A 'snapshot' of the visual search behaviours of medical sonographers.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrigan, Ann J; Brennan, Patrick C; Pietrzyk, Mariusz; Clarke, Jillian; Chekaluk, Eugene

2015-05-01

Introduction : Visual search is a task that humans perform in everyday life. Whether it involves looking for a pen on a desk or a mass in a mammogram, the cognitive and perceptual processes that underpin these tasks are identical. Radiologists are experts in visual search of medical images and studies on their visual search behaviours have revealed some interesting findings with regard to diagnostic errors. In Australia, within the modality of ultrasound, sonographers perform the diagnostic scan, select images and present to the radiologist for reporting. Therefore the visual task and potential for errors is similar to a radiologist. Our aim was to explore and understand the detection, localisation and eye-gaze behaviours of a group of qualified sonographers. Method : We measured clinical performance and analysed diagnostic errors by presenting fifty sonographic breast images that varied on cancer present and degree of difficulty to a group of sonographers in their clinical workplace. For a sub-set of sonographers we obtained eye-tracking metrics such as time-to-first fixation, total visit duration and cumulative dwell time heat maps. Results : The results indicate that the sonographers' clinical performance was high and the eye-tracking metrics showed diagnostic error types similar to those found in studies on radiologist visual search. Conclusion : This study informs us about sonographer visual search patterns and highlights possible ways to improve diagnostic performance via targeted education.

Visual perception and medical imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaffe, C.C.

1985-01-01

Medical imaging represents a particularly distinct discipline for image processing since it uniquely depends on the ''expert observer'' and yet models of the human visual system are totally inadequate at the complex level to allow satisfactory prediction of observer response to a given image modification. An illustration of the difficulties in assessing observer performance is shown by a series of optical illustrations which demonstrate that net cognitive behavior is not readily predictable. Although many of these phenomena are often considered as exceptional visual events, the setting of complex images makes it difficult to entirely exclude at least partial operation of these impairments during performance of the diagnostic medical imaging task

Networked neuroscience : brain scans and visual knowing at the intersection of atlases and databases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beaulieu, Anne; de Rijcke, Sarah; Coopmans, Catelijne; Woolgar, Steve

2014-01-01

This chapter discusses the development of authoritative collections of brain scans known as “brain atlases”, focusing in particular on how such scans are constituted as authoritative visual objects. Three dimensions are identified: first, brain scans are parts of suites of networked technologies

Quantitative assessment of emphysema from whole lung CT scans: comparison with visual grading

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Brad M.; Reeves, Anthony P.; Apanosovich, Tatiyana V.; Wang, Jianwei; Yankelevitz, David F.; Henschke, Claudia I.

2009-02-01

Emphysema is a disease of the lungs that destroys the alveolar air sacs and induces long-term respiratory dysfunction. CT scans allow for imaging of the anatomical basis of emphysema and for visual assessment by radiologists of the extent present in the lungs. Several measures have been introduced for the quantification of the extent of disease directly from CT data in order to add to the qualitative assessments made by radiologists. In this paper we compare emphysema index, mean lung density, histogram percentiles, and the fractal dimension to visual grade in order to evaluate the predictability of radiologist visual scoring of emphysema from low-dose CT scans through quantitative scores, in order to determine which measures can be useful as surrogates for visual assessment. All measures were computed over nine divisions of the lung field (whole lung, individual lungs, and upper/middle/lower thirds of each lung) for each of 148 low-dose, whole lung scans. In addition, a visual grade of each section was also given by an expert radiologist. One-way ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression were used to determine the ability of the measures to predict visual grade from quantitative score. We found that all measures were able to distinguish between normal and severe grades (p<0.01), and between mild/moderate and all other grades (p<0.05). However, no measure was able to distinguish between mild and moderate cases. Approximately 65% prediction accuracy was achieved from using quantitative score to predict visual grade, with 73% if mild and moderate cases are considered as a single class.

Virtual inspector: a flexible visualizer for dense 3D scanned models

OpenAIRE

Callieri, Marco; Ponchio, Federico; Cignoni, Paolo; Scopigno, Roberto

2008-01-01

The rapid evolution of automatic shape acquisition technologies will make huge amount of sampled 3D data available in the near future. Cul- tural Heritage (CH) domain is one of the ideal fields of application of 3D scanned data, while some issues in the use of those data are: how to visualize at interactive rates and full quality on commodity computers; how to improve visualization ease of use; how to support the integrated visualization of a virtual 3D artwork and the multimedia data which t...

Gastric visualization and image quality in radionuclide bone scanning: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, M.A.; Pollack, M.J.

1981-01-01

In a 12-mo study period, there were 14 days identified when the stomach was visualized in routine bone imaging. On these days, 44% of the 110 patients imaged demonstrated this effect. Only the quality control, binding efficiency, and scan quality differed (p less than 0.005) when the study population was compared with a reference population of 162 patients. However, on the days when this effect was noted, there was a significant (p less than 0.001) linear correlation between the presence and degree of gastric visualization and the radiopharmaceutical incubation and quality control parameters. The study suggests a sporadic phenomenon that appears to result from partial oxidation of the agent during incubation, producing (a) different species of labeled diphosphonate that display altered affinity for bone (scan quality) and (b) free pertechnetate

Virtual reality aided visualization of fluid flow simulations with application in medical education and diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Djukic, Tijana; Mandic, Vesna; Filipovic, Nenad

2013-12-01

Medical education, training and preoperative diagnostics can be drastically improved with advanced technologies, such as virtual reality. The method proposed in this paper enables medical doctors and students to visualize and manipulate three-dimensional models created from CT or MRI scans, and also to analyze the results of fluid flow simulations. Simulation of fluid flow using the finite element method is performed, in order to compute the shear stress on the artery walls. The simulation of motion through the artery is also enabled. The virtual reality system proposed here could shorten the length of training programs and make the education process more effective. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Visual Scanning Patterns and Executive Function in Relation to Facial Emotion Recognition in Aging

Science.gov (United States)

Circelli, Karishma S.; Clark, Uraina S.; Cronin-Golomb, Alice

2012-01-01

Objective The ability to perceive facial emotion varies with age. Relative to younger adults (YA), older adults (OA) are less accurate at identifying fear, anger, and sadness, and more accurate at identifying disgust. Because different emotions are conveyed by different parts of the face, changes in visual scanning patterns may account for age-related variability. We investigated the relation between scanning patterns and recognition of facial emotions. Additionally, as frontal-lobe changes with age may affect scanning patterns and emotion recognition, we examined correlations between scanning parameters and performance on executive function tests. Methods We recorded eye movements from 16 OA (mean age 68.9) and 16 YA (mean age 19.2) while they categorized facial expressions and non-face control images (landscapes), and administered standard tests of executive function. Results OA were less accurate than YA at identifying fear (precognition of sad expressions and with scanning patterns for fearful, sad, and surprised expressions. Conclusion We report significant age-related differences in visual scanning that are specific to faces. The observed relation between scanning patterns and executive function supports the hypothesis that frontal-lobe changes with age may underlie some changes in emotion recognition. PMID:22616800

Method for Surface Scanning in Medical Imaging and Related Apparatus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

A method and apparatus for surface scanning in medical imaging is provided. The surface scanning apparatus comprises an image source, a first optical fiber bundle comprising first optical fibers having proximal ends and distal ends, and a first optical coupler for coupling an image from the image...

Apparatus for producing a visual representation of a radiographic scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hounsfield, G.N.

1976-01-01

An apparatus is disclosed for providing a visual representation of the absorption or transmission coefficients of the elements of a two dimensional matrix of elements notionally defined in a cross-sectional plane through a body. The representation is in the form of an analogue display comprising superimposed lines of information scanned on the surface of a suitable screen, the brightness of each line being indicative of the absorption suffered by penetrating radiation on traversing a respective path through said plane of the body. The orientation of each scanned line depends on the orientation of the respective path with respect to the body. 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures

Scanning Micromirror Platform Based on MEMS Technology for Medical Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eakkachai Pengwang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This topical review discusses recent development and trends on scanning micromirrors for biomedical applications. This also includes a biomedical micro robot for precise manipulations in a limited volume. The characteristics of medical scanning micromirror are explained in general with the fundamental of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS for fabrication processes. Along with the explanations of mechanism and design, the principle of actuation are provided for general readers. In this review, several testing methodology and examples are described based on many types of actuators, such as, electrothermal actuators, electrostatic actuators, electromagnetic actuators, pneumatic actuators, and shape memory alloy. Moreover, this review provides description of the key fabrication processes and common materials in order to be a basic guideline for selecting micro-actuators. With recent developments on scanning micromirrors, performances of biomedical application are enhanced for higher resolution, high accuracy, and high dexterity. With further developments on integrations and control schemes, MEMS-based scanning micromirrors would be able to achieve a better performance for medical applications due to small size, ease in microfabrication, mass production, high scanning speed, low power consumption, mechanical stable, and integration compatibility.

Gastric visualization and image quality in radionuclide bone scanning: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, M.A.; Pollack, M.J.

1981-01-01

In a 12-mo study period, there were 14 days identified when the stomach was visualized in routine bone imaging. On these days, 44% of the 110 patients imaged demonstrated this effect. There was a significant linear correlation between the presence and degree of gastric visualization and the radiopharmaceutical incubation and quality control parameters. The study suggests a sporadic phenomenon that appears to result from partial oxidation of the agent during incubation, producing (a) different species of labeled diphosphonate that display altered affinity for bone (scan quality) and (b) free pertechnetate

Technical Note: Reliability of Suchey-Brooks and Buckberry-Chamberlain methods on 3D visualizations from CT and laser scans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villa, Chiara; Buckberry, Jo; Cattaneo, Cristina

2013-01-01

Previous studies have reported that the ageing method of Suchey-Brooks (pubic bone) and some of the features applied by Lovejoy et al. and Buckberry-Chamberlain (auricular surface) can be confidently performed on 3D visualizations from CT-scans. In this study, seven observers applied the Suchey......-Brooks and the Buckberry-Chamberlain methods on 3D visualizations based on CT-scans and, for the first time, on 3D visualizations from laser scans. We examined how the bone features can be evaluated on 3D visualizations and whether the different modalities (direct observations of bones, 3D visualization from CT......-observer agreement was obtained in the evaluation of the pubic bone in all modalities. In 3D visualizations of the auricular surfaces, transverse organization and apical changes could be evaluated, although with high inter-observer variability; micro-, macroporosity and surface texture were very difficult to score...

FAST: framework for heterogeneous medical image computing and visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Smistad, Erik; Bozorgi, Mohammadmehdi; Lindseth, Frank

2015-11-01

Computer systems are becoming increasingly heterogeneous in the sense that they consist of different processors, such as multi-core CPUs and graphic processing units. As the amount of medical image data increases, it is crucial to exploit the computational power of these processors. However, this is currently difficult due to several factors, such as driver errors, processor differences, and the need for low-level memory handling. This paper presents a novel FrAmework for heterogeneouS medical image compuTing and visualization (FAST). The framework aims to make it easier to simultaneously process and visualize medical images efficiently on heterogeneous systems. FAST uses common image processing programming paradigms and hides the details of memory handling from the user, while enabling the use of all processors and cores on a system. The framework is open-source, cross-platform and available online. Code examples and performance measurements are presented to show the simplicity and efficiency of FAST. The results are compared to the insight toolkit (ITK) and the visualization toolkit (VTK) and show that the presented framework is faster with up to 20 times speedup on several common medical imaging algorithms. FAST enables efficient medical image computing and visualization on heterogeneous systems. Code examples and performance evaluations have demonstrated that the toolkit is both easy to use and performs better than existing frameworks, such as ITK and VTK.

Preclinical medical students’ understandings of academic and medical professionalism: visual analysis of mind maps

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Charlotte E

2017-01-01

Introduction Several studies have begun to explore medical students’ understandings of professionalism generally and medical professionalism specifically. Despite espoused relationships between academic (AP) and medical professionalism (MP), previous research has not yet investigated students’ conceptualisations of AP and MP and the relationships between the two. Objectives The current study, based on innovative visual analysis of mind maps, therefore aims to contribute to the developing literature on how professionalism is understood. Methods We performed a multilayered analysis of 98 mind maps from 262 first-year medical students, including analysing textual and graphical elements of AP, MP and the relationships between AP and MP. Results The most common textual attributes of AP were learning, lifestyle and personality, while attributes of MP were knowledge, ethics and patient-doctor relations. Images of books, academic caps and teachers were used most often to represent AP, while images of the stethoscope, doctor and red cross were used to symbolise MP. While AP-MP relations were sometimes indicated through co-occurring text, visual connections and higher-order visual metaphors, many students struggled to articulate the relationships between AP and MP. Conclusions While the mind maps’ textual attributes shared similarities with those found in previous research, suggesting the universality of some professionalism attributes, our study provides new insights into students’ conceptualisations of AP, MP and AP-MP relationships. We encourage medical educators to help students develop their understandings of AP, MP and AP-MP relationships, plus consider the feasibility and value of mind maps as a source of visual data for medical education research. PMID:28821520

An Automated Medical Information Management System (OpScan-MIMS) in a Clinical Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, S.; Baker, T.G.; Ritchey, M.G.; Alterescu, S.; Friedman, C.

1981-01-01

This paper describes an automated medical information management system within a clinic setting. The system includes an optically scanned data entry system (OpScan), a generalized, interactive retrieval and storage software system(Medical Information Management System, MIMS) and the use of time-sharing. The system has the advantages of minimal hardware purchase and maintenance, rapid data entry and retrieval, user-created programs, no need for user knowledge of computer language or technology and is cost effective. The OpScan-MIMS system has been operational for approximately 16 months in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. The system's application to medical audit, quality assurance, clinic management and clinical training are demonstrated.

Visualization index for image-enabled medical records

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Wenjie; Zheng, Weilin; Sun, Jianyong; Zhang, Jianguo

2011-03-01

With the widely use of healthcare information technology in hospitals, the patients' medical records are more and more complex. To transform the text- or image-based medical information into easily understandable and acceptable form for human, we designed and developed an innovation indexing method which can be used to assign an anatomical 3D structure object to every patient visually to store indexes of the patients' basic information, historical examined image information and RIS report information. When a doctor wants to review patient historical records, he or she can first load the anatomical structure object and the view the 3D index of this object using a digital human model tool kit. This prototype system helps doctors to easily and visually obtain the complete historical healthcare status of patients, including large amounts of medical data, and quickly locate detailed information, including both reports and images, from medical information systems. In this way, doctors can save time that may be better used to understand information, obtain a more comprehensive understanding of their patients' situations, and provide better healthcare services to patients.

SemVisM: semantic visualizer for medical image

Science.gov (United States)

Landaeta, Luis; La Cruz, Alexandra; Baranya, Alexander; Vidal, María.-Esther

2015-01-01

SemVisM is a toolbox that combines medical informatics and computer graphics tools for reducing the semantic gap between low-level features and high-level semantic concepts/terms in the images. This paper presents a novel strategy for visualizing medical data annotated semantically, combining rendering techniques, and segmentation algorithms. SemVisM comprises two main components: i) AMORE (A Modest vOlume REgister) to handle input data (RAW, DAT or DICOM) and to initially annotate the images using terms defined on medical ontologies (e.g., MesH, FMA or RadLex), and ii) VOLPROB (VOlume PRObability Builder) for generating the annotated volumetric data containing the classified voxels that belong to a particular tissue. SemVisM is built on top of the semantic visualizer ANISE.1

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Visualized on CT Scans but Not Chest Radiographs: Pathogens, Severity, and Clinical Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Upchurch, Cameron P; Grijalva, Carlos G; Wunderink, Richard G; Williams, Derek J; Waterer, Grant W; Anderson, Evan J; Zhu, Yuwei; Hart, Eric M; Carroll, Frank; Bramley, Anna M; Jain, Seema; Edwards, Kathryn M; Self, Wesley H

2018-03-01

The clinical significance of pneumonia visualized on CT scan in the setting of a normal chest radiograph is uncertain. In a multicenter prospective surveillance study of adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), we compared the presenting clinical features, pathogens present, and outcomes of patients with pneumonia visualized on a CT scan but not on a concurrent chest radiograph (CT-only pneumonia) and those with pneumonia visualized on a chest radiograph. All patients underwent chest radiography; the decision to obtain CT imaging was determined by the treating clinicians. Chest radiographs and CT images were interpreted by study-dedicated thoracic radiologists blinded to the clinical data. The study population included 2,251 adults with CAP; 2,185 patients (97%) had pneumonia visualized on chest radiography, whereas 66 patients (3%) had pneumonia visualized on CT scan but not on concurrent chest radiography. Overall, these patients with CT-only pneumonia had a clinical profile similar to those with pneumonia visualized on chest radiography, including comorbidities, vital signs, hospital length of stay, prevalence of viral (30% vs 26%) and bacterial (12% vs 14%) pathogens, ICU admission (23% vs 21%), use of mechanical ventilation (6% vs 5%), septic shock (5% vs 4%), and inhospital mortality (0 vs 2%). Adults hospitalized with CAP who had radiological evidence of pneumonia on CT scan but not on concurrent chest radiograph had pathogens, disease severity, and outcomes similar to patients who had signs of pneumonia on chest radiography. These findings support using the same management principles for patients with CT-only pneumonia and those with pneumonia seen on chest radiography. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. All rights reserved.

Visual scanning training for neglect after stroke with and without a computerized lane tracking dual task

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Kessel, M. E.; Geurts, A. C. H.; Brouwer, W. H.; Fasotti, L.

2013-01-01

Neglect patients typically fail to explore the contralesional half-space. During visual scanning training, these patients learn to consciously pay attention to contralesional target stimuli. It has been suggested that combining scanning training with methods addressing non-spatial attention might

Visual scan-path analysis with feature space transient fixation moments

Science.gov (United States)

Dempere-Marco, Laura; Hu, Xiao-Peng; Yang, Guang-Zhong

2003-05-01

The study of eye movements provides useful insight into the cognitive processes underlying visual search tasks. The analysis of the dynamics of eye movements has often been approached from a purely spatial perspective. In many cases, however, it may not be possible to define meaningful or consistent dynamics without considering the features underlying the scan paths. In this paper, the definition of the feature space has been attempted through the concept of visual similarity and non-linear low dimensional embedding, which defines a mapping from the image space into a low dimensional feature manifold that preserves the intrinsic similarity of image patterns. This has enabled the definition of perceptually meaningful features without the use of domain specific knowledge. Based on this, this paper introduces a new concept called Feature Space Transient Fixation Moments (TFM). The approach presented tackles the problem of feature space representation of visual search through the use of TFM. We demonstrate the practical values of this concept for characterizing the dynamics of eye movements in goal directed visual search tasks. We also illustrate how this model can be used to elucidate the fundamental steps involved in skilled search tasks through the evolution of transient fixation moments.

Organization and visualization of medical images in radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorang, T.

2001-05-01

In modern radiotherapy, various imaging equipment is used to acquire views from inside human bodies. Tomographic imaging equipment is acquiring stacks of cross-sectional images, software implementations derive three-dimensional volumes from planar images to allow for visualization of reconstructed cross-sections at any orientation and location and higher-level visualization systems allow for transparent views and surface rendering. Of upcoming interest in radiotherapy is mutual information, the integration of information from multiple imaging equipment res. from the same imaging equipment at different time stamps and varying acquisition parameters. Huge amounts of images are acquired nowadays at radiotherapy centers, requiring organization of images with respect to patient, acquisition and equipment to allow for visualization of images in a comparative and integrative manner. Especially for integration of image information from different equipment, geometrical information is required to allow for registration of images res. volumes. DICOM 3.0 has been introduced as a standard for information interchange with respect to medical imaging. Geometric information of cross-sections, demographic information of patients and medical information of acquisitions and equipment are covered by this standard, allowing for a high-level automation with respect to organization and visualization of medical images. Reconstructing cross-sectional images from volumes at any orientation and location is required for the purpose of registration and multi-planar views. Resampling and addressing of discrete volume data need be implemented efficiently to allow for simultaneous visualization of multiple cross-sectional images, especially with respect to multiple, non-isotropy volume data sets. (author)

Medical review licensing outcomes in drivers with visual field loss in Victoria, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Muir, Carlyn; Charlton, Judith L; Odell, Morris; Keeffe, Jill; Wood, Joanne; Bohensky, Megan; Fildes, Brian; Oxley, Jennifer; Bentley, Sharon; Rizzo, Matthew

2017-01-01

Background Good vision is essential for safe driving and studies have associated visual impairment with an increased crash risk. Currently, there is little information about the medical review of drivers with visual field loss. This study examines the prevalence of visual field loss among drivers referred for medical review in one Australian jurisdiction and investigates factors associated with licence outcome in this group. Methods A random sample of 10,000 (31.25 per cent) medical review cases was extracted for analysis from the Victorian licensing authority. Files were screened for the presence of six visual field-related medical conditions. Data were captured on a range of variables, including referral source, age, gender, health status, crash history and licence outcome. Prevalence analyses were univariate and descriptive. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with licence outcomes in the visual field loss group. Results Approximately 1.9 per cent of the 10,000 medical review cases screened had a visual field loss condition identified (n=194). Among the visual field loss group, 57.2 per cent were permitted to continue driving (conditional/unconditional licence). Primary referral sources were the police, self-referrals and general medical practitioners. Key factors associated with licence test outcomes were visual field condition, age group, crash involvement and referral to the Driver Licensing Authority’s Medical Advisors. Those who were younger had a crash involvement triggering referral and those who were referred to the Medical Advisors were more likely to have a positive licensing outcome. Conclusion The evidence base for making licensing decisions is complicated by the variable causes, patterns, progressions and measuring technologies for visual field loss. This study highlighted that the involvement of an expert medical advisory service in Victoria resulted in an increased likelihood that drivers with visual field loss will be

Dictionary Pruning with Visual Word Significance for Medical Image Retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fan; Song, Yang; Cai, Weidong; Hauptmann, Alexander G; Liu, Sidong; Pujol, Sonia; Kikinis, Ron; Fulham, Michael J; Feng, David Dagan; Chen, Mei

2016-02-12

Content-based medical image retrieval (CBMIR) is an active research area for disease diagnosis and treatment but it can be problematic given the small visual variations between anatomical structures. We propose a retrieval method based on a bag-of-visual-words (BoVW) to identify discriminative characteristics between different medical images with Pruned Dictionary based on Latent Semantic Topic description. We refer to this as the PD-LST retrieval. Our method has two main components. First, we calculate a topic-word significance value for each visual word given a certain latent topic to evaluate how the word is connected to this latent topic. The latent topics are learnt, based on the relationship between the images and words, and are employed to bridge the gap between low-level visual features and high-level semantics. These latent topics describe the images and words semantically and can thus facilitate more meaningful comparisons between the words. Second, we compute an overall-word significance value to evaluate the significance of a visual word within the entire dictionary. We designed an iterative ranking method to measure overall-word significance by considering the relationship between all latent topics and words. The words with higher values are considered meaningful with more significant discriminative power in differentiating medical images. We evaluated our method on two public medical imaging datasets and it showed improved retrieval accuracy and efficiency.

78 FR 18837 - Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Visual Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-28

... updating our regulations is to address advances in medical technology and terminology. We have removed the... Medical Criteria for Evaluating Visual Disorders AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION: Final..., Office of Medical Listings Improvement, Social Security Administration, 6401 Security Boulevard...

On the future of 3-D visualization in non-medical industrial x-ray computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wells, J.M.

2004-01-01

The purpose of imaging is to capture and record the details of an object for both current and future analysis in a transportable and archival format. Generally, the development and understanding of the relationships of the features of interest thus revealed in the image is ultimately essential for the beneficial utilization of that that knowledge. Modern advanced imaging methods utilized in both medical and industrial applications are predominantly of a digital format, and increasingly moving from a 2-D to 3-D modality to allow for significantly improved detail resolution and clarity of volumetric visualization. Conventional digital radiography (DR), for example, compresses an entire object volume onto a 2-D planar image with consequent lack of spatial resolution and considerable loss of small volume feature resolution. Computed tomography (CT) overcomes both of these limitations, providing the highly desirable capability of precise 3-D detection, localization and characterization of multiple features throughout the subject object volume. CT has the further capability to reconstruct virtual 3-D solid object images with arbitrary and reversible planar sectioning and of variable transparency to clearly visualize features of different densities in situ within an otherwise opaque object. While tomographic imaging is utilized in various medical CT, MRI, PET, EBCT and 3-D Ultrasound modalities, only the X-ray CT imaging is briefly discussed here as it presents comparable high quality images and is quite similar and synergistic with industrial XCT. Medical CT procedures started in the late 1970's (originally known as CAT Scan) and have progressed to the extent of being experienced and accepted by much of the general population. Non-Medical CT (or Industrial XCT) technology has historically followed in the shadow of Medical CT but remains today considerably less pervasive. There are however increasingly several important equipment and application distinctions. These will

Elemental microanalysis of biological and medical specimens with a scanning proton microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legge, G.J.F.; Mazzolini, A.P.

1979-01-01

The scanning proton microprobe is shown to be a sensitive instrument for elemental microanalysis of cells and tissues in biological and medical specimens. The preparation of specimens and their behaviour under irradiation are crucial and the application of quantitative scanning analysis to the monitoring of such problems is illustrated

Visualization of magnetic dipolar interaction based on scanning transmission X-ray microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohtori, Hiroyuki; Iwano, Kaoru; Takeichi, Yasuo; Ono, Kanta; Mitsumata, Chiharu; Yano, Masao; Kato, Akira; Miyamoto, Noritaka; Shoji, Tetsuya; Manabe, Akira

2014-01-01

Using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), in this report we visualized the magnetic dipolar interactions in nanocrystalline Nd-Fe-B magnets and imaged their magnetization distributions at various applied fields. We calculated the magnetic dipolar interaction by analyzing the interaction between the magnetization at each point and those at the other points on the STXM image.

Methodology for converting CT medical images to MCNP input using the Scan2MCNP system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boia, L.S.; Silva, A.X.; Cardoso, S.C.; Castro, R.C.

2009-01-01

This paper develops a methodology for the application software Scan2MCNP, which converts medical images DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) for MCNP input file. The Scan2MCNP handles, processes and executes the medical images generated by CT equipment, allowing the user to perform the selection and parameterization of the study area in question (tissues and organs). The details of these worked in medical imaging software, therefore, will be converted to equity to the process of language analysis of MCNP radiation transport, through the generation of a code input file. With this file, it is possible to simulate any situation/problem of the type and level of radiation to the proposed treatment chosen by the medical staff responsible for the patient. Within a computational process oriented, the Scan2MCNP can contribute along with other software that has been used recently in the area of medical physics, to improve the levels of quality and precision of radiotherapy treatments. In this work, medical images DICOM of the Anthropomorphic Rando Phantom were used in the process of analysis and development of computer software Scan2MCNP. However, it emphasized that the software is successful in certain situations, depending upon a number of auxiliary procedures and software that can help in the solution of certain problems in the natural radiation treatment or express agility by the team of medical physics. (author)

The Use of Visual Arts as a Window to Diagnosing Medical Pathologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bramstedt, Katrina A

2016-08-01

Observation is a key step preceding diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment. Careful patient observation is a skill that is learned but rarely explicitly taught. Furthermore, proper clinical observation requires more than a glance; it requires attention to detail. In medical school, the art of learning to look can be taught using the medical humanities and especially visual arts such as paintings and film. Research shows that such training improves not only observation skills but also teamwork, listening skills, and reflective and analytical thinking. Overall, the use of visual arts in medical school curricula can build visual literacy: the capacity to identify and analyze facial features, emotions, and general bodily presentations, including contextual features such as clothing, hair, and body art. With the ability to formulate and convey a detailed "picture" of the patient, clinicians can integrate aesthetic and clinical knowledge, helping facilitate the diagnosing of medical pathologies. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Pilot Dependence on Imperfect Diagnostic Automation in Simulated UAV Flights: An Attentional Visual Scanning Analysis

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wickens, Christopher; Dixon, Stephen; Goh, Juliana; Hammer, Ben

2005-01-01

An unmanned air vehicle (UAV) simulation was designed to reveal the effects of imperfectly reliable diagnostic automation a monitor of system health parameters on pilot attention, as the latter was assessed via visual scanning...

Visual analytics in medical education: impacting analytical reasoning and decision making for quality improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaitsis, Christos; Nilsson, Gunnar; Zary, Nabil

2015-01-01

The medical curriculum is the main tool representing the entire undergraduate medical education. Due to its complexity and multilayered structure it is of limited use to teachers in medical education for quality improvement purposes. In this study we evaluated three visualizations of curriculum data from a pilot course, using teachers from an undergraduate medical program and applying visual analytics methods. We found that visual analytics can be used to positively impacting analytical reasoning and decision making in medical education through the realization of variables capable to enhance human perception and cognition on complex curriculum data. The positive results derived from our evaluation of a medical curriculum and in a small scale, signify the need to expand this method to an entire medical curriculum. As our approach sustains low levels of complexity it opens a new promising direction in medical education informatics research.

A study on the natural history of scanning behaviour in patients with visual field defects after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Loetscher, Tobias; Chen, Celia; Wignall, Sophie; Bulling, Andreas; Hoppe, Sabrina; Churches, Owen; Thomas, Nicole A; Nicholls, Michael E R; Lee, Andrew

2015-04-24

A visual field defect (VFD) is a common consequence of stroke with a detrimental effect upon the survivors' functional ability and quality of life. The identification of effective treatments for VFD is a key priority relating to life post-stroke. Understanding the natural evolution of scanning compensation over time may have important ramifications for the development of efficacious therapies. The study aims to unravel the natural history of visual scanning behaviour in patients with VFD. The assessment of scanning patterns in the acute to chronic stages of stroke will reveal who does and does not learn to compensate for vision loss. Eye-tracking glasses are used to delineate eye movements in a cohort of 100 stroke patients immediately after stroke, and additionally at 6 and 12 months post-stroke. The longitudinal study will assess eye movements in static (sitting) and dynamic (walking) conditions. The primary outcome constitutes the change of lateral eye movements from the acute to chronic stages of stroke. Secondary outcomes include changes of lateral eye movements over time as a function of subgroup characteristics, such as side of VFD, stroke location, stroke severity and cognitive functioning. The longitudinal comparison of patients who do and do not learn compensatory scanning techniques may reveal important prognostic markers of natural recovery. Importantly, it may also help to determine the most effective treatment window for visual rehabilitation.

Dissociable modulation of overt visual attention in valence and arousal revealed by topology of scan path.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianguang Ni

Full Text Available Emotional stimuli have evolutionary significance for the survival of organisms; therefore, they are attention-grabbing and are processed preferentially. The neural underpinnings of two principle emotional dimensions in affective space, valence (degree of pleasantness and arousal (intensity of evoked emotion, have been shown to be dissociable in the olfactory, gustatory and memory systems. However, the separable roles of valence and arousal in scene perception are poorly understood. In this study, we asked how these two emotional dimensions modulate overt visual attention. Twenty-two healthy volunteers freely viewed images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS that were graded for affective levels of valence and arousal (high, medium, and low. Subjects' heads were immobilized and eye movements were recorded by camera to track overt shifts of visual attention. Algebraic graph-based approaches were introduced to model scan paths as weighted undirected path graphs, generating global topology metrics that characterize the algebraic connectivity of scan paths. Our data suggest that human subjects show different scanning patterns to stimuli with different affective ratings. Valence salient stimuli (with neutral arousal elicited faster and larger shifts of attention, while arousal salient stimuli (with neutral valence elicited local scanning, dense attention allocation and deep processing. Furthermore, our model revealed that the modulatory effect of valence was linearly related to the valence level, whereas the relation between the modulatory effect and the level of arousal was nonlinear. Hence, visual attention seems to be modulated by mechanisms that are separate for valence and arousal.

Medical Visualization and Simulation for Customizable Surgical Guides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kroes, T.

2015-01-01

This thesis revolves around the development of medical visualization tools for the planning of CSG-based surgery. To this end, we performed an extensive computerassisted surgery (CAS) literature study, developed a novel optimization technique for customizable surgical guides (CSG), and introduce

Scan path entropy and Arrow plots: Capturing scanning behavior of multiple observers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignace T C Hooge

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Designers of visual communication material want their material to attract and retain attention. In marketing research, heat maps, dwell time, and time to AOI first hit are often used as evaluation parameters. Here we present two additional measures 1 scan path entropy to quantify gaze guidance and 2 the arrow plot to visualize the average scan path. Both are based on string representations of scan paths. The latter also incorporates transition matrices and time required for 50% of the observers to first hit AOIs (T50. The new measures were tested in an eye tracking study (48 observers, 39 advertisements. Scan path entropy is a sensible measure for gaze guidance and the new visualization method reveals aspects of the average scan path and gives a better indication in what order global scanning takes place.

A ?snapshot? of the visual search behaviours of medical sonographers

OpenAIRE

Carrigan, Ann J; Brennan, Patrick C; Pietrzyk, Mariusz; Clarke, Jillian; Chekaluk, Eugene

2015-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Visual search is a task that humans perform in everyday life. Whether it involves looking for a pen on a desk or a mass in a mammogram, the cognitive and perceptual processes that underpin these tasks are identical. Radiologists are experts in visual search of medical images and studies on their visual search behaviours have revealed some interesting findings with regard to diagnostic errors. In Australia, within the modality of ultrasound, sonographers perform the diag...

Medical Radioisotope Scanning. Proceedings of a Seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1959-01-01

Of the many and varied uses of radioactive isotopes which have been developed in the past twenty years, their applications in medicine are among the most important. All over the world medical scientists have added radioisotopes to their armament in clinical research, diagnosis and radiotherapy. It is significant that the first scientific meeting organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency was devoted to a medical subject. It is not less significant as a symbol of the close co-operation which has been established between the Agency and other agencies of the United Nations family, that this first seminar was a joint undertaking with the World Health Organization. The determination of the distribution of a radioisotope within the human body - radioisotope scanning - is a technique which has made very rapid progress in the last few years in various medical centres throughout the world, and the necessity of providing an opportunity for an organized exchange of results, experience and opinions was clearly recognised. The value of such an exchange is demonstrated by the extensive discussions which took place and which are recorded in this volume, together with the original papers presented by those who have made such noteworthy contributions to progress in this field.

Medical Radioisotope Scanning. Proceedings of a Seminar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1959-07-01

Of the many and varied uses of radioactive isotopes which have been developed in the past twenty years, their applications in medicine are among the most important. All over the world medical scientists have added radioisotopes to their armament in clinical research, diagnosis and radiotherapy. It is significant that the first scientific meeting organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency was devoted to a medical subject. It is not less significant as a symbol of the close co-operation which has been established between the Agency and other agencies of the United Nations family, that this first seminar was a joint undertaking with the World Health Organization. The determination of the distribution of a radioisotope within the human body - radioisotope scanning - is a technique which has made very rapid progress in the last few years in various medical centres throughout the world, and the necessity of providing an opportunity for an organized exchange of results, experience and opinions was clearly recognised. The value of such an exchange is demonstrated by the extensive discussions which took place and which are recorded in this volume, together with the original papers presented by those who have made such noteworthy contributions to progress in this field.

Virtual teeth: a 3D method for editing and visualizing small structures in CT scans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bro-Nielsen, Morten; Larsen, Per; Kreiborg, Sven

1996-01-01

The paper presents an interactive method for segmentation and visualization of small structures in CT scans. A combination of isosurface generation, spatial region growing and interactive graphics tools are used to extract small structures interactively. A practical example of segmentation of the...

Visualization of bacterial polysaccharides by scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolanski, B S; McAleer, W J; Hilleman, M R

1983-04-01

Highly purified capsular polysaccharides of Neisseria meningitidis groups A, B, and C have been visualized by high resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). Spheroidal macromolecules approximately 200 A in diameter are characteristic of the Meningococcus A and C polysaccharides whereas filaments that are 400-600 A in length are found in Meningococcus B polysaccharide preparations. Filaments are occasionally found associated with the spheroidal Meningococcus A and C polysaccharides and it is proposed that these structures are composed of a long (1-4 microns) filament or filaments that are arranged in spheroidal molecules or micelles of high molecular weight. The Meningococcus B polysaccharide, by contrast, is a short flexuous filament or strand of relatively low molecular weight. A relationship between morphology and antigenicity is proposed.

A Visualization Method for Corrosion Damage on Aluminum Plates Using an Nd:YAG Pulsed Laser Scanning System.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Inbok; Zhang, Aoqi; Lee, Changgil; Park, Seunghee

2016-12-16

This paper proposes a non-contact nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique that uses laser-induced ultrasonic waves to visualize corrosion damage in aluminum alloy plate structures. The non-contact, pulsed-laser ultrasonic measurement system generates ultrasonic waves using a galvanometer-based Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and measures the ultrasonic waves using a piezoelectric (PZT) sensor. During scanning, a wavefield can be acquired by changing the excitation location of the laser point and measuring waves using the PZT sensor. The corrosion damage can be detected in the wavefield snapshots using the scattering characteristics of the waves that encounter corrosion. The structural damage is visualized by calculating the logarithmic values of the root mean square (RMS), with a weighting parameter to compensate for the attenuation caused by geometrical spreading and dispersion of the waves. An intact specimen is used to conduct a comparison with corrosion at different depths and sizes in other specimens. Both sides of the plate are scanned with the same scanning area to observe the effect of the location where corrosion has formed. The results show that the damage can be successfully visualized for almost all cases using the RMS-based functions, whether it formed on the front or back side. Also, the system is confirmed to have distinguished corroded areas at different depths.

Tracks to a Medical Diagnosis: Expertise Differences in Visual Problem Solving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaarsma, Thomas; Boshuizen, Els; Jarodzka, Halszka; Nap, Marius; Verboon, Peter; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the visual problem-solving process of clinical pathologists. Its aim is to find expertise-related differences in the temporal arrangement of this process, with a special focus on the orientation phase. A theoretical model of the visual diagnostic process of medical specialists

Effects of scanning and eliminating paper-based medical records on hospital physicians' clinical work practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Laerum, Hallvard; Karlsen, Tom H; Faxvaag, Arild

2003-01-01

It is not automatically given that the paper-based medical record can be eliminated after the introduction of an electronic medical record (EMR) in a hospital. Many keep and update the paper-based counterpart, and this limits the use of the EMR system. The authors have evaluated the physicians' clinical work practices and attitudes toward a system in a hospital that has eliminated the paper-based counterpart using scanning technology. Combined open-ended interviews (8 physicians) and cross-sectional survey (70 physicians) were conducted and compared with reference data from a previous national survey (69 physicians from six hospitals). The hospitals in the reference group were using the same EMR system without the scanning module. The questionnaire (English translation available as an online data supplement at ) covered frequency of use of the EMR system for 19 defined tasks, ease of performing them, and user satisfaction. The interviews were open-ended. The physicians routinely used the system for nine of 11 tasks regarding retrieval of patient data, which the majority of the physicians found more easily performed than before. However, 22% to 25% of the physicians found retrieval of patient data more difficult, particularly among internists (33%). Overall, the physicians were equally satisfied with the part of the system handling the regular electronic data as that of the physicians in the reference group. They were, however, much less satisfied with the use of scanned document images than that of regular electronic data, using the former less frequently than the latter. Scanning and elimination of the paper-based medical record is feasible, but the scanned document images should be considered an intermediate stage toward fully electronic medical records. To our knowledge, this is the first assessment from a hospital in the process of completing such a scanning project.

How 3D immersive visualization is changing medical diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Koning, Anton H. J.

2011-03-01

Originally the only way to look inside the human body without opening it up was by means of two dimensional (2D) images obtained using X-ray equipment. The fact that human anatomy is inherently three dimensional leads to ambiguities in interpretation and problems of occlusion. Three dimensional (3D) imaging modalities such as CT, MRI and 3D ultrasound remove these drawbacks and are now part of routine medical care. While most hospitals 'have gone digital', meaning that the images are no longer printed on film, they are still being viewed on 2D screens. However, this way valuable depth information is lost, and some interactions become unnecessarily complex or even unfeasible. Using a virtual reality (VR) system to present volumetric data means that depth information is presented to the viewer and 3D interaction is made possible. At the Erasmus MC we have developed V-Scope, an immersive volume visualization system for visualizing a variety of (bio-)medical volumetric datasets, ranging from 3D ultrasound, via CT and MRI, to confocal microscopy, OPT and 3D electron-microscopy data. In this talk we will address the advantages of such a system for both medical diagnostics as well as for (bio)medical research.

