Detection and diagnosis of Panulirus argus virus 1 in captive spiny lobsters using qPCR in conjunction with histopathology and transmission electron microscopy.

Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) is the first and only naturally occurring pathogenic virus described in the Caribbean spiny lobster, . PaV1 infection in decapod species that commonly co-occur with , including the spotted spiny lobster , has not been previously described. In 2016, 14 Caribbean and 5 spotted spiny lobsters were collected near Summerland Key, Florida, to supplement the resident population of the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Neoplastic signatures: Comparative proteomics of canine hepatobiliary neuroendocrine tumors to normal niche tissue.

Hepatobiliary neuroendocrine neoplasms are rare cancers in humans and dogs. To date, no large-scale primary hepatobiliary neoplasm omics analyses exist in any species. This limits the development of diagnostic biomarkers and targeted therapeutics.

Semi-automated volumetry of pulmonary nodules: Intra-individual comparison of standard dose and chest X-ray equivalent ultralow dose chest CT scans.

Purpose: To assess the performance of semi-automated volumetry of solid pulmonary nodules on single-energy tin-filtered ultralow dose (ULD) chest CT scans at a radiation dose equivalent to chest X-ray relative to standard dose (SD) chest CT scans and assess the impact of kernel and iterative reconstruction selection.

Methods: Ninety-four consecutive patients from a prospective single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated SD chest CT (1.9 ± 0.

Locally Transmitted in a Domestic Llama () in a Rural Area of Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

-associated megaesophagus was diagnosed in a domestic Louisiana-born llama with no significant travel history. The llama resided in the same rural area of greater New Orleans, Louisiana, where the first human autochthonous case of Chagas disease was identified in the state. Venous blood from the llama tested positive for kinetoplastid DNA by conventional PCR.

Comparison of virtual non-contrast dual-energy CT and a true non-contrast CT for contouring in radiotherapy of 3D printed lung tumour models in motion: a phantom study.

Objectives: This work aims to investigate whether virtual non-contrast (VNC) dual-energy CT(DECT) of contrasted lung tumours can be used as an alternative for true non-contrast (TNC) images in radiotherapy. Two DECT techniques and a TNC CT were compared and influences on gross tumour volume (GTV) volume and CT number from motion artefacts in three-dimensional printed lung tumour models (LTM) in amotion phantom were examined.

Methods: Two spherical LTMs (diameter 3.

Influence of contrast material density and kV setting on detectability of calcified plaques on coronary CT angiography.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of tube potential and iodine concentration on the visibility of calcified plaques in coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA).

Methods & Materials: 164 consecutive patients (65.9 % men and a mean age of 57.

Lung cancer screening with submillisievert chest CT: Potential pitfalls of pulmonary findings in different readers with various experience levels.

Purpose: To assess the interreader variability of submillisievert CT for lung cancer screening in radiologists with various experience levels.

Method: Six radiologists with different degrees of clinical experience in radiology (range, 1-15 years), rated 100 submillisievert CT chest studies as either negative screening finding (no nodules, benign nodules, nodules <5 mm), indeterminate finding (nodules 5-10 mm), positive finding (nodules >10 mm). Each radiologist interpreted scans randomly ordered and reading time was recorded.

Chest X-ray Dose Equivalent Low-dose CT with Tin Filtration: Potential Role for the Assessment of Pectus Excavatum.

Rationale And Objectives: To determine the value of chest CT with tin filtration applying a dose equivalent to chest x-ray for the assessment of the Haller index for evaluation of pectus excavatum.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred seventy-two patients from a prospective single center study were included and underwent a clinical standard dose chest CT (effective dose 1.8 ± 0.

EANM guideline for ventilation/perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and beyond.

These guidelines update the previous EANM 2009 guidelines on the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Relevant new aspects are related to (a) quantification of PE and other ventilation/perfusion defects; (b) follow-up of patients with PE; (c) chronic PE; and (d) description of additional pulmonary physiological changes leading to diagnoses of left ventricular heart failure (HF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia. The diagnosis of PE should be reported when a mismatch of one segment or two subsegments is found.

