Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a severe arrhythmia commonly treated with implantable cardioverter defibrillators, antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation (CA). Although CA is effective in reducing recurrent VT, its impact on survival remains uncertain, especially in patients with extensive scarring. Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) has emerged as a novel treatment for VT in patients unresponsive to CA, leveraging techniques from stereotactic body radiation therapy used in cancer treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJapan leads OECD countries in medical imaging technology deployment but lacks open, large-scale medical imaging databases crucial for AI development. While Japan maintains extensive repositories, access restrictions limit their research utility, contrasting with open databases like the US Cancer Imaging Archive and UK Biobank. The 2018 Next Generation Medical Infrastructure Act attempted to address this through new data-sharing frameworks, but implementation has been limited by strict privacy regulations and institutional resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this narrative review, we review the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, with a particular focus on Japan's contributions to this field. In the first part of the review, we introduce the various applications of AI in optimizing different aspects of the MRI process, including scan protocols, patient preparation, image acquisition, image reconstruction, and postprocessing techniques. Additionally, we examine AI's growing influence in clinical decision-making, particularly in areas such as segmentation, radiation therapy planning, and reporting assistance.
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