Development of a Google-based search engine for data mining radiology reports.

PubMed

Erinjeri, Joseph P; Picus, Daniel; Prior, Fred W; Rubin, David A; Koppel, Paul

2009-08-01

The aim of this study is to develop a secure, Google-based data-mining tool for radiology reports using free and open source technologies and to explore its use within an academic radiology department. A Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant data repository, search engine and user interface were created to facilitate treatment, operations, and reviews preparatory to research. The Institutional Review Board waived review of the project, and informed consent was not required. Comprising 7.9 GB of disk space, 2.9 million text reports were downloaded from our radiology information system to a fileserver. Extensible markup language (XML) representations of the reports were indexed using Google Desktop Enterprise search engine software. A hypertext markup language (HTML) form allowed users to submit queries to Google Desktop, and Google's XML response was interpreted by a practical extraction and report language (PERL) script, presenting ranked results in a web browser window. The query, reason for search, results, and documents visited were logged to maintain HIPAA compliance. Indexing averaged approximately 25,000 reports per hour. Keyword search of a common term like "pneumothorax" yielded the first ten most relevant results of 705,550 total results in 1.36 s. Keyword search of a rare term like "hemangioendothelioma" yielded the first ten most relevant results of 167 total results in 0.23 s; retrieval of all 167 results took 0.26 s. Data mining tools for radiology reports will improve the productivity of academic radiologists in clinical, educational, research, and administrative tasks. By leveraging existing knowledge of Google's interface, radiologists can quickly perform useful searches.

Farewell TID-14844; hello SECY-92-127

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

Lahti, G.P.; Johnson, W.J.

This year, 1992, marks the 50th anniversary of the first sustained nuclear reaction in the pile at the University of Chicago's Stagg Field. But it also marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of TID-14844, which has served as the design-basis source term for radiological assessments supporting the licensing of nuclear power plants in the United States since its inception. The conservative TID-14844 model assumes that 100% of the noble gases and 50% of the iodines are instantaneously released to the containment and are available for leakage to the environment. TID-14844 is formally embodied in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission'smore » (NRC's) regulations in parts 10CFR100 (siting) and 10CFR50 (review of control room habitability, postaccident shielding and sampling systems). It is also embodied in a host of NRC Regulatory Guides and NUREG reports that address off-site consequences of releases of radioactivity, equipment qualification, and other postaccident radiological concerns. On April 20, 1992, the NRC staff presented to the NRC commissioners the draft Revised Accident Source Terms for Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants.' This effort is documented in SECY-92-127 and provides the first official position of the NRC in this matter.« less

Advantages and Disadvantages in Image Processing with Free Software in Radiology.

PubMed

Mujika, Katrin Muradas; Méndez, Juan Antonio Juanes; de Miguel, Andrés Framiñan

2018-01-15

Currently, there are sophisticated applications that make it possible to visualize medical images and even to manipulate them. These software applications are of great interest, both from a teaching and a radiological perspective. In addition, some of these applications are known as Free Open Source Software because they are free and the source code is freely available, and therefore it can be easily obtained even on personal computers. Two examples of free open source software are Osirix Lite® and 3D Slicer®. However, this last group of free applications have limitations in its use. For the radiological field, manipulating and post-processing images is increasingly important. Consequently, sophisticated computing tools that combine software and hardware to process medical images are needed. In radiology, graphic workstations allow their users to process, review, analyse, communicate and exchange multidimensional digital images acquired with different image-capturing radiological devices. These radiological devices are basically CT (Computerised Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), etc. Nevertheless, the programs included in these workstations have a high cost which always depends on the software provider and is always subject to its norms and requirements. With this study, we aim to present the advantages and disadvantages of these radiological image visualization systems in the advanced management of radiological studies. We will compare the features of the VITREA2® and AW VolumeShare 5® radiology workstation with free open source software applications like OsiriX® and 3D Slicer®, with examples from specific studies.

Radiological protection, safety and security issues in the industrial and medical applications of radiation sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaz, Pedro

2015-11-01

The use of radiation sources, namely radioactive sealed or unsealed sources and particle accelerators and beams is ubiquitous in the industrial and medical applications of ionizing radiation. Besides radiological protection of the workers, members of the public and patients in routine situations, the use of radiation sources involves several aspects associated to the mitigation of radiological or nuclear accidents and associated emergency situations. On the other hand, during the last decade security issues became burning issues due to the potential malevolent uses of radioactive sources for the perpetration of terrorist acts using RDD (Radiological Dispersal Devices), RED (Radiation Exposure Devices) or IND (Improvised Nuclear Devices). A stringent set of international legally and non-legally binding instruments, regulations, conventions and treaties regulate nowadays the use of radioactive sources. In this paper, a review of the radiological protection issues associated to the use of radiation sources in the industrial and medical applications of ionizing radiation is performed. The associated radiation safety issues and the prevention and mitigation of incidents and accidents are discussed. A comprehensive discussion of the security issues associated to the global use of radiation sources for the aforementioned applications and the inherent radiation detection requirements will be presented. Scientific, technical, legal, ethical, socio-economic issues are put forward and discussed.

International Data on Radiological Sources

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

Martha Finck; Margaret Goldberg

2010-07-01

ABSTRACT The mission of radiological dispersal device (RDD) nuclear forensics is to identify the provenance of nuclear and radiological materials used in RDDs and to aid law enforcement in tracking nuclear materials and routes. The application of databases to radiological forensics is to match RDD source material to a source model in the database, provide guidance regarding a possible second device, and aid the FBI by providing a short list of manufacturers and distributors, and ultimately to the last legal owner of the source. The Argonne/Idaho National Laboratory RDD attribution database is a powerful technical tool in radiological forensics. Themore » database (1267 unique vendors) includes all sealed sources and a device registered in the U.S., is complemented by data from the IAEA Catalogue, and is supported by rigorous in-lab characterization of selected sealed sources regarding physical form, radiochemical composition, and age-dating profiles. Close working relationships with global partners in the commercial sealed sources industry provide invaluable technical information and expertise in the development of signature profiles. These profiles are critical to the down-selection of potential candidates in either pre- or post- event RDD attribution. The down-selection process includes a match between an interdicted (or detonated) source and a model in the database linked to one or more manufacturers and distributors.« less

Evaluation of an open source tool for indexing and searching enterprise radiology and pathology reports

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Woojin; Boonn, William

2010-03-01

Data mining of existing radiology and pathology reports within an enterprise health system can be used for clinical decision support, research, education, as well as operational analyses. In our health system, the database of radiology and pathology reports exceeds 13 million entries combined. We are building a web-based tool to allow search and data analysis of these combined databases using freely available and open source tools. This presentation will compare performance of an open source full-text indexing tool to MySQL's full-text indexing and searching and describe implementation procedures to incorporate these capabilities into a radiology-pathology search engine.

Impact of translation on named-entity recognition in radiology texts

PubMed Central

Pedro, Vasco

2017-01-01

Abstract Radiology reports describe the results of radiography procedures and have the potential of being a useful source of information which can bring benefits to health care systems around the world. One way to automatically extract information from the reports is by using Text Mining tools. The problem is that these tools are mostly developed for English and reports are usually written in the native language of the radiologist, which is not necessarily English. This creates an obstacle to the sharing of Radiology information between different communities. This work explores the solution of translating the reports to English before applying the Text Mining tools, probing the question of what translation approach should be used. We created MRRAD (Multilingual Radiology Research Articles Dataset), a parallel corpus of Portuguese research articles related to Radiology and a number of alternative translations (human, automatic and semi-automatic) to English. This is a novel corpus which can be used to move forward the research on this topic. Using MRRAD we studied which kind of automatic or semi-automatic translation approach is more effective on the Named-entity recognition task of finding RadLex terms in the English version of the articles. Considering the terms extracted from human translations as our gold standard, we calculated how similar to this standard were the terms extracted using other translations. We found that a completely automatic translation approach using Google leads to F-scores (between 0.861 and 0.868, depending on the extraction approach) similar to the ones obtained through a more expensive semi-automatic translation approach using Unbabel (between 0.862 and 0.870). To better understand the results we also performed a qualitative analysis of the type of errors found in the automatic and semi-automatic translations. Database URL: https://github.com/lasigeBioTM/MRRAD PMID:29220455

[Comparison of Japanese Notation and Meanings among Three Terminologies in Radiological Technology Domain].

PubMed

Yagahara, Ayako; Tsuji, Shintaro; Hukuda, Akihisa; Nishimoto, Naoki; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in the notation of technical terms and their meanings among three terminologies in Japanese radiology-related societies. The three terminologies compared in this study were "radiological technology terminology" and its supplement published by the Japan Society of Radiological Technology, "medical physics terminology" published by the Japan Society of Medical Physics, and "electric radiation terminology" published by the Japan Radiological Society. Terms were entered into spreadsheets and classified into the following three categories: Japanese notation, English notation, and meanings. In the English notation, terms were matched to character strings in the three terminologies and were extracted and compared. The Japanese notations were compared among three terminologies, and the difference between the meanings of the two terminologies radiological technology terminology and electric radiation terminology were compared. There were a total of 14,982 terms in the three terminologies. In English character strings, 2,735 terms were matched to more than two terminologies, with 801 of these terms matched to all the three terminologies. Of those terms in English character strings matched to three terminologies, 752 matched to Japanese character strings. Of the terms in English character strings matched to two terminologies, 1,240 matched to Japanese character strings. With regard to the meanings category, eight terms had mismatched meanings between the two terminologies. For these terms, there were common concepts between two different meaning terms, and it was considered that the derived concepts were described based on domain.

E-learning and education in radiology.

PubMed

Pinto, Antonio; Brunese, Luca; Pinto, Fabio; Acampora, Ciro; Romano, Luigia

2011-06-01

To evaluate current applications of e-learning in radiology. A Medline search was performed using PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) for publications discussing the applications of e-learning in radiology. The search strategy employed a single combination of the following terms: (1) e-learning, and (2) education and (3) radiology. This review was limited to human studies and to English-language literature. We reviewed all the titles and subsequent the abstract of 29 articles that appeared pertinent. Additional articles were identified by reviewing the reference lists of relevant papers. Finally, the full text of 38 selected articles was reviewed. Literature data shows that with the constant development of technology and global spread of computer networks, in particular of the Internet, the integration of multimedia and interactivity introduced into electronic publishing has allowed the creation of multimedia applications that provide valuable support for medical teaching and continuing medical education, specifically for radiology. Such technologies are valuable tools for collaboration, interactivity, simulation, and self-testing. However, not everything on the World Wide Web is useful, accurate, or beneficial: the quality and veracity of medical information on the World Wide Web is variable and much time can be wasted as many websites do not meet basic publication standards. E-learning will become an important source of education in radiology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Stress and a Stress-Reduction Program Among Radiologic Technologists.

PubMed

Reingold, Lynn

2015-01-01

To investigate stress levels and causes of stress among radiologic technologists and determine whether an intervention could reduce stress in a selected radiologic technologist population. Demographic characteristics and data on preintervention stress sources and levels were collected through Internet-based questionnaires. A 6-week, self-administered, mindfulness-based stress-reduction program was conducted as a pilot intervention with 42 radiologic technologists from the Veterans Administration Medical Center. Data also were collected postintervention. Identified sources of stress were compared with findings from previous studies. Some radiologic technologists experienced improvement in their perceptions of stress after the intervention. Sources of stress for radiologic technologists were similar to those shown in earlier research, including inconsistent management, poor management communication, conflicting demands, long work hours, excessive workloads, lack of work breaks, and time pressures. The mindfulness-based stress-reduction program is an example of an inexpensive method that could improve personal well-being, reduce work errors, improve relationships in the workplace, and increase job satisfaction. More research is needed to determine the best type of intervention for stress reduction in a larger radiologic technologist population.

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

Dowla, Farid U.

Subsurface sensors that employ radioisotopes, such 241Am-Be and 137Cs, for reservoir characterization must be tracked for safety and security reasons. Other radiological sources are also widely used in medicine. The radiological source containers, in both applications, are small, mobile and used widely worldwide. The nuclear sources pose radiological dispersal device (RDD) security risks. Security concerns with the industrial use of radionuclide sources is in fact quite high as it is estimated that each year hundreds of sealed sources go missing, either lost or stolen. Risk mitigation efforts include enhanced regulations, source-use guidelines, research and development on electronic tracking of sources.more » This report summarizes the major elements of the requirements and operational concepts of nuclear sources with the goal of developing automated electronic tagging and locating systems.« less

Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel: Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel report for Galileo

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

Anspaugh, L.R.; Blanton, J.O.; Bollinger, L.J.

1989-10-01

This report of the Biomedical and Environmental Effects Subpanel (BEES) of the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel (INSRP), for the Galileo space mission addresses the possible radiological consequences of postulated accidents that release radioactivity into the environment. This report presents estimates of the consequences and uncertainties given that the source term is released into the environment. 10 refs., 6 tabs.

Alternative Radiological Characterization of Sealed Source TRU Waste for WIPP Disposal (LAUR-05-8776)

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

Whitworth, J.; Pearson, M.; Feldman, A.

2006-07-01

The Offsite Source Recovery (OSR) Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory is now shipping transuranic (TRU) waste containers to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico for disposal. Sealed source waste disposal has become possible in part because OSR personnel were able to obtain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOE-CBFO approval for an alternative radiological characterization procedure relying on acceptable knowledge (AK) and modeling, rather than on non-destructive assay (NDA) of each container. This is the first successful qualification of an 'alternate methodology' under the radiological characterization requirements of the WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) by any TRUmore » waste generator site. This paper describes the approach OSR uses to radiologically characterize its sealed source waste and the process by which it obtained certification of this approach. (authors)« less

Evaluation of radiological dispersion/consequence codes supporting DOE nuclear facility SARs

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

O`Kula, K.R.; Paik, I.K.; Chung, D.Y.

1996-12-31

Since the early 1990s, the authorization basis documentation of many U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities has been upgraded to comply with DOE orders and standards. In this process, many safety analyses have been revised. Unfortunately, there has been nonuniform application of software, and the most appropriate computer and engineering methodologies often are not applied. A DOE Accident Phenomenology and Consequence (APAC) Methodology Evaluation Program was originated at the request of DOE Defense Programs to evaluate the safety analysis methodologies used in nuclear facility authorization basis documentation and to define future cost-effective support and development initiatives. Six areas, includingmore » source term development (fire, spills, and explosion analysis), in-facility transport, and dispersion/ consequence analysis (chemical and radiological) are contained in the APAC program. The evaluation process, codes considered, key results, and recommendations for future model and software development of the Radiological Dispersion/Consequence Working Group are summarized in this paper.« less

The private-practice perspective of the manpower crisis in radiology: greener pastures?

PubMed

Swayne, Lawrence C

2004-11-01

Rising consumer expectations and a rapidly aging population point to a long-term shortage of all physicians, including radiologists. While attention has been drawn to the escalating manpower crisis in academic radiology departments, the private-practice perspective has been generally overlooked. Although clinical workloads and income are higher in private practice, studies have shown higher satisfaction levels (likely because of a greater variety of work) among academic radiologists. As the distinction between community and teaching hospitals has become increasingly blurred, there is now considerable overlap in the skill sets, sources of job satisfaction, and stresses that are encountered in both practice settings. Perhaps more than at any time in the recent past, diagnostic radiologists in academic and private practice share more in common than any perceived differences. Both groups must work together in concert with the ACR to address the growing manpower shortage, as well as the other challenges that confront diagnostic radiology at the beginning of the 21st century.

Vascular Access Tracking System: a Web-Based Clinical Tracking Tool for Identifying Catheter Related Blood Stream Infections in Interventional Radiology Placed Central Venous Catheters.

PubMed

Morrison, James; Kaufman, John

2016-12-01

Vascular access is invaluable in the treatment of hospitalized patients. Central venous catheters provide a durable and long-term solution while saving patients from repeated needle sticks for peripheral IVs and blood draws. The initial catheter placement procedure and long-term catheter usage place patients at risk for infection. The goal of this project was to develop a system to track and evaluate central line-associated blood stream infections related to interventional radiology placement of central venous catheters. A customized web-based clinical database was developed via open-source tools to provide a dashboard for data mining and analysis of the catheter placement and infection information. Preliminary results were gathered over a 4-month period confirming the utility of the system. The tools and methodology employed to develop the vascular access tracking system could be easily tailored to other clinical scenarios to assist in quality control and improvement programs.

Toward an Integrated Executable Architecture and M&S Based Analysis for Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

Lavoie, D. Kurts, SYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENTS AT THE ENTREPRISE LEVEL: OVERVIEW OF A GOVERNMENT OF CANADA (GOC), ACADEMIA and INDUSTRY DISTRIBUTED...vehicle (UAV) focused to locate the radiological source, and by comparing the performance of these assets in terms of various capability based...framework to analyze homeland security capabilities • Illustrate how a rapidly configured distributed simulation involving academia, industry and

U.S.-CHINA RADIOLOGICAL SOURCE SECURITY PROJECT: CONTINUING AND EXPANDING BILATERAL COOPERATION

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

Zhu, Zhixuan; Zhou, Qifu; Yang, Yaoyun

2009-10-07

The successful radiological security cooperation between the U.S. and China to secure at-risk sites near venues of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics has led to an expanded bilateral nonproliferation cooperation scope. The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, the Chinese Atomic Energy Authority and the China Ministry of Environmental Protection are continuing joint efforts to secure radiological sources throughout China under the U.S.-China Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology (PUNT) Agreement. Joint cooperation activities include physical security upgrades of sites with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Category 1 radiological sources, packaging, recovery, and storage of high activity transuranic andmore » beta gamma sources, and secure transportation practices for the movement of recovered sources. Expansion of cooperation into numerous provinces within China includes the use of integrated training workshops that will demonstrate methodologies and best practices between U.S. and Chinese radiological source security and recovery experts. The fiscal year 2009 expanded scope of cooperation will be conducted similar to the 2008 Olympic cooperation with the Global Threat Reduction Initiative taking the lead for the U.S., PUNT being the umbrella agreement, and Los Alamos, Sandia, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories operating as technical working groups. This paper outlines the accomplishments of the joint implementation and training efforts to date and discusses the possible impact on future U.S./China cooperation.« less

Radiological analysis of plutonium glass batches with natural/enriched boron

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

Rainisch, R.

2000-06-22

The disposition of surplus plutonium inventories by the US Department of Energy (DOE) includes the immobilization of certain plutonium materials in a borosilicate glass matrix, also referred to as vitrification. This paper addresses source terms of plutonium masses immobilized in a borosilicate glass matrix where the glass components include both natural boron and enriched boron. The calculated source terms pertain to neutron and gamma source strength (particles per second), and source spectrum changes. The calculated source terms corresponding to natural boron and enriched boron are compared to determine the benefits (decrease in radiation source terms) for to the use ofmore » enriched boron. The analysis of plutonium glass source terms shows that a large component of the neutron source terms is due to (a, n) reactions. The Americium-241 and plutonium present in the glass emit alpha particles (a). These alpha particles interact with low-Z nuclides like B-11, B-10, and O-17 in the glass to produce neutrons. The low-Z nuclides are referred to as target particles. The reference glass contains 9.4 wt percent B{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Boron-11 was found to strongly support the (a, n) reactions in the glass matrix. B-11 has a natural abundance of over 80 percent. The (a, n) reaction rates for B-10 are lower than for B-11 and the analysis shows that the plutonium glass neutron source terms can be reduced by artificially enriching natural boron with B-10. The natural abundance of B-10 is 19.9 percent. Boron enriched to 96-wt percent B-10 or above can be obtained commercially. Since lower source terms imply lower dose rates to radiation workers handling the plutonium glass materials, it is important to know the achievable decrease in source terms as a result of boron enrichment. Plutonium materials are normally handled in glove boxes with shielded glass windows and the work entails both extremity and whole-body exposures. Lowering the source terms of the plutonium batches will make the handling of these materials less difficult and will reduce radiation exposure to operating workers.« less

Radioactivity impacts of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident on the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, W.; Chen, L.; Yu, W.; Ma, H.; Zeng, Z.; Lin, J.; Zeng, S.

2015-02-01

The Fukushima Nuclear Accident (FNA) resulted in a large amount of radionuclides released into the atmosphere and dispersed globally, which has greatly raised public concerns. The state of the art for source terms of 19 kinds of radionuclides derived from the FNA was comprehensively collected and compared with levels of the global fallout and the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident (CNA). The atmospheric impacts of the FNA were evaluated from three aspects including radioactive baseline of the atmosphere, the concentration limits in standards and radiological protection. The FNA should not impose significant radiological risk on the public members in the countries excluding Japan. A conceptual scheme of Fukushima-derived radionuclides with physical and physicochemical insights on different temporal-spatial timescales was discussed and illustrated to understand their fates in the atmosphere.

Proceedings of the international meeting on thermal nuclear reactor safety. Vol. 1

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

None

Separate abstracts are included for each of the papers presented concerning current issues in nuclear power plant safety; national programs in nuclear power plant safety; radiological source terms; probabilistic risk assessment methods and techniques; non LOCA and small-break-LOCA transients; safety goals; pressurized thermal shocks; applications of reliability and risk methods to probabilistic risk assessment; human factors and man-machine interface; and data bases and special applications.

Regulatory Technology Development Plan - Sodium Fast Reactor: Mechanistic Source Term – Trial Calculation

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

Grabaskas, David; Bucknor, Matthew; Jerden, James

2016-10-01

The potential release of radioactive material during a plant incident, referred to as the source term, is a vital design metric and will be a major focus of advanced reactor licensing. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has stated an expectation for advanced reactor vendors to present a mechanistic assessment of the potential source term in their license applications. The mechanistic source term presents an opportunity for vendors to realistically assess the radiological consequences of an incident, and may allow reduced emergency planning zones and smaller plant sites. However, the development of a mechanistic source term for advanced reactors is notmore » without challenges, as there are often numerous phenomena impacting the transportation and retention of radionuclides. This project sought to evaluate U.S. capabilities regarding the mechanistic assessment of radionuclide release from core damage incidents at metal fueled, pool-type sodium fast reactors (SFRs). The purpose of the analysis was to identify, and prioritize, any gaps regarding computational tools or data necessary for the modeling of radionuclide transport and retention phenomena. To accomplish this task, a parallel-path analysis approach was utilized. One path, led by Argonne and Sandia National Laboratories, sought to perform a mechanistic source term assessment using available codes, data, and models, with the goal to identify gaps in the current knowledge base. The second path, performed by an independent contractor, performed sensitivity analyses to determine the importance of particular radionuclides and transport phenomena in regards to offsite consequences. The results of the two pathways were combined to prioritize gaps in current capabilities.« less

Short-term Automated Quantification of Radiologic Changes in the Characterization of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Versus Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia and Prediction of Long-term Survival.

PubMed

De Giacomi, Federica; Raghunath, Sushravya; Karwoski, Ronald; Bartholmai, Brian J; Moua, Teng

2018-03-01

Fibrotic interstitial lung diseases presenting with nonspecific and overlapping radiologic findings may be difficult to diagnose without surgical biopsy. We hypothesized that baseline quantifiable radiologic features and their short-term interval change may be predictive of underlying histologic diagnosis as well as long-term survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) presenting without honeycombing versus nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP). Forty biopsy-confirmed IPF and 20 biopsy-confirmed NSIP patients with available high-resolution chest computed tomography 4 to 24 months apart were studied. CALIPER software was used for the automated characterization and quantification of radiologic findings. IPF subjects were older (66 vs. 48; P<0.0001) with lower diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide and higher volumes of baseline reticulation (193 vs. 83 mL; P<0.0001). Over the interval period, compared with NSIP, IPF patients experienced greater functional decline (forced vital capacity, -6.3% vs. -1.7%; P=0.02) and radiologic progression, as noted by greater increase in reticulation volume (24 vs. 1.74 mL; P=0.048), and decrease in normal (-220 vs. -37.7 mL; P=0.045) and total lung volumes (-198 vs. 58.1 mL; P=0.03). Older age, male gender, higher reticulation volumes at baseline, and greater interval decrease in normal lung volumes were predictive of IPF. Both baseline and short-term changes in quantitative radiologic findings were predictive of mortality. Baseline quantitative radiologic findings and assessment of short-term disease progression may help characterize underlying IPF versus NSIP in those with difficult to differentiate clinicoradiologic presentations. Our study supports the possible utility of assessing serial quantifiable high-resolution chest computed tomographic findings for disease differentiation in these 2 entities.

SESAME: a software tool for the numerical dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents involving external sources and its application to the accident in Chile in December 2005.

PubMed

Huet, C; Lemosquet, A; Clairand, I; Rioual, J B; Franck, D; de Carlan, L; Aubineau-Lanièce, I; Bottollier-Depois, J F

2009-01-01

Estimating the dose distribution in a victim's body is a relevant indicator in assessing biological damage from exposure in the event of a radiological accident caused by an external source. This dose distribution can be assessed by physical dosimetric reconstruction methods. Physical dosimetric reconstruction can be achieved using experimental or numerical techniques. This article presents the laboratory-developed SESAME--Simulation of External Source Accident with MEdical images--tool specific to dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents through numerical simulations which combine voxel geometry and the radiation-material interaction MCNP(X) Monte Carlo computer code. The experimental validation of the tool using a photon field and its application to a radiological accident in Chile in December 2005 are also described.

Analysis of fission and activation radionuclides produced by a uranium-fueled nuclear detonation and identification of the top dose-producing radionuclides.

PubMed

Kraus, Terry; Foster, Kevin

2014-08-01

The radiological assessment of the nuclear fallout (i.e., fission and neutron-activation radionuclides) from a nuclear detonation is complicated by the large number of fallout radionuclides. This paper provides the initial isotopic source term inventory of the fallout from a uranium-fueled nuclear detonation and identifies the significant and insignificant radiological dose producing radionuclides over 11 dose integration time periods (time phases) of interest. A primary goal of this work is to produce a set of consistent, time phase-dependent lists of the top dose-producing radionuclides that can be used to prepare radiological assessment calculations and data products (e.g., maps of areas that exceed protective action guidelines) in support of public and worker protection decisions. The ranked lists of top dose-producing radionuclides enable assessors to perform atmospheric dispersion modeling and radiological dose assessment modeling more quickly by using relatively short lists of radionuclides without significantly compromising the accuracy of the modeling and the dose projections. This paper also provides a superset-list of the top dose-producing fallout radionuclides from a uranium-fueled nuclear detonation that can be used to perform radiological assessments over any desired time phase. Furthermore, this paper provides information that may be useful to monitoring and sampling and laboratory analysis personnel to help understand which radionuclides are of primary concern. Finally, this paper may be useful to public protection decision makers because it shows the importance of quickly initiating public protection actions to minimize the radiological dose from fallout.

NLP-based Identification of Pneumonia Cases from Free-Text Radiological Reports

PubMed Central

Elkin, Peter L.; Froehling, David; Wahner-Roedler, Dietlind; Trusko, Brett; Welsh, Gail; Ma, Haobo; Asatryan, Armen X.; Tokars, Jerome I.; Rosenbloom, S. Trent; Brown, Steven H.

2008-01-01

Radiological reports are a rich source of clinical data which can be mined to assist with biosurveillance of emerging infectious diseases. In addition to biosurveillance, radiological reports are an important source of clinical data for health service research. Pneumonias and other radiological findings on chest xray or chest computed tomography (CT) are one type of relevant finding to both biosurveillance and health services research. In this study we examined the ability of a Natural Language Processing system to accurately identify pneumonias and other lesions from within free-text radiological reports. The system encoded the reports in the SNOMED CT Ontology and then a set of SNOMED CT based rules were created in our Health Archetype Language aimed at the identification of these radiological findings and diagnoses. The encoded rule was executed against the SNOMED CT encodings of the radiological reports. The accuracy of the reports was compared with a Clinician review of the Radiological Reports. The accuracy of the system in the identification of pneumonias was high with a Sensitivity (recall) of 100%, a specificity of 98%, and a positive predictive value (precision) of 97%. We conclude that SNOMED CT based computable rules are accurate enough for the automated biosurveillance of pneumonias from radiological reports. PMID:18998791

Nuclear risk analysis of the Ulysses mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartram, Bart W.; Vaughan, Frank R.; Englehart, Richard W., Dr.

1991-01-01

The use of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator fueled with plutonium-238 dioxide on the Space Shuttle-launched Ulysses mission implies some level of risk due to potential accidents. This paper describes the method used to quantify risks in the Ulysses mission Final Safety Analysis Report prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy. The starting point for the analysis described herein is following input of source term probability distributions from the General Electric Company. A Monte Carlo technique is used to develop probability distributions of radiological consequences for a range of accident scenarios thoughout the mission. Factors affecting radiological consequences are identified, the probability distribution of the effect of each factor determined, and the functional relationship among all the factors established. The probability distributions of all the factor effects are then combined using a Monte Carlo technique. The results of the analysis are presented in terms of complementary cumulative distribution functions (CCDF) by mission sub-phase, phase, and the overall mission. The CCDFs show the total probability that consequences (calculated health effects) would be equal to or greater than a given value.

Long-term fate of depleted uranium at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds: Human health and ecological risk assessments

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

Ebinger, M.H.; Beckman, R.J.; Myers, O.B.

1996-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and long-term consequences of depleted uranium (DU) in the environment at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) for the Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM) of the US Army. Specifically, we examined the potential for adverse radiological and toxicological effects to humans and ecosystems caused by exposure to DU at both installations. We developed contaminant transport models of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems at APG and terrestrial ecosystems at YPG to assess potential adverse effects from DU exposure. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses of the initial models showed the portionsmore » of the models that most influenced predicted DU concentrations, and the results of the sensitivity analyses were fundamental tools in designing field sampling campaigns at both installations. Results of uranium (U) isotope analyses of field samples provided data to evaluate the source of U in the environment and the toxicological and radiological doses to different ecosystem components and to humans. Probabilistic doses were estimated from the field data, and DU was identified in several components of the food chain at APG and YPG. Dose estimates from APG data indicated that U or DU uptake was insufficient to cause adverse toxicological or radiological effects. Dose estimates from YPG data indicated that U or DU uptake is insufficient to cause radiological effects in ecosystem components or in humans, but toxicological effects in small mammals (e.g., kangaroo rats and pocket mice) may occur from U or DU ingestion. The results of this study were used to modify environmental radiation monitoring plans at APG and YPG to ensure collection of adequate data for ongoing ecological and human health risk assessments.« less

Final safety analysis report for the Galileo Mission: Volume 2: Book 1, Accident model document

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

Not Available

The Accident Model Document (AMD) is the second volume of the three volume Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) for the Galileo outer planetary space science mission. This mission employs Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) as the prime electrical power sources for the spacecraft. Galileo will be launched into Earth orbit using the Space Shuttle and will use the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster to place the spacecraft into an Earth escape trajectory. The RTG's employ silicon-germanium thermoelectric couples to produce electricity from the heat energy that results from the decay of the radioisotope fuel, Plutonium-238, used in the RTG heat source.more » The heat source configuration used in the RTG's is termed General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS), and the RTG's are designated GPHS-RTGs. The use of radioactive material in these missions necessitates evaluations of the radiological risks that may be encountered by launch complex personnel as well as by the Earth's general population resulting from postulated malfunctions or failures occurring in the mission operations. The FSAR presents the results of a rigorous safety assessment, including substantial analyses and testing, of the launch and deployment of the RTGs for the Galileo mission. This AMD is a summary of the potential accident and failure sequences which might result in fuel release, the analysis and testing methods employed, and the predicted source terms. Each source term consists of a quantity of fuel released, the location of release and the physical characteristics of the fuel released. Each source term has an associated probability of occurrence. 27 figs., 11 tabs.« less

Radiation dose reduction: comparative assessment of publication volume between interventional and diagnostic radiology.

PubMed

Hansmann, Jan; Henzler, Thomas; Gaba, Ron C; Morelli, John N

2017-01-01

We aimed to quantify and compare awareness regarding radiation dose reduction within the interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology communities. Abstracts accepted to the annual meetings of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed using the search terms "interventional/computed tomography" and "radiation dose/radiation dose reduction." A PubMed query using the above-mentioned search terms for the years of 2005-2015 was performed. Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 14 520 abstracts (mean, 660±297 abstracts) and 80 614 abstracts (mean, 3664±1025 abstracts) were presented at interventional and diagnostic radiology meetings, respectively. Significantly fewer abstracts related to radiation dose were presented at the interventional radiology meetings compared with the diagnostic radiology meetings (162 abstracts [1% of total] vs. 2706 [3% of total]; P < 0.001). On average 15±7 interventional radiology abstracts (range, 6-27) and 246±105 diagnostic radiology abstracts (range, 112-389) pertaining to radiation dose were presented at each meeting. The PubMed query revealed an average of 124±39 publications (range, 79-187) and 1205±307 publications (range, 829-1672) related to interventional and diagnostic radiology dose reduction per year, respectively (P < 0.001). The observed increase in the number of abstracts regarding radiation dose reduction in the interventional radiology community over the past 10 years has not mirrored the increased volume seen within diagnostic radiology, suggesting that increased education and discussion about this topic may be warranted.

Radiation dose reduction: comparative assessment of publication volume between interventional and diagnostic radiology

PubMed Central

Hansmann, Jan; Henzler, Thomas; Gaba, Ron C.; Morelli, John N.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to quantify and compare awareness regarding radiation dose reduction within the interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology communities. METHODS Abstracts accepted to the annual meetings of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed using the search terms “interventional/computed tomography” and “radiation dose/radiation dose reduction.” A PubMed query using the above-mentioned search terms for the years of 2005–2015 was performed. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 14 520 abstracts (mean, 660±297 abstracts) and 80 614 abstracts (mean, 3664±1025 abstracts) were presented at interventional and diagnostic radiology meetings, respectively. Significantly fewer abstracts related to radiation dose were presented at the interventional radiology meetings compared with the diagnostic radiology meetings (162 abstracts [1% of total] vs. 2706 [3% of total]; P < 0.001). On average 15±7 interventional radiology abstracts (range, 6–27) and 246±105 diagnostic radiology abstracts (range, 112–389) pertaining to radiation dose were presented at each meeting. The PubMed query revealed an average of 124±39 publications (range, 79–187) and 1205±307 publications (range, 829–1672) related to interventional and diagnostic radiology dose reduction per year, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The observed increase in the number of abstracts regarding radiation dose reduction in the interventional radiology community over the past 10 years has not mirrored the increased volume seen within diagnostic radiology, suggesting that increased education and discussion about this topic may be warranted. PMID:28287072

Analysis of accident sequences and source terms at waste treatment and storage facilities for waste generated by U.S. Department of Energy Waste Management Operations, Volume 3: Appendixes C-H

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

Mueller, C.; Nabelssi, B.; Roglans-Ribas, J.

1995-04-01

This report contains the Appendices for the Analysis of Accident Sequences and Source Terms at Waste Treatment and Storage Facilities for Waste Generated by the U.S. Department of Energy Waste Management Operations. The main report documents the methodology, computational framework, and results of facility accident analyses performed as a part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (WM PEIS). The accident sequences potentially important to human health risk are specified, their frequencies are assessed, and the resultant radiological and chemical source terms are evaluated. A personal computer-based computational framework and database have been developedmore » that provide these results as input to the WM PEIS for calculation of human health risk impacts. This report summarizes the accident analyses and aggregates the key results for each of the waste streams. Source terms are estimated and results are presented for each of the major DOE sites and facilities by WM PEIS alternative for each waste stream. The appendices identify the potential atmospheric release of each toxic chemical or radionuclide for each accident scenario studied. They also provide discussion of specific accident analysis data and guidance used or consulted in this report.« less

Source Recertification, Refurbishment, and Transfer Logistics

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

Gastelum, Zoe N.; Duckworth, Leesa L.; Greenfield, Bryce A.

2013-09-01

The 2012 Gap Analysis of Department of Energy Radiological Sealed Sources, Standards, and Materials for Safeguards Technology Development [1] report, and the subsequent Reconciliation of Source Needs and Surpluses across the U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory Complex [2] report, resulted in the identification of 33 requests for nuclear or radiological sealed sources for which there was potentially available, suitable material from within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex to fill the source need. Available, suitable material was defined by DOE laboratories as material slated for excess, or that required recertification or refurbishment before being used for safeguards technologymore » development. This report begins by outlining the logistical considerations required for the shipment of nuclear and radiological materials between DOE laboratories. Then, because of the limited need for transfer of matching sources, the report also offers considerations for an alternative approach – the shipment of safeguards equipment between DOE laboratories or technology testing centers. Finally, this report addresses repackaging needs for the two source requests for which there was available, suitable material within the DOE complex.« less

A Platform for Innovation and Standards Evaluation: a Case Study from the OpenMRS Open-Source Radiology Information System.

PubMed

Gichoya, Judy W; Kohli, Marc; Ivange, Larry; Schmidt, Teri S; Purkayastha, Saptarshi

2018-05-10

Open-source development can provide a platform for innovation by seeking feedback from community members as well as providing tools and infrastructure to test new standards. Vendors of proprietary systems may delay adoption of new standards until there are sufficient incentives such as legal mandates or financial incentives to encourage/mandate adoption. Moreover, open-source systems in healthcare have been widely adopted in low- and middle-income countries and can be used to bridge gaps that exist in global health radiology. Since 2011, the authors, along with a community of open-source contributors, have worked on developing an open-source radiology information system (RIS) across two communities-OpenMRS and LibreHealth. The main purpose of the RIS is to implement core radiology workflows, on which others can build and test new radiology standards. This work has resulted in three major releases of the system, with current architectural changes driven by changing technology, development of new standards in health and imaging informatics, and changing user needs. At their core, both these communities are focused on building general-purpose EHR systems, but based on user contributions from the fringes, we have been able to create an innovative system that has been used by hospitals and clinics in four different countries. We provide an overview of the history of the LibreHealth RIS, the architecture of the system, overview of standards integration, describe challenges of developing an open-source product, and future directions. Our goal is to attract more participation and involvement to further develop the LibreHealth RIS into an Enterprise Imaging System that can be used in other clinical imaging including pathology and dermatology.

Calculational note for the radiological and toxicological effects of a UO{sub 3} release from the T-hopper storage pad

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

Goldberg, H.J.

1998-06-18

UO{sub 3} powder is stored at the T-hopper storage area associated with the 2714-U building in the 200 west area. The T-hopper containers and 13 drums containing this material are used to store the powder on pads immediately north of the building. An interim safety basis document (WHC,1996) was issued in 1996 for the UO{sub 3} powder storage area. In this document the isotope {sup 99}Tc was not included in the source term used to calculate the radiological consequences of a postulated release of the powder. A calculations note (HNF, 1998) was issued to remedy that deficiency. The present documentmore » is a revision to that document to reflect updated data concerning the solubility of UO{sub 3} in simulated lung fluid and to utilize more realistic powder release fractions.« less

Historical perspective on computer development and glossary of terms.

PubMed

Honeyman, J C; Dwyer, S J

1993-01-01

This article contains a concise history of the development of mechanical and electronic computers, descriptions of the milestones in software development, discussion of the introduction and adoption of computers in radiology, and a glossary of computer terms used frequently in radiology. One of the earliest devices designed to mechanize calculations was the calculating clock, built in 1623. The first programmable electronic computer, the ENIAC (electronic numerical integration and computer), was completed in 1945 at the University of Pennsylvania. Software has developed from early machine language through fourth-generation languages and graphic user interfaces used today. The computer was introduced to radiology initially in the 1960s in nuclear medicine and is now incorporated in many digital imaging modalities throughout radiology. The development of picture archiving and communication systems has resulted in the implementation of several totally digital departments of radiology.

Updating source term and atmospheric dispersion simulations for the dose reconstruction in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagai, Haruyasu; Terada, Hiroaki; Tsuduki, Katsunori; Katata, Genki; Ota, Masakazu; Furuno, Akiko; Akari, Shusaku

2017-09-01

In order to assess the radiological dose to the public resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident in Japan, especially for the early phase of the accident when no measured data are available for that purpose, the spatial and temporal distribution of radioactive materials in the environment are reconstructed by computer simulations. In this study, by refining the source term of radioactive materials discharged into the atmosphere and modifying the atmospheric transport, dispersion and deposition model (ATDM), the atmospheric dispersion simulation of radioactive materials is improved. Then, a database of spatiotemporal distribution of radioactive materials in the air and on the ground surface is developed from the output of the simulation. This database is used in other studies for the dose assessment by coupling with the behavioral pattern of evacuees from the FDNPS accident. By the improvement of the ATDM simulation to use a new meteorological model and sophisticated deposition scheme, the ATDM simulations reproduced well the 137Cs and 131I deposition patterns. For the better reproducibility of dispersion processes, further refinement of the source term was carried out by optimizing it to the improved ATDM simulation by using new monitoring data.

[An analysis of existing terminology towards constructing ontology in the field of the radiological technology].

PubMed

Tsuji, Shintaro; Fukuda, Akihisa; Yagahara, Ayako; Nishimoto, Naoki; Homma, Katsumi; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2015-03-01

In 1994, Japanese Society of Radiological Technology (JSRT) constructed the lexicon in the field of radiologic technology. However, recently, latest lexicon is not updated yet. The purpose of this article is to compare the terminologies in clinical medicine with the others and to consider reconstructing the lexicon in the radiological technology. Our study selected three categories from the database of the academic society. These three groups were Clinical medicine (hereafter CM, 167 societies, includes JSRT), Psychology / Education (hereafter P/E, 104 societies), and Comprehensive synthetic engineering (hereafter CSE, 40 societies). First, all societies were surveyed to know whether there were any lexicon in their official website. Second, these terminologies were surveyed on the following criteria: (a) Media of lexicon, (b) Number of terms, (c) File type of lexicon, (d) Terms translated into English, (e) Way of searching terms, and (f) Number of committees of the terminology. Lexicon in CM, P/E, and CSE had 20, 4, and 7. Compared with P/E and CSE, CM showed the following trends: (a) used electronic media frequently, (b) stored large number of terms (about 5,000 to 11,000), (c) enabled to download frequently, and (d) used the alphabet and Japanese syllabary order frequently. Compared with the lexicon of P/E and CSE, terminology in CM tended to adopt the electronic media of lexicon and to have large number of terms. Additionally, many lexicons were expressed in English terms along with Japanese terms. Following massive lexicon of SNOMED-CT and RadLex, it is necessary to consider applying the web-based term searching and an ontological technique to the lexicon of radiological technology.

Curriculum Development and Alignment in Radiologic Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowd, Steven B.

Before developing a curriculum for radiologic technology, one must first attempt to define the term "curriculum." The term is not easy to define precisely, although it does imply the necessity of a master plan that outlines institutional philosophy and goals, course descriptions, description of competency-based evaluation, performance objectives,…

Review of Dangerous Radioisotopes: What is Available in Practice, What Should We be Concerned About?

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

of the credibility of a radioactive material as a radiological weapon to be applied to specific scenarios. • This does not replace the IAEA "AID...34 ratios, but more precisely applies this concept to assessments of interest. 7Jt#,�$ 2 IDA I Radiological Weapons • This analysis identified the...radiological weapons under seven different routes of exposure (or types of radiological weapons ), including external irradiation from a point source

[RadLex - German version: a radiological lexicon for indexing image and report information].

PubMed

Marwede, D; Daumke, P; Marko, K; Lobsien, D; Schulz, S; Kahn, T

2009-01-01

Since 2003 the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has been developing a lexicon of standardized radiological terms (RadLex) intended to support the structured reporting of imaging observations and the indexing of teaching cases. The aim of this study was to translate the first version of the lexicon (1 - 2007) into German and to implement a language-independent online term browser. RadLex version 1 - 2007 contains 6303 terms in nine main categories. Two radiologists independently translated the lexicon using medical dictionaries. Terms translated differently were revised and translated by consensus. For the development of an online term browser, a text processing algorithm called morphosemantic indexing was used which splits up words into small semantic units and compares those units to language-specific subword thesauri. In total 6240 of 6303 terms (99 %) were translated. Of those terms 3965 were German, 1893 were Latin, 359 were multilingual, and 23 were English terms that are also used in German and were therefore maintained. The online term browser supports a language-independent term search in RadLex (German/English) and other common medical terminology (e. g., ICD 10). The term browser displays term hierarchies and translations in different frames and the complexity of the result lists can be adapted by the user. RadLex version 1 - 2007 developed by the RSNA is now available in German and can be accessed online through a term browser with an efficient search function. This is an important precondition for the future comparison of national and international indexed radiological examination results and the interoperability between digital teaching resources.

Long Term Hydrological (Radiological) Site Monitoring Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Quality Data Asset includes all current and historical data on the quality of water with regard to the presence of water pollutants of all kinds regulated by the Clean Water Act. Under the new Interagency Agreement with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Radiation & Indoor Environments National Laboratory (R&IE), Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA), EPA, located in Las Vegas, NV, conducts a Long-Term Hydrological Monitoring Program (LTHMP) providing laboratory sampling/analysis and Quality Assurance and Control to measure radioactivity concentrations in the water sources near the sites of former underground nuclear explosions. The results of the LTHMP provide assurance that radioactive material from the tests have not migrated into water supplies.

Implementation of a departmental picture archiving and communication system: a productivity and cost analysis.

PubMed

Macyszyn, Luke; Lega, Brad; Bohman, Leif-Erik; Latefi, Ahmad; Smith, Michelle J; Malhotra, Neil R; Welch, William; Grady, Sean M

2013-09-01

Digital radiology enhances productivity and results in long-term cost savings. However, the viewing, storage, and sharing of outside imaging studies on compact discs at ambulatory offices and hospitals pose a number of unique challenges to a surgeon's efficiency and clinical workflow. To improve the efficiency and clinical workflow of an academic neurosurgical practice when evaluating patients with outside radiological studies. Open-source software and commercial hardware were used to design and implement a departmental picture archiving and communications system (PACS). The implementation of a departmental PACS system significantly improved productivity and enhanced collaboration in a variety of clinical settings. Using published data on the rate of information technology problems associated with outside studies on compact discs, this system produced a cost savings ranging from $6250 to $33600 and from $43200 to $72000 for 2 cohorts, urgent transfer and spine clinic patients, respectively, therefore justifying the costs of the system in less than a year. The implementation of a departmental PACS system using open-source software is straightforward and cost-effective and results in significant gains in surgeon productivity when evaluating patients with outside imaging studies.

The geomagnetically trapped radiation environment: A radiological point of view

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holly, F. E.

1972-01-01

The regions of naturally occurring, geomagnetically trapped radiation are briefly reviewed in terms of physical parameters such as; particle types, fluxes, spectrums, and spatial distributions. The major emphasis is placed upon a description of this environment in terms of the radiobiologically relevant parameters of absorbed dose and dose-rate and a discussion of the radiological implications in terms of the possible impact on space vehicle design and mission planning.

Business intelligence tools for radiology: creating a prototype model using open-source tools.

PubMed

Prevedello, Luciano M; Andriole, Katherine P; Hanson, Richard; Kelly, Pauline; Khorasani, Ramin

2010-04-01

Digital radiology departments could benefit from the ability to integrate and visualize data (e.g. information reflecting complex workflow states) from all of their imaging and information management systems in one composite presentation view. Leveraging data warehousing tools developed in the business world may be one way to achieve this capability. In total, the concept of managing the information available in this data repository is known as Business Intelligence or BI. This paper describes the concepts used in Business Intelligence, their importance to modern Radiology, and the steps used in the creation of a prototype model of a data warehouse for BI using open-source tools.

Design and implementation of an open source indexing solution for a large set of radiological reports and images.

PubMed

Voet, T; Devolder, P; Pynoo, B; Vercruysse, J; Duyck, P

2007-11-01

This paper hopes to share the insights we experienced during designing, building, and running an indexing solution for a large set of radiological reports and images in a production environment for more than 3 years. Several technical challenges were encountered and solved in the course of this project. One hundred four million words in 1.8 million radiological reports from 1989 to the present were indexed and became instantaneously searchable in a user-friendly fashion; the median query duration is only 31 ms. Currently, our highly tuned index holds 332,088 unique words in four languages. The indexing system is feature-rich and language-independent and allows for making complex queries. For research and training purposes it certainly is a valuable and convenient addition to our radiology informatics toolbox. Extended use of open-source technology dramatically reduced both implementation time and cost. All software we developed related to the indexing project has been made available to the open-source community covered by an unrestricted Berkeley Software Distribution-style license.

Verification of Minimum Detectable Activity for Radiological Threat Source Search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, Hannah; Myjak, Mitchell; Baciak, James; Detwiler, Rebecca; Seifert, Carolyn

2015-10-01

The Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is working to develop advanced technologies that will improve the ability to detect, localize, and identify radiological and nuclear sources from airborne platforms. The Airborne Radiological Enhanced-sensor System (ARES) program is developing advanced data fusion algorithms for analyzing data from a helicopter-mounted radiation detector. This detector platform provides a rapid, wide-area assessment of radiological conditions at ground level. The NSCRAD (Nuisance-rejection Spectral Comparison Ratios for Anomaly Detection) algorithm was developed to distinguish low-count sources of interest from benign naturally occurring radiation and irrelevant nuisance sources. It uses a number of broad, overlapping regions of interest to statistically compare each newly measured spectrum with the current estimate for the background to identify anomalies. We recently developed a method to estimate the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of NSCRAD in real time. We present this method here and report on the MDA verification using both laboratory measurements and simulated injects on measured backgrounds at or near the detection limits. This work is supported by the US Department of Homeland Security, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, under competitively awarded contract/IAA HSHQDC-12-X-00376. This support does not constitute an express or implied endorsement on the part of the Gov't.

Common procedures and strategies for anaesthesia in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Landrigan-Ossar, Mary

2015-08-01

This review describes the range of cases now available in the interventional radiology suite and summarizes suggestions for their anaesthetic and perioperative management. The type and complexity of interventional radiology cases being performed increases from year to year. Anaesthesiologists' presence in interventional radiology is increasing in turn, due to increasingly ill patients and intricate procedures requiring more than local anaesthesia for well tolerated completion. The literature available describing this is largely written by radiologists, with little attention paid to anaesthetic considerations. Cases in interventional radiology are complex in terms of the logistics of working in an unfamiliar area, frequency of patient comorbidity and unfamiliar procedures. Ensuring familiarity with the variety of interventional radiology procedures and their periprocedure requirements can increase anaesthesiologists' comfort in interventional radiology.

Toward Augmented Radiologists: Changes in Radiology Education in the Era of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

PubMed

Tajmir, Shahein H; Alkasab, Tarik K

2018-06-01

Radiology practice will be altered by the coming of artificial intelligence, and the process of learning in radiology will be similarly affected. In the short term, radiologists will need to understand the first wave of artificially intelligent tools, how they can help them improve their practice, and be able to effectively supervise their use. Radiology training programs will need to develop curricula to help trainees acquire the knowledge to carry out this new supervisory duty of radiologists. In the longer term, artificially intelligent software assistants could have a transformative effect on the training of residents and fellows, and offer new opportunities to bring learning into the ongoing practice of attending radiologists. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) as a radiology reporting tool by using optical character recognition (OCR) and macro program.

PubMed

Lee, Young Han; Song, Ho-Taek; Suh, Jin-Suck

2012-12-01

The objectives are (1) to introduce a new concept of making a quantitative computed tomography (QCT) reporting system by using optical character recognition (OCR) and macro program and (2) to illustrate the practical usages of the QCT reporting system in radiology reading environment. This reporting system was created as a development tool by using an open-source OCR software and an open-source macro program. The main module was designed for OCR to report QCT images in radiology reading process. The principal processes are as follows: (1) to save a QCT report as a graphic file, (2) to recognize the characters from an image as a text, (3) to extract the T scores from the text, (4) to perform error correction, (5) to reformat the values into QCT radiology reporting template, and (6) to paste the reports into the electronic medical record (EMR) or picture archiving and communicating system (PACS). The accuracy test of OCR was performed on randomly selected QCTs. QCT as a radiology reporting tool successfully acted as OCR of QCT. The diagnosis of normal, osteopenia, or osteoporosis is also determined. Error correction of OCR is done with AutoHotkey-coded module. The results of T scores of femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae had an accuracy of 100 and 95.4 %, respectively. A convenient QCT reporting system could be established by utilizing open-source OCR software and open-source macro program. This method can be easily adapted for other QCT applications and PACS/EMR.

[Regulating radiological protection and the role of health authorities].

PubMed

Arias, César F

2006-01-01

This article summarizes the development of protection against ionizing radiation and explains current thinking in the field. It also looks at the decisive role that regulatory agencies for radiological protection must play and the important contributions that can be made by health authorities. The latter should take an active part in at least three aspects: the formal education of health personnel regarding radiological protection; the medical care of individuals who are accidentally overexposed, and the radiological protection of patients undergoing radiological procedures. To this end, health professionals must possess sufficient knowledge about radiological protection, promote the use of proper equipment, and apply the necessary quality assurance procedures. Through their effective intervention, national health authorities can greatly contribute to reducing unnecessary doses of radiation during medical procedures involving radiation sources and decrease the chances that radiological accidents will take place.

Effects of Hospital Workers' Friendship Networks on Job Stress.

PubMed

Shin, Sung Yae; Lee, Sang Gyu

2016-01-01

This study attempted to identify the sources of job stress according to job position and investigate how friendship networks affect job stress. Questionnaires based on The Health Professions Stress Inventory (HPSI) developed by Wolfgang experienced by healthcare providers were collected from 420 nurses, doctors and radiological technologists in two general hospitals in Korea by a multistage cluster sampling method. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the effects of friendship networks on job stress after controlling for other factors. The severity of job stress differed according to level of job demands (p = .006); radiologic technologists experienced the least stress (45.4), nurses experienced moderate stress (52.4), and doctors experienced the most stress (53.6). Those with long-term friendships characterized by strong connections reported lower levels of stress than did those with weak ties to friends among nurses (1.3, p < .05) and radiological technologists (11.4, p < .01). The degree of cohesion among friends had a positive impact on the level of job stress experienced by nurses (8.2, p < .001) and radiological technologists (14.6, p < .1). Doctors who participated in workplace alumni meetings scored higher than those who did not. However, those who participated in alumni meetings outside the workplace showed the opposite tendency, scoring 9.4 (p < .05) lower than those who did not. The resources from their friendship network include both information and instrumental support. As most radiological technologists were male, their instrumental support positively affected their job stress (9.2, p < .05). Life information support was the primary positive contributor to control of nurses' (4.1, p < .05), radiological technologists' (8.0, p < .05) job stress. The strength and density of such friendship networks were related to job stress. Life information support from their friendship network was the primary positive contributor to control of job stress.

Effects of Hospital Workers’ Friendship Networks on Job Stress

PubMed Central

Shin, Sung Yae; Lee, Sang Gyu

2016-01-01

Background This study attempted to identify the sources of job stress according to job position and investigate how friendship networks affect job stress. Methods Questionnaires based on The Health Professions Stress Inventory (HPSI) developed by Wolfgang experienced by healthcare providers were collected from 420 nurses, doctors and radiological technologists in two general hospitals in Korea by a multistage cluster sampling method. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the effects of friendship networks on job stress after controlling for other factors. Results The severity of job stress differed according to level of job demands (p = .006); radiologic technologists experienced the least stress (45.4), nurses experienced moderate stress (52.4), and doctors experienced the most stress (53.6). Those with long-term friendships characterized by strong connections reported lower levels of stress than did those with weak ties to friends among nurses (1.3, p < .05) and radiological technologists (11.4, p < .01). The degree of cohesion among friends had a positive impact on the level of job stress experienced by nurses (8.2, p < .001) and radiological technologists (14.6, p < .1). Doctors who participated in workplace alumni meetings scored higher than those who did not. However, those who participated in alumni meetings outside the workplace showed the opposite tendency, scoring 9.4 (p < .05) lower than those who did not. The resources from their friendship network include both information and instrumental support. As most radiological technologists were male, their instrumental support positively affected their job stress (9.2, p < .05). Life information support was the primary positive contributor to control of nurses’ (4.1, p < .05), radiological technologists’ (8.0, p < .05) job stress. Conclusion The strength and density of such friendship networks were related to job stress. Life information support from their friendship network was the primary positive contributor to control of job stress. PMID:26900945

Inverse modelling for real-time estimation of radiological consequences in the early stage of an accidental radioactivity release.

PubMed

Pecha, Petr; Šmídl, Václav

2016-11-01

A stepwise sequential assimilation algorithm is proposed based on an optimisation approach for recursive parameter estimation and tracking of radioactive plume propagation in the early stage of a radiation accident. Predictions of the radiological situation in each time step of the plume propagation are driven by an existing short-term meteorological forecast and the assimilation procedure manipulates the model parameters to match the observations incoming concurrently from the terrain. Mathematically, the task is a typical ill-posed inverse problem of estimating the parameters of the release. The proposed method is designated as a stepwise re-estimation of the source term release dynamics and an improvement of several input model parameters. It results in a more precise determination of the adversely affected areas in the terrain. The nonlinear least-squares regression methodology is applied for estimation of the unknowns. The fast and adequately accurate segmented Gaussian plume model (SGPM) is used in the first stage of direct (forward) modelling. The subsequent inverse procedure infers (re-estimates) the values of important model parameters from the actual observations. Accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method for real-time forecasting of the accident propagation is studied. First, a twin experiment generating noiseless simulated "artificial" observations is studied to verify the minimisation algorithm. Second, the impact of the measurement noise on the re-estimated source release rate is examined. In addition, the presented method can be used as a proposal for more advanced statistical techniques using, e.g., importance sampling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards the operational estimation of a radiological plume using data assimilation after a radiological accidental atmospheric release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winiarek, Victor; Vira, Julius; Bocquet, Marc; Sofiev, Mikhail; Saunier, Olivier

2011-06-01

In the event of an accidental atmospheric release of radionuclides from a nuclear power plant, accurate real-time forecasting of the activity concentrations of radionuclides is required by the decision makers for the preparation of adequate countermeasures. The accuracy of the forecast plume is highly dependent on the source term estimation. On several academic test cases, including real data, inverse modelling and data assimilation techniques were proven to help in the assessment of the source term. In this paper, a semi-automatic method is proposed for the sequential reconstruction of the plume, by implementing a sequential data assimilation algorithm based on inverse modelling, with a care to develop realistic methods for operational risk agencies. The performance of the assimilation scheme has been assessed through the intercomparison between French and Finnish frameworks. Two dispersion models have been used: Polair3D and Silam developed in two different research centres. Different release locations, as well as different meteorological situations are tested. The existing and newly planned surveillance networks are used and realistically large multiplicative observational errors are assumed. The inverse modelling scheme accounts for strong error bias encountered with such errors. The efficiency of the data assimilation system is tested via statistical indicators. For France and Finland, the average performance of the data assimilation system is strong. However there are outlying situations where the inversion fails because of a too poor observability. In addition, in the case where the power plant responsible for the accidental release is not known, robust statistical tools are developed and tested to discriminate candidate release sites.

Standardization of pediatric uroradiological terms: a multidisciplinary European glossary.

PubMed

Vivier, Pierre-Hugues; Augdal, Thomas A; Avni, Fred E; Bacchetta, Justine; Beetz, Rolf; Bjerre, Anna K; Blickman, Johan; Cochat, Pierre; Coppo, Rosana; Damasio, Beatrice; Darge, Kassa; El-Ghoneimi, Alaa; Hoebeke, Piet; Läckgren, Göran; Leclair, Marc-David; Lobo, Maria-Luisa; Manzoni, Gianantonio; Marks, Stephen D; Mattioli, Girolamo; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Mouriquand, Pierre; Nevéus, Tryggve; Ntoulia, Aikaterini; Ording-Muller, Lil-Sofie; Oswald, Josef; Papadopoulou, Frederica; Porcellini, Gabriella; Ring, Ekkehard; Rösch, Wolfgang; Teixeira, Ana F; Riccabona, Michael

2018-02-01

To promote the standardization of nephro-uroradiological terms used in children, the European Society of Paediatric Radiology uroradiology taskforce wrote a detailed glossary. This work has been subsequently submitted to European experts in pediatric urology and nephrology for discussion and acceptance to improve the quality of radiological reports and communication between different clinicians involved in pediatric urology and nephrology.

OPERATION CASTLE. Radiological Safety. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

OPERATION CASTLE Radiological Safety Final Report Volume I Headquarters Joint Task Force Seven Technical Branch, J-3 Division Washington, DC...Spring 1954 EXTRACTED VERSION DTIC -uECTE MAR031986 NOTICE: This is an extract of Operation CASTLE, Radiological Safety, Final Report, Volume I ...SYMBOL (If jpQiictbl») ■ i PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 8c AOORESS (G(y, SU(t tncl ZIRCod») 10 SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM

Terminology and reporting criteria for radiofrequency ablation of tumors in the scientific literature: systematic review of compliance with reporting standards.

PubMed

Kang, Tae Wook; Rhim, Hyunchul; Lee, Min Woo; Kim, Young-sun; Choi, Dongil; Lim, Hyo Keun

2014-01-01

To perform a systematic review of compliance with standardized terminology and reporting criteria for radiofrequency (RF) tumor ablation, proposed by the International Working Group on Image-Guided Tumor Ablation in 2003, in the published reports. Literature search in the PubMed database was performed using index keywords, PubMed limit system, and eligibility criteria. The entire content of each article was reviewed to assess the terminology used for procedure terms, imaging findings, therapeutic efficacy, follow-up, and complications. Accuracy of the terminology and the use of alternative terms instead of standard terminology were analyzed. In addition, disparities in accuracy of terminology in articles according to the medical specialty and the type of radiology journal were evaluated. Among the articles (n = 308) included in this study, the accuracy of the terms 'procedure or session', 'treatment', 'index tumor', 'ablation zone', 'technical success', 'primary technique effectiveness rate', 'secondary technique effectiveness rate', 'local tumor progression', 'major complication', and 'minor complication' was 97% (298/307), 97% (291/300), 8% (25/307), 65% (103/159), 55% (52/94), 33% (42/129), 94% (17/18), 45% (88/195), 99% (79/80), and 100% (77/77), respectively. The overall accuracy of each term showed a tendency to improve over the years. The most commonly used alternative terms for 'technical success' and 'local tumor progression' were 'complete ablation' and 'local (tumor) recurrence', respectively. The accuracy of terminology in articles published in radiology journals was significantly greater than that of terminology in articles published in non-radiology journals, especially in Radiology and The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. The proposal for standardization of terminology and reporting criteria for RF tumor ablation has been gaining support according to the recently published scientific reports, especially in the field of radiology. However, more work is still needed for the complete standardization of terminology.

Terminology and Reporting Criteria for Radiofrequency Ablation of Tumors in the Scientific Literature: Systematic Review of Compliance with Reporting Standards

PubMed Central

Kang, Tae Wook; Lee, Min Woo; Kim, Young-sun; Choi, Dongil; Lim, Hyo Keun

2014-01-01

Objective To perform a systematic review of compliance with standardized terminology and reporting criteria for radiofrequency (RF) tumor ablation, proposed by the International Working Group on Image-Guided Tumor Ablation in 2003, in the published reports. Materials and Methods Literature search in the PubMed database was performed using index keywords, PubMed limit system, and eligibility criteria. The entire content of each article was reviewed to assess the terminology used for procedure terms, imaging findings, therapeutic efficacy, follow-up, and complications. Accuracy of the terminology and the use of alternative terms instead of standard terminology were analyzed. In addition, disparities in accuracy of terminology in articles according to the medical specialty and the type of radiology journal were evaluated. Results Among the articles (n = 308) included in this study, the accuracy of the terms 'procedure or session', 'treatment', 'index tumor', 'ablation zone', 'technical success', 'primary technique effectiveness rate', 'secondary technique effectiveness rate', 'local tumor progression', 'major complication', and 'minor complication' was 97% (298/307), 97% (291/300), 8% (25/307), 65% (103/159), 55% (52/94), 33% (42/129), 94% (17/18), 45% (88/195), 99% (79/80), and 100% (77/77), respectively. The overall accuracy of each term showed a tendency to improve over the years. The most commonly used alternative terms for 'technical success' and 'local tumor progression' were 'complete ablation' and 'local (tumor) recurrence', respectively. The accuracy of terminology in articles published in radiology journals was significantly greater than that of terminology in articles published in non-radiology journals, especially in Radiology and The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. Conclusion The proposal for standardization of terminology and reporting criteria for RF tumor ablation has been gaining support according to the recently published scientific reports, especially in the field of radiology. However, more work is still needed for the complete standardization of terminology. PMID:24497798

Homeland Security and Defense Applications

ScienceCinema

None

2018-01-16

Homeland Security and Defense Applications personnel are the best in the world at detecting and locating dirty bombs, loose nukes, and other radiological sources. The site trains the Nation's emergency responders, who would be among the first to confront a radiological or nuclear emergency. Homeland Security and Defense Applications highly training personnel, characterize the threat environment, produce specialized radiological nuclear detection equipment, train personnel on the equipment and its uses, test and evaluate the equipment, and develop different kinds of high-tech equipment to defeat terrorists. In New York City for example, NNSS scientists assisted in characterizing the radiological nuclear environment after 9/11, and produced specialized radiological nuclear equipment to assist local officials in their Homeland Security efforts.

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

None

Homeland Security and Defense Applications personnel are the best in the world at detecting and locating dirty bombs, loose nukes, and other radiological sources. The site trains the Nation's emergency responders, who would be among the first to confront a radiological or nuclear emergency. Homeland Security and Defense Applications highly training personnel, characterize the threat environment, produce specialized radiological nuclear detection equipment, train personnel on the equipment and its uses, test and evaluate the equipment, and develop different kinds of high-tech equipment to defeat terrorists. In New York City for example, NNSS scientists assisted in characterizing the radiological nuclear environmentmore » after 9/11, and produced specialized radiological nuclear equipment to assist local officials in their Homeland Security efforts.« less

PREPARE: innovative integrated tools and platforms for radiological emergency preparedness and post-accident response in Europe.

PubMed

Raskob, Wolfgang; Schneider, Thierry; Gering, Florian; Charron, Sylvie; Zhelezniak, Mark; Andronopoulos, Spyros; Heriard-Dubreuil, Gilles; Camps, Johan

2015-04-01

The PREPARE project that started in February 2013 and will end at the beginning of 2016 aims to close gaps that have been identified in nuclear and radiological preparedness in Europe following the first evaluation of the Fukushima disaster. Among others, the project will address the review of existing operational procedures for dealing with long-lasting releases and cross-border problems in radiation monitoring and food safety and further develop missing functionalities in decision support systems (DSS) ranging from improved source-term estimation and dispersion modelling to the inclusion of hydrological pathways for European water bodies. In addition, a so-called Analytical Platform will be developed exploring the scientific and operational means to improve information collection, information exchange and the evaluation of such types of disasters. The tools developed within the project will be partly integrated into the two DSS ARGOS and RODOS. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Preoperative radiological factors correlated to long-term recurrence of hallux valgus following distal chevron osteotomy.

