Additional DICOM IQSC applications in routine nuclear medicine and clinic research are also discussed.

Implementation of Quality Systems in Nuclear Medicine: Why It Matters. An Outcome Analysis (Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Part III).

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Delaloye, Angelika Bischof; Solanki, Kishor; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Giammarile, Francesco; Pascual, Thomas

2018-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) developed a comprehensive program-Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM). This program covers all aspects of nuclear medicine practices including, but not limited to, clinical practice, management, operations, and services. The QUANUM program, which includes quality standards detailed in relevant checklists, aims at introducing a culture of comprehensive quality audit processes that are patient oriented, systematic, and outcome based. This paper will focus on the impact of the implementation of QUANUM on daily routine practices in audited centers. Thirty-seven centers, which had been externally audited by experts under IAEA auspices at least 1 year earlier, were invited to run an internal audit using the QUANUM checklists. The external audits also served as training in quality management and the use of QUANUM for the local teams, which were responsible of conducting the internal audits. Twenty-five out of the 37 centers provided their internal audit report, which was compared with the previous external audit. The program requires that auditors score each requirement within the QUANUM checklists on a scale of 0-4, where 0-2 means nonconformance and 3-4 means conformance to international regulations and standards on which QUANUM is based. Our analysis covering both general and clinical areas assessed changes on the conformance status on a binary manner and the level of conformance scores. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric statistical tests. The evaluation of the general checklists showed a global improvement on both the status and the levels of conformances (P < 0.01). The evaluation of the requirements by checklist also showed a significant improvement in all, with the exception of Hormones and Tumor marker determinations, where changes were not significant. Of the 25 evaluated institutions, 88% (22 of 25) and 92% (23 of 25) improved their status and levels of conformance

Team effort: the nuclear medicine decision making process. Part II.

PubMed

Tsuchiyama, S

1991-06-01

This two part article examines the nuclear medicine purchase of Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, the largest private hospital in the nation. Part I (May 1991) focused on what their needs were. This concluding installment looks at the committee mechanism itself and the reasoning that went behind their decisions.

Value of case-based learning in a nuclear medicine clerkship.

PubMed

Lee, Bi-Fang; Chiu, Nan-Tsing; Li, Chung-Yi

2013-02-01

Medical imaging, including nuclear medicine, is a powerful tool for supporting learning in human morphology and physiology and understanding the nature of disease and response to treatment. The purposes of this study were to create a new case-based learning (CBL) model and to compare CBL and the traditional instructional approach (TIA) in a nuclear medicine clerkship. Internal consistency and expert validity were assessed for the instrument. A quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest design was used for this study. A combination of CBL and the TIA was applied to the experimental group and the TIA only to the control group. Subjects were 70 undergraduate year 5 medical students in a clerkship curriculum. Before and after the educational intervention, students were tested with the instrument. Cronbach's α coefficients of the instrument ranged from 0.79 to 0.95, indicating acceptable to strong internal consistency. For expert validity, the suitability and fitness of the instrument were verified. The overall score was significantly improved for the experimental group (from 3.51 to 3.65, P = .03) but not for the control group (from 3.48 to 3.44, P = .49). The experimental group also showed significantly improved scores in teacher assessment and learning satisfaction, the latter the only domain showing a significant difference of the differences (P = .020). The integration of CBL, allied with the TIA, into clinical clerkships provides medical students with the opportunity to learn a nuclear medicine curriculum in an interactive and case-based format tailored specifically for medical students. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic radionuclides in nuclear medicine: current and future prospects

PubMed Central

Yeong, Chai-Hong; Cheng, Mu-hua; Ng, Kwan-Hoong

2014-01-01

The potential use of radionuclides in therapy has been recognized for many decades. A number of radionuclides, such as iodine-131 (131I), phosphorous-32 (32P), strontium-90 (90Sr), and yttrium-90 (90Y), have been used successfully for the treatment of many benign and malignant disorders. Recently, the rapid growth of this branch of nuclear medicine has been stimulated by the introduction of a number of new radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of metastatic bone pain and neuroendocrine and other malignant or non-malignant tumours. Today, the field of radionuclide therapy is enjoying an exciting phase and is poised for greater growth and development in the coming years. For example, in Asia, the high prevalence of thyroid and liver diseases has prompted many novel developments and clinical trials using targeted radionuclide therapy. This paper reviews the characteristics and clinical applications of the commonly available therapeutic radionuclides, as well as the problems and issues involved in translating novel radionuclides into clinical therapies. PMID:25294374

The Development of Sports Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waddington, Ivan

1996-01-01

The development of sports medicine was influenced by medicalization and increasing competitiveness in modern sport, with sports physicians helping to develop performance enhancing drugs and techniques. This paper discusses sports medicine and drug use in Eastern European countries, early development of anabolic steroids in the United States, and…

A survey of the role of the UK physicist in nuclear medicine: a report of a joint working group of the British Institute of Radiology, British Nuclear Medicine Society, and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

PubMed

Tindale, W B; Thorley, P J; Nunan, T O; Lewington, V; Shields, R A; Williams, N R

2003-01-01

Guidelines for the provision of physics support to nuclear medicine were published in 1999 by a joint working group of the British Institute of Radiology, the British Nuclear Medicine Society, and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine. Following publication of the guidelines, a survey was conducted by the working group to gather data on the actual level of physicist support in UK hospitals of different types and on the activities undertaken by physicists. The data were collected in the 12 months following the publication of guidelines and cover different hospital models and seven UK regions. The results provide evidence that many of the smaller units - small teaching hospitals and, particularly, small district general hospitals - have insufficient physics support. Although, on average, there is good agreement between the guidelines and the survey data for medium and large district general hospitals, there is wide variation in the level of physics provision between hospitals delivering apparently similar services. This emphasizes the need for national guidelines, against which institutions may be bench-marked and which may be used as a recommendation for the staffing levels necessary to ensure services are delivered safely and standards are not compromised. The complexity and variety of workload is an important factor in determining the level of physics support. As services develop, it is vital that this aspect is recognized to ensure that appropriate resources are available for the required physics input, even if any new service represents only a modest clinical throughput in terms of patient numbers.

Pregnancy screening strategies for diagnostic nuclear medicine: survey results from Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

James, Daphne J; Cardew, Paul; Warren-Forward, Helen M

2013-09-01

The ionizing radiation used in diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures has the potential to cause biologic harm to a fetus. Although the risks are relatively small, it is recommended that all female patients of childbearing age be questioned regarding their pregnancy status before administration of the radiopharmaceutical. This can be a sensitive situation especially for certain types of patients, such as teenagers. Currently, there are no guidelines that detail how to question the patient. Previous studies have revealed the lack of a consistent approach in this area. The aim of this study was to investigate current practice for pregnancy screening before diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in Australia and New Zealand and to determine whether a standardized practice guideline is required. An online survey was administered via SurveyMonkey from October to December 2011. Members of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine were invited to participate. The survey consisted of 30 questions divided into 4 sections: demographics, policy and regulations, current practice, and open-ended clinical scenarios. Three hundred thirty-five responses were recorded from participants in all states and territories of Australia and New Zealand; 90% were nuclear medicine technologists. Participants reported a low awareness of radiation policy and regulations but demonstrated good knowledge of the relative risk to the fetus from commonly performed procedures. The most common minimum and maximum age to question patients was 12 y (32%) and 55 y (42%), respectively, although the range was from 10 to 60 y. Verbal questioning (44%) was the most commonly used approach. Pregnancy testing was used by 72%, usually if the patient indicated she was unsure of her pregnancy status. Responses to clinical scenarios were varied, and these will be discussed in a subsequent paper. The survey revealed a lack of awareness of government regulations and departmental policy regarding

Advancing Precision Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging for Lymphoma.

PubMed

Wright, Chadwick L; Maly, Joseph J; Zhang, Jun; Knopp, Michael V

2017-01-01

PET with fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 ( 18 F FDG-PET) is a meaningful biomarker for the detection, targeted biopsy, and treatment of lymphoma. This article reviews the evolution of 18 F FDG-PET as a putative biomarker for lymphoma and addresses the current capabilities, challenges, and opportunities to enable precision medicine practices for lymphoma. Precision nuclear medicine is driven by new imaging technologies and methodologies to more accurately detect malignant disease. Although quantitative assessment of response is limited, such technologies will enable a more precise metabolic mapping with much higher definition image detail and thus may make it a robust and valid quantitative response assessment methodology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dose equivalent rate constants and barrier transmission data for nuclear medicine facility dose calculations and shielding design.

PubMed

Kusano, Maggie; Caldwell, Curtis B

2014-07-01

A primary goal of nuclear medicine facility design is to keep public and worker radiation doses As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA). To estimate dose and shielding requirements, one needs to know both the dose equivalent rate constants for soft tissue and barrier transmission factors (TFs) for all radionuclides of interest. Dose equivalent rate constants are most commonly calculated using published air kerma or exposure rate constants, while transmission factors are most commonly calculated using published tenth-value layers (TVLs). Values can be calculated more accurately using the radionuclide's photon emission spectrum and the physical properties of lead, concrete, and/or tissue at these energies. These calculations may be non-trivial due to the polyenergetic nature of the radionuclides used in nuclear medicine. In this paper, the effects of dose equivalent rate constant and transmission factor on nuclear medicine dose and shielding calculations are investigated, and new values based on up-to-date nuclear data and thresholds specific to nuclear medicine are proposed. To facilitate practical use, transmission curves were fitted to the three-parameter Archer equation. Finally, the results of this work were applied to the design of a sample nuclear medicine facility and compared to doses calculated using common methods to investigate the effects of these values on dose estimates and shielding decisions. Dose equivalent rate constants generally agreed well with those derived from the literature with the exception of those from NCRP 124. Depending on the situation, Archer fit TFs could be significantly more accurate than TVL-based TFs. These results were reflected in the sample shielding problem, with unshielded dose estimates agreeing well, with the exception of those based on NCRP 124, and Archer fit TFs providing a more accurate alternative to TVL TFs and a simpler alternative to full spectral-based calculations. The data provided by this paper should assist

Nuclear medicine and the failed joint replacement: Past, present, and future

PubMed Central

Palestro, Christopher J

2014-01-01

Soon after the introduction of the modern prosthetic joint, it was recognized that radionuclide imaging provides useful information about these devices. The bone scan was used extensively to identify causes of prosthetic joint failure. It became apparent, however, that although sensitive, regardless of how the images were analyzed or how it was performed, the test was not specific and could not distinguish among the causes of prosthetic failure. Advances in anatomic imaging, notably cross sectional modalities, have facilitated the diagnosis of many, if not most, causes of prosthetic failure, with the important exception of infection. This has led to a shift in the diagnostic paradigm, in which nuclear medicine investigations increasingly have focused on diagnosing infection. The recognition that bone scintigraphy could not reliably diagnose infection led to the development of combined studies, first bone/gallium and subsequently leukocyte/bone and leukocyte/marrow imaging. Labeled leukocyte imaging, combined with bone marrow imaging is the most accurate (about 90%) imaging test for diagnosing joint arthroplasty infection. Its value not withstanding, there are significant disadvantages to this test. In-vivo techniques for labeling leukocytes, using antigranulocyte antibodies have been explored, but have their own limitations and the results have been inconsistent. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been extensively investigated for more than a decade but its role in diagnosing the infected prosthesis has yet to be established. Antimicrobial peptides bind to bacterial cell membranes and are infection specific. Data suggest that these agents may be useful for diagnosing prosthetic joint infection, but large scale studies have yet to be undertaken. Although for many years nuclear medicine has focused on diagnosing prosthetic joint infection, the advent of hybrid imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography

Textbook of respiratory medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, J.F.; Nadel, J.

1987-01-01

This book presents a clinical reference of respiratory medicine. It also details basic science aspects of pulmonary physiology and describes recently developed, sophisticated diagnostic tools and therapeutic methods. It also covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology; microbiologic, radiologic, nuclear medicine, and biopsy methods for diagnosis.

A list of nuclear medicine radionuclides and potential contaminants for operators of in-vivo counters.

PubMed

Stabin, M; Schlafke-Stelson, A

1991-09-01

Operators of in-vivo counters often encounter unusual photopeaks, some of which may be attributed to nuclear medicine radiopharmaceuticals recently received by the subject. This article lists the most common radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine, their common uses, their half-lives and principal decay energies, and the half-lives and decay energies of any contaminants or daughter products they may contain. The purpose is to help the in-vivo counter operator track down and eliminate causes of such unusual photopeaks.

Perspectives in molecular imaging through translational research, human medicine, and veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Berry, Clifford R; Garg, Predeep

2014-01-01

The concept of molecular imaging has taken off over the past 15 years to the point of the renaming of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging) and Journals (European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging) and offering of medical fellowships specific to this area of study. Molecular imaging has always been at the core of functional imaging related to nuclear medicine. Even before the phrase molecular imaging came into vogue, radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals were developed that targeted select physiological processes, proteins, receptor analogs, antibody-antigen interactions, metabolites and specific metabolic pathways. In addition, with the advent of genomic imaging, targeted genomic therapy, and theranostics, a number of novel radiopharmaceuticals for the detection and therapy of specific tumor types based on unique biological and cellular properties of the tumor itself have been realized. However, molecular imaging and therapeutics as well as the concept of theranostics are yet to be fully realized. The purpose of this review article is to present an overview of the translational approaches to targeted molecular imaging with application to some naturally occurring animal models of human disease. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Applications of nuclear physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, A. C.

2017-02-01

Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applications of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.

Applications of nuclear physics

DOE PAGES

Hayes-Sterbenz, Anna Catherine

2017-01-10

Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applicationsmore » of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Lastly, each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.« less

Applications of nuclear physics.

PubMed

Hayes, A C

2017-02-01

Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applications of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.

Applications of nuclear physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hayes-Sterbenz, Anna Catherine

Today the applications of nuclear physics span a very broad range of topics and fields. This review discusses a number of aspects of these applications, including selected topics and concepts in nuclear reactor physics, nuclear fusion, nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear-geophysics, and nuclear medicine. The review begins with a historic summary of the early years in applied nuclear physics, with an emphasis on the huge developments that took place around the time of World War II, and that underlie the physics involved in designs of nuclear explosions, controlled nuclear energy, and nuclear fusion. The review then moves to focus on modern applicationsmore » of these concepts, including the basic concepts and diagnostics developed for the forensics of nuclear explosions, the nuclear diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility, nuclear reactor safeguards, and the detection of nuclear material production and trafficking. The review also summarizes recent developments in nuclear geophysics and nuclear medicine. The nuclear geophysics areas discussed include geo-chronology, nuclear logging for industry, the Oklo reactor, and geo-neutrinos. The section on nuclear medicine summarizes the critical advances in nuclear imaging, including PET and SPECT imaging, targeted radionuclide therapy, and the nuclear physics of medical isotope production. Lastly, each subfield discussed requires a review article unto itself, which is not the intention of the current review; rather, the current review is intended for readers who wish to get a broad understanding of applied nuclear physics.« less

Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Program. Part 2: Analysis of Results.

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Massardo, Teresa; Mishani, Eyal; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Solanki, Kishor; Bischof Delaloye, Angelika; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Ordonez, Felix Barajas; Paez, Diana; Pascual, Thomas

2017-11-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency has developed a program, named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), to help its Member States to check the status of their nuclear medicine practices and their adherence to international reference standards, covering all aspects of nuclear medicine, including quality assurance/quality control of instrumentation, radiopharmacy (further subdivided into levels 1, 2, and 3, according to complexity of work), radiation safety, clinical applications, as well as managerial aspects. The QUANUM program is based on both internal and external audits and, with specifically developed Excel spreadsheets, it helps assess the level of conformance (LoC) to those previously defined quality standards. According to their level of implementation, the level of conformance to requested standards; 0 (absent) up to 4 (full conformance). Items scored 0, 1, and 2 are considered non-conformance; items scored 3 and 4 are considered conformance. To assess results of the audit missions performed worldwide over the last 8 years, a retrospective analysis has been run on reports from a total of 42 audit missions in 39 centers, three of which had been re-audited. The analysis of all audit reports has shown an overall LoC of 73.9 ± 8.3% (mean ± standard deviation), ranging between 56.6% and 87.9%. The highest LoC has been found in the area of clinical services (83.7% for imaging and 87.9% for therapy), whereas the lowest levels have been found for Radiopharmacy Level 2 (56.6%); Computer Systems and Data Handling (66.6%); and Evaluation of the Quality Management System (67.6%). Prioritization of non-conformances produced a total of 1687 recommendations in the final audit report. Depending on the impact on safety and daily clinical activities, they were further classified as critical (requiring immediate action; n = 276; 16% of the total); major (requiring action in relatively short time, typically from 3 to 6 months; n = 604

Recent developments of cyclotron produced radionuclides for nuclear cardiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, P. V.; Jansen, D. E.; Corbett, J. R.

1987-04-01

For over a decade myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201, a cyclotron product, has been routinely used in clinical medicine. Recent advances have allowed the efficient production of very high purity (> 99.8%) iodine-123. New metabolically active 123I labeled radiopharmaceuticals, including alkyl and phenyl fatty acids, and norepinephrine analogs, have been developed and are undergoing clinical trials. Fab' fragments of monoclonal antibodies to cardiac myosin have been labeled with indium-111 ( 111In) and are undergoing clinical evaluation for imaging myocardial infarcts. Monoclonal antibodies to platelets, fibrin, and the thrombolytic agent, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), have recently been labeled with 111In. Together these developments in radiotracers and instrumentation should have a significant impact on the future of cardiovascular nuclear medicine. This manuscript will discuss developments in single photon emitting radiotracers for myocardial imaging.

131I INTERNAL CONTAMINATION AND COMMITTED DOSE ASSESSMENT AMONG NUCLEAR MEDICINE MEDICAL PERSONNEL.

PubMed

Brudecki, K; Kluczewska-Galka, A; Mróz, T; Jarzab, B; Zagrodzki, P; Janowski, P

2018-05-01

This study presents 131I thyroid activity measurements of 56 employees of the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Centre for Oncology in Gliwice. The research instrument was a whole-body spectrometer. In 44 out of 56 examined staff members, the determined 131I activity was found to be above the detection limit. The measured activities ranged from 6 ± 2 to 457 ± 118 Bq. The maximum estimated committed effective dose reached was 1.5 mSv/y. The results were compared with previous measurements conducted in another Polish nuclear medical unit. From this comparison, we can see that radiological safety among nuclear medicine personnel can be improved by appropriate work organisation. Reducing exposure of workers can be achieved by properly organised turnovers concerning the most vulnerable worksites. In addition, to lower the radiation risk, it is essential to comply strictly with the isolation regime for the patients.

The American College of nuclear physicians 18th annual meeting and scientific sessions DOE day: Substance abuse and nuclear medicine abstracts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-02-01

Despite the enormous personal and social cost Of substance abuse, there is very little knowledge with respect to the mechanisms by which these drugs produce addiction as well as to the mechanisms of toxicity. Similarly, there is a lack of effective therapeutic intervention to treat the drug abusers. In this respect, nuclear medicine could contribute significantly by helping to gather information using brain imaging techniques about mechanisms of drug addiction which, in turn, could help design better therapeutic interventions, and by helping in the evaluation and diagnosis of organ toxicity from the use of drugs of abuse. This volume containsmore » six short descriptions of presentations made at the 18th Meeting of the American College of Nuclear Physicians -- DOE Day: Substance Abuse and Nuclear Medicine.« less

An alternate approach to the production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Auria, John M.; Keller, Roderich; Ladouceur, Keith; Lapi, Suzanne E.; Ruth, Thomas J.; Schmor, Paul

2013-03-01

There is a growing need for the production of radioisotopes for both diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. Radioisotopes that are produced using the (n,γ) or (γ,n) reactions, however, typically result in samples with low specific activity (radioactivity/gram) due to the high abundance of target material of the same element. One method to effectively remove the isotopic impurity is electro-magnetic mass separation. An Ion Source Test Facility has been constructed at TRIUMF to develop high-intensity, high-efficiency, reliable ion sources for purification of radioactive isotopes, particularly those used in nuclear medicine. In progress studies are presented.

An alternate approach to the production of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine applications.

PubMed

D'Auria, John M; Keller, Roderich; Ladouceur, Keith; Lapi, Suzanne E; Ruth, Thomas J; Schmor, Paul

2013-03-01

There is a growing need for the production of radioisotopes for both diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. Radioisotopes that are produced using the (n,γ) or (γ,n) reactions, however, typically result in samples with low specific activity (radioactivity∕gram) due to the high abundance of target material of the same element. One method to effectively remove the isotopic impurity is electro-magnetic mass separation. An Ion Source Test Facility has been constructed at TRIUMF to develop high-intensity, high-efficiency, reliable ion sources for purification of radioactive isotopes, particularly those used in nuclear medicine. In progress studies are presented.

Highlights of the Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, Helsinki 2004, and a dash of horizon scanning.

PubMed

Ell, Peter J

2005-01-01

The Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine represents the major scientific and professional event in the field of nuclear medicine in Europe. Specialists from all allied professions meet to discuss the latest findings and discoveries. A very large industrial exhibition demonstrates the latest technological innovations and developments. This Highlights Lecture summarises the scientific and medical advances discussed at this important gathering. The lecture covers a significant proportion of the data presented and/or discussed in up-to-date reviews, and places some of the trends encountered in the context of the evolution of the field as a whole. There is much food for thought in most areas of nuclear medicine: advances in instrumentation and data processing, progress in radiochemistry and pharmacy, novel diagnostics and therapeutics, and new insights in known areas of clinical application such as neurology and psychiatry, cardiology, oncology, endocrine disorders, paediatrics, nephro-urology and musculoskeletal disorders. This Highlights Lecture is, however, only a brief resume of the vast amount of data discussed, which can be found in much greater detail in the Congress Proceedings, published as volume 31, supplement 2 of Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging in August 2004.

The standardization methods of radioactive sources (125I, 131I, 99mTc, and 18F) for calibrating nuclear medicine equipment in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurdiyanto, G.; Candra, H.

2016-03-01

The standardization of radioactive sources (125I, 131I, 99mTc and 18F) to calibrate the nuclear medicine equipment had been carried out in PTKMR-BATAN. This is necessary because the radioactive sources used in the field of nuclear medicine has a very short half-life in other that to obtain a quality measurement results require special treatment. Besides that, the use of nuclear medicine techniques in Indonesia develop rapidly. All the radioactive sources were prepared by gravimetric methods. Standardization of 125I has been carried out by photon- photon coincidence methods, while the others have been carried out by gamma spectrometry methods. The standar sources are used to calibrate a Capintec CRC-7BT radionuclide calibrator. The results shows that calibration factor for Capintec CRC-7BT dose calibrator is 1,03; 1,02; 1,06; and 1,04 for 125I, 131I, 99mTc and 18F respectively, by about 5 to 6% of the expanded uncertainties.

Java-based remote viewing and processing of nuclear medicine images: toward "the imaging department without walls".

PubMed

Slomka, P J; Elliott, E; Driedger, A A

2000-01-01

In nuclear medicine practice, images often need to be reviewed and reports prepared from locations outside the department, usually in the form of hard copy. Although hard-copy images are simple and portable, they do not offer electronic data search and image manipulation capabilities. On the other hand, picture archiving and communication systems or dedicated workstations cannot be easily deployed at numerous locations. To solve this problem, we propose a Java-based remote viewing station (JaRViS) for the reading and reporting of nuclear medicine images using Internet browser technology. JaRViS interfaces to the clinical patient database of a nuclear medicine workstation. All JaRViS software resides on a nuclear medicine department server. The contents of the clinical database can be searched by a browser interface after providing a password. Compressed images with the Java applet and color lookup tables are downloaded on the client side. This paradigm does not require nuclear medicine software to reside on remote computers, which simplifies support and deployment of such a system. To enable versatile reporting of the images, color tables and thresholds can be interactively manipulated and images can be displayed in a variety of layouts. Image filtering, frame grouping (adding frames), and movie display are available. Tomographic mode displays are supported, including gated SPECT. The time to display 14 lung perfusion images in 128 x 128 matrix together with the Java applet and color lookup tables over a V.90 modem is <1 min. SPECT and PET slice reorientation is interactive (<1 s). JaRViS could run on a Windows 95/98/NT or a Macintosh platform with Netscape Communicator or Microsoft Intemet Explorer. The performance of Java code for bilinear interpolation, cine display, and filtering approaches that of a standard imaging workstation. It is feasible to set up a remote nuclear medicine viewing station using Java and an Internet or intranet browser. Images can be made

Knowledge about the availability of the pharmacist in the Nuclear Medicine Department: A questionnaire-based study among health-care professionals

PubMed Central

Parasuraman, Subramani; Mueen Ahmed, K.K.; Bin Hashim, Tin Soe @ Saifullah; Muralidharan, Selvadurai; Kumar, Kalaimani Jayaraja; Ping, Wu Yet; Syamittra, Balakrishnan; Dhanaraj, Sokkalingam Arumugam

2014-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the knowledge about the availability of the pharmacist in the nuclear medicine department among health-care professionals through a prospective cohort study. Methods: A total of 741 health-care professionals participated in the study by answering 10 simple questions about the role of the pharmacist in the nuclear medicine department and the availability of pharmacist in the nuclear medicine department. An online questionnaire system was used to conduct the study, and participants were invited to participate through personal communications and by promoting the study through social websites including Facebook, LinkedIn and Google (including Gmail and Google+). The study was conducted between April 2013 and March 2014 using the http://www.freeonlinesurveys.com/Webserver. Finally, the data provided by 621 participants was analyzed. Group frequency analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 (SPSS Inc. USA). Results: The participants were from Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE and Nepal. In total, 312 (50.2%) female health-care professionals and 309 (49.8%) male health-care professionals participated in the study. Of the 621 participants, 390 were working in hospitals, and 231 were not working in hospitals. Of the participants who were working in hospitals, 57.6% were pharmacists. The proportion of study participants who were aware of nuclear pharmacists was 55.39%. Awareness about the role of the pharmacist in nuclear medicine was poor. Conclusion: The role of the pharmacist in a nuclear medicine unit needs to be highlighted and promoted among health-care professionals and hence that the nuclear medicine team can provide better pharmaceutical care. PMID:25538467

Online Appointment Scheduling for a Nuclear Medicine Department in a Chinese Hospital

PubMed Central

Feng, Ya-bing

2018-01-01

Nuclear medicine, a subspecialty of radiology, plays an important role in proper diagnosis and timely treatment. Multiple resources, especially short-lived radiopharmaceuticals involved in the process of nuclear medical examination, constitute a unique problem in appointment scheduling. Aiming at achieving scientific and reasonable appointment scheduling in the West China Hospital (WCH), a typical class A tertiary hospital in China, we developed an online appointment scheduling algorithm based on an offline nonlinear integer programming model which considers multiresources allocation, the time window constraints imposed by short-lived radiopharmaceuticals, and the stochastic nature of the patient requests when scheduling patients. A series of experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed strategy based on data provided by the WCH. The results show that the examination amount increases by 29.76% compared with the current one with a significant increase in the resource utilization and timely rate. Besides, it also has a high stability for stochastic factors and bears the advantage of convenient and economic operation. PMID:29849748

Medical Image Processing Server applied to Quality Control of Nuclear Medicine.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergara, C.; Graffigna, J. P.; Marino, E.; Omati, S.; Holleywell, P.

2016-04-01

This paper is framed within the area of medical image processing and aims to present the process of installation, configuration and implementation of a processing server of medical images (MIPS) in the Fundación Escuela de Medicina Nuclear located in Mendoza, Argentina (FUESMEN). It has been developed in the Gabinete de Tecnologia Médica (GA.TE.ME), Facultad de Ingeniería-Universidad Nacional de San Juan. MIPS is a software that using the DICOM standard, can receive medical imaging studies of different modalities or viewing stations, then it executes algorithms and finally returns the results to other devices. To achieve the objectives previously mentioned, preliminary tests were conducted in the laboratory. More over, tools were remotely installed in clinical enviroment. The appropiate protocols for setting up and using them in different services were established once defined those suitable algorithms. Finally, it’s important to focus on the implementation and training that is provided in FUESMEN, using nuclear medicine quality control processes. Results on implementation are exposed in this work.

Role of nuclear medicine in clinical urology and nephrology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blaufox, M.D.; Fine, E.; Lee, H.B.

The application of radionuclide studies to nephrologic and urologic practice has reached a measurable degree of maturity during the past several years. In spite of this, the utilization of these techniques in many institutions in the United States continues to be far less frequent than one would expect from the clinical advantages. The aim of this editorial is to try to place the role of nuclear medicine in urology and nephrology in perspective. At the present time, in spite of the large number of renal agents that have been developed, there is no practical ideal radiopharmaceutical that can serve asmore » a universal agent. Arbitrarily, one may reduce the chief armamentarium to only four radiopharmaceuticals; technetium-99m DTPA, I-131 OIH (orthoiodohippurate), technetium-99m glucoheptonate and technetium-99m DMSA. These agents are discussed with their relative advantages and disadvantages.« less

Nuclear medicine imaging system

DOEpatents

Bennett, Gerald W.; Brill, A. Bertrand; Bizais, Yves J.; Rowe, R. Wanda; Zubal, I. George

1986-01-07

A nuclear medicine imaging system having two large field of view scintillation cameras mounted on a rotatable gantry and being movable diametrically toward or away from each other is disclosed. In addition, each camera may be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the diameter of the gantry. The movement of the cameras allows the system to be used for a variety of studies, including positron annihilation, and conventional single photon emission, as well as static orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography. In orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography, each camera is fitted with a seven pinhole collimator to provide seven views from slightly different perspectives. By using two cameras at an angle to each other, improved sensitivity and depth resolution is achieved. The computer system and interface acquires and stores a broad range of information in list mode, including patient physiological data, energy data over the full range detected by the cameras, and the camera position. The list mode acquisition permits the study of attenuation as a result of Compton scatter, as well as studies involving the isolation and correlation of energy with a range of physiological conditions.

Nuclear medicine imaging system

DOEpatents

Bennett, Gerald W.; Brill, A. Bertrand; Bizais, Yves J. C.; Rowe, R. Wanda; Zubal, I. George

1986-01-01

A nuclear medicine imaging system having two large field of view scintillation cameras mounted on a rotatable gantry and being movable diametrically toward or away from each other is disclosed. In addition, each camera may be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the diameter of the gantry. The movement of the cameras allows the system to be used for a variety of studies, including positron annihilation, and conventional single photon emission, as well as static orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography. In orthogonal dual multi-pinhole tomography, each camera is fitted with a seven pinhole collimator to provide seven views from slightly different perspectives. By using two cameras at an angle to each other, improved sensitivity and depth resolution is achieved. The computer system and interface acquires and stores a broad range of information in list mode, including patient physiological data, energy data over the full range detected by the cameras, and the camera position. The list mode acquisition permits the study of attenuation as a result of Compton scatter, as well as studies involving the isolation and correlation of energy with a range of physiological conditions.

