Standardizing technical parameters and terms for abdominopelvic photon-counting CT: laying the groundwork for innovation and evidence sharing.

Photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) is a new technology that has multiple diagnostic benefits including increased spatial resolution, iodine signal, and radiation dose efficiency, as well as multi-energy imaging capability, but which also has unique challenges in abdominal imaging. The purpose of this work is to summarize key features, technical parameters, and terms, which are common amongst current abdominopelvic PCD-CT systems and to propose standardized terminology (where none exists). In addition, user-selectable protocol parameters are highlighted to facilitate both scientific evaluation and early clinical adoption.

Incidental Axillary Lymphadenopathy Found on Radiation Planning Computed Tomography.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of axillary node-positive disease in patients with early breast cancer who had a suspicious axillary lymph node on radiation planning computed tomography (CT).

Methods And Materials: A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of all patients with breast cancer who were referred for axillary ultrasound from the radiation unit to the breast imaging unit at the Meirav Breast Center, Sheba Medical Center, from 2012 to 2022. Ethics approval was obtained.

Breast cancer diagnosed after age 70 years in Israeli BRCA1/BRCA2 pathogenic sequence variant carriers: a single institution experience.

Purpose: A semi-annual surveillance scheme from age 25 to 30 years is offered to BRCA1/BRCA2 pathogenic sequence variants (PSVs) carriers for early detection of breast cancer (BC). There is a paucity of data on the yield of adhering to this scheme beyond 70 years of age.

Methods: Female BRCA1/BRCA2 PSV carriers followed at the Meirav high-risk clinic, Sheba Medical center, Israel were eligible.

Photon counting x-ray detectors as scatter probes.

Background: Direct conversion x-ray Photon Counting Detectors (PCD) are posed to play a vital role in future medical imaging devices such as Computed Tomography (CT) scanners. PCD are expected to improve current CT technology on several fronts, such as resolution, dose utilization, and spectral performance. However, they are not readily expected to improve the handling of object scatter, one of the major sources of image artifacts in CT technology.

Gadolinium K-edge angiography with a spectral photon counting CT in atherosclerotic rabbits.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of gadolinium-K-edge-angiography (angio-Gd-K-edge) with gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) as obtained with spectral photon counting CT (SPCCT) in atherosclerotic rabbits.

Materials And Methods: Seven atherosclerotic rabbits underwent angio-SPCCT acquisitions with two GBCAs, with similar intravenous injection protocol. Conventional and angio-Gd-K-edge images were reconstructed with the same parameters.

Pacemaker in patients undergoing mammography: A limitation for breast cancer diagnosis?

Introduction: A pacemaker may affect the utility of a mammogram in several ways. The aim of this study is to summarize our institution's experience with mammograms among patients with a cardiac pacemaker, focusing on the diagnostic workup among patients with a newly diagnosed ipsilateral breast cancer.

Methods: A retrospective search of all mammography reports between January 2011 and April 2021 was conducted for identifying cases of patients with a pacemaker.

Virtual monochromatic images for coronary artery imaging with a spectral photon-counting CT in comparison to dual-layer CT systems: a phantom and a preliminary human study.

Objectives: To evaluate the quality of virtual monochromatic images (VMIs) from spectral photon-counting CT (SPCCT) and two energy-integrating detector dual-energy CT (EID-DECT) scanners from the same manufacturer, for the coronary lumen.

Methods: A 21-cm section of the Mercury v4.0 phantom was scanned using a cardiac CT protocol.

First Experience With a Whole-Body Spectral Photon-Counting CT Clinical Prototype.

Spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT) technology holds great promise for becoming the next generation of computed tomography (CT) systems. Its technical characteristics have many advantages over conventional CT imaging. For example, SPCCT provides better spatial resolution, greater dose efficiency for ultra-low-dose and low-dose protocols, and tissue contrast superior to that of conventional CT.

Predisposition to cortical neurodegenerative changes in brains of hypertension prone rats.

Background: Substantial evidence suggests that hypertension is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline. However, it is unclear whether the genetic predisposition to hypertension is also associated with cellular dysfunction that promotes neurodegeneration.

Methods: Changes in blood pressure were evaluated following dietary salt-loading or administration of a regular diet in Sabra Normotensive (SBN/y) and Sabra Hypertension-prone rats (SBH/y).

Dysregulated UPR and ER Stress Related to a Mutation in the Gene Are Involved in the Pathophysiology of Diet-Induced Diabetes in the Cohen Diabetic Rat.

The Cohen Diabetic rat is a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus that consists of the susceptible (CDs/y) and resistant (CDr/y) strains. Diabetes develops in CDs/y provided diabetogenic diet (DD) but not when fed regular diet (RD) nor in CDr/y given either diet. We recently identified in CDs/y a deletion in , a gene that has been attributed a role in the unfolded protein response (UPR) and in the prevention of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Diagnosed by MRI-Guided Biopsy among Mutation Carriers.

Background: While pathogenic sequence variants (PSVs) clearly confer an increased risk for invasive breast cancer, the extent to which these mutant alleles increase DCIS risk is less clear.