PubMed

Pentikainen, Ilkka; Ojala, Risto; Ohtonen, Pasi; Piippo, Jouni; Leppilahti, Juhana

2014-12-01

The purpose of this article was to analyze the long-term radiologic results after distal chevron osteotomy for hallux valgus treatment and to determine the preoperative radiographic factors correlating with radiological recurrence of the deformity. The study included 100 consecutive patients who received distal chevron osteotomy for hallux valgus. The osteotomy included fixation with an absorbable pin in 50 cases, and no fixation in the other 50. For 6 weeks postoperatively, half of each group used a soft cast and half had a traditional elastic bandage. Weight-bearing radiographs were evaluated at 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and a mean of 7.9 (range, 5.8-9.4) years postoperatively. At the final follow-up, radiological recurrence of hallux valgus deformity (HVA > 15 degrees) was observed in 56 feet (73%). Eleven feet (14%) had mild recurrence (HVA < 20 degrees), 44 (57%) moderate (20 degrees ≥ HVA < 40 degrees), and 1 (1%) severe (HVA ≥ 40 degrees). All recurrences were painless, and thus no revision surgery was required. Long-term hallux valgus recurrence was significantly affected by preoperative congruence, DMAA, sesamoid position, HVA, and I/II IMA. Radiological recurrence of hallux valgus deformity of 15 degrees or more was very common at long-term follow-up after distal chevron osteotomy. Preoperative congruence, DMAA, sesamoid position (LaPorta), HVA, and I/II IMA significantly affected recurrence. Level III, comparative case series. © The Author(s) 2014.

Text mining electronic hospital records to automatically classify admissions against disease: Measuring the impact of linking data sources.

PubMed

Kocbek, Simon; Cavedon, Lawrence; Martinez, David; Bain, Christopher; Manus, Chris Mac; Haffari, Gholamreza; Zukerman, Ingrid; Verspoor, Karin

2016-12-01

Text and data mining play an important role in obtaining insights from Health and Hospital Information Systems. This paper presents a text mining system for detecting admissions marked as positive for several diseases: Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Secondary Malignant Neoplasm of Respiratory and Digestive Organs, Multiple Myeloma and Malignant Plasma Cell Neoplasms, Pneumonia, and Pulmonary Embolism. We specifically examine the effect of linking multiple data sources on text classification performance. Support Vector Machine classifiers are built for eight data source combinations, and evaluated using the metrics of Precision, Recall and F-Score. Sub-sampling techniques are used to address unbalanced datasets of medical records. We use radiology reports as an initial data source and add other sources, such as pathology reports and patient and hospital admission data, in order to assess the research question regarding the impact of the value of multiple data sources. Statistical significance is measured using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A second set of experiments explores aspects of the system in greater depth, focusing on Lung Cancer. We explore the impact of feature selection; analyse the learning curve; examine the effect of restricting admissions to only those containing reports from all data sources; and examine the impact of reducing the sub-sampling. These experiments provide better understanding of how to best apply text classification in the context of imbalanced data of variable completeness. Radiology questions plus patient and hospital admission data contribute valuable information for detecting most of the diseases, significantly improving performance when added to radiology reports alone or to the combination of radiology and pathology reports. Overall, linking data sources significantly improved classification performance for all the diseases examined. However, there is no single approach that suits all scenarios; the choice of the most effective combination of data sources depends on the specific disease to be classified. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standardization of pediatric uroradiological terms: A multidisciplinary European glossary.

PubMed

Vivier, Pierre-Hugues; Augdal, Thomas A; Avni, Fred E; Bacchetta, Justine; Beetz, Rolf; Bjerre, Anna K; Blickman, Johan; Cochat, Pierre; Coppo, Rosana; Damasio, Beatrice; Darge, Kassa; El-Ghoneimi, Alaa; Hoebeke, Piet; Läckgren, Göran; Leclair, Marc-David; Lobo, Maria-Luisa; Manzoni, Gianantonio; Marks, Stephen D; Mattioli, Girolamo; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Mouriquand, Pierre; Nevéus, Tryggve; Ntoulia, Aikaterini; Ording-Muller, Lil-Sofie; Oswald, Josef; Papadopoulou, Frederica; Porcellini, Gabriella; Ring, Ekkehard; Rösch, Wolfgang; Teixeira, Ana F; Riccabona, Michael

2017-12-01

To promote the standardization of nephro-uroradiological terms used in children, the European Society of Pediatric Radiology uroradiology taskforce wrote a detailed glossary. This work has been subsequently submitted to European experts in pediatric urology and nephrology for discussion and acceptance to improve the quality of radiological reports and communication among different clinicians involved in pediatric urology and nephrology. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Radiological and clinical predictors of long-term outcome in rotator cuff calcific tendinitis.

PubMed

de Witte, Pieter Bas; van Adrichem, Raymond A; Selten, Jasmijn W; Nagels, Jochem; Reijnierse, M; Nelissen, Rob G H H

2016-10-01

Knowledge on the epidemiology and long-term course of rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is scarce. We assessed demographics, radiological characteristics, and their association with long-term outcomes in a large patient group. Baseline demographics, radiological characteristics and treatment were recorded in 342 patients. Interobserver agreement of radiological measures was analyzed. Long-term outcome was evaluated with questionnaires (WORC, DASH). The association of baseline characteristics with outcome was assessed. Mean age was 49.0 (SD = 10.0), and 59.5 % were female. The dominant arm was affected in 66.0 %, and 21.3 % had bilateral disease. Calcifications were on average 18.7 mm (SD = 10.1, ICC = 0.84 (p < 0.001)) and located 10.1 mm (SD = 11.8) medially to the acromion (ICC = 0.77 (p < 0.001)). Gärtner type I calcifications were found in 32.1 % (Kappa = 0.47 (p < 0.001)). After 14 years (SD = 7.1) of follow-up, median WORC was 72.5 (range, 3.0-100.0; WORC < 60 in 42 %) and median DASH 17.0 (range, 0.0-82.0). Female gender, dominant arm involvement, bilateral disease, longer duration of symptoms, and multiple calcifications were associated with inferior WORC. DASH results were similar. Many subjects have persisting shoulder complaints years after diagnosis, regardless of treatment. Female gender, dominant arm involvement, bilateral disease, longer duration of symptoms, and multiple calcifications were associated with inferior outcome. Radiological measures had moderate-to-good reliability and no prognostic value. • Most RCCT studies report on short-term outcome and/or small patients groups. • In this large, long-term observational study, RCCT appeared to not be self-limiting in many subjects. • Negative prognostic factors included female gender, more calcifications, dominant arm affected, and longer duration of symptoms. • Interobserver agreement of general radiological RCCT measures is moderate to good. • More rigorous diagnostics and treatment might be needed in specific RCCT cases.

Protection of the public in situations of prolonged radiation exposure. The application of the Commission's system of radiological protection to controllable radiation exposure due to natural sources and long-lived radioactive residues.

PubMed

1999-01-01

This report provides guidance on the application of the ICRP system of radiological protection to prolonged exposure situations affecting members of the public. It addresses the general application of the Commission's system to the control of prolonged exposures resulting from practices and to the undertaking of interventions in prolonged exposure situations. Additionally, it provides recommendations on generic reference levels for such interventions. The report also considers some specific situations and discusses a number of issues that have been of concern, namely: natural radiation sources that may give rise to high doses; the restoration and rehabilitation of sites where human activities involving radioactive substances have been carried out; the return to 'normality' following an accident that has released radioactive substances to the environment; and the global marketing of commodities for public consumption that contain radioactive substances. Annexes provide some examples of prolonged exposure situations and discuss the radiological protection quantities, radiation-induced health effects and aspects of the Commission's system of radiological protection relevant to prolonged exposure. Quantitative recommendations for prolonged exposures are provided in the report. They must be interpreted with extreme caution; Chapters 4 and 5 stress the upper bound nature of the following values: Generic reference levels for intervention, in terms of existing total annual doses, are given as < approximately 100 mSv, above which intervention is almost always justifiable (situations for which the annual dose threshold for deterministic effects in relevant organs is exceeded will almost always require intervention), and < approximately 10 mSv, below which intervention is not likely to be justifiable (and above which it may be necessary). Intervention exemption levels for commodities, especially building materials, are expressed as an additional annual dose of approximately 1 mSv. The dose limit for exposures of the public from practices is expressed as aggregated (prolonged and transitory) additional annual doses from all relevant practices of 1 mSv. Dose constraints for sources within practices are expressed as an additional annual dose lower than 1 mSv (e.g. of approximately 0.3 mSv), which could be approximately 0.1 mSv for the prolonged exposure component. An exemption level for practices is expressed as an additional annual dose of approximately 0.01 mSv.

Proving Value in Radiology: Experience Developing and Implementing a Shareable Open Source Registry Platform Driven by Radiology Workflow.

PubMed

Gichoya, Judy Wawira; Kohli, Marc D; Haste, Paul; Abigail, Elizabeth Mills; Johnson, Matthew S

2017-10-01

Numerous initiatives are in place to support value based care in radiology including decision support using appropriateness criteria, quality metrics like radiation dose monitoring, and efforts to improve the quality of the radiology report for consumption by referring providers. These initiatives are largely data driven. Organizations can choose to purchase proprietary registry systems, pay for software as a service solution, or deploy/build their own registry systems. Traditionally, registries are created for a single purpose like radiation dosage or specific disease tracking like diabetes registry. This results in a fragmented view of the patient, and increases overhead to maintain such single purpose registry system by requiring an alternative data entry workflow and additional infrastructure to host and maintain multiple registries for different clinical needs. This complexity is magnified in the health care enterprise whereby radiology systems usually are run parallel to other clinical systems due to the different clinical workflow for radiologists. In the new era of value based care where data needs are increasing with demand for a shorter turnaround time to provide data that can be used for information and decision making, there is a critical gap to develop registries that are more adapt to the radiology workflow with minimal overhead on resources for maintenance and setup. We share our experience of developing and implementing an open source registry system for quality improvement and research in our academic institution that is driven by our radiology workflow.

Informatics in radiology: RADTF: a semantic search-enabled, natural language processor-generated radiology teaching file.

PubMed

Do, Bao H; Wu, Andrew; Biswal, Sandip; Kamaya, Aya; Rubin, Daniel L

2010-11-01

Storing and retrieving radiology cases is an important activity for education and clinical research, but this process can be time-consuming. In the process of structuring reports and images into organized teaching files, incidental pathologic conditions not pertinent to the primary teaching point can be omitted, as when a user saves images of an aortic dissection case but disregards the incidental osteoid osteoma. An alternate strategy for identifying teaching cases is text search of reports in radiology information systems (RIS), but retrieved reports are unstructured, teaching-related content is not highlighted, and patient identifying information is not removed. Furthermore, searching unstructured reports requires sophisticated retrieval methods to achieve useful results. An open-source, RadLex(®)-compatible teaching file solution called RADTF, which uses natural language processing (NLP) methods to process radiology reports, was developed to create a searchable teaching resource from the RIS and the picture archiving and communication system (PACS). The NLP system extracts and de-identifies teaching-relevant statements from full reports to generate a stand-alone database, thus converting existing RIS archives into an on-demand source of teaching material. Using RADTF, the authors generated a semantic search-enabled, Web-based radiology archive containing over 700,000 cases with millions of images. RADTF combines a compact representation of the teaching-relevant content in radiology reports and a versatile search engine with the scale of the entire RIS-PACS collection of case material. ©RSNA, 2010

Death by polonium-210: lessons learned from the murder of former Soviet spy Alexander Litvinenko.

PubMed

McFee, Robin B; Leikin, Jerrold B

2009-02-01

The medical response to radiation--whether the result of radiological warfare, terrorist deployment of improvised radiation dispersal weapons, political assassination, occupational or industrial accidents or the medically radiated patient remains one of the least taught among all disciplines within medical education. In the aftermath of 9/11 among medical vulnerabilities to toxicant threats, of all the categories of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)--whether using the CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive) or NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) acronym--radiation is the least taught in professional schools, responder cultures or civil preparedness organizations. To date, few health care professionals (HCP) possess the fundamental knowledge or skills to identify and diagnose, let alone treat a radiation victim; this vulnerability made even more obvious in the aftermath of the high profile assassination of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko. He was poisoned with Polonium210. Radioactive substances are ubiquitous with radiation sources being in or transported through virtually every region nationwide. It is essential to increase preparedness among community and rural health care facilities as well as urban and university hospitals. Managing radiation injuries effectively requires access to specialized equipment and expertise. Radiation sickness is progressive and may require acute, critical and long-term care throughout the course of illness. Regardless of the source, preparedness rests upon acknowledging a threat exists and dedicating the resources to address the risks including the enhancement of training and equipment. Mass or individual exposures to radiation present unique challenges to the entire response continuum from law enforcement, first responders and emergency medical care. Increased education about and practice in responding to radiological threats is essential to enhance preparedness.

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative's Orphan Source Recovery Project in the Russian Federation

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

Russell, J. W.; Ahumada, A. D.; Blanchard, T. A.

After 9/11, officials at the United States Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grew more concerned about radiological materials that were vulnerable to theft and illicit use around the world. The concern was that terrorists could combine stolen radiological materials with explosives to build and detonate a radiological dispersal device (RDD), more commonly known as a “dirty bomb.” In response to this and other terrorist threats, the DOE/NNSA formed what is now known as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) to consolidate and accelerate efforts to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials located at civilianmore » sites worldwide. Although a cooperative program was already underway in the Russian Federation to secure nuclear materials at a range of different facilities, thousands of sealed radioactive sources remained vulnerable at medical, research, and industrial sites. In response, GTRI began to focus efforts on addressing these materials. GTRI’s Russia Orphan Source Recovery Project, managed at the Nevada National Security Site’s North Las Vegas facility, was initiated in 2002. Throughout the life of the project, Joint Stock Company “Isotope” has served as the primary Russian subcontractor, and the organization has proven to be a successful partner. Since the first orphan source recovery of an industrial cobalt-60 irradiator with 647 curies (Ci) at an abandoned facility in Moscow in 2003, the GTRI Orphan Source Recovery Project in the Russian Federation has accomplished substantial levels of threat reduction. To date, GTRI has recovered and securely disposed of more than 5,100 sources totaling more that 628,000 Ci. This project serves as an extraordinary example of how international cooperation can be implemented by partners with mutual interests to achieve significant goals.« less

The role of open-source software in innovation and standardization in radiology.

PubMed

Erickson, Bradley J; Langer, Steve; Nagy, Paul

2005-11-01

The use of open-source software (OSS), in which developers release the source code to applications they have developed, is popular in the software industry. This is done to allow others to modify and improve software (which may or may not be shared back to the community) and to allow others to learn from the software. Radiology was an early participant in this model, supporting OSS that implemented the ACR-National Electrical Manufacturers Association (now Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard for medical image communications. In radiology and in other fields, OSS has promoted innovation and the adoption of standards. Popular OSS is of high quality because access to source code allows many people to identify and resolve errors. Open-source software is analogous to the peer-review scientific process: one must be able to see and reproduce results to understand and promote what is shared. The authors emphasize that support for OSS need not threaten vendors; most vendors embrace and benefit from standards. Open-source development does not replace vendors but more clearly defines their roles, typically focusing on areas in which proprietary differentiators benefit customers and on professional services such as implementation planning and service. Continued support for OSS is essential for the success of our field.

Dense plasma focus (DPF) accelerated non radio isotopic radiological source

DOEpatents

Rusnak, Brian; Tang, Vincent

2017-01-31

A non-radio-isotopic radiological source using a dense plasma focus (DPF) to produce an intense z-pinch plasma from a gas, such as helium, and which accelerates charged particles, such as generated from the gas or injected from an external source, into a target positioned along an acceleration axis and of a type known to emit ionizing radiation when impinged by the type of accelerated charged particles. In a preferred embodiment, helium gas is used to produce a DPF-accelerated He2+ ion beam to a beryllium target, to produce neutron emission having a similar energy spectrum as a radio-isotopic AmBe neutron source. Furthermore, multiple DPFs may be stacked to provide staged acceleration of charged particles for enhancing energy, tunability, and control of the source.

Radiological Monitoring for Instructors. Student Workbook. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Civil Defense (DOD), Washington, DC.

This student workbook includes the necessary materials and some of the references needed by each student during the conduct of the Radiological Monitoring for Instructors (RMI) course. The contents include a radiation exposure record, instrument exercise materials, fallout forecasting problems, dose and dose rate problems, source handling…

Radiological Safety Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

Written to be used concurrently with the U.S. Army's Radiological Safety Course, this publication discusses the causes, sources, and detection of nuclear radiation. In addition, the transportation and disposal of radioactive materials are covered. The report also deals with the safety precautions to be observed when working with lasers, microwave…

Data Fusion for a Vision-Radiological System for Source Tracking and Discovery

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

Enqvist, Andreas; Koppal, Sanjeev

2015-07-01

A multidisciplinary approach to allow the tracking of the movement of radioactive sources by fusing data from multiple radiological and visual sensors is under development. The goal is to improve the ability to detect, locate, track and identify nuclear/radiological threats. The key concept is that such widely available visual and depth sensors can impact radiological detection, since the intensity fall-off in the count rate can be correlated to movement in three dimensions. To enable this, we pose an important question; what is the right combination of sensing modalities and vision algorithms that can best compliment a radiological sensor, for themore » purpose of detection and tracking of radioactive material? Similarly what is the best radiation detection methods and unfolding algorithms suited for data fusion with tracking data? Data fusion of multi-sensor data for radiation detection have seen some interesting developments lately. Significant examples include intelligent radiation sensor systems (IRSS), which are based on larger numbers of distributed similar or identical radiation sensors coupled with position data for network capable to detect and locate radiation source. Other developments are gamma-ray imaging systems based on Compton scatter in segmented detector arrays. Similar developments using coded apertures or scatter cameras for neutrons have recently occurred. The main limitation of such systems is not so much in their capability but rather in their complexity and cost which is prohibitive for large scale deployment. Presented here is a fusion system based on simple, low-cost computer vision and radiological sensors for tracking of multiple objects and identifying potential radiological materials being transported or shipped. The main focus of this work is the development on two separate calibration algorithms for characterizing the fused sensor system. The deviation from a simple inverse square-root fall-off of radiation intensity is explored and accounted for. In particular, the computer vision system enables a map of distance-dependence of the sources being tracked. Infrared, laser or stereoscopic vision sensors are all options for computer-vision implementation depending on interior vs exterior deployment, resolution desired and other factors. Similarly the radiation sensors will be focused on gamma-ray or neutron detection due to the long travel length and ability to penetrate even moderate shielding. There is a significant difference between the vision sensors and radiation sensors in the way the 'source' or signals are generated. A vision sensor needs an external light-source to illuminate the object and then detects the re-emitted illumination (or lack thereof). However, for a radiation detector, the radioactive material is the source itself. The only exception to this is the field of active interrogations where radiation is beamed into a material to entice new/additional radiation emission beyond what the material would emit spontaneously. The aspect of the nuclear material being the source itself means that all other objects in the environment are 'illuminated' or irradiated by the source. Most radiation will readily penetrate regular material, scatter in new directions or be absorbed. Thus if a radiation source is located near a larger object that object will in turn scatter some radiation that was initially emitted in a direction other than the direction of the radiation detector, this can add to the count rate that is observed. The effect of these scatter is a deviation from the traditional distance dependence of the radiation signal and is a key challenge that needs a combined system calibration solution and algorithms. Thus both an algebraic approach as well as a statistical approach have been developed and independently evaluated to investigate the sensitivity to this deviation from the simplified radiation fall-off as a function of distance. The resulting calibrated system algorithms are used and demonstrated in various laboratory scenarios, and later in realistic tracking scenarios. The selection and testing of radiological and computer-vision sensors for the additional specific scenarios will be the subject of ongoing and future work. (authors)« less

NOTE: Development of modified voxel phantoms for the numerical dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents involving external sources: implementation in SESAME tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courageot, Estelle; Sayah, Rima; Huet, Christelle

2010-05-01

Estimating the dose distribution in a victim's body is a relevant indicator in assessing biological damage from exposure in the event of a radiological accident caused by an external source. When the dose distribution is evaluated with a numerical anthropomorphic model, the posture and morphology of the victim have to be reproduced as realistically as possible. Several years ago, IRSN developed a specific software application, called the simulation of external source accident with medical images (SESAME), for the dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents by numerical simulation. This tool combines voxel geometry and the MCNP(X) Monte Carlo computer code for radiation-material interaction. This note presents a new functionality in this software that enables the modelling of a victim's posture and morphology based on non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surfaces. The procedure for constructing the modified voxel phantoms is described, along with a numerical validation of this new functionality using a voxel phantom of the RANDO tissue-equivalent physical model.

Development of modified voxel phantoms for the numerical dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents involving external sources: implementation in SESAME tool.

PubMed

Courageot, Estelle; Sayah, Rima; Huet, Christelle

2010-05-07

Estimating the dose distribution in a victim's body is a relevant indicator in assessing biological damage from exposure in the event of a radiological accident caused by an external source. When the dose distribution is evaluated with a numerical anthropomorphic model, the posture and morphology of the victim have to be reproduced as realistically as possible. Several years ago, IRSN developed a specific software application, called the simulation of external source accident with medical images (SESAME), for the dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents by numerical simulation. This tool combines voxel geometry and the MCNP(X) Monte Carlo computer code for radiation-material interaction. This note presents a new functionality in this software that enables the modelling of a victim's posture and morphology based on non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surfaces. The procedure for constructing the modified voxel phantoms is described, along with a numerical validation of this new functionality using a voxel phantom of the RANDO tissue-equivalent physical model.

Radiological dispersion devices: are we prepared?

PubMed

Sohier, Alain; Hardeman, Frank

2006-01-01

Already before the events of September 11th 2001 concern was raised about the spread of orphan sources and their potential use in Radiological Dispersion Devices by terrorist groups. Although most of the simulated scenarios foresee a rather limited direct health impact on the population, the affected region would suffer from the indirect consequences such as social disruption, cleanup requirements and economic costs. The nature of such a radiological attack would anyway be different compared to conventional radiological accidents, basically because it can happen anywhere at any time. Part of the response resides in a general preparedness scheme incorporating attacks with Radiological Dispersion Devices. Training of different potential intervention teams is essential. The response would consist of a prioritised list of actions adapted to the circumstances. As the psychosocial dimension of the crisis could be worse than the purely radiological one, an adapted communication strategy with the public aspect would be a key issue.

10 CFR 20.1402 - Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. 20.1402 Section 20.1402 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION... exceed 25 mrem (0.25 mSv) per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water, and that...

10 CFR 20.1402 - Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. 20.1402 Section 20.1402 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION... exceed 25 mrem (0.25 mSv) per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water, and that...

10 CFR 20.1402 - Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. 20.1402 Section 20.1402 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION... exceed 25 mrem (0.25 mSv) per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water, and that...

10 CFR 20.1402 - Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. 20.1402 Section 20.1402 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION... exceed 25 mrem (0.25 mSv) per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water, and that...

10 CFR 20.1402 - Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Radiological criteria for unrestricted use. 20.1402 Section 20.1402 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION... exceed 25 mrem (0.25 mSv) per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water, and that...

Categorization of In-use Radioactive Sealed Sources in Egypt

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

Hasan, M.A.; Mohamed, Y.T.; El Haleim, K.A.

2006-07-01

Radioactive sealed sources have widespread applications in industry, medicine, research and education. While most sources are of relatively low activity, there are many of medium or very high activity. The mismanagement of high activity sources is responsible for most of the radiological accidents that result in loss of life or disabling injuries. Because of the variety of applications and activities of radioactive sources, a categorization system is necessary so that the controls that are applied to the sources are adequate with its radiological risk. The aim of this work is to use the international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) categorization systemmore » to provide a simple, logical system for grading radioactive sealed sources in Egypt. The categorizations of radioactive sealed sources are based on their potential to cause harm to human health. This study revealed that total of 1916 sources have been used in Egypt in the different applications with a total activity of 89400 Ci according to available data in October 2005. (authors)« less

Modification of the TASMIP x-ray spectral model for the simulation of microfocus x-ray sources

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

Sisniega, A.; Vaquero, J. J., E-mail: juanjose.vaquero@uc3m.es; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid ES28007

2014-01-15

Purpose: The availability of accurate and simple models for the estimation of x-ray spectra is of great importance for system simulation, optimization, or inclusion of photon energy information into data processing. There is a variety of publicly available tools for estimation of x-ray spectra in radiology and mammography. However, most of these models cannot be used directly for modeling microfocus x-ray sources due to differences in inherent filtration, energy range and/or anode material. For this reason the authors propose in this work a new model for the simulation of microfocus spectra based on existing models for mammography and radiology, modifiedmore » to compensate for the effects of inherent filtration and energy range. Methods: The authors used the radiology and mammography versions of an existing empirical model [tungsten anode spectral model interpolating polynomials (TASMIP)] as the basis of the microfocus model. First, the authors estimated the inherent filtration included in the radiology model by comparing the shape of the spectra with spectra from the mammography model. Afterwards, the authors built a unified spectra dataset by combining both models and, finally, they estimated the parameters of the new version of TASMIP for microfocus sources by calibrating against experimental exposure data from a microfocus x-ray source. The model was validated by comparing estimated and experimental exposure and attenuation data for different attenuating materials and x-ray beam peak energy values, using two different x-ray tubes. Results: Inherent filtration for the radiology spectra from TASMIP was found to be equivalent to 1.68 mm Al, as compared to spectra obtained from the mammography model. To match the experimentally measured exposure data the combined dataset required to apply a negative filtration of about 0.21 mm Al and an anode roughness of 0.003 mm W. The validation of the model against real acquired data showed errors in exposure and attenuation in line with those reported for other models for radiology or mammography. Conclusions: A new version of the TASMIP model for the estimation of x-ray spectra in microfocus x-ray sources has been developed and validated experimentally. Similarly to other versions of TASMIP, the estimation of spectra is very simple, involving only the evaluation of polynomial expressions.« less

Measuring the quality-of-life effects of diagnostic and screening tests.

PubMed

Swan, J Shannon; Miksad, Rebecca A

2009-08-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a central concept for understanding the outcomes of medical care. When used in cost-effectiveness analysis, HRQL is typically measured for conditions persisting over long time frames (years), and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) values are generated. Consequently, years are the basic unit of time for cost-effectiveness analysis results: dollars spent per QALY gained. However, shorter term components of health care may also affect HRQL, and there is increased interest in measuring and accounting for these events. In radiology, the short-term HRQL effects of screening and diagnostic testing may affect a test's cost-effectiveness, even though they may only last for days. The unique challenge in radiology HRQL assessment is to realistically tap into the testing and screening experience while remaining consistent with QALY theory. The authors review HRQL assessment and highlight methods developed to specifically address the short-term effects of radiologic screening and testing.

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

J.C. Ryman

This calculation is a revision of a previous calculation (Ref. 7.5) that bears the same title and has the document identifier BBAC00000-01717-0210-00006 REV 01. The purpose of this revision is to remove TBV (to-be-verified) -41 10 associated with the output files of the previous version (Ref. 7.30). The purpose of this and the previous calculation is to generate source terms for a representative boiling water reactor (BWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) assembly for the first one million years after the SNF is discharged from the reactors. This calculation includes an examination of several ways to represent BWR assemblies and operatingmore » conditions in SAS2H in order to quantify the effects these representations may have on source terms. These source terms provide information characterizing the neutron and gamma spectra in particles per second, the decay heat in watts, and radionuclide inventories in curies. Source terms are generated for a range of burnups and enrichments (see Table 2) that are representative of the waste stream and stainless steel (SS) clad assemblies. During this revision, it was determined that the burnups used for the computer runs of the previous revision were actually about 1.7% less than the stated, or nominal, burnups. See Section 6.6 for a discussion of how to account for this effect before using any source terms from this calculation. The source term due to the activation of corrosion products deposited on the surfaces of the assembly from the coolant is also calculated. The results of this calculation support many areas of the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR), which include thermal evaluation, radiation dose determination, radiological safety analyses, surface and subsurface facility designs, and total system performance assessment. This includes MGR items classified as Quality Level 1, for example, the Uncanistered Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal Container (Ref. 7.27, page 7). Therefore, this calculation is subject to the requirements of the Quality Assurance Requirements and Description (Ref. 7.28). The performance of the calculation and development of this document are carried out in accordance with AP-3.124, ''Design Calculation and Analyses'' (Ref. 7.29).« less

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

Sisniega, A.; Vaquero, J. J., E-mail: juanjose.vaquero@uc3m.es; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid ES28007

Purpose: The availability of accurate and simple models for the estimation of x-ray spectra is of great importance for system simulation, optimization, or inclusion of photon energy information into data processing. There is a variety of publicly available tools for estimation of x-ray spectra in radiology and mammography. However, most of these models cannot be used directly for modeling microfocus x-ray sources due to differences in inherent filtration, energy range and/or anode material. For this reason the authors propose in this work a new model for the simulation of microfocus spectra based on existing models for mammography and radiology, modifiedmore » to compensate for the effects of inherent filtration and energy range. Methods: The authors used the radiology and mammography versions of an existing empirical model [tungsten anode spectral model interpolating polynomials (TASMIP)] as the basis of the microfocus model. First, the authors estimated the inherent filtration included in the radiology model by comparing the shape of the spectra with spectra from the mammography model. Afterwards, the authors built a unified spectra dataset by combining both models and, finally, they estimated the parameters of the new version of TASMIP for microfocus sources by calibrating against experimental exposure data from a microfocus x-ray source. The model was validated by comparing estimated and experimental exposure and attenuation data for different attenuating materials and x-ray beam peak energy values, using two different x-ray tubes. Results: Inherent filtration for the radiology spectra from TASMIP was found to be equivalent to 1.68 mm Al, as compared to spectra obtained from the mammography model. To match the experimentally measured exposure data the combined dataset required to apply a negative filtration of about 0.21 mm Al and an anode roughness of 0.003 mm W. The validation of the model against real acquired data showed errors in exposure and attenuation in line with those reported for other models for radiology or mammography. Conclusions: A new version of the TASMIP model for the estimation of x-ray spectra in microfocus x-ray sources has been developed and validated experimentally. Similarly to other versions of TASMIP, the estimation of spectra is very simple, involving only the evaluation of polynomial expressions.« less

Radiological Characterization Technical Report on Californium-252 Sealed Source Transuranic Debris Waste for the Off-Site Source Recovery Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Feldman, Alexander

2014-04-24

This document describes the development and approach for the radiological characterization of Cf-252 sealed sources for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The report combines information on the nuclear material content of each individual source (mass or activity and date of manufacture) with information and data on the radionuclide distributions within the originating nuclear material. This approach allows for complete and accurate characterization of the waste container without the need to take additional measurements. The radionuclide uncertainties, developed from acceptable knowledge (AK) information regarding the source material, are applied to the summed activities in the drum. The AK informationmore » used in the characterization of Cf-252 sealed sources has been qualified by the peer review process, which has been reviewed and accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency.« less

Development of Report Turnaround Times in a University Department of Radiology during Implementation of a Reformed Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Education.

PubMed

Albrecht, Liane; Maurer, Martin H; Seithe, Tim; Braun, Joachim; Gummert, Richard; Auer, Jonas; Sponheuer, Keno; Meyl, Tobias Philipp; Hamm, Bernd; de Bucourt, Maximilian

2018-03-01

 The implementation of a reformed curriculum for undergraduate medical education with a problem-oriented focus and more bedside teaching in small groups increases the academic teaching workload. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this increase in teaching duties is associated with an increase in report turnaround times of radiologists or increased unplanned absence during term times compared with term breaks (lecture-free periods) and over the whole period under investigation.  The database of all radiological examinations performed at a large German university hospital was retrospectively analyzed for a two-year period from the winter term 2011/12 to the summer term 2013. A total of 192 984 radiological examinations performed during this period were included in an analysis of reporting times (i. e., time from end of examination to completion of report) during term times versus term breaks. Reporting times were analyzed for all radiological examinations and for intensive care unit (ICU) patients. In addition, radiologists' schedules were analyzed in terms of teaching duties, unplanned absence, vacation days, and days away from work for education and training.  During the period under investigation, the teaching load increased from overall 1.75 hours/day in the winter term 2011/12 to 6.49 hours/day in the summer term 2013 and in the term break from overall 0.10 hours/day in the winter term 2011/12 to 0.71 hours/day in the summer term 2013. Reporting time increased during this period (p < 0.05) but remained shorter during term times than during term breaks. The difference between term and term break for ICU patients was not significant. There was no increase in unplanned absences during term times.  Overall, radiologists' reporting times increased during the period when the reformed curriculum for undergraduate medical education was implemented. As this was observed both during term and during term breaks, increased teaching duties alone cannot serve as a sole causal explanation. · Digital high-quantitative parameters can be used to evaluate workflow in radiology.. · Reporting time can be a criterion for efficient staffing.. · The acquisition and evaluation of parameters such as reporting times could lead to a more efficient resource allocation by providing hints of changed framework conditions and changing working intensities and/or capicity reserves - which may not be immediately apparent.. · During the period under investigation with the implementation of a teaching-intensive reformed curriculum for undergraduate medical education there was an increase in reporting time, which was not significant in intense care units.. · Since during the period under investigation the increase in reporting times can be stated both during term time and in the lecture free period, the implementation of the reformed curriculum for undergraduate medical education alone cannot serve as a sole causal explanation.. · Albrecht L, Maurer MH, Seithe T et al. Development of the Report Turnaround Times in a University Department of Radiology during Implementation of a Reformed Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Education. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2018; 190: 259 - 264. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Ground Penetrating Radar as a Contextual Sensor for Multi-Sensor Radiological Characterisation

PubMed Central

Ukaegbu, Ikechukwu K.; Gamage, Kelum A. A.

2017-01-01

Radioactive sources exist in environments or contexts that influence how they are detected and localised. For instance, the context of a moving source is different from a stationary source because of the effects of motion. The need to incorporate this contextual information in the radiation detection and localisation process has necessitated the integration of radiological and contextual sensors. The benefits of the successful integration of both types of sensors is well known and widely reported in fields such as medical imaging. However, the integration of both types of sensors has also led to innovative solutions to challenges in characterising radioactive sources in non-medical applications. This paper presents a review of such recent applications. It also identifies that these applications mostly use visual sensors as contextual sensors for characterising radiation sources. However, visual sensors cannot retrieve contextual information about radioactive wastes located in opaque environments encountered at nuclear sites, e.g., underground contamination. Consequently, this paper also examines ground-penetrating radar (GPR) as a contextual sensor for characterising this category of wastes and proposes several ways of integrating data from GPR and radiological sensors. Finally, it demonstrates combined GPR and radiation imaging for three-dimensional localisation of contamination in underground pipes using radiation transport and GPR simulations. PMID:28387706

Comprehensive Health Care Economics Curriculum and Training in Radiology Residency.

PubMed

Keiper, Mark; Donovan, Timothy; DeVries, Matthew

2018-06-01

To investigate the ability to successfully develop and institute a comprehensive health care economics skills curriculum in radiology residency training utilizing didactic lectures, case scenario exercises, and residency miniretreats. A comprehensive health care economics skills curriculum was developed to significantly expand upon the basic ACGME radiology residency milestone System-Based Practice, SBP2: Health Care Economics requirements and include additional education in business and contract negotiation, radiology sales and marketing, and governmental and private payers' influence in the practice of radiology. A health care economics curriculum for radiology residents incorporating three phases of education was developed and implemented. Phase 1 of the curriculum constituted basic education through didactic lectures covering System-Based Practice, SBP2: Health Care Economics requirements. Phase 2 constituted further, more advanced didactic lectures on radiology sales and marketing techniques as well as government and private insurers' role in the business of radiology. Phase 3 applied knowledge attained from the initial two phases to real-life case scenario exercises and radiology department business miniretreats with the remainder of the radiology department. A health care economics skills curriculum in radiology residency is attainable and essential in the education of future radiology residents in the ever-changing climate of health care economics. Institution of more comprehensive programs will likely maximize the long-term success of radiology as a specialty by identifying and educating future leaders in the field of radiology. Copyright © 2018 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of initial radiologic and clinical manifestations in predicting the prognosis for pneumonia caused by H1N1 influenza virus.

PubMed

Göya, Cemil; Yavuz, Alpaslan; Hamidi, Cihad; Cetinçakmak, Mehmet Güli; Teke, Memik; Hattapoğlu, Salih; Duşak, Abdurrahim

2014-06-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic values of initial radiologic findings and preexisting medical conditions in pneumonia caused by H1N1 influenza virus that were obtained during the novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) pandemic spread. Thirty-nine patients hospitalized due to H1N1 infection between September and December 2009 were retrospectively evaluated regarding the radiologic and clinical aspects. The thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings of all patients were assessed and accompanying conditions that may raise the morbidity were stated. The patients were divided into two groups as those who needed the intensive care unit administration and those treated with brief hospitalization; initial radiologic findings and preexisting medical situations of patients were compared among both groups respectively in terms of their prognostic value. In 39 patients with H1N1 infection (21 males and 18 females; mean age of 53.9±14 in range between 19 and 99 years); the necessity of intensive care was significantly higher in patients with solely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (P=0.008, Odds ratio: 27) or co-existence of COPD and malignity (Odds ratio: 13); however, no statistically significant difference between two groups was observed regarding the radiologic facts or other combinations of accompanying medical conditions in terms of any effects to the prognosis. In the H1N1 (S-OIV) pandemic, we observed that merely the contribution to the diagnostic process; the radiologic features have no significance as being prognostic indicator. Additionally; the superposition of H1N1 infection in patients with either COPD or COPD by malignity was stated to be a potential risk factor in terms of increased morbidity.

Combining Radiography and Passive Measurements for Radiological Threat Detection in Cargo

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

Miller, Erin A.; White, Timothy A.; Jarman, Kenneth D.

Abstract Radiography is widely understood to provide information complimentary to passive detection: while not directly sensitive to radiological materials, radiography can reveal highly shielded regions which may mask a passive radiological signal. We present a method for combining radiographic and passive data which uses the radiograph to provide an estimate of scatter and attenuation for possible sources. This approach allows quantitative use of radiographic images without relying on image interpretation, and results in a probabilistic description of likely source locations and strengths. We present first results for this method for a simple modeled test case of a cargo container drivingmore » through a PVT portal. With this inversion approach, we address criteria for an integrated passive and radiographic screening system and how detection of SNM threats might be improved in such a system.« less

Verification bias an underrecognized source of error in assessing the efficacy of medical imaging.

PubMed

Petscavage, Jonelle M; Richardson, Michael L; Carr, Robert B

2011-03-01

Diagnostic tests are validated by comparison against a "gold standard" reference test. When the reference test is invasive or expensive, it may not be applied to all patients. This can result in biased estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test. This type of bias is called "verification bias," and is a common problem in imaging research. The purpose of our study is to estimate the prevalence of verification bias in the recent radiology literature. All issues of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), Academic Radiology, Radiology, and European Journal of Radiology (EJR) between November 2006 and October 2009 were reviewed for original research articles mentioning sensitivity or specificity as endpoints. Articles were read to determine whether verification bias was present and searched for author recognition of verification bias in the design. During 3 years, these journals published 2969 original research articles. A total of 776 articles used sensitivity or specificity as an outcome. Of these, 211 articles demonstrated potential verification bias. The fraction of articles with potential bias was respectively 36.4%, 23.4%, 29.5%, and 13.4% for AJR, Academic Radiology, Radiology, and EJR. The total fraction of papers with potential bias in which the authors acknowledged this bias was 17.1%. Verification bias is a common and frequently unacknowledged source of error in efficacy studies of diagnostic imaging. Bias can often be eliminated by proper study design. When it cannot be eliminated, it should be estimated and acknowledged. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A data-driven approach for quality assessment of radiologic interpretations.

PubMed

Hsu, William; Han, Simon X; Arnold, Corey W; Bui, Alex At; Enzmann, Dieter R

2016-04-01

Given the increasing emphasis on delivering high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare, improved methodologies are needed to measure the accuracy and utility of ordered diagnostic examinations in achieving the appropriate diagnosis. Here, we present a data-driven approach for performing automated quality assessment of radiologic interpretations using other clinical information (e.g., pathology) as a reference standard for individual radiologists, subspecialty sections, imaging modalities, and entire departments. Downstream diagnostic conclusions from the electronic medical record are utilized as "truth" to which upstream diagnoses generated by radiology are compared. The described system automatically extracts and compares patient medical data to characterize concordance between clinical sources. Initial results are presented in the context of breast imaging, matching 18 101 radiologic interpretations with 301 pathology diagnoses and achieving a precision and recall of 84% and 92%, respectively. The presented data-driven method highlights the challenges of integrating multiple data sources and the application of information extraction tools to facilitate healthcare quality improvement. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Radioactive waste management complex low-level waste radiological composite analysis

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

McCarthy, J.M.; Becker, B.H.; Magnuson, S.O.

1998-05-01

The composite analysis estimates the projected cumulative impacts to future members of the public from the disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) and all other sources of radioactive contamination at the INEEL that could interact with the LLW disposal facility to affect the radiological dose. Based upon the composite analysis evaluation, waste buried in the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at the RWMC is the only source at the INEEL that will significantly interact with the LLW facility. The source term used in the composite analysis consistsmore » of all historical SDA subsurface disposals of radionuclides as well as the authorized LLW subsurface disposal inventory and projected LLW subsurface disposal inventory. Exposure scenarios evaluated in the composite analysis include all the all-pathways and groundwater protection scenarios. The projected dose of 58 mrem/yr exceeds the composite analysis guidance dose constraint of 30 mrem/yr; therefore, an options analysis was conducted to determine the feasibility of reducing the projected annual dose. Three options for creating such a reduction were considered: (1) lowering infiltration of precipitation through the waste by providing a better cover, (2) maintaining control over the RWMC and portions of the INEEL indefinitely, and (3) extending the period of institutional control beyond the 100 years assumed in the composite analysis. Of the three options investigated, maintaining control over the RWMC and a small part of the present INEEL appears to be feasible and cost effective.« less

Dosimetric comparison of Monte Carlo codes (EGS4, MCNP, MCNPX) considering external and internal exposures of the Zubal phantom to electron and photon sources.

PubMed

Chiavassa, S; Lemosquet, A; Aubineau-Lanièce, I; de Carlan, L; Clairand, I; Ferrer, L; Bardiès, M; Franck, D; Zankl, M

2005-01-01

This paper aims at comparing dosimetric assessments performed with three Monte Carlo codes: EGS4, MCNP4c2 and MCNPX2.5e, using a realistic voxel phantom, namely the Zubal phantom, in two configurations of exposure. The first one deals with an external irradiation corresponding to the example of a radiological accident. The results are obtained using the EGS4 and the MCNP4c2 codes and expressed in terms of the mean absorbed dose (in Gy per source particle) for brain, lungs, liver and spleen. The second one deals with an internal exposure corresponding to the treatment of a medullary thyroid cancer by 131I-labelled radiopharmaceutical. The results are obtained by EGS4 and MCNPX2.5e and compared in terms of S-values (expressed in mGy per kBq and per hour) for liver, kidney, whole body and thyroid. The results of these two studies are presented and differences between the codes are analysed and discussed.

Surgical considerations in the management of combined radiation blast injury casualties caused by a radiological dirty bomb.

PubMed

Williams, Geraint; O'Malley, Michael

2010-09-01

The capacity for surgical teams to respond appropriately to the consequences caused by the detonation of a radiological dirty bomb will be determined by prior knowledge, familiarity and training for this type unique terrorist event. This paper will focus on the surgical aspects of this scenario with particular emphasis on the management of combined trauma-radiological injury. The paper also describes some of the more serious explosion-contamination incidents from nuclear industrial sources, summarises learning points and parallels taken from these scenarios in relation to subject of a radiological dirty bomb and describes the likely radioactive substances involved. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ESR paper on the proper use of mobile devices in radiology.

PubMed

2018-04-01

Mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) have become key methods of communication, data access and data sharing for the population in the past decade. The technological capabilities of these devices have expanded very rapidly; for example, their in-built cameras have largely replaced conventional cameras. Their processing power is often sufficient to handle the large data sets of radiology studies and to manipulate images and studies directly on hand-held devices. Thus, they can be used to transmit and view radiology studies, often in locations remote from the source of the imaging data. They are not recommended for primary interpretation of radiology studies, but they facilitate sharing of studies for second opinions, viewing of studies and reports by clinicians at the bedside, etc. Other potential applications include remote participation in educational activity (e.g. webinars) and consultation of online educational content, e-books, journals and reference sources. Social-networking applications can be used for exchanging professional information and teaching. Users of mobile device must be aware of the vulnerabilities and dangers of their use, in particular regarding the potential for inappropriate sharing of confidential patient information, and must take appropriate steps to protect confidential data. • Mobile devices have revolutionized communication in the past decade, and are now ubiquitous. • Mobile devices have sufficient processing power to manipulate and display large data sets of radiological images. • Mobile devices allow transmission & sharing of radiologic studies for purposes of second opinions, bedside review of images, teaching, etc. • Mobile devices are currently not recommended as tools for primary interpretation of radiologic studies. • The use of mobile devices for image and data transmission carries risks, especially regarding confidentiality, which must be considered.

Is Your Interventional Radiology Service Ready for SARS?: The Singapore Experience

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

Lau, Te-Neng; Teo, Ngee; Tay, Kiang-Hiong

2003-09-15

The recent epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome caught many by surprise. Hitherto, infection control has not been in the forefront of radiological practice. Many interventional radiology (IR) services are therefore not equipped to deal with such a disease. In this review, we share our experience from the interventional radiologist's perspective, report on the acute measures instituted within our departments and explore the long-term effects of such a disease on the practice of IR.

Vascular anomalies: classification, imaging characteristics and implications for interventional radiology treatment approaches

PubMed Central

Prajapati, H J S; Martin, L G; Patel, T H

2014-01-01

The term vascular anomaly represents a broad spectrum of vascular pathology, including proliferating vascular tumours and vascular malformations. While the treatment of most vascular anomalies is multifactorial, interventional radiology procedures, including embolic therapy, sclerotherapy and laser coagulation among others, are playing an increasingly important role in vascular anomaly management. This review discusses the diagnosis and treatment of common vascular malformations, with emphasis on the technique, efficacy and complications of different interventional radiology procedures. PMID:24588666

Using Standardized Lexicons for Report Template Validation with LexMap, a Web-based Application.

PubMed

Hostetter, Jason; Wang, Kenneth; Siegel, Eliot; Durack, Jeremy; Morrison, James J

2015-06-01

An enormous amount of data exists in unstructured diagnostic and interventional radiology reports. Free text or non-standardized terminologies limit the ability to parse, extract, and analyze these report data elements. Medical lexicons and ontologies contain standardized terms for relevant concepts including disease entities, radiographic technique, and findings. The use of standardized terms offers the potential to improve reporting consistency and facilitate computer analysis. The purpose of this project was to implement an interface to aid in the creation of standards-compliant reporting templates for use in interventional radiology. Non-standardized procedure report text was analyzed and referenced to RadLex, SNOMED-CT, and LOINC. Using JavaScript, a web application was developed which determined whether exact terms or synonyms in reports existed within these three reference resources. The NCBO BioPortal Annotator web service was used to map terms, and output from this application was used to create an interactive annotated version of the original report. The application was successfully used to analyze and modify five distinct reports for the Society of Interventional Radiology's standardized reporting project.

Development of terminology for mammographic techniques for radiological technologists.

PubMed

Yagahara, Ayako; Yokooka, Yuki; Tsuji, Shintaro; Nishimoto, Naoki; Uesugi, Masahito; Muto, Hiroshi; Ohba, Hisateru; Kurowarabi, Kunio; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2011-07-01

We are developing a mammographic ontology to share knowledge of the mammographic domain for radiologic technologists, with the aim of improving mammographic techniques. As a first step in constructing the ontology, we used mammography reference books to establish mammographic terminology for identifying currently available knowledge. This study proceeded in three steps: (1) determination of the domain and scope of the terminology, (2) lexical extraction, and (3) construction of hierarchical structures. We extracted terms mainly from three reference books and constructed the hierarchical structures manually. We compared features of the terms extracted from the three reference books. We constructed a terminology consisting of 440 subclasses grouped into 19 top-level classes: anatomic entity, image quality factor, findings, material, risk, breast, histological classification of breast tumors, role, foreign body, mammographic technique, physics, purpose of mammography examination, explanation of mammography examination, image development, abbreviation, quality control, equipment, interpretation, and evaluation of clinical imaging. The number of terms that occurred in the subclasses varied depending on which reference book was used. We developed a terminology of mammographic techniques for radiologic technologists consisting of 440 terms.

Teaching and Assessing Professionalism in Radiology: Resources and Scholarly Opportunities to Contribute to Required Expectations.

PubMed

Kelly, Aine Marie; Mullan, Patricia B

2018-05-01

Teaching and assessing trainees' professionalism now represents an explicit expectation for Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education-accredited radiology programs. Challenges to meeting this expectation include variability in defining the construct of professionalism; limits of traditional teaching and assessment methods, used for competencies historically more prominent in medical education, for professionalism; and emerging expectations for credible and feasible professionalism teaching and assessment practices in the current context of health-care training and practice. This article identifies promising teaching resources and methods that can be used strategically to augment traditional teaching of the cognitive basis for professionalism, including role modeling, case-based scenarios, debriefing, simulations, narrative medicine (storytelling), guided discussions, peer-assisted learning, and reflective practice. This article also summarizes assessment practices intended to promote learning, as well as to inform how and when to assess trainees as their professional identities develop over time, settings, and autonomous practice, particularly in terms of measurable behaviors. This includes assessment tools (including mini observations, critical incident reports, and appreciative inquiry) for authentic assessment in the workplace; engaging multiple sources (self-, peer, other health professionals, and patients) in assessment; and intentional practices for trainees to take responsibility for seeking our actionable feedback and reflection. This article examines the emerging evidence of the feasibility and value added of assessment of medical competency milestones, including professionalism, coordinated by the Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education in radiology and other medical specialties. Radiology has a strategic opportunity to contribute to scholarship and inform policies in professionalism teaching and assessment practices. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accountable care organizations and radiology: threat or opportunity?

PubMed

Abramson, Richard G; Berger, Paul E; Brant-Zawadzki, Michael N

2012-12-01

Although the anticipated rise of accountable care organizations brings certain potential threats to radiologists, including direct threats to revenue and indirect systemic changes jeopardizing the bargaining leverage of radiology groups, accountable care organizations, and other integrated health care delivery models may provide radiology with an important opportunity to reassert its leadership and assume a more central role within health care systems. Capitalizing on this potential opportunity, however, will require radiology groups to abandon the traditional "film reader" mentality and engage actively in the design and implementation of nontraditional systems service lines aimed at adding differentiated value to larger health care organizations. Important interlinked and mutually reinforcing components of systems service lines, derived from radiology's core competencies, may include utilization management and decision support, IT leadership, quality and safety assurance, and operational enhancements to meet organizational goals. Such systems-oriented service products, tailored to the needs of individual integrated care entities and supported by objective performance metrics, may provide market differentiation to shield radiology from commoditization and could become an important source of new nonclinical revenue. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hanford Radiological Protection Support Services Annual Report for 1998

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

DE Bihl; JA MacLellan; ML Johnson

1999-05-14

During calendar year (CY) 1998, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) performed its customary radiological protection support services in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations OffIce (RL) and the Hanford contractors. These services included: 1) external dosimetry, 2) internal dosimetry, 3) in vivo measurements, 4) radiological records, 5) instrument calibra- tion and evaluation, and 6) calibration of radiation sources traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (MST). The services were provided under a number of projects as summarized here.

Web-based radiology: a future to be created.

PubMed

Canadè, Adolfo; Palladino, Francesco; Pitzalis, Gianluca; Campioni, Paolo; Marano, Pasquale

2003-01-01

The impact of Internet on Medicine and Surgery is certainly remarkable, however the influence it had on Diagnostic Imaging was even stronger. The standardization of digital images acquired by the different medical imaging equipment has further facilitated the diffusion, transmission and communication in radiology within hospitals as well as on WEB. Radiology departments are bound to become "filmless" and with the present "tablet PC" radiological images will be directly transferred to the patient's bed in the relative electronic patient report. For radiology, interactive education could be envisaged with a tutor who guides the student(s) through the network. The Internet is an inexhaustible source of radiologic educational and information material with a number of sites of clinical cases, tutorial and teaching files, journals and magisterial lectures on-line. In a near future, the Internet could be applied in the simulation of clinicoradiologic cases or in applications of artificial intelligence with expert systems to support the solution of most complex cases.

[Interventional radiology treatment of extensive pulmonary embolism and thromboembolic diseases].

PubMed

Battyáni, István; Dósa, Edit; Harmat, Zoltán

2015-04-26

The authors discuss interventional radiological methods in the field of vascular interventions applied in venous system diseases. Venous diseases can be life threatening without appropriate treatment and can lead to chronic venous diseases and venous insufficiency with long-term reduction in the quality of life. In addition, recurrent clinical symptoms require additional treatments. Interventional radiology has several methods that can provide fast and complete recovery if applied in time. The authors summarize these methods hoping that they will be available for a wide range of patients through the establishment of Interventional Radiological Centres and will be a part of the daily routine of patient care. Regarding the frequency of venous diseases and its influance on life quality the authors would like to draw attention to interventional radiological techniques and modern therapeutic possibilities.

Status of ion sources at National Institute of Radiological Sciences.

PubMed

Kitagawa, A; Fujita, T; Goto, A; Hattori, T; Hamano, T; Hojo, S; Honma, T; Imaseki, H; Katagiri, K; Muramatsu, M; Sakamoto, Y; Sekiguchi, M; Suda, M; Sugiura, A; Suya, N

2012-02-01

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) maintains various ion accelerators in order to study the effects of radiation of the human body and medical uses of radiation. Two electrostatic tandem accelerators and three cyclotrons delivered by commercial companies have offered various life science tools; these include proton-induced x-ray emission analysis (PIXE), micro beam irradiation, neutron exposure, and radioisotope tracers and probes. A duoplasmatron, a multicusp ion source, a penning ion source (PIG), and an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) are in operation for these purposes. The Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) is an accelerator complex for heavy-ion radiotherapy, fully developed by NIRS. HIMAC is utilized not only for daily treatment with the carbon beam but also for fundamental experiments. Several ECRISs and a PIG at HIMAC satisfy various research and clinical requirements.

Status of ion sources at National Institute of Radiological Sciencesa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, A.; Fujita, T.; Goto, A.; Hattori, T.; Hamano, T.; Hojo, S.; Honma, T.; Imaseki, H.; Katagiri, K.; Muramatsu, M.; Sakamoto, Y.; Sekiguchi, M.; Suda, M.; Sugiura, A.; Suya, N.

2012-02-01

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) maintains various ion accelerators in order to study the effects of radiation of the human body and medical uses of radiation. Two electrostatic tandem accelerators and three cyclotrons delivered by commercial companies have offered various life science tools; these include proton-induced x-ray emission analysis (PIXE), micro beam irradiation, neutron exposure, and radioisotope tracers and probes. A duoplasmatron, a multicusp ion source, a penning ion source (PIG), and an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) are in operation for these purposes. The Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) is an accelerator complex for heavy-ion radiotherapy, fully developed by NIRS. HIMAC is utilized not only for daily treatment with the carbon beam but also for fundamental experiments. Several ECRISs and a PIG at HIMAC satisfy various research and clinical requirements.

Source detection at 100 meter standoff with a time-encoded imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, J.; Brubaker, E.; Gerling, M.; Marleau, P.; Monterial, M.; Nowack, A.; Schuster, P.; Sturm, B.; Sweany, M.

2018-01-01

We present the design, characterization, and testing of a laboratory prototype radiological search and localization system. The system, based on time-encoded imaging, uses the attenuation signature of neutrons in time, induced by the geometrical layout and motion of the system. We have demonstrated the ability to detect a ∼ 1mCi252Cf radiological source at 100m standoff with 90% detection efficiency and 10% false positives against background in 12min. This same detection efficiency is met at 15s for a 40m standoff, and 1 . 2s for a 20m standoff.

Data Fusion for a Vision-Radiological System: a Statistical Calibration Algorithm

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

Enqvist, Andreas; Koppal, Sanjeev; Riley, Phillip

2015-07-01

Presented here is a fusion system based on simple, low-cost computer vision and radiological sensors for tracking of multiple objects and identifying potential radiological materials being transported or shipped. The main focus of this work is the development of calibration algorithms for characterizing the fused sensor system as a single entity. There is an apparent need for correcting for a scene deviation from the basic inverse distance-squared law governing the detection rates even when evaluating system calibration algorithms. In particular, the computer vision system enables a map of distance-dependence of the sources being tracked, to which the time-dependent radiological datamore » can be incorporated by means of data fusion of the two sensors' output data. (authors)« less

Use of personal digital assistants in diagnostic radiology resident education.

PubMed

Nishino, Mizuki; Busch, James M; Wei, Jesse; Barbaras, Larry; Yam, Chun-Shan; Hatabu, Hiroto

2004-10-01

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are gaining widespread use in the medical community. We introduced a PDA-based mobile system that provides departmental and educational information with a seamless connection to the intranet. The objective of this study is to determine the impact a PDA has on educational resources (learning or data reference) brought to work and used at home by a radiology resident based on user surveys. Survey was performed on 32 radiology residents in our department before and 6 months after the release of the PDA-based system. We assessed the changes in (1) sources of learning at home and at work, and in (2) data reference. The second survey also evaluated the usefulness of each component of the system. After the release of the PDA-based mobile system, the use of "digital books and references" as data references and educational resources that were brought to work every day significantly increased (P = .016, P < .0001, respectively). "Traditional books and references" remained the "most useful source in learning radiology"; however, "digital books and references" increased as the residents' first choice from 0% to 16% within 6 months of introducing the package (P = .125). The introduction of a PDA-based system consisting of educational and departmental information had a statistically significant impact in increasing the use of digitized information in radiology resident education.

Telemedicine and pediatric radiology: a new environment for training, learning, and interactive discussions.

PubMed

Monteiro, Alexandra M V; Corrêa, Diogo Goulart; Santos, Alair Augusto Sarmet M D; Cavalcanti, Silvio A; Sakuno, Telma; Filgueiras, Tereza; Just, Eduardo; Santos, Munique; Messina, Luiz Ary; Haddad, Ana Estela; Marchiori, Edson

2011-12-01

To report the experience of the Brazilian Program of Pediatric Teleradiology in combining teleconferencing and a virtual learning environment for services integration, collaborative research, and continuing education in pediatric radiology. We performed virtual meetings from March 2005 to October 2010 on pediatric radiology-related themes, using a combination of videoconferences and Web conferences, which were recorded and made available in an open-source software (Moodle) for reuse. We performed 58 virtual sessions: 29 anatomical-clinical-radiological sessions, 28 on upgrading themes, and 1 virtual symposium. The average of connected points was 12 by videoconference and 39 by Web conference, and of 450 participants per event. At the time of this writing, 318 physicians and students are registered in the virtual learning environment, with a total of 14,678 accesses. Telemedicine is being included in pediatric radiology practice, as a means for distance education, training, and continuing integration between groups.

21 CFR 892.1400 - Nuclear sealed calibration source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... reference radionuclide intended for calibration of medical nuclear radiation detectors. (b) Classification... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nuclear sealed calibration source. 892.1400... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1400 Nuclear sealed calibration source...

21 CFR 892.1400 - Nuclear sealed calibration source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... reference radionuclide intended for calibration of medical nuclear radiation detectors. (b) Classification... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nuclear sealed calibration source. 892.1400... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1400 Nuclear sealed calibration source...

21 CFR 892.1400 - Nuclear sealed calibration source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... reference radionuclide intended for calibration of medical nuclear radiation detectors. (b) Classification... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nuclear sealed calibration source. 892.1400... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1400 Nuclear sealed calibration source...

21 CFR 892.1400 - Nuclear sealed calibration source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... reference radionuclide intended for calibration of medical nuclear radiation detectors. (b) Classification... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nuclear sealed calibration source. 892.1400... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1400 Nuclear sealed calibration source...

21 CFR 892.1400 - Nuclear sealed calibration source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... reference radionuclide intended for calibration of medical nuclear radiation detectors. (b) Classification... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nuclear sealed calibration source. 892.1400... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1400 Nuclear sealed calibration source...

21 CFR 892.5740 - Radionuclide teletherapy source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Radionuclide teletherapy source. 892.5740 Section 892.5740 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5740 Radionuclide teletherapy source...

WORK SAFETY CONDITIONS WITH CLOSED RADIATION SOURCES (in Polish)

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

Brosziewicz, R.

1963-01-01

A discussion is presented of principles of radiological protection observed in the Radiation Chemistry Dept. of the Nuclear Research Inst., during operation of large sources of ionizing radiation. It has been revealed that a properly designed servicing system of these sources ensures full protection of personnel even with not fully protected sources. (auth)

21 CFR 892.1380 - Nuclear flood source phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nuclear flood source phantom. 892.1380 Section 892...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1380 Nuclear flood source phantom. (a) Identification. A nuclear flood source phantom is a device that consists of a radiolucent container filled with a...

21 CFR 892.1380 - Nuclear flood source phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nuclear flood source phantom. 892.1380 Section 892...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1380 Nuclear flood source phantom. (a) Identification. A nuclear flood source phantom is a device that consists of a radiolucent container filled with a...

21 CFR 892.1380 - Nuclear flood source phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nuclear flood source phantom. 892.1380 Section 892...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1380 Nuclear flood source phantom. (a) Identification. A nuclear flood source phantom is a device that consists of a radiolucent container filled with a...

21 CFR 892.1380 - Nuclear flood source phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nuclear flood source phantom. 892.1380 Section 892...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1380 Nuclear flood source phantom. (a) Identification. A nuclear flood source phantom is a device that consists of a radiolucent container filled with a...

21 CFR 892.1380 - Nuclear flood source phantom.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nuclear flood source phantom. 892.1380 Section 892...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1380 Nuclear flood source phantom. (a) Identification. A nuclear flood source phantom is a device that consists of a radiolucent container filled with a...

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

Ferrada, J.J.

This report compiles preliminary information that supports the premise that a repository is needed in Latin America and analyzes the nuclear situation (mainly in Argentina and Brazil) in terms of nuclear capabilities, inventories, and regional spent-fuel repositories. The report is based on several sources and summarizes (1) the nuclear capabilities in Latin America and establishes the framework for the need of a permanent repository, (2) the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approach for a regional spent-fuel repository and describes the support that international institutions are lending to this issue, (3) the current situation in Argentina in order to analyze themore » Argentinean willingness to find a location for a deep geological repository, and (4) the issues involved in selecting a location for the repository and identifies a potential location. This report then draws conclusions based on an analysis of this information. The focus of this report is mainly on spent fuel and does not elaborate on other radiological waste sources.« less

Generalized "Satisfaction of Search": Adverse Influences on Dual-Target Search Accuracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleck, Mathias S.; Samei, Ehsan; Mitroff, Stephen R.

2010-01-01

The successful detection of a target in a radiological search can reduce the detectability of a second target, a phenomenon termed "satisfaction of search" (SOS). Given the potential consequences, here we investigate the generality of SOS with the goal of simultaneously informing radiology, cognitive psychology, and nonmedical searches such as…

Herbert M. Parker: Publications and contributions to radiological and health physics

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

Kathren, R.L.; Baalman, R.W.; Bair, W.J.

For more than a half century, Herbert M. Parker was a leading force in radiological physics. As a scientist, he was codeveloper of a systematic dosimetry scheme for implant therapy and the innovative proposer of radiological units with unambiguous physical and biological bases. He made seminal contributions to the development of scientifically based radiation protection standards and, as an administrator and manager as well as scientist, helped the Hanford Laboratories to achieve preeminance in several areas, including radiation biology, radioactive waste disposal, and environmental radioactivity. This volume brings together, sometimes from obscure sources, his works.

Cost analysis of equipment failure of a radiology department and possible choices about maintenance.

PubMed

Grisi, Guido; Dalla Palma, Ludovico; Rimondini, Allesandra; Palmolungo, Chiara; Cuttin Zernich, Roberto; Pozzi Mucelli, Roberto

2002-01-01

Our aim was to evaluate the economic impact of equipment failures in a radiology department with a view to guiding maintenance policy decisions. We assessed the negative economic impact caused by the interruption of activity of a radiodiagnostics section due to equipment failure, taking into account: the effects occurring during the first day of equipment down-time (assuming that the equipment failure occurs in the middle of the shift) and the effects during the following days until the repair of the failure; the effects occurring in the short- and long-term. To exemplify the negative impact of inactivity due to equipment failure, we chose three radiology sections with different levels of technological and operational complexity (chest radiology, gastrointestinal radiology and remote-controlled diagnostics). For each, we evaluated the loss of contribution margin and the idle capacity costs (short- and long-term impact). The negative economic effects were: for thoracic radiology, 496,77 Euro in the first day, and 30,99 Euro from the second day onwards; for gastrointestinal radiology, 526,40 Euro for the first day, and 730,39 Euro from the second day onwards; for remote-controlled diagnostics, 786,25 Euro for the first day, and 927,67 Euro from the second days onwards. Our results indicate that the level of idle capacity costs (mainly equipment and staff) increases with the complexity of the equipment, whereas the contribution margin appears to fluctuate, because the charges are state-imposed and do not vary with the complexity of equipment. Moreover, our analysis shows that if the workload of a broken machine can easily be assigned to an additional shift using another machine, losses are considerably reduced from the second day onwards. Once the negative economic impact of equipment failures has been evaluated, the second step is to choose the best kind of maintenance. A sound calculation of the economic impact of equipment failures is very useful for guiding the head of department and the hospital manager in deciding whether to purchase maintenance services (or a long-term guarantee) from the equipment manufacturer, to set up an auxiliary centre for maintenance and repair, or to purchase a third-party maintenance contract.

Quantitative evaluation of Iranian radiology papers and its comparison with selected countries.

PubMed

Ghafoori, Mahyar; Emami, Hasan; Sedaghat, Abdolrasoul; Ghiasi, Mohammad; Shakiba, Madjid; Alavi, Manijeh

2014-01-01

Recent technological developments in medicine, including modern radiology have promoted the impact of scientific researches on social life. The scientific outputs such as article and patents are products that show the scientists' attempt to access these achievements. In the current study, we evaluate the current situation of Iranian scientists in the field of radiology and compare it with the selected countries in terms of scientific papers. For this purpose, we used scientometric tools to quantitatively assess the scientific papers in the field of radiology. Radiology papers were evaluated in the context of medical field audit using retrospective model. We used the related databases of biomedical sciences for extraction of articles related to radiology. In the next step, the situation of radiology scientific products of the country were determined with respect to the under study regional countries. Results of the current study showed a ratio of 0.19% for Iranian papers in PubMed database published in 2009. In addition, in 2009, Iranian papers constituted 0.29% of the Scopus scientific database. The proportion of Iranian papers in the understudy region was 7.6%. To diminish the gap between Iranian scientific radiology papers and other competitor countries in the region and achievement of document 2025 goals, multifold effort of the society of radiology is necessary.