Nuclear Medicine in Diagnosis of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis: An Update

PubMed Central

Musso, Maria; Petrosillo, Nicola

2015-01-01

Over the past decades cardiovascular disease management has been substantially improved by the increasing introduction of medical devices as prosthetic valves. The yearly rate of infective endocarditis (IE) in patient with a prosthetic valve is approximately 3 cases per 1,000 patients. The fatality rate of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains stable over the years, in part due to the aging of the population. The diagnostic value of echocardiography in diagnosis is operator-dependent and its sensitivity can decrease in presence of intracardiac devices and valvular prosthesis. The modified Duke criteria are considered the gold standard for diagnosing IE; their sensibility is 80%, but in clinical practice their diagnostic accuracy in PVE is lower, resulting inconclusively in nearly 30% of cases. In the last years, these new imaging modalities have gained an increasing attention because they make it possible to diagnose an IE earlier than the structural alterations occurring. Several studies have been conducted in order to assess the diagnostic accuracy of various nuclear medicine techniques in diagnosis of PVE. We performed a review of the literature to assess the available evidence on the role of nuclear medicine techniques in the diagnosis of PVE. PMID:25695043

Issues affecting the motivation of nuclear medicine technologists in Kuwait.

PubMed

Ali, Layla; Abdelsalam, Amal; Muddei, Sara; Brindhaban, Ajit

2013-01-01

The demand for nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) in Kuwait has increased, especially with the introduction of multimodality imaging systems. In order to increase the number of NMTs in the workforce and retain the existing NMTs, there should be a better way to motivate them. To find out how satisfied NMTs are and the factors that motivate them. An interview was conducted with 40 randomly selected NMTs to explore deep-seated emotions and attitudes that were related to motivation. Questions about the recognition NMTs receive from the general public, whether they are acknowledged as significant contributors to health services, ways to improve the standing of NMTs in society, and the clarity of the job description were included. A questionnaire survey was then conducted with 100 randomly selected NMTs. The questions were designed to elicit wider perspective of the information obtained from the interviews. The results show a need for attention in the Ministry of Health to NMTs for recognition, motivation, and improvement. Giving the NMTs their own identity and opportunities to be part of decision-making in the health team would influence more students to join nuclear medicine departments and give more self-confidence to the existing NMTs.

SU-F-J-100: Standardized Biodistribution Template for Nuclear Medicine Dosimetry Collection and Reporting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kesner, A; Poli, G; Beykan, S

Purpose: As the field of Nuclear Medicine moves forward with efforts to integrate radiation dosimetry into clinical practice we can identify the challenge posed by the lack of standardized dose calculation methods and protocols. All personalized internal dosimetry is derived by projecting biodistribution measurements into dosimetry calculations. In an effort to standardize organization of data and its reporting, we have developed, as a sequel to the EANM recommendation of “Good Dosimetry Reporting”, a freely available biodistribution template, which can be used to create a common point of reference for dosimetry data. It can be disseminated, interpreted, and used for methodmore » development widely across the field. Methods: A generalized biodistribution template was built in a comma delineated format (.csv) to be completed by users performing biodistribution measurements. The template is available for free download. The download site includes instructions and other usage details on the template. Results: This is a new resource developed for the community. It is our hope that users will consider integrating it into their dosimetry operations. Having biodistribution data available and easily accessible for all patients processed is a strategy for organizing large amounts of information. It may enable users to create their own databases that can be analyzed for multiple aspects of dosimetry operations. Furthermore, it enables population data to easily be reprocessed using different dosimetry methodologies. With respect to dosimetry-related research and publications, the biodistribution template can be included as supplementary material, and will allow others in the community to better compare calculations and results achieved. Conclusion: As dosimetry in nuclear medicine become more routinely applied in clinical applications, we, as a field, need to develop the infrastructure for handling large amounts of data. Our organ level biodistribution template can be

Progress and challenges of nuclear science development in Vietnam - an outlook on the occassion of the 10-th anniversary of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hien, P.D.

1994-12-31

Over ten years since the commissioning of the Dalat nuclear research reactor a number of nuclear techniques have been developed and applied in Vietnam Manufacturing of radioisotopes and nuclear instruments, development of isotope tracer and nuclear analytical techniques for environmental studies, exploitation of filtered neutron beams, ... have been major activities of reactor utilizations. Efforts made during ten years of reactor operation have resulted also in establishing and sustaining the applications of nuclear techniques in medicine, industry, agriculture, etc. The successes achieved and lessons teamed over the past ten years are discussed illustrating the approaches taken for developing the nuclearmore » science in the conditions of a country having a very low national income and experiencing a transition from a centrally planned to a market-oriented economic system.« less

Java-based PACS and reporting system for nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slomka, Piotr J.; Elliott, Edward; Driedger, Albert A.

2000-05-01

In medical imaging practice, images and reports often need be reviewed and edited from many locations. We have designed and implemented a Java-based Remote Viewing and Reporting System (JaRRViS) for a nuclear medicine department, which is deployed as a web service, at the fraction of the cost dedicated PACS systems. The system can be extended to other imaging modalities. JaRRViS interfaces to the clinical patient databases of imaging workstations. Specialized nuclear medicine applets support interactive displays of data such as 3-D gated SPECT with all the necessary options such as cine, filtering, dynamic lookup tables, and reorientation. The reporting module is implemented as a separate applet using Java Foundation Classes (JFC) Swing Editor Kit and allows composition of multimedia reports after selection and annotation of appropriate images. The reports are stored on the server in the HTML format. JaRRViS uses Java Servlets for the preparation and storage of final reports. The http links to the reports or to the patient's raw images with applets can be obtained from JaRRViS by any Hospital Information System (HIS) via standard queries. Such links can be sent via e-mail or included as text fields in any HIS database, providing direct access to the patient reports and images via standard web browsers.

Air contamination measurements for the evaluation of internal dose to workers in nuclear medicine departments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Massimi, B.; Bianchini, D.; Sarnelli, A.; D'Errico, V.; Marcocci, F.; Mezzenga, E.; Mostacci, D.

2017-11-01

Radionuclides handled in nuclear medicine departments are often characterized by high volatility and short half-life. It is generally difficult to monitor directly the intake of these short-lived radionuclides in hospital staff: this makes measuring air contamination of utmost interest. The aim of the present work is to provide a method for the evaluation of internal doses to workers in nuclear medicine, by means of an air activity sampling detector, to ensure that the limits prescribed by the relevant legislation are respected. A continuous air sampling system measures isotope concentration with a Nal(TI) detector. Energy efficiency of the system was assessed with GEANT4 and with known activities of 18F. Air is sampled in a number of areas of the nuclear medicine department of the IRST-IRCCS hospital (Meldola- Italy). To evaluate committed doses to hospital staff involved (doctors, technicians, nurses) different exposure situations (rooms, times, radionuclides etc) were considered. After estimating the intake, the committed effective dose has been evaluated, for the different radionuclides, using the dose coefficients mandated by the Italian legislation. Error propagation for the estimated intake and personal dose has been evaluated, starting from measurement statistics.

The Beginning and Development of the Theranostic Approach in Nuclear Medicine, as Exemplified by the Radionuclide Pair 86Y and 90Y

PubMed Central

Rösch, Frank; Herzog, Hans; Qaim, Syed M.

2017-01-01

In the context of radiopharmacy and molecular imaging, the concept of theranostics entails a therapy-accompanying diagnosis with the aim of a patient-specific treatment. Using the adequate diagnostic radiopharmaceutical, the disease and the state of the disease are verified for an individual patient. The other way around, it verifies that the radiopharmaceutical in hand represents a target-specific and selective molecule: the “best one” for that individual patient. Transforming diagnostic imaging into quantitative dosimetric information, the optimum radioactivity (expressed in maximum radiation dose to the target tissue and tolerable dose to healthy organs) of the adequate radiotherapeutical is applied to that individual patient. This theranostic approach in nuclear medicine is traced back to the first use of the radionuclide pair 86Y/90Y, which allowed a combination of PET and internal radiotherapy. Whereas the β-emitting therapeutic radionuclide 90Y (t½ = 2.7 d) had been available for a long time via the 90Sr/90Y generator system, the β+ emitter 86Y (t½ = 14.7 h) had to be developed for medical application. A brief outline of the various aspects of radiochemical and nuclear development work (nuclear data, cyclotron irradiation, chemical processing, quality control, etc.) is given. In parallel, the paper discusses the methodology introduced to quantify molecular imaging of 86Y-labelled compounds in terms of multiple and long-term PET recordings. It highlights the ultimate goal of radiotheranostics, namely to extract the radiation dose of the analogue 90Y-labelled compound in terms of mGy or mSv per MBq 90Y injected. Finally, the current and possible future development of theranostic approaches based on different PET and therapy nuclides is discussed. PMID:28632200

Nuclear Medicine at Berkeley Lab: From Pioneering Beginnings to Today (LBNL Summer Lecture Series)

ScienceCinema

Budinger, Thomas [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine & Functional Imaging

2018-01-23

Summer Lecture Series 2006: Thomas Budinger, head of Berkeley Lab's Center for Functional Imaging, discusses Berkeley Lab's rich history pioneering the field of nuclear medicine, from radioisotopes to medical imaging.

Redundant array of independent disks: practical on-line archiving of nuclear medicine image data.

PubMed

Lear, J L; Pratt, J P; Trujillo, N

1996-02-01

While various methods for long-term archiving of nuclear medicine image data exist, none support rapid on-line search and retrieval of information. We assembled a 90-Gbyte redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system using 10-, 9-Gbyte disk drives. The system was connected to a personal computer and software was used to partition the array into 4-Gbyte sections. All studies (50,000) acquired over a 7-year period were archived in the system. Based on patient name/number and study date, information could be located within 20 seconds and retrieved for display and analysis in less than 5 seconds. RAID offers a practical, redundant method for long-term archiving of nuclear medicine studies that supports rapid on-line retrieval.

[Correction of respiratory movement using ultrasound for cardiac nuclear medicine examinations: fundamental study using an X-ray TV machine].

PubMed

Yoda, Kazushige; Umeda, Tokuo; Hasegawa, Tomoyuki

2003-11-01

Organ movements that occur naturally as a result of vital functions such as respiration and heartbeat cause deterioration of image quality in nuclear medicine imaging. Among these movements, respiration has a large effect, but there has been no practical method of correcting for this. In the present study, we examined a method of correction that uses ultrasound images to correct baseline shifts caused by respiration in cardiac nuclear medicine examinations. To evaluate the validity of this method, simulation studies were conducted with an X-ray TV machine instead of a nuclear medicine scanner. The X-ray TV images and ultrasound images were recorded as digital movies and processed with public domain software (Scion Image). Organ movements were detected in the ultrasound images of the subcostal four-chamber view mode using slit regions of interest and were measured on a two-dimensional image coordinate. Then translational shifts were applied to the X-ray TV images to correct these movements by using macro-functions of the software. As a result, respiratory movements of about 20.1 mm were successfully reduced to less than 2.6 mm. We conclude that this correction technique is potentially useful in nuclear medicine cardiology.

[Holistic integrative medicine: the road to the future of the development of burn medicine].

PubMed

Fan, D M

2017-01-20

Holistic integrative medicine is the road to the future of the development of burn medicine. Not only burn medicine, but also human medicine gradually enters the era of holistic integrative medicine. Holistic integrative medicine is different from translational medicine, evidence-based medicine or precision medicine, which integrates the most advanced knowledge and theories in medicine fields with the most effective practices and experiences in clinical specialties to form a new medical system.

Joint CDRH (Center for Devices and Radiological Health) and state quality-assurance surveys in nuclear medicine: Phase 2 - radiopharmaceuticals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, D.R.; Evans, C.D.

The report discusses survey results on aspects of the quality assurance of radio-pharmaceuticals from 180 nuclear-medicine facilities in the United States. Data were collected from facilities in 8 states. Demographic information about nuclear-medicine operations and quality-assurance programs was gathered by state radiation-control-program personnel. The data collected from the survey show an incomplete acceptance of quality-assurance practices for radiopharmaceuticals. Most of the facilities in the survey indicated that, because an inferior radiopharmaceutical was prepared so infrequently, they did not believe it was cost-effective to perform extensive quality-assurance testing. The Center for Devices and Radiological Health hopes that the information from themore » survey will stimulate nuclear-medicine professionals and their organizations to encourage appropriate testing of all radiopharmaceuticals.« less

Development of family medicine in Ukraine.

PubMed

Kolesnyk, Pavlo; Švab, Igor

2013-12-01

This article includes a personal history of a family physician working in Ukraine. In June 2012, Pavlo Kolesnyk, Ukrainian Assistant Professor and a Family Doctor was awarded the second Montegute Scholar grant and had the chance to attend the Wonca Europe Conference 2012 in Vienna. In many developed countries, family medicine is already well established. In Ukraine, which has the legacy of a socialist health care system the implementation of the discipline started only at the end of the last century. The changes in the health care system were of greater importance in primary care and family medicine. It gave greater decentralization of the health care system and supported investment in primary care. This article describes the development of family medicine in undergraduate and postgraduate education. Whilst family medicine is officially a priority of health care policy, there is still a long process ahead. Family medicine needs financial support from the government and doctor's wages have to be increased, to prevent this branch of medicine being unpopular among graduating medical students.

INFLUENCE OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT MEDICINE METHODOLOGY.

PubMed

R Yashina, E R; Kurashvili, V A; Turzin, P S

Modern technologies of aerospace medicine develop at rapid pace pulling on its orbit all spheres of the human activity, including sport. Innovations play a major role in the progress of sport medicine areas related to the biomedical support of precontest training. Overview of the most important aerospace medicine achievements and their methodical implications for sport medicine is presented. Discussion is devoted to how the aerospace medicine technologies can raise effectiveness of the biomedical support to different sectors of sport and fitness.

Nuclear Medicine Imaging in the Dentomaxillofacial Region.

PubMed

Wassef, Heidi R; Colletti, Patrick M

2018-07-01

Nuclear medicine studies evaluate physiology on a molecular level providing earlier detection of lesions before morphologic change is evident. 99m Tc-MDP and 18 F-fluoride bone scans detect osteomyelitis earlier than radiographs and computed tomography (CT); aid in diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorder; and evaluate activity of condylar hyperplasia, extent of Paget disease, and viability of bone grafts. 18 F-FDG PET/CT distinguish between soft tissue and bone infections and diagnose osteomyelitis complicated by fracture or surgery. FDG PET is more accurate than CT alone and has a major role in staging, restaging, and assessing response to therapy for head and neck malignancies and in detecting sequelae of therapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MAGIC-f Gel in Nuclear Medicine Dosimetry: study in an external beam of Iodine-131

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarcke, M.; Marques, T.; Garrido, C.; Nicolucci, P.; Baffa, O.

2010-11-01

MAGIC-f gel applicability in Nuclear Medicine dosimetry was investigated by exposure to a 131I source. Calibration was made to provide known absorbed doses in different positions around the source. The absorbed dose in gel was compared with a Monte Carlo Simulation using PENELOPE code and a thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD). Using MRI analysis for the gel a R2-dose sensitivity of 0.23 s-1Gy-1was obtained. The agreement between dose-distance curves obtained with Monte Carlo simulation and TLD was better than 97% and for MAGIC-f and TLD was better than 98%. The results show the potential of polymer gel for application in nuclear medicine where three dimensional dose distribution is demanded.

Application of nuclear physics in medical physics and nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoehr, Cornelia

2016-09-01

Nuclear physics has a long history of influencing and advancing medical fields. At TRIUMF we use the applications of nuclear physics to diagnose several diseases via medical isotopes and treat cancer by using proton beams. The Life Science division has a long history of producing Positron Emission Tomography (PET) isotopes but we are also investigating the production of SPECT and PET isotopes with a potential shortage for clinical operation or otherwise limited access to chemists, biologists and medical researchers. New targets are being developed, aided by a simulation platform investigating the processes inside a target under proton irradiation - nuclear, thermodynamic, and chemical. Simulations also aid in the development of new beam-shaping devices for TRIUMF's Proton Therapy facility, Canada's only proton therapy facility, as well as new treatment testing systems. Both promise improved treatment delivery for cancer patients.

Is eye lens dosimetry needed in nuclear medicine?

PubMed

Wrzesień, M; Królicki, L; Albiniak, Ł; Olszewski, J

2018-06-01

The exact level of exposure experienced by nuclear medicine personnel, whose work often requires performing manual procedures involving radioactive isotopes, is associated with the form of radiation source used. The variety of radionuclides and medical procedures, and the yearly increase in the number of patients, as well as the change of the individual dose limit for the lens of the eye from a value of 150 mSv yr -1 to 20 mSv yr -1 , mean that issues of eye lens routine dosimetry become interesting from the radiation protection point of view. This paper presents an analysis of the exposure of the eye lenses of nuclear medicine department personnel, as well as those of personnel in the facilities that produce radiopharmaceuticals for the purpose of diagnosis by positron emission tomography, from the viewpoint of the advisability of routine eye lens exposure monitoring, taking into account changes in the dose limit for the lens of the eye. The paper considers the two most commonly used radionuclides for diagnostic purposes 99m Tc, 18 F, and-for therapeutic purposes- 131 I. Dose measurements were made using thermoluminescent detectors. The estimated exposure analysis identifies the cases when the maximum annual value of the personal dose equivalent, in terms of Hp(3), exceeds threefold the new limit value (20 mSv yr -1 ). It is recommended that Hp(3) doses be routinely monitored in the group of radiopharmacists who label pharmaceuticals with the radionuclide 99m Tc and in chemists working in 18 F-FDG quality control departments in production units, where this is carried out manually.

Dose rate constants for the quantity Hp(3) for frequently used radionuclides in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Szermerski, Bastian; Bruchmann, Iris; Behrens, Rolf; Geworski, Lilli

2016-12-01

According to recent studies, the human eye lens is more sensitive to ionising radiation than previously assumed. Therefore, the dose limit for personnel occupationally exposed to ionising radiation will be lowered from currently 150 mSv to 20 mSv per year. Currently, no data base for a reliable estimation of the dose to the lens of the eye is available for nuclear medicine. Furthermore, the dose is usually not monitored. The aim of this work was to determine dose rate constants for the quantity H p (3), which is supposed to estimate the dose to the lens of the eye. For this, H p (3)-dosemeters were fixed to an Alderson Phantom at different positions. The dosemeters were exposed to radiation from nuclides typically used in nuclear medicine in their geometries analog to their application in nuclear medicine, e.g. syringe or vial. The results show that the handling of high-energy beta (i.e. electron or positron) emitters may lead to a relevant dose to the lens of the eye. For low-energy beta emitters and gamma emitters, an exceeding of the lowered dose limit seems to be unlikely. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Measurement of doses to the extremities of nuclear medicine staff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shousha, Hany A.; Farag, Hamed; Hassan, Ramadan A.

2010-01-01

Medical uses of ionizing radiation now represent>95% of all man-made radiation exposure, and is the largest single radiation source after natural background radiation. Therefore, it is important to quantify the amount of radiation received by occupational individuals to optimize the working conditions for staff, and further, to compare doses in different departments to ensure compatibility with the recommended standards. For some groups working with unsealed sources in nuclear medicine units, the hands are more heavily exposed to ionizing radiation than the rest of the body. A personal dosimetry service runs extensively in Egypt. But doses to extremities have not been measured to a wide extent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the equivalent radiation doses to the fingers for five different nuclear medicine staff occupational groups for which heavy irradiation of the hands was suspected. Finger doses were measured for (1) nuclear medicine physicians, (2) technologists, (3) nurses and (4) physicists. The fifth group contains three technicians handling 131I, while the others handled 99mTc. Each staff member working with the radioactive material wore two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) during the whole testing period, which lasted from 1 to 4 weeks. Staff performed their work on a regular basis throughout the month, and mean annual doses were calculated for these groups. Results showed that the mean equivalent doses to the fingers of technologist, nurse and physicist groups were 30.24±14.5, 30.37±17.5 and 16.3±7.7 μSv/GBq, respectively. Equivalent doses for the physicians could not be calculated per unit of activity because they did not handle the radiopharmaceuticals directly. Their doses were reported in millisieverts (mSv) that accumulated in one week. Similarly, the dose to the fingers of individuals in Group 5 was estimated to be 126.13±38.2 μSv/GBq. The maximum average finger dose, in this study, was noted in the technologists who handled

Survey of physician requirements in six specialties: manpower needs in anesthesiology, neurology, nuclear medicine, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wills, J.

1980-07-01

This report was prepared to assist the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) in its efforts to model physician manpower requirements in six specialties: anesthesiology, neurology, nuclear medicine, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and radiology. The purpose of this report is to (1) survey and present the existing literature on manpower requirements in each of these six specialties, and (2) discuss the special problems present in each specialty in modeling manpower requirements, and where possible, suggest possible avenues of resolution.

Fostering Competence in Medicines Development: The IFAPP Perspective.

PubMed

Dubois, Dominique J; Jurczynska, Anna; Kerpel-Fronius, Sandor; Kesselring, Gustavo; Imamura, Kyoko; Nell, Gerfried; Silva, Honorio; Stonier, Peter

2016-01-01

IFAPP (International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine) is a nonprofit organization with the mission to promote Pharmaceutical Medicine & Medicines Development (PM&MD) by enhancing the competencies and maintaining high research ethical standards of Pharmaceutical Physicians and other professionals involved in medicines development worldwide, leading to the availability and appropriate use of medicines for the benefit of patients and society. About 30 national professional associations related to PM&MD, involving 7000 professionals, are affiliated to IFAPP. Medicines development has traditionally been a challenging enterprise, with high risk, high investment, and potentially high returns in the lengthy and complex process of identifying a new chemical entity as a candidate for development and possibly succeeding in bringing it as a pharmaceutical product to the market. However, the emergence of genomics, translational research, biomarkers, and precision medicine pose challenges going forward involving allocation of resources, price, market access, and cost-effectiveness as opposed to the traditional concepts of "efficacy" and "safety." Education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) are a major focus of IFAPP. The International Conference on Pharmaceutical Medicine (ICPM) is the largest event for our organization; ICPM is held every 2 or 3 years and is aimed to provide the state of the art in key areas for our discipline and profession. The paper is a reflection on the role of competency-based education and training for Pharmaceutical Physicians and medicines development scientists, as was discussed during the recent ICPM 2016 held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on April 18-19, with the support of the Brazilian Association of Pharmaceutical Medicine, and gathered around 200 representatives from the pharmaceutical, clinical research and regulatory arenas from all over the world , .

EC Project 'GUIDELINES ON MPE': proposed qualification and curriculum frameworks and the MPE in nuclear medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caruana, C. J.

2011-09-01

The objectives of EC project 'Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert' are to provide for improved implementation of the provisions relating to the Medical Physics Expert within Council Directive 97/43/EURATOM and the proposed recast Basic Safety Standards directive. This includes harmonisation of the mission statement for Medical Physics Services as well as the education and training of the MPE. It also includes detailed knowledge-skills-competence inventories for the Medical Physics Expert in each of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy. This paper presents the proposed Qualification and Curriculum Frameworks and their application to the Medical Physics Expert in Nuclear Medicine.

Radiation risk and nuclear medicine: An interview with a Nobel Prize winner

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yalow, R.S.

1995-12-01

In a speech given years ago at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, NY, Rosalyn S. Yalow, 1977 Nobel Prize recipient for her invention of radioimmunoassay, made several salient points on the perception of fear or hazards from exposure to low-level radiation and low-level radioactive wastes. For the past three years, Yalow has been concerned with the general fear of radiation. In this interview, Newsline solicited Yalow`s views on public perceptions on radiation risk and what the nuclear medicine community can do to emphasize the fact that, if properly managed, the use of isotopes in medicine and other cases ismore » not dangerous.« less

Energetic electron processes fluorescence effects for structured nanoparticles X-ray analysis and nuclear medicine applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taborda, A.; Desbrée, A.; Carvalho, A.; Chaves, P. C.; Reis, M. A.

2016-08-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles are widely used as contrast agents for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and can be modified for improved imaging or to become tissue-specific or even protein-specific. The knowledge of their detailed elemental composition characterisation and potential use in nuclear medicine applications, is, therefore, an important issue. X-ray fluorescence techniques such as particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) or X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), can be used for elemental characterisation even in problematic situations where very little sample volume is available. Still, the fluorescence coefficient of Fe is such that, during the decay of the inner-shell ionised atomic structure, keV Auger electrons are produced in excess to X-rays. Since cross-sections for ionisation induced by keV electrons, for low atomic number atoms, are of the order of 103 barn, care should be taken to account for possible fluorescence effects caused by Auger electrons, which may lead to the wrong quantification of elements having atomic number lower than the atomic number of Fe. Furthermore, the same electron processes will occur in iron oxide nanoparticles containing 57Co, which may be used for nuclear medicine therapy purposes. In the present work, simple approximation algorithms are proposed for the quantitative description of radiative and non-radiative processes associated with Auger electrons cascades. The effects on analytical processes and nuclear medicine applications are quantified for the case of iron oxide nanoparticles, by calculating both electron fluorescence emissions and energy deposition on cell tissues where the nanoparticles may be embedded.

Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine for Paediatric Patients in Australia: Assessing the Individual's Dose Burden.

PubMed

Bartlett, Marissa L; Forsythe, Anna; Brady, Zoe; Mathews, John D

2018-05-01

We report data for all Australians aged 0-19 y who underwent publicly funded nuclear medicine studies between 1985 and 2005, inclusive. Radiation doses were estimated for individual patients for 95 different types of studies. There were 374 848 occasions of service for 277 511 patients with a collective effective dose of 1123 Sievert (Sv). Most services were either bone scans (45%) or renal scans (29%), with renal scans predominating at younger ages and bone scans at older ages. This pattern persisted despite a 4-fold increase in the annual number of procedures. Younger children were more likely to experience multiple scans, with the third quartile of scans per patient dropping from two to one with patient age. The median effective dose per patient ranged from 1.3 mSv (4-7 y old) to 2.8 mSv (13-16 y old). This large data set provides valuable information on nuclear medicine services for young Australians in the period 1985-2005.

Special Radiation Protection Precautions in Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanoyiannis, A. P.; Gerogiannis, J.

2010-01-01

Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine concerns the administration of appropriate amounts of radioactivity of certain isotopes, in order to achieve internal localized irradiation of neoplasmatic cells. Due to the increased level and the specific isotope characteristics of administered radioactivity, special Radiation Protection precautions must be taken. This study addresses such issues, based on national as well as international legislation and guidelines. Application of the principle of optimization is of outmost importance and is based on individual dose planning. The decision about the release of Nuclear Medicine patients after therapy is determined on an individual basis, taking into account patients' pattern of contact with other people, their age and that of persons in the home environment, in addition to other factors. Estimation of the absorbed dose given to the treated organ is based on uptake measurements and other biokinetic data, as well as on the mass of the treated tissue or organ. Concerning pregnant women, the rule of thumb is that they should not be treated, unless the radionuclide therapy is required to save their lives. In that case, the potential absorbed dose and risk to the foetus should be estimated and conveyed to the patient. After radionuclide therapy, a female should be advised to avoid pregnancy for the period of time depending on the specific radionuclide. This is to ensure that the dose to a conceptus/foetus would probably not exceed 1 mGy (the member of the public dose limit). The radiation risk for relatives and caregivers is small and unlikely to exceed the legal dose constraints during the period of the patient's treatment. Solid waste from the patient's stay in hospital is a different matter, and is normally incinerated or held for a period until radioactive decay brings the activity to an acceptable level.

Development of forensic medicine in post reform Indonesia.

PubMed

Syukriani, Yoni Fuadah; Novita, Nita; Sunjaya, Deni K

2018-05-03

Forensic medicine practice in Indonesia was introduced through the Dutch colonial criminal justice system in the early twentieth century. After more than 70 years of national independence, the development of forensic medicine still faces fundamental challenges, including confusion in the distribution of responsibility with law enforcement agencies, difficulties in managing conflicts of interest, and impediments in scientific practice and professional development. Despite of the golden opportunity from the Indonesian Reform movement in the late 1990s, the impact on forensic medicine development has been less than expected. It is thus important to identify the scope of the problems plaguing the development of forensic medicine, as well as its causes. We conducted a qualitative study to explain the problems and propose solutions. The results show that the standards of practice have developed more slowly than those in many other branches of medicine, despite its increasing popularity from its role in counterterrorism and disaster victim identification. A strong thriving spirit exists in forensic science, although growth in forensic research activities should be facilitated more. The 2009 Health Law has included forensic medicine practice in the health system to cover the role of forensic medicine for health and medical education purposes. It also potentially provides a way to support the justice system without exposing forensic practitioners to possible conflicts of interest, for instance, by utilizing a tiered referral system. To this aim, an alternative is proposed: to place forensic medicine practice within the context of the health system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Radiation dose produced by patients during radiopharmaceutical incorporation in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures.

PubMed

Morán, V; Prieto, E; García-García, B; Barbés, B; Ribelles, M J; Richter, J Á; Martí-Climent, J M

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the dose received by members of the public due to close contact with patients undergoing nuclear medicine procedures during radiopharmaceutical incorporation, and comparing it with the emitted radiation dose when the test was complete, in order to establish recommendations. A prospective study was conducted on 194 patients. H*(10) dose rates were measured at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0m after the radiopharmaceutical administration, before the image acquisition, and at the end of the nuclear medicine procedure. Effective dose for different close contact scenarios were calculated, according to 95th percentile value (bone scans) and the maximum value (remaining tests). During the radiopharmaceutical incorporation, a person who stays with another injected patient in the same waiting room may receive up to 0.59 mSv. If the patient had a medical appointment, or went to a restaurant or a coffee shop, members of the public could receive 23, 43, and 22 μSv, respectively. After finishing the procedure, these doses are reduced by a factor 3. In most of the studies, the use of private instead of public transport may reduce the dose by more than a factor 6. It is recommended to increase the distance between the patients during the radiopharmaceutical incorporation and to distribute them according to the diagnostic procedure. Patients should be encouraged to use private instead of public transport. Depending on the number of nuclear medicine outpatients per year attended by a physician, it could be necessary to apply restrictions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

A Set of Image Processing Algorithms for Computer-Aided Diagnosis in Nuclear Medicine Whole Body Bone Scan Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jia-Yann; Kao, Pan-Fu; Chen, Yung-Sheng

2007-06-01

Adjustment of brightness and contrast in nuclear medicine whole body bone scan images may confuse nuclear medicine physicians when identifying small bone lesions as well as making the identification of subtle bone lesion changes in sequential studies difficult. In this study, we developed a computer-aided diagnosis system, based on the fuzzy sets histogram thresholding method and anatomical knowledge-based image segmentation method that was able to analyze and quantify raw image data and identify the possible location of a lesion. To locate anatomical reference points, the fuzzy sets histogram thresholding method was adopted as a first processing stage to suppress the soft tissue in the bone images. Anatomical knowledge-based image segmentation method was then applied to segment the skeletal frame into different regions of homogeneous bones. For the different segmented bone regions, the lesion thresholds were set at different cut-offs. To obtain lesion thresholds in different segmented regions, the ranges and standard deviations of the image's gray-level distribution were obtained from 100 normal patients' whole body bone images and then, another 62 patients' images were used for testing. The two groups of images were independent. The sensitivity and the mean number of false lesions detected were used as performance indices to evaluate the proposed system. The overall sensitivity of the system is 92.1% (222 of 241) and 7.58 false detections per patient scan image. With a high sensitivity and an acceptable false lesions detection rate, this computer-aided automatic lesion detection system is demonstrated as useful and will probably in the future be able to help nuclear medicine physicians to identify possible bone lesions.

