HF-rTMS treatment in medication-resistant melancholic depression: results from 18FDG-PET brain imaging.

Introduction: High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) might be a promising strategy to treat depression, but not all patients show a positive outcome.

Objective: In this open study, we evaluate whether a favorable HF-rTMS treatment outcome could be predicted by baseline prefrontal brain glucose metabolism (CMRglc), measured by 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET).

Methods: A sample of 21 antidepressant-free, treatment-resistant depression (TRD) patients of the melancholic subtype received 10 sessions of HF-rTMS delivered on the left DLPFC.

Double-dosimetry algorithm for workers in interventional radiology.

Based on double-dosemeter readings, a conservative effective dose (E) estimation algorithm for lead apron workers in interventional radiology is proposed. Typical radiation conditions for various exposure geometries were simulated using the MCNPX 2.4.

Typetesting of physical characteristics of digital mammography systems for screening within the Flemish breast cancer screening programme.

To investigate compliance with the acceptance criteria of the European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening, a typetesting programme of the physical characteristics of digital mammography systems based on direct readout (DR) technology or computed radiography (CR) was organised and executed within the Flemish breast cancer screening programme. While in general image quality/dose characteristics of flat panel DR systems passed the acceptance criteria more easily than CR systems, the slit-scanning direct photon counting system included in present study was outstanding in combining a very low dose with a good image quality. The data obtained up to now indicate the necessity of retuning the AEC for DR systems according to constant contrast to noise ratio (CNR) over the whole range of PMMA thicknesses (20-70 mm) to improve image quality in imaging breasts of large thickness at the cost of higher doses.

The influence of rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on top-down attentional processes.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) provides a unique opportunity to study causal relationships between activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and executive functioning, by modulating brain activity in SHAM controlled designs. We devised a new Stroop task paradigm in which subjects must engage in both strategic and automatic attentional processes. In the current experiment, we manipulated subjects' expectancies for incongruent stimuli.