Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media-Challenges and Mitigation Before, During, and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Literature Review.

Background: This scoping review accompanies our research study "The Experience of Health Professionals With Misinformation and Its Impact on Their Job Practice: Qualitative Interview Study." It surveys online health misinformation and is intended to provide an understanding of the communication context in which health professionals must operate.

Objective: Our objective was to illustrate the impact of social media in introducing additional sources of misinformation that impact health practitioners' ability to communicate effectively with their patients.

Experiences of UK clinical scientists (Physical Sciences modality) with their regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council: results of a 2022 survey.

Background: In healthcare, regulation of professions is an important tool to protect the public. With increasing regulation however, professions find themselves under increasing scrutiny. Recently there has also been considerable concern with regulator performance, with high profile reports pointing to cases of inefficiency and bias.

Acoustic Noise and Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Narrative/Descriptive Review.

Magnetic resonance imaging generates unwanted acoustic noise. This review describes the work characterizing the acoustic noise, and the various solutions to control and attenuate the acoustic noise. There are also discussions about the permissible limits, and guidance regarding acoustic noise exposure for staff, patients, and volunteers.

Study of diffusion weighted MRI as a predictive biomarker of response during radiotherapy for high and ntermediate risk squamous cell cancer of the oropharynx: The MeRInO study.

Introduction And Background: A significant proportion of patients with intermediate and high risk squamous cell cancer of the oropharynx (OPSCC) continue to relapse locally despite radical chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The toxicity of the current combination of intensified dose per fraction radiotherapy and platinum based chemotherapy limits further uniform intensification. If a predictive biomarker for outcomes from CRT can be identified during treatment then individualised and adaptive treatment strategies may be employed.

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer: setup reproducibility with novel arms-down immobilization.

Objective: A clinical evaluation of the intrafraction and interfraction setup accuracy of a novel thermoplastic mould immobilization device and patient position in early-stage lung cancer being treated with stereotactic radiotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, UK.

Methods: 35 patients were immobilized in a novel, arms-down position, with a four-point Klarity (Klarity Medical Products, Ohio, US) clear thermoplastic mould fixed to a SinMed (CIVCO Medical solutions, lowa, US) head and neck board. A knee support was also used for patient comfort and support.

An assessment of cone beam CT in the adaptive radiotherapy planning process for non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Objective: To investigate the potential use of cone beam CT (CBCT) in adaptive radiotherapy (ART) planning process for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: 17 retrospective patients with NSCLC Stage T1-T4, who had completed a course of radiotherapy with weekly CBCT imaging were selected for the study. The patients had been delineated and planned for three-dimensional (3D) conformal treatment (prescription: 55 Gy in 20 fractions) based on free-breathing four-dimensional CT data.

Research awareness, attitudes and barriers among clinical staff in a regional cancer centre. Part 1: a quantitative analysis.

Research is of key importance in delivering high-quality patient care through evidence-based practice. Attitude towards research and barriers to research can have an impact on research activity. A survey was conducted to establish the levels of research awareness and attitudes among clinical staff groups in this regional cancer centre and identify any barriers to participation in research.

An assessment of the efficiency of methods for measurement of the computed tomography dose index (CTDI) for cone beam (CBCT) dosimetry by Monte Carlo simulation.

The IEC has introduced a practical approach to overcome shortcomings of the CTDI100 for measurements on wide beams employed for cone beam (CBCT) scans. This study evaluated the efficiency of this approach (CTDIIEC) for different arrangements using Monte Carlo simulation techniques, and compared CTDIIEC to the efficiency of CTDI100 for CBCT. Monte Carlo EGSnrc/BEAMnrc and EGSnrc/DOSXYZnrc codes were used to simulate the kV imaging system mounted on a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator.

The influence of MRI scan position on patients with oropharyngeal cancer undergoing radical radiotherapy.

Background: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patient position protocols influence registration quality in patients with oropharyngeal cancer undergoing radical radiotherapy and the consequences for gross tumour volume (GTV) definition and radiotherapy planning.

Methods And Materials: Twenty-two oropharyngeal patients underwent a computed tomography (CT), a diagnostic MRI (MRI(D)) and an MRI in the radiotherapy position within an immobilization mask (MRI(RT)). Clinicians delineated the GTV on the CT viewing the MRI(D) separately (GTV(C)); on the CT registered to MRI(D) (GTV(D)) and on the CT registered to MRI(RT) (GTV(RT)).

The influence of MRI scan position on image registration accuracy, target delineation and calculated dose in prostatic radiotherapy.

Objective: To investigate the necessity of performing MRI in the radiotherapy position when using MRI for prostatic radiotherapy.

Methods: 20 prostate patients received a CT, diagnostic MRI and an MRI scan in the radiotherapy position. The quality of registration between CT and MRI was compared between the two MRI set-ups.

Assessing the image quality of pelvic MR images acquired with a flat couch for radiotherapy treatment planning.

Objectives: To improve the integration of MRI with radiotherapy treatment planning, our department fabricated a flat couch top for our MR scanner. Setting up using this couch top meant that the patients were physically higher up in the scanner and, posteriorly, a gap was introduced between the patient and radiofrequency coil.

Methods: Phantom measurements were performed to assess the quantitative impact on image quality.

The potential for undertaking slow CT using a modern CT scanner.

Respiratory motion complicates target volume definition for patients with lung cancer. The use of slow CT to aid in the definition of moving target volumes was investigated. Standard and slow scans of an oscillating phantom were acquired using gantry rotation periods of 0.

