Breast cancer in Switzerland: a comparison between organized-screening versus opportunistic-screening cantons.

Background: Switzerland is one of the few remaining European countries without a uniform national breast cancer screening program. Most Swiss cantons have initiated mammography screening programs, with the notable exceptions of the cantons of central Switzerland. The aim of this study is to compare the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) status in woman diagnosed with screen- and non-screen-detected breast cancers.

Gender Differences in Pharmacokinetics: A Perspective on Contrast Agents.

Gender is an important risk factor for adverse drug reactions. Women report significantly more adverse drug reactions than men. There is a growing consensus that gender differences in drug PK is a main contributor to higher drug toxicity in women.

Smoking trends and health equity in Switzerland between 1992 and 2017: dependence of smoking prevalence on educational level and social determinants.

Background: Switzerland ranks among the top three healthcare systems in the world with regards to healthcare access, suggesting a high degree of health equity. However, Switzerland has few preventive strategies against smoking abuse. The aim of this study is to clarify whether educational level and citizenship status have an influence on the prevalence of smoking in Switzerland and whether there is health inequity related to a lack of preventive strategies.

Erectile dysfunction: role of computed tomography cavernosography in the diagnosis and treatment planning of venous leak.

Background: Venous leak appears to be the most common cause of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), which can be treated with venous embolization. Traditionally, conventional cavernosography was used for the diagnosis and treatment planning of venous leak. Recently, computed tomography (CT) cavernosography was introduced as a novel cross-sectional imaging method proposed to be advantageous over conventional cavernosography.

Understanding the needs of women undergoing breast ultrasound: Are male radiologists still needed?

Introduction: A trend towards less male radiologists specializing in breast ultrasound was observed. A common notion in the field of breast radiology is, that female patients feel more comfortable being treated by female radiologists. The aim of the study was to understand and report the needs of women undergoing breast ultrasound with regards to the sex of the radiologist performing the investigation.

New-Generation 0.55 T MRI of the Knee-Initial Clinical Experience and Comparison With 3 T MRI.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the detection rate of and reader confidence in 0.55 T knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings with 3 T knee MRI in patients with acute trauma and knee pain.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, 0.

Influence of device-assisted suction against resistance (Mueller maneuver) on image quality in CTPA for suspected lung embolism.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of a device-assisted suction against resistance Mueller maneuver (MM) on transient interruption of contrast (TIC) in the aorta and pulmonary trunk (PT) on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA).

Methods: In this prospective single-center study, 150 patients with suspected pulmonary artery embolism were assigned randomly with two different breathing maneuvers (Mueller maneuver (MM) or standard end-inspiratory breath-hold command (SBC)) during routine CTPA. The MM was performed using a patented prototype (Contrast Booster™) which allows both the patient by means of visual feedback and the medical staff in the CT scanning room to monitor whether the patient is sucking sufficiently or not.

Comparison of gadolinium-based contrast agents for MR cholangiography in saline, blood and bile: a phantom study.

Background: We compared T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities of liver-specific (gadoxetate, gadobenate) and non-specific (gadoterate) gadolinium contrast agents (CAs) in a bile phantom.

Methods: In a phantom study, gadoxetate, gadobenate, and gadoterate were diluted in saline, blood, and bile at different concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.

Differences in mortality in Switzerland by citizenship during the first and second COVID-19 waves: Analysis of death statistics.

Background: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that members of marginalized populations and immigrants were also at risk of being hospitalized and dying more frequently from COVID-19. To examine how the pandemic affected underserved and marginalized populations, we analyzed data on changes in the number of deaths among people with and without Swiss citizenship during the first and second SARS-CoV-2 waves.

Method: We analyzed the annual number of deaths from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office from 2015 to 2020, and weekly data from January 2020 to May 2021 on deaths of permanent residents with and without Swiss citizenship, and we differentiated the data through subdivision into age groups.

Humor in radiological breast cancer screening: a way of improving patient service?

Background: Breast cancer screening is essential in detecting breast tumors, however, the examination is stressful. In this study we analyzed whether humor enhances patient satisfaction.

Methods: In this prospective randomized study 226 patients undergoing routine breast cancer screening at a single center during October 2020 to July 2021 were included.

Transgender health and medicine - Are radiological devices prepared?

Background & Aims: To determine if radiological hard- and software offers options beyond the binary female / male classification.

Methods: We surveyed thirteen radiological hardware and six radiological software vendors about the options to enter patient gender.