MO-E-18C-06: Enriching Medical Physics Education By Visualizing The Invisible

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprawls, P

2014-01-01

Purpose: To enhance the understanding of medical physics concepts and develop higher levels of learning relating to invisible physics phenomena such as radiation. To provide medical physics educators in all countries of the world with understanding of knowledge structures in the human brain, the different levels of learning, and the types of knowledge required for higher level functions such as problem solving, creative innovations, and applied clinical applications. To provide medical physics educators with an open access resource (tool) that they can use in their teaching activities to enrich and elevate the level of learning for their students, residents, etc. with respect to the invisible realm of medical physics. Methods: An experienced clinical medical physicist and educator has created and provided with open access three complementary web-based resources to achieve the purposes described above. One is a module focusing on the medical physics learning process with respect to mental knowledge structures, how they relate to outcomes and applications, and learning activities that are required to develop the required knowledge structures. The second is an extensive set of visuals that educators can use in their activities (classes, small group discussions, etc.) to visualize the invisible. The third is an interactive online simulation where learners can adjust factors and visually observe changes in x-radiation.These resources are available online at www.BLINDED FOR REVIEW . Results: Medical physics education, especially for non-physicists, is becoming much more interesting and useful especially with respect to invisible radiation. The global impact is that medical imaging professionals can be more effective in optimizing x-ray imaging procedures and risk management when they have knowledge levels that enhance problem solving, innovation, and creativity. Conclusion: Medical physics educators in all institutions can be much more effective and efficient in the

MO-E-18C-06: Enriching Medical Physics Education By Visualizing The Invisible

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sprawls, P [Emory University and Sprawls Educational Foundation, Montreat, NC (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: To enhance the understanding of medical physics concepts and develop higher levels of learning relating to invisible physics phenomena such as radiation. To provide medical physics educators in all countries of the world with understanding of knowledge structures in the human brain, the different levels of learning, and the types of knowledge required for higher level functions such as problem solving, creative innovations, and applied clinical applications. To provide medical physics educators with an open access resource (tool) that they can use in their teaching activities to enrich and elevate the level of learning for their students, residents, etc. with respect to the invisible realm of medical physics. Methods: An experienced clinical medical physicist and educator has created and provided with open access three complementary web-based resources to achieve the purposes described above. One is a module focusing on the medical physics learning process with respect to mental knowledge structures, how they relate to outcomes and applications, and learning activities that are required to develop the required knowledge structures. The second is an extensive set of visuals that educators can use in their activities (classes, small group discussions, etc.) to visualize the invisible. The third is an interactive online simulation where learners can adjust factors and visually observe changes in x-radiation.These resources are available online at www.BLINDED FOR REVIEW . Results: Medical physics education, especially for non-physicists, is becoming much more interesting and useful especially with respect to invisible radiation. The global impact is that medical imaging professionals can be more effective in optimizing x-ray imaging procedures and risk management when they have knowledge levels that enhance problem solving, innovation, and creativity. Conclusion: Medical physics educators in all institutions can be much more effective and efficient in the

In vivo visualization of microneedle conduits in human skin using laser scanning microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bal, S; Kruithof, A C; Bouwstra, J; Liebl, H; Tomerius, M; Lademann, J; Meinke, M

2010-01-01

Solid microneedles enhance the penetration of drugs into the viable skin but little is known about the geometry of the conduits in vivo. Therefore, laser scanning microscopy was used to visualize the conduits of a microneedle system with needles at a length of 300 μm in 6 healthy subjects over a period of time. The model drug, a fluorescent dye was applied before and after piercing. Laser scanning microscopy was evaluated as being an excellent method to monitor the geometry and closure of the conduits over time. The used microneedle system was evaluated as suitable to enhance the transport of model drugs into the viable epidermis without bleeding and a short closure time of the conduits at the skin surface

In vivo visualization of microneedle conduits in human skin using laser scanning microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bal, S.; Kruithof, A. C.; Liebl, H.; Tomerius, M.; Bouwstra, J.; Lademann, J.; Meinke, M.

2010-03-01

Solid microneedles enhance the penetration of drugs into the viable skin but little is known about the geometry of the conduits in vivo. Therefore, laser scanning microscopy was used to visualize the conduits of a microneedle system with needles at a length of 300 μm in 6 healthy subjects over a period of time. The model drug, a fluorescent dye was applied before and after piercing. Laser scanning microscopy was evaluated as being an excellent method to monitor the geometry and closure of the conduits over time. The used microneedle system was evaluated as suitable to enhance the transport of model drugs into the viable epidermis without bleeding and a short closure time of the conduits at the skin surface.

Decreasing medication turnaround time with digital scanning technology in a canadian health region.

Science.gov (United States)

Neville, Heather; Nodwell, Lisa; Alsharif, Sahar

2014-11-01

Reducing medication turnaround time can improve efficiency, patient safety, and quality of care in the hospital setting. Digital scanning technology (DST) can be used to electronically transmit scanned prescriber orders to a pharmacy computer queue for verification and processing, which may help to improve medication turnaround time. To evaluate medication turnaround time before and after implementation of DST for all medications and for antibiotics only. Medication turnaround times were evaluated retrospectively for periods before (June 6-10, 2011) and after (September 26-30, 2011) implementation of DST at 2 hospital sites in 1 health region. Medication turnaround time was defined as the time from composition of a medication order by the prescriber to its verification by the pharmacy (phase 1) and the time from prescriber composition to administration to the patient by a nurse (total). Median turnaround times were analyzed with SPSS software using the Mann-Whitney U test. In total, 304 and 244 medication orders were audited before and after DST implementation, respectively. Median phase 1 turnaround time for all medications declined significantly, from 2 h 23 min before DST implementation to 1 h 33 min after DST implementation (p < 0.001). Antibiotics were also processed significantly faster (1 h 51 min versus 1 h 9 min, p = 0.015). However, total turnaround time for all medications did not differ significantly (5 h 15 min versus 5 h 0 min, p = 0.42). Implementation of DST was associated with a 50-min decrease in medication turnaround time for the period from when an order was prescribed to the time it was processed by the pharmacy. Regular evaluation of medication turnaround times is recommended to compare with benchmarks, to ensure that hospital standards are being met, and to measure the effects of policy changes and implementation of new technology on medication-use processes.

Comparison of capacity for diagnosis and visuality of auditory ossicles at different scanning angles in the computed tomography of temporal bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogura, Akio; Nakayama, Yoshiki

1992-01-01

Computed tomographic (CT) scanning has made significant contributions to the diagnosis and evaluation of temporal bone lesions by the thin-section, high-resolution techniques. However, these techniques involve greater radiation exposure to the lens of patients. A mean was thus sought for reducing the radiation exposure at different scanning angles such as +15 degrees and -10 degrees to the Reid's base line. Purposes of this study were to measure radiation exposure to the lens using the two tomographic planes and to compare the ability to visualize auditory ossicles and labyrinthine structures. Visual evaluation of tomographic images on auditory ossicles was made by blinded methods using four rankings by six radiologists. The statistical significance of the intergroup difference in the visualization of tomographic planes was assessed for a significance level of 0.01. Thermoluminescent dosimeter chips were placed on the cornea of tissue equivalent to the skull phantom to evaluate radiation exposure for two separate tomographic planes. As the result, tomographic plane at an angle of -10 degrees to Reid's base line allowed better visualization than the other plane for the malleus, incus, facial nerve canal, and tuba auditiva (p<0.01). Scannings at an angle of -10 degrees to Reid's base line reduced radiation exposure to approximately one-fiftieth (1/50) that with the scans at the other angle. (author)

Visual servoing in medical robotics: a survey. Part II: tomographic imaging modalities--techniques and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Azizian, Mahdi; Najmaei, Nima; Khoshnam, Mahta; Patel, Rajni

2015-03-01

Intraoperative application of tomographic imaging techniques provides a means of visual servoing for objects beneath the surface of organs. The focus of this survey is on therapeutic and diagnostic medical applications where tomographic imaging is used in visual servoing. To this end, a comprehensive search of the electronic databases was completed for the period 2000-2013. Existing techniques and products are categorized and studied, based on the imaging modality and their medical applications. This part complements Part I of the survey, which covers visual servoing techniques using endoscopic imaging and direct vision. The main challenges in using visual servoing based on tomographic images have been identified. 'Supervised automation of medical robotics' is found to be a major trend in this field and ultrasound is the most commonly used tomographic modality for visual servoing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Visual Scanning Patterns during the Dimensional Change Card Sorting Task in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Yi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Impaired cognitive flexibility in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD has been reported in previous literature. The present study explored ASD children’s visual scanning patterns during the Dimensional Change Card Sorting (DCCS task using eye-tracking technique. ASD and typical developing (TD children completed the standardized DCCS procedure on the computer while their eye movements were tracked. Behavioral results confirmed previous findings on ASD children’s deficits in executive function. ASD children’s visual scanning patterns also showed some specific underlying processes in the DCCS task compared to TD children. For example, ASD children looked shorter at the correct card in the postswitch phase and spent longer time at blank areas than TD children did. ASD children did not show a bias to the color dimension as TD children did. The correlations between the behavioral performance and eye moments were also discussed.

Utilizing visual art to enhance the clinical observation skills of medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jasani, Sona K; Saks, Norma S

2013-07-01

Clinical observation is fundamental in practicing medicine, but these skills are rarely taught. Currently no evidence-based exercises/courses exist for medical student training in observation skills. The goal was to develop and teach a visual arts-based exercise for medical students, and to evaluate its usefulness in enhancing observation skills in clinical diagnosis. A pre- and posttest and evaluation survey were developed for a three-hour exercise presented to medical students just before starting clerkships. Students were provided with questions to guide discussion of both representational and non-representational works of art. Quantitative analysis revealed that the mean number of observations between pre- and posttests was not significantly different (n=70: 8.63 vs. 9.13, p=0.22). Qualitative analysis of written responses identified four themes: (1) use of subjective terminology, (2) scope of interpretations, (3) speculative thinking, and (4) use of visual analogies. Evaluative comments indicated that students felt the exercise enhanced both mindfulness and skills. Using visual art images with guided questions can train medical students in observation skills. This exercise can be replicated without specially trained personnel or art museum partnerships.

Big data in medical informatics: improving education through visual analytics.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaitsis, Christos; Nilsson, Gunnar; Zary, Nabil

2014-01-01

A continuous effort to improve healthcare education today is currently driven from the need to create competent health professionals able to meet healthcare demands. Limited research reporting how educational data manipulation can help in healthcare education improvement. The emerging research field of visual analytics has the advantage to combine big data analysis and manipulation techniques, information and knowledge representation, and human cognitive strength to perceive and recognise visual patterns. The aim of this study was therefore to explore novel ways of representing curriculum and educational data using visual analytics. Three approaches of visualization and representation of educational data were presented. Five competencies at undergraduate medical program level addressed in courses were identified to inaccurately correspond to higher education board competencies. Different visual representations seem to have a potential in impacting on the ability to perceive entities and connections in the curriculum data.

Ideal Positions: 3D Sonography, Medical Visuality, Popular Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Seiber, Tim

2016-03-01

As digital technologies are integrated into medical environments, they continue to transform the experience of contemporary health care. Importantly, medicine is increasingly visual. In the history of sonography, visibility has played an important role in accessing fetal bodies for diagnostic and entertainment purposes. With the advent of three-dimensional (3D) rendering, sonography presents the fetus visually as already a child. The aesthetics of this process and the resulting imagery, made possible in digital networks, discloses important changes in the relationship between technology and biology, reproductive health and political debates, and biotechnology and culture.

Visual analytics in healthcare education: exploring novel ways to analyze and represent big data in undergraduate medical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christos Vaitsis

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The big data present in the medical curriculum that informs undergraduate medical education is beyond human abilities to perceive and analyze. The medical curriculum is the main tool used by teachers and directors to plan, design, and deliver teaching and assessment activities and student evaluations in medical education in a continuous effort to improve it. Big data remains largely unexploited for medical education improvement purposes. The emerging research field of visual analytics has the advantage of combining data analysis and manipulation techniques, information and knowledge representation, and human cognitive strength to perceive and recognize visual patterns. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the use and benefits of visual analytics in medical education.Methods. The present study is based on analyzing the data in the medical curriculum of an undergraduate medical program as it concerns teaching activities, assessment methods and learning outcomes in order to explore visual analytics as a tool for finding ways of representing big data from undergraduate medical education for improvement purposes. Cytoscape software was employed to build networks of the identified aspects and visualize them.Results. After the analysis of the curriculum data, eleven aspects were identified. Further analysis and visualization of the identified aspects with Cytoscape resulted in building an abstract model of the examined data that presented three different approaches; (i learning outcomes and teaching methods, (ii examination and learning outcomes, and (iii teaching methods, learning outcomes, examination results, and gap analysis.Discussion. This study identified aspects of medical curriculum that play an important role in how medical education is conducted. The implementation of visual analytics revealed three novel ways of representing big data in the undergraduate medical education context. It appears to be a useful tool to

Visual analytics in healthcare education: exploring novel ways to analyze and represent big data in undergraduate medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaitsis, Christos; Nilsson, Gunnar; Zary, Nabil

2014-01-01

Introduction. The big data present in the medical curriculum that informs undergraduate medical education is beyond human abilities to perceive and analyze. The medical curriculum is the main tool used by teachers and directors to plan, design, and deliver teaching and assessment activities and student evaluations in medical education in a continuous effort to improve it. Big data remains largely unexploited for medical education improvement purposes. The emerging research field of visual analytics has the advantage of combining data analysis and manipulation techniques, information and knowledge representation, and human cognitive strength to perceive and recognize visual patterns. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the use and benefits of visual analytics in medical education. Methods. The present study is based on analyzing the data in the medical curriculum of an undergraduate medical program as it concerns teaching activities, assessment methods and learning outcomes in order to explore visual analytics as a tool for finding ways of representing big data from undergraduate medical education for improvement purposes. Cytoscape software was employed to build networks of the identified aspects and visualize them. Results. After the analysis of the curriculum data, eleven aspects were identified. Further analysis and visualization of the identified aspects with Cytoscape resulted in building an abstract model of the examined data that presented three different approaches; (i) learning outcomes and teaching methods, (ii) examination and learning outcomes, and (iii) teaching methods, learning outcomes, examination results, and gap analysis. Discussion. This study identified aspects of medical curriculum that play an important role in how medical education is conducted. The implementation of visual analytics revealed three novel ways of representing big data in the undergraduate medical education context. It appears to be a useful tool to explore such data

Making the invisible body visible. Bone scans, osteoporosis and women's bodily experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Reventlow, Susanne Dalsgaard; Hvas, Lotte; Malterud, Kirsti

2006-06-01

The imaging technology of bone scans allows visualization of the bone structure, and determination of a numerical value. Both these are subjected to professional interpretation according to medical (epidemiological) evidence to estimate the individual's risk of fractures. But when bodily experience is challenged by a visual diagnosis, what effect does this have on an individual? The aim of this study was to explore women's bodily experiences after a bone scan and to analyse how the scan affects women's self-awareness, sense of bodily identity and integrity. We interviewed 16 Danish women (aged 61-63) who had had a bone scan for osteoporosis. The analysis was based on Merleau-Ponty's perspective of perception as an embodied experience in which bodily experience is understood to be the existential ground of culture and self. Women appeared to take the scan literally and planned their lives accordingly. They appeared to believe that the 'pictures' revealed some truth in themselves. The information supplied by the scan fostered a new body image. The women interpreted the scan result (a mark on a curve) to mean bodily fragility which they incorporated into their bodily perception. The embodiment of this new body image produced new symptom interpretations and preventive actions, including caution. The result of the bone scan and its cultural interpretation triggered a reconstruction of the body self as weak with reduced capacity. Women's interpretation of the bone scan reorganized their lived space and time, and their relations with others and themselves. Technological information about osteoporosis appeared to leave most affected women more uncertain and restricted rather than empowered. The findings raise some fundamental questions concerning the use of medical technology for the prevention of asymptomatic disorders.

Visual servoing in medical robotics: a survey. Part I: endoscopic and direct vision imaging - techniques and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Azizian, Mahdi; Khoshnam, Mahta; Najmaei, Nima; Patel, Rajni V

2014-09-01

Intra-operative imaging is widely used to provide visual feedback to a clinician when he/she performs a procedure. In visual servoing, surgical instruments and parts of tissue/body are tracked by processing the acquired images. This information is then used within a control loop to manoeuvre a robotic manipulator during a procedure. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was completed for the period 2000-2013 to provide a survey of the visual servoing applications in medical robotics. The focus is on medical applications where image-based tracking is used for closed-loop control of a robotic system. Detailed classification and comparative study of various contributions in visual servoing using endoscopic or direct visual images are presented and summarized in tables and diagrams. The main challenges in using visual servoing for medical robotic applications are identified and potential future directions are suggested. 'Supervised automation of medical robotics' is found to be a major trend in this field. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The visual air quality predicted by conventional and scanning teleradiometers and an integrating nephelometer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malm, W [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV; Pitchford, A; Tree, R; Walther, E; Pearson, M; Archer, S

1981-12-01

Many Class I areas have unique vistas which require an observer to look over complex terrain containing basins, valleys, and canyons. These topographic features tend to form pollution ''basins'' and ''corridors'' that trap and funnel air pollutants under certain meteorological conditions. For example, on numerous days, layers of haze in the San Juan River Basin obscure various vista elements including the Chuska Mountains as viewed from Mesa Verde National Park, CO. Measrements by an integrating nephelometer and conventional teleradiometer at one location in Mesa Verde do not quantify inhomogeneities. In this paper, data from these instruments are compated to data derived from scanning teleradiometer measurements of photographic slide images. The slides, surrogates of the real three-dimensional scene, were projected and scanned to determine relative sky and vista radiance at 40 points within a vertical slice of the vista. Comparison of the corresponding visual range data sets for each instrument for September and December 1979 demonstrates the utility of the scanning teleradiometer.

Applying open source data visualization tools to standard based medical data.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopanitsa, Georgy; Taranik, Maxim

2014-01-01

Presentation of medical data in personal health records (PHRs) requires flexible platform independent tools to ensure easy access to the information. Different backgrounds of the patients, especially elder people require simple graphical presentation of the data. Data in PHRs can be collected from heterogeneous sources. Application of standard based medical data allows development of generic visualization methods. Focusing on the deployment of Open Source Tools, in this paper we applied Java Script libraries to create data presentations for standard based medical data.

78 FR 25521 - Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Visual Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION [Docket No. SSA-2010-0078] Revised Medical Criteria for Evaluating Visual Disorders AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION: Final rules; Correction. SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration published a document in the Federal Register of March 28, 2013, in FR Doc...

The effect of four user interface concepts on visual scan pattern similarity and information foraging in a complex decision making task.

Science.gov (United States)

Starke, Sandra D; Baber, Chris

2018-07-01

User interface (UI) design can affect the quality of decision making, where decisions based on digitally presented content are commonly informed by visually sampling information through eye movements. Analysis of the resulting scan patterns - the order in which people visually attend to different regions of interest (ROIs) - gives an insight into information foraging strategies. In this study, we quantified scan pattern characteristics for participants engaging with conceptually different user interface designs. Four interfaces were modified along two dimensions relating to effort in accessing information: data presentation (either alpha-numerical data or colour blocks), and information access time (all information sources readily available or sequential revealing of information required). The aim of the study was to investigate whether a) people develop repeatable scan patterns and b) different UI concepts affect information foraging and task performance. Thirty-two participants (eight for each UI concept) were given the task to correctly classify 100 credit card transactions as normal or fraudulent based on nine transaction attributes. Attributes varied in their usefulness of predicting the correct outcome. Conventional and more recent (network analysis- and bioinformatics-based) eye tracking metrics were used to quantify visual search. Empirical findings were evaluated in context of random data and possible accuracy for theoretical decision making strategies. Results showed short repeating sequence fragments within longer scan patterns across participants and conditions, comprising a systematic and a random search component. The UI design concept showing alpha-numerical data in full view resulted in most complete data foraging, while the design concept showing colour blocks in full view resulted in the fastest task completion time. Decision accuracy was not significantly affected by UI design. Theoretical calculations showed that the difference in achievable

Comparative evaluation of coronal images of the middle ear visualized by CT scan and polytomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugiyama, Masao; Nakai, Yoshiaki; Cho, Kansei; Tanabe, Kyoji; Inoue, Yuichi; Onoyama, Yasuto

1982-01-01

We retrospectively analysed the coronal images of the middle ear obtained by multidirectional tomography (polytomography) and computed tomography (CT) in 40 patients. Although CT was capable of demonstrating water density in the middle ear more clearly than polytomography and of delineating a lesion extending even outside of the petrous bone, the diagnostic capability was not much different between the two tomographic techniques. On the other hand, coronal CT scan has a disadvantage in that it usually has to be performed during hyperextension of the neck or while patients are in an uncomfortable hanging head position. We think that CT scan should be utilized only in case with a lesion extending beyond the petrous bone and/or is not well visualized by polytomography. (author)

Acquiring skill at medical image inspection: learning localized in early visual processes

Science.gov (United States)

Sowden, Paul T.; Davies, Ian R. L.; Roling, Penny; Watt, Simon J.

1997-04-01

Acquisition of the skill of medical image inspection could be due to changes in visual search processes, 'low-level' sensory learning, and higher level 'conceptual learning.' Here, we report two studies that investigate the extent to which learning in medical image inspection involves low- level learning. Early in the visual processing pathway cells are selective for direction of luminance contrast. We exploit this in the present studies by using transfer across direction of contrast as a 'marker' to indicate the level of processing at which learning occurs. In both studies twelve observers trained for four days at detecting features in x- ray images (experiment one equals discs in the Nijmegen phantom, experiment two equals micro-calcification clusters in digitized mammograms). Half the observers examined negative luminance contrast versions of the images and the remainder examined positive contrast versions. On the fifth day, observers swapped to inspect their respective opposite contrast images. In both experiments leaning occurred across sessions. In experiment one, learning did not transfer across direction of luminance contrast, while in experiment two there was only partial transfer. These findings are consistent with the contention that some of the leaning was localized early in the visual processing pathway. The implications of these results for current medical image inspection training schedules are discussed.

A program to interest medical students in Changhua, Taiwan in the incorporation of visual arts in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, K T; Lin, C C; Chang, L Y

2011-12-01

Visual arts have been used to facilitate the teaching of the United States Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies used in some countries. Some medical students may not appreciate the usefulness of incorporating arts in medical education. Therefore, arts programs that can interest medical students are necessary. We initiated and evaluated a visual arts program at the Changhua Christian Hospital in Changhua, Taiwan, with an aim to give the students a short review of visual arts and to interest them in the incorporation of arts in medicine. A total of 110 students in clerkship or internship participated in a visual arts program with emphasis on medicine-related visual arts. Content analysis of the data from the notes made by the instructor from direct observation of students; descriptions during discussions and the written feedback from students at the end of the program was used to evaluate the effect of the program. Anonymous questionnaires were also used for self-assessment of students. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that the course was interesting to students. Themes emerged including its helpfulness to students in interpreting paintings, enhanced empathy, increased cultural awareness, enhanced observational skills, better team work, listening and communication skills and reduced stress. Ratings on the questionnaire showed similar results. Moreover, students had an increase in their confidence and desire to interpret paintings. The structured visual arts program, with emphasis on medicine-related visual arts and other humanities subjects, was able to attract the attention of medical students. It might be helpful to improve the required skills of ACGME competencies, but further studies are needed to support these conclusions.

Visual scanning training for neglect after stroke with and without a computerized lane tracking dual task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.E. eVan Kessel

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Neglect patients typically fail to explore the contralesional half-space. During visual scanning training, these patients learn to consciously pay attention to contralesional target stimuli. It has been suggested that combining scanning training with methods addressing non-spatial attention might enhance training results. In the present study, a dual task training component was added to a visual scanning training (i.e. Training di Scanning Visuospaziale – TSVS; Pizzamiglio et al., 1990. Twenty-nine subacute right hemisphere stroke patients were semi-randomly assigned to an experimental (N=14 or a control group (N=15. Patients received 30 training sessions during six weeks. TSVS consisted of four standardized tasks (digit detection, reading/copying, copying drawings and figure description. Moreover, a driving simulator task was integrated in the training procedure. Control patients practiced a single lane tracking task for two days a week during six weeks. The experimental group was administered the same training schedule, but in weeks 4-6 of the training, the TSVS digit detection task was combined with lane tracking on the same projection screen, so as to create a dual task (CVRT-TR. Various neglect tests and driving simulator tasks were administered before and after training. No significant group and interaction effects were found that might reflect additional positive effects of dual task training. Significant improvements after training were observed in both groups taken together on most assessment tasks. Ameliorations were generally not correlated to post onset time, but spontaneous recovery, test-retest variability and learning effects could not be ruled out completely, since these were not controlled for. Future research might focus on increasing the amount of dual task training, the implementation of progressive difficulty levels in the driving simulator tasks and further exploration of relationships between dual task training and daily

Minimising medically unwarranted computed tomography scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenner, D.J.

2012-01-01

As computed tomography (CT) is such a superb diagnostic tool and individual CT risks are small, whenever a CT scan is clinically warranted, the CT benefit/risk balance is by far in the patient’s favour. However, if a CT scan is not clinically warranted, this balance shifts dramatically. It is likely that at least 25% of CT scans fall into this latter category, in that they could either be replaced with alternative imaging modalities or could be avoided entirely. Use of clinical decision rules for CT usage represents a powerful approach for slowing down the increase in CT usage, because they have the potential to overcome some of the major factors that result in some CT scans being undertaken when they may not be clinically helpful.

[Parallel virtual reality visualization of extreme large medical datasets].

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Min

2010-04-01

On the basis of a brief description of grid computing, the essence and critical techniques of parallel visualization of extreme large medical datasets are discussed in connection with Intranet and common-configuration computers of hospitals. In this paper are introduced several kernel techniques, including the hardware structure, software framework, load balance and virtual reality visualization. The Maximum Intensity Projection algorithm is realized in parallel using common PC cluster. In virtual reality world, three-dimensional models can be rotated, zoomed, translated and cut interactively and conveniently through the control panel built on virtual reality modeling language (VRML). Experimental results demonstrate that this method provides promising and real-time results for playing the role in of a good assistant in making clinical diagnosis.

Language, literacy, and communication regarding medication in an anticoagulation clinic: a comparison of verbal vs. visual assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Schillinger, Dean; Machtinger, Edward L; Wang, Frances; Palacios, Jorge; Rodriguez, Maytrella; Bindman, Andrew

2006-01-01

Despite the importance of clinician-patient communication, little is known about rates and predictors of medication miscommunication. Measuring rates of miscommunication, as well as differences between verbal and visual modes of assessment, can inform efforts to more effectively communicate about medications. We studied 220 diverse patients in an anticoagulation clinic to assess concordance between patient and clinician reports of warfarin regimens. Bilingual research assistants asked patients to (1) verbalize their prescribed weekly warfarin regimen and (2) identify this regimen from a digitized color menu of warfarin pills. We obtained clinician reports of patient regimens from chart review. Patients were categorized as having regimen concordance if there were no patient-clinician discrepancies in total weekly dosage. We then examined whether verbal and visual concordance rates varied with patient's language and health literacy. Fifty percent of patients achieved verbal concordance and 66% achieved visual concordance with clinicians regarding the weekly warfarin regimen (P visual discordance. Shifting from verbal to visual modes was associated with greater patient-provider concordance across all patient subgroups, but especially for those with communication barriers.Clinician-patient discordance regarding patients' warfarin regimen was common but occurred less frequently when patients used a visual aid. Visual aids may improve the accuracy of medication assessment, especially for patients with communication barriers.

Developmental memory capacity resources of typical children retrieving picture communication symbols using direct selection and visual linear scanning with fixed communication displays.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Barry T; Jackson, Heather M

2006-02-01

This study examined the cognitive demands of 2 selection techniques in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), direct selection, and visual linear scanning, by determining the memory retrieval abilities of typically developing children when presented with fixed communication displays. One hundred twenty typical children from kindergarten, 1st, and 3rd grades were randomly assigned to either a direct selection or visual linear scanning group. Memory retrieval was assessed through word span using Picture Communication Symbols (PCSs). Participants were presented various numbers and arrays of PCSs and asked to retrieve them by placing identical graphic symbols on fixed communication displays with grid layouts. The results revealed that participants were able to retrieve more PCSs during direct selection than scanning. Additionally, 3rd-grade children retrieved more PCSs than kindergarten and 1st-grade children. An analysis on the type of errors during retrieval indicated that children were more successful at retrieving the correct PCSs than the designated location of those symbols on fixed communication displays. AAC practitioners should consider using direct selection over scanning whenever possible and account for anticipatory monitoring and pulses when scanning is used in the service delivery of children with little or no functional speech. Also, researchers should continue to investigate AAC selection techniques in relationship to working memory resources.

Visual representation of medical information: the importance of considering the end-user in the design of medical illustrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheltema, Emma; Reay, Stephen; Piper, Greg

2018-01-01

This practice led research project explored visual representation through illustrations designed to communicate often complex medical information for different users within Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. Media and tools were manipulated to affect varying degrees of naturalism or abstraction from reality in the creation of illustrations for a variety of real-life clinical projects, and user feedback on illustration preference gathered from both medical professionals and patients. While all users preferred the most realistic representations of medical information from the illustrations presented, patients often favoured illustrations that depicted a greater amount of information than professionals suggested was necessary.

Visual research in clinical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Bezemer, Jeff

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore what might be gained from collecting and analysing visual data, such as photographs, scans, drawings, video and screen recordings, in clinical educational research. Its focus is on visual research that looks at teaching and learning 'as it naturally occurs' in the work place, in simulation centres and other sites, and also involves the collection and analysis of visual learning materials circulating in these sites. With the ubiquity of digital recording devices, video data and visual learning materials are now relatively cheap to collect. Compared to other domains of education research visual materials are not widely used in clinical education research. The paper sets out to identify and reflect on the possibilities for visual research using examples from an ethnographic study on surgical and inter-professional learning in the operating theatres of a London hospital. The paper shows how visual research enables recognition, analysis and critical evaluation of (1) the hidden curriculum, such as the meanings implied by embodied, visible actions of clinicians; (2) the ways in which clinical teachers design multimodal learning environments using a range of modes of communication available to them, combining, for instance, gesture and speech; (3) the informal assessment of clinical skills, and the intricate relation between trainee performance and supervisor feedback; (4) the potentialities and limitations of different visual learning materials, such as textbooks and videos, for representing medical knowledge. The paper concludes with theoretical and methodological reflections on what can be made visible, and therefore available for analysis, explanation and evaluation if visual materials are used for clinical education research, and what remains unaccounted for if written language remains the dominant mode in the research cycle. Opportunities for quantitative analysis and ethical implications are also discussed. © 2016 John Wiley

Pilots' Visual Scan Patterns and Attention Distribution During the Pursuit of a Dynamic Target.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chung-San; Wang, Eric Min-Yang; Li, Wen-Chin; Braithwaite, Graham; Greaves, Matthew

2016-01-01

The current research was to investigate pilots' visual scan patterns in order to assess attention distribution during air-to-air maneuvers. A total of 30 qualified mission-ready fighter pilots participated in this research. Eye movement data were collected by a portable head-mounted eye-tracking device, combined with a jet fighter simulator. To complete the task, pilots had to search for, pursue, and lock on a moving target while performing air-to-air tasks. There were significant differences in pilots' saccade duration (ms) in three operating phases, including searching (M = 241, SD = 332), pursuing (M = 311, SD = 392), and lock-on (M = 191, SD = 226). Also, there were significant differences in pilots' pupil sizes (pixel(2)), of which the lock-on phase was the largest (M = 27,237, SD = 6457), followed by pursuit (M = 26,232, SD = 6070), then searching (M = 25,858, SD = 6137). Furthermore, there were significant differences between expert and novice pilots in the percentage of fixation on the head-up display (HUD), time spent looking outside the cockpit, and the performance of situational awareness (SA). Experienced pilots have better SA performance and paid more attention to the HUD, but focused less outside the cockpit when compared with novice pilots. Furthermore, pilots with better SA performance exhibited a smaller pupil size during the operational phase of lock on while pursuing a dynamic target. Understanding pilots' visual scan patterns and attention distribution are beneficial to the design of interface displays in the cockpit and in developing human factors training syllabi to improve the safety of flight operations.

Isotopes in medical diagnosis. New techniques reviewed at Vienna symposium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1959-04-15

The medical uses of radioisotopes cover diagnosis and therapy as well as clinical research. There is specialized equipment not only detects the radiations from a radioactive substance inside the body, but also produces a two-dimensional visual image of the size and functional condition of tissue that absorbs this substance. This is known as medical radioisotope scanning, aimed at determining the distribution of a radioisotope within an organ which specifically concentrates a radioisotope. Methods of scanning are exceedingly complex, and although a variety of equipment is now available for the automatic determination of the distribution of a radioisotope in an organ, experience of their use is still limited. To facilitate an adequate exchange of views and a pooling of experience in this field, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization recently arranged a seminar to discuss the techniques and results of scanning. Topics discussed included problems of collimation, sensitivity patterns of various collimating systems, optimum isotope concentrations, essential requirements for obtaining satisfactory visualization by a scanner, basic principles of scintillation counting, a the scintillation camera, isotope scanning for studies on liver disorders and liver tumours, radiogold used for liver scanning, scanning the liver and pancreas with the help of positron-emitting isotopes, measuring the distribution of radioisotopes in deep lying tissues by detection of 'bremsstrahlen', 'profile counting', brain tumour scanning with the usage of radioarsenic or radioiodine-labelled albumen, different aspects of thyroid scanning, value and methods of scanning in thyroid cancer as well as scanning procedures in non-cancerous thyroid disease. During the discussions Dr. Keroe (IAEA) demonstrated a new electronic device, the use of which results in a substantial increase of contrast and resolution of the recordings of a scanning machine, and which is the first

Automatic transfer function design for medical visualization using visibility distributions and projective color mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Lile; Tay, Wei-Liang; Nguyen, Binh P; Chui, Chee-Kong; Ong, Sim-Heng

2013-01-01

Transfer functions play a key role in volume rendering of medical data, but transfer function manipulation is unintuitive and can be time-consuming; achieving an optimal visualization of patient anatomy or pathology is difficult. To overcome this problem, we present a system for automatic transfer function design based on visibility distribution and projective color mapping. Instead of assigning opacity directly based on voxel intensity and gradient magnitude, the opacity transfer function is automatically derived by matching the observed visibility distribution to a target visibility distribution. An automatic color assignment scheme based on projective mapping is proposed to assign colors that allow for the visual discrimination of different structures, while also reflecting the degree of similarity between them. When our method was tested on several medical volumetric datasets, the key structures within the volume were clearly visualized with minimal user intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study on Pancreas Scanning with Selenium75-Selenomethionine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Hyun Chan; Toh, Sang Hee; Ra, Woo Youn; Suh, Chul Sung

1968-01-01

Radiographic visualization of the pancreas is a difficult problem, but the direct visualization of the pancreas is possible by the injection of the amino-acid methionine tagged with selenium 75 (Se 75 ). In order to know the diagnostic value of pancreas scanning, scans were performed on 23 cases using selenium 75 -Selenomethionine. These cases were also given egg white, probanthine and morphine. 1) Good visualization of the pancreas scanning was observed on 19 cases, presumably with normal pancreas. 2) A case which showed diffusely decreased uptake on pancreas scanning was proven to have lesions in the bile duct and the gall bladder. 3) Of those two cases which showed localized cold area, one had pancreas cyst and the other one was not explored. 4) A case which showed no visualization of the pancreas was proven to have pancreatic carcinoma. 5) Two cases which showed widened duodenal loop by upper gastro-intestinal series revealed normal pancreas scanning, and no pancreatic disease was found in both cases.

Principle and engineering implementation of 3D visual representation and indexing of medical diagnostic records (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Liehang; Sun, Jianyong; Yang, Yuanyuan; Ling, Tonghui; Wang, Mingqing; Zhang, Jianguo

2017-03-01

Purpose: Due to the generation of a large number of electronic imaging diagnostic records (IDR) year after year in a digital hospital, The IDR has become the main component of medical big data which brings huge values to healthcare services, professionals and administration. But a large volume of IDR presented in a hospital also brings new challenges to healthcare professionals and services as there may be too many IDRs for each patient so that it is difficult for a doctor to review all IDR of each patient in a limited appointed time slot. In this presentation, we presented an innovation method which uses an anatomical 3D structure object visually to represent and index historical medical status of each patient, which is called Visual Patient (VP) in this presentation, based on long term archived electronic IDR in a hospital, so that a doctor can quickly learn the historical medical status of the patient, quickly point and retrieve the IDR he or she interested in a limited appointed time slot. Method: The engineering implementation of VP was to build 3D Visual Representation and Index system called VP system (VPS) including components of natural language processing (NLP) for Chinese, Visual Index Creator (VIC), and 3D Visual Rendering Engine.There were three steps in this implementation: (1) an XML-based electronic anatomic structure of human body for each patient was created and used visually to index the all of abstract information of each IDR for each patient; (2)a number of specific designed IDR parsing processors were developed and used to extract various kinds of abstract information of IDRs retrieved from hospital information systems; (3) a 3D anatomic rendering object was introduced visually to represent and display the content of VIO for each patient. Results: The VPS was implemented in a simulated clinical environment including PACS/RIS to show VP instance to doctors. We setup two evaluation scenario in a hospital radiology department to evaluate whether

Predictive Factors for Visual Field Conversion: Comparison of Scanning Laser Polarimetry and Optical Coherence Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Diekmann, Theresa; Schrems-Hoesl, Laura M; Mardin, Christian Y; Laemmer, Robert; Horn, Folkert K; Kruse, Friedrich E; Schrems, Wolfgang A

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to predict future visual field conversion of subjects with ocular hypertension and early glaucoma. All patients were recruited from the Erlangen glaucoma registry and examined using standard automated perimetry, 24-hour intraocular pressure profile, and optic disc photography. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) measurements were obtained by SLP (GDx-VCC) and SD-OCT (Spectralis OCT). Positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were calculated for morphologic parameters of SLP and SD-OCT. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted and log-rank tests were performed to compare the survival distributions. Contingency tables and Venn-diagrams were calculated to compare the predictive ability. The study included 207 patients-75 with ocular hypertension, 85 with early glaucoma, and 47 controls. Median follow-up was 4.5 years. A total of 29 patients (14.0%) developed visual field conversion during follow-up. SLP temporal-inferior RNFL [0.667; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.281-0.935] and SD-OCT temporal-inferior RNFL (0.571; 95% CI, 0.317-0.802) achieved the highest PPV; nerve fiber indicator (0.923; 95% CI, 0.876-0.957) and SD-OCT mean (0.898; 95% CI, 0.847-0.937) achieved the highest NPV of all investigated parameters. The Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed significantly higher survival for subjects within normal limits of measurements of both devices (P<0.001). Venn diagrams tested with McNemar test statistics showed no significant difference for PPV (P=0.219) or NPV (P=0.678). Both GDx-VCC and SD-OCT demonstrate comparable results in predicting future visual field conversion if taking typical scans for GDx-VCC. In addition, the likelihood ratios suggest that GDx-VCC's nerve fiber indicator<30 may be the most useful parameter to confirm future nonconversion. (http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov number, NTC

Assessment of lymph node tumour from CT scans: how good is diameter and visual assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Pratik; Rehani, M.M.; Anand, Vikram; Raina, Vinod; Rao, Keshava

1995-01-01

The evaluation response of tumours requires quantification of tumour mass in terms of volume or maximum diameter. In normal practice changes in maximum diameter of tumour are assessed visually on follow-up CT films. This may lead to erroneous results. Twenty one patients of testicular cancer in stage II A to II D with retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy were scanned by CT for 3 to 5 times during the course of treatment. Tumour size was assessed in terms of diameter as per practice followed routinely. A very important observation was that actual measurement of diameter instead of visual assessment resulted in change of stage of cancer in 42.8% (9 out of 21) cases. Moreover, in 6 out of these 21 cases (28%) there occurred a change in stage from II C to II D which assumes significance due to change in treatment protocol from BEP (Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatinum) to BOP-VIP (Bleomycin, Vincristin, Cisplatinum , VP-16, Ifosfamide, Cisplatinum). Tumour volume estimated on the basis of visual method differed considerably from the calculated one. In 16 out of 21 scans, the difference was between 6.4% to 42.9%. The acceptable difference of 5% was seen only in 4 out of 21 cases indicating the importance of volume measurement. The method of volume estimation was validated and found to be within ± 5% of actual volume. The correlation between diameter and volume shows that tumours with similar range of diameter have 20% to 100% more volume. Many times increase in diameter was found associated with actually reduced tumour volume, difference being as much as 515%. This has not been documented earlier in clinical situations. Thus, the study underscores the role of measuring the diameter of tumour for staging and highlights the need for actual volume estimation rather than depending on maximum transverse diameter alone in follow-up studies. (author). 9 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

Visualization of postoperative anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction bone tunnels: Reliability of standard radiographs, CT scans, and 3D virtual reality images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D.E. Meuffels (Duncan); J.W. Potters (Jan Willem); A.H.J. Koning (Anton); C.H. Brown Jr Jr. (Charles); J.A.N. Verhaar (Jan); M. Reijman (Max)

2011-01-01

textabstractBackground and purpose: Non-anatomic bone tunnel placement is the most common cause of a failed ACL reconstruction. Accurate and reproducible methods to visualize and document bone tunnel placement are therefore important. We evaluated the reliability of standard radiographs, CT scans,

Dental and medical health status and oral health knowledge among visually impaired and sighted female schoolchildren in Riyadh: a comparative study

OpenAIRE

AlSadhan, Salwa A.; Al-Jobair, Asma M.; Bafaqeeh, Mariam; Abusharifa, Hanadi; Alagla, Maram

2017-01-01

Background The impact of visual impairment on oral health in the literature is inconclusive, and the available information on the medical and dental health status of visually impaired children is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental and medical health status, and to assess the oral health knowledge of visually impaired girls aged 6–12 years, and compare them to that of sighted children. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 79 visually impaired ...

HIV/AIDS in the visual arts: applying discipline-based art education (DBAE) to medical humanities.

Science.gov (United States)

Tapajos, Ricardo

2003-06-01

Health professions educators have been systematically attempting to insert the humanities into health professions curricula for over 4 decades, with various degrees of success. Among the several medical humanities, the visual arts seem particularly adequate for the teaching/learning of crucial aspects of medicine. Educational efforts in the arts require, however, a sound pedagogical philosophy of art education. Health professions educators need therefore to be aware of educational frameworks in the arts. Discipline-based art education (DBAE) is a recognised contemporary educational framework for the teaching/learning of the arts, which may be adapted to medical humanities. It is the ultimate objective of this essay to share the experience of applying this educational framework to a course in a medical curriculum. The author describes a course on the representations of HIV/AIDS in the visual arts, with explicit reference to its objectives, content, instructional features and student assessment in the light of DBAE, whose principles and characteristics are described in detail. Discipline-based art education may be applied to medical humanities courses in a medical curriculum. This essay throws light on how this structure may be particularly useful for designing other pedagogically sound art courses in health professions curricula.

