Exploring end of life care provision during medical imaging in hospitals: Analysis of survey data from the UK radiography workforce.

Introduction: Patients receiving end-of-life care often undergo medical imaging examinations in hospitals to inform symptom management and care. Yet little is known about the experiences of the radiography workforce who deliver it. This study aims to describe and explore experiences of the UK radiography workforce delivering medical imaging as part of patients' end-of-life care.

An exploration of factors involved in the roll out of a digital application in breast services: A case study approach.

Introduction: Acceptance of new technologies in health care, by those who use them as part of their role, is challenging with confounding contextual factors surrounding the acceptance of technology. As healthcare is rapidly digitising, stakeholder groups should be included in each stage of evaluation and implementation to allow opportunities to influence and contribute to digital health policies. This research employed a case study methodology to initiate an exploration into the factors associated with implementing a digital application into a mammography service.

Understanding experiences of the radiography workforce delivering medical imaging as part of patients' end of life care: An exploratory qualitative interview study.

Introduction: People nearing the end of life often require medical imaging in hospitals to manage symptoms and care, despite this little is known about the experiences of those delivering it. The aim of this study is therefore to explore the experiences of the radiography workforce delivering medical imaging as part of patients' end-of-life care.

Method: Qualitative design using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis.

Skin tears in mammography: A narrative review.

Skin tears are classed as traumatic wounds mainly caused by shearing and frictional forces. Incidences of skin tears are noted to be significant mostly in the elderly population and those with fragile and vulnerable skin. Individuals undergoing mammography are susceptible to skin tears due to factors associated with skin breakdown such as thinning of the epidermis, use of steroids, presence of moisture, but this, when compounded with the procedure of mammography can increase the risk further.

Assessing the impact of binaural and non-binaural auditory beat intervention to pain and compression in mammography.

Introduction: Pain and discomfort has a negative impact on a patient's overall experience and may impact on subsequent re-attendance to mammography. Pain during mammography remains a significant issue. Assessment of interventions to reduce levels of pain associated with mammography are essential to increase attendance to breast services and improve user experience.

The diagnostic value and accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosing hydatidiform mole: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

Introduction: Hydatidiform moles are the most common type of gestational trophoblastic disease. Internationally the incidence of hydatidiform moles is 1-2:1000 pregnancies. Early detection of women with hydatidiform moles is preferential, as these women are at a higher risk of developing other gestational trophoblastic disease.

An Investigation of Pressure Ulcer Risk, Comfort, and Pain in Medical Imaging.

Introduction: Pressure ulcers present significant trauma to patients and are expensive to manage. In medical imaging (MI), no study has been conducted to rigorously investigate interface pressure (IP) risk on MI table surfaces. IP is defined as the pressure between human body and a supporting surface.

A JAFROC study of nodule detection performance in CT images of a thorax acquired during PET/CT.

Purpose: Two types of CT images (modalities) are acquired in PET/CT: for attenuation correction (AC) and diagnosis. The purpose of the study was to compare nodule detection and localization performance between these two modalities.

Methods: CT images, using both modalities, of an anthropomorphic chest phantom containing zero or more simulated spherical nodules of 5, 8, 10 and 12 mm diameters and contrasts -800, -630 and 100 HU were acquired.

Analysis of effective and organ dose estimation in CT when using mA modulation: A single scanner pilot study.

Introduction: Effective dose (ED) estimation in CT examinations can be obtained by combining dose length product (DLP) with published ED per DLP coefficients or performed using software. These methods do not account for tube current (mA) modulation which is influenced by patient size. The aim of the work was to compare different methods of organ and ED estimation to measured values when using mA modulation in CT chest, abdomen and pelvis examinations.

Effective Dose and Effective Risk from Post-Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Imaging of the Lumbar Spine.

Purpose: Planar bone scans play an important role in the staging and monitoring of malignancy and metastases. Metastases in the lumbar spine are associated with significant morbidity; therefore, accurate diagnosis is essential. Supplementary imaging after planar bone scans is often required to characterize lesions; however, this is associated with additional radiation dose.

Effect of reconstruction methods and x-ray tube current-time product on nodule detection in an anthropomorphic thorax phantom: A crossed-modality JAFROC observer study.

Purpose: To evaluate nodule detection in an anthropomorphic chest phantom in computed tomography (CT) images reconstructed with adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR(3D)) and filtered back projection (FBP) over a range of tube current-time product (mAs).

Methods: Two phantoms were used in this study: (i) an anthropomorphic chest phantom was loaded with spherical simulated nodules of 5, 8, 10, and 12 mm in diameter and +100, -630, and -800 Hounsfield units electron density; this would generate CT images for the observer study; (ii) a whole-body dosimetry verification phantom was used to ultimately estimate effective dose and risk according to the model of the BEIR VII committee. Both phantoms were scanned over a mAs range (10, 20, 30, and 40), while all other acquisition parameters remained constant.

Comparison of effective dose and lifetime risk of cancer incidence of CT attenuation correction acquisitions and radiopharmaceutical administration for myocardial perfusion imaging.

Objective: To measure the organ dose and calculate effective dose from CT attenuation correction (CTAC) acquisitions from four commonly used gamma camera single photon emission CT/CT systems.

