radiologic technology

..New equipment is being installed, new devices for quality control are being used and, last but not least, the view of hospital administrators, radiologists and laboratory workers towards quality assurance and quality control is changing...

..SNR measurements provided a useful objective measure for assessment of image quality for optimising DR systems...

..The observed excesses of melanoma and thyroid cancers may reflect, at least in part, earlier detection among medical workers with easy access to health care...

..007 and < 0.001, respectively). The data suggest increased mortality from diseases of the circulatory system with occupational radiation exposure before 1950 when radiation doses were likely high...

..There are limited data on risks of haematopoietic malignancies associated with protracted low-to-moderate dose radiation...

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..We describe the process utilized at Maine Medical Center (MMC) to achieve a substantial degree of freedom from paperwork. Some of the benefits were expected, but some unexpected benefits also revealed themselves during this process...

..As a result CR currently affords greater scope for reducing patient dose, and provides a more substantive challenge to the new solid-state, flat-panel, digital radiography detectors...

..For each vendor, the type of detector, type of available mammographic units and workstation, optional features (CAD), archival and printing possibilities (when vendors specifically offer dedicated solutions)...

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..Therefore, it is assumed that the CR and direct radiography systems will coexist for many years to come. This paper reviews the digital detector technologies and the possible future directions of development...

..The risk of human errors in the process of data collection and analysis is also minimised. The viewer has been used in a major trial containing approximately 2700 images...

..The aim of the present study is to compare two different methods for evaluation of the quality of clinical X-ray images...

..These characteristics and their compatibility with strong magnetic fields are the basis for improved diagnostic methods and innovative interventional applications...

..A good agreement between the clinical image and the printed clinical image was found. In conclusion, the method is a reliable, cost-effective, flexible and alternative way for producing x-ray test objects and clinically related phantoms...

..The results suggest that monochromatization has a potential for improving image quality or decreasing dose in X-ray mammography...

..A home-made phantom is used to study the image quality as a function of iodine concentration. Signal and signal-to-noise ratio analysis has also been performed. The results are compared with theoretical expectations...

..Moreover, equalized images of a breast phantom showed improved image quality. These results indicate that area beam equalization can improve image quality in digital mammography...

..The investigation showed that such fogging is likely to be diffuse...

..With parameters chosen in this study a significant dose reduction can be achieved for two out of four kinds of examination...

..Salient innovations include WiFi-enabled, portable DR detectors, improvements in x-ray absorber layers and developments in alternative electronic media to a-Si:H...

..The image quality factors including the contrast, signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity in the images with and without the moiré pattern were investigated...

..In the present work we describe procedures which use a calorimetric system and do not require the operation of the x-ray equipment. The method was applied successfully to a x-ray tube assembly that was under test in our laboratory...

..Experiences gained in setting up the systems are described and results of a patient dose survey are reported...

..Setup B included X-ray radiation scattered by the patient-PMMA. A clinical DQE, describing the transmission of the input signal-to-noise ratio associated with both primary and secondary X-ray spectra, was defined...

..The main emphasis of the paper is on objective image quality measurements, however, subjective assessment methods are also discussed briefly...

..The obtained results showed that the developed image processing tools allow us to implement a quality control program for CR with short processing time and with absence of subjectivity in the evaluation of the parameters...

..The fundamental principles of scatter correction and dose reduction are illustrated with the help of an actual prototype. The image quality metrics of this prototype are characterized and compared with a multi-detector CT (MDCT)...

..76 for the fixed correction method to 4.13 for the variable flat-field correction method with a fourth-order polynomial fit for the 60 kVp spectrum, and from 16.42 to 3.97 for the 95 kVp spectrum...

..6 mm in the case without zFFS. The zFFS effectively reduces windmill artifacts in the reconstructed images while maintaining the transverse resolution, even at the largest available pitch value of 1.5...

..The pictures obtained with the backscatter technique show the person checked in the nude, which raises the question of privacy versus the right of the state to carry out inspections and controls...

..The results of the various tests are reported...

..The plate response has been characterised in terms of digital signal, exposure on the plate and signal-to-noise ratio for different beam qualities, in a patient of standard size...

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..The corresponding variation of the SNRp is a factor of 3, with the highest values in the lung. Increasing the patient thickness from 20 to 28 cm increases the epsilon(s)/epsilon(p) by a factor of 2.2 behind the spine and heart...

..These results indicate that the new set of image quality criteria has a higher discriminative power than the old set and thus seems to be more suitable for evaluation of image quality in mammography...

..The relevance of the project's outcomes to future European research will also be presented...

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..The new ionization chamber was submitted to several characterization and quality control tests, showing its very good performance...

..Continued support for OSS is essential for the success of our field...