Evaluation of the Cardiac Depression Visual Analogue Scale in a medical and non-medical sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Benedetto, Mirella; Sheehan, Matthew

2014-01-01

Comorbid depression and medical illness is associated with a number of adverse health outcomes such as lower medication adherence and higher rates of subsequent mortality. Reliable and valid psychological measures capable of detecting a range of depressive symptoms found in medical settings are needed. The Cardiac Depression Visual Analogue Scale (CDVAS) is a recently developed, brief six-item measure originally designed to assess the range and severity of depressive symptoms within a cardiac population. The current study aimed to further investigate the psychometric properties of the CDVAS in a general and medical sample. The sample consisted of 117 participants, whose mean age was 40.0 years (SD = 19.0, range 18-84). Participants completed the CDVAS, the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and a demographic and health questionnaire. The CDVAS was found to have adequate internal reliability (α = .76), strong concurrent validity with the CDS (r = .89) and the depression sub-scale of the DASS (r = .70), strong discriminant validity and strong predictive validity. The principal components analysis revealed that the CDVAS measured only one component, providing further support for the construct validity of the scale. Results of the current study indicate that the CDVAS is a short, simple, valid and reliable measure of depressive symptoms suitable for use in a general and medical sample.

Estimated Visualization of Dose Calculation with GEANT4 in Medical Linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jhin Kee; Kim, Bu Gil; Lee, Jeong Ok; Kang, Jeong Ku; Oh, Young Kee; Jeong, Dong Hyeok; Kim, Jeong Kee

2011-01-01

Geant4 is a toolkit used to simulate the pass age of particles through matter. Recently, it has been used in many medical physics applications. In radiotherapy, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance tomography, Geant4 has been applied to accurately simulate the propagation of particles and the interaction of particles, not only with medical devices, but also with patient's phantoms.1,2 Many researchers try to use patient's image data to calculate the dose. The use of DICOM images files to simulate is desired. We construct detector with parameterized volume for Geant4 simulations, which can be applied to simulations using DICOM data as the input.We try to apply this code to the patient's DICOM images to simulate the propagation and interaction of the particles. So we can calculate the absorbed dose of the patient. In this study, the used visualization tool is called gMocren. The purpose of the present paper is to verify a volume visualization tool that simultaneously displays both the complex patient data and the simulated dose distribution with real patient's DICOM data. We applied a volume visualization tool for GEANT4 simulation. We developed to create the each voxel's dose tables of the every slices and review the distribution with DICOM file, gMocren is very convenience tool but provide only qualitative analysis. We need more enhanced functions to display contour like RTP and utility program to create dose table in every points.

SCANNING AND TRACKING MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

Disclosed is a scanning monitoring apparatus for medical imaging, the scanning monitoring apparatus comprising a controller unit and a display, wherein the controller unit during a scanning session is configured to obtain tracking data (102) of a subject in a medical scanner, obtain scanner data ...

Evaluation of baseline structural factors for predicting glaucomatous visual-field progression using optical coherence tomography, scanning laser polarimetry and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sehi, M; Bhardwaj, N; Chung, Y S; Greenfield, D S

2012-12-01

The objective of this study is to assess whether baseline optic nerve head (ONH) topography and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) are predictive of glaucomatous visual-field progression in glaucoma suspect (GS) and glaucomatous eyes, and to calculate the level of risk associated with each of these parameters. Participants with ≥28 months of follow-up were recruited from the longitudinal Advanced Imaging for Glaucoma Study. All eyes underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP), confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (CSLO), time-domain optical coherence tomography (TDOCT), and scanning laser polarimetry using enhanced corneal compensation (SLPECC) every 6 months. Visual-field progression was assessed using pointwise linear-regression analysis of SAP sensitivity values (progressor) and defined as significant sensitivity loss of >1 dB/year at ≥2 adjacent test locations in the same hemifield at P<0.01. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were calculated to determine the predictive ability of baseline ONH and RNFL parameters for SAP progression using univariate and multivariate models. Seventy-three eyes of 73 patients (43 GS and 30 glaucoma, mean age 63.2±9.5 years) were enrolled (mean follow-up 51.5±11.3 months). Four of 43 GS (9.3%) and 6 of 30 (20%) glaucomatous eyes demonstrated progression. Mean time to progression was 50.8±11.4 months. Using multivariate models, abnormal CSLO temporal-inferior Moorfields classification (HR=3.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-6.80, P=0.04), SLPECC inferior RNFLT (per -1 μm, HR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.02-2.2, P=0.02), and TDOCT inferior RNFLT (per -1 μm, HR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.04-1.2, P=0.001) had significant HRs for SAP progression. Abnormal baseline ONH topography and reduced inferior RNFL are predictive of SAP progression in GS and glaucomatous eyes.

Mvox: Interactive 2-4D medical image and graphics visualization software

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bro-Nielsen, Morten

1996-01-01

Mvox is a new tool for visualization, segmentation and manipulation of a wide range of 2-4D grey level and colour images, and 3D surface graphics, which has been developed at the Department of Mathematical Modelling, Technical University of Denmark. The principal idea behind the software has been...... to provide a flexible tool that is able to handle all the kinds of data that are typically used in a research environment for medical imaging and visualization. At the same time the software should be easy to use and have a consistent interface providing locally only the functions relevant to the context....... This has been achieved by using Unix standards such as X/Motif/OpenGL and conforming to modern standards of interactive windowed programs...

Comparison between OPD-Scan results and visual outcomes of monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses Comparação dos resultados do OPD-Scan e performance visual das lentes intraoculares monofocal e multifocal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Takashi Hida

2009-08-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To compare the visual outcome, contrast sensitivity and wavefront analysis of patients that underwent cataract surgery and implantation of AcrySof SN60D3 multifocal intraocular lens with those who received the AcrySof SN60AT monofocal IOL. METHODS: This was a prospective clinical trial of forty eyes that received the multifocal IOL and thirty-two eyes that received the monofocal IOL after phacoemulsification. RESULTS: Values for total and spherical aberrations in the multifocal group were statistically lower than in the monofocal group. In the monofocal group, 75% achieved uncorrected intermediate visual acuities between Jaeger 1 and 6. In the multifocal group, 75% of the eyes achieved more than Jaeger 6. At least 87.5% of the multifocal group and 6.3% of the monofocal group achieved monocular uncorrected near acuity of 20/30 (J2, N5 or better. And 90.0% of the eyes in the multifocal group and 37.5% in the monofocal group achieved an uncorrected near acuity of 20/40 (J3, N6 or better. The mean spherical error was 0.11 D in the multifocal group and -0.18 D in the monofocal group (p=0.0379. The SN60D3 group compared to SN60AT group had low contrast sensitivity (log units with statistically significant differences in 6.0 cpd in photopic conditions (p=0.014 and the SN60D3 group compared to SN60AT group had higher contrast sensitivity (log units under mesopic conditions (p=0.044. CONCLUSION: The multifocal IOLs induced less spherical aberration than monofocal IOLs and predictably good uncorrected distance and uncorrected near acuities. However, contrast sensitivity was lower in the multifocal group.OBJETIVO: Comparar a performance visual, sensibilidade ao contraste e de wavefront com OPD-Scan em pacientes submetidos a cirurgia de facoemulsificação com implante de lente intraocular AcrySof SN60D3 multifocal e AcrySof SA60AT monofocal. MÉTODOS: Quarenta olhos com a lente intraocular multifocal e trinta e dois olhos com a lente intraocular

Web tools for effective retrieval, visualization, and evaluation of cardiology medical images and records

Science.gov (United States)

Masseroli, Marco; Pinciroli, Francesco

2000-12-01

To provide easy retrieval, integration and evaluation of multimodal cardiology images and data in a web browser environment, distributed application technologies and java programming were used to implement a client-server architecture based on software agents. The server side manages secure connections and queries to heterogeneous remote databases and file systems containing patient personal and clinical data. The client side is a Java applet running in a web browser and providing a friendly medical user interface to perform queries on patient and medical test dat and integrate and visualize properly the various query results. A set of tools based on Java Advanced Imaging API enables to process and analyze the retrieved cardiology images, and quantify their features in different regions of interest. The platform-independence Java technology makes the developed prototype easy to be managed in a centralized form and provided in each site where an intranet or internet connection can be located. Giving the healthcare providers effective tools for querying, visualizing and evaluating comprehensively cardiology medical images and records in all locations where they can need them- i.e. emergency, operating theaters, ward, or even outpatient clinics- the developed prototype represents an important aid in providing more efficient diagnoses and medical treatments.

A medical application integrating remote 3D visualization tools to access picture archiving and communication system on mobile devices.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Longjun; Ming, Xing; Liu, Qian

2014-04-01

With computing capability and display size growing, the mobile device has been used as a tool to help clinicians view patient information and medical images anywhere and anytime. However, for direct interactive 3D visualization, which plays an important role in radiological diagnosis, the mobile device cannot provide a satisfactory quality of experience for radiologists. This paper developed a medical system that can get medical images from the picture archiving and communication system on the mobile device over the wireless network. In the proposed application, the mobile device got patient information and medical images through a proxy server connecting to the PACS server. Meanwhile, the proxy server integrated a range of 3D visualization techniques, including maximum intensity projection, multi-planar reconstruction and direct volume rendering, to providing shape, brightness, depth and location information generated from the original sectional images for radiologists. Furthermore, an algorithm that changes remote render parameters automatically to adapt to the network status was employed to improve the quality of experience. Finally, performance issues regarding the remote 3D visualization of the medical images over the wireless network of the proposed application were also discussed. The results demonstrated that this proposed medical application could provide a smooth interactive experience in the WLAN and 3G networks.

A Study on Pancreas Scanning with Selenium{sup 75}-Selenomethionine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Hyun Chan; Toh, Sang Hee; Ra, Woo Youn; Suh, Chul Sung [Presbyterian Hospital, Deagu (Korea, Republic of)

1968-03-15

Radiographic visualization of the pancreas is a difficult problem, but the direct visualization of the pancreas is possible by the injection of the amino-acid methionine tagged with selenium{sup 75} (Se{sup 75}). In order to know the diagnostic value of pancreas scanning, scans were performed on 23 cases using selenium{sup 75}-Selenomethionine. These cases were also given egg white, probanthine and morphine. 1) Good visualization of the pancreas scanning was observed on 19 cases, presumably with normal pancreas. 2) A case which showed diffusely decreased uptake on pancreas scanning was proven to have lesions in the bile duct and the gall bladder. 3) Of those two cases which showed localized cold area, one had pancreas cyst and the other one was not explored. 4) A case which showed no visualization of the pancreas was proven to have pancreatic carcinoma. 5) Two cases which showed widened duodenal loop by upper gastro-intestinal series revealed normal pancreas scanning, and no pancreatic disease was found in both cases.

Interactive visualization and analysis of 3D medical images for neurosurgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazawa, Tatsuo; Otsuki, Taisuke.

1994-01-01

We propose a method that makes it possible to interactively rotate and zoom a volume-rendered object and to interactively manipulate a function for transferring data values to color and opacity. The method ray-traces a Value-Intensity-Strength volume (VIS volume) instead of a color-opacity volume, and uses an adaptive refinement technique in generating images. The VIS volume tracing method can reduce by 20-90 percent the computational time of re-calculation necessitated by changing the function for transferring data values to color and opacity, and can reduce the computational time of pre-processing by 20 percent. It can also reduce the required memory space by 40 percent. The combination of VIS volume tracing and adaptive refinement method makes it possible to interactively visualize and analyze 3D medical image data. Once we can see detailed image of 3D objects to determine their orientation, we can easily manipulate the viewing and rendering parameters even while viewing rough, blurred images. The increase in the computation time for generating full-resolution images by using the adaptive refinement technique is approximately five to ten percent. Its effectiveness is evaluated by using the results of visualization for some 3D medical image data. (author)

Scientific visualization uncertainty, multifield, biomedical, and scalable visualization

CERN Document Server

Chen, Min; Johnson, Christopher; Kaufman, Arie; Hagen, Hans

2014-01-01

Based on the seminar that took place in Dagstuhl, Germany in June 2011, this contributed volume studies the four important topics within the scientific visualization field: uncertainty visualization, multifield visualization, biomedical visualization and scalable visualization. • Uncertainty visualization deals with uncertain data from simulations or sampled data, uncertainty due to the mathematical processes operating on the data, and uncertainty in the visual representation, • Multifield visualization addresses the need to depict multiple data at individual locations and the combination of multiple datasets, • Biomedical is a vast field with select subtopics addressed from scanning methodologies to structural applications to biological applications, • Scalability in scientific visualization is critical as data grows and computational devices range from hand-held mobile devices to exascale computational platforms. Scientific Visualization will be useful to practitioners of scientific visualization, ...

Gas discharge visualization: an imaging and modeling tool for medical biometrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kostyuk, Nataliya; Cole, Phyadragren; Meghanathan, Natarajan; Isokpehi, Raphael D; Cohly, Hari H P

2011-01-01

The need for automated identification of a disease makes the issue of medical biometrics very current in our society. Not all biometric tools available provide real-time feedback. We introduce gas discharge visualization (GDV) technique as one of the biometric tools that have the potential to identify deviations from the normal functional state at early stages and in real time. GDV is a nonintrusive technique to capture the physiological and psychoemotional status of a person and the functional status of different organs and organ systems through the electrophotonic emissions of fingertips placed on the surface of an impulse analyzer. This paper first introduces biometrics and its different types and then specifically focuses on medical biometrics and the potential applications of GDV in medical biometrics. We also present our previous experience with GDV in the research regarding autism and the potential use of GDV in combination with computer science for the potential development of biological pattern/biomarker for different kinds of health abnormalities including cancer and mental diseases.

Visual information transfer. 1: Assessment of specific information needs. 2: The effects of degraded motion feedback. 3: Parameters of appropriate instrument scanning behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Comstock, J. R., Jr.; Kirby, R. H.; Coates, G. D.

1984-01-01

Pilot and flight crew assessment of visually displayed information is examined as well as the effects of degraded and uncorrected motion feedback, and instrument scanning efficiency by the pilot. Computerized flight simulation and appropriate physiological measurements are used to collect data for standardization.

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Scan and Uptake Thyroid scan and uptake uses small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers, a special ... is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and determine ...

Constructing publics, preventing diseases and medicalizing bodies: HIV, AIDS, and its visual cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrizzio Mc Manus

Full Text Available Abstract: In this paper we analyze the visual cultures surrounding HIV and AIDS; we are especially interested in tracking the actors, discourses and visual cultures involved in AIDS prevention in Mexico for a period of twenty years: from 1985 to 2005. We use media studies to better comprehend how HIV and AIDS further medicalized human bodies by mobilizing specific discourses, metaphors and visual resources that, though promoting a better understanding of how HIV could be acquired and how it could be prevented, also generated new representations of sexuality, bodies and persons living with HIV or AIDS often biased in favor of different systems of value. Moreover, we try to offer a general characterization of the different publics that were targeted and preconceptions involving ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geography and membership in different sociocultural groups.

AlaScan: A Graphical User Interface for Alanine Scanning Free-Energy Calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadoss, Vijayaraj; Dehez, François; Chipot, Christophe

2016-06-27

Computation of the free-energy changes that underlie molecular recognition and association has gained significant importance due to its considerable potential in drug discovery. The massive increase of computational power in recent years substantiates the application of more accurate theoretical methods for the calculation of binding free energies. The impact of such advances is the application of parent approaches, like computational alanine scanning, to investigate in silico the effect of amino-acid replacement in protein-ligand and protein-protein complexes, or probe the thermostability of individual proteins. Because human effort represents a significant cost that precludes the routine use of this form of free-energy calculations, minimizing manual intervention constitutes a stringent prerequisite for any such systematic computation. With this objective in mind, we propose a new plug-in, referred to as AlaScan, developed within the popular visualization program VMD to automate the major steps in alanine-scanning calculations, employing free-energy perturbation as implemented in the widely used molecular dynamics code NAMD. The AlaScan plug-in can be utilized upstream, to prepare input files for selected alanine mutations. It can also be utilized downstream to perform the analysis of different alanine-scanning calculations and to report the free-energy estimates in a user-friendly graphical user interface, allowing favorable mutations to be identified at a glance. The plug-in also assists the end-user in assessing the reliability of the calculation through rapid visual inspection.

Visualizing period fluctuations in strained-layer superlattices with scanning tunneling microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kanedy, K.; Lopez, F.; Wood, M. R.; Gmachl, C. F.; Weimer, M.; Klem, J. F.; Hawkins, S. D.; Shaner, E. A.; Kim, J. K.

2018-01-01

We show how cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) may be used to accurately map the period fluctuations throughout epitaxial, strained-layer superlattices based on the InAs/InAsSb and InGaAs/InAlAs material systems. The concept, analogous to Bragg's law in high-resolution x-ray diffraction, relies on an analysis of the [001]-convolved reciprocal-space satellite peaks obtained from discrete Fourier transforms of individual STM images. Properly implemented, the technique enables local period measurements that reliably discriminate vertical fluctuations localized to within ˜5 superlattice repeats along the [001] growth direction and orthogonal, lateral fluctuations localized to within ˜40 nm along directions in the growth plane. While not as accurate as x-ray, the inherent, single-image measurement error associated with the method may be made as small as 0.1%, allowing the vertical or lateral period fluctuations contributing to inhomogeneous energy broadening and carrier localization in these structures to be pinpointed and quantified. The direct visualization of unexpectedly large, lateral period fluctuations on nanometer length scales in both strain-balanced systems supports a common understanding in terms of correlated interface roughness.

Cadaver-specific CT scans visualized at the dissection table combined with virtual dissection tables improve learning performance in general gross anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Paech, Daniel; Giesel, Frederik L; Unterhinninghofen, Roland; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Kuner, Thomas; Doll, Sara

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify the benefit of the incorporation of radiologic anatomy (RA), in terms of student training in RA seminars, cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables on the learning success in general anatomy. Three groups of a total of 238 students were compared in a multiple choice general anatomy exam during first-year gross anatomy: (1) a group (year 2015, n 1  = 50) that received training in radiologic image interpretation (RA seminar) and additional access to cadaver CT scans (CT + seminar group); (2) a group (2011, n 2  = 90) that was trained in the RA seminar only (RA seminar group); (3) a group (2011, n 3  = 98) without any radiologic image interpretation training (conventional anatomy group). Furthermore, the students' perception of the new curriculum was assessed qualitatively through a survey. The average test score of the CT + seminar group (21.8 ± 5.0) was significantly higher when compared to both the RA seminar group (18.3 ± 5.0) and the conventional anatomy group (17.1 ± 4.7) (p cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables significantly improved the performance of medical students in general gross anatomy. Medical imaging and virtual dissection should therefore be considered to be part of the standard curriculum of gross anatomy. • Students provided with cadaver CT scans achieved 27 % higher scores in anatomy. • Radiological education integrated into gross anatomy is highly appreciated by medical students. • Simultaneous physical and virtual dissection provide unique conditions to study anatomy.

Effects of facial emotion recognition remediation on visual scanning of novel face stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Pamela J; Luckett, Gemma; Russell, Tamara; Coltheart, Max; Green, Melissa J

2012-11-01

Previous research shows that emotion recognition in schizophrenia can be improved with targeted remediation that draws attention to important facial features (eyes, nose, mouth). Moreover, the effects of training have been shown to last for up to one month after training. The aim of this study was to investigate whether improved emotion recognition of novel faces is associated with concomitant changes in visual scanning of these same novel facial expressions. Thirty-nine participants with schizophrenia received emotion recognition training using Ekman's Micro-Expression Training Tool (METT), with emotion recognition and visual scanpath (VSP) recordings to face stimuli collected simultaneously. Baseline ratings of interpersonal and cognitive functioning were also collected from all participants. Post-METT training, participants showed changes in foveal attention to the features of facial expressions of emotion not used in METT training, which were generally consistent with the information about important features from the METT. In particular, there were changes in how participants looked at the features of facial expressions of emotion surprise, disgust, fear, happiness, and neutral, demonstrating that improved emotion recognition is paralleled by changes in the way participants with schizophrenia viewed novel facial expressions of emotion. However, there were overall decreases in foveal attention to sad and neutral faces that indicate more intensive instruction might be needed for these faces during training. Most importantly, the evidence shows that participant gender may affect training outcomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TU-FG-BRB-12: Real-Time Visualization of Discrete Spot Scanning Proton Therapy Beam for Quality Assurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuzaki, Y; Jenkins, C; Yang, Y; Xing, L; Yoshimura, T; Fujii, Y; Umegaki, K

2016-01-01

Purpose: With the growing adoption of proton beam therapy there is an increasing need for effective and user-friendly tools for performing quality assurance (QA) measurements. The speed and versatility of spot-scanning proton beam (PB) therapy systems present unique challenges for traditional QA tools. To address these challenges a proof-of-concept system was developed to visualize, in real-time, the delivery of individual spots from a spot-scanning PB in order to perform QA measurements. Methods: The PB is directed toward a custom phantom with planar faces coated with a radioluminescent phosphor (Gd2O2s:Tb). As the proton beam passes through the phantom visible light is emitted from the coating and collected by a nearby CMOS camera. The images are processed to determine the locations at which the beam impinges on each face of the phantom. By so doing, the location of each beam can be determined relative to the phantom. The cameras are also used to capture images of the laser alignment system. The phantom contains x-ray fiducials so that it can be easily located with kV imagers. Using this data several quality assurance parameters can be evaluated. Results: The proof-of-concept system was able to visualize discrete PB spots with energies ranging from 70 MeV to 220 MeV. Images were obtained with integration times ranging from 20 to 0.019 milliseconds. If not limited by data transmission, this would correspond to a frame rate of 52,000 fps. Such frame rates enabled visualization of individual spots in real time. Spot locations were found to be highly correlated (R"2=0.99) with the nozzle-mounted spot position monitor indicating excellent spot positioning accuracy Conclusion: The system was shown to be capable of imaging individual spots for all clinical beam energies. Future development will focus on extending the image processing software to provide automated results for a variety of QA tests.

TU-FG-BRB-12: Real-Time Visualization of Discrete Spot Scanning Proton Therapy Beam for Quality Assurance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuzaki, Y [Proton Beam Therapy Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan); Jenkins, C; Yang, Y; Xing, L [Stanford University, Stanford, California (United States); Yoshimura, T; Fujii, Y [Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan); Umegaki, K [Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan)

2016-06-15

Purpose: With the growing adoption of proton beam therapy there is an increasing need for effective and user-friendly tools for performing quality assurance (QA) measurements. The speed and versatility of spot-scanning proton beam (PB) therapy systems present unique challenges for traditional QA tools. To address these challenges a proof-of-concept system was developed to visualize, in real-time, the delivery of individual spots from a spot-scanning PB in order to perform QA measurements. Methods: The PB is directed toward a custom phantom with planar faces coated with a radioluminescent phosphor (Gd2O2s:Tb). As the proton beam passes through the phantom visible light is emitted from the coating and collected by a nearby CMOS camera. The images are processed to determine the locations at which the beam impinges on each face of the phantom. By so doing, the location of each beam can be determined relative to the phantom. The cameras are also used to capture images of the laser alignment system. The phantom contains x-ray fiducials so that it can be easily located with kV imagers. Using this data several quality assurance parameters can be evaluated. Results: The proof-of-concept system was able to visualize discrete PB spots with energies ranging from 70 MeV to 220 MeV. Images were obtained with integration times ranging from 20 to 0.019 milliseconds. If not limited by data transmission, this would correspond to a frame rate of 52,000 fps. Such frame rates enabled visualization of individual spots in real time. Spot locations were found to be highly correlated (R{sup 2}=0.99) with the nozzle-mounted spot position monitor indicating excellent spot positioning accuracy Conclusion: The system was shown to be capable of imaging individual spots for all clinical beam energies. Future development will focus on extending the image processing software to provide automated results for a variety of QA tests.

What Is the Rate of Incomplete Fetal Anatomic Surveys During a Second-Trimester Scan? Retrospective Observational Study of 4000 Nonobese Pregnant Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, Francesco; Gulino, Ferdinando Antonio; Capriglione, Stella; Giorlandino, Maurizio; Cignini, Pietro; Mastrandrea, Maria Luisa; D'Emidio, Laura; Giorlandino, Claudio

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of incomplete fetal anatomic surveys during a second-trimester scan due to an unfavorable fetal position in a nonobese population. All pregnant women who came to the Altamedica Fetal-Maternal Medical Center, a specialized center for prenatal diagnosis, for a routine second-trimester scan between January 2012 and April 2013 were retrospectively included in the analysis. Patients with a body mass index higher than 30.0 kg/m(2) or anterior fibroids larger than 5 cm were not included in the study. Of 4000 pregnant women admitted for a second-trimester scan, 169 (4.2%) came back within 2 weeks to complete the examination because of an unfavorable fetal position. In particular, 104 (2.6%) needed visualization of only 1 view, and 65 (1.6%) needed more than 1 view. The most difficult organ to visualize was the corpus callosum, in 73 cases (1.8%); the face was not visualized in 69 cases (1.7%); the cerebellar vermis was not seen in 47 fetuses (1.1%); and the heart could not be completely examined in 40 fetuses (1.0%). Of the 4000 women, 169 (4.2%) had a nonexhaustive scan; 149 (3.7%) needed a second scan to complete the second-trimester survey; 14 (0.35%) needed a third scan; and 2 (0.05%) remained with a not completely exhaustive scan. There is always a small percentage of incomplete fetal anatomic surveys during a second-trimester scan, which cannot be modified by the sonographer's skill or by technical sonographic innovations. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Three dimensional visualization of medical images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suto, Yasuzo

1992-01-01

Three dimensional visualization is a stereoscopic technique that allows the diagnosis and treatment of complicated anatomy site of the bone and organ. In this article, the current status and technical application of three dimensional visualization are introduced with special reference to X-ray CT and MRI. The surface display technique is the most common for three dimensional visualization, consisting of geometric model, voxel element, and stereographic composition techniques. Recent attention has been paid to display method of the content of the subject called as volume rendering, whereby information on the living body is provided accurately. The application of three dimensional visualization is described in terms of diagnostic imaging and surgical simulation. (N.K.)

Seeing patients and life contexts: the visual arts in medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Boisaubin, E V; Winkler, M G

2000-05-01

In many ways, the practice of medicine has been a visual science from the time of the early Renaissance anatomists to the high-speed scanners of today. But images of patients and their anatomical parts do not necessarily lead to an understanding of their problems. Meaning must follow the sensory experience and be coupled with reflection. The visual arts, therefore, can be used to help physicians in training increase their observational and interpretive skills. Works by classic and contemporary artists can be used to increase awareness of the complex nature of human beings and their conditions, which lie beneath the appearances. In addition to painting, television, motion pictures, and printed media may also be used in classroom settings to educate. Medical schools that do not have accessible fine arts or humanities programs may form allegiances with local artists to increase communication and understanding between these disciplines.

Clinical importance of re-interpretation of PET/CT scanning in patients referred to a tertiary care medical centre

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Löfgren, Johan; Loft, Annika; Barbosa de Lima, Vinicius Araújo

2017-01-01

had an external F-18-FDG PET/CT scan were included. Only information that had been available at the time of the initial reading at the external hospital was available at re-interpretation. Teams with one radiologist and one nuclear medicine physician working side by side performed the re......PURPOSE: To evaluate, in a controlled prospective manner with double-blind read, whether there are differences in interpretations of PET/CT scans at our tertiary medical centre, Rigshospitalet, compared to the external hospitals. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients referred to our department who...

SU-F-T-468: Efficient Scanning Data Analysis for TomoTherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sintay, B; Pearman, K; Maurer, J; Liu, H; Hayes, T; Wiant, D [Cone Health Cancer Center, Greensboro, NC (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The standard TomoTherapy 2D scanning system requires manual analysis using spreadsheets or similar software. Manual analysis is time consuming and does not allow efficient use of the medical physicist or timely results that may indicate issues during the acquisition of data. The purpose of this study is to determine if an in-house solution can provide timely analysis of TomoTherapy scan data. Methods: A custom MATLAB program utilizing a streamlined graphical interface was developed to interpret the native scanning data acquired by the TomoTherapy Electrometer Measurement System (TEMS). The gold beam data provided by the manufacturer was used as a baseline for the acquired data. Two separate sets of scan data were used including longitudinal, transverse, and percent depth dose (PDD). The scan data were compared visually in an overlay and analytically for each beam width using the full width half max (FWHM) for longitudinal profiles and difference inside the field core for the transverse profiles as recommended by TG-148. A plot of the PDD percent error at each point along the curve was generated to show agreement. The time to analysis was measured on a laptop running an Intel i5 processor with 8GB of RAM. Results: The software program required on average less than 5 seconds to load and analyze the results. No conversion or reformatting of the data was required. This allowed real-time visualization of the comparison to the gold beam data as well as the parameters recommended by TG-148. The average percent difference was 0.3% for the longitudinal profiles and 0.1% for the transverse profiles. All PDD data was less than 1% different beyond dmax. Conclusion: We have developed a tool to analyze TomoTherapy scan data in real-time. This allows an efficient method to perform beam commissioning, annual QA, and adjust the beam parameters if necessary.

Improved medical image modality classification using a combination of visual and textual features.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrovski, Ivica; Kocev, Dragi; Kitanovski, Ivan; Loskovska, Suzana; Džeroski, Sašo

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present the approach that we applied to the medical modality classification tasks at the ImageCLEF evaluation forum. More specifically, we used the modality classification databases from the ImageCLEF competitions in 2011, 2012 and 2013, described by four visual and one textual types of features, and combinations thereof. We used local binary patterns, color and edge directivity descriptors, fuzzy color and texture histogram and scale-invariant feature transform (and its variant opponentSIFT) as visual features and the standard bag-of-words textual representation coupled with TF-IDF weighting. The results from the extensive experimental evaluation identify the SIFT and opponentSIFT features as the best performing features for modality classification. Next, the low-level fusion of the visual features improves the predictive performance of the classifiers. This is because the different features are able to capture different aspects of an image, their combination offering a more complete representation of the visual content in an image. Moreover, adding textual features further increases the predictive performance. Finally, the results obtained with our approach are the best results reported on these databases so far. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digitization of medical documents: an X-Windows application for fast scanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, A; Salvador, C H; Gonzalez, M A; Dueñas, A

1992-01-01

This paper deals with digitization, using a commercial scanner, of medical documents as still images for introduction into a computer-based Information System. Document management involves storing, editing and transmission. This task has usually been approached from the perspective of the difficulties posed by radiologic images because of their indisputable qualitative and quantitative significance. However, healthcare activities require the management of many other types of documents and involve the requirements of numerous users. One key to document management will be the availability of a digitizer to deal with the greatest possible number of different types of documents. This paper describes the relevant aspects of documents and the technical specifications that digitizers must fulfill. The concept of document type is introduced as the ideal set of digitizing parameters for a given document. The use of document type parameters can drastically reduce the time the user spends in scanning sessions. Presentation is made of an application based on Unix, X-Windows and OSF/Motif, with a GPIB interface, implemented around the document type concept. Finally, the results of the evaluation of the application are presented, focusing on the user interface, as well as on the viewing of color images in an X-Windows environment and the use of lossy algorithms in the compression of medical images.

Secondary visual workload capability with primary visual and kinesthetic-tactual displays

Science.gov (United States)

Gilson, R. D.; Burke, M. W.; Jagacinski, R. J.

1978-01-01

Subjects performed a cross-adaptive tracking task with a visual secondary display and either a visual or a quickened kinesthetic-tactual (K-T) primary display. The quickened K-T display resulted in superior secondary task performance. Comparisons of secondary workload capability with integrated and separated visual displays indicated that the superiority of the quickened K-T display was not simply due to the elimination of visual scanning. When subjects did not have to perform a secondary task, there was no significant difference between visual and quickened K-T displays in performing a critical tracking task.

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... an x-ray or CT scan, surgeries or treatments using iodinated contrast material within the last two months. are taking medications or ingesting other substances that contain iodine , including kelp, seaweed, cough syrups, multivitamins or heart medications. have any ...

Semiautomatic estimation of breast density with DM-Scan software.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Gómez, I; Casals El Busto, M; Antón Guirao, J; Ruiz Perales, F; Llobet Azpitarte, R

2014-01-01

To evaluate the reproducibility of the calculation of breast density with DM-Scan software, which is based on the semiautomatic segmentation of fibroglandular tissue, and to compare it with the reproducibility of estimation by visual inspection. The study included 655 direct digital mammograms acquired using craniocaudal projections. Three experienced radiologists analyzed the density of the mammograms using DM-Scan, and the inter- and intra-observer agreement between pairs of radiologists for the Boyd and BI-RADS® scales were calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The Kappa index was used to compare the inter- and intra-observer agreements with those obtained previously for visual inspection in the same set of images. For visual inspection, the mean interobserver agreement was 0,876 (95% CI: 0,873-0,879) on the Boyd scale and 0,823 (95% CI: 0,818-0,829) on the BI-RADS® scale. The mean intraobserver agreement was 0,813 (95% CI: 0,796-0,829) on the Boyd scale and 0,770 (95% CI: 0,742-0,797) on the BI-RADS® scale. For DM-Scan, the mean inter- and intra-observer agreement was 0,92, considerably higher than the agreement for visual inspection. The semiautomatic calculation of breast density using DM-Scan software is more reliable and reproducible than visual estimation and reduces the subjectivity and variability in determining breast density. Copyright © 2012 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Lung PET scan

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... Chest PET scan; Lung positron emission tomography; PET - chest; PET - lung; PET - tumor imaging; ... Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging . 6th ed. Philadelphia, ...

Visual acuity and associated factors. The Central India Eye and Medical Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinay Nangia

Full Text Available Visual acuity is a major parameter for quality of vision and quality of life. Information on visual acuity and its associated factors in rural societies almost untouched by any industrialization is mostly non-available. It was, therefore, the purpose of our study to determine the distribution of visual acuity and its associated factors in a rural population not marked influenced by modern lifestyle. The population-based Central India Eye and Medical Study included 4711 subjects (aged 30+ years, who underwent a detailed ophthalmologic examination including visual acuity measurement. Visual acuity measurements were available for 4706 subjects with a mean age of 49.5±13.4 years (range: 30-100 years. BCVA decreased significantly (P<0.001 from the moderately hyperopic group (0.08±0.15 logMAR to the emmetropic group (0.16±0.52 logMAR, the moderately myopic group (0.28±0.33 logMAR, the highly hyperopic group (0.66±0.62 logMAR and finally the highly myopic group (1.32±0.92 logMAR. In multivariate analysis, BCVA was significantly associated with the systemic parameters of lower age (P<0.001, higher level of education (P<0.001, higher body stature (P<0.001 and higher body mass index (P<0.001, and with the ophthalmic parameters of more hyperopic refractive error (spherical equivalent (P<0.001, shorter axial length (P<0.001, lower degree of nuclear cataract (P<0.001, and lower intraocular pressure (P = 0.006. The results suggest that in the rural population of Central India, major determinants of visual acuity were socioeconomic background, body stature and body mass index, age, refractive error, cataract and intraocular pressure.

Cadaver-specific CT scans visualized at the dissection table combined with virtual dissection tables improve learning performance in general gross anatomy

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Paech, Daniel [German Cancer Research Center, Department of Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany); Heidelberg University, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg (Germany); Giesel, Frederik L. [University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Heidelberg (Germany); Unterhinninghofen, Roland [Institute of Anthropomatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany); Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter [German Cancer Research Center, Department of Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany); Kuner, Thomas; Doll, Sara [Heidelberg University, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-05-15

The purpose of this study was to quantify the benefit of the incorporation of radiologic anatomy (RA), in terms of student training in RA seminars, cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables on the learning success in general anatomy. Three groups of a total of 238 students were compared in a multiple choice general anatomy exam during first-year gross anatomy: (1) a group (year 2015, n{sub 1} = 50) that received training in radiologic image interpretation (RA seminar) and additional access to cadaver CT scans (CT + seminar group); (2) a group (2011, n{sub 2} = 90) that was trained in the RA seminar only (RA seminar group); (3) a group (2011, n{sub 3} = 98) without any radiologic image interpretation training (conventional anatomy group). Furthermore, the students' perception of the new curriculum was assessed qualitatively through a survey. The average test score of the CT + seminar group (21.8 ± 5.0) was significantly higher when compared to both the RA seminar group (18.3 ± 5.0) and the conventional anatomy group (17.1 ± 4.7) (p < 0.001). The incorporation of cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables significantly improved the performance of medical students in general gross anatomy. Medical imaging and virtual dissection should therefore be considered to be part of the standard curriculum of gross anatomy. circle Students provided with cadaver CT scans achieved 27 % higher scores in anatomy. (orig.)

Cadaver-specific CT scans visualized at the dissection table combined with virtual dissection tables improve learning performance in general gross anatomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paech, Daniel; Giesel, Frederik L.; Unterhinninghofen, Roland; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Kuner, Thomas; Doll, Sara

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify the benefit of the incorporation of radiologic anatomy (RA), in terms of student training in RA seminars, cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables on the learning success in general anatomy. Three groups of a total of 238 students were compared in a multiple choice general anatomy exam during first-year gross anatomy: (1) a group (year 2015, n_1 = 50) that received training in radiologic image interpretation (RA seminar) and additional access to cadaver CT scans (CT + seminar group); (2) a group (2011, n_2 = 90) that was trained in the RA seminar only (RA seminar group); (3) a group (2011, n_3 = 98) without any radiologic image interpretation training (conventional anatomy group). Furthermore, the students' perception of the new curriculum was assessed qualitatively through a survey. The average test score of the CT + seminar group (21.8 ± 5.0) was significantly higher when compared to both the RA seminar group (18.3 ± 5.0) and the conventional anatomy group (17.1 ± 4.7) (p < 0.001). The incorporation of cadaver CT scans and life-size virtual dissection tables significantly improved the performance of medical students in general gross anatomy. Medical imaging and virtual dissection should therefore be considered to be part of the standard curriculum of gross anatomy. circle Students provided with cadaver CT scans achieved 27 % higher scores in anatomy. (orig.)

Non-invasive retinal imaging in mice with fluorescent Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy and Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

OpenAIRE

Hossein-Javaheri, Nima

2010-01-01

Visualization of the internal structures of the retina is critical for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of pathology as well as for medical research investigating the root causes of retinal degeneration. The aim of this thesis is to develop multi-modal non-invasive imaging technology for studying retinal degeneration and gene therapy in mice. We have constructed a FD-OCT prototype and combined it with a Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) to permit real time alignment of the retinal field of...

Diagnosing cerebral visual impairment in children with good visual acuity.

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van Genderen, Maria; Dekker, Marjoke; Pilon, Florine; Bals, Irmgard

2012-06-01

To identify elements that could facilitate the diagnosis of cerebral visual impairment (CVI) in children with good visual acuity in the general ophthalmic clinic. We retrospectively investigated the clinical characteristics of 30 children with good visual acuity and CVI and compared them with those of 23 children who were referred with a suspicion of CVI, but proved to have a different diagnosis. Clinical characteristics included medical history, MRI findings, visual acuity, crowding ratio (CR), visual field assessment, and the results of ophthalmologic and orthoptic examination. We also evaluated the additional value of a short CVI questionnaire. Eighty-three percent of the children with an abnormal medical history (mainly prematurity and perinatal hypoxia) had CVI, in contrast with none of the children with a normal medical history. Cerebral palsy, visual field defects, and partial optic atrophy only occurred in the CVI group. 41% of the children with CVI had a CR ≥2.0, which may be related to dorsal stream dysfunction. All children with CVI, but also 91% of the children without CVI gave ≥3 affirmative answers on the CVI questionnaire. An abnormal pre- or perinatal medical history is the most important risk factor for CVI in children, and therefore in deciding which children should be referred for further multidisciplinary assessment. Additional symptoms of cerebral damage, i.e., cerebral palsy, visual field defects, partial optic atrophy, and a CR ≥2 may support the diagnosis. CVI questionnaires should not be used for screening purposes as they yield too many false positives.

Scanning behavior in echolocating common pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna-Maria Seibert

Full Text Available Echolocating bats construct an auditory world sequentially by analyzing successive pulse-echo pairs. Many other mammals rely upon a visual world, acquired by sequential foveal fixations connected by visual gaze saccades. We investigated the scanning behavior of bats and compared it to visual scanning. We assumed that each pulse-echo pair evaluation corresponds to a foveal fixation and that sonar beam movements between pulses can be seen as acoustic gaze saccades. We used a two-dimensional 16 microphone array to determine the sonar beam direction of succeeding pulses and to characterize the three dimensional scanning behavior in the common pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus flying in the field. We also used variations of signal amplitude of single microphone recordings as indicator for scanning behavior in open space. We analyzed 33 flight sequences containing more than 700 echolocation calls to determine bat positions, source levels, and beam aiming. When searching for prey and orienting in space, bats moved their sonar beam in all directions, often alternately back and forth. They also produced sequences with irregular or no scanning movements. When approaching the array, the scanning movements were much smaller and the beam was moved over the array in small steps. Differences in the scanning pattern at various recording sites indicated that the scanning behavior depended on the echolocation task that was being performed. The scanning angles varied over a wide range and were often larger than the maximum angle measurable by our array. We found that echolocating bats use a "saccade and fixate" strategy similar to vision. Through the use of scanning movements, bats are capable of finding and exploring targets in a wide search cone centered along flight direction.

