Could the Anatomic Variants of the Superior Thalamic Vein (STV) Be Considered a Possible Landmark for Target Identification in Magnetic-Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Procedures? A Pilot Study Using Susceptibility Weighted Imaging Sequences.

During magnetic-resonance-guided focused ultrasound ablation of the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus (VIM) for essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD), targeting is generally performed using a standard atlas-based stereotactic approach. The purpose of our work is to evaluate the anatomic variations in the venous vasculature of the thalamus in patients treated with MRgFUS, as a possible landmark for targeting. We retrospectively evaluated the relationship between the obtained thalamotomy lesion and the ipsilateral superior thalamic vein (STV).

Electrophysiological patterns and structural substrates of Brugada syndrome: Critical appraisal and computational analyses.

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a cardiac electrophysiological disease with unknown etiology, associated with sudden cardiac death. Symptomatic patients are treated with implanted cardiac defibrillator, but no risk stratification strategy is effective in patients that are at low to medium arrhythmic risk. Cardiac computational modeling is an emerging tool that can be used to verify the hypotheses of pathogenesis and inspire new risk stratification strategies.

Endocardial repolarization dispersion in BrS: A novel automatic algorithm for mapping activation recovery interval.

Introduction: Repolarization dispersion in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) contributes to the type-1 electrocardiographic (ECG) phenotype of Brugada syndrome (BrS), while data on the significance and feasibility of mapping repolarization dispersion in BrS patients are scarce. Moreover, the role of endocardial repolarization dispersion in BrS is poorly investigated. We aimed to assess endocardial repolarization patterns through an automated calculation of activation recovery interval (ARI) estimated on unipolar electrograms (UEGs) in spontaneous type-1 BrS patients and controls; we also investigated the relation between ARI and right ventricle activation time (RVAT), and T-wave peak-to-end interval (Tpe) in BrS patients.

Occupational Exposure Assessment of the Static Magnetic Field Generated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: A Case Study.

Magnetic resonance (MR) systems are used in academic research laboratories and industrial research fields, besides representing one of the most important imaging modalities in clinical radiology. This technology does not use ionizing radiation, but it cannot be considered without risks. These risks are associated with the working principle of the technique, which mainly involves static magnetic fields that continuously increase-namely, the radiofrequency (RF) field and spatial magnetic field gradient.

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in magnetic resonance environment: an update on regulation, exposure assessment techniques, health risk evaluation, and surveillance.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most-used diagnostic imaging methods worldwide. There are ∼50,000 MRI scanners worldwide each of which involves a minimum of five workers from different disciplines who spend their working days around MRI scanners. This review analyzes the state of the art of literature about the several aspects of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in MRI: regulations, literature studies on biological effects, and health surveillance are addressed here in detail, along with a summary of the main approaches for exposure assessment.

Effectiveness of Blue light photobiomodulation therapy in the treatment of chronic wounds. Results of the Blue Light for Ulcer Reduction (B.L.U.R.) Study.

Background: Lower limb ulcers not responding to standard treatments after 8 weeks are defined as chronic wounds, and they are a significant medical problem. Blue light (410-430 nm) proved to be effective in treating wounds, but there is a lack of data on chronic wounds in clinical practice. The aim of the study was to determine if blue light photobiomodulation with EmoLED (Emoled Srl, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy) medical device in addition to standard of care is more effective compared to standard of care alone in promoting re-epithelialization of chronic wounds of lower limbs in 10 weeks.

Mapping dependencies of BOLD signal change to end-tidal CO: Linear and nonlinear modeling, and effect of physiological noise correction.

Background: Disentangling physiological noise and signal of interest is a major issue when evaluating BOLD-signal changes in response to breath holding. Currently-adopted approaches for retrospective noise correction are general-purpose, and have non-negligible effects in studies on hypercapnic challenges.

New Method: We provide a novel approach to the analysis of specific and non-specific BOLD-signal changes related to end-tidal CO (PCO) in breath-hold fMRI studies.