Incidence of Radiologically Isolated Syndrome: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Forslin, Y; Granberg, T; Jumah, A Antwan; Shams, S; Aspelin, P; Kristoffersen-Wiberg, M; Martola, J; Fredrikson, S

2016-06-01

Incidental MR imaging findings resembling MS in asymptomatic individuals, fulfilling the Okuda criteria, are termed "radiologically isolated syndrome." Those with radiologically isolated syndrome are at high risk of their condition converting to MS. The epidemiology of radiologically isolated syndrome remains largely unknown, and there are no population-based studies, to our knowledge. Our aim was to study the population-based incidence of radiologically isolated syndrome in a high-incidence region for MS and to evaluate the effect on radiologically isolated syndrome incidence when revising the original radiologically isolated syndrome criteria by using the latest radiologic classification for dissemination in space. All 2272 brain MR imaging scans in 1907 persons obtained during 2013 in the Swedish county of Västmanland, with a population of 259,000 inhabitants, were blindly evaluated by a senior radiologist and a senior neuroradiologist. The Okuda criteria for radiologically isolated syndrome were applied by using both the Barkhof and Swanton classifications for dissemination in space. Assessments of clinical data were performed by a radiology resident and a senior neurologist. The cumulative incidence of radiologically isolated syndrome was 2 patients (0.1%), equaling an incidence rate of 0.8 cases per 100,000 person-years, in a region with an incidence rate of MS of 10.2 cases per 100,000 person-years. There was no difference in the radiologically isolated syndrome incidence rate when applying a modified version of the Okuda criteria by using the newer Swanton classification for dissemination in space. Radiologically isolated syndrome is uncommon in a high-incidence region for MS. Adapting the Okuda criteria to use the dissemination in space-Swanton classification may be feasible. Future studies on radiologically isolated syndrome may benefit from a collaborative approach to ensure adequate numbers of participants. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

World Wide Web and Internet: applications for radiologists.

PubMed

Wunderbaldinger, P; Schima, W; Turetschek, K; Helbich, T H; Bankier, A A; Herold, C J

1999-01-01

Global exchange of information is one of the major sources of scientific progress in medicine. For management of the rapidly growing body of medical information, computers and their applications have become an indispensable scientific tool. Approximately 36 million computer users are part of a worldwide network called the Internet or "information highway" and have created a new infrastructure to promote rapid and efficient access to medical, and thus also to radiological, information. With the establishment of the World Wide Web (WWW) by a consortium of computer users who used a standardized, nonproprietary syntax termed HyperText Markup Language (HTML) for composing documents, it has become possible to provide interactive multimedia presentations to a wide audience. The extensive use of images in radiology makes education, worldwide consultation (review) and scientific presentation via the Internet a major beneficiary of this technical development. This is possible, since both information (text) as well as medical images can be transported via the Internet. Presently, the Internet offers an extensive database for radiologists. Since many radiologists and physicians have to be considered "Internet novices" and, hence, cannot yet avail themselves of the broad spectrum of the Internet, the aim of this article is to present a general introduction to the WWW/Internet and its applications for radiologists. All Internet sites mentioned in this article can be found at the following Internet address: http://www.univie.ac. at/radio/radio.html (Department of Radiology, University of Vienna)

Effect of changes in technical parameters in radiological safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avendaño, Ge; Fernandez, C.

2007-11-01

This work analyzes the generation of secondary radiation that affects the professionals of health during interventional X ray procedures in first level hospitals. The research objectives were, on the one hand, to quantify the amount of radiation and to compare it with norms in force with respect to magnitudes, and on the other hand to evaluate the elements of protection used. The measurements will help to improve the radiological safety, to assess the eventuality of risks and, in the last term, to the possibility of norms modification for the improvement of the protection, especially that of the personnel who daily make a certain amount of interventional procedures guided by radiation, like angiographic cine applications, using continuous or pulsed fluoroscopy. The motivation of the study is in the suspicion that present interventionism is made with a false sensation of safety, based only in the use of lead apron and protection elements incorporated in the equipment by the manufacturer, nevertheless not always the health personnel are conscious that an excessive proximity with the tube and the patient body becomes a risky source of secondary and scattered radiation. The obtained results allow us to demonstrate the existence of conditions of risk, even possible iatrogenic events, in particular when the procedures imply the use of certain techniques of radiographic exploration, thus reaching the conclusion that the radiographic methodology must be changed in order to rationalize so much?. In order to achieve this we propose modifications to the present norms and legislation referred to the radiological safety in Chile.

A unified representation of findings in clinical radiology using the UMLS and DICOM.

PubMed

Bertaud, Valérie; Lasbleiz, Jérémy; Mougin, Fleur; Burgun, Anita; Duvauferrier, Régis

2008-09-01

Collecting and analyzing findings constitute the basis of medical activity. Computer assisted medical activity raises the problem of modelling findings. We propose a unified representation of findings integrating the representations of findings in the GAMUTS in Radiology [M.M. Reeder, B. Felson, GAMUTS in radiology Comprehensive lists of roentgen differential diagnosis, fourth ed., 2003], the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS), and the Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine Structured Report (DICOM-SR). Starting from a corpus of findings in bone and joint radiology [M.M. Reeder, B. Felson, GAMUTS in Radiology comprehensive lists of roentgen differential diagnosis, fourth ed., 2003] (3481 words), an automated mapping to the UMLS was performed with the Metamap Program. The resulting UMLS terms and Semantic Types were analyzed in order to find a generic template in accordance with DICOM-SR structure. UMLS Concepts were missing for 45% of the GAMUTS findings. Three kinds of regularities were observed in the way the Semantic Types were combined: "pathological findings", "physiological findings" and "anatomical findings". A generic and original DICOM-SR template modelling finding was proposed. It was evaluated for representing GAMUTS jaws findings. 21% missing terms had to be picked up from Radlex (5%) or created (16%). This article shows that it is possible to represent findings using the UMLS and the DICOM SR formalism with a semi-automated method. The Metamap program helped to find a model to represent the semantic structure of free texts with standardized terms (UMLS Concepts). Nevertheless, the coverage of the UMLS is not comprehensive. This study shows that the UMLS should include more technical concepts and more concepts regarding findings, signs and symptoms to be suitable for radiology representation. The semi-automated translation of the whole GAMUTS using the UMLS concepts and the DICOM SR relations could help to create or supplement the DCMR Templates and Context Groups pertaining to the description of imaging findings.

WE-D-9A-06: Open Source Monitor Calibration and Quality Control Software for Enterprise Display Management

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

Bevins, N; Vanderhoek, M; Lang, S

2014-06-15

Purpose: Medical display monitor calibration and quality control present challenges to medical physicists. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate and share experiences with an open source package that allows for both initial monitor setup and routine performance evaluation. Methods: A software package, pacsDisplay, has been developed over the last decade to aid in the calibration of all monitors within the radiology group in our health system. The software is used to calibrate monitors to follow the DICOM Grayscale Standard Display Function (GSDF) via lookup tables installed on the workstation. Additional functionality facilitates periodic evaluations of both primary andmore » secondary medical monitors to ensure satisfactory performance. This software is installed on all radiology workstations, and can also be run as a stand-alone tool from a USB disk. Recently, a database has been developed to store and centralize the monitor performance data and to provide long-term trends for compliance with internal standards and various accrediting organizations. Results: Implementation and utilization of pacsDisplay has resulted in improved monitor performance across the health system. Monitor testing is now performed at regular intervals and the software is being used across multiple imaging modalities. Monitor performance characteristics such as maximum and minimum luminance, ambient luminance and illuminance, color tracking, and GSDF conformity are loaded into a centralized database for system performance comparisons. Compliance reports for organizations such as MQSA, ACR, and TJC are generated automatically and stored in the same database. Conclusion: An open source software solution has simplified and improved the standardization of displays within our health system. This work serves as an example method for calibrating and testing monitors within an enterprise health system.« less

Leveraging Terminologies for Retrieval of Radiology Reports with Critical Imaging Findings

PubMed Central

Warden, Graham I.; Lacson, Ronilda; Khorasani, Ramin

2011-01-01

Introduction: Communication of critical imaging findings is an important component of medical quality and safety. A fundamental challenge includes retrieval of radiology reports that contain these findings. This study describes the expressiveness and coverage of existing medical terminologies for critical imaging findings and evaluates radiology report retrieval using each terminology. Methods: Four terminologies were evaluated: National Cancer Institute Thesaurus (NCIT), Radiology Lexicon (RadLex), Systemized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED-CT), and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM). Concepts in each terminology were identified for 10 critical imaging findings. Three findings were subsequently selected to evaluate document retrieval. Results: SNOMED-CT consistently demonstrated the highest number of overall terms (mean=22) for each of ten critical findings. However, retrieval rate and precision varied between terminologies for the three findings evaluated. Conclusion: No single terminology is optimal for retrieving radiology reports with critical findings. The expressiveness of a terminology does not consistently correlate with radiology report retrieval. PMID:22195212

Role of conventional radiology and MRi defecography of pelvic floor hernias

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Purpose of the study is to define the role of conventional radiology and MRI in the evaluation of pelvic floor hernias in female pelvic floor disorders. Methods A MEDLINE and PubMed search was performed for journals before March 2013 with MeSH major terms 'MR Defecography' and 'pelvic floor hernias'. Results The prevalence of pelvic floor hernias at conventional radiology was higher if compared with that at MRI. Concerning the hernia content, there were significantly more enteroceles and sigmoidoceles on conventional radiology than on MRI, whereas, in relation to the hernia development modalities, the prevalence of elytroceles, edroceles, and Douglas' hernias at conventional radiology was significantly higher than that at MRI. Conclusions MRI shows lower sensitivity than conventional radiology in the detection of pelvic floor hernias development. The less-invasive MRI may have a role in a better evaluation of the entire pelvic anatomy and pelvic organ interaction especially in patients with multicompartmental defects, planned for surgery. PMID:24267789

Long-term risk in a recently active volcanic system: Evaluation of doses and indoor radiological risk in the quaternary Vulsini Volcanic District (Central Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capaccioni, B.; Cinelli, G.; Mostacci, D.; Tositti, L.

2012-12-01

Volcanic rocks in the Vulsini Volcanic District (Central Italy) contain high concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K due to subduction-related metasomatic enrichment of incompatible elements in the mantle source coupled with magma differentiation within the upper crust. Due to their favorable mechanical properties they have been extensively used for construction since the Etruscan age. In the old buildings of the Bolsena village, one of the most populated ancient village in the area, the major source of indoor radioactivity is 222Rn, a radioactive noble gas descendant of 238U. Direct 222Rn indoor measurements have detected extremely high values in the old center due to the combined effect of building materials, radon fluxes from the volcanic basement and low air exchange rates. In these cases the evaluated risk of developing lung cancer within a 75 year lifetime reaches up to 40% for ever smokers. Simulations of "standard rooms" built with different tuffs and lavas collected from the Vulsini Volcanic District have also provided estimations of the effective doses and lifetime risk for radiogenic cancer. Other than by the method adopted for calculation, the total evaluated risk for each volcanic rock depends on different parameters, such as: radionuclide content, radon emanation power, occupancy factor and air exchange rate. Occupancy factor and air exchange rate appear as the only controlling parameters able to mitigate the indoor radiological risk.

Fast Running Urban Dispersion Model for Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Releases: Model Description and Validation

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

Gowardhan, Akshay; Neuscamman, Stephanie; Donetti, John

Aeolus is an efficient three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code based on finite volume method developed for predicting transport and dispersion of contaminants in a complex urban area. It solves the time dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equation on a regular Cartesian staggered grid using a fractional step method. It also solves a scalar transport equation for temperature and using the Boussinesq approximation. The model also includes a Lagrangian dispersion model for predicting the transport and dispersion of atmospheric contaminants. The model can be run in an efficient Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) mode with a run time of several minutes, or a moremore » detailed Large Eddy Simulation (LES) mode with run time of hours for a typical simulation. This report describes the model components, including details on the physics models used in the code, as well as several model validation efforts. Aeolus wind and dispersion predictions are compared to field data from the Joint Urban Field Trials 2003 conducted in Oklahoma City (Allwine et al 2004) including both continuous and instantaneous releases. Newly implemented Aeolus capabilities include a decay chain model and an explosive Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) source term; these capabilities are described. Aeolus predictions using the buoyant explosive RDD source are validated against two experimental data sets: the Green Field explosive cloud rise experiments conducted in Israel (Sharon et al 2012) and the Full-Scale RDD Field Trials conducted in Canada (Green et al 2016).« less

LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN WORKSHOP ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCE PHYSICAL PROTECTION UPGRADES HOSTED IN GUATEMALA

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

Greenberg, Raymond; Watson, Erica E.; Morris, Frederic A.

2009-10-07

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) reduces and protects vulnerable nuclear and radiological material located at civilian sites worldwide. The GTRI program has worked successfully to remove and protect nuclear and radioactive materials, including orphaned and disused high-activity sources, and is now working to ensure sustainability. Internationally, over 40 countries are cooperating with GTRI to enhance the security of radiological materials. GTRI is now seeking to develop and enhance sustainability by coordinating its resources with those of the partner country, other donor countries, and international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Source detection at 100 meter standoff with a time-encoded imaging system

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

Brennan, J.; Brubaker, E.; Gerling, M.

Here, we present the design, characterization, and testing of a laboratory prototype radiological search and localization system. The system, based on time-encoded imaging, uses the attenuation signature of neutrons in time, induced by the geometrical layout and motion of the system. We have demonstrated the ability to detect a ~1 mCi 252 Cf radiological source at 100 m standoff with 90% detection efficiency and 10% false positives against background in 12 min. As a result, this same detection efficiency is met at 15 s for a 40 m standoff, and 1.2 s for a 20 m standoff.

Source detection at 100 meter standoff with a time-encoded imaging system

DOE PAGES

Brennan, J.; Brubaker, E.; Gerling, M.; ...

2017-09-28

Here, we present the design, characterization, and testing of a laboratory prototype radiological search and localization system. The system, based on time-encoded imaging, uses the attenuation signature of neutrons in time, induced by the geometrical layout and motion of the system. We have demonstrated the ability to detect a ~1 mCi 252 Cf radiological source at 100 m standoff with 90% detection efficiency and 10% false positives against background in 12 min. As a result, this same detection efficiency is met at 15 s for a 40 m standoff, and 1.2 s for a 20 m standoff.

American College of Radiology-American Brachytherapy Society practice parameter for electronically generated low-energy radiation sources.

PubMed

Devlin, Phillip M; Gaspar, Laurie E; Buzurovic, Ivan; Demanes, D Jeffrey; Kasper, Michael E; Nag, Subir; Ouhib, Zoubir; Petit, Joshua H; Rosenthal, Seth A; Small, William; Wallner, Paul E; Hartford, Alan C

This collaborative practice parameter technical standard has been created between the American College of Radiology and American Brachytherapy Society to guide the usage of electronically generated low energy radiation sources (ELSs). It refers to the use of electronic X-ray sources with peak voltages up to 120 kVp to deliver therapeutic radiation therapy. The parameter provides a guideline for utilizing ELS, including patient selection and consent, treatment planning, and delivery processes. The parameter reviews the published clinical data with regard to ELS results in skin, breast, and other cancers. This technical standard recommends appropriate qualifications of the involved personnel. The parameter reviews the technical issues relating to equipment specifications as well as patient and personnel safety. Regarding suggestions for educational programs with regard to this parameter,it is suggested that the training level for clinicians be equivalent to that for other radiation therapies. It also suggests that ELS must be done using the same standards of quality and safety as those in place for other forms of radiation therapy. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society and American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological implications of top-off operation at national synchrotron light source-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Job, P. K.; Casey, W. R.

2011-08-01

High current and low emittance have been specified to achieve ultra high brightness in the third generation medium energy Synchrotron Radiation Sources. This leads to the electron beam lifetime limited by Touschek scattering, and after commissioning may settle in at as low as ∼3 h. It may well be less in the early days of operation. At the same time, the intensity stability specified by the user community for the synchrotron beam is 1% or better. Given the anticipated lifetime of the beam, incremental filling called top-off injection at intervals on the order of ∼1 min will be required to maintain this beam stability. It is judged to be impractical to make these incremental fills by closing the beam shutters at each injection. In addition, closing the front end beam shutters during each injection will adversely affect the stability of beamline optics due to thermal cycling. Hence the radiological consequences of injection with front end beam shutters open must be evaluated. This paper summarizes results of radiological analysis carried out for the proposed top-off injection at National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) with beam shutters open.

Status of a compact electron cyclotron resonance ion source for National Institute of Radiological Sciences-930 cyclotron.

PubMed

Hojo, S; Katagiri, K; Nakao, M; Sugiura, A; Muramatsu, M; Noda, A; Okada, T; Takahashi, Y; Komiyama, A; Honma, T; Noda, K

2014-02-01

The Kei-source is a compact electron cyclotron resonance ion source using only permanent magnets and a frequency of 10 GHz. It was developed at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) for producing C(4+) ions oriented for high-energy carbon therapy. It has also been used as an ion source for the NIRS-930 cyclotron. Its microwave band region for the traveling-wave-tube amplifier and maximum output power are 8-10 GHz and 350 W, respectively. Since 2006, it has provided various ion beams such as proton, deuteron, carbon, oxygen, and neon with sufficient intensity (200 μA for proton and deuteron, 50 μA for C(4+), for example) and good stability for radioisotope production, tests of radiation damage, and basic research experiments. Its horizontal and vertical emittances were measured using a screen monitor and waist-scan. The present paper reports the current status of the Kei-source.

Leadership and management in quality radiology

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

The practice of medical imaging and interventional radiology are undergoing rapid change in recent years due to technological advances, workload escalation, workforce shortage, globalisation, corporatisation, commercialisation and commoditisation of healthcare. These professional and economical changes are challenging the established norm but may bring new opportunities. There is an increasing awareness of and interest in the quality of care and patient safety in medical imaging and interventional radiology. Among the professional organisations, a range of quality systems are available to address individual, facility and system needs. To manage the limited resources successfully, radiologists and professional organisations must be leaders and champion for the cause of quality care and patient safety. Close collaboration with other stakeholders towards the development and management of proactive, long-term, system-based strategies and infrastructures will underpin a sustainable future in quality radiology. The International Radiology Quality Network can play a useful facilitating role in this worthwhile but challenging endeavour. PMID:21614284

A Business Analytics Software Tool for Monitoring and Predicting Radiology Throughput Performance.

PubMed

Jones, Stephen; Cournane, Seán; Sheehy, Niall; Hederman, Lucy

2016-12-01

Business analytics (BA) is increasingly being utilised by radiology departments to analyse and present data. It encompasses statistical analysis, forecasting and predictive modelling and is used as an umbrella term for decision support and business intelligence systems. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether utilising BA technologies could contribute towards improved decision support and resource management within radiology departments. A set of information technology requirements were identified with key stakeholders, and a prototype BA software tool was designed, developed and implemented. A qualitative evaluation of the tool was carried out through a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Feedback was collated, and emergent themes were identified. The results indicated that BA software applications can provide visibility of radiology performance data across all time horizons. The study demonstrated that the tool could potentially assist with improving operational efficiencies and management of radiology resources.

Meta-Generalis: A Novel Method for Structuring Information from Radiology Reports

PubMed Central

Barbosa, Flavio; Traina, Agma Jucci

2016-01-01

Summary Background A structured report for imaging exams aims at increasing the precision in information retrieval and communication between physicians. However, it is more concise than free text and may limit specialists’ descriptions of important findings not covered by pre-defined structures. A computational ontological structure derived from free texts designed by specialists may be a solution for this problem. Therefore, the goal of our study was to develop a methodology for structuring information in radiology reports covering specifications required for the Brazilian Portuguese language, including the terminology to be used. Methods We gathered 1,701 radiological reports of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the lumbosacral spine from three different institutions. Techniques of text mining and ontological conceptualization of lexical units extracted were used to structure information. Ten radiologists, specialists in lumbosacral MRI, evaluated the textual superstructure and terminology extracted using an electronic questionnaire. Results The established methodology consists of six steps: 1) collection of radiology reports of a specific MRI examination; 2) textual decomposition; 3) normalization of lexical units; 4) identification of textual superstructures; 5) conceptualization of candidate-terms; and 6) evaluation of superstructures and extracted terminology by experts using an electronic questionnaire. Three different textual superstructures were identified, with terminological variations in the names of their textual categories. The number of candidate-terms conceptualized was 4,183, yielding 727 concepts. There were a total of 13,963 relationships between candidate-terms and concepts and 789 relationships among concepts. Conclusions The proposed methodology allowed structuring information in a more intuitive and practical way. Indications of three textual superstructures, extraction of lexicon units and the normalization and ontologically conceptualization were achieved while maintaining references to their respective categories and free text radiology reports. PMID:27580980

Meta-generalis: A novel method for structuring information from radiology reports.

PubMed

Barbosa, Flavio; Traina, Agma Jucci; Muglia, Valdair Francisco

2016-08-24

A structured report for imaging exams aims at increasing the precision in information retrieval and communication between physicians. However, it is more concise than free text and may limit specialists' descriptions of important findings not covered by pre-defined structures. A computational ontological structure derived from free texts designed by specialists may be a solution for this problem. Therefore, the goal of our study was to develop a methodology for structuring information in radiology reports covering specifications required for the Brazilian Portuguese language, including the terminology to be used. We gathered 1,701 radiological reports of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the lumbosacral spine from three different institutions. Techniques of text mining and ontological conceptualization of lexical units extracted were used to structure information. Ten radiologists, specialists in lumbosacral MRI, evaluated the textual superstructure and terminology extracted using an electronic questionnaire. The established methodology consists of six steps: 1) collection of radiology reports of a specific MRI examination; 2) textual decomposition; 3) normalization of lexical units; 4) identification of textual superstructures; 5) conceptualization of candidate-terms; and 6) evaluation of superstructures and extracted terminology by experts using an electronic questionnaire. Three different textual superstructures were identified, with terminological variations in the names of their textual categories. The number of candidate-terms conceptualized was 4,183, yielding 727 concepts. There were a total of 13,963 relationships between candidate-terms and concepts and 789 relationships among concepts. The proposed methodology allowed structuring information in a more intuitive and practical way. Indications of three textual superstructures, extraction of lexicon units and the normalization and ontologically conceptualization were achieved while maintaining references to their respective categories and free text radiology reports.

Managing nuclear power plant induced disasters.

PubMed

Kyne, Dean

2015-01-01

To understand the management process of nuclear power plant (NPP) induced disasters. The study shields light on phases and issues associated with the NPP induced disaster management. This study uses Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station as study subject and Arizona State as study area. This study uses the Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (RASCAL) Source Term to Dose (STDose) of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a computer software to project and assess the source term dose and release pathway. This study also uses ArcGIS, a geographic information system to analyze geospatial data. A detailed case study of Palo Verde Nuclear Power Generation (PVNPG) Plant was conducted. The findings reveal that the NPP induced disaster management process is conducted by various stakeholders. To save lives and to minimize the impacts, it is vital to relate planning and process of the disaster management. Number of people who expose to the radioactive plume pathway and level of radioactivity could vary depending on the speed and direction of wind on the day the event takes place. This study findings show that there is a need to address the burning issue of different racial and ethnic groups' unequal exposure and unequal protection to potential risks associated with the NPPs.

ANEMOS: A computer code to estimate air concentrations and ground deposition rates for atmospheric nuclides emitted from multiple operating sources

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

Miller, C.W.; Sjoreen, A.L.; Begovich, C.L.

This code estimates concentrations in air and ground deposition rates for Atmospheric Nuclides Emitted from Multiple Operating Sources. ANEMOS is one component of an integrated Computerized Radiological Risk Investigation System (CRRIS) developed for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in performing radiological assessments and in developing radiation standards. The concentrations and deposition rates calculated by ANEMOS are used in subsequent portions of the CRRIS for estimating doses and risks to man. The calculations made in ANEMOS are based on the use of a straight-line Gaussian plume atmospheric dispersion model with both dry and wet deposition parameter options. Themore » code will accommodate a ground-level or elevated point and area source or windblown source. Adjustments may be made during the calculations for surface roughness, building wake effects, terrain height, wind speed at the height of release, the variation in plume rise as a function of downwind distance, and the in-growth and decay of daughter products in the plume as it travels downwind. ANEMOS can also accommodate multiple particle sizes and clearance classes, and it may be used to calculate the dose from a finite plume of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides passing overhead. The output of this code is presented for 16 sectors of a circular grid. ANEMOS can calculate both the sector-average concentrations and deposition rates at a given set of downwind distances in each sector and the average of these quantities over an area within each sector bounded by two successive downwind distances. ANEMOS is designed to be used primarily for continuous, long-term radionuclide releases. This report describes the models used in the code, their computer implementation, the uncertainty associated with their use, and the use of ANEMOS in conjunction with other codes in the CRRIS. A listing of the code is included in Appendix C.« less

New Nuclear Emergency Prognosis system in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyun-Ha; Jeong, Seung-Young; Park, Sang-Hyun; Lee, Kwan-Hee

2016-04-01

This paper reviews the status of assessment and prognosis system for nuclear emergency response in Korea, especially atmospheric dispersion model. The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) performs the regulation and radiological emergency preparedness of the nuclear facilities and radiation utilizations. Also, KINS has set up the "Radiological Emergency Technical Advisory Plan" and the associated procedures such as an emergency response manual in consideration of the IAEA Safety Standards GS-R-2, GS-G-2.0, and GS-G-2.1. The Radiological Emergency Technical Advisory Center (RETAC) organized in an emergency situation provides the technical advice on radiological emergency response. The "Atomic Computerized Technical Advisory System for nuclear emergency" (AtomCARE) has been developed to implement assessment and prognosis by RETAC. KINS developed Accident Dose Assessment and Monitoring (ADAMO) system in 2015 to reflect the lessons learned from Fukushima accident. It incorporates (1) the dose assessment on the entire Korean peninsula, Asia region, and global region, (2) multi-units accident assessment (3) applying new methodology of dose rate assessment and the source term estimation with inverse modeling, (4) dose assessment and monitoring with the environmental measurements result. The ADAMO is the renovated version of current FADAS of AtomCARE. The ADAMO increases the accuracy of the radioactive material dispersion with applying the LDAPS(Local Data Assimilation Prediction System, Spatial resolution: 1.5 km) and RDAPS(Regional Data Assimilation Prediction System, Spatial resolution: 12km) of weather prediction data, and performing the data assimilation of automatic weather system (AWS) data from Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and data from the weather observation tower at NPP site. The prediction model of the radiological material dispersion is based on the set of the Lagrangian Particle model and Lagrangian Puff model. The dose estimation methodology incorporate the dose assessment methods of IAEA, WHO, and USNRC. The dose assessment result will express on the GIS (GIS (Geographic Information System) to provide to the local- governments and the central government. Acknowledgements This research has been supported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission [Reference No.1305020-0315-SB110

Qualification tests for {sup 192}Ir sealed sources

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

Iancso, Georgeta, E-mail: georgetaiancso@yahoo.com; Iliescu, Elena, E-mail: georgetaiancso@yahoo.com; Iancu, Rodica, E-mail: georgetaiancso@yahoo.com

This paper describes the results of qualification tests for {sup 192}Ir sealed sources, available in Testing and Nuclear Expertise Laboratory of National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering 'Horia Hulubei' (I.F.I.N.-HH), Romania. These sources had to be produced in I.F.I.N.-HH and were tested in order to obtain the authorization from The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN). The sources are used for gammagraphy procedures or in gammadefectoscopy equipments. Tests, measurement methods and equipments used, comply with CNCAN, AIEA and International Quality Standards and regulations. The qualification tests are: 1. Radiological tests and measurements: dose equivalent rate at 1 m;more » tightness; dose equivalent rate at the surface of the transport and storage container; external unfixed contamination of the container surface. 2. Mechanical and climatic tests: thermal shock; external pressure; mechanic shock; vibrations; boring; thermal conditions for storage and transportation. Passing all tests, it was obtained the Radiological Security Authorization for producing the {sup 192}Ir sealed sources. Now IFIN-HH can meet many demands for this sealed sources, as the only manufacturer in Romania.« less

In the Field Feasibility of a Simple Method to Check for Radioactivity in Commodities and in the Environment

PubMed Central

Alessandri, Stefano

2017-01-01

Introduction: Some release of radionuclides into the environment can be expected from the growing number of nuclear plants, either in or out of service. The citizen and the big organization could be both interested in simple and innovative methods for checking the radiological safety of their environment and of commodities, starting from foods. Methods: In this work three methods to detect radioactivity are briefly compared  focusing on the most recent, which converts a smartphone into a radiation counter. Results: The results of a simple sensitivity test are presented showing the measure of the activity of reference sources put at different distances from each sensor. Discussion: The three methods are discussed in terms of availability, technology, sensitivity, resolution and usefulness. The reported results can be usefully transferred into a radiological emergency scenario and they also offer some interesting implication for our current everyday life, but show that the hardware of the tested smart-phone can detect only high levels of radioactivity. However the technology could be interesting to build a working detection and measurement chain which could start from a diffused and networked first screening before the final high resolution analysis. PMID:28744409

PathBot: A Radiology-Pathology Correlation Dashboard.

PubMed

Kelahan, Linda C; Kalaria, Amit D; Filice, Ross W

2017-12-01

Pathology is considered the "gold standard" of diagnostic medicine. The importance of radiology-pathology correlation is seen in interdepartmental patient conferences such as "tumor boards" and by the tradition of radiology resident immersion in a radiologic-pathology course at the American Institute of Radiologic Pathology. In practice, consistent pathology follow-up can be difficult due to time constraints and cumbersome electronic medical records. We present a radiology-pathology correlation dashboard that presents radiologists with pathology reports matched to their dictations, for both diagnostic imaging and image-guided procedures. In creating our dashboard, we utilized the RadLex ontology and National Center for Biomedical Ontology (NCBO) Annotator to identify anatomic concepts in pathology reports that could subsequently be mapped to relevant radiology reports, providing an automated method to match related radiology and pathology reports. Radiology-pathology matches are presented to the radiologist on a web-based dashboard. We found that our algorithm was highly specific in detecting matches. Our sensitivity was slightly lower than expected and could be attributed to missing anatomy concepts in the RadLex ontology, as well as limitations in our parent term hierarchical mapping and synonym recognition algorithms. By automating radiology-pathology correlation and presenting matches in a user-friendly dashboard format, we hope to encourage pathology follow-up in clinical radiology practice for purposes of self-education and to augment peer review. We also hope to provide a tool to facilitate the production of quality teaching files, lectures, and publications. Diagnostic images have a richer educational value when they are backed up by the gold standard of pathology.

Radiology Teacher: a free, Internet-based radiology teaching file server.

PubMed

Talanow, Roland

2009-12-01

Teaching files are an essential ingredient in residency education. The online program Radiology Teacher was developed to allow the creation of interactive and customized teaching files in real time. Online access makes it available anytime and anywhere, and it is free of charge, user tailored, and easy to use. No programming skills, additional plug-ins, or installations are needed, allowing its use even on protected intranets. Special effects for enhancing the learning experience as well as the linking and the source code are created automatically by the program. It may be used in different modes by individuals and institutions to share cases from multiple authors in a single database. Radiology Teacher is an easy-to-use automatic teaching file program that may enhance users' learning experiences by offering different modes of user-defined presentations.

Role of interventional radiology in the management of acute gastrointestinal bleeding

PubMed Central

Ramaswamy, Raja S; Choi, Hyung Won; Mouser, Hans C; Narsinh, Kazim H; McCammack, Kevin C; Treesit, Tharintorn; Kinney, Thomas B

2014-01-01

Acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) can lead to significant morbidity and mortality without appropriate treatment. There are numerous causes of acute GIB including but not limited to infection, vascular anomalies, inflammatory diseases, trauma, and malignancy. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach of GIB depends on its location, severity, and etiology. The role of interventional radiology becomes vital in patients whose GIB remains resistant to medical and endoscopic treatment. Radiology offers diagnostic imaging studies and endovascular therapeutic interventions that can be performed promptly and effectively with successful outcomes. Computed tomography angiography and nuclear scintigraphy can localize the source of bleeding and provide essential information for the interventional radiologist to guide therapeutic management with endovascular angiography and transcatheter embolization. This review article provides insight into the essential role of Interventional Radiology in the management of acute GIB. PMID:24778770

Informatics in radiology: web-based preliminary reporting system for radiology residents with PACS integration.

PubMed

O'Connell, Timothy; Chang, Debra

2012-01-01

While on call, radiology residents review imaging studies and issue preliminary reports to referring clinicians. In the absence of an integrated reporting system at the training sites of the authors' institution, residents were typing and faxing preliminary reports. To partially automate the on-call resident workflow, a Web-based system for resident reporting was developed by using the free open-source xAMP Web application framework and an open-source DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) software toolkit, with the goals of reducing errors and lowering barriers to education. This reporting system integrates with the picture archiving and communication system to display a worklist of studies. Patient data are automatically entered in the preliminary report to prevent identification errors and simplify the report creation process. When the final report for a resident's on-call study is available, the reporting system queries the report broker for the final report, and then displays the preliminary report side by side with the final report, thus simplifying the review process and encouraging review of all of the resident's reports. The xAMP Web application framework should be considered for development of radiology department informatics projects owing to its zero cost, minimal hardware requirements, ease of programming, and large support community.

File format for normalizing radiological concentration exposure rate and dose rate data for the effects of radioactive decay and weathering processes

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

Kraus, Terrence D.

2017-04-01

This report specifies the electronic file format that was agreed upon to be used as the file format for normalized radiological data produced by the software tool developed under this TI project. The NA-84 Technology Integration (TI) Program project (SNL17-CM-635, Normalizing Radiological Data for Analysis and Integration into Models) investigators held a teleconference on December 7, 2017 to discuss the tasks to be completed under the TI program project. During this teleconference, the TI project investigators determined that the comma-separated values (CSV) file format is the most suitable file format for the normalized radiological data that will be outputted frommore » the normalizing tool developed under this TI project. The CSV file format was selected because it provides the requisite flexibility to manage different types of radiological data (i.e., activity concentration, exposure rate, dose rate) from other sources [e.g., Radiological Assessment and Monitoring System (RAMS), Aerial Measuring System (AMS), Monitoring and Sampling). The CSV file format also is suitable for the file format of the normalized radiological data because this normalized data can then be ingested by other software [e.g., RAMS, Visual Sampling Plan (VSP)] used by the NA-84’s Consequence Management Program.« less

Review of CBRN Medical and Operational Terminologies in NATO CBRN Publications

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

repository for NATO terminology and is used to search terms, abbreviations, and definitions found in NATO documents, communications, and activities of all...21 is a compilation of terminology used in NATO chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense activities , documentation, and communications...informational constructs, activities , and functionality necessary for: 1. Reporting of all chemical, biological or radiological incidents and nuclear

Radioactivity: Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements (1962), (ICRU) Report 10 c.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Bureau of Standards (DOC), Washington, DC.

This handbook presents recommendations agreed upon at the meeting of the International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements (ICRU) held in Montreux, Switzerland, in April 1962. It is written in a report form with a preface including symbols, abbreviations and definitions of terms used in the report. The report consists of four…

Student Evaluations, Outcomes, and National Licensure Examinations in Radiology Education: A Narrative Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Linaker, Kathleen L

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine literature on radiological student evaluation and outcome assessments including national board examinations. A review of the literature was performed using relevant key words. Articles were retrieved through December 2012 using PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, Proquest, and ICL databases along with a manual review of references. Of the 4716 unique abstracts reviewed by the author, 54 were found to be relevant to the purpose of this study. Student grade point average correlates with board scores in the nursing, chiropractic, and medical professions. Scores on the chiropractic college admission test and undergraduate grade point average correlate with success in professional college. There is a correlation between board scores and college attended. Board preparation programs do not appear to affect board examination scores. Although evaluations can be effective teaching tools, they are not used by many radiology programs. Some programs have inadequate evaluations and do not allow students to review their evaluations. There are no definitive links between mastery of radiology and specific evaluations, outcomes, or pre-professional/clinical grades. Studies suggest that board examination scores reflect long-term mastery of knowledge rather than short-term memorization of facts.

[Pilot study of domain-specific terminology adaptation for morphological analysis: research on unknown terms in national examination documents of radiological technologists].

PubMed

Tsuji, Shintarou; Nishimoto, Naoki; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2008-07-20

Although large medical texts are stored in electronic format, they are seldom reused because of the difficulty of processing narrative texts by computer. Morphological analysis is a key technology for extracting medical terms correctly and automatically. This process parses a sentence into its smallest unit, the morpheme. Phrases consisting of two or more technical terms, however, cause morphological analysis software to fail in parsing the sentence and output unprocessed terms as "unknown words." The purpose of this study was to reduce the number of unknown words in medical narrative text processing. The results of parsing the text with additional dictionaries were compared with the analysis of the number of unknown words in the national examination for radiologists. The ratio of unknown words was reduced 1.0% to 0.36% by adding terminologies of radiological technology, MeSH, and ICD-10 labels. The terminology of radiological technology was the most effective resource, being reduced by 0.62%. This result clearly showed the necessity of additional dictionary selection and trends in unknown words. The potential for this investigation is to make available a large body of clinical information that would otherwise be inaccessible for applications other than manual health care review by personnel.

Quantitative evaluation of expression difference in report assignments between nursing and radiologic technology departments.

PubMed

Nishimoto, Naoki; Yokooka, Yuki; Yagahara, Ayako; Uesugi, Masahito; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2011-01-01

Our purpose in this study was to investigate the expression differences in report assignments between students in nursing and radiologic technology departments. We have known that faculties could identify differences, such as word usage, through grading their students' assignments. However, there are no reports in the literature dealing with expression differences in vocabulary usage in medical informatics education based on statistical techniques or other quantitative measures. The report assignment asked for students' opinions in the event that they found a rare case of a disease in a hospital after they graduated from professional school. We processed student report data automatically, and we applied the space vector model and TF/IDF (term frequency/inverse document frequency) scoring to 129 report assignments. The similarity-score distributions among the assignments for these two departments were close to normal. We focused on the sets of terms that occurred exclusively in either department. For terms such as "radiation therapy" or "communication skills" that occurred in the radiologic technology department, the TF/IDF score was 8.01. The same score was obtained for terms such as "privacy guidelines" or "consent of patients" that occurred in the nursing department. These results will help faculties to provide a better education based on identified expression differences from students' background knowledge.

Patients' Use and Evaluation of an Online System to Annotate Radiology Reports with Lay Language Definitions.

PubMed

Cook, Tessa S; Oh, Seong Cheol; Kahn, Charles E

2017-09-01

The increasing availability of personal health portals has made it easier for patients to obtain their imaging results online. However, the radiology report typically is designed to communicate findings and recommendations to the referring clinician, and may contain many terms unfamiliar to lay readers. We sought to evaluate a web-based interface that presented reports of knee MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examinations with annotations that included patient-oriented definitions, anatomic illustrations, and hyperlinks to additional information. During a 7-month observational trial, a statement added to all knee MRI reports invited patients to view their annotated report online. We tracked the number of patients who opened their reports, the terms they hovered over to view definitions, and the time hovering over each term. Patients who accessed their annotated reports were invited to complete a survey. Of 1138 knee MRI examinations during the trial period, 185 patients (16.3%) opened their report in the viewing portal. Of those, 141 (76%) hovered over at least one term to view its definition, and 121 patients (65%) viewed a mean of 27.5 terms per examination and spent an average of 3.5 minutes viewing those terms. Of the 22 patients who completed the survey, 77% agreed that the definitions helped them understand the report and 91% stated that the illustrations were helpful. A system that provided definitions and illustrations of the medical and technical terms in radiology reports has potential to improve patients' understanding of their reports and their diagnoses. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase contrast: the frontier of x-ray and electron imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwu, Y.; Margaritondo, G.

2013-12-01

Phase contrast has been a fundamental component of microscopy since the early 1940s. In broad terms, it refers to the formation of images using not the combination of wave intensities but their amplitudes with the corresponding phase factors. The impact on visible microscopy of biological specimens has been major. This contrast mechanism is now playing an increasingly important role in other kinds of microscopy, notably those based on electrons or x-rays. It notably solves the background problem of weak absorption contrast. New breakthroughs and new techniques are continuously produced, unfortunately unknown to most of the scientists that could exploit them. The present special cluster issue of reviews was inspired by this situation. The case of x-rays is very interesting. Phase contrast requires a high degree of longitudinal and lateral coherence. But conventional x-ray sources are not coherent. The progress of synchrotron sources yielded high coherence as a key byproduct—and started a rapid expansion of phase contrast radiology. No review—or cluster of reviews—can possibly cover all the facets of the recent progress. Without trying to be absolutely comprehensive, the present special cluster issue touches a variety of issues, giving a very broad picture. Liu et al review in general terms the different phase-based hard-x-ray techniques, with an interesting variety of examples. Then, Suortti et al and Wang et al present more specialized overviews of crystal and grating based x-ray imaging techniques, very powerful in the analysis of biological specimens. Mokso et al discuss the many facets of tomography using phase effects, expanding the picture of tomographic reconstruction of the three previous reviews. Wu et al treat the rapid progress in hard-x-ray focusing and its impact on radiology and tomography for materials science and biomedical research. The next two reviews deal with special and very interesting classes of applications. Specifically, Lee et al discuss the use of the new radiology techniques in the study of liquids, and Coan et al present the progress in phase-contrast radiology analysis of real patients. Although x-ray imaging is the main focus of the special cluster issue, the picture would not be complete without a view on the parallel and very exciting developments in electron microscopy. The last review, by Wu et al , is dedicated indeed to this broader picture, presenting recent progress in Zernike-related electron phase contrast. We trust that the special cluster issue will not only update readers on the evolution of a very important class of experimental techniques, but also prepare them for the forthcoming developments. We are indeed at the threshold of another revolution. The recently inaugurated first x-ray free electron lasers bring, together with many other record performances, full lateral coherence and excellent longitudinal coherence. The first imaging experiments show in practice their impact, and indicate that this field, far from saturating its progress, is ready for new major breakthroughs.

Illicit Trafficking in Radiological and Nuclear Materials. Lack of Regulations and Attainable Disposal for Radioactive Materials Make Them More Vulnerable than Nuclear Materials

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

Balatsky, G.I.; Severe, W.R.; Leonard, L.

2007-07-01

Illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials is far from a new issue. Reports of nuclear materials offered for sale as well as mythical materials such as red mercury date back to the 1960's. While such reports were primarily scams, it illustrates the fact that from an early date there were criminal elements willing to sell nuclear materials, albeit mythical ones, to turn a quick profit. In that same time frame, information related to lost and abandoned radioactive sources began to be reported. Unlike reports on nuclear material of that era, these reports on abandoned sources were based in factmore » - occasionally associated with resulting injury and death. With the collapse of the Former Soviet Union, illicit trafficking turned from a relatively unnoticed issue to one of global concern. Reports of unsecured nuclear and radiological material in the states of the Former Soviet Union, along with actual seizures of such material in transit, gave the clear message that illicit trafficking was now a real and urgent problem. In 1995, the IAEA established an Illicit Trafficking Data Base to keep track of confirmed instances. Illicit Trafficking is deemed to include not only radioactive materials that have been offered for sale or crossed international boarders, but also such materials that are no longer under appropriate regulatory control. As an outcome of 9/11, the United States took a closer look at illicit nuclear trafficking as well as a reassessment of the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive materials both in the United States and Globally. This reassessment launched heightened controls and security domestically and increased our efforts internationally to prevent illicit nuclear trafficking. This reassessment also brought about the Global Threat Reduction Initiative which aims to further reduce the threats of weapons usable nuclear materials as well those of radioactive sealed sources. This paper will focus on the issues related to a subset of the materials involved in illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive materials, that of radioactive sealed sources. The focus on radioactive sealed sources is based on our belief that insufficient attention has been paid to trafficking incidents involving such sources which constitute the majority of trafficking cases. According to the IAEA's Illicit Trafficking Data Base, as of December 31 2005 there were 827 confirmed cases reporting by the participating states, including 250 incidents (or 30%) involved nuclear and other radioactive materials and 566 (or 68%) involved other radioactive materials, mostly radioactive sources, and radioactively contaminated materials. Experts in the Lugar Survey on Proliferation Threat and Response (June 2005) agreed that an attack with a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) was the most probable form of nuclear terrorism the world could expect over the next decade. At the same time radiological materials are used in wide a variety of applications, located in virtually every country and in general, radiological materials are far easier to access than nuclear materials. It has become increasingly obvious that the lack of a cradle-to-grave approach for sealed radioactive sources that have reached the end of their useful life is the main reason that sources are abandoned. It appears that the questions will ultimately become whether industry will impose additional regulations upon itself and become self-regulating with respect to repatriating radioactive material at the end of service life, or whether national authorities at some point will take actions and regulate the industry. Argentina, which is one of the most advanced countries regarding control of radiological sources adopted additional measures to safeguard its radiological materials to a level comparable to that proscribed for nuclear materials. This approach, while highly successful, has led to some minor unforeseen consequences, namely insufficient funds to implement all regulations in full and a lack of inspectors and appropriate equipment to assure compliance This is not an unusual outcome. Regulations imposed by a national regulatory authority may be technically excellent, but their implementation may provide a funding challenge. A more practical approach may be to have the industry to impose regulations upon itself, which could be accomplished within the economics of the industries involved. (authors)« less

Combining Radiography and Passive Measurements for Radiological Threat Localization in Cargo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Erin A.; White, Timothy A.; Jarman, Kenneth D.; Kouzes, Richard T.; Kulisek, Jonathan A.; Robinson, Sean M.; Wittman, Richard A.

2015-10-01

Detecting shielded special nuclear material (SNM) in a cargo container is a difficult problem, since shielding reduces the amount of radiation escaping the container. Radiography provides information that is complementary to that provided by passive gamma-ray detection systems: while not directly sensitive to radiological materials, radiography can reveal highly shielded regions that may mask a passive radiological signal. Combining these measurements has the potential to improve SNM detection, either through improved sensitivity or by providing a solution to the inverse problem to estimate source properties (strength and location). We present a data-fusion method that uses a radiograph to provide an estimate of the radiation-transport environment for gamma rays from potential sources. This approach makes quantitative use of radiographic images without relying on image interpretation, and results in a probabilistic description of likely source locations and strengths. We present results for this method for a modeled test case of a cargo container passing through a plastic-scintillator-based radiation portal monitor and a transmission-radiography system. We find that a radiograph-based inversion scheme allows for localization of a low-noise source placed randomly within the test container to within 40 cm, compared to 70 cm for triangulation alone, while strength estimation accuracy is improved by a factor of six. Improvements are seen in regions of both high and low shielding, but are most pronounced in highly shielded regions. The approach proposed here combines transmission and emission data in a manner that has not been explored in the cargo-screening literature, advancing the ability to accurately describe a hidden source based on currently-available instrumentation.

Big Data Analyses in Health and Opportunities for Research in Radiology.

PubMed

Aphinyanaphongs, Yindalon

2017-02-01

This article reviews examples of big data analyses in health care with a focus on radiology. We review the defining characteristics of big data, the use of natural language processing, traditional and novel data sources, and large clinical data repositories available for research. This article aims to invoke novel research ideas through a combination of examples of analyses and domain knowledge. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

21 CFR 892.5730 - Radionuclide brachytherapy source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Radionuclide brachytherapy source. 892.5730 Section 892.5730 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 892.5730 Radionuclide brachytherapy...

Radiological anatomy - evaluation of integrative education in radiology.

PubMed

Dettmer, S; Schmiedl, A; Meyer, S; Giesemann, A; Pabst, R; Weidemann, J; Wacker, F K; Kirchhoff, T

2013-09-01

Evaluation and analysis of the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" established since 2007 at the Medical School Hannover (MHH) in comparison with conventional education. Anatomy and radiology are usually taught separately with a considerable time lag. Interdisciplinary teaching of these associated subjects seems logical for several reasons. Therefore, the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" was established in the second year of medical education, combining these two closely related subjects. This interdisciplinary course was retrospectively evaluated by consideration of a student questionnaire and staff observations. The advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching in medical education are discussed. The course ratings were excellent (median 1; mean 1.3 on a scale of 1 to 6). This is significantly (p < 0.001) better than the average of all evaluated courses in the respective term (grade 2.8). The course improved the anatomical comprehension (90 %) and the students stated that the topics were relevant for their future medical education (90 %). Furthermore, interest in the subject's anatomy and radiology increased during the course (88 %). According to the students' suggestions the course was enhanced by a visitation in the Department of Radiology and the additional topic central nervous system. Integrative teaching of anatomy and radiology was well received by the students. Both, anatomical and radiological comprehension and the motivation to learn were improved. However, it should be considered, that the amount of work and time required by the teaching staff is considerably increased compared to traditional teaching. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Scenario planning.

PubMed

Enzmann, Dieter R; Beauchamp, Norman J; Norbash, Alexander

2011-03-01

In facing future developments in health care, scenario planning offers a complementary approach to traditional strategic planning. Whereas traditional strategic planning typically consists of predicting the future at a single point on a chosen time horizon and mapping the preferred plans to address such a future, scenario planning creates stories about multiple likely potential futures on a given time horizon and maps the preferred plans to address the multiple described potential futures. Each scenario is purposefully different and specifically not a consensus worst-case, average, or best-case forecast; nor is scenario planning a process in probabilistic prediction. Scenario planning focuses on high-impact, uncertain driving forces that in the authors' example affect the field of radiology. Uncertainty is the key concept as these forces are mapped onto axes of uncertainty, the poles of which have opposed effects on radiology. One chosen axis was "market focus," with poles of centralized health care (government control) vs a decentralized private market. Another axis was "radiology's business model," with one pole being a unified, single specialty vs a splintered, disaggregated subspecialty. The third axis was "technology and science," with one pole representing technology enabling to radiology vs technology threatening to radiology. Selected poles of these axes were then combined to create 3 scenarios. One scenario, termed "entrepreneurialism," consisted of a decentralized private market, a disaggregated business model, and threatening technology and science. A second scenario, termed "socialized medicine," had a centralized market focus, a unified specialty business model, and enabling technology and science. A third scenario, termed "freefall," had a centralized market focus, a disaggregated business model, and threatening technology and science. These scenarios provide a range of futures that ultimately allow the identification of defined "signposts" that can suggest which basic features among the "possible futures" are playing out. Scenario planning provides for the implementation of appropriate constructed strategic responses. Scenarios allow for a pre-prepared game plan available for ready use as the future unfolds. They allow a deliberative response rather than a hastily constructed, urgent response. Copyright © 2011 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological NESHAP ANNUAL REPORT CY 2016.

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

Evelo, Stacie

2017-06-01

This report provides a summary of the radionuclide releases from the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration facilities at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) during Calendar Year (CY) 2016, including the data, calculations, and supporting documentation for demonstrating compliance with 40 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 61, Subpart H--NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EMISSIONS OF RADIONUCLIDES OTHER THAN RADON FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FACILITIES (Radiological NESHAP). A description is given of the sources and their contributions to the overall dose assessment. In addition, the maximally exposed individual (MEI) radiological dose calculation and the population dosemore » to local and regional residents are discussed.« less

Internal contamination of an irradiator discovered during security enhancement.

PubMed

Harvey, R P

2014-08-01

High-risk radioactive sources regulated under Increased Controls Regulations have been protected by licensed facilities, but the federal government has placed significant emphasis on these sources and has developed initiatives to assist radioactive material licensees. The Department of Energy's Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) Domestic Threat Reduction Program is a voluntary federally funded program for security enhancements of high-risk radiological material. During the hardening or security enhancement process by the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) contractors, a small amount of radioactive contamination was discovered in a Cesium irradiator. Ultimately, it was decided to pursue disposal with U.S. DOE's Off-Site Recovery Program (OSRP). Radiological devices may have a leaking source or known internal contamination that may cause difficulty during security enhancement. If the licensee understands this, it may provide facilities the opportunity to plan and prepare for unusual circumstances.

The prevalence of radiological glenohumeral osteoarthritis in long-term type 1 diabetes: the Dialong shoulder study.

PubMed

Juel, N G; Brox, J I; Hellund, J C; Holte, K B; Berg, T J

2017-12-14

This study compares the prevalence of radiological osteoarthritis (OA) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) for > 45 years and controls, and explores the association with shoulder pain and glycaemic burden in patients with DM1. The Dialong study is a cross-sectional, observational study with 30 years of historical data on long-term glycaemic control. We included 102 patients with DM1 and 73 diabetes-free controls. Demographic data, worst shoulder pain last week [numeric rating scale (NRS) 0-10], pain on abduction at examination (NRS 0-10), and current and historical glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA 1c ) levels were collected. Standardized shoulder X-rays were taken and interpreted for OA applying the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. In the diabetes group (49% women), the mean ± sd duration of DM1 was 50.6 ± 4.8 years, mean 30 year HbA 1c 7.4%, and age 61.9 ± 7.1 years. The mean age of controls (57% women) was 62.6 ± 7.0 years. Radiological glenohumeral OA was found in 36 diabetes patients (35%) and 10 controls (14%) [odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6 to 7.5; p = 0.002]. Few persons had moderate and severe OA [6.9% vs 1.3%, OR 5.3 (95% Cl 0.6 to 44.1); p = 0.1]. Fifteen diabetes patients had painful OA versus two controls (adjusted OR 5.4, 95% CI 0.6 to 47.9; p = 0.13). There was no association between OA and long-term glycaemic burden (mean 30 year HbA 1c ) in the diabetes group (p > 0.2). Radiological glenohumeral OA was more common in patients with DM1 than in controls for mild, but not moderate and severe OA. The radiological findings were not associated with shoulder pain or long-term glycaemic burden.

76 FR 43937 - Criminal Penalties for Unauthorized Introduction of Weapons and Sabotage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

..., Rockville, Maryland 20852. NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): Publicly... from which a radiological emergency preparedness alert and warning system is activated. II. Discussion... nationally tracked sources that are included in the NRC's National Source Tracking System (i.e., licensees...

2016 RAD-AID Conference on International Radiology for Developing Countries: Gaps, Growth, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

PubMed

Mollura, Daniel J; Soroosh, Garshasb; Culp, Melissa P

2017-06-01

The 2016 RAD-AID Conference analyzed the accelerated global activity in the radiology community that is transforming medical imaging into an effective spearhead of health care capacity building in low- and middle-income countries. Global health efforts historically emphasized disaster response, crisis zones, and infectious disease outbreaks. However, the projected doubling of cancer and cardiovascular deaths in developing countries in the next 15 years and the need for higher technology screening and diagnostic technologies in low-resource regions, as articulated by the United Nations' new Sustainable Development Goals of 2016, is heightening the role of radiology in global health. Academic US-based radiology programs with RAD-AID chapters achieved a threefold increase in global health project offerings for trainees in the past 5 years. RAD-AID's nonprofit radiology volunteer corps continue to grow by more than 40% yearly, with a volunteer base of 5,750 radiology professionals, serving in 23 countries, donating close to 20,000 pro bono hours globally in 2016. As a high-technology specialty interfacing with nearly all medical and surgical disciplines, radiology underpins vital health technology infrastructure, such as digital imaging archives, electronic medical records, and advanced diagnosis and treatment, essential for long-term future health care capacity in underserved areas of the world. Published by Elsevier Inc.

National entrepreneurial radiology initiatives: what are they, and what can they do to and for you?

PubMed

Muroff, Lawrence R

2013-04-01

National entrepreneurial radiology companies have evolved over the past 3 decades. In the 1990s, a few initiatives were established to implement business principles and reward shareholders with gains derived from management expertise, practice efficiencies, and economies of scale. The next decade saw the emergence of night call coverage and "specialty read" companies. As the market for these services became saturated, the established corporate entities scrambled to find new revenue streams. Hospital radiology contracts were the obvious source for this needed capital. The pursuit of these contracts led to aggressive, nontraditional competition. If radiologists are to respond appropriately, they must understand the reasons behind the strategies used by these national entrepreneurial radiology companies. The author explores the goals and actions of these entities and describes why hospitals may find these national companies to be an attractive alternative to their incumbent radiology practices. Both the benefits and the problems associated with entrepreneurial companies are covered, and concepts such as disintermediation are discussed. Finally, the author suggests appropriate actions for radiologists seeking to retain their hospital contracts. Nontraditional competition is now a way of life for many radiology practices. Relationships, subspecialization, service, and measurable quality indicators are the foundation for the maintenance of tenure at hospitals. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing an automated database for monitoring ultrasound- and computed tomography-guided procedure complications and diagnostic yield.

PubMed

Itri, Jason N; Jones, Lisa P; Kim, Woojin; Boonn, William W; Kolansky, Ana S; Hilton, Susan; Zafar, Hanna M

2014-04-01

Monitoring complications and diagnostic yield for image-guided procedures is an important component of maintaining high quality patient care promoted by professional societies in radiology and accreditation organizations such as the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Joint Commission. These outcome metrics can be used as part of a comprehensive quality assurance/quality improvement program to reduce variation in clinical practice, provide opportunities to engage in practice quality improvement, and contribute to developing national benchmarks and standards. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and successful implementation of an automated web-based software application to monitor procedural outcomes for US- and CT-guided procedures in an academic radiology department. The open source tools PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and MySQL were used to extract relevant procedural information from the Radiology Information System (RIS), auto-populate the procedure log database, and develop a user interface that generates real-time reports of complication rates and diagnostic yield by site and by operator. Utilizing structured radiology report templates resulted in significantly improved accuracy of information auto-populated from radiology reports, as well as greater compliance with manual data entry. An automated web-based procedure log database is an effective tool to reliably track complication rates and diagnostic yield for US- and CT-guided procedures performed in a radiology department.

An honest day's work: pay for performance in a pediatric radiology department.

PubMed

Bisset, George S

2017-06-01

Compensation models in radiology take a variety of forms, but regardless of practice type, successful models must reward productivity, be simple, and epitomize fairness. The ideal model should also be flexible enough to transition, based upon the changing strategic goals of a department. The plan should be constructed around rewarding the behaviors that the organization values. In this minisymposium article the author presents the value of different types of compensation plans and discusses advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the author presents a pay-for-performance model that has had long-term success at a private-turned-academic practice in pediatric radiology.

Remote inspection with multi-copters, radiological sensors and SLAM techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho, Henrique; Vale, Alberto; Marques, Rúben; Ventura, Rodrigo; Brouwer, Yoeri; Gonçalves, Bruno

2018-01-01

Activated material can be found in different scenarios, such as in nuclear reactor facilities or medical facilities (e.g. in positron emission tomography commonly known as PET scanning). In addition, there are unexpected scenarios resulting from possible accidents, or where dangerous material is hidden for terrorism attacks using nuclear weapons. Thus, a technological solution is important to cope with fast and reliable remote inspection. The multi-copter is a common type of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that provides the ability to perform a first radiological inspection in the described scenarios. The paper proposes a solution with a multi-copter equipped with on-board sensors to perform a 3D reconstruction and a radiological mapping of the scenario. A depth camera and a Geiger-Müler counter are the used sensors. The inspection is performed in two steps: i) a 3D reconstruction of the environment and ii) radiation activity inference to localise and quantify sources of radiation. Experimental results were achieved with real 3D data and simulated radiation activity. Experimental tests with real sources of radiation are planned in the next iteration of the work.

Open reduction and internal fixation of dislocated condylar fractures in children: long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes.

PubMed

Deleyiannis, Frederic W-B; Vecchione, Lisa; Martin, Brian; Jiang, Shao; Sotereanos, George

2006-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes of treating dislocated condylar fractures sustained in childhood with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Six children 14 years or younger with a condylar neck or subcondylar fracture with dislocation of the condyle from the glenoid fossa were treated with ORIF. Patients were followed for 27 to 92 months post-ORIF (mean: 67.6 months) with routine clinical and radiologic examinations. On the dislocated side, all patients radiographically showed signs of remodeling of the condylar process and shortening of the ramus. Subsequent to their fractures, 3 patients were classified with Angle class II malocclusion, retrognathism, and deviation of the mandibular symphysis. Four patients had objective and/or subjective signs of temporomandibular (TMJ) dysfunction. Until open surgery demonstrates a consistent functional advantage, nonsurgical management should be considered the first treatment option for the dislocated pediatric condylar fracture.

The Empirical Foundations of Teleradiology and Related Applications: A Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Krupinski, Elizabeth A.; Thrall, James H.; Bashshur, Noura

2016-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Radiology was founded on a technological discovery by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. Teleradiology also had its roots in technology dating back to 1947 with the successful transmission of radiographic images through telephone lines. Diagnostic radiology has become the eye of medicine in terms of diagnosing and treating injury and disease. This article documents the empirical foundations of teleradiology. Methods: A selective review of the credible literature during the past decade (2005–2015) was conducted, using robust research design and adequate sample size as criteria for inclusion. Findings: The evidence regarding feasibility of teleradiology and related information technology applications has been well documented for several decades. The majority of studies focused on intermediate outcomes, as indicated by comparability between teleradiology and conventional radiology. A consistent trend of concordance between the two modalities was observed in terms of diagnostic accuracy and reliability. Additional benefits include reductions in patient transfer, rehospitalization, and length of stay. PMID:27585301

The radiology informed consent form: recommendations from the European Society of Cardiology position paper.

PubMed

Carpeggiani, Clara; Picano, Eugenio

2016-06-01

Every radiological and nuclear medicine examination confers a definite long-term risk of cancer, but most patients undergoing such examinations receive no or inaccurate information about radiation dose and corresponding risk related to the dose received. Informed consent is a procedure to support (not substitute) the physician/patient dialogue and relationship, facilitating a free, informed and aware expression of the patient's will in the principle of patient autonomy. Physicians are responsible for providing patients with all the information on risks, benefits and alternatives useful to the patient to make the decision. In current radiological practice the information on the radiation dose and long-term cancer risks is difficult to find and not easy to understand. The form using plain language should spell-out the type of examination, the effective dose (mSv), the effective dose expressed in number of chest radiographs and the risk of cancer. The current practice clashes against the guidelines and the law.

Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (VSLAM) methods applied to indoor 3D topographical and radiological mapping in real-time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hautot, Felix; Dubart, Philippe; Bacri, Charles-Olivier; Chagneau, Benjamin; Abou-Khalil, Roger

2017-09-01

New developments in the field of robotics and computer vision enables to merge sensors to allow fast realtime localization of radiological measurements in the space/volume with near-real time radioactive sources identification and characterization. These capabilities lead nuclear investigations to a more efficient way for operators' dosimetry evaluation, intervention scenarii and risks mitigation and simulations, such as accidents in unknown potentially contaminated areas or during dismantling operations

Radiological survey results at Building 22, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. (WNS001)

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

Rodriguez, R.E.; Foley, R.D.; Uziel, M.S.

A radiological survey was conducted in a portion of Building 22 at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., on December 13, 1995. The survey was performed because former employees thought the area surveyed had some previous association with radioactive material. Employees remembered seeing radiation signs in the area and indicated that personnel occupying this area wore dosimeters. Two rooms in the survey area were surrounded by 1-ft-thick poured concrete walls and similar 6-in.-thick ceilings, and situated on top of a 1-ft-thick concrete slab, a configuration commonly used for radiation shielding in industrial radiography facilities. The radiological survey showed no gamma,more » beta-gamma, or alpha measurements above typical background levels. Low background radiation levels within the building indicated that even if low-level contamination were present beneath the tile, or larger amounts of contamination beneath the concrete slab, it poses no radiological hazard to building inhabitants under the present conditions. Further investigation may be required before drilling or demolition of the concrete slab. No photon radiation fields from sealed gamma sources or x-ray sources were detectable at the time of the survey. Gamma spectrometry analysis revealed no gamma emitters above typical background concentrations in one sediment and one water sample collected from a pit in the open bay area.« less

Clinical Efficacy and Its Prognostic Factor of Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Annuloplasty and Nucleoplasty for the Treatment of Patients with Discogenic Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Lee, Jung Hwan; Lee, Sang-Ho

2017-09-01

The choice of appropriate treatment of discogenic low back pain (DLBP) frequently is difficult. This study sought to identify the clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar annuloplasty and nucleoplasty (PELAN) to treat patients with DLBP and to investigate prognostic clinical or radiologic variables. Eighty-nine patients with a diagnosis of DLBP who underwent PELAN were included. Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for back pain, Oswestry Disability Index % (ODI%), and modified Macnab criteria were measured at short-term (3-4 weeks) and long-term follow-up period (at least 12 months) to investigate clinical efficacy of PELAN. The subjects were defined as successful group in case of 50% or more reduction of NRS, 40% or more reduction of ODI%, and good or excellent response of Macnab criteria. Clinical and radiologic variables were compared between successful and unsuccessful outcomes group to determine prognostic variables. NRS and ODI% were significantly reduced at short- and long-term follow-up after PELAN. Sixty-two (69.7%) and 68 (76.4%) obtained successful NRS reduction and 59 (66.3%) and 68 (76.4%) accomplished successful ODI% reduction at short-term and long-term follow-up, respectively. Successful Mcnab response was found in 61% at short term and 65.2% at long term. Pain during waist flexion among clinical variables was significantly related to good clinical outcomes and Modic change among radiologic variables was significantly related to poor clinical outcomes. PELAN provided favorable outcomes in patients with DLBP who were refractory to conservative treatments. Flexion pain was good prognostic, and Modic change was a poor prognostic variable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glasgow Coma Scale and Outcomes after Structural Traumatic Head Injury in Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Heather, Natasha L.; Derraik, José G. B.; Beca, John; Hofman, Paul L.; Dansey, Rangi; Hamill, James; Cutfield, Wayne S.

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the association of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) with radiological evidence of head injury (the Abbreviated Injury Scale for the head region, AIS-HR) in young children hospitalized with traumatic head injury (THI), and the predictive value of GCS and AIS-HR scores for long-term impairment. Methods Our study involved a 10-year retrospective review of a database encompassing all patients admitted to Starship Children’s Hospital (Auckland, New Zealand, 2000–2010) with THI. Results We studied 619 children aged <5 years at the time of THI, with long-term outcome data available for 161 subjects. Both GCS and AIS-HR scores were predictive of length of intensive care unit and hospital stay (all p<0.001). GCS was correlated with AIS-HR (ρ=-0.46; p<0.001), although mild GCS scores (13–15) commonly under-estimated the severity of radiological injury: 42% of children with mild GCS scores had serious–critical THI (AIS-HR 3–5). Increasingly severe GCS or AIS-HR scores were both associated with a greater likelihood of long-term impairment (neurological disability, residual problems, and educational support). However, long-term impairment was also relatively common in children with mild GCS scores paired with structural THI more severe than a simple linear skull fracture. Conclusion Severe GCS scores will identify most cases of severe radiological injury in early childhood, and are good predictors of poor long-term outcome. However, young children admitted to hospital with structural THI and mild GCS scores have an appreciable risk of long-term disability, and also warrant long-term follow-up. PMID:24312648

Student Evaluations, Outcomes, and National Licensure Examinations in Radiology Education: A Narrative Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Linaker, Kathleen L.