Automated detection of analyzable metaphase chromosome cells depicted on scanned digital microscopic images

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Yuchen; Wang, Xingwei; Chen, Xiaodong; Li, Yuhua; Liu, Hong; Li, Shibo; Zheng, Bin

2010-02-01

Visually searching for analyzable metaphase chromosome cells under microscopes is quite time-consuming and difficult. To improve detection efficiency, consistency, and diagnostic accuracy, an automated microscopic image scanning system was developed and tested to directly acquire digital images with sufficient spatial resolution for clinical diagnosis. A computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme was also developed and integrated into the image scanning system to search for and detect the regions of interest (ROI) that contain analyzable metaphase chromosome cells in the large volume of scanned images acquired from one specimen. Thus, the cytogeneticists only need to observe and interpret the limited number of ROIs. In this study, the high-resolution microscopic image scanning and CAD performance was investigated and evaluated using nine sets of images scanned from either bone marrow (three) or blood (six) specimens for diagnosis of leukemia. The automated CAD-selection results were compared with the visual selection. In the experiment, the cytogeneticists first visually searched for the analyzable metaphase chromosome cells from specimens under microscopes. The specimens were also automated scanned and followed by applying the CAD scheme to detect and save ROIs containing analyzable cells while deleting the others. The automated selected ROIs were then examined by a panel of three cytogeneticists. From the scanned images, CAD selected more analyzable cells than initially visual examinations of the cytogeneticists in both blood and bone marrow specimens. In general, CAD had higher performance in analyzing blood specimens. Even in three bone marrow specimens, CAD selected 50, 22, 9 ROIs, respectively. Except matching with the initially visual selection of 9, 7, and 5 analyzable cells in these three specimens, the cytogeneticists also selected 41, 15 and 4 new analyzable cells, which were missed in initially visual searching. This experiment showed the feasibility of

[An epidemiological study of visual disability and visual rehabilitation in Beijing].

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yan-hong; Ding, Ji-yuan; Peng, Hong; Shi, Ji-liang; Qu, Cheng-yi; Liu, Xi-pu

2009-12-01

To investigate the status of visual disability and the demands for visual rehabilitation services in Beijing. Five hundred and fifty-five persons with visual disability in Beijing from the Second National Survey on Disability of China were involved in this study. Their visual disability and demands for rehabilitation were evaluated. About three fourth of the visual disabled persons were over 60 years of age. Cataract, retinal and choroidal diseases, and glaucoma were the three leading causes of the visual impairment. Medical service was the number one (82.0%) demand for the persons with visual disability, although 89.4% of them had previously received some kinds of medial services. People who had received visual aid devices or rehabilitation training were 26.7% and 5.8%, respectively, while more people showed their demand for these service (36.6% and 11.9%, respectively). The demand for visual rehabilitation varied in different groups of age and severity of disability. Accessibility of high quality medical services for preventable blindness diseases should be further promoted. Public health education on visual rehabilitation is also needed.

Online Dissection Audio-Visual Resources for Human Anatomy: Undergraduate Medical Students' Usage and Learning Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Choi-Lundberg, Derek L.; Cuellar, William A.; Williams, Anne-Marie M.

2016-01-01

In an attempt to improve undergraduate medical student preparation for and learning from dissection sessions, dissection audio-visual resources (DAVR) were developed. Data from e-learning management systems indicated DAVR were accessed by 28% ± 10 (mean ± SD for nine DAVR across three years) of students prior to the corresponding dissection…

The use of PET/CT scanning technique for 3D visualization and quantification of real-time soil/plant interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garbout, Amin; Munkholm, Lars Juhl; Hansen, Søren Bechmann

2012-01-01

to assimilate 11CO2 for 90 min before PET scanning was initiated. We carried out PET scanning for 60 min. Subsequently, the aerial parts of the plant was cut off and the pot was rescanned using a micro-CT scanner to obtain more detailed information on structure of the root system and the growth medium structure...... of the sand. We found the highest concentration of 11C at the position of the main root. The PET images, at different time intervals, showed the translocation and metabolisation of photo-assimilates from top to root. Using the micro-CT scanner (voxel size of 90 μm), we were able to detect roots down to 100 mm...... demonstrated the simultaneous use of PET (positron emission tomography) and CT (X-ray computed tomography) to (a) non-destructively image a whole plant growing in sand, and (b) to link the observed morphology with recently assimilated C. The PET scanner was used to detect and visualize the location...

Usefulness of 3D-image of ossicles with helical scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makihata, Hiroshi; Kimura, Hideaki; Hanaguri, Katsurou; Fukushima, Noriyuki; Oda, Yukari

1995-01-01

It is important to understand the abnormalities of ossicles (continuity, destruction and malformation) in clinical practice of middle ear diseases. Multidirection exposures were needed to visualize ossicles with the conventional CT scanning, because they are visualized in 2D images. It was difficult to make patients hold the posture and to settle the problems such as an increase in X-ray dose. We created 3D images of ossicles with a helical scanning, and examined the visualization of the normal and abnormal ear (otitis media cholesteatoma) especially in terms of continuity in each of 20 patients. We would here like to report the favorable results together with some literature review. (author)

Scanning holograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natali, S.

1984-01-01

This chapter reports on the scanning of 1000 holograms taken in HOBC at CERN. Each hologram is triggered by an interaction in the chamber, the primary particles being pions at 340 GeV/c. The aim of the experiment is the study of charm production. The holograms, recorded on 50 mm film with the ''in line'' technique, can be analyzed by shining a parallel expanded laser beam through the film, obtaining immediately above it the real image of the chamber which can then be scanned and measured with a technique half way between emulsions and bubble chambers. The results indicate that holograms can be analyzed as quickly and reliably as in other visual techniques and that to them is open the same order of magnitude of large scale experiments

Visualization of femoral vessels in delayed bone scans - a sign of arteriosclerosis. A comparison of /sup 99m/Tc-MDP and /sup 99m/Tc-DPD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lantto, T.; Jaervi, K.; Toivio, I.; Vaehaetalo, S.; Vorne, M.

1989-05-01

The activity of femoral vessels in delayed bone scans was evaluated visually in 237 consecutive patients and quantified in 40 female patients. In visual analysis the patients were randomly divided into three groups and in quantitative analysis into four groups of equal size. Two different MDP preparations and one DPD preparation were used as bone-seeking agents. With aging, the activity in femoral vessels increased with all agents in visual analysis, significantly with MDPs (P < 0.001) between patients less than or equal to 60 years and > 60 years. In female patients with all agents a significant increase in femoral activity was found (P < 0.001 with MDPs, P < 0.05 with DPD). In patients > 60 years, the femoral uptake was significantly higher with MDP when compared with the DPD uptake (P < 0.01 with MDP 1, P < 0.05 with MDP 2). Between the MDPs no significant differences were found. In quantitative analysis the femoral vessel to soft tissue ratio was significantly higher in patients > 70 years when compared with patients less than or equal to 50 years with MDP. No difference was found with DPD. Histological examination of excised arteries of ten patients with intense femoral uptake of MDP showed arteriosclerosis and calcification in all cases. The findings suggest that the femoral visualization in delayed bone scans is probably related to arteriosclerosis and is not a non specific finding. There may be age-related differences in the distribution of MDP and DPD.

The use of real time ultrasound scanning as a teaching method of anatomy in an undergraduate sonography and medical imaging degree in an Australian university

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowman, A.; Lawson, C.; McKillup, S.

2016-01-01

Background: Real-time ultrasound scanning is increasing in popularity as a teaching tool for human anatomy because it is non-invasive, offers real-time 3-D anatomy and is cheaper than dissections. Aim: To assess real-time ultrasound scanning as a teaching method of human anatomy, and to determine what teaching methods medical imaging and sonography students consider effective for understanding human anatomy. Method: Surveys were distributed to two consecutive cohorts of first year medical imaging and medical sonography students at CQUniversity. Participation was voluntary. Comparisons among teaching methods were made using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Real-time ultrasound scanning was the most preferred method of delivery for anatomy classes overall especially compared to computer programs, videos, 3-D radiological images and dissection. Specifically, students indicated that ultrasound scanning was the preferred method to encourage learning from experience (F 7,231  = 2.942, p = 0.006), to develop team skills (F 7,231  = 4.550, p < 0.006), to follow complex instructions (F 7,231  = 4.656 p < 0.001) and to appreciate anatomical variation (F 7,231  = 2.067, p = 0.048). Dissection was the least favoured teaching method. Conclusion: Real-time ultrasound scanning is a useful tool for teaching anatomy, and animal dissections are a poor substitute for the use of human cadavers. - Highlights: • Real-time ultrasound scanning is a valid teaching tool for human anatomy. • Real-time ultrasound is preferred by students compared to other teaching methods. • Dissection is the least favoured method to learn anatomy. • Ultrasound encourages learning from experience and develops team skills.

High-intensity erotic visual stimuli de-activate the primary visual cortex in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Hieu K; Beers, Caroline; Willemsen, Antoon; Lont, Erna; Laan, Ellen; Dierckx, Rudi; Jansen, Monique; Sand, Michael; Weijmar Schultz, Willibrord; Holstege, Gert

2012-06-01

The primary visual cortex, Brodmann's area (BA 17), plays a vital role in basic survival mechanisms in humans. In most neuro-imaging studies in which the volunteers have to watch pictures or movies, the primary visual cortex is similarly activated independent of the content of the pictures or movies. However, in case the volunteers perform demanding non-visual tasks, the primary visual cortex becomes de-activated, although the amount of incoming visual sensory information is the same. Do low- and high-intensity erotic movies, compared to neutral movies, produce similar de-activation of the primary visual cortex? Brain activation/de-activation was studied by Positron Emission Tomography scanning of the brains of 12 healthy heterosexual premenopausal women, aged 18-47, who watched neutral, low- and high-intensity erotic film segments. We measured differences in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the primary visual cortex during watching neutral, low-intensity erotic, and high-intensity erotic film segments. Watching high-intensity erotic, but not low-intensity erotic movies, compared to neutral movies resulted in strong de-activation of the primary (BA 17) and adjoining parts of the secondary visual cortex. The strong de-activation during watching high-intensity erotic film might represent compensation for the increased blood supply in the brain regions involved in sexual arousal, also because high-intensity erotic movies do not require precise scanning of the visual field, because the impact is clear to the observer. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Scanning laser polarimetry, but not optical coherence tomography predicts permanent visual field loss in acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kupersmith, Mark J; Anderson, Susan; Durbin, Mary; Kardon, Randy

2013-08-15

Scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) reveals abnormal retardance of birefringence in locations of the edematous peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which appear thickened by optical coherence tomography (OCT), in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). We hypothesize initial sector SLP RNFL abnormalities will correlate with long-term regional visual field loss due to ischemic injury. We prospectively performed automated perimetry, SLP, and high definition OCT (HD-OCT) of the RNFL in 25 eyes with acute NAION. We grouped visual field threshold and RNFL values into Garway-Heath inferior/superior disc sectors and corresponding superior/inferior field regions. We compared sector SLP RNFL thickness with corresponding visual field values at presentation and at >3 months. At presentation, 12 eyes had superior sector SLP reduction, 11 of which had inferior field loss. Six eyes, all with superior field loss, had inferior sector SLP reduction. No eyes had reduced OCT-derived RNFL acutely. Eyes with abnormal field regions had corresponding SLP sectors thinner (P = 0.003) than for sectors with normal field regions. During the acute phase, the SLP-derived sector correlated with presentation (r = 0.59, P = 0.02) and with >3-month after presentation (r = 0.44, P = 0.02) corresponding superior and inferior field thresholds. Abnormal RNFL birefringence occurs in sectors corresponding to regional visual field loss during acute NAION when OCT-derived RNFL shows thickening. Since the visual field deficits show no significant recovery, SLP can be an early marker for axonal injury, which may be used to assess recovery potential at RNFL locations with respect to new treatments for acute NAION.

Algorithm-enabled partial-angular-scan configurations for dual-energy CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Buxin; Zhang, Zheng; Xia, Dan; Sidky, Emil Y; Pan, Xiaochuan

2018-05-01

We seek to investigate an optimization-based one-step method for image reconstruction that explicitly compensates for nonlinear spectral response (i.e., the beam-hardening effect) in dual-energy CT, to investigate the feasibility of the one-step method for enabling two dual-energy partial-angular-scan configurations, referred to as the short- and half-scan configurations, on standard CT scanners without involving additional hardware, and to investigate the potential of the short- and half-scan configurations in reducing imaging dose and scan time in a single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration in which two full rotations are made for collection of dual-energy data. We use the one-step method to reconstruct images directly from dual-energy data through solving a nonconvex optimization program that specifies the images to be reconstructed in dual-energy CT. Dual-energy full-scan data are generated from numerical phantoms and collected from physical phantoms with the standard single-kVp-switch full-scan configuration, whereas dual-energy short- and half-scan data are extracted from the corresponding full-scan data. Besides visual inspection and profile-plot comparison, the reconstructed images are analyzed also in quantitative studies based upon tasks of linear-attenuation-coefficient and material-concentration estimation and of material differentiation. Following the performance of a computer-simulation study to verify that the one-step method can reconstruct numerically accurately basis and monochromatic images of numerical phantoms, we reconstruct basis and monochromatic images by using the one-step method from real data of physical phantoms collected with the full-, short-, and half-scan configurations. Subjective inspection based upon visualization and profile-plot comparison reveals that monochromatic images, which are used often in practical applications, reconstructed from the full-, short-, and half-scan data are largely visually comparable except for some

Using visual art and collaborative reflection to explore medical attitudes toward vulnerable persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidd, Monica; Nixon, Lara; Rosenal, Tom; Jackson, Roberta; Pereles, Laurie; Mitchell, Ian; Bendiak, Glenda; Hughes, Lisa

2016-01-01

Vulnerable persons often face stigma-related barriers while seeking health care. Innovative education and professional development methods are needed to help change this. We describe an interdisciplinary group workshop designed around a discomfiting oil portrait, intended to trigger provocative conversations among health care students and practitioners, and we present our mixed methods analysis of participant reflections. After the workshop, participants were significantly more likely to endorse the statements that the observation and interpretive skills involved in viewing visual art are relevant to patient care and that visual art should be used in medical education to improve students' observational skills, narrative skills, and empathy with their patients. Subsequent to the workshop, significantly more participants agreed that art interpretation should be required curriculum for health care students. Qualitative comments from two groups from two different education and professional contexts were examined for themes; conversations focused on issues of power, body image/self-esteem, and lessons for clinical practice. We argue that difficult conversations about affective responses to vulnerable persons are possible in a collaborative context using well-chosen works of visual art that can stand in for a patient.

Using visual art and collaborative reflection to explore medical attitudes toward vulnerable persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Kidd

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Vulnerable persons often face stigma-related barriers while seeking health care. Innovative education and professional development methods are needed to help change this. Method: We describe an interdisciplinary group workshop designed around a discomfiting oil portrait, intended to trigger provocative conversations among health care students and practitioners, and we present our mixed methods analysis of participant reflections. Results: After the workshop, participants were significantly more likely to endorse the statements that the observation and interpretive skills involved in viewing visual art are relevant to patient care and that visual art should be used in medical education to improve students’ observational skills, narrative skills, and empathy with their patients.  Subsequent to the workshop, significantly more participants agreed that art interpretation should be required curriculum for health care students. Qualitative comments from two groups from two different education and professional contexts were examined for themes; conversations focused on issues of power, body image/self-esteem, and lessons for clinical practice.    Conclusions: We argue that difficult conversations about affective responses to vulnerable persons are possible in a collaborative context using well-chosen works of visual art that can stand in for a patient.

Visual Scan Paths and Recognition of Facial Identity in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, C. Ellie; Palermo, Romina; Brock, Jon

2012-01-01

Background Previous research suggests that many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have impaired facial identity recognition, and also exhibit abnormal visual scanning of faces. Here, two hypotheses accounting for an association between these observations were tested: i) better facial identity recognition is associated with increased gaze time on the Eye region; ii) better facial identity recognition is associated with increased eye-movements around the face. Methodology and Principal Findings Eye-movements of 11 children with ASD and 11 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls were recorded whilst they viewed a series of faces, and then completed a two alternative forced-choice recognition memory test for the faces. Scores on the memory task were standardized according to age. In both groups, there was no evidence of an association between the proportion of time spent looking at the Eye region of faces and age-standardized recognition performance, thus the first hypothesis was rejected. However, the ‘Dynamic Scanning Index’ – which was incremented each time the participant saccaded into and out of one of the core-feature interest areas – was strongly associated with age-standardized face recognition scores in both groups, even after controlling for various other potential predictors of performance. Conclusions and Significance In support of the second hypothesis, results suggested that increased saccading between core-features was associated with more accurate face recognition ability, both in typical development and ASD. Causal directions of this relationship remain undetermined. PMID:22666378

Advances in Multi-Sensor Scanning and Visualization of Complex Plants: the Utmost Case of a Reactor Building

Science.gov (United States)

Hullo, J.-F.; Thibault, G.; Boucheny, C.

2015-02-01

In a context of increased maintenance operations and workers generational renewal, a nuclear owner and operator like Electricité de France (EDF) is interested in the scaling up of tools and methods of "as-built virtual reality" for larger buildings and wider audiences. However, acquisition and sharing of as-built data on a large scale (large and complex multi-floored buildings) challenge current scientific and technical capacities. In this paper, we first present a state of the art of scanning tools and methods for industrial plants with very complex architecture. Then, we introduce the inner characteristics of the multi-sensor scanning and visualization of the interior of the most complex building of a power plant: a nuclear reactor building. We introduce several developments that made possible a first complete survey of such a large building, from acquisition, processing and fusion of multiple data sources (3D laser scans, total-station survey, RGB panoramic, 2D floor plans, 3D CAD as-built models). In addition, we present the concepts of a smart application developed for the painless exploration of the whole dataset. The goal of this application is to help professionals, unfamiliar with the manipulation of such datasets, to take into account spatial constraints induced by the building complexity while preparing maintenance operations. Finally, we discuss the main feedbacks of this large experiment, the remaining issues for the generalization of such large scale surveys and the future technical and scientific challenges in the field of industrial "virtual reality".

Biomedical visual data analysis to build an intelligent diagnostic decision support system in medical genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuru, Kaya; Niranjan, Mahesan; Tunca, Yusuf; Osvank, Erhan; Azim, Tayyaba

2014-10-01

In general, medical geneticists aim to pre-diagnose underlying syndromes based on facial features before performing cytological or molecular analyses where a genotype-phenotype interrelation is possible. However, determining correct genotype-phenotype interrelationships among many syndromes is tedious and labor-intensive, especially for extremely rare syndromes. Thus, a computer-aided system for pre-diagnosis can facilitate effective and efficient decision support, particularly when few similar cases are available, or in remote rural districts where diagnostic knowledge of syndromes is not readily available. The proposed methodology, visual diagnostic decision support system (visual diagnostic DSS), employs machine learning (ML) algorithms and digital image processing techniques in a hybrid approach for automated diagnosis in medical genetics. This approach uses facial features in reference images of disorders to identify visual genotype-phenotype interrelationships. Our statistical method describes facial image data as principal component features and diagnoses syndromes using these features. The proposed system was trained using a real dataset of previously published face images of subjects with syndromes, which provided accurate diagnostic information. The method was tested using a leave-one-out cross-validation scheme with 15 different syndromes, each of comprised 5-9 cases, i.e., 92 cases in total. An accuracy rate of 83% was achieved using this automated diagnosis technique, which was statistically significant (pbenefits of using hybrid image processing and ML-based computer-aided diagnostics for identifying facial phenotypes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of visual training for patients with visual field defects due to brain damage : a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwmeester, Lies; Heutink, Joost; Lucas, Cees

The objective of this review was to evaluate whether systematic visual training leads to ( 1) a restitution of the visual field ( restoration), ( 2) an increase in the visual search field size or an improvement in scanning strategies (compensation) and ( 3) a transfer of training-related

SU-F-T-213: Commissioning Results of the Prototype Active Scanning Irradiation System of Korea Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, C; Seduk, J; Yang, T [Korea Institute of Radiological And Medical Sciences, Seoul, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

Purpose: A prototype actives scanning beam delivery system was designed, manufactured and installed as a part of the Korea Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator Project. The prototype system includes the most components for steering, modulating, detecting incident beam to patient. The system was installed in MC-50 cyclotron beam line and tested to extract the normal operation conditions. Methods: The commissioning process was completed by using 45 MeV of proton beam. To measure the beam position accuracy along the scanning magnet power supply current, 25 different spots were scanning and measured. The scanning results on GaF film were compared with the irradiation plan. Also, the beam size variation and the intensity reduction using range shifter were measured and analyzed. The results will be used for creating a conversion factors for asymmetric behavior of scanning magnets and a dose compensation factor for longitudinal direction. Results: The results show asymmetry operations on both scanning × and y magnet. In case of scanning magnet × operation, the current to position conversion factors were measured 1.69 mm/A for positive direction and 1.74 mm/A for negative direction. The scanning magnet y operation shows 1.38mm/A and 1.48 mm/A for both directions. The size of incoming beam which was 18 mm as sigma becomes larger up to 55 mm as sigma while using 10 mm of the range shifter plate. As the beam size becomes large, the maximum intensity of the was decreased. In case of using 10 mm of range shifter, the maximum intensity was only 52% compared with no range shifter insertion. Conclusion: For the appropriate operation of the prototype active scanning system, the commissioning process were performed to measure the beam characteristics variation. The obtained results would be applied on the irradiation planning software for more precise dose delivery using the active scanning system.

Increased Sensitivity to Pathological Brain Changes Using Co-registration of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burdett, J.; Stevens, J.; Flugel, D.; Williams, E.; Duncan, J.S.; Lemieux, L. [National Society for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter (United Kingdom). The MRI Unit

2006-12-15

Purpose: To compare automatic software-based co-registration of serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with conventional visual comparison, by expert neuroradiologists.Material and Methods: Sixty-four patients who were referred to our epilepsy MRI unit for cerebral imaging were identified as having potentially, non- or slow-growing lesions or cerebral atrophy and followed with sequential scans over a period of up to 8 years, resulting in a total of 92 pairs of scans. Scans were categorized as showing either lesions or atrophy. Each pair of scans was reviewed twice for the presence of change, with and without co-registration, performed using automated software. Results: Co-registration and visual reporting without co-registration were discordant in the lesions group in nine out of 69 datasets (13%), and in 16 out of 23 pairs of scans in the atrophy group (69%). The most common cause of discordance was visual reporting not detecting changes apparent by co-registration. In three cases, changes detected visually were not detected following co-registration. Conclusion: In the group of patients studied, co-registration was more sensitive for detecting changes than visual comparison, particularly with respect to atrophic changes of the brain. With the increasing availability of sophisticated independent consoles attached to MRI scanners that may be used for image co-registration, we propose that serial T1-weighted volumetric MRI brain co-registration should be considered for integration into routine clinical practice to assess patients with suspected progressive disease.

Increased Sensitivity to Pathological Brain Changes Using Co-registration of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burdett, J.; Stevens, J.; Flugel, D.; Williams, E.; Duncan, J.S.; Lemieux, L.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To compare automatic software-based co-registration of serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with conventional visual comparison, by expert neuroradiologists.Material and Methods: Sixty-four patients who were referred to our epilepsy MRI unit for cerebral imaging were identified as having potentially, non- or slow-growing lesions or cerebral atrophy and followed with sequential scans over a period of up to 8 years, resulting in a total of 92 pairs of scans. Scans were categorized as showing either lesions or atrophy. Each pair of scans was reviewed twice for the presence of change, with and without co-registration, performed using automated software. Results: Co-registration and visual reporting without co-registration were discordant in the lesions group in nine out of 69 datasets (13%), and in 16 out of 23 pairs of scans in the atrophy group (69%). The most common cause of discordance was visual reporting not detecting changes apparent by co-registration. In three cases, changes detected visually were not detected following co-registration. Conclusion: In the group of patients studied, co-registration was more sensitive for detecting changes than visual comparison, particularly with respect to atrophic changes of the brain. With the increasing availability of sophisticated independent consoles attached to MRI scanners that may be used for image co-registration, we propose that serial T1-weighted volumetric MRI brain co-registration should be considered for integration into routine clinical practice to assess patients with suspected progressive disease

Development of a Computerized Visual Search Test

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Denise; Babani, Harsha; Jon, Eugenia

2009-01-01

Visual attention and visual search are the features of visual perception, essential for attending and scanning one's environment while engaging in daily occupations. This study describes the development of a novel web-based test of visual search. The development information including the format of the test will be described. The test was designed…

Effects of 3D sound on visual scanning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veltman, J.A.; Bronkhorst, A.W.; Oving, A.B.

2000-01-01

An experiment was conducted in a flight simulator to explore the effectiveness of a 3D sound display as support to visual information from a head down display (HDD). Pilots had to perform two main tasks in separate conditions: intercepting and following a target jet. Performance was measured for

The effect of visual training for patients with visual field defects due to brain damage: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwmeester, Lies; Heutink, Joost; Lucas, Cees

2007-01-01

The objective of this review was to evaluate whether systematic visual training leads to (1) a restitution of the visual field (restoration), (2) an increase in the visual search field size or an improvement in scanning strategies (compensation) and (3) a transfer of training-related improvements in

Interventions for visual field defects in patients with stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, Alex; Hazelton, Christine; Henderson, Clair A; Angilley, Jayne; Dhillon, Baljean; Langhorne, Peter; Livingstone, Katrina; Munro, Frank A; Orr, Heather; Rowe, Fiona J; Shahani, Uma

2011-10-05

Visual field defects are estimated to affect 20% to 57% of people who have had a stroke. Visual field defects can affect functional ability in activities of daily living (commonly affecting mobility, reading and driving), quality of life, ability to participate in rehabilitation, and depression, anxiety and social isolation following stroke. There are many interventions for visual field defects, which are proposed to work by restoring the visual field (restitution); compensating for the visual field defect by changing behaviour or activity (compensation); substituting for the visual field defect by using a device or extraneous modification (substitution); or ensuring appropriate diagnosis, referral and treatment prescription through standardised assessment or screening, or both. To determine the effects of interventions for people with visual field defects after stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (February 2011), the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register (December 2009) and nine electronic bibliographic databases including CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 4), MEDLINE (1950 to December 2009), EMBASE (1980 to December 2009), CINAHL (1982 to December 2009), AMED (1985 to December 2009), and PsycINFO (1967 to December 2009). We also searched reference lists and trials registers, handsearched journals and conference proceedings and contacted experts. Randomised trials in adults after stroke, where the intervention was specifically targeted at improving the visual field defect or improving the ability of the participant to cope with the visual field loss. The primary outcome was functional ability in activities of daily living and secondary outcomes included functional ability in extended activities of daily living, reading ability, visual field measures, balance, falls, depression and anxiety, discharge destination or residence after stroke, quality of life and social isolation, visual scanning, adverse events and death. Two

CT scan of Parkinson's disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konishi, T; Noguchi, S; Nishitani, H [National Sanatorium of Utano, Kyoto (Japan); Kitano, H; Ikegami, Y

1981-04-01

In forty-eight patients with Parkinson's disease, we examined the ventricular size and the degree of cortical atrophy which were measured by the photos of CT scan and compared them with their clinical symptoms and side effects of anti-parkinsonian drugs. The ventricular size was expressed as the ventricular ratio which is the percentage of superimposed lateral ventricular area to the white and gray matter area at the slice number 2B of CT scan photos. The degree of the cortical atrophy was expressed as the sulcal numbers which were clearly visualized at the slice number 3B or 4A of CT scan photos. We used the CT scan photos of age-matched other patients which did not show definit central nervous system abnormalities. Our findings were as follows: (1) The ventricular enlargement was observed in the parkinsonian patients who showed dementia and/or Yahr's classification grades IV or V. (2) There was no correlation between the duration of this disease and the L--dopa treatments with the ventricular size and sulcal numbers. (3) The side effects of drugs such as visual hallucination were tended to be observed in the patients who showed the ventricular enlargement. (4) There was no definite correlation between the degree of cortical atrophy with clinical symptoms and side effects of various drugs. These findings suggested that the ventricular enlargement in Parkinson's disease was an important sign of dementia and the tendency of appearance of side effects of various drugs.

CT scan of Parkinson's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konishi, Tetsuro; Noguchi, Sadako; Nishitani, Hiroshi; Kitano, Haruo; Ikegami, Yoshinori.

1981-01-01

In forty-eight patients with Parkinson's disease, we examined the ventricular size and the degree of cortical atrophy which were measured by the photos of CT scan and compared them with their clinical symptoms and side effects of anti-parkinsonian drugs. The ventricular size was expressed as the ventricular ratio which is the percentage of superimposed lateral ventricular area to the white and gray matter area at the slice number 2B of CT scan photos. The degree of the cortical atrophy was expressed as the sulcal numbers which were clearly visualized at the slice number 3B or 4A of CT scan photos. We used the CT scan photos of age-matched other patients which did not show definit central nervous system abnormalities. Our findings were as follows: (1) The ventricular enlargement was observed in the parkinsonian patients who showed dementia and/or Yahr's classification grades IV or V. (2) There was no correlation between the duration of this disease and the L--dopa treatments with the ventricular size and sulcal numbers. (3) The side effects of drugs such as visual hallucination were tended to be observed in the patients who showed the ventricular enlargement. (4) There was no definite correlation between the degree of cortical atrophy with clinical symptoms and side effects of various drugs. These findings suggested that the ventricular enlargement in Parkinson's disease was an important sign of dementia and the tendency of appearance of side effects of various drugs. (author)

COLLISION VISUALIZATION OF A LASER-SCANNED POINT CLOUD OF STREETS AND A FESTIVAL FLOAT MODEL USED FOR THE REVIVAL OF A TRADITIONAL PROCESSION ROUTE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recently, laser-scanning technology, especially mobile mapping systems (MMSs, has been applied to measure 3D urban scenes. Thus, it has become possible to simulate a traditional cultural event in a virtual space constructed using measured point clouds. In this paper, we take the festival float procession in the Gion Festival that has a long history in Kyoto City, Japan. The city government plans to revive the original procession route that is narrow and not used at present. For the revival, it is important to know whether a festival float collides with houses, billboards, electric wires or other objects along the original route. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method for visualizing the collisions of point cloud objects. The advantageous features of our method are (1 a see-through visualization with a correct depth feel that is helpful to robustly determine the collision areas, (2 the ability to visualize areas of high collision risk as well as real collision areas, and (3 the ability to highlight target visualized areas by increasing the point densities there.

Collision Visualization of a Laser-Scanned Point Cloud of Streets and a Festival Float Model Used for the Revival of a Traditional Procession Route

Science.gov (United States)

Li, W.; Shigeta, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Li, L.; Yano, K.; Tanaka, S.

2017-09-01

Recently, laser-scanning technology, especially mobile mapping systems (MMSs), has been applied to measure 3D urban scenes. Thus, it has become possible to simulate a traditional cultural event in a virtual space constructed using measured point clouds. In this paper, we take the festival float procession in the Gion Festival that has a long history in Kyoto City, Japan. The city government plans to revive the original procession route that is narrow and not used at present. For the revival, it is important to know whether a festival float collides with houses, billboards, electric wires or other objects along the original route. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method for visualizing the collisions of point cloud objects. The advantageous features of our method are (1) a see-through visualization with a correct depth feel that is helpful to robustly determine the collision areas, (2) the ability to visualize areas of high collision risk as well as real collision areas, and (3) the ability to highlight target visualized areas by increasing the point densities there.

Colon distension and scan protocol for CT-colonography: an overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boellaard, Thierry N.; de Haan, Margriet C.; Venema, Henk W.; Stoker, Jaap

2013-01-01

This article reviews two important aspects of CT-colonography, namely colonic distension and scan parameters. Adequate distension should be obtained to visualize the complete colonic lumen and optimal scan parameters should be used to prevent unnecessary radiation burden. For optimal distension,

Methodologies for Development of Patient Specific Bone Models from Human Body CT Scans

Science.gov (United States)

Chougule, Vikas Narayan; Mulay, Arati Vinayak; Ahuja, Bharatkumar Bhagatraj

2016-06-01

This work deals with development of algorithm for physical replication of patient specific human bone and construction of corresponding implants/inserts RP models by using Reverse Engineering approach from non-invasive medical images for surgical purpose. In medical field, the volumetric data i.e. voxel and triangular facet based models are primarily used for bio-modelling and visualization, which requires huge memory space. On the other side, recent advances in Computer Aided Design (CAD) technology provides additional facilities/functions for design, prototyping and manufacturing of any object having freeform surfaces based on boundary representation techniques. This work presents a process to physical replication of 3D rapid prototyping (RP) physical models of human bone from various CAD modeling techniques developed by using 3D point cloud data which is obtained from non-invasive CT/MRI scans in DICOM 3.0 format. This point cloud data is used for construction of 3D CAD model by fitting B-spline curves through these points and then fitting surface between these curve networks by using swept blend techniques. This process also can be achieved by generating the triangular mesh directly from 3D point cloud data without developing any surface model using any commercial CAD software. The generated STL file from 3D point cloud data is used as a basic input for RP process. The Delaunay tetrahedralization approach is used to process the 3D point cloud data to obtain STL file. CT scan data of Metacarpus (human bone) is used as the case study for the generation of the 3D RP model. A 3D physical model of the human bone is generated on rapid prototyping machine and its virtual reality model is presented for visualization. The generated CAD model by different techniques is compared for the accuracy and reliability. The results of this research work are assessed for clinical reliability in replication of human bone in medical field.

Quantitation of PET signal as an adjunct to visual interpretation of florbetapir imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pontecorvo, Michael J.; Arora, Anupa K.; Devine, Marybeth; Lu, Ming; Galante, Nick; Siderowf, Andrew; Devadanam, Catherine; Joshi, Abhinay D.; Heun, Stephen L.; Teske, Brian F.; Truocchio, Stephen P.; Krautkramer, Michael; Devous, Michael D.; Mintun, Mark A. [Avid Radiopharmaceuticals (a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company), Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2017-05-15

This study examined the feasibility of using quantitation to augment interpretation of florbetapir PET amyloid imaging. A total of 80 physician readers were trained on quantitation of florbetapir PET images and the principles for using quantitation to augment a visual read. On day 1, the readers completed a visual read of 96 scans (46 autopsy-verified and 50 from patients seeking a diagnosis). On day 2, 69 of the readers reinterpreted the 96 scans augmenting their interpretation with quantitation (VisQ method) using one of three commercial software packages. A subset of 11 readers reinterpreted all scans on day 2 based on a visual read only (VisVis control). For the autopsy-verified scans, the neuropathologist's modified CERAD plaque score was used as the truth standard for interpretation accuracy. Because an autopsy truth standard was not available for scans from patients seeking a diagnosis, the majority VisQ interpretation of the three readers with the best accuracy in interpreting autopsy-verified scans was used as the reference standard. Day 1 visual read accuracy was high for both the autopsy-verified scans (90%) and the scans from patients seeking a diagnosis (87.3%). Accuracy improved from the visual read to the VisQ read (from 90.1% to 93.1%, p < 0.0001). Importantly, access to quantitative information did not decrease interpretation accuracy of the above-average readers (>90% on day 1). Accuracy in interpreting the autopsy-verified scans also increased from the first to the second visual read (VisVis group). However, agreement with the reference standard (best readers) for scans from patients seeking a diagnosis did not improve with a second visual read, and in this cohort the VisQ group was significantly improved relative to the VisVis group (change 5.4% vs. -1.1%, p < 0.0001). These results indicate that augmentation of visual interpretation of florbetapir PET amyloid images with quantitative information obtained using commercially available

Quantitation of PET signal as an adjunct to visual interpretation of florbetapir imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontecorvo, Michael J.; Arora, Anupa K.; Devine, Marybeth; Lu, Ming; Galante, Nick; Siderowf, Andrew; Devadanam, Catherine; Joshi, Abhinay D.; Heun, Stephen L.; Teske, Brian F.; Truocchio, Stephen P.; Krautkramer, Michael; Devous, Michael D.; Mintun, Mark A.

2017-01-01

This study examined the feasibility of using quantitation to augment interpretation of florbetapir PET amyloid imaging. A total of 80 physician readers were trained on quantitation of florbetapir PET images and the principles for using quantitation to augment a visual read. On day 1, the readers completed a visual read of 96 scans (46 autopsy-verified and 50 from patients seeking a diagnosis). On day 2, 69 of the readers reinterpreted the 96 scans augmenting their interpretation with quantitation (VisQ method) using one of three commercial software packages. A subset of 11 readers reinterpreted all scans on day 2 based on a visual read only (VisVis control). For the autopsy-verified scans, the neuropathologist's modified CERAD plaque score was used as the truth standard for interpretation accuracy. Because an autopsy truth standard was not available for scans from patients seeking a diagnosis, the majority VisQ interpretation of the three readers with the best accuracy in interpreting autopsy-verified scans was used as the reference standard. Day 1 visual read accuracy was high for both the autopsy-verified scans (90%) and the scans from patients seeking a diagnosis (87.3%). Accuracy improved from the visual read to the VisQ read (from 90.1% to 93.1%, p < 0.0001). Importantly, access to quantitative information did not decrease interpretation accuracy of the above-average readers (>90% on day 1). Accuracy in interpreting the autopsy-verified scans also increased from the first to the second visual read (VisVis group). However, agreement with the reference standard (best readers) for scans from patients seeking a diagnosis did not improve with a second visual read, and in this cohort the VisQ group was significantly improved relative to the VisVis group (change 5.4% vs. -1.1%, p < 0.0001). These results indicate that augmentation of visual interpretation of florbetapir PET amyloid images with quantitative information obtained using commercially available

An Automated and Intelligent Medical Decision Support System for Brain MRI Scans Classification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Faisal Siddiqui

Full Text Available A wide interest has been observed in the medical health care applications that interpret neuroimaging scans by machine learning systems. This research proposes an intelligent, automatic, accurate, and robust classification technique to classify the human brain magnetic resonance image (MRI as normal or abnormal, to cater down the human error during identifying the diseases in brain MRIs. In this study, fast discrete wavelet transform (DWT, principal component analysis (PCA, and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM are used as basic components. Firstly, fast DWT is employed to extract the salient features of brain MRI, followed by PCA, which reduces the dimensions of the features. These reduced feature vectors also shrink the memory storage consumption by 99.5%. At last, an advanced classification technique based on LS-SVM is applied to brain MR image classification using reduced features. For improving the efficiency, LS-SVM is used with non-linear radial basis function (RBF kernel. The proposed algorithm intelligently determines the optimized values of the hyper-parameters of the RBF kernel and also applied k-fold stratified cross validation to enhance the generalization of the system. The method was tested by 340 patients' benchmark datasets of T1-weighted and T2-weighted scans. From the analysis of experimental results and performance comparisons, it is observed that the proposed medical decision support system outperformed all other modern classifiers and achieves 100% accuracy rate (specificity/sensitivity 100%/100%. Furthermore, in terms of computation time, the proposed technique is significantly faster than the recent well-known methods, and it improves the efficiency by 71%, 3%, and 4% on feature extraction stage, feature reduction stage, and classification stage, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed well-trained machine learning system has the potential to make accurate predictions about brain abnormalities

Modeling multiple visual words assignment for bag-of-features based medical image retrieval

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

2012-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the bag-of-features based medical image retrieval methods, which represent an image as a collection of local features, such as image patch and key points with SIFT descriptor. To improve the bag-of-features method, we first model the assignment of local descriptor as contribution functions, and then propose a new multiple assignment strategy. By assuming the local feature can be reconstructed by its neighboring visual words in vocabulary, we solve the reconstruction weights as a QP problem and then use the solved weights as contribution functions, which results in a new assignment method called the QP assignment. We carry our experiments on ImageCLEFmed datasets. Experiments\\' results show that our proposed method exceeds the performances of traditional solutions and works well for the bag-of-features based medical image retrieval tasks.

Modeling multiple visual words assignment for bag-of-features based medical image retrieval

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Almasri, Islam

2012-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the bag-of-features based medical image retrieval methods, which represent an image as a collection of local features, such as image patch and key points with SIFT descriptor. To improve the bag-of-features method, we first model the assignment of local descriptor as contribution functions, and then propose a new multiple assignment strategy. By assuming the local feature can be reconstructed by its neighboring visual words in vocabulary, we solve the reconstruction weights as a QP problem and then use the solved weights as contribution functions, which results in a new assignment method called the QP assignment. We carry our experiments on ImageCLEFmed datasets. Experiments' results show that our proposed method exceeds the performances of traditional solutions and works well for the bag-of-features based medical image retrieval tasks.

SPECT in patients with cortical visual loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman, I E; Galetta, S L; Gray, L G; Moster, M; Atlas, S W; Maurer, A H; Alavi, A

1993-09-01

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) was used to investigate changes in cerebral blood flow in seven patients with cortical visual impairment. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the cause of cortical damage in two patients, cerebral ischemia in two patients and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, status epilepticus and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) each in three separate patients. The SPECT scans of the seven patients were compared to T2-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) scans of the brain to determine the correlation between functional and anatomical findings. In six of the seven patients, the qualitative interpretation of the SPECT studies supported the clinical findings (i.e., the visual field defect) by revealing altered regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the appropriate regions of the visual pathway. MR scans in all of the patients, on the other hand, were either normal or disclosed smaller lesions than those detected by SPECT. We conclude that SPECT may reveal altered rCBF in patients with cortical visual impairment of various etiologies, even when MRI studies are normal or nondiagnostic.

The sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) scans in detecting trauma: are CT scans reliable enough for courtroom testimony?

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, D Kimberley; Nichols, Joanna J; Dimaio, Vincent J M

2007-09-01

Rapid and accurate recognition of traumatic injuries is extremely important in emergency room and surgical settings. Emergency departments depend on computed tomography (CT) scans to provide rapid, accurate injury assessment. We conducted an analysis of all traumatic deaths autopsied at the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office in which perimortem medical imaging (CT scan) was performed to assess the reliability of the CT scan in detecting trauma with sufficient accuracy for courtroom testimony. Cases were included in the study if an autopsy was conducted, a CT scan was performed within 24 hours before death, and there was no surgical intervention. Analysis was performed to assess the correlation between the autopsy and CT scan results. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were defined for the CT scan based on the autopsy results. The sensitivity of the CT scan ranged from 0% for cerebral lacerations, cervical vertebral body fractures, cardiac injury, and hollow viscus injury to 75% for liver injury. This study reveals that CT scans are an inadequate detection tool for forensic pathologists, where a definitive diagnosis is required, because they have a low level of accuracy in detecting traumatic injuries. CT scans may be adequate for clinicians in the emergency room setting, but are inadequate for courtroom testimony. If the evidence of trauma is based solely on CT scan reports, there is a high possibility of erroneous accusations, indictments, and convictions.