Core Content for Wilderness Medicine Training: Development of a Wilderness Medicine Track Within an Emergency Medicine Residency.

PubMed

Schrading, Walter A; Battaglioli, Nicole; Drew, Jonathan; McClure, Sarah Frances

2018-03-01

Wilderness medicine training has become increasingly popular among medical professionals with numerous educational opportunities nationwide. Curricula for fellowship programs and for medical student education have previously been developed and published, but a specific curriculum for wilderness medicine education during emergency medicine (EM) residency has not. The objective of this study is to create a longitudinal wilderness medicine curriculum that can be incorporated into an EM residency program. Interest-specific tracks are becoming increasingly common in EM training. We chose this model to develop our curriculum specific to wilderness medicine. Outlined in the article is a 3-year longitudinal course of study that includes a core didactic curriculum and a plan for graduated level of responsibility. The core content is specifically related to the required EM core content for residency training with additions specific to wilderness medicine for the residents who pursue the track. The wilderness medicine curriculum would give residencies a framework that can be used to foster learning for residents interested in wilderness medicine. It would enhance the coverage of wilderness and environmental core content education for all EM residents in the program. It would provide wilderness-specific education and experience for interested residents, allowing them to align their residency program requirements through a focused area of study and enhancing their curriculum vitae at graduation. Finally, given the popularity of wilderness medicine, the presence of a wilderness medicine track may improve recruitment for the residency program. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gap analysis survey: an aid in transitioning to standardized curricula for nuclear medicine technology.

PubMed

Bires, Angela Macci; Mason, Donna L; Gilmore, David; Pietrzyk, Carly

2012-09-01

This article discusses the process by which the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technology Section (SNMTS) is assisting educators as they transition to comply with the fourth edition of the Curriculum Guide for Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology. An electronic survey was sent to a list of nuclear medicine technology programs compiled by the educational division of the SNMTS. The collected data included committee member demographics, goals and objectives, conference call minutes, consultation discussions, transition examples, 4- and 2-y program curricula, and certificate program curricula. There were 56 responses to the survey. All respondents were program directors, with 3 respondents having more than one type of program, for a total of 59 programs. Of these, 19 (33.93%) were baccalaureate, 19 (28.57%) associate, and 21 (37.5%) certificate. Forty-eight respondents (85.71%) had accreditation through the Joint Review Commission on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology, 6 (10.71%) had regional accreditation, and 2 (3.57%) were accredited through other entities. Thirteen categories of required general education courses were identified, and the existing program curricula of 9 (69.2%) courses were more than 50% compliant with the fourth edition Curriculum Guide. The fact that no measurable gap could be found within the didactic professional content across programs was due to the lack of a degree requirement and content standardization within the profession. The data indicated that the participating programs offer a minimum of 1-15 contact hours in emerging technology modalities. The required clinical hours ranged from 765 to 1,920 for degree or certificate completion. The average number of clinical hours required for all programs was 1,331.69. Standardization of the number and types of courses is needed both for current baccalaureate programs and for clinical education. This standardization will guide programs in transitioning from a

Nuclear weapons and medicine: some ethical dilemmas.

PubMed Central

Haines, A; de B White, C; Gleisner, J

1983-01-01

The enormous destructive power of present stocks of nuclear weapons poses the greatest threat to public health in human history. Technical changes in weapons design are leading to an increased emphasis on the ability to fight a nuclear war, eroding the concept of deterrence based on mutually assured destruction and increasing the risk of nuclear war. Medical planning and civil defence preparations for nuclear war have recently been increased in several countries although there is little evidence that they will be of significant value in the aftermath of a nuclear conflict. These developments have raised new ethical dilemmas for those in health professions. If there is any risk of use of weapons of mass destruction, then support for deterrence with these weapons as a policy for national or global security appears to be incompatible with basic principles of medical ethics and international law. The primary medical responsibility under such circumstances is to participate in attempts to prevent nuclear war. PMID:6668585

Nuclear weapons and medicine: some ethical dilemmas.

PubMed

Haines, A; de B White, C; Gleisner, J

1983-12-01

The enormous destructive power of present stocks of nuclear weapons poses the greatest threat to public health in human history. Technical changes in weapons design are leading to an increased emphasis on the ability to fight a nuclear war, eroding the concept of deterrence based on mutually assured destruction and increasing the risk of nuclear war. Medical planning and civil defence preparations for nuclear war have recently been increased in several countries although there is little evidence that they will be of significant value in the aftermath of a nuclear conflict. These developments have raised new ethical dilemmas for those in health professions. If there is any risk of use of weapons of mass destruction, then support for deterrence with these weapons as a policy for national or global security appears to be incompatible with basic principles of medical ethics and international law. The primary medical responsibility under such circumstances is to participate in attempts to prevent nuclear war.

SUS in nuclear medicine in Brazil: analysis and comparison of data provided by Datasus and CNEN*

PubMed Central

Pozzo, Lorena; Coura Filho, George; Osso Júnior, João Alberto; Squair, Peterson Lima

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the outpatient access to nuclear medicine procedures by means of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), analyzing the correspondence between data provided by this system and those from Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN) (National Commission of Nuclear Energy). Materials and Methods Data provided by Datasus regarding number of scintillation chambers, outpatient procedures performed from 2008 to 2012, administrative responsibility for such procedures, type of service providers and outsourced services were retrieved and evaluated. Also, such data were compared with those from institutions certified by CNEN. Results The present study demonstrated that the system still lacks maturity in terms of correct data input, particularly regarding equipment available. It was possible to list the most common procedures and check the growth of the specialty along the study period. Private centers are responsible for most of the procedures covered and reimbursed by SUS. However, many healthcare facilities are not certified by CNEN. Conclusion Datasus provides relevant data for analysis as done in the present study, although some issues still require attention. The present study has quantitatively depicted the Brazilian reality regarding access to nuclear medicine procedures offered by/for SUS. PMID:25741070

SUS in nuclear medicine in Brazil: analysis and comparison of data provided by Datasus and CNEN.

PubMed

Pozzo, Lorena; Coura Filho, George; Osso Júnior, João Alberto; Squair, Peterson Lima

2014-01-01

To investigate the outpatient access to nuclear medicine procedures by means of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), analyzing the correspondence between data provided by this system and those from Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN) (National Commission of Nuclear Energy). Data provided by Datasus regarding number of scintillation chambers, outpatient procedures performed from 2008 to 2012, administrative responsibility for such procedures, type of service providers and outsourced services were retrieved and evaluated. Also, such data were compared with those from institutions certified by CNEN. The present study demonstrated that the system still lacks maturity in terms of correct data input, particularly regarding equipment available. It was possible to list the most common procedures and check the growth of the specialty along the study period. Private centers are responsible for most of the procedures covered and reimbursed by SUS. However, many healthcare facilities are not certified by CNEN. Datasus provides relevant data for analysis as done in the present study, although some issues still require attention. The present study has quantitatively depicted the Brazilian reality regarding access to nuclear medicine procedures offered by/for SUS.

Role of PET/CT for precision medicine in lung cancer: perspective of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

PubMed

Greenspan, Bennett S

2017-12-01

This article discusses the role of PET/CT in contributing to precision medicine in lung cancer, and provides the perspective of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) on this process. The mission and vision of SNMMI are listed, along with the guidance provided by SNMMI to promote best practice in precision medicine. Basic principles of PET/CT are presented. An overview of the use of PET/CT imaging in lung cancer is discussed. In lung cancer patients, PET/CT is vitally important for optimal patient management. PET/CT is essential in determining staging and re-staging of disease, detecting recurrent or residual disease, evaluating response to therapy, and providing prognostic information. PET/CT is also critically important in radiation therapy planning by determining the extent of active disease, including an assessment of functional tumor volume. The current approach in tumor imaging is a significant advance over conventional imaging. However, recent advances suggest that therapeutic response criteria in the near future will be based on metabolic characteristics and will include the evaluation of biologic characteristics of tumors to further enhance the effectiveness of precision medicine in lung cancer, producing improved patient outcomes with less morbidity.

TH-AB-206-02: Nuclear Medicine Theronostics: Wave of the Future; Pre-Clinical and Clinical Opportunities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Delpassand, E.

In the past few decades, the field of nuclear medicine has made long strides with the continued advancement of related sciences and engineering and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides. Leveraging these advancements while combining the advantages of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides into one radiopharmaceutical has also created a new subfield “theranostics” in nuclear medicine that has the potential to further propel the field into the future. This session is composed of two talks; one focused on the physics principles of theranostics from properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides to dosimetric models and quantification; while the second describesmore » preclinical and clinical applications of theranostics and discusses the challenges and opportunities of bringing them to the clinic. At the end of the session the listener should be able to identify: The different properties of beta and alpha emitting radionuclides Which radionuclides are selected for which nuclear medicine therapies and why How PET can be used to accurately quantify the uptake of tumor targeting molecules How individualized dosimetry can be performed from the management of thyroid cancer to novel radiolabeled antibody therapies Promising pre-clinical radiopharmaceutical pairs in prostate cancer and melanoma. Promising clinical Theranostics in neuroendocrine cancers. Challenges of bringing Theranostics to the clinic. E. Delpassand, RITA Foundation -Houston; SBIR Grant; CEO and share holder of RadioMedix.« less

Diagnostic reference level: an important tool for reducing radiation doses in adult and pediatric nuclear medicine procedures in Brazil.

PubMed

Willegaignon, José; Braga, Luis F E F; Sapienza, Marcelo T; Coura-Filho, George B; Cardona, Marissa A R; Alves, Carlos E R; Gutterres, Ricardo F; Buchpiguel, Carlos A

2016-05-01

This study aimed to establish a concise method for determining a diagnostic reference level (DRL) for adult and pediatric nuclear medicine patients on the basis of diagnostic procedures and administered radioisotope as a means of controlling medical exposure. A screening was carried out in all Brazilian Nuclear Medicine Service (NMS) establishments to support this study by collecting the average activities administered during adult diagnostic procedures and the rules applied to adjust these according to the patient's age and body mass. Percentile 75 was used in all the activities administered as a means of establishing DRL for adult patients, with additional correction factors for pediatric patients. Radiation doses from nuclear medicine procedures on the basis of average administered activity were calculated for all diagnostic exams. A total of 107 NMSs in Brazil agreed to participate in the project. From the 64 nuclear medicine procedures studied, bone, kidney, and parathyroid scans were found to be used in more than 85% of all the NMSs analyzed. There was a large disparity among the activities administered, when applying the same procedures, this reaching, in some cases, more than 20 times between the lowest and the highest. Diagnostic exams based on Ga, Tl, and I radioisotopes proved to be the major exams administering radiation doses to patients. On introducing the DRL concept into clinical routine, the minimum reduction in radiation doses received by patients was about 15%, the maximum was 95%, and the average was 50% compared with the previously reported administered activities. Variability in the available diagnostic procedures as well as in the amount of activities administered within the same procedure was appreciable not only in Brazil, but worldwide. Global efforts are needed to establish a concise DRL that can be applied in adult and pediatric nuclear medicine procedures as the application of DRL in clinical routine has been proven to be an important

[Development and status of intensive care medicine in internal medicine at the Karl Marx University in Leipzig].

PubMed

Engelmann, L; Schneider, D

1989-01-15

Issuing from the accomplishments of Köhler for the development of the intensive medicine in internal medicine-in 1964 he performed the first long-term respiration at the then Medical Clinic of the Karl Marx University, in 1969 he institutionalized the young subdiscipline at the clinic, in 1978 he founded the department for intensive medicine and is at work by his decisions concerning the development of young scientists, by the handbook "Intensive Medicine. Internal Medicine and Adjacent Subjects" as well as a member of the presidium of the GDR Society for Internal Medicine for the development of the internal intensive medicine-a description of the development of the department, its achievements and problems is given. The promotion of the intensive medicine by Köhler results, as we think, also from the comprehension that it has the duty to perform a function integrating the subdisciplines, which the modern internal medicine oriented to organs and systems threatens to lose, which, however, makes its self-apprehension, which the patient wishes and the teaching is demanding. From this and from the charge for a highly specialized care of patients who life-threateningly fell ill with internal diseases as well as from the duty to create a scientific forerunning results the stringent necessity of the development of the non-operative, in reality internal intensive medicine in the clinics for internal medicine of the county hospitals and university institutions as well as the greater identification of the internist with the subdiscipline in the district hospitals dealing with multidisciplinary intensive medicine.

New developments in education and training in sexual medicine.

PubMed

Reisman, Yacov; Eardley, Ian; Porst, Hartmut

2013-04-01

INTRODUCTION.: The past 12 months have been historic ones for the field of Sexual Medicine in that we have seen the creation of the European Board examination in Sexual Medicine with the title of "Fellow of the European Committee on Sexual Medicine" (FECSM) offered to successful candidates. AIM.: The study aims to promote a high standard of care in Sexual Medicine. METHODS.: An important way of promoting high standards of care is by the development of training, regulation, and assessment framework. The background to these developments and the recent educational activities of the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) are described in this article. RESULTS.: The creation of the Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on Sexual Medicine (MJCSM) under the auspices of the European Union of Medical Specialists, with the primary purpose to develop the highest possible standards of training in Sexual Medicine in Europe, made it possible to create a process for qualification in Sexual Medicine. The ESSM educational activities created opportunities to support trainees in Sexual Medicine and the first MJCSM exam was held in Amsterdam with a high overall success rate. CONCLUSION.: These activities are intended to improve quality. The FECSM examination is the first of its type and provides a real opportunity for Sexual Medicine physicians to demonstrate and document their knowledge. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

JPRS Report, Nuclear Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-29

with foreign companies, will be the first country’s nuclear arsenal. large nuclear power plant in China when completed. It researched and designed...JPRS-TND-89-022 29 NOVEMBER 1989, FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE -IPRS Report- Nuclear Developments REPRODUCED BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE...1 Commission Views West Coast for Nuclear Sites [SAPA] ................................................................. I CHINA Nuclear

A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods

PubMed Central

Jha, Abhinav K; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

2016-01-01

The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest

A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods.

PubMed

Jha, Abhinav K; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

2016-04-07

The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest

Abass Alavi: A giant in Nuclear Medicine turns 80 and is still going strong!

PubMed

Høilund-Carlsen, Poul F

2018-01-01

him one of the most cited researchers at the University of Pennsylvania with a production of more than 1,200 articles, a similar number of published abstracts and close to 58,000 citations according to Google Scholar, of which about 20,000 since 2012 when he was 74. This is just part of an amazing story. Having turned to nuclear medicine in 1971, Alavi entered into one of the World's most ingenious and productive medical research en-vironments comprising collaboration of experts in nuclear medicine (David Kuhl) and neurology (Martin Reivich) at Penn, and in physiology and pharmacology (Louis Sokoloff) at the NIH, all of whom contributed significantly to the development of PET. Focus was on cerebral research with beta-emitting 14 C-labeled deoxyglucose for mapping regional cerebral glucose metabolism by means of autoradiography. Alavi became a junior member of this collaboration in which the idea of labeling deoxyglucose with a gamma-emitting isotope arose to allow in vivo examination of the normal and diseased human brain. They contacted Alfred Wolf at Brookhaven National Laboratory who had an interest in synthesizing positron-emitting compounds. He suggested labeling instead with 18 F-FDG and in 1975 Wolf's group including Tatsuo Ido and Joanna Fowler succeeded in synthesizing 18 F-FDG. In the meantime, investigators at Penn had developed high energy collimators for the Mark IV scanner to allow imaging with 18 F-FDG, so in August 1976, two normal volunteers were the first to receive a dose of 18 F-FDG for tomographic brain imaging showing concentration of 18 F-FDG in the gray matter while in one volunteer a "whole-body" scan from the top of the scull to mid-thigh was also obtained. A year before, investigators at Washington University, i.e., Michel Ter-Pogossian in collaboration with Michael Phelps, Edward Hoffmann, and Nizar Mullani had developed what they termed a positron-emission transaxial tomograph for nuclear imaging, i.e. a machine which was the starting

Development of radiohalogenated muscarinic ligands for the in vivo imaging of m-AChR by nuclear medicine techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McPherson, D.W.; Luo, H.; Knapp, F.F. Jr.

1994-06-01

Alterations in the density of acetylcholinergic muscarinic receptors (m-AChR) have been observed in various dementias. This has spurred interest in the development of radiohalogenated ligands which can be used for the non-invasive in vivo detection of m-AChR by nuclear medicine techniques. We have developed a new ligand 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl ({alpha}-hydroxy-{alpha}-(1-iodo-1-propen-3-yl)-{alpha}-phenylacetate (IQNP,12) which demonstrates high affinity for the muscarinic receptor. When labeled with radioiodine it has been shown to be selective and specific for m-ACHR. Initial studies on the separation and in vivo evaluation of the various isomers of IQNP have shown that the stereochemistry of the chiral centers and the configurationmore » around the double bond play an important role in m-AChR subtype specificity. In vivo evaluation of these stereoisomers demonstrate that E-(R,R)-IQNP has a high affinity for the M{sub 1} muscarinic subtype while Z-(R,R)-IQNP demonstrate a high affinity for M{sub 1} and M{sub 2} receptor subtypes. These data demonstrate IQNP (12) has potential for use in the non-evasive in vivo detection of m-AChR by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A brominated analogue, ``BrQNP,`` in which the iodine has been replaced by a bromine atom, has also been prepared and was shown to block the in vivo uptake of IQNP in the brain and heart and therefore has potential for positron emission tomographic (PET) studies of m-AChR.« less

MO-AB-207-03: ACR Update in Nuclear Medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harkness, B.

A goal of an imaging accreditation program is to ensure adequate image quality, verify appropriate staff qualifications, and to assure patient and personnel safety. Currently, more than 35,000 facilities in 10 modalities have been accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR), making the ACR program one of the most prolific accreditation options in the U.S. In addition, ACR is one of the accepted accreditations required by some state laws, CMS/MIPPA insurance and others. Familiarity with the ACR accreditation process is therefore essential to clinical diagnostic medical physicists. Maintaining sufficient knowledge of the ACR program must include keeping up-to-date asmore » the various modality requirements are refined to better serve the goals of the program and to accommodate newer technologies and practices. This session consists of presentations from authorities in four ACR accreditation modality programs, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, and mammography. Each speaker will discuss the general components of the modality program and address any recent changes to the requirements. Learning Objectives: To understand the requirements of the ACR MR Accreditation program. The discussion will include accreditation of whole-body general purpose magnets, dedicated extremity systems well as breast MRI accreditation. Anticipated updates to the ACR MRI Quality Control Manual will also be reviewed. To understand the requirements of the ACR CT accreditation program, including updates to the QC manual as well as updates through the FAQ process. To understand the requirements of the ACR nuclear medicine accreditation program, and the role of the physicist in annual equipment surveys and the set up and supervision of the routine QC program. To understand the current ACR MAP Accreditation requirement and present the concepts and structure of the forthcoming ACR Digital Mammography QC Manual and Program.« less

A study of professional radiation hazards in CT scan and nuclear medicine workers using GTG-banding and solid stain.

PubMed

Changizi, Vahid; Alizadeh, Mohammad Hossein; Mousavi, Akbar

2015-01-01

CT scan and nuclear medicine exams deliver a great part of medical exposures. This study examined professional radiation hazards in CT scan and nuclear medicine workers. In a cross sectional study 30 occupationally exposed workers and 7 controls (all from personnel of a laboratory) were selected. Physical dosimetry was performed for exposed workers. Blood samples were obtained from the experimental and control groups. Three culture mediums for each one were prepared in due to routine chromosome analysis using G-banding and solid stain. There were significant increased incidence of chromatid gap (ctg) and chromatid break (ctb) with mean±SD frequencies of 3±0.84 and 3.1±1.40 per 100 cells respectively in the nuclear medicine workers versus controls with mean±SD frequencies of 1.9±0.69 and 1.3±0.84 for ctg and ctb, respectively. Chromosome gaps (chrg) were higher significantly in the nuclear medicine population (2.47±0.91) than in controls (1.4±0.9) (p< 0.05). In CT scan group the ctg and ctb were increased with a mean±SD frequency of 2.7±0.79 and 2.6±0.91 per 100 cells respectively compared with control group. The mean±SD frequencies of the chrb were 2.0±0.75 and 0.86±0.690 per 100 cells for exposed workers and control group, respectively. This study showed chromosome aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes using solid stain method are reasonable biomarker reflecting personnel radiation damage.

Cardiac nuclear medicine, part II: diagnosis of coronary artery diseas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polak, J.F.; Holman, B.L.

Diagnosing coronary artery disease is difficult and requires careful consideration of the roles and limitations of the tests used. Standard ECG tests are not reliable indicators of the presence of disease in asymptomatic patients. Thallium stress testing to assess ischemia and exercise ventriculography to assess functional status of the heart are limited in sensitivity and specificity. This is the second of a three-part series on cardiac nuclear medicine. Part I (Med. Instrum., May-June, 1981) focused on the commonly used examinations in cardiac physiology and pathophysiology. Part III will focus on myocardial infarction and other cardiac diseases.

Developing and implementing core competencies for integrative medicine fellowships.

PubMed

Ring, Melinda; Brodsky, Marc; Low Dog, Tieraona; Sierpina, Victor; Bailey, Michelle; Locke, Amy; Kogan, Mikhail; Rindfleisch, James A; Saper, Robert

2014-03-01

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine defines integrative medicine as "the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, health care professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing." Over the past three decades, the U.S. public increasingly has sought integrative medicine approaches. In an effort to train medical professionals to adequately counsel patients on the safe and appropriate use of these approaches, medical schools and residencies have developed curricula on integrative medicine for their trainees. In addition, integrative medicine clinical fellowships for postresidency physicians have emerged to provide training for practitioners interested in gaining greater expertise in this emerging field. Currently, 13 clinical fellowships in integrative medicine exist in the United States, and they are predominantly connected to academic medical centers or teaching affiliate hospitals. In 2010, the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, represented by 56 member academic health care institutions with a shared commitment to advance the principles and practices of integrative medicine, convened a two-year task force to draft integrative medicine fellowship core competencies. These competencies would guide fellowship curriculum development and ensure that graduates possessed a common body of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In this article, the authors discuss the competencies and the task force's process to develop them, as well as associated teaching and assessment methods, faculty development, potential barriers, and future directions.

[Internet in medicine--development and perspectives].

PubMed

Dezelić, Gjuro

2002-01-01

Internet is one of information technologies marking the transition from the second to the third millennium. The present role and expansion of Internet in medicine and healthcare is reviewed together with the perspective of further development. The beginning and initial expansion of the use of Internet in medicine are described. The World Wide Web (WWW or Web) is recognized as a major reason for this expansion, reaching a state described as a Web-pandemic. The rapid increase of the number of papers dealing with Internet in medical literature is presented as well as the appearance of several journals dedicated to Internet in medicine. First specialized symposia, among them MEDNET world conferences, are noted. First uses of Internet in medicine comprised databases, discussion groups, electronic newsletters, software archives and online public access catalogues. The appearance of the Web has led to a significant improvement of the Internet use in medicine, which is reflected in an exponential increase in the number of publications. It is noted that Internet allows "to do old things in new ways", but also "to do new things". It has become clear that the information revolution evoked by the internet shall leave a deep trace in medicine, as health information has become accessible to the public and ceased to be in exclusive control of health professionals. New medical fields--telemedicine and cybermedicine--appeared as the result of the development and global expansion of information and communication technologies, with cybermedicine dealing more specifically with the use of Internet. The advantages and disadvantages of cybermedicine are discussed, and major problems related to the quality of health information are highlighted. Several systems for quality criteria of health related Web-sites are described, indicating that Websites have to conform with the quality criteria such as transparency and honesty, accountability, privacy and data protection, currency

Radiation accidents and their management: emphasis on the role of nuclear medicine professionals

PubMed Central

Novruzov, Fuad; Vinjamuri, Sobhan

2014-01-01

Large-scale radiation accidents are few in number, but those that have occurred have subsequently led to strict regulation in most countries. Here, different accident scenarios involving exposure to radiation have been reviewed. A triage of injured persons has been summarized and guidance on management has been provided in accordance with the early symptoms. Types of casualty to be expected in atomic blasts have been discussed. Management at the scene of an accident has been described, with explanation of the role of the radiation protection officer, the nature of contaminants, and monitoring for surface contamination. Methods for early diagnosis of radiation injuries have been then described. The need for individualization of treatment according to the nature and grade of the combined injuries has been emphasized, and different approaches to the treatment of internal contamination have been presented. The role of nuclear medicine professionals, including physicians and physicists, has been reviewed. It has been concluded that the management of radiation accidents is a very challenging process and that nuclear medicine physicians have to be well organized in order to deliver suitable management in any type of radiation accident. PMID:25004166

Radiation accidents and their management: emphasis on the role of nuclear medicine professionals.

PubMed

Bomanji, Jamshed B; Novruzov, Fuad; Vinjamuri, Sobhan

2014-10-01

Large-scale radiation accidents are few in number, but those that have occurred have subsequently led to strict regulation in most countries. Here, different accident scenarios involving exposure to radiation have been reviewed. A triage of injured persons has been summarized and guidance on management has been provided in accordance with the early symptoms. Types of casualty to be expected in atomic blasts have been discussed. Management at the scene of an accident has been described, with explanation of the role of the radiation protection officer, the nature of contaminants, and monitoring for surface contamination. Methods for early diagnosis of radiation injuries have been then described. The need for individualization of treatment according to the nature and grade of the combined injuries has been emphasized, and different approaches to the treatment of internal contamination have been presented. The role of nuclear medicine professionals, including physicians and physicists, has been reviewed. It has been concluded that the management of radiation accidents is a very challenging process and that nuclear medicine physicians have to be well organized in order to deliver suitable management in any type of radiation accident.

A preliminary study for the production of high specific activity radionuclides for nuclear medicine obtained with the isotope separation on line technique.

PubMed

Borgna, F; Ballan, M; Corradetti, S; Vettorato, E; Monetti, A; Rossignoli, M; Manzolaro, M; Scarpa, D; Mazzi, U; Realdon, N; Andrighetto, A

2017-09-01

Radiopharmaceuticals represent a fundamental tool for nuclear medicine procedures, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The present work aims to explore the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique for the production of carrier-free radionuclides for nuclear medicine at SPES, a nuclear physics facility under construction at INFN-LNL. Stable ion beams of strontium, yttrium and iodine were produced using the SPES test bench (Front-End) to simulate the production of 89 Sr, 90 Y, 125 I and 131 I and collected with good efficiency on suitable targets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new era for Nuclear Medicine neuroimaging in Spain: Where do we start from in Spain?

PubMed

Balsa, M A; Camacho, V; Garrastachu, P; García-Solís, D; Gómez-Río, M; Rubí, S; Setoain, X; Arbizu, J

To determine the status of neuroimaging studies of Nuclear Medicine in Spain during 2013 and first quarter of 2014, in order to define the activities of the neuroimaging group of the Spanish Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SEMNIM). A questionnaire of 14 questions was designed, divided into 3 parts: characteristics of the departments (equipment and professionals involved); type of scans and clinical indications; and evaluation methods. The questionnaire was sent to 166 Nuclear Medicine departments. A total of 54 departments distributed among all regions completed the questionnaire. Most departments performed between 300 and 800 neuroimaging examinations per year, representing more than 25 scans per month. The average pieces of equipment were three; half of the departments had a PET/CT scanner and SPECT/CT equipment. Scans performed more frequently were brain SPECT with 123 I-FP-CIT, followed by brain perfusion SPECT and PET with 18 F-FDG. The most frequent clinical indications were cognitive impairment followed by movement disorders. For evaluation of the images most sites used only visual assessment, and for the quantitative assessment the most used was quantification by region of interest. These results reflect the clinical activity of 2013 and first quarter of 2014. The main indications of the studies were cognitive impairment and movement disorders. Variability in the evaluation of the studies is among the challenges that will be faced in the coming years. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

How a tertiary medical nuclear medicine department at the Himalayan area in India can be established and function in an exemplary manner. Basic rules revisited.

PubMed

Dhingra, Vandana Kumar; Saini, Sunil; Basu, Sandip

2015-01-01

We describe and discuss the various medical, social and financial aspects of setting up, and optimizing, working conditions of a tertiary Nuclear Medicine Department. This department was established in a North Indian state which comprises 93% of hilly area. During the first three years after establishment we have developed infrastructure, cooperation with other departments, improved radiation safety and cost effectiveness of our work and designed future perspectives. The facility was established in a cancer center of a tertiary care hospital where a medical college infrastructure was developed. National guidelines formulated by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) were followed. Our department served a population area of 10.08 million inhabitants. Over the first three years 2,400 patients underwent diagnostic scans and 106 patients underwent low dose radioiodine treatment for thyrotoxicosis. To optimize resources and at the same time, enhance their effectivity, we procured our (99)Mo/ (99m)Tc generator every other week and arranged our daily programme accordingly. Fractionation of cold kits allowed us to perform low cost in-vivo procedures on a daily basis and to save the department's running costs by 30%-50%. We run continuing education nuclear medicine programmes for referring physicians, medical students and paramedical workers which were included in routine practice which led to a consistent growth in patients referral. The need for a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan and high dose treatment department for thyroid cancer was strongly felt. Our nuclear medicine department in a peripheral region of a developing country applied better logistics by procuring new generator every fortnight, fractionating the cold kits and by organizing complete teaching programmes.

Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Schreiter, V; Reimann, C; Geisel, D; Schreiter, N F

2016-11-01

The new tracer Gallium-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen (Ga-68 PSMA) yields new promising options for the PET/CT diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and its metastases. To overcome limitations of hybrid imaging, known from the use of choline derivatives, seems to be possible with the use of Ga-68 PSMA for PCa. The benefits of hybrid imaging with Ga-68 PSMA for PCa compared to choline derivatives shall be discussed in this article based on an overview of the current literature. Key Points: • Ga-68 PSMA PET/CT can achieve higher detection rates of PCa lesions than PET/CT performed with choline derivatives• The new tracer Ga-68 PSMA has the advantage of high specificity, independence of PSA-level and low nonspecific tracer uptake in surrounding tissue• The new tracer Ga-68 PSMA seems very suitable for MR-PET diagnostic Citation Format: • Schreiter V, Reimann C, Geisel D et al. Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2016; 188: 1037 - 1044. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

[Development and application of component-based Chinese medicine theory].

PubMed

Zhang, Jun-Hua; Fan, Guan-Wei; Zhang, Han; Fan, Xiao-Hui; Wang, Yi; Liu, Li-Mei; Li, Chuan; Gao, Yue; Gao, Xiu-Mei; Zhang, Bo-Li

2017-11-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription is the main therapies for disease prevention and treatment in Chinese medicine. Following the guidance of the theory of TCM and developing drug by composing prescriptions of TCM materials and pieces, it is a traditional application mode of TCM, and still widely used in clinic. TCM prescription has theoretical advantages and rich clinical application experience in dealing with multi-factor complex diseases, but scientific research is relatively weak. The lack of scientific cognition of the effective substances and mechanism of Chinese medicine leads to insufficient understanding of the efficacy regularity, which affects the stability of effect and hinders the improvement of quality of Chinese medicinal products. Component-based Chinese medicine (CCM) is an innovation based on inheritance, which breaks through the tradition of experience-based prescription and realize the transformation of compatibility from herbal pieces to components. CCM is an important achievement during the research process of modernization of Chinese medicine. Under the support of three national "973" projects, in order to reveal the scientific connotation of the prescription compatibility theory and develop innovative Chinese drugs, we have launched theoretical innovation and technological innovation around the "two relatively clear", and opened up the research field of CCM. CCM is an innovation based on inheritance, breaking through the tradition of experience based prescription, and realizing the transformation from compatibility of herbal pieces to component compatibility, which is an important achievement of the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. In the past more than 10 years, with the deepening of research and the expansion of application, the theory and methods of CCM and efficacy-oriented compatibility have been continuously improved. The value of CCM is not only in developing new drug, more important is to build a

Flexible nuclear medicine camera and method of using

DOEpatents

Dilmanian, F.A.; Packer, S.; Slatkin, D.N.

1996-12-10

A nuclear medicine camera and method of use photographically record radioactive decay particles emitted from a source, for example a small, previously undetectable breast cancer, inside a patient. The camera includes a flexible frame containing a window, a photographic film, and a scintillation screen, with or without a gamma-ray collimator. The frame flexes for following the contour of the examination site on the patient, with the window being disposed in substantially abutting contact with the skin of the patient for reducing the distance between the film and the radiation source inside the patient. The frame is removably affixed to the patient at the examination site for allowing the patient mobility to wear the frame for a predetermined exposure time period. The exposure time may be several days for obtaining early qualitative detection of small malignant neoplasms. 11 figs.

Design and Development of Smart Medicine Box

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosli, Ekbal; Husaini, Yusnira

2018-03-01

The Smart Medicine Box is successfully designed in helping the introvert patients taking their medicine without help of others. This project is to develop a robotic device that can assist patient to take medicine alone by implementing an IOT apps system for controlling the Smart Medicine Box where it will overcome an emotional disturbance experience by the introvert patients. There are four sensors such as PIR, IR, temperature and ultrasonic sensors use for the project. The purpose of PIR sensor is to detect hand movement near the device, while IR sensor is to detect the line follower on the floor. The LM 35 acts as the detection of the temperature inside the box and the ultrasonic acts as the detection of the obstacle in front of the device. The MIT Apps Invention 2 is used to develop an apps and collect the data from sensors through Arduino microcontroller. A proof of concept design has implemented and demonstrated successfully.

The Role of Nuclear Medicine in the Staging and Management of Human Immune Deficiency Virus Infection and Associated Diseases.

PubMed

Ankrah, Alfred O; Glaudemans, Andor W J M; Klein, Hans C; Dierckx, Rudi A J O; Sathekge, Mike

2017-06-01

Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) is a leading cause of death. It attacks the immune system, thereby rendering the infected host susceptible to many HIV-associated infections, malignancies and neurocognitive disorders. The altered immune system affects the way the human host responds to disease, resulting in atypical presentation of these disorders. This presents a diagnostic challenge and the clinician must use all diagnostic avenues available to diagnose and manage these conditions. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has markedly reduced the mortality associated with HIV infection but has also brought in its wake problems associated with adverse effects or drug interaction and may even modulate some of the HIV-associated disorders to the detriment of the infected human host. Nuclear medicine techniques allow non-invasive visualisation of tissues in the body. By using this principle, pathophysiology in the body can be targeted and the treatment of diseases can be monitored. Being a functional imaging modality, it is able to detect diseases at the molecular level, and thus it has increased our understanding of the immunological changes in the infected host at different stages of the HIV infection. It also detects pathological changes much earlier than conventional imaging based on anatomical changes. This is important in the immunocompromised host as in some of the associated disorders a delay in diagnosis may have dire consequences. Nuclear medicine has played a huge role in the management of many HIV-associated disorders in the past and continues to help in the diagnosis, prognosis, staging, monitoring and assessing the response to treatment of many HIV-associated disorders. As our understanding of the molecular basis of disease increases nuclear medicine is poised to play an even greater role. In this review we highlight the functional basis of the clinicopathological correlation of HIV from a metabolic view and discuss how the use of

Development and future perspectives of behavioral medicine in Japan.

PubMed

Nomura, Shinobu

2016-01-01

Development and Future Perspectives of Behavioral Medicine in Japan The study of the "Type A behavior pattern and myocardial infarction" was one of the main themes in the early stage of Behavioral Medicine. After that, behavior modification came to be widely applied to the treatment of various kinds of chronic diseases, and a general concept of Behavioral Medicine was subsequently formed. The Japanese Society of Behavioral Medicine was established in 1992 and is comprised of researchers in the fields of clinical medicine, social medicine, and psycho-behavioral science. Recently, we devised a core curriculum for behavioral science and behavioral medicine and have published a Japanese version of the "Textbook of Behavioral Medicine" in conformity with it. It is a primer that includes all of the basics and clinical applications of Behavioral Medicine and is edited as a manual that can be utilized in clinical practice. We hope this book will contribute to the development of Behavioral Medicine in Japan, to a more healthy life for our people, and to the improvement of the QOL of our patients. In this paper, I discuss the future perspectives from my personal opinion while looking back on the history of Behavioral Medicine in Japan.

Nuclear medicine and imaging research (quantitative studies in radiopharmaceutical science). Progress report, January 1, 1984-December 31, 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.D.

1984-09-01

This report presents progress in the areas of cardiac nuclear medicine, other imaging studies, investigations with biomolecules, and assessment of risks associated with the clinical use of radiopharmaceuticals. (ACR)

[The psychodynamics of work with iodine-131 in nuclear medicine].

PubMed

da Silveira, Leila Cunha; Guilam, Maria Cristina Rodrigues; de Oliveira, Sergio Ricardo

2013-11-01

This paper seeks to demonstrate to what extent alternative forms adopted in the working process of professionals with iodine-131 in nuclear medicine can assist in managing risks of ionizing radiation. The design is based on the main theoretical concepts of the psychodynamics of work in relation to workers' health. In the case study, data were gathered from 15 workers of a public health institution in the city of Rio de Janeiro by means of semi-structured individual interviews and non-systematic direct observation. Bardin's content analysis method was used for the data analysis. When comparing the results obtained with standard prescribed models, it was found that the respondents had changed their approach. They developed individual defense mechanisms, such as denial of risk, and collective defensive strategies, leading them to tackle the greatest danger as a form of defense. The defensive role of ideologies of the profession are manifest. On the contrary, the acquired knowledge derived from prudence proved effective in minimizing the risks of radiation exposure. The authors discuss the limitations of security management that does not consider the workers' subjectivity and inherent knowledge.

Behavioral medicine in China: history, current status, and future development.

PubMed

Bai, Bo; Ji, Feng

2014-08-01

Behavioral medicine in China has developed quickly in the last three decades. We briefly summarized the history, the main scope and achievements, and the future development of behavioral medicine in China. We did a literature search and discussed with senior scholars in behavioral medicine in China. The concept and main scope of behavioral medicine in China have been developed largely in accordance with the international perspective. Research in behavioral medicine in China significantly contributed to the better understanding of the relationship between various health behavioral factors and psychosomatic disorders and possible mechanisms of this relationship. The following aspects will be the main areas to be further developed in behavioral medicine in China: (1) Basic theories of behavioral medicine and theoretical mechanisms of higher nervous activities in human behavior regulation. (2) Etiology, pathogenesis, and mechanisms of common diseases that are closely related to human lifestyle behaviors. (3) Assessment criteria for unhealthy and disease-related behaviors. (4) Behavioral therapy of psychosomatic disorders, and rehabilitation technologies of disability. (5) Application of major findings from research of behavioral medical science in clinical practice and in health promotion of the whole society. Behavioral medicine in China, as a multidisciplinary subject, plays a relevant role in preventing behavior-related psychosomatic diseases and in promoting health of the public.

Flexible nuclear medicine camera and method of using

DOEpatents

Dilmanian, F. Avraham; Packer, Samuel; Slatkin, Daniel N.

1996-12-10

A nuclear medicine camera 10 and method of use photographically record radioactive decay particles emitted from a source, for example a small, previously undetectable breast cancer, inside a patient. The camera 10 includes a flexible frame 20 containing a window 22, a photographic film 24, and a scintillation screen 26, with or without a gamma-ray collimator 34. The frame 20 flexes for following the contour of the examination site on the patient, with the window 22 being disposed in substantially abutting contact with the skin of the patient for reducing the distance between the film 24 and the radiation source inside the patient. The frame 20 is removably affixed to the patient at the examination site for allowing the patient mobility to wear the frame 20 for a predetermined exposure time period. The exposure time may be several days for obtaining early qualitative detection of small malignant neoplasms.

Population radiation dose from diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in the Tehran population in 1999-2003: striking changes in only one decade.

PubMed

Tabeie, Faraj; Mohammadi, Hooshang; Asli, Isa Neshandar

2013-02-01

Use of unsealed radiopharmaceuticals in Iran's nuclear medicine centers has expanded rapidly in the last decade. As part of a nationwide survey, this study was undertaken to estimate the radiation risk due to the diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures performed in Tehran in 1999-2003. During the five years of the study, the data of 101,540 yearly examinations of diagnostic nuclear medicine were obtained for 34 (out of 40) active nuclear medicine centers in Tehran. The patients studied were aged 1 y, 5 y, 10 y, 15 y, and adults (>15 y). Compared to an earlier investigation in 1989 (which was published in 1995), striking changes were found to be occurring in the trends of nuclear medicine in Tehran in a matter of a decade. The frequency of cardiac examinations increased from less than 1% in 1989 to 43.2% (mean of 5 y) in 2003; thyroid examinations, with the relative frequency of higher than 80% in 1989, decreased to 26.7% in the current investigation (averaged for 2001); and the number of overall examinations per 1,000 population of Tehran increased from 1.9 in 1989 to 8.8 in this study (about fourfold). The decrease in relative frequency of thyroid examinations could be attributed to the lower referral policy (mainly by specialists), decreased incidence of goiter due to implementation of programs for iodine enrichment diets, introduction of fine needle aspiration (FNA), and sonography techniques for diagnosis of thyroid disease. The large increase in relative frequency of cardiac examinations could be due to the increase in the number of single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) systems in recent years as compared to 1989 in Tehran. The collective effective dose increased from 400 (person-Sv) in 1999 to 529 (person-Sv) in 2003, and the effective dose per capita increased from 34.80 μSv in 1999 to 44.06 μSv in 2003 (average, 35.60 μSv).

Effect of the nuclear-donor cell lineage, type, and cell donor on development of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in cattle.

PubMed

Batchelder, Cynthia A; Hoffert, Kara A; Bertolini, Marcelo; Moyer, Alice L; Mason, Jeffery B; Petkov, Stoyan G; Famula, Thomas R; Anderson, Gary B

2005-01-01

Potential applications of somatic cell nuclear transfer to agriculture and medicine are currently constrained by low efficiency and high rates of embryonic, fetal, and neonatal loss. Nuclear transfer efficiency in cattle was compared between three donor-cell treatments from a single animal, between four donor-cell treatments in sequential stages of differentiation from a single cell lineage and genotype, and between the same cell type in two donors. Cumulus and granulosa donor cells resulted in a greater proportion of viable day-7 embryos than ear-skin cells; pregnancy rate and losses were not different among treatments. The least differentiated cell type in the follicular cell lineage, preantral follicle cells, resulted in fewer cloned blastocysts (11%) than cumulus (30%), granulosa (23%), and luteal (25%) donor cells. Cloned blastocysts that did develop from preantral follicle cells (75%) were more likely to progress through implantation into later stages of pregnancy than cloned blastocysts from cumulus (10%), granulosa (9%), and luteal (11%) donor cells (p < 0.05). Day-7 embryo development from granulosa cells was similar between two donors (19 vs. 24%) and proved to be a poor indicator of further development as day-30 pregnancy rates varied threefold between donors (48 vs. 15%, p < 0.05). Results reported here emphasize the crucial role of the nuclear donor cell in the outcome of the nuclear-transfer process.

Finger doses for staff handling radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Pant, Gauri S; Sharma, Sanjay K; Rath, Gaura K

2006-09-01

Radiation doses to the fingers of occupational workers handling 99mTc-labeled compounds and 131I for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in nuclear medicine were measured by thermoluminescence dosimetry. The doses were measured at the base of the ring finger and the index finger of both hands in 2 groups of workers. Group 1 (7 workers) handled 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals, and group 2 (6 workers) handled 131I for diagnosis and therapy. Radiation doses to the fingertips of 3 workers also were measured. Two were from group 1, and 1 was from group 2. The doses to the base of the fingers for the radiopharmacy staff and physicians from group 1 were observed to be 17+/-7.5 (mean+/-SD) and 13.4+/-6.5 microSv/GBq, respectively. Similarly, the dose to the base of the fingers for the 3 physicians in group 2 was estimated to be 82.0+/-13.8 microSv/GBq. Finger doses for the technologists in both groups could not be calculated per unit of activity because they did not handle the radiopharmaceuticals directly. Their doses were reported in millisieverts that accumulated in 1 wk. The doses to the fingertips of the radiopharmacy worker and the physician in group 1 were 74.3+/-19.8 and 53.5+/-21.9 microSv/GBq, respectively. The dose to the fingertips of the physician in group 2 was 469.9+/-267 microSv/GBq. The radiation doses to the fingers of nuclear medicine staff at our center were measured. The maximum expected annual dose to the extremities appeared to be less than the annual limit (500 mSv/y), except for a physician who handled large quantities of 131I for treatment. Because all of these workers are on rotation and do not constantly handle radioactivity throughout the year, the doses to the base of the fingers or the fingertips should not exceed the prescribed annual limit of 500 mSv.

Partnering With Patients in the Development and Lifecycle of Medicines

PubMed Central

Anderson, James; Boutin, Marc; Dewulf, Lode; Geissler, Jan; Johnston, Graeme; Joos, Angelika; Metcalf, Marilyn; Regnante, Jeanne; Sargeant, Ifeanyi; Schneider, Roslyn F.; Todaro, Veronica; Tougas, Gervais

2015-01-01

The purpose of medicines is to improve patients' lives. Stakeholders involved in the development and lifecycle management of medicines agree that more effective patient involvement is needed to ensure that patient needs and priorities are identified and met. Despite the increasing number and scope of patient involvement initiatives, there is no accepted master framework for systematic patient involvement in industry-led medicines research and development, regulatory review, or market access decisions. Patient engagement is very productive in some indications, but inconsistent and fragmentary on a broader level. This often results in inefficient drug development, increasing evidence requirements, lack of patient-centered outcomes that address unmet medical needs and facilitate adherence, and consequently, lack of required therapeutic options and high costs to society and involved parties. Improved patient involvement can drive the development of innovative medicines that deliver more relevant and impactful patient outcomes and make medicine development faster, more efficient, and more productive. It can lead to better prioritization of early research; improved resource allocation; improved trial protocol designs that better reflect patient needs; and, by addressing potential barriers to patient participation, enhanced recruitment and retention. It may also improve trial conduct and lead to more focused, economically viable clinical trials. At launch and beyond, systematic patient involvement can also improve the ongoing benefit-risk assessment, ensure that public funds prioritize medicines of value to patients, and further the development of the medicine. Progress toward a universal framework for patient involvement requires a joint, precompetitive, and international approach by all stakeholders, working in true partnership to consolidate outputs from existing initiatives, identify gaps, and develop a comprehensive framework. It is essential that all stakeholders

JPRS Report, Nuclear Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-03

arranged according to degree of severity, and action plans will be developed for necessary measures appropriate to each level. Nuclear Disaster Chief...For the purpose of shielding the country as much as possible from the damages of nuclear accidents, first, a " Nuclear Disaster Headquarters" will be...formed within TAEC to oversee operations called for by the " Nuclear Disaster Guidelines," and coordination of the activities designed to meet an

Study of a new design of p-N semiconductor detector array for nuclear medicine imaging by monte carlo simulation codes.

PubMed

Hajizadeh-Safar, M; Ghorbani, M; Khoshkharam, S; Ashrafi, Z

2014-07-01

Gamma camera is an important apparatus in nuclear medicine imaging. Its detection part is consists of a scintillation detector with a heavy collimator. Substitution of semiconductor detectors instead of scintillator in these cameras has been effectively studied. In this study, it is aimed to introduce a new design of P-N semiconductor detector array for nuclear medicine imaging. A P-N semiconductor detector composed of N-SnO2 :F, and P-NiO:Li, has been introduced through simulating with MCNPX monte carlo codes. Its sensitivity with different factors such as thickness, dimension, and direction of emission photons were investigated. It is then used to configure a new design of an array in one-dimension and study its spatial resolution for nuclear medicine imaging. One-dimension array with 39 detectors was simulated to measure a predefined linear distribution of Tc(99_m) activity and its spatial resolution. The activity distribution was calculated from detector responses through mathematical linear optimization using LINPROG code on MATLAB software. Three different configurations of one-dimension detector array, horizontal, vertical one sided, and vertical double-sided were simulated. In all of these configurations, the energy windows of the photopeak were ± 1%. The results show that the detector response increases with an increase of dimension and thickness of the detector with the highest sensitivity for emission photons 15-30° above the surface. Horizontal configuration array of detectors is not suitable for imaging of line activity sources. The measured activity distribution with vertical configuration array, double-side detectors, has no similarity with emission sources and hence is not suitable for imaging purposes. Measured activity distribution using vertical configuration array, single side detectors has a good similarity with sources. Therefore, it could be introduced as a suitable configuration for nuclear medicine imaging. It has been shown that using

Worldwide Report, Nuclear Development and Proliferation

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-07

A 201204 JPRS-TND-84-013 7 June 1984 Worldwide Report NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT AND PROLIFERATION \\ y0& ^ KK0 %>$JJMXSTT JWRTF-Tnuyy...Publications Research Service, 1000 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia 22201. JPRS-TND-84-013 7 June 1984 WORLDWIDE REPORT NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT AND...But China by no means favors nuclear proliferation by helping other countries to develop nuclear weapons, he declared. China holds, he said, that

Deep Learning in Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging: Current Perspectives and Future Directions.

PubMed

Choi, Hongyoon

2018-04-01

Recent advances in deep learning have impacted various scientific and industrial fields. Due to the rapid application of deep learning in biomedical data, molecular imaging has also started to adopt this technique. In this regard, it is expected that deep learning will potentially affect the roles of molecular imaging experts as well as clinical decision making. This review firstly offers a basic overview of deep learning particularly for image data analysis to give knowledge to nuclear medicine physicians and researchers. Because of the unique characteristics and distinctive aims of various types of molecular imaging, deep learning applications can be different from other fields. In this context, the review deals with current perspectives of deep learning in molecular imaging particularly in terms of development of biomarkers. Finally, future challenges of deep learning application for molecular imaging and future roles of experts in molecular imaging will be discussed.

Herbal medicine development: a plea for a rigorous scientific foundation.

PubMed

Lietman, Paul S

2012-09-01

Science, including rigorous basic scientific research and rigorous clinical research, must underlie both the development and the clinical use of herbal medicines. Yet almost none of the hundreds or thousands of articles that are published each year on some aspect of herbal medicines, adheres to 3 simple but profound scientific principles must underlie all of herbal drug development or clinical use. Three fundamental principles that should underlie everyone's thinking about the development and/or clinical use of any herbal medicine. (1) There must be standardization and regulation (rigorously enforced) of the product being studied or being used clinically. (2) There must be scientific proof of a beneficial clinical effect for something of value to the patient and established by rigorous clinical research. (3) There must be scientific proof of safety (acceptable toxicity) for the patient and established by rigorous clinical research. These fundamental principles of science have ramifications for both the scientist and the clinician. It is critically important that both the investigator and the prescriber know exactly what is in the studied or recommended product and how effective and toxic it is. We will find new and useful drugs from natural sources. However, we will have to learn how to study herbal medicines rigorously, and we will have to try to convince the believers in herbal medicines of the wisdom and even the necessity of a rigorous scientific approach to herbal medicine development. Both biomedical science and practicing physicians must enthusiastically accept the responsibility for searching for truth in the discovery and development of new herbal medicines, in the truthful teaching about herbal medicines from a scientific perspective, and in the scientifically proven clinical use of herbal medicines.

Diffusion processes in tumors: A nuclear medicine approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaya, Helman

2016-07-01

The number of counts used in nuclear medicine imaging techniques, only provides physical information about the desintegration of the nucleus present in the the radiotracer molecules that were uptaken in a particular anatomical region, but that information is not a real metabolic information. For this reason a mathematical method was used to find a correlation between number of counts and 18F-FDG mass concentration. This correlation allows a better interpretation of the results obtained in the study of diffusive processes in an agar phantom, and based on it, an image from the PETCETIX DICOM sample image set from OsiriX-viewer software was processed. PET-CT gradient magnitude and Laplacian images could show direct information on diffusive processes for radiopharmaceuticals that enter into the cells by simple diffusion. In the case of the radiopharmaceutical 18F-FDG is necessary to include pharmacokinetic models, to make a correct interpretation of the gradient magnitude and Laplacian of counts images.

Diffusion processes in tumors: A nuclear medicine approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amaya, Helman, E-mail: haamayae@unal.edu.co

The number of counts used in nuclear medicine imaging techniques, only provides physical information about the desintegration of the nucleus present in the the radiotracer molecules that were uptaken in a particular anatomical region, but that information is not a real metabolic information. For this reason a mathematical method was used to find a correlation between number of counts and {sup 18}F-FDG mass concentration. This correlation allows a better interpretation of the results obtained in the study of diffusive processes in an agar phantom, and based on it, an image from the PETCETIX DICOM sample image set from OsiriX-viewer softwaremore » was processed. PET-CT gradient magnitude and Laplacian images could show direct information on diffusive processes for radiopharmaceuticals that enter into the cells by simple diffusion. In the case of the radiopharmaceutical {sup 18}F-FDG is necessary to include pharmacokinetic models, to make a correct interpretation of the gradient magnitude and Laplacian of counts images.« less

Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Project for an Integral Oncology Center at the Oaxaca High Specialization Regional Hospital

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Jesús, M.; Trujillo-Zamudio, F. E.

2010-12-01

A building project of Radiotherapy & Nuclear Medicine services (diagnostic and therapy), within an Integral Oncology Center (IOC), requires interdisciplinary participation of architects, biomedical engineers, radiation oncologists and medical physicists. This report focus on the medical physicist role in designing, building and commissioning stages, for the final clinical use of an IOC at the Oaxaca High Specialization Regional Hospital (HRAEO). As a first step, during design stage, the medical physicist participates in discussions about radiation safety and regulatory requirements for the National Regulatory Agency (called CNSNS in Mexico). Medical physicists propose solutions to clinical needs and take decisions about installing medical equipment, in order to fulfill technical and medical requirements. As a second step, during the construction stage, medical physicists keep an eye on building materials and structural specifications. Meanwhile, regulatory documentation must be sent to CNSNS. This documentation compiles information about medical equipment, radioactivity facility, radiation workers and nuclear material data, in order to obtain the license for the linear accelerator, brachytherapy and nuclear medicine facilities. As a final step, after equipment installation, the commissioning stage takes place. As the conclusion, we show that medical physicists are essentials in order to fulfill with Mexican regulatory requirements in medical facilities.

42 CFR Appendix F to Part 75 - Standards for Licensing Radiographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and Radiation Therapy...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... THE ACCREDITATION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR AND THE CREDENTIALING OF RADIOLOGIC PERSONNEL Pt. 75... radiography, nuclear medicine technology, or radiation therapy technology. 2. Special eligibility to take the... excess of, those of a graduate of an accredited educational program. C. Examination A criterion...

[To see the future development of burn medicine from the view of holistic integrative medicine].

PubMed

Hu, D H; Tao, K

2017-04-20

The therapeutic methods and effects have been improved greatly in the past few decades for burn care and management with several important advancements which have resulted in more effective patient stabilization and significantly decreased mortality in China. However, the challenges still exist, such as how to further improve the recovery of the patients' appearance and function, and how to advance the treatment of severe deep extensive burn injury, etc. The theory of holistic integrative medicine (HIM) provides a new opportunity for the development of clinical medicine. This article emphasizes the important roles of HIM in exploration of burn medicine, considering the advanced development of modern life sciences and relevant techniques.

Nuclear Migration During Retinal Development

PubMed Central

Baye, Lisa M.; Link, Brian A.

2009-01-01

In this review we focus on the mechanisms, regulation, and cellular consequences of nuclear migration in the developing retina. In the nervous system, nuclear migration is prominent during both proliferative and post-mitotic phases of development. Interkinetic nuclear migration is the process where the nucleus oscillates from the apical to basal surfaces in proliferative neuroepithelia. Proliferative nuclear movement occurs in step with the cell cycle, with M-phase being confined to the apical surface and G1-, S-, and G2-phases occurring at more basal locations. Later, following cell cycle exit, some neuron precursors migrate by nuclear translocation. In this mode of cellular migration, nuclear movement is the driving force for motility. Following discussion of the key components and important regulators for each of these processes, we present an emerging model where interkinetic nuclear migration functions to distinguish cell fates among retinal neuroepithelia. PMID:17560964

Training in Techniques and Translation: Novel Nuclear Medicine Imaging Agents for Oncology and Neurology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tu, Zhude

The goal of this grant was to provide critical interdisciplinary research training for the next generation of radiochemists and nuclear medicine physicians through a collaboration between basic science and clinical faculty who are actively involved in the development, application, and translation of radiopharmaceuticals. Following the four year funding support period, the 10 postdocs, graduate students, as well as clinical physicians who received training have become faculty members, or senior radiochemists at different academic institutes or industry. With respect to scientific accomplishments, 26 peer-reviewed articles have been published to date as well as numerous poster and oral presentations. The goals ofmore » all four scientific projects were completed and several promising radiotracers identified for transfer into clinical investigation for human use. Some preliminary data generated from this training grant led several successful NIH grant proposals for the principal investigators.« less

Aspects of Sino-Japan Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Development on the Traditional Uighur Medicine

PubMed Central

Yusup, Abdiryim

2009-01-01

Two consecutive conferences on ‘Sino-Japan Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Development on the Traditional Uighur Medicine’ were held in Xinjiang Medical University on July 3 and Kanazawa Medical University on October 6, 2007. The Vice president Halmurat Upur presided over the meeting and gave congratulatory address on holding of the conference. In order to understand mutually and discuss the possibility of the Uighur Medicine as CAM and the situation of medicine in the global sense, specialist scholars of Traditional Uighur Medicine and postgraduates attended this conference. In the meeting of the CAM, the achievements on the research of Traditional Uighur Medicine were exchanged and warmly discussed. Presentations were made in the consecutive conference. PMID:19470524

Development of underwater and hyperbaric medicine in Malaysia.

PubMed

Rozali, A; Rampal, K G; Zin, B Mohd; Sherina, M S; Khairuddin, H; Abd Halim, M; Sulaiman, A

2006-12-01

Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine is a treatment modality gaining recognition in Malaysia. It uses the hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) approach where patients are placed in recompression chambers and subjected to oxygen therapy under pressure. In Malaysia it was introduced as early as the 1960's by the Royal Malaysian Navy to treat their divers for decompression illness (DCI), arterial gas embolism (AGE) and barotraumas. Other sectors in the armed forces, universities and private health centres began developing this approach too in the late 1990's, for similar purposes. In 1996, Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine began gaining its popularity when the Institute of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine at the Armed Forces Hospital in Lumut started treating specific clinical diseases such as diabetic foot ulcers, osteomyelitis, and carbon monoxide poisoning and other diseases using HBOT. This paper discusses the development of this interesting treatment modality, giving a brief historical overview to its current development, as well as provides some thought for its future development in Malaysia.

[Industry of traditional Chinese patent medicine science and technology development and review].

PubMed

Lu, Jianwei; Wang, Fang; Yan, Dongmei; Luo, Yun; Yang, Ming

2012-01-01

"Fifteen" since, our country Chinese traditional medicine industry science and technology has made remarkable achievements. In this paper, the development of science and technology policy, Chinese medicine industry, platform construction and other aspects were analyzed, showing 10 years of Chinese traditional medicine industry development of science and technology innovation achievement and development, and on the current development of traditional Chinese medicine industry facing the main tasks and guarantee measures are analyzed.

