Convolutional neural network -based phantom image scoring for mammography quality control.

Background: Visual evaluation of phantom images is an important, but time-consuming part of mammography quality control (QC). Consistent scoring of phantom images over the device's lifetime is highly desirable. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been applied to a wide range of image classification problems, performing with a high accuracy.

Routine Ultrasound Quality Assurance in a Multi-Unit Radiology Department: A Retrospective Evaluation of Transducer Failures.

The importance of quality assurance (QA) in medical ultrasound (US) has been widely recognized and recommendations concerning technical QA have been published over the years. However, the demonstrated impact of a properly working QA protocol on clinical routine has been scarce. We investigated the transducer write-off causes for a 5-y period in a multi-unit radiology department with an annual average of 230 transducers in demanding diagnostic use.

Protocol for motor and language mapping by navigated TMS in patients and healthy volunteers; workshop report.

Introduction: Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) is increasingly used for preoperative mapping of motor function, and clinical evidence for its benefit for brain tumor patients is accumulating. In respect to language mapping with repetitive nTMS, literature reports have yielded variable results, and it is currently not routinely performed for presurgical language localization. The aim of this project is to define a common protocol for nTMS motor and language mapping to standardize its neurosurgical application and increase its clinical value.

Accelerometer-based automatic voice onset detection in speech mapping with navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Background: The use of navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in mapping of speech-related brain areas has recently shown to be useful in preoperative workflow of epilepsy and tumor patients. However, substantial inter- and intraobserver variability and non-optimal replicability of the rTMS results have been reported, and a need for additional development of the methodology is recognized. In TMS motor cortex mappings the evoked responses can be quantitatively monitored by electromyographic recordings; however, no such easily available setup exists for speech mappings.

Integrating nTMS Data into a Radiology Picture Archiving System.

Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) is employed in eloquent brain area localization prior to intraoperative direct cortical electrical stimulations and neurosurgery. No commercial archiving or file transfer protocol existed for these studies. The aim of our project was to establish a standardized protocol for the transfer of nTMS results and medical assessments to the end users in pursuance of improving data security and facilitating presurgical planning.

Applicability of nTMS in locating the motor cortical representation areas in patients with epilepsy.

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used for non-invasive functional mapping in preoperative evaluation for brain surgery, and the reliability of navigated TMS (nTMS) motor representation maps has been studied in the healthy population and in brain tumor patients. The lesions behind intractable epilepsy differ from typical brain tumors, ranging from developmental cortical malformations to injuries early in development, and may influence the functional organization of the cortical areas. Moreover, the interictal cortical epileptic activity and antiepileptic medication may affect the nTMS motor threshold.

Functional plasticity of the motor cortical structures demonstrated by navigated TMS in two patients with epilepsy.

Background: Recently, navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) has been suggested to be useful in preoperative functional localization of motor cortex in patients having tumors close to the somatomotor cortex. Resection of tumors in anatomically predicted eloquent areas without adverse effects have emphasized functional plasticity elicited by intracranial pathology.

Objective: To describe functional plasticity of motor cortex indicated by nTMS in two patients with epilepsy.

Probing modifications of cortical excitability during stroke recovery with navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Objective: To follow cortical excitability changes during recovery from stroke with navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS), in particular, to characterize changes of short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF), to correlate them with recovery of upper extremity function, and to detect possible shifts of cortical hand representations.

Methods: Single and paired pulse nTMS were delivered to the hemisphere with infarction and to the hemisphere without infarction in 14 first-ever stroke patients at 1 (T1) and 3 months (T2) after stroke. Electromyographic responses to nTMS stimulation were recorded from the first dorsal interosseus muscles.

Morphological analysis of sinus and retrograde atrial waves detected through a permanent pacemaker atrial lead.

Aims: The main objective of this study was to characterize morphological differences between sinus and retrograde atrial waves.

Methods: We collected intracardiac atrial signals through a DDDR pacemaker to characterize their morphologies and discriminate retrograde from sinus atrial waves off-line. Intracardiac unipolar and bipolar signals were collected at an 800-Hz sampling rate through a 0.