MRI evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: assessment in routine 1.5-T scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partezani Helito, Camilo; Pecora, Jose Ricardo; Camanho, Gilberto Luis; Kawamura Demange, Marco; Partezani Helito, Paulo Victor; Pereira Costa, Hugo; Bordalo-Rodrigues, Marcelo

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the ability of routine 1.5-T MRI scans to visualize the anterolateral ligament (ALL) and describe its path and anatomic relations with lateral knee structures. Thirty-nine 1.5-T MRI scans of the knee were evaluated. The scans included an MRI knee protocol with T1-weighted sequences, T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation, and proton density (PD)-weighted fast spin-echo sequences. Two radiologists separately reviewed all MRI scans to evaluate interobserver reliability. The ALL was divided into three portions for analyses: femoral, meniscal, and tibial. The path of the ALL was evaluated with regard to known structural parameters previously studied in this region. At least a portion of the ALL was visualized in 38 (97.8 %) cases. The meniscal portion was most visualized (94.8 %), followed by the femoral (89.7 %) and the tibial (79.4 %) portions. The three portions of the ALL were visualized in 28 (71.7 %) patients. The ALL was characterized with greater clarity on the coronal plane and was visualized as a thin, linear structure. The T1-weighted sequences showed a statistically inferior ligament visibility frequency. With regard to the T2 and PD evaluations, although the visualization frequency in PD was higher for the three portions of the ligament, only the femoral portion showed significant values. The ALL can be visualized in routine 1.5-T MRI scans. Although some of the ligament could be depicted in nearly all of the scans (97.4 %), it could only be observed in its entirety in about 71.7 % of the tests. (orig.)

MRI evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: assessment in routine 1.5-T scans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Partezani Helito, Camilo; Pecora, Jose Ricardo; Camanho, Gilberto Luis; Kawamura Demange, Marco [University of Sao Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Knee Surgery Division, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Partezani Helito, Paulo Victor; Pereira Costa, Hugo; Bordalo-Rodrigues, Marcelo [University of Sao Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Musculoskeletal Radiology Department, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2014-10-15

This study evaluated the ability of routine 1.5-T MRI scans to visualize the anterolateral ligament (ALL) and describe its path and anatomic relations with lateral knee structures. Thirty-nine 1.5-T MRI scans of the knee were evaluated. The scans included an MRI knee protocol with T1-weighted sequences, T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation, and proton density (PD)-weighted fast spin-echo sequences. Two radiologists separately reviewed all MRI scans to evaluate interobserver reliability. The ALL was divided into three portions for analyses: femoral, meniscal, and tibial. The path of the ALL was evaluated with regard to known structural parameters previously studied in this region. At least a portion of the ALL was visualized in 38 (97.8 %) cases. The meniscal portion was most visualized (94.8 %), followed by the femoral (89.7 %) and the tibial (79.4 %) portions. The three portions of the ALL were visualized in 28 (71.7 %) patients. The ALL was characterized with greater clarity on the coronal plane and was visualized as a thin, linear structure. The T1-weighted sequences showed a statistically inferior ligament visibility frequency. With regard to the T2 and PD evaluations, although the visualization frequency in PD was higher for the three portions of the ligament, only the femoral portion showed significant values. The ALL can be visualized in routine 1.5-T MRI scans. Although some of the ligament could be depicted in nearly all of the scans (97.4 %), it could only be observed in its entirety in about 71.7 % of the tests. (orig.)

Bone scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hetherington, V.J.

1989-01-01

Oftentimes, in managing podiatric complaints, clinical and conventional radiographic techniques are insufficient in determining a patient's problem. This is especially true in the early stages of bone infection. Bone scanning or imaging can provide additional information in the diagnosis of the disorder. However, bone scans are not specific and must be correlated with clinical, radiographic, and laboratory evaluation. In other words, bone scanning does not provide the diagnosis but is an important bit of information aiding in the process of diagnosis. The more useful radionuclides in skeletal imaging are technetium phosphate complexes and gallium citrate. These compounds are administered intravenously and are detected at specific time intervals postinjection by a rectilinear scanner with minification is used and the entire skeleton can be imaged from head to toe. Minification allows visualization of the entire skeleton in a single image. A gamma camera can concentrate on an isolated area. However, it requires multiple views to complete the whole skeletal image. Recent advances have allowed computer augmentation of the data received from radionucleotide imaging. The purpose of this chapter is to present the current radionuclides clinically useful in podiatric patients

Demographic, medical and visual aspects of Dia- betic Retinopathy (DR and Diabetic Macular Edema (DME in South African diabetic patients*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anusha Y. Sukha

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate some of the demographic, medical, and visual aspects of diabetic retinopathy (DR and diabetic macula edema (DME in diabetics attending an urban clinic in Johannesburg, Gauteng. Design: In this cross-sectional study, 202 diabetic patients were recruited. Demographic variables included age, gender, race, age of diagnosis, duration of diabetes mellitus (DM, and social habits. Medical variables included systemic conditions present, blood pressures, body mass indices (BMI, lipid profiles, glycerated haemoglobin (HbA1c, and other biochemical data. Visual variables included distance, pinhole and near visual acuities, contrast visual acuities (CVA, refractive status, colour vision, central visual field evaluation with the Amsler grid, intraocular pressures (IOP, fundus photography and administration of the Impact of Visual Impairment (IVI questionnaire. All variables were compared between diabetic subjects with and with-out DR and DME in both right and left eyes. Results: Overall prevalence of DR was 22.8% and DME 12.5%. In DR subjects, significant results indicated that Whites were more likely to present with DR (p = 0.002. Subjects with DR had a higher mean duration of DM (p = 0.002 and a higher mean diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.035. Autorefraction suggested that more myopia and less astigmatism might be associated with DR. A higher mean CVA at the 2.5% level in DR was significant in both the right eyes (p = 0.042 and left eyes (p = 0.035. These subjects also reported a higher mean IVI score in the consumer and social interaction domain (p = 0.032. Similarly, DME subjects displayed a higher mean duration of DM (p = 0.042 and a higher mean diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.048. A higher mean CVA was associated at both the 10% level: right eyes (p = 0.021; and left eyes (p = 0.046, and at the 2.5% level: right eyes (p = 0.033 and left eyes (p = 0.045. A higher mean IVI score in leisure and work (p = 0.026, consumer and social

CT scanning in pediatric head trauma: correlation of clinical features with CT scan diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arkoncel, Mary Ann P.; Posadas, Ma. Belen A.

1997-01-01

A retrospective review was conducted on 205 cases of pediatric head trauma for which cranial computed tomography scans were done at the Makati Medical Center, to determine which clinical features might positively predict an abnormality on CT scan. The clinical findings of loss of consciousness, GCS < 12, vomiting headache, seizures, and focal abnormalities on Neurologic Examination were significantly associated with abnormal findings on CT scan. However, a significant discrepancy does exist as to how accurately clinical findings do in fact predict normal and abnormal CT scan findings. Such a discrepancy allows us to conclude that a more liberal use of CT Scanning in cases of pediatric head trauma must be stressed to insure proper diagnosis. This study shows that when a patient presents with the aforementioned positive signs and symptoms, or with a focal neurologic deficit, or in combination, a 60-100 % positive prediction of abnormal CT Scan can be made. However, prediction of normal CT Scan is only 0-40%. (Author)

A boosting framework for visuality-preserving distance metric learning and its application to medical image retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liu; Jin, Rong; Mummert, Lily; Sukthankar, Rahul; Goode, Adam; Zheng, Bin; Hoi, Steven C H; Satyanarayanan, Mahadev

2010-01-01

Similarity measurement is a critical component in content-based image retrieval systems, and learning a good distance metric can significantly improve retrieval performance. However, despite extensive study, there are several major shortcomings with the existing approaches for distance metric learning that can significantly affect their application to medical image retrieval. In particular, "similarity" can mean very different things in image retrieval: resemblance in visual appearance (e.g., two images that look like one another) or similarity in semantic annotation (e.g., two images of tumors that look quite different yet are both malignant). Current approaches for distance metric learning typically address only one goal without consideration of the other. This is problematic for medical image retrieval where the goal is to assist doctors in decision making. In these applications, given a query image, the goal is to retrieve similar images from a reference library whose semantic annotations could provide the medical professional with greater insight into the possible interpretations of the query image. If the system were to retrieve images that did not look like the query, then users would be less likely to trust the system; on the other hand, retrieving images that appear superficially similar to the query but are semantically unrelated is undesirable because that could lead users toward an incorrect diagnosis. Hence, learning a distance metric that preserves both visual resemblance and semantic similarity is important. We emphasize that, although our study is focused on medical image retrieval, the problem addressed in this work is critical to many image retrieval systems. We present a boosting framework for distance metric learning that aims to preserve both visual and semantic similarities. The boosting framework first learns a binary representation using side information, in the form of labeled pairs, and then computes the distance as a weighted Hamming

Body CT (CAT Scan)

Science.gov (United States)

... a CT scan can be reformatted in multiple planes, and can even generate three-dimensional images. These ... other medical conditions and whether you have a history of heart disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease or ...

Dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation: Improved biliary visualization by intravenous morphine co-medication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sommer, C.M.; Schwarzwaelder, C.B.; Stiller, W.; Schindera, S.T.; Heye, T.; Stampfl, U.; Bellemann, N.; Holzschuh, M.; Schmidt, J.; Weitz, J.; Grenacher, L.; Kauczor, H.U.; Radeleff, B.A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate whether intravenous morphine co-medication improves bile duct visualization of dual-energy CT-cholangiography. Materials and methods: Forty potential donors for living-related liver transplantation underwent CT-cholangiography with infusion of a hepatobiliary contrast agent over 40 min. Twenty minutes after the beginning of the contrast agent infusion, either normal saline (n = 20 patients; control group [CG]) or morphine sulfate (n = 20 patients; morphine group [MG]) was injected. Forty-five minutes after initiation of the contrast agent, a dual-energy CT acquisition of the liver was performed. Applying dual-energy post-processing, pure iodine images were generated. Primary study goals were determination of bile duct diameters and visualization scores (on a scale of 0 to 3: 0—not visualized; 3—excellent visualization). Results: Bile duct visualization scores for second-order and third-order branch ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (2.9 ± 0.1 versus 2.6 ± 0.2 [P < 0.001] and 2.7 ± 0.3 versus 2.1 ± 0.6 [P < 0.01], respectively). Bile duct diameters for the common duct and main ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (5.9 ± 1.3 mm versus 4.9 ± 1.3 mm [P < 0.05] and 3.7 ± 1.3 mm versus 2.6 ± 0.5 mm [P < 0.01], respectively). Conclusion: Intravenous morphine co-medication significantly improved biliary visualization on dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation

Dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation: Improved biliary visualization by intravenous morphine co-medication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sommer, C.M., E-mail: christof.sommer@med.uni-heidelberg.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schwarzwaelder, C.B.; Stiller, W. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schindera, S.T. [Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology, University Hospital and University of Berne, Berne (Switzerland); Heye, T.; Stampfl, U.; Bellemann, N.; Holzschuh, M. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schmidt, J.; Weitz, J. [Department of General, Abdominal and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Grenacher, L.; Kauczor, H.U.; Radeleff, B.A. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany)

2012-09-15

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate whether intravenous morphine co-medication improves bile duct visualization of dual-energy CT-cholangiography. Materials and methods: Forty potential donors for living-related liver transplantation underwent CT-cholangiography with infusion of a hepatobiliary contrast agent over 40 min. Twenty minutes after the beginning of the contrast agent infusion, either normal saline (n = 20 patients; control group [CG]) or morphine sulfate (n = 20 patients; morphine group [MG]) was injected. Forty-five minutes after initiation of the contrast agent, a dual-energy CT acquisition of the liver was performed. Applying dual-energy post-processing, pure iodine images were generated. Primary study goals were determination of bile duct diameters and visualization scores (on a scale of 0 to 3: 0—not visualized; 3—excellent visualization). Results: Bile duct visualization scores for second-order and third-order branch ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (2.9 ± 0.1 versus 2.6 ± 0.2 [P < 0.001] and 2.7 ± 0.3 versus 2.1 ± 0.6 [P < 0.01], respectively). Bile duct diameters for the common duct and main ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (5.9 ± 1.3 mm versus 4.9 ± 1.3 mm [P < 0.05] and 3.7 ± 1.3 mm versus 2.6 ± 0.5 mm [P < 0.01], respectively). Conclusion: Intravenous morphine co-medication significantly improved biliary visualization on dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation.

Outpatients flow management and ophthalmic electronic medical records system in university hospital using Yahgee Document View.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuo, Toshihiko; Gochi, Akira; Hirakawa, Tsuyoshi; Ito, Tadashi; Kohno, Yoshihisa

2010-10-01

General electronic medical records systems remain insufficient for ophthalmology outpatient clinics from the viewpoint of dealing with many ophthalmic examinations and images in a large number of patients. Filing systems for documents and images by Yahgee Document View (Yahgee, Inc.) were introduced on the platform of general electronic medical records system (Fujitsu, Inc.). Outpatients flow management system and electronic medical records system for ophthalmology were constructed. All images from ophthalmic appliances were transported to Yahgee Image by the MaxFile gateway system (P4 Medic, Inc.). The flow of outpatients going through examinations such as visual acuity testing were monitored by the list "Ophthalmology Outpatients List" by Yahgee Workflow in addition to the list "Patients Reception List" by Fujitsu. Patients' identification number was scanned with bar code readers attached to ophthalmic appliances. Dual monitors were placed in doctors' rooms to show Fujitsu Medical Records on the left-hand monitor and ophthalmic charts of Yahgee Document on the right-hand monitor. The data of manually-inputted visual acuity, automatically-exported autorefractometry and non-contact tonometry on a new template, MaxFile ED, were again automatically transported to designated boxes on ophthalmic charts of Yahgee Document. Images such as fundus photographs, fluorescein angiograms, optical coherence tomographic and ultrasound scans were viewed by Yahgee Image, and were copy-and-pasted to assigned boxes on the ophthalmic charts. Ordering such as appointments, drug prescription, fees and diagnoses input, central laboratory tests, surgical theater and ward room reservations were placed by functions of the Fujitsu electronic medical records system. The combination of the Fujitsu electronic medical records and Yahgee Document View systems enabled the University Hospital to examine the same number of outpatients as prior to the implementation of the computerized filing system.

Cancer-disease associations: A visualization and animation through medical big data.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Usman; Hsu, Chun-Kung; Nguyen, Phung Anh Alex; Clinciu, Daniel Livius; Lu, Richard; Syed-Abdul, Shabbir; Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Wang, Yao-Chin; Huang, Chu-Ya; Huang, Chih-Wei; Chang, Yo-Cheng; Hsu, Min-Huei; Jian, Wen-Shan; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack

2016-04-01

Cancer is the primary disease responsible for death and disability worldwide. Currently, prevention and early detection represents the best hope for cure. Knowing the expected diseases that occur with a particular cancer in advance could lead to physicians being able to better tailor their treatment for cancer. The aim of this study was to build an animated visualization tool called as Cancer Associations Map Animation (CAMA), to chart the association of cancers with other disease over time. The study population was collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database during the period January 2000 to December 2002, 782 million outpatient visits were used to compute the associations of nine major cancers with other diseases. A motion chart was used to quantify and visualize the associations between diseases and cancers. The CAMA motion chart that was built successfully facilitated the observation of cancer-disease associations across ages and genders. The CAMA system can be accessed online at http://203.71.86.98/web/runq16.html. The CAMA animation system is an animated medical data visualization tool which provides a dynamic, time-lapse, animated view of cancer-disease associations across different age groups and gender. Derived from a large, nationwide healthcare dataset, this exploratory data analysis tool can detect cancer comorbidities earlier than is possible by manual inspection. Taking into account the trajectory of cancer-specific comorbidity development may facilitate clinicians and healthcare researchers to more efficiently explore early stage hypotheses, develop new cancer treatment approaches, and identify potential effect modifiers or new risk factors associated with specific cancers. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Reader error, object recognition, and visual search

Science.gov (United States)

Kundel, Harold L.

2004-05-01

Small abnormalities such as hairline fractures, lung nodules and breast tumors are missed by competent radiologists with sufficient frequency to make them a matter of concern to the medical community; not only because they lead to litigation but also because they delay patient care. It is very easy to attribute misses to incompetence or inattention. To do so may be placing an unjustified stigma on the radiologists involved and may allow other radiologists to continue a false optimism that it can never happen to them. This review presents some of the fundamentals of visual system function that are relevant to understanding the search for and the recognition of small targets embedded in complicated but meaningful backgrounds like chests and mammograms. It presents a model for visual search that postulates a pre-attentive global analysis of the retinal image followed by foveal checking fixations and eventually discovery scanning. The model will be used to differentiate errors of search, recognition and decision making. The implications for computer aided diagnosis and for functional workstation design are discussed.

How visual search relates to visual diagnostic performance: a narrative systematic review of eye-tracking research in radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Gijp, A; Ravesloot, C J; Jarodzka, H; van der Schaaf, M F; van der Schaaf, I C; van Schaik, J P J; Ten Cate, Th J

2017-08-01

Eye tracking research has been conducted for decades to gain understanding of visual diagnosis such as in radiology. For educational purposes, it is important to identify visual search patterns that are related to high perceptual performance and to identify effective teaching strategies. This review of eye-tracking literature in the radiology domain aims to identify visual search patterns associated with high perceptual performance. Databases PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using 'visual perception' OR 'eye tracking' AND 'radiology' and synonyms. Two authors independently screened search results and included eye tracking studies concerning visual skills in radiology published between January 1, 1994 and July 31, 2015. Two authors independently assessed study quality with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument, and extracted study data with respect to design, participant and task characteristics, and variables. A thematic analysis was conducted to extract and arrange study results, and a textual narrative synthesis was applied for data integration and interpretation. The search resulted in 22 relevant full-text articles. Thematic analysis resulted in six themes that informed the relation between visual search and level of expertise: (1) time on task, (2) eye movement characteristics of experts, (3) differences in visual attention, (4) visual search patterns, (5) search patterns in cross sectional stack imaging, and (6) teaching visual search strategies. Expert search was found to be characterized by a global-focal search pattern, which represents an initial global impression, followed by a detailed, focal search-to-find mode. Specific task-related search patterns, like drilling through CT scans and systematic search in chest X-rays, were found to be related to high expert levels. One study investigated teaching of visual search strategies, and did not find a significant effect on perceptual performance. Eye

MR imaging of brain surface structures: Surface anatomy scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katada, K.; Koga, S.; Asahina, M.; Kanno, T.; Asahina, K.

1987-01-01

Preoperative evaluation of brain surface anatomy, including cortical sulci and veins, relative to cerebral and cerebellar lesions is an important subject for surgeons. Until now, no imaging modality existed that allowed direct visualization of brain surface anatomy. A new MR imaging technique (surface anatomy scanning) was developed to visualize brain surface structures. The technique uses a spin-echo pulse sequence with long repetition and echo times, thick sections and a surface coil. Cortical sulci, fissures, veins, and intracranial lesions were clearly identified with this technique. Initial clinical results indicate that surface anatomy scanning is useful for lesion localization and for detailed evaluation of cortical and subcortical lesions

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... that help physicians diagnose and evaluate medical conditions. These imaging scans use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals or ... or had thyroid cancer. A physician may perform these imaging tests to: determine if the gland is ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... A thyroid scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging. The radioactive iodine uptake test (RAIU) is ... thyroid function, but does not involve imaging. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... evaluate changes in the gland following medication use, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy top of page How should ... such as an x-ray or CT scan, surgeries or treatments using iodinated contrast material within the ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... exam of any medications you are taking, including vitamins and herbal supplements. You should also inform them ... of scan you are undergoing. top of page What does the equipment look like? The special camera ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... the gland following medication use, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy top of page How should I prepare? You ... You will receive specific instructions based on the type of scan you are undergoing. top of page ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... Uptake? A thyroid scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging. The radioactive iodine uptake test (RAIU) ... of thyroid function, but does not involve imaging. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that ...

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... the gland following medication use, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy top of page How should I prepare? You ... but is often performed on hospitalized patients as well. Thyroid Scan You will be positioned on an ...

Bottlenecks in bog pine multiplication by somatic embryogenesis and their visualization with the environmental scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlašínová, Helena; Neděla, Vilem; Đorđević, Biljana; Havel, Ladislav

2017-07-01

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is an important biotechnological technique used for the propagation of many pine species in vitro. However, in bog pine, one of the most endangered tree species in the Czech Republic, limitations were observed, which negatively influenced the development and further germination of somatic embryos. Although initiation frequency was very low-0.95 %, all obtained cell lines were subjected to maturation. The best responding cell line (BC1) was used and subjected to six different variants of the maturation media. The media on which the highest number of early-precotyledonary/cotyledonary somatic embryos was formed was supplemented with 121 μM abscisic acid (ABA) and with 6 % maltose. In the end of maturation experiments, different abnormalities in formation of somatic embryos were observed. For visualization and identification of abnormalities in meristem development during proliferation and maturation processes, the environmental scanning electron microscope was used. In comparison to the classical light microscope, the non-commercial environmental scanning electron microscope AQUASEM II has been found as a very useful tool for the quick recognition of apical meristem disruption and abnormal development. To our knowledge, this is the first report discussing somatic embryogenesis in bog pine. Based on this observation, the cultivation procedure could be enhanced and the method for SE of bog pine optimized.

Effectiveness of respiratory-gated radiotherapy with audio-visual biofeedback for synchrotron-based scanned heavy-ion beam delivery

Science.gov (United States)

He, Pengbo; Li, Qiang; Zhao, Ting; Liu, Xinguo; Dai, Zhongying; Ma, Yuanyuan

2016-12-01

A synchrotron-based heavy-ion accelerator operates in pulse mode at a low repetition rate that is comparable to a patient’s breathing rate. To overcome inefficiencies and interplay effects between the residual motion of the target and the scanned heavy-ion beam delivery process for conventional free breathing (FB)-based gating therapy, a novel respiratory guidance method was developed to help patients synchronize their breathing patterns with the synchrotron excitation patterns by performing short breath holds with the aid of personalized audio-visual biofeedback (BFB) system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment precision, efficiency and reproducibility of the respiratory guidance method in scanned heavy-ion beam delivery mode. Using 96 breathing traces from eight healthy volunteers who were asked to breathe freely and guided to perform short breath holds with the aid of BFB, a series of dedicated four-dimensional dose calculations (4DDC) were performed on a geometric model which was developed assuming a linear relationship between external surrogate and internal tumor motions. The outcome of the 4DDCs was quantified in terms of the treatment time, dose-volume histograms (DVH) and dose homogeneity index. Our results show that with the respiratory guidance method the treatment efficiency increased by a factor of 2.23-3.94 compared with FB gating, depending on the duty cycle settings. The magnitude of dose inhomogeneity for the respiratory guidance methods was 7.5 times less than that of the non-gated irradiation, and good reproducibility of breathing guidance among different fractions was achieved. Thus, our study indicates that the respiratory guidance method not only improved the overall treatment efficiency of respiratory-gated scanned heavy-ion beam delivery, but also had the advantages of lower dose uncertainty and better reproducibility among fractions.

Thyroid Scan and Uptake

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Full Text Available ... top of page Additional Information and Resources RTAnswers.org Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer top ... Scan and Uptake Sponsored by Please note RadiologyInfo.org is not a medical facility. Please contact your ...

Visualizing the 17th century underpainting in Portrait of an Old Man by Rembrandt van Rijn using synchrotron-based scanning macro-XRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfeld, Matthias; Janssens, Koen; Siddons, D.P.; Dik, Joris; Woll, Arthur; Kirkham, Robin; Wetering, Ernst van de

2013-01-01

In 17th century Old Master Paintings, the underpainting generally refers to the first sketch of a composition. The underpainting is applied to a prepared ground using a monochrome, brown oil paint to roughly indicate light, shade and contours. So far, methods to visualize the underpainting - other than in localized cross-sections - have been very limited. Neither infrared reflectography nor neutron induced autoradiography have proven to be practical, adequate visualization tools. Thus, although of fundamental interest in the understanding of a painting's genesis, the underpainting has virtually escaped all imaging efforts. In this contribution we will show that 17th century underpainting may consist of a highly heterogeneous mixture of pigments, including copper pigments. We suggest that this brown pigment mixture is actually the recycled left-over of a palette scraping. With copper as the heaviest exclusive elemental component, we will hence show in a case study on a Portrait of an Old Man attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn how scanning macro-XRF can be used to efficiently visualize the underpainting below the surface painting and how this information can contribute to the discussion of the painting's authenticity. (orig.)

Visualizing the 17th century underpainting in Portrait of an Old Man by Rembrandt van Rijn using synchrotron-based scanning macro-XRF

Science.gov (United States)

Alfeld, Matthias; Siddons, D. Peter; Janssens, Koen; Dik, Joris; Woll, Arthur; Kirkham, Robin; van de Wetering, Ernst

2013-04-01

In 17th century Old Master Paintings, the underpainting generally refers to the first sketch of a composition. The underpainting is applied to a prepared ground using a monochrome, brown oil paint to roughly indicate light, shade and contours. So far, methods to visualize the underpainting—other than in localized cross-sections—have been very limited. Neither infrared reflectography nor neutron induced autoradiography have proven to be practical, adequate visualization tools. Thus, although of fundamental interest in the understanding of a painting's genesis, the underpainting has virtually escaped all imaging efforts. In this contribution we will show that 17th century underpainting may consist of a highly heterogeneous mixture of pigments, including copper pigments. We suggest that this brown pigment mixture is actually the recycled left-over of a palette scraping. With copper as the heaviest exclusive elemental component, we will hence show in a case study on a Portrait of an Old Man attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn how scanning macro-XRF can be used to efficiently visualize the underpainting below the surface painting and how this information can contribute to the discussion of the painting's authenticity.

Visualizing the 17th century underpainting in Portrait of an Old Man by Rembrandt van Rijn using synchrotron-based scanning macro-XRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alfeld, Matthias; Janssens, Koen [University of Antwerp, Department of Chemistry, Antwerpen (Belgium); Siddons, D.P. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source, Upton, NY (United States); Dik, Joris [Delft University of Technology, Department of Materials Science, Delft (Netherlands); Woll, Arthur [Cornell University, Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Ithaca, NY (United States); Kirkham, Robin [CSIRO, Materials Science and Engineering, Clayton, VIC (Australia); Wetering, Ernst van de [Rembrandt Research Project, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2013-04-15

In 17th century Old Master Paintings, the underpainting generally refers to the first sketch of a composition. The underpainting is applied to a prepared ground using a monochrome, brown oil paint to roughly indicate light, shade and contours. So far, methods to visualize the underpainting - other than in localized cross-sections - have been very limited. Neither infrared reflectography nor neutron induced autoradiography have proven to be practical, adequate visualization tools. Thus, although of fundamental interest in the understanding of a painting's genesis, the underpainting has virtually escaped all imaging efforts. In this contribution we will show that 17th century underpainting may consist of a highly heterogeneous mixture of pigments, including copper pigments. We suggest that this brown pigment mixture is actually the recycled left-over of a palette scraping. With copper as the heaviest exclusive elemental component, we will hence show in a case study on a Portrait of an Old Man attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn how scanning macro-XRF can be used to efficiently visualize the underpainting below the surface painting and how this information can contribute to the discussion of the painting's authenticity. (orig.)

Bag-of-features based medical image retrieval via multiple assignment and visual words weighting

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jingyan

2011-11-01

Bag-of-features based approaches have become prominent for image retrieval and image classification tasks in the past decade. Such methods represent an image as a collection of local features, such as image patches and key points with scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptors. To improve the bag-of-features methods, we first model the assignments of local descriptors as contribution functions, and then propose a novel multiple assignment strategy. Assuming the local features can be reconstructed by their neighboring visual words in a vocabulary, reconstruction weights can be solved by quadratic programming. The weights are then used to build contribution functions, resulting in a novel assignment method, called quadratic programming (QP) assignment. We further propose a novel visual word weighting method. The discriminative power of each visual word is analyzed by the sub-similarity function in the bin that corresponds to the visual word. Each sub-similarity function is then treated as a weak classifier. A strong classifier is learned by boosting methods that combine those weak classifiers. The weighting factors of the visual words are learned accordingly. We evaluate the proposed methods on medical image retrieval tasks. The methods are tested on three well-known data sets, i.e., the ImageCLEFmed data set, the 304 CT Set, and the basal-cell carcinoma image set. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed QP assignment outperforms the traditional nearest neighbor assignment, the multiple assignment, and the soft assignment, whereas the proposed boosting based weighting strategy outperforms the state-of-the-art weighting methods, such as the term frequency weights and the term frequency-inverse document frequency weights. © 2011 IEEE.

Bag-of-features based medical image retrieval via multiple assignment and visual words weighting

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jingyan; Li, Yongping; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Chao; Xie, Honglan; Chen, Guoling; Gao, Xin

2011-01-01

Bag-of-features based approaches have become prominent for image retrieval and image classification tasks in the past decade. Such methods represent an image as a collection of local features, such as image patches and key points with scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptors. To improve the bag-of-features methods, we first model the assignments of local descriptors as contribution functions, and then propose a novel multiple assignment strategy. Assuming the local features can be reconstructed by their neighboring visual words in a vocabulary, reconstruction weights can be solved by quadratic programming. The weights are then used to build contribution functions, resulting in a novel assignment method, called quadratic programming (QP) assignment. We further propose a novel visual word weighting method. The discriminative power of each visual word is analyzed by the sub-similarity function in the bin that corresponds to the visual word. Each sub-similarity function is then treated as a weak classifier. A strong classifier is learned by boosting methods that combine those weak classifiers. The weighting factors of the visual words are learned accordingly. We evaluate the proposed methods on medical image retrieval tasks. The methods are tested on three well-known data sets, i.e., the ImageCLEFmed data set, the 304 CT Set, and the basal-cell carcinoma image set. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed QP assignment outperforms the traditional nearest neighbor assignment, the multiple assignment, and the soft assignment, whereas the proposed boosting based weighting strategy outperforms the state-of-the-art weighting methods, such as the term frequency weights and the term frequency-inverse document frequency weights. © 2011 IEEE.

Changes in medical treatment six months after risk stratification with HeartScore and coronary artery calcification scanning of healthy middle-aged subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mette Hjortdal; Gerke, Oke; Lambrechtsen, Jess

2012-01-01

Objectives: The aim was to examine and compare the impact of HeartScore and coronary artery calcification (CAC) score on subsequent changes in the use of medication. Methods: A total of 1156 healthy men and women, aged 50 or 60, had a baseline medical examination and a coronary artery CT-scan as ......Objectives: The aim was to examine and compare the impact of HeartScore and coronary artery calcification (CAC) score on subsequent changes in the use of medication. Methods: A total of 1156 healthy men and women, aged 50 or 60, had a baseline medical examination and a coronary artery CT......-up questionnaires addressing current medication were mailed to the participants. Results: A completed questionnaire was returned by 1075 (93%) subjects. At follow up, the overall use of prophylactic medication was significantly increased. Of those with CAC (n = 462) or high HeartScore (n = 233), 21 and 19...

Gastrointestinal scanning agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, M.D.

1980-01-01

An easily prepared radiolabeled gastrointestinal scanning agent is described. Technetium-99m has ideal characteristics for imaging the upper and lower GI tract and determining stomach emptying and intestinal transit time when used with an insoluble particulate material. For example, crystalline and amorphous calcium phosphate particles can be effectively labeled in a one-step process using sup(99m)TcO 4 and SnCl 2 . These labeled particles have insignificant mass and when administered orally pass through the GI tract unchanged, without affecting the handling and density of the intestinal contents. Visualization of the esophageal entry into the stomach, the greater and lesser curvatures of the stomach, ejection into the duodenum, and rates of passage through the upper and lower GI tract are obtained. The slurry of sup(99m)TC particulate can be given rectally by enema. Good images of the cecum and the ascending, transverse, and descending colon are obtained. Mucosal folds and the splenic and hepatic flexures are visualized. The resilience of the large intestine is also readily visualized by pneumocolonographic techniques. (author)

The effect of visual scanning exercises integrated into physiotherapy in patients with unilateral spatial neglect poststroke: a matched-pair randomized control trial.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Andoret; Eksteen, Carina A; Rheeder, Paul

2014-01-01

Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is a visual-perceptual disorder that entails the inability to perceive and integrate stimuli on one side of the body, resulting in the neglect of one side of the body. Stroke patients with USN present with extensive functional disability and duration of therapy input. To determine the effect of saccadic eye movement training with visual scanning exercises (VSEs) integrated with task-specific activities on USN poststroke. A matched-pair randomized control trial was conducted. Subjects were matched according to their functional activity level and allocated to either a control (n = 12) or an experimental group (n = 12). All patients received task-specific activities for a 4-week intervention period. The experimental group received saccadic eye movement training with VSE integrated with task specific activities as an "add on" intervention. Assessments were conducted weekly over the intervention period. Statistical significant difference was noted on the King-Devick Test (P = .021), Star Cancellation Test (P = .016), and Barthel Index (P = .004). Intensive saccadic eye movement training with VSE integrated with task-specific activities has a significant effect on USN in patients poststroke. Results of this study are supported by findings from previously reviewed literature in the sense that the effect of saccadic eye movement training with VSE as an intervention approach has a significant effect on the visual perceptual processing of participants with USN poststroke. The significant improved visual perceptual processing translate to significantly better visual function and ability to perform activities of daily living following the stroke. © The Author(s) 2014.

Visual patient records

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luu, M.D.

2015-01-01

Patient information is often complex and fragmented; visualization can help to obtain and communicate insights. To move from paper medical records to interactive and visual patient records is a big challenge. This project aims to move towards this ultimate goal by providing an interactive prototype

An automatic virtual patient reconstruction from CT-scans for hepatic surgical planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Soler, L; Delingette, H; Malandain, G; Ayache, N; Koehl, C; Clément, J M; Dourthe, O; Marescaux, J

2000-01-01

PROBLEM/BACKGROUND: In order to help hepatic surgical planning we perfected automatic 3D reconstruction of patients from conventional CT-scan, and interactive visualization and virtual resection tools. From a conventional abdominal CT-scan, we have developed several methods allowing the automatic 3D reconstruction of skin, bones, kidneys, lung, liver, hepatic lesions, and vessels. These methods are based on deformable modeling or thresholding algorithms followed by the application of mathematical morphological operators. From these anatomical and pathological models, we have developed a new framework for translating anatomical knowledge into geometrical and topological constraints. More precisely, our approach allows to automatically delineate the hepatic and portal veins but also to label the portal vein and finally to build an anatomical segmentation of the liver based on Couinaud definition which is currently used by surgeons all over the world. Finally, we have developed a user friendly interface for the 3D visualization of anatomical and pathological structures, the accurate evaluation of volumes and distances and for the virtual hepatic resection along a user-defined cutting plane. A validation study on a 30 patients database gives 2 mm of precision for liver delineation and less than 1 mm for all other anatomical and pathological structures delineation. An in vivo validation performed during surgery also showed that anatomical segmentation is more precise than the delineation performed by a surgeon based on external landmarks. This surgery planning system has been routinely used by our medical partner, and this has resulted in an improvement of the planning and performance of hepatic surgery procedures. We have developed new tools for hepatic surgical planning allowing a better surgery through an automatic delineation and visualization of anatomical and pathological structures. These tools represent a first step towards the development of an augmented

Impact of the 20-week scan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fleurke-Rozema, Hanneke

2017-01-01

This thesis presents the results of a number of studies on the efficacy of the 20-week scan in detecting severe congenital anomalies. Data from two of the eight regional centers for prenatal screening was used, located in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam and the Academic Medical Center in

Hepatobiliary scanning in cardiac transplant patients maintained on cyclosporine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dhekne, R.D.; Long, S.E.; Moore, W.H.; Frazier, O.H.

1987-01-01

Many patients receiving cyclosporine (CSA) develop hepatic dysfunction or pancreatitis. The authors reviewed 106 records of cardiac transplant patients maintained on CSA. Eleven patients underwent 16 hepatobiliary scans (HBSs) for abdominal pain and/or abnormal liver function. Of 16 HBSs, ten demonstrated normal gallbladder visualization. Follow-up in all cases confirmed scan findings. Five patients had no gallbladder visualization; confirmation of acute cholecystitis was obtained by surgery in two and by autopsy in three. One patient had previous cholecystectomy. The authors found HPS useful for evaluating acute cholecystitis in patients receiving CSA with or without associated drug-related pancreatitis and hepatic insufficiency and suggest that HBS can assist in the selection of patients for CSA dose adjustment

Visualizing Sound Directivity via Smartphone Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, Scott H.; McClain, Robert E., Jr.

2018-01-01

When Yang-Hann Kim received the Rossing Prize in Acoustics Education at the 2015 meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, he stressed the importance of offering visual depictions of sound fields when teaching acoustics. Often visualization methods require specialized equipment such as microphone arrays or scanning apparatus. We present a…

Predicting moisture content and density distribution of Scots pine by microwave scanning of sawn timber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, J.; Hagman, O.; Fjellner, B.A.

2003-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate the possibility of calibrating a prediction model for the moisture content and density distribution of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) using microwave sensors. The material was initially of green moisture content and was thereafter dried in several steps to zero moisture content. At each step, all the pieces were weighed, scanned with a microwave sensor (Satimo 9,4GHz), and computed tomography (CT)-scanned with a medical CT scanner (Siemens Somatom AR.T.). The output variables from the microwave sensor were used as predictors, and CT images that correlated with known moisture content were used as response variables. Multivariate models to predict average moisture content and density were calibrated using the partial least squares (PLS) regression. The models for average moisture content and density were applied at the pixel level, and the distribution was visualized. The results show that it is possible to predict both moisture content distribution and density distribution with high accuracy using microwave sensors. (author)

Visual perception and social foraging in birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Juricic, Esteban; Erichsen, Jonathan T; Kacelnik, Alex

2004-01-01

Birds gather information about their environment mainly through vision by scanning their surroundings. Many prevalent models of social foraging assume that foraging and scanning are mutually exclusive. Although this assumption is valid for birds with narrow visual fields, these models have also been applied to species with wide fields. In fact, available models do not make precise predictions for birds with large visual fields, in which the head-up, head-down dichotomy is not accurate and, moreover, do not consider the effects of detection distance and limited attention. Studies of how different types of visual information are acquired as a function of body posture and of how information flows within flocks offer new insights into the costs and benefits of living in groups.

Eye scanning activity influenced by temperament traits

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lukavský, Jiří

2005-01-01

Roč. 34, - (2005), s. 121 ISSN 0301-0066. [European Conference on Visual Perception 2005. 22.08.2005-26.08.2005] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70250504 Keywords : Eye movements * scanning * temperament * TCI-R * Rorschach test Subject RIV: AN - Psychology

Five-dimensional ultrasound system for soft tissue visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, Nishikant P; Caban, Jesus J; Taylor, Russell H; Hager, Gregory D; Boctor, Emad M

2015-12-01

A five-dimensional ultrasound (US) system is proposed as a real-time pipeline involving fusion of 3D B-mode data with the 3D ultrasound elastography (USE) data as well as visualization of these fused data and a real-time update capability over time for each consecutive scan. 3D B-mode data assist in visualizing the anatomy of the target organ, and 3D elastography data adds strain information. We investigate the feasibility of such a system and show that an end-to-end real-time system, from acquisition to visualization, can be developed. We present a system that consists of (a) a real-time 3D elastography algorithm based on a normalized cross-correlation (NCC) computation on a GPU; (b) real-time 3D B-mode acquisition and network transfer; (c) scan conversion of 3D elastography and B-mode volumes (if acquired by 4D wobbler probe); and (d) visualization software that fuses, visualizes, and updates 3D B-mode and 3D elastography data in real time. We achieved a speed improvement of 4.45-fold for the threaded version of the NCC-based 3D USE versus the non-threaded version. The maximum speed was 79 volumes/s for 3D scan conversion. In a phantom, we validated the dimensions of a 2.2-cm-diameter sphere scan-converted to B-mode volume. Also, we validated the 5D US system visualization transfer function and detected 1- and 2-cm spherical objects (phantom lesion). Finally, we applied the system to a phantom consisting of three lesions to delineate the lesions from the surrounding background regions of the phantom. A 5D US system is achievable with real-time performance. We can distinguish between hard and soft areas in a phantom using the transfer functions.

Visualizing the topical structure of the medical sciences: a self-organizing map approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Skupin

Full Text Available We implement a high-resolution visualization of the medical knowledge domain using the self-organizing map (SOM method, based on a corpus of over two million publications. While self-organizing maps have been used for document visualization for some time, (1 little is known about how to deal with truly large document collections in conjunction with a large number of SOM neurons, (2 post-training geometric and semiotic transformations of the SOM tend to be limited, and (3 no user studies have been conducted with domain experts to validate the utility and readability of the resulting visualizations. Our study makes key contributions to all of these issues.Documents extracted from Medline and Scopus are analyzed on the basis of indexer-assigned MeSH terms. Initial dimensionality is reduced to include only the top 10% most frequent terms and the resulting document vectors are then used to train a large SOM consisting of over 75,000 neurons. The resulting two-dimensional model of the high-dimensional input space is then transformed into a large-format map by using geographic information system (GIS techniques and cartographic design principles. This map is then annotated and evaluated by ten experts stemming from the biomedical and other domains.Study results demonstrate that it is possible to transform a very large document corpus into a map that is visually engaging and conceptually stimulating to subject experts from both inside and outside of the particular knowledge domain. The challenges of dealing with a truly large corpus come to the fore and require embracing parallelization and use of supercomputing resources to solve otherwise intractable computational tasks. Among the envisaged future efforts are the creation of a highly interactive interface and the elaboration of the notion of this map of medicine acting as a base map, onto which other knowledge artifacts could be overlaid.

