Determining the sensitivity of emergency dispatcher and paramedic diagnosis of stroke: statewide registry linkage study.

Introduction: Correctly identifying people with suspected stroke is essential for ensuring rapid treatment. Our aims were to determine the sensitivity of emergency dispatcher and paramedic identification of patients with stroke, the factors associated with correct identification, and whether there were any implications for hospital arrival times.

Methods: Observational study using patient-level data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2015-2017) linked with ambulance and emergency department records for the state of Victoria.

Predictors of disability worsening in clinically isolated syndrome.

Objective: To assess demographic, clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, and treatment exposure predictors of time to 3 or 12-month confirmed disability worsening in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and early multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: We utilized the MSBase Incident Study (MSBasis), a prospective cohort study of outcome after CIS. Predictors of time to first 3 and 12-month confirmed expanded disability status scale worsening were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression.

The feasibility and benefits of using volumetric arc therapy in patients with brain metastases: a systematic review.

Introduction: Radiotherapy management of patients with brain metastases most commonly involve a whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) regime, as well as newer techniques such as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). The long treatment times incurred by these techniques indicates the need for a novel technique that has shorter treatment times, whilst still producing highly conformal treatment with the potential to deliver escalated doses to the target area. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a dynamic, highly conformal technique that may deliver high doses of radiation through a single gantry arc and reduce overall treatment times.

Carcinoma of the anal canal: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) versus three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT).

Introduction: Patients with anal canal carcinoma treated with standard conformal radiotherapy frequently experience severe acute and late toxicity reactions to the treatment area. Roohipour et al. (Dis Colon Rectum 2008; 51: 147-53) stated a patient's tolerance of chemoradiation to be an important prediction of treatment success.