..The different items presented in this paper should allow routine implementation of the required elements described in the law 2003-270, i.e the French translation of European Directive 97-43...

..There is potential in the future to set those systems with dynamic FD to lower doses than are possible in the current II versions, especially for digital cine runs, or to benefit from improved image quality...

..The technique allows for the design of compact coarse strip density grid systems. We present experimental results that demonstrate the feasibility of the technique...

..Due to its high detective quantum efficiency and dynamic range compared with traditional screen-film systems, a dose reduction of up to 50% is possible without loss of image quality...

..After a brief review of the current state of CR technology, this paper will explore several of these new CR developments and present some examples of their potential clinical impact...

..The working and advantages of the amorphous selenium based direct-conversion detectors will be examined in detail. Clinical cases will be presented based on a three-year experience with over 200,000 exposures with a detector chest unit...

..The TCDD quality index, and dose normalized quality index, were found to be useful image quality assessment parameters for serial testing of systems, which augment the use of graphical methods for the display of TCDD curves...

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..These facts are further underlined by the fact that image quality also in storage phosphor radiography could be constantly increased by improving detector technology and image processing and consequently has a high standard...

..DR may not deliver significant improvements in efficiencies for certain types of examinations...

..The proposed values correspond to high- quality images and can be reduced if only high-contrast organs are assessed...

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..Future enhancements most likely will be directed toward reducing scan time; providing multimodal imaging; improving image fidelity, including soft tissue contrast; and incorporating task-specific protocols to minimize patient dose...

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..The procedure is applied to a commercially available CCD digitizer, and noise reduction by means of signal resolution increase is compared to that obtained by low pass filtering...

..These fundamental differences in comparison to conventional film/screens necessitate the development of new strategies for dose and quality optimizations. A set of referral criteria based upon three dose levels is proposed...

..To describe an extended bootstrap calibration procedure that uses a step-wedge absorber and minimal equipment for rapid, accurate calibration of image receptors and simultaneous monitoring of beam quality...

..The mean entrance surface dose for imaging the phantom was 3.8 mGy. CONCLUSION: Intraoral imaging techniques and film processing must be standardized to improve image quality and further reduce patient radiation doses...

..The interviews confirm a preemptive motive behind each hospital's decision to compete and that the certificate-of-need requirement contributed to the eventual joint venture agreement...

..A quality matrix identifies target values for dental informatics while demonstrating an "importance-weighting" of dental characteristics...

..Finally, the retention of educators must be emphasized. Program applicant trends indicate radiologic technology students are older, have prior postsecondary education experience or are making a career change...

..Supplemental material: http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/250/2/551/DC1...

..We report our experience with laparoscopic gastrectomy with radical lymph node dissection using this advanced radiological technology...

..have access to formal training in nuclear medicine and have been recruited mostly from related fields of radiologic technology. Because of the nature of the specialty, the numbers that require training are small, and it is therefore ..

..One is the closure of many hospital and community college-based programs of radiologic technology in the late 1980s and 1990s...

..Radiologic science programs subscribe to regional or programmatic accreditation or both. Decisions regarding the type of accreditation a program holds are based on many factors...

..In a sixfold cross-validation experiment, ICPC achieves a classification accuracy of 0.86 +/- 0.06, as compared to 0.94 +/- 0.02 for the second human observer...

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..We applied sine wave simulation to resemble the respiratory motion of the tumor. In conclusion, we confirm that entrance skin dose from fluoroscopy during RTRT is lower than the threshold dose for radiodermatitis...

..study was to investigate the expression differences in report assignments between students in nursing and radiologic technology departments...

..He/she should also consider the mode of display, image enhancement, radiation dose reduction, how the image can be stored long term, and infection control...

..When Q-FD was added to inputs in addition to the above parameters, the A(z) value was significantly improved to become 0.93+/-0.09. These results suggested that Q-FD is effective for discriminating between benign and malignant masses...

..Magnetic resonance imaging may offer complementary valuable data. Positron emission tomography (PET) has a more limited role, its main indication being the detection of unsuspected extraperitoneal involvement in nonmucinous neoplasms...

..The authors suggest that RAs are the ideal complement to radiologists; and based on their radiologic technology background, have a vested interest in the field.

..Radiologists hold key positions for providing such knowledge. Therefore the purpose of this study was to obtain radiologists' perspective on the causes of increasing and unnecessary use of radiological investigations...

..The distributions were positively skewed and leptokurtic. S value decreases due to radiologic technology student rotations, and CR plate reader calibrations were observed...

..To access the influence of liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors on the detectability of nodular lesions depicted on chest radiographs by comparing them with a high-resolution cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor...

..To describe the resources and strategies required to establish a health outcomes and economics center in radiology...

