Pediatric computed tomography doses in Germany from 2016 to 2018 based on large-scale data collection.

Purpose: Accumulating evidence from epidemiological studies that pediatric computed tomography (CT) examinations can be associated with a small but non-zero excess risk for developing leukemia or brain tumor highlights the need to optimize doses of pediatric CT procedures. Mandatory dose reference levels (DRL) can support reduction of collective dose from CT imaging. Regular surveys of applied dose-related parameters are instrumental to decide when technological advances and optimized protocol design allow lower doses without sacrificing image quality.

The relationship between homoarginine and liver biomarkers: a combination of epidemiological and clinical studies.

Homoarginine (hArg) is a non-essential cationic amino acid which inhibits hepatic alkaline phosphatases to exert inhibitory effects on bile secretion by targeting intrahepatic biliary epithelium. We analyzed (1) the relationship between hArg and liver biomarkers in two large population-based studies and (2) the impact of hArg supplementation on liver biomarkers. We assessed the relationship between alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatases (AP), albumin, total bilirubin, cholinesterase, Quick's value, liver fat, and Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and hArg in appropriately adjusted linear regression models.

Combining Proximal Foam Sclerotherapy and Distal Endovenous Laser Ablation for Recurrent Varicose Vein Treatment.

Background: Recurrent varicose veins with neovascularization are a common clinical problem. Although endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) has become the standard treatment modality to treat truncal veins, additional sclerotherapy is required to treat newly formed tortuous veins. A novel laser fiber with an injection channel (nLF) allows for such simultaneous proximal sclerotherapy and offers a potentially more effective treatment option.

The role of SPECT/CT in painful, noninfected knees after knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis-a diagnostic test accuracy review.

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to present the current evidence on the clinical use of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in the evaluation of noninfected painful knees after knee arthroplasty.

Methods: Embase, PubMed, Google Scholar, Ovid, Scopus, Science Direct and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from database inception to May 2022 following the PRISMA guidelines. As a primary outcome, we defined the role of SPECT/CT in the diagnostic approach to noninfected painful knee arthroplasty; as a secondary objective, we described the noninfection-related factors linked to painful knee arthroplasty.

Linac-Based Ultrahypofractionated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) in Low-Risk Breast Cancer: First Results of a Monoinstitutional Observational Analysis.

For adjuvant radiotherapy of low-risk breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery, there have been many trials of hypofractionation and partial breast irradiation (PBI) over the years, with proven mild long-term toxicity. The aim of this study was to introduce a short-course dose-adapted concept, proven in whole breast irradiation (WBI) for use in accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), while monitoring dosimetric data and toxicity. From April 2020 to March 2022, 61 patients with low-risk breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were treated at a single institution with percutaneous APBI of 26 Gy in five fractions every other day after breast-conserving surgery.

Stabilizing A Vascularized Autologous Matrix with Flexible Magnesium Scaffolds to Reconstruct Dysfunctional Left Ventricular Myocardium in a Large-Animal Feasibility Study.

The surgical reconstruction of dysfunctional myocardium is necessary for patients with severe heart failure. Autologous biomaterials, such as vascularized patch materials, have a regenerative potential due to in vivo remodeling. However, additional temporary mechanical stabilization of the biomaterials is required to prevent aneurysms or rupture.

Magnetic resonance assessment of left atrial scar formation following a novel very high-power short-duration workflow for atrial fibrillation ablation.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation protocols using energy delivery with very high power and short duration (vHPSD) have been introduced to improve lesion formation. This study reports procedural data of vHPSD ablation in AF patients and analyses characteristics of ablation-induced left atrial (LA) scar formation from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods And Results: Sixty consecutive patients undergoing index pulmonary vein isolation following our institutional Q4U-AF workflow were prospectively enrolled.

Masticaticatory muscles characteristics in relation to adiposity and general muscular fitness: a population-based study.

There is still considerable controversy surrounding the impact of mastication on obesity. The aim of this study was to identify the interplay between the masticatory muscles, teeth, and general muscular fitness and how they contribute to body adiposity in a general German population. This cross-sectional study included 616 participants (300 male, 316 female, age 31-93 years) from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania.

Using a Further Planning MRI after Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy Significantly Reduces the Radiation Exposure of Organs at Risk in External Beam Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer.

Radiotherapy for prostate cancer is often preceded by neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which leads to a reduction in the size of the prostate. This study examines whether it is relevant for treatment planning to acquire a second planning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after ADT (=MRI 2) or whether it can be planned without disadvantage based on an MRI acquired before starting ADT (=MRI 1). The imaging data for the radiotherapy treatment planning of 17 patients with prostate cancer who received two planning MRIs (before and after neoadjuvant ADT) were analyzed as follows: detailed comparable radiation plans were created separately, each based on the planning CT scan and either MRI 1 or MRI 2.

Second-generation antipsychotics and seizures - a systematic review and meta-analysis of serious adverse events in randomized controlled trials.

Seizures are suspected to be side effects of antipsychotics. To examine a possible causal relationship, we compared the risk of seizures on second-generation antipsychotics to the risk on placebo in randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) across diagnostic groups. The primary outcome was any seizure reported as International Conference on Harmonisation-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP)-defined serious adverse event (SAEs).