Feasibility of image registration and intensity-modulated radiotherapy planning with hyperpolarized helium-3 magnetic resonance imaging for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of registering hyperpolarized helium-3 magnetic resonance images ((3)He-MRI) to X-ray computed tomography (CT) for functionally weighted intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning.

Methods And Materials: Six patients with non-small-cell lung cancer underwent (3)He ventilation MRI, which was fused with radiotherapy planning CT using rigid registration. Registration accuracy was assessed using an overlap coefficient, calculated as the proportion of the segmented (3)He-MR volume (V(MRI)) that intersects the segmented CT lung volume expressed as a percentage of V(MRI).

Optimizing localization accuracy in head and neck, and brain radiotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact on localization of utilizing contrast-enhanced CT scans and the formal input of a radiologist in the planning process. 25 head and neck/brain patients had pre- and post-contrast CT scans in the treatment position. Radiotherapy treatment was planned on the unenhanced CT images as per standard practice.

The impact of virtual simulation in palliative radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background And Purpose: Radiotherapy is widely used to palliate local symptoms in non-small-cell lung cancer. Using conventional X-ray simulation, it is often difficult to accurately localize the extent of the tumour. We report a randomized, double blind trial comparing target localization with conventional and virtual simulation.

Radiation dosimetry using polymer gels: methods and applications.

New, complex radiotherapy delivery techniques require dosimeters that are able to measure complex three-dimensional dose distributions accurately and with good spatial resolution. Polymer gel is an emerging new dosimeter being applied to these challenges. The aim of this review is to present a practical overview of polymer gel dosimetry, including gel manufacture, imaging, calibration and application to radiotherapy verification.

Auditory noise associated with MR procedures: a review.

This review article discusses the various types of acoustic noise produced during the operation of MR systems, describes the characteristics of the acoustic noise, and presents information regarding noise control techniques. In addition, the problems related to acoustic noise for patients and healthcare workers are discussed.

The reproducibility of polyacrylamide gel dosimetry applied to stereotactic conformal radiotherapy.

The reproducibility of polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimetry has been evaluated when used to verify two radiotherapy treatment plans of increasing complexity. The plans investigated were a three-field coplanar arrangement, using the linac jaws for field shaping, and a four-field, conformal, non-coplanar plan using precision-cast lead alloy shielding blocks. Each treatment was performed three times using phantoms and calibration gels manufactured in-house.

Experimental 3D dosimetry around a high-dose-rate clinical 192Ir source using a polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeter.

It is well known that the experimental dosimetry of brachytherapy sources presents a challenge. Depending on the particular-dosimeter used, measurements can suffer from poor spatial resolution (ion chambers), lack of 3D information (film) or errors due to the presence of the dosimeter itself distorting the radiation flux. To avoid these problems, we have investigated the dosimetry of a clinical 192Ir source using a polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeter.

Dynamics of polymerization in polyacrylamide gel (PAG) dosimeters: (I) ageing and long-term stability.

Few quantitative data are available on the kinetics of polymerization reactions in polymer gel (PAG) dosimeters and their long-term stability. Post-irradiation polymerization reactions have been found to continue for several weeks, posing questions regarding dosimeter stability and its achievement. In this paper we report an investigation of polymerization kinetics in PAG dosimeters and the effect of diffusing oxygen into the dosimeter, post irradiation, as a potential method of inhibiting further polymerization and stabilizing the dose distribution.

Improving calibration accuracy in gel dosimetry.

A new method of calibrating gel dosimeters (applicable to both Fricke and polyacrylamide gels) is presented which has intrinsically higher accuracy than current methods, and requires less gel. Two test-tubes of gel (inner diameter 2.5 cm, length 20 cm) are irradiated separately with a 10 x 10 cm2 field end-on in a water bath, such that the characteristic depth-dose curve is recorded in the gel.

An investigation into the dosimetry of a nine-field tomotherapy irradiation using BANG-gel dosimetry.

BANG-gel dosimetry offers the potential for measuring the dose delivered by a radiotherapy treatment technique, in three dimensions, with high spatial resolution and good accuracy. The ability to measure comprehensively a 3D dose distribution is a major advantage of the gel dosimeter over conventional planar and point-based dosimeter devices, particularly when applied to the verification of complex dose distributions characteristic of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). In this paper an in-house manufactured BANG-gel dosimeter was applied to study the dose distributions of two irradiation experiments for which the distributions were known: (i) a dosimetrically simple parallel-opposed irradiation, and (ii) a more complex nine-field 'static tomotherapy' intensity-modulated irradiation delivered with the Nomos MIMiC.

The use of active noise control (ANC) to reduce acoustic noise generated during MRI scanning: some initial results.

MRI scanning generates high levels of acoustic noise that cannot only pose a safety hazard, but also impair communication between staff and patient. In this article we present active noise control (ANC) techniques that introduce antiphase noise to destructively interfere with the MRI noise and with the aim of producing a zone of quiet around the patient's ears. Using noise recorded from a 1.

Acoustic noise levels generated during high field MR imaging.

Although much has been published highlighting the safety risks of magnetic resonance imaging, little mention has been made of acoustic noise levels. As the clinically available gradient strengths of MR systems increase, acoustic noise levels will become more important. Measurements were made of the acoustic noise levels generated by magnetic resonance imaging on two high field systems (1.