Neuroinflammation in the Rat Brain After Exposure to Diagnostic Ultrasound.

Objective: To date there have been no studies exploring the potential for neuroinflammation as an intracranial bio-effect associated with diagnostic ultrasound during neonatal cranial scans in a mammalian in vivo model. The study described here was aimed at investigating the effects of B-mode and Doppler mode ultrasound on inflammation in the rat brain.

Methods: Twelve Wistar rats (7-9 wk old) were divided into a control group and an ultrasound-exposed group (n = 6/group).

Are pelvic pain and increased pelvic floor muscle tone associated in women with persistent noncancer pelvic pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The association between pelvic pain and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) tone in women with persistent noncancer pelvic pain (PNCPP) is unclear.

Aim: To synthesize the evidence of the association between pelvic pain and PFM tone in women with PNCPP.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted via MEDLINE, Emcare, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus to identify relevant studies.

Is there a difference in pelvic floor muscle tone between women with and without pelvic pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Alterations in pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function have been observed in women with persistent noncancer pelvic pain (PNCPP) as compared with women without PNCPP; however, the literature presents conflicting findings regarding differences in PFM tone between women with and without PNCPP.

Aim: To systematically review the literature comparing PFM tone in women with and without PNCPP.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched from inception to June 2021 for relevant studies.

A clinical study comparing polymer and gold fiducials for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Introduction: Image guidance with gold fiducials improves outcomes of prostate radiotherapy. However, gold produces artefact on CT imaging, interfering with contouring and verification. The purpose of this study was to compare polymer to standard gold fiducials using radiotherapy imaging modalities to assess the visibility and artefact.

A pilot study investigating the role of F-FDG-PET in the early identification of chemoradiotherapy response in anal cancer.

Introduction: Anal cancer (AC) is F-FDG-PET avid and has been used to evaluate treatment response several months after chemoradiotherapy. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of semi-automated contouring methods and quantitative measures of treatment response using F-FDG-PET imaging at the early time point of 1-month post-chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: Eleven patients with AC referred for chemoradiotherapy were prospectively enrolled into this study, with 10 meeting eligibility requirements.

Comparison between radiographers with sonography education working in remote Australia and radiologists' interpretation of ultrasound examinations.

Introduction: Radiographers working in remote Far North Queensland (FNQ), Australia, need to possess unique skills sets in order to provide culturally safe practice to predominantly Indigenous communities. Due to the lack of onsite radiologists in FNQ, radiographers need to provide preliminary findings to referring practitioners including sonographic findings. The accuracy of such findings has not been evaluated to date.

The growth rates of solitary gallbladder polyps compared to multi-polyps: A quantitative analysis.

Objectives: Several studies suggest solitary gallbladder polyps (GBPs) have an increased malignancy risk compared to multi-polyps. Furthermore, some malignant GBPs possessed faster growth rates compared to benign GBPs. To our knowledge, no study has established a relationship between GBP number and growth rates.

Fetal renal artery blood flow - Normal ranges.

Introduction: The study objectives were to develop standard charts for fetal renal artery blood flow to define normal ranges and to assess the reliability of the measurements.

Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study reviewed 72 low-risk singleton pregnancies who had serial ultrasound examinations. Pulse wave Doppler was used to obtain the resistivity and pulsatility indices of the fetal renal arteries.

Patient understanding of diagnostic ultrasound examinations in an Australian private radiology clinic.

Purpose: To determine patient understanding and expectations of ultrasound imaging and its safety, sources of examination information and levels of examination anxiety.

Methods: 1070 consecutive patients presenting to a private, regional radiology practice in New South Wales, Australia between 16 May and 14 June 2019, were invited to complete a survey while waiting for their non-interventional ultrasound examination. The survey included questions on demographic characteristics, knowledge such as examination risks and safety, ultrasound expectations such as dissemination of results, sources of examination information and levels of participant anxiety.

A phantom study to contrast and compare polymer and gold fiducial markers in radiotherapy simulation imaging.

To assess visibility and artifact characteristics of polymer fiducials compared to standard gold fiducials for radiotherapy CT and MRI simulation. Three gold and three polymer fiducials were inserted into a CT and MRI tissue-equivalent phantom that approximated the prostate cancer radiotherapy configuration. The phantom and fiducials were imaged on CT and MRI.

Cranial Ultrasound Screening Protocols for Very Preterm Infants.

Cranial ultrasound examinations are routinely performed in very preterm neonates. There is no widespread agreement on the optimal timing of these examinations. This review examines screening protocols and recommendations available for the timing of cranial ultrasound examinations in preterm neonates born before 32 wk of gestation.

Proximal seminal vesicle displacement and margins for prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Introduction: Guidelines recommend that the proximal seminal vesicles (PrSV) should be included in the clinical target volume for locally advanced prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Verification and margins for the prostate may not necessarily account for PrSV displacement. The purpose was to determine the inter-fraction displacement of the PrSV relative to the prostate during radiotherapy.

The Readiness of Australian Health Care Students to Encounter Patients Experiencing Partner Abuse.