Developing Competitive and Sustainable Polish Generic Medicines Market

PubMed Central

Simoens, Steven

2009-01-01

Aim To descriptively analyze the policy environment surrounding the Polish generic medicines retail market. Method The policy analysis was based on an international literature review. Also, a simulation exercise was carried out to compute potential savings from substituting generic for originator medicines in Poland using IMS Health pharmaceutical intelligence data. Results Poland has a mature, high-volume, low-value generic medicines market, primarily driven by the establishment of the reference price at the price of the cheapest medicine in combination with pricing regulation and the low level of medicine prices. The practice of discounting in the distribution chain implies that the National Health Fund and patients do not capture the potential savings from a generic medicines market where companies compete on price. This high-volume market has benefited in the past from the limited availability of originator medicines and a short data exclusivity period, even though there are no incentives for physicians to prescribe generic medicines and a financial disincentive for pharmacists to dispense generic medicines. Increased generic substitution would be expected to reduce public expenditure on originator medicines by 21%. Conclusion To develop a competitive and sustainable market, Poland needs to consider moving away from competition by discount to competition by price. This could be achieved by replacing maximum distribution margins by fixed margins. Also, Poland may wish to raise reference prices as a temporary measure to boost market entry for medicine classes with few generic medicines. PMID:19839067

Developing competitive and sustainable Polish generic medicines market.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2009-10-01

To descriptively analyze the policy environment surrounding the Polish generic medicines retail market. The policy analysis was based on an international literature review. Also, a simulation exercise was carried out to compute potential savings from substituting generic for originator medicines in Poland using IMS Health pharmaceutical intelligence data. Poland has a mature, high-volume, low-value generic medicines market, primarily driven by the establishment of the reference price at the price of the cheapest medicine in combination with pricing regulation and the low level of medicine prices. The practice of discounting in the distribution chain implies that the National Health Fund and patients do not capture the potential savings from a generic medicines market where companies compete on price. This high-volume market has benefited in the past from the limited availability of originator medicines and a short data exclusivity period, even though there are no incentives for physicians to prescribe generic medicines and a financial disincentive for pharmacists to dispense generic medicines. Increased generic substitution would be expected to reduce public expenditure on originator medicines by 21%. To develop a competitive and sustainable market, Poland needs to consider moving away from competition by discount to competition by price. This could be achieved by replacing maximum distribution margins by fixed margins. Also, Poland may wish to raise reference prices as a temporary measure to boost market entry for medicine classes with few generic medicines.

Impact of operator on determining functional parameters of nuclear medicine procedures.

PubMed

Mohammed, A M; Naddaf, S Y; Mahdi, F S; Al-Mutawa, Q I; Al-Dossary, H A; Elgazzar, A H

2006-01-01

The study was designed to assess the significance of the interoperator variability in the estimation of functional parameters for four nuclear medicine procedures. Three nuclear medicine technologists with varying years of experience processed the following randomly selected 20 cases with diverse functions of each study type: renography, renal cortical scans, myocardial perfusion gated single-photon emission computed tomography (MP-GSPECT) and gated blood pool ventriculography (GBPV). The technologists used the same standard processing routines and were blinded to the results of each other. The means of the values and the means of differences calculated case by case were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The values were further analyzed using Pearson correlation. The range of the mean values and standard deviation of relative renal function obtained by the three technologists were 50.65 +/- 3.9 to 50.92 +/- 4.4% for renography, 51.43 +/- 8.4 to 51.55 +/- 8.8% for renal cortical scans, 57.40 +/- 14.3 to 58.30 +/- 14.9% for left ventricular ejection fraction from MP-GSPECT and 54.80 +/- 12.8 to 55.10 +/- 13.1% for GBPV. The difference was not statistically significant, p > 0.9. The values showed a high correlation of more than 0.95. Calculated case by case, the mean of differences +/- SD was found to range from 0.42 +/- 0.36% in renal cortical scans to 1.35 +/- 0.87% in MP-GSPECT with a maximum difference of 4.00%. The difference was not statistically significant, p > 0.19. The estimated functional parameters were reproducible and operator independent as long as the standard processing instructions were followed. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Role of Proteomics in the Development of Personalized Medicine.

PubMed

Jain, Kewal K

2016-01-01

Advances in proteomic technologies have made import contribution to the development of personalized medicine by facilitating detection of protein biomarkers, proteomics-based molecular diagnostics, as well as protein biochips and pharmacoproteomics. Application of nanobiotechnology in proteomics, nanoproteomics, has further enhanced applications in personalized medicine. Proteomics-based molecular diagnostics will have an important role in the diagnosis of certain conditions and understanding the pathomechanism of disease. Proteomics will be a good bridge between diagnostics and therapeutics; the integration of these will be important for advancing personalized medicine. Use of proteomic biomarkers and combination of pharmacoproteomics with pharmacogenomics will enable stratification of clinical trials and improve monitoring of patients for development of personalized therapies. Proteomics is an important component of several interacting technologies used for development of personalized medicine, which is depicted graphically. Finally, cancer is a good example of applications of proteomic technologies for personalized management of cancer. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

42 CFR Appendix D to Part 75 - Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standards for Accreditation of Educational Programs for Nuclear Medicine Technologists D Appendix D to Part 75 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING STANDARDS FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF...

An overview of radioactive waste disposal procedures of a nuclear medicine department.

PubMed

Ravichandran, R; Binukumar, J P; Sreeram, Rajan; Arunkumar, L S

2011-04-01

Radioactive wastes from hospitals form one of the various types of urban wastes, which are managed in developed countries in a safe and organized way. In countries where growth of nuclear medicine services are envisaged, implementations of existing regulatory policies and guidelines in hospitals in terms of handling of radioactive materials used in the treatment of patients need a good model. To address this issue, a brief description of the methods is presented. A designed prototype waste storage trolley is found to be of great help in decaying the I-131 solid wastes from wards before releasing to waste treatment plant of the city. Two delay tanks with collection time of about 2 months and delay time of 2 months alternately result in 6 releases of urine toilet effluents to the sewage treatment plant (STP) of the hospital annually. Samples of effluents collected at releasing time documented radioactive releases of I-131 much below recommended levels of bi-monthly release. External counting of samples showed good statistical correlation with calculated values. An overview of safe procedures for radioactive waste disposal is presented.

JPRS Report, Nuclear Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-29

Korea is developing nuclear weapons Yi and Bartholomew agreed that the two governments capability. should reestablish a bilateral science and...early this year. Taking advantage of such a mood of The government should develop state-of-the-art technol- detente. even our country is now actively...counter to such a mood of detente. and why can they not The report recommended that the government establish abandon nuclear weapons at a time when

JPRS Report, Nuclear Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-06

ban on that flail away at each other in maneuvers designed to nuclear tests (sic), even for peaceful purposes, across build up influence . Whatever...uranium and develop reactors for nuclear can help Mr. Collor nudge (away from the nuclear submarines. program) his fractious military along by suspending...two and a half years to behaviour to qualify for a certificate. WASHINGTON permit the second six-year aid package for 1988-93, was POST has meanwhile

Before the long journey. [the development of space biology and medicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazenko, O. G.

1978-01-01

One of the leading specialists in space biology and medicine Oleg Geogiyevich Gazenko discusses the development of space biology and medicine and the problems which its specialists solve. The application of space medicine discoveries to terrestrial medicine is also discussed.

Nuclear Medicine Imaging

MedlinePlus

... rayos-X, revelan solamente la estructura anatómica. Existen más de 100 exámenes diferentes de medicina nuclear para ... se le permite abandonar el hospital y regresar más tarde para el procedimiento del estudio de imagen. ...

Advances in nuclear medicine.

PubMed

Selberg, Kurt; Ross, Michael

2012-12-01

Nuclear scintigraphy is a mainstay of diagnostic imaging and has preserved its relevance in the imaging of acute and chronic trauma. It is particularly useful in the evaluation of athletic injuries. Pitfalls of interpretation, false negatives and false positives exist as with many imaging modalities. Synthesis of physical exam findings, lameness evaluation and, when possible, diagnostic analgesia in combination with nuclear scintigraphy imaging findings, will allow for the most information to be applied to the patient's clinical problem. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Biobanking and the further development of precision medicine].

PubMed

Dahl, E

2018-06-06

Over the last 15 years, an estimated 3000 large centralized biobanks have been established worldwide, making important contributions to the further development of precision medicine. In many cases, these biobanks are affiliated with pathological institutes or work closely with them. In which translational research projects, and during which phases in the development of new drugs are human bioprobes being used and can their use be easily traced in the literature? PubMed, Internet research, and information from the German Biobank Alliance and the European initiative BBMRI-ERIC. High-quality biosamples from centralized biobanks are increasingly used in clinical research and development projects. Success stories, where bioprobes have contributed to the further development of precision medicine, are shown in this paper using among others the example of RET gene fusion discovery in lung cancer. Interestingly enough, many key publications in the field of precision medicine do not contain exact references to the biobanks involved. The importance of centralized biobanks in translational research and clinical development is constantly increasing. However, in order to ensure the acceptance and visibility of biobanks, their participation in success stories of biomedical progress must be systematically documented and published.

Nuclear medicine imaging system

DOEpatents

Bennett, G.W.; Brill, A.B.; Bizais, Y.J.C.; Rowe, R.W.; Zubal, I.G.

1983-03-11

It is an object of this invention to provide a nuclear imaging system having the versatility to do positron annihilation studies, rotating single or opposed camera gamma emission studies, and orthogonal gamma emission studies. It is a further object of this invention to provide an imaging system having the capability for orthogonal dual multipinhole tomography. It is another object of this invention to provide a nuclear imaging system in which all available energy data, as well as patient physiological data, are acquired simultaneously in list mode.

Liver function testing with nuclear medicine techniques is coming of age.

PubMed

Bennink, Roelof J; Tulchinsky, Mark; de Graaf, Wilmar; Kadry, Zakiyah; van Gulik, Thomas M

2012-03-01

Liver function is a broad term, as the organ participates in a multitude of different physiological and biochemical processes, including metabolic, synthetic, and detoxifying functions. However, it is the function of the hepatocyte that is central to sustaining normal life and dealing with disease states. When the liver begins to fail in severely ill patients, it forecasts a terminal outcome. However, unlike the glomerular filtration rate which clearly quantifies the key renal function, at most practice sites, there is no clinically available quantitative test for liver function. Although it is commonplace to assess indirect evidence of that function (by measuring blood levels of its end products and by-products) and to detect an acute injury (by following rising transaminases), a widely available test that would directly measure hepatocellular function is lacking. This article reviews current knowledge on liver function studies and focuses on those nuclear medicine tests available to study the whole liver and regional liver function. The clinical application driving these tests, prediction of remnant liver function after partial hepatectomy for primary liver malignancy or metastatic disease, is addressed here in detail. The test was recently validated for this specific application and was shown to be better than the current standard of practice (computed tomography volumetry), particularly in patients with hepatic comorbidities like cirrhosis, steatosis, or cholestasis. Furthermore, early assessment of regional liver function increase after preoperative portal vein embolization becomes possible with this technology. The limiting factor to a wider acceptance of this test is based on the lack of clinical software that would allow calculation of liver function parameters. This article provides information that enables a clinical nuclear medicine facility to provide this test using readily available equipment. Furthermore, it addresses emerging clinical applications

Pitfalls in classical nuclear medicine: myocardial perfusion imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fragkaki, C.; Giannopoulou, Ch

2011-09-01

Scintigraphic imaging is a complex functional procedure subject to a variety of artefacts and pitfalls that may limit its clinical and diagnostic accuracy. It is important to be aware of and to recognize them when present and to eliminate them whenever possible. Pitfalls may occur at any stage of the imaging procedure and can be related with the γ-camera or other equipment, personnel handling, patient preparation, image processing or the procedure itself. Often, potential causes of artefacts and pitfalls may overlap. In this short review, special interest will be given to cardiac scintigraphic imaging. Most common causes of artefact in myocardial perfusion imaging are soft tissue attenuation as well as motion and gating errors. Additionally, clinical problems like cardiac abnormalities may cause interpretation pitfalls and nuclear medicine physicians should be familiar with these in order to ensure the correct evaluation of the study. Artefacts or suboptimal image quality can also result from infiltrated injections, misalignment in patient positioning, power instability or interruption, flood field non-uniformities, cracked crystal and several other technical reasons.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Development Risks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Tony

2015-01-01

There are clear advantages of development of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) for a crewed mission to Mars. NTP for in-space propulsion enables more ambitious space missions by providing high thrust at high specific impulse ((is) approximately 900 sec) that is 2 times the best theoretical performance possible for chemical rockets. Missions can be optimized for maximum payload capability to take more payload with reduced total mass to orbit; saving cost on reduction of the number of launch vehicles needed. Or missions can be optimized to minimize trip time significantly to reduce the deep space radiation exposure to the crew. NTR propulsion technology is a game changer for space exploration to Mars and beyond. However, 'NUCLEAR' is a word that is feared and vilified by some groups and the hostility towards development of any nuclear systems can meet great opposition by the public as well as from national leaders and people in authority. The public often associates the 'nuclear' word with weapons of mass destruction. The development NTP is at risk due to unwarranted public fears and clear honest communication of nuclear safety will be critical to the success of the development of the NTP technology. Reducing cost to NTP development is critical to its acceptance and funding. In the past, highly inflated cost estimates of a full-scale development nuclear engine due to Category I nuclear security requirements and costly regulatory requirements have put the NTP technology as a low priority. Innovative approaches utilizing low enriched uranium (LEU). Even though NTP can be a small source of radiation to the crew, NTP can facilitate significant reduction of crew exposure to solar and cosmic radiation by reducing trip times by 3-4 months. Current Human Mars Mission (HMM) trajectories with conventional propulsion systems and fuel-efficient transfer orbits exceed astronaut radiation exposure limits. Utilizing extra propellant from one additional SLS launch and available

Comprehensive Glossary of Nuclear Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langlands, Tracy; Stone, Craig; Meyer, Richard

2001-10-01

We have developed a comprehensive glossary of terms covering the broad fields of nuclear and related areas of science. The glossary has been constructed with two sections. A primary section consists of over 6,000 terms covering the fields of nuclear and high energy physics, nuclear chemistry, radiochemistry, health physics, astrophysics, materials science, analytical science, environmental science, nuclear medicine, nuclear engineering, nuclear instrumentation, nuclear weapons, and nuclear safeguards. Approximately 1,500 terms of specific focus on military and nuclear weapons testing define the second section. The glossary is currently larger than many published glossaries and dictionaries covering the entire field of physics. Glossary terms have been defined using an extensive collection of current and historical publications. Historical texts extend back into the 1800's, the early days of atomic physics. The glossary has been developed both as a software application and as a hard copy document.

Establishment of research-oriented hospital: an important way for translational medicine development in China.

PubMed

Li, Meina; Zhang, Lulu

2015-01-01

Globally, one of the major trends is the development of translational medicine. The traditional hospital structure could not meet the demands of translational medicine development any longer and to explore a novel hospital structure is imperative. Following the times, China proposed and implemented a development strategy for a first-class modern research-oriented hospital. To establish a research-oriented hospital has become an important strategy to guide the scientific development of high-quality medical institutions and to advance translational medicine development. To facilitate translational medicine by developing research-oriented hospital, the Chinese Research Hospital Association (CRHA) has been established, which provides service of medicine, talents cultivation, scientific research and clinical teaching and covers areas of theoretical research, academic exchange, translational medicine, talents training and practice guiding. On the whole, research-oriented hospital facilitated translational medicine by developing interdisciplinary platform, training core competencies in clinical and translational research, providing financial support of translational research, and hosting journals on translational medicine, etc.

Getting to the core of medicine: Developing undergraduate forensic medicine and pathology teaching.

PubMed

Jones, Richard Martin

2017-11-01

Teaching and learning of forensic medicine and pathology in the undergraduate medical curriculum has been in decline for decades in the UK, and yet graduates are expected to be able to recognise, and protect, those who are most vulnerable in society - i.e. at risk of abuse or neglect - a matter highly relevant to the role of the forensic medical practitioner. When Cardiff University School of Medicine created a new 'learner-centred' undergraduate curriculum, championing case-based discussion in small groups, and earlier clinical contact, residual teaching on 'the pathology of trauma' disappeared. An opportunity to create a new course for the year 3 core curriculum, however, led to re-emergence of forensic medicine and pathology, with a focus on identification, and protection, of the 'vulnerable patient'. This paper describes the development process of the first two iterations of that course, and the influence of 'listening to the student voice'. Forensic medicine and pathology remain relevant in undergraduate medical education; effective, and ethical, safeguarding of the vulnerable is an essential 'core' skill of the modern medical graduate, and forensic medical practitioners can play an integral role in the preparation of medical students for their future clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Development of an adverse events reporting form for Korean folk medicine.

PubMed

Park, Jeong Hwan; Choi, Sun-Mi; Moon, Sujeong; Kim, Sungha; Kim, Boyoung; Kim, Min-Kyeoung; Lee, Sanghun

2017-05-01

We developed an adverse events (AEs) reporting form for Korean folk medicine. The first version of the form was developed and tested in the clinical setting for spontaneous reporting of AEs. Additional revisions to the reporting form were made based on collected data and expert input. We developed an AEs reporting form for Korean folk medicine. The items of this form were based on patient information, folk medicine properties, and AEs. For causality assessment, folk medicine properties such as classification, common and vernacular names, scientific name, part used, harvesting time, storage conditions, purchasing route, product licensing, prescription, persons with similar exposure, any remnant of raw natural products collected from the patient, and cautions or contraindications were added. This is the first reporting form for AEs that incorporates important characteristics of Korean folk medicine. This form would have an important role in reporting adverse events for Korean folk medicine. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of an adverse events reporting form for Korean folk medicine

PubMed Central

Park, Jeong Hwan; Choi, Sun‐Mi; Moon, Sujeong; Kim, Sungha; Kim, Boyoung; Kim, Min‐Kyeoung

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose We developed an adverse events (AEs) reporting form for Korean folk medicine. Methods The first version of the form was developed and tested in the clinical setting for spontaneous reporting of AEs. Additional revisions to the reporting form were made based on collected data and expert input. Results We developed an AEs reporting form for Korean folk medicine. The items of this form were based on patient information, folk medicine properties, and AEs. For causality assessment, folk medicine properties such as classification, common and vernacular names, scientific name, part used, harvesting time, storage conditions, purchasing route, product licensing, prescription, persons with similar exposure, any remnant of raw natural products collected from the patient, and cautions or contraindications were added. Conclusions This is the first reporting form for AEs that incorporates important characteristics of Korean folk medicine. This form would have an important role in reporting adverse events for Korean folk medicine. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:27501410

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu

2015-04-01

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

History of nuclear technology development in Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamashita, Kiyonobu, E-mail: yamashita.kiyonobu@jaea.go.jp; General Advisor Nuclear HRD Centre, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, TOKAI-mura, NAKA-gun, IBARAKI-ken, 319-1195

2015-04-29

Nuclear technology development in Japan has been carried out based on the Atomic Energy Basic Act brought into effect in 1955. The nuclear technology development is limited to peaceful purposes and made in a principle to assure their safety. Now, the technologies for research reactors radiation application and nuclear power plants are delivered to developing countries. First of all, safety measures of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be enhanced based on lesson learned from TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident.

Developing the medicinal plants sector in northern India: challenges and opportunities

PubMed Central

Kala, Chandra Prakash; Dhyani, Pitamber Prasad; Sajwan, Bikram Singh

2006-01-01

The medicinal properties of plant species have made an outstanding contribution in the origin and evolution of many traditional herbal therapies. These traditional knowledge systems have started to disappear with the passage of time due to scarcity of written documents and relatively low income in these traditions. Over the past few years, however, the medicinal plants have regained a wide recognition due to an escalating faith in herbal medicine in view of its lesser side effects compared to allopathic medicine in addition the necessity of meeting the requirements of medicine for an increasing human population. Through the realization of the continuous erosion of traditional knowledge of plants used for medicine in the past and the renewed interest at the present time, a need existed to review this valuable knowledge of medicinal plants with the purpose of developing medicinal plants sectors across the different states in India. Our major objectives therefore were to explore the potential in medicinal plants resources, to understand the challenges and opportunities with the medicinal plants sector, and also to suggest recommendations based upon the present state of knowledge for the establishment and smooth functioning of the medicinal plants sector along with improving the living standards of the underprivileged communities. The review reveals that northern India harbors a rich diversity of valuable medicinal plants, and attempts are being made at different levels for sustainable utilization of this resource in order to develop the medicinal plants sector.

TH-E-9A-01: Medical Physics 1.0 to 2.0, Session 4: Computed Tomography, Ultrasound and Nuclear Medicine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samei, E; Nelson, J; Hangiandreou, N

communication, use optimization (dose and technique factors), automated analysis and data management (automated QC methods, protocol tracking, dose monitoring, issue tracking), and meaningful QC considerations. US 2.0: Ultrasound imaging is evolving at a rapid pace, adding new imaging functions and modes that continue to enhance its clinical utility and benefits to patients. The ultrasound talk will look ahead 10–15 years and consider how medical physicists can bring maximal value to the clinical ultrasound practices of the future. The roles of physics in accreditation and regulatory compliance, image quality and exam optimization, clinical innovation, and education of staff and trainees will all be considered. A detailed examination of expected technology evolution and impact on image quality metrics will be presented. Clinical implementation of comprehensive physics services will also be discussed. Nuclear Medicine 2.0: Although the basic science of nuclear imaging has remained relatively unchanged since its inception, advances in instrumentation continue to advance the field into new territories. With a great number of these advances occurring over the past decade, the role and testing strategies of clinical nuclear medicine physicists must evolve in parallel. The Nuclear Medicine 2.0 presentation is designed to highlight some of the recent advances from a clinical medical physicist perspective and provide ideas and motivation for designing better evaluation strategies. Topics include improvement of traditional physics metrics and analytics, testing implications of hybrid imaging and advanced detector technologies, and strategies for effective implementation into the clinic. Learning Objectives: Become familiar with new physics metrics and analytics in nuclear medicine, CT, and ultrasound. To become familiar with the major new developments of clinical physics support. To understand the physics testing implications of new technologies, hardware, software, and applications

Monte-Carlo based assessment of MAGIC, MAGICAUG, PAGATUG and PAGATAUG polymer gel dosimeters for ovaries and uterus organ dosimetry in brachytherapy, nuclear medicine and Tele-therapy.

PubMed

Adinehvand, Karim; Rahatabad, Fereidoun Nowshiravan

2018-06-01

Calculation of 3D dose distribution during radiotherapy and nuclear medicine helps us for better treatment of sensitive organs such as ovaries and uterus. In this research, we investigate two groups of normoxic dosimeters based on meta-acrylic acid (MAGIC and MAGICAUG) and polyacrylamide (PAGATUG and PAGATAUG) for brachytherapy, nuclear medicine and Tele-therapy in their sensitive and critical role as organ dosimeters. These polymer gel dosimeters are compared with soft tissue while irradiated by different energy photons in therapeutic applications. This comparison has been simulated by Monte-Carlo based MCNPX code. ORNL phantom-Female has been used to model the critical organs of kidneys, ovaries and uterus. Right kidney is proposed to be the source of irradiation and another two organs are exposed to this irradiation. Effective atomic numbers of soft tissue, MAGIC, MAGICAUG, PAGATUG and PAGATAUG are 6.86, 7.07, 6.95, 7.28, and 7.07 respectively. Results show the polymer gel dosimeters are comparable to soft tissue for using in nuclear medicine and Tele-therapy. Differences between gel dosimeters and soft tissue are defined as the dose responses. This difference is less than 4.1%, 22.6% and 71.9% for Tele-therapy, nuclear medicine and brachytherapy respectively. The results approved that gel dosimeters are the best choice for ovaries and uterus in nuclear medicine and Tele-therapy respectively. Due to the slight difference between the effective atomic numbers of these polymer gel dosimeters and soft tissue, these polymer gels are not suitable for brachytherapy since the dependence of photon interaction to atomic number, for low energy brachytherapy, had been so effective. Also this dependence to atomic number, decrease for photoelectric and increase for Compton. Therefore polymer gel dosimeters are not a good alternative to soft tissue replacement in brachytherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genomic Medicine Without Borders: Which Strategies Should Developing Countries Employ to Invest in Precision Medicine? A New "Fast-Second Winner" Strategy.

PubMed

Mitropoulos, Konstantinos; Cooper, David N; Mitropoulou, Christina; Agathos, Spiros; Reichardt, Jürgen K V; Al-Maskari, Fatima; Chantratita, Wasun; Wonkam, Ambroise; Dandara, Collet; Katsila, Theodora; Lopez-Correa, Catalina; Ali, Bassam R; Patrinos, George P

2017-11-01

Genomic medicine has greatly matured in terms of its technical capabilities, but the diffusion of genomic innovations worldwide faces significant barriers beyond mere access to technology. New global development strategies are sorely needed for biotechnologies such as genomics and their applications toward precision medicine without borders. Moreover, diffusion of genomic medicine globally cannot adhere to a "one-size-fits-all-countries" development strategy, in the same way that drug treatments should be customized. This begs a timely, difficult but crucial question: How should developing countries, and the resource-limited regions of developed countries, invest in genomic medicine? Although a full-scale investment in infrastructure from discovery to the translational implementation of genomic science is ideal, this may not always be feasible in all countries at all times. A simple "transplantation of genomics" from developed to developing countries is unlikely to be feasible. Nor should developing countries be seen as simple recipients and beneficiaries of genomic medicine developed elsewhere because important advances in genomic medicine have materialized in developing countries as well. There are several noteworthy examples of genomic medicine success stories involving resource-limited settings that are contextualized and described in this global genomic medicine innovation analysis. In addition, we outline here a new long-term development strategy for global genomic medicine in a way that recognizes the individual country's pressing public health priorities and disease burdens. We term this approach the "Fast-Second Winner" model of innovation that supports innovation commencing not only "upstream" of discovery science but also "mid-stream," building on emerging highly promising biomarker and diagnostic candidates from the global science discovery pipeline, based on the unique needs of each country. A mid-stream entry into innovation can enhance collective

Emergency medicine clerkship curriculum in a high-income developing country: methods for development and application.

PubMed

Cevik, Arif Alper; Cakal, Elif Dilek; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

2018-06-07

The published recommendations for international emergency medicine curricula cover the content, but exclude teaching and learning methods, assessment, and evaluation. We aim to provide an overview on available emergency medicine clerkship curricula and report the development and application experience of our own curriculum. Our curriculum is an outcome-based education, enriched by e-learning and various up-to-date pedagogic principles. Teaching and learning methods, assessment, and evaluation are described. The theory behind our practice in the light of recent literature is discussed aiming to help other colleagues from developing countries to have a clear map for developing and tailoring their own curricula depending on their needs. The details of our emergency medicine clerkship will serve as an example for developing and developed countries having immature undergraduate emergency medicine clerkship curricula. However, these recommendations will differ in various settings depending on available resources. The main concept of curriculum development is to create a curriculum having learning outcomes and content relevant to the local context, and then align the teaching and learning activities, assessments, and evaluations to be in harmony. This may assure favorable educational outcome even in resource limited settings.

Job-sharing in nuclear medicine: an 8-year experience (1998-2006).

PubMed

Als, Claudine; Brautigam, Peter

2006-01-01

Job-sharing is generally defined as a situation in which a single professional position is held in common by two separate individuals, who alternatively, on a timely basis, deal with the workload and the responsibilities. The aim of the present paper is to discuss prerequisites and characteristics of job-sharing by medical doctors and implications in a department of nuclear medicine. Job-sharing facilitates the combination of family life with professional occupation and prevents burnout. The time schedule applied by job-sharers is relevant: will both partners work for half-days, half-weeks, or rather alternatively during one to two consecutive weeks? This crucial choice, depending on personal as well as on professional circumstances, certainly influences the workflow of the department.

Development and promotion in translational medicine: perspectives from 2012 sino-american symposium on clinical and translational medicine

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Clinical translational medicine (CTM) is an emerging area comprising multidisciplinary research from basic science to medical applications and entails a close collaboration among hospital, academia and industry. Findings This Session focused discussing on new models for project development and promotion in translational medicine. The conference stimulated the scientific and commercial communication of project development between academies and companies, shared the advanced knowledge and expertise of clinical applications, and created the environment for collaborations. Conclusions Although strategic collaborations between corporate and academic institutions have resulted in a state of resurgence in the market, new cooperation models still need time to tell whether they will improve the translational medicine process. PMID:23369198

Key informants’ perspectives on development of family medicine training programs in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Gossa, Weyinshet; Wondimagegn, Dawit; Mekonnen, Demeke; Eshetu, Wondwossen; Abebe, Zerihun; Fetters, Michael D

2016-01-01

As a very low-income country, Ethiopia faces significant development challenges, though there is great aspiration to dramatically improve health care in the country. Family medicine has recently been recognized through national policy as one potential contributor in addressing Ethiopia’s health care challenges. Family medicine is a new specialty in Ethiopia emerging in the context of family medicine development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Addis Ababa University family medicine residency program started in 2013 and is the first and the only family medicine program in the country as of March 2016. Stakeholders on the ground feel that family medicine is off to a good start and have great enthusiasm and optimism for its success. While the Ministry of Health has a vision for the development of family medicine and a plan for rapid upscaling of family medicine across the country, significant challenges remain. Continuing discussion about the potential roles of family medicine specialists in Ethiopia and policy-level strategic planning to place family medicine at the core of primary health care delivery in the country is needed. In addition, the health care-tier system needs to be restructured to include the family medicine specialists along with appropriately equipped health care facilities for training and practice. Key stakeholders are optimistic that family medicine expansion can be successful in Ethiopia through a coordinated effort by the Ministry of Health and collaboration between institutions within the country, other Sub-Saharan African countries, and international partners supportive of establishing family medicine in Ethiopia. PMID:27175100

An overview of radioactive waste disposal procedures of a nuclear medicine department

PubMed Central

Ravichandran, R.; Binukumar, J. P.; Sreeram, Rajan; Arunkumar, L. S.

2011-01-01

Radioactive wastes from hospitals form one of the various types of urban wastes, which are managed in developed countries in a safe and organized way. In countries where growth of nuclear medicine services are envisaged, implementations of existing regulatory policies and guidelines in hospitals in terms of handling of radioactive materials used in the treatment of patients need a good model. To address this issue, a brief description of the methods is presented. A designed prototype waste storage trolley is found to be of great help in decaying the I-131 solid wastes from wards before releasing to waste treatment plant of the city. Two delay tanks with collection time of about 2 months and delay time of 2 months alternately result in 6 releases of urine toilet effluents to the sewage treatment plant (STP) of the hospital annually. Samples of effluents collected at releasing time documented radioactive releases of I-131 much below recommended levels of bi-monthly release. External counting of samples showed good statistical correlation with calculated values. An overview of safe procedures for radioactive waste disposal is presented. PMID:21731225

Healing a Sick World: Psychiatric Medicine and the Atomic Age.

