A high-resolution 4D terrestrial laser scan dataset of the Kijkduin beach-dune system, The Netherlands.

Sandy coasts form the interface between land and sea and their morphologies are highly dynamic. A combination of human and natural forcing results in morphologic changes affecting both nature values and coastal safety. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) is a technique enabling near-continuous monitoring of the changing morphology of a sandy beach-dune system with centimetre-order accuracy.

Multicenter Evaluation Of Coronary Dual-Source CT angiography in patients with intermediate Risk of Coronary Artery Stenoses (MEDIC): study design and rationale.

Background: The diagnostic performance of multidetector row CT to detect coronary artery stenosis has been evaluated in numerous single-center studies, with only limited data from large cohorts with low-to-intermediate likelihood of coronary disease and in multicenter trials. The Multicenter Evaluation of Coronary Dual-Source CT Angiography in Patients with Intermediate Risk of Coronary Artery Stenoses (MEDIC) trial determines the accuracy of dual-source CT (DSCT) to identify persons with at least 1 coronary artery stenosis among patients with low-to-intermediate pretest likelihood of disease.

Methods: The MEDIC trial was designed as a prospective, multicenter, international trial to evaluate the diagnostic performance of DSCT for the detection of coronary artery stenosis compared with invasive coronary angiography.

A method to determine suitable fluoroscopic projections for transcatheter aortic valve implantation by computed tomography.

Background: In transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), optimal selection of fluoroscopic projections that permit orthogonal visualization of the aortic valve plane is important but may be difficult to achieve.

Objective: We developed and validated a simple method to predict suitable fluoroscopic projections on the basis of cardiac CT datasets.

Methods: In 75 consecutive patients that underwent TAVI, angulations in which a 35-mm thick maximum intensity projection would render all aortic valve calcium into 1 plane were determined by manual interaction with contrast-enhanced dual-source CT datasets.

Accuracy of automated software-guided detection of significant coronary artery stenosis by CT angiography: comparison with invasive catheterisation.

Purpose: True automated detection of coronary artery stenoses might be useful whenever expert evaluation is not available, or as a "second reader" to enhance diagnostic confidence. We evaluated the accuracy of a PC-based stenosis detection tool alone and combined with expert interpretation.

Methods: One hundred coronary CT angiography datasets were evaluated with the automated software alone, by manual interpretation (axial images, multiplanar reformations and maximum intensity projections in free double-oblique planes), and by expert interpretation aware of the automated findings.

Induction and repair of DNA double-strand breaks in blood lymphocytes of patients undergoing ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT examinations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in blood lymphocytes of patients undergoing positron emission tomography (PET)/CT using γ-H2AX immunofluorescence microscopy and to differentiate between (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and CT-induced DNA lesions.

Methods: This study was approved by the local Ethics Committee and complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. After written informed consent was obtained, 33 patients underwent whole-body (18)F-FDG PET/CT (3 MBq/kg body weight, 170/100 reference mAs at 120 kV).

X-ray induced DNA double-strand breaks in coronary CT angiography: comparison of sequential, low-pitch helical and high-pitch helical data acquisition.

Background: Aim of this study was to compare DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in blood lymphocytes of patients undergoing high-pitch helical, low-pitch helical and sequential coronary CT angiography.

Methods And Results: 66 patients were examined with various scan protocols and modes (low-pitch helical scan: 100-120 kV, 320-438 mAs/rot, pitch 0.18-0.

Persisting right-sided chylothorax in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a case report.

Introduction: Chylothorax caused by chronic lymphocytic leukemia is very rare and the best therapeutic approach, especially the role of modern immunochemotherapy, is not yet defined.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 65-year-old male Caucasian patient with right-sided chylothorax caused by a concomitantly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia. As first-line treatment four cycles of an immunochemotherapy, consisting of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab were administered.

Which concentration to choose in dual flow cardiac CT?: dual flow cardiac CT.

Purpose: An extensive number of protocols have been suggested to allow for functional diagnostics; however, no data is available about the minimal amount of contrast medium to achieve reliable imaging properties. None of the plethora of existing studies report a rational why the specific concentration was chosen.