Value of a probabilistic atlas in medical image segmentation regarding non-rigid registration of abdominal CT scans

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyunjin; Meyer, Charles R.

2012-10-01

A probabilistic atlas provides important information to help segmentation and registration applications in medical image analysis. We construct a probabilistic atlas by picking a target geometry and mapping other training scans onto that target and then summing the results into one probabilistic atlas. By choosing an atlas space close to the desired target, we construct an atlas that represents the population well. Image registration used to map one image geometry onto another is a primary task in atlas building. One of the main parameters of registration is the choice of degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the geometric transform. Herein, we measure the effect of the registration's DOFs on the segmentation performance of the resulting probabilistic atlas. Twenty-three normal abdominal CT scans were used, and four organs (liver, spinal cord, left and right kidneys) were segmented for each scan. A well-known manifold learning method, ISOMAP, was used to find the best target space to build an atlas. In summary, segmentation performance was high for high DOF registrations regardless of the chosen target space, while segmentation performance was lowered for low DOF registrations if a target space was far from the best target space. At the 0.05 level of statistical significance, there were no significant differences at high DOF registrations while there were significant differences at low DOF registrations when choosing different targets.

Method for visualization and presentation of priceless old prints based on precise 3D scan

Science.gov (United States)

Bunsch, Eryk; Sitnik, Robert

2014-02-01

Graphic prints and manuscripts constitute main part of the cultural heritage objects created by the most of the known civilizations. Their presentation was always a problem due to their high sensitivity to light and changes of external conditions (temperature, humidity). Today it is possible to use an advanced digitalization techniques for documentation and visualization of mentioned objects. In the situation when presentation of the original heritage object is impossible, there is a need to develop a method allowing documentation and then presentation to the audience of all the aesthetical features of the object. During the course of the project scans of several pages of one of the most valuable books in collection of Museum of Warsaw Archdiocese were performed. The book known as "Great Dürer Trilogy" consists of three series of woodcuts by the Albrecht Dürer. The measurement system used consists of a custom designed, structured light-based, high-resolution measurement head with automated digitization system mounted on the industrial robot. This device was custom built to meet conservators' requirements, especially the lack of ultraviolet or infrared radiation emission in the direction of measured object. Documentation of one page from the book requires about 380 directional measurements which constitute about 3 billion sample points. The distance between the points in the cloud is 20 μm. Provided that the measurement with MSD (measurement sampling density) of 2500 points makes it possible to show to the publicity the spatial structure of this graphics print. An important aspect is the complexity of the software environment created for data processing, in which massive data sets can be automatically processed and visualized. Very important advantage of the software which is using directly clouds of points is the possibility to manipulate freely virtual light source.

Virtual reality visual feedback for hand-controlled scanning probe microscopy manipulation of single molecules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philipp Leinen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Controlled manipulation of single molecules is an important step towards the fabrication of single molecule devices and nanoscale molecular machines. Currently, scanning probe microscopy (SPM is the only technique that facilitates direct imaging and manipulations of nanometer-sized molecular compounds on surfaces. The technique of hand-controlled manipulation (HCM introduced recently in Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1926–1932 simplifies the identification of successful manipulation protocols in situations when the interaction pattern of the manipulated molecule with its environment is not fully known. Here we present a further technical development that substantially improves the effectiveness of HCM. By adding Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles to our HCM set-up we provide the experimentalist with 3D visual feedback that displays the currently executed trajectory and the position of the SPM tip during manipulation in real time, while simultaneously plotting the experimentally measured frequency shift (Δf of the non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM tuning fork sensor as well as the magnitude of the electric current (I flowing between the tip and the surface. The advantages of the set-up are demonstrated by applying it to the model problem of the extraction of an individual PTCDA molecule from its hydrogen-bonded monolayer grown on Ag(111 surface.

Virtual reality visual feedback for hand-controlled scanning probe microscopy manipulation of single molecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Leinen, Philipp; Green, Matthew F B; Esat, Taner; Wagner, Christian; Tautz, F Stefan; Temirov, Ruslan

2015-01-01

Controlled manipulation of single molecules is an important step towards the fabrication of single molecule devices and nanoscale molecular machines. Currently, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is the only technique that facilitates direct imaging and manipulations of nanometer-sized molecular compounds on surfaces. The technique of hand-controlled manipulation (HCM) introduced recently in Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1926-1932 simplifies the identification of successful manipulation protocols in situations when the interaction pattern of the manipulated molecule with its environment is not fully known. Here we present a further technical development that substantially improves the effectiveness of HCM. By adding Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles to our HCM set-up we provide the experimentalist with 3D visual feedback that displays the currently executed trajectory and the position of the SPM tip during manipulation in real time, while simultaneously plotting the experimentally measured frequency shift (Δf) of the non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) tuning fork sensor as well as the magnitude of the electric current (I) flowing between the tip and the surface. The advantages of the set-up are demonstrated by applying it to the model problem of the extraction of an individual PTCDA molecule from its hydrogen-bonded monolayer grown on Ag(111) surface.

Exploring the potential of neurophysiological measures for user-adaptive visualization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tak, S.; Brouwer, A.M.; Toet, A.; Erp, J.B.F. van

2013-01-01

User-adaptive visualization aims to adapt visualized information to the needs and characteristics of the individual user. Current approaches deploy user personality factors, user behavior and preferences, and visual scanning behavior to achieve this goal. We argue that neurophysiological data

Quantitative Assessment of Blood Pressure Measurement Accuracy and Variability from Visual Auscultation Method by Observers without Receiving Medical Training

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yong; Chen, Aiqing

2017-01-01

This study aimed to quantify blood pressure (BP) measurement accuracy and variability with different techniques. Thirty video clips of BP recordings from the BHS training database were converted to Korotkoff sound waveforms. Ten observers without receiving medical training were asked to determine BPs using (a) traditional manual auscultatory method and (b) visual auscultation method by visualizing the Korotkoff sound waveform, which was repeated three times on different days. The measurement error was calculated against the reference answers, and the measurement variability was calculated from the SD of the three repeats. Statistical analysis showed that, in comparison with the auscultatory method, visual method significantly reduced overall variability from 2.2 to 1.1 mmHg for SBP and from 1.9 to 0.9 mmHg for DBP (both p auscultation methods). In conclusion, the visual auscultation method had the ability to achieve an acceptable degree of BP measurement accuracy, with smaller variability in comparison with the traditional auscultatory method. PMID:29423405

FDG-PET scan in assessing lymphomas and the application of Deauville Criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awan, U.E.K.; Siddiqui, N.; Muzaffar, N.; Farooqui, Z.S.

2013-01-01

To evaluate the role of Fluorine-18-fluorodexoyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) scan in staging and its implications on the treatment of lymphoma, and to study the concordance between visual assessment and Deauville criteria for the interpretation of interim scans. Methods: The prospective single-arm experimental study was conducted at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, from May 2011 to October 2011. It comprised 53 newly diagnosed lymphoma patients who agreed to participate in the study. All patients underwent scans with contrast-enhanced computerised tomography at baseline. Treatment plan was formulated based on the final stage. Interim scans were acquired after 2 cycles of chemotherapy and were reported using visual criteria and compared with the 5-point Deauville criteria. Score of 1-3 was taken as disease-negative, while 4-5 was taken as disease-positive. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 53 patients, 35 (66%) had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, while 18 (34%) had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Scans resulted in disease upstaging in 4 (7.5%) patients, and detecting increased disease burden in 12 (23%). On interim scans, complete remission was achieved in 38 (71%) patients (Deauville score 1-3); 12 (23%) showed partial response (Deauville score 4-5); and 3 (6%) had progression. Kappa test was statistically significant (kappa 0.856; p <0.001). Conclusion: The positron emission tomography helped to upstage lymphoma and reflected increased disease burden. The Deauville criteria correlated very well with visual assessment criteria and can be applied in the patient population. (author)

Visual scanning and recognition of Chinese, Caucasian, and racially ambiguous faces: contributions from bottom-up facial physiognomic information and top-down knowledge of racial categories.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiandong; Xiao, Naiqi G; Quinn, Paul C; Hu, Chao S; Qian, Miao; Fu, Genyue; Lee, Kang

2015-02-01

Recent studies have shown that participants use different eye movement strategies when scanning own- and other-race faces. However, it is unclear (1) whether this effect is related to face recognition performance, and (2) to what extent this effect is influenced by top-down or bottom-up facial information. In the present study, Chinese participants performed a face recognition task with Chinese, Caucasian, and racially ambiguous faces. For the racially ambiguous faces, we led participants to believe that they were viewing either own-race Chinese faces or other-race Caucasian faces. Results showed that (1) Chinese participants scanned the nose of the true Chinese faces more than that of the true Caucasian faces, whereas they scanned the eyes of the Caucasian faces more than those of the Chinese faces; (2) they scanned the eyes, nose, and mouth equally for the ambiguous faces in the Chinese condition compared with those in the Caucasian condition; (3) when recognizing the true Chinese target faces, but not the true target Caucasian faces, the greater the fixation proportion on the nose, the faster the participants correctly recognized these faces. The same was true when racially ambiguous face stimuli were thought to be Chinese faces. These results provide the first evidence to show that (1) visual scanning patterns of faces are related to own-race face recognition response time, and (2) it is bottom-up facial physiognomic information that mainly contributes to face scanning. However, top-down knowledge of racial categories can influence the relationship between face scanning patterns and recognition response time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual scanning and recognition of Chinese, Caucasian, and racially ambiguous faces: Contributions from bottom-up facial physiognomic information and top-down knowledge of racial categories

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiandong; Xiao, Naiqi G.; Quinn, Paul C.; Hu, Chao S.; Qian, Miao; Fu, Genyue; Lee, Kang

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown that participants use different eye movement strategies when scanning own- and other-race faces. However, it is unclear (1) whether this effect is related to face recognition performance, and (2) to what extent this effect is influenced by top-down or bottom-up facial information. In the present study, Chinese participants performed a face recognition task with Chinese faces, Caucasian faces, and racially ambiguous morphed face stimuli. For the racially ambiguous faces, we led participants to believe that they were viewing either own-race Chinese faces or other-race Caucasian faces. Results showed that (1) Chinese participants scanned the nose of the true Chinese faces more than that of the true Caucasian faces, whereas they scanned the eyes of the Caucasian faces more than those of the Chinese faces; (2) they scanned the eyes, nose, and mouth equally for the ambiguous faces in the Chinese condition compared with those in the Caucasian condition; (3) when recognizing the true Chinese target faces, but not the true target Caucasian faces, the greater the fixation proportion on the nose, the faster the participants correctly recognized these faces. The same was true when racially ambiguous face stimuli were thought to be Chinese faces. These results provide the first evidence to show that (1) visual scanning patterns of faces are related to own-race face recognition response time, and (2) it is bottom-up facial physiognomic information of racial categories that mainly contributes to face scanning. However, top-down knowledge of racial categories can influence the relationship between face scanning patterns and recognition response time. PMID:25497461

Value of gallbladder B-scan ultrasonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabrisky, J; Lindstrom, R R; Herman, M W; Castagna, J; Sarti, D

1975-05-01

The gallbladder B-scans of 20 patients who had subsequent surgery were separated into three categories based upon certain sonographic criteria. Our data, in this limited series, revealed gallbladder pathology in each patient who had any one or combination of the following scan characteristics: (1) internal echos, (2) irregular wall, or (3) absence of recognizable gallbladder sonolucency. The category which demonstrated a normal sonographic gallbladder, namely a smooth wall and no internal echos, contained a number of false negatives which proved to have either small stone cholelithiasis or extraphepatic ductal obstruction. Within the described limitations, the B-scan can be a valuable test in confirming the significance of a radiographically nonvisualized gallbladder or in detecting a biliary tract lesion in a patient with a disease entity that precludes radiographic visualization by conventional techniques.

Visualizing Sound Directivity via Smartphone Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, Scott H.; McClain, Robert E.

2018-02-01

When Yang-Hann Kim received the Rossing Prize in Acoustics Education at the 2015 meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, he stressed the importance of offering visual depictions of sound fields when teaching acoustics. Often visualization methods require specialized equipment such as microphone arrays or scanning apparatus. We present a simple method for visualizing angular dependence in sound fields, made possible via the confluence of sensors available via a new smartphone app that the authors have developed.

The Holistic Processing Account of Visual Expertise in Medical Image Perception: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheridan, Heather; Reingold, Eyal M

2017-01-01

In the field of medical image perception, the holistic processing perspective contends that experts can rapidly extract global information about the image, which can be used to guide their subsequent search of the image (Swensson, 1980; Nodine and Kundel, 1987; Kundel et al., 2007). In this review, we discuss the empirical evidence supporting three different predictions that can be derived from the holistic processing perspective: Expertise in medical image perception is domain-specific, experts use parafoveal and/or peripheral vision to process large regions of the image in parallel, and experts benefit from a rapid initial glimpse of an image. In addition, we discuss a pivotal recent study (Litchfield and Donovan, 2016) that seems to contradict the assumption that experts benefit from a rapid initial glimpse of the image. To reconcile this finding with the existing literature, we suggest that global processing may serve multiple functions that extend beyond the initial glimpse of the image. Finally, we discuss future research directions, and we highlight the connections between the holistic processing account and similar theoretical perspectives and findings from other domains of visual expertise.

Students with Low Vision Describe Their Visual Impairments and Visual Functioning

Science.gov (United States)

Guerette, Amy R.; Lewis, Sandra; Mattingly, Cameron

2011-01-01

In the study reported here, the responses to a survey that was designed to determine the knowledge of their visual impairment of 51 students with low vision were analyzed. Although the students described their visual weaknesses and strengths, they had limited knowledge of, and difficulty communicating about, the medical aspects of their…

Incidental Visualization of Thyroid Gland on Bone Scan Caused by Graves' Hyperthyroidism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, Myung Hee; Jeong, Hwan Jeong; Kim, Dong Wook; Lim, Seok Tae

2009-01-01

A 45-year-old man presented with fatigue and weight loss underwent a Tc-99m MDP bone scan because of increased serum alkaline phosphatase. Delayed images at 4 hours demonstrated diffuse increased activity throughout both lobes of the thyroid in the absence of activity of the stomach and salivary glands. Thyroid laboratory indices and a Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid scan suggested Graves' hyperthyroidism

THE USE OF 3D SCANNING AND RAPID PROTOTYPING IN MEDICAL ENGINEERING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Octavian CIOBANU

2013-05-01

Full Text Available New cost effective scanning and modeling techniques are used today to process data acquisition and3D reconstruction in order to fabricate prostheses and orthoses by 3D printing. Paper approaches two scanningand 3D modeling techniques used in order to fabricate orthoses and prostheses. In this study, an artificialprosthetic ear was produced through 3D printing using two scanning techniques: structured light scanningtechnique and single camera stereo photogrammetric scanning technique. The processing phases are describedand discussed from data acquisition to 3D printing. The surface scanning and 3D reconstruction techniques willcontinue to increase the accessibility of prostheses and orthoses, making them more cost-effective and morecomfortable.

Web based 3-D medical image visualization on the PC.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, N; Lee, D H; Kim, J H; Kim, Y; Cho, H J

1998-01-01

With the recent advance of Web and its associated technologies, information sharing on distribute computing environments has gained a great amount of attention from many researchers in many application areas, such as medicine, engineering, and business. One basic requirement of distributed medical consultation systems is that geographically dispersed, disparate participants are allowed to exchange information readily with each other. Such software also needs to be supported on a broad range of computer platforms to increase the softwares accessibility. In this paper, the development of world-wide-web based medical consultation system for radiology imaging is addressed to provide platform independence and greater accessibility. The system supports sharing of 3-dimensional objects. We use VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), which is the defacto standard in 3-D modeling on the Web. 3-D objects are reconstructed from CT or MRI volume data using a VRML format, which can be viewed and manipulated easily in Web-browsers with a VRML plug-in. A Marching cubes method is used in the transformation of scanned volume data sets to polygonal surfaces of VRML. A decimation algorithm is adopted to reduce the number of meshes in the resulting VRML file. 3-D volume data are often very large in size, hence loading the data on PC level computers requires a significant reduction of the size of the data, while minimizing the loss of the original shape information. This is also important to decrease network delays. A prototype system has been implemented (http://cybernet5.snu.ac.kr/-cyber/mrivrml .html), and several sessions of experiments are carried out.

Advanced data visualization and sensor fusion: Conversion of techniques from medical imaging to Earth science

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Richard C.; Chen, Chin-Tu; Pelizzari, Charles; Ramanathan, Veerabhadran

1993-01-01

Hughes Aircraft Company and the University of Chicago propose to transfer existing medical imaging registration algorithms to the area of multi-sensor data fusion. The University of Chicago's algorithms have been successfully demonstrated to provide pixel by pixel comparison capability for medical sensors with different characteristics. The research will attempt to fuse GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite), AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer), and SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave Imager) sensor data which will benefit a wide range of researchers. The algorithms will utilize data visualization and algorithm development tools created by Hughes in its EOSDIS (Earth Observation SystemData/Information System) prototyping. This will maximize the work on the fusion algorithms since support software (e.g. input/output routines) will already exist. The research will produce a portable software library with documentation for use by other researchers.

Addressing challenges in bar-code scanning of large-volume infusion bags.

Science.gov (United States)

Raman, Kirthana; Heelon, Mark; Kerr, Gary; Higgins, Thomas L

2011-08-01

A hospital pharmacy's efforts to identify and address challenges with bedside scanning of bar codes on large-volume parenteral (LVP) infusion bags are described. Bar-code-assisted medication administration (BCMA) has been shown to reduce medication errors and improve patient safety. After the pilot implementation of a BCMA system and point-of-care scanning procedures at a medical center's intensive care unit, it was noted that nurses' attempted bedside scans of certain LVP bags for product identification purposes often were not successful. An investigation and root-cause analysis, including observation of nurses' scanning technique by a multidisciplinary team, determined that the scanning failures stemmed from the placement of two bar-code imprints-one with the product identification code and another, larger imprint with the expiration date and lot number-adjacently on the LVP bags. The nursing staff was educated on a modified scanning technique, which resulted in significantly improved success rates in the scanning of the most commonly used LVP bags. Representatives of the LVP bag manufacturer met with hospital staff to discuss the problem and corrective measures. As part of a subsequent infusion bag redesign, the manufacturer discontinued the use of the bar-code imprint implicated in the scanning failures. Failures in scanning LVP bags were traced to problematic placement of bar-code imprints on the bags. Interdisciplinary collaboration, consultation with the bag manufacturer, and education of the nursing and pharmacy staff resulted in a reduction in scanning failures and the manufacturer's removal of one of the bar codes from its LVP bags.

Bar Code Medication Administration Technology: Characterization of High-Alert Medication Triggers and Clinician Workarounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Daniel F; Fortier, Christopher R; Garrison, Kelli L

2011-02-01

Bar code medication administration (BCMA) technology is gaining acceptance for its ability to prevent medication administration errors. However, studies suggest that improper use of BCMA technology can yield unsatisfactory error prevention and introduction of new potential medication errors. To evaluate the incidence of high-alert medication BCMA triggers and alert types and discuss the type of nursing and pharmacy workarounds occurring with the use of BCMA technology and the electronic medication administration record (eMAR). Medication scanning and override reports from January 1, 2008, through November 30, 2008, for all adult medical/surgical units were retrospectively evaluated for high-alert medication system triggers, alert types, and override reason documentation. An observational study of nursing workarounds on an adult medicine step-down unit was performed and an analysis of potential pharmacy workarounds affecting BCMA and the eMAR was also conducted. Seventeen percent of scanned medications triggered an error alert of which 55% were for high-alert medications. Insulin aspart, NPH insulin, hydromorphone, potassium chloride, and morphine were the top 5 high-alert medications that generated alert messages. Clinician override reasons for alerts were documented in only 23% of administrations. Observational studies assessing for nursing workarounds revealed a median of 3 clinician workarounds per administration. Specific nursing workarounds included a failure to scan medications/patient armband and scanning the bar code once the dosage has been removed from the unit-dose packaging. Analysis of pharmacy order entry process workarounds revealed the potential for missed doses, duplicate doses, and doses being scheduled at the wrong time. BCMA has the potential to prevent high-alert medication errors by alerting clinicians through alert messages. Nursing and pharmacy workarounds can limit the recognition of optimal safety outcomes and therefore workflow processes

Symmetric visualization of the femoral heads in reticuloendothelial bone marrow scanning in adults

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munz, D L; Hoer, G

1983-03-01

Two hundred and twenty seven consecutive patients of either sex aged 15-84 suffering from various benign and malignant disorders were studied by sup(99m)Tc-HSA-MM reticuloendothelial bone marrow scintigraphy. In all patients, symmetric findings concerning visualization or nonvisualization of the femoral heads could be seen. Femoral heads were clearly visualized in 48%, nonvisualized in 43%, and equivocally visualized in 9%. In patients with clearly visualized femoral heads, the bone marrow showed peripheral extension in 81%, whereas in patients with nonvisualized femoral heads, bone marrow extension was observed in only 42%. There was a correlation between the degree of bone marrow extension and the ability to visualize femoral heads. There was no obvious difference between males and females, nor patients with various diseases or treatments, amongst nor between different age groups. Two hypotheses are suggested to explain the correspondence between presence of bone marrow tissue in the femoral heads and peripheral extension of the bone marrow organ. Nonvisualization of the femoral heads alone is insufficient to establish the diagnosis of avascular necrosis.

A case of bilateral visual loss after spinal cord surgery | Shifa | Pan ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The patient never had a visual impairment in the past. Physical examination, fundal examination and CT scan revealed no primary cause for the visual loss. In this patient the absence of any finding in the optic disc and the retina and the normal CT scan, suggests that the most likely diagnosis is posterior ischemic optic ...

Neutron visual sensing techniques making good use of computer science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kureta, Masatoshi

2009-01-01

Neutron visual sensing technique is one of the nondestructive visualization and image-sensing techniques. In this article, some advanced neutron visual sensing techniques are introduced. The most up-to-date high-speed neutron radiography, neutron 3D CT, high-speed scanning neutron 3D/4D CT and multi-beam neutron 4D CT techniques are included with some fundamental application results. Oil flow in a car engine was visualized by high-speed neutron radiography technique to make clear the unknown phenomena. 4D visualization of pained sand in the sand glass was reported as the demonstration of the high-speed scanning neutron 4D CT technique. The purposes of the development of these techniques are to make clear the unknown phenomena and to measure the void fraction, velocity etc. with high-speed or 3D/4D for many industrial applications. (author)

Full-Body CT Scans - What You Need to Know

Science.gov (United States)

... Procedures Medical Imaging Medical X-ray Imaging Full-Body CT Scans - What You Need to Know Share ... if you are thinking of having a whole-body screening: Whole-body CT screening has not been ...

P-scan, a new system for ultrasonic weld inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lund, S.A.; Iversen, S.E.; Holst, H.

1978-01-01

The P-scan method is explained. It is described how the new P-scan system improves the ultrasonic method by adding means for visualization, data storage and documentation. Three different scanners are described: One designed for manual operation, another for automatic operation and a third for semiautomatic operation. The p'scan image of an ultrasonically examined test plate is presented and discussed. The variable Display Level (i.e. the inspection sensitivity) facility is described. The main advantage of this facility is the fact that the level can be varied at any time after the inspection. (orig.) [de

Visualization of cytoskeletal elements by the atomic force microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berdyyeva, T.; Woodworth, C.D.; Sokolov, I.

2005-01-01

We describe a novel application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly visualize cytoskeletal fibers in human foreskin epithelial cells. The nonionic detergent Triton X-100 in a low concentration was used to remove the membrane, soluble proteins, and organelles from the cell. The remaining cytoskeleton can then be directly visualized in either liquid or air-dried ambient conditions. These two types of scanning provide complimentary information. Scanning in liquid visualizes the surface filaments of the cytoskeleton, whereas scanning in air shows both the surface filaments and the total 'volume' of the cytoskeletal fibers. The smallest fibers observed were ca. 50 nm in diameter. The lateral resolution of this technique was ca.20 nm, which can be increased to a single nanometer level by choosing sharper AFM tips. Because the AFM is a true 3D technique, we are able to quantify the observed cytoskeleton by its density and volume. The types of fibers can be identified by their size, similar to electron microscopy

Multicolor Scanning Laser Imaging in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Mohammad S Z; Carrim, Zia Iqbal

2017-11-01

Diabetic retinopathy is a common cause of blindness in individuals younger than 60 years. Screening for retinopathy is undertaken using conventional color fundus photography and relies on the identification of hemorrhages, vascular abnormalities, exudates, and cotton-wool spots. These can sometimes be difficult to identify. Multicolor scanning laser imaging, a new imaging modality, may have a role in improving screening outcomes, as well as facilitating treatment decisions. Observational case series comprising two patients with known diabetes who were referred for further examination after color fundus photography revealed abnormal findings. Multicolor scanning laser imaging was undertaken. Features of retinal disease from each modality were compared. Multicolor scanning laser imaging provides superior visualization of retinal anatomy and pathology, thereby facilitating risk stratification and treatment decisions. Multicolor scanning laser imaging is a novel imaging technique offering the potential for improving the reliability of screening for diabetic retinopathy. Validation studies are warranted.

Visual Impairment, Including Blindness

Science.gov (United States)

... professionals/13 Need a glossary? |Becoming familiar with medical terminology relating to the visual system may also prove helpful, especially when talking to medical professionals and reading about ... Glossary of Eye Terminology , which lists common terms that eye doctors use ...

In vitro Spatial Compound Scanning for Improved Visualization of Atherosclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Søren Kragh; Wilhjelm, Jens E.; Sillesen, Henrik

2000-01-01

A new off-line multiangle ultrasound (US) compound scanner has been built with the purpose of investigating possible improvements in visualization of vascular structure. Images of two formalin-fixed human atherosclerotic plaques removed by carotid endarterectomy were recorded from seven insonific...

Direct Visualization of Local Electromagnetic Field Structures by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Naoya; Findlay, Scott D; Matsumoto, Takao; Kohno, Yuji; Seki, Takehito; Sánchez-Santolino, Gabriel; Ikuhara, Yuichi

2017-07-18

The functional properties of materials and devices are critically determined by the electromagnetic field structures formed inside them, especially at nanointerface and surface regions, because such structures are strongly associated with the dynamics of electrons, holes and ions. To understand the fundamental origin of many exotic properties in modern materials and devices, it is essential to directly characterize local electromagnetic field structures at such defect regions, even down to atomic dimensions. In recent years, rapid progress in the development of high-speed area detectors for aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with sub-angstrom spatial resolution has opened new possibilities to directly image such electromagnetic field structures at very high-resolution. In this Account, we give an overview of our recent development of differential phase contrast (DPC) microscopy for aberration-corrected STEM and its application to many materials problems. In recent years, we have developed segmented-type STEM detectors which divide the detector plane into 16 segments and enable simultaneous imaging of 16 STEM images which are sensitive to the positions and angles of transmitted/scattered electrons on the detector plane. These detectors also have atomic-resolution imaging capability. Using these segmented-type STEM detectors, we show DPC STEM imaging to be a very powerful tool for directly imaging local electromagnetic field structures in materials and devices in real space. For example, DPC STEM can clearly visualize the local electric field variation due to the abrupt potential change across a p-n junction in a GaAs semiconductor, which cannot be observed by normal in-focus bright-field or annular type dark-field STEM imaging modes. DPC STEM is also very effective for imaging magnetic field structures in magnetic materials, such as magnetic domains and skyrmions. Moreover, real-time imaging of electromagnetic field structures can

Knowledge Representation Of CT Scans Of The Head

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, Laurens V.; Burke, M. W.; Rada, Roy

1984-06-01

We have been investigating diagnostic knowledge models which assist in the automatic classification of medical images by combining information extracted from each image with knowledge specific to that class of images. In a more general sense we are trying to integrate verbal and pictorial descriptions of disease via representations of knowledge, study automatic hypothesis generation as related to clinical medicine, evolve new mathematical image measures while integrating them into the total diagnostic process, and investigate ways to augment the knowledge of the physician. Specifically, we have constructed an artificial intelligence knowledge model using the technique of a production system blending pictorial and verbal knowledge about the respective CT scan and patient history. It is an attempt to tie together different sources of knowledge representation, picture feature extraction and hypothesis generation. Our knowledge reasoning and representation system (KRRS) works with data at the conscious reasoning level of the practicing physician while at the visual perceptional level we are building another production system, the picture parameter extractor (PPE). This paper describes KRRS and its relationship to PPE.

The potential value of a pictorial atlas for aid in the visual diagnosis of 123I FP-CIT SPECT scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goethals, I.; Ham, H.; Dobbeleir, A.; D'Asseler, Y.; Santens, P.

2009-01-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate the value of a pictorial atlas of 123 I FP-CIT SPECT images for aid in the visual diagnosis. Patients, materials, methods: Sixty patients, of whom 20 were clinically diagnosed as 'non-parkinsonian' and 40 as having Parkinson's disease or any related disorder, were included in the study. An atlas consisting of 12 123 I FP-CIT SPECT images was constructed first. Validity of the atlas was investigated by performing a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with the clinical diagnosis as the gold standard. The remaining 48 SPECT images were visually assessed twice by 5 observers, first with and secondly without consulting the atlas, or vice versa. The added value of the atlas was investigated by comparing the diagnostic accuracy and the interobserver variability for both methods. Results: ROC analysis performed on the atlas yielded an area under the curve of 1 for a threshold discriminating between clinically non-parkinsonian and parkinsonian patients that was situated between image 4 and 5 of the atlas, For the diagnostic accuracy, we found that the area under the ROC curve was systematically higher if observers had access to the atlas compared to when they had not (Wilcoxon's test, p 123 I FP-CIT SPECT scans. (orig.)

Influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Na; Yu, Ruifeng

2017-12-01

This study employed an eye-tracking technique to investigate the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. A total of 20 male subjects performed visual search tasks in a 2 (target presence: present vs. absent) × 2 (task complexity: complex vs. simple) × 2 (social presence: alone vs. a human audience) within-subject experiment. Results indicated that the presence of an audience could evoke a social facilitation effect on response time in visual search tasks. Compared with working alone, the participants made fewer and shorter fixations, larger saccades and shorter scan path in simple search tasks and more and longer fixations, smaller saccades and longer scan path in complex search tasks when working with an audience. The saccade velocity and pupil diameter in the audience-present condition were larger than those in the working-alone condition. No significant change in target fixation number was observed between two social presence conditions. Practitioner Summary: This study employed an eye-tracking technique to examine the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. Results clarified the variation mechanism and characteristics of oculomotor scanning induced by social presence in visual search.

Exploring the potential of neurophysiological measures for user-adaptive visualization

OpenAIRE

Tak, S.; Brouwer, A.M.; Toet, A.; Erp, J.B.F. van

2013-01-01

User-adaptive visualization aims to adapt visualized information to the needs and characteristics of the individual user. Current approaches deploy user personality factors, user behavior and preferences, and visual scanning behavior to achieve this goal. We argue that neurophysiological data provide valuable additional input for user-adaptive visualization systems since they contain a wealth of objective information about user characteristics. The combination of neurophysiological data with ...

Scanning X-ray microscopy of superconductor/ferromagnet bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stahl, Claudia; Ruoss, Stephen; Weigand, Markus; Schuetz, Gisela [Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart (Germany); Zahn, Patrick; Bayer, Jonas [Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart (Germany); Research Institute for Innovative Surfaces, FINO, Aalen University (Germany); Albrecht, Joachim [Research Institute for Innovative Surfaces, FINO, Aalen University (Germany)

2016-07-01

The magnetic flux distribution arising from a high-T{sub c} superconductor is detected and visualized with high spatial resolution using scanning x-ray microscopy (SXM). Therefore, we introduce a sensor layer, namely, an amorphous, soft-magnetic CoFeB cover layer. The magnetic stray fields of the supercurrents lead to a local reorientation of the magnetic moments in the ferromagnet, which is visualized using the large x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) effect of the Co and Fe L3-edge. We show that the XMCD contrast in the sensor layer corresponds to the in-plane magnetic flux distribution of the superconductor and can hence be used to image magnetic structures in superconductors with high spatial resolution. Using the total electron yield (TEY) mode the surface structure and the magnetic domains can be imaged simultaneously and can be correlated. The measurements are carried out at our scanning x-ray microscope MAXYMUS at Bessy II, Berlin with the new low temperature setup.

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SCAN FINDINGS OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH HEADACHE AT TRIPURA MEDICAL COLLEGE AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR MEMORIAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, HAPANIA, AGARTALA, TRIPURA- A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biplab Debbarma

2017-10-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Headache is one of the causes of discomfort to a human being and can be classified as primary or secondary headache. CT scan has proved to be useful when the neurological physical examination is abnormal. The aim of the study is to1. Determine the causes of headache of patients presenting with nontraumatic headache by CT scan at Tripura Medical College and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Teaching Hospital, Hapania, Agartala, West Tripura. 2. Correlate the clinical diagnosis and the CT scan findings of patients with nontraumatic headache. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 157 patients presented with nontraumatic headache underwent CT scan examination in the Radiodiagnosis Department of Tripura Medical College and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Teaching Hospital, Hapania, Agartala, West Tripura and scans were viewed for the presence of any secondary cause of headache and findings were expressed as frequency and percentage. Statistical Analysis- The data were entered in spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS 21 statistical software. Results were expressed as frequency and percentage. RESULTS In our study, female patients (50.96% were slightly more than the male (49.04% patients and majority of the patients were in the age group of >20 to ≤40 years (54.14% followed by >40 to ≤60 years (25.47%.Primary headache (73.89% was found to be more common than secondary headache (26.11%. Sinusitis (73.17% was the commonest cause of secondary headache. Prevalence of positive CT scans of patients presenting with headache was 26.11%. Most of the clinical diagnosis did not correlate (61.78% with the CT scan finding. Patients with clinical diagnosis of migraine correlates mostly with the CT scan finding (69.44%, which is one of commonest cause of primary headache where we got negative findings in CT scan followed by sinusitis (38.77%, CVA/ICH (cerebrovascular accident and intracerebral haemorrhage 32.25% and brain SOL (25%. CONCLUSION CT scan has a role in

Bone mineral density scans in veterans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Bass

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Elizabeth Bass1,2, Etienne Pracht1,3, Philip Foulis4,51VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, Tampa, FL; 2School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; 3College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; 4James A Haley VA Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA; 5Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USAGoals: Recent findings suggest the prevalence of osteoporosis among men is under-recognized. The patient population of the Veterans Health Administration (VA is predominantly male and many elderly veterans may be at risk of osteoporosis. Given the lack of data on male osteoporosis, we provide initial insight into diagnostic procedures for patients at one VA medical center. Procedures: A review and descriptive analysis of patients undergoing radiological evaluation for osteoporosis at one VA medical center.Results: We identified 4,919 patients who had bone mineral density scans from 2001–2004. VA patients receiving bone mineral density scans were commonly white, male, over age 70 and taking medications with potential bone-loss side effects.Conclusions: While further research is needed, preliminary evidence suggests that the VA screens the most vulnerable age groups in both genders. Heightened awareness among primary care providers of elderly male patients at risk of osteoporosis can lead to early intervention and improved management of this age-related condition.Keywords: bone mineral density scans, osteoporosis, veterans

EpiScanGIS: an online geographic surveillance system for meningococcal disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albert Jürgen

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surveillance of infectious diseases increasingly relies on Geographic Information Systems (GIS. The integration of pathogen fine typing data in dynamic systems and visualization of spatio-temporal clusters are a technical challenge for system development. Results An online geographic information system (EpiScanGIS based on open source components has been launched in Germany in May 2006 for real time provision of meningococcal typing data in conjunction with demographic information (age, incidence, population density. Spatio-temporal clusters of disease detected by computer assisted cluster analysis (SaTScan™ are visualized on maps. EpiScanGIS enables dynamic generation of animated maps. The system is based on open source components; its architecture is open for other infectious agents and geographic regions. EpiScanGIS is available at http://www.episcangis.org, and currently has 80 registered users, mostly from the public health service in Germany. At present more than 2,900 cases of invasive meningococcal disease are stored in the database (data as of June 3, 2008. Conclusion EpiScanGIS exemplifies GIS applications and early-warning systems in laboratory surveillance of infectious diseases.

Incidental Visualization of Thyroid Gland on Bone Scan Caused by Graves' Hyperthyroidism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohn, Myung Hee; Jeong, Hwan Jeong; Kim, Dong Wook; Lim, Seok Tae [Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of)

2009-04-15

A 45-year-old man presented with fatigue and weight loss underwent a Tc-99m MDP bone scan because of increased serum alkaline phosphatase. Delayed images at 4 hours demonstrated diffuse increased activity throughout both lobes of the thyroid in the absence of activity of the stomach and salivary glands. Thyroid laboratory indices and a Tc-99m pertechnetate thyroid scan suggested Graves' hyperthyroidism

Occupational Health and the Visual Arts: An Introduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkamp, David; McCann, Michael; Babin, Angela R

2017-09-01

Occupational hazards in the visual arts often involve hazardous materials, though hazardous equipment and hazardous work conditions can also be found. Occupational health professionals are familiar with most of these hazards and are particularly qualified to contribute clinical and preventive expertise to these issues. Articles illustrating visual arts health issues were sought and reviewed. Literature sources included medical databases, unindexed art-health publications, and popular press articles. Few medical articles examine health issues in the visuals arts directly, but exposures to pigments, solvents, and other hazards found in the visual arts are well described. The hierarchy of controls is an appropriate model for controlling hazards and promoting safer visual art workplaces. The health and safety of those working in the visual arts can benefit from the occupational health approach. Sources of further information are available.

Thyroiditis: Radioisotope Scan Findings and Clinical Significance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Chae; Han, Duck Sup; Park, Jung Suck; Kim, Se Jong; Park, Byung Lan; Kim, Byoung Geun [Kwangju Christian Hospital, Kwangju (Korea, Republic of)

1991-07-15

We analyzed Radioisotope scan findings of 46 patients of thyroiditis which were proven pathologically at K.C.H. The results were as follows 1) 45 patients were female, one was male and average age of patients was 37 years old. 2) The lesion site was predominant in both lobe (67%) Hashimoto's thyroiditis showed enlarged thyroid (85%) with cold nodule (20%), diffuse decreased activity (10%), while subacute thyroiditis was presented absent activity (53%), poor visualization (20%) or cold nodule (7%). 4) Radioisotope scan was valuable in evaluating function of thyroid gland and detection of lesion but there was a limit of pathological nature.

Wide-field fundus autofluorescence corresponds to visual fields in chorioretinitis patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seidensticker F

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Florian Seidensticker1, Aljoscha S Neubauer1, Tamer Wasfy1,2, Carmen Stumpf1, Stephan R Thurau1,*, Anselm Kampik1, Marcus Kernt1,*1Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt *Both authors contributed equally to this workBackground and objectives: Detection of peripheral fundus autofluorescence (FAF using conventional scanning laser ophthalmoscopes (SLOs is difficult and requires pupil dilation. Here we evaluated the diagnostic properties of wide-field FAF detected by a two-laser wavelength wide-field SLO in uveitis patients.Study design/materials and methods: Observational case series of four patients suffering from different types of posterior uveitis/chorioretinitis. Wide-field FAF images were compared to visual fields. Panretinal FAF was detected by a newly developed SLO, which allows FAF imaging of up to 200° of the retina in one scan without the need for pupil dilation. Visual fields were obtained by Goldmann manual perimetry.Results: Findings from wide-field FAF imaging showed correspondence to visual field defects in all cases.Conclusion: Wide-field FAF allowed the detection of visual field defect-related alterations of the retinal pigment epithelium in all four uveitis cases.Keywords: fundus autofluorescence (FAF, Optomap, wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, imaging, uveitis, visual field

Software components for medical image visualization and surgical planning

Science.gov (United States)

Starreveld, Yves P.; Gobbi, David G.; Finnis, Kirk; Peters, Terence M.