PubMed

Zwigenberg, Ran

2018-01-01

The onset of nuclear warfare in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had far-reaching implications for the world of medicine. The study of the A-bomb and its implications led to the launching of new fields and avenues of research, most notably in genetics and radiation studies. Far less understood and under-studied was the impact of nuclear research on psychiatric medicine. Psychological research, however, was a major focus of post-war military and civilian research into the bomb. This research and the perceived revolutionary impact of atomic energy and warfare on society, this paper argues, played an important role in the global development of post-war psychiatry. Focusing on psychiatrists in North America, Japan and the United Nations, this paper examines the reaction of the profession to the nuclear age from the early post-war period to the mid 1960s. The way psychiatric medicine related to atomic issues, I argue, shifted significantly between the immediate post-war period and the 1960s. While the early post-war psychiatrists sought to help society deal with and adjust to the new nuclear reality, later psychiatrists moved towards a more radical position that sought to resist the establishment's efforts to normalise the bomb and nuclear energy. This shift had important consequences for research into the psychological trauma suffered by victims of nuclear warfare, which, ultimately, together with other research into the impact of war and systematic violence, led to our current understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Final Report for "Boron and Tin in Nuclear Medicien: The Development of Reactive Solid-State Reagents for PET and SPECT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George W. Kabalka

The research program was directed at the use of functionalized organometallic reagents that would rapidly react with radiolabeled agents generated by a medical cyclotron or reactor. The radioisotopes included fluorine-18, oxgygen-15, nitrogen-13, carbon-11 and iodine-123; all short lived nuclides of importantce in nuclear medicine imaging studies utilizing emission tomography techniques. The early studies led to the development of extensive new isotope incorporation chemistry. These studies validated the feasibility of using reactive intermediates, such as the organoboranes, and acted as a catalyst for others to investigate organometallic agents based on mercury, tin, and silicon. A large number of radiolabeling techniques andmore » radiopharmaceuticals were developed. These included agents for use in oncology, neurology, and metabolism. The research resulted in the generation of one hundred and one journal articles, eighty seven refereed published abstracts and forty one invited lectures. Thirteen postdoctoral students, fourteen graduate students, and twenty eight undergraduate students were trained in the scientific aspects of nuclear medicine imaging under the asupices of this grant.« less

Nuclear migration events throughout development

PubMed Central

Bone, Courtney R.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Moving the nucleus to a specific position within the cell is an important event during many cell and developmental processes. Several different molecular mechanisms exist to position nuclei in various cell types. In this Commentary, we review the recent progress made in elucidating mechanisms of nuclear migration in a variety of important developmental models. Genetic approaches to identify mutations that disrupt nuclear migration in yeast, filamentous fungi, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and plants led to the identification of microtubule motors, as well as Sad1p, UNC-84 (SUN) domain and Klarsicht, ANC-1, Syne homology (KASH) domain proteins (LINC complex) that function to connect nuclei to the cytoskeleton. We focus on how these proteins and various mechanisms move nuclei during vertebrate development, including processes related to wound healing of fibroblasts, fertilization, developing myotubes and the developing central nervous system. We also describe how nuclear migration is involved in cells that migrate through constricted spaces. On the basis of these findings, it is becoming increasingly clear that defects in nuclear positioning are associated with human diseases, syndromes and disorders. PMID:27182060

Integrating workplace exposure databases for occupational medicine services and epidemiologic studies at a former nuclear weapons facility.

PubMed

Ruttenber, A J; McCrea, J S; Wade, T D; Schonbeck, M F; LaMontagne, A D; Van Dyke, M V; Martyny, J W

2001-02-01

We outline methods for integrating epidemiologic and industrial hygiene data systems for the purpose of exposure estimation, exposure surveillance, worker notification, and occupational medicine practice. We present examples of these methods from our work at the Rocky Flats Plant--a former nuclear weapons facility that fabricated plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons and is now being decontaminated and decommissioned. The weapons production processes exposed workers to plutonium, gamma photons, neutrons, beryllium, asbestos, and several hazardous chemical agents, including chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. We developed a job exposure matrix (JEM) for estimating exposures to 10 chemical agents in 20 buildings for 120 different job categories over a production history spanning 34 years. With the JEM, we estimated lifetime chemical exposures for about 12,000 of the 16,000 former production workers. We show how the JEM database is used to estimate cumulative exposures over different time periods for epidemiological studies and to provide notification and determine eligibility for a medical screening program developed for former workers. We designed an industrial hygiene data system for maintaining exposure data for current cleanup workers. We describe how this system can be used for exposure surveillance and linked with the JEM and databases on radiation doses to develop lifetime exposure histories and to determine appropriate medical monitoring tests for current cleanup workers. We also present time-line-based graphical methods for reviewing and correcting exposure estimates and reporting them to individual workers.

Evaluative studies in nuclear medicine research: positron computed tomography assessment. Final report, January 1, 1982-December 31, 1982

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Potchen, E.J.; Harris, G.I.; Gift, D.A. Reinhard, D.K.

Results are reported of the final phase of the study effort generally titled Evaluative Studies in Nuclear Medicine Research. The previous work is reviewed and extended to an assessment providing perspectives on medical applications of positron emission tomographic (PET) systems, their technological context, and the related economic and marketing environment. Methodologies developed and used in earlier phases of the study were continued, but specifically extended to include solicitation of opinion from commercial organizations deemed to be potential developers, manufacturers and marketers of PET systems. Several factors which influence the demand for clinical uses of PET are evaluated and discussed. Themore » recent Federal funding of applied research with PET systems is found to be a necessary and encouraging event toward a determination that PET either is a powerful research tool limited to research, or whether it also presents major clinical utility. A comprehensive, updated bibliography of current literature related to the development, applications and economic considerations of PET technology is appended.« less

The development of nuclear energy in the Philippines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aleta, C.

1992-01-01

The paper traces the development of nuclear energy in the Philippines and outlines the program on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the country as well as the problems and prospects of nuclear energy development. Nuclear power is at a standstill but the other areas of nuclear energy development are underway. The projects on the application of nuclear energy in agriculture, industry, public health and safety, are being pursued. Technology transfer to end users is sometimes hampered by public acceptance issues, such as irradiated food being believed to become radioactive, dislike with anything associated with radiation, and plain inherentmore » fear of nuclear energy.« less

Development of emergency medicine as academic and distinct clinical discipline in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

PubMed

Salihefendic, Nizama; Zildzic, Muharem; Masic, Izet; Hadziahmetovic, Zoran; Vasic, Dusko

2011-01-01

Emergency medicine is a new academic discipline, as well as a recent independent clinical specialization with the specific principles of practice, education and research. It is also a very important segment of the overall health care and health system. Emergency medicine as a distinct specialty was introduced in the U.S. in 1970. Ten years later and relatively quickly emergency medicine was introduced in the health system in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a specialty with a special education program for specialist and a final exam. Compare the development of emergency medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the trends of development of this discipline in the world as a specialization and an academic discipline. Identify specific problems and possible solutions and learn lessons from other countries. Reviewed are the literature data on the development of emergency medicine in the world, programs of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, the organizational scheme of emergency centers and residency. This is then compared with data of the current status of emergency medicine as an academic discipline and a recognized specialization, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are substantial differences in the development of emergency medicine in the United States, European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina relatively early recognized specialty of emergency medicine in academia, it failed to mach the academic progress with the practical implementation. A&E departments in the Community Health Centers failed to meet the desired objectives even though they were led by specialists in emergency medicine. The main reason being the lack of space and equipment as well as staff needed to meet set standards of good clinical practice, education and research. Furthermore the Curriculum of undergraduate education and specialization does not match modern concept of educational programs that meet the principles set out in emergency medicine and learning through

The Development of French Nuclear Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

4.1 a rc I -MM RON -- .’-.U . . tn L) L- _*z T M - N EppCV :c 4:-ea THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH NUCLEAR FORCES SMEEC TEV46 P 1 9 1988 Martin J. Wisda...TABLES 1. Transformation of the French Nuclear Force ..... . 100 2. Characteristics of French Nucleac Weapons . . .. 01 3. French Defense Expenditures...pap-er is to examine how and why the French undertook the development of their own nuclear force and through this examination, argue that the French

Midi-maxi computer interaction in the interpretation of nuclear medicine procedures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlapper, G.A.

1977-01-01

A study of renal function with an Anger Gamma Camera coupled with a Digital Equipment Corporation Gamma-11 System and an IBM System 370 demonstrates the potential of quantitative determinations of physiological function through the application of midi-maxi computer interaction in the interpretation of nuclear medicine procedures. It is shown that radiotracers can provide an opportunity to assess physiological processes of renal function by noninvasively following the path of a tracer as a function of time. Time-activity relationships obtained over seven anatomically defined regions are related to parameters of a seven compartment model employed to describe the renal clearance process. Themore » values obtained for clinically significant parameters agree with known renal pathophysiology. Differentiation of failure of acute, chronic, and obstructive forms is indicated.« less

Preliminary investigations of active pixel sensors in Nuclear Medicine imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Robert; Evans, Noel; Evans, Phil; Osmond, J.; Clark, A.; Turchetta, R.

2009-06-01

Three CMOS active pixel sensors have been investigated for their application to Nuclear Medicine imaging. Startracker with 525×525 25 μm square pixels has been coupled via a fibre optic stud to a 2 mm thick segmented CsI(Tl) crystal. Imaging tests were performed using 99mTc sources, which emit 140 keV gamma rays. The system was interfaced to a PC via FPGA-based DAQ and optical link enabling imaging rates of 10 f/s. System noise was measured to be >100e and it was shown that the majority of this noise was fixed pattern in nature. The intrinsic spatial resolution was measured to be ˜80 μm and the system spatial resolution measured with a slit was ˜450 μm. The second sensor, On Pixel Intelligent CMOS (OPIC), had 64×72 40 μm pixels and was used to evaluate noise characteristics and to develop a method of differentiation between fixed pattern and statistical noise. The third sensor, Vanilla, had 520×520 25 μm pixels and a measured system noise of ˜25e. This sensor was coupled directly to the segmented phosphor. Imaging results show that even at this lower level of noise the signal from 140 keV gamma rays is small as the light from the phosphor is spread over a large number of pixels. Suggestions for the 'ideal' sensor are made.

Treatment of donor cell/embryo with different approaches to improve development after nuclear transfer.

PubMed

Mizutani, Eiji; Wakayama, Sayaka; Wakayama, Teruhiko

2015-01-01

The successful production of cloned animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a promising technology with many potential applications in basic research, medicine, and agriculture. However, the low efficiency and the difficulty of cloning are major obstacles to the widespread use of this technology. Since the first mammal cloned from an adult donor cell was born, many attempts have been made to improve animal cloning techniques, and some approaches have successfully improved its efficiency. Nuclear transfer itself is still difficult because it requires an accomplished operator with a practiced technique. Thus, it is very important to find simple and reproducible methods for improving the success rate of SCNT. In this chapter, we will review our recent protocols, which seem to be the simplest and most reliable method to date to improve development of SCNT embryos.

History of the Development of Sleep Medicine in the United States

PubMed Central

Shepard, John W.; Buysse, Daniel J.; Chesson, Andrew L.; Dement, William C.; Goldberg, Rochelle; Guilleminault, Christian; Harris, Cameron D.; Iber, Conrad; Mignot, Emmanuel; Mitler, Merrill M.; Moore, Kent E.; Phillips, Barbara A.; Quan, Stuart F.; Rosenberg, Richard S.; Roth, Thomas; Schmidt, Helmut S.; Silber, Michael H.; Walsh, James K.; White, David P.

2008-01-01

Sleep Medicine has only recently been recognized as a specialty of medicine. Its development is based on an increasing amount of knowledge concerning the physiology of sleep, circadian biology and the pathophysiology of sleep disorders. This review chronicles the major advances in sleep science over the past 70 years and the development of the primary organizations responsible for the emergence of Sleep Medicine as a specialty, sleep disorders as a public health concern and sleep science as an important area of research. PMID:17561617

32nd National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium--medicinal chemistry developments for neurodegeneration, diabetes and cancer.

PubMed

Gater, Deborah

2010-08-01

The 32nd National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, held in Minneapolis, MN, USA, included topics covering new developments in the field of medicinal chemistry. This conference report highlights selected presentations on NR2B subtype-selective NMDA receptor antagonists from Merck; selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitors from Northwestern University; novel GPR119 agonists, suchas GSK-1292263A (GlaxoSmithKline plc), PSN-821 ((OSI) Prosidion) and MBX-2982 (Metabolex Inc); a small-molecule Bcl inhibitor,navitoclax (Abbott Laboratories); and p53-targeting agents from sanofi-aventis and Ascenta Therapeutics Inc, including AT-219.

[Patient safety and errors in medicine: development, prevention and analyses of incidents].

PubMed

Rall, M; Manser, T; Guggenberger, H; Gaba, D M; Unertl, K

2001-06-01

"Patient safety" and "errors in medicine" are issues gaining more and more prominence in the eyes of the public. According to newer studies, errors in medicine are among the ten major causes of death in association with the whole area of health care. A new era has begun incorporating attention to a "systems" approach to deal with errors and their causes in the health system. In other high-risk domains with a high demand for safety (such as the nuclear power industry and aviation) many strategies to enhance safety have been established. It is time to study these strategies, to adapt them if necessary and apply them to the field of medicine. These strategies include: to teach people how errors evolve in complex working domains and how types of errors are classified; the introduction of critical incident reporting systems that are free of negative consequences for the reporters; the promotion of continuous medical education; and the development of generic problem-solving skills incorporating the extensive use of realistic simulators wherever possible. Interestingly, the field of anesthesiology--within which realistic simulators were developed--is referred to as a model for the new patient safety movement. Despite this proud track record in recent times though, there is still much to be done even in the field of anesthesiology. Overall though, the most important strategy towards a long-term improvement in patient safety will be a change of "culture" throughout the entire health care system. The "culture of blame" focused on individuals should be replaced by a "safety culture", that sees errors and critical incidents as a problem of the whole organization. The acceptance of human fallability and an open-minded non-punitive analysis of errors in the sense of a "preventive and proactive safety culture" should lead to solutions at the systemic level. This change in culture can only be achieved with a strong commitment from the highest levels of an organization. Patient

[Patented technology status quo and development trend for Chinese herbal medicines].

PubMed

Li, Chang; Huang, Luqi

2009-06-01

Patent technology is regarded as technological trends under the market economy condition. The case showed the information form patent literature can be widely used in technology or economy. In this study, we analyzed the patent technology status quo and development trend for Chinese herbal medicines based on China patent database. The patent technology status quo is divided from the technology of biotechnology, quality control, cultivation and herb processing on Chinese herbal medicines. Furthermore, some recommendations of technology development and advices on patent protection for Chinese herbal medicines were suggested.

Five Weekend National Family Medicine Fellowship. Program for faculty development.

PubMed

Talbot, Y; Batty, H; Rosser, W W

1997-12-01

PROBLEM ADDRESSEDMany faculty development programs are thought time-consuming and inaccessible to academic family physicians or physicians wanting to move into academic positions. This is largely due to difficulty in leaving their practices for extended periods. Canadian family medicine needs trained leaders who can work in teams and are well grounded in the principles of their discipline as they relate to education, management, research, and policy making.OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAMTo develop a team of leaders in family medicine.MAIN COMPONENTS OF PROGRAMThe Five Weekend National Family Medicine Fellowship Program focuses on the essentials of education, management, communication, critical appraisal skills, and the principles of family medicine to develop leadership and team-building skills for faculty and community-based family physicians entering academic careers. This unique 1-year program combines intensive weekend seminars with small-group projects between weekends. It emphasizes a broader set of skills than just teaching, has regional representation, and focuses on leadership and teamwork using a time-efficient format.CONCLUSIONThe program has graduated 34 Fellows over the last 3 years. More than 90% of the 35 projects developed through course work have been presented in national or provincial peer-reviewed settings. Quantitative ratings of program structure, course content, and course outcomes have been positive.

Historical patterns in the types of procedures performed and radiation safety practices used in nuclear medicine from 1945–2009

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, Miriam E.; Drozdovitch, Vladimir; Doody, Michele M.; Lim, Hyeyeun; Bolus, Norman E.; Simon, Steven L.; Alexander, Bruce H.; Kitahara, Cari M.

2016-01-01

We evaluated historical patterns in the types of procedures performed in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine and the associated radiation safety practices used from 1945–2009 in a sample of U.S. radiologic technologists. In 2013–2014, 4,406 participants from the U.S. Radiologic Technologists (USRT) Study who previously reported working with medical radionuclides completed a detailed survey inquiring about the performance of 23 diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclide procedures and the use of radiation safety practices when performing radionuclide procedure-related tasks during five time periods: 1945–1964, 1965–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, and 2000–2009. We observed an overall increase in the proportion of technologists who performed specific diagnostic or therapeutic procedures across the five time periods. Between 1945–1964 and 2000–2009, the median frequency of diagnostic procedures performed substantially increased (5 per week to 30 per week), attributable mainly to an increasing frequency of cardiac and non-brain PET scans, while the median frequency of therapeutic procedures performed modestly decreased (from 4 per month to 3 per month). We also observed a notable increase in the use of most radiation safety practices from 1945–1964 to 2000–2009 (e.g., use of lead-shielded vials during diagnostic radiopharmaceutical preparation increased from 56 to 96%), although lead apron use dramatically decreased (e.g., during diagnostic imaging procedures, from 81 to 7%). These data describe historical practices in nuclear medicine and can be used to support studies of health risks in nuclear medicine technologists. PMID:27218293

Development of nanosensors in nuclear technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Thamir A. A.

2017-01-01

Selectivity, sensitivity, and stability (three S parameters) are developed as a new range of sensor this provided instruments for harsh, radioactive waste polluted environment monitoring. Isotope effect is very effective for nuclear radiation sensors preparation.in this presentation are reviewed of the development of Nanosensors in nuclear technology, such as high temperature boron and its compounds with suitable physical and chemical features as sensitive element for temperature and nuclear sensor, Boron isotopes based semiconductor nanosensors and studies of the mechanism of the removal uranium from radioactive wastewater with graphene oxide (GO).

Healing a Sick World: Psychiatric Medicine and the Atomic Age

PubMed Central

Zwigenberg, Ran

2018-01-01

The onset of nuclear warfare in Hiroshima and Nagasaki had far-reaching implications for the world of medicine. The study of the A-bomb and its implications led to the launching of new fields and avenues of research, most notably in genetics and radiation studies. Far less understood and under-studied was the impact of nuclear research on psychiatric medicine. Psychological research, however, was a major focus of post-war military and civilian research into the bomb. This research and the perceived revolutionary impact of atomic energy and warfare on society, this paper argues, played an important role in the global development of post-war psychiatry. Focusing on psychiatrists in North America, Japan and the United Nations, this paper examines the reaction of the profession to the nuclear age from the early post-war period to the mid 1960s. The way psychiatric medicine related to atomic issues, I argue, shifted significantly between the immediate post-war period and the 1960s. While the early post-war psychiatrists sought to help society deal with and adjust to the new nuclear reality, later psychiatrists moved towards a more radical position that sought to resist the establishment’s efforts to normalise the bomb and nuclear energy. This shift had important consequences for research into the psychological trauma suffered by victims of nuclear warfare, which, ultimately, together with other research into the impact of war and systematic violence, led to our current understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PMID:29199929

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Affordable Development Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doughty, Glen E.; Gerrish, H. P.; Kenny, R. J.

2014-01-01

The development of nuclear power for space use in nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) systems will involve significant expenditures of funds and require major technology development efforts. The development effort must be economically viable yet sufficient to validate the systems designed. Efforts are underway within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Project (NCPS) to study what a viable program would entail. The study will produce an integrated schedule, cost estimate and technology development plan. This will include the evaluation of various options for test facilities, types of testing and use of the engine, components, and technology developed. A "Human Rating" approach will also be developed and factored into the schedule, budget and technology development approach.

Comparison of 4-Dimensional Computed Tomography Ventilation With Nuclear Medicine Ventilation-Perfusion Imaging: A Clinical Validation Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vinogradskiy, Yevgeniy, E-mail: yevgeniy.vinogradskiy@ucdenver.edu; Koo, Phillip J.; Castillo, Richard

Purpose: Four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) ventilation imaging provides lung function information for lung cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Before 4DCT-ventilation can be implemented clinically it needs to be validated against an established imaging modality. The purpose of this work was to compare 4DCT-ventilation to nuclear medicine ventilation, using clinically relevant global metrics and radiologist observations. Methods and Materials: Fifteen lung cancer patients with 16 sets of 4DCT and nuclear medicine ventilation-perfusion (VQ) images were used for the study. The VQ-ventilation images were acquired in planar mode using Tc-99m-labeled diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid aerosol inhalation. 4DCT data, spatial registration, and a density-change-based modelmore » were used to compute a 4DCT-based ventilation map for each patient. The percent ventilation was calculated in each lung and each lung third for both the 4DCT and VQ-ventilation scans. A nuclear medicine radiologist assessed the VQ and 4DCT scans for the presence of ventilation defects. The VQ and 4DCT-based images were compared using regional percent ventilation and radiologist clinical observations. Results: Individual patient examples demonstrate good qualitative agreement between the 4DCT and VQ-ventilation scans. The correlation coefficients were 0.68 and 0.45, using the percent ventilation in each individual lung and lung third, respectively. Using radiologist-noted presence of ventilation defects and receiver operating characteristic analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the 4DCT-ventilation were 90%, 64%, and 81%, respectively. Conclusions: The current work compared 4DCT with VQ-based ventilation using clinically relevant global metrics and radiologist observations. We found good agreement between the radiologist's assessment of the 4DCT and VQ-ventilation images as well as the percent ventilation in each lung. The agreement lessened when the data were

[Directions for future development of preventive medicine in Korea].

PubMed

Kim, Joon Youn

2006-05-01

It is the actual state of the medical society in our country that many graduates of medical schools want to be clinicians, and accordingly Korea's medical situation is relatively too focused on curative medicine. However, this situation is changing due to several factors including a growing number of doctors, inappropriate regulations for medical fees, changes in social status of doctors themselves, and excessive competition between doctors. Furthermore, we expect more advances in medical field of Korea since Korean government started to attach great importance to sciences and produced policies to support sciences, and as a result, more and more interest and effort in the fields of basic research including preventive medicine is being attached especially by young doctors as compared against the past. However, decline of clinical medicine fields doesn't always mean bright future for the field of preventive medicine. True future is possible and meaningful only when we prepare for it by ourselves. In other words, as the promising future is closed to one who spares no effort, we shouldn't fear to oppose unknown challenges and simultaneously need to support colleagues who bear such a positive mind. It is the most important thing for our preventive medicine doctors to evaluate the past and the present of preventive medicine and to foster a prospective mind to prepare for the future of preventive medicine. I set forth my several views according to directions for the development of preventive medicine which we already discussed and publicized in the academic circle of preventive medicine. Those directions are recommen dation of clinical preventive medicine, promotion of preventive medicine specialty, fostering the next generations, improving the quality of genetic epidemiologic study, participation in control of environmental pollution and food safety, contribution to chronic disease control, and preparation to role in medical services for unified Korea.

Developing the evidentiary basis for family medicine in the global context

PubMed Central

Ponka, David; Rouleau, Katherine; Arya, Neil; Redwood-Campbell, Lynda; Woollard, Robert; Siedlecki, Basia; Dunikowski, Lynn

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective To provide an overview of the main methodologic challenges to finding definitive evidence of the positive effects of family medicine and family medicine training on a global scale. Composition of the committee In 2012, 2013, and 2014, the College of Family Physicians of Canada hosted the Besrour Conferences to reflect on its role in advancing the discipline of family medicine globally. The Besrour Papers Working Group, which was struck at the 2013 conference, was tasked with developing a series of papers to highlight the key issues, lessons learned, and outcomes emerging from the various activities of the Besrour collaboration. The working group comprised members of various academic departments of family medicine in Canada and abroad who attended the conferences. Methods We performed a scoping review to determine the methodologic obstacles to understanding the positive effects of family medicine globally. Report The main obstacle to evaluating family medicine globally is that one of its core dimensions and assets is its local adaptability. Family medicine takes on very different roles in different health systems, making aggregation of data difficult. In many countries family medicine competes with other disciplines rather than performing a gatekeeping role. Further, most research that has been conducted thus far comes from industrialized contexts, and patient continuity and its benefits might not be achievable in the short term in developing countries when clinical demands are great. We must find frameworks to permit strengthening the evidentiary basis of the discipline across different contexts without sacrificing its beneficial adaptability. Conclusion We believe that developing family medicine and its attributes is one of the keys to achieving global health. These attributes—including its comprehensiveness, adaptability, and attention to both local and patient needs—are key to advancing global health priorities, but make common evaluative

A New Look to Nuclear Data

DOE PAGES

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

2017-03-30

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

A New Look to Nuclear Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kentis, Samantha E.; Ulicny, William D.

2009-08-01

Over the course of the 2009 Federal Fiscal Year the United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Energy (DOE), is continuing existing programs and introducing new programs designed to maintain a highly qualified, enduring workforce capable of performing the technical nuclear forensics mission. These student and university programs are designed to recruit the best and brightest students, develop university faculty and research capabilities, and engage the national laboratories in fields of study with application in nuclear forensics. This comprehensive effort constitutes the National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program.

Technological advances in precision medicine and drug development.

PubMed

Maggi, Elaine; Patterson, Nicole E; Montagna, Cristina

New technologies are rapidly becoming available to expand the arsenal of tools accessible for precision medicine and to support the development of new therapeutics. Advances in liquid biopsies, which analyze cells, DNA, RNA, proteins, or vesicles isolated from the blood, have gained particular interest for their uses in acquiring information reflecting the biology of tumors and metastatic tissues. Through advancements in DNA sequencing that have merged unprecedented accuracy with affordable cost, personalized treatments based on genetic variations are becoming a real possibility. Extraordinary progress has been achieved in the development of biological therapies aimed to even further advance personalized treatments. We provide a summary of current and future applications of blood based liquid biopsies and how new technologies are utilized for the development of biological therapeutic treatments. We discuss current and future sequencing methods with an emphasis on how technological advances will support the progress in the field of precision medicine.

Recent developments of 2-aminothiazoles in medicinal chemistry.

PubMed

Das, Debasis; Sikdar, Papiya; Bairagi, Moumita

2016-02-15

The 2-aminothiazole (2-AT) core is an active pharmacophore and used in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery research. A number of drugs with 2-AT core are in the market, e.g. Famotidine, Cefdinir, Meloxcam etc. Recently, 2-AT core has been explored for many more important therapeutic areas and identified new 2-aminothiazoles with anticancer, antitumor, antidiebatic and anticonvulsant activity. In this review, we discuss the newly identified and developed 2-aminothiazoles in recent years and their use in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Worldwide Report, Nuclear Development and Proliferation

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-07-02

delegate welcomed the inclusion of a new item-disarmament and development -on the commission’s agenda. Miss Kunadi said the catalytic effects of arms...249199 JPRS-TND-84-016 2 July 1984 — """ , f L ~ tibiae iel<M99; Worldwide Report NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT AND PROLIFERATION mom m FBIS...Arlington, Virginia 22201. JPRS-TND-84- ■016 2 July 1984 WORLDWIDE REPORT NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT AND PROLIFERATION CONTENTS ASIA PEOPLE ’S REPUBLIC OF

Development of Curricula for Nuclear Radiation Protection, Nuclear Instrumentation, and Nuclear Materials Processing Technologies. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Daniel M.

A study was conducted to assist two-year postsecondary educational institutions in providing technical specialty courses for preparing nuclear technicians. As a result of project activities, curricula have been developed for five categories of nuclear technicians and operators: (1) radiation protection technician, (2) nuclear instrumentation and…

Nuclear science outreach program for high school girls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foster, D.E.; Stone, C.A.

1996-12-31

The authors have developed a 2-week summer school on nuclear science for high school girls. This summer school is an outgrowth of a recent American Nuclear Society high school teachers workshop held at San Jose State University. Young scientists are introduced to concepts in nuclear science through a combination of lectures, laboratory experiments, literature research, and visits to local national laboratories and nuclear facilities. Lectures cover a range of topics, including radioactivity and radioactive decay, statistics, fission and fusion, nuclear medicine, and food irradiation. A variety of applications of nuclear science concepts are also presented.

MO-AB-207-00: ACR Update in MR, CT, Nuclear Medicine, and Mammography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

A goal of an imaging accreditation program is to ensure adequate image quality, verify appropriate staff qualifications, and to assure patient and personnel safety. Currently, more than 35,000 facilities in 10 modalities have been accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR), making the ACR program one of the most prolific accreditation options in the U.S. In addition, ACR is one of the accepted accreditations required by some state laws, CMS/MIPPA insurance and others. Familiarity with the ACR accreditation process is therefore essential to clinical diagnostic medical physicists. Maintaining sufficient knowledge of the ACR program must include keeping up-to-date asmore » the various modality requirements are refined to better serve the goals of the program and to accommodate newer technologies and practices. This session consists of presentations from authorities in four ACR accreditation modality programs, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, and mammography. Each speaker will discuss the general components of the modality program and address any recent changes to the requirements. Learning Objectives: To understand the requirements of the ACR MR Accreditation program. The discussion will include accreditation of whole-body general purpose magnets, dedicated extremity systems well as breast MRI accreditation. Anticipated updates to the ACR MRI Quality Control Manual will also be reviewed. To understand the requirements of the ACR CT accreditation program, including updates to the QC manual as well as updates through the FAQ process. To understand the requirements of the ACR nuclear medicine accreditation program, and the role of the physicist in annual equipment surveys and the set up and supervision of the routine QC program. To understand the current ACR MAP Accreditation requirement and present the concepts and structure of the forthcoming ACR Digital Mammography QC Manual and Program.« less

Affordable Development of a Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, M. G.; Borowski, S. K.; George, J. A.; Kim, T.; Emrich, W. J.; Hickman, R. R.; Broadway, J. W.; Gerrish, H. P.; Adams, R. B.

2012-01-01

The fundamental capability of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) is game changing for space exploration. A first generation Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) based on NTP could provide high thrust at a specific impulse above 900 s, roughly double that of state of the art chemical engines. The foundation provided by development and utilization of a NCPS could enable development of extremely high performance systems. The role of the NCPS in the development of advanced nuclear propulsion systems could be analogous to the role of the DC-3 in the development of advanced aviation. Progress made under the NCPS project could help enable both advanced NTP and advanced Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP).

RadNuc: A graphical user interface to deliver dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine with a 137Cs irradiator

PubMed Central

Pasternack, Jordan B.; Howell, Roger W.

2012-01-01

The temporal variations in absorbed dose rates to organs and tissues in the body are very large in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. The response of biological endpoints of relevance to radiation safety and therapeutic efficacy are generally modulated by dose rate. Therefore, it is important to understand how the complex dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine impact relevant biological responses. Accordingly, a graphical user interface (GUI) was created to control a cesium-137 irradiator to deliver such dose rate patterns. Methods Visual Basic 6.0 was used to create a user-friendly GUI to control the dose rate by varying the thickness of a mercury attenuator. The GUI facilitates the delivery of a number of dose rate patterns including constant, exponential increase or decrease, and multi-component exponential. Extensive visual feedback is provided by the GUI during both the planning and delivery stages. Results The GUI controlled irradiator can achieve a maximum dose rate of 40 cGy/hr and a minimum dose rate of 0.01 cGy/hr. Addition of machined lead blocks can be used to further reduce the minimum dose rate to 0.0001 cGy/hr. Measured dose rate patterns differed from programmed dose rate patterns in total dose by 3.2% to 8.4%. Conclusion The GUI controlled irradiator is able to accurately create dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine and other related fields. This makes it an invaluable tool for studying the effects of chronic constant and variable low dose rates on biological tissues in the contexts of both radiation protection and clinical administration of internal radionuclides. PMID:23265668

RadNuc: a graphical user interface to deliver dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine with a 137Cs irradiator.