Objective: To assess the rate of detection over a 5-year period, and MRI imaging features of pure noncalcified DCIS in a cohort of Israeli PSV carriers attending a high-risk clinic from 2015 to 2020.

Materials And Methods: All female PSV-carriers followed at the Meirav High-risk clinic from 2015 to 2020 were eligible if they underwent semiannual breast imaging (MRI/mammography) and MRI-guided biopsy-proven pure DCIS.

MRI can accurately diagnose breast cancer during lactation.

Objective: To test the diagnostic performance of breast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI during lactation.

Materials And Methods: Datasets of 198 lactating patients, including 66 pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) patients and 132 controls, who were scanned by DCE on 1.5-T MRI, were retrospectively evaluated.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Proposed Therapy in a Rat Model of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been employed in the past decade as therapeutic agents in various diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We currently aimed to use MSC-EVs as potential treatment for cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), a complex disorder with a variety of manifestations. MSC-EVs were intranasally administrated to salt-sensitive hypertension prone SBH/y rats that were DOCA-salt loaded (SBH/y-DS), which we have previously shown is a model of CSVD.

MADplots: A methodology for visualizing and characterizing energy-dependent attenuation of tissues in spectral computed tomography.

Rationale And Objectives: A method for visualizing and analyzing the complete information contained in spectral CT scans using two-dimensional histograms (i.e. Material Attenuation Decomposition plots - MADplots) of the water-photoelectric attenuation versus water-scatter attenuation at the cohort (combination of multiple studies across patients), examination, series, slice, and organ/ROI levels is described.

A Novel Rodent Model of Hypertensive Cerebral Small Vessel Disease with White Matter Hyperintensities and Peripheral Oxidative Stress.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is the second most common cause of stroke and a major contributor to dementia. Manifestations of CSVD include cerebral microbleeds, intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH), lacunar infarcts, white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and enlarged perivascular spaces. Chronic hypertensive models have been found to reproduce most key features of the disease.

Critical Stepwise Decline of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients 180 Days Post Comirnaty Vaccine.

Background: The reduced immune response of maintenance hemodialysis patients to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines is a major concern.

Objectives: To analyze the late (6 months after full vaccination) antibody response and compare it to early post-vaccination titer.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective study of 13 hemodialysis units in Israel.

Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer Among Israeli BRCA1/BRCA2 Carriers in a High-Risk Clinic.

Rationale And Objectives: Female carriers of pathogenic sequence variants (PSVs) in the BRCA1 /BRCA2 (Breast Cancer gene - BRCA) genes are at a substantially high-risk for developing breast cancer (BC), hence are offered active surveillance scheme based on semiannual breast exam and imaging from age 25 years to facilitate BC early detection (mammography/breast ultrasound depending on the age, and MRI). However, there are not specific guidelines for screening in case of pregnancy or lactation. In the current study, we summarize the experience at the largest high-risk clinic in Israel.

[CONTRAST ENHANCED SPECTRAL MAMMOGRAPHY IN WOMEN WITH INTERMEDIATE BREAST CANCER RISK AND DENSE BREAST].

Introduction: Breast cancer screening decreases mortality and enables early diagnosis of breast cancer. Mammography is the only modality approved for breast cancer screening. Yet, mammography is limited in women with dense breasts.

Coronary CT Angiography with Photon-counting CT: First-In-Human Results.

Background Spatial resolution, soft-tissue contrast, and dose-efficient capabilities of photon-counting CT (PCCT) potentially allow a better quality and diagnostic confidence of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in comparison to conventional CT. Purpose To compare the quality of CCTA scans obtained with a clinical prototype PCCT system and an energy-integrating detector (EID) dual-layer CT (DLCT) system. Materials and Methods In this prospective board-approved study with informed consent, participants with coronary artery disease underwent retrospective electrocardiographically gated CCTA with both systems after injection of 65-75 mL of 400 mg/mL iodinated contrast agent at 5 mL/sec.

Diminished and waning immunity to COVID-19 vaccination among hemodialysis patients in Israel: the case for a third vaccine dose.

Background: Humoral responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in hemodialysis (HD) patients can direct vaccination policy.

Methods: We compared 409 COVID-19-naïve HD patients from 13 HD units in Israel to 148 non-dialysis-dependent COVID-19-naïve controls. Twenty-four previously infected (antinucleocapsid positive) HD patients were analysed separately.

Performance of Spectral Photon-Counting Coronary CT Angiography and Comparison with Energy-Integrating-Detector CT: Objective Assessment with Model Observer.

Aims: To evaluate spectral photon-counting CT's (SPCCT) objective image quality characteristics in vitro, compared with standard-of-care energy-integrating-detector (EID) CT.

Methods: We scanned a thorax phantom with a coronary artery module at 10 mGy on a prototype SPCCT and a clinical dual-layer EID-CT under various conditions of simulated patient size (small, medium, and large). We used filtered back-projection with a soft-tissue kernel.