Impact of Valve Plane Alignment on the Repeatability of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in ECG-gatedMyocard ial SPECT Using Corridor 4DM.

: In myocardial gated single-photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT), to differentiate true changes of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from inherent methodical variability is clinically relevant; however, data about repeatability of GSPECT LVEF in the same patients are rather inconsistent in literature. The aim of this study was therefore to determine repeatability coefficient (RC) of GSPECT LVEF at rest and to investigate the effect of the introduction of processing constraints in left ventricular edge detection. : Thirty-five patients referred for one-day myocardial GSPECT stress-rest scan were included.

Community-Designed Messaging Interventions to Improve Cost-of-Care Conversations in Settings Serving Low-Income, Latino Populations.

Background: Little is known about how to promote cost-of-care conversations in health care settings.

Objective: To develop and evaluate community-designed messages promoting cost-of-care conversations.

Design: Focus groups and point-of-care surveys.

Preoperative evaluation of pelvine lymph node metastasis in high risk prostate cancer with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI.

Objectives: To evaluate benign and malignant pelvine lymph nodes in prostate cancer patients with biexponential intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI of the prostate prior to radical prostatectomy.

Methods: The ethics committee approved this retrospective study with waiver of informed consent. From February 2012 to November 2013 43 patients with histopathologically proven prostatic cancer were included.

Disruption of cardiac cholinergic neurons enhances susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias.

The parasympathetic nervous system plays an important role in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation. Catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure deactivating abnormal firing cardiac tissue, is increasingly becoming the therapy of choice for atrial fibrillation. This is inevitably associated with the obliteration of cardiac cholinergic neurons.

C-spine injury and mandibular fractures: lifesaver broken in two spots.

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of injury and mortality and may involve mandibular fractures and cervical spine injuries. Manipulation of the spine during trauma protocols and operative treatment has the potential to cause serious spinal cord injuries. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with cervical spine injury (CSI) in patients with mandibular fractures.