PubMed

Pasternack, Jordan B; Howell, Roger W

2013-02-01

The temporal variations in absorbed dose rates to organs and tissues in the body are very large in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. The response of biological endpoints of relevance to radiation safety and therapeutic efficacy is generally modulated by dose rate. Therefore, it is important to understand how the complex dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine impact relevant biological responses. Accordingly, a graphical user interface (GUI) was created to control a cesium-137 irradiator to deliver such dose rate patterns. Visual Basic 6.0 was used to create a user-friendly GUI to control the dose rate by varying the thickness of a mercury attenuator. The GUI facilitates the delivery of a number of dose rate patterns including constant, exponential increase or decrease, and multi-component exponential. Extensive visual feedback is provided by the GUI during both the planning and delivery stages. The GUI controlled irradiator can achieve a maximum dose rate of 40 cGy/h and a minimum dose rate of 0.01 cGy/h. Addition of machined lead blocks can be used to further reduce the minimum dose rate to 0.0001 cGy/h. Measured dose rate patterns differed from programmed dose rate patterns in total dose by 3.2% to 8.4%. The GUI controlled irradiator is able to accurately create dose rate patterns encountered in nuclear medicine and other related fields. This makes it an invaluable tool for studying the effects of chronic constant and variable low dose rates on biological tissues in the contexts of both radiation protection and clinical administration of internal radionuclides. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NIH/NIAID Radiation/Nuclear Medical Countermeasures Development Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-15

NIH/NIAID Radiation/Nuclear Medical Countermeasures Development Program Bert W. Maidment, Ph.D. Associate Director for Product Development Division...REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2011 to 00-00-2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE NIH/NIAID Radiation/Nuclear Medical Countermeasures Development...unclassified c. THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 NIAID Radiation/Nuclear Medical Countermeasures

Development and validation of a questionnaire for evaluation of students' attitudes towards family medicine.

PubMed

Šter, Marija Petek; Švab, Igor; Klemenc-Ketiš, Zalika; Kersnik, Janko

2015-03-01

The development of the EURACT (European Academy of Teachers in General Practice) Educational Agenda helped many family medicine departments in development of clerkship and the aims and objectives of family medicine teaching. Our aims were to develop and validate a tool for assessment of students' attitudes towards family medicine and to evaluate the impact of the clerkship on students' attitudes regarding the competences of family doctor. In the pilot study, experienced family doctors were asked to describe their attitudes towards family medicine by using the Educational Agenda as a template for brainstorming. The statements were paraphrased and developed into a 164-items questionnaire, which was administered to 176 final-year students in academic year 2007/08. The third phase consisted of development of a final tool using statistical analysis, which resulted in the 60-items questionnaire in six domains which was used for the evaluation of students' attitudes. At the beginning of the clerkship, person-centred care and holistic approach scored lower than the other competences. Students' attitudes regarding the competences at the end of 7 weeks clerkship in family medicine were more positive, with exception of the competence regarding primary care management. The students who named family medicine as his or her future career choice, found holistic approach as more important than the students who did not name it as their future career. With the decision tree, which included students' attitudes to the competences of family medicine, we can successfully predict the future career choice in family medicine in 93.5% of the students. This study reports on the first attempt to develop a valid and reliable tool for measuring attitudes towards family medicine based on EURACT Educational Agenda. The questionnaire could be used for evaluating changes of students' attitudes in undergraduate curricula and for prediction of students' preferences regarding their future professional

Simulation of beta radiator handling procedures in nuclear medicine by means of a movable hand phantom.

PubMed

Blunck, Ch; Becker, F; Urban, M

2011-03-01

In nuclear medicine therapies, people working with beta radiators such as (90)Y may be exposed to non-negligible partial body doses. For radiation protection, it is important to know the characteristics of the radiation field and possible dose exposures at relevant positions in the working area. Besides extensive measurements, simulations can provide these data. For this purpose, a movable hand phantom for Monte Carlo simulations was developed. Specific beta radiator handling scenarios can be modelled interactively with forward kinematics or automatically with an inverse kinematics procedure. As a first investigation, the dose distribution on a medical doctor's hand injecting a (90)Y solution was measured and simulated with the phantom. Modelling was done with the interactive method based on five consecutive frames from a video recorded during the injection. Owing to the use of only one camera, not each detail of the radiation scenario is visible in the video. In spite of systematic uncertainties, the measured and simulated dose values are in good agreement.

Implementation of a Flipped Classroom for Nuclear Medicine Physician CME.

PubMed

Komarraju, Aparna; Bartel, Twyla B; Dickinson, Lisa A; Grant, Frederick D; Yarbrough, Tracy L

2018-06-21

Increasingly, emerging technologies are expanding instructional possibilities, with new methods being adopted to improve knowledge acquisition and retention. Within medical education, many new techniques have been employed in the undergraduate setting, with less utilization thus far in the continuing medical education (CME) sphere. This paper discusses the use of a new method for CME-the "flipped classroom," widely used in undergraduate medical education. This method engages learners by providing content before the live ("in class") session that aids in preparation and fosters in-class engagement. A flipped classroom method was employed using an online image-rich case-based module and quiz prior to a live CME session at a national nuclear medicine meeting. The preparatory material provided a springboard for in-depth discussion at the live session-a case-based activity utilizing audience response technology. Study participants completed a survey regarding their initial experience with this new instructional method. In addition, focus group interviews were conducted with session attendees who had or had not completed the presession material; transcripts were qualitatively analyzed. Quantitative survey data (completed by two-thirds of the session attendees) suggested that the flipped method was highly valuable and met attendee educational objectives. Analysis of focus group data yielded six themes broadly related to two categories-benefits of the flipped method for CME and programmatic considerations for successfully implementing the flipped method in CME. Data from this study have proven encouraging and support further investigations around the incorporation of this innovative teaching method into CME for nuclear imaging specialists.

Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education

PubMed Central

Jani, Asim A.; Trask, Jennifer; Ali, Ather

2016-01-01

During 2012, the USDHHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration funded 12 accredited preventive medicine residencies to incorporate an evidence-based integrative medicine curriculum into their training programs. It also funded a national coordinating center at the American College of Preventive Medicine, known as the Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education (IMPriME) Center, to provide technical assistance to the 12 grantees. To help with this task, the IMPriME Center established a multidisciplinary steering committee, versed in integrative medicine, whose primary aim was to develop integrative medicine core competencies for incorporation into preventive medicine graduate medical education training. The competency development process was informed by central integrative medicine definitions and principles, preventive medicine’s dual role in clinical and population-based prevention, and the burgeoning evidence base of integrative medicine. The steering committee considered an interdisciplinary integrative medicine contextual framework guided by several themes related to workforce development and population health. A list of nine competencies, mapped to the six general domains of competence approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, was operationalized through an iterative exercise with the 12 grantees in a process that included mapping each site’s competency and curriculum products to the core competencies. The competencies, along with central curricular components informed by grantees’ work presented elsewhere in this supplement, are outlined as a roadmap for residency programs aiming to incorporate integrative medicine content into their curricula. This set of competencies adds to the larger efforts of the IMPriME initiative to facilitate and enhance further curriculum development and implementation by not only the current grantees but other stakeholders in graduate medical education around integrative medicine

Radionuclide development at BNL for nuclear medicine therapy.

PubMed

Mausner, L F; Kolsky, K L; Joshi, V; Srivastava, S C

1998-04-01

Radionuclides with medium energy beta emission and a several day half-life have often been viewed as attractive candidates for radioimmunotherapy. Among the most promising in this category are 47Sc, 67Cu, 153Sm, 188Re, and 199Au. The production of 67Cu, 153Sm, 199Au at BNL is summarized and the development of the latest candidate for this application, 47Sc, is described in detail. We also summarize the development of another important therapeutic radionuclide, 117mSn for bone pain palliation.

[Development of Plant Metabolomics and Medicinal Plant Genomics].

PubMed

Saito, Kazuki

2018-01-01

 A variety of chemicals produced by plants, often referred to as 'phytochemicals', have been used as medicines, food, fuels and industrial raw materials. Recent advances in the study of genomics and metabolomics in plant science have accelerated our understanding of the mechanisms, regulation and evolution of the biosynthesis of specialized plant products. We can now address such questions as how the metabolomic diversity of plants is originated at the levels of genome, and how we should apply this knowledge to drug discovery, industry and agriculture. Our research group has focused on metabolomics-based functional genomics over the last 15 years and we have developed a new research area called 'Phytochemical Genomics'. In this review, the development of a research platform for plant metabolomics is discussed first, to provide a better understanding of the chemical diversity of plants. Then, representative applications of metabolomics to functional genomics in a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, are described. The extension of integrated multi-omics analyses to non-model specialized plants, e.g., medicinal plants, is presented, including the identification of novel genes, metabolites and networks for the biosynthesis of flavonoids, alkaloids, sulfur-containing metabolites and terpenoids. Further, functional genomics studies on a variety of medicinal plants is presented. I also discuss future trends in pharmacognosy and related sciences.

Pediatric hospital medicine core competencies: development and methodology.

PubMed

Stucky, Erin R; Ottolini, Mary C; Maniscalco, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Pediatric hospital medicine is the most rapidly growing site-based pediatric specialty. There are over 2500 unique members in the three core societies in which pediatric hospitalists are members: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM). Pediatric hospitalists are fulfilling both clinical and system improvement roles within varied hospital systems. Defined expectations and competencies for pediatric hospitalists are needed. In 2005, SHM's Pediatric Core Curriculum Task Force initiated the project and formed the editorial board. Over the subsequent four years, multiple pediatric hospitalists belonging to the AAP, APA, or SHM contributed to the content of and guided the development of the project. Editors and collaborators created a framework for identifying appropriate competency content areas. Content experts from both within and outside of pediatric hospital medicine participated as contributors. A number of selected national organizations and societies provided valuable feedback on chapters. The final product was validated by formal review from the AAP, APA, and SHM. The Pediatric Hospital Medicine Core Competencies were created. They include 54 chapters divided into four sections: Common Clinical Diagnoses and Conditions, Core Skills, Specialized Clinical Services, and Healthcare Systems: Supporting and Advancing Child Health. Each chapter can be used independently of the others. Chapters follow the knowledge, skills, and attitudes educational curriculum format, and have an additional section on systems organization and improvement to reflect the pediatric hospitalist's responsibility to advance systems of care. These competencies provide a foundation for the creation of pediatric hospital medicine curricula and serve to standardize and improve inpatient training practices. (c) 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

[Developing traditional Chinese medicine injection is the need for curing sickness to save patients].

PubMed

He, Ping; Li, Feng-Jie; Li, Lian-da; Li, Yi-Kui

2017-03-01

Safety issues of traditional Chinese medicine injections has been heated debate. There are two diametrically opposed views: it should be used reasonable and developed healthily or be forbidden to use. Some people have many misunderstandings and prejudices about the safety of traditional Chinese medicine injections. Compared with western medicine,traditional Chinese medicine has its own particularity. Traditional Chinese medicine has complex components. Its research and clinical application is different from western medicine. Adverse reactions of traditional Chinese medicine injections are related to many factors,such as a large number of irrational use,blind use of traditional Chinese medicine injections and western medicine injections,counterfeit and substandard drugs,incorrect methods of intravenous infusion,toxicity of supplementary materials,drug ingredients. Developing traditional Chinese medicine injection is the need for curing sickness to save patients. The purposeful, targeted, organized and planned systematic research of traditional Chinese medicine injections should be strengthened,especially the safety of traditional Chinese medicine. Strengthen supervision and control of rational drug use.Strengthen the examination and approval,supervision and management of all aspects to ensure the safety of patients. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Radiation chemistry for modern nuclear energy development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmielewski, Andrzej G.; Szołucha, Monika M.

2016-07-01

Radiation chemistry plays a significant role in modern nuclear energy development. Pioneering research in nuclear science, for example the development of generation IV nuclear reactors, cannot be pursued without chemical solutions. Present issues related to light water reactors concern radiolysis of water in the primary circuit; long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel; radiation effects on cables and wire insulation, and on ion exchangers used for water purification; as well as the procedures of radioactive waste reprocessing and storage. Radiation effects on materials and enhanced corrosion are crucial in current (II/III/III+) and future (IV) generation reactors, and in waste management, deep geological disposal and spent fuel reprocessing. The new generation of reactors (III+ and IV) impose new challenges for radiation chemists due to their new conditions of operation and the usage of new types of coolant. In the case of the supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR), water chemistry control may be the key factor in preventing corrosion of reactor structural materials. This paper mainly focuses on radiation effects on long-term performance and safety in the development of nuclear power plants.

Development and utilization of the Medicines Use Review patient satisfaction questionnaire

PubMed Central

Hindi, Ali; Parkhurst, Caroline; Rashidi, Yasamin; Ho, Shun Yan; Patel, Nilesh; Donyai, Parastou

2017-01-01

The Medicines Use Review is a community pharmacy service funded in the United Kingdom to improve patients’ adherence to medication and reduce medicines waste. The objective was to develop, pilot, and utilize a new Medicines Use Review patient satisfaction questionnaire. A questionnaire for patient self-completion was developed using a published framework of patient satisfaction with the Medicines Use Review service. The questions were validated using the content validity index and the questionnaire piloted through three pharmacies (February–April 2016). The revised questionnaire contained 12 questions with responses on a 5-point Likert scale, and a comments box. The questionnaire was distributed to patients following a Medicines Use Review consultation via community pharmacies (June–October 2016). Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s α were performed to investigate the relationships between the items and to examine structural validity. The survey results were examined for patients’ reported satisfaction with Medicines Use Reviews, while the handwritten comments were thematically analyzed and mapped against the questionnaire items. An estimated 2,151 questionnaires were handed out, and a total of 505 responses were received indicating a 24% response rate. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors with a cumulative variance of 68.8%, and Cronbach’s α showed high internal consistency for each factor (α=0.90 and α=0.89, respectively). The survey results demonstrated that patients could show a high degree of overall satisfaction with the service, even if initially reluctant to take part in a Medicines Use Review. The results support the Medicines Use Review patient satisfaction questionnaire as a suitable tool for measuring patient satisfaction with the Medicines Use Review service. A wider study is needed to confirm the findings about this community pharmacy-based adherence service. PMID:29118573

Hyperthermal Environments Simulator for Nuclear Rocket Engine Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, Ron J.; Foote, John P.; Clifton, W. B.; Hickman, Robert R.; Wang, Ten-See; Dobson, Christopher C.

2011-01-01

An arc-heater driven hyperthermal convective environments simulator was recently developed and commissioned for long duration hot hydrogen exposure of nuclear thermal rocket materials. This newly established non-nuclear testing capability uses a high-power, multi-gas, wall-stabilized constricted arc-heater to produce hightemperature pressurized hydrogen flows representative of nuclear reactor core environments, excepting radiation effects, and is intended to serve as a low-cost facility for supporting non-nuclear developmental testing of hightemperature fissile fuels and structural materials. The resulting reactor environments simulator represents a valuable addition to the available inventory of non-nuclear test facilities and is uniquely capable of investigating and characterizing candidate fuel/structural materials, improving associated processing/fabrication techniques, and simulating reactor thermal hydraulics. This paper summarizes facility design and engineering development efforts and reports baseline operational characteristics as determined from a series of performance mapping and long duration capability demonstration tests. Potential follow-on developmental strategies are also suggested in view of the technical and policy challenges ahead. Keywords: Nuclear Rocket Engine, Reactor Environments, Non-Nuclear Testing, Fissile Fuel Development.

Faculty development activities in family medicine: in search of innovation.

PubMed

Lawrence, Elizabeth A; Oyama, Oliver N

2013-01-01

To describe the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) faculty development requirements, explore the range of faculty development activities and support currently used by family medicine residencies to meet these requirements, and describe one innovative approach to satisfy this need. An electronic survey of faculty development activities and support offered to faculty by residency programs was sent to a random sample of 40 medical school and community based family medicine residency programs across the United States. Data were examined using t-tests, Fisher's exact tests, and Analysis of Variance. Faculty development, beyond traditional clinical CME, was strongly encouraged or required by a large proportion of the sample (73%). Only 58% of programs reported having discussed the ACGME's faculty development component areas (clinical, educational, administrative, leadership, research, and behavioral). In each component area except the "clinical" area, the absence of discussing the ACGME component areas with residency faculty was associated with fewer faculty development activities and support being offered by the program. These results, although preliminary, suggest that family medicine residency programs may value and encourage faculty development. The majority of programs use traditional activities and strategies such as CME, faculty meetings, faculty conferences and workshops; and a smaller number of programs are exploring the utility of mentoring programs, faculty discussion groups, and technology based learning systems. The challenge is to develop faculty development activities tailored to individual program and faculty needs and resources.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Charles G.

2004-01-01

Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded in December 2003 to chemist Paul C. Lauterbur and physicist Peter Mansfield for the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a long overdue recognition of the huge impact MRI has had in medical diagnostics and research is mentioned. MRI was derived, and remains an extension of nuclear magnetic resonance…

Emerging trends and new developments in regenerative medicine: a scientometric update (2000 - 2014).

PubMed

Chen, Chaomei; Dubin, Rachael; Kim, Meen Chul

2014-09-01

Our previous scientometric review of regenerative medicine provides a snapshot of the fast-growing field up to the end of 2011. The new review identifies emerging trends and new developments appearing in the literature of regenerative medicine based on relevant articles and reviews published between 2000 and the first month of 2014. Multiple datasets of publications relevant to regenerative medicine are constructed through topic search and citation expansion to ensure adequate coverage of the field. Networks of co-cited references representing the literature of regenerative medicine are constructed and visualized based on a combined dataset of 71,393 articles published between 2000 and 2014. Structural and temporal dynamics are identified in terms of most active topical areas and cited references. New developments are identified in terms of newly emerged clusters and research areas. Disciplinary-level patterns are visualized in dual-map overlays. While research in induced pluripotent stem cells remains the most prominent area in the field of regenerative medicine, research related to clinical and therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine has experienced a considerable growth. In addition, clinical and therapeutic developments in regenerative medicine have demonstrated profound connections with the induced pluripotent stem cell research and stem cell research in general. A rapid adaptation of graphene-based nanomaterials in regenerative medicine is evident. Both basic research represented by stem cell research and application-oriented research typically found in tissue engineering are now increasingly integrated in the scientometric landscape of regenerative medicine. Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field in its own right. Advances in multiple disciplines such as stem cell research and graphene research have strengthened the connections between tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

[The development of the rehabilitation medicine concept in Israel (1948-1974)].

PubMed

Paran, Geula; Rozenberg-Friedman, Lilach; Ohry, Avi

2015-07-01

The field of physical medicine and rehabilitation in Israel was developed in different ways. Some services were developed as a part of comprehensive rehabilitation centers like the Loewenstein Hospital and others were developed as a part of specific disciplines, like the Polio-Rehabilitation Center at Assaf Harofeh hospital. Moreover, the various fields of rehabilitation medicine were developed at different rates. The origin of each stemmed from different circumstances. Sometimes they were developed with a direct connection to a national event and sometimes separately. Occasionally, the field was developed as a result of one person's initiation and others as a result of the establishment's recognition of the value and the essentiality of the field. This essay will focus, in a chronological manner, on the development of the medical rehabilitation fields, that took place in the two leading rehabilitation centers in Israel, the Loewenstein Hospital and at Tel Hashomer. These rehabilitation centers were established in Israel close to the establishment of the State of Israel and their activity will be discussed until 1974, the year in which the Israeli society had to deal with the results of the Yom Kippur war, which had drastic implications on rehabilitation medicine.

Developing a Nuclear Grade of Alloy 617 for Gen IV Nuclear Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ren, Weiju; Swindeman, Robert W; Santella, Michael L

2010-01-01

Alloy 617, an attractive material not particularly developed for nuclear use, is now being considered as a leading candidate alloy by several countries for applications in the Gen IV Nuclear Energy Systems. An extensive review of its existing data suggests that it would be beneficial to refine the alloy s specification to a nuclear grade for the intended Gen IV systems. In this paper, rationale for developing a nuclear grade of the alloy is first discussed through an analysis on existing data from various countries. Then initial experiments for refining the alloy specification are described. Preliminary results have suggested themore » feasibility of the refinement approach, as well as the possibility for achieving a desirable nuclear grade. Based on the results, further research activities are recommended.« less

A strategy for intensive production of molybdenum-99 isotopes for nuclear medicine using CANDU reactors.

PubMed

Morreale, A C; Novog, D R; Luxat, J C

2012-01-01

Technetium-99m is an important medical isotope utilized worldwide in nuclear medicine and is produced from the decay of its parent isotope, molybdenum-99. The online fueling capability and compact fuel of the CANDU(®)(1) reactor allows for the potential production of large quantities of (99)Mo. This paper proposes (99)Mo production strategies using modified target fuel bundles loaded into CANDU fuel channels. Using a small group of channels a yield of 89-113% of the weekly world demand for (99)Mo can be obtained. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges in developing medicinal plant databases for sharing ethnopharmacological knowledge.

PubMed

Ningthoujam, Sanjoy Singh; Talukdar, Anupam Das; Potsangbam, Kumar Singh; Choudhury, Manabendra Dutta

2012-05-07

Major research contributions in ethnopharmacology have generated vast amount of data associated with medicinal plants. Computerized databases facilitate data management and analysis making coherent information available to researchers, planners and other users. Web-based databases also facilitate knowledge transmission and feed the circle of information exchange between the ethnopharmacological studies and public audience. However, despite the development of many medicinal plant databases, a lack of uniformity is still discernible. Therefore, it calls for defining a common standard to achieve the common objectives of ethnopharmacology. The aim of the study is to review the diversity of approaches in storing ethnopharmacological information in databases and to provide some minimal standards for these databases. Survey for articles on medicinal plant databases was done on the Internet by using selective keywords. Grey literatures and printed materials were also searched for information. Listed resources were critically analyzed for their approaches in content type, focus area and software technology. Necessity for rapid incorporation of traditional knowledge by compiling primary data has been felt. While citation collection is common approach for information compilation, it could not fully assimilate local literatures which reflect traditional knowledge. Need for defining standards for systematic evaluation, checking quality and authenticity of the data is felt. Databases focussing on thematic areas, viz., traditional medicine system, regional aspect, disease and phytochemical information are analyzed. Issues pertaining to data standard, data linking and unique identification need to be addressed in addition to general issues like lack of update and sustainability. In the background of the present study, suggestions have been made on some minimum standards for development of medicinal plant database. In spite of variations in approaches, existence of many overlapping

Essential Medicine Utilization and Situation in Selected Ten Developing Countries: A Compendious Audit

PubMed Central

Haque, Mainul

2017-01-01

Medicine improves the quality of life and increases mean age of human beings as it fights against diseases. Accessibility to medicines is the fundamental right of every person. The principle of the essential medicines (EMs) is that a limited number of availability of medicine will promote to a better supply chain and rational prescribing to the rural and remote health centers for any developing countries. Furthermore, it was also expected that this concept will also ensure better procurement policy at lower costs, more in amount, with easier storage. Thereby, EMs will safeguard and improve distribution and dispensing of medicine. Correspondingly, motivational and dedicated training program regarding drug information and adverse drug reactions will boost up access to medicine and health-care. In addition, the selection of medicine from EM is the first step in the direction of the rational use of medicine and progress and ensuring the quality of health care. Thereafter, selection needs to be followed by appropriate use. Everyone should receive the right medicine, in an adequate dose for an adequate duration, with appropriate information and follow-up treatment, and at an affordable cost. The acceptance and implementation of World Health Organization-promoted EM policies in deferent countries have improved quality use of medicine in terms of accessibility and affordability, predominantly in developing countries. The corporations and teamwork among various participants of health care are instantly obligatory to progress equitable access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:28852629

Enabling Development of Paediatric Medicines in Europe: 10 Years of the EU Paediatric Regulation.

PubMed

Tomasi, Paolo A; Egger, Gunter F; Pallidis, Chrissi; Saint-Raymond, Agnes

2017-12-01

The year 2017 marks the tenth anniversary of entry into force of the Paediatric Regulation in the European Union (EU). This law aimed to stimulate the development of paediatric medicines and provide more information on their use, as a response to the lack of evidence and approval of medicines for children. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has had a central role in the implementation of the Regulation. Pharmaceutical companies need to submit a paediatric investigation plan (PIP) to the EMA's Paediatric Committee (PDCO) for every new medicine, unless an exemption (waiver) is granted. The plans, which describe the development of drugs for children, must be agreed well in advance of the request for marketing authorization of the medicine. Deferrals of studies can be granted to allow approval in adults before the completion of paediatric studies. Between January 2007 and December 2016, a total of 273 new medicines and 43 additional pharmaceutical forms appropriate for use in children were authorized in the EU, and 950 PIPs were agreed by the EMA. In addition, 486 waivers of the development of a medicine in one or more medical conditions were agreed. The Paediatric Regulation has had a very positive impact on paediatric drug development, as exemplified by a comparison of two periods of 3 years before and after entry into force of the Regulation. We conclude that the Regulation has resulted in more medicines for children and more information on the pediatric use of medicines in the EU being available to clinicians.

Developing precision medicine for people of East Asian descent.

PubMed

McAllister, Stacy L; Sun, Katherine; Gross, Eric R

2016-11-11

The goal of precision medicine is to separate patient populations into groups to ultimately provide customized care tailored to patients. In terms of precision medicine, ~540 million people in the world have a genetic variant of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) enzyme causing a flushing response and tachycardia after alcohol consumption. The genetic variant is identified as ALDH2*2 and originates from East Asian descendants of the Han Chinese. The variant is particularly important to consider when discussing lifestyle choices with patients in terms of risk for developing specific diseases, preventative screening, and selection of medications for treatment. Here we provide examples why patients with an ALDH2*2 variant need more individualized medical management which is becoming a more standard practice in the precision medicine era.

[EU law on marketing authorization of medicines. History, current state of development and perspectives].

PubMed

Nettesheim, Martin

2008-07-01

The article describes the development of EU policies and regulations on the marketing authorization of medicines. First, it describes the changing perspective of the EU towards the regulation of such authorizations. While its original focus was on the liberalization of national markets, it has today assumed overarching political responsibility for the development and marketing of medicines. Second, the article describes the current, rather fragmented regulatory system. Finally, political perspectives on the integration of markets for medicines are developed.

Dynamic CT for Parathyroid Adenoma Detection: How Does Radiation Dose Compare With Nuclear Medicine?

PubMed

Czarnecki, Caroline A; Einsiedel, Paul F; Phal, Pramit M; Miller, Julie A; Lichtenstein, Meir; Stella, Damien L

2018-05-01

Dynamic CT is increasingly used for preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas, but concerns remain about the radiation effective dose of CT compared with that of 99m Tc-sestamibi scintigraphy. The purpose of this study was to compare the radiation dose delivered by three-phase dynamic CT with that delivered by 99m Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT performed in accordance with our current protocols and to assess the possible reduction in effective dose achieved by decreasing the scan length (i.e., z-axis) of two phases of the dynamic CT protocol. The effective dose of a 99m Tc-sestamibi nuclear medicine parathyroid study performed with and without coregistration CT was calculated and compared with the effective dose of our current three-phase dynamic CT protocol as well as a proposed protocol involving CT with reduced scan length. The median effective dose for a 99m Tc-sestamibi nuclear medicine study was 5.6 mSv. This increased to 12.4 mSv with the addition of coregistration CT, which is higher than the median effective dose of 9.3 mSv associated with the dynamic CT protocol. Reducing the scan length of two phases in the dynamic CT protocol could reduce the median effective dose to 6.1 mSv, which would be similar to that of the dose from the 99m Tc-sestamibi study alone. Dynamic CT used for the detection of parathyroid adenoma can deliver a lower radiation dose than 99m Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT. It may be possible to reduce the dose further by decreasing the scan length of two of the phases, although whether this has an impact on accuracy of the localization needs further investigation.

Thinking and practice of accelerating transformation of traditional Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Liu, Baoyan; Zhang, Yanhong; Hu, Jingqing; He, Liyun; Zhou, Xuezhong

2011-06-01

The gradual development of Chinese medicine is based on constant accumulation and summary of experience in clinical practice, but without the benefit of undergoing the experimental medicine stage. Although Chinese medicine has formed a systematic and unique theory system through thousands of years, with the development of evidence-based medicine, the bondage of the research methods of experience medicine to Chinese medicine is appearing. The rapid transition and transformation from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine have become important content in the development of Chinese medicine. According to the features of Chinese medicine, we propose the research idea of "taking two ways simultaneously," which is the study both in the ideal condition and in the real world. Analyzing and constructing the theoretical basis and methodology of clinical research in the real world, and building the stage for research technique is key to the effective clinical research of Chinese medicine. Only by gradually maturing and completing the clinical research methods of the real world could we realize "taking two ways simultaneously" and complementing each other, continuously produce scientific and reliable evidence of Chinese medicine, as well as transform and develop Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

Metabolomics and Integrative Omics for the Development of Thai Traditional Medicine

PubMed Central

Khoomrung, Sakda; Wanichthanarak, Kwanjeera; Nookaew, Intawat; Thamsermsang, Onusa; Seubnooch, Patcharamon; Laohapand, Tawee; Akarasereenont, Pravit

2017-01-01

In recent years, interest in studies of traditional medicine in Asian and African countries has gradually increased due to its potential to complement modern medicine. In this review, we provide an overview of Thai traditional medicine (TTM) current development, and ongoing research activities of TTM related to metabolomics. This review will also focus on three important elements of systems biology analysis of TTM including analytical techniques, statistical approaches and bioinformatics tools for handling and analyzing untargeted metabolomics data. The main objective of this data analysis is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the system wide effects that TTM has on individuals. Furthermore, potential applications of metabolomics and systems medicine in TTM will also be discussed. PMID:28769804

On the pursuit of a nuclear development capability: The case of the Cuban nuclear program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin-Alvarado, Jonathan Calvert

1998-09-01

While there have been many excellent descriptive accounts of modernization schemes in developing states, energy development studies based on prevalent modernization theory have been rare. Moreover, heretofore there have been very few analyses of efforts to develop a nuclear energy capability by developing states. Rarely have these analyses employed social science research methodologies. The purpose of this study was to develop a general analytical framework, based on such a methodology to analyze nuclear energy development and to utilize this framework for the study of the specific case of Cuba's decision to develop nuclear energy. The analytical framework developed focuses on a qualitative tracing of the process of Cuban policy objectives and implementation to develop a nuclear energy capability, and analyzes the policy in response to three models of modernization offered to explain the trajectory of policy development. These different approaches are the politically motivated modernization model, the economic and technological modernization model and the economic and energy security model. Each model provides distinct and functionally differentiated expectations for the path of development toward this objective. Each model provides expected behaviors to external stimuli that would result in specific policy responses. In the study, Cuba's nuclear policy responses to stimuli from domestic constraints and intensities, institutional development, and external influences are analyzed. The analysis revealed that in pursuing the nuclear energy capability, Cuba primarily responded by filtering most of the stimuli through the twin objectives of economic rationality and technological advancement. Based upon the Cuban policy responses to the domestic and international stimuli, the study concluded that the economic and technological modernization model of nuclear energy development offered a more complete explanation of the trajectory of policy development than either the

Occupational radiation exposure in nuclear medicine department in Kuwait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alnaaimi, M.; Alkhorayef, M.; Omar, M.; Abughaith, N.; Alduaij, M.; Salahudin, T.; Alkandri, F.; Sulieman, A.; Bradley, D. A.

