Capacity building for pediatric neuro-oncology in Pakistan- a project by my child matters program of Foundation S.

Introduction: Initiated in June 2019, this collaborative effort involved 15 public and private sector hospitals in Pakistan. The primary objective was to enhance the capacity for pediatric neuro-oncology (PNO) care, supported by a My Child Matters/Foundation S grant.

Methods: We aimed to establish and operate Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards (MTBs) on a national scale, covering 76% of the population (185.

A survey on radiation protection awareness at various hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Purpose: To assess the awareness level of radiation protection among the radiation workers (i.e. medical radiation technologists, medical physicists, and medical radiological professionals) at the selected radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy facilities in Karachi, Pakistan.

Germline Mutation Analysis in Sporadic Breast Cancer Cases With Clinical Correlations.

Demographics for breast cancers vary widely among nations. The frequency of germline mutations in breast cancers, which reflects the hereditary cases, has not been investigated adequately and accurately in highly-consanguineous Pakistani population. In the present discovery case series, germ-line mutations in twenty-seven breast cancer candidate genes were investigated in eighty-four sporadic breast cancer patients along with the clinical correlations.

Absence of Gene Is Significantly Associated With Breast Cancer Susceptibility in Pakistani Population and Poor Overall Survival in Breast Cancer Patients: A Case-Control and Case Series Analysis.

Purpose: Deletion of Glutathione S-Transferase Theta 1 (GSTT1) encoding gene is implicated in breast cancer susceptibility, clinical outcomes, and survival. Contradictory results have been reported in different studies. The present investigation based on a representative Pakistani population evaluated the -absent genotype in breast cancer risk and prognosis.

Association of specific single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the promoter and 3'-Untranslated region of Vascular Endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene with risk and higher tumour grade of head and neck cancers.

Background: Head and Neck Cancers (HNCs)comprise one of the most frequent cancers in South-Asian region. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) has a potent role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. Certain common single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the highly polymorphic VEGF gene are correlated with variations in VEGF functions.

Relation of External Beam Radiotherapy Dose with Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Patients undergoing Adjuvant Neck Radiation after Surgery for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck.

The objective of this study was to find out the radiation dose relationship with subclinical hypothyroidism in the postoperative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients, who underwent adjuvant neck external beam radiotherapy. It was a prospective cohort study done between June 2018 and January 2020. One hundred patients, who were fulfilling the criteria of histological proven postoperative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of AJCC 2018 stage I to III, were enrolled.

Measurement of 6 MV small field beam profiles - comparison of micro ionization chamber and linear diode array with monte carlo code.

The objective of this study is to analyze small field photon beams acquired with commonly available detectors. Beam profiles of 6 MV photons from the Siemens Primus Linear Accelerator were measured with a micro ion chamber (IC CC01, IBA) and linear diode array (LDA-99SC, IBA). Data was acquired using a water phantom for small fields (0.

A review of international and developed practices of medical physics from a legislative and regulatory point of view and its applicability and comparison with Pakistan.

The importance of the medical physics profession and medical physicists is widely recognized by the international bodies like ILO, IAEA, EC, etc. The description of a medical physicist's qualification framework, their role and responsibilities have been addressed in the legislative and regulatory frameworks of developed countries like the USA (in 10CFR) and the EC (EC RP 174) and less comprehensively in developing counties like Pakistan. AFOMP has contributed positively in various regulatory and policy matters regarding the medical physics practices in Asian countries.

Variations in the Dose Profiles of Physical and Virtual Wedge Filters of ONCOR Linear Accelerator.

Purpose: In this study, we measured the dose profiles of physical wedges (PWs) and virtual wedges (VW) for photon energies (6 MV and 15 MV), various field sizes (10 × 10, 15 × 15, and 20 × 20 cm), depths (d, 10 cm, 20 cm), and wedge angles (15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°). This study was performed using a Siemens ONCOR IMRT Plus linear accelerator. The acquired dose profiles of PW and VW were compared and statistically analyzed.

Medical physics aspects of cancer care in the Asia Pacific region: 2014 survey results.

It was the aim of this work to assess and track the workload, working conditions and professional recognition of radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) in the Asia Pacific region over time. In this third survey since 2008, a structured questionnaire was mailed in 2014 to 22 senior medical physicists representing 23 countries. As in previous surveys the questionnaire covered seven themes: 1 education, training and professional certification, 2 staffing, 3 typical tasks, 4 professional organisations, 5 resources, 6 research and teaching, and 7 job satisfaction.