Enhanced radiation exposure associated with anterior-posterior x-ray tube position in young women undergoing cardiac computed tomography.

Given the current increase in the incidence of coronary artery disease in younger women as well as the high lifetime risk of developing an x-ray-induced malignancy in this population, we aimed at assessing chest radiation in 206 women ≤55 years old undergoing coronary calcium scoring (CACS) by using a Monte Carlo simulation tool. Our data indicate that the simulated radiation dose of the female breast during CACS depends substantially on the starting position of the x-ray tube, with an almost 2 times excess of breast radiation exposure being measured during anterior-posterior tube positioning. Thus, an additional technical feature taking into account the position of the x-ray tube when acquisition is triggered might be an important tool to reduce radiation exposure of the female breast during CACS.

Dynamic 4D-CT Angiography for Guiding Transarterial Chemoembolization: Impact on the Reduction of Contrast Material, Operator Radiation Exposure, Catheter Consumption, and Diagnostic Confidence.

Purpose:  This study was carried out to investigate the impact of abdominal dynamic four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) for guiding transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on the amount of contrast material used, operator radiation exposure, catheter consumption, and diagnostic confidence.

Materials And Methods:  Written consent was waived for this IRB-approved retrospective study. 29 patients (20 men; mean age: 65.

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography-Based Display of Bone Marrow Edema in Incidental Vertebral Compression Fractures: Diagnostic Accuracy and Characterization in Oncological Patients Undergoing Routine Staging Computed Tomography.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of virtual noncalcium (VNCa) dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) reconstructions enabling visualization of bone marrow edema for characterization of incidental thoracolumbar compression fractures in routine thoracoabdominal staging computed tomography (CT).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 51 oncological patients without suspected fracture or indicative complaints presenting at least 1 thoracolumbar compression fracture on routine thoracoabdominal staging DECT who had been examined between October 2015 and June 2017 using third-generation dual-source CT, had a previous CT within 3 months before, and also had undergone additional magnetic resonance imaging within 14 days, which served as the standard of reference. Three independent and blinded radiologists initially evaluated all vertebrae on conventional grayscale DECT series; after at least 8 weeks, observers reevaluated all cases using grayscale and color-coded VNCa DECT images.

Using coronary CT angiography for guiding invasive coronary angiography: potential role to reduce intraprocedural radiation exposure.

Objectives: We investigated the potential reduction of patient exposure during invasive coronary angiography (ICA) if the procedure had only been directed to the vessel with at least one ≥ 50% stenosis as described in the CT report.

Methods: Dose reports of 61 patients referred to ICA because of at least one ≥ 50% stenosis on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) were included. Dose-area product (DAP) was documented separately for left (LCA) and right coronary arteries (RCA) by summing up the single DAP for each angiographic projection.

Evaluation of an adaptive detector collimation for prospectively ECG-triggered coronary CT angiography with third-generation dual-source CT.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of an adaptive detector collimation on the dose parameters and accurateness of scan length adaption at prospectively ECG-triggered sequential cardiac CT with a wide-detector third-generation dual-source CT.

Methods: Ideal scan lengths for human hearts were retrospectively derived from 103 triple-rule-out examinations. These measures were entered into the new scanner operated in prospectively ECG-triggered sequential cardiac scan mode with three different detector settings: (1) adaptive collimation, (2) fixed 64 × 0.

Coronary risk assessment at X-ray dose equivalent ungated chest CT: Results of a multi-reader study.

Objectives: To determine the value of ultra-low dose chest CT with tin filtration for ordinal coronary artery calcium (CAC) risk scoring.

Methods: 50 patients were prospectively included and underwent clinical standard dose chest CT (1.8±0.