Numerical Analysis of Electromagnetic Field Exposure from 5G Mobile Communications at 28 GHZ in Adults and Children Users for Real-World Exposure Scenarios.

The recent development of millimeter-wave (mmW) technologies, such as the fifth-generation (5G) network, comes with concerns related to user exposure. A quite large number of dosimetry studies above 6 GHz have been conducted, with the main purpose being to establish the correlation between different dosimetric parameters and the skin surface temperature elevation. However, the dosimetric studies from 28 GHz user equipment using different voxel models have not been comprehensively discussed yet.

Breath-hold task induces temporal heterogeneity in electroencephalographic regional field power in healthy subjects.

We demonstrated that changes in CO values cause oscillations in the cortical activity in δ-and α-bands. The analysis of the regional field power (RFP) showed evidence that different cortical areas respond with different time delays to CO challenges. An opposite behavior was found for the end-tidal O.

Potential markers of healing from near infrared spectroscopy imaging of venous leg ulcer. A randomized controlled clinical trial comparing conventional with hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

The aim of this study is to ascertain whether the simultaneous measurement of hemoglobin O saturation (StO ) and dimension of venous leg ulcers (VLU) by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging can predict the healing course with protocols employing a conventional treatment alone or in combination with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). NIRS 2D images of wound region were obtained in 81 patients with hard-to-heal VLU that had been assigned, in a randomized controlled clinical trial, to the following protocols: 30 HBOT sessions, adjunctive to the conventional therapy, either twice daily over 3 weeks (group A) or once daily over 6 weeks (group B), and conventional therapy without HBOT (group C). Seventy-three patients completed the study with a total of 511 NIRS images being analyzed.

Analysis, comparison and representation of occupational exposure to a static magnetic field in a 3-T MRI site.

The purpose of this study is to analyze exposure to the time-varying magnetic field caused by worker movements in a 3-T clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Measurements of the static magnetic field () in the proximity of the MRI scanner were performed to create a detailed map of the spatial gradient of , in order to indicate the areas at high risk of exposure. Moreover, a personal exposure recording system was used in order to analyze and compare exposure to the static magnetic field during different routine procedures in MRI.

Ld-EEG Effective Brain Connectivity in Patients With Cheyne-Stokes Respiration.

The characterization of brain cortical activity in heart-failure patients affected by Cheyne-Stokes Respiration might provide relevant information about the mechanism underlying this pathology. Central autonomic network is gaining increasing attention for its role in the regulation of breathing and cardiac functions. In this scenario, evaluating changes in cortical connectivity associated with Cheyne-Stokes Respiration may be of interest in the study of specific brain-activity related to such disease.

Exploring the supra linear relationship between PetCO2 and fMRI signal change with ICA.

The relationships between brain functions and the respiratory system are complex. Disentangling brain activity related to CO changes from nonspecific vasoreactivity is a challenge when studying brain activity involved in the control of breathing with fMRI. In this work, we analyzed a dose dependent relationship between arterial CO levels and brain response.

On the Use of Linear-Modelling-based Algorithms for Physiological Noise Correction in fMRI Studies of the Central Breathing Control.

A full characterization of the physiological behavior of human central chemoreceptors through fMRI is crucial to understand the pathophysiology of central abnormal breathing patterns. In this scenario, physiological noise and activity of interest may be naturally correlated. Here, we examined the adequacy of linear-modelling-based retrospective physiological noise correction for studies of the central breathing control.

The Procedure for Quantitative Characterization and Analysis of Magnetic Fields in Magnetic Resonance Sites for Protection of Workers: A Pilot Study.

Concerning the occupational exposure in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilities, the worker behavior in the magnetic resonance (MR) room is of such particular importance that there is the need for a simple but reliable method to alert the worker of the highest magnetic field exposure. Here, we describe a quantitative analysis of occupational exposure in different MRI working environments: in particular, we present a field measurement method integrated with a software tool for an accurate mapping of the fringe field in the proximity of the magnetic resonance bore. Three illustrative assessment studies are finally presented, compared and discussed, considering an example of a realistic path followed by an MRI worker during the daily procedure.

