Testing process for artificial intelligence applications in radiology practice.

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are becoming increasingly common in radiology. However, ensuring reliable operation and expected clinical benefits remains a challenge. A systematic testing process aims to facilitate clinical deployment by confirming software applicability to local patient populations, practises, adherence to regulatory and safety requirements, and compatibility with existing systems.

Assessment of cone-beam CT technical image quality indicators and radiation dose for optimal STL model used in visual surgical planning.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) protocols that offer an optimal balance between effective dose (ED) and 3D model for orthognathic virtual surgery planning, using CT as a reference, and to assess whether such protocols can be defined based on technical image quality metrics.

Methods: Eleven CBCT (VISO G7, Planmeca Oy, Helsinki, Finland) scan protocols were selected out of 32 candidate protocols, based on ED and technical image quality measurements. Next, an anthropomorphic RANDO SK150 phantom was scanned using these 11 CBCT protocols and 2 CT scanners for bone quantity assessments.

Assessing Patient Radiation Exposure in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis of Procedural Complexity and Clinical Factors.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures can result in significant patient radiation exposure. This retrospective multicenter study aimed to assess the influence of procedural complexity and other clinical factors on radiation exposure in ERCP.

Methods: Data on kerma-area product (KAP), air-kerma at the reference point (K), fluoroscopy time, and the number of exposures, and relevant patient, procedure, and operator factors were collected from 2641 ERCP procedures performed at four university hospitals.

Myocardial T1 mapping by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging shows early myocardial changes in treatment-naive patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and positive autoantibodies.

Objectives: We aimed to study whether myocardial changes are already detectable by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging at the time of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis.

Methods: This single-centre prospective study included 39 treatment-naive patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA, symptom duration <1 year) without any history of heart disease, and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. The disease severity was assessed with clinical evaluation (Disease Activity Score-28 for Rheumatoid Arthritis with CRP (DAS28-CRP) score) and serological testing (rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA)).

Dual-energy computed tomography quality control: Initial experiences with a semi-automatic analysis tool.

Purpose: A quality control (QC) system for dual-energy CT (DECT) was developed. The scope of the QC system was to monitor both the constancy of the CT images and the software used in calculating the DECT derived maps. Longitudinal analysis was based on a standard imaging protocol, a commercial multi-energy phantom, and a semi-automatic analysis tool.

Automatic chest computed tomography image noise quantification using deep learning.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a deep learning (DL) method for noise quantification for clinical chest computed tomography (CT) images without the need for repeated scanning or homogeneous tissue regions.

Methods: A comprehensive phantom CT dataset (three dose levels, six reconstruction methods, amounting to 9240 slices) was acquired and used to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) to output an estimate of local image noise standard deviations (SD) from a single CT scan input. The CNN model consisting of seven convolutional layers was trained on the phantom image dataset representing a range of scan parameters and was tested with phantom images acquired in a variety of different scan conditions, as well as publicly available chest CT images to produce clinical noise SD maps.

Learning from fall-related interventions for older people at home: A scoping review.

This scoping review aims to provide a better understanding about the fall-related interventions, and the conditions which stand out as effective in decreasing fall risks of older people at home. A total of 28 peer-reviewed papers were included when they reported interventions with an incidence of falls or fall-risk as a primary outcome for older people, focusing on the home environment, from 8 databases. Qualitative examination was complemented by quantitative risk ratio analysis where it was feasible.

Material inventory dataset for residential buildings in Finland.

This dataset contains the material volumes, masses, and intensities for a total of 45 residential building cohorts in Finland from the 1940s to the 2010s. The specific building types included are one dwelling houses and blocks of flats. The data were drawn from representative case buildings and their derivatives.

The Effect of a Suspended Radiation Protection System on Occupational Radiation Doses During Infrarenal EVAR Procedures: A Randomised Controlled Study.

Objective: To compare the protective effect of Zero Gravity (ZG) with conventional radiation protection during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Secondly, user experience was surveyed with a questionnaire on ergonomics.

Methods: This was a single centre, prospective, randomised, two arm trial where 71 consecutive elective infrarenal EVAR procedures were randomised into two groups: (1) operator using ZG and assistant using conventional protection (n = 36), and (2) operator and assistant using conventional radiation protection (n = 35).

Intraoperative CBCT imaging in endovascular abdomen aneurysm repair - Optimization of exposure parameters using a stent phantom.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) may provide essential additional image guidance to endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR) operations but also significant radiation exposure to patients if scans are not carefully optimized. The purpose of our study was to define the image quality requirements for intraoperative EVAR CBCT imaging and to optimize the CBCT exposure parameters accordingly. A Multi-Energy CT phantom simulating a large patient was used by replacing the central phantom cylinder with a custom water-filled insert including an EVAR stent.

Postoperative computed tomography imaging of pediatric patients with craniosynostosis: radiation dose and image quality comparison between multi-slice computed tomography and O-arm cone-beam computed tomography.

Background: When postoperative multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) imaging of patients with craniosynostosis is used, it is usually performed a few days after surgery in a radiology department. This requires additional anesthesia for the patient. Recently, intraoperative mobile cone-beam CT (CBCT) devices have gained popularity for orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures, which allows postoperative CT imaging in the operating room.

Occupational radiation dose from gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures with special emphasis on eye lens doses in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures may result in remarkable radiation doses to patients and staff. The aim of this prospective study was to determine occupational exposures in gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures, with a special emphasis on eye lens dose in ERCP. Altogether 604 fluoroscopy-guided procedures, of which 560 were ERCPs belonging to four American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy procedural complexity levels, were performed using two fluoroscopy systems.

Convolutional neural network -based phantom image scoring for mammography quality control.