..1% of the nodules in the JRST test set with and average of 4.0 false positives per image (excluding 14 cases containing lung nodules in retrocardiac and subdiaphragmatic regions of the lung)...

..In addition the needs of warfare stimulated the development of all aspects of radiology...

..According to the relationships the personal life age may be estimated. In this article the measurement methods above mentioned and its application in age estimation were reviewed...

..Tragic university shootings have prompted administrators of higher education institutions to re-evaluate their emergency preparedness plans and take appropriate measures for preventing and responding to emergencies...

..specialties to aid in investigating civil and criminal matters has increased as investigators realize how radiologic technology can yield information that otherwise is unavailable...

..Embolization of the portal vein in the tumour-bearing side of the liver may induce growth of the healthy part and thereby render liver resection possible...

..Create a quality monitor useful to the majority of radiology leaders to begin to systematically document the shortage. Support limited licensure and/or create a defined position of "staff extender" for radiologic technology.

..75 Gy, respectively. These results indicate that the tumor location is the most important determinant of dosimetric optimization of SBRT plans. Respiratory gating proved unhelpful in the planning of these patients with severe COPD...

..These measured variations suggest that multiple detectors are needed to accurately measure waterborne 222Rn in air, and multiple delayed measurements of 222Rn dissolved in water are needed to obtain a representative groundwater sample...

..The technique offers an alternative, non-invasive method of detailed imaging of the oesophagus...

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..To develop a collimator trajectory optimization paradigm for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and evaluate this technique in paraspinal stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)...

..We compared an internal target volume (ITV) created using the MIP to an ITV created from the composite volume of 10 clinical target volumes (CTVs) delineated on the 10 phases of the 4DCT...

..The suggestive evidence found for modification of radiation-related breast cancer risk for 5 of the 55 SNPs evaluated requires confirmation in larger studies of women with quantified radiation breast doses in the low-to-moderate range...

..The successful development of a technology exhibiting these performance levels could have a profound impact on digital radiology. ..

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..It is expected from the observer study that radiologists would significantly improve their detection and diagnosis accuracy for lung cancer with the aid of the interactive CAD scheme. ..

..ACRIN trials will focus on the cancers which affect the greatest number of individuals, that produce the greatest morbidity and mortality, and that impose the largest financial costs to society. ..

..Fellows who have suitably progreessed will be given an opportunity to develop and lead an ACRIN trial as PI under the tutelege of Program mentors. ..

..The proposed developments in methodology will further improve the image quality of PET/CT studies. ..

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..Our ATC QA consortium approach will help avoid duplication of service/developmental efforts and promote development of uniform credentialing/QA criteria for clinical trials throughout all Cooperative Groups. ..

..The collaborative efforts are best coordinated in a Bioengineering Research Partnership (BRP). An Oversight Group is formed to evaluate the progress of the BRP, and to help identify opportunities and hypotheses for future research. ..

..Only by developing a better understanding of the nature of observer error, may we discover effective approaches to reducing the errors. ..

..At the end of this program of research and discovery, breast CT will likely be shown to be a key clinical tool for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. ..

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..Only by developing a better understanding of the nature of observer error, may we discover effective approaches to reducing the errors. ..

..The findings will be used to demonstrate the capability of the approach for improving the detection of lung nodules, and thus the prognosis of lung cancer. ..

..Use mathematical and physical phantoms to evaluate 3D cone beam reconstruction techniques 5. Construct and characterize an integrated system, combining the CT and SPECT systems on a single gantry. ..

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..The results of this project have the potential to benefit the practice of radiologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, neonatologists, and pediatric neurologists involved in the care of pregnant women with fetuses with VM. ..

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..The JND metrix model will then be used to systematically explore and optimize CRT design tradeoffs for current and future digital-mammography display systems. ..

..This study proposes to examine the effects of sodium load and then a sodium restriction diet of calciotropic hormones and biochemical markers of bone metabolism in African American and Caucasian women. ..

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..Clinical feasibility of treatment with ABC will also be tested on 25 patients undergoing conventional treatment by studying the reproducibility and acceptance of the procedure by the patients and the treatment personnel. ..

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..Thus the results of this study could significantly decrease morbidity of fetuses with ventriculomegaly. ..

..Early detection of the loss of alveolar surface area is a serious public health imperative, since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is now the Th leading cause of death in the US. ..

..This grant will be used to provide financial support for about 12 graduate students and residents, as well as logistic support for publicity and program printing. ..

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..It is our hope that in the future, a measurement method superior to or as an adjunct to human observation will become available, though this study will not attempt to go that far. ..

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..A polarizer will be built, sited and supported at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Animal and human studies are proposed to demonstrate the structural and functional information 129Xe MRI can provide. ..

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