A Pilot Study of Infrared Thermography Based Assessment of Local Skin Temperature Response in Overweight and Lean Women during Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Obesity is recognized as a major public health issue, as it is linked to the increased risk of severe pathological conditions. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the relations between adiposity (and biophysical characteristics) and temperature profiles under thermoneutral conditions in normal and overweight females, investigating the potential role of heat production/dissipation alteration in obesity. We used Infrared Thermography (IRT) to evaluate the thermogenic response to a metabolic stimulus performed with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Near-infrared spectroscopic imaging of the whole hand: A new tool to assess tissue perfusion and peripheral microcirculation in scleroderma.

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) causes functional and structural microcirculatory dysfunction, affecting also distal extremities. Optical Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS) of blood HbO saturation (stO) is able to evaluate O delivery/consumption balance in the explored tissue. The NIRS-sensitive camera non-invasively detects stO values in superficial tissues, automatically generating 2D-imaging maps in real time.

TOWARDS A PERSONALISED AND INTERACTIVE ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO MAGNETIC FIELD DURING DAILY ROUTINE IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most common sources of electromagnetic (EM) fields as a diagnostic technique widely used in medicine. MRI staff during the working day is constantly exposed to static and spatially heterogeneous magnetic field. Also, moving around the MRI room to perform their functions, workers are exposed to slowly time-varying magnetic fields that induce electrical currents and fields in the body.

Numerical evaluation of human exposure to WiMax patch antenna in tablet or laptop.

The use of wireless communication devices, such as tablets or laptops, is increasing among children. Only a few studies assess specific energy absorption rate (SAR) due to exposure from wireless-enabled tablets and laptops, in particular with Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) technology. This paper reports the estimation of the interaction between an E-shaped patch antenna (3.

Assessment of hand superficial oxygenation during ischemia/reperfusion in healthy subjects versus systemic sclerosis patients by 2D near infrared spectroscopic imaging.

Background And Objective: Patients affected by systemic sclerosis (SSc) develop functional and structural microcirculatory dysfunction, which progressively evolves towards systemic tissue fibrosis (sclerosis). Disease initially affects distal extremities, which become preferential sites of diagnostic scrutiny. This pilot investigation tested the hypothesis that peripheral microcirculatory dysfunction in SSc could be non-invasively assessed by 2D Near Infrared Spectroscopic (NIRS) imaging of the hand associated with Vascular Occlusion Testing (VOT).

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in magnetic resonance environment: basic aspects and review of exposure assessment approaches.

The purpose of this review is to make a contribution to build a comprehensive knowledge of the main aspects related to the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments. Information has been obtained from original research papers published in international peer-reviewed journals in the English language and from documents published by governmental bodies and authorities. An overview of the occupational exposure scenarios to static magnetic fields, motion-induced, time-varying magnetic fields, and gradient and radiofrequency fields is provided, together with a summary of the relevant regulation for limiting exposure.

Multimodal Imaging for the Detection of Brown Adipose Tissue Activation in Women: A Pilot Study Using NIRS and Infrared Thermography.

Purpose: A clear link between obesity and brown adipose tissue (BAT) dysfunction has been recently demonstrated. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine if near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) 2D imaging together with infrared thermography (IRT) is capable of identifying thermal and vascular response in the supraclavicular (SCV) areas after the ingestion of an oral glucose load as a thermogenic stimulation.

Method: We studied two groups of women (obese versus lean) for discerning their different responses.

Correlational analysis of electroencephalographic and end-tidal carbon dioxide signals during breath-hold exercise.

The central mechanism of breathing control is not totally understood. Several studies evaluated the correlation between electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectra and respiratory signals by performing resting state tasks or adopting hypercapnic/hypoxic stimuli. The observation of brain activity during voluntary breath hold tasks, might be an useful approach to highlight the areas involved in mechanism of breath regulation.