2001-05-01

Purpose: The development of new applications in medical image visualization and surgical planning requires the completion of many common tasks such as image reading and re-sampling, segmentation, volume rendering, and surface display. Intra-operative use requires an interface to a tracking system and image registration, and the application requires basic, easy to understand user interface components. Rapid changes in computer and end-application hardware, as well as in operating systems and network environments make it desirable to have a hardware and operating system as an independent collection of reusable software components that can be assembled rapidly to prototype new applications. Methods: Using the OpenGL based Visualization Toolkit as a base, we have developed a set of components that implement the above mentioned tasks. The components are written in both C++ and Python, but all are accessible from Python, a byte compiled scripting language. The components have been used on the Red Hat Linux, Silicon Graphics Iris, Microsoft Windows, and Apple OS X platforms. Rigorous object-oriented software design methods have been applied to ensure hardware independence and a standard application programming interface (API). There are components to acquire, display, and register images from MRI, MRA, CT, Computed Rotational Angiography (CRA), Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), 2D and 3D ultrasound, video and physiological recordings. Interfaces to various tracking systems for intra-operative use have also been implemented. Results: The described components have been implemented and tested. To date they have been used to create image manipulation and viewing tools, a deep brain functional atlas, a 3D ultrasound acquisition and display platform, a prototype minimally invasive robotic coronary artery bypass graft planning system, a tracked neuro-endoscope guidance system and a frame-based stereotaxy neurosurgery planning tool. The frame-based stereotaxy module has been

New superconducting cyclotron driven scanning proton therapy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, Hans-Udo; Baumgarten, Christian; Geisler, Andreas; Heese, Juergen; Hobl, Achim; Krischel, Detlef; Schillo, Michael; Schmidt, Stefan; Timmer, Jan

2005-01-01

Since one and a half decades ACCEL is investing in development and engineering of state of the art particle-therapy systems. A new medical superconducting 250 MeV proton cyclotron with special focus on the present and future beam requirements of fast scanning treatment systems has been designed. The first new ACCEL medical proton cyclotron is under commissioning at PSI for their PROSCAN proton therapy facility having undergone successful factory tests especially of the closed loop cryomagnetic system. The second cyclotron is part of ACCEL's integrated proton therapy system for Europe's first clinical center, RPTC in Munich. The cyclotron, the energy selection system, the beamline as well as the four gantries and patient positioners have been installed. The scanning system and major parts of the control software have already been tested. We will report on the concept of ACCEL's superconducting cyclotron driven scanning proton therapy systems and the current status of the commissioning work at PSI and RPTC

Automated image quality assessment for chest CT scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Anthony P; Xie, Yiting; Liu, Shuang

2018-02-01

Medical image quality needs to be maintained at standards sufficient for effective clinical reading. Automated computer analytic methods may be applied to medical images for quality assessment. For chest CT scans in a lung cancer screening context, an automated quality assessment method is presented that characterizes image noise and image intensity calibration. This is achieved by image measurements in three automatically segmented homogeneous regions of the scan: external air, trachea lumen air, and descending aorta blood. Profiles of CT scanner behavior are also computed. The method has been evaluated on both phantom and real low-dose chest CT scans and results show that repeatable noise and calibration measures may be realized by automated computer algorithms. Noise and calibration profiles show relevant differences between different scanners and protocols. Automated image quality assessment may be useful for quality control for lung cancer screening and may enable performance improvements to automated computer analysis methods. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Visual selective attention is impaired in children prenatally exposed to opioid agonist medication.

Science.gov (United States)

Konijnenberg, Carolien; Melinder, Annika

2015-01-01

To examine whether prenatal exposure to opioid agonist medication is associated with visual selective attention and general attention problems in early childhood. Twenty-two children (mean age = 52.17 months, SD = 1.81) prenatally exposed to methadone, 9 children (mean age = 52.41 months, SD = 1.42) prenatally exposed to buprenorphine and 25 nonexposed comparison children (mean age = 51.44 months, SD = 1.31) were tested. Visual selective attention was measured with a Tobii 1750 Eye Tracker using a spatial negative priming paradigm. Attention problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist. The comparison group demonstrated a larger spatial negative priming effect (mean = 23.50, SD = 45.50) than the exposed group [mean = -6.84, SD = 86.39, F(1,50) = 5.91, p = 0.019, η(2) = 0.11]. No difference in reported attention problems was found [F(1,51) = 1.63, p = 0.21, η(2) = 0.03]. Neonatal abstinence syndrome and prenatal exposure to marijuana were found to predict slower saccade latencies in the exposed group (b = 54.55, SE = 23.56, p = 0.03 and b = 88.86, SE = 32.07, p = 0.01, respectively). Although exposed children did not appear to have attention deficits in daily life, lower performance on the SNP task indicates subtle alteration in the attention system. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Making sense of large data sets without annotations: analyzing age-related correlations from lung CT scans

Science.gov (United States)

Dicente Cid, Yashin; Mamonov, Artem; Beers, Andrew; Thomas, Armin; Kovalev, Vassili; Kalpathy-Cramer, Jayashree; Müller, Henning

2017-03-01

The analysis of large data sets can help to gain knowledge about specific organs or on specific diseases, just as big data analysis does in many non-medical areas. This article aims to gain information from 3D volumes, so the visual content of lung CT scans of a large number of patients. In the case of the described data set, only little annotation is available on the patients that were all part of an ongoing screening program and besides age and gender no information on the patient and the findings was available for this work. This is a scenario that can happen regularly as image data sets are produced and become available in increasingly large quantities but manual annotations are often not available and also clinical data such as text reports are often harder to share. We extracted a set of visual features from 12,414 CT scans of 9,348 patients that had CT scans of the lung taken in the context of a national lung screening program in Belarus. Lung fields were segmented by two segmentation algorithms and only cases where both algorithms were able to find left and right lung and had a Dice coefficient above 0.95 were analyzed. This assures that only segmentations of good quality were used to extract features of the lung. Patients ranged in age from 0 to 106 years. Data analysis shows that age can be predicted with a fairly high accuracy for persons under 15 years. Relatively good results were also obtained between 30 and 65 years where a steady trend is seen. For young adults and older people the results are not as good as variability is very high in these groups. Several visualizations of the data show the evolution patters of the lung texture, size and density with age. The experiments allow learning the evolution of the lung and the gained results show that even with limited metadata we can extract interesting information from large-scale visual data. These age-related changes (for example of the lung volume, the density histogram of the tissue) can also be

Visual computing scientific visualization and imaging systems

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

This volume aims to stimulate discussions on research involving the use of data and digital images as an understanding approach for analysis and visualization of phenomena and experiments. The emphasis is put not only on graphically representing data as a way of increasing its visual analysis, but also on the imaging systems which contribute greatly to the comprehension of real cases. Scientific Visualization and Imaging Systems encompass multidisciplinary areas, with applications in many knowledge fields such as Engineering, Medicine, Material Science, Physics, Geology, Geographic Information Systems, among others. This book is a selection of 13 revised and extended research papers presented in the International Conference on Advanced Computational Engineering and Experimenting -ACE-X conferences 2010 (Paris), 2011 (Algarve), 2012 (Istanbul) and 2013 (Madrid). The examples were particularly chosen from materials research, medical applications, general concepts applied in simulations and image analysis and ot...

Dissociation of the Neural Correlates of Visual and Auditory Contextual Encoding

Science.gov (United States)

Gottlieb, Lauren J.; Uncapher, Melina R.; Rugg, Michael D.

2010-01-01

The present study contrasted the neural correlates of encoding item-context associations according to whether the contextual information was visual or auditory. Subjects (N = 20) underwent fMRI scanning while studying a series of visually presented pictures, each of which co-occurred with either a visually or an auditorily presented name. The task…

Detection of active intraabdominal hemorrhage after blunt trauma: value of delayed CT scanning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sivit, C.J. [Department of Radiology, Rainbow Babies and Children' s Hospital of the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH (United States)

2000-02-01

Active hemorrhage is a rare finding at CT following blunt abdominal trauma. The time interval between IV contrast administration and scanning the abdomen may impact on the ability to visualize active hemorrhage at CT. We report a case of active hemorrhage associated with splenic injury that was identified only at delayed CT scanning. (orig.)

Detection of active intraabdominal hemorrhage after blunt trauma: value of delayed CT scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivit, C.J.

2000-01-01

Active hemorrhage is a rare finding at CT following blunt abdominal trauma. The time interval between IV contrast administration and scanning the abdomen may impact on the ability to visualize active hemorrhage at CT. We report a case of active hemorrhage associated with splenic injury that was identified only at delayed CT scanning. (orig.)

Using a laser scanning camera for reactor inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armour, I.A.; Adrain, R.S.; Klewe, R.C.

1984-01-01

Inspection of nuclear reactors is normally carried out using TV or film cameras. There are, however, several areas where these cameras show considerable shortcomings. To overcome these difficulties, laser scanning cameras have been developed. This type of camera can be used for general visual inspection as well as the provision of high resolution video images with high ratio on and off-axis zoom capability. In this paper, we outline the construction and operation of a laser scanning camera and give examples of how it has been used in various power stations, and indicate future potential developments. (author)

Electron Beam Scanning in Industrial Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Jongen, Yves; Herer, Arnold

1996-05-01

Scanned electron beams are used within many industries for applications such as sterilization of medical disposables, crosslinking of wire and cables insulating jackets, polymerization and degradation of resins and biomaterials, modification of semiconductors, coloration of gemstones and glasses, removal of oxides from coal plant flue gasses, and the curing of advanced composites and other molded forms. X-rays generated from scanned electron beams make yet other applications, such as food irradiation, viable. Typical accelerators for these applications range in beam energy from 0.5MeV to 10 MeV, with beam powers between 5 to 500kW and scanning widths between 20 and 300 cm. Since precise control of dose delivery is required in many of these applications, the integration of beam characteristics, product conveyance, and beam scanning mechanisms must be well understood and optimized. Fundamental issues and some case examples are presented.

Diagnostic value of visualization of the right ventricle using thallium-201 myocardial imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaja, F.; Alam, M.; Goldstein, S.; Anbe, D.T.; Marks, D.S.

1979-01-01

The diagnostic significance of visualizing the right ventricle on thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scans (T-scan) at rest was studied in 53 patients. In 33 patients, the right ventricle was visualized clearly on the T-scan (group A). Hemodynamic evidence of right ventricular hypertension with systolic pressure greater than or equal to 30 mm Hg was present in 28 of 33 (85%) of these patients. Right ventricular volume overload with left-to-right shunt > 2:1 was present in three patients. Other tests were diagnostic for right ventricular enlargement and or pulmonary hypertension as follows: chest x-ray (58%), echocardiogram (36%), and electrocardiogram (15%). In an unselected group of 20 patients (group B) where resting T-scan did not show visualization of the right ventricle, the right ventricular systolic pressure was < 30 mm Hg in all. The other noninvasive tests did not reveal presence of right ventricular hypertrophy or enlargement. T-scan appears to be a useful and sensitivie test in detecting right ventricular pressure or volume overload compared with other noninvasive tests. This may be useful in detection of patients with right ventricular hypertrophy or enlargement secondary to pulmonary hypertension or other causes

Socio-economic variation in CT scanning in Northern England, 1990-2002

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pearce Mark S

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Socio-economic status is known to influence health throughout life. In childhood, studies have shown increased injury rates in more deprived settings. Socio-economic status may therefore be related to rates of certain medical procedures, such as computed tomography (CT scans. This study aimed to assess socio-economic variation among young people having CT scans in Northern England between 1990 and 2002 inclusive. Methods Electronic data were obtained from Radiology Information Systems of all nine National Health Service hospital Trusts in the region. CT scan data, including sex, date of scan, age at scan, number and type of scans were assessed in relation to quintiles of Townsend deprivation scores, obtained from linkage of postcodes with census data, using χ2 tests and Spearman rank correlations. Results During the study period, 39,676 scans were recorded on 21,089 patients, with 38,007 scans and 19,485 patients (11344 male and 8132 female linkable to Townsend scores. The overall distributions of both scans and patients by quintile of Townsend deprivation scores were significantly different to the distributions of Townsend scores from the census wards included in the study (p Conclusions Social inequalities exist in the numbers of young people undergoing CT scans with those from deprived areas more likely to do so. This may reflect the rates of injuries in these individuals and implies that certain groups within the population may receive higher radiation doses than others due to medical procedures.

Mycelial pellet intrastructure visualization and viability prediction in a culture of Streptomyces fradiae using confocal scanning laser microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Y.; Tamura, S.; Koike, Y.; Toriya, M.; Okabe, M.

1997-01-01

The intrastructure of mycelial pellets of Streptomyces fradiae, which produces tylosin, was visualized following labeling with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and propidium iodide (PI) using confocal scanning laser microscopy. A PI-labeled inactive core was present inside the mycelial pellet in both fermentor and air-lift reactor cultures. The thickness of the active mycelial layer on the pellet surface was calculated from a density sliced image to be 60 and 68 μm respectively, in the fermentor and in air-lift reactor cultures. Using image analysis, the active mycelial concentration of pellets in the fermentor culture was predicted to be 2.1 times higher than that in the air-lift reactor culture. The tylosin production rate in the fermentor reached 0.78 g/l/d, which was 2.5-fold that in the air-lift reactor culture. These results indicate that the higher tylosin production rate in the fermentor culture was due to the higher active mycelial concentration in the fermentor compared to that in the air-lift reactor. (author)

[Results of therapy of children with amblyopia by scanning stimulating laser].

Science.gov (United States)

Chentsova, O B; Magaramova, M D; Grechanyĭ, M P

1997-01-01

A new effective method for the treatment of amblyopia was used in 113 children: stimulation with ophthalmological SLSO-208A scanning laser by two methods differing by the transmission coefficient and scanning pattern. Good results were attained, the best when laser exposure was combined with traditional therapy for amblyopia and in the patients with the central fixation. The results were assessed by the main parameters of visual functions and the stability of the effect.

Early clinical experience in CT scanning of the abdomen using a third generation scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Love, L.; Churchill, R.J.; Reynes, C.J.; Marsan, R.E.

1979-01-01

Five-second scanning offers an improvement over second generation scanners. There is no need for glucagon administration since there is virtually no objectionable artifact secondary to motion. Scans with the Photrax 4000 show resolution of structures such as gallbladder wall and renal fascia routinely. The anatomic structures visualized are more clearly identified than on second generation scans. Representative normal and pathological anatomy will be shown. (orig.) 891 MG/orig. 892 MB [de

ROC Analysis of Visual Assessments Made in Gated Blood Pool Scans of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyung Han; Choi, Yoon Ho; Lee, Bum Woo; Moon, Dae Hyuk; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Koh, Chang Soon; Koong, Sung Soo

1989-01-01

Visual assessment of regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) by gated blood pol scan (GBPS) serves as an useful parameter in thc diagnosis, functional evaluation, and follow up in various clinical settings, but are still subject to some inherent limitations. On important problem may be the interobserver as well as intraobsever variation that may well be present due to the subjective nature of the interpretations. This study was carried out to determine the reliability and reproducibility of visual assessments made in GBPSs, and to observe the degree to which the results would be influenced by observer variation. Fifty two patients with coronary heart disease had resting GBPS and contrast ventriculography within 4 days apart. Contrast ventriculography showed normal wall motion in 6 patients and the remaining 46 had RWMA in one or more segments. The anterior and left anterolateral views of all 52 GBPSs were analyzed by three independent observers, who selected from 5 scales, their level of confidence that there was RWMA in that segment. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for each analysis was plotted and the area under the curve (θ) was used as a parameter representing each observer's performance in his interpretations. The findings of contract ventriculographies were used as the standard for RWMA. The apical and inferoapical segments showed the best correlation with contrast ventriculography (θ=0.90-.094, 0.81-0.94, respectively), and the inferior wall showed the poorest correlation (θ=0.70-0.74). The interpretations of the inferior, septal, apical and posteroinferior, segments showed no difference between the observers, but there was significantly better performance in assessment by observer A compared to that by B or C for the anterolateral segments (θ=0.87, 0.78, 0.76, respectively, p<0.01 for A vs B, p<0,05 for A vs C), as well as when all segments were considered altogether (θ=0,88, 0.83, 0.82, respectively, both p<0 05). This was also true for

Fluence scan: an unexplored property of a laser beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chalupsky, Jaromir; Hajkova, Vera; Burian, Tomas; Juha, Libor; Polcar, Tomas; Gaudin, Jerome; Nagasono, Mitsuru; Yabashi, Makina; Sobierajski, Ryszard; Krzywinski, Jacek

2013-01-01

We present an extended theoretical background of so-called fluence scan (f-scan or F-scan) method, which is frequently being used for offline characterization of focused short-wavelength (EUV, soft X-ray, and hard X-ray) laser beams [J. Chalupsky et al., Opt. Express 18, 27836 (2010)]. The method exploits ablative imprints in various solids to visualize iso-fluence beam contours at different fluence and/or clip levels. An f-scan curve (clip level as a function of the corresponding iso-fluence contour area) can be generated for a general non-Gaussian beam. As shown in this paper, fluence scan encompasses important information about energy distribution within the beam profile, which may play an essential role in laser-matter interaction research employing intense non-ideal beams. Here we for the first time discuss fundamental properties of the f-scan function and its inverse counterpart (if-scan). Furthermore, we extensively elucidate how it is related to the effective beam area, energy distribution, and to the so called Liu's dependence [J.M. Liu, Opt. Lett. 7, 196 (1982)]. A new method of the effective area evaluation based on weighted inverse f-scan fit is introduced and applied to real data obtained at the SCSS (SPring-8 Compact SASE Source) facility. (authors)

Thalassemia paravertebral tumors and bone marrow scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huglo, D.; Rose, C.; Deveaux, M.; Bauters, F.; Marchandise, X.

1995-01-01

Two first cousins with thalassemia and with a paravertebral mass had had an indium 111 chloride bone marrow scan. Result of scan influenced therapy: medical treatment in one case where an extramedullary erythropoiesis was confirmed, surgical treatment in the other case. The use of dual-isotope SPECT (indium 111 chloride, HDP -99 Tc) constitutes a contribution to the establishment of diagnosis of extramedullary erythropoiesis, giving to bone marrow scintigraphy a merited importance, avoiding the biopsy. (authors). 15 refs., 5 figs

Visualizing the Bayesian 2-test case: The effect of tree diagrams on medical decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Binder, Karin; Krauss, Stefan; Bruckmaier, Georg; Marienhagen, Jörg

2018-01-01

In medicine, diagnoses based on medical test results are probabilistic by nature. Unfortunately, cognitive illusions regarding the statistical meaning of test results are well documented among patients, medical students, and even physicians. There are two effective strategies that can foster insight into what is known as Bayesian reasoning situations: (1) translating the statistical information on the prevalence of a disease and the sensitivity and the false-alarm rate of a specific test for that disease from probabilities into natural frequencies, and (2) illustrating the statistical information with tree diagrams, for instance, or with other pictorial representation. So far, such strategies have only been empirically tested in combination for "1-test cases", where one binary hypothesis ("disease" vs. "no disease") has to be diagnosed based on one binary test result ("positive" vs. "negative"). However, in reality, often more than one medical test is conducted to derive a diagnosis. In two studies, we examined a total of 388 medical students from the University of Regensburg (Germany) with medical "2-test scenarios". Each student had to work on two problems: diagnosing breast cancer with mammography and sonography test results, and diagnosing HIV infection with the ELISA and Western Blot tests. In Study 1 (N = 190 participants), we systematically varied the presentation of statistical information ("only textual information" vs. "only tree diagram" vs. "text and tree diagram in combination"), whereas in Study 2 (N = 198 participants), we varied the kinds of tree diagrams ("complete tree" vs. "highlighted tree" vs. "pruned tree"). All versions were implemented in probability format (including probability trees) and in natural frequency format (including frequency trees). We found that natural frequency trees, especially when the question-related branches were highlighted, improved performance, but that none of the corresponding probabilistic visualizations did.

Visual presentation of a medical physiology seminar modifies dental students' perception of its clinical significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuletic, L; Spalj, S; Peros, K

2016-02-01

The primary objective of this study was to assess whether exposing dental students to visual stimuli related to dental profession during the medical physiology seminar could affect their perception of the clinical relevance of the topic. A self-administered questionnaire on attitudes towards medical physiology was conducted amongst 105 students of the School of Dental Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia, aged 19-24 years (80% females) following a seminar on respiratory system physiology. Power-point presentation accompanying the seminar for a total of 52 students (study group) was enriched with pictures related to dental practice in order to assess whether these pictures could make the topic appear more clinically relevant for a future dentist. The results of the survey indicated that dental students in the study group perceived the topic of the seminar as more important for them as future dentists when compared to the perception of the control group (P = 0.025). The results of this survey encourage physiology lecturers to present medical physiology as clinically relevant for dental students whenever possible as this could increase students' interest in the subject and their motivation for learning. Such an approach could be particularly beneficial if there is a significant time gap between basic courses and involvement of students into clinical training for it could promote meaningful learning. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

First PET scans in Estonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazarenko, Sergei

2003-01-01

First PET scans in Estonia were performed on 25th November 2002 in North Estonia Regional Hospital, Tallinn. Six patients with melanoma underwent scanning with FDG. This event was a result of thorough extensive preparations first started in 2000 during the European Association of Nuclear Medicine congress in Paris. During the congress first contacts were made with providers of mobile PET units. At the same time negotiations were begun with potential FDG suppliers. For the introduction of PET in Estonia mobile truckmounted scanning technology was chosen due to low level of initial investments. Of particular importance was also availability of maintenance personnel from the device providers. A significant prerequisite was potential availability of FDG from the neighbourhood - Finland and Sweden. The latter avoided the necessity for investments into local cyclotrons and local FDG production. For the first scanning experience the dedicated truckmounted PET-camera Accel, Siemens was brought by the International Hospital Group (IHG, Amersfoort, Netherlands). The device arrived by ferry from Stockholm to Tallinn harbour at 10 o'clock in the morning and left by ferry for Helsinki at 23 o'clock. The team-on-truck consisted of one technician for device operation, two drivers and two company representatives. North Estonia Regional Hospital provided three additional technicians for patient preparation and FDG injection, one nuclear medicine doctor and one specialist of biomedical engineering and medical physics. The FDG was provided by MAP Medical Technologies, Schering, Helsinki, Finland. The shipments were made by air. This was possible due to small distance between Tallinn and Helsinki of approximately 80 km due to the regular flight connections between the two cities. The FDG was shipped in two lots with a time interval of 4 hours. The patient selection was based on clinical and histopathology data. In all six patients the exam was justified for detailied staging and

Assessment of visual disability using visual evoked potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Jihoon; Oh, Seiyul; Kyung, Sungeun

2012-08-06

The purpose of this study is to validate the use of visual evoked potential (VEP) to objectively quantify visual acuity in normal and amblyopic patients, and determine if it is possible to predict visual acuity in disability assessment to register visual pathway lesions. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients diagnosed with normal vision, unilateral amblyopia, optic neuritis, and visual disability who visited the university medical center for registration from March 2007 to October 2009. The study included 20 normal subjects (20 right eyes: 10 females, 10 males, ages 9-42 years), 18 unilateral amblyopic patients (18 amblyopic eyes, ages 19-36 years), 19 optic neuritis patients (19 eyes: ages 9-71 years), and 10 patients with visual disability having visual pathway lesions. Amplitude and latencies were analyzed and correlations with visual acuity (logMAR) were derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic subjects. Correlation of VEP amplitude and visual acuity (logMAR) of 19 optic neuritis patients confirmed relationships between visual acuity and amplitude. We calculated the objective visual acuity (logMAR) of 16 eyes from 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations derived from 20 normal and 18 amblyopic eyes. Linear regression analyses between amplitude of pattern visual evoked potentials and visual acuity (logMAR) of 38 eyes from normal (right eyes) and amblyopic (amblyopic eyes) subjects were significant [y = -0.072x + 1.22, x: VEP amplitude, y: visual acuity (logMAR)]. There were no significant differences between visual acuity prediction values, which substituted amplitude values of 19 eyes with optic neuritis into function. We calculated the objective visual acuity of 16 eyes of 10 patients to diagnose the presence or absence of visual disability using relations of y = -0.072x + 1.22 (-0.072). This resulted in a prediction reference of visual acuity associated with malingering vs. real

Automatic three-dimensional rib centerline extraction from CT scans for enhanced visualization and anatomical context

Science.gov (United States)

Ramakrishnan, Sowmya; Alvino, Christopher; Grady, Leo; Kiraly, Atilla

2011-03-01

We present a complete automatic system to extract 3D centerlines of ribs from thoracic CT scans. Our rib centerline system determines the positional information for the rib cage consisting of extracted rib centerlines, spinal canal centerline, pairing and labeling of ribs. We show an application of this output to produce an enhanced visualization of the rib cage by the method of Kiraly et al., in which the ribs are digitally unfolded along their centerlines. The centerline extraction consists of three stages: (a) pre-trace processing for rib localization, (b) rib centerline tracing, and (c) post-trace processing to merge the rib traces. Then we classify ribs from non-ribs and determine anatomical rib labeling. Our novel centerline tracing technique uses the Random Walker algorithm to segment the structural boundary of the rib in successive 2D cross sections orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the ribs. Then the rib centerline is progressively traced along the rib using a 3D Kalman filter. The rib centerline extraction framework was evaluated on 149 CT datasets with varying slice spacing, dose, and under a variety of reconstruction kernels. The results of the evaluation are presented. The extraction takes approximately 20 seconds on a modern radiology workstation and performs robustly even in the presence of partial volume effects or rib pathologies such as bone metastases or fractures, making the system suitable for assisting clinicians in expediting routine rib reading for oncology and trauma applications.

Image quality of high-resolution CT with 16-channel multidetector-row CT. Comparison between helical scan and conventional step-shoot scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumikawa, Hiromitsu; Johkoh, Takeshi; Koyama, Mitsuhiro

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality of high-resolution CT (HRCT) reconstructed from volumetric data with 16-channel multidetector-row CT (MDCT). Eleven autopsy lungs that were diagnosed histopathologically were scanned by 16-channel MDCT with the step-and-shoot scan mode and three helical scan modes. Each helical mode had each size of focal spot, pitch, and time of gantry rotation. HRCT images were reconstructed from the volumetric data with each helical mode and axial sequence data. Two observers evaluated the image quality and noted the most appropriate diagnosis for each imaging. Visualization of abnormal structures with one helical mode was equal to those with axial mode, whereas those with the other two helical modes were inferior to those with axial mode (Wilcoxon signed rank test; p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in diagnostic efficacy between modes. The image quality of HRCT with appropriate helical mode is equal to that with axial mode and diagnostic efficacy is equal among all modes. These results may indicate that sufficient HRCT images can be obtained by only one helical scan without the addition of conventional axial scans. (author)

How frequently is the thymus seen on whole-body iodine-131 diagnostic and post-treatment scans?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davidson, J. [Departments of Medicine and Nuclear Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow (United Kingdom); McDougall, I.R. [Division of Nuclear Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (United States)

2000-04-01

The purpose of the study was to determine how often the thymus is visualized on whole-body radioiodine scans. One hundred and seventy-five patients had 325 diagnostic scans and 200 post-treatment scans. Activity in the mediastinum possibly consistent with the thymus was seen on seven scans in six patients. Four of these were diagnostic scans (three were second follow-up scans, and the fourth, a third follow-up scan). Three post-treatment scans demonstrated mediastinal uptake. Only one patient had persistent mediastinal uptake on both a post-treatment scan and a subsequent follow-up diagnostic scan. None of these six patients were treated as a result of this finding and none has clinical or biochemical evidence of metastatic disease. (orig.)

How frequently is the thymus seen on whole-body iodine-131 diagnostic and post-treatment scans?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, J.; McDougall, I.R.

2000-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine how often the thymus is visualized on whole-body radioiodine scans. One hundred and seventy-five patients had 325 diagnostic scans and 200 post-treatment scans. Activity in the mediastinum possibly consistent with the thymus was seen on seven scans in six patients. Four of these were diagnostic scans (three were second follow-up scans, and the fourth, a third follow-up scan). Three post-treatment scans demonstrated mediastinal uptake. Only one patient had persistent mediastinal uptake on both a post-treatment scan and a subsequent follow-up diagnostic scan. None of these six patients were treated as a result of this finding and none has clinical or biochemical evidence of metastatic disease. (orig.)

Basal ganglia neuronal activity during scanning eye movements in Parkinson's disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Sieger

Full Text Available The oculomotor role of the basal ganglia has been supported by extensive evidence, although their role in scanning eye movements is poorly understood. Nineteen Parkinsońs disease patients, which underwent implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes, were investigated with simultaneous intraoperative microelectrode recordings and single channel electrooculography in a scanning eye movement task by viewing a series of colored pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System. Four patients additionally underwent a visually guided saccade task. Microelectrode recordings were analyzed selectively from the subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra pars reticulata and from the globus pallidus by the WaveClus program which allowed for detection and sorting of individual neurons. The relationship between neuronal firing rate and eye movements was studied by crosscorrelation analysis. Out of 183 neurons that were detected, 130 were found in the subthalamic nucleus, 30 in the substantia nigra and 23 in the globus pallidus. Twenty percent of the neurons in each of these structures showed eye movement-related activity. Neurons related to scanning eye movements were mostly unrelated to the visually guided saccades. We conclude that a relatively large number of basal ganglia neurons are involved in eye motion control. Surprisingly, neurons related to scanning eye movements differed from neurons activated during saccades suggesting functional specialization and segregation of both systems for eye movement control.

Basal ganglia neuronal activity during scanning eye movements in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sieger, Tomáš; Bonnet, Cecilia; Serranová, Tereza; Wild, Jiří; Novák, Daniel; Růžička, Filip; Urgošík, Dušan; Růžička, Evžen; Gaymard, Bertrand; Jech, Robert

2013-01-01

The oculomotor role of the basal ganglia has been supported by extensive evidence, although their role in scanning eye movements is poorly understood. Nineteen Parkinsońs disease patients, which underwent implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes, were investigated with simultaneous intraoperative microelectrode recordings and single channel electrooculography in a scanning eye movement task by viewing a series of colored pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System. Four patients additionally underwent a visually guided saccade task. Microelectrode recordings were analyzed selectively from the subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra pars reticulata and from the globus pallidus by the WaveClus program which allowed for detection and sorting of individual neurons. The relationship between neuronal firing rate and eye movements was studied by crosscorrelation analysis. Out of 183 neurons that were detected, 130 were found in the subthalamic nucleus, 30 in the substantia nigra and 23 in the globus pallidus. Twenty percent of the neurons in each of these structures showed eye movement-related activity. Neurons related to scanning eye movements were mostly unrelated to the visually guided saccades. We conclude that a relatively large number of basal ganglia neurons are involved in eye motion control. Surprisingly, neurons related to scanning eye movements differed from neurons activated during saccades suggesting functional specialization and segregation of both systems for eye movement control.

[Describe and convince: visual rhetoric of cinematography in medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Panese, Francesco

2009-01-01

The tools of visualisation occupy a central place in medicine. Far from being simple accessories of glance, they literally constitute objects of medicine. Such empirical acknowledgement and epistemological position open a vast field of investigation: visual technologies of medical knowledge. This article studies the development and transformation of medical objects which have permitted to assess the role of temporality in the epistemology of medicine. It firstly examines the general problem of the relationships between cinema, animated image and medicine and secondly, the contribution of the German doctor Martin Weiser to medical cinematography as a method. Finally, a typology is sketched out organising the variety of the visual technology of movement under the perspective of the development of specific visual techniques in medicine.

Hepatobiliary scanning using /sup 99m/Tc--pyridoxylideneglutamate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matolo, N.M.; Stadalnik, R.C.; Wolfman, E.F. Jr.

1977-01-01

Technetium 99m-pyridoxylideneglutamate (99mTc-PG) administered intravenously is excreted by hepatocytes into the bile canaliculi and enters the gallbladder through the cystic duct and consequently, can be used for scanning the hepatobiliary ductal system. A total of 166 patients representing 27 normal subjects, 84 patients referred for investigation for pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen and 55 jaundiced patients were evaluated with 99mTc-PG. In normal human volunteers, the agent reached the liver in five minutes, and the common bile duct, gallbladder, and duodenum within 15 minutes. Satisfactory images of the hepatobiliary tract were obtained using small dosages of 99mTc-PG. The gallbladder was not visualized when the cystic duct was occluded. In the presence of acute cholecystitis, cystic duct obstruction, or in chronic cholecystitis where other roentgenographic studies showed a nonfunctioning gallbladder, there was no concentration of 99mTc-PG in the gallbladder. In partial common bile duct obstruction, distended common bile duct was visualized along with delay in transit of radioactivity into the duodenum. Complete common bile duct obstruction was associated with no radioactivity in either the biliary or the gastrointestinal tracts up to 24 hours after injection. Hepatocellular disease was characterized by delayed liver clearance and delayed visualization of biliary and gastrointestinal tracts. 99mTc-PG scanning proved capable of differentiating betweenhepatocellular disease and extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction

The surface topography of the choroid plexus. Environmental, low and high vacuum scanning electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mestres, Pedro; Pütz, Norbert; Garcia Gómez de Las Heras, Soledad; García Poblete, Eduardo; Morguet, Andrea; Laue, Michael

2011-05-01

Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) allows the examination of hydrated and dried specimens without a conductive metal coating which could be advantageous in the imaging of biological and medical objects. The aim of this study was to assess the performance and benefits of wet-mode and low vacuum ESEM in comparison to high vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using the choroid plexus of chicken embryos as a model, an organ of the brain involved in the formation of cerebrospinal fluid in vertebrates. Specimens were fixed with or without heavy metals and examined directly or after critical point drying with or without metal coating. For wet mode ESEM freshly excised specimens without any pre-treatment were also examined. Conventional high vacuum SEM revealed the characteristic morphology of the choroid plexus cells at a high resolution and served as reference. With low vacuum ESEM of dried but uncoated samples the structure appeared well preserved but charging was a problem. It could be reduced by a short beam dwell time and averaging of images or by using the backscattered electron detector instead of the gaseous secondary electron detector. However, resolution was lower than with conventional SEM. Wet mode imaging was only possible with tissue that had been stabilized by fixation. Not all surface details (e.g. microvilli) could be visualized and other structures, like the cilia, were deformed. In summary, ESEM is an additional option for the imaging of bio-medical samples but it is problematic with regard to resolution and sample stability during imaging. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Horizon Scanning: How Will Metabolomics Applications Transform Food Science, Bioengineering, and Medical Innovation in the Current Era of Foodomics?

Science.gov (United States)

Bayram, Mustafa; Gökırmaklı, Çağlar

2018-03-01

Food and engineering sciences have tended to neglect the importance of human nutrition sciences and clinical study of new molecules discovered by food engineering community, and vice versa. Yet, the value of systems thinking and use of omics technologies in food engineering are rapidly emerging. Foodomics is a new concept and practice to bring about "precision nutrition" and integrative bioengineering studies of food composition, quality, and safety, and applications to improve health of humans, animals, and other living organisms on the planet. Foodomics signals a three-way convergence among (1) food engineering; (2) omics systems science technologies such as proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics; and (3) medical/life sciences. This horizon scanning expert review aims to challenge the current practices in food sciences and bioengineering so as to adopt foodomics and systems thinking in foodstuff analysis, with a focus on possible applications of metabolomics. Among the omics biotechnologies, metabolomics is one of the prominent analytical platforms of interest to both food engineers and medical researchers engaged in nutritional sciences, precision medicine, and systems medicine diagnostics. Medical and omics system scientists, and bioengineering scholars can mutually learn from their respective professional expertise. Moving forward, establishment of "Foodomics Think Tanks" is one conceivable strategy to integrate medical and food sciences innovation at a systems scale. With its rich history in food sciences and tradition of interdisciplinary scholarship, the Silk Road countries offer notable potential for synthesis of diverse knowledge strands necessary to realize the prospects of foodomics from Asia and Middle East to Europe.

Automatic Ultrasound Scanning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moshavegh, Ramin

on the user adjustments on the scanner interface to optimize the scan settings. This explains the huge interest in the subject of this PhD project entitled “AUTOMATIC ULTRASOUND SCANNING”. The key goals of the project have been to develop automated techniques to minimize the unnecessary settings...... on the scanners, and to improve the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) in ultrasound by introducing new quantitative measures. Thus, four major issues concerning automation of the medical ultrasound are addressed in this PhD project. They touch upon gain adjustments in ultrasound, automatic synthetic aperture image...

Visual electrophysiology in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelka Brecelj

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Electrophysiological assessment of vision in children helps to recognise abnormal development of the visual system when it is still susceptible to medication and eventual correction. Visual electrophysiology provides information about the function of the retina (retinal pigment epithelium, cone and rod receptors, bipolar, amacrine, and ganglion cells, optic nerve, chiasmal and postchiasmal visual pathway, and visual cortex.Methods: Electroretinograms (ERG and visual evoked potentials (VEP are recorded non-invasively; in infants are recorded simultaneously ERG with skin electrodes, while in older children separately ERG with HK loop electrode in accordance with ISCEV (International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision recommendations.Results: Clinical and electrophysiological changes in children with nystagmus, Leber’s congenital amaurosis, achromatopsia, congenital stationary night blindness, progressive retinal dystrophies, optic nerve hypoplasia, albinism, achiasmia, optic neuritis and visual pathway tumours are presented.Conclusions: Electrophysiological tests can help to indicate the nature and the location of dysfunction in unclear ophthalmological and/or neurological cases.

Tacit knowledge and visual expertise in medical diagnostic reasoning: implications for medical education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heiberg Engel, Peter Johan

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Much education--especially at the university level--has been criticized for having primarily dealt with explicit knowledge, i.e. those aspects of mental activities, which are verbal and conscious. Furthermore, research in medical diagnostic reasoning has been criticized for having...... focused on the specialty of intern medicine, while specialties with other skills, i.e. perceptive skills within pathology and radiology, have been ignored. AIMS: To show that the concept of tacit knowledge is important in medical education-at all levels and in medical diagnostic reasoning. METHODS...... such as "non-analytical reasoning" and "dual process of reasoning." CONCLUSION: It is important that educators are trained in how explicit and implicit knowledge is attained and that tacit knowledge is included in educational programmes of all medical specialties....

Automatic classification of MR scans in Alzheimer's disease

OpenAIRE

García, Fernando Pérez; uk, fernando perezgarcia ucl ac

2018-01-01

Presentation of the paper "Automatic classification of MR scans in Alzheimer's disease" by Klöppel et al. for the journal club of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Medical Image Computing at University College London.

Lung uptake in bone scan - Two case reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nahar, N.; Kabir, F.; Islam, N.; Karim, M.A.

2001-01-01

Breast cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in female in our country. When a case of breast cancer is diagnosed a base line bone scan is asked for to exclude skeletal metastasis. This helps for treatment planning and future follow up. Scan pattern in bone metastasis is usually multiple, randomly distributed foci of intensely increased tracer accumulation. Uptake of radio pharmaceutical in breast tissue is frequently observed. Kidneys are another extra skeletal organs through which 99m Tc-MDP is excreted and that's why normal kidneys are faintly visualized in delayed views suggesting normal exertion of tracer. If there is any outflow obstruction in any kidney, it will show hold up of radiotracer on that side. Often radiopharmaceuticals are seen to accumulate in other organs like lungs. Here two cases of breast cancer are discussed where bone scan shows significant uptake of tracer in lungs

Tacit knowledge and visual expertise in medical diagnostic reasoning: implications for medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Heiberg Engel, Peter Johan

2008-01-01

Much education--especially at the university level--has been criticized for having primarily dealt with explicit knowledge, i.e. those aspects of mental activities, which are verbal and conscious. Furthermore, research in medical diagnostic reasoning has been criticized for having focused on the specialty of intern medicine, while specialties with other skills, i.e. perceptive skills within pathology and radiology, have been ignored. To show that the concept of tacit knowledge is important in medical education-at all levels and in medical diagnostic reasoning. Describing how tacit knowledge according to Michael Polany, is experienced and expressed in day-to-day life, it is shown that there is a tacit dimension to all knowledge. Reviewing recent literature on medical diagnostic reasoning, it is shown that tacit knowledge is recognized in connection with concepts such as "non-analytical reasoning" and "dual process of reasoning." It is important that educators are trained in how explicit and implicit knowledge is attained and that tacit knowledge is included in educational programmes of all medical specialties.

Numerical study on visualization method for material distribution using photothermal effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Moo Joong; Yoo, Jai Suk; Kim, Dong Kwon; Kim, Hyun Jung

2015-01-01

Visualization and imaging techniques have become increasingly essential in a wide range of industrial fields. A few imaging methods such as X-ray imaging, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have been developed for medical applications to materials that are basically transparent or X-ray penetrable; however, reliable techniques for optically opaque materials such as semiconductors or metallic circuits have not been suggested yet. The photothermal method has been developed mainly for the measurement of thermal properties using characteristics that exhibit photothermal effects depending on the thermal properties of the materials. This study attempts to numerically investigate the feasibility of using photothermal effects to visualize or measure the material distribution of opaque substances. For this purpose, we conducted numerical analyses of various intaglio patterns with approximate sizes of 1.2-6 mm in stainless steel 0.5 mm below copper. In addition, images of the intaglio patterns in stainless steel were reconstructed by two-dimensional numerical scanning. A quantitative comparison of the reconstructed results and the original geometries showed an average difference of 0.172 mm and demonstrated the possibility of application to experimental imaging.

Development of 3-D Medical Image VIsualization System

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

uses standard 2-D medical imaging inputs and generates medical images of human body parts ... light wave from points on the 3-D object(s) in ... tools, and communication bandwidth cannot .... locations along the track that correspond with.

A novel visual pipework inspection system

Science.gov (United States)

Summan, Rahul; Jackson, William; Dobie, Gordon; MacLeod, Charles; Mineo, Carmelo; West, Graeme; Offin, Douglas; Bolton, Gary; Marshall, Stephen; Lille, Alexandre

2018-04-01

The interior visual inspection of pipelines in the nuclear industry is a safety critical activity conducted during outages to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of plant. Typically, the video output by a manually deployed probe is viewed by an operator looking to identify and localize surface defects such as corrosion, erosion and pitting. However, it is very challenging to estimate the nature and extent of defects by viewing a large structure through a relatively small field of view. This work describes a new visual inspection system employing photogrammetry using a fisheye camera and a structured light system to map the internal geometry of pipelines by generating a photorealistic, geometrically accurate surface model. The error of the system output was evaluated through comparison to a ground truth laser scan (ATOS GOM Triple Scan) of a nuclear grade split pipe sample (stainless steel 304L, 80mm internal diameter) containing defects representative of the application - the error was found to be submillimeter across the sample.