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine literature on radiological student evaluation and outcome assessments including national board examinations. Methods A review of the literature was performed using relevant key words. Articles were retrieved through December 2012 using PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, Proquest, and ICL databases along with a manual review of references. Results Of the 4716 unique abstracts reviewed by the author, 54 were found to be relevant to the purpose of this study. Student grade point average correlates with board scores in the nursing, chiropractic, and medical professions. Scores on the chiropractic college admission test and undergraduate grade point average correlate with success in professional college. There is a correlation between board scores and college attended. Board preparation programs do not appear to affect board examination scores. Conclusion Although evaluations can be effective teaching tools, they are not used by many radiology programs. Some programs have inadequate evaluations and do not allow students to review their evaluations. There are no definitive links between mastery of radiology and specific evaluations, outcomes, or pre-professional/clinical grades. Studies suggest that board examination scores reflect long-term mastery of knowledge rather than short-term memorization of facts. PMID:26770174

Evaluation of clinicians' knowledge and practices regarding medical radiological exposure: findings from a mixed-methods investigation (survey and qualitative study)

PubMed Central

Lumbreras, B; Vilar, J; González-Álvarez, I; Guilabert, M; Parker, L A; Pastor-Valero, M; Domingo, M L; Fernández-Lorente, M F; Hernández-Aguado, I

2016-01-01

Objectives To assess the impact of initiatives aiming to increase clinician awareness of radiation exposure; to explore the challenges they face when communicating with patients; to study what they think is the most appropriate way of communicating the long-term potential risks of medical radiological exposure to patients. Design A quantitative and qualitative evaluation through a survey and focal groups. Setting San Juan Hospital and Dr Peset Hospital (Southeast Spain) and clinicians from Spanish scientific societies. Participants The surveys were answered (a) in person (216: all the radiologists (30), urologists (14) and surgeons (44) working at both participant hospitals; a sample of general practitioners from the catchment area of one hospital (45), and a consecutive sample of radiologists attending a scientific meeting (60)) or (b) electronically through Spanish scientific societies (299: radiologists (45), pneumologists (123), haematologists (75) and surgeons (40)). Clinicians were not randomly selected and thus the results are limited by the diligence of the individuals filling out the survey. Primary and secondary outcome measures Clinicians' knowledge and practices regarding medical radiological exposure, and what they considered most appropriate for communicating information to patients. Results Nearly 80% of the clinicians surveyed had never heard of the European recommendations. Fewer than 20% of the clinicians surveyed identified correctly the radiation equivalence dose of intravenous urography or barium enema. It was reported by 31.7% that they inform patients about the long-term potential risks of ionising radiation. All participants agreed that the most appropriate way to present information is a table with a list of imaging tests and their corresponding radiation equivalence dose in terms of chest X-rays and background radiation exposure. Conclusions Medical radiological exposure is frequently underestimated and rarely explained to patients. With a clear understanding of medical radiological exposure and proper communication tools, clinicians will be able to accurately inform patients. PMID:27799242

ISSLS PRIZE IN BIOENGINEERING SCIENCE 2017: Automation of reading of radiological features from magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the lumbar spine without human intervention is comparable with an expert radiologist.

PubMed

Jamaludin, Amir; Lootus, Meelis; Kadir, Timor; Zisserman, Andrew; Urban, Jill; Battié, Michele C; Fairbank, Jeremy; McCall, Iain

2017-05-01

Investigation of the automation of radiological features from magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the lumbar spine. To automate the process of grading lumbar intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies from MRIs. MR imaging is the most common imaging technique used in investigating low back pain (LBP). Various features of degradation, based on MRIs, are commonly recorded and graded, e.g., Modic change and Pfirrmann grading of intervertebral discs. Consistent scoring and grading is important for developing robust clinical systems and research. Automation facilitates this consistency and reduces the time of radiological analysis considerably and hence the expense. 12,018 intervertebral discs, from 2009 patients, were graded by a radiologist and were then used to train: (1) a system to detect and label vertebrae and discs in a given scan, and (2) a convolutional neural network (CNN) model that predicts several radiological gradings. The performance of the model, in terms of class average accuracy, was compared with the intra-observer class average accuracy of the radiologist. The detection system achieved 95.6% accuracy in terms of disc detection and labeling. The model is able to produce predictions of multiple pathological gradings that consistently matched those of the radiologist. The model identifies 'Evidence Hotspots' that are the voxels that most contribute to the degradation scores. Automation of radiological grading is now on par with human performance. The system can be beneficial in aiding clinical diagnoses in terms of objectivity of gradings and the speed of analysis. It can also draw the attention of a radiologist to regions of degradation. This objectivity and speed is an important stepping stone in the investigation of the relationship between MRIs and clinical diagnoses of back pain in large cohorts. Level 3.

The number of Japanese radiologic technologists will be increased in 40 years.

PubMed

Araseki, Miwa; Yokooka, Yuki; Ishikawa, Tomoki; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2013-07-01

It is essential to predict the long-term supply and demand for the number of radiologic technologists as medical resources. However, it is difficult to predict the number of Japanese radiologic technologists due to complex and intertwining factors. Our purpose in this study was to predict the future number of radiologic technologists using the concept of system dynamics (SD), and to clarify the effects of relevant factors. In order to estimate the number of Japanese radiologic technologists, we constructed a flow diagram using the concept of SD. We simulated the number of radiologic technologists for the following 4 cases: maintaining the status quo, a change in the pass rate for the national examination, a change in the post-graduate employment rate, and a change in the rate of continuing education. The result for the predicted number of radiologic technologists was 50,509 in 20 years, which is 4,394 (9.5%) more than the present number, and 50,166 in 40 years, which is 4,051 (8.8%) more than the present number. For the factors influencing the number of technologists, the influence of the pass rate on the national examination and that of the rate for post-graduate employment was larger than that of the rate of continuing education in graduate school. The number of Japanese radiologic technologists will increase until 2033 and decrease until 2042, and it does not change after 2042 in case of maintaining the status quo. Implementing the concept of SD allowed us easily to clarify the factors influencing the predicted number of radiologic technologists.

Top 50 Highly Cited Articles on Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) in Abdominal Radiology: A Bibliometric Analysis.

PubMed

Gong, Bo; Wu, Yuhao; O'Keeffe, Michael E; Berger, Ferco H; McLaughlin, Patrick D; Nicolaou, Savvas; Khosa, Faisal

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify the 50 most highly cited articles on dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in abdominal radiology Thomson Reuters Web of Science All Databases was queried without year or language restriction. Only original research articles with a primary focus on abdominal radiology using DECT were selected. Review articles, meta-analyses, and studies without human subjects were excluded. Fifty articles with the highest average yearly citation were identified. These articles were published between 2007 and 2017 in 12 journals, with the most in Radiology (12 articles). Articles had a median of 7 authors, with all first authors but one primarily affiliated to radiology departments. The United States of America produced the most articles (16), followed by Germany (13 articles), and China (7 articles). Most studies used Dual Source DECT technology (35 articles), followed by Rapid Kilovoltage Switching (14 articles), and Sequential Scanning (1 article). The top three scanned organs were the liver (24%), kidney (16%), and urinary tract (15%). The most commonly studied pathology was urinary calculi (28%), renal lesion/tumor (23%), and hepatic lesion/tumor (20%). Our study identifies intellectual milestones in the applications of DECT in abdominal radiology. The diversity of the articles reflects on the characteristics and quality of the most influential publications related to DECT.

Top 50 Highly Cited Articles on Dual Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) in Abdominal Radiology: A Bibliometric Analysis

PubMed Central

Gong, Bo; Wu, Yuhao; O’Keeffe, Michael E; Berger, Ferco H; McLaughlin, Patrick D; Nicolaou, Savvas

2017-01-01

Summary This study aims to identify the 50 most highly cited articles on dual energy computed tomography (DECT) in abdominal radiology Thomson Reuters Web of Science All Databases was queried without year or language restriction. Only original research articles with a primary focus on abdominal radiology using DECT were selected. Review articles, meta-analyses, and studies without human subjects were excluded. Fifty articles with the highest average yearly citation were identified. These articles were published between 2007 and 2017 in 12 journals, with the most in Radiology (12 articles). Articles had a median of 7 authors, with all first authors but one primarily affiliated to radiology departments. The United States of America produced the most articles (16), followed by Germany (13 articles), and China (7 articles). Most studies used Dual Source DECT technology (35 articles), followed by Rapid Kilovoltage Switching (14 articles), and Sequential Scanning (1 article). The top three scanned organs were the liver (24%), kidney (16%), and urinary tract (15%). The most commonly studied pathology was urinary calculi (28%), renal lesion/tumor (23%), and hepatic lesion/tumor (20%). Our study identifies intellectual milestones in the applications of DECT in abdominal radiology. The diversity of the articles reflects on the characteristics and quality of the most influential publications related to DECT. PMID:29657641

Action research regarding the optimisation of radiological protection for nurses during vascular interventional radiology.

PubMed

Mori, Hiroshige

2015-06-01

The optimisation and decision-making processes for radiological protection have been broadened by the introduction of re-examination or feedback after introducing protective measures. In this study, action research was used to reduce the occupational exposure of vascular interventional radiology (IR) nurses. Four radiological protection improvement measures were continuously performed in cooperation with the researchers, nurses and stakeholders, and the nurses' annual effective doses were compared before and after the improvements. First, the dosimetry equipment was changed from one electronic personal dosimeter (EPD) to two silver-activated phosphate glass dosimeters (PGDs). Second, the nurses were educated regarding maintaining a safe distance from the sources of scattered and leakage radiation. Third, portable radiation shielding screens were placed in the IR rooms. Fourth, the x-ray units' pulse rates were reduced by half. On changing the dosimetry method, the two PGDs recorded a 4.4 fold greater dose than the single EPD. Educating nurses regarding radiological protection and reducing the pulse rates by half decreased their effective doses to one-third and two-fifths of the baseline dose, respectively. No significant difference in their doses was detected after the placement of the shielding screens. Therefore, the action research effectively decreased the occupational doses of the vascular IR nurses.

Combining Radiography and Passive Measurements for Radiological Threat Localization in Cargo

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

Miller, Erin A.; White, Timothy A.; Jarman, Kenneth D.

Detecting shielded special nuclear material (SNM) in a cargo container is a difficult problem, since shielding reduces the amount of radiation escaping the container. Radiography provides information that is complementary to that provided by passive gamma-ray detection systems: while not directly sensitive to radiological materials, radiography can reveal highly shielded regions that may mask a passive radiological signal. Combining these measurements has the potential to improve SNM detection, either through improved sensitivity or by providing a solution to the inverse problem to estimate source properties (strength and location). We present a data-fusion method that uses a radiograph to provide anmore » estimate of the radiation-transport environment for gamma rays from potential sources. This approach makes quantitative use of radiographic images without relying on image interpretation, and results in a probabilistic description of likely source locations and strengths. We present results for this method for a modeled test case of a cargo container passing through a plastic-scintillator-based radiation portal monitor and a transmission-radiography system. We find that a radiograph-based inversion scheme allows for localization of a low-noise source placed randomly within the test container to within 40 cm, compared to 70 cm for triangulation alone, while strength estimation accuracy is improved by a factor of six. Improvements are seen in regions of both high and low shielding, but are most pronounced in highly shielded regions. The approach proposed here combines transmission and emission data in a manner that has not been explored in the cargo-screening literature, advancing the ability to accurately describe a hidden source based on currently-available instrumentation.« less

Readability of Online Patient Education Materials Related to IR.

PubMed

McEnteggart, Gregory E; Naeem, Muhammad; Skierkowski, Dorothy; Baird, Grayson L; Ahn, Sun H; Soares, Gregory

2015-08-01

To assess the readability of online patient education materials (OPEM) related to common diseases treated by and procedures performed by interventional radiology (IR). The following websites were chosen based on their average Google search return for each IR OPEM content area examined in this study: Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), National Library of Medicine, RadiologyInfo, Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Wikipedia. IR OPEM content area was assessed for the following: peripheral arterial disease, central venous catheter, varicocele, uterine artery embolization, vertebroplasty, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, and deep vein thrombosis. The following algorithms were used to estimate and compare readability levels: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Formula, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning Frequency of Gobbledygook, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Coleman-Liau Index. Data were analyzed using general mixed modeling. On average, online sources that required beyond high school grade-level readability were Wikipedia (15.0), SIR (14.2), and RadiologyInfo (12.4); sources that required high school grade-level readability were CIRSE (11.3), Mayo Clinic (11.0), WebMD (10.6), and National Library of Medicine (9.0). On average, OPEM on uterine artery embolization, vertebroplasty, varicocele, and peripheral arterial disease required the highest level of readability (12.5, 12.3, 12.3, and 12.2, respectively). The IR OPEM assessed in this study were written above the recommended sixth-grade reading level and the health literacy level of the average American adult. Many patients in the general public may not have the ability to read and understand health information in IR OPEM. Copyright © 2015 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of the DG-1199 methodology to the ESBWR and ABWR.

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

Kalinich, Donald A.; Gauntt, Randall O.; Walton, Fotini

2010-09-01

Appendix A-5 of Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1199 'Alternative Radiological Source Term for Evaluating Design Basis Accidents at Nuclear Power Reactors' provides guidance - applicable to RADTRAD MSIV leakage models - for scaling containment aerosol concentration to the expected steam dome concentration in order to preserve the simplified use of the Accident Source Term (AST) in assessing containment performance under assumed design basis accident (DBA) conditions. In this study Economic and Safe Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) and Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) RADTRAD models are developed using the DG-1199, Appendix A-5 guidance. The models were run using RADTRAD v3.03. Low Populationmore » Zone (LPZ), control room (CR), and worst-case 2-hr Exclusion Area Boundary (EAB) doses were calculated and compared to the relevant accident dose criteria in 10 CFR 50.67. For the ESBWR, the dose results were all lower than the MSIV leakage doses calculated by General Electric/Hitachi (GEH) in their licensing technical report. There are no comparable ABWR MSIV leakage doses, however, it should be noted that the ABWR doses are lower than the ESBWR doses. In addition, sensitivity cases were evaluated to ascertain the influence/importance of key input parameters/features of the models.« less

Site environmental report for Calendar Year 1994 on radiological and nonradiological parameters

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

NONE

1995-06-30

Battelle Memorial Institute`s nuclear research facilities are currently being maintained in a surveillance and maintenance (S&M) mode with continual decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities being conducted under Department of Energy (DOE) Contract W-7405-ENG-92. These activities are referred to under the Contract as the Battelle Columbus Laboratories Decommissioning Project (BCLDP). Operations referenced in this report are performed in support of S&M and D&D activities. Battelle`s King Avenue facility is not considered in this report to the extent that the West Jefferson facility is. The source term at the King Avenue site is a small fraction of the source term at themore » West Jefferson site. Off site levels of radionuclides that could be attributed to the west Jefferson and King Avenue nuclear operations wereindistinguishable from background levels at specific locations where air, water, and direct radiation measurements were performed. Environmental monitoring continued to demonstrate compliance by Battelle with federal, state and local regulations. Routine, nonradiological activities performed include monitoring liquid effluents and monitoring the ground water system for the West Jefferson North site. Samples of various environmental media including air, water, grass, fish, field and garden crops, sediment and soil were collected from the region surrounding the two sites and analyzed.« less

BCLDP site environmental report for calendar year 1997 on radiological and nonradiological parameters

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

Fry, J.

1998-09-30

Battelle Memorial Institute currently maintains its retired nuclear research facilities in a surveillance and maintenance (S and M) mode and continues decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) activities. The activities are referred to as the Battelle Columbus Laboratories Decommissioning Project (BCLDP). Operations reference in this report are performed in support of S and M and D and D activities. The majority of this report is devoted to discussion of the West Jefferson facility, because the source term at this facility is larger than the source term at Battelle`s King Avenue site. The contamination found at the King Avenue site consistsmore » of small amounts of residual radioactive material in solid form, which has become embedded or captured in nearby surfaces such as walls, floors, ceilings, drains, laboratory equipment, and soils. By the end of calendar year (CY) 1997, most remediation activities were completed at the King Avenue site. The contamination found at the West Jefferson site is the result of research and development activities with irradiated materials. During CY 1997, multiple tests at the West Jefferson Nuclear Sciences Area found no isotopes present above the minimum detectable activity (MDA) for air releases or for liquid discharges to Big Darby Creek. Data obtained from downstream sampling locations were statistically indistinguishable from background levels.« less

48 CFR 204.470-3 - Contract clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Protocol, in solicitations and contracts for research and development or major defense acquisition programs...) Other radiological source materials; or (c) Technologies directly related to nuclear power production...

When Machines Think: Radiology's Next Frontier.

PubMed

Dreyer, Keith J; Geis, J Raymond

2017-12-01

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning are terms now seen frequently, all of which refer to computer algorithms that change as they are exposed to more data. Many of these algorithms are surprisingly good at recognizing objects in images. The combination of large amounts of machine-consumable digital data, increased and cheaper computing power, and increasingly sophisticated statistical models combine to enable machines to find patterns in data in ways that are not only cost-effective but also potentially beyond humans' abilities. Building an AI algorithm can be surprisingly easy. Understanding the associated data structures and statistics, on the other hand, is often difficult and obscure. Converting the algorithm into a sophisticated product that works consistently in broad, general clinical use is complex and incompletely understood. To show how these AI products reduce costs and improve outcomes will require clinical translation and industrial-grade integration into routine workflow. Radiology has the chance to leverage AI to become a center of intelligently aggregated, quantitative, diagnostic information. Centaur radiologists, formed as a synergy of human plus computer, will provide interpretations using data extracted from images by humans and image-analysis computer algorithms, as well as the electronic health record, genomics, and other disparate sources. These interpretations will form the foundation of precision health care, or care customized to an individual patient. © RSNA, 2017.

Long-Term Outcomes of Vestibular Schwannomas Treated With Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy: An Institutional Experience

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

Kapoor, Sumit; Batra, Sachin; Carson, Kathryn

2011-11-01

Purpose: We assessed clinical outcome and long-term tumor control after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) for unilateral schwannoma. Methods and Materials: Between 1995 and 2007, 496 patients were treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD); 385 patients had radiologic follow-up that met the inclusion criteria. The primary endpoint was treatment failure. Secondary endpoints were radiologic progression and clinical outcome. Logistic regression analysis assessed the association of age, race, tumor side, sex, and pretreatment symptoms. Results: In 11 patients (3%) treatment failed, and they required salvage (microsurgical) treatment. Radiologic progression was observed in 116 patients (30.0%), including 35more » patients (9%) in whom the treatment volume more than doubled during the follow-up period, although none required surgical resection. Tumors with baseline volumes of less than 1 cm{sup 3} were 18.02 times more likely to progress than those with tumor volumes of 1 cm{sup 3} or greater (odds ratio, 18.02; 95% confidence interval, 4.25-76.32). Treatment-induced neurologic morbidity included 8 patients (1.6%) with new facial weakness, 12 patients (2.8%) with new trigeminal paresthesias, 4 patients (0.9%) with hydrocephalus (1 communicating and 3 obstructive), and 2 patients (0.5%) with possibly radiation-induced neoplasia. Conclusions: Although the rate of treatment failure is low (3%), careful follow-up shows that radiologic progression occurs frequently. When reporting outcome, the 'no salvage surgery needed' and 'no additional treatment needed' criteria for treatment success need to be complemented by the radiologic data.« less

Automatically pairing measured findings across narrative abdomen CT reports.

PubMed

Sevenster, Merlijn; Bozeman, Jeffrey; Cowhy, Andrea; Trost, William

2013-01-01

Radiological measurements are one of the key variables in widely adopted guidelines (WHO, RECIST) that standardize and objectivize response assessment in oncology care. Measurements are typically described in free-text, narrative radiology reports. We present a natural language processing pipeline that extracts measurements from radiology reports and pairs them with extracted measurements from prior reports of the same clinical finding, e.g., lymph node or mass. A ground truth was created by manually pairing measurements in the abdomen CT reports of 50 patients. A Random Forest classifier trained on 15 features achieved superior results in an end-to-end evaluation of the pipeline on the extraction and pairing task: precision 0.910, recall 0.878, F-measure 0.894, AUC 0.988. Representing the narrative content in terms of UMLS concepts did not improve results. Applications of the proposed technology include data mining, advanced search and workflow support for healthcare professionals managing radiological measurements.

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

None, None

Operations of Sandia National Laboratories, Nevada (SNL/NV) at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) resulted in no planned point radiological releases during 1996. Other releases from SNL/NV included diffuse transuranic sources consisting of the three Clean Slate sites. Air emissions from these sources result from wind resuspension of near-surface transuranic contaminated soil particulates. The total area of contamination has been estimated to exceed 20 million square meters. Soil contamination was documented in an aerial survey program in 1977 (EG&G 1979). Surface contamination levels were generally found to be below 400 pCi/g of combined plutonium-238, plutonium-239, plutonium-240, and americium-241 (i.e., transuranic) activity.more » Hot spot areas contain up to 43,000 pCi/g of transuranic activity. Recent measurements confirm the presence of significant levels of transuranic activity in the surface soil. An annual diffuse source term of 0.39 Ci of transuranic material was calculated for the cumulative release from all three Clean Slate sites. A maximally exposed individual dose of 1.1 mrem/yr at the TTR airport area was estimated based on the 1996 diffuse source release amounts and site-specific meteorological data. A population dose of 0.86 person-rem/yr was calculated for the local residents. Both dose values were attributable to inhalation of transuranic contaminated dust.« less

The modern history and evolution of percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

PubMed

Patel, Sutchin R; Nakada, Stephen Y

2015-02-01

Serendipity, innovative physicians, evolving techniques for renal access, and improvements in equipment and radiology led to the evolution of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). We searched urology texts and the literature for sources pertaining to the history and development of PCNL. In 1941, Rupel and Brown performed the first nephroscopy when a rigid cystoscope was passed into the kidney following open surgery. Willard Goodwin, in 1955, while trying to perform a renal arteriogram, placed a needle into the collecting system of a hydronephrotic kidney and performed the first antegrade nephrostogram. He left a tube to drain the kidney, thereby placing the first nephrostomy tube. By 1976, Fernström and Johansson were the first to describe a technique for extracting renal calculi through a percutaneous nephrostomy under radiological control. In 1978, Arthur Smith, would describe the first antegrade stent placement when he introduced a Gibbons stent through a percutaneous nephrostomy in a patient with a reimplanted ureter. Dr. Smith would coin the term "endourology" to describe closed, controlled manipulation of the genitourinary tract. His collaboration with Kurt Amplatz, an interventional radiologist and medical inventor, would lead to numerous innovations that would further advance PCNL. In the 1980s the process of renal access and tract dilation was improved upon and the use of a rigid cystoscope was replaced by offset nephroscopes with a large straight working channel. Radiographic innovations, including improvements in fluoroscopy would further aid in renal access. The development of various lithotripsy devices and the introduction of the holmium laser improved the efficiency of stone fragmentation and clearance. The increased clinical experience and utilization of PCNL would lead to the characterization of stone-free rates and complications for the procedure. Serendipity, innovations in renal access, optics, radiology, and improvements in lithotripsy all contributed to the modern day PCNL.

Emerging Technologies and Techniques for Wide Area Radiological Survey and Remediation

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

Sutton, M.; Zhao, P.

2016-03-24

Technologies to survey and decontaminate wide-area contamination and process the subsequent radioactive waste have been developed and implemented following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant release and the breach of a radiological source resulting in contamination in Goiania, Brazil. These civilian examples of radioactive material releases provided some of the first examples of urban radiological remediation. Many emerging technologies have recently been developed and demonstrated in Japan following the release of radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. Information on technologies reported by several Japanese government agencies, such as the Japan Atomic Energymore » Agency (JAEA), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the National Institute for Environmental Science (NIES), together with academic institutions and industry are summarized and compared to recently developed, deployed and available technologies in the United States. The technologies and techniques presented in this report may be deployed in response to a wide area contamination event in the United States. In some cases, additional research and testing is needed to adequately validate the technology effectiveness over wide areas. Survey techniques can be deployed on the ground or from the air, allowing a range of coverage rates and sensitivities. Survey technologies also include those useful in measuring decontamination progress and mapping contamination. Decontamination technologies and techniques range from non-destructive (e.g., high pressure washing) and minimally destructive (plowing), to fully destructive (surface removal or demolition). Waste minimization techniques can greatly impact the long-term environmental consequences and cost following remediation efforts. Recommendations on technical improvements to address technology gaps are presented together with observations on remediation in Japan.« less

The use of photostimulable phosphor systems for periodic quality assurance in radiotherapy.

PubMed

Conte, L; Bianchi, C; Cassani, E; Monciardini, M; Mordacchini, C; Novario, R; Strocchi, S; Stucchi, P; Tanzi, F

2008-03-01

The fusion of radiological and optical images can be achieved through charging a photostimulable phosphor plate (PSP) with an exposure to a field of X- or gamma-rays, followed by exposure to an optical image which discharges the plate in relation to the amount of incident light. According to this PSP characteristic, we developed a simple method for periodic quality assurance (QA) of light/radiation field coincidence, distance indicator, field size indicators, crosshair centering, coincidence of radiation and mechanical isocenter for linear accelerators. The geometrical accuracy of radiological units can be subjected to the same QA method. Further, the source position accuracy for an HDR remote afterloader can be checked by taking an autoradiography of the radioactive source and simultaneously an optical image of a reference geometrical system.

Hypothesis tests for the detection of constant speed radiation moving sources

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

Dumazert, Jonathan; Coulon, Romain; Kondrasovs, Vladimir

2015-07-01

Radiation Portal Monitors are deployed in linear network to detect radiological material in motion. As a complement to single and multichannel detection algorithms, inefficient under too low signal to noise ratios, temporal correlation algorithms have been introduced. Test hypothesis methods based on empirically estimated mean and variance of the signals delivered by the different channels have shown significant gain in terms of a tradeoff between detection sensitivity and false alarm probability. This paper discloses the concept of a new hypothesis test for temporal correlation detection methods, taking advantage of the Poisson nature of the registered counting signals, and establishes amore » benchmark between this test and its empirical counterpart. The simulation study validates that in the four relevant configurations of a pedestrian source carrier under respectively high and low count rate radioactive background, and a vehicle source carrier under the same respectively high and low count rate radioactive background, the newly introduced hypothesis test ensures a significantly improved compromise between sensitivity and false alarm, while guaranteeing the stability of its optimization parameter regardless of signal to noise ratio variations between 2 to 0.8. (authors)« less

An Integrated Interactive-Spaced Education Radiology Curriculum for Preclinical Students.

PubMed

Tshibwabwa, Eli; Mallin, Robert; Fraser, Madeleine; Tshibwabwa, Martin; Sanii, Reza; Rice, James; Cannon, Jenifer

2017-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine whether a radiology module, together with online spaced education, helps students of an integrated problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum increase their radiology knowledge and long-term retention. Second-year students at the American University of Antigua College of Medicine participated in small groups of ten students each into two 2 h of radiology laboratories. The study comprised two cohorts: winter and fall 2013 students (control group) and 2014 students (experimental group). Both groups used face-to-face PBL. The students of the experimental group received additional online-spaced education. The skills were assessed for both groups before the beginning of laboratories and 4 weeks and 7 months after laboratories. There was no significant difference on pretest between the control and experimental groups. On completion of the radiology laboratories, comparison of test results before and after training showed net improvement for both groups. The corresponding difference for the experimental group was higher compared to the one for the control group (7.83 vs. 6.21, P < 0.001). The difference between the scores on delayed test and pretest showed that the students of both groups demonstrated average knowledge improvement even though their level of performance was slightly below the posttest. The corresponding difference for the experimental group did not differ much from the posttest ( P > 0.05), and no significant difference of scores was observed 7 months later for either group. Further, a higher percentage of the students in the experimental group strongly agreed that their learning objectives were met (92% vs. 71%, P > 0.001), and this trend persisted throughout the study. Online spaced education combined to a face-to-face PBL enhances not only the student's knowledge of basic radiology along with his/her self-assessment skills but also the long-term retention of radiology material and satisfaction with the integrated interactive system-based module. Future research is needed to see if medical students in need of additional education support may benefit from spaced education in the field of remediation.

Estimates of radiological risk from depleted uranium weapons in war scenarios.

PubMed

Durante, Marco; Pugliese, Mariagabriella

2002-01-01

Several weapons used during the recent conflict in Yugoslavia contain depleted uranium, including missiles and armor-piercing incendiary rounds. Health concern is related to the use of these weapons, because of the heavy-metal toxicity and radioactivity of uranium. Although chemical toxicity is considered the more important source of health risk related to uranium, radiation exposure has been allegedly related to cancers among veterans of the Balkan conflict, and uranium munitions are a possible source of contamination in the environment. Actual measurements of radioactive contamination are needed to assess the risk. In this paper, a computer simulation is proposed to estimate radiological risk related to different exposure scenarios. Dose caused by inhalation of radioactive aerosols and ground contamination induced by Tomahawk missile impact are simulated using a Gaussian plume model (HOTSPOT code). Environmental contamination and committed dose to the population resident in contaminated areas are predicted by a food-web model (RESRAD code). Small values of committed effective dose equivalent appear to be associated with missile impacts (50-y CEDE < 5 mSv), or population exposure by water-independent pathways (50-y CEDE < 80 mSv). The greatest hazard is related to the water contamination in conditions of effective leaching of uranium in the groundwater (50-y CEDE < 400 mSv). Even in this worst case scenario, the chemical toxicity largely predominates over radiological risk. These computer simulations suggest that little radiological risk is associated to the use of depleted uranium weapons.

Depleted Uranium: Technical Brief

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This technical brief provides accepted data and references to additional sources for radiological and chemical characteristics, health risks and references for both the monitoring and measurement, and applicable treatment techniques for depleted uranium.

A Text Corpus Approach to an Analysis of the Shared Use of Core Terminology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Timothy B.; Sievert, MaryEllen; Reid, John C.; Rice, Frances Ellis; Gigantelli, James W.; Schiffman, Jade S.; Shelton, Mark E.

2003-01-01

Investigates the shared use of core Ophthalmology terms in the domains of Ophthalmology, Family Practice and Radiology. Core terms were searched for in a text corpus of 38,695 MEDLINE abstracts covering 1970-1999 from journals representing the three domains. Findings indicated core Ophthalmology terms were used significantly more by Ophthalmology…

Federated ontology-based queries over cancer data

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Personalised medicine provides patients with treatments that are specific to their genetic profiles. It requires efficient data sharing of disparate data types across a variety of scientific disciplines, such as molecular biology, pathology, radiology and clinical practice. Personalised medicine aims to offer the safest and most effective therapeutic strategy based on the gene variations of each subject. In particular, this is valid in oncology, where knowledge about genetic mutations has already led to new therapies. Current molecular biology techniques (microarrays, proteomics, epigenetic technology and improved DNA sequencing technology) enable better characterisation of cancer tumours. The vast amounts of data, however, coupled with the use of different terms - or semantic heterogeneity - in each discipline makes the retrieval and integration of information difficult. Results Existing software infrastructures for data-sharing in the cancer domain, such as caGrid, support access to distributed information. caGrid follows a service-oriented model-driven architecture. Each data source in caGrid is associated with metadata at increasing levels of abstraction, including syntactic, structural, reference and domain metadata. The domain metadata consists of ontology-based annotations associated with the structural information of each data source. However, caGrid's current querying functionality is given at the structural metadata level, without capitalising on the ontology-based annotations. This paper presents the design of and theoretical foundations for distributed ontology-based queries over cancer research data. Concept-based queries are reformulated to the target query language, where join conditions between multiple data sources are found by exploiting the semantic annotations. The system has been implemented, as a proof of concept, over the caGrid infrastructure. The approach is applicable to other model-driven architectures. A graphical user interface has been developed, supporting ontology-based queries over caGrid data sources. An extensive evaluation of the query reformulation technique is included. Conclusions To support personalised medicine in oncology, it is crucial to retrieve and integrate molecular, pathology, radiology and clinical data in an efficient manner. The semantic heterogeneity of the data makes this a challenging task. Ontologies provide a formal framework to support querying and integration. This paper provides an ontology-based solution for querying distributed databases over service-oriented, model-driven infrastructures. PMID:22373043

Financial ratios in diagnostic radiology practices: variability and trends.

PubMed

Hogan, Christopher; Sunshine, Jonathan H

2004-03-01

To evaluate variation in financial ratios for radiology practices nationwide and trends in these ratios and in payments. In 1999, the American College of Radiology surveyed radiology practices by mail. The final response rate was 66%. Weighting was used to make responses representative of all radiology practices in the United States. Self-reported financial ratios (payments, charges, accounts receivable turnover) were analyzed; 449 responses had usable data on these ratios. Comparison with results of a similar 1992 survey and combined analysis with Medicare data on billed charges provided information on trends. All measures of payment collections declined sharply from 1992 to 1999, with the gross collections rate (revenues as percentage of billed charges) decreasing from 71% to 55%. Average payment for a typical radiology service decreased approximately 4% in dollar terms or approximately 19% in inflation-adjusted terms. In 1999, nonmetropolitan practices appeared to fare better than others. Among insurers, Medicaid stood out as a low and slow payer, but neither managed care nor Medicare had a consistent effect on financial ratios. The gross collections rate varied substantially across geographic areas, as did, in an inverse pattern, the level of billed charges. One-quarter of practices had accounts receivable equal to 90 or more days of billings. The opposing geographic pattern of billed charges and gross collection rate suggests that geographic variation in the latter is driven more by variation in billed charges than by variation in payment levels. Radiologists saw a substantial decrease in the real (inflation-adjusted) value of payment per service during the 1990s. The large fraction of practices with accounts receivable of 90 or more days of billings-a level considered potentially imprudent by financial management advisors-suggests that many practices should improve financial management and that state prompt-payment laws have not had a substantial positive effect. Copyright RSNA, 2004

VIRTOPSY - the Swiss virtual autopsy approach.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Jackowski, Christian; Oesterhelweg, Lars; Ross, Steffen G; Dirnhofer, Richard

2007-03-01

The aim of the VIRTOPSY project () is utilizing radiological scanning to push low-tech documentation and autopsy procedures in a world of high-tech medicine in order to improve scientific value, to increase significance and quality in the forensic field. The term VIRTOPSY was created from the terms virtual and autopsy: Virtual is derived from the Latin word 'virtus', which means 'useful, efficient and good'. Autopsy is a combination of the old Greek terms 'autos' (=self) and 'opsomei' (=I will see). Thus autopsy means 'to see with ones own eyes'. Because our goal was to eliminate the subjectivity of "autos", we merged the two terms virtual and autopsy - deleting "autos" - to create VIRTOPSY. Today the project VIRTOPSY combining the research topics under one scientific umbrella, is characterized by a trans-disciplinary research approach that combines Forensic Medicine, Pathology, Radiology, Image Processing, Physics, and Biomechanics to an international scientific network. The paper will give an overview of the Virtopsy change process in forensic medicine.

[No exchange of information without technology : modern infrastructure in radiology].

PubMed

Hupperts, H; Hermann, K-G A

2014-01-01

Modern radiology cannot accomplish the daily numbers of examinations without supportive technology. Even though technology seems to be becoming increasingly more indispensable, business continuity should be ensured at any time and if necessary even with a limited technical infrastructure by business continuity management. An efficient information security management system forms the basis. The early radiology information systems were islands of information processing. A modern radiology department must be able to be modularly integrated into an informational network of a bigger organization. The secondary use of stored data for clinical decision-making support poses new challenges for the integrity of the data or systems because medical knowledge is displayed and provided in a context of treatment. In terms of imaging the creation and distribution radiology services work in a fully digital manner which is often different for radiology reports. Legally secure electronic diagnostic reports require a complex technical infrastructure; therefore, diagnostic findings still need to be filed as a paper document. The internal exchange and an improved dose management can be simplified by systems which continuously and automatically record the doses and thus provide the possibility of permanent analysis and reporting. Communication between patient and radiologist will gain ongoing importance. Intelligent use of technology will convey this to the radiologist and it will facilitate the understanding of the information by the patient.

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

Marleau, Peter; Reyna, David

In this work we investigate a method that confirms the operability of neutron detectors requiring neither radiological sources nor radiation-generating devices. This is desirable when radiological sources are not available, but confidence in the functionality of the instrument is required. The “source”, based on the production of neutrons in high-Z materials by muons, provides a tagged, low-background and consistent rate of neutrons that can be used to check the functionality of or calibrate a detector. Using a Monte Carlo guided optimization, an experimental apparatus was designed and built to evaluate the feasibility of this technique. Through a series of trialmore » measurements in a variety of locations we show that gated muon-induced neutrons appear to provide a consistent source of neutrons (35.9 ± 2.3 measured neutrons/10,000 muons in the instrument) under normal environmental variability (less than one statistical standard deviation for 10,000 muons) with a combined environmental + statistical uncertainty of ~18% for 10,000 muons. This is achieved in a single 21-22 minute measurement at sea level.« less

Tools for placing the radiological health hazard in perspective following a severe emergency at a light water reactor (LWR) or its spent fuel pool.

PubMed

McKenna, Thomas; Welter, Phillip Vilar; Callen, Jessica; Martincic, Rafael; Dodd, Brian; Kutkov, Vladimir

2015-01-01

Experience from past nuclear and radiological emergencies shows that placing the radiological health hazard in perspective and having a definition of "safe" are required in order to prevent members of the public, those responsible for protecting the public (i.e., decision makers), and others from taking inappropriate and damaging actions that are not justified based on the radiological health hazard. The principle concerns of the public during a severe nuclear power plant or spent fuel pool emergency are "Am I safe?" and "What should I do to be safe?" However, these questions have not been answered to the satisfaction of the public, despite various protective actions being implemented to ensure their safety. Instead, calculated doses or various measured quantities (e.g., ambient dose rate or radionuclide concentrations) are used to describe the situation to the public without placing them into perspective in terms of the possible radiological health hazard, or if they have, it has been done incorrectly. This has contributed to members of the public taking actions that do more harm than good in the belief that they are protecting themselves. Based on established international guidance, this paper provides a definition of "safe" for the radiological health hazard for use in nuclear or radiological emergencies and a system for putting the radiological health hazard in perspective for quantities most commonly measured after a release resulting from a severe emergency at a light water reactor or its spent fuel pool.

ICRP PUBLICATION 122: radiological protection in geological disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste.

PubMed

Weiss, W; Larsson, C-M; McKenney, C; Minon, J-P; Mobbs, S; Schneider, T; Umeki, H; Hilden, W; Pescatore, C; Vesterlind, M

2013-06-01

This report updates and consolidates previous recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) related to solid waste disposal (ICRP, 1985, 1997b, 1998). The recommendations given apply specifically to geological disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste. The report explains how the ICRP system of radiological protection described in Publication 103 (ICRP, 2007) can be applied in the context of the geological disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste. Although the report is written as a standalone document, previous ICRP recommendations not dealt with in depth in the report are still valid. The 2007 ICRP system of radiological protection evolves from the previous process-based protection approach relying on the distinction between practices and interventions by moving to an approach based on the distinction between three types of exposure situation: planned, emergency and existing. The Recommendations maintains the Commission's three fundamental principles of radiological protection namely: justification, optimisation of protection and the application of dose limits. They also maintain the current individual dose limits for effective dose and equivalent dose from all regulated sources in planned exposure situations. They re-enforce the principle of optimisation of radiological protection, which applies in a similar way to all exposure situations, subject to restrictions on individual doses: constraints for planned exposure situations, and reference levels for emergency and existing exposure situations. The Recommendations also include an approach for developing a framework to demonstrate radiological protection of the environment. This report describes the different stages in the life time of a geological disposal facility, and addresses the application of relevant radiological protection principles for each stage depending on the various exposure situations that can be encountered. In particular, the crucial factor that influences the application of the protection system over the different phases in the life time of a disposal facility is the level of oversight or 'watchful care' that is present. The level of oversight affects the capability to control the source, i.e. the waste and the repository, and to avoid or reduce potential exposures. Three main time frames are considered: time of direct oversight, when the disposal facility is being implemented and is under active supervision; time of indirect oversight, when the disposal facility is sealed and oversight is being exercised by regulators or special administrative bodies or society at large to provide additional assurance on behalf of society; and time of no oversight, when oversight is no longer exercised in case memory of the disposal facility is lost. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Long-term MRI findings in neuromyelitis optica: seropositive versus seronegative patients.

PubMed

Kıyat-Atamer, A; Ekizoğlu, E; Tüzün, E; Kürtüncü, M; Shugaiv, E; Akman-Demir, G; Eraksoy, M

2013-05-01

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severe demyelinating inflammatory disorder associated with serum antibodies against aquaporin 4 (AQP4-Ab). A significant number of patients with NMO remain seronegative over time. Long-term observational magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the CNS in patients with NMO are rare or of limited duration. The objective of this study is to determine long-term MRI characteristics of seropositive and seronegative patients, and assess possible overlap with multiple sclerosis (MS). Clinical and radiological characteristics of 28 patients with NMO at onset and of 17 patients after an average follow-up time of 9 years were recorded. Fifty percent of patients were seropositive for AQP4-Ab. Onset and final brain/spinal MRI scans were retrospectively analysed and compared. Significantly more patients in the seronegative group had brain lesions at onset. Spinal lesions of seropositive patients were longer and showed increased cord swelling at onset MRI scans. After the follow-up time the differences between both groups disappeared. Patients in the seropositive group tended to develop brain lesions over time. No patient fulfilled Barkhof's or McDonald's radiological criteria for MS at onset or over time. Brain MRI features show differences between seropositive and seronegative patients at time of onset in NMO, but differences between groups vanish over time. None of the AQP4-negative patients fulfill radiological MS criteria on a long-term basis, suggesting that seronegative NMO constitutes an independent entity. © 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.

A content-boosted collaborative filtering algorithm for personalized training in interpretation of radiological imaging.

PubMed

Lin, Hongli; Yang, Xuedong; Wang, Weisheng

2014-08-01

Devising a method that can select cases based on the performance levels of trainees and the characteristics of cases is essential for developing a personalized training program in radiology education. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid prediction algorithm called content-boosted collaborative filtering (CBCF) to predict the difficulty level of each case for each trainee. The CBCF utilizes a content-based filtering (CBF) method to enhance existing trainee-case ratings data and then provides final predictions through a collaborative filtering (CF) algorithm. The CBCF algorithm incorporates the advantages of both CBF and CF, while not inheriting the disadvantages of either. The CBCF method is compared with the pure CBF and pure CF approaches using three datasets. The experimental data are then evaluated in terms of the MAE metric. Our experimental results show that the CBCF outperforms the pure CBF and CF methods by 13.33 and 12.17 %, respectively, in terms of prediction precision. This also suggests that the CBCF can be used in the development of personalized training systems in radiology education.

Comparing image search behaviour in the ARRS GoldMiner search engine and a clinical PACS/RIS.

PubMed

De-Arteaga, Maria; Eggel, Ivan; Do, Bao; Rubin, Daniel; Kahn, Charles E; Müller, Henning

2015-08-01

Information search has changed the way we manage knowledge and the ubiquity of information access has made search a frequent activity, whether via Internet search engines or increasingly via mobile devices. Medical information search is in this respect no different and much research has been devoted to analyzing the way in which physicians aim to access information. Medical image search is a much smaller domain but has gained much attention as it has different characteristics than search for text documents. While web search log files have been analysed many times to better understand user behaviour, the log files of hospital internal systems for search in a PACS/RIS (Picture Archival and Communication System, Radiology Information System) have rarely been analysed. Such a comparison between a hospital PACS/RIS search and a web system for searching images of the biomedical literature is the goal of this paper. Objectives are to identify similarities and differences in search behaviour of the two systems, which could then be used to optimize existing systems and build new search engines. Log files of the ARRS GoldMiner medical image search engine (freely accessible on the Internet) containing 222,005 queries, and log files of Stanford's internal PACS/RIS search called radTF containing 18,068 queries were analysed. Each query was preprocessed and all query terms were mapped to the RadLex (Radiology Lexicon) terminology, a comprehensive lexicon of radiology terms created and maintained by the Radiological Society of North America, so the semantic content in the queries and the links between terms could be analysed, and synonyms for the same concept could be detected. RadLex was mainly created for the use in radiology reports, to aid structured reporting and the preparation of educational material (Lanlotz, 2006) [1]. In standard medical vocabularies such as MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) specific terms of radiology are often underrepresented, therefore RadLex was considered to be the best option for this task. The results show a surprising similarity between the usage behaviour in the two systems, but several subtle differences can also be noted. The average number of terms per query is 2.21 for GoldMiner and 2.07 for radTF, the used axes of RadLex (anatomy, pathology, findings, …) have almost the same distribution with clinical findings being the most frequent and the anatomical entity the second; also, combinations of RadLex axes are extremely similar between the two systems. Differences include a longer length of the sessions in radTF than in GoldMiner (3.4 and 1.9 queries per session on average). Several frequent search terms overlap but some strong differences exist in the details. In radTF the term "normal" is frequent, whereas in GoldMiner it is not. This makes intuitive sense, as in the literature normal cases are rarely described whereas in clinical work the comparison with normal cases is often a first step. The general similarity in many points is likely due to the fact that users of the two systems are influenced by their daily behaviour in using standard web search engines and follow this behaviour in their professional search. This means that many results and insights gained from standard web search can likely be transferred to more specialized search systems. Still, specialized log files can be used to find out more on reformulations and detailed strategies of users to find the right content. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear Warfare Water Contamination.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

obscured the important relationship between radionuclide ground concentrations and fallout dose rate contours by focusing too much attention on the...19 ) Radiological water contamination by nonpoint sources has received little, if any, attention in the current literature on the environmental... attention . Nevertheless, the environmental contamination of water supplies by fallout has been noted as a source of background radiation (20 ) and a possible

Patient Radiation Doses from Diagnostic Radiology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, D.

1996-01-01

Explains how x-ray doses to patients are measured. Describes how different techniques expose patients to differing amounts of ionizing radiation. Compares these figures with other natural and man-made sources. (Author/MKR)

The Patient Experience in Radiology: Observations From Over 3,500 Patient Feedback Reports in a Single Institution.

PubMed

Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Pysarenko, Kristine

2016-11-01

To identify factors associated with the patient experience in radiology based on patient feedback reports from a single institution. In a departmental patient experience committee initiative, all imaging outpatients are provided names and roles of all departmental employees with whom they interact, along with contact information for providing feedback after their appointment. All resulting feedback was recorded in a web-based database. A total of 3,675 patient comments over a 3-year period were assessed in terms of major themes. Roles of employees recognized within the patient comments were also assessed. Patient feedback comments most commonly related to professional staff behavior (74.5%) and wait times (11.9%), and less commonly related to a spectrum of other issues (comfort during the exam, quality of the facilities, access to information regarding the exam, patient privacy, medical records, the radiology report, billing). The most common attributes relating to staff behavior involved patients' perceptions of staff caring, professionalism, pleasantness, helpfulness, and efficiency. Employees most commonly recognized by the comments were the technologist (50.2%) and receptionist (31.6%) and much less often the radiologist (2.2%). No radiologist was in the top 10% of employees in terms of the number of comments received. Patients' comments regarding their experiences in undergoing radiologic imaging were largely influenced by staff behavior and communication (particularly relating to technologists and receptionists), as well as wait times, with radiologists having a far lesser immediate impact. Radiologists are encouraged to engage in activities that promote direct visibility to their patients and thereby combat risks of the perceived "invisible" radiologist. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fuzzy risk analysis of a modern γ-ray industrial irradiator.

PubMed

Castiglia, F; Giardina, M

2011-06-01

Fuzzy fault tree analyses were used to investigate accident scenarios that involve radiological exposure to operators working in industrial γ-ray irradiation facilities. The HEART method, a first generation human reliability analysis method, was used to evaluate the probability of adverse human error in these analyses. This technique was modified on the basis of fuzzy set theory to more directly take into account the uncertainties in the error-promoting factors on which the methodology is based. Moreover, with regard to some identified accident scenarios, fuzzy radiological exposure risk, expressed in terms of potential annual death, was evaluated. The calculated fuzzy risks for the examined plant were determined to be well below the reference risk suggested by International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Effective radiology dashboards: key research findings.

PubMed

Karami, Mahtab; Safdari, Reza; Rahimi, Azin

2013-01-01

Innovative organizations have access to information for business intelligence through the objectives displayed in dashboards. In healthcare organizations, where the goal is to improve quality of care along with reducing costs, the radiology department is important from both financial and clinical aspects. Therefore, how to manage this department has critical impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization. Today, since the information in this department not only has different data structure but also is gathered from different data sources, a well defined, comprehensive dashboard can be an effective tool to enhance performance.

WORKER INHALATION DOSE COEFFICIENTS FOR RADIONUCLIDES NOT PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN ICRP PUBLICATION 68

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

McLaughlin, David A; Schwahn, Scott O

2011-01-01

While inhalation dose coefficients are provided for about 800 radionuclides in International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 68, many radionuclides of practical dosimetric interest for facilities such as high-energy proton accelerators are not specifically addressed, nor are organ-specific dose coefficients tabulated. The ICRP Publication 68 methodology is used, along with updated radiological decay data and metabolic data, to identify committed equivalent dose coefficients [hT(50)] and committed effective dose coefficients [e(50)] for radionuclides produced at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory s Spallation Neutron Source.

Mission Analysis for Using Preventive Radiological/Nuclear Detection Equipment for Consequence Management

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

Buddemeier, Brooke R.; Wood-Zika, Annmarie R.; Haynes, Daniel

The overall objective of this project is to research, evaluate, and test first responder preventive radiological/nuclear detection (PRND) equipment to provide state and local agencies with scientific guidance on how to effectively use this equipment for response after a radiological/nuclear release or detonation. While the equipment being tested in this effort has been specifically designed by technology manufacturers and purchased by responders for preventive detection and source interdiction operations, the fleet of PRND equipment can help fill critical needs for radiological instrumentation should a consequence management (CM) response take place, as it is currently the most widely available and fieldedmore » radiological instrumentation by state and local agencies. This effort will provide scientific guidance on the most effective way to utilize this class of equipment for consequence management missions. Gaining a better understanding of how PRND equipment can operate and perform for these missions will allow for recommendations on the tactical approach responders can use for consequence management operations. PRND equipment has been placed into service by federal, state, and local agencies throughout the nation. If the equipment capability and limitations are taken into account, this large inventory can be leveraged to support the emergency response in the aftermath of a radiological or nuclear event. With several hundred makes and models of PRND equipment, often with significantly different detection capabilities that do not align with their nominal PRND equipment type, development of a streamlined categorization scheme with respect to consequence management missions was the first step to identifying safe and effective uses of PRND equipment for radiological/nuclear incident response.« less

Update on the diagnostic radiology employment market: findings through 2005.

PubMed

Licurse, Adam; Saket, Daniel D; Sunshine, Jonathan H; Maynard, C Douglas; Forman, Howard P

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze and summarize the latest data describing the diagnostic radiologist employment market. Three sources of data--vacancies in academic radiology departments as of July 1, 2005; the ratio of job listings to job seekers at a major placement service; and the number of positions advertised in the American Journal of Roentgenology and Radiology-are presented and compared with previous data. Vacancies in academic departments averaged 4.5 in 2005, an increase of 16% from 2004 but a decrease of 16% from the 2001 peak. Vacancies increased from 2004 in all specialties except nuclear medicine and "other," and vacancies decreased from 2001 in all specialties except pediatric radiology and purely research positions. Job listings per job seeker increased 8% from 2004 but remain far below peak levels. The total number of positions advertised decreased by 6% from 2004, reaching the lowest level since 1998. In 2005, 42% of the total advertised jobs were academic, as compared with 45% in 2004. Proportional decreases were seen between 2004 and 2005 in total advertisements per region except the Northwest and California. The largest proportional increases in subspecialties occurred in general radiology, abdominal imaging, and "other." Data from the American College of Radiology Professional Bureau and a survey of academic radiology departments show an increased demand for diagnostic radiologists in 2005, whereas data from the help wanted index show a decrease. In addition, the regional distribution of advertisements and the proportion of advertisements for certain specialties have shown some shifting in 2005. We believe the job market remains strong, with regional and specialty shifting.

Test of ring, eye lens and whole body dosemeters for the dose quantity Hp(3) to be used in interventional radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szumska, A.; Budzanowski, M.; Kopeć, R.

2017-11-01

In its statement on tissue reactions approved on 21st April 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, 2012) reviewed its recommendation concerning the equivalent dose limit for the eye lens and reduced the dose limits for occupationally exposed persons to 20 mSv in a year, averaged over defined periods of 5 years, with no single year exceeding 50 mSv. This limit was approved and written down in the new EURATOM (European Atomic Energy Community) directive 2013/59 and in the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) BSS (Basic Safety Standard) of July 2014. For that reason, the necessity to monitor the eye lens may become more important than it was before. However, specially dedicated dosemeters for the dose quantity Hp(3) are using very rarely. Commonly use are only whole body personal dosemeters for the personal dose equivalent quantities Hp(10) worn on the trunk and ring dosemeters worn on finger to measure the quantity Hp(0.07). Therefore, in this work it was investigated whether dosemeters from routine use calibrated in terms of Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) and worn on thyroid collar and protective apron could deliver similar results like dedicated eye lens dosemeter worn close to the eyes. The results show that the best method if dedicated eye lens dosimeters is not used is to measure doses in terms of Hp(0.07) on the thyroid collar (Pearson product, r=0.85). Obtained results shows also importance of proper localization of eye lens dosimeter (close to the eye, from side of the X-ray source).

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites remedial action program. Radiological survey of The George Herbert Jones Chemical Laboratory, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, June 13-17, 1977

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

Wynveen, R.A.; Smith, W.H.; Mayes, C.B.

A comprehensive radiological survey was conducted at George Herbert Jones Chemical Laboratory at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Radiochemistry for the MED/AEC project was performed in this building in the 1940s. The building is now used as laboratories, offices, and classrooms. The survey was undertaken to determine the location and quantities of any radioactive materials remaining from the MED/AEC operations. Forty-three spots of contamination possibly resulting from MED/AEC occupancy in 17 rooms exceeded the allowable limits as given in the ANSI Standard N13.12. Under current use conditions, the potential for radiation exposure to occupants of this building from thesemore » sources of contamination is remote. Concentrations of radon daughters in the air of the building, as measured with grab-sampling techniques, were below the limit of 0.01 WL above background as given in the Surgeon General's Guidelines. No long-lived radionuclides were detected in any air sample. Concentrations of radionuclides in soil samples from near the laboratory generally indicated background levels. In order to reduce the potential for radiation exposure, remedial measures such as stabilization of the contamination in place would be applicable as a short-term measure. In order to reduce the risk in the event that building modifications take place in the future, health physics procedures and coverage are recommended. The long-term solution would involve decontamination by removal of the radioactive residues from the 17 rooms or areas where contamination possibly resulting from MED/AEC activities was detected.« less

Radiological Aspects of Heavy Metal Liquid Targets for Accelerator-Driven Systems as Intense Neutron Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gai, E. V.; Ignatyuk, A. V.; Lunev, V. P.; Shubin, Yu. N.

2001-11-01

General problems arising in development of intense neutron sources as a part of accelerator-driven systems and first experience accumulated in IPPE during last several years are briefly discussed. The calculation and analysis of nuclear-physical properties of the targets, such as the accumulation of spallation reaction products, activity and heat release for various versions of heavy liquid metal targets were performed in IPPE. The sensitivity of the results of calculations to the various sets of nuclear data was considered. The main radiology characteristics of the lead-bismuth target, which is now under construction in the frame of ISTC Project # 559, are briefly described. The production of short-lived nuclides was estimated, the total activity and volatile nuclide accumulation, residual heat release, the energies of various decay modes were analysed.

The Spanish Protocol for radiological surveillance of metal recycling: a collaboration of government and industry.

PubMed

Cadierno, Juan Pedro García; Renedo, J I Serrano; Lopez, E Gil

2006-11-01

The presence of radioactive materials in scrap metal has been detected relatively often in recent years. As a result of an accidental melting of a 137Cs source in a Spanish steel mill (Acerinox) in 1998, the national authorities, the involved private companies, and the main trade unions drafted a protocol for prevention of and responding to such events ("Spanish Protocol"). The Protocol was signed in 1999. The number of subscribing companies is 90. The Protocol is a voluntary agreement defining the radiological surveillance of scrap metal and its products and the duties and rights of the signatories. From the effective date of the Protocol to December 2004, 461 pieces of ferric scrap were detected including sources of radiation and contaminated metal. Four melting incidents have happened in different companies.

Feasibility study for a realistic training dedicated to radiological protection improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courageot, Estelle; Reinald, Kutschera; Gaillard-Lecanu, Emmanuelle; Sylvie, Jahan; Riedel, Alexandre; Therache, Benjamin

2014-06-01

Any personnel involved in activities within the controlled area of a nuclear facility must be provided with appropriate radiological protection training. An evident purpose of this training is to know the regulation dedicated to workplaces where ionizing radiation may be present, in order to properly carry out the radiation monitoring, to use suitable protective equipments and to behave correctly if unexpected working conditions happen. A major difficulty of this training consist in having the most realistic reading from the monitoring devices for a given exposure situation, but without using real radioactive sources. A new approach is developed at EDF R&D for radiological protection training. This approach combines different technologies, in an environment representative of the workplace but geographically separated from the nuclear power plant: a training area representative of a workplace, a Man Machine Interface used by the trainer to define the source configuration and the training scenario, a geolocalization system, fictive radiation monitoring devices and a particle transport code able to calculate in real time the dose map due to the virtual sources. In a first approach, our real-time particles transport code, called Moderato, used only an attenuation low in straight line. To improve the realism further, we would like to switch a code based on the Monte Carlo transport of particles method like Geant 4 or MCNPX instead of Moderato. The aim of our study is the evaluation of the code in our application, in particular, the possibility to keep a real time response of our architecture.

Managerial accounting applications in radiology.

PubMed

Lexa, Frank James; Mehta, Tushar; Seidmann, Abraham

2005-03-01

We review the core issues in managerial accounting for radiologists. We introduce the topic and then explore its application to diagnostic imaging. We define key terms such as fixed cost, variable cost, marginal cost, and marginal revenue and discuss their role in understanding the operational and financial implications for a radiology facility by using a cost-volume-profit model. Our work places particular emphasis on the role of managerial accounting in understanding service costs, as well as how it assists executive decision making.

Author Contribution to the Pu Handbook II: Chapter 37 LLNL Integrated Sample Preparation Glovebox (TEM) Section

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

Wall, Mark A.

The development of our Integrated Actinide Sample Preparation Laboratory (IASPL) commenced in 1998 driven by the need to perform transmission electron microscopy studies on naturally aged plutonium and its alloys looking for the microstructural effects of the radiological decay process (1). Remodeling and construction of a laboratory within the Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate facilities at LLNL was required to turn a standard radiological laboratory into a Radiological Materials Area (RMA) and Radiological Buffer Area (RBA) containing type I, II and III workplaces. Two inert atmosphere dry-train glove boxes with antechambers and entry/exit fumehoods (Figure 1), having a baseline atmospheremore » of 1 ppm oxygen and 1 ppm water vapor, a utility fumehood and a portable, and a third double-walled enclosure have been installed and commissioned. These capabilities, along with highly trained technical staff, facilitate the safe operation of sample preparation processes and instrumentation, and sample handling while minimizing oxidation or corrosion of the plutonium. In addition, we are currently developing the capability to safely transfer small metallographically prepared samples to a mini-SEM for microstructural imaging and chemical analysis. The gloveboxes continue to be the most crucial element of the laboratory allowing nearly oxide-free sample preparation for a wide variety of LLNL-based characterization experiments, which includes transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, optical microscopy, electrical resistivity, ion implantation, X-ray diffraction and absorption, magnetometry, metrological surface measurements, high-pressure diamond anvil cell equation-of-state, phonon dispersion measurements, X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The sample preparation and materials processing capabilities in the IASPL have also facilitated experimentation at world-class facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Triumph Accelerator in Canada.« less

SU-E-P-07: Retrospective Analysis of Incident Reports at a Radiology Department: Feedback From Incident Reporting System

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

Kakinohana, Y; Toita, T; Heianna, J

Purpose: To provide an overview of reported incidents that occurred in a radiology department and to describe the most common causal source of incidents. Methods: Incident reports from the radiology department at the University of the Ryukyus Hospital between 2008 and 2013 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The incident report form contains the following items, causal factors of the incident and desirable corrective actions to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. These items allow the institution to investigate/analyze root causes of the incidents and suggest measures to be taken to prevent further, similar incidents. The ‘causal factors of the incident’ itemmore » comprises multiple selections from among 24 selections and includes some synonymous selections. In this study, this item was re-categorized into four causal source types: (i) carelessness, (ii) lack of skill or knowledge, (iii) deficiencies in communication, and (iv) external factors. Results: There were a total of 7490 incident reports over the study period and 276 (3.7%) were identified as originating from the radiology department. The most frequent causal source type was carelessness (62%). The other three types showed similar frequencies (10–14%). The staff members involved in incidents indicate three predominant desirable corrective actions to prevent or decrease the recurrence of similar incidents. These are ‘improvement in communication’ (24%), ‘staff training/education’ (19%), and ‘daily medical procedures’ (22%), and the most frequent was ‘improvement in communication’. Even though the most frequent causal factor was related to carelessness, the most desirable corrective action indicated by the staff members was related to communication. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that the most immediate causes are strongly related to carelessness. However, the most likely underlying causes of incidents would be related to deficiencies in effective communication. At our department, therefore, the primary action to prevent/reduce similar incidents should be ‘communication improvement’.« less

[Telecommunications, health and radiology: potential synergies for the new millennium].

PubMed

Lagalla, R

2001-01-01

Healthcare telematics, or telemedicine, is a new methodology that applies the potentialities of telecommunications technologies to the needs of medicine, thereby greatly contributing to improving the management of clinical data and medical information for the benefit of the individual patient and the community at large. The fields of application of Telemedicine are becoming increasingly vast, and this gives rise to technical problems (interconnections) as well as professional, ethical, medico-legal and legal problems. The dissemination of Telemedicine will require changes to be made to the organisation and delivery of the medical/administrative services connected to the management of patient data, the remote provision of care, and the impact of Telemedicine itself (e.g. need to standardise the nomenclature for telemedicine services). In addition, it will also call for a careful analysis of costs and benefits for both healthcare providers and patients. One of the most interesting experiences in terms of impact is Teleradiology. This is neither a new discipline nor a (sub)specialty: the practice of Teleradiology must comply with the rules regulating any radiological medical act, the primary aim of which is to contribute to establishing - rapidly and accurately - a diagnosis that will affect treatment strategies. It may be anticipated that in some situations Teleradiology will significantly change the working practices of Radiology Specialists and Radiology Technicians. Because it is better to anticipate problems rather than wait for them to arise, our Scientific Society, which is always sensitive to emerging issues, intends to propose the following recommendations/guidelines for the use of Teleradiology in the common interest of the community and healthcare workers. The invitation to take part in the initiative proposed by the Italian Society of Medical Radiology (SIRM), the Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine (AIMN) and the Italian Association of Neuroradiology (AINR) was received with great satisfaction and is proof that we are working towards common goals. As on other occasions, this was reflected in the excellent collaboration between the National Radiologists' Union (SNR), the Italian Association of Medical Physics (AIFM) and the National Federation of Radiology Technicians (F.N.C.TSRM) in drafting the document. The document aims to highlight the potentialities and limitations in the use of Teleradiology and to provide a set of recommendations/guidelines, which are not, however, to be intended as strict, absolute rules. Because this field is continually evolving both in structural and regulatory terms, and because it is very difficult to establish universal criteria to rigidly define behavioural models for implementing and managing Teleradiology-related activities (which in any case fall into the category of radiological medical acts), the recommendations/guidelines proposed necessarily have an informative rather than prescriptive nature. The document starts by defining the meaning of the following currently used terms: Teleconsultation; Telediagnosis; Teledidactics. It then goes on to analyse the following aspects of Teleradiology: Technological requirements; Qualifications and training of Medical Personnel; Qualifications, training and competences of Radiology Technicians. Based on the regulations in force in Italy, these recommendations are structured in terms of rationale and possible professional issues arising from the use of Teleradiology. A section is devoted to data security and confidentiality, including legal implications, an area which is currently evolving and being studied in Italy and abroad. Finally, the professional liabilities of all the healthcare providers involved in Teleradiology (imprudence, incompetence, negligence) are outlined, as well as the responsibilities related to the necessary maintenance of equipment. The aim of the document is to propose recommendations/guidelines for the correct use and validation of Teleradiology. The Scientific Societies SIRM-AIMN-AINR and the Academic Institutions, together with the SNR, AIFM and the F.N.C.TSRM, the Regional Bodies and the Italian National Health Trusts are required to make a positive and constructive commitment to this new field, which has become the object of considerable attention and interests. While confirming that, if used correctly, this methodology will no doubt increase the overall efficiency of Diagnostic Imaging - in the primary interest of the patient's right to health - it is felt that attention should also be paid to the working practices of the Radiology Specialists and Radiology Technicians and to the training of both. It is necessary to standardise training and practice, and to make an integrated and coherent use of resources with respect to the healthcare goals we wish to attain. Many have described the undisputed advantages of Teleradiology, but there have been relatively few reports on the related risks and recommendations for its use. It is certain that an improper use of the method (forced& interpretation of the bill on complementary diagnostic activities, operational misunderstandings between Radiology Specialists and Radiology Technicians, rarefaction of the relationship between Radiologist and Patient, obligation to use teleconsultation in all situations) will lead to considerable disadvantages for all those working in the field of Radiology, specialists and radiology technicians alike. Therefore, by adopting this document, which is by no means against Teleradiology but for a rational use of the method and full awareness of what it actually implies, the Scientific Society intends on the one hand to participate actively and concretely in the process of regulating all those aspects of Teleradiology for which it is competent - rather than waiting for regulations to be imposed from above - and, on the other, to provide, through its highly qualified Study Group (Specialists in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Legal Medicine, Medical Physics, and Radiology Technicians), Radiologists, Specialists in Nuclear Medicine, Neuroradiologists and Radiology Technicians with practical recommendations for use/guidelines for the correct and rational performance of their (tele)radiological acts. These indications and recommendations are also being submitted to the Italian Government. Teleradiology has attracted so much attention that, even as a result of pressure from Industry, an international consensus conference is needed to regulate the rational and informed use of this new methodology.

Teaching surgery, radiology and anatomy together: the mix enhances motivation and comprehension.

PubMed

Dettmer, Sabine; Tschernig, Thomas; Galanski, Michael; Pabst, Reinhard; Rieck, Bernd

2010-10-01

Preclinical and clinical topics are often separated in medical education. For example, surgery and radiology are often taught much later than anatomy. The aim of this study was to establish and to evaluate an interdisciplinary course combining these closely related subjects to enhance medical comprehension. Two tutorials each lasting one term were offered to second year medical students, in which clinical topics were implemented linking anatomy to surgical and radiological knowledge. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the success of this approach. The motivation of the students was above average and the practical work was done accurately. The students confirmed that the course improved anatomical comprehension (>95%) and that the learned matters were relevant for their future (90%). Furthermore, interest in the subjects was higher after the course (>85%). Critical suggestions were to extend the course and to include more topics. A mix of surgery, radiology and anatomy is a teaching concept, which leads to high acceptance and interest in medical students.