Materials And Methods: A total of 40 patients were included in this prospective, controlled study.

Detection of coronary artery stenoses by low-dose, prospectively ECG-triggered, high-pitch spiral coronary CT angiography.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new prospectively electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered high-pitch scan mode for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), which allows an effective dose of less than 1 mSv.

Background: Coronary CTA provides increasingly reliable image quality, but the associated radiation exposure can be high.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with suspected coronary artery disease and in sinus rhythm were screened for participation.

Individually adapted, interactive multiplanar reformations vs. semi-automated coronary segmentation and curved planar reformations for stenosis detection in coronary computed tomography angiography.

Objective: To evaluate, whether semi-automated vessel extraction and curved planar reformations ("automated vessel extraction") increases diagnostic accuracy in the detection of relevant coronary artery lesions compared to manual, interactive multiplanar interpretation ("manual approach").

Materials And Methods: 50 coronary CT angiography datasets were evaluated by four independent readers (two experienced, two novice) for the presence of stenoses exceeding 50% diameter reduction. One experienced and one novice reader each used the "manual approach" for cases 1-25 and "automated vessel extraction" for cases 26-50, while the other two readers used the complementary method.

Influence of slice thickness and reconstruction kernel on the computed tomographic attenuation of coronary atherosclerotic plaque.

Background: The computed tomographic (CT) attenuation of coronary atherosclerotic plaque has been proposed as a marker for tissue characterization and may thus potentially contribute to the assessment of plaque instability.

Objective: We analyzed the influence of reconstruction parameters on CT attenuation measured within noncalcified coronary atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods: Seventy-two patients were studied by contrast-enhanced dual-source CT coronary angiography (330 millisecond rotation time, 2 x 64 x 0.

Reduction of X-ray induced DNA double-strand breaks in blood lymphocytes during coronary CT angiography using high-pitch spiral data acquisition with prospective ECG-triggering.

Objectives: Purpose of this study was to compare the effect of high-pitch spiral data acquisition with prospective electrocardiography (ECG)-triggering on the x-ray induced DNA damages to blood lymphocytes with commonly used low-pitch spiral scans.

Materials And Methods: Thirty four patients underwent coronary computed tomography angiography either using high-pitch spiral data acquisition (n = 15; dual-source computed tomography (CT) scanner, 38.4 mm collimation, 100-120 kV, 320-456 mAs/rotation, pitch value 3.

Coronary computed tomography angiography with a consistent dose below 1 mSv using prospectively electrocardiogram-triggered high-pitch spiral acquisition.

Aims: We evaluated the feasibility and image quality of a new scan mode for coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) with an effective dose of less than 1 mSv.

Methods And Results: In 50 consecutive patients (body weight View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Peripheral intravenous power injection of iodinated contrast media: the impact of temperature on maximum injection pressures at different cannula sizes.

Rationale And Objectives: Modern computed tomographic scanners and examination protocols often require high injection rates of iodinated contrast media (CM). The purpose of this study was to investigate the maximum injection pressures (MIPs) with different CM at different temperatures in the most common intravenous cannula (IVC) sizes.

Materials And Methods: Three IVC sizes, 22, 20, and 18 gauge, were evaluated.

Radiation exposure and image quality in staged low-dose protocols for coronary dual-source CT angiography: a randomized comparison.

Objective: To evaluate staged low-dose approaches for coronary CT angiography (CTA) in which a standard sequence was added if the low-dose sequence did not allow reliable rule-out of coronary stenosis.

Patients And Methods: A total of 176 consecutive patients referred for dual-source CTA were randomized to three protocols: group 1 using prospective ECG-triggering (100 kV, 330 mAs), group 2 a retrospectively gated "MinDose" sequence (100 kV, 330 mAs) and group 3 a standard spiral sequence (120 kV, 400 mAs). If image quality in low-dose groups 1 or 2 was non-diagnostic, an additional standard CT examination (as in group 3) was performed.

High-pitch electrocardiogram-triggered computed tomography of the chest: initial results.