High-pitch dual-source paranasal sinus CT in agitated patients with maxillofacial trauma: analysis of image quality, motion artifacts, and dose aspects.

Background Image quality benefits from high-pitch scanning in agitated patients by reducing acquisition time. Purpose To compare image quality and exposure parameters in patients with maxillofacial trauma on second- and third-generation dual-source computed tomography (DSCT). Material and Methods Four groups were compared.

Diagnostic accuracy of chest X-ray dose-equivalent CT for assessing calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta.

Objective: To determine the value of ultralow-dose chest CT for estimating the calcified atherosclerotic burden of the thoracic aorta using tin-filter CT and compare its diagnostic accuracy with chest direct radiography.

Methods: A total of 106 patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-centre study were included and underwent standard dose chest CT (1.7 ± 0.

Emphysema quantification and lung volumetry in chest X-ray equivalent ultralow dose CT - Intra-individual comparison with standard dose CT.

Objectives: To determine whether ultralow dose chest CT with tin filtration can be used for emphysema quantification and lung volumetry and to assess differences in emphysema measurements and lung volume between standard dose and ultralow dose CT scans using advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE).

Methods: 84 consecutive patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-center study were included and underwent clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.7±0.

Predictive value of perfusion defects on dual energy CTA in the absence of thromboembolic clots.

Background: To determine the predictive value of volumetrically measured lung perfusion defects (PDvol) and right ventricular dysfunction on dual-energy computed tomography angiography (DE-CTA) for predicting all cause mortality in patients suspected of pulmonary embolism (PE) but without evident thromboembolic clot on CTA.

Methods: 448 patients underwent DE-CTA on a 64-channel DSCT system between January 2007 and December 2012 for suspected PE, of which 115 were without detectable thromboembolic clot on CTA. Diagnostic performance for identifying patients at risk of dying was evaluated using ROC analysis.

Detecting Intracranial Hemorrhage Using Automatic Tube Current Modulation With Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction in Unenhanced Head Single- and Dual-Energy Dual-Source CT.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine diagnostic accuracy, image quality, and radiation dose of low-dose single- and dual-energy unenhanced third-generation dual-source head CT for detection of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).

Materials And Methods: A total of 123 patients with suspected ICH were examined using a dual-source 192-MDCT scanner. Standard-dose 120-kVp single-energy CT (SECT; n = 36) and 80-kVp and 150-kVp dual-energy CT (DECT; n = 30) images were compared with low-dose SECT (n = 32) and DECT (n = 25) images obtained using automated tube current modulation (ATCM).

Ultralow dose CT for pulmonary nodule detection with chest x-ray equivalent dose - a prospective intra-individual comparative study.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of ultralow radiation dose CT of the chest with tin filtration at 100 kV for pulmonary nodule detection.

Materials And Methods: 202 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated chest CT (standard dose, 1.8 ± 0.

Free-breathing dynamic liver examination using a radial 3D T1-weighted gradient echo sequence with moderate undersampling for patients with limited breath-holding capacity.

Purpose: To compare free-breathing radial VIBE with moderate undersampling (us-radial-VIBE) with a standard breathhold T1-weighted volumetric interpolated sequence (3D GRE VIBE) in patients unable to suspend respiration during dynamic liver examination.

Material And Methods: 23 consecutive patients underwent dynamic liver MR examination using the free-breathing us-radial-VIBE sequence as part of their oncologic follow-up. All patients were eligible for the free-breathing protocol due to severe respiratory artifacts at the planning or precontrast sequences.

Computer-aided detection (CAD) of solid pulmonary nodules in chest x-ray equivalent ultralow dose chest CT - first in-vivo results at dose levels of 0.13mSv.

Objectives: To determine the value of computer-aided detection (CAD) for solid pulmonary nodules in ultralow radiation dose single-energy computed tomography (CT) of the chest using third-generation dual-source CT at 100kV and fixed tube current at 70 mAs with tin filtration.

Methods: 202 consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.8±0.