The total value equation: a suggested framework for understanding value creation in diagnostic radiology.

PubMed

Heller, Richard E

2014-01-01

As a result of macroeconomic forces necessitating fundamental changes in health care delivery systems, value has become a popular term in the medical industry. Much has been written recently about the idea of value as it relates to health care services in general and the practice of radiology in particular. Of course, cost, value, and cost-effectiveness are not new topics of conversation in radiology. Not only is value one of the most frequently used and complex words in management, entire classes in business school are taught around the concept of understanding and maximizing value. But what is value, and when speaking of value creation strategies, what is it exactly that is meant? For the leader of a radiology department, either private or academic, value creation is a core function. This article provides a deeper examination of what value is, what drives value creation, and how practices and departments can evaluate their own value creation efficiencies. An equation, referred to as the Total Value Equation, is presented as a framework to assess value creation activities and strategies. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methodology for the nuclear design validation of an Alternate Emergency Management Centre (CAGE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hueso, César; Fabbri, Marco; de la Fuente, Cristina; Janés, Albert; Massuet, Joan; Zamora, Imanol; Gasca, Cristina; Hernández, Héctor; Vega, J. Ángel

2017-09-01

The methodology is devised by coupling different codes. The study of weather conditions as part of the data of the site will determine the relative concentrations of radionuclides in the air using ARCON96. The activity in the air is characterized depending on the source and release sequence specified in NUREG-1465 by RADTRAD code, which provides results of the inner cloud source term contribution. Known activities, energy spectra are inferred using ORIGEN-S, which are used as input for the models of the outer cloud, filters and containment generated with MCNP5. The sum of the different contributions must meet the conditions of habitability specified by the CSN (Spanish Nuclear Regulatory Body) (TEDE <50 mSv and equivalent dose to the thyroid <500 mSv within 30 days following the accident doses) so that the dose is optimized by varying parameters such as CAGE location, flow filtering need for recirculation, thicknesses and compositions of the walls, etc. The results for the most penalizing area meet the established criteria, and therefore the CAGE building design based on the methodology presented is radiologically validated.

The top 100 articles in the radiology of trauma: a bibliometric analysis.

PubMed

Dolan, Ryan Scott; Hanna, Tarek N; Warraich, Gohar Javed; Johnson, Jamlik-Omari; Khosa, Faisal

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the 100 top-cited articles in the radiology of trauma, analyze the resulting database to understand factors resulting in highly cited works, and establish trends in trauma imaging. An initial database was created via a Web of Science (WOS) search of all scientific journals using the search terms "trauma" and either "radiology" or a diagnostic modality. Articles were ranked by citation count and screened by two attending radiologists plus a tiebreaker for appropriateness. The following information was collected from each article: WOS all database citations, year, journal, authors, department affiliation, study type and design, sample size, imaging modality, subspecialty, organ, and topic. Citations for the top 100 articles ranged from 82-252, and citations per year ranged from 2.6-37.2. A plurality of articles were published in the 1990s (n = 45) and 1980s (n = 31). Articles were published across 24 journals, most commonly Radiology (n = 31) and Journal of Trauma-Injury, Infection, and Critical Care (n = 28). Articles had an average of five authors and 35 % of first authors were affiliated with a department other than radiology. Forty-six articles had sample sizes of 100 or fewer. Computed tomography (CT) was the most common modality (n = 67), followed by magnetic resonance (MR; n = 22), and X-ray (XR; n = 11). Neuroradiology (n = 48) and abdominal radiology (n = 36) were the most common subspecialties. The 100 top-cited articles in the radiology of trauma are diverse. Subspecialty bibliometric analyses identify the most influential articles of a particular field, providing more implications to clinical radiologists, trainees, researchers, editors, and reviewers than radiology-wide lists.

Entrepreneurship in the academic radiology environment.

PubMed

Itri, Jason N; Ballard, David H; Kantartzis, Stamatis; Sullivan, Joseph C; Weisman, Jeffery A; Durand, Daniel J; Ali, Sayed; Kansagra, Akash P

2015-01-01

Innovation and entrepreneurship in health care can help solve the current health care crisis by creating products and services that improve quality and convenience while reducing costs. To effectively drive innovation and entrepreneurship within the current health care delivery environment, academic institutions will need to provide education, promote networking across disciplines, align incentives, and adapt institutional cultures. This article provides a general review of entrepreneurship and commercialization from the perspective of academic radiology departments, drawing on information sources in several disciplines including radiology, medicine, law, and business. Our review will discuss the role of universities in supporting academic entrepreneurship, identify drivers of entrepreneurship, detail opportunities for academic radiologists, and outline key strategies that foster greater involvement of radiologists in entrepreneurial efforts and encourage leadership to embrace and support entrepreneurship. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RCT: Module 2.03, Counting Errors and Statistics, Course 8768

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

Hillmer, Kurt T.

2017-04-01

Radiological sample analysis involves the observation of a random process that may or may not occur and an estimation of the amount of radioactive material present based on that observation. Across the country, radiological control personnel are using the activity measurements to make decisions that may affect the health and safety of workers at those facilities and their surrounding environments. This course will present an overview of measurement processes, a statistical evaluation of both measurements and equipment performance, and some actions to take to minimize the sources of error in count room operations. This course will prepare the student withmore » the skills necessary for radiological control technician (RCT) qualification by passing quizzes, tests, and the RCT Comprehensive Phase 1, Unit 2 Examination (TEST 27566) and by providing in the field skills.« less

Transitive closure of subsumption and causal relations in a large ontology of radiological diagnosis.

PubMed

Kahn, Charles E

2016-06-01

The Radiology Gamuts Ontology (RGO)-an ontology of diseases, interventions, and imaging findings-was developed to aid in decision support, education, and translational research in diagnostic radiology. The ontology defines a subsumption (is_a) relation between more general and more specific terms, and a causal relation (may_cause) to express the relationship between disorders and their possible imaging manifestations. RGO incorporated 19,745 terms with their synonyms and abbreviations, 1768 subsumption relations, and 55,558 causal relations. Transitive closure was computed iteratively; it yielded 2154 relations over subsumption and 1,594,896 relations over causality. Five causal cycles were discovered, all with path length of no more than 5. The graph-theoretic metrics of in-degree and out-degree were explored; the most useful metric to prioritize modification of the ontology was found to be the product of the in-degree of transitive closure over subsumption and the out-degree of transitive closure over causality. Two general types of error were identified: (1) causal assertions that used overly general terms because they implicitly assumed an organ-specific context and (2) subsumption relations where a site-specific disorder was asserted to be a subclass of the general disorder. Transitive closure helped identify incorrect assertions, prioritized and guided ontology revision, and aided resources that applied the ontology's knowledge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutritional rickets: vitamin D, calcium, and the genetic make-up.

PubMed

El Kholy, Mohamed; Elsedfy, Heba; Fernández-Cancio, Monica; Hamza, Rasha Tarif; Amr, Nermine Hussein; Ahmed, Alaa Youssef; Toaima, Nadin Nabil; Audí, Laura

2017-02-01

The prevalence of vitamin D (vitD) deficiency presenting as rickets is increasing worldwide. Insufficient sun exposure, vitD administration, and/or calcium intake are the main causes. However, vitD system-related genes may also have a role. Prospective study: 109 rachitic children completed a 6-mo study period or until rachitic manifestations disappeared. Thirty children were selected as controls. Clinical and biochemical data were evaluated at baseline in patients and controls and biochemistry re-evaluated at radiological healing. Therapy was stratified in three different protocols. Fifty-four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of five vitD system genes (VDR, CP2R1, CYP27B1, CYP24A1, and GC) were genotyped and their association with clinical and biochemcial data was analyzed. Therapy response was similar in terms of radiological healing although it was not so in terms of biochemical normalization. Only VDR gene (promoter, start-codon, and intronic genotypes) was rickets-associated in terms of serum 25-OH-D, calcium, radiological severity and time needed to heal. Eight patients with sufficient calcium intake and 25-OH-D levels carried a VDR genotype lacking minor allele homozygous genotypes at SNPs spread along the gene. Although patients presented epidemiologic factors strongly contributing to rickets, genetic modulation affecting predisposition, severity, and clinical course is exerted, at least in part, by VDR gene polymorphic variation.

Automated assessment and tracking of human body thermal variations using unsupervised clustering.

PubMed

Yousefi, Bardia; Fleuret, Julien; Zhang, Hai; Maldague, Xavier P V; Watt, Raymond; Klein, Matthieu

2016-12-01

The presented approach addresses a review of the overheating that occurs during radiological examinations, such as magnetic resonance imaging, and a series of thermal experiments to determine a thermally suitable fabric material that should be used for radiological gowns. Moreover, an automatic system for detecting and tracking of the thermal fluctuation is presented. It applies hue-saturated-value-based kernelled k-means clustering, which initializes and controls the points that lie on the region-of-interest (ROI) boundary. Afterward, a particle filter tracks the targeted ROI during the video sequence independently of previous locations of overheating spots. The proposed approach was tested during experiments and under conditions very similar to those used during real radiology exams. Six subjects have voluntarily participated in these experiments. To simulate the hot spots occurring during radiology, a controllable heat source was utilized near the subject's body. The results indicate promising accuracy for the proposed approach to track hot spots. Some approximations were used regarding the transmittance of the atmosphere, and emissivity of the fabric could be neglected because of the independence of the proposed approach for these parameters. The approach can track the heating spots continuously and correctly, even for moving subjects, and provides considerable robustness against motion artifact, which occurs during most medical radiology procedures.

Nuclear Forensics Attributing the Source of Spent Fuel Used in an RDD Event

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

Scott, Mark Robert

2005-05-01

An RDD attack against the U.S. is something America needs to prepare against. If such an event occurs the ability to quickly identify the source of the radiological material used in an RDD would aid investigators in identifying the perpetrators. Spent fuel is one of the most dangerous possible radiological sources for an RDD. In this work, a forensics methodology was developed and implemented to attribute spent fuel to a source reactor. The specific attributes determined are the spent fuel burnup, age from discharge, reactor type, and initial fuel enrichment. It is shown that by analyzing the post-event material, thesemore » attributes can be determined with enough accuracy to be useful for investigators. The burnup can be found within a 5% accuracy, enrichment with a 2% accuracy, and age with a 10% accuracy. Reactor type can be determined if specific nuclides are measured. The methodology developed was implemented into a code call NEMASYS. NEMASYS is easy to use and it takes a minimum amount of time to learn its basic functions. It will process data within a few minutes and provide detailed information about the results and conclusions.« less

Effects of ionizing radiation on wildlife: what knowledge have we gained between the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents?

PubMed

Beresford, Nicholas A; Copplestone, David

2011-07-01

The recent events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan have raised questions over the effects of radiation in the environment. This article considers what we have learned about the radiological consequences for the environment from the Chernobyl accident, Ukraine, in April 1986. The literature offers mixed opinions of the long-term impacts on wildlife close to the Chernobyl plant, with some articles reporting significant effects at very low dose rates (below natural background dose rate levels in, for example, the United Kingdom). The lack of agreement highlights the need for further research to establish whether current radiological protection criteria for wildlife are adequate (and to determine if there are any implications for human radiological protection). Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Calibration of an eye lens dosemeter in terms of Hp(3) to be used in interventional radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, F. L. S.; Guimarães, M. C.; Da Silva, T. A.; Nogueira Tavares, M. S.

2014-11-01

Recently, the International Commission on Radiological Protection has reviewed epidemiological evidences suggesting that there were tissue reaction effects in the eye lens below the previously considered absorbed dose threshold. A new statement related to the eye lens was issued that changed the absorbed dose threshold and reduced the dose limits for occupationally exposed persons. As consequence, some planned exposures require eye lens dosimetry and a debate was raised on the adequacy of the dosimetric quantity and on its method of measurement. The aim of this work was to study the methodology for calibrating the EYE-DTM holder with a TLD-100H Harshaw chip detector and to determine its angular and energy dependences in terms of personal dose equivalent, Hp(3).

North by Northwestern: initial experience with PACS at Northwestern Memorial Hospital

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channin, David S.; Hawkins, Rodney C.; Enzmann, Dieter R.

2000-05-01

This paper describes the initial phases and configuration of the Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) deployed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The primary goals of the project were to improve service to patients, improve service to referring physicians, and improve the process of radiology. Secondary goals were to enhance the academic mission, and modernize institutional information systems. The system consists of a large number of heterogeneous imaging modalities sending imaging studies via DICOM to a GE medical Systems PathSpeed PACS. The radiology department workflow is briefly described. The system is currently storing approximately 140,000 studies and over 5 million images, growing by approximately 600 studies and 25,000 images per day. Data reflecting use of the short term and long term storage is provided.

Cumulative radiation dose caused by radiologic studies in critically ill trauma patients.

PubMed

Kim, Patrick K; Gracias, Vicente H; Maidment, Andrew D A; O'Shea, Michael; Reilly, Patrick M; Schwab, C William

2004-09-01

Critically ill trauma patients undergo many radiologic studies, but the cumulative radiation dose is unknown. The purpose of this study was to estimate the cumulative effective dose (CED) of radiation resulting from radiologic studies in critically ill trauma patients. The study group was composed of trauma patients at an urban Level I trauma center with surgical intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) greater than 30 days. The radiology records were reviewed. A typical effective dose per study for each type of plain film radiograph, computed tomographic scan, fluoroscopic study, and nuclear medicine study was used to calculate CED. Forty-six patients met criteria. The mean surgical intensive care unit and hospital LOS were 42.7 +/- 14.0 and 59.5 +/- 28.5 days, respectively. The mean Injury Severity Score was 32.2 +/- 15.0. The mean number of studies per patient was 70.1 +/- 29.0 plain film radiographs, 7.8 +/- 4.1 computed tomographic scans, 2.5 +/- 2.6 fluoroscopic studies, and 0.065 +/- 0.33 nuclear medicine study. The mean CED was 106 +/- 59 mSv per patient (range, 11-289 mSv; median, 104 mSv). Among age, mechanism, Injury Severity Score, and LOS, there was no statistically significant predictor of high CED. The mean CED in the study group was 30 times higher than the average yearly radiation dose from all sources for individuals in the United States. The theoretical additional morbidity attributable to radiologic studies was 0.78%. From a radiobiologic perspective, risk-to-benefit ratios of radiologic studies are favorable, given the importance of medical information obtained. Current practice patterns regarding use of radiologic studies appear to be acceptable.

A critical review of the readability of online patient education resources from RadiologyInfo.Org.

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; John, Ann; John, Elizabeth; Agarwal, Nitin; Gonzales, Sharon F; Baker, Stephen R

2014-03-01

Health consumers and their families rely on the Internet as a source of authoritative information regarding the procedures used to reach a diagnosis, effect treatment, and influence prognosis. In radiology, online materials can be a means by which to offer patients comprehensible explanations of the capabilities, the risks and rewards, and the techniques under our purview. Consequently, estimations of health literacy should take into account the reading level of the average American when composing and transmitting such information to the lay public without the mediation of a referring physician. In December 2012, patient education reports from the files of RadiologyInfo.org, a jointly sponsored website of the American College of Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America, were downloaded to assess their textual sophistication. All 138 patient education articles including the glossary were analyzed for their respective level of "readability" using the following 10 evaluative scales: Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Grading, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall scale, FORCAST, Fry graph, Raygor Readability Estimate, and New Fog Count. The 138 online patient education articles were written, on average, between the 10th and 14th grade levels, which exceeds both the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health recommendations that patient education resources be comprehensible to those who read no higher than the seventh grade level. Patients may accrue a greater benefit from written articles available on RadiologyInfo.org if the texts were revised to be in compliance with the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association grade level recommendations. This could lead to a broadened appreciation of the capabilities of radiology's role in general and enhanced understanding of imaging techniques and their application to clinical practice.

Update on the diagnostic radiologist shortage.

PubMed

Sunshine, Jonathan H; Maynard, C Douglas; Paros, Joan; Forman, Howard P

2004-02-01

The purpose of this study is to present the latest information available on the shortage of diagnostic radiologists. Four sources of information are available, and we present their data: first, the number of jobs for diagnostic radiologists advertised in Radiology and the American Journal of Roentgenology; second, vacancies in academic radiology departments as of July 1, 2003, ascertained by a survey of these departments; third, the ratio of job listings to job seekers at a major professional placement service, the Professional Bureau of the American College of Radiology (ACR); and fourth, diagnostic radiologists' self-reported workload burden, from the ACR's 2003 Survey of Diagnostic Radiologists. Jobs advertised in September-November 2003 (latest data available) were 28% fewer than in the same months of 2002. Vacancies per department averaged 3.9 in 2003, compared with 5.4 in 2001 and 5.1 in 2002. Listings per seeker were 1.4 in 2002 (latest data available) compared with 3.0 or more in 1999 and 2000. Responses to a question directly tying changes in workload to changes in income indicated that reported desires for workload reduction and workload increase were approximately equal. All four information sources have important limitations, but all indicate that the shortage has considerably eased. We plan to study the causes of this easing and continue to monitor the situation.

Semi-Automatic Terminology Generation for Information Extraction from German Chest X-Ray Reports.

PubMed

Krebs, Jonathan; Corovic, Hamo; Dietrich, Georg; Ertl, Max; Fette, Georg; Kaspar, Mathias; Krug, Markus; Stoerk, Stefan; Puppe, Frank

2017-01-01

Extraction of structured data from textual reports is an important subtask for building medical data warehouses for research and care. Many medical and most radiology reports are written in a telegraphic style with a concatenation of noun phrases describing the presence or absence of findings. Therefore a lexico-syntactical approach is promising, where key terms and their relations are recognized and mapped on a predefined standard terminology (ontology). We propose a two-phase algorithm for terminology matching: In the first pass, a local terminology for recognition is derived as close as possible to the terms used in the radiology reports. In the second pass, the local terminology is mapped to a standard terminology. In this paper, we report on an algorithm for the first step of semi-automatic generation of the local terminology and evaluate the algorithm with radiology reports of chest X-ray examinations from Würzburg university hospital. With an effort of about 20 hours work of a radiologist as domain expert and 10 hours for meetings, a local terminology with about 250 attributes and various value patterns was built. In an evaluation with 100 randomly chosen reports it achieved an F1-Score of about 95% for information extraction.

Hanford radiological protection support services annual report for 1994

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

Lyon, M.; Bihl, D.E.; Fix, J.J.

1995-06-01

Various Hanford Site radiation protection services provided by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory for the US Department of Energy Richland Operations Office and Hanford contractors are described in this annual report for the calendar year 1994. These activities include external dosimetry measurements and evaluations, internal dosimetry measurements and evaluations, in vivo measurements, radiological record keeping, radiation source calibration, and instrument calibration and evaluation. For each of these activities, the routine program and any program changes or enhancements are described, as well as associated tasks, investigations, and studies. Program- related publications, presentations, and other staff professional activities are also described.

Hanford radiological protection support services. Annual report for 1995

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

Lyon, M.; Bihl, D.E.; Carbaugh, E.H.

1996-05-01

Various Hanford Site radiation protection services provided by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office and Hanford contractors are described in this annual report for calendar year 1995. These activities include external dosimetry measurements and evaluations, internal dosimetry measurements and evaluations, in vivo measurements, radiological record keeping, radiation source calibration, and instrument calibration and evaluation. For each of these activities, the routine program and any program changes or enhancements are described, as well as associated tasks, investigations, and studies. Program-related publications, presentations, and other staff professional activities are also described.

Nuclear Forensics and Attribution: A National Laboratory Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Howard L.

2008-04-01

Current capabilities in technical nuclear forensics - the extraction of information from nuclear and/or radiological materials to support the attribution of a nuclear incident to material sources, transit routes, and ultimately perpetrator identity - derive largely from three sources: nuclear weapons testing and surveillance programs of the Cold War, advances in analytical chemistry and materials characterization techniques, and abilities to perform ``conventional'' forensics (e.g., fingerprints) on radiologically contaminated items. Leveraging that scientific infrastructure has provided a baseline capability to the nation, but we are only beginning to explore the scientific challenges that stand between today's capabilities and tomorrow's requirements. These scientific challenges include radically rethinking radioanalytical chemistry approaches, developing rapidly deployable sampling and analysis systems for field applications, and improving analytical instrumentation. Coupled with the ability to measure a signature faster or more exquisitely, we must also develop the ability to interpret those signatures for meaning. This requires understanding of the physics and chemistry of nuclear materials processes well beyond our current level - especially since we are unlikely to ever have direct access to all potential sources of nuclear threat materials.

A robust hypothesis test for the sensitive detection of constant speed radiation moving sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumazert, Jonathan; Coulon, Romain; Kondrasovs, Vladimir; Boudergui, Karim; Moline, Yoann; Sannié, Guillaume; Gameiro, Jordan; Normand, Stéphane; Méchin, Laurence

2015-09-01

Radiation Portal Monitors are deployed in linear networks to detect radiological material in motion. As a complement to single and multichannel detection algorithms, inefficient under too low signal-to-noise ratios, temporal correlation algorithms have been introduced. Test hypothesis methods based on empirically estimated mean and variance of the signals delivered by the different channels have shown significant gain in terms of a tradeoff between detection sensitivity and false alarm probability. This paper discloses the concept of a new hypothesis test for temporal correlation detection methods, taking advantage of the Poisson nature of the registered counting signals, and establishes a benchmark between this test and its empirical counterpart. The simulation study validates that in the four relevant configurations of a pedestrian source carrier under respectively high and low count rate radioactive backgrounds, and a vehicle source carrier under the same respectively high and low count rate radioactive backgrounds, the newly introduced hypothesis test ensures a significantly improved compromise between sensitivity and false alarm. It also guarantees that the optimal coverage factor for this compromise remains stable regardless of signal-to-noise ratio variations between 2 and 0.8, therefore allowing the final user to parametrize the test with the sole prior knowledge of background amplitude.

Updating Dosimetry for Emergency Response Dose Projections.

PubMed

DeCair, Sara

2016-02-01

In 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed an update to the 1992 Protective Action Guides (PAG) Manual. The PAG Manual provides guidance to state and local officials planning for radiological emergencies. EPA requested public comment on the proposed revisions, while making them available for interim use by officials faced with an emergency situation. Developed with interagency partners, EPA's proposal incorporates newer dosimetric methods, identifies tools and guidelines developed since the current document was issued, and extends the scope of the PAGs to all significant radiological incidents, including radiological dispersal devices or improvised nuclear devices. In order to best serve the emergency management community, scientific policy direction had to be set on how to use International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 60 age groups in dose assessment when implementing emergency guidelines. Certain guidelines that lend themselves to different PAGs for different subpopulations are the PAGs for potassium iodide (KI), food, and water. These guidelines provide age-specific recommendations because of the radiosensitivity of the thyroid and young children with respect to ingestion and inhalation doses in particular. Taking protective actions like using KI, avoiding certain foods or using alternative sources of drinking water can be relatively simple to implement by the parents of young children. Clear public messages can convey which age groups should take which action, unlike how an evacuation or relocation order should apply to entire households or neighborhoods. New in the PAG Manual is planning guidance for the late phase of an incident, after the situation is stabilized and efforts turn toward recovery. Because the late phase can take years to complete, decision makers are faced with managing public exposures in areas not fully remediated. The proposal includes quick-reference operational guidelines to inform re-entry to the contaminated zone. Broad guidance on approaches to wide-area cleanup and cleanup goals is also provided. EPA adapted the cleanup process from the 2008 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Planning Guidance for Protection and Recovery Following Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) and Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) Incidents, and the final PAG Manual will supersede that DHS guidance. Waste management guidance is also provided. Recognizing that an incident could result in radioactive waste volumes that severely strain or exceed available resources and capacity, officials may consider alternatives for disposal of waste that is relatively lightly contaminated. Waste management, including treatment, staging, and interim and long-term storage, must be an integral part of recovery.

Radiological Source Localisation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-01

activity. This algorithm was able to provide reasonable source estimates based on real data collected using the Low Cost Advanced Airborne...courses in Australia, Europe and the US. He is lecturing a post-graduate subject at Adelaide University (subject ”Multi-Sensor Data Fusion ”). He served on...technical committees of several international conferences, and is the Chair of the Fourth Australian Data Fusion Sym- posium (IDC-07). Dr Ristic won

Patient Evaluation and Preparation in Vascular and Interventional Radiology: What Every Interventional Radiologist Should Know (Part 2: Patient Preparation and Medications)

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

Taslakian, Bedros, E-mail: btaslakian@gmail.com; Sebaaly, Mikhael Georges, E-mail: ms246@aub.edu.lb; Al-Kutoubi, Aghiad, E-mail: mk00@aub.edu.lb

2016-04-15

Performing an interventional procedure imposes a commitment on interventional radiologists to conduct the initial patient assessment, determine the best course of therapy, and provide long-term care. Patient care before and after an interventional procedure, identification, and management of early and delayed complications of various procedures are equal in importance to the procedure itself. In this second part, we complete the comprehensive, methodical review of pre-procedural care and patient preparation before vascular and interventional radiology procedures.

Patient Evaluation and Preparation in Vascular and Interventional Radiology: What Every Interventional Radiologist Should Know (Part 2: Patient Preparation and Medications).

PubMed

Taslakian, Bedros; Sebaaly, Mikhael Georges; Al-Kutoubi, Aghiad

2016-04-01

Performing an interventional procedure imposes a commitment on interventional radiologists to conduct the initial patient assessment, determine the best course of therapy, and provide long-term care. Patient care before and after an interventional procedure, identification, and management of early and delayed complications of various procedures are equal in importance to the procedure itself. In this second part, we complete the comprehensive, methodical review of pre-procedural care and patient preparation before vascular and interventional radiology procedures.

High-Throughput Classification of Radiographs Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks.

PubMed

Rajkomar, Alvin; Lingam, Sneha; Taylor, Andrew G; Blum, Michael; Mongan, John

2017-02-01

The study aimed to determine if computer vision techniques rooted in deep learning can use a small set of radiographs to perform clinically relevant image classification with high fidelity. One thousand eight hundred eighty-five chest radiographs on 909 patients obtained between January 2013 and July 2015 at our institution were retrieved and anonymized. The source images were manually annotated as frontal or lateral and randomly divided into training, validation, and test sets. Training and validation sets were augmented to over 150,000 images using standard image manipulations. We then pre-trained a series of deep convolutional networks based on the open-source GoogLeNet with various transformations of the open-source ImageNet (non-radiology) images. These trained networks were then fine-tuned using the original and augmented radiology images. The model with highest validation accuracy was applied to our institutional test set and a publicly available set. Accuracy was assessed by using the Youden Index to set a binary cutoff for frontal or lateral classification. This retrospective study was IRB approved prior to initiation. A network pre-trained on 1.2 million greyscale ImageNet images and fine-tuned on augmented radiographs was chosen. The binary classification method correctly classified 100 % (95 % CI 99.73-100 %) of both our test set and the publicly available images. Classification was rapid, at 38 images per second. A deep convolutional neural network created using non-radiological images, and an augmented set of radiographs is effective in highly accurate classification of chest radiograph view type and is a feasible, rapid method for high-throughput annotation.

Short-term emergency response planning and risk assessment via an integrated modeling system for nuclear power plants in complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ni-Bin; Weng, Yu-Chi

2013-03-01

Short-term predictions of potential impacts from accidental release of various radionuclides at nuclear power plants are acutely needed, especially after the Fukushima accident in Japan. An integrated modeling system that provides expert services to assess the consequences of accidental or intentional releases of radioactive materials to the atmosphere has received wide attention. These scenarios can be initiated either by accident due to human, software, or mechanical failures, or from intentional acts such as sabotage and radiological dispersal devices. Stringent action might be required just minutes after the occurrence of accidental or intentional release. To fulfill the basic functions of emergency preparedness and response systems, previous studies seldom consider the suitability of air pollutant dispersion models or the connectivity between source term, dispersion, and exposure assessment models in a holistic context for decision support. Therefore, the Gaussian plume and puff models, which are only suitable for illustrating neutral air pollutants in flat terrain conditional to limited meteorological situations, are frequently used to predict the impact from accidental release of industrial sources. In situations with complex terrain or special meteorological conditions, the proposing emergency response actions might be questionable and even intractable to decisionmakers responsible for maintaining public health and environmental quality. This study is a preliminary effort to integrate the source term, dispersion, and exposure assessment models into a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) to tackle the complex issues for short-term emergency response planning and risk assessment at nuclear power plants. Through a series model screening procedures, we found that the diagnostic (objective) wind field model with the aid of sufficient on-site meteorological monitoring data was the most applicable model to promptly address the trend of local wind field patterns. However, most of the hazardous materials being released into the environment from nuclear power plants are not neutral pollutants, so the particle and multi-segment puff models can be regarded as the most suitable models to incorporate into the output of the diagnostic wind field model in a modern emergency preparedness and response system. The proposed SDSS illustrates the state-of-the-art system design based on the situation of complex terrain in South Taiwan. This system design of SDSS with 3-dimensional animation capability using a tailored source term model in connection with ArcView® Geographical Information System map layers and remote sensing images is useful for meeting the design goal of nuclear power plants located in complex terrain.

RadiologyInfo: Glossary of Terms

MedlinePlus

... through which it passes. In radiation or medical physics, the number of disintegrations per second of a ... products. Asbestos inhalation can cause a variety of health problems (e.g., asbestosis, pleural effusion , mesothelioma or ...

Practice Hospital Bed Safety

MedlinePlus

... Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). "They are used not only in hospitals, but ... long-term care facilities, and in private homes." CDRH reports that about 2.5 million hospital beds ...

48 CFR 204.470-3 - Contract clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Safeguarding Classified Information Within Industry 204... Protocol, in solicitations and contracts for research and development or major defense acquisition programs...) Other radiological source materials; or (c) Technologies directly related to nuclear power production...

48 CFR 204.470-3 - Contract clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Safeguarding Classified Information Within Industry 204... Protocol, in solicitations and contracts for research and development or major defense acquisition programs...) Other radiological source materials; or (c) Technologies directly related to nuclear power production...

48 CFR 204.470-3 - Contract clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Safeguarding Classified Information Within Industry 204... Protocol, in solicitations and contracts for research and development or major defense acquisition programs...) Other radiological source materials; or (c) Technologies directly related to nuclear power production...

48 CFR 204.470-3 - Contract clause.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS Safeguarding Classified Information Within Industry 204... Protocol, in solicitations and contracts for research and development or major defense acquisition programs...) Other radiological source materials; or (c) Technologies directly related to nuclear power production...

The sharing of radiological images by professional mixed martial arts fighters on social media.

PubMed

Rahmani, George; Joyce, Cormac W; McCarthy, Peter

2017-06-01

Mixed martial arts is a sport that has recently enjoyed a significant increase in popularity. This rise in popularity has catapulted many of these "cage fighters" into stardom and many regularly use social media to reach out to their fans. An interesting result of this interaction on social media is that athletes are sharing images of their radiological examinations when they sustain an injury. To review instances where mixed martial arts fighters shared images of their radiological examinations on social media and in what context they were shared. An Internet search was performed using the Google search engine. Search terms included "MMA," "mixed martial arts," "injury," "scan," "X-ray," "fracture," and "break." Articles which discussed injuries to MMA fighters were examined and those in which the fighter themselves shared a radiological image of their injury on social media were identified. During our search, we identified 20 MMA fighters that had shared radiological images of their injuries on social media. There were 15 different types of injury, with a fracture of the mid-shaft of the ulna being the most common. The most popular social media platform was Twitter. The most common imaging modality X-ray (71%). The majority of injuries were sustained during competition (81%) and 35% of these fights resulted in a win for the fighter. Professional mixed martial artists are sharing radiological images of their injuries on social media. This may be in an attempt to connect with fans and raise their profile among other fighters.

Semantic information extracting system for classification of radiological reports in radiology information system (RIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Liehang; Ling, Tonghui; Zhang, Jianguo

2016-03-01

Radiologists currently use a variety of terminologies and standards in most hospitals in China, and even there are multiple terminologies being used for different sections in one department. In this presentation, we introduce a medical semantic comprehension system (MedSCS) to extract semantic information about clinical findings and conclusion from free text radiology reports so that the reports can be classified correctly based on medical terms indexing standards such as Radlex or SONMED-CT. Our system (MedSCS) is based on both rule-based methods and statistics-based methods which improve the performance and the scalability of MedSCS. In order to evaluate the over all of the system and measure the accuracy of the outcomes, we developed computation methods to calculate the parameters of precision rate, recall rate, F-score and exact confidence interval.

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Structured Reporting Web Tool for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

PubMed Central

Karim, Sulafa; Fegeler, Christian; Boeckler, Dittmar; H Schwartz, Lawrence; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich

2013-01-01

Background The majority of radiological reports are lacking a standard structure. Even within a specialized area of radiology, each report has its individual structure with regards to details and order, often containing too much of non-relevant information the referring physician is not interested in. For gathering relevant clinical key parameters in an efficient way or to support long-term therapy monitoring, structured reporting might be advantageous. Objective Despite of new technologies in medical information systems, medical reporting is still not dynamic. To improve the quality of communication in radiology reports, a new structured reporting system was developed for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), intended to enhance professional communication by providing the pertinent clinical information in a predefined standard. Methods Actual state analysis was performed within the departments of radiology and vascular surgery by developing a Technology Acceptance Model. The SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis focused on optimization of the radiology reporting of patients with AAA. Definition of clinical parameters was achieved by interviewing experienced clinicians in radiology and vascular surgery. For evaluation, a focus group (4 radiologists) looked at the reports of 16 patients. The usability and reliability of the method was validated in a real-world test environment in the field of radiology. Results A Web-based application for radiological “structured reporting” (SR) was successfully standardized for AAA. Its organization comprises three main categories: characteristics of pathology and adjacent anatomy, measurements, and additional findings. Using different graphical widgets (eg, drop-down menus) in each category facilitate predefined data entries. Measurement parameters shown in a diagram can be defined for clinical monitoring and be adducted for quick adjudications. Figures for optional use to guide and standardize the reporting are embedded. Analysis of variance shows decreased average time required with SR to obtain a radiological report compared to free-text reporting (P=.0001). Questionnaire responses confirm a high acceptance rate by the user. Conclusions The new SR system may support efficient radiological reporting for initial diagnosis and follow-up for AAA. Perceived advantages of our SR platform are ease of use, which may lead to more accurate decision support. The new system is open to communicate not only with clinical partners but also with Radiology Information and Hospital Information Systems. PMID:23956062

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a structured reporting web tool for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

PubMed

Karim, Sulafa; Fegeler, Christian; Boeckler, Dittmar; H Schwartz, Lawrence; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; von Tengg-Kobligk, Hendrik

2013-08-16

The majority of radiological reports are lacking a standard structure. Even within a specialized area of radiology, each report has its individual structure with regards to details and order, often containing too much of non-relevant information the referring physician is not interested in. For gathering relevant clinical key parameters in an efficient way or to support long-term therapy monitoring, structured reporting might be advantageous. Despite of new technologies in medical information systems, medical reporting is still not dynamic. To improve the quality of communication in radiology reports, a new structured reporting system was developed for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), intended to enhance professional communication by providing the pertinent clinical information in a predefined standard. Actual state analysis was performed within the departments of radiology and vascular surgery by developing a Technology Acceptance Model. The SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis focused on optimization of the radiology reporting of patients with AAA. Definition of clinical parameters was achieved by interviewing experienced clinicians in radiology and vascular surgery. For evaluation, a focus group (4 radiologists) looked at the reports of 16 patients. The usability and reliability of the method was validated in a real-world test environment in the field of radiology. A Web-based application for radiological "structured reporting" (SR) was successfully standardized for AAA. Its organization comprises three main categories: characteristics of pathology and adjacent anatomy, measurements, and additional findings. Using different graphical widgets (eg, drop-down menus) in each category facilitate predefined data entries. Measurement parameters shown in a diagram can be defined for clinical monitoring and be adducted for quick adjudications. Figures for optional use to guide and standardize the reporting are embedded. Analysis of variance shows decreased average time required with SR to obtain a radiological report compared to free-text reporting (P=.0001). Questionnaire responses confirm a high acceptance rate by the user. The new SR system may support efficient radiological reporting for initial diagnosis and follow-up for AAA. Perceived advantages of our SR platform are ease of use, which may lead to more accurate decision support. The new system is open to communicate not only with clinical partners but also with Radiology Information and Hospital Information Systems.

Gamma-Ray imaging for nuclear security and safety: Towards 3-D gamma-ray vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetter, Kai; Barnowksi, Ross; Haefner, Andrew; Joshi, Tenzing H. Y.; Pavlovsky, Ryan; Quiter, Brian J.

2018-01-01

The development of portable gamma-ray imaging instruments in combination with the recent advances in sensor and related computer vision technologies enable unprecedented capabilities in the detection, localization, and mapping of radiological and nuclear materials in complex environments relevant for nuclear security and safety. Though multi-modal imaging has been established in medicine and biomedical imaging for some time, the potential of multi-modal data fusion for radiological localization and mapping problems in complex indoor and outdoor environments remains to be explored in detail. In contrast to the well-defined settings in medical or biological imaging associated with small field-of-view and well-constrained extension of the radiation field, in many radiological search and mapping scenarios, the radiation fields are not constrained and objects and sources are not necessarily known prior to the measurement. The ability to fuse radiological with contextual or scene data in three dimensions, in analog to radiological and functional imaging with anatomical fusion in medicine, provides new capabilities enhancing image clarity, context, quantitative estimates, and visualization of the data products. We have developed new means to register and fuse gamma-ray imaging with contextual data from portable or moving platforms. These developments enhance detection and mapping capabilities as well as provide unprecedented visualization of complex radiation fields, moving us one step closer to the realization of gamma-ray vision in three dimensions.

Modes of information delivery in radiologic anatomy education: Impact on student performance.

PubMed

Ketelsen, Dominik; Schrödl, Falk; Knickenberg, Inés; Heckemann, Rolf A; Hothorn, Torsten; Neuhuber, Winfried; Bautz, Werner A L; Grunewald, Markus

2007-01-01

This study provides a systematic assessment of different methods of delivering radiologic teaching content (lecture, printed text, and digital content delivery) under standard conditions, enabling comparison of the effectiveness of these methods. A printed atlas of sectional anatomy was used as a standard. Digital content was developed on the basis of the printed atlas. Lecturers used both the printed and the digital content to prepare lectures. Standardized teaching material thus created was presented to second-term undergraduate students who had attended the school's anatomy course, but had not received any radiology teaching. Multiple choice examinations were used to assess the students' ability to recognize anatomical structures in known as well as unknown images. In a survey, the students' subjective experience of the learning process was assessed. No difference was seen between the groups regarding examination results. Students preferred a combination of digital media and lectures by enthusiastic teachers. The shortage of teachers requires a compromise concerning the delivery of radiologic anatomy content in a medical school setting. Based on our results, we recommend a combined approach of lecture and digital content delivery.

Atmospheric transport of radioactive debris to Norway in case of a hypothetical accident related to the recovery of the Russian submarine K-27.

PubMed

Bartnicki, Jerzy; Amundsen, Ingar; Brown, Justin; Hosseini, Ali; Hov, Øystein; Haakenstad, Hilde; Klein, Heiko; Lind, Ole Christian; Salbu, Brit; Szacinski Wendel, Cato C; Ytre-Eide, Martin Album

2016-01-01

The Russian nuclear submarine K-27 suffered a loss of coolant accident in 1968 and with nuclear fuel in both reactors it was scuttled in 1981 in the outer part of Stepovogo Bay located on the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya. The inventory of spent nuclear fuel on board the submarine is of concern because it represents a potential source of radioactive contamination of the Kara Sea and a criticality accident with potential for long-range atmospheric transport of radioactive particles cannot be ruled out. To address these concerns and to provide a better basis for evaluating possible radiological impacts of potential releases in case a salvage operation is initiated, we assessed the atmospheric transport of radionuclides and deposition in Norway from a hypothetical criticality accident on board the K-27. To achieve this, a long term (33 years) meteorological database has been prepared and used for selection of the worst case meteorological scenarios for each of three selected locations of the potential accident. Next, the dispersion model SNAP was run with the source term for the worst-case accident scenario and selected meteorological scenarios. The results showed predictions to be very sensitive to the estimation of the source term for the worst-case accident and especially to the sizes and densities of released radioactive particles. The results indicated that a large area of Norway could be affected, but that the deposition in Northern Norway would be considerably higher than in other areas of the country. The simulations showed that deposition from the worst-case scenario of a hypothetical K-27 accident would be at least two orders of magnitude lower than the deposition observed in Norway following the Chernobyl accident. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Potential radiological impact of tornadoes on the safety of Nuclear Fuel Services' West Valley Fuel Reprocessing Plant. 2. Reentrainment and discharge of radioactive materials

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

Davis, W Jr

1981-07-01

This report describes results of a parametric study of quantities of radioactive materials that might be discharged by a tornado-generated depressurization on contaminated process cells within the presently inoperative Nuclear Fuel Services' (NFS) fuel reprocessing facility near West Valley, New York. The study involved the following tasks: determining approximate quantities of radioactive materials in the cells and characterizing particle-size distribution; estimating the degree of mass reentrainment from particle-size distribution and from air speed data presented in Part 1; and estimating the quantities of radioactive material (source term) released from the cells to the atmosphere. The study has shown that improperlymore » sealed manipulator ports in the Process Mechanical Cell (PMC) present the most likely pathway for release of substantial quantities of radioactive material in the atmosphere under tornado accident conditions at the facility.« less

Modeling Urban Scenarios & Experiments: Fort Indiantown Gap Data Collections Summary and Analysis

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

Archer, Daniel E.; Bandstra, Mark S.; Davidson, Gregory G.

This report summarizes experimental radiation detector, contextual sensor, weather, and global positioning system (GPS) data collected to inform and validate a comprehensive, operational radiation transport modeling framework to evaluate radiation detector system and algorithm performance. This framework will be used to study the influence of systematic effects (such as geometry, background activity, background variability, environmental shielding, etc.) on detector responses and algorithm performance using synthetic time series data. This work consists of performing data collection campaigns at a canonical, controlled environment for complete radiological characterization to help construct and benchmark a high-fidelity model with quantified system geometries, detector response functions,more » and source terms for background and threat objects. This data also provides an archival, benchmark dataset that can be used by the radiation detection community. The data reported here spans four data collection campaigns conducted between May 2015 and September 2016.« less

Choice of the specialty of diagnostic radiology by results of the competitive examination to assign residency positions from 2006 to 2015.

PubMed

Murias Quintana, E; Sánchez Lasheras, F; Fernández-Somoano, A; Romeo Ladrero, J M; Costilla García, S M; Cadenas Rodríguez, M; Baladrón Romero, J B

To analyze the profile of residency candidates choosing the specialty of diagnostic radiology in function of variables related to the positions available in different years. We compiled the data published on the Spanish Ministry of Health's website during the acts celebrated to allow residency candidates to choose positions based on the results of the competitive examinations held from 2006 to 2015, comparing the specialty of diagnostic radiology with the other specialties available in terms of positions available, net questions, sex, nationality, and order of choice of the position. The specialty of diagnostic radiology occupied the 16 th position in the ranking of specialties according to the median number of order in the choice for each of the positions offered in the years studied. The first diagnostic radiology residency position was usually assigned after 75 candidates had chosen other specialties, and the last position was usually assigned after 3700 to 4100 candidates had chosen their positions. During the period studied, of those who chose diagnostic radiology 58% were women and 76% were Spanish nationality. Candidates preferred hospitals in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, and the hospital chosen with the lowest median position (highest score on the competitive examination) was the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Diagnostic radiology is chosen by candidates with good positioning in the ranking according to official examination results, is less likely than other specialties to be chosen by women, and is chosen mostly by Spanish physicians. Candidates prefer large hospitals in provincial capitals. Copyright © 2017 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Quantitative analysis of the level of readability of online emergency radiology-based patient education resources.

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; D'Angelo, Michael; White, Michael D; Prabhu, Arpan V; Cox, Mougnyan; Agarwal, Nitin; Deshmukh, Sandeep

2018-04-01

The vast amount of information found on the internet, combined with its accessibility, makes it a widely utilized resource for Americans to find information pertaining to medical information. The field of radiology is no exception. In this paper, we assess the readability level of websites pertaining specifically to emergency radiology. Using Google, 23 terms were searched, and the top 10 results were recorded. Each link was evaluated for its readability level using a set of ten reputable readability scales. The search terms included the following: abdominal ultrasound, abdominal aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, appendicitis, cord compression, CT abdomen, cholecystitis, CT chest, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, epidural hematoma, dural venous thrombosis, head CT, MRI brain, MR angiography, MRI spine, ovarian torsion, pancreatitis, pelvic ultrasound, pneumoperitoneum, pulmonary embolism, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematoma. Any content that was not written for patients was excluded. The 230 articles that were assessed were written, on average, at a 12.1 grade level. Only 2 of the 230 articles (1%) were written at the third to seventh grade recommended reading level set forth by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Medical Association (AMA). Fifty-two percent of the 230 articles were written so as to require a minimum of a high school education (at least a 12th grade level). Additionally, 17 of the 230 articles (7.3%) were written at a level that exceeded an undergraduate education (at least a 16th grade level). The majority of websites with emergency radiology-related patient education materials are not adhering to the NIH and AMA's recommended reading levels, and it is likely that the average reader is not benefiting fully from these information outlets. With the link between health literacy and poor health outcomes, it is important to address the online content in this area of radiology, allowing for patient to more fully benefit from their online searches.

Long term follow-up of bifurcation aneurysms treated with braided stent assisted coiling and complex T- and Y- stent constructs.

PubMed

Cheung, Nicholas K; Chiu, Albert Hy; Cheung, Andrew; Wenderoth, Jason D

2018-06-01

Stent assisted coil embolization (SACE) of bifurcation aneurysms is challenging. Heterogeneous results have been achieved to date, but largely for laser cut stents. While braided stents offer multiple technical advantages, their long term efficacy has yet to be validated. To report the first long term 18 month results for the durability of bifurcation aneurysms treated with braided stents. Over a 4 year period, 59 consecutive patients with 60 bifurcation aneurysms underwent elective braided SACE across three Australian neurovascular centers. 17 of these aneurysms underwent T- or Y-shaped stent constructs. All patients had immediate, 6 month and 18 month clinical and radiological follow-up. Radiological assessment was made on modified Raymond-Roy occlusion scores while clinical assessment was based on the modified Rankin Scale. Subgroup analysis of 17 aneurysms treated with multi-stent constructs was conducted. 6 month follow-up data were available for 59 aneurysms and 18 month follow-up data for 58 aneurysms. Satisfactory aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 97% at inception and at 6 months, and 98% at 18 months. Good neurological outcomes were achieved in 95% at 18 months. Similar satisfactory results were achieved with the multi-stent construct cohort. Intraprocedural thromboembolic events were recorded in 5% and delayed events in 2%. Technical complications were found in 5%. All complication rate was 13%. Braided SACE was safe, efficacious, and durable at the long term 18 month follow-up, including for multi-stent constructs. Preliminary results indicate favorable clinical and radiological outcomes compared with laser cut stents. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES DEMONSTRATION FOR ALTERNATIVES TO RADIOLOGICAL SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air awarded a contract to demonstrate that non-nuclear measurement using optical and magnetic technology can replace radioactive devices used to measure the thickness and density of various paper, film, and plastic sheets.

Changing concepts in long-term central venous access: catheter selection and cost savings.

PubMed

Horattas, M C; Trupiano, J; Hopkins, S; Pasini, D; Martino, C; Murty, A

2001-02-01

Long-term central venous access is becoming an increasingly important component of health care today. Long-term central venous access is important therapeutically for a multitude of reasons, including the administration of chemotherapy, antibiotics, and total parenteral nutrition. Central venous access can be established in a variety of ways varying from catheters inserted at the bedside to surgically placed ports. Furthermore, in an effort to control costs, many traditionally inpatient therapies have moved to an outpatient setting. This raises many questions regarding catheter selection. Which catheter will result in the best outcome at the least cost? It has become apparent in our hospital that traditionally placed surgical catheters (ie, Hickmans and central venous ports) may no longer be the only options. The objective of this study was to explore the various modalities for establishing central venous access comparing indications, costs, and complications to guide the clinician in choosing the appropriate catheter with the best outcome at the least cost. We evaluated our institution's central venous catheter use during a 3-year period from 1995 through 1997. Data was obtained retrospectively through chart review. In addition to demographic data, specific information regarding catheter type, placement technique, indications, complications, and catheter history were recorded. Cost data were obtained from several departments including surgery, radiology, nursing, anesthesia, pharmacy, and the hospital purchasing department. During a 30-month period, 684 attempted central venous catheter insertions were identified, including 126 surgically placed central venous catheters, 264 peripherally inserted central catheters by the nursing service, and 294 radiologically inserted peripheral ports. Overall complications were rare but tended to be more severe in the surgical group. Relative cost differences between the groups were significant. Charges for peripherally inserted central catheters were $401 per procedure, compared with $3870 for radiologically placed peripheral ports and $3532 to $4296 for surgically placed catheters. Traditional surgically placed central catheters are increasingly being replaced by peripherally inserted central venous access devices. Significant cost savings and fewer severe complications can be realized by preferential use of peripherally inserted central catheters when clinically indicated. Cost savings may not be as significant when comparing radiologically placed versus surgically placed catheters. However, significant cost savings and fewer severe complications are associated with peripheral central venous access versus the surgical or radiologic approach.

Schubert Review 2017 2-page summary of AmBe project

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

Schmidt, A.

2017-04-04

Accelerator-based neutron sources to replace Americium Beryllium (AmBe) radiological sources used for oil well logging are needed for safety and security purposes. DT neutron generators have successfully been used in the past for some measurements, but are less sensitive to rock porosity than the AmBe spectrum is. Additionally, the well-logging industry has decades of data calibrated to the AmBe neutron spectrum. Ideally, if this industry were required to use an accelerator source, they would like a similar neutron spectrum to the AmBe source, with a yield of at least 1×10 7 n/s.

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

Sublet, J.-Ch., E-mail: jean-christophe.sublet@ukaea.uk; Eastwood, J.W.; Morgan, J.G.

Fispact-II is a code system and library database for modelling activation-transmutation processes, depletion-burn-up, time dependent inventory and radiation damage source terms caused by nuclear reactions and decays. The Fispact-II code, written in object-style Fortran, follows the evolution of material irradiated by neutrons, alphas, gammas, protons, or deuterons, and provides a wide range of derived radiological output quantities to satisfy most needs for nuclear applications. It can be used with any ENDF-compliant group library data for nuclear reactions, particle-induced and spontaneous fission yields, and radioactive decay (including but not limited to TENDL-2015, ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.2, JENDL-4.0u, CENDL-3.1 processed into fine-group-structure files, GEFY-5.2more » and UKDD-16), as well as resolved and unresolved resonance range probability tables for self-shielding corrections and updated radiological hazard indices. The code has many novel features including: extension of the energy range up to 1 GeV; additional neutron physics including self-shielding effects, temperature dependence, thin and thick target yields; pathway analysis; and sensitivity and uncertainty quantification and propagation using full covariance data. The latest ENDF libraries such as TENDL encompass thousands of target isotopes. Nuclear data libraries for Fispact-II are prepared from these using processing codes PREPRO, NJOY and CALENDF. These data include resonance parameters, cross sections with covariances, probability tables in the resonance ranges, PKA spectra, kerma, dpa, gas and radionuclide production and energy-dependent fission yields, supplemented with all 27 decay types. All such data for the five most important incident particles are provided in evaluated data tables. The Fispact-II simulation software is described in detail in this paper, together with the nuclear data libraries. The Fispact-II system also includes several utility programs for code-use optimisation, visualisation and production of secondary radiological quantities. Included in the paper are summaries of results from the suite of verification and validation reports available with the code.« less

FISPACT-II: An Advanced Simulation System for Activation, Transmutation and Material Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sublet, J.-Ch.; Eastwood, J. W.; Morgan, J. G.; Gilbert, M. R.; Fleming, M.; Arter, W.

2017-01-01

Fispact-II is a code system and library database for modelling activation-transmutation processes, depletion-burn-up, time dependent inventory and radiation damage source terms caused by nuclear reactions and decays. The Fispact-II code, written in object-style Fortran, follows the evolution of material irradiated by neutrons, alphas, gammas, protons, or deuterons, and provides a wide range of derived radiological output quantities to satisfy most needs for nuclear applications. It can be used with any ENDF-compliant group library data for nuclear reactions, particle-induced and spontaneous fission yields, and radioactive decay (including but not limited to TENDL-2015, ENDF/B-VII.1, JEFF-3.2, JENDL-4.0u, CENDL-3.1 processed into fine-group-structure files, GEFY-5.2 and UKDD-16), as well as resolved and unresolved resonance range probability tables for self-shielding corrections and updated radiological hazard indices. The code has many novel features including: extension of the energy range up to 1 GeV; additional neutron physics including self-shielding effects, temperature dependence, thin and thick target yields; pathway analysis; and sensitivity and uncertainty quantification and propagation using full covariance data. The latest ENDF libraries such as TENDL encompass thousands of target isotopes. Nuclear data libraries for Fispact-II are prepared from these using processing codes PREPRO, NJOY and CALENDF. These data include resonance parameters, cross sections with covariances, probability tables in the resonance ranges, PKA spectra, kerma, dpa, gas and radionuclide production and energy-dependent fission yields, supplemented with all 27 decay types. All such data for the five most important incident particles are provided in evaluated data tables. The Fispact-II simulation software is described in detail in this paper, together with the nuclear data libraries. The Fispact-II system also includes several utility programs for code-use optimisation, visualisation and production of secondary radiological quantities. Included in the paper are summaries of results from the suite of verification and validation reports available with the code.

Increased Cancer Mortality Risk for NASA's ISS Astronauts: The Contribution of Diagnostic Radiological Examinations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodge, C.W.; Picco, C. E.; Gonzalez, S. M.; Johnston, S. L.; Van Baalen, M.; Shavers, M.R.

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the radiation exposures and risks associated with long-term spaceflight on the International Space Station. NASA's risk model of cancer mortality is also presented.

Radon Levels Measured at a Touristic Thermal Spa Resort in Montagu (South Africa) and Associated Effective Doses.

PubMed

Botha, R; Newman, R T; Maleka, P P

2016-09-01

Radon activity concentrations (in water and in air) were measured at 13 selected locations at the Avalon Springs thermal spa resort in Montagu (Western Cape, South Africa) to estimate the associated effective dose received by employees and visitors. A RAD-7 detector (DURRIDGE), based on alpha spectrometry, and electret detectors (E-PERM®Radelec) were used for these radon measurements. The primary source of radon was natural thermal waters from the hot spring, which were pumped to various locations on the resort, and consequently a range of radon in-water analyses were performed. Radon in-water activity concentration as a function of time (short term and long term measurements) and spatial distributions (different bathing pools, etc.) were studied. The mean radon in-water activity concentrations were found to be 205 ± 6 Bq L (source), 112 ± 5 Bq L (outdoor pool) and 79 ± 4 Bq L (indoor pool). Radon in-air activity concentrations were found to range between 33 ± 4 Bq m (at the outside bar) to 523 ± 26 Bq m (building enclosing the hot spring's source). The most significant potential radiation exposure identified is that due to inhalation of air rich in radon and its progeny by the resort employees. The annual occupational effective dose due to the inhalation of radon progeny ranges from 0.16 ± 0.01 mSv to 0.40 ± 0.02 mSv. For the water samples collected, the Ra in-water activity concentrations from samples collected were below the lower detection limit (~0.7 Bq L) of the γ-ray detector system used. No significant radiological health risk can be associated with radon and progeny from the hot spring at the Avalon Springs resort.

Multimodal visualization interface for data management, self-learning and data presentation.

PubMed

Van Sint Jan, S; Demondion, X; Clapworthy, G; Louryan, S; Rooze, M; Cotten, A; Viceconti, M

2006-10-01

A multimodal visualization software, called the Data Manager (DM), has been developed to increase interdisciplinary communication around the topic of visualization and modeling of various aspects of the human anatomy. Numerous tools used in Radiology are integrated in the interface that runs on standard personal computers. The available tools, combined to hierarchical data management and custom layouts, allow analyzing of medical imaging data using advanced features outside radiological premises (for example, for patient review, conference presentation or tutorial preparation). The system is free, and based on an open-source software development architecture, and therefore updates of the system for custom applications are possible.

Nuclear and radiological Security: Introduction.

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

Miller, James Christopher

Nuclear security includes the prevention and detection of, and response to, theft, sabotage, unauthorized access, illegal transfer, or other malicious acts involving nuclear or other radioactive substances or their associated facilities. The presentation begins by discussing the concept and its importance, then moves on to consider threats--insider threat, sabotage, diversion of materials--with considerable emphasis on the former. The intrusion at Pelindaba, South Africa, is described as a case study. The distinction between nuclear security and security of radiological and portable sources is clarified, and the international legal framework is touched upon. The paper concludes by discussing the responsibilities of themore » various entities involved in nuclear security.« less

Radiological protection in North American naturally occurring radioactive material industries.

PubMed

Chambers, D B

2015-06-01

All soils and rocks contain naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). Many ores and raw materials contain relatively high levels of natural radionuclides, and processing such materials can further increase the concentrations of natural radionuclides, sometimes referred to as 'technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material' (TENORM). Examples of NORM minerals include uranium ores, monazite (a source of rare earth minerals), and phosphate rock used to produce phosphate fertiliser. Such activities have the potential to result in above background radiation exposure to workers and the public. The objective of this paper is to review the sources and exposure from NORM in North American industries, and provide a perspective on the potential radiological hazards to workers and the environment. Proper consideration of NORM issues is important and needs to be integrated in the assessment of these projects. Concerns over radioactivity and radiation amongst non-governmental organisations and the local public have resulted in the cancellation of NORM mining and mineral extraction projects, as well as inhibition of the safe use of by-product materials from various NORM industries. This paper also briefly comments on the current regulatory framework for NORM (TENORM) in Canada and the USA, as well as the potential implications of the recent activities of the International Commission on Radiological Protection for NORM industries. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Arthroscopically assisted reduction of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation using a single double-button device: Medium-term clinical and radiological outcomes.

PubMed

Issa, S-P; Payan, C; Le Hanneur, M; Loriaut, P; Boyer, P

2018-02-01

Double-button devices for endoscopic management of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation (ACJD) provide satisfactory short-term functional and radiological results. However, little exists in the literature regarding the long- and medium-term results of these implants, especially regarding the evolution of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ). Satisfactory and steady long- and medium-term outcomes can be achieved in patients with acute ACJD undergoing endoscopically assisted ACJ repair using a single double-button device. A retrospective single-center study was conducted in patients with acute Rockwood III and IV ACJD treated endoscopically with a single double-button device from October 2008 to October 2010, allowing a minimum 5-year follow-up. Functional evaluation used Constant and Quick-DASH scores. Clinical evidence of dislocation recurrence was combined with bilateral Zanca views to assess coracoclavicular distance. Acromioclavicular osteoarthritis was evaluated on the Paxinos test and Zanca views. Nineteen of the 25 operated patients were seen at a mean 76.9±8.5 months' follow-up. Mean age was 34.4±8.3 years. Mean Constant and Quick-DASH scores were 96.2±5.1 and 0.9±1.6 points, respectively. Four patients had a recurrence of their initial dislocation, 3 of whom had positive Paxinos test, whereas the 15 patients without recurrence had a negative test (p=0.004). Five patients had radiological evidence of ACJ osteoarthritis: all 4 patients with recurrence and 1 without (p=0.001). Long- and medium-term radioclinical outcome of endoscopically assisted management of acute ACJD using a single double-button device seems to be satisfactory and steady over time. Recurrence of the initial dislocation appears to be related to onset of degenerative ACJ arthropathy. Therapeutic type IV-Retrospective case series. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 40 - Criteria Relating to the Operation of Uranium Mills and the Disposition of Tailings or Wastes...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... itself. (6) The design requirements in this criterion for longevity and control of radon releases apply... radiological and nonradiological hazards associated with the sites, which is equivalent to, to the extent... “reasonably achievable” as equivalent terms. Decisions involved these terms will take into account the state...

Cover design for radioactive and AMD-producing mine waste in the Ronneburg area, eastern Thuringia.

PubMed

Gatzweiler, R; Jahn, S; Neubert, G; Paul, M

2001-01-01

At the former uranium mining site of Ronneburg, large scale underground and open pit mining for nearly 40 years resulted in a production of about 113,000 tonnes of uranium and about 200 million cubic metres of mine waste. In their present state, these materials cause risks to human health and strong environmental impacts and therefore demand remedial action. The remediation options available are relocation of mine spoil into the open pit and on site remediation by landscaping/contouring, placement of a cover and revegetation. A suitable vegetated cover system combined with a surface water drainage system provides long-term stability against erosion and reduces acid generation thereby meeting the main remediation objectives which are long-term reduction of radiological exposure and contaminant emissions and recultivation. The design of the cover system includes the evaluation of geotechnical, radiological, hydrological, geochemical and ecological criteria and models. The optimized overall model for the cover system has to comply with general conditions as, e.g. economic efficiency, public acceptance and sustainability. Most critical elements for the long-term performance of the cover system designed for the Beerwalde dump are the barrier system and its long-term integrity and a largely self-sustainable vegetation.

The recommendations of ICRP Publication 111 in the light of the ICRP dialogue initiative in Fukushima.

PubMed

Lochard, J

2016-12-01

Publication 111, published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in 2009, provided the first recommendations for dealing with the long-term recovery phase after a nuclear accident. Its focus is on the protection of people living in long-term contaminated areas after a nuclear accident, drawing on the experience of the Belarus population, Cumbrian sheep farmers in the UK, and Sami reindeer herders in Norway affected by the fallout from Chernobyl. The ICRP dialogue initiative in Fukushima confirmed what had been identified after Chernobyl, namely the very strong concern for health, particularly that of children, loss of control over everyday life, apprehension about the future, disintegration of family life and of the social and economic fabric, and the threat to the autonomy and dignity of affected people. Through their testimonies and reflections, the participants of the 12 dialogue meetings shed light on this complex situation. The ICRP dialogue initiative also confirmed that the wellbeing of the affected people is at stake, and radiological protection must focus on rehabilitation of their living conditions. The challenge is to incorporate the important clarifications resulting from the ICRP dialogue initiative into the updated version of Publication 111 that is currently in development. This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Features and limitations of mobile tablet devices for viewing radiological images.

PubMed

Grunert, J H

2015-03-01

Mobile radiological image display systems are becoming increasingly common, necessitating a comparison of the features of these systems, specifically the operating system employed, connection to stationary PACS, data security and rang of image display and image analysis functions. In the fall of 2013, a total of 17 PACS suppliers were surveyed regarding the technical features of 18 mobile radiological image display systems using a standardized questionnaire. The study also examined to what extent the technical specifications of the mobile image display systems satisfy the provisions of the Germany Medical Devices Act as well as the provisions of the German X-ray ordinance (RöV). There are clear differences in terms of how the mobile systems connected to the stationary PACS. Web-based solutions allow the mobile image display systems to function independently of their operating systems. The examined systems differed very little in terms of image display and image analysis functions. Mobile image display systems complement stationary PACS and can be used to view images. The impacts of the new quality assurance guidelines (QS-RL) as well as the upcoming new standard DIN 6868 - 157 on the acceptance testing of mobile image display units for the purpose of image evaluation are discussed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Controversy in urinary tract infection management in children: a review of new data and subsequent changes in guidelines.

PubMed

Kari, Jameela Abdulaziz; Tullus, Kjell

2013-12-01

Controversy and lack of consensus have been encountered in the management of pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI), including its diagnosis, radiological investigations and the use of antibiotic therapy. In this review, we discuss the need for radiological investigations and the extent of their use as well as the need for prophylactic antibiotics in children with UTI and vesicoureteral reflux. Only a small proportion of children with first UTI and no history of antenatal renal abnormalities have clinically important malformations. Renal ultrasound should be performed in febrile infants and young children with UTI; a micturating cystourethrogram should not be performed routinely after the first febrile UTI. Long-term antibiotics appear to reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic UTI in susceptible children, although the clinical benefit is marginal. Current recommendations encourage performing radiological investigations only in children at risk and discourage routine prophylactic antibiotic use.

Analysis of the criteria used by the International Commission on Radiological Protection to justify the setting of numerical protection level values.

PubMed

2006-01-01

This report compiles the various numerical protection level values published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) since its 1990 Recommendations (Publication 60). Several terms are used to denominate the protection levels: individual dose limit, 'maximum' individual dose, dose constraint, exemption level, exclusion level, action level, or intervention level. The reasons provided by the Commission for selecting the associated numerical values is quoted as far as available. In some cases the rationale is not totally explicit in the original ICRP report concerned; in such cases the Task Group that prepared the present report have proposed their own interpretation. Originally, this report was prepared by a Task Group at CEPN, a French research and development center, in behalf of IRSN, a French public expert body engaged in radiological protection and nuclear safety. It is published here with kind permission by CEPN and IRSN.

THE ROLE OF THE CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT HOME TEAM IN THE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI RESPONSE

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

Pemberton, Wendy; Mena, RaJah; Beal, William

The Consequence Management Home Team is a U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration asset. It assists a variety of response organizations with modeling; radiological operations planning; field monitoring techniques; and the analysis, interpretation, and distribution of radiological data. These reach-back capabilities are activated quickly to support public safety and minimize the social and economic impact of a nuclear or radiological incident. In the Fukushima Daiichi response, the Consequence Management Home Team grew to include a more broad range of support than was historically planned. From the early days of the response to the continuing involvement in supporting late phasemore » efforts, each stage of the Consequence Management Home Team support had distinct characteristics in terms of management of incoming data streams as well as creation of products. Regardless of stage, the Consequence Management Home Team played a critical role in the Fukushima Daiichi response effort.« less

Review on heavy ion radiotherapy facilities and related ion sources (invited)a)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, A.; Fujita, T.; Muramatsu, M.; Biri, S.; Drentje, A. G.

2010-02-01

Heavy ion radiotherapy awakens worldwide interest recently. The clinical results obtained by the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Japan have clearly demonstrated the advantages of carbon ion radiotherapy. Presently, there are four facilities for heavy ion radiotherapy in operation, and several new facilities are under construction or being planned. The most common requests for ion sources are a long lifetime and good stability and reproducibility. Sufficient intensity has been achieved by electron cyclotron resonance ion sources at the present facilities.

40 CFR 401.11 - General definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials... the chemical, physical, biological and radiological integrity of water. (h) The term discharge of... restriction established by the Administrator on quantities, rates, and concentrations of chemical, physical...