Vestibular schwannoma: an unusual post radiotherapy response.

Vestibular schwannoma is a relatively uncommon tumor. Although, it is benign but locally expansile and spreads to damage the adjacent structures. Treatment strategy includes surgery, Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) either by standard or hypofractionated protocols.

Prognostic value of normal exercise Tc-99m Sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging in Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: To ascertain the hard event rate in local population with normal myocardial perfusion.

Methods: The study, which was conducted from August 2006 to January 2007, included 300 patients with normal exercise myocardial perfusion scan (MPS). Patients were categorized according to their pre-test probabilities for CAD.

Quantitative evaluation of salivary gland dysfunction after radioiodine therapy using salivary gland scintigraphy.

Aim: The most frequent non-thyroidal complication of high-dose (131)I therapy for thyroid carcinoma is salivary gland dysfunction, which may be transient or permanent. In this study, we assessed radioiodine-induced permanent salivary gland dysfunction using quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy.

Methods: Salivary scintigraphy was performed with (99m)Tc-pertechnetate on 50 thyroid carcinoma patients who had been given radioiodine for thyroid ablation; 20 normal subjects were imaged as the control population.

"Congealed waterlilly" sign: a new sonographic sign of liver hydatid cyst.

The ultrasonographic (US) appearance of hydatid liver disease is well established, but solid cysts have long defied US characterization. We present 23 solid cysts and describe a new feature called the "Congealed waterlilly" sign. As the physical characteristics of the hydatid fluid change from watery to a viscid gel, it becomes echogenic.

Safety of pharmacological (intravenous dipyridamole) stress for Thallium-201 perfusion imaging in patients with coronary artery disease unable to exercise.

Exercise Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging is a sensitive technique for detection of CAD. However, in patients unable to perform exercise pharmacological stress with intravenous dipyridamole can be used to dilate coronaries. Out of 125 patients (21 men and 104 women; mean age 52.

Evaluation of coronary artery disease using locally prepared myocardial perfusion agent 99mTc-MIBI.

Technetium (99mTc) labelled isonitrile complexes are recently introduced agents for imaging myocardial perfusion and viability. This study presents the first clinical experience with a locally prepared agent 99mTc methoxy iso butyl isonitrile (MIBI). Sixteen randomly selected cases (M:F 14:2, mean age 48 years) were included; clinically 4 patients were asymptomatic, 6 had history of MI while remaining 6 had angina with no previous incidence of MI.

Carbon monoxide fractions in cigarette and hookah (hubble bubble) smoke.

We studied the carbon monoxide (CO) fractions in hookah and cigarette smoke, using a carbon monoxide micro smokerlyzer (model EC50, BEDFONT, U.K.).

Ramadan fasting and thyroid hormone profile.

A study comprising 41 males, 5 females of the age ranging from 28 to 56 years was conducted during Ramadan of 1989 to compare T3, T4 and TSH levels in fasting with the levels of non-fasting conditions. Each individual gave 6 blood samples: One sample was taken 20 days before the onset of Ramadan, 3 samples at different fasting days and last two samples were drawn 23 days and five months after the end of Ramadan, respectively. The results showed a significant gradual rise in TSH throughout the fasting month, although the mean levels remained within normal limits.

Local preparation, standardization and quality control of technetium labelled macroaggregated albumin for lung perfusion studies.

Lung perfusion study is an important investigation in various pulmonary diseases. The radiopharmaceutical commonly used now-a- days is imported macroaggregated human albumin (in kit form), which is labelled with technetium (Tc99m-MAA). Due to its high cost the technique could not be fully exploited.

Qualitative evaluation of in-house immunoassays of T3, T4 and TSH based on bulk reagents.

Increase in the cost of RIA kit assays has led to our attempts to seek cheaper alternates. Assays based on bulk reagents (supplied free of cost by INMOL in collaboration with IAEA) were started in 1988. Statistical and Quality control data on 50,51 and 52 assay batches of T3, T4 and TSH respectively has been collected from the beginning.

Conversion of sodium lithocholate-24-(14)C to other products by guinea pig brain.

Intracerebral injection of sodium lithocholate into guinea pig showed that this steroid can be converted into other acidic products by the brain, in vivo. One of the products has been identified as 3-keto-5β-cholanoic acid.