3D lacunarity in multifractal analysis of breast tumor lesions in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (DCE-MR) of the breast is especially robust for the diagnosis of cancer in high-risk women due to its high sensitivity. Its specificity may be, however, compromised since several benign masses take up contrast agent as malignant lesions do. In this paper, we propose a novel method of 3D multifractal analysis to characterize the spatial complexity (spatial arrangement of texture) of breast tumors at multiple scales.

An optimization based on simulation approach to the patient admission scheduling problem: diagnostic imaging department case study.

The growing influx of patients in healthcare providers is the result of an aging population and emerging self-consciousness about health. In order to guarantee the welfare of all the healthcare stakeholders, it is mandatory to implement methodologies that optimize the healthcare providers' efficiency while increasing patient throughput and reducing patient's total waiting time. This paper presents a case study of a conventional radiology workflow analysis in a Portuguese healthcare provider.

Impact of peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin treatment on liver tissue in patients with HCV or HCV-HIV co-infection.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of treatment with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin on liver histology in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with or without HIV infection.

Methods: Patients received peginterferon alpha-2b (1.5 micro/kg/week during the first 4 weeks; 1.