Moving Forward with Enhancements for Our Customers

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-18

The original document contains color images. 14. ABSTRACT 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18...Materials and Testing Alion Science & Technology CBRNIAC Chemical, Biological Radiological, Nuclear Battelle Memorial CPIAC Chemical Propulsion Johns

Radionuclide field lysimeter experiment (RadFLEx): geochemical and hydrological data for SRS performance assessments

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

Kaplan, D.; Powell, B.; Barber, K.

The SRNL Radiological Field Lysimeter Experiment (RadFLEx) is a one-of-a-kind test bed facility designed to study radionuclide geochemical processes in the Savannah River Site (SRS) vadose zone at a larger spatial scale (from grams to tens of kilograms of sediment) and temporal scale (from months to decade) than is readily afforded through laboratory studies. RadFLEx is a decade-long project that was initiated on July 5, 2012 and is funded by six different sources. The objective of this status report is as follows: 1) to report findings to date that have an impact on SRS performance assessment (PA) calculations, and 2)more » to provide performance metrics of the RadFLEx program. The PA results are focused on measurements of transport parameters, such as distribution coefficients (Kd values), solubility, and unsaturated flow values. As this is an interim report, additional information from subsequent research may influence our interpretation of current results. Research related to basic understanding of radionuclide geochemistry in these vadose zone soils and other source terms are not described here but are referenced for the interested reader.« less

The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises

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

Martha Finck; Bevin Brush; Dick Jansen

2012-03-01

The development of radioactive sample surrogates for training and exercises Source term information is required for to reconstruct a device used in a dispersed radiological dispersal device. Simulating a radioactive environment to train and exercise sampling and sample characterization methods with suitable sample materials is a continued challenge. The Idaho National Laboratory has developed and permitted a Radioactive Response Training Range (RRTR), an 800 acre test range that is approved for open air dispersal of activated KBr, for training first responders in the entry and exit from radioactively contaminated areas, and testing protocols for environmental sampling and field characterization. Membersmore » from the Department of Defense, Law Enforcement, and the Department of Energy participated in the first contamination exercise that was conducted at the RRTR in the July 2011. The range was contaminated using a short lived radioactive Br-82 isotope (activated KBr). Soil samples contaminated with KBr (dispersed as a solution) and glass particles containing activated potassium bromide that emulated dispersed radioactive materials (such as ceramic-based sealed source materials) were collected to assess environmental sampling and characterization techniques. This presentation summarizes the performance of a radioactive materials surrogate for use as a training aide for nuclear forensics.« less

Development and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate infection control in oral radiology.

PubMed

da Costa, Eliana D; Pinelli, Camila; da Silva Tagliaferro, Elaine P; Corrente, José E; Ambrosano, Glaucia M B

2017-04-01

To create and validate a questionnaire to evaluate infection control in oral radiology. The questionnaire was developed after review of the literature, which included published articles and the biosafety protocols available from healthcare agencies. The initial version of the questionnaire was composed of 14 multiple choice questions and was divided into 3 domains on handwashing, disinfection/protection of surfaces and disinfectant used. Content validity was assessed by two expert committees, which reviewed the content and scope of the questionnaire and the relevance of each item, respectively. Reliability was evaluated using test-retest and internal consistency methods with 115 undergraduate dentistry students. Construct validity was assessed using the known-groups technique and factor analysis. The known-groups technique involved 641 undergraduate dentistry students, 20 PhD students and 15 oral radiology professors. In the factor analysis, 3 radiology technicians also participated in addition to the 641 undergraduates, 20 PhD students and 15 oral radiology professors. The content validity results were found to be satisfactory to excellent for the ordinal variables (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.722-1.000) and good to great for the yes/no questions (kappa = 0.662-0.913) in terms of reliability and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88). After a factor analysis, some questions were excluded, and the questions were grouped into new domains. Significant differences were observed between answers from different groups. The final version of the questionnaire was composed of nine domains. The questionnaire created was found to exhibit good psychometric properties for assessing infection control in oral radiology.

New techniques on the horizon: interventional radiology and interventional endoscopy of the urinary tract ('endourology').

PubMed

Berent, Allyson

2014-01-01

Interventional radiology and interventional endoscopy (IR/IE) uses contemporary imaging modalities, such as fluoroscopy and endoscopy, to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in various body parts. The majority of IR/IE procedures currently undertaken in veterinary medicine pertain to the urinary tract, and this subspecialty has been termed 'endourology'. This technology treats diseases of the renal pelvis, ureter(s), bladder and urethra. In human medicine, endourology has overtaken traditional open urologic surgery in the past 20-30 years, and in veterinary medicine similar progress is occurring. This article presents a brief overview of some of the more common IR/IE procedures currently being performed for the treatment of urinary tract disease in veterinary patients. These techniques include percutaneous nephrolithotomy for lithotripsy of problematic nephrolithiasis, mesenchymal stem cell therapy for chronic kidney disease, sclerotherapy for the treatment of idiopathic renal hematuria, various diversion techniques for ureteral obstructions, laser lithotripsy for lower urinary tract stone disease, percutaneous cystolithotomy for removal of bladder stones, hydraulic occluder placement for refractory urinary incontinence, percutaneous cystostomy tube placement for bladder diversion, urethral stenting for benign and malignant urethral obstructions, and antegrade urethral catheterization for treatment of urethral tears. The majority of the data presented in this article is solely the experience of the author, and some of this has only been published and/or presented in abstract form or small case series. For information on traditional surgical approaches to these ailments readers are encouraged to evaluate other sources.

Factors Influencing Radiology Residents' Fellowship Training and Practice Preferences in Canada.

PubMed

Mok, Philip S; Probyn, Linda; Finlay, Karen

2016-05-01

The study aimed to examine the postresidency plans of Canadian radiology residents and factors influencing their fellowship choices and practice preferences, including interest in teaching and research. Institutional ethics approval was obtained at McMaster University. Electronic surveys were sent to second to fifth-year residents at all 16 radiology residency programs across Canada. Each survey assessed factors influencing fellowship choices and practice preferences. A total of 103 (31%) Canadian radiology residents responded to the online survey. Over 89% from English-speaking programs intended to pursue fellowship training compared to 55% of residents from French-speaking programs. The most important factors influencing residents' decision to pursue fellowship training were enhanced employability (46%) and personal interest (47%). Top fellowship choices were musculoskeletal imaging (19%), body imaging (17%), vascular or interventional (14%), neuroradiology (8%), and women's imaging (7%). Respondents received the majority of their fellowship information from peers (68%), staff radiologists (61%), and university websites (58%). Approximately 59% planned on practicing at academic institutions and stated that lifestyle (43%), job prospects (29%), and teaching opportunities (27%) were the most important factors influencing their decisions. A total of 89% were interested in teaching but only 46% were interested in incorporating research into their future practice. The majority of radiology residents plan on pursuing fellowship training and often receive their fellowship information from informal sources such as peers and staff radiologists. Fellowship directors can incorporate recruitment strategies such as mentorship programs and improving program websites. There is a need to increase resident participation in research to advance the future of radiology. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Association of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of RAD-Score: A Tool to Assess the Procedural Competence of Diagnostic Radiology Residents.

PubMed

Isupov, Inga; McInnes, Matthew D F; Hamstra, Stan J; Doherty, Geoffrey; Gupta, Ashish; Peddle, Susan; Jibri, Zaid; Rakhra, Kawan; Hibbert, Rebecca M

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a tool to assess the procedural competence of radiology trainees, with sources of evidence gathered from five categories to support the construct validity of tool: content, response process, internal structure, relations to other variables, and consequences. A pilot form for assessing procedural competence among radiology residents, known as the RAD-Score tool, was developed by evaluating published literature and using a modified Delphi procedure involving a group of local content experts. The pilot version of the tool was tested by seven radiology department faculty members who evaluated procedures performed by 25 residents at one institution between October 2014 and June 2015. Residents were evaluated while performing multiple procedures in both clinical and simulation settings. The main outcome measure was the percentage of residents who were considered ready to perform procedures independently, with testing conducted to determine differences between levels of training. A total of 105 forms (for 52 procedures performed in a clinical setting and 53 procedures performed in a simulation setting) were collected for a variety of procedures (eight vascular or interventional, 42 body, 12 musculoskeletal, 23 chest, and 20 breast procedures). A statistically significant difference was noted in the percentage of trainees who were rated as being ready to perform a procedure independently (in postgraduate year [PGY] 2, 12% of residents; in PGY3, 61%; in PGY4, 85%; and in PGY5, 88%; p < 0.05); this difference persisted in the clinical and simulation settings. User feedback and psychometric analysis were used to create a final version of the form. This prospective study describes the successful development of a tool for assessing the procedural competence of radiology trainees with high levels of construct validity in multiple domains. Implementation of the tool in the radiology residency curriculum is planned and can play an instrumental role in the transition to competency-based radiology training.

Value management program: performance, quantification, and presentation of imaging value-added actions.

PubMed

Patel, Samir

2015-03-01

Health care is in a state of transition, shifting from volume-based success to value-based success. Hospital executives and referring physicians often do not understand the total value a radiology group provides. A template for easy, cost-effective implementation in clinical practice for most radiology groups to demonstrate the value they provide to their clients (patients, physicians, health care executives) has not been well described. A value management program was developed to document all of the value-added activities performed by on-site radiologists, quantify them in terms of time spent on each activity (investment), and present the benefits to internal and external stakeholders (outcomes). The radiology value-added matrix is the platform from which value-added activities are categorized and synthesized into a template for defining investments and outcomes. The value management program was first implemented systemwide in 2013. Across all serviced locations, 9,931.75 hours were invested. An annual executive summary report template demonstrating outcomes is given to clients. The mean and median individual value-added hours per radiologist were 134.52 and 113.33, respectively. If this program were extrapolated to the entire field of radiology, approximately 30,000 radiologists, this would have resulted in 10,641,161 uncompensated value-added hours documented in 2013, with an estimated economic value of $2.21 billion. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Natural Language Processing Technologies in Radiology Research and Clinical Applications.

PubMed

Cai, Tianrun; Giannopoulos, Andreas A; Yu, Sheng; Kelil, Tatiana; Ripley, Beth; Kumamaru, Kanako K; Rybicki, Frank J; Mitsouras, Dimitrios

2016-01-01

The migration of imaging reports to electronic medical record systems holds great potential in terms of advancing radiology research and practice by leveraging the large volume of data continuously being updated, integrated, and shared. However, there are significant challenges as well, largely due to the heterogeneity of how these data are formatted. Indeed, although there is movement toward structured reporting in radiology (ie, hierarchically itemized reporting with use of standardized terminology), the majority of radiology reports remain unstructured and use free-form language. To effectively "mine" these large datasets for hypothesis testing, a robust strategy for extracting the necessary information is needed. Manual extraction of information is a time-consuming and often unmanageable task. "Intelligent" search engines that instead rely on natural language processing (NLP), a computer-based approach to analyzing free-form text or speech, can be used to automate this data mining task. The overall goal of NLP is to translate natural human language into a structured format (ie, a fixed collection of elements), each with a standardized set of choices for its value, that is easily manipulated by computer programs to (among other things) order into subcategories or query for the presence or absence of a finding. The authors review the fundamentals of NLP and describe various techniques that constitute NLP in radiology, along with some key applications. ©RSNA, 2016.

Job satisfaction among radiology assistants: a multicentre cross-sectional study in Italy.

PubMed

Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Gili, Renata; Bert, Fabrizio; Scaioli, Giacomo; Cerutti, Stefano; Gatti, Giovanni; Siliquini, Roberta

2016-01-20

Job satisfaction among physicians is an important occupational health issue since it is related to different factors such as work motivation or career decisions. The aim of this study was to investigate  job satisfaction among radiology assistants for the first time in Italy. In 2012, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of radiology assistants drawn from all Italian regions who submitted an electronic or paper-based self-administered questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using logistic regressions in order to assess the role of socio-demographic variables. Overall, 574 radiology assistants were interviewed. More than half of the subjects were males and  were younger than 40 years old. Around 76% of the sample was not satisfied  as regards salary. Moreover, the majority of the participants (66.1%) was not satisfied  with the professional refresher courses. Compared with males, females were more satisfied in terms of professional enrichment (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.23-2.62) but less satisfied with their relationships with superiors (OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.38-0.85). Since radiology assistants and, in general, healthcare workers assist medical doctors, thus playing a  significant role  in safeguarding patients' health , it would be  desirable to give  due importance to the issue of job satisfaction,  from all points of view.

Natural Language Processing Technologies in Radiology Research and Clinical Applications

PubMed Central

Cai, Tianrun; Giannopoulos, Andreas A.; Yu, Sheng; Kelil, Tatiana; Ripley, Beth; Kumamaru, Kanako K.; Rybicki, Frank J.

2016-01-01

The migration of imaging reports to electronic medical record systems holds great potential in terms of advancing radiology research and practice by leveraging the large volume of data continuously being updated, integrated, and shared. However, there are significant challenges as well, largely due to the heterogeneity of how these data are formatted. Indeed, although there is movement toward structured reporting in radiology (ie, hierarchically itemized reporting with use of standardized terminology), the majority of radiology reports remain unstructured and use free-form language. To effectively “mine” these large datasets for hypothesis testing, a robust strategy for extracting the necessary information is needed. Manual extraction of information is a time-consuming and often unmanageable task. “Intelligent” search engines that instead rely on natural language processing (NLP), a computer-based approach to analyzing free-form text or speech, can be used to automate this data mining task. The overall goal of NLP is to translate natural human language into a structured format (ie, a fixed collection of elements), each with a standardized set of choices for its value, that is easily manipulated by computer programs to (among other things) order into subcategories or query for the presence or absence of a finding. The authors review the fundamentals of NLP and describe various techniques that constitute NLP in radiology, along with some key applications. ©RSNA, 2016 PMID:26761536

Basis for Interim Operation for Fuel Supply Shutdown Facility

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

BENECKE, M.W.

2003-02-03

This document establishes the Basis for Interim Operation (BIO) for the Fuel Supply Shutdown Facility (FSS) as managed by the 300 Area Deactivation Project (300 ADP) organization in accordance with the requirements of the Project Hanford Management Contract procedure (PHMC) HNF-PRO-700, ''Safety Analysis and Technical Safety Requirements''. A hazard classification (Benecke 2003a) has been prepared for the facility in accordance with DOE-STD-1027-92 resulting in the assignment of Hazard Category 3 for FSS Facility buildings that store N Reactor fuel materials (303-B, 3712, and 3716). All others are designated Industrial buildings. It is concluded that the risks associated with the currentmore » and planned operational mode of the FSS Facility (uranium storage, uranium repackaging and shipment, cleanup, and transition activities, etc.) are acceptable. The potential radiological dose and toxicological consequences for a range of credible uranium storage building have been analyzed using Hanford accepted methods. Risk Class designations are summarized for representative events in Table 1.6-1. Mitigation was not considered for any event except the random fire event that exceeds predicted consequences based on existing source and combustible loading because of an inadvertent increase in combustible loading. For that event, a housekeeping program to manage transient combustibles is credited to reduce the probability. An additional administrative control is established to protect assumptions regarding source term by limiting inventories of fuel and combustible materials. Another is established to maintain the criticality safety program. Additional defense-in-depth controls are established to perform fire protection system testing, inspection, and maintenance to ensure predicted availability of those systems, and to maintain the radiological control program. It is also concluded that because an accidental nuclear criticality is not credible based on the low uranium enrichment, the form of the uranium, and the required controls, a Criticality Alarm System (CAS) is not required as allowed by DOE Order 420.1 (DOE 2000).« less

Indicators and Indices of Conflict and Security: A Review and Classification of Open-Source Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

Supporting Institution / PI Department of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen, Norway PI: Dr. Jan Oskar Engene Institution Type...incidents that involve the intentional and premeditated use of chemical , biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) materials. Format Access is

Discovering Peripheral Arterial Disease Cases from Radiology Notes Using Natural Language Processing

PubMed Central

Savova, Guergana K.; Fan, Jin; Ye, Zi; Murphy, Sean P.; Zheng, Jiaping; Chute, Christopher G.; Kullo, Iftikhar J.

2010-01-01

As part of the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics Network, we applied, extended and evaluated an open source clinical Natural Language Processing system, Mayo’s Clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System, for the discovery of peripheral arterial disease cases from radiology reports. The manually created gold standard consisted of 223 positive, 19 negative, 63 probable and 150 unknown cases. Overall accuracy agreement between the system and the gold standard was 0.93 as compared to a named entity recognition baseline of 0.46. Sensitivity for the positive, probable and unknown cases was 0.93–0.96, and for the negative cases was 0.72. Specificity and negative predictive value for all categories were in the 90’s. The positive predictive value for the positive and unknown categories was in the high 90’s, for the negative category was 0.84, and for the probable category was 0.63. We outline the main sources of errors and suggest improvements. PMID:21347073

Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Performance of an Estonian Speech Recognition System for Radiology: Effects of Different Acoustic and Language Models.

PubMed

Paats, A; Alumäe, T; Meister, E; Fridolin, I

2018-04-30

The aim of this study was to analyze retrospectively the influence of different acoustic and language models in order to determine the most important effects to the clinical performance of an Estonian language-based non-commercial radiology-oriented automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. An ASR system was developed for Estonian language in radiology domain by utilizing open-source software components (Kaldi toolkit, Thrax). The ASR system was trained with the real radiology text reports and dictations collected during development phases. The final version of the ASR system was tested by 11 radiologists who dictated 219 reports in total, in spontaneous manner in a real clinical environment. The audio files collected in the final phase were used to measure the performance of different versions of the ASR system retrospectively. ASR system versions were evaluated by word error rate (WER) for each speaker and modality and by WER difference for the first and the last version of the ASR system. Total average WER for the final version throughout all material was improved from 18.4% of the first version (v1) to 5.8% of the last (v8) version which corresponds to relative improvement of 68.5%. WER improvement was strongly related to modality and radiologist. In summary, the performance of the final ASR system version was close to optimal, delivering similar results to all modalities and being independent on user, the complexity of the radiology reports, user experience, and speech characteristics.

The Japanese tsunami and resulting nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi power facility: technical, radiologic, and response perspectives.

PubMed

Dauer, Lawrence T; Zanzonico, Pat; Tuttle, R Michael; Quinn, Dennis M; Strauss, H William

2011-09-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility, in the Futaba District of the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, was severely damaged by the earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck off the northern coast of the island of Honshu on March 11, 2011. The resulting structural damage to the plant disabled the reactor's cooling systems and led to significant, ongoing environmental releases of radioactivity, triggering a mandatory evacuation of a large area surrounding the plant. The status of the facility continues to change, and permanent control of its radioactive inventory has not yet been achieved. The purpose of this educational article is to summarize the short-term chronology, radiologic consequences, emergency responses, and long-term challenges associated with this event. Although there is ongoing debate on preparedness before the event and the candor of responsible entities in recognizing and disclosing its severity, it largely appears that appropriate key actions were taken by the Japanese authorities during the event that should mitigate any radiologic health impact. These actions include an organized evacuation of over 200,000 inhabitants from the vicinity of the site and areas early in the emergency; monitoring of food and water and placement of radiation limits on such foodstuffs; distribution of stable potassium iodide; and systematic scanning of evacuees. However, the risk of additional fuel damage and of further, perhaps substantial, releases persists. The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility remains fluid, and the long-term environmental and health impact will likely take years to fully delineate.

Short-term outcomes of arthroscopic TightRope® fixation are better than hook plate fixation in acute unstable acromioclavicular joint dislocations.

PubMed

Bin Abd Razak, Hamid Rahmatullah; Yeo, Eng-Meng Nicholas; Yeo, William; Lie, Tijauw-Tjoen Denny

2018-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes of arthroscopic TightRope ® fixation with that of hook plate fixation in patients with acute unstable acromioclavicular joint dislocations. We conducted a prospective case-control study of twenty-six patients with an acute ACJ dislocation who underwent surgical repair with either an arthroscopic TightRope ® fixation or a hook plate from 2013 to 2016. Clinical and radiological data were collected prospectively. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Constant Score, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Score, Oxford Shoulder Score as well as the visual analogue scale. Radiological outcomes were assessed with the coracoclavicular distance (CCD). Sixteen patients underwent arthroscopic TightRope ® fixation, while 10 patients underwent hook plate fixation. There were no significant differences in the preoperative variables except for the mean UCLA 4b infraspinatus score (TightRope ® 2.8 vs. hook plate 3.8; p = 0.030). Duration of surgery was significantly longer in the TightRope ® group. At 1 year post-operatively, the TightRope ® group had a significantly better Constant Score and CCD with no complications. All patients with hook plate fixation had to undergo a second procedure for removal of implant, and 3 patients had complications. Arthroscopic TightRope ® fixation is a good option for the treatment of acute unstable ACJ dislocations. It has better short-term clinical and radiological outcomes as well as lesser complications when compared to hook plate fixation. Therapeutic, Level III.

A GPU Simulation Tool for Training and Optimisation in 2D Digital X-Ray Imaging.

PubMed

Gallio, Elena; Rampado, Osvaldo; Gianaria, Elena; Bianchi, Silvio Diego; Ropolo, Roberto

2015-01-01

Conventional radiology is performed by means of digital detectors, with various types of technology and different performance in terms of efficiency and image quality. Following the arrival of a new digital detector in a radiology department, all the staff involved should adapt the procedure parameters to the properties of the detector, in order to achieve an optimal result in terms of correct diagnostic information and minimum radiation risks for the patient. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a software capable of simulating a digital X-ray imaging system, using graphics processing unit computing. All radiological image components were implemented in this application: an X-ray tube with primary beam, a virtual patient, noise, scatter radiation, a grid and a digital detector. Three different digital detectors (two digital radiography and a computed radiography systems) were implemented. In order to validate the software, we carried out a quantitative comparison of geometrical and anthropomorphic phantom simulated images with those acquired. In terms of average pixel values, the maximum differences were below 15%, while the noise values were in agreement with a maximum difference of 20%. The relative trends of contrast to noise ratio versus beam energy and intensity were well simulated. Total calculation times were below 3 seconds for clinical images with pixel size of actual dimensions less than 0.2 mm. The application proved to be efficient and realistic. Short calculation times and the accuracy of the results obtained make this software a useful tool for training operators and dose optimisation studies.

Accuracy of the Interpretation of Chest Radiographs for the Diagnosis of Paediatric Pneumonia

PubMed Central

Elemraid, Mohamed A.; Muller, Michelle; Spencer, David A.; Rushton, Stephen P.; Gorton, Russell; Thomas, Matthew F.; Eastham, Katherine M.; Hampton, Fiona; Gennery, Andrew R.; Clark, Julia E.

2014-01-01

Introduction World Health Organization (WHO) radiological classification remains an important entry criterion in epidemiological studies of pneumonia in children. We report inter-observer variability in the interpretation of 169 chest radiographs in children suspected of having pneumonia. Methods An 18-month prospective aetiological study of pneumonia was undertaken in Northern England. Chest radiographs were performed on eligible children aged ≤16 years with clinical features of pneumonia. The initial radiology report was compared with a subsequent assessment by a consultant cardiothoracic radiologist. Chest radiographic changes were categorised according to the WHO classification. Results There was significant disagreement (22%) between the first and second reports (kappa = 0.70, P<0.001), notably in those aged <5 years (26%, kappa = 0.66, P<0.001). The most frequent sources of disagreement were the reporting of patchy and perihilar changes. Conclusion This substantial inter-observer variability highlights the need for experts from different countries to create a consensus to review the radiological definition of pneumonia in children. PMID:25148361

Clinical Utility of Quantitative Imaging

PubMed Central

Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Mendiratta-Lala, Mishal; Bartholmai, Brian J.; Ganeshan, Dhakshinamoorthy; Abramson, Richard G.; Burton, Kirsteen R.; Yu, John-Paul J.; Scalzetti, Ernest M.; Yankeelov, Thomas E.; Subramaniam, Rathan M.; Lenchik, Leon

2014-01-01

Quantitative imaging (QI) is increasingly applied in modern radiology practice, assisting in the clinical assessment of many patients and providing a source of biomarkers for a spectrum of diseases. QI is commonly used to inform patient diagnosis or prognosis, determine the choice of therapy, or monitor therapy response. Because most radiologists will likely implement some QI tools to meet the patient care needs of their referring clinicians, it is important for all radiologists to become familiar with the strengths and limitations of QI. The Association of University Radiologists Radiology Research Alliance Quantitative Imaging Task Force has explored the clinical application of QI and summarizes its work in this review. We provide an overview of the clinical use of QI by discussing QI tools that are currently employed in clinical practice, clinical applications of these tools, approaches to reporting of QI, and challenges to implementing QI. It is hoped that these insights will help radiologists recognize the tangible benefits of QI to their patients, their referring clinicians, and their own radiology practice. PMID:25442800

Interpreting and Reporting Radiological Water-Quality Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCurdy, David E.; Garbarino, John R.; Mullin, Ann H.

2008-01-01

This document provides information to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science Centers on interpreting and reporting radiological results for samples of environmental matrices, most notably water. The information provided is intended to be broadly useful throughout the United States, but it is recommended that scientists who work at sites containing radioactive hazardous wastes need to consult additional sources for more detailed information. The document is largely based on recognized national standards and guidance documents for radioanalytical sample processing, most notably the Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual (MARLAP), and on documents published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American National Standards Institute. It does not include discussion of standard USGS practices including field quality-control sample analysis, interpretive report policies, and related issues, all of which shall always be included in any effort by the Water Science Centers. The use of 'shall' in this report signifies a policy requirement of the USGS Office of Water Quality.

CHALLENGES IN SETTING UP QUALITY CONTROL IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY FACILITIES IN NIGERIA.

PubMed

Inyang, S O; Egbe, N O; Ekpo, E

2015-01-01

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) was established to regulate and control the use of radioactive and radiation emitting sources in Nigeria. Quality control (QC) on diagnostic radiology equipment form part of the fundamental requirements for the authorization of diagnostic radiology facilities in the Country. Some quality control tests (output, exposure linearity and reproducibility) were measured on the x-ray machines in the facilities that took part in the study. Questionnaire was developed to evaluate the frequencies at which QC tests were conducted in the facilities and the challenges in setting up QC. Results show great variation in the values of the QC parameters measured. Inadequate cooperation by facilities management, lack of QC equipment and insufficient staff form the major challenges in setting up QC in the facilities under study. The responses on the frequencies at which QC tests should be conducted did not correspond to the recommended standards; indicating that personnel were not familiar with QC implementation and may require further training on QC.

Nearest Neighbor Averaging and its Effect on the Critical Level and Minimum Detectable Concentration for Scanning Radiological Survey Instruments that Perform Facility Release Surveys.

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

Fournier, Sean Donovan; Beall, Patrick S; Miller, Mark L

2014-08-01

Through the SNL New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) program, several Sandia engineers worked with the Environmental Restoration Group (ERG) Inc. to verify and validate a novel algorithm used to determine the scanning Critical Level (L c ) and Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC) (or Minimum Detectable Areal Activity) for the 102F scanning system. Through the use of Monte Carlo statistical simulations the algorithm mathematically demonstrates accuracy in determining the L c and MDC when a nearest-neighbor averaging (NNA) technique was used. To empirically validate this approach, SNL prepared several spiked sources and ran a test with the ERG 102F instrumentmore » on a bare concrete floor known to have no radiological contamination other than background naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). The tests conclude that the NNA technique increases the sensitivity (decreases the L c and MDC) for high-density data maps that are obtained by scanning radiological survey instruments.« less

The development of a learning management system for dental radiology education: A technical report.

PubMed

Chang, Hee-Jin; Symkhampha, Khanthaly; Huh, Kyung-Hoe; Yi, Won-Jin; Heo, Min-Suk; Lee, Sam-Sun; Choi, Soon-Chul

2017-03-01

This study was conducted to suggest the development of a learning management system for dental radiology education using the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle). Moodle is a well-known and verified open-source software-learning management system (OSS-LMS). The Moodle software was installed on a server computer and customized for dental radiology education. The system was implemented for teaching undergraduate students to diagnose dental caries in panoramic images. Questions were chosen that could assess students' diagnosis ability. Students were given several questions corre-sponding to each of 100 panoramic images. The installation and customization of Moodle was feasible, cost-effective, and time-saving. By having students answer questions repeatedly, it was possible to train them to examine panoramic images sequentially and thoroughly. Based on its educational efficiency and efficacy, the adaptation of an OSS-LMS in dental school may be highly recommended. The system could be extended to continuing education for dentists. Further studies on the objective evaluation of knowledge acquisition and retention are needed.

Assessment of a press-fit proximal femoral modular reconstruction implant (PFMR®) at 14.5 years. A 48-case series with a disturbing rate of implant fracture.

PubMed

Dumoulin, Q; Sabau, S; Goetzmann, T; Jacquot, A; Sirveaux, F; Mole, D; Roche, O

2018-05-01

The PFMR ® proximal femoral modular reconstruction implant (Protek, Sulzer Orthopedics, Switzerland) is a straight modular stem in sanded titanium with press-fit anchorage, intended to achieve spontaneous bone reconstruction following Wagner's principle. The aim of the present study was to analyze long-term clinical and radiological outcome. A single-center retrospective study included 48 PFMR stems implanted in 47 patients between 1998 and 2002. Results in this series were previously reported at 7 years' follow-up. Clinical assessment used PMA and Harris scores. Radiologic assessment focused on stem stability and osseointegration, and bone stock following Le Béguec. Twenty-three patients were seen at a mean 14.5 years' follow-up (13 deceased, 11 lost to follow-up), including 1 with bilateral implants, i.e., 24 stems. PMA and Harris scores, stem stability and osseointegration and bone stock were stable with respect to the 7-year findings. Radiology found 7 stem fractures in the Morse taper, i.e., in 29% of implants. Two of these cases required femoral implant replacement; 5 were asymptomatic. Long-term outcome for PFMR stems was clinically and radiologically satisfactory for the 16 patients free of mechanical complications. The Morse taper fracture rate was high, and higher than reported elsewhere. The usual risk factors for implant fracture were not found in the present series. The modular design of the press-fit revision implant is its weak point; monoblock implants should be used in patients with good life-expectancy. IV (retrospective study). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The long-term clinical and radiological outcomes in patients who suffer recurrent injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament after reconstruction.

PubMed

Ahmed, I; Salmon, L; Roe, J; Pinczewski, L

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical and radiological outcome of patients who suffer recurrent injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after reconstruction and require revision surgery. From a consecutive series of 200 patients who underwent primary reconstruction following rupture of the ACL, we identified 36 who sustained a further rupture, 29 of whom underwent revision surgery. Patients were reviewed prospectively at one, two, seven, 15 and about 20 years after their original surgery. Primary outcome measures were the number of further ruptures, the posterior tibial slope (PTS), and functional and radiological outcomes. These were compared with a gender and age matched cohort of patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction only. At a mean follow-up of 18.3 years (14.3 to 20.2), 29 patients had undergone revision surgery and within this revision group 11 had sustained more than three ruptures of the ACL (3 to 6). The mean age at the time of revision reconstruction was 26.4 years (14 to 54). The mean PTS was significantly higher in those patients who suffered a further injury to the ACL (11°) compared with the control group (9°) (p < 0.001). The mean PTS in those patients who sustained more than three ruptures was 12°. Patients who suffer recurrent injuries to the ACL after reconstruction have poorer functional and radiological outcomes than those who suffer a single injury. The causes of further injury are likely to be multifactorial but an increased PTS appears to have a significant association with recurrent ACL injuries. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:337-43. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Use of a Machine-learning Method for Predicting Highly Cited Articles Within General Radiology Journals.

PubMed

Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Doshi, Ankur M; Ginocchio, Luke A; Aphinyanaphongs, Yindalon

2016-12-01

This study aimed to assess the performance of a text classification machine-learning model in predicting highly cited articles within the recent radiological literature and to identify the model's most influential article features. We downloaded from PubMed the title, abstract, and medical subject heading terms for 10,065 articles published in 25 general radiology journals in 2012 and 2013. Three machine-learning models were applied to predict the top 10% of included articles in terms of the number of citations to the article in 2014 (reflecting the 2-year time window in conventional impact factor calculations). The model having the highest area under the curve was selected to derive a list of article features (words) predicting high citation volume, which was iteratively reduced to identify the smallest possible core feature list maintaining predictive power. Overall themes were qualitatively assigned to the core features. The regularized logistic regression (Bayesian binary regression) model had highest performance, achieving an area under the curve of 0.814 in predicting articles in the top 10% of citation volume. We reduced the initial 14,083 features to 210 features that maintain predictivity. These features corresponded with topics relating to various imaging techniques (eg, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging, dual-energy computed tomography, computed tomography reconstruction algorithms, tomosynthesis, elastography, and computer-aided diagnosis), particular pathologies (prostate cancer; thyroid nodules; hepatic adenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), and other topics (radiation dose, electroporation, education, general oncology, gadolinium, statistics). Machine learning can be successfully applied to create specific feature-based models for predicting articles likely to achieve high influence within the radiological literature. Copyright © 2016 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forensic 3D Visualization of CT Data Using Cinematic Volume Rendering: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars C; Schweitzer, Wolf; Gascho, Dominic; Ruder, Thomas D; Flach, Patricia M; Thali, Michael J; Ampanozi, Garyfalia

2017-02-01

The 3D volume-rendering technique (VRT) is commonly used in forensic radiology. Its main function is to explain medical findings to state attorneys, judges, or police representatives. New visualization algorithms permit the generation of almost photorealistic volume renderings of CT datasets. The objective of this study is to present and compare a variety of radiologic findings to illustrate the differences between and the advantages and limitations of the current VRT and the physically based cinematic rendering technique (CRT). Seventy volunteers were shown VRT and CRT reconstructions of 10 different cases. They were asked to mark the findings on the images and rate them in terms of realism and understandability. A total of 48 of the 70 questionnaires were returned and included in the analysis. On the basis of most of the findings presented, CRT appears to be equal or superior to VRT with respect to the realism and understandability of the visualized findings. Overall, in terms of realism, the difference between the techniques was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Most participants perceived the CRT findings to be more understandable than the VRT findings, but that difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CRT, which is similar to conventional VRT, is not primarily intended for diagnostic radiologic image analysis, and therefore it should be used primarily as a tool to deliver visual information in the form of radiologic image reports. Using CRT for forensic visualization might have advantages over using VRT if conveying a high degree of visual realism is of importance. Most of the shortcomings of CRT have to do with the software being an early prototype.

Occupational radiation dose to eyes from interventional radiology procedures in light of the new eye lens dose limit from the International Commission on Radiological Protection

PubMed Central

Walsh, C; Gallagher, A; Dowling, A; Guiney, M; Ryan, J M; McEniff, N; O'Reilly, G

2015-01-01

Objective: In 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended a substantial reduction in the equivalent dose limit for the lens of the eye, in line with a reduced threshold of absorbed dose for radiation-induced cataracts. This is of particular relevance in interventional radiology (IR) where it is well established that staff doses can be significant, however, there is a lack of data on IR eye doses in terms of Hp(3). Hp(3) is the personal dose equivalent at a depth of 3 mm in soft tissue and is used for measuring lens dose. We aimed to obtain a reliable estimate of eye dose to IR operators. Methods: Lens doses were measured for four interventional radiologists over a 3-month period using dosemeters specifically designed to measure Hp(3). Results: Based on their typical workloads, two of the four interventional radiologists would exceed the new ICRP dose limit with annual estimated doses of 31 and 45 mSv to their left eye. These results are for an “unprotected” eye, and for IR staff who routinely wear lead glasses, the dose beneath the glasses is likely to be significantly lower. Staff eye dose normalized to patient kerma–area product and eye dose per procedure have been included in the analysis. Conclusion: Eye doses to IR operators have been established using a dedicated Hp(3) dosemeter. Estimated annual doses have the potential to exceed the new ICRP limit. Advances in knowledge: We have estimated lens dose to interventional radiologists in terms of Hp(3) for the first time in an Irish hospital setting. PMID:25761211

Indexing thoracic CT reports using a preliminary version of a standardized radiological lexicon (RadLex).

PubMed

Marwede, Dirk; Schulz, Thomas; Kahn, Thomas

2008-12-01

To validate a preliminary version of a radiological lexicon (RadLex) against terms found in thoracic CT reports and to index report content in RadLex term categories. Terms from a random sample of 200 thoracic CT reports were extracted using a text processor and matched against RadLex. Report content was manually indexed by two radiologists in consensus in term categories of Anatomic Location, Finding, Modifier, Relationship, Image Quality, and Uncertainty. Descriptive statistics were used and differences between age groups and report types were tested for significance using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney Test (significance level <0.05). From 363 terms extracted, 304 (84%) were found and 59 (16%) were not found in RadLex. Report indexing showed a mean of 16.2 encoded items per report and 3.2 Finding per report. Term categories most frequently encoded were Modifier (1,030 of 3,244, 31.8%), Anatomic Location (813, 25.1%), Relationship (702, 21.6%) and Finding (638, 19.7%). Frequency of indexed items per report was higher in older age groups, but no significant difference was found between first study and follow up study reports. Frequency of distinct findings per report increased with patient age (p < 0.05). RadLex already covers most terms present in thoracic CT reports based on a small sample analysis from one institution. Applications for report encoding need to be developed to validate the lexicon against a larger sample of reports and address the issue of automatic relationship encoding.

UWGSP6: a diagnostic radiology workstation of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milton, Stuart W.; Han, Sang; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Kim, Yongmin

1993-06-01

The Univ. of Washington's Image Computing Systems Lab. (ICSL) has been involved in research into the development of a series of PACS workstations since the middle 1980's. The most recent research, a joint UW-IBM project, attempted to create a diagnostic radiology workstation using an IBM RISC System 6000 (RS6000) computer workstation and the X-Window system. While the results are encouraging, there are inherent limitations in the workstation hardware which prevent it from providing an acceptable level of functionality for diagnostic radiology. Realizing the RS6000 workstation's limitations, a parallel effort was initiated to design a workstation, UWGSP6 (Univ. of Washington Graphics System Processor #6), that provides the required functionality. This paper documents the design of UWGSP6, which not only addresses the requirements for a diagnostic radiology workstation in terms of display resolution, response time, etc., but also includes the processing performance necessary to support key functions needed in the implementation of algorithms for computer-aided diagnosis. The paper includes a description of the workstation architecture, and specifically its image processing subsystem. Verification of the design through hardware simulation is then discussed, and finally, performance of selected algorithms based on detailed simulation is provided.

Informatics in radiology: automated Web-based graphical dashboard for radiology operational business intelligence.

PubMed

Nagy, Paul G; Warnock, Max J; Daly, Mark; Toland, Christopher; Meenan, Christopher D; Mezrich, Reuben S

2009-11-01

Radiology departments today are faced with many challenges to improve operational efficiency, performance, and quality. Many organizations rely on antiquated, paper-based methods to review their historical performance and understand their operations. With increased workloads, geographically dispersed image acquisition and reading sites, and rapidly changing technologies, this approach is increasingly untenable. A Web-based dashboard was constructed to automate the extraction, processing, and display of indicators and thereby provide useful and current data for twice-monthly departmental operational meetings. The feasibility of extracting specific metrics from clinical information systems was evaluated as part of a longer-term effort to build a radiology business intelligence architecture. Operational data were extracted from clinical information systems and stored in a centralized data warehouse. Higher-level analytics were performed on the centralized data, a process that generated indicators in a dynamic Web-based graphical environment that proved valuable in discussion and root cause analysis. Results aggregated over a 24-month period since implementation suggest that this operational business intelligence reporting system has provided significant data for driving more effective management decisions to improve productivity, performance, and quality of service in the department.

Adaptively Reevaluated Bayesian Localization (ARBL). A Novel Technique for Radiological Source Localization

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

Miller, Erin A.; Robinson, Sean M.; Anderson, Kevin K.

2015-01-19

Here we present a novel technique for the localization of radiological sources in urban or rural environments from an aerial platform. The technique is based on a Bayesian approach to localization, in which measured count rates in a time series are compared with predicted count rates from a series of pre-calculated test sources to define likelihood. Furthermore, this technique is expanded by using a localized treatment with a limited field of view (FOV), coupled with a likelihood ratio reevaluation, allowing for real-time computation on commodity hardware for arbitrarily complex detector models and terrain. In particular, detectors with inherent asymmetry ofmore » response (such as those employing internal collimation or self-shielding for enhanced directional awareness) are leveraged by this approach to provide improved localization. Our results from the localization technique are shown for simulated flight data using monolithic as well as directionally-aware detector models, and the capability of the methodology to locate radioisotopes is estimated for several test cases. This localization technique is shown to facilitate urban search by allowing quick and adaptive estimates of source location, in many cases from a single flyover near a source. In particular, this method represents a significant advancement from earlier methods like full-field Bayesian likelihood, which is not generally fast enough to allow for broad-field search in real time, and highest-net-counts estimation, which has a localization error that depends strongly on flight path and cannot generally operate without exhaustive search« less

Comparison of radiological and morphologic assessments of myocardial bridges.

PubMed

Ercakmak, Burcu; Bulut, Elif; Hayran, Mutlu; Kaymaz, Figen; Bilgin, Selma; Hazirolan, Tuncay; Bayramoglu, Alp; Erbil, Mine

2015-09-01

In this study we aimed to compare the findings of coronary dual-source computed tomography angiography of myocardial bridges with cadaveric dissections. Forty-one isolated, non-damaged fresh sheep hearts were used in this study. Myocardial bridges of the anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery were demonstrated and analyzed by a coronary dual-source computed tomography angiography. Dissections along the left anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery were performed by using Zeiss OPMI pico microscope and the length of the bridges were measured. The depths of the myocardial bridges were measured from the stained sections by using the light microscope (Leica DM 6000B). MBs were found in all 41 hearts (100%) during dissections. Dual-source computed tomography angiography successfully detected 87.8% (36 of the 41 hearts) of the myocardial bridges measured on left anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery. The lengths of the myocardial bridges were found 5-40 and 8-50 mm with dissection and dual-source computed tomography angiography, respectively. And the depths were found 0.7-4.5 mm by dual-source computed tomography angiography and 0.745-4.632 mm morphologically. Comparison of the mean values of the lengths showed statistically significantly higher values (22.0 ± 8.5, 17.7 ± 7.7 mm, p = 0.003) for the dissections. Radiological assessment also effectively discriminated complete bridges from incomplete ones. Our study showed that coronary computed tomography angiography is reliable in evaluating the presence and depth of myocardial bridges.

Environmental monitoring through use of silica-based TLD.

PubMed

Rozaila, Z Siti; Khandaker, M U; Abdul Sani, S F; Sabtu, Siti Norbaini; Amin, Y M; Maah, M J; Bradley, D A

2017-09-25

The sensitivity of a novel silica-based fibre-form thermoluminescence dosimeter was tested off-site of a rare-earths processing plant, investigating the potential for obtaining baseline measurements of naturally occurring radioactive materials. The dosimeter, a Ge-doped collapsed photonic crystal fibre (PCFc) co-doped with B, was calibrated against commercially available thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) (TLD-200 and TLD-100) using a bremsstrahlung (tube-based) x-ray source. Eight sampling sites within 1 to 20 km of the perimeter of the rare-earth facility were identified, the TLDs (silica- as well as TLD-200 and TLD-100) in each case being buried within the soil at fixed depth, allowing measurements to be obtained, in this case for protracted periods of exposure of between two to eight months. The values of the dose were then compared against values projected on the basis of radioactivity measurements of the associated soils, obtained via high-purity germanium gamma-ray spectrometry. Accord was found in relative terms between the TL evaluations at each site and the associated spectroscopic results. Thus said, in absolute terms, the TL evaluated doses were typically less than those derived from gamma-ray spectroscopy, by ∼50% in the case of PCFc-Ge. Gamma spectrometry analysis typically provided an upper limit to the projected dose, and the Marinelli beaker contents were formed from sieving to provide a homogenous well-packed medium. However, with the radioactivity per unit mass typically greater for smaller particles, with preferential adsorption on the surface and the surface area per unit volume increasing with decrease in radius, this made for an elevated dose estimate. Prevailing concentrations of key naturally occurring radionuclides in soil, 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, were also determined, together with radiological dose evaluation. To date, the area under investigation, although including a rare-earth processing facility, gives no cause for concern from radiological impact. The current study reveals the suitability of the optical fibre based micro-dosimeter for all-weather monitoring of low-level environmental radioactivity.

Open Source: Potential in Latin America for Radiological Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Limos Project,” The NEFA Foundation, http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/Barot/GasLimos.pdf (accessed 18 March 2010), 31. 44 Dhiren, “Rough...March 2010). Barot, Dhiren. "Rough Presentation for Gas Limos Project." The NEFA Foundation. http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/Barot

21 CFR 892.1890 - Radiographic film illuminator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Radiographic film illuminator. 892.1890 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1890 Radiographic film illuminator. (a) Identification. A radiographic film illuminator is a device containing a visible light source covered with a...

21 CFR 892.1890 - Radiographic film illuminator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Radiographic film illuminator. 892.1890 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1890 Radiographic film illuminator. (a) Identification. A radiographic film illuminator is a device containing a visible light source covered with a...

21 CFR 892.1890 - Radiographic film illuminator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Radiographic film illuminator. 892.1890 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1890 Radiographic film illuminator. (a) Identification. A radiographic film illuminator is a device containing a visible light source covered with a...

21 CFR 892.1890 - Radiographic film illuminator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Radiographic film illuminator. 892.1890 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1890 Radiographic film illuminator. (a) Identification. A radiographic film illuminator is a device containing a visible light source covered with a...

21 CFR 892.1890 - Radiographic film illuminator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Radiographic film illuminator. 892.1890 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1890 Radiographic film illuminator. (a) Identification. A radiographic film illuminator is a device containing a visible light source covered with a...

Aerial Radiological Measuring System (ARMS): systems, procedures and sensitivity (1976)

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

Boyns, P K

1976-07-01

This report describes the Aerial Radiological Measuring System (ARMS) designed and operated by EG and G, Inc., for the Energy Research and Development Administration's (ERDA) Division of Operational Safety with the cooperation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Designed to rapidly survey large areas for low-level man-made radiation, the ARMS has also proven extremely useful in locating lost radioactive sources of relatively low activity. The system consists of sodium iodide scintillation detectors, data formatting and recording equipment, positioning equipment, meteorological instruments, direct readout hardware, and data analysis equipment. The instrumentation, operational procedures, data reduction techniques and system sensitivities are described, togethermore » with their applications and sample results.« less

Thoracic radiology of infections emerging after natural disasters.

PubMed

Ketai, Loren; Currie, Bart J; Alva Lopez, Luis Felipe

2006-11-01

When natural disasters demolish shelter, destroy sources of clean drinking water, and disrupt the availability of medical care, vast numbers of people are placed at increased risk of disease. The infectious diseases that propagate under these conditions are usually common ones. Occasionally, a natural disaster alters the local environment in ways that markedly increase the prevalence of a disease that is endemic to a geographic region, occurring only as isolated cases under normal conditions. Many of these infections may affect the thorax. In this article, we discuss the radiologic findings of 4 infectious diseases, coccidioidomycosis, leptospirosis, melioidosis, and Chagas disease, which may flourish after natural disasters strike areas where they are endemic.

Do radiology and other health care presentations posted on the Internet contain accessible protected health information?

PubMed

Weadock, William J; Londy, Frank J; Ellis, James H; Goldman, Edward B

2008-10-01

To determine the prevalence of protected health information (PHI) in PowerPoint presentations available for downloading from the Internet. No institutional review board approval was needed for this project, which involved no patient subjects. Two Google searches, each limited to PowerPoint files, were performed by using the criteria "Cardiac CT" and "Magnetic Resonance Imaging." The first 100 hits of each search were downloaded from the source Web site. The presentations were examined for the PHI contained on any images, links, or notes pages. Two hundred presentations were evaluated. There were 143 presentations with images, image links, or notes, and 52 (36%) of these contained PHI. There were 129 presentations containing radiologic images; 51 (40%) of these contained PHI, and 31 (24%) showed the patient's name. At least 132 (66%) of the 200 presentations originated from the United States. Thirty-five (37%) of 94 presentations with images, image links, or notes contained PHI. Eighty-six U.S. presentations contained radiologic images; 34 (40%) of these contained PHI, and 19 (22%) showed the patient's name. Online or other distributions of PowerPoint presentations that contain radiologic images often contain PHI, and this may violate laws, including the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. (c) RSNA, 2008.

Multidisciplinary HIS DICOM interfaces at the Department of Veterans Affairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmak, Peter M.; Dayhoff, Ruth E.

2000-05-01

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is using the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard to integrate image data objects from multiple systems for use across the healthcare enterprise. DICOM uses a structured representation of image data and a communication mechanism that allows the VA to easily acquire images from multiple sources and store them directly into the online patient record. The VA can obtain both radiology and non- radiology images using DICOM, and can display them on low-cost clinician's color workstations throughout the medical center. High-resolution gray-scale diagnostic quality multi-monitor workstations with specialized viewing software can be used for reading radiology images. The VA's DICOM capabilities can interface six different commercial Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and over twenty different image acquisition modalities. The VA is advancing its use of DICOM beyond radiology. New color imaging applications for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Ophthalmology using DICOM are under development. These are the first DICOM offerings for the vendors, who are planning to support the recently passed DICOM Visible Light and Structured Reporting service classes. Implementing these in VistA is a challenge because of the different workflow and software support for these disciplines within the VA HIS environment.

Use of radioguided surgery with [111In]-pentetreotide in the management of an ACTH-secreting bronchial carcinoid causing ectopic Cushing's syndrome.

PubMed

Grossrubatscher, E; Vignati, F; Dalino, P; Possa, M; Belloni, P A; Vanzulli, A; Bramerio, M; Marocchi, A; Rossetti, O; Zurleni, F; Loli, P

2005-01-01

Intraoperative [111In]-pentetreotide scintigraphy with a hand-held gamma detector probe has recently been proposed to increase the intraoperative detection rate of small neuroendocrine tumors and their metastases. We report a case of a 28-yr-old woman with ectopic Cushing's syndrome due to an ACTH-secreting bronchial carcinoid, in whom the use of radioguided surgery improved disease management. At presentation, radiolabeled pentetreotide scintigraphy was the only procedure able to detect the ectopic source of ACTH. After radiologic confirmation, the patient underwent removal of a bronchial carcinoid, with disease persistence. After surgery, pentetreotide scintigraphy showed pathologic uptake in the mediastinum not previously detected at surgery and only subsequently confirmed by radiologic studies. Despite a second thoracic exploration, hormonal, scintigraphic, and radiological evidence of residual disease persisted. Radioguided surgery was then performed using a hand-held gamma probe 48 h after iv administration of a tracer dose of radiolabeled [111In-DTPA-D-Phe1]-pentetreotide, which permitted detection and removal of multiple residual mediastinal lymph node metastases. Clinical and radiologic cure, with no evidence of tracer uptake at pentetreotide scintigraphy, was subsequently observed. The use of an intraoperative gamma counter appears a promising procedure in the management of metastatic ACTH-secreting bronchial carcinoids.

Identification of Long Bone Fractures in Radiology Reports Using Natural Language Processing to support Healthcare Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Grundmeier, Robert W; Masino, Aaron J; Casper, T Charles; Dean, Jonathan M; Bell, Jamie; Enriquez, Rene; Deakyne, Sara; Chamberlain, James M; Alpern, Elizabeth R

2016-11-09

Important information to support healthcare quality improvement is often recorded in free text documents such as radiology reports. Natural language processing (NLP) methods may help extract this information, but these methods have rarely been applied outside the research laboratories where they were developed. To implement and validate NLP tools to identify long bone fractures for pediatric emergency medicine quality improvement. Using freely available statistical software packages, we implemented NLP methods to identify long bone fractures from radiology reports. A sample of 1,000 radiology reports was used to construct three candidate classification models. A test set of 500 reports was used to validate the model performance. Blinded manual review of radiology reports by two independent physicians provided the reference standard. Each radiology report was segmented and word stem and bigram features were constructed. Common English "stop words" and rare features were excluded. We used 10-fold cross-validation to select optimal configuration parameters for each model. Accuracy, recall, precision and the F1 score were calculated. The final model was compared to the use of diagnosis codes for the identification of patients with long bone fractures. There were 329 unique word stems and 344 bigrams in the training documents. A support vector machine classifier with Gaussian kernel performed best on the test set with accuracy=0.958, recall=0.969, precision=0.940, and F1 score=0.954. Optimal parameters for this model were cost=4 and gamma=0.005. The three classification models that we tested all performed better than diagnosis codes in terms of accuracy, precision, and F1 score (diagnosis code accuracy=0.932, recall=0.960, precision=0.896, and F1 score=0.927). NLP methods using a corpus of 1,000 training documents accurately identified acute long bone fractures from radiology reports. Strategic use of straightforward NLP methods, implemented with freely available software, offers quality improvement teams new opportunities to extract information from narrative documents.

Alternative Metrics ("Altmetrics") for Assessing Article Impact in Popular General Radiology Journals.

PubMed

Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Ayoola, Abimbola; Singh, Kush; Duszak, Richard

2017-07-01

Emerging alternative metrics leverage social media and other online platforms to provide immediate measures of biomedical articles' reach among diverse public audiences. We aimed to compare traditional citation and alternative impact metrics for articles in popular general radiology journals. All 892 original investigations published in 2013 issues of Academic Radiology, American Journal of Roentgenology, Journal of the American College of Radiology, and Radiology were included. Each article's content was classified as imaging vs nonimaging. Traditional journal citations to articles were obtained from Web of Science. Each article's Altmetric Attention Score (Altmetric), representing weighted mentions across a variety of online platforms, was obtained from Altmetric.com. Statistical assessment included the McNemar test, the Mann-Whitney test, and the Pearson correlation. Mean and median traditional citation counts were 10.7 ± 15.4 and 5 vs 3.3 ± 13.3 and 0 for Altmetric. Among all articles, 96.4% had ≥1 traditional citation vs 41.8% for Altmetric (P < 0.001). Online platforms for which at least 5% of the articles were represented included Mendeley (42.8%), Twitter (34.2%), Facebook (10.7%), and news outlets (8.4%). Citations and Altmetric were weakly correlated (r = 0.20), with only a 25.0% overlap in terms of articles within their top 10th percentiles. Traditional citations were higher for articles with imaging vs nonimaging content (11.5 ± 16.2 vs 6.9 ± 9.8, P < 0.001), but Altmetric scores were higher in articles with nonimaging content (5.1 ± 11.1 vs 2.8 ± 13.7, P = 0.006). Although overall online attention to radiology journal content was low, alternative metrics exhibited unique trends, particularly for nonclinical articles, and may provide a complementary measure of radiology research impact compared to traditional citation counts. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The sharing of radiological images by professional mixed martial arts fighters on social media

PubMed Central

Joyce, Cormac W; McCarthy, Peter

2017-01-01

Background Mixed martial arts is a sport that has recently enjoyed a significant increase in popularity. This rise in popularity has catapulted many of these “cage fighters” into stardom and many regularly use social media to reach out to their fans. An interesting result of this interaction on social media is that athletes are sharing images of their radiological examinations when they sustain an injury. Purpose To review instances where mixed martial arts fighters shared images of their radiological examinations on social media and in what context they were shared. Material and Methods An Internet search was performed using the Google search engine. Search terms included “MMA,” “mixed martial arts,” “injury,” “scan,” “X-ray,” “fracture,” and “break.” Articles which discussed injuries to MMA fighters were examined and those in which the fighter themselves shared a radiological image of their injury on social media were identified. Results During our search, we identified 20 MMA fighters that had shared radiological images of their injuries on social media. There were 15 different types of injury, with a fracture of the mid-shaft of the ulna being the most common. The most popular social media platform was Twitter. The most common imaging modality X-ray (71%). The majority of injuries were sustained during competition (81%) and 35% of these fights resulted in a win for the fighter. Conclusion Professional mixed martial artists are sharing radiological images of their injuries on social media. This may be in an attempt to connect with fans and raise their profile among other fighters. PMID:28717518

Development and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate infection control in oral radiology

PubMed Central

Pinelli, Camila; da Silva Tagliaferro, Elaine P; Corrente, José E; Ambrosano, Glaucia M B

2017-01-01

Objectives: To create and validate a questionnaire to evaluate infection control in oral radiology. Methods: The questionnaire was developed after review of the literature, which included published articles and the biosafety protocols available from healthcare agencies. The initial version of the questionnaire was composed of 14 multiple choice questions and was divided into 3 domains on handwashing, disinfection/protection of surfaces and disinfectant used. Content validity was assessed by two expert committees, which reviewed the content and scope of the questionnaire and the relevance of each item, respectively. Reliability was evaluated using test–retest and internal consistency methods with 115 undergraduate dentistry students. Construct validity was assessed using the known-groups technique and factor analysis. The known-groups technique involved 641 undergraduate dentistry students, 20 PhD students and 15 oral radiology professors. In the factor analysis, 3 radiology technicians also participated in addition to the 641 undergraduates, 20 PhD students and 15 oral radiology professors. Results: The content validity results were found to be satisfactory to excellent for the ordinal variables (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.722–1.000) and good to great for the yes/no questions (kappa = 0.662–0.913) in terms of reliability and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88). After a factor analysis, some questions were excluded, and the questions were grouped into new domains. Significant differences were observed between answers from different groups. The final version of the questionnaire was composed of nine domains. Conclusions: The questionnaire created was found to exhibit good psychometric properties for assessing infection control in oral radiology. PMID:28112553

The predictable swarm: staying on top of radiology's cyclical staffing "bug".

PubMed

Ryan, Mary Jane

2005-01-01

Partners HealthCare System in Boston, MA, took some progressive and bold steps to address the recent staffing shortages in radiology. By addressing the shortage at the system level versus the individual hospital level, Partners was able to successfully recruit and support more than 80 new radiologic technologists from initial interest through graduation in 2 years. The recruitment effort helped reduce the utilization of temporary/agency personnel that cost the system more than dollar 6 million in 2001. The system utilized a multi-disciplinary team of professionals at many levels in the organization to achieve significant results in a relatively short period of time. Further, the organization channeled all available resources, including a grant from the US Department of Labor (DOL). The Boston Private Industry Council (BPIC), a local organization well known to the Partners HealthCare community benefits and human resources departments, managed the DOL grant. At least 64 of the first 80 graduates have accepted positions within Partners HealthCare radiology departments. The organization has further populated a database of more than 1,000 interested candidates, some of whom are currently in school and preparing for a future career in radiology, hopefully within the Partners HealthCare System. Partners HealthCare has managed to maintain a diversity rate at over 25% people of color by utilizing targeted recruiting efforts. Partners plans to continue to offer scholarships and other methods of support and career laddering for radiologic technologists in order to continue to meet staffing needs well in to the future. Partners HealthCare developed and implemented a "grow your own" strategy, and the system's leaders hold the philosophy that workforce development is a long-term investment requiring a flexible, permanent plan to stay ahead of the clinical staffing curve.

Radon gas, useful for medical purposes, safely fixed in quartz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, P. R.; Stein, L.; Zirin, M. H.

1966-01-01

Radon gas is enclosed in quartz or glass ampules by subjecting the gas sealed at a low pressure in the ampules to an ionization process. This process is useful for preparing fixed radon sources for radiological treatment of malignancies, without the danger of releasing radioactive gases.

Source Book of Educational Materials for Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound. Radiological Health Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijar, Mary Lou, Comp; And Others

This report is a compilation of educational materials that are available in the field of diagnostic medical ultrasound. Materials, which include publications, audiovisual aids, and teaching aids, are listed under the following categories: abdominal imaging; anatomy and physiology; anatomy and embryology; bioeffects; cardiology and vasculature;…

Atoms for peace and the nonproliferation treaty: unintended consequences

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

Streeper, Charles Blamires

2009-01-01

In April 2009, President Obama revived nonproliferation and arms control efforts with a speech calling for the worldwide abolition of nuclear weapons. His speech correctly acknowledged the threat of nuclear terrorism and the vulnerabilities of the related unsecure nuclear materials. Unfortunately, the president did not mention and has not mentioned in any speech the threat posed by at-risk radiological materials. Nonproliferation efforts have a well documented history of focus on special nuclear materials (fissionable weapons usable materials or SNM), and other key materials (chemical and biological) and technologies for a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD). Such intense focus on WMDmore » related materials/technologies is essential for international safety and security and merit continued attention and funding. However, the perception that radioactive sealed sources (sources) are of less concern than WMD is unfortunate. These perceptions are based solely on the potentially enormous and tragic consequences associated with their deliberate or accidental misuse and proliferation concerns. However, there is a documented history of overemphasis on the nuclear threat at the expense of ignoring the far more likely and also devastating chemical and biological threats. The radiological threat should not be minimized or excluded from policy discussions and decisions on these far ranging scopes of threat to the international community. Sources have a long history of use; and a wider distribution worldwide than fissile materials. Pair this with their broad ranges in isotopes/activities along with scant national and international attention and mechanisms for their safe and secure management and it is not difficult to envision a deadly threat. Arguments that minimize or divert attention away from sources may have the effect of distracting necessary policy attention on preventing/mitigating a radiological dispersal event. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 should be a clear reminder of the inherent danger of diminishing or dismissing lower-level threats in exchange for enhanced focus on high priority special nuclear materials with the basis for this emphasis being solely on the magnitude of the consequences of a single event. Mitigating all possible or likely terrorist attacks is impossible; however, weaponized sources, in the form of a radiological dispersal device, have been a declared target material of Al-Qaida. Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace initiative promoted the spread of the paradoxical beneficial yet destructive properties of the atom. Typically, the focus of nonproliferation efforts focuses on the fissile materials associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction, with less emphasis on radioactive materials that could be used for a Weapon of Mass Disruption. Most nonproliferation policy discussion involves securing or preventing the diversion of weapons grade fissile materials (uranium (U) with concentration of over 90% of the isotope {sup 235}U (HEU) and plutonium with more than 90% of the isotope {sup 239}Pu), with scant attention given to the threat posed by a prolific quantity of sources spread worldwide. Further acerbating the problem of inattention, it appears that the momentum of the continued evolution in the beneficial applications of sources will only increase in the near future. Several expert studies have demonstrated on the potentially devastating economic, psychological and public health impacts of terrorist use of a radiological dispersal or radiation emitting device (ROD/RED) in a metropolis. The development of such a weapon, from the acquisition of the radioactive material to the technical knowledge needed to fashion it into an ROD, is many orders of magnitude easier than diverting enough fissile material for and fabrication/acquisition of a nuclear weapon. Unlike nuclear weapons, worldwide, there are many well documented accounts of accidental and purposeful diversions of radioactive materials from regulatory control. As of the end of 2008, the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Illicit Trafficking Database had logged 1562 incidents, of which only 18 include weapons grade nuclear materials. As much as 66% of the radioactive material involved in these incidents was not recovered. Since 2004, there has been a 75% increase in incidents of unrecoverable material, much of which is labeled dangerous with potential for deterministic health affects if misused. This makes clear that a black market of illicit trade in sources exists. The incidents reported to the IAEA's database rely only on voluntary state reporting; therefore, the number of lost or stolen sources is expected to be much higher.« less

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

Demmer, Rick; Fox, Don; Reese, Stephen

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the United Kingdom (UK) National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) have been collaborating for several years on materials and methods for the fogged/misted introduction of fixatives into radiologically contaminated facilities. The objective of the project is to deliver a process for reducing airborne radiological and/or mercury contamination and affixing loose contamination in place, thereby reducing contamination risk to employees and decreasing D&D cost and schedule. The developed process provides a reliable, unmanned method of introducing a coating that captures and fixes contamination in place within facilities. The INL coating, termed FX2, has undergone extensive non-radiological testing,more » including determination that it is non-flammable, affixes contamination and flows well through unusual geometries (testing at Florida International University). A series of non-active fogging trials for activity knock/tie-down application have been completed at NNL Workington on behalf of Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These trials performed by the NNL employed commercially available agricultural fogging equipment and the INL’s knock/tie-down latex formulation (FX-2). This testing successfully demonstrated the ability of the fogging devices to successfully spray the FX-2 formulation within various scenarios, and prepared the project for a radioactive trial. The INL has also developed a mercury vapor reducing form of the coating termed FX-Hg, which has shown great promise in laboratory studies.« less

Total knee replacement-cementless tibial fixation with screws: 10-year results.

PubMed

Ersan, Önder; Öztürk, Alper; Çatma, Mehmet Faruk; Ünlü, Serhan; Akdoğan, Mutlu; Ateş, Yalım

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long term clinical and radiological results of cementless total knee replacement. A total of 51 knees of 49 patients (33 female and 16 male; mean age: 61.6 years (range, 29-66 years)) who underwent TKR surgery with a posterior stabilized hydroxyapatite coated knee implant were included in this study. All of the tibial components were fixed with screws. The HSS scores were examined preoperatively and at the final follow-up. Radiological assessment was performed with Knee Society evaluating and scoring system. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to rule out the survival of the tibial component. The mean HSS scores were 45.8 (range 38-60) and 88.1 (range 61-93), preoperatively and at the final follow-up respectively. Complete radiological assessment was performed for 48 knees. Lucent lines at the tibial component were observed in 4 patients; one of these patients underwent a revision surgery due to the loosening of the tibial component. The 10-year survival rate of a tibial component was 98%. Cementless total knee replacement has satisfactory long term clinical results. Primary fixation of the tibial component with screws provides adequate stability even in elderly patients with good bone quality. Level IV, Therapeutic study. Copyright © 2017 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A retrospective study on clinical and radiological outcomes of oral implants in patients followed up for a minimum of 20 years.

PubMed

Chrcanovic, Bruno Ramos; Kisch, Jenö; Albrektsson, Tomas; Wennerberg, Ann

2018-04-01

Very long-term follow-up of oral implants is seldom reported in the literature. To assess oral implant failure rates and marginal bone loss (MBL) of patients followed up for a minimum of 20 years. Implants placed in patients followed up for 20+ years were included. Descriptive statistics, survival analyses, generalized estimating equations were performed. Three-hundred implants were randomly selected for MBL. 1,045 implants (227 patients) were included. Implant location, irradiation, and bruxism affected the implant survival rate. Thirty-five percent of the failures occurred within the first year after implantation, and another 26.8% in the second/third year. There was a cumulative survival rate of 87.8% after 36 years of follow-up. In the last radiological follow up, 35 implants (11.7%) had bone gain, and 35 implants (11.7%) presented at least 3 mm of MBL. Twenty-six out of 86 failed implants with available radiograms presented severe MBL in the last radiological register before implant failure. Most of the implant failures occurred at the first few years after implantation, regardless of a very long follow up. MBL can be insignificant in long-term observations, but it may, nevertheless, be the cause of secondary failure of oral implants in some cases. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Predicting visual semantic descriptive terms from radiological image data: preliminary results with liver lesions in CT.

