Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening in an academic family practice: Short-term impact of guideline changes.

Objective: To investigate abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening rates in the 6 months before and after the introduction of updated Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC) guidelines to determine effects on practice patterns, as well as to determine whether certain patient characteristics impact AAA screening rates.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Academic family health centre in London, Ont.

Measuring fetal adipose tissue using 3D water-fat magnetic resonance imaging: a feasibility study.

Analysis of fetal adipose tissue volumes may provide useful insight towards assessment of overall fetal health, especially in cases with abnormal fetal growth. Here, we assess whether fetal adipose tissue volume can be reliably measured using 3D water-fat MRI, using a quantitative assessment of the lipid content of tissues. Seventeen women with singleton pregnancies underwent a fetal MRI and water-only and fat-only images were acquired (modified 2-point Dixon technique).

Informational needs of gastrointestinal oncology patients.

Objectives: In response to the dearth of consumer health information for patients with gastrointestinal cancers, this study examined the informational needs of these patients to build a plan for future resource development. Although studies have examined informational needs of some such cancers, no published literature has investigated the comprehensive informational needs across all sites of gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods: A cross-sectional needs assessment comprising a self-administered questionnaire was conducted at an ambulatory gastrointestinal oncology clinic in Toronto, Canada.

Quantifying public radiation exposure related to lutetium-177 octreotate therapy for the development of a safe outpatient treatment protocol.

Objectives: Radionuclide therapies, including treatment of neuroendocrine tumors with lutetium-177 (Lu-177) octreotate, often involve hospital admission to minimize radiation exposure to the public. Overnight admission due to Lu-177 octreotate therapy incurs additional cost for the hospital and is an inconvenience for the patient. This study endeavors to characterize the potential radiation risk to caregivers and the public should Lu-177 octreotate therapies be performed on an outpatient basis.