CMR-based right ventricular strain analysis in cardiac amyloidosis and its potential as a supportive diagnostic feature.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) strain has provided valuable prognostic information for patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA). However, the extent to which RV strain and strain rate can differentiate CA is not yet clinically established. CA underdiagnosis delays treatment strategies and exacerbates patient prognosis.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Right Atrial Strain Analysis of Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) manifests in a hypertrophic phenotype with a poor prognosis, making differentiation from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) challenging and delaying early treatment. The extent to which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quantifies the right atrial strain (RAS) and strain rate (RASR), providing valuable diagnostic information, is not yet clinically established. Aims: This study assesses diagnostic differences in the longitudinal RAS and RASR between CA and HCM patients, control subjects (CTRL) and CA subtypes in addition to the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the right atrial function in CA patients.

Quantitative CT analysis of lung parenchyma to improve malignancy risk estimation in incidental pulmonary nodules.

Objectives: To assess the value of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) of the whole lung and nodule-bearing lobe regarding pulmonary nodule malignancy risk estimation.

Methods: A total of 251 subjects (median [IQR] age, 65 (57-73) years; 37% females) with pulmonary nodules on non-enhanced thin-section CT were retrospectively included. Twenty percent of the nodules were malignant, the remainder benign either histologically or at least 1-year follow-up.

Dataset of prostate MRI annotated for anatomical zones and cancer.

In the present work, we present a publicly available, expert-segmented representative dataset of 158 3.0 Tesla biparametric MRIs [1]. There is an increasing number of studies investigating prostate and prostate carcinoma segmentation using deep learning (DL) with 3D architectures [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7].

A Machine Learning Challenge: Detection of Cardiac Amyloidosis Based on Bi-Atrial and Right Ventricular Strain and Cardiac Function.

Background: This study challenges state-of-the-art cardiac amyloidosis (CA) diagnostics by feeding multi-chamber strain and cardiac function into supervised machine (SVM) learning algorithms.

Methods: Forty-three CA (32 males; 79 years (IQR 71; 85)), 20 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, 10 males; 63.9 years (±7.

Influence of Respiration on Collateral Flow in the Fontan Population Using Real-time Phase-contrast Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance: Collateral Flow Does Not Protect the Ventricle From Volume Deficiency and Diastolic Dysfunction.

Purpose: The clinical significance of collateral flow for the ventricular function of patients with univentricular hearts is often debated. This study evaluates the impact of collateral flow on respiration-dependent preload modification and diastolic function in Fontan patients assessed by systemic and pulmonary vein (PV) flow patterns.

Materials And Methods: Real-time phase-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance was performed in the right upper PV, ascending aorta, superior, and inferior vena cava (IVC) in 21 Fontan patients and 11 healthy individuals.

Differentiation of Intracerebral Tumor Entities with Quantitative Contrast Attenuation and Iodine Mapping in Dual-Layer Computed Tomography.

Purpose: To investigate if quantitative contrast enhancement and iodine mapping of common brain tumor (BT) entities may correctly differentiate between tumor etiologies in standardized stereotactic CT protocols. Material and Methods: A retrospective monocentric study of 139 consecutive standardized dual-layer dual-energy CT (dlDECT) scans conducted prior to the stereotactic needle biopsy of untreated primary brain tumor lesions. Attenuation of contrast-enhancing BT was derived from polyenergetic images as well as spectral iodine density maps (IDM) and their contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNR) were determined using ROI measures in contrast-enhancing BT and healthy contralateral white matter.

Development and In Vitro Assessment of a Novel Vacuum-Based Tissue-Holding Device for Laparoscopic and Robotic Kidney Cancer Operations.

In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of a novel tissue-holding device (THD) for use during robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. The THD is a vacuum-based apparatus made of either 3D-printed polyethylene or stainless steel. The proximal end connects to suction tubing routed outside the body, while the distal end is conically shaped and designed to firmly interface with the tumor.

A Hyperdynamic Arteriovenous Fistula Aneurysm After Long Time Renal Transplantation.

Closure of arteriovenous fistula should be considered in patients who underwent successful renal transplantation to avoid potential complications that may result from the presence of unused fistula especially, in patients who are predisposed to aneurysm formation in the future.

Evaluation of temperature of a full ceramic total knee arthroplasty during MRI examinations.

Background: A diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often necessary before surgery of degenerative spine diseases. This can lead to a possible conflict with an inserted implant of the hip or knee. Heat generation or movement could be caused by the magnetic field.

Deep Learning Detects Changes Indicative of Axial Spondyloarthritis at MRI of Sacroiliac Joints.

Background MRI is frequently used for early diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). However, evaluation is time-consuming and requires profound expertise because noninflammatory degenerative changes can mimic axSpA, and early signs may therefore be missed. Deep neural networks could function as assistance for axSpA detection.

Exercise-Induced Atrial Remodeling in Female Amateur Marathon Runners Assessed by Three-Dimensional and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Endurance athletes have an increased risk of atrial remodeling and atrial arrhythmias. However, data regarding atrial adaptation to physical exercise in non-elite athletes are limited. Even less is known about atrial performance in women.

Multi-parametric analyses to investigate dependencies of normal left atrial strain by cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking.

Left-atrial (LA) strain is the result of complex hemodynamics, which may be better characterized using a multiparametric approach. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature tracking was used to perform a comprehensive LA strain assessment of 183 enrolled healthy volunteers (11-70 years, 97 females, median 32.9 ± 28.