2017-11-01

Ionizing radiation exposure is associated with eye lens opacities and cataracts. Radiation workers with heavy workloads and poor protection measures are at risk for vision impairment or cataracts if suitable protection measures are not implemented. The aim of this study was to measure and evaluate the occupational radiation exposure in a nuclear medicine (NM) department. The annual average effective doses (Hp[10] and Hp[0.07]) were measured using calibrated thermos-luminescent dosimeters (TLDs; MCP-N [LiF:Mg,Cu,P]). Five categories of staff (hot lab staff, PET physicians, NM physicians, technologists, and nurses) were included. The average annual eye dose (Hp[3]) for NM staff, based on measurements for a typical yearly workload of >7000 patients, was 4.5 mSv. The annual whole body radiation (Hp[10]) and skin doses (Hp[0.07]) were 4.0 and 120 mSv, respectively. The measured Hp(3), Hp(10), and Hp(0.07) doses for all NM staff categories were below the dose limits described in ICRP 2014 in light of the current practice. The results provide baseline data for staff exposure in NM in Kuwait. Radiation dose optimization measures are recommended to reduce NM staff exposure to its minimal value.

Opening Doors of Opportunity to Develop the Future Nuclear Workforce - 13325

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mets, Mindy

2013-07-01

The United States' long-term demand for highly skilled nuclear industry workers is well-documented by the Nuclear Energy Institute. In addition, a study commissioned by the SRS Community Reuse Organization concludes that 10,000 new nuclear workers are needed in the two-state region of Georgia and South Carolina alone. Young adults interested in preparing for these nuclear careers must develop specialized skills and knowledge, including a clear understanding of the nuclear workforce culture. Successful students are able to enter well-paying career fields. However, the national focus on nuclear career opportunities and associated training and education programs has been minimal in recent decades.more » Developing the future nuclear workforce is a challenge, particularly in the midst of competition for similar workers from various industries. In response to regional nuclear workforce development needs, the SRS Community Reuse Organization established the Nuclear Workforce Initiative (NWI{sup R}) to promote and expand nuclear workforce development capabilities by facilitating integrated partnerships. NWI{sup R} achievements include a unique program concept called NWI{sup R} Academies developed to link students with nuclear career options through firsthand experiences. The academies are developed and conducted at Aiken Technical College and Augusta Technical College with support from workforce development organizations and nuclear employers. Programs successfully engage citizens in nuclear workforce development and can be adapted to other communities focused on building the future nuclear workforce. (authors)« less

Impact of poor-quality medicines in the 'developing' world.

PubMed

Newton, Paul N; Green, Michael D; Fernández, Facundo M

2010-03-01

Since our ancestors began trading several millennia ago, counterfeit and substandard medicines have been a recurring problem, with history punctuated by crises in the supply of anti-microbials, such as fake cinchona bark in the 1600s and fake quinine in the 1800s. Unfortunately this problem persists, in particular afflicting unsuspecting patients in 'developing' countries. Poor-quality drugs are a vital (but neglected) public health problem. They contribute to a 'crevasse' between the enormous effort in therapeutic research and policy decisions and implementation of good-quality medicines. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculation of electron and isotopes dose point kernels with fluka Monte Carlo code for dosimetry in nuclear medicine therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Botta, F; Di Dia, A; Pedroli, G

The calculation of patient-specific dose distribution can be achieved by Monte Carlo simulations or by analytical methods. In this study, fluka Monte Carlo code has been considered for use in nuclear medicine dosimetry. Up to now, fluka has mainly been dedicated to other fields, namely high energy physics, radiation protection, and hadrontherapy. When first employing a Monte Carlo code for nuclear medicine dosimetry, its results concerning electron transport at energies typical of nuclear medicine applications need to be verified. This is commonly achieved by means of calculation of a representative parameter and comparison with reference data. Dose point kernel (DPK),more » quantifying the energy deposition all around a point isotropic source, is often the one.Methods: fluka DPKs have been calculated in both water and compact bone for monoenergetic electrons (10–3 MeV) and for beta emitting isotopes commonly used for therapy (89Sr, 90Y, 131I, 153Sm, 177Lu, 186Re, and 188Re). Point isotropic sources have been simulated at the center of a water (bone) sphere, and deposed energy has been tallied in concentric shells. fluka outcomes have been compared to penelope v.2008 results, calculated in this study as well. Moreover, in case of monoenergetic electrons in water, comparison with the data from the literature (etran, geant4, mcnpx) has been done. Maximum percentage differences within 0.8·RCSDA and 0.9·RCSDA for monoenergetic electrons (RCSDA being the continuous slowing down approximation range) and within 0.8·X90 and 0.9·X90 for isotopes (X90 being the radius of the sphere in which 90% of the emitted energy is absorbed) have been computed, together with the average percentage difference within 0.9·RCSDA and 0.9·X90 for electrons and isotopes, respectively.Results: Concerning monoenergetic electrons, within 0.8·RCSDA (where 90%–97% of the particle energy is deposed), fluka and penelope agree mostly within 7%, except for 10 and 20 keV electrons (12% in

[Transmission and development of foreign medicinal materials in the Tang and Song Dynasties].

PubMed

Wu, Meng-Hua; Zhao, Zhong-Zhen; Cao, Hui

2016-11-01

Many foreign medicinal materials that were imported to China via the Silk Road and maritime trade have enriched Chinese medicine. Imported foreign medicines reached a high point by the Tang and Song Dynasties, particularly in the case of aromatic medicines, which supplemented domestic Chinese aromatics and were widely employed in official dispensaries in the Song Dynasty. This study investigated historical records related to imported Chinese medicines in the Tang and Song periods, focusing on their varieties, quantity, use, and localization trends. Foreign medicines were assimilated as Chinese medical theory was applied to interpret their effects, and aromatics such as frankincense that were extremely expensive in the Tang Dynasty became accessible to common people by the Song Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, some foreign medicines began to be domestically cultivated and the boundary between foreign and traditional Chinese medicines became blurred; foreign medicines gradually transformed into Chinese medicines. The importation of foreign medicines during the Tang and Song Dynasties was a historical turning point that contributed greatly to the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Characterisation of crystal matrices and single pixels for nuclear medicine applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbert, D. J.; Belcari, N.; Camarda, M.; Guerra, A. Del; Vaiano, A.

2005-01-01

Commercially constructed crystal matrices are characterised for use with PSPMT detectors for PET system developments and other nuclear medicine applications. The matrices of different scintillation materials were specified with pixel dimensions of 1.5×1.5 mm2 in cross-section and a length corresponding to one gamma ray interaction length at 511 keV. The materials used in this study were BGO, LSO, LYSO, YSO and CsI(Na). Each matrix was constructed using a white TiO loaded epoxy that forms a 0.2 mm septa between each pixel. The white epoxy is not the optimum choice in terms of the reflective properties, but represents a good compromise between cost and the need for optical isolation between pixels. We also tested a YAP matrix that consisted of pixels of the same size specification but was manufactured by a different company, who instead of white epoxy, used a thin aluminium reflective layer for optical isolation that resulted in a septal thickness of just 0.01 mm, resulting in a much higher packing fraction. The characteristics of the scintillation materials, such as the light output and energy resolution, were first studied in the form of individual crystal elements by using a single pixel HPD. A comparison of individual pixels with and without the epoxy/dielectric coatings was also performed. Then the matrices themselves were coupled to a PSPMT in order to study the imaging performance. In particular, the system pixel resolution and the peak to valley ratio were measured at 511 and 122 keV.

Evidence synthesis and guideline development in genomic medicine: current status and future prospects.

PubMed

Schully, Sheri D; Lam, Tram Kim; Dotson, W David; Chang, Christine Q; Aronson, Naomi; Birkeland, Marian L; Brewster, Stephanie Jo; Boccia, Stefania; Buchanan, Adam H; Calonge, Ned; Calzone, Kathleen; Djulbegovic, Benjamin; Goddard, Katrina A B; Klein, Roger D; Klein, Teri E; Lau, Joseph; Long, Rochelle; Lyman, Gary H; Morgan, Rebecca L; Palmer, Christina G S; Relling, Mary V; Rubinstein, Wendy S; Swen, Jesse J; Terry, Sharon F; Williams, Marc S; Khoury, Muin J

2015-01-01

With the accelerated implementation of genomic medicine, health-care providers will depend heavily on professional guidelines and recommendations. Because genomics affects many diseases across the life span, no single professional group covers the entirety of this rapidly developing field. To pursue a discussion of the minimal elements needed to develop evidence-based guidelines in genomics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute jointly held a workshop to engage representatives from 35 organizations with interest in genomics (13 of which make recommendations). The workshop explored methods used in evidence synthesis and guideline development and initiated a dialogue to compare these methods and to assess whether they are consistent with the Institute of Medicine report "Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust." The participating organizations that develop guidelines or recommendations all had policies to manage guideline development and group membership, and processes to address conflicts of interests. However, there was wide variation in the reliance on external reviews, regular updating of recommendations, and use of systematic reviews to assess the strength of scientific evidence. Ongoing efforts are required to establish criteria for guideline development in genomic medicine as proposed by the Institute of Medicine.

[Development and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine processing discipline and Chinese herbal pieces industry].

PubMed

Xiao, Yong-Qing; Li, Li; Liu, Ying; Ma, Yin-Lian; Yu, Ding-Rong

2016-01-01

To elucidate the key issues in the development and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine processing discipline and Chinese herbal pieces industry Chinese herbal pieces industry. According to the author's accumulated experience over years and demand of the development of the Chinese herbal pieces industry, the key issues in the development and innovation on the Chinese herbal pieces industry were summarized. According to the author, the traditional Chinese medicine processing discipline shall focus on a application basis research. The development of this discipline should be closely related to the development of Chinese herbal pieces. The traditional Chinese medicine processing discipline can be improved and its results can be transformed only if this discipline were correlated with the Chinese herbal pieces industry, matched with the development of the Chinese herbal pieces industry, and solved the problems in the development on the Chinese herbal pieces industry. The development of traditional Chinese medicine processing discipline and the Chinese herbal pieces industry also requires scientific researchers to make constant innovations, realize the specialty of the researches, and innovate based on inheritance. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Innovative Approaches to Increase Access to Medicines in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Stevens, Hilde; Huys, Isabelle

2017-01-01

Access to essential medicines is problematic for one third of all persons worldwide. The price of many medicines (i.e., drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics) is unaffordable to the majority of the population in need, especially in least-developed countries, but also increasingly in middle-income countries. Several innovative approaches, based on partnerships, intellectual property, and pricing, are used to stimulate innovation, promote healthcare delivery, and reduce global health disparities. No single approach suffices, and therefore stakeholders need to further engage in partnerships promoting knowledge and technology transfer in assuring essential medicines to be manufactured, authorized, and distributed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in an effort of making them available at affordable and acceptable conditions. PMID:29270407

Recent Advances in Developing Insect Natural Products as Potential Modern Day Medicines

PubMed Central

Ratcliffe, Norman; Azambuja, Patricia; Mello, Cicero Brasileiro

2014-01-01

Except for honey as food, and silk for clothing and pollination of plants, people give little thought to the benefits of insects in their lives. This overview briefly describes significant recent advances in developing insect natural products as potential new medicinal drugs. This is an exciting and rapidly expanding new field since insects are hugely variable and have utilised an enormous range of natural products to survive environmental perturbations for 100s of millions of years. There is thus a treasure chest of untapped resources waiting to be discovered. Insects products, such as silk and honey, have already been utilised for thousands of years, and extracts of insects have been produced for use in Folk Medicine around the world, but only with the development of modern molecular and biochemical techniques has it become feasible to manipulate and bioengineer insect natural products into modern medicines. Utilising knowledge gleaned from Insect Folk Medicines, this review describes modern research into bioengineering honey and venom from bees, silk, cantharidin, antimicrobial peptides, and maggot secretions and anticoagulants from blood-sucking insects into medicines. Problems and solutions encountered in these endeavours are described and indicate that the future is bright for new insect derived pharmaceuticals treatments and medicines. PMID:24883072

EMEA and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products Development in the European Union

PubMed Central

2003-01-01

The evaluation of quality, safety, and efficacy of medicinal products by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) via the centralized procedure is the only available regulatory procedure for obtaining marketing authorization for gene therapy (GT) medicinal products in the European Union. The responsibility for the authorization of clinical trials remains with the national competent authorities (NCA) acting in a harmonized framework from the scientific viewpoint. With the entry into force of a new directive on good clinical practice implementation in clinical trials as of 1 May 2004, procedural aspects will also be harmonized at EU level. Scientifically sound development of medicinal products is the key for the successful registration of dossiers and for contributing to the promotion and protection of public health. The objective of this paper is to introduce the EMEA regulatory processes and scientific activities relevant to GT medicinal products. PMID:12686717

The importance of Evolutionary Medicine in developing countries

PubMed Central

Hashmi, Shumaila

2018-01-01

Abstract Evolutionary Medicine (EM) is a fundamental science exploring why our bodies are plagued with disease and hindered by limitations. EM views the body as an assortment of benefits, mistakes, and compromises molded over millennia. It highlights the role of evolution in numerous diseases encountered in community and family medicine clinics of developing countries. It enables us to ask informed questions and develop novel responses to global health problems. An understanding of the field is thus crucial for budding doctors, but its study is currently limited to a handful of medical schools in high-income countries. For the developing world, Pakistan's medical schools may be excellent starting posts as the country is beset with communicable and non-communicable diseases that are shaped by evolution. Remarkably, Pakistani medical students are open to studying and incorporating EM into their training. Understanding the principles of EM could empower them to tackle growing health problems in the country. Additionally, some difficulties that western medical schools face in integrating EM into their curriculum may not be a hindrance in Pakistan. We propose solutions for the remaining challenges, including obstinate religious sentiments. Herein, we make the case that incorporating EM is particularly important in developing countries such as Pakistan and that it is achievable in its medical student body. PMID:29492264

[Conservative calibration of a clearance monitor system for waste material from nuclear medicine].

PubMed

Wanke, Carsten; Geworski, Lilli

2014-09-01

Clearance monitor systems are used for gross gamma measurements of waste potentially contaminated with radioactivity. These measurements are to make sure that legal requirements, e.g. clearance criteria according to the german radiation protection ordinance, are met. This means that measurement results may overestimate, but must not underestimate the true values. This paper describes a pragmatic way using a calibrated Cs-137 point source to generate a conservative calibration for the clearance monitor system used in the Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH). The most important nuclides used in nuclear medicine are considered. The measurement result reliably overestimates the true value of the activity present in the waste. The calibration is compliant with the demands for conservativity and traceability to national standards. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Developing an integrated evidence-based medicine curriculum for family medicine residency at the University of Alberta.

PubMed

Allan, G Michael; Korownyk, Christina; Tan, Amy; Hindle, Hugh; Kung, Lina; Manca, Donna

2008-06-01

There is general consensus in the academic community that evidence-based medicine (EBM) teaching is essential. Unfortunately, many postgraduate programs have significant weakness in their EBM programs. The Family Medicine Residency committee at the University of Alberta felt their EBM curriculum would benefit from critical review and revision. An EBM Curriculum Committee was created to evaluate previous components and develop new strategies as needed. Input from stakeholders including faculty and residents was sought, and evidence regarding the teaching and practical application of EBM was gathered. The committee drafted goals and objectives, the primary of which were to assist residents to (1) become competent self-directed, lifelong learners with skills to effectively and efficiently keep up to date, and 2) develop EBM skills to solve problems encountered in daily practice. New curriculum components, each evidence based, were introduced in 2005 and include a family medicine EBM workshop to establish basic EBM knowledge; a Web-based Family Medicine Desktop promoting easier access to evidence-based Internet resources; a brief evidence-based assessment of the research project enhancing integration of EBM into daily practice; and a journal club to support peer learning and growth of rapid appraisal skills. Issues including time use, costs, and change management are discussed. Ongoing evaluation of the curriculum and its components is a principal factor of the design, allowing critical review and adaptation of the curriculum. The first two years of the curriculum have yielded positive feedback from faculty and statistically significant improvement in multiple areas of residents' opinions of the curriculum and comfort with evidence-based practice.

Department of Energy: Nuclear S&T workforce development programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bingham, Michelle; Bala, Marsha; Beierschmitt, Kelly

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories use their expertise in nuclear science and technology (S&T) to support a robust national nuclear S&T enterprise from the ground up. Traditional academic programs do not provide all the elements necessary to develop this expertise, so the DOE has initiated a number of supplemental programs to develop and support the nuclear S&T workforce pipeline. This document catalogs existing workforce development programs that are supported by a number of DOE offices (such as the Offices of Nuclear Energy, Science, Energy Efficiency, and Environmental Management), and by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) andmore » the Naval Reactor Program. Workforce development programs in nuclear S&T administered through the Department of Homeland Security, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Defense are also included. The information about these programs, which is cataloged below, is drawn from the program websites. Some programs, such as the Minority Serving Institutes Partnership Programs (MSIPPs) are available through more than one DOE office, so they appear in more than one section of this document.« less

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific for canine CD138 (syndecan-1) for nuclear medicine preclinical trials on spontaneous tumours.

PubMed

Diab, M; Nguyen, F; Berthaud, M; Maurel, C; Gaschet, J; Verger, E; Ibisch, C; Rousseau, C; Chérel, M; Abadie, J; Davodeau, F

2017-09-01

We isolated 11 antibodies specific for canine CD138 (cCD138) to validate the interest of CD138 antigen targeting in dogs with spontaneous mammary carcinoma. The affinity of the monoclonal antibodies in the nanomolar range is suitable for immunohistochemistry and nuclear medicine applications. Four distinct epitopes were recognized on cCD138 by this panel of antibodies. CD138 expression in canine healthy tissues is comparable to that reported in humans. CD138 is frequently expressed in canine mammary carcinomas corresponding to the human triple negative breast cancer subtype, with cytoplasmic and membranous expression. In canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, CD138 expression is associated with the 'non-germinal center' phenotype corresponding to the most aggressive subtype in humans. This homology of CD138 expression between dogs and humans confirms the relevance of tumour-bearing dogs as spontaneous models for nuclear medicine applications, especially for the evaluation of new tumour targeting strategies for diagnosis by phenotypic imaging and radio-immunotherapy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patient dosimetry audit for establishing local diagnostic reference levels for nuclear medicine CT.

PubMed

Gardner, Matthew; Katsidzira, Ngonidzashe M; Ross, Erin; Larkin, Elizabeth A

2017-03-01

To establish a system for patient dosimetry audit and setting of local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) for nuclear medicine (NM) CT. Computed radiological information system (CRIS) data were matched with NM paper records, which provided the body region and dose mode for NMCT carried out at a large UK hospital. It was necessary to divide data in terms of the NM examination type, body region and dose mode. The mean and standard deviation dose-length products (DLPs) for common NMCT examinations were then calculated and compared with the proposed National Diagnostic Reference Levels (NDRLs). Only procedures which have 10 or more patients will be used to suggest LDRLs. For most examinations, the mean DLPs do not exceed the proposed NDRLs. The bone single-photon emission CT/CT lumbar spine data clearly show the need to divide data according to the purpose of the scan (dose mode), with mean (±standard error) DLPs ranging from 51 ± 5 mGy cm (low dose) to 1086 ± 124 mGy cm (metal dose). A system for NMCT patient dose audit has been developed, but there are non-trivial challenges which make the process labour intensive. These include limited information provided by CRIS downloads, dependence on paper records and limited number of examinations available owing to the need to subdivide data. Advances in knowledge: This article demonstrates that a system can be developed for NMCT patient dose audit, but also highlights the challenges associated with such audit, which may not be encountered with more routine audit of radiology CT.

Developing the nuclear idea: concept, technique, and process.

PubMed

Billow, Richard M

2013-10-01

I introduce an approach to group that has remained undeveloped in the literature, but represents an essence of relationally oriented group psychotherapy. Evolving from the verbalizations and enactments through which the group symbolizes and becomes known-a nuclear idea takes shape. It emerges from the nucleus of the group process: co-created from intersubjective forces and locations that cannot be fully specified, yet may be possible to observe, name, and utilize clinically. Groups organize themselves by developing nuclear ideas, with the therapist's active participation. They are vehicles through which a group comes to think about its thinking: not only what it thinks, but also how it thinks, or chooses not to think, and when and why. Developing the nuclear idea provides a framework for how the therapist-and the group itself-goes about the task of containing. With its emphasis on meaning and the development of meaning as transformational, the concept of the nuclear idea supplements the whole group, interpersonal, and intrapsychic lenses through which the therapist comes to understand group experience and base interventions. Clinical vignettes illustrate how the therapist may develop nuclear ideas thematically, conceptualize further, and negotiate meaning with the co-participation of other group members.

Career Development Support in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine: A National Survey of Fellows and Junior Faculty.

PubMed

Cifra, Christina L; Balikai, Shilpa S; Murtha, Tanya D; Hsu, Benson; Riley, Carley L

2017-04-01

To determine the perceptions of current pediatric critical care medicine fellows and junior faculty regarding the extent and quality of career development support received during fellowship training. Web-based cross-sectional survey open from September to November 2015. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited pediatric critical care medicine fellowship programs. Pediatric critical care medicine fellows (second yr or higher) and junior faculty (within 5 yr of completing a pediatric critical care medicine fellowship program). None. There were 129 respondents to the survey, representing 63% of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited pediatric critical care medicine fellowship programs. Respondents were evenly divided between fellows and junior faculty. Nearly, half (49%) of respondents reported that their pediatric critical care medicine fellowship program provided a formal career development curriculum. Ideal career tracks chosen included academic clinician educator (64%), physician-scientist (27%), community-based (nonacademic) clinician (11%), and administrator (11%). There was a disparity in focused career development support provided by programs, with a minority providing good support for those pursuing a community-based clinician track (32%) or administrator track (16%). Only 43% of fellows perceived that they have a good chance of obtaining their ideal pediatric critical care medicine position, with the most common perceived barrier being increased competition for limited job opportunities. Most respondents expressed interest in a program specific to pediatric critical care medicine career development that is sponsored by a national professional organization. Most pediatric critical care medicine fellows and junior faculty reported good to excellent career development support during fellowship. However, important gaps remain, particularly for those pursuing community-based (nonacademic) and administrative tracks

Public-private partnerships in translational medicine: concepts and practical examples.

PubMed

Luijten, Peter R; van Dongen, Guus A M S; Moonen, Chrit T; Storm, Gert; Crommelin, Daan J A

2012-07-20

The way forward in multidisciplinary research according to former NIH's director Elias Zerhouni is to engage in predictive, personalized, preemptive and participatory medicine. For the creation of the optimal innovation climate that would allow for such a strategy, public-private partnerships have been widely proposed as an important instrument. Public-private partnerships have become an important instrument to expedite translational research in medicine. The Netherlands have initiated three large public-private partnerships in the life sciences and health area to facilitate the translation of valuable basic scientific concepts to new products and services in medicine. The focus of these partnerships has been on drug development, improved diagnosis and regenerative medicine. The Dutch model of public-private partnership forms the blueprint of a much larger European initiative called EATRIS. This paper will provide practical examples of public-private partnerships initiated to expedite the translation of new technology for drug development towards the clinic. Three specific technologies are in focus: companion diagnostics using nuclear medicine, the use of ultra high field MRI to generate sensitive surrogate endpoints based on endogenous contrast, and MRI guidance for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound mediated drug delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategic development of medicines information: Expanding key global initiatives.

PubMed

Hämeen-Anttila, Katri

2016-01-01

Medicines information (MI) is a broad concept that includes information targeted to health care professionals as well as to patients. It may be in written, electronic or verbal forms. The internet is becoming more widely used as a source for MI, even though research shows that health care professionals and patient information leaflets are still the most common sources for medicine users. As patients are increasingly looking for the information they need themselves, the role of health care professionals in providing information is evolving, and there exists a need for greater health literacy skills among the patients. Medicines information as a concept is often defined and understood differently. Furthermore, it is such an integral part of pharmacy practice that it is rarely discussed as a separate entity. However, there is a growing recognition of a need to discuss MI in a broader sense and consider national strategies to meet consumer needs for medicines information. It also has been recognized that provision of MI should be a shared responsibility of all stakeholders in health care. This commentary gives an example of national level strategic development of MI, and calls for international collaboration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

X-ray imaging physics for nuclear medicine technologists. Part 1: Basic principles of x-ray production.

PubMed

Seibert, J Anthony

2004-09-01

The purpose is to review in a 4-part series: (i) the basic principles of x-ray production, (ii) x-ray interactions and data capture/conversion, (iii) acquisition/creation of the CT image, and (iv) operational details of a modern multislice CT scanner integrated with a PET scanner. Advances in PET technology have lead to widespread applications in diagnostic imaging and oncologic staging of disease. Combined PET/CT scanners provide the high-resolution anatomic imaging capability of CT with the metabolic and physiologic information by PET, to offer a significant increase in information content useful for the diagnostician and radiation oncologist, neurosurgeon, or other physician needing both anatomic detail and knowledge of disease extent. Nuclear medicine technologists at the forefront of PET should therefore have a good understanding of x-ray imaging physics and basic CT scanner operation, as covered by this 4-part series. After reading the first article on x-ray production, the nuclear medicine technologist will be familiar with (a) the physical characteristics of x-rays relative to other electromagnetic radiations, including gamma-rays in terms of energy, wavelength, and frequency; (b) methods of x-ray production and the characteristics of the output x-ray spectrum; (c) components necessary to produce x-rays, including the x-ray tube/x-ray generator and the parameters that control x-ray quality (energy) and quantity; (d) x-ray production limitations caused by heating and the impact on image acquisition and clinical throughput; and (e) a glossary of terms to assist in the understanding of this information.

Nuclear power program and technology development in Korea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cho, Byung-Oke

1994-12-31

KEPCO has successfully implemented the construction and operation of nuclear power plants since the early 1970s, and will continue to build safer and more efficient nuclear plants in the future in accordance with the nuclear power development plan previously established. KEPCO will also make every effort to enhance nuclear safety and obtain the public`s acceptance for nuclear power. We are, however, facing the same difficulties, as United States and other countries have, in strengthened regulatory requirements, public acceptance, radwaste disposal, and acquisition of new plant sites despite an active nuclear power program. Story of Ted Turner, CNN; {open_quotes}It ain`t asmore » easy as it looks.{close_quotes} Yes! It is difficult. But we will cope with these issues so that we can promote the nuclear power development and continue to supply a highly economical and clean energy to the world. In this regard, it is my sincere wish that each organization participating in the nuclear industry, especially Korea and United States strengthen their ties and help each other so that we together can successfully accomplish our goals.« less

The development of the specialism of emergency medicine: media and cultural influences.

PubMed

Timmons, Stephen; Nairn, Stuart

2015-01-01

In this article we analyse, via a critical review of the literature, the development of a relatively new medical specialism in the United Kingdom, that of emergency medicine. Despite the high media profile of emergency care, it is a low-status specialism within UK medicine. The creation of a specialist College in 2008 means that, symbolically, recognition as a full specialism has now been achieved. In this article, we will show, using a sociology of professions approach, how emergency medicine defined itself as a specialism, and sought to carve out a distinctive jurisdiction. While, in the context of the UK National Health Service, the state was clearly an important factor in the development of this profession, we wish to develop the analysis further than is usual in the sociology of professions. We will analyse the wider cultural context for the development of this specialism, which has benefited from its high profile in the media, through both fictional and documentary sources. © The Author(s) 2014.

Development of taste sensor system for differentiation of Indonesian herbal medicines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaltsum, U.; Triyana, K.; Siswanta, D.

2014-09-01

In Indonesia, herbal medicines are usually produced by small and medium enterprises which are relatively low in quality control. The purpose of this paper is to report that we have developed a taste sensor system with global selectivity, i.e., electronic tongue (e-tongue) for differentiation of Indonesian herbal medicines. The e-tongue was composed of five kinds of ion selective electrodes as working electrodes, data acquisition system, and pattern recognition system. Each ion selective electrode (ISE) was built by attaching lipid/polymer membrane. For this purpose, the five kinds of membranes were built by mixing lipid, plasticizer (nitrophenyl octyl ether/NPOE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and tetrahydrofuran (THF). In this study, we employed five kinds of lipid, namely oleic acid (OA), dioctyl phosphate (DOP), decyl alcohol (DA), dodecylamine (DDC), and trioctyl methyl ammonium chloride (TOMA). In this case, the membranes transform information of taste substances into electric signal. The five kinds of Indonesian herbal medicine were purchased from local supermarket in Yogyakarta, i.e., kunyit asam (made from turmeric and tamarind), beras kencur (made from rice and kencur), jahe wangi (made from ginger and fragrance), sirih wangi (made from betel leaf), and temulawak (made from Javanese ginger). Prior to detecting the taste from the Indonesian herbal medicine samples, each ion selective electrode was tested with five basic taste samples, i.e., for saltiness, sweetness, umami, bitterness, and sourness. All ISEs showed global selectivity to all samples. Furthermore, the array of ISEs showed specific response pattern to each Indonesian herbal medicine. For pattern recognition system, we employed principle component analysis (PCA). As a result, the e-tongue was able to differentiate five kinds of Indonesian herbal medicines, proven by the total variance of first and second principle components is about 93%. For the future, the e-tongue may be developed for quality

[Development ideas of fine pharmaceutical materials of traditional Chinese medicine preparations based on active cluster theory].