CT protocols and radiation doses for hematuria and urinary stones: Comparing practices in 20 countries.

Purpose: Patients with hematuria and renal colic often undergo CT scanning. The purpose of our study was to assess variations in CT protocols and radiation doses for evaluation of hematuria and urinary stones in 20 countries.

Method: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) surveyed practices in 51 hospitals from 20 countries in the European region according to the IAEA Technical cooperation classification and obtained following information for three CT protocols (urography, urinary stones, and routine abdomen-pelvis CT) for 1276 patients: patient information (weight, clinical indication), scanner information (scan vendor, scanner name, number of detector rows), scan parameters (such as number of phases, scan start and end locations, mA, kV), and radiation dose descriptors (CTDI, DLP).

Comparison of whole-body MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging and PET/CT in lymphoma staging.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic efficiency of whole-body MRI-DWI and PET/CT in lymphoma staging.

Methods: A prospective study enrolled 92 patients with lymphoma. Prior to treatment, all patients underwent whole-body MRI-DWI and PET-CT.

[Quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images during chemoradiation therapy for cancer of the cervix uteri: Prognostic role of pretreatment diffusion coefficient values].

Objective: to carry out a quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images (DWI) in cancer of the cervix uteri (CCU) and to estimate the possibility of using pretreatment measured diffusion coefficient (MDC) to predict chemoradiation therapy (CRT).

Material And Methods: The investigation prospectively enrolled 46 women with morphologically verified Stages IB-IVB CCU. All the women underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of pelvic organs before and after treatment.

Response monitoring in follicular lymphoma by synchronous evaluation of minimal residual disease and diffusion-weighted MRI.

Aim: To demonstrate quantitative assessment of tumor response to treatment in patients with follicular lymphoma using parallel monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) and diffusion-weighted MRI (MRI-DWI) derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC).

Materials And Methods: Two patients with follicular lymphoma were undergone synchronous evaluation of MRD and MRI-DWI at definite time points before, during and after chemotherapy. MRD level was calculated in diagnostic and follow up samples relative to the highest level of amplification of the target.

[Repeated computed tomography examinations: radiation dose and radiation risk in malignant lymphomas].

The aim of the study was to determine the number, types and time periods of computed tomography (CT) examinations in the patients with lymphomas, to estimate the obtained radiation doses and the attributable risk of cancer. 50 patients aged 18-83 years, 25 men and 25 women who received treatment in 2010-2011 were included in a retrospective study. There were 19 patients with Hodgkin Disease and 31 patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

IAEA survey of paediatric computed tomography practice in 40 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa: procedures and protocols.

Objective: To survey procedures and protocols in paediatric computed tomography (CT) in 40 less resourced countries.

Methods: Under a project of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 146 CT facilities in 40 countries of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America responded to an electronic survey of CT technology, exposure parameters, CT protocols and doses.

Results: Modern MDCT systems are available in 77 % of the facilities surveyed with dedicated paediatric CT protocols available in 94 %.

IAEA survey of pediatric CT practice in 40 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa: Part 1, frequency and appropriateness.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of pediatric CT in 40 less-resourced countries and to determine the level of appropriateness in CT use.

Materials And Methods: Data on the increase in the number of CT examinations during 2007 and 2009 and appropriate use of CT examinations were collected, using standard forms, from 146 CT facilities at 126 hospitals.

Results: The lowest frequency of pediatric CT examinations in 2009 was in European facilities (4.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in non-invasive monitoring of antiangiogenic therapy in experimental tumor model.

Aim: To show usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for non-invasive assessment of experimental tumor after antiangiogenic treatment.

Methods: M1 sarcoma was implanted to the peritoneal cavity of the rat and allowed to grow to a palpable tumor size. Animal was treated with a single injection of endothelial growth factor antibody Bevacizumab (Avastin).

Experimental study of antiangiogenic and photodynamic therapies combination for treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis: preliminary results.

Aim: To create adequate orthotopic model of peritoneal carcinomatosis in rats using a transplantable rat tumor M-1 sarcoma, to assess the early tumor response after intraperitoneal photodynamic and/or antiangiogenic therapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Methods: In 14-18 days after intraperitoneal inoculation, eighteen tumor-bearing animals were divided into three groups and undergone intraperitoneal photodynamic therapy and/or antiangiogenic therapy. Assessment of the tumor posttreatment changes was performed using a method of vital staining with Evans blue, MRI-monitoring and morphologic investigation.

Survey of computed tomography doses and establishment of national diagnostic reference levels in the Republic of Belarus.

Computed tomography dose index (CTDI) was measured on eight CT scanners at seven public hospitals in the Republic of Belarus. The effective dose was calculated using normalised values of effective dose per dose-length product (DLP) over various body regions. Considerable variations of the dose values were observed.

Lung cancer differential diagnosis based on the computer assisted radiology: The state of the art.

The concepts of the modern computer-aided diagnosis (CAD), the methods of pulmonary nodules detection and facts derived from the available literature on the pulmonary nodule differential CAD topic are compiled in one source and described in some details. Several issues of the lung cancer epidemiology and an early diagnosis are discussed. The analysis of the performed research shows an evidence that various CAD systems can be successfully applied for chest radiographs, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET).

Image-based evaluation of tumor response to treatment: where is radiology today?

Oncological patient care requires long term follow-up in order to estimate effectiveness of existing and new treatment choices. Image-based assessment of whole body tumour burden is commonly used for that purpose. The WHO response criteria were established in 1979 proposing bi-dimensional tumor measurements.