Objectives: Chest pain is one of the most frequent symptoms in the emergency department. A variety of different diseases, some of them acutely life threatening, can be the underlying cause. Electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated computed tomography angiography of the thorax has been proposed as a cost and time effective imaging technique for these patients.

Prospectively ECG-triggered high-pitch spiral acquisition for coronary CT angiography using dual source CT: technique and initial experience.

Objective: We evaluated radiation exposure and image quality of a new coronary CT angiography protocol, high-pitch spiral acquisition, using dual source CT (DSCT).

Material And Methods: Coronary CTAwas performed in 25 consecutive patients with a stable heart rate of 60 bpm or less after premedication, using 2 x 128 0.6-mm sections, 38.

CT-guided biopsies of pancreatic lesions: impact of contrast application prior to versus following needle placement.

Rationale And Objectives: Pancreatic lesions are frequently detected in pancreatic phase only, which may lead to false negative findings in CT-guided biopsies. We evaluated the accuracy and complication rate of CT guided biopsies of pancreatic lesions with i.v.

Ultra-fast carotid CT-angiography: low versus standard volume contrast material protocol for a 128-slice CT-system.

Objectives: Noninvasive imaging is increasingly accepted for the evaluation of atherosclerotic disease of the carotid arteries. We sought to evaluate the feasibility of a low-contrast media volume protocol for carotid computed tomography angiography (CTA) using a 128-slice-spiral-computed tomography scanner with a gantry rotation time of 300 milliseconds.

Methods And Materials: Thirty consecutive patients underwent CTA for the evaluation of the carotid vessels, with a 128-section scanner.

Randomized comparison of 64-slice single- and dual-source computed tomography coronary angiography for the detection of coronary artery disease.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of a systematic approach to lower heart rate for coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography on diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice single- and dual-source CT.

Background: Coronary CT angiography is often impaired by motion artifacts, so that routine lowering of heart rate is usually recommended. This is often conceived as a major limitation of the technique.

High-pitch spiral acquisition: a new scan mode for coronary CT angiography.

Coronary CT angiography allows high-quality imaging of the coronary arteries when state-of-the-art CT systems are used. However, radiation exposure has been a concern. We describe a new scan mode that uses a very high-pitch spiral acquisition, "Flash Spiral," which has been developed specifically for low-dose imaging with dual-source CT.

Noninvasive assessment of coronary in-stent restenosis by dual-source computed tomography.

Assessment of coronary artery stents using computed tomographic angiography has been challenging. The technology of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) provides higher temporal resolution that may allow more accurate evaluation of coronary stents. This study evaluated the accuracy of DSCT for the assessment of coronary artery in-stent restenosis.

Functional cardiac CT imaging: a new contrast application strategy for a better visualization of the cardiac chambers.

Purpose: Evaluation of a new protocol for Dual-source CT contrast-enhanced cardiac imaging for better visualization of right ventricle structures.

Methods: A total of 106 patients were included in this prospective, controlled study. The control group (n=53) underwent our clinic's standard procedure for contrast-enhanced imaging of coronary arteries.

Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery BLADE magnetic resonance imaging of the brain: an alternative to spin-echo technique for detection of brain lesions in the unsedated pediatric patient?

Rationale And Objectives: We compared contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain using different types of data acquisition techniques: periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER, BLADE) imaging versus standard k-space sampling (conventional spin-echo pulse sequence) in the unsedated pediatric patient with focus on artifact reduction, overall image quality, and lesion detectability.

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight pediatric patients (aged 3 months to 18 years) were scanned with a clinical 1.5-T whole body MR scanner.

Dual-source cardiac computed tomography: image quality and dose considerations.

Computed tomography (CT) imaging of the heart, most prominently coronary CT angiography, is currently subject to intense interest and is increasingly incorporated into clinical decision-making. In spite of tremendous progress in CT technology over the past decade, the limited temporal resolution has remained one of the most severe problems, especially for cardiac imaging. The novel design concept of dual-source CT (DSCT) allows for an effective scan time of 83 ms independent of heart rate.