Virtual reality for pain control during shock wave lithotripsy: a randomized controlled study.

Purpose: Although external shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is an outpatient procedure generally not requiring anesthesia or sedation, patients may experience pain during the procedure. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether a virtual reality device is effective in reducing patient-reported pain during the procedure, consequently leading to exposure to higher energy levels and better clinical outcomes.

Methods: Inclusion criteria for SWL were according to the latest EAU guidelines on urolithiasis.

Urethro-venous fistula following straddle injury: A case report and image series.

We present a case of a 49-year-old man with an acute traumatic urethral injury after a fall onto a fence post. Retrograde contrast study showed a contrast leak and suspicion of a traumatic urethro-venous fistula. We successfully placed a urethral indwelling catheter (IDC) in the operating room and follow-up urethrocystoscopy showed healing of the injury.

A Model for Estimating Biological Age From Physiological Biomarkers of Healthy Aging: Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Individual differences in the rate of aging and susceptibility to disease are not accounted for by chronological age alone. These individual differences are better explained by biological age, which may be estimated by biomarker prediction models. In the light of the aging demographics of the global population and the increase in lifestyle-related morbidities, it is interesting to invent a new biological age model to be used for health promotion.

Frequency shift algorithm: Design of a baseband phase locked loop for frequency-domain multiplexing readout of x-ray transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters.

The Transition-Edge Sensor (TES) is an extremely sensitive device, which is used to measure the energy of individual x-ray photons. For astronomical spectrometry applications, SRON develops a frequency domain multiplexing readout system for kilopixel arrays of such TESs. Each TES is voltage biased at a specific frequency in the range of 1-5 MHz.

Frequency shift algorithm: Application to a frequency-domain multiplexing readout of x-ray transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters.

In the frequency-domain multiplexing (FDM) scheme, transition-edge sensors (TESs) are individually coupled to superconducting LC filters and AC biased at MHz frequencies through a common readout line. To make efficient use of the available readout bandwidth and to minimize the effect of non-linearities, the LC resonators are usually designed to be on a regular grid. The lithographic processes, however, pose a limit on the accuracy of the effective filter resonance frequencies.

Excision and Primary Anastomosis for Bulbar Urethral Strictures Improves Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life: A Prospective Analysis from a Single Centre.

Background: Excision and primary anastomotic (EPA) urethroplasty remains the gold standard definitive treatment for short urethral stricture disease. For patients, postoperative erectile function and quality of life are the main goals of the surgery. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are therefore of major importance.

Low-dose-rate brachytherapy as a minimally invasive curative treatment for localised prostate cancer has excellent oncological and functional outcomes: a retrospective analysis from a single centre.

Introduction: Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy is a widely used therapeutic option for localised prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to analyse the oncological and functional outcomes after 10 years of experience with brachytherapy for localised prostate cancer.

Material And Methods: All patients who underwent brachytherapy between April 2006 and September 2017 were included for analysis.

Two-Stage Urethroplasty with Buccal Mucosa for Penoscrotal Hypospadias Reconstruction in a Male with a 46,XX Karyotype.

We present a case regarding a 32-year old African male with penoscrotal hypospadias, left cryptorchidism and a left inguinal hernia. There were moderate masculinization characteristics. He underwent a Lichtenstein hernia repair with perioperative biopsies of the left inguinal testis and epididymis.

Idiopathic Partial Thrombosis (IPT) of the Corpus Cavernosum: A Hypothesis-Generating Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Introduction: Idiopathic partial thrombosis (IPT) of the corpus cavernosum is a rare condition. The etiology is not fully understood; however, the presence of an either or not congenital web in these patients may contribute to the development of IPT.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe 18 new IPT cases and compare these with 38 cases found in the literature.

Scrotal irradiation in primary testicular lymphoma: review of the literature and in silico planning comparative study.

We examined adjuvant irradiation of the scrotum in primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) by means of a literature review in MEDLINE, a telephone survey among Dutch institutes, and an in silico planning comparative study on scrotal irradiation in PTL. We did not find any uniform adjuvant irradiation technique assuring a safe planning target volume (PTV) coverage in published reports, and the definition of the clinical target volume is unclear. Histopathologic studies of PTL show a high invasion rate of the tunica albuginea, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord.

Clinical introduction of a linac head-mounted 2D detector array based quality assurance system in head and neck IMRT.

Background And Purpose: IMRT QA is commonly performed in a phantom geometry but the clinical interpretation of the results in a 2D phantom plane is difficult. The main objective of our work is to move from film measurement based QA to 3D dose reconstruction in a patient CT scan. In principle, this could be achieved using a dose reconstruction method from 2D detector array measurements as available in the COMPASS system (IBA Dosimetry).

Three-dimensional dose distribution for partial irradiation of rat parotid glands with 200kV X-rays.

Purpose: To investigate dose distributions in partial-volume irradiation experiments in small experimental animals, in particular the parotid gland of rat.

Materials And Methods: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging images were made that provided the outlines of the parotid glands, which were used to design collimators with conformal radiation ports for 100 and 50% cranial/caudal partial-volume irradiation. A protocol for absolute dosimetry was designed and relative dose measurements were performed.

Regulatory functions of human CD4(+) T cells recognizing allopeptides in the context of self-HLA class II.

Pretransplant blood transfusions sharing one human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) with the recipient have been shown to enhance graft survival, whereas HLA-DR mismatched blood transfusions will lead to immunization of the patient. The involvement of self HLA-DR suggests a role for CD4(+) regulatory T cells recognizing allopeptides in the context of self HLA class II molecules. Specific immunoregulation may be due to recognition of these allopeptides in the DR molecules of autologous T cells or dendritic cells.

Detector line spread functions determined analytically by transport of Compton recoil electrons.

To achieve the maximum benefit of conformal radiation therapy it is necessary to obtain accurate knowledge of radiation beam penumbras based on high-resolution relative dosimetry of beam profiles. For this purpose there is a need to perform high-resolution dosimetry with well-established routine dosimeters, such as ionization chambers or diodes. Profiles measured with these detectors must be corrected for the dosimeter's nonideal response, caused by finite dimensions and, in the case of an ionization chamber, the alteration of electron transport and a contribution of electrons recoiled in the chamber wall and the central electrode.

Slit x-ray beam primary dose profiles determined by analytical transport of Compton recoil electrons.

Accurate measurement of radiation beam penumbras is essential for conformal radiotherapy. For this purpose a detailed knowledge of the dosimeter's spatial response is required. However, experimental determination of detector spatial response is cumbersome and restricted to the specific detector type and beam spectrum used.