PubMed

Depeursinge, Adrien; Kurtz, Camille; Beaulieu, Christopher; Napel, Sandy; Rubin, Daniel

2014-08-01

We describe a framework to model visual semantics of liver lesions in CT images in order to predict the visual semantic terms (VST) reported by radiologists in describing these lesions. Computational models of VST are learned from image data using linear combinations of high-order steerable Riesz wavelets and support vector machines (SVM). In a first step, these models are used to predict the presence of each semantic term that describes liver lesions. In a second step, the distances between all VST models are calculated to establish a nonhierarchical computationally-derived ontology of VST containing inter-term synonymy and complementarity. A preliminary evaluation of the proposed framework was carried out using 74 liver lesions annotated with a set of 18 VSTs from the RadLex ontology. A leave-one-patient-out cross-validation resulted in an average area under the ROC curve of 0.853 for predicting the presence of each VST. The proposed framework is expected to foster human-computer synergies for the interpretation of radiological images while using rotation-covariant computational models of VSTs to 1) quantify their local likelihood and 2) explicitly link them with pixel-based image content in the context of a given imaging domain.

Effect of dopamine agonist withdrawal after long-term therapy in prolactinomas. Studies with high-definition computerised tomography.

PubMed

Johnston, D G; Hall, K; Kendall-Taylor, P; Patrick, D; Watson, M; Cook, D B

1984-07-28

The clinical, radiological, and biochemical effects of dopamine agonist withdrawal after long-term treatment were investigated in seven women and eight men who had been treated for prolactinomas for 1.5 to 7 (mean 3.7) years. Before treatment, serum prolactin concentrations were 1473 to 115 000 mU/l, all patients had abnormal radiological findings, and six had suprasellar extensions of pituitary tumours. Treatment with either bromocriptine or pergolide relieved symptoms and suppressed prolactin secretion in most patients. The size of the residual tumour was defined by doing fourth generation computerised tomographic scans immediately before termination of therapy, and evidence of tumour re-expansion was sought on scans repeated 5-39 weeks later. After discontinuation of treatment, symptoms recurred in 13 of 15 patients and hyper-prolactinaemia redeveloped in 14. Other pituitary function tests remained unchanged or improved. In 13 of 15 patients tumour or gland size did not change after withdrawal of treatment. One man had a marginal increase in tumour size, while in another the pituitary tumour shrank. Thus, although cessation of long-term dopamine agonist therapy leads to recurrence of symptoms and hyperprolactinaemia, rapid tumour regrowth is uncommon and of small extent, and other pituitary function is not altered in the short term.

Variational Iterative Refinement Source Term Estimation Algorithm Assessment for Rural and Urban Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delle Monache, L.; Rodriguez, L. M.; Meech, S.; Hahn, D.; Betancourt, T.; Steinhoff, D.

2016-12-01

It is necessary to accurately estimate the initial source characteristics in the event of an accidental or intentional release of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear (CBRN) agent into the atmosphere. The accurate estimation of the source characteristics are important because many times they are unknown and the Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion (AT&D) models rely heavily on these estimates to create hazard assessments. To correctly assess the source characteristics in an operational environment where time is critical, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has developed a Source Term Estimation (STE) method, known as the Variational Iterative Refinement STE algorithm (VIRSA). VIRSA consists of a combination of modeling systems. These systems include an AT&D model, its corresponding STE model, a Hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian Plume Model (H-LEPM), and its mathematical adjoint model. In an operational scenario where we have information regarding the infrastructure of a city, the AT&D model used is the Urban Dispersion Model (UDM) and when using this model in VIRSA we refer to the system as uVIRSA. In all other scenarios where we do not have the city infrastructure information readily available, the AT&D model used is the Second-order Closure Integrated PUFF model (SCIPUFF) and the system is referred to as sVIRSA. VIRSA was originally developed using SCIPUFF 2.4 for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and integrated into the Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability and Joint Program for Information Systems Joint Effects Model. The results discussed here are the verification and validation of the upgraded system with SCIPUFF 3.0 and the newly implemented UDM capability. To verify uVIRSA and sVIRSA, synthetic concentration observation scenarios were created in urban and rural environments and the results of this verification are shown. Finally, we validate the STE performance of uVIRSA using scenarios from the Joint Urban 2003 (JU03) experiment, which was held in Oklahoma City and also validate the performance of sVIRSA using scenarios from the FUsing Sensor Integrated Observing Network (FUSION) Field Trial 2007 (FFT07), held at Dugway Proving Grounds in rural Utah.

Clinical and radiologic distinctions between secondary bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia.

PubMed

Vasu, Tajender S; Cavallazzi, Rodrigo; Hirani, Amyn; Sharma, Dinesh; Weibel, Sandra B; Kane, Gregory C

2009-08-01

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a distinct pattern of reaction of the lung to injury. It may be idiopathic or secondary to a variety of injuries. The term cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) is used for patients with idiopathic BOOP. In this study we describe clinical and radiologic features of patients with BOOP. The medical records of 33 patients with diagnosis of BOOP on surgical lung biopsy over a 10-year time period were reviewed retrospectively. We obtained data on clinical and radiologic manifestations, etiology, and outcome of these patients. Dyspnea was the most common symptom, followed by dry cough and fever. Crackles was the most common physical finding. Mean age at diagnosis of BOOP was 59 years, and 42% were females. The main radiologic manifestation was bilateral patchy consolidation. Most patients had favorable prognosis; however, 17% did not respond to treatment. Female sex was more common in COP than in secondary BOOP (P = .004). Patients with COP had longer symptom duration before the diagnosis than secondary BOOP (P = .01). Patients with secondary BOOP reported fever more frequently, compared to COP (P = .005). Pleural effusion was present in 60% of patients with secondary BOOP, whereas none of the patients with COP had effusion (P = .004). COP and secondary BOOP have diverse clinical and radiologic manifestations. Patients with secondary BOOP are more symptomatic. Both COP and secondary BOOP patients have good prognosis, and most respond to treatment with corticosteroids or by discontinuing the injurious drug.

Principles on Radiological Characterization of the Unit 1 at Ignalina NPP for Decommissioning Purposes

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

Poskas, P.; Zujus, R.; Drumstas, G.

There is only one nuclear power plant in Lithuania - Ignalina NPP (INPP). The INPP operated two similar units with installed capacity of 1500 MW(each). They were commissioned in 12/1983 and 08/1987, and the original design lifetime was projected out to 2010 and 2015 respectively. But the first Unit of Ignalina NPP was shutdown December 31, 2004, and second Unit will be closed down before 2010 taking into consideration substantial long-term financial assistance from the EU, G7 and other states as well as international institutions. Implementation of dismantling activities requires detailed knowledge of the radiological situation at the Unit 1.more » General Programme of Radiological Survey for Ignalina NPP Unit 1 based on NUREG-1575 was prepared in 2005- 2006 by Consortium led by Lithuanian Energy Institute and approved by Regulatory Bodies. It includes such main steps as historical site assessment, scoping, characterization, remedial actions/decontamination support surveys and final status surveys. General Programme of Radiological Survey defines content and principles of the surveys, and preliminary survey considerations, including identification of the contaminants, establishment of the free release levels, principles on areas classification depending on contamination potential, identification of the final survey units, criteria for selection survey instrumentation, techniques and methods etc. So, in the paper information on these principles and the content of the different stages in General Programme of Radiological Survey is presented. (authors)« less

Does Previous Hip Surgery Effect the Outcome of Tönnis Triple Periacetabular Osteotomy? Mid-Term Results.

PubMed

Konya, Mehmet Nuri; Aydn, Bahattin Kerem; Yldrm, Timur; Sofu, Hakan; Gürsu, Sarper

2016-03-01

Hip dysplasia (HD) is 1 of the major reasons of coxarthrosis. The goal of the treatment of HD by Tönnis triple pelvic osteotomy (TPAO) is to improve the function of hip joint while relieving pain, delaying and possibly preventing end-stage arthritis. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and radiological results of TPAO to determine if previous surgery has a negative effect on TPAO.Patients operated with TPAO between 2005 and 2010, included in this study. Patients divided into 2 groups: primary acetabular dysplasia (PAD) and residual acetabular dysplasia (RAD). Prepostoperatively, hip range of motion, Harris hip score (HHS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) hip score, visual analog scores (VAS), impingement tests, and also the presence of Trendelenburg sign (TS) were investigated for clinical evaluation. For radiological analysis pre-postoperative, anterior-posterior (AP) pelvis and faux profile radiographs were used. Acetabular index, lateral center edge (LCE) angle, and Sharp angles were measured by AP pelvis; anterior center edge (ACE) angle were measured by faux profile radiography. All the clinical and radiological data of the groups were analyzed separately for the pre-postoperative scores also the amount of improvement in all parameters were analyzed.SPSS20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analysis. Wilcoxon test, McNemar test, paired t tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare the groups. P < 0.05 were defined as statistically significant.Study included 27 patients: 17 patients were in PAD and 10 patients were in RAD. The mean follow-up period was 6.2 years (5.2-10.3 years). In all patients, the radiological and the clinical outcomes were better after TPAO except the flexion of the hip parameter. When the patient groups were evaluated as pre-postoperatively, more statistically significant parameters were found in the PAD group when compared with RAD group. Extension, impingement, TS, VAS, HHS, WOMAC score parameters in clinical outcome and LCE, ACE, Sharp angle, coverage ratio in radiological results were significantly better in PAD group postoperatively but in RAD group; only extension, VAS, HHS, and WOMAC parameters were clinically and LCE and Coverage ratio were significantly different compared with the preoperative measurements. The change of the parameters that used for the evaluation of clinical and radiological results did not show a significant difference between groups.Our data suggest that TPAO can be performed on patients with HD for both groups. Although there were fewer parameters which changed significantly after TPAO in RAD patients; the improvement of radiological and clinical results was similar for groups. Further long-term follow-up studies with large number of patients are needed to determine the proper results of TPAO.

Response of the REWARD detection system to the presence of a Radiological Dispersal Device

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

Luis, R.; Baptista, M.; Barros, S.

2015-07-01

In recent years an increased international concern has emerged about the radiological and nuclear (RN) threats associated with the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials that could be potentially used for terrorist attacks. The objective of the REWARD (Real Time Wide Area Radiation Surveillance System) project, co-funded by the European Union 7. Framework Programme Security, consisted in building a mobile system for real time, wide area radiation surveillance, using a CdZnTe detector for gamma radiation and a neutron detector based on novel silicon technologies. The sensing unit includes a GPS system and a wireless communication interface to send themore » data remotely to a monitoring base station, where it will be analyzed in real time and correlated with historical data from the tag location, in order to generate an alarm when an abnormal situation is detected. Due to its portability and accuracy, the system will be extremely useful in many different scenarios such as nuclear terrorism, lost radioactive sources, radioactive contamination or nuclear accidents. This paper shortly introduces the REWARD detection system, depicts some terrorist threat scenarios involving radioactive sources and special nuclear materials and summarizes the simulation work undertaken during the past three years in the framework of the REWARD project. The main objective consisted in making predictions regarding the behavior of the REWARD system in the presence of a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD), one of the reference scenarios foreseen for REWARD, using the Monte Carlo simulation program MCNP6. The reference scenario is characterized in detail, from the i) radiological protection, ii) radiation detection requirements and iii) communications points of view. Experimental tests were performed at the Fire Brigades Facilities in Rome and at the Naples Fire Brigades, and the results, which validate the simulation work, are presented and analyzed. The response of the REWARD detection system to the presence of an RDD is predicted and discussed. (authors)« less

Air pathway effects of nuclear materials production at the Hanford Site, 1983 to 1992

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

Patton, G.W.; Cooper, A.T.

1993-10-01

This report describes the air pathway effects of Hanford Site operations from 1983 to 1992 on the local environment by summarizing the air concentrations of selected radionuclides at both onsite and offsite locations, comparing trends in environment concentrations to changing facility emissions, and briefly describing trends in the radiological dose to the hypothetical maximally exposed member of the public. The years 1983 to 1992 represent the last Hanford Site plutonium production campaign, and this report deals mainly with the air pathway effects from the 200 Areas, in which the major contributors to radiological emissions were located. An additional purpose formore » report was to review the environmental data for a long period of time to provide insight not available in an annual report format. The sampling and analytical systems used by the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP) to collect air samples during the period of this report were sufficiently sensitive to observe locally elevated concentrations of selected radionuclides near onsite source of emission as well as observing elevated levels, compared to distant locations, of some radionuclides at the down wind perimeter. The US DOE Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs) for airborne radionuclides were not exceeded for any air sample collected during 1983 to 1992, with annual average concentrations of all radionuclides at the downwind perimeter being considerably below the DCG values. Air emissions at the Hanford Site during the period of this report were dominated by releases from the PUREX Plant, with {sup 85}Kr being the major release on a curie basis and {sup 129}I being the major release on a radiological dose basis. The estimated potential radiological dose from Hanford Site point source emissions to the hypothetical maximally exposed individual (MEI) ranged from 0. 02 to 0.22 mrem/yr (effective dose equivalent), which is well below the DOE radiation limit to the public of 100 mrem/yr.« less

Value of a short-term imaging follow-up after a benign result in a one-stop breast unit: Is it still useful?

PubMed

Daroles, Johanna; Borget, Isabelle; Suciu, Voichita; Mazouni, Chafika; Delaloge, Suzette; Balleyguier, Corinne

2017-11-01

A short-term radiologic follow-up after a benign breast biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA) is recommended in many guidelines. However, the current trend is to reduce imaging investigations, radiation dose and costs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cancer detection rate at short-term follow-up and to estimate its cost. We retrospectively assessed all consecutive patients referred to our 'one-stop' breast unit between 2004 and 2012, with a benign histological or cytological result and at least one short-term follow-up within 3-12 months after the initial diagnosis. We evaluated the number of cancers detected, as well as the mean cost to detect each cancer and per patient. About 1366 patients were eligible for this study. Ten patients were diagnosed with cancers (0.73%) at short-term follow-up; six of 10 were low-grade tumours or ductal carcinoma in situ. The cost for detecting one cancer was 19,043€, with mean cost per patient of 139€. The cancer detection rate at short-term follow-up after benign biopsy or FNA was low and was similar to that of most national screening programs. The cost of cancer detection appeared high, considering that most cancers were indolent. This suggests that radiologic follow-up could reasonably be carried out at a later point in time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radio-ecological characterization and radiological assessment in support of regulatory supervision of legacy sites in northwest Russia.

PubMed

Sneve, M K; Kiselev, M; Shandala, N K

2014-05-01

The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority has been implementing a regulatory cooperation program in the Russian Federation for over 10 years, as part of the Norwegian government's Plan of Action for enhancing nuclear and radiation safety in northwest Russia. The overall long-term objective has been the enhancement of safety culture and includes a special focus on regulatory supervision of nuclear legacy sites. The initial project outputs included appropriate regulatory threat assessments, to determine the hazardous situations and activities which are most in need of enhanced regulatory supervision. In turn, this has led to the development of new and updated norms and standards, and related regulatory procedures, necessary to address the often abnormal conditions at legacy sites. This paper presents the experience gained within the above program with regard to radio-ecological characterization of Sites of Temporary Storage for spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste at Andreeva Bay and Gremikha in the Kola Peninsula in northwest Russia. Such characterization is necessary to support assessments of the current radiological situation and to support prospective assessments of its evolution. Both types of assessments contribute to regulatory supervision of the sites. Accordingly, they include assessments to support development of regulatory standards and guidance concerning: control of radiation exposures to workers during remediation operations; emergency preparedness and response; planned radionuclide releases to the environment; development of site restoration plans, and waste treatment and disposal. Examples of characterization work are presented which relate to terrestrial and marine environments at Andreeva Bay. The use of this data in assessments is illustrated by means of the visualization and assessment tool (DATAMAP) developed as part of the regulatory cooperation program, specifically to help control radiation exposure in operations and to support regulatory analysis of management options. For assessments of the current radiological situation, the types of data needed include information about the distribution of radionuclides in environmental media. For prognostic assessments, additional data are needed about the landscape features, on-shore and off-shore hydrology, geochemical properties of soils and sediments, and possible continuing source terms from continuing operations and on-site disposal. It is anticipated that shared international experience in legacy site characterization can be useful in the next steps. Although the output has been designed to support regulatory evaluation of these particular sites in northwest Russia, the methods and techniques are considered useful examples for application elsewhere, as well as providing relevant input to the International Atomic Energy Agency's international Working Forum for the Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Pilot Study of Contextual UMLS Indexing to Improve the Precision of Concept-based Representation in XML-structured Clinical Radiology Reports

PubMed Central

Huang, Yang; Lowe, Henry J.; Hersh, William R.

2003-01-01

Objective: Despite the advantages of structured data entry, much of the patient record is still stored as unstructured or semistructured narrative text. The issue of representing clinical document content remains problematic. The authors' prior work using an automated UMLS document indexing system has been encouraging but has been affected by the generally low indexing precision of such systems. In an effort to improve precision, the authors have developed a context-sensitive document indexing model to calculate the optimal subset of UMLS source vocabularies used to index each document section. This pilot study was performed to evaluate the utility of this indexing approach on a set of clinical radiology reports. Design: A set of clinical radiology reports that had been indexed manually using UMLS concept descriptors was indexed automatically by the SAPHIRE indexing engine. Using the data generated by this process the authors developed a system that simulated indexing, at the document section level, of the same document set using many permutations of a subset of the UMLS constituent vocabularies. Measurements: The precision and recall scores generated by simulated indexing for each permutation of two or three UMLS constituent vocabularies were determined. Results: While there was considerable variation in precision and recall values across the different subtypes of radiology reports, the overall effect of this indexing strategy using the best combination of two or three UMLS constituent vocabularies was an improvement in precision without significant impact of recall. Conclusion: In this pilot study a contextual indexing strategy improved overall precision in a set of clinical radiology reports. PMID:12925544

A pilot study of contextual UMLS indexing to improve the precision of concept-based representation in XML-structured clinical radiology reports.

PubMed

Huang, Yang; Lowe, Henry J; Hersh, William R

2003-01-01

Despite the advantages of structured data entry, much of the patient record is still stored as unstructured or semistructured narrative text. The issue of representing clinical document content remains problematic. The authors' prior work using an automated UMLS document indexing system has been encouraging but has been affected by the generally low indexing precision of such systems. In an effort to improve precision, the authors have developed a context-sensitive document indexing model to calculate the optimal subset of UMLS source vocabularies used to index each document section. This pilot study was performed to evaluate the utility of this indexing approach on a set of clinical radiology reports. A set of clinical radiology reports that had been indexed manually using UMLS concept descriptors was indexed automatically by the SAPHIRE indexing engine. Using the data generated by this process the authors developed a system that simulated indexing, at the document section level, of the same document set using many permutations of a subset of the UMLS constituent vocabularies. The precision and recall scores generated by simulated indexing for each permutation of two or three UMLS constituent vocabularies were determined. While there was considerable variation in precision and recall values across the different subtypes of radiology reports, the overall effect of this indexing strategy using the best combination of two or three UMLS constituent vocabularies was an improvement in precision without significant impact of recall. In this pilot study a contextual indexing strategy improved overall precision in a set of clinical radiology reports.

A novel tool for user-friendly estimation of natural, diagnostic and professional radiation risk: Radio-Risk software.

PubMed

Carpeggiani, Clara; Paterni, Marco; Caramella, Davide; Vano, Eliseo; Semelka, Richard C; Picano, Eugenio

2012-11-01

Awareness of radiological risk is low among doctors and patients. An educational/decision tool that considers each patient' s cumulative lifetime radiation exposure would facilitate provider-patient communication. The purpose of this work was to develop user-friendly software for simple estimation and communication of radiological risk to patients and doctors as a part of the SUIT-Heart (Stop Useless Imaging Testing in Heart disease) Project of the Tuscany Region. We developed a novel software program (PC-platform, Windows OS fully downloadable at http://suit-heart.ifc.cnr.it) considering reference dose estimates from American Heart Association Radiological Imaging 2009 guidelines and UK Royal College of Radiology 2007 guidelines. Cancer age and gender-weighted risk were derived from Biological Effects of Ionising Radiation VII Committee, 2006. With simple input functions (demographics, age, gender) the user selects from a predetermined menu variables relating to natural (e.g., airplane flights and geo-tracked background exposure), professional (e.g., cath lab workers) and medical (e.g., CT, cardiac scintigraphy, coronary stenting) sources. The program provides a simple numeric (cumulative effective dose in milliSievert, mSv, and equivalent number of chest X-rays) and graphic (cumulative temporal trends of exposure, cancer cases out of 100 exposed persons) display. A simple software program allows straightforward estimation of cumulative dose (in multiples of chest X-rays) and risk (in extra % lifetime cancer risk), with simple numbers quantifying lifetime extra cancer risk. Pictorial display of radiation risk may be valuable for increasing radiological awareness in cardiologists. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bismuth Infusion of ABS Enables Additive Manufacturing of Complex Radiological Phantoms and Shielding Equipment.

PubMed

Ceh, Justin; Youd, Tom; Mastrovich, Zach; Peterson, Cody; Khan, Sarah; Sasser, Todd A; Sander, Ian M; Doney, Justin; Turner, Clark; Leevy, W Matthew

2017-02-24

Radiopacity is a critical property of materials that are used for a range of radiological applications, including the development of phantom devices that emulate the radiodensity of native tissues and the production of protective equipment for personnel handling radioactive materials. Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a fabrication platform that is well suited to creating complex anatomical replicas or custom labware to accomplish these radiological purposes. We created and tested multiple ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) filaments infused with varied concentrations of bismuth (1.2-2.7 g/cm³), a radiopaque metal that is compatible with plastic infusion, to address the poor gamma radiation attenuation of many mainstream 3D printing materials. X-ray computed tomography (CT) experiments of these filaments indicated that a density of 1.2 g/cm³ of bismuth-infused ABS emulates bone radiopacity during X-ray CT imaging on preclinical and clinical scanners. ABS-bismuth filaments along with ABS were 3D printed to create an embedded human nasocranial anatomical phantom that mimicked radiological properties of native bone and soft tissue. Increasing the bismuth content in the filaments to 2.7 g/cm³ created a stable material that could attenuate 50% of 99m Technetium gamma emission when printed with a 2.0 mm wall thickness. A shielded test tube rack was printed to attenuate source radiation as a protective measure for lab personnel. We demonstrated the utility of novel filaments to serve multiple radiological purposes, including the creation of anthropomorphic phantoms and safety labware, by tuning the level of radiation attenuation through material customization.

"Flipping" the introductory clerkship in radiology: impact on medical student performance and perceptions.

PubMed

Belfi, Lily M; Bartolotta, Roger J; Giambrone, Ashley E; Davi, Caryn; Min, Robert J

2015-06-01

Among methods of "blended learning" (ie, combining online modules with in-class instruction), the "flipped classroom" involves student preclass review of material while reserving class time for interactive knowledge application. We integrated blended learning methodology in a "flipped" introductory clerkship in radiology, and assessed the impact of this approach on the student educational experience (performance and perception). In preparation for the "flipped clerkship," radiology faculty and residents created e-learning modules that were uploaded to an open-source website. The clerkship's 101 rising third-year medical students were exposed to different teaching methods during the course, such as blended learning, traditional lecture learning, and independent learning. Students completed precourse and postcourse knowledge assessments and surveys. Student knowledge improved overall as a result of taking the course. Blended learning achieved greater pretest to post-test improvement of high statistical significance (P value, .0060) compared to lecture learning alone. Blended learning also achieved greater pretest to post-test improvement of borderline statistical significance (P value, .0855) in comparison to independent learning alone. The difference in effectiveness of independent learning versus lecture learning was not statistically significant (P value, .2730). Student perceptions of the online modules used in blended learning portions of the course were very positive. They specifically enjoyed the self-paced interactivity and the ability to return to the modules in the future. Blended learning can be successfully applied to the introductory clerkship in radiology. This teaching method offers educators an innovative and efficient approach to medical student education in radiology. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data fusion for a vision-aided radiological detection system: Calibration algorithm performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stadnikia, Kelsey; Henderson, Kristofer; Martin, Allan; Riley, Phillip; Koppal, Sanjeev; Enqvist, Andreas

2018-05-01

In order to improve the ability to detect, locate, track and identify nuclear/radiological threats, the University of Florida nuclear detection community has teamed up with the 3D vision community to collaborate on a low cost data fusion system. The key is to develop an algorithm to fuse the data from multiple radiological and 3D vision sensors as one system. The system under development at the University of Florida is being assessed with various types of radiological detectors and widely available visual sensors. A series of experiments were devised utilizing two EJ-309 liquid organic scintillation detectors (one primary and one secondary), a Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 sensor and a Velodyne HDL-32E High Definition LiDAR Sensor which is a highly sensitive vision sensor primarily used to generate data for self-driving cars. Each experiment consisted of 27 static measurements of a source arranged in a cube with three different distances in each dimension. The source used was Cf-252. The calibration algorithm developed is utilized to calibrate the relative 3D-location of the two different types of sensors without need to measure it by hand; thus, preventing operator manipulation and human errors. The algorithm can also account for the facility dependent deviation from ideal data fusion correlation. Use of the vision sensor to determine the location of a sensor would also limit the possible locations and it does not allow for room dependence (facility dependent deviation) to generate a detector pseudo-location to be used for data analysis later. Using manually measured source location data, our algorithm-predicted the offset detector location within an average of 20 cm calibration-difference to its actual location. Calibration-difference is the Euclidean distance from the algorithm predicted detector location to the measured detector location. The Kinect vision sensor data produced an average calibration-difference of 35 cm and the HDL-32E produced an average calibration-difference of 22 cm. Using NaI and He-3 detectors in place of the EJ-309, the calibration-difference was 52 cm for NaI and 75 cm for He-3. The algorithm is not detector dependent; however, from these results it was determined that detector dependent adjustments are required.

Enhancing the Radiologist-Patient Relationship through Improved Communication: A Quantitative Readability Analysis in Spine Radiology.

PubMed

Hansberry, D R; Donovan, A L; Prabhu, A V; Agarwal, N; Cox, M; Flanders, A E

2017-06-01

More than 75 million Americans have less than adequate health literacy skills according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Readability scores are used as a measure of how well populations read and understand patient education materials. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability of Web sites dedicated to patient education for radiologic spine imaging and interventions. Eleven search terms relevant to radiologic spine imaging were searched on the public Internet, and the top 10 links for each term were collected and analyzed to determine readability scores by using 10 well-validated quantitative readability assessments from patient-centered education Web sites. The search terms included the following: x-ray spine, CT spine, MR imaging spine, lumbar puncture, kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, discogram, myelogram, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. Collectively, the 110 articles were written at an 11.3 grade level (grade range, 7.1-16.9). None of the articles were written at the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommended 3rd-to-7th grade reading levels. The vertebroplasty articles were written at a statistically significant ( P < .05) more advanced level than the articles for x-ray spine, CT spine, and MR imaging spine. Increasing use of the Internet to obtain health information has made it imperative that on-line patient education be written for easy comprehension by the average American. However, given the discordance between readability scores of the articles and the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommended guidelines, it is likely that many patients do not fully benefit from these resources. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Short-Term Results of Total Knee Arthroplasty with Anterior-Posterior Glide LCS Mobile-Bearing System

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyung Taek; Kang, Min Soo; Lim, Young Hoon; Park, Jin Woo

2014-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using the anterior-posterior glide (APG) low contact stress (LCS) mobile-bearing system. Materials and Methods We evaluated 130 knees in 117 patients who had undergone TKA with APG LCS mobile-bearing system between September 2005 and July 2007 and could be followed over 5 years. The mean follow-up period was 68 months. The clinical and radiological results were evaluated using the American Knee Society Scoring System, Oxford knee score and the American Knee Society Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System. And we analyzed short-term postoperative complications. Results The average range of motion of the knee joint was 107.9° (range, 70° to 135°) preoperatively and 125.2° (range, 90° to 135°) at the last follow-up. The average knee and functional scores were improved from 39.1 and 42.0 to 71.2 and 75.6, respectively, between the preoperative and last follow-up evaluation. The Oxford knee score was decreased from 42.9 preoperatively to 23.1 at the last follow-up. The femoro-tibial angle (anatomical axis) changed from 10.1° varus preoperatively to 3.3° valgus at the last follow-up. Radiolucency was observed in 14% of all cases. There were 1 case of traumatic dislocation of the polyethylene liner, 1 case of aseptic loosening and 6 cases of posterior instability because of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) insufficiency. Conclusions TKA with APG LCS mobile-bearing system demonstrated relatively good short-term clinical and radiological results. However, further considerations for posterior instability associated with PCL insufficiency are needed. PMID:25229046

Necrotising pneumonia caused by non-PVL Staphylococcus aureus with 2-year follow-up.

PubMed

Hilton, Bryn; Tavare, Aniket N; Creer, Dean

2017-12-07

Necrotising pneumonia (NP) is a rare but life-threatening complication of pulmonary infection. It is characterised by progressive necrosis of lung parenchyma with cavitating foci evident upon radiological investigation. This article reports the case of a 52-year-old woman, immunocompetent healthcare professional presenting to Accident and Emergency with NP and Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia. The cavitating lesion was not identified on initial chest X-ray leading to a delay in antimicrobial optimisation. However, the patient went on to achieve a full symptomatic recovery in 1 month and complete radiological recovery at 2-year follow-up. Long-term prognosis for adult cases of NP currently remains undocumented. This case serves as the first piece of published evidence documenting full physiological and radiological recovery following appropriate treatment of NP in an immunocompetent adult patient. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

"It depends on us": employee perspective of healthy working conditions during continual reorganisations in a radiology department.

PubMed

Nilsson, Kerstin; Hertting, Anna; Petterson, Inga-Lill

2009-01-01

This study focuses on employees' experience of occupational health in a radiology department within a Swedish university hospital during years of continual reorganisations. This department's stable personal health trends in terms of self-rated mental health and sick-leave rates diverged from the general trends of deteriorating working conditions in the hospital. The aim was to identify dimensions of working conditions as positive determinants contributing to occupational health in a department of radiology undergoing continual reorganisations. Open-ended interviews with twelve employees were transcribed and analyzed using content-analysis. The employees experienced their new stimulating working tasks and a supporting organizational climate as important contributors to the healthy work condition. The positive effects of handling new technical challenges and the positive organisational climate, which were characterized by mutual trust, as well as work-confidence and respect for each others' competence, seem to function as buffering factors, balancing the negative effects of parallel downsizing and restructuring processes.

Weapons of mass destruction: Overview of the CBRNEs (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives).

PubMed

Prockop, Leon D

2006-11-01

The events of September 11, 2001, made citizens of the world acutely aware of disasters consequent to present-day terrorism. This is a war being waged for reasons obscure to many of its potential victims. The term "NBCs" was coined in reference to terrorist weapons of mass destruction, i.e., nuclear, biological and chemical. The currently accepted acronym is "CBRNE" which includes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive weapons. Non-nuclear explosives are the most common terrorist weapon now in use. Nuclear and radiological weapons are beyond the scope of this publication, which focuses on the "CBEs", i.e. chemical, biological and explosive weapons. Although neurologists will not be the first responders to CBEs, they must know about the neurological effects in order to provide diagnosis and treatment to survivors. Neurological complications of chemical, biological and explosive weapons which have or may be used by terrorists are reviewed by international experts in this publication. Management and treatment profiles are outlined.

Historical perspective: eponyms of vascular radiology.

PubMed

DiPoce, Jason; Jimenez, Guillermo; Weintraub, Joshua

2014-01-01

Eponyms are ubiquitous throughout the medical literature, especially the radiology lexicon. In particular, vascular radiology is replete with dozens of eponyms named after pathologic and anatomic features and various medical devices. Several disease processes are known exclusively by their eponyms or by both their eponyms and their descriptive names. Although some authors advocate abandoning eponyms in favor of more descriptive terms, the established history and common use of eponyms make it unlikely that they will disappear from the vocabulary. Radiologists should be familiar with both the eponymous and descriptive names of disease processes to ensure effective communication and prevent erroneous identification. Study of these eponyms provides information about these disease processes and other medical knowledge for use in daily practice. In addition, biographic information about the pertinent physicians can yield insights into the sometimes surprising origins of these eponyms. The authors provide biographic sketches of these physicians and discuss the clinical relevance of the anatomic features, malformations, and syndromes that bear their names. ©RSNA, 2014.

Evaluation of nitazoxanide for the treatment of disseminated cystic echinococcosis: report of five cases and literature review.

PubMed

Pérez-Molina, José A; Díaz-Menéndez, Marta; Gallego, José I; Norman, Francesca; Monge-Maillo, Begoña; Ayala, Ana Pérez; López-Vélez, Rogelio

2011-02-01

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nitazoxanide in disseminated cystic echinococcosis (DCE) that failed to respond to surgical and antiparasitic therapy. We report on seven patients (five of them with bony involvement): two cases from the literature and five patients who were included in a compassionate trial of nitazoxanide therapy in our hospital. Median follow-up time until nitazoxanide therapy was 12 years and all patients had received prior medical treatment and extensive surgery. Nitazoxanide (500 mg/12 h) in combination with albendazole, with/without praziquantel, was administered for 3-24 months. Three patients improved: one with muscle involvement (clinico-radiological response), one with lung involvement (radiological response), and another with soft tissue and bony involvement (clinico-radiological response of soft tissue cysts). There was one discontinuation after 15 days of starting therapy. Nitazoxanide combination therapy could have a role in the treatment of DCE when there is no bony involvement. Long-term safety profile seems to be favorable.

Radiomics: a new application from established techniques

PubMed Central

Parekh, Vishwa; Jacobs, Michael A.

2016-01-01

The increasing use of biomarkers in cancer have led to the concept of personalized medicine for patients. Personalized medicine provides better diagnosis and treatment options available to clinicians. Radiological imaging techniques provide an opportunity to deliver unique data on different types of tissue. However, obtaining useful information from all radiological data is challenging in the era of “big data”. Recent advances in computational power and the use of genomics have generated a new area of research termed Radiomics. Radiomics is defined as the high throughput extraction of quantitative imaging features or texture (radiomics) from imaging to decode tissue pathology and creating a high dimensional data set for feature extraction. Radiomic features provide information about the gray-scale patterns, inter-pixel relationships. In addition, shape and spectral properties can be extracted within the same regions of interest on radiological images. Moreover, these features can be further used to develop computational models using advanced machine learning algorithms that may serve as a tool for personalized diagnosis and treatment guidance. PMID:28042608

Detection of rain events in radiological early warning networks with spectro-dosimetric systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dąbrowski, R.; Dombrowski, H.; Kessler, P.; Röttger, A.; Neumaier, S.

2017-10-01

Short-term pronounced increases of the ambient dose equivalent rate, due to rainfall are a well-known phenomenon. Increases in the same order of magnitude or even below may also be caused by a nuclear or radiological event, i.e. by artificial radiation. Hence, it is important to be able to identify natural rain events in dosimetric early warning networks and to distinguish them from radiological events. Novel spectrometric systems based on scintillators may be used to differentiate between the two scenarios, because the measured gamma spectra provide significant nuclide-specific information. This paper describes three simple, automatic methods to check whether an dot H*(10) increase is caused by a rain event or by artificial radiation. These methods were applied to measurements of three spectrometric systems based on CeBr3, LaBr3 and SrI2 scintillation crystals, investigated and tested for their practicability at a free-field reference site of PTB.

A regulatory perspective on the radiological impact of NORM industries: the case of the Spanish phosphate industry.

PubMed

García-Talavera, M; Matarranz, J L M; Salas, R; Ramos, L

2011-01-01

Radioactive and chemical risks coexist in NORM industries although they are usually addressed separately by regulations. The European Union (EU) has developed extensive legislation concerning both matters, which has been diversely reflected in national policies. We consider the case of the Spanish phosphate industry and analyse to which extent regulatory mandates have reduced the historical and ongoing radiological impact on the environment of phosphate facilities. Although no specific radiological constraints on effluent monitoring and release or on waste disposal have yet been imposed on NORM industries in Spain, other environmental regulations have achieved a substantial reduction on the phosphate industry impact. Nevertheless, a more efficient control could be established by eliminating the current conceptual and practical separation of chemical and radioactive risks in NORM industries. We highlight research needs to accomplish so and propose shorter-term measures that require active cooperation among the regulatory bodies involved. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Rare malformation of glans penis: arteriovenous malformation.

PubMed

Akin, Y; Sarac, M; Yucel, S

2013-01-01

Pediatric glans penis malformations, especially arteriovenous malformations (AVM), are very rare. Herein, we report two rare cases. A 14-year-old boy attended our outpatient clinic with chief complaints of purple swelling and rapidly growing lesion on the glans penis. The lesion was excised surgically after physical and radiological evaluations. Pathology reported AVM and the patient is being followed up. The second case is a 2-year-old boy who was admitted with a big lesion involving glans penis and genital area that has been present since birth. In physical and radiological evaluations, lesion on the glans penis was pulsatile. Parents of the patient did not want any surgery and patient has been in follow-up. Diagnosis of the vascular lesions on glans penis is very easy by physical and radiological examinations today. Long-term follow-up is very important for AVM. Clinicians must make a careful effort to document new glans lesions in the pediatric population and decrease anxiety in the parents of affected children.

Effectiveness of online instruction in the radiologic sciences.

PubMed

Johnston, James

2008-01-01

Online courses are becoming increasingly common in all academic disciplines and many studies have indicated that there is no significant difference in student outcomes between the 2 instructional methods or, more recently, that online instruction is superior. However, because course content and expectations about mastery of material vary, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of online courses in different academic disciplines and settings, including radiologic technology. To examine the instructional effectiveness of 2 online radiologic science courses that were converted from a face-to-face instruction format. Archival data were gathered from a sample of convenience (N = 317) to compare 2 years of performance indicators for each course and format. This study also compared course formats in terms of national certification exam results. The results regarding which delivery type performed better were mixed. However, the national certification exam scores for the patient care section were higher for students who completed face-to-face instruction than for those who had online instruction.

Usability evaluation of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems integrated into a hospital information system.

PubMed

Nabovati, Ehsan; Vakili-Arki, Hasan; Eslami, Saeid; Khajouei, Reza

2014-04-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of widely used laboratory and radiology information systems. Three usability experts independently evaluated the user interfaces of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems using heuristic evaluation method. They applied Nielsen's heuristics to identify and classify usability problems and Nielsen's severity rating to judge their severity. Overall, 116 unique heuristic violations were identified as usability problems. In terms of severity, 67 % of problems were rated as major and catastrophic. Among 10 heuristics, "consistency and standards" was violated most frequently. Moreover, mean severity of problems concerning "error prevention" and "help and documentation" heuristics was higher than of the others. Despite widespread use of specific healthcare information systems, they suffer from usability problems. Improving the usability of systems by following existing design standards and principles from the early phased of system development life cycle is recommended. Especially, it is recommended that the designers design systems that inhibit the initiation of erroneous actions and provide sufficient guidance to users.

Development of an IHE MRRT-compliant open-source web-based reporting platform.

PubMed

Pinto Dos Santos, Daniel; Klos, G; Kloeckner, R; Oberle, R; Dueber, C; Mildenberger, P

2017-01-01

To develop a platform that uses structured reporting templates according to the IHE Management of Radiology Report Templates (MRRT) profile, and to implement this platform into clinical routine. The reporting platform uses standard web technologies (HTML / JavaScript and PHP / MySQL) only. Several freely available external libraries were used to simplify the programming. The platform runs on a standard web server, connects with the radiology information system (RIS) and PACS, and is easily accessible via a standard web browser. A prototype platform that allows structured reporting to be easily incorporated into the clinical routine was developed and successfully tested. To date, 797 reports were generated using IHE MRRT-compliant templates (many of them downloaded from the RSNA's radreport.org website). Reports are stored in a MySQL database and are easily accessible for further analyses. Development of an IHE MRRT-compliant platform for structured reporting is feasible using only standard web technologies. All source code will be made available upon request under a free license, and the participation of other institutions in further development is welcome. • A platform for structured reporting using IHE MRRT-compliant templates is presented. • Incorporating structured reporting into clinical routine is feasible. • Full source code will be provided upon request under a free license.

Electronic neutron sources for compensated porosity well logging

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

Chen, A. X.; Antolak, A. J.; Leung, K. -N.

2012-08-01

The viability of replacing Americium–Beryllium (Am–Be) radiological neutron sources in compensated porosity nuclear well logging tools with D–T or D–D accelerator-driven neutron sources is explored. The analysis consisted of developing a model for a typical well-logging borehole configuration and computing the helium-3 detector response to varying formation porosities using three different neutron sources (Am–Be, D–D, and D–T). The results indicate that, when normalized to the same source intensity, the use of a D–D neutron source has greater sensitivity for measuring the formation porosity than either an Am–Be or D–T source. The results of the study provide operational requirements that enablemore » compensated porosity well logging with a compact, low power D–D neutron generator, which the current state-of-the-art indicates is technically achievable.« less

PATHWAYS TO HEALTH CAREERS, EXPLORING HEALTH OCCUPATIONS AND PROFESSIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Health Careers Council of Illinois, Chicago.

CAREERS IN THE AREAS OF DENTISTRY, DIETETICS, MEDICAL RECORD LIBRARY SCIENCE, MEDICAL LABORATORY WORK, MEDICINE, NURSING, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, OPTOMETRY, PHARMACY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, PODIATRY, PUBLIC HEALTH, RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, VETERINARY MEDICINE, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION, AND OTHER HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THE…

20 CFR 718.202 - Determining the existence of pneumoconiosis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... radiologic technologist or technician and there is no evidence that the claim has been fraudulently... term other evidence means medical tests such as blood-gas studies, pulmonary function studies or physical examinations or medical histories which establish the presence of a chronic pulmonary, respiratory...

RADIANCE AND PHOTON NOISE: Imaging in geometrical optics, physical optics, quantum optics and radiology.

PubMed

Barrett, Harrison H; Myers, Kyle J; Caucci, Luca

2014-08-17

A fundamental way of describing a photon-limited imaging system is in terms of a Poisson random process in spatial, angular and wavelength variables. The mean of this random process is the spectral radiance. The principle of conservation of radiance then allows a full characterization of the noise in the image (conditional on viewing a specified object). To elucidate these connections, we first review the definitions and basic properties of radiance as defined in terms of geometrical optics, radiology, physical optics and quantum optics. The propagation and conservation laws for radiance in each of these domains are reviewed. Then we distinguish four categories of imaging detectors that all respond in some way to the incident radiance, including the new category of photon-processing detectors. The relation between the radiance and the statistical properties of the detector output is discussed and related to task-based measures of image quality and the information content of a single detected photon.

RADIANCE AND PHOTON NOISE: Imaging in geometrical optics, physical optics, quantum optics and radiology

PubMed Central

Barrett, Harrison H.; Myers, Kyle J.; Caucci, Luca

2016-01-01

A fundamental way of describing a photon-limited imaging system is in terms of a Poisson random process in spatial, angular and wavelength variables. The mean of this random process is the spectral radiance. The principle of conservation of radiance then allows a full characterization of the noise in the image (conditional on viewing a specified object). To elucidate these connections, we first review the definitions and basic properties of radiance as defined in terms of geometrical optics, radiology, physical optics and quantum optics. The propagation and conservation laws for radiance in each of these domains are reviewed. Then we distinguish four categories of imaging detectors that all respond in some way to the incident radiance, including the new category of photon-processing detectors. The relation between the radiance and the statistical properties of the detector output is discussed and related to task-based measures of image quality and the information content of a single detected photon. PMID:27478293

Treatment of a Focal Articular Cartilage Defect of the Talus with Polymer-Based Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A 12-Year Follow-Up Period.

PubMed

Kreuz, Peter Cornelius; Kalkreuth, Richard Horst; Niemeyer, Philipp; Uhl, Markus; Erggelet, Christoph

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a first-line treatment option for large articular cartilage defects. Although well-established for cartilage defects in the knee, studies of the long-term outcomes of matrix-assisted ACI to treat cartilage defects in the ankle are rare. In the present report, we describe for the first time the long-term clinical and radiologic results 12 years after polymer-based matrix-assisted ACI treat a full-thickness talar cartilage defect in a 25-year-old male patient. The clinical outcome was assessed using the visual analog scale and Freiburg ankle score, magnetic resonance imaging evaluation using the Henderson-Kreuz scoring system and T2 mapping. Clinical assessment revealed improved visual analog scale and Freiburg ankle scores. The radiologic analysis and T2 relaxation time values indicated the formation of hyaline-like repair tissue. Polymer-based autologous chondrocytes has been shown to be a safe and clinically effective long-term treatment of articular cartilage defects in the talus. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automatic information extraction from unstructured mammography reports using distributed semantics.

PubMed

Gupta, Anupama; Banerjee, Imon; Rubin, Daniel L

2018-02-01

To date, the methods developed for automated extraction of information from radiology reports are mainly rule-based or dictionary-based, and, therefore, require substantial manual effort to build these systems. Recent efforts to develop automated systems for entity detection have been undertaken, but little work has been done to automatically extract relations and their associated named entities in narrative radiology reports that have comparable accuracy to rule-based methods. Our goal is to extract relations in a unsupervised way from radiology reports without specifying prior domain knowledge. We propose a hybrid approach for information extraction that combines dependency-based parse tree with distributed semantics for generating structured information frames about particular findings/abnormalities from the free-text mammography reports. The proposed IE system obtains a F 1 -score of 0.94 in terms of completeness of the content in the information frames, which outperforms a state-of-the-art rule-based system in this domain by a significant margin. The proposed system can be leveraged in a variety of applications, such as decision support and information retrieval, and may also easily scale to other radiology domains, since there is no need to tune the system with hand-crafted information extraction rules. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interventional Radiologic Treatment for Idiopathic Portal Hypertension

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

Hirota, Shozo; Ichikawa, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Shinichi

1999-07-15

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of interventional radiological treatment for idiopathic portal hypertension. Methods: Between 1995 and 1998, we performed an interventional radiological treatment in five patients with idiopathic portal hypertension, four of whom had refused surgery and one of whom had undergone surgery. Three patients with gastroesophageal varices (GEV) were treated by partial splenic embolization (PSE), one patient with esophageal varices (EV) and massive ascites by transjugular intrahepatic portosytemic shunt (TIPS) and PSE, and one patient with GEV by percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO). Midterm results were analyzed in terms of the effect on esophageal and/or gastric varices. Results: Inmore » one woman with severe GEV who underwent three sessions of PSE, there was endoscopic confirmation that the GEV had disappeared. In one man his EV shrunk markedly after two sessions of PSE. In two patients slight reduction of the EV was obtained with one application of PSE combined with endoscopic variceal ligation therapy. PTO for GV in one patient resulted in good control of the varices. All patients have survived for 16-42 months since the first interventional treatment, and varices are well controlled. Conclusion: Interventional radiological treatment is effective for patients with idiopathic portal hypertension, whether or not they have undergone surgery.« less

Importance of establishing radiation protection culture in Radiology Department.

PubMed

Ploussi, Agapi; Efstathopoulos, Efstathios P

2016-02-28

The increased use of ionization radiation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, the rapid advances in computed tomography as well as the high radiation doses delivered by interventional procedures have raised serious safety and health concerns for both patients and medical staff and have necessitated the establishment of a radiation protection culture (RPC) in every Radiology Department. RPC is a newly introduced concept. The term culture describes the combination of attitudes, beliefs, practices and rules among the professionals, staff and patients regarding to radiation protection. Most of the time, the challenge is to improve rather than to build a RPC. The establishment of a RPC requires continuing education of the staff and professional, effective communication among stakeholders of all levels and implementation of quality assurance programs. The RPC creation is being driven from the highest level. Leadership, professionals and associate societies are recognized to play a vital role in the embedding and promotion of RPC in a Medical Unit. The establishment of a RPC enables the reduction of the radiation dose, enhances radiation risk awareness, minimizes unsafe practices, and improves the quality of a radiation protection program. The purpose of this review paper is to describe the role and highlight the importance of establishing a strong RPC in Radiology Departments with an emphasis on promoting RPC in the Interventional Radiology environment.

Extended ellipse-line-ellipse trajectory for long-object cone-beam imaging with a mounted C-arm system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhicong; Lauritsch, Günter; Dennerlein, Frank; Mao, Yanfei; Hornegger, Joachim; Noo, Frédéric

2016-02-01

Recent reports show that three-dimensional cone-beam (CB) imaging with a floor-mounted (or ceiling-mounted) C-arm system has become a valuable tool in interventional radiology. Currently, a circular short scan is used for data acquisition, which inevitably yields CB artifacts and a short coverage in the direction of the patient table. To overcome these two limitations, a more sophisticated data acquisition geometry is needed. This geometry should be complete in terms of Tuy’s condition and should allow continuous scanning, while being compatible with the mechanical constraints of mounted C-arm systems. Additionally, the geometry should allow accurate image reconstruction from truncated data. One way to ensure such a feature is to adopt a trajectory that provides full R-line coverage within the field-of-view (FOV). An R-line is any segment of line that connects two points on a source trajectory, and the R-line coverage is the set of points that belong to an R-line. In this work, we propose a novel geometry called the extended ellipse-line-ellipse (ELE) for long-object imaging with a mounted C-arm system. This trajectory is built from modules consisting of two elliptical arcs connected by a line. We demonstrate that the extended ELE can be configured in many ways so that full R-line coverage is guaranteed. Both tight and relaxed parametric settings are presented. All results are supported by extensive mathematical proofs provided in appendices. Our findings make the extended ELE trajectory attractive for axially-extended FOV imaging in interventional radiology.

Radiation dosimetry properties of smartphone CMOS sensors.

PubMed

Van Hoey, Olivier; Salavrakos, Alexia; Marques, Antonio; Nagao, Alexandre; Willems, Ruben; Vanhavere, Filip; Cauwels, Vanessa; Nascimento, Luana F

2016-03-01

During the past years, several smartphone applications have been developed for radiation detection. These applications measure radiation using the smartphone camera complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor. They are potentially useful for data collection and personal dose assessment in case of a radiological incident. However, it is important to assess these applications. Six applications were tested by means of irradiations with calibrated X-ray and gamma sources. It was shown that the measurement stabilises only after at least 10-25 min. All applications exhibited a flat dose rate response in the studied ambient dose equivalent range from 2 to 1000 μSv h(-1). Most applications significantly over- or underestimate the dose rate or are not calibrated in terms of dose rate. A considerable energy dependence was observed below 100 keV but not for the higher energy range more relevant for incident scenarios. Photon impact angle variation gave a measured signal variation of only about 10 %. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

76 FR 28336 - Domestic Licensing of Source Material-Amendments/Integrated Safety Analysis

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-17

... considered. The HF gas (and uranyl fluoride) is quickly produced from the chemical reaction that occurs when... worker's death was the inhalation of HF gas, which was produced from the chemical reaction of UF6 and..., would address both the radiological and chemical hazards from licensed material and hazardous chemicals...

76 FR 40352 - National Nuclear Security Administration; Amended Record of Decision: Site-Wide Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... similar to those estimated for transportation of radioactive material in other DOE NEPA documents. The air... radiological materials located at civilian sites worldwide. Part of the GTRI mission is implemented through... specific actions analyzed in DOE/EIS-0380-SA-02 include packaging the sealed sources (sometimes with a part...

Network of wireless gamma ray sensors for radiological detection and identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barzilov, A.; Womble, P.; Novikov, I.; Paschal, J.; Board, J.; Moss, K.

2007-04-01

The paper describes the design and development of a network of wireless gamma-ray sensors based on cell phone or WiFi technology. The system is intended for gamma-ray detection and automatic identification of radioactive isotopes and nuclear materials. The sensor is a gamma-ray spectrometer that uses wireless technology to distribute the results. A small-size sensor module contains a scintillation detector along with a small size data acquisition system, PDA, battery, and WiFi radio or a cell phone modem. The PDA with data acquisition and analysis software analyzes the accumulated spectrum on real-time basis and returns results to the screen reporting the isotopic composition and intensity of detected radiation source. The system has been programmed to mitigate false alarms from medical isotopes and naturally occurring radioactive materials. The decision-making software can be "trained" to indicate specific signatures of radiation sources like special nuclear materials. The sensor is supplied with GPS tracker coupling radiological information with geographical coordinates. The sensor is designed for easy use and rapid deployment in common wireless networks.

Integrated radiologist's workstation enabling the radiologist as an effective clinical consultant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEnery, Kevin W.; Suitor, Charles T.; Hildebrand, Stan; Downs, Rebecca; Thompson, Stephen K.; Shepard, S. Jeff

2002-05-01

Since February 2000, radiologists at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have accessed clinical information through an internally developed radiologist's clinical interpretation workstation called RadStation. This project provides a fully integrated digital dictation workstation with clinical data review. RadStation enables the radiologist as an effective clinical consultant with access to pertinent sources of clinical information at the time of dictation. Data sources not only include prior radiology reports from the radiology information system (RIS) but access to pathology data, laboratory data, history and physicals, clinic notes, and operative reports. With integrated clinical information access, a radiologists's interpretation not only comments on morphologic findings but also can enable evaluation of study findings in the context of pertinent clinical presentation and history. Image access is enabled through the integration of an enterprise image archive (Stentor, San Francisco). Database integration is achieved by a combination of real time HL7 messaging and queries to SQL-based legacy databases. A three-tier system architecture accommodates expanding access to additional databases including real-time patient schedule as well as patient medications and allergies.

Fatal and nonfatal risk associated with recycle of D&D-generated concrete

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

Boren, J.K.; Ayers, K.W.; Parker, F.L.

1997-02-01

As decontamination and decommissioning activities proceed within the U.S. Department of Energy Complex, vast volumes of uncontaminated and contaminated concrete will be generated. The current practice of decontaminating and landfilling the concrete is an expensive and potentially wasteful practice. Research is being conducted at Vanderbilt University to assess the economic, social, legal, and political ramifications of alternate methods of dealing with waste concrete. An important aspect of this research work is the assessment of risk associated with the various alternatives. A deterministic risk assessment model has been developed which quantifies radiological as well as non-radiological risks associated with concrete disposalmore » and recycle activities. The risk model accounts for fatal as well as non-fatal risks to both workers and the public. Preliminary results indicate that recycling of concrete presents potentially lower risks than the current practice. Radiological considerations are shown to be of minor importance in comparison to other sources of risk, with conventional transportation fatalities and injuries dominating. Onsite activities can also be a major contributor to non-fatal risk.« less

American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) Emerging Technology Committee report on electronic brachytherapy.

PubMed

Park, Catherine C; Yom, Sue S; Podgorsak, Matthew B; Harris, Eleanor; Price, Robert A; Bevan, Alison; Pouliot, Jean; Konski, Andre A; Wallner, Paul E

2010-03-15

The development of novel technologies for the safe and effective delivery of radiation is critical to advancing the field of radiation oncology. The Emerging Technology Committee of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology appointed a Task Group within its Evaluation Subcommittee to evaluate new electronic brachytherapy methods that are being developed for, or are already in, clinical use. The Task Group evaluated two devices, the Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System by Xoft, Inc. (Fremont, CA), and the Intrabeam Photon Radiosurgery Device by Carl Zeiss Surgical (Oberkochen, Germany). These devices are designed to deliver electronically generated radiation, and because of their relatively low energy output, they do not fall under existing regulatory scrutiny of radioactive sources that are used for conventional radioisotope brachytherapy. This report provides a descriptive overview of the technologies, current and future projected applications, comparison of competing technologies, potential impact, and potential safety issues. The full Emerging Technology Committee report is available on the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Web site. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) Emerging Technology Committee Report on Electronic Brachytherapy

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

Park, Catherine C., E-mail: cpark@radonc.ucsf.ed; Yom, Sue S.; Podgorsak, Matthew B.

The development of novel technologies for the safe and effective delivery of radiation is critical to advancing the field of radiation oncology. The Emerging Technology Committee of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology appointed a Task Group within its Evaluation Subcommittee to evaluate new electronic brachytherapy methods that are being developed for, or are already in, clinical use. The Task Group evaluated two devices, the Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System by Xoft, Inc. (Fremont, CA), and the Intrabeam Photon Radiosurgery Device by Carl Zeiss Surgical (Oberkochen, Germany). These devices are designed to deliver electronically generated radiation, and because ofmore » their relatively low energy output, they do not fall under existing regulatory scrutiny of radioactive sources that are used for conventional radioisotope brachytherapy. This report provides a descriptive overview of the technologies, current and future projected applications, comparison of competing technologies, potential impact, and potential safety issues. The full Emerging Technology Committee report is available on the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Web site.« less

On the need for a national radiological response plan in Egypt

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

Gant, K.D.; Salama, M.; Ghani, A.H.A.

1997-03-01

Use of radioactive materials and sources is increasing within the Arab Republic of Egypt. With this increase comes a need to prepare for accidents involving these materials. For years there has been an informal agreement between the National Centre for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NCNSRC), one of the four centers operated by the Atomic Energy Agency (AEA), and the Civil Defense Authority (CDA) to cooperate in a radiological emergency. CDA currently has the responsibility for responding to all types of emergencies. The increasing use of radioactive materials and the complexity of the response required by accidents creates a needmore » for a more formal arrangement. In response to the increasing possibility of radiation accidents in or near Egypt, the government is preparing the {ital Egyptian Emergency Response Plan for Radiological Accidents} to coordinate the response efforts of the national agencies. This plan, which is now being finalized, provides information on agency roles and responsibilities during a response. The plan will also provide a basis for initiating training, planning for emergency public information, and developing public education efforts.« less

GrayQb TM Single-Faced Version 2 (SF2) Hanford Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) deployment report

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

Plummer, J. R.; Immel, D. M.; Serrato, M. G.

2015-11-18

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in partnership with CH2M Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) deployed the GrayQb TM SF2 radiation imaging device at the Hanford Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) to assist in the radiological characterization of the canyon. The deployment goal was to locate radiological contamination hot spots in the PRF canyon, where pencil tanks were removed and decontamination/debris removal operations are on-going, to support the CHPRC facility decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) effort. The PRF canyon D&D effort supports completion of the CHPRC Plutonium Finishing Plant Decommissioning Project. The GrayQb TM SF2 (Single Faced Version 2) is a non-destructive examinationmore » device developed by SRNL to generate radiation contour maps showing source locations and relative radiological levels present in the area under examination. The Hanford PRF GrayQbTM Deployment was sponsored by CH2M Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) through the DOE Richland Operations Office, Inter-Entity Work Order (IEWO), DOE-RL IEWO- M0SR900210.« less

iPad: Semantic annotation and markup of radiological images.

PubMed

Rubin, Daniel L; Rodriguez, Cesar; Shah, Priyanka; Beaulieu, Chris

2008-11-06

Radiological images contain a wealth of information,such as anatomy and pathology, which is often not explicit and computationally accessible. Information schemes are being developed to describe the semantic content of images, but such schemes can be unwieldy to operationalize because there are few tools to enable users to capture structured information easily as part of the routine research workflow. We have created iPad, an open source tool enabling researchers and clinicians to create semantic annotations on radiological images. iPad hides the complexity of the underlying image annotation information model from users, permitting them to describe images and image regions using a graphical interface that maps their descriptions to structured ontologies semi-automatically. Image annotations are saved in a variety of formats,enabling interoperability among medical records systems, image archives in hospitals, and the Semantic Web. Tools such as iPad can help reduce the burden of collecting structured information from images, and it could ultimately enable researchers and physicians to exploit images on a very large scale and glean the biological and physiological significance of image content.

Detailed source term estimation of atmospheric release during the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident by coupling atmospheric and oceanic dispersion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katata, Genki; Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Ota, Masakazu; Nagai, Haruyasu; Kajino, Mizuo

2014-05-01

Temporal variations of release amounts of radionuclides during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP1) accident and their dispersion process are essential to evaluate the environmental impacts and resultant radiological doses to the public. Here, we estimated a detailed time trend of atmospheric releases during the accident by combining environmental monitoring data and coupling atmospheric and oceanic dispersion simulations by WSPEEDI-II (Worldwide version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information) and SEA-GEARN developed by the authors. New schemes for wet, dry, and fog depositions of radioactive iodine gas (I2 and CH3I) and other particles (I-131, Te-132, Cs-137, and Cs-134) were incorporated into WSPEEDI-II. The deposition calculated by WSPEEDI-II was used as input data of ocean dispersion calculations by SEA-GEARN. The reverse estimation method based on the simulation by both models assuming unit release rate (1 Bq h-1) was adopted to estimate the source term at the FNPP1 using air dose rate, and air sea surface concentrations. The results suggested that the major release of radionuclides from the FNPP1 occurred in the following periods during March 2011: afternoon on the 12th when the venting and hydrogen explosion occurred at Unit 1, morning on the 13th after the venting event at Unit 3, midnight on the 14th when several openings of SRV (steam relief valve) were conducted at Unit 2, morning and night on the 15th, and morning on the 16th. The modified WSPEEDI-II using the newly estimated source term well reproduced local and regional patterns of air dose rate and surface deposition of I-131 and Cs-137 obtained by airborne observations. Our dispersion simulations also revealed that the highest radioactive contamination areas around FNPP1 were created from 15th to 16th March by complicated interactions among rainfall (wet deposition), plume movements, and phase properties (gas or particle) of I-131 and release rates associated with reactor pressure variations in Units 2 and 3.

Success of HIS DICOM interfaces in the integration of the healthcare enterprise at the Department of Veterans Affairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmak, Peter M.; Dayhoff, Ruth E.

1999-07-01

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is integrating imaging into the healthcare enterprise using the Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) standard protocols. Image management is directly integrated into the VistA Hospital Information System (HIS) software and the clinical database. Radiology images are acquired via DICOM, and are stored directly in the HIS database. Images can be displayed on low-cost clinician's workstations throughout the medical center. High-resolution diagnostic quality multi-monitor VistA workstations with specialized viewing software can be used for reading radiology images. Two approaches are used to acquire and handle imags within the radiology department. Some sties have a commercial Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) interfaced to the VistA HIS, while other sites use the direct image acquisition and integrated diagnostic reading capabilities of VistA itself. A small set of DICOM services have been implemented by VistA to allow patient and study text data to be transmitted to image producing modalities and the commercial PACS, and to enable images and study data to be transferred back. The VistA DICOM capabilities are now used to interface seven different commercial PACS products and over twenty different radiology modalities. The communications capabilities of DICOM and the VA wide area network are begin used to support reading of radiology images form remote sites. DICOM has been the cornerstone in the ability to integrate imaging functionality into the Healthcare Enterprise. Because of its openness, it allows the integration of system component from commercial and non- commercial sources to work together to provide functional cost-effective solutions. As DICOM expands to non-radiology devices, integration must occur with the specialty information subsystems that handle orders and reports, their associated DICOM image capture systems, and the computer- based patient record. The mode and concepts of the DICOM standard can be extended to these other areas, but some adjustments may be required.

Detection of pneumonia using free-text radiology reports in the BioSense system.

PubMed

Asatryan, Armenak; Benoit, Stephen; Ma, Haobo; English, Roseanne; Elkin, Peter; Tokars, Jerome

2011-01-01

Near real-time disease detection using electronic data sources is a public health priority. Detecting pneumonia is particularly important because it is the manifesting disease of several bioterrorism agents as well as a complication of influenza, including avian and novel H1N1 strains. Text radiology reports are available earlier than physician diagnoses and so could be integral to rapid detection of pneumonia. We performed a pilot study to determine which keywords present in text radiology reports are most highly associated with pneumonia diagnosis. Electronic radiology text reports from 11 hospitals from February 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007 were used. We created a computerized algorithm that searched for selected keywords ("airspace disease", "consolidation", "density", "infiltrate", "opacity", and "pneumonia"), differentiated between clinical history and radiographic findings, and accounted for negations and double negations; this algorithm was tested on a sample of 350 radiology reports. We used the algorithm to study 189,246 chest radiographs, searching for the keywords and determining their association with a final International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis of pneumonia. Performance of the search algorithm in finding keywords, and association of the keywords with a pneumonia diagnosis. In the sample of 350 radiographs, the search algorithm was highly successful in identifying the selected keywords (sensitivity 98.5%, specificity 100%). Analysis of the 189,246 radiographs showed that the keyword "pneumonia" was the strongest predictor of an ICD-9-CM diagnosis of pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio 11.8) while "density" was the weakest (adjusted odds ratio 1.5). In general, the most highly associated keyword present in the report, regardless of whether a less highly associated keyword was also present, was the best predictor of a diagnosis of pneumonia. Empirical methods may assist in finding radiology report keywords that are most highly predictive of a pneumonia diagnosis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

MRI: unique costing and pricing issues.

PubMed

Schwartz, H W; Jarl, D F

1985-01-01

Acquisition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) involves a plethora of costs not traditionally encountered in radiology procedure cost accounting models. Experiences with MRI gained at the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics during 1984 uncovered a wide variety of unique costing issues which were eventually identified at the time when the MRI hospital charge was being established. Our experience at UMHC can provide those radiology departments now acquiring MRI with an earlier awareness of these special costing issues, hopefully resulting in better and more timely data collection. Current reimbursement and pricing issues are also having a dramatic impact on MRI costs at each institution and must be assessed in terms of third-party payor intentions.

Pre-reading mammograms by specialised breast technologists: legal implications for technologist and radiologist in The Netherlands.

PubMed

van den Biggelaar, F J H M; Flobbe, K; van Engelshoven, J M A; de Bijl, N P Y M

2009-09-01

This paper focuses on the legal implications in terms of duties and responsibilities for radiologists and radiologic technologists of independent pre-reading of mammograms by radiologic technologists, so patients could be discharged without being seen by a radiologist. Pre-reading could be effectuated when preconditions are met to perform reserved procedures by unauthorised professionals as stated in the Individual Health Care Professions (IHCP) Act. Furthermore, compliance with a protocol or code of conduct in combination with adequate training and supervision should be sufficient to disprove potential claims. For a wide implementation, pre-reading should be well-embedded in legal rules and should answer the professional standard of care.

Portsmouth annual environmental report for 2003, Piketon, Ohio

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

none, none

2004-11-30

The Portsmouth & Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) is located on a 5.8-square-mile site in a rural area of Pike County, Ohio. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) activities at PORTS include environmental restoration, waste 'management, and long-term'stewardship of nonleased facilities: Production facilities for the separation of uranium isotopes are leased to the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC), but most activities associated with the uranium enrichment process ceased in 2001. USEC activities are not covered by this document, with the exception of some environmental compliance information provided in Chap. 2 and radiological and non-radiological environmental monitoring program information discussed in Chaps. 4more » and 5.« less

Financing radiology graduate medical education: today's challenges.

PubMed

Otero, Hansel J; Ondategui-Parra, Silvia; Erturk, Sukru Mehmet; Ros, Pablo R

2006-03-01

Radiology graduate medical education (GME) is exposed to huge financial challenges. First, there is a continuous increase in demand for imaging services by referring doctors and the general population, aggravating the staff shortage. Second, there has been an important decline in reimbursements. Third and probably most important is the progressive reduction of federal funds subsidizing GME. Medicare is the largest single contributor to GME. The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 introduced reductions in Medicare payments to the major teaching hospitals calculated at $5.6 billion over the first 5 years after implementation. The BBA also brought other changes directly affecting GME. Financial changes in health care over the past decade have increased the pressure on academic institutions, which must preserve or improve the quality of training and the quality of care and manage an increased workload with fewer funds available and a narrow margin for errors. Yet the use of new technology promises to help simplify processes, decreasing workloads for residents and faculty members and increasing overall productivity, and new sources of funding have been suggested. By reviewing the financial challenges of radiologic training in today's academic centers, the authors reach the conclusion that there is still space for improving academic quality and the quality of care within current financial boundaries. But more reliable data about the specific benefits and drawbacks of having a residency program in a clinical radiology department are required.