Results: Six of thirteen hardware and five of six software vendors replied to our inquiry.

Would the Real Loneliness Please Stand Up? The Validity of Loneliness Scores and the Reliability of Single-Item Scores.

Several measures that assess loneliness have been developed for adults. Across three studies, we investigated psychometric features of scores of different versions of the Rasch-Type Loneliness Scale, the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, and three single-item measures. In Study 1 ( = 697 self-ratings, = 282 informant-ratings of 160 targets) and Study 2 ( = 1,216 individuals from 608 couples), we investigated convergent validity, self-informant agreement, and nomological nets of the item scores using correlates related to demographic aspects, personality, satisfaction, and network characteristics.

Preparing for future waves and pandemics: a global hospital survey on infection control measures and infection rates in COVID-19.

A survey of hospitals on three continents was performed to assess their infection control preparedness and measures, and their infection rate in hospital health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. All surveyed hospitals used similar PPE but differences in preparedness, PPE shortages, and infection rates were reported.

Spiral 3D time-of-flight MR angiography for rapid non-contrast carotid artery imaging: Clinical feasibility and protocol optimization.

Purpose: To assess the clinical feasibility of spiral 3D Time-Of-Flight (TOF) MR Angiography (MRA) sequence variants for rapid non-contrast carotid artery imaging.

Methods: Nine different 3D TOF MRA sequences were acquired in nine healthy volunteers on a standard clinical 1.5 T scanner.

Spiral 2D T2-Weighted TSE Brain MR Imaging: Initial Clinical Experience.

Background And Purpose: Spiral MR imaging may enable improved image quality and higher scan speeds than Cartesian trajectories. We sought to compare a novel spiral 2D T2-weighted TSE sequence with a conventional Cartesian and an artifact-robust, non-Cartesian sequence named MultiVane for routine clinical brain MR imaging.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-one patients were scanned with all 3 sequences (Cartesian, 4 minutes 14 seconds; MultiVane, 2 minutes 49 seconds; spiral, 2 minutes 12 seconds) on a standard clinical 1.

Single shot zonal oblique multislice SE-EPI diffusion-weighted imaging with low to ultra-high b-values for the differentiation of benign and malignant vertebral spinal fractures.

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic yield of low to ultra-high b-values for the differentiation of benign from malignant vertebral fractures using a state-of-the-art single-shot zonal-oblique-multislice spin-echo echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging sequence (SShot ZOOM SE-EPI DWI).

Materials And Methods: 66 patients (34 malignant, 32 benign) were examined on 1.5 T MR scanners.

Improving health care from the bottom up: Factors for the successful implementation of kaizen in acute care hospitals.

Background: Kaizen-a management technique increasingly employed in health care-enables employees, regardless of their hierarchy level, to contribute to the improvement of their organization. The approach puts special emphasis on frontline employees because it represents one of their main opportunities to participate directly in decision making. In this study, we aimed to (1) understand the experiences of nurses in two hospitals that had recently implemented kaizen, and (2) identify factors affecting the implementation of the technique.

Contrast-Enhanced T1-Weighted Head and Neck MRI: Prospective Intraindividual Image Quality Comparison of Spiral GRE, Cartesian GRE, and Cartesian TSE Sequences.

Sequences with noncartesian k-space sampling may improve image quality of head and neck MRI. The purpose of this study was to compare intraindividually the image quality of a spiral gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequence and conventional cartesian GRE and cartesian turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences for contrast-enhanced T1-weighted head and neck MRI. This prospective study included patients referred for contrast-enhanced head and neck MRI from August 2020 to May 2021.

Orthopaedic surgeons do not consult radiology reports. Fact or fiction?

Purpose: To find out how orthopaedic surgeons handle radiological reports and to identify ways to improve musculoskeletal radiology service and interdisciplinary communication.

Method: An anonymised 14-question online survey was distributed among 27 orthopaedic departments in German-speaking parts of Europe. It was available to trainees and consultants between 22/10/2020 and 05/06/2021.

Effect of image quality and motivation of radiographer teams in mammography after dedicated training and the use of an evaluation tool like PGMI.

Introduction: High quality and motivated staff are key factors for successful breast imaging teams. The aim of this study is to find out what effects intensive training of already experienced radiographers - including the embedment of evaluation tools and building a new routine workflow - has on image quality and how the motivation and satisfaction of employees change by that.

Methods: A mixed methods study was planned to show changes in image quality simultaneously to motivation of the team after a dedicated training with an expert.