Purpose: To assess and compare actual computed tomography (CT) x-ray tube life with manufacturer warranty coverage limits because prolonging the tube life helps to lower operating costs.
Methods: Ten GE LightSpeed CT scanners with 40 Performix Ultra tube changes and 3 GE VCT scanners with 10 Performix Pro tube changes were followed for 6 years. CT x-ray tube life measurements were performed by analyzing log files of the units after a tube change.
Results: The Ultra tubes warranty coverage limit is 70 kAs or 12 months, whichever comes first. For Pro tubes, it is 6000 examinations or 12 months, whichever comes first. Measurements for the Performix Ultra CT x-ray tubes showed a range of 7 to 48 months and 16.7 to 239.9 kAs. Mean values for the Ultra CT x-ray tubes were 19.2 ± 12.5 months and 81.0 ± 45.4 kAs. Seven Ultra CT x-ray tubes did not meet the warranty coverage limits, with an average life of 8 months and 48.1 kAs. For the Pro CT x-ray tubes, the measured logs indicated 22.4 ± 9.6 months of CT x-ray tube life. All 10 Pro CT x-ray tubes exceeded company warranty coverage limits.
Discussion: Although Pro tubes lasted longer, they acquired fewer scans than did Ultra tubes. A similar result was shown for current output.
Conclusion: Because the clinical demand for a CT scanner varies, it is difficult to determine the reason for the failed tubes. Mechanical, environmental, and usage factors can reduce the life expectancy of an x-ray tube.
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Med Phys
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Background: The spatial resolution of new, photon counting detector (PCD) CT scanners is limited by the size of the focal spot. Smaller, brighter focal spots would melt the tungsten focal track of a conventional X-ray source.
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Int J Surg Case Rep
January 2025
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan.
Introduction: Echinococcus is a common infection in an endemic country like Bhutan. Mediastinal echinococcosis is rare. Although presentation due to a mediastinal echinococcal cyst is variable according to the cyst's location, a reaction due to rupture of the cyst and simultaneous reaction to an administration of antibiotics such as ceftriaxone can cause a diagnostic challenge.
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January 2025
Department of Military Traffic Injury Prevention and Control, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China.
Introduction: While there is evidence supporting the use of ultrasound for real-time monitoring of primary blast lung injury (PBLI), uncertainties remain regarding the timely detection of early PBLI and the limited data correlating it with commonly used clinical parameters. Our objective is to develop a functional incapacity model for PBLI that better addresses practical needs and to verify the early diagnostic effectiveness of lung ultrasound in identifying PBLI.
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PLOS Glob Public Health
January 2025
Médecins Sans Frontières, International, Geneva, Switzerland.
Ultraportable (UP) X-ray devices are ideal to use in community-based settings, particularly for chest X-ray (CXR) screening of tuberculosis (TB). Unfortunately, there is insufficient guidance on the radiation safety of these devices. This study aims to determine the radiation dose by UP X-ray devices to both the public and radiographers compared to international dose limits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Card Anaesth
January 2025
Department of Anaesthesiology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
We report a case of a 74-year-old female with a retrosternal goiter undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for a left lung lower lobectomy, necessitating one-lung ventilation (OLV). We encountered a highly unusual complication: contralateral tension pneumothorax. Forty-five minutes into the surgical procedure, a sudden cardiovascular collapse occurred.
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