Mandibular Third Molar Impaction: Review of Literature and a Proposal of a Classification

PubMed Central

Daugela, Povilas

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives The purpose of present article was to review impacted mandibular third molar aetiology, clinical anatomy, radiologic examination, surgical treatment and possible complications, as well as to create new mandibular third molar impaction and extraction difficulty degree classification based on anatomical and radiologic findings and literature review results. Material and Methods Literature was selected through a search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane electronic databases. The keywords used for search were mandibular third molar, impacted mandibular third molar, inferior alveolar nerve injury third molar, lingual nerve injury third molar. The search was restricted to English language articles, published from 1976 to April 2013. Additionally, a manual search in the major anatomy and oral surgery journals and books was performed. The publications there selected by including clinical and human anatomy studies. Results In total 75 literature sources were obtained and reviewed. Impacted mandibular third molar aetiology, clinical anatomy, radiographic examination, surgical extraction of and possible complications, classifications and risk factors were discussed. New mandibular third molar impaction and extraction difficulty degree classification based on anatomical and radiologic findings and literature review results was proposed. Conclusions The classification proposed here based on anatomical and radiological impacted mandibular third molar features is promising to be a helpful tool for impacted tooth assessment as well as for planning for surgical operation. Further clinical studies should be conducted for new classification validation and reliability evaluation. PMID:24422029

Retrieval of radiology reports citing critical findings with disease-specific customization.

PubMed

Lacson, Ronilda; Sugarbaker, Nathanael; Prevedello, Luciano M; Ivan, Ip; Mar, Wendy; Andriole, Katherine P; Khorasani, Ramin

2012-01-01

Communication of critical results from diagnostic procedures between caregivers is a Joint Commission national patient safety goal. Evaluating critical result communication often requires manual analysis of voluminous data, especially when reviewing unstructured textual results of radiologic findings. Information retrieval (IR) tools can facilitate this process by enabling automated retrieval of radiology reports that cite critical imaging findings. However, IR tools that have been developed for one disease or imaging modality often need substantial reconfiguration before they can be utilized for another disease entity. THIS PAPER: 1) describes the process of customizing two Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Information Retrieval/Extraction applications - an open-source toolkit, A Nearly New Information Extraction system (ANNIE); and an application developed in-house, Information for Searching Content with an Ontology-Utilizing Toolkit (iSCOUT) - to illustrate the varying levels of customization required for different disease entities and; 2) evaluates each application's performance in identifying and retrieving radiology reports citing critical imaging findings for three distinct diseases, pulmonary nodule, pneumothorax, and pulmonary embolus. Both applications can be utilized for retrieval. iSCOUT and ANNIE had precision values between 0.90-0.98 and recall values between 0.79 and 0.94. ANNIE had consistently higher precision but required more customization. Understanding the customizations involved in utilizing NLP applications for various diseases will enable users to select the most suitable tool for specific tasks.

Retrieval of Radiology Reports Citing Critical Findings with Disease-Specific Customization

PubMed Central

Lacson, Ronilda; Sugarbaker, Nathanael; Prevedello, Luciano M; Ivan, IP; Mar, Wendy; Andriole, Katherine P; Khorasani, Ramin

2012-01-01

Background: Communication of critical results from diagnostic procedures between caregivers is a Joint Commission national patient safety goal. Evaluating critical result communication often requires manual analysis of voluminous data, especially when reviewing unstructured textual results of radiologic findings. Information retrieval (IR) tools can facilitate this process by enabling automated retrieval of radiology reports that cite critical imaging findings. However, IR tools that have been developed for one disease or imaging modality often need substantial reconfiguration before they can be utilized for another disease entity. Purpose: This paper: 1) describes the process of customizing two Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Information Retrieval/Extraction applications – an open-source toolkit, A Nearly New Information Extraction system (ANNIE); and an application developed in-house, Information for Searching Content with an Ontology-Utilizing Toolkit (iSCOUT) – to illustrate the varying levels of customization required for different disease entities and; 2) evaluates each application’s performance in identifying and retrieving radiology reports citing critical imaging findings for three distinct diseases, pulmonary nodule, pneumothorax, and pulmonary embolus. Results: Both applications can be utilized for retrieval. iSCOUT and ANNIE had precision values between 0.90-0.98 and recall values between 0.79 and 0.94. ANNIE had consistently higher precision but required more customization. Conclusion: Understanding the customizations involved in utilizing NLP applications for various diseases will enable users to select the most suitable tool for specific tasks. PMID:22934127

Performance of CMOS imager as sensing element for a Real-time Active Pixel Dosimeter for Interventional Radiology procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magalotti, D.; Bissi, L.; Conti, E.; Paolucci, M.; Placidi, P.; Scorzoni, A.; Servoli, L.

2014-01-01

Staff members applying Interventional Radiology procedures are exposed to ionizing radiation, which can induce detrimental effects to the human body, and requires an improvement of radiation protection. This paper is focused on the study of the sensor element for a wireless real-time dosimeter to be worn by the medical staff during the interventional radiology procedures, in the framework of the Real-Time Active PIxel Dosimetry (RAPID) INFN project. We characterize a CMOS imager to be used as detection element for the photons scattered by the patient body. The CMOS imager has been first characterized in laboratory using fluorescence X-ray sources, then a PMMA phantom has been used to diffuse the X-ray photons from an angiography system. Different operating conditions have been used to test the detector response in realistic situations, by varying the X-ray tube parameters (continuous/pulsed mode, tube voltage and current, pulse parameters), the sensor parameters (gain, integration time) and the relative distance between sensor and phantom. The sensor response has been compared with measurements performed using passive dosimeters (TLD) and also with a certified beam, in an accredited calibration centre, in order to obtain an absolute calibration. The results are very encouraging, with dose and dose rate measurement uncertainties below the 10% level even for the most demanding Interventional Radiology protocols.

PACS for Bhutan: a cost effective open source architecture for emerging countries.

PubMed

Ratib, Osman; Roduit, Nicolas; Nidup, Dechen; De Geer, Gerard; Rosset, Antoine; Geissbuhler, Antoine

2016-10-01

This paper reports the design and implementation of an innovative and cost-effective imaging management infrastructure suitable for radiology centres in emerging countries. It was implemented in the main referring hospital of Bhutan equipped with a CT, an MRI, digital radiology, and a suite of several ultrasound units. They lacked the necessary informatics infrastructure for image archiving and interpretation and needed a system for distribution of images to clinical wards. The solution developed for this project combines several open source software platforms in a robust and versatile archiving and communication system connected to analysis workstations equipped with a FDA-certified version of the highly popular Open-Source software. The whole system was implemented on standard off-the-shelf hardware. The system was installed in three days, and training of the radiologists as well as the technical and IT staff was provided onsite to ensure full ownership of the system by the local team. Radiologists were rapidly capable of reading and interpreting studies on the diagnostic workstations, which had a significant benefit on their workflow and ability to perform diagnostic tasks more efficiently. Furthermore, images were also made available to several clinical units on standard desktop computers through a web-based viewer. • Open source imaging informatics platforms can provide cost-effective alternatives for PACS • Robust and cost-effective open architecture can provide adequate solutions for emerging countries • Imaging informatics is often lacking in hospitals equipped with digital modalities.

SU-E-T-210: Surviving a Visit by the Radiological Physics Center.

PubMed

Grant, W; Mcgary, J; Rosen, I; Nitsch, P; Davidson, S

2012-06-01

To demonstrate an objective approach to determining if a negative report from the Radiological Physics Center (RPC) of greater than 10% error is valid or has clinical significance. The discrepancy involved the clinical activity (mgRaEq) of Cs-137 sources, some manufactured by 3M and some by Amersham. Measurements were made in the proprietary RPC Well Counter calibrated by the MD Anderson ADCL and our Well Counter (CNMC, Model 44D) calibrated by the same laboratory as well as the University of Wisconsin ADCL. In addition, we possess an Amersham Cs-137 Check Source that had been calibrated by the UW-ADCL in 2002. All clinical sources were checked in both Well Counters on the first visit. One clinical source and the Check Source were measured in a second visit that occurred 51 days later. On the initial RPC visit, 9 of 25 sources had a minimum of an 8% discrepancy between the RPC and the Institution, with a maximum of 11%. Contributing errors included using the incorrect straw position by us, an unexplained 2.3% error in the RPC data identified 73 days post-visit, a 2% variation in Chamber Factors for our Well Counter from the two ADCL's. When we use the 2004 value of Air Kerma Strength for the Check Source to determine a Calibration Factor of the Well Counter, all sources were within 0.5% of their decayed value established in 2002. This work emphasizes the value of having simple Constancy Check systems in a Quality Assurance program as 'Accuracy' has error bars. The disagreement in calibration data between the ADCL Laboratories, which was at the 2% maximum quoted in their Calibration Reports, is a reminder that there is uncertainty in measurements. Constancy Checks allow one to sort out discrepancies and to answer challenges to the validity of your program. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

40 CFR 61.101 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... definition of reference man are outlined in the International Commission on Radiological Protection's... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Definitions. 61.101 Section 61.101....101 Definitions. As used in this subpart, all terms not defined here have the meaning given them in...

Predictive Modeling of Terrestrial Radiation Exposure from Geologic Materials

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

Malchow, Russell L.; Haber, Daniel University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Burnley, Pamela

2015-01-01

Aerial gamma ray surveys are important for those working in nuclear security and industry for determining locations of both anthropogenic radiological sources and natural occurrences of radionuclides. During an aerial gamma ray survey, a low flying aircraft, such as a helicopter, flies in a linear pattern across the survey area while measuring the gamma emissions with a sodium iodide (NaI) detector. Currently, if a gamma ray survey is being flown in an area, the only way to correct for geologic sources of gamma rays is to have flown the area previously. This is prohibitively expensive and would require complete nationalmore » coverage. This project’s goal is to model the geologic contribution to radiological backgrounds using published geochemical data, GIS software, remote sensing, calculations, and modeling software. K, U and Th are the three major gamma emitters in geologic material. U and Th are assumed to be in secular equilibrium with their daughter isotopes. If K, U, and Th abundance values are known for a given geologic unit the expected gamma ray exposure rate can be calculated using the Grasty equation or by modeling software. Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport software (MCNP), developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory, is modeling software designed to simulate particles and their interactions with matter. Using this software, models have been created that represent various lithologies. These simulations randomly generate gamma ray photons at energy levels expected from natural radiologic sources. The photons take a random path through the simulated geologic media and deposit their energy at the end of their track. A series of nested spheres have been created and filled with simulated atmosphere to record energy deposition. Energies deposited are binned in the same manner as the NaI detectors used during an aerial survey. These models are used in place of the simplistic Grasty equation as they take into account absorption properties of the lithology which the simplistic equation ignores.« less

A 3D simulation look-up library for real-time airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulisek, Jonathan A.; Wittman, Richard S.; Miller, Erin A.; Kernan, Warnick J.; McCall, Jonathon D.; McConn, Ron J.; Schweppe, John E.; Seifert, Carolyn E.; Stave, Sean C.; Stewart, Trevor N.

2018-01-01

A three-dimensional look-up library consisting of simulated gamma-ray spectra was developed to leverage, in real-time, the abundance of data provided by a helicopter-mounted gamma-ray detection system consisting of 92 CsI-based radiation sensors and exhibiting a highly angular-dependent response. We have demonstrated how this library can be used to help effectively estimate the terrestrial gamma-ray background, develop simulated flight scenarios, and to localize radiological sources. Source localization accuracy was significantly improved, particularly for weak sources, by estimating the entire gamma-ray spectra while accounting for scattering in the air, and especially off the ground.

Questionnaire surveys of dentists on radiology

PubMed Central

Shelley, AM; Brunton, P; Horner, K

2012-01-01

Objectives Survey by questionnaire is a widely used research method in dental radiology. A major concern in reviews of questionnaires is non-response. The objectives of this study were to review questionnaire studies in dental radiology with regard to potential survey errors and to develop recommendations to assist future researchers. Methods A literature search with the software search package PubMed was used to obtain internet-based access to Medline through the website www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. A search of the English language peer-reviewed literature was conducted of all published studies, with no restriction on date. The search strategy found articles with dates from 1983 to 2010. The medical subject heading terms used were “questionnaire”, “dental radiology” and “dental radiography”. The reference sections of articles retrieved by this method were hand-searched in order to identify further relevant papers. Reviews, commentaries and relevant studies from the wider literature were also included. Results 53 questionnaire studies were identified in the dental literature that concerned dental radiography and included a report of response rate. These were all published between 1983 and 2010. In total, 87 articles are referred to in this review, including the 53 dental radiology studies. Other cited articles include reviews, commentaries and examples of studies outside dental radiology where they are germane to the arguments presented. Conclusions Non-response is only one of four broad areas of error to which questionnaire surveys are subject. This review considers coverage, sampling and measurement, as well as non-response. Recommendations are made to assist future research that uses questionnaire surveys. PMID:22517994

Bronchoalveolar carcinoma: clinical, radiologic, and pathologic factors and survival.

PubMed

Okubo, K; Mark, E J; Flieder, D; Wain, J C; Wright, C D; Moncure, A C; Grillo, H C; Mathisen, D J

1999-10-01

The principal feature of bronchoalveolar carcinoma is that it spreads along airways or aerogenously with multifocality, but many issues are unresolved. We studied 119 patients with pathologically confirmed bronchoalveolar carcinoma. Symptoms, smoking status, radiologic findings, the size of tumor, operative procedures, and complications were reviewed. We studied the pathologic features: presence or absence of aerogenous spread, patterns of growth, cell type, nuclear grade, mitosis, rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, and lymphocyte infiltration. The correlation among clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings was examined, and the factors affecting survival were analyzed. Symptomatic patients had more infiltrative radiographic features, and asymptomatic patients tended to have more mass-like features (P <.0001). Tumors with radiographically infiltrating lesions tended to have mucinous histologic features (P =.006). Tumors with mass lesions by radiograph tended to have nonmucinous and sclerosing histologic features (P =.003). Aerogenous spread was seen in 94% of specimens. The presence of a variety of cell types suggested multiple clonal origin. The overall survival in those patients undergoing resection was 69.1% at 5 years and 56.5% at 10 years. The significant factors affecting survival were radiologic presence of a mass or infiltrate, pathologic findings of the presence of sclerosis, association with a scar, the rate of bronchoalveolar carcinoma in adenocarcinoma, lymphocyte infiltration grade, nodal involvement, and status of complete resection. Mitosis or nuclear grade of tumor cells did not correlate with survival. Bronchoalveolar carcinoma showed good overall survival with appropriate surgical procedures. Certain radiologic or pathologic findings correlated with survival. These findings may enhance the ability to predict long-term survival.

Thirteenth Annual Warren K. Sinclair Keynote Address: Where Are the Radiation Professionals (WARP)?

PubMed

Toohey, Richard E

2017-02-01

In July 2013, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements convened a workshop for representatives from government, professional organizations, academia, and the private sector to discuss a potential shortage of radiation protection professionals in the not-too-distant future. This shortage manifests itself in declining membership of professional societies, decreasing enrollment in university programs in the radiological sciences, and perhaps most importantly, the imminent retirement of the largest birth cohort in American history, the so-called "baby boomer" generation. Consensus emerged that shortages already are, or soon will be, felt in government agencies (including state radiation control programs); membership in professional societies is declining precipitously; and student enrollments and university support for radiological disciplines are decreasing with no reversals expected. The supply of medical physicists appears to be adequate at least in the near term, although a shortage of available slots in accredited clinical training programs looms large. In general, the private sector appears stable, due in part to retirees joining the consultant ranks. However, it is clear that a severe problem exists with the lack of an adequate surge capacity to respond to a large-scale reactor accident or radiological terrorism attack in the United States. The workshop produced a number of recommendations, including increased funding of both fellowships and research in the radiological sciences, as well as creation of internships, practicums, and post-doctoral positions. A federal joint program support office that would more efficiently manage the careers of radiological professionals in the civil service would enhance recruiting and development, and increase the flexibility of the various agencies to manage their staffing needs.

Computer-aided diagnosis in radiological imaging: current status and future challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doi, Kunio

2009-10-01

Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has become one of the major research subjects in medical imaging and diagnostic radiology. Many different types of CAD schemes are being developed for detection and/or characterization of various lesions in medical imaging, including conventional projection radiography, CT, MRI, and ultrasound imaging. Commercial systems for detection of breast lesions on mammograms have been developed and have received FDA approval for clinical use. CAD may be defined as a diagnosis made by a physician who takes into account the computer output as a "second opinion". The purpose of CAD is to improve the quality and productivity of physicians in their interpretation of radiologic images. The quality of their work can be improved in terms of the accuracy and consistency of their radiologic diagnoses. In addition, the productivity of radiologists is expected to be improved by a reduction in the time required for their image readings. The computer output is derived from quantitative analysis of radiologic images by use of various methods and techniques in computer vision, artificial intelligence, and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The computer output may indicate a number of important parameters, for example, the locations of potential lesions such as lung cancer and breast cancer, the likelihood of malignancy of detected lesions, and the likelihood of various diseases based on differential diagnosis in a given image and clinical parameters. In this review article, the basic concept of CAD is first defined, and the current status of CAD research is then described. In addition, the potential of CAD in the future is discussed and predicted.

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis - Clinical, biochemical and radiological findings: An observational study.

PubMed

Koby, Lawrence; Keating, Sarah; Malinowski, Ann Kinga; D'Souza, Rohan

2018-04-01

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI) of the placenta although rare, has a high recurrence rate, is associated with serious adverse pregnancy outcomes and has no available treatment. This study aims to determine clinical, biochemical and radiological factors associated with CHI, to guide management of subsequent pregnancies. This retrospective observational study included consecutive cases with a histopathologic diagnosis of CHI after 18 weeks of gestation, between 2001 and 2014, and no controls. Clinical (maternal, fetal and delivery outcomes), biochemical (first- and second-trimester biomarkers for fetal aneuploidy and serum alkaline phosphatase) and radiological (second- and third-trimester fetal, placental and Doppler ultrasound) factors associated with a histopathological diagnosis of CHI were identified and results presented as percentages. Outcomes of subsequent pregnancies were described. Of 231 identified cases of 'intervillositis', 33 were confirmed to have CHI, of which only 4/33 (12.1%) had prior uncomplicated term deliveries. During pregnancy, 10/18 (55.5%) had abnormal first-trimester screening, 4/16 (25%) had abnormal second-trimester screening, 6/19 (31.6%) had at least one elevated alkaline phosphatase level, and 15/20 (75%) had at least one abnormal feature on mid-trimester placental ultrasound. In subsequent pregnancies that were closely followed with a combination of biochemical and radiologic tests, there were no cases of fetal loss, and lower incidence of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth. No clinical, biochemical or radiological finding is consistently associated with CHI and adverse outcomes thereof. Whether the incorporation of these tests in individualized care-plans could improve outcomes in subsequent pregnancies needs to be studied further. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moving beyond quality control in diagnostic radiology and the role of the clinically qualified medical physicist.

PubMed

Delis, H; Christaki, K; Healy, B; Loreti, G; Poli, G L; Toroi, P; Meghzifene, A

2017-09-01

Quality control (QC), according to ISO definitions, represents the most basic level of quality. It is considered to be the snapshot of the performance or the characteristics of a product or service, in order to verify that it complies with the requirements. Although it is usually believed that "the role of medical physicists in Diagnostic Radiology is QC", this, not only limits the contribution of medical physicists, but is also no longer adequate to meet the needs of Diagnostic Radiology in terms of Quality. In order to assure quality practices more organized activities and efforts are required in the modern era of diagnostic radiology. The complete system of QC is just one element of a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) program that aims at ensuring that the requirements of quality of a product or service will consistently be fulfilled. A comprehensive Quality system, starts even before the procurement of any equipment, as the need analysis and the development of specifications are important components under the QA framework. Further expanding this framework of QA, a comprehensive Quality Management System can provide additional benefits to a Diagnostic Radiology service. Harmonized policies and procedures and elements such as mission statement or job descriptions can provide clarity and consistency in the services provided, enhancing the outcome and representing a solid platform for quality improvement. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) promotes this comprehensive quality approach in diagnostic imaging and especially supports the field of comprehensive clinical audits as a tool for quality improvement. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct calibration of a reference standard against the air kerma strength primary standard, at 192Ir HDR energy.

PubMed

Rajan, K N Govinda; Selvam, T Palani; Bhatt, B C; Vijayam, M; Patki, V S; Vinatha; Pendse, A M; Kannan, V

2002-04-07

The primary standard of low air kerma rate sources or beams, maintained at the Radiological Standards Laboratory (RSL) of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), is a 60 cm3 spherical graphite ionization chamber. A 192Ir HDR source was standardized at the hospital site in units of air kerma strength (AKS) using this primary standard. A 400 cm3 bakelite chamber, functioning as a reference standard at the RSL for a long period, at low air kerma rates (compared to external beam dose rates), was calibrated against the primary standard. It was seen that the primary standard and the reference standard, both being of low Z, showed roughly the same scatter response and yielded the same calibration factor for the 400 cm3 reference chamber, with or without room scatter. However, any likelihood of change in the reference chamber calibration factor would necessitate the re-transport of the primary standard to the hospital site for re-calibration. Frequent transport of the primary standard can affect the long-term stability of the primary standard, due to its movement or other extraneous causes. The calibration of the reference standard against the primary standard at the RSL, for an industrial type 192Ir source maintained at the laboratory, showed excellent agreement with the hospital calibration, making it possible to check the reference chamber calibration at RSL itself. Further calibration procedures have been developed to offer traceable calibration of the hospital well ionization chambers.

Radiation anomaly detection algorithms for field-acquired gamma energy spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Sanjoy; Maurer, Richard; Wolff, Ron; Guss, Paul; Mitchell, Stephen

2015-08-01

The Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) is developing a tactical, networked radiation detection system that will be agile, reconfigurable, and capable of rapid threat assessment with high degree of fidelity and certainty. Our design is driven by the needs of users such as law enforcement personnel who must make decisions by evaluating threat signatures in urban settings. The most efficient tool available to identify the nature of the threat object is real-time gamma spectroscopic analysis, as it is fast and has a very low probability of producing false positive alarm conditions. Urban radiological searches are inherently challenged by the rapid and large spatial variation of background gamma radiation, the presence of benign radioactive materials in terms of the normally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), and shielded and/or masked threat sources. Multiple spectral anomaly detection algorithms have been developed by national laboratories and commercial vendors. For example, the Gamma Detector Response and Analysis Software (GADRAS) a one-dimensional deterministic radiation transport software capable of calculating gamma ray spectra using physics-based detector response functions was developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The nuisance-rejection spectral comparison ratio anomaly detection algorithm (or NSCRAD), developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, uses spectral comparison ratios to detect deviation from benign medical and NORM radiation source and can work in spite of strong presence of NORM and or medical sources. RSL has developed its own wavelet-based gamma energy spectral anomaly detection algorithm called WAVRAD. Test results and relative merits of these different algorithms will be discussed and demonstrated.

Real-Time Airborne Gamma-Ray Background Estimation Using NASVD with MLE and Radiation Transport for Calibration

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

Kulisek, Jonathan A.; Schweppe, John E.; Stave, Sean C.

2015-06-01

Helicopter-mounted gamma-ray detectors can provide law enforcement officials the means to quickly and accurately detect, identify, and locate radiological threats over a wide geographical area. The ability to accurately distinguish radiological threat-generated gamma-ray signatures from background gamma radiation in real time is essential in order to realize this potential. This problem is non-trivial, especially in urban environments for which the background may change very rapidly during flight. This exacerbates the challenge of estimating background due to the poor counting statistics inherent in real-time airborne gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements. To address this, we have developed a new technique for real-time estimation ofmore » background gamma radiation from aerial measurements. This method is built upon on the noise-adjusted singular value decomposition (NASVD) technique that was previously developed for estimating the potassium (K), uranium (U), and thorium (T) concentrations in soil post-flight. The method can be calibrated using K, U, and T spectra determined from radiation transport simulations along with basis functions, which may be determined empirically by applying maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to previously measured airborne gamma-ray spectra. The method was applied to both measured and simulated airborne gamma-ray spectra, with and without man-made radiological source injections. Compared to schemes based on simple averaging, this technique was less sensitive to background contamination from the injected man-made sources and may be particularly useful when the gamma-ray background frequently changes during the course of the flight.« less

Enriched Audience Engagement Through Twitter: Should More Academic Radiology Departments Seize the Opportunity?

PubMed

Prabhu, Vinay; Rosenkrantz, Andrew B

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate use of the microblogging social network Twitter by academic radiology departments (ARDs) in the United States. Twitter was searched to identify all accounts corresponding with United States ARDs. All original tweets from identified accounts over a recent 3-month period (August to October 2014) were archived. Measures of account activity, as well as tweet and link content, were summarized. Fifteen ARDs (8.2%) had Twitter accounts. Ten (5.5%) had "active" accounts, with ≥1 tweet over the 3-month period. Active accounts averaged 711 ± 925 followers (maximum, 2,885) and 61 ± 93 tweets (maximum, 260) during the period. Among 612 tweets from active accounts, content most commonly related to radiology-related education (138), dissemination of departmental research (102), general departmental or hospital promotional material (62), departmental awards or accomplishments (60), upcoming departmental lectures (59), other hospital-related news (55), medical advice or information for patients (38), local community events or news (29), social media and medicine (27), and new departmental or hospital hires or expansion (19). Eighty percent of tweets (490 of 612) included 315 unique external links. Most frequent categories of link sources were picture-, video-, and music-sharing websites (89); the ARD's website or blog (83); peer-reviewed journal articles (40); the hospital's or university's website (34), the lay press (28), and Facebook (14). Twitter provides ARDs the opportunity to engage their own staff members, the radiology community, the department's hospital, and patients, through a broad array of content. ARDs frequently used Twitter for promotional and educational purposes. Because only a small fraction of ARDs actively use Twitter, more departments are encouraged to take advantage of this emerging communication tool. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interventional Radiology Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for Neurovascular Disorders Are Not Based on High-Quality Systematic Reviews.

PubMed

Chong, A B; Taylor, M; Schubert, G; Vassar, M

2017-04-01

In recent years, clinical practice guidelines have been criticized for biased interpretations of research evidence, and interventional radiology is no exception. Our aim was to evaluate the methodologic quality and transparency of reporting in systematic reviews used as evidence in interventional radiology clinical practice guidelines for neurovascular disorders from the Society of Interventional Radiology. Our sources were 9 neurovascular disorder clinical practice guidelines from the Society of Interventional Radiology. We selected 65 systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) tools were used to assess the methodologic quality and reporting transparency of systematic reviews. Radial plots were created on the basis of average scores for PRISMA and AMSTAR items. On the basis of AMSTAR scores, 3 (4.62%) reviews were high-quality, 28 reviews (43.08%) were moderate-quality, and 34 reviews (52.31%) were low-quality, with an average quality score of 3.66 (34.32%; minimum, 0%; maximum, 81.82%). The average PRISMA score was 18.18 (69.41%). We were unable to obtain previous versions for 8 reviews, 7 of which were from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The methodologic quality of systematic reviews needs to be improved. Although reporting clarity was much better than the methodologic quality, it still has room for improvement. The methodologic quality and transparency of reporting did not vary much among clinical practice guidelines. This study can also be applied to other medical specialties to examine the quality of studies used as evidence in their own clinical practice guidelines. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Integrated interdisciplinary training in the radiological sciences.

PubMed

Brenner, D J; Vazquez, M; Buonanno, M; Amundson, S A; Bigelow, A W; Garty, G; Harken, A D; Hei, T K; Marino, S A; Ponnaiya, B; Randers-Pehrson, G; Xu, Y

2014-02-01

The radiation sciences are increasingly interdisciplinary, both from the research and the clinical perspectives. Beyond clinical and research issues, there are very real issues of communication between scientists from different disciplines. It follows that there is an increasing need for interdisciplinary training courses in the radiological sciences. Training courses are common in biomedical academic and clinical environments, but are typically targeted to scientists in specific technical fields. In the era of multidisciplinary biomedical science, there is a need for highly integrated multidisciplinary training courses that are designed for, and are useful to, scientists who are from a mix of very different academic fields and backgrounds. We briefly describe our experiences running such an integrated training course for researchers in the field of biomedical radiation microbeams, and draw some conclusions about how such interdisciplinary training courses can best function. These conclusions should be applicable to many other areas of the radiological sciences. In summary, we found that it is highly beneficial to keep the scientists from the different disciplines together. In practice, this means not segregating the training course into sections specifically for biologists and sections specifically for physicists and engineers, but rather keeping the students together to attend the same lectures and hands-on studies throughout the course. This structure added value to the learning experience not only in terms of the cross fertilization of information and ideas between scientists from the different disciplines, but also in terms of reinforcing some basic concepts for scientists in their own discipline.

Long-Term Clinical Outcome After Titanium Lunate Arthroplasty for Kienböck Disease.

PubMed

Viljakka, Timo; Tallroth, Kaj; Vastamäki, Martti

2018-04-09

Titanium lunate arthroplasty (TLA) for Kienböck disease was introduced in 1984 to address the silicone-wear particle problem common to silicone lunate implants. We sought to study the outcome of TLA. We identified 11 patients from our hospital database who had undergone TLA between 2001 and 2010. We evaluated pain, range of motion (ROM), function, and radiological outcome at a mean 11 years after surgery. We compared preoperative ROM and radiological findings with final follow-up in the ipsilateral wrist and also made comparisons with the contralateral wrists. No implants were removed, and no wrist joints were fused. Pain on the visual analog scale averaged 0.5 at rest, 0.3 at night, and 2.7 during heavy exertion. Seven patients had no pain at rest and 9 had no pain at night. Range of motion reached 70% of that of the contralateral wrist, and strength reached 81%. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score averaged 9.6, optional DASH 9.7, and Mayo wrist score 67.7. Radiologically, only Ståhl and arthrosis indexes differed significantly between affected and unaffected wrists. Two patients had a dorsally dislocated implant, meaning that around 20% of our cases probably meet the criteria for failure. The longer-term results of TLA for stage III Kienböck disease are promising. Therapeutic IV. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiology practices and their contracts with hospitals, 1989-1990: a representative sample survey.

PubMed

Sunshine, J; Chan, W C; Kassing, P J

1991-12-01

Because of concern about pressures from hospitals for changes in their contracts with radiology practices, the American College of Radiology undertook a stratified sample survey of radiology practices and their contracts with hospitals in late 1989 and early 1990. After three remailings, the survey obtained 904 valid responses for a 64% response rate. It found (weighting data to represent all radiology practices in the nation) that 91% of radiology practices provide services in hospitals. There are contracts at 57% of these hospital sites, and hospitals use tax-exempt bond financing in 54% of the sites with contracts. One year is the most common duration of contracts, and 90 days is the most common cancellation period (89% of contracts can be canceled during the contract's term). Eighty-six percent of contracts are exclusive; 73% are automatically renewable ("evergreen"). Separate billing exists in well over 90% of hospitals with contracts. Two percent of contracts require radiologists to provide equipment; 4% require them to provide support staff. There are fixed-fee arrangements in 9% of contracts and percent compensation arrangements in 3%. Hospitals share in radiologists' fees as a charge for contractual privileges in 5% of contracts. Twenty-seven percent of contracts require hospital approval for radiologists' fee increases; 19% require radiologists to participate with Blue Shield or Medicare. If a contract characteristic is predominant nationally, it is predominant in every region, for solo, small, medium, and large practices, and whether or not hospitals use tax-exempt bond financing. There is, however, some modest variation in frequency of contract provisions. Multivariate analysis shows that most such variation reflects true effects of region and other variables, not statistical artifacts. Region was a statistically significant determinant of 11 of 17 contract characteristics studied. Practice size was a statistically significant determinant of only about half as many characteristics. The survey found some interference in the independence of radiology practices (e.g., required hospital approval of fee increases), questionable clauses (e.g., mandated provision of equipment), and even illegal ones (hospitals charging a fee for contract privileges). Knowledge of the survey findings can make individual radiology practices more effective in negotiations with hospitals and assist the profession in forming a strategy to oppose disadvantageous and illegal provisions.

Cumulative doses analysis in young trauma patients: a single-centre experience.

PubMed

Salerno, Sergio; Marrale, Maurizio; Geraci, Claudia; Caruso, Giuseppe; Lo Re, Giuseppe; Lo Casto, Antonio; Midiri, Massimo

2016-02-01

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) represents the main source of radiation exposure in trauma patients. The radiation exposure of young patients is a matter of considerable medical concern due to possible long-term effects. Multiple MDCT studies have been observed in the young trauma population with an increase in radiation exposure. We have identified 249 young adult patients (178 men and 71 women; age range 14-40 years) who had received more than one MDCT study between June 2010 and June 2014. According to the International Commission on Radiological Protection publication, we have calculated the cumulative organ dose tissue-weighting factors by using CT-EXPO software(®). We have observed a mean cumulative dose of about 27 mSv (range from 3 to 297 mSv). The distribution analysis is characterised by low effective dose, below 20 mSv, in the majority of the patients. However, in 29 patients, the effective dose was found to be higher than 20 mSv. Dose distribution for the various organs analysed (breasts, ovaries, testicles, heart and eye lenses) shows an intense peak for lower doses, but in some cases high doses were recorded. Even though cumulative doses may have long-term effects, which are still under debate, high doses are observed in this specific group of young patients.

Lumbar disc nomenclature: version 2.0: recommendations of the combined task forces of the North American Spine Society, the American Society of Spine Radiology, and the American Society of Neuroradiology.

PubMed

Fardon, David F; Williams, Alan L; Dohring, Edward J; Murtagh, F Reed; Gabriel Rothman, Stephen L; Sze, Gordon K

2014-11-15

This article comprises a review of the literature pertaining to the normal and pathological lumbar disc and the compilation of a standardized nomenclature. To provide a resource that promotes a clear understanding of lumbar disc terminology among clinicians, radiologists, and researchers. The article "Nomenclature and Classification of Lumbar Disc Pathology. Recommendations of the Combined Task Forces of the North American Spine Society, American Society of Spine Radiology and American Society of Neuroradiology" was published in 2001 in Spine © Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins and formally endorsed by the 3 boards. Its purpose, which it served for well over a decade, was to promote greater clarity and consistency of usage of spine terminology. Since 2001, there has been sufficient evolution in our understanding of the lumbar disc to suggest the need for revision and updating. The document represents the consensus recommendations of the current combined task forces and reflects changes consistent with current concepts in radiological and clinical care. A PubMed search was performed for literature pertaining to the lumbar disc. The task force members individually and collectively reviewed the literature and revised the 2001 document. It was then reviewed by the governing boards of the American Society of Spine Radiology, the American Society of Neuroradiology, and the North American Spine Society. After further revision based on their feedback, the paper was approved for publication. The article provides a discussion of the recommended diagnostic categories and a glossary of terms pertaining to the lumbar disc, a detailed discussion of the terms and their recommended usage, as well as updated illustrations and literature references. We have revised and updated a document that, since 2001, has provided a widely accepted nomenclature that helps maintain consistency and accuracy in the description of the properties of the normal and abnormal lumbar discs and that serves as a system for classification and reporting built upon that nomenclature.

Existing Approaches to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Education and Training for Health Professionals: Findings from an Integrative Literature Review.

PubMed

Kako, Mayumi; Hammad, Karen; Mitani, Satoko; Arbon, Paul

2018-04-01

This review was conducted to explore the literature to determine the availability, content, and evaluation of existing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) education programs for health professionals. An integrative review of the international literature describing disaster education for CBRN (2004-2016) was conducted. The following relevant databases were searched: Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Journals @ OVID, Google Scholar, Medline, and Ichuschi ver. 5 (Japanese database for health professionals). The search terms used were: "disaster," "chemical," "biological," "radiological," "nuclear," "CBRN," "health professional education," and "method." The following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, "education," "nursing," "continuing," "disasters," "disaster planning," and "bioterrorism," were used wherever possible and appropriate. The retrieved articles were narratively analyzed according to availability, content, and method. The content was thematically analyzed to provide an overview of the core content of the training. The literature search identified 619 potentially relevant articles for this study. Duplicates (n=104) were removed and 87 articles were identified for title review. In total, 67 articles were discarded, yielding 20 articles for all-text review, following 11 studies were retained for analysis, including one Japanese study. All articles published in English were from the USA, apart from the two studies located in Japan and Sweden. The most typical content in the selected literature was CBRN theory (n=11), followed by studies based on incident command (n=8), decontamination (n=7), disaster management (n=7), triage (n=7), personal protective equipment (PPE) use (n = 5), and post-training briefing (n=3). While the CBRN training course requires the participants to gain specific skills and knowledge, proposed training courses should be effectively constructed to include approaches such as scenario-based simulations, depending on the participants' needs. Kako M , Hammad K , Mitani S , Arbon P . Existing approaches to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) education and training for health professionals: findings from an integrative literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(2):182-190.

Technology Assessment and Roadmap for the Emergency Radiation Dose Assessment Program

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

Turteltaub, K W; Hartman-Siantar, C; Easterly, C

2005-10-03

A Joint Interagency Working Group (JIWG) under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Research and Development conducted a technology assessment of emergency radiological dose assessment capabilities as part of the overall need for rapid emergency medical response in the event of a radiological terrorist event in the United States. The goal of the evaluation is to identify gaps and recommend general research and development needs to better prepare the Country for mitigating the effects of such an event. Given the capabilities and roles for responding to a radiological event extend across many agencies, a consensus ofmore » gaps and suggested development plans was a major goal of this evaluation and road-mapping effort. The working group consisted of experts representing the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services (Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health), Food and Drug Administration, Department of Defense and the Department of Energy's National Laboratories (see appendix A for participants). The specific goals of this Technology Assessment and Roadmap were to: (1) Describe the general context for deployment of emergency radiation dose assessment tools following terrorist use of a radiological or nuclear device; (2) Assess current and emerging dose assessment technologies; and (3) Put forward a consensus high-level technology roadmap for interagency research and development in this area. This report provides a summary of the consensus of needs, gaps and recommendations for a research program in the area of radiation dosimetry for early response, followed by a summary of the technologies available and on the near-term horizon. We then present a roadmap for a research program to bring present and emerging near-term technologies to bear on the gaps in radiation dose assessment and triage. Finally we present detailed supporting discussion on the nature of the threats we considered, the status of technology today, promising emerging technologies and references for further reading.« less

21 CFR 1003.21 - Notification by the manufacturer to affected persons.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH NOTIFICATION OF DEFECTS OR FAILURE TO COMPLY Notification... nontechnical terms of the hazards reasonably related to any defect or failure to comply; and (3) The following... the above statement. (b) The envelope containing the notice shall not contain advertising or other...

Fetal Implications of Diagnostic Radiation Exposure During Pregnancy: Evidence-based Recommendations.

PubMed

Rimawi, Bassam H; Green, Victoria; Lindsay, Michael

2016-06-01

The purpose of this article is to review the fetal and long-term implications of diagnostic radiation exposure during pregnancy. Evidence-based recommendations for radiologic imaging modalities utilizing exposure of diagnostic radiation during pregnancy, including conventional screen-film mammography, digital mammography, tomosynthesis, and contrast-enhanced mammography are described.

20 CFR 718.202 - Determining the existence of pneumoconiosis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... radiologist or qualified radiologic technologist or technician and there is no evidence that the claim has... with this paragraph. (A) The term other evidence means medical tests such as blood-gas studies, pulmonary function studies or physical examinations or medical histories which establish the presence of a...

20 CFR 718.202 - Determining the existence of pneumoconiosis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... radiologist or qualified radiologic technologist or technician and there is no evidence that the claim has... with this paragraph. (A) The term other evidence means medical tests such as blood-gas studies, pulmonary function studies or physical examinations or medical histories which establish the presence of a...

20 CFR 718.202 - Determining the existence of pneumoconiosis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... radiologist or qualified radiologic technologist or technician and there is no evidence that the claim has... with this paragraph. (A) The term other evidence means medical tests such as blood-gas studies, pulmonary function studies or physical examinations or medical histories which establish the presence of a...

20 CFR 718.202 - Determining the existence of pneumoconiosis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... radiologist or qualified radiologic technologist or technician and there is no evidence that the claim has... with this paragraph. (A) The term other evidence means medical tests such as blood-gas studies, pulmonary function studies or physical examinations or medical histories which establish the presence of a...

A Comparison of Neutron-Based Non-Destructive Assessment Methods for Chemical Warfare Materiel and High Explosives

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

E.H. Seabury; D.L. Chichester; C.J. Wharton

2008-08-01

Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) systems employ neutrons as a probe to interrogate items, e.g. chemical warfare materiel-filled munitions. The choice of a neutron source in field-portable systems is determined by its ability to excite nuclei of interest, operational concerns such as radiological safety and ease-of-use, and cost. Idaho National Laboratory’s PINS Chemical Assay System has traditionally used a Cf-252 isotopic neutron source, but recently a Deuterium-Tritium (DT) Electronic Neutron Generator (ENG) has been tested as an alternate neutron source. This paper presents the results of using both of these neutron sources to interrogate chemical warfare materiel (CWM) andmore » high explosive (HE) filled munitions.« less

A Comparison of Neutron-Based Non-Destructive Assessment Methods for Chemical Warfare Material and High Explosives

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

Seabury, E. H.; Chichester, D. L.; Wharton, C. J.

2009-03-10

Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) systems employ neutrons as a probe to interrogate items, e.g. chemical warfare materiel-filled munitions. The choice of a neutron source in field-portable systems is determined by its ability to excite nuclei of interest, operational concerns such as radiological safety and ease-of-use, and cost. Idaho National Laboratory's PINS Chemical Assay System has traditionally used a {sup 252}Cf isotopic neutron source, but recently a deuterium-tritium (DT) electronic neutron generator (ENG) has been tested as an alternate neutron source. This paper presents the results of using both of these neutron sources to interrogate chemical warfare materiel (CWM)more » and high explosive (HE) filled munitions.« less

Identification of Long Bone Fractures in Radiology Reports Using Natural Language Processing to Support Healthcare Quality Improvement

PubMed Central

Masino, Aaron J.; Casper, T. Charles; Dean, Jonathan M.; Bell, Jamie; Enriquez, Rene; Deakyne, Sara; Chamberlain, James M.; Alpern, Elizabeth R.

2016-01-01

Summary Background Important information to support healthcare quality improvement is often recorded in free text documents such as radiology reports. Natural language processing (NLP) methods may help extract this information, but these methods have rarely been applied outside the research laboratories where they were developed. Objective To implement and validate NLP tools to identify long bone fractures for pediatric emergency medicine quality improvement. Methods Using freely available statistical software packages, we implemented NLP methods to identify long bone fractures from radiology reports. A sample of 1,000 radiology reports was used to construct three candidate classification models. A test set of 500 reports was used to validate the model performance. Blinded manual review of radiology reports by two independent physicians provided the reference standard. Each radiology report was segmented and word stem and bigram features were constructed. Common English “stop words” and rare features were excluded. We used 10-fold cross-validation to select optimal configuration parameters for each model. Accuracy, recall, precision and the F1 score were calculated. The final model was compared to the use of diagnosis codes for the identification of patients with long bone fractures. Results There were 329 unique word stems and 344 bigrams in the training documents. A support vector machine classifier with Gaussian kernel performed best on the test set with accuracy=0.958, recall=0.969, precision=0.940, and F1 score=0.954. Optimal parameters for this model were cost=4 and gamma=0.005. The three classification models that we tested all performed better than diagnosis codes in terms of accuracy, precision, and F1 score (diagnosis code accuracy=0.932, recall=0.960, precision=0.896, and F1 score=0.927). Conclusions NLP methods using a corpus of 1,000 training documents accurately identified acute long bone fractures from radiology reports. Strategic use of straightforward NLP methods, implemented with freely available software, offers quality improvement teams new opportunities to extract information from narrative documents. PMID:27826610

78 FR 32309 - Distribution of Source Material to Exempt Persons and to General Licensees and Revision of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... align the requirements with current health and safety standards. Finally, the rule revises, clarifies... potential for uranium and thorium to produce health effects from both chemical toxicity and radiological... impacts to public health and safety. \\1\\ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic...

Assessment of radiocarbon in the Savannah River Site Environment

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

Carlton, W.H.; Evans, A.G.; Murphy, C.E. Jr.

1993-03-01

This report is a radiological assessment of [sup 14]C releases from the Savannah River Site. During the operation of five production reactors [sup 14]C has been produced at SRS. Approximately 3000 curies have been released to the atmosphere but there are no recorded releases to surface waters. Once released, the [sup 14]C joins the carbon cycle and a portion enters the food chain. The overall radiological impact of SRS releases on the offsite maximum individual can be characterized by a dose of 1.1 mrem, compared with a dose of 12,960 mrem from non-SRS sources during the same period of time.more » Releases of [sup 14]C have resulted in a negligible risk to the environment and the population it supports.« less

Assessment of radiocarbon in the Savannah River Site Environment

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

Carlton, W.H.; Evans, A.G.; Murphy, C.E. Jr.

1993-03-01

This report is a radiological assessment of {sup 14}C releases from the Savannah River Site. During the operation of five production reactors {sup 14}C has been produced at SRS. Approximately 3000 curies have been released to the atmosphere but there are no recorded releases to surface waters. Once released, the {sup 14}C joins the carbon cycle and a portion enters the food chain. The overall radiological impact of SRS releases on the offsite maximum individual can be characterized by a dose of 1.1 mrem, compared with a dose of 12,960 mrem from non-SRS sources during the same period of time.more » Releases of {sup 14}C have resulted in a negligible risk to the environment and the population it supports.« less

Worker and environmental protection issues in the remediation of an abandoned source manufacturing facility.

PubMed

Hoffman, Daniel E

2003-02-01

The Gulf Nuclear Superfund Site located in Odessa, Texas, was an abandoned radioactive source production facility slated for cleanup as a Removal Action under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI Superfund program. Prior to cessation of operations and abandonment of the facility in 1992, it was used for the production of radioactive sources used in the oil and gas industry and nuclear medicine applications. Pangea Group was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District to perform remediation of the site and other contaminated debris, cleaning of interior building surfaces, building demolition, and excavation/removal of contaminated soils and septic system. The project scope also included loading, containerization and transportation of low-level radioactive wastes for offsite disposal. Primary radionuclides present at the facility were 137Cs, 60Co, and 241Am. The project also included packaging and removal of radioactive sources and mixed waste consisting of radiologically contaminated lead shot and lead source containers. Included in the paper is a discussion of primary worker protection and environmental protection measures employed on the project. Worker protection issues included the control of industrial and construction safety hazards as well as control of external and internal radiation dose. Control of air emissions and contaminated wastewater were also very important, especially due to the location of the site. The site was located in an area containing both residential and commercial properties. Several residences and businesses were located immediately adjacent to the site. The project involved the participation of the USACE Kansas City District, EPA Region 6, and the Texas Bureau of Radiological Health. Field work on the project started in April 2001 and was completed approximately five months later.

Worker and Environmental Protection Issues in the Remediation Of an Abandoned Source Manufacturing Facility.

PubMed

Hoffman, Daniel E.

2003-02-01

The Gulf Nuclear Superfund Site located in Odessa, Texas, was an abandoned radioactive source production facility slated for cleanup as a Removal Action under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region VI Superfund program. Prior to cessation of operations and abandonment of the facility in 1992, it was used for the production of radioactive sources used in the oil and gas industry and nuclear medicine applications. Pangea Group was contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Kansas City District to perform remediation of the site and other contaminated debris, cleaning of interior building surfaces, building demolition, and excavation/removal of contaminated soils and septic system. The project scope also included loading, containerization and transportation of low-level radioactive wastes for offsite disposal. Primary radionuclides present at the facility were Cs, Co, and Am. The project also included packaging and removal of radioactive sources and mixed waste consisting of radiologically contaminated lead shot and lead source containers. Included in the paper is a discussion of primary worker protection and environmental protection measures employed on the project. Worker protection issues included the control of industrial and construction safety hazards as well as control of external and internal radiation dose. Control of air emissions and contaminated wastewater were also very important, especially due to the location of the site. The site was located in an area containing both residential and commercial properties. Several residences and businesses were located immediately adjacent to the site. The project involved the participation of the USACE Kansas City District, EPA Region 6, and the Texas Bureau of Radiological Health. Field work on the project started in April 2001 and was completed approximately five months later.

Clinico-Radiological Diagnosis of Isolated Congenital Esophageal Stenosis in a Preterm Neonate

PubMed Central

Sham, Minakshi

2013-01-01

A 2-day-old preterm female neonate weighing 1.6 kg and having excessive frothing from mouth was investigated for suspected esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. X-ray findings of an unusually low-ending upper pouch (up to T8 level) and the absence of gas in abdomen lead to suspicion of an unusual variety of esophageal atresia. Hence unlike the usual management of pure esophageal atresia, in terms of esophagostomy and gastrostomy in neonatal period, right thoracotomy was performed allowing successful primary anastomosis. A high index of suspicion on the basis of radiological picture led to early diagnosis of a rare anomaly like congenital esophageal stenosis and successful management of this low birth weight baby. PMID:25755945

ESR dosimetry for atomic bomb survivors and radiologic technologists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatsumi-Miyajima, Junko

1987-06-01

An individual absorbed dose for atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors and radiologic technologists has been estimated using a new personal dosimetry. This dosimetry is based on the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of the CO 33- radicals, which are produced in their teeth by radiation. Measurements were carried out to study the characteristics of the dosimetry; the ESR signals of the CO 33- radicals were stable and increased linearly with the radiation dose. In the evaluation of the absorbed dose, the ESR signals were considered to be a function of photon energy. The absorbed doses in ten cases of A-bomb victims and eight cases of radiologic technologists were determined. For A-bomb survivors, the adsorbed doses, which were estimated using the ESR dosimetry, were consistent with the ones obtained using the calculations of the tissue dose in air of A-bomb, and also with the ones obtained using the chromosome measurements. For radiologic technologists, the absorbed doses, which were estimated using the ESR dosimetry, agreed with the ones calculated using the information on the occupational history and conditions. The advantages of this method are that the absorbed dose can be directly estimated by measuring the ESR signals obtained from the teeth of persons, who are exposed to radiation. Therefore, the ESR dosimetry is useful to estimate the accidental exposure and the long term cumulative dose.

Clinical and radiological outcomes after treatment of sagittal fracture of mandibular condyle (SFMC) by using occlusal splint in children.

PubMed

Liu, Chang-Kui; Meng, Fan-Wen; Tan, Xin-Ying; Xu, Juan; Liu, Hua-Wei; Liu, San-Xia; Huang, Hai-Tao; Yan, Rong-Zeng; Hu, Min; Hu, Kai-Jin

2014-02-01

This study was designed to investigate the effects of occlusal splints in the treatment of sagittal fractures of the mandibular condyle in children. From January 1995 to December 2011, 37 sagittal fractures of the mandibular condyle in 30 patients aged 4-8 years old were included in this study. All the patients were treated with 1-2mm occlusal splints in the molar region. The mouths of the patients were kept slightly open by the occlusal splints for 3-6 months, and we reviewed the clinical and radiological remodelling of the affected condyles after treatment. Excellent (n=20) and good (n=10) clinical outcomes were achieved with full radiological remodelling seen in 19 and partial remodelling in 11. Treatment with occlusal splints is effective in delivering good results and function with minimal morbidity in children with sagittal fractures of the condyle, while permitting ongoing remodelling and growth in the short term. Copyright © 2013 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The anatomy of group dysfunction.

PubMed

Hayes, David F

2014-04-01

The dysfunction of the radiology group has 2 components: (1) the thinking component-the governance structure of the radiology group; how we manage the group; and (2) the structural component-the group's business model and its conflict with the partner's personal business model. Of the 2 components, governance is more important. Governance must be structured on classic, immutable business management principles. The structural component, the business model, is not immutable. In fact, it must continually change in response to the marketplace. Changes in the business model should occur only if demanded or permitted by the marketplace; instituting changes for other reasons, including personal interests or deficient knowledge of the deciders, is fundamentally contrary to the long-term interests of the group and its owners. First, we must learn basic business management concepts to appreciate the function and necessity of standard business models and standard business governance. Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive is an excellent primer on the subjects of standard business practices and the importance of a functional, authorized, and fully accountable chief executive officer. Copyright © 2014 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generalized “Satisfaction of Search”: Adverse Influences on Dual-Target Search Accuracy

PubMed Central

Fleck, Mathias S.; Samei, Ehsan; Mitroff, Stephen R.

2013-01-01

The successful detection of a target in a radiological search can reduce the detectability of a second target, a phenomenon termed satisfaction of search (SOS). Given the potential consequences, here we investigate the generality of SOS with the goal of simultaneously informing radiology, cognitive psychology, and nonmedical searches such as airport luggage screening. Ten experiments utilizing nonmedical searches and untrained searchers suggest that SOS is affected by a diverse array of factors, including (1) the relative frequency of different target types, (2) external pressures (reward and time), and (3) expectations about the number of targets present. Collectively, these experiments indicate that SOS arises when searchers have a biased expectation about the low likelihood of specific targets or events, and when they are under pressure to perform efficiently. This first demonstration of SOS outside of radiology implicates a general heuristic applicable to many kinds of searches. In an example like airport luggage screening, the current data suggest that the detection of an easy-to-spot target (e.g., a water bottle) might reduce detection of a hard-to-spot target (e.g., a box cutter). PMID:20350044

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

Shourbaji, AA

Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted field radiological measurements at two port locations at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The radiological measurements were performed on five radiation detection systems at the port of Darrow, Louisiana and three systems at the port of Charleston, South Carolina. Darrow was visited on January 20-23, 2004 and Charleston on May 25, 2004. All tested systems are designed to detect radioactive material that might be present in scrap metals as the scrap is being unloaded from ships. All eight systems are commercially known as the Cricket and manufactured by RAD/COMM Systems. Each radiationmore » detection system consists of a detector with two channels and a wireless transmitter, both mounted on the grapple, and a controller located in the crane cab. The cranes at both locations are operated by the Cooper T. Smith Company. The purpose of the radiological measurements was to evaluate the performance of the radiation detection systems in terms of their ability to detect elevated radiation levels, and to develop a routine testing method for all EPA Cricket systems.« less

The role of radiology in paediatric soft tissue sarcomas

PubMed Central

van Rijn, R.; McHugh, K.

2008-01-01

Abstract Paediatric soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a group of malignant tumours that originate from primitive mesenchymal tissue and account for 7% of all childhood tumours. Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) and undifferentiated sarcomas account for approximately 50% of soft tissue sarcomas in children and non-rhabdomyomatous soft tissue sarcomas (NRSTS) the remainder. The prognosis and biology of STS tumours vary greatly depending on the age of the patient, the primary site, tumour size, tumour invasiveness, histologic grade, depth of invasion, and extent of disease at diagnosis. Over recent years, there has been a marked improvement in survival rates in children and adolescents with soft tissue sarcoma and ongoing international studies continue to aim to improve these survival rates whilst attempting to reduce the morbidity associated with treatment. Radiology plays a crucial role in the initial diagnosis and staging of STS, in the long term follow-up and in the assessment of many treatment related complications. We review the epidemiology, histology, clinical presentation, staging and prognosis of soft tissue sarcomas and discuss the role of radiology in their management. PMID:18442956

Toxicological and radiological safety of chicken meat irradiated with 7.5 MeV X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Beom-Seok; Lee, Yunjong; Park, Jong-Heum; Kim, Jae-Kyung; Park, Ha-Young; Kim, Dong-Ho; Kim, Chang-Jong; Kang, Il-Jun

2018-03-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the toxicological and radiological safety of chicken meat that had been irradiated at 30 kGy with 7.5 MeV X-rays. In a sub-chronic toxicity study, ICR mice were fed X-ray-irradiated chicken meat at 2500 mg/kg body weight daily for 90 days, and no mortality or abnormal clinical signs were observed throughout the study period. However, several hematological and serum biochemical parameters of the ICR mice differed significantly from those in the control group; nevertheless, the observed values were all within the normal range for the respective parameters. In addition, no toxicological effects were determined in male or female mice. Furthermore, no differences in gamma-ray spectrometric patterns were detected between the non-irradiated and irradiated samples, indicating that the radioactivity induced by 7.5 MeV X-ray irradiation was below the detection limit. These results tentatively suggest that chicken meat irradiated with 7.5 MeV X-rays would be safe for human consumption in terms of toxicology and radiology.

Development of a user-centered radiology teaching file system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

dos Santos, Marcelo; Fujino, Asa

2011-03-01

Learning radiology requires systematic and comprehensive study of a large knowledge base of medical images. In this work is presented the development of a digital radiology teaching file system. The proposed system has been created in order to offer a set of customized services regarding to users' contexts and their informational needs. This has been done by means of an electronic infrastructure that provides easy and integrated access to all relevant patient data at the time of image interpretation, so that radiologists and researchers can examine all available data to reach well-informed conclusions, while protecting patient data privacy and security. The system is presented such as an environment which implements a distributed clinical database, including medical images, authoring tools, repository for multimedia documents, and also a peer-reviewed model which assures dataset quality. The current implementation has shown that creating clinical data repositories on networked computer environments points to be a good solution in terms of providing means to review information management practices in electronic environments and to create customized and contextbased tools for users connected to the system throughout electronic interfaces.

ESR statement on radiation protection: globalisation, personalised medicine and safety (the GPS approach).

PubMed

2013-12-01

In keeping with its responsibility for the radiation protection of patients undergoing radiological examinations and procedures, as well as of staff who are getting exposed, and with due regard to requirements under European Directives, the European Society of Radiology (ESR) issues this statement. It provides a holistic approach, termed as Globalisation (indicating all the steps and involving all stakeholders), Personalisation (referring to patient-centric) and Safety-thus called GPS. While being conscious that there is need to increase access of radiological imaging, ESR is aware about the increasing inappropriate medical exposures to ionising radiation and wide variation in patient doses for the same examination. The ESR is convinced that the different components of radiation protection are often interrelated and cannot be considered in isolation The ESR's GPS approach stands for: Globalisation (indicating all the steps and involving all stakeholders), Personalisation (referring to patient-centric) and Safety-thus called GPS It can be anticipated that enhanced protection of patients in Europe will result through the GPS approach. Although the focus is on patient safety, staff safety issues will find a place wherever pertinent.

Thorium: Issues and prospects in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AL-Areqi, Wadeeah M.; Majid, Amran Ab.; Sarmani, Sukiman; Bahri, Che Nor Aniza Che Zainul

2015-04-01

In Malaysia, thorium exists in minerals and rare earth elements production residue. The average range of thorium content in Malaysian monazite and xenotime minerals was found about 70,000 and 15,000 ppm respectively. About 2,636 tonnes of Malaysian monazite was produced for a period of 5 years (2006-2010) and based on the above data, it can be estimated that Malaysian monazite contains about 184.5 tonnes of thorium. Although thorium can become a major radiological problem to our environment, but with the significant deposit of thorium in Malaysian monazite, it has a prospect as a future alternative fuel in nuclear technology. This paper will discuss the thorium issues in Malaysia especially its long term radiological risks to public health and environment at storage and disposal stages, the prospect of exploring and producing high purity thorium from our rare earth elements minerals for future thorium based reactor. This paper also highlights the holistic approach in thorium recovery from Malaysian rare earth element production residue to reduce its radioactivity and extraction of thorium and rare earth elements from the minerals with minimum radiological impact to health and environment.

Anomaly metrics to differentiate threat sources from benign sources in primary vehicle screening.

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

Cohen, Israel Dov; Mengesha, Wondwosen

2011-09-01

Discrimination of benign sources from threat sources at Port of Entries (POE) is of a great importance in efficient screening of cargo and vehicles using Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM). Currently RPM's ability to distinguish these radiological sources is seriously hampered by the energy resolution of the deployed RPMs. As naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are ubiquitous in commerce, false alarms are problematic as they require additional resources in secondary inspection in addition to impacts on commerce. To increase the sensitivity of such detection systems without increasing false alarm rates, alarm metrics need to incorporate the ability to distinguish benign andmore » threat sources. Principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering technique were implemented in the present study. Such techniques were investigated for their potential to lower false alarm rates and/or increase sensitivity to weaker threat sources without loss of specificity. Results of the investigation demonstrated improved sensitivity and specificity in discriminating benign sources from threat sources.« less

Integration of measurements with atmospheric dispersion models: Source term estimation for dispersal of (239)Pu due to non-nuclear detonation of high explosive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, L. L.; Harvey, T. F.; Freis, R. P.; Pitovranov, S. E.; Chernokozhin, E. V.

1992-10-01

The accuracy associated with assessing the environmental consequences of an accidental release of radioactivity is highly dependent on our knowledge of the source term characteristics and, in the case when the radioactivity is condensed on particles, the particle size distribution, all of which are generally poorly known. This paper reports on the development of a numerical technique that integrates the radiological measurements with atmospheric dispersion modeling. This results in a more accurate particle-size distribution and particle injection height estimation when compared with measurements of high explosive dispersal of (239)Pu. The estimation model is based on a non-linear least squares regression scheme coupled with the ARAC three-dimensional atmospheric dispersion models. The viability of the approach is evaluated by estimation of ADPIC model input parameters such as the ADPIC particle size mean aerodynamic diameter, the geometric standard deviation, and largest size. Additionally we estimate an optimal 'coupling coefficient' between the particles and an explosive cloud rise model. The experimental data are taken from the Clean Slate 1 field experiment conducted during 1963 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. The regression technique optimizes the agreement between the measured and model predicted concentrations of (239)Pu by varying the model input parameters within their respective ranges of uncertainties. The technique generally estimated the measured concentrations within a factor of 1.5, with the worst estimate being within a factor of 5, very good in view of the complexity of the concentration measurements, the uncertainties associated with the meteorological data, and the limitations of the models. The best fit also suggest a smaller mean diameter and a smaller geometric standard deviation on the particle size as well as a slightly weaker particle to cloud coupling than previously reported.

Endoscopy versus radiology in post-procedural monitoring after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).

PubMed

Nast, Jan Friso; Berliner, Christoph; Rösch, Thomas; von Renteln, Daniel; Noder, Tania; Schachschal, Guido; Groth, Stefan; Ittrich, Harald; Kersten, Jan F; Adam, Gerhard; Werner, Yuki B

2018-03-15

The newly developed technique of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been shown to be effective in several short- and mid-term studies. Limited information is available about the adequacy of immediate post-POEM monitoring tests. POEM was performed under general anesthesia in 228 patients (59.6% male, mean age 45.6 ± 15.5 years). Post-procedural checks comprised clinical and laboratory examination, and, during post-procedure days 1-5, endoscopy and-in the first 114 cases-radiologic examination using water-soluble contrast (1st group); the remaining patients underwent post-procedure controls without radiology (2nd group). Main outcome was value of endoscopic compared to radiologic control for recognition of early adverse events. In the first group, routine fluoroscopic contrast swallow suggested minor leakages at the mucosal entry site in two cases which was confirmed endoscopically in only one. Endoscopy revealed two minor entry site leakages and, in six additional cases, dislocated clips without leakage (overall 5.3%). All eight patients underwent reclipping and healed without clinical sequelae. In the 2nd group, endoscopy showed 5 clip dislocations (all reclipped) and one ischemic cardiac perforation in a patient with clinical deterioration on post-POEM day 1 who had to undergo surgery after confirmation of leakage by CT. Radiologic monitoring (contrast swallow) after POEM is not useful and can be omitted. Even routine endoscopic monitoring for detection and closure of minor defects of the mucosal entry site yields limited information with regards to final outcome; major complications are very rare and probably associated with clinical deterioration. Clinical Trials Gov Registration number of the main study: NCT01405417.

Bridging the gap between basic and clinical sciences: A description of a radiological anatomy course.

PubMed

Torres, Anna; Staśkiewicz, Grzegorz J; Lisiecka, Justyna; Pietrzyk, Łukasz; Czekajlo, Michael; Arancibia, Carlos U; Maciejewski, Ryszard; Torres, Kamil

2016-05-06

A wide variety of medical imaging techniques pervade modern medicine, and the changing portability and performance of tools like ultrasound imaging have brought these medical imaging techniques into the everyday practice of many specialties outside of radiology. However, proper interpretation of ultrasonographic and computed tomographic images requires the practitioner to not only hone certain technical skills, but to command an excellent knowledge of sectional anatomy and an understanding of the pathophysiology of the examined areas as well. Yet throughout many medical curricula there is often a large gap between traditional anatomy coursework and clinical training in imaging techniques. The authors present a radiological anatomy course developed to teach sectional anatomy with particular emphasis on ultrasonography and computed tomography, while incorporating elements of medical simulation. To assess students' overall opinions about the course and to examine its impact on their self-perceived improvement in their knowledge of radiological anatomy, anonymous evaluation questionnaires were provided to the students. The questionnaires were prepared using standard survey methods. A five-point Likert scale was applied to evaluate agreement with statements regarding the learning experience. The majority of students considered the course very useful and beneficial in terms of improving three-dimensional and cross-sectional knowledge of anatomy, as well as for developing practical skills in ultrasonography and computed tomography. The authors found that a small-group, hands-on teaching model in radiological anatomy was perceived as useful both by the students and the clinical teachers involved in their clinical education. In addition, the model was introduced using relatively few resources and only two faculty members. Anat Sci Educ 9: 295-303. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Improved identification of noun phrases in clinical radiology reports using a high-performance statistical natural language parser augmented with the UMLS specialist lexicon.

PubMed

Huang, Yang; Lowe, Henry J; Klein, Dan; Cucina, Russell J

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a method of extracting noun phrases with full phrase structures from a set of clinical radiology reports using natural language processing (NLP) and to investigate the effects of using the UMLS(R) Specialist Lexicon to improve noun phrase identification within clinical radiology documents. The noun phrase identification (NPI) module is composed of a sentence boundary detector, a statistical natural language parser trained on a nonmedical domain, and a noun phrase (NP) tagger. The NPI module processed a set of 100 XML-represented clinical radiology reports in Health Level 7 (HL7)(R) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA)-compatible format. Computed output was compared with manual markups made by four physicians and one author for maximal (longest) NP and those made by one author for base (simple) NP, respectively. An extended lexicon of biomedical terms was created from the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and used to improve NPI performance. The test set was 50 randomly selected reports. The sentence boundary detector achieved 99.0% precision and 98.6% recall. The overall maximal NPI precision and recall were 78.9% and 81.5% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 82.1% and 84.6% after. The overall base NPI precision and recall were 88.2% and 86.8% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 93.1% and 92.6% after, reducing false-positives by 31.1% and false-negatives by 34.3%. The sentence boundary detector performs excellently. After the adaptation using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon, the statistical parser's NPI performance on radiology reports increased to levels comparable to the parser's native performance in its newswire training domain and to that reported by other researchers in the general nonmedical domain.