Partner abuse is a significant contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide, and has been identified as a priority health care issue. Most health care students rarely receive education on partner abuse and report not feeling ready to encounter patients experiencing partner abuse. Analysis of the current readiness of health care students and can inform educational needs to address this gap.

The effect of diabetes during pregnancy on fetal renal parenchymal growth.

Aims/hypothesis: Diabetes in pregnancy is thought to adversely affect the developing fetal kidneys. The rate of gestational diabetes is increasing globally with major consequences for future renal function. Very little is known about the impact of hyperglycaemia on the fetal renal parenchyma which contains the developing nephrons.

Surveillance Practice for Sonographic Detection of Intracranial Abnormalities in Premature Neonates: A Snapshot of Current Neonatal Cranial Ultrasound Practice in Australia.

There are no publications reporting on scan duration and Doppler use during neonatal cranial ultrasound scans. We investigated current practice of neonatal cranial ultrasound at four large tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Australia. Cranial scans were prospectively recorded between March 2015 and November 2016.

Real-time sonoelastography evaluation of the Achilles tendon following ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma injection and eccentric exercise for the treatment of refractory Achilles tendinopathy.

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using sonoelastography to depict Achilles tendon stiffness after platelet-rich plasma injection and eccentric exercise for chronic Achilles tendinopathy, and to correlate sonoelastography findings with clinical outcome up to 12 months after treatment. Forty-five Achilles tendons from 45 patients (33 males, 12 females; mean age 51 years) were examined using sonoelastography and ultrasound at baseline, 4-6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months post-treatment. The strain ratio (between Achilles tendon and Kager's fat) during sonoelastography was obtained.

Early impact of moderate preterm birth on the structure, function and gene expression of conduit arteries.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? What is the immediate impact of moderate preterm birth on the structure and function of major conduit arteries using a pre-clinical sheep model? What is the main finding and its importance? Postnatal changes in conduit arteries, including a significant decrease in collagen within the thoracic aortic wall (predominately males), narrowed carotid arteries, reduced aortic systolic blood flow, and upregulation of the mRNA expression of cell adhesion and inflammatory markers at 2 days of age in preterm lambs compared to controls, may increase the risk of cardiovascular impairment in later life.

Abstract: The aim of this work was to compare the structure and function of the conduit arteries of moderately preterm and term-born lambs and to determine whether vascular injury-associated genes were upregulated. Time-mated ewes were induced to deliver either preterm (132 ± 1 days of gestation; n = 11 females and n = 10 males) or at term (147 ± 1 days of gestation; n = 10 females and n = 5 males).

Can measurement of the foetal renal parenchymal thickness with ultrasound be used as an indirect measure of nephron number?

Chronic kidney disease continues to be under recognised and is associated with a significant global health burden and costs. An adverse intrauterine environment may result in a depleted nephron number and an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Antenatal ultrasound was used to measure the foetal renal parenchymal thickness (RPT), as a novel method to estimate nephron number.

Clinical and dosimetric risk stratification for patients at high-risk of feeding tube use during definitive IMRT for head and neck cancer.

Introduction: To identify organs to which dose limitation using intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can potentially modify the incidence and duration of feeding tube use, during and immediately following therapy for head and neck cancer.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients treated with definitive IMRT (± concurrent chemotherapy) head and neck mucosal cancers were included. Patients received a prophylactic feeding tube and followed up by a dietician for at least eight weeks post-radiotherapy.

Radiation-induced oesophagitis in breast cancer: Factors influencing onset and severity for patients receiving supraclavicular nodal irradiation.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine dosimetric factors, such as mean dose and oesophageal length, which may influence the incidence and severity of oesophagitis in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy to the supraclavicular nodes.

Methods: This was a single-arm prospective observational study. Toxicity grading was undertaken twice weekly to determine the onset of grade 2 oesophagitis in consecutive patients prescribed IMRT to the breast or chest wall and supraclavicular fossa (SCF) nodes.

Comparison of the Fat-to-Lesion Strain Ratio and the Gland-to-Lesion Strain Ratio With Controlled Precompression in Characterizing Indeterminate and Suspicious Breast Lesions on Ultrasound Imaging.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of the fat-to-lesion strain ratio (FLR) and gland-to-lesion strain ratio (GLR) for patients with indeterminate or suspicious breast lesions on ultrasound (US) imaging under a controlled precompression technique and to see whether the technique improves the reproducibility of FLR and GLR measurement.

Methods: Fifty-three lesions in 39 consecutive patients who had scheduled core biopsy or excision surgery based on US findings were examined by US elastography. Each lesion was acquired under controlled precompression by 2 sonographers independently.

The efficacy of tin-filtration for computed tomography in diagnosing urolithiasis.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiation dose and image quality of computed tomography urograms (CTU) using tin-filtration compared to conventional CTU (without tin-filtration) examinations in patients with suspected urolithiasis.

Methods: Group 1 consisted of 100 patients who were examined using the tin-filtered CTU protocols (Sn100kVp or Sn150kVp); Group 2 consisted of 100 patients who were examined using the same protocols but without tin-filtration (GE-NI41 or GE-NI43). The scanning protocol was based on the patients' body weight (<80 kg and ≥80 kg).