Background: Visual evaluation of phantom images is an important, but time-consuming part of mammography quality control (QC). Consistent scoring of phantom images over the device's lifetime is highly desirable. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been applied to a wide range of image classification problems, performing with a high accuracy.

Comparing image quality of five breast tomosynthesis systems based on radiologists' reviews of phantom data.

Background: Previous studies have shown differences in technical image quality between digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems. However, quantitative image quality measurements may not necessarily fully reflect the clinical performance of DBT.

Purpose: To study the subjective image quality of five DBT systems manufactured by Fujifilm, GE, Hologic, Planmed, and Siemens using phantom images.

Reducing cardiac implantable electronic device-induced artefacts in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Objectives: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-induced metal artefacts possibly significantly diminish the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly cardiac MR (CMR). Right-sided generator implantation, wideband late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) technique and raising the ipsilateral arm to the generator during CMR scanning may reduce the CIED-induced image artefacts. We assessed the impact of generator location and the arm-raised imaging position on the CIED-induced artefacts in CMR.

The impact of vertical off-centering on image noise and breast dose in chest CT with organ-based tube current modulation: A phantom study.

Purpose: To determine the effects of patient vertical off-centering when using organ-based tube current modulation (OBTCM) in chest computed tomography (CT) with focus on breast dose.

Materials And Methods: An anthropomorphic adult female phantom with two different breast attachment sizes was scanned on GE Revolution EVO and Siemens Definition Edge CT systems using clinical chest CT protocols and anterior-to-posterior scouts. Scans with and without OBTCM were performed at different table heights (GE: centered, ±6 cm, and ± 3 cm; Siemens: centered, -6 cm, and ± 3 cm).

Automatic head computed tomography image noise quantification with deep learning.

Purpose: Computed tomography (CT) image noise is usually determined by standard deviation (SD) of pixel values from uniform image regions. This study investigates how deep learning (DL) could be applied in head CT image noise estimation.

Methods: Two approaches were investigated for noise image estimation of a single acquisition image: direct noise image estimation using supervised DnCNN convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, and subtraction of a denoised image estimated with denoising UNet-CNN experimented with supervised and unsupervised noise2noise training approaches.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Screening for Cardiac Sarcoidosis in Patients With Atrioventricular Block Requiring Temporary Pacing.

Background Some myocardial diseases, such as cardiac sarcoidosis, predispose to complete atrioventricular block. The European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on cardiac pacing in 2021 recommend myocardial disease screening in patients with conduction disorder requiring pacemaker with multimodality imaging, including cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. The ability of CMR imaging to detect myocardial disease in patients with a temporary pacing wire is not well documented.

Magnetic resonance imaging safety in patients with abandoned or functioning epicardial pacing leads.

Objectives: The European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on cardiac pacing from 2021 allow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) but do not recommend MRI in patients with epicardial pacing leads. The clinical dilemma remains whether performing an MRI in patients with CIED and epicardial leads is safe. We aimed to evaluate the safety of performing an MRI in patients with CIED and abandoned or functioning epicardial pacing leads.

Peak flow measurements in patients with severe aortic stenosis: a prospective comparative study between cardiovascular magnetic resonance 2D and 4D flow and transthoracic echocardiography.

Background: Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular disease in the developed countries. Four-dimensional (4D) flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is an emerging imaging technique, which has been suggested to improve the evaluation of AS severity compared to two-dimensional (2D) flow and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). We investigated the reliability of CMR 2D flow and 4D flow techniques in measuring aortic transvalvular peak systolic flow in patients with severe AS.

Dental cone beam CT: An updated review.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a diverse 3D x-ray imaging technique that has gained significant popularity in dental radiology in the last two decades. CBCT overcomes the limitations of traditional two-dimensional dental imaging and enables accurate depiction of multiplanar details of maxillofacial bony structures and surrounding soft tissues. In this review article, we provide an updated status on dental CBCT imaging and summarise the technical features of currently used CBCT scanner models, extending to recent developments in scanner technology, clinical aspects, and regulatory perspectives on dose optimisation, dosimetry, and diagnostic reference levels.

Metal artifacts in intraoperative O-arm CBCT scans.

Background: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has become an increasingly important medical imaging modality in orthopedic operating rooms. Metal implants and related image artifacts create challenges for image quality optimization in CBCT. The purpose of this study was to develop a robust and quantitative method for the comprehensive determination of metal artifacts in novel CBCT applications.

Rotation and torsion of the left ventricle with cardiovascular magnetic resonance tagging: comparison of two analysis methods.

Background: Left ventricle rotation and torsion are fundamental components of myocardial function, and several software packages have been developed for analysis of these components. The purpose of this study was to compare the suitability of two software packages with different technical principles for analysis of rotation and torsion of the left ventricle during systole.

Methods: A group of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients (N = 14, age 43 ± 11 years), mutation carriers without hypertrophy (N = 10, age 34 ± 13 years), and healthy relatives (N = 12, age 43 ± 17 years) underwent a cardiovascular magnetic resonance examination, including spatial modulation of magnetization tagging sequences in basal and apical planes of the left ventricle.

Radiation Doses to Staff in a Hybrid Operating Room: An Anthropomorphic Phantom Study with Active Electronic Dosimeters.

Objective: To quantify the effects of different imaging settings on radiation exposure to the operator and surgical team in a hybrid operating room (OR).

Methods: Measurements to determine scatter radiation in different imaging and geometry settings using an anthropomorphic phantom were performed in a hybrid OR equipped with a robotic C arm interventional angiography system (Artis Zeego; Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). The radiation dose (RD) was measured with seven calibrated Philips DoseAware active electronic dosimeters and a Raysafe Xi survey detector, which were placed at different locations in the hybrid OR.