Methods: CTAC dosimetry data was collected using thermoluminescent dosemeters on GE Healthcare's Infinia™ Hawkeye™ (GE Healthcare, Buckinghamshire, UK) four- and single-slice systems, Siemens Symbia™ T6 (Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) and the Philips Precedence (Philips Healthcare, Amsterdam, Netherlands). Organ and effective dose from the administration of (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin and (99m)Tc-sestamibi were calculated using International Commission of Radiological Protection reports 80 and 106.

A free-response evaluation determining value in the computed tomography attenuation correction image for revealing pulmonary incidental findings: a phantom study.

Rationale And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare lesion-detection performance when interpreting computed tomography (CT) images that are acquired for attenuation correction when performing single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) myocardial perfusion studies. In the United Kingdom, there is a requirement that these images be interpreted; thus, it is necessary to understand observer performance on these images.

Materials And Methods: An anthropomorphic chest phantom with inserted spherical lesions of different sizes and contrasts was scanned on five different SPECT/CT systems using site-specific CT protocols for SPECT/CT myocardial perfusion imaging.

A method to measure paddle and detector pressures and footprints in mammography.

Purpose: Compression is necessary in mammography to improve image quality and reduce radiation burden. Maximizing the amount of breast in contact with the image receptor (IR) is important. To achieve this, for the craniocaudal projection, there is no consensus within the literature regarding how the IR should be positioned relative to the inframammary fold (IMF).

Pressure and breast thickness in mammography--an exploratory calibration study.

Objective: To perform a calibration study to provide data to help improve consistency in the pressure that is applied during mammography.

Methods: Automatic readouts of breast thickness accuracy vary between mammography machines; therefore, one machine was selected for calibration. 250 randomly selected patients were invited to participate; 235 agreed, and 940 compression data sets were recorded (breast thickness, breast density and pressure).

ROCView: prototype software for data collection in jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic analysis.

ROCView has been developed as an image display and response capture (IDRC) solution to image display and consistent recording of reader responses in relation to the free-response receiver operating characteristic paradigm. A web-based solution to IDRC for observer response studies allows observations to be completed from any location, assuming that display performance and viewing conditions are consistent with the study being completed. The simplistic functionality of the software allows observations to be completed without supervision.

The readout thickness versus the measured thickness for a range of screen film mammography and full-field digital mammography units.

Purpose: To establish a simple method to determine breast readout accuracy on mammography units.

Methods: A thickness measuring device (TMD) was used in conjunction with a breast phantom. This phantom had compression characteristics similar to human female breast tissue.

Quantification of neutrophil migration into the lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: To quantify neutrophil migration into the lungs of patients with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD).

Methods: Neutrophil loss via airways was assessed by dedicated whole-body counting 45 min, 24 h and 2, 4, 7 and 10 days after injection of very small activities of (111)In-labelled neutrophils in 12 healthy nonsmokers, 5 healthy smokers, 16 patients with COPD (of whom 7 were ex-smokers) and 10 patients with bronchiectasis. Lung accumulation of (99m)Tc-labelled neutrophils was assessed by sequential SPECT and Patlak analysis in six COPD patients and three healthy nonsmoking subjects.

Measuring whole-body neutrophil redistribution using a dedicated whole-body counter and ultra-low doses of 111Indium.

Background: There is increasing interest in the 'homing' of neutrophils to bone marrow. The aim of this study was to measure the whole-body redistribution of (111) In using a whole-body counter following the administration of ultra-small activities of (111) In-labelled neutrophils.

Methods: The detectors of a dedicated whole-body counter were fitted with lead collimators.

Does P-glycoprotein have a role in the lung clearances of inhaled 99mTc-sestamibi and 99mTc-tetrofosmin?

Objective: The clearance rate of inhaled 99mTc-sestamibi from the lungs of healthy nonsmoking individuals is much slower than would be expected from its physical properties. The clearance rate is even slower in healthy cigarette smokers. As 99mTc-sestamibi is a substrate for P-glycoprotein (P-gp), pulmonary P-gp may be influential in 99mTc-sestamibi clearance and may be upregulated in smokers.

Pulmonary elimination rate of inhaled 99mTc-sestamibi radioaerosol is delayed in healthy cigarette smokers.

What Is Already Known About This Subject: * Very little is known about the physiology of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in the lungs. * Ex vivo evidence based on resected lung tissue suggests that pulmonary P-gp is upregulated by cigarette smoke, but there are no in vivo studies to date.

What This Study Adds: * The novel observation that healthy cigarette smokers have a delayed pulmonary elimination rate of inhaled (99m)Tc-sestamibi, a P-gp substrate, provides for the first time a potential method for quantifying functional pulmonary P-gp expression that may inform about drug therapy by inhalation as well as provide a non-invasive, quantitative, human biomarker for assessing P-gp modulators.

Healthy passive cigarette smokers have increased pulmonary alveolar permeability.

Question: Does passive smoking have a measurable effect on lung function in otherwise healthy subjects? There is current interest concerning passive smoking but no objective evidence showing that it has any impact on lung function.

Methods: The pulmonary clearance rate of (99m)Tc-DTPA was measured in 21 healthy volunteers after inhalation as a radio-aerosol and compared between healthy cigarette smokers, passive smokers and non-smokers. All volunteers had normal lung function.