Learning Styles of Medical and Midwifery Students in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Zeraati

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Students have individual learning style preferences including visual (V; learning from graphs, charts, and flow diagrams, auditory (A; learning from speech, read-write(R; learning from reading and writing, and kinesthetic (K; learning from touch, hearing, smell, taste, and sight.These preferences can be assessed using the VARK questionnaire.Purpose: We aimed to assess different learning styles of medical students in our collage.Methods: This study was conducted to describe learning styles of 214 Medical and Midwifery students in Mashhad University of medical sciences. By using the English version of the VARK questionnaire, we measured the difference in learning styles of medical students and midwifery students and compared with 57336 global general students who completed the test in VARK website up to Sep 2007.Results: The dominant learning preference of our students was Aural preference (30.8% followed by Read/Write (20.6%, while (7.5% were in Kinesthetic and (5.6% were Visual learners; still most of the students (35.5% represented a multimodal learning preference. No significant difference was found between males and females. The general pattern between medical student and Midwifery student is the same. There was a significant relation between Internship Entrance Exam score and thelearning styles of medical student and who were more Read/Write got higher scores.Conclusion: Knowing that our students have different preferred learning modes will help medical instructors in our faculty develop appropriate learning approaches and explore opportunities so that they will be able to make the educational experience more productive.Key words: MEDICAL EDUCATION, LEARNING MODELS VARK, VISUAL, AUDITORY, READ-WRITE, KINESTHETIC, SSTUDENTS.

Post-processing methods of rendering and visualizing 3-D reconstructed tomographic images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wong, S.T.C. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

1997-02-01

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the computer processing techniques of tomographic images, after they have been generated by imaging scanners, for volume visualization. Volume visualization is concerned with the representation, manipulation, and rendering of volumetric data. Since the first digital images were produced from computed tomography (CT) scanners in the mid 1970s, applications of visualization in medicine have expanded dramatically. Today, three-dimensional (3D) medical visualization has expanded from using CT data, the first inherently digital source of 3D medical data, to using data from various medical imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance scanners, positron emission scanners, digital ultrasound, electronic and confocal microscopy, and other medical imaging modalities. We have advanced from rendering anatomy to aid diagnosis and visualize complex anatomic structures to planning and assisting surgery and radiation treatment. New, more accurate and cost-effective procedures for clinical services and biomedical research have become possible by integrating computer graphics technology with medical images. This trend is particularly noticeable in current market-driven health care environment. For example, interventional imaging, image-guided surgery, and stereotactic and visualization techniques are now stemming into surgical practice. In this presentation, we discuss only computer-display-based approaches of volumetric medical visualization. That is, we assume that the display device available is two-dimensional (2D) in nature and all analysis of multidimensional image data is to be carried out via the 2D screen of the device. There are technologies such as holography and virtual reality that do provide a {open_quotes}true 3D screen{close_quotes}. To confine the scope, this presentation will not discuss such approaches.

Post-processing methods of rendering and visualizing 3-D reconstructed tomographic images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, S.T.C.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the computer processing techniques of tomographic images, after they have been generated by imaging scanners, for volume visualization. Volume visualization is concerned with the representation, manipulation, and rendering of volumetric data. Since the first digital images were produced from computed tomography (CT) scanners in the mid 1970s, applications of visualization in medicine have expanded dramatically. Today, three-dimensional (3D) medical visualization has expanded from using CT data, the first inherently digital source of 3D medical data, to using data from various medical imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance scanners, positron emission scanners, digital ultrasound, electronic and confocal microscopy, and other medical imaging modalities. We have advanced from rendering anatomy to aid diagnosis and visualize complex anatomic structures to planning and assisting surgery and radiation treatment. New, more accurate and cost-effective procedures for clinical services and biomedical research have become possible by integrating computer graphics technology with medical images. This trend is particularly noticeable in current market-driven health care environment. For example, interventional imaging, image-guided surgery, and stereotactic and visualization techniques are now stemming into surgical practice. In this presentation, we discuss only computer-display-based approaches of volumetric medical visualization. That is, we assume that the display device available is two-dimensional (2D) in nature and all analysis of multidimensional image data is to be carried out via the 2D screen of the device. There are technologies such as holography and virtual reality that do provide a open-quotes true 3D screenclose quotes. To confine the scope, this presentation will not discuss such approaches

Medical Image Visual Appearance Improvement Using Bihistogram Bezier Curve Contrast Enhancement: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Hong-Seng; Swee, Tan Tian; Abdul Karim, Ahmad Helmy; Sayuti, Khairil Amir; Abdul Kadir, Mohammed Rafiq; Tham, Weng-Kit; Wong, Liang-Xuan; Chaudhary, Kashif T.; Yupapin, Preecha P.

2014-01-01

Well-defined image can assist user to identify region of interest during segmentation. However, complex medical image is usually characterized by poor tissue contrast and low background luminance. The contrast improvement can lift image visual quality, but the fundamental contrast enhancement methods often overlook the sudden jump problem. In this work, the proposed bihistogram Bezier curve contrast enhancement introduces the concept of “adequate contrast enhancement” to overcome sudden jump problem in knee magnetic resonance image. Since every image produces its own intensity distribution, the adequate contrast enhancement checks on the image's maximum intensity distortion and uses intensity discrepancy reduction to generate Bezier transform curve. The proposed method improves tissue contrast and preserves pertinent knee features without compromising natural image appearance. Besides, statistical results from Fisher's Least Significant Difference test and the Duncan test have consistently indicated that the proposed method outperforms fundamental contrast enhancement methods to exalt image visual quality. As the study is limited to relatively small image database, future works will include a larger dataset with osteoarthritic images to assess the clinical effectiveness of the proposed method to facilitate the image inspection. PMID:24977191

Medical Image Visual Appearance Improvement Using Bihistogram Bezier Curve Contrast Enhancement: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Seng Gan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Well-defined image can assist user to identify region of interest during segmentation. However, complex medical image is usually characterized by poor tissue contrast and low background luminance. The contrast improvement can lift image visual quality, but the fundamental contrast enhancement methods often overlook the sudden jump problem. In this work, the proposed bihistogram Bezier curve contrast enhancement introduces the concept of “adequate contrast enhancement” to overcome sudden jump problem in knee magnetic resonance image. Since every image produces its own intensity distribution, the adequate contrast enhancement checks on the image’s maximum intensity distortion and uses intensity discrepancy reduction to generate Bezier transform curve. The proposed method improves tissue contrast and preserves pertinent knee features without compromising natural image appearance. Besides, statistical results from Fisher’s Least Significant Difference test and the Duncan test have consistently indicated that the proposed method outperforms fundamental contrast enhancement methods to exalt image visual quality. As the study is limited to relatively small image database, future works will include a larger dataset with osteoarthritic images to assess the clinical effectiveness of the proposed method to facilitate the image inspection.

Imaging retinal degeneration in mice by combining Fourier domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescent scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Hossein-Javaheri, Nima; Molday, Laurie L.; Xu, Jing; Molday, Robert S.; Sarunic, Marinko V.

2009-02-01

Visualization of the internal structures of the retina is critical for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of pathology as well as for medical research investigating the root causes of retinal degeneration. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is emerging as the preferred technique for non-contact sub-surface depth-resolved imaging of the retina. The high resolution cross sectional images acquired in vivo by OCT can be compared to histology to visually delineate the retinal layers. The recent demonstration of the significant sensitivity increase obtained through use of Fourier domain (FD) detection with OCT has been used to facilitate high speed scanning for volumetric reconstruction of the retina in software. The images acquired by OCT are purely structural, relying on refractive index differences in the tissue for contrast, and do not provide information on the molecular content of the sample. We have constructed a FDOCT prototype and combined it with a fluorescent Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (fSLO) to permit real time alignment of the field of view on the retina. The alignment of the FDOCT system to the specimen is crucial for the registration of measurements taken throughout longitudinal studies. In addition, fluorescence detection has been integrated with the SLO to enable the en face localization of a molecular contrast signal, which is important for retinal angiography, and also for detection of autofluorescence associated with some forms of retinal degeneration, for example autofluorescence lipofuscin accumulations are associated with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy. The integrated FD OCT/fSLO system was investigated for imaging the retina of the mice in vivo.

Assessment of inflammatory bowel disease activity by technetium 99m phagocyte scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pullman, W.E.; Sullivan, P.J.; Barratt, P.J.; Lising, J.; Booth, J.A.; Doe, W.F.

1988-01-01

Autologous technetium 99m-labeled phagocyte scanning has been used to assess disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease in 51 consecutive patients. Strong correlations were found between the 24-h fecal excretion of isotope and the histologic score of mucosal biopsy specimens (rS = 0.84, p less than 0.001, where rS is Spearman's rank correlation coefficient), and between the 24-h fecal excretion of isotope and a clinical inflammatory bowel disease activity index based on the Crohn's disease activity index (rS = 0.87, p less than 0.001). To develop a clinically useful and objective measure of inflammatory bowel disease activity that did not require a 24-h stool collection, the intensity of bowel uptake on scanning was graded visually from 0 to 4, a ratio of count rates for the region of interest to the iliac crest reference region was calculated, and the rapidity of labeled phagocyte uptake into inflamed bowel was measured as the peak uptake time. Visual grading of disease activity on the scans was validated by comparing it with the ratio of count rates from inflamed bowel regions of interest and those from the iliac crest reference region. The ratio of count rates showed a significant correlation with the clinical disease activity index (r = 0.75, p less than 0.001). The visual scan grade also correlated well with the clinical activity index (r = 0.87, p less than 0.001). Count rates from hourly scans were also used to calculate the time of peak uptake of counts for a given region of interest. There was a strong negative correlation between this peak uptake time and the fecal excretion of isotope (rS = -0.81, p less than 0.001), a clinical activity index (r = -0.60, p less than 0.001), and the histologic score of the mucosal biopsy specimens (r = -0.84, p less than 0.001)

Scientific visualization and radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrance, D.P.; Hoyer, C.E.; Wrestler, F.A.; Kuhn, M.J.; Moore, W.D.; Anderson, D.R.

1989-01-01

Scientific visualization is the visual presentation of numerical data. The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) has developed methods for visualizing computerbased simulations of digital imaging data. The applicability of these various tools for unique and potentially medical beneficial display of MR images is investigated. Raw data are obtained from MR images of the brain, neck, spine, and brachial plexus obtained on a 1.5-T imager with multiple pulse sequences. A supercomputer and other mainframe resources run a variety of graphic and imaging programs using this data. An interdisciplinary team of imaging scientists, computer graphic programmers, an physicians works together to achieve useful information

Stand for visual ultrasonic testing of spent fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czajkowski, W.; Borek-Kruszewska, E.

2001-01-01

A stand for visual and ultrasonic testing of spent fuel, constructed under Strategic Governmental Programme for management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, is presented in the paper. The stand, named 'STEND-1', built up at the Institute of Atomic Energy in Swjerk, is appointed for underwater visual testing of spent fuel elements type MR6 and WWR by means of TV-CCD camera and image processing system and for ultrasonic scanning of external surface of these elements by means of video scan immersion transducer and straight UHT connector. 'STEND-1' is built using flexible in use, high-tensile, anodized aluminum profiles. All the profiles feature longitudinal grooves to accommodate connecting elements and for the attachment of accessories at any position. They are also characterised by straight-through core bores for use with standard fastening elements and to accommodate accessory components. Stand, equipped with automatic control and processing system based on personal computer, may be manually or automatically controlled. Control system of movements of the camera in the vertical axis and rotational movement of spent fuel element permits to fix chosen location of fuel element with accuracy better than 0.1 mm. High resolution of ultrasonic method allows to record damages of outer surface of order 0.1 mm. The results of visual testing of spent fuel are recorded on video tape and then may be stored on the hard disc of the personal computer and presented in shape of photo or picture. Only selected damage surfaces of spent fuel elements are tested by means of ultrasonic scanning. All possibilities of the stand and results of visual testing of spent fuel type WWR are presented in the paper. (author)

Visual Assessment of Brain Perfusion MRI Scans in Dementia: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fällmar, David; Lilja, Johan; Velickaite, Vilma; Danfors, Torsten; Lubberink, Mark; Ahlgren, André; van Osch, Matthias J P; Kilander, Lena; Larsson, Elna-Marie

2016-05-01

Functional imaging is becoming increasingly important for the detection of neurodegenerative disorders. Perfusion MRI with arterial spin labeling (ASL) has been reported to provide promising diagnostic possibilities but is not yet widely used in routine clinical work. The aim of this study was to compare, in a clinical setting, the visual assessment of subtracted ASL CBF maps with and without additional smoothing, to FDG-PET data. Ten patients with a clinical diagnosis of dementia and 11 age-matched cognitively healthy controls were examined with pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL) and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Three diagnostic physicians visually assessed the pCASL maps after subtraction only, and after postprocessing using Gaussian smoothing and GLM-based beta estimate functions. The assessment scores were compared to FDG PET values. Furthermore, the ability to discriminate patients from healthy elderly controls was assessed. Smoothing improved the correlation between visually assessed regional ASL perfusion scores and the FDG PET SUV-r values from the corresponding regions. However, subtracted pCASL maps discriminated patients from healthy controls better than smoothed maps. Smoothing increased the number of false-positive patient identifications. Application of beta estimate functions had only a marginal effect. Spatial smoothing of ASL images increased false positive results in the discrimination of hypoperfusion conditions from healthy elderly. It also decreased interreader agreement. However, regional characterization and subjective perception of image quality was improved. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Large Scale Topographic Maps Generalisation and Visualization Based on New Methodology

OpenAIRE

Dinar, Ilma; Ključanin, Slobodanka; Poslončec-Petrić, Vesna

2015-01-01

Integrating spatial data from different sources results in visualization which is the last step in the process of digital basic topographic maps creation. Sources used for visualization are existing real estate cadastre database orthophoto plans and digital terrain models. Analogue cadastre plans were scanned and georeferenced according to existing regulations and used for toponyms. Visualization of topologically inspected geometric primitives was performed based on the ''Collection of cartog...

Please Don't Move-Evaluating Motion Artifact From Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography Scans Using Textural Features.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantalainen, Timo; Chivers, Paola; Beck, Belinda R; Robertson, Sam; Hart, Nicolas H; Nimphius, Sophia; Weeks, Benjamin K; McIntyre, Fleur; Hands, Beth; Siafarikas, Aris

Most imaging methods, including peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), are susceptible to motion artifacts particularly in fidgety pediatric populations. Methods currently used to address motion artifact include manual screening (visual inspection) and objective assessments of the scans. However, previously reported objective methods either cannot be applied on the reconstructed image or have not been tested for distal bone sites. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop and validate motion artifact classifiers to quantify motion artifact in pQCT scans. Whether textural features could provide adequate motion artifact classification performance in 2 adolescent datasets with pQCT scans from tibial and radial diaphyses and epiphyses was tested. The first dataset was split into training (66% of sample) and validation (33% of sample) datasets. Visual classification was used as the ground truth. Moderate to substantial classification performance (J48 classifier, kappa coefficients from 0.57 to 0.80) was observed in the validation dataset with the novel texture-based classifier. In applying the same classifier to the second cross-sectional dataset, a slight-to-fair (κ = 0.01-0.39) classification performance was observed. Overall, this novel textural analysis-based classifier provided a moderate-to-substantial classification of motion artifact when the classifier was specifically trained for the measurement device and population. Classification based on textural features may be used to prescreen obviously acceptable and unacceptable scans, with a subsequent human-operated visual classification of any remaining scans. Copyright © 2017 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of dual energy CT scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, W.; Hall, E.; Doost-Hoseini, A.; Alvarez, R.; Macovski, A.; Cassel, D.

1984-01-01

A prereconstruction method for dual energy (PREDECT) analysis of CT scans is described. In theory, this method can (a) eliminate beam hardening and produce an accuracy comparable with monoenergetic scans and (b) provide the effective atomic number and electron density of any voxel scanned. The implementation proves these statements and eliminates some of the objectionable noise. A phantom was constructed with a cylindrical sleeve-like compartment containing known amounts of high atomic number material simulating a removable skull. Conventional scans, with and without this beam hardener, were done of a water bath containing tubes of high electron and high atomic number material. Dual energy scans were then done for PREDECT. To increase the effective separation of the low and high energy beams by using more appropriate tube filtration, a beam filter changer was fabricated containing erbium, tungsten, aluminum, and steel. Erbium, tungsten, and steel were used at high energy and aluminum, steel, and erbium at low energy for data acquisition. The reconstructions were compared visually and numerically for noise levels with the original steel only filtration. A decrease was found in noise down to approximately one-half the prior level when erbium/aluminum or tungsten/aluminum replaced the steel/steel filter. Erbium and tungsten were equally effective. Steel/erbium and steel/aluminum also significantly reduced image noise. The noise in the photoelectric (P) and Compton (C) images is negatively correlated. At any pixel, if the noise is positive in the P image, it is most probably negative in the C. Using this fact, the noise was reduced by postreconstruction processing

Detecting Distributed Scans Using High-Performance Query-DrivenVisualization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stockinger, Kurt; Bethel, E. Wes; Campbell, Scott; Dart, Eli; Wu,Kesheng

2006-09-01

Modern forensic analytics applications, like network trafficanalysis, perform high-performance hypothesis testing, knowledgediscovery and data mining on very large datasets. One essential strategyto reduce the time required for these operations is to select only themost relevant data records for a given computation. In this paper, wepresent a set of parallel algorithms that demonstrate how an efficientselection mechanism -- bitmap indexing -- significantly speeds up acommon analysist ask, namely, computing conditional histogram on verylarge datasets. We present a thorough study of the performancecharacteristics of the parallel conditional histogram algorithms. Asacase study, we compute conditional histograms for detecting distributedscans hidden in a dataset consisting of approximately 2.5 billion networkconnection records. We show that these conditional histograms can becomputed on interactive timescale (i.e., in seconds). We also show how toprogressively modify the selection criteria to narrow the analysis andfind the sources of the distributed scans.

Examining drivers' eye glance patterns during distracted driving: Insights from scanning randomness and glance transition matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuan; Bao, Shan; Du, Wenjun; Ye, Zhirui; Sayer, James R

2017-12-01

Visual attention to the driving environment is of great importance for road safety. Eye glance behavior has been used as an indicator of distracted driving. This study examined and quantified drivers' glance patterns and features during distracted driving. Data from an existing naturalistic driving study were used. Entropy rate was calculated and used to assess the randomness associated with drivers' scanning patterns. A glance-transition proportion matrix was defined to quantity visual search patterns transitioning among four main eye glance locations while driving (i.e., forward on-road, phone, mirrors and others). All measurements were calculated within a 5s time window under both cell phone and non-cell phone use conditions. Results of the glance data analyses showed different patterns between distracted and non-distracted driving, featured by a higher entropy rate value and highly biased attention transferring between forward and phone locations during distracted driving. Drivers in general had higher number of glance transitions, and their on-road glance duration was significantly shorter during distracted driving when compared to non-distracted driving. Results suggest that drivers have a higher scanning randomness/disorder level and shift their main attention from surrounding areas towards phone area when engaging in visual-manual tasks. Drivers' visual search patterns during visual-manual distraction with a high scanning randomness and a high proportion of eye glance transitions towards the location of the phone provide insight into driver distraction detection. This will help to inform the design of in-vehicle human-machine interface/systems. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comparative investigations of high resolution scanning systems for digitising X-ray films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wessel, H.; Rose, P.

1992-01-01

The visual or computer-aided evaluation of digitised X-ray films in non-destructive material testing requires highly sensitive scanning systems. They must be able to resolve differences in blackening and convert them into digital data without loss, if possible. Only in this way is the detection of the finest cracks in weld seams or contraction in areas of great sudden changes in blackening of cast parts guaranteed. In the context of this work, measurements were carried out which describe the reproduction properties of different scanning systems. After a short explanation of the different scanning systems, the results of the measurements are shown and evaluated. (orig.) [de

Arterial scan versus radiographic angiography in detection of shallow arterial ulcers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollak, E.W.; Webber, M.M.; Cragin, M.D.; Wolfman, E.F. Jr.

1977-01-01

A comparison of 99m-technetium albumin aggregated arterial scan and radiographic angiography for detection of shallow intimal carotid artery ulcerations was made in a series of 12 anesthetized dogs, having a total of 16 acute arterial ulcerations. Radiographic angiography showed positive findings related to presence of stenosis or mural thrombosis in 12 instances. Direct visualization of ulceration was only exceptionally encountered. Arterial scan detected 14 of 16 intimal ulcers. The radionuclide method was reliable even in absence of stenosis or when only minimal mural thrombosis was present. Moreover, autopsy scan of the isolated arterial segments detected all 16 intimal lesions. These results indicate that the arterial scan was a more reliable method for detection of shallow arterial ulcers in this experimental model than radiographic angiography, especially when arterial lumen stenosis or mural thrombosis was minimal or absent

Abnormal extraosseous activity in both lungs and stomach in pre-transplant 99mTc-MDP bone scan disappearing after renal transplant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonavane, Sunita Tarsarya; Marwah, Atul; Jaiswar, Rajnath; Shah, Hardik

2013-01-01

A chronic kidney disease male patient presenting with bone pains, fever, weakness, and clinically ascites was subjected to four technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-MDP) bone scans, two before renal transplant and two after renal transplants. Pretransplant bone scan revealed metabolic bone disease with focal insufficiency fractures. Marked extraosseous activity in both lungs and stomach was also visualized. On regular hemodialysis (HD) after 4 months, repeat pretransplant bone scan showed persistent uptake in lungs and stomach, representing altered calcium metabolism with microcalcifications. He underwent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched live donor renal transplantation, started on immune-suppression and steroids. Posttransplant bone scan at 20 days revealed no definite interval change, but bone scan performed approximately 17 months posttransplant showed resolving metabolic bone disease and the tracer uptake in the lungs and stomach was no more visualized. Patient clinically followed-up until the date (February 2013) is asymptomatic with serum creatinine of 1.5 mg/dl, no bone scan done. (author)

LOD map--A visual interface for navigating multiresolution volume visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chaoli; Shen, Han-Wei

2006-01-01

In multiresolution volume visualization, a visual representation of level-of-detail (LOD) quality is important for us to examine, compare, and validate different LOD selection algorithms. While traditional methods rely on ultimate images for quality measurement, we introduce the LOD map--an alternative representation of LOD quality and a visual interface for navigating multiresolution data exploration. Our measure for LOD quality is based on the formulation of entropy from information theory. The measure takes into account the distortion and contribution of multiresolution data blocks. A LOD map is generated through the mapping of key LOD ingredients to a treemap representation. The ordered treemap layout is used for relative stable update of the LOD map when the view or LOD changes. This visual interface not only indicates the quality of LODs in an intuitive way, but also provides immediate suggestions for possible LOD improvement through visually-striking features. It also allows us to compare different views and perform rendering budget control. A set of interactive techniques is proposed to make the LOD adjustment a simple and easy task. We demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach on large scientific and medical data sets.

Optical scanning holography based on compressive sensing using a digital micro-mirror device

Science.gov (United States)

A-qian, Sun; Ding-fu, Zhou; Sheng, Yuan; You-jun, Hu; Peng, Zhang; Jian-ming, Yue; xin, Zhou

2017-02-01

Optical scanning holography (OSH) is a distinct digital holography technique, which uses a single two-dimensional (2D) scanning process to record the hologram of a three-dimensional (3D) object. Usually, these 2D scanning processes are in the form of mechanical scanning, and the quality of recorded hologram may be affected due to the limitation of mechanical scanning accuracy and unavoidable vibration of stepper motor's start-stop. In this paper, we propose a new framework, which replaces the 2D mechanical scanning mirrors with a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) to modulate the scanning light field, and we call it OSH based on Compressive Sensing (CS) using a digital micro-mirror device (CS-OSH). CS-OSH can reconstruct the hologram of an object through the use of compressive sensing theory, and then restore the image of object itself. Numerical simulation results confirm this new type OSH can get a reconstructed image with favorable visual quality even under the condition of a low sample rate.

21 CFR 886.1150 - Visual acuity chart.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Visual acuity chart. 886.1150 Section 886.1150 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1150 Visual acuity chart. (a) Identification...

Integrating mechanisms of visual guidance in naturalistic language production.

Science.gov (United States)

Coco, Moreno I; Keller, Frank

2015-05-01

Situated language production requires the integration of visual attention and linguistic processing. Previous work has not conclusively disentangled the role of perceptual scene information and structural sentence information in guiding visual attention. In this paper, we present an eye-tracking study that demonstrates that three types of guidance, perceptual, conceptual, and structural, interact to control visual attention. In a cued language production experiment, we manipulate perceptual (scene clutter) and conceptual guidance (cue animacy) and measure structural guidance (syntactic complexity of the utterance). Analysis of the time course of language production, before and during speech, reveals that all three forms of guidance affect the complexity of visual responses, quantified in terms of the entropy of attentional landscapes and the turbulence of scan patterns, especially during speech. We find that perceptual and conceptual guidance mediate the distribution of attention in the scene, whereas structural guidance closely relates to scan pattern complexity. Furthermore, the eye-voice span of the cued object and its perceptual competitor are similar; its latency mediated by both perceptual and structural guidance. These results rule out a strict interpretation of structural guidance as the single dominant form of visual guidance in situated language production. Rather, the phase of the task and the associated demands of cross-modal cognitive processing determine the mechanisms that guide attention.

Visual Attention During Brand Choice : The Impact of Time Pressure and Task Motivation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pieters, R.; Warlop, L.

1998-01-01

Measures derived from eye-movement data reveal that during brand choice consumers adapt to time pressure by accelerating the visual scanning sequence, by filtering information and by changing their scanning strategy. In addition, consumers with high task motivation filter brand information less and

Damage analysis of CF/AF hybrid fabric reinforced plastic laminated composites with scanned image microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Miyasaka, Chiaki; Kasano, Hideaki; Shull, Peter J.

2004-07-01

The article presents an experimental study that has been conducted to evaluate the impact loading damage within hybrid fabric laminates-carbon and Aramid fibers. The experiments have been undertaken on a series of interply hybrid specimens with different preprags stacking sequences. Impact damage was created using an air-gun like impact device propelling spherical steel balls with diameters of 5.0mm and 10.0mm and having velocities of 113m/s and 40m/s respectively. The resulting specimen surface and internal damage (e.g., micro-cracking and debonding) was visualized nondestructively by a scanning acoustic microscope (SAM) while further interrogation of specific internal damage was visualized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) on cross-sectioned panels.

Digital radiography of scoliosis with a scanning method: radiation dose optimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geijer, Haakan; Andersson, Torbjoern [Department of Radiology, Oerebro University Hospital, 701 85 Oerebro (Sweden); Verdonck, Bert [Philips Medical Systems, P.O. Box 10,000, 5680 Best (Netherlands); Beckman, Karl-Wilhelm; Persliden, Jan [Department of Medical Physics, Oerebro University Hospital, 701 85 Oerebro (Sweden)

2003-03-01

The aim of this study was optimization of the radiation dose-image quality relationship for a digital scanning method of scoliosis radiography. The examination is performed as a digital multi-image translation scan that is reconstructed to a single image in a workstation. Entrance dose was recorded with thermoluminescent dosimeters placed dorsally on an Alderson phantom. At the same time, kerma area product (KAP) values were recorded. A Monte Carlo calculation of effective dose was also made. Image quality was evaluated with a contrast-detail phantom and Visual Grading. The radiation dose was reduced by lowering the image intensifier entrance dose request, adjusting pulse frequency and scan speed, and by raising tube voltage. The calculated effective dose was reduced from 0.15 to 0.05 mSv with reduction of KAP from 1.07 to 0.25 Gy cm{sup 2} and entrance dose from 0.90 to 0.21 mGy. The image quality was reduced with the Image Quality Figure going from 52 to 62 and a corresponding reduction in image quality as assessed with Visual Grading. The optimization resulted in a dose reduction to 31% of the original effective dose with an acceptable reduction in image quality considering the intended use of the images for angle measurements. (orig.)

Remembering the Specific Visual Details of Presented Objects: Neuroimaging Evidence for Effects of Emotion

Science.gov (United States)

Kensinger, Elizabeth A.; Schacter, Daniel L.

2007-01-01

Memories can be retrieved with varied amounts of visual detail, and the emotional content of information can influence the likelihood that visual detail is remembered. In the present fMRI experiment (conducted with 19 adults scanned using a 3T magnet), we examined the neural processes that correspond with recognition of the visual details of…

Visualization in medicine and life sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linsen, L.; Hamann, B.

2008-01-01

Visualization technology is becoming increasingly important for medical and biomedical data processing and analysis. This technology complements traditional image processing methods as it allows scientists to visually interact with large, high-resolution three-dimensional image data, for example. Furthermore, an ever increasing number of new data acquisition methods are being used in medicine and the life sciences, in particular in genomics and proteomics. This book discusses some of the latest visualization techniques and systems for effective analysis of such diverse, large, complex, and multi-source data. Experts from all over the world were invited to participate in a workshop held in July 2006 on the island Ruegen in Germany. About 40 participants presented state-of-the-art research on the topic. Research and survey papers have been solicited and carefully refereed, resulting in this collection. The topics covered include Segmentation and Feature Detection, Surface Extraction, Volume Visualization, Graph and Network Visualization, Visual Data Exploration, Multivariate and Multidimensional Data Visualization, Large Data Visualization. (orig.)

Visualization of carbon nanotubes dispersion in composite by using confocal laser scanning microscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ilčíková, M.; Danko, M.; Doroshenko, M.; Best, A.; Mrlík, M.; Csomorová, K.; Šlouf, Miroslav; Chorvát Jr., D.; Koynov, K.; Mosnáček, J.

2016-01-01

Roč. 79, June (2016), s. 187-197 ISSN 0014-3057 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : confocal laser scanning microscopy * composites * carbon nanotubes dispersion Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.531, year: 2016

Imaging visual function of the human brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marg, E.

1988-01-01

Imaging of human brain structure and activity with particular reference to visual function is reviewed along with methods of obtaining the data including computed tomographic (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and positron emission tomography (PET). The literature is reviewed and the potential for a new understanding of brain visual function is discussed. PET is reviewed from basic physical principles to the most recent visual brain findings with oxygen-15. It is shown that there is a potential for submillimeter localization of visual functions with sequentially different visual stimuli designed for the temporal separation of the responses. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a less expensive substitute for PET, is also discussed. MRS is covered from basic physical principles to the current state of the art of in vivo biochemical analysis. Future possible clinical applications are discussed. Improved understanding of the functional neural organization of vision and brain will open a window to maps and circuits of human brain function.119 references

Gender and environmental influences on visual acuity in Owerri ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

olayemitoyin

1Optometry Unit, Eye Clinic, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State, 2Department of Physiology, College ... Visual acuity (V.A.) is a measure of visual function in health and disease. ..... environment especially during harmattan and dry.

Integration of multidisciplinary technologies for real time target visualization and verification for radiotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang WC

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Wen-Chung Chang,1,* Chin-Sheng Chen,2,* Hung-Chi Tai,3 Chia-Yuan Liu,4,5 Yu-Jen Chen3 1Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Graduate Institute of Automation Technology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan  *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: The current practice of radiotherapy examines target coverage solely from digitally reconstructed beam's eye view (BEV in a way that is indirectly accessible and that is not in real time. We aimed to visualize treatment targets in real time from each BEV. The image data of phantom or patients from ultrasound (US and computed tomography (CT scans were captured to perform image registration. We integrated US, CT, US/CT image registration, robotic manipulation of US, a radiation treatment planning system, and a linear accelerator to constitute an innovative target visualization system. The performance of this algorithm segmented the target organ in CT images, transformed and reconstructed US images to match each orientation, and generated image registration in real time mode with acceptable accuracy. This image transformation allowed physicians to visualize the CT image-reconstructed target via a US probe outside the BEV that was non-coplanar to the beam's plane. It allowed the physicians to remotely control the US probe that was equipped on a robotic arm to dynamically trace and real time monitor the coverage of the target within the BEV during a simulated beam-on situation. This target visualization system may provide a direct remotely accessible and real time way to visualize, verify, and ensure tumor targeting during radiotherapy. Keywords: ultrasound, computerized tomography

Changes observed in radionuclide bone scans during and after teriparatide treatment for osteoporosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, Amelia E.B.; Blake, Glen M.; Fogelman, Ignac; Taylor, Kathleen A.; Ruff, Valerie A.; Rana, Asad E.; Wan, Xiaohai

2012-01-01

Visual changes on radionuclide bone scans have been reported with teriparatide treatment. To assess this, serial studies were evaluated and quantified in ten postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with teriparatide (20 μg/day subcutaneous) who had 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scans (baseline, 3 and 18 months, then after 6 months off therapy). Women were injected with 600 MBq 99m Tc-MDP, and diagnostic bone scan images were assessed at 3.5 h. Additional whole-body scans (10 min, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h) were analysed for 99m Tc-MDP skeletal plasma clearance (K bone ). Regional K bone differences were obtained for the whole skeleton and six regions (calvarium, mandible, spine, pelvis, upper and lower extremities). Bone turnover markers (BTM) were also measured. Most subjects showed visual changes on 3- and 18-month bone scan images that disappeared after 6 months off therapy. Enhanced uptake was seen predominantly in the calvarium and lower extremities. Whole skeleton K bone displayed a median increase of 22% (3 months, p = 0.004) and 34% (18 months, p = 0.002) decreasing to 0.7% (6 months off therapy). Calvarium K bone changes were three times larger than other sites. After 6 months off therapy, all K bone and BTM values returned towards baseline. The increased 99m Tc-MDP skeletal uptake with teriparatide indicated increased bone formation which was supported by BTM increases. After 6 months off therapy, metabolic activity diminished towards baseline. The modulation of 99m Tc-MDP skeletal uptake during treatment was the result of teriparatide's metabolic activity. These findings may aid the radiological evaluation of similar teriparatide patients having radionuclide bone scans. (orig.)

Eye vergence responses during a visual memory task.

Science.gov (United States)

Solé Puig, Maria; Romeo, August; Cañete Crespillo, Jose; Supèr, Hans

2017-02-08

In a previous report it was shown that covertly attending visual stimuli produce small convergence of the eyes, and that visual stimuli can give rise to different modulations of the angle of eye vergence, depending on their power to capture attention. Working memory is highly dependent on attention. Therefore, in this study we assessed vergence responses in a memory task. Participants scanned a set of 8 or 12 images for 10 s, and thereafter were presented with a series of single images. One half were repeat images - that is, they belonged to the initial set - and the other half were novel images. Participants were asked to indicate whether or not the images were included in the initial image set. We observed that eyes converge during scanning the set of images and during the presentation of the single images. The convergence was stronger for remembered images compared with the vergence for nonremembered images. Modulation in pupil size did not correspond to behavioural responses. The correspondence between vergence and coding/retrieval processes of memory strengthen the idea of a role for vergence in attention processing of visual information.

Comparison of CT scanning and radionuclide imaging in liver disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedman, M.L.; Esposito, F.S.

1980-01-01

Early experience with body CT suggested its usefulness in many diagnostic problems; jaundice, renal and pancreatic masses, and in the evaluation of relatively inaccessible parts of the body, such as the retroperitineum, mediastinum, and pelvis. Investigation of hepatic disease by CT was not unexpectedly compared to radionuclide liver scanning, the major preexisting modality for imaging the liver. In the evaluation of the jaundiced patient, CT rapidly assumed a major role, providing more specific information about the liver than the RN liver scan, as well as demonstrating adjacent organs. CT differentiate obstructive from non-obstructive jaundice. With respect to mass lesions of the liver, the RN liver scan is more sensitive than CT but less specific. The abnormalities on an isotope image of the liver consist of normal variants in configuration, extrinsic compression by adjacent structures, cysts, hemangiomata, abscesses, and neoplasms. These suspected lesions may then be better delineated by the CT image, and a more precise diagnosis made. The physiologic information provided by the RN liver scan is an added facet which is helpful in the patient with diffuse hepatic disease. The CT image will be normal in many of these patients, however, hemochromatosis and fatty infiltration lend themselves especially to density evaluation by CT. The evaluation of lymphoma is more thorough with CT. Structures other than the liver, such as lymph nodes, are visualized. Gallium, however, provides additional isotopic information in patients with lymphoma, and in addition, is known to be useful in the investigation of a febrile patient with an abscess. Newer isotopic agents expand hepatic imaging in other directions, visualizing the biliary tree and evaluating the jaundiced patient

Comparison of dogs and humans in visual scanning of social interaction

OpenAIRE

Törnqvist, Heini; Somppi, Sanni; Koskela, Aija; Krause, Christina M.; Vainio, Outi; Kujala, Miiamaaria V.

2015-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated similarities in gazing behaviour of dogs and humans, but comparisons under similar conditions are rare, and little is known about dogs' visual attention to social scenes. Here, we recorded the eye gaze of dogs while they viewed images containing two humans or dogs either interacting socially or facing away: the results were compared with equivalent data measured from humans. Furthermore, we compared the gazing behaviour of two dog and two human populations w...

Diagnosis of anemia on CT scans of the thorax

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corcoran, H.L.; Cook, D.E.; Proto, A.V.

1986-01-01

Visualization of the interventricular septum on nonenhanced CT scans of the thorax of patients with anemia has been illustrated in the literature and explained in terms of a density differential between the cardiac musculature and the blood of anemic patients (blood with a low hemoglobin level). There are no data on the frequency of visualization of the walls of the cardiac chambers, the aorta and its branches, the superior and inferior venae cavae, the brachiocephalic veins, the azygos arch, and so forth. Experience with 50 patients is reported in terms of the foregoing. Findings are correlated with the severity of the anemia, thereby indicating how commonly one may encounter such an appearance

Visual information transfer. Part 1: Assessment of specific information needs. Part 2: Parameters of appropriate instrument scanning behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Comstock, J. R., Jr.; Kirby, R. H.; Coates, G. D.

1985-01-01

The present study explored eye scan behavior as a function of level of subject training. Oculometric (eye scan) measures were recorded from each of ten subjects during training trials on a CRT based flight simulation task. The task developed for the study incorporated subtasks representative of specific activities performed by pilots, but which could be performed at asymptotic levels within relatively short periods of training. Changes in eye scan behavior were examined as initially untrained subjects developed skill in the task. Eye scan predictors of performance on the task were found. Examination of eye scan in proximity to selected task events revealed differences in the distribution of looks at the instruments as a function of level of training.

Impact of visual repetition rate on intrinsic properties of low frequency fluctuations in the visual network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Chia Li

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Visual processing network is one of the functional networks which have been reliably identified to consistently exist in human resting brains. In our work, we focused on this network and investigated the intrinsic properties of low frequency (0.01-0.08 Hz fluctuations (LFFs during changes of visual stimuli. There were two main questions to be discussed in this study: intrinsic properties of LFFs regarding (1 interactions between visual stimuli and resting-state; (2 impact of repetition rate of visual stimuli. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed scanning sessions that contained rest and visual stimuli in various repetition rates with a novel method. The method included three numerical approaches involving ICA (Independent Component Analyses, fALFF (fractional Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation, and Coherence, to respectively investigate the modulations of visual network pattern, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity during changes of visual stimuli. We discovered when resting-state was replaced by visual stimuli, more areas were involved in visual processing, and both stronger low frequency fluctuations and higher interregional functional connectivity occurred in visual network. With changes of visual repetition rate, the number of areas which were involved in visual processing, low frequency fluctuation power, and interregional functional connectivity in this network were also modulated. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To combine the results of prior literatures and our discoveries, intrinsic properties of LFFs in visual network are altered not only by modulations of endogenous factors (eye-open or eye-closed condition; alcohol administration and disordered behaviors (early blind, but also exogenous sensory stimuli (visual stimuli with various repetition rates. It demonstrates that the intrinsic properties of LFFs are valuable to represent physiological states of human brains.

Visual Impairment and Intracranial Hypertension: An Emerging Spaceflight Risk

Science.gov (United States)

Taddeo, Terrance A.

2010-01-01

During recent long duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers have reported changes in visual acuity or visual field defects. Exams in the postflight period revealed changes to the visual system and elevated intracranial pressures. As a result, NASA Space Medicine has added a number of tests to be performed in the preflight, inflight and postflight periods for ISS and shuttle missions with the goal of determining the processes at work and any potential mitigation strategies. This discussion will acquaint you with the changes that NASA has made to its medical requirements in order to address the microgravity induced intracranial hypertension and associated visual changes. Key personnel have been assembled to provide you information on this topic. Educational Objectives: Provide an overview of the current Medical Operations requirements and the mitigation steps taken to operationally address the issue.

The Beatles, the Nobel Prize, and CT scanning of the chest.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Lawrence R

2010-01-01

From its first test scan on a mouse, in 1967, to current medical practice, the CT scanner has become a core imaging tool in thoracic diagnosis. Initially financed by money from Beatles' record sales, the first patient scan was performed in 1971. Only 8 years later, a Nobel Prize in Physics and Medicine was awarded to Hounsfield and Cormack for their discovery. This article traces the history of CT scanner development and how each technical advance expanded chest diagnostic frontiers. Chest imaging now accounts for 30% of all CT scanning.

Losing our Senses, an Exploration of 3D Object Scanning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eve Stuart

2018-03-01

Full Text Available 3D scanning and photogrammetry of archaeological objects are now becoming commonplace. Virtual 3D scans are in many cases replacing the drawn record and are leading to objects being more easily accessed, shared and analysed. However, the wholesale production of 3D virtual replicas of artefacts is not always supported by adequate information regarding the multi-sensory nature of artefacts. The visual and geometric aspects are well represented, but the sounds and smells of the artefacts are lost. This paper explores the possible consequences of this and provides some indications of how we may remedy the situation, before our 3D archives become senseless.

Determination of plant components degradation using ultrasonic C-scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad Pauzi Ismail; Suhairy Sani; Abdul Nassir Ibrahim

2002-01-01

C-scan Ultrasonic Inspection technique is increasingly used for the assessment of plant integrity. Due to the advancement of the equipment, Probability of Detection (POD) of this technique increased significantly as compared with the conventional techniques. Thus in many cases, the technique is accepted by engineers to be used to replace the conventional inspection methods such as visual inspections, thickness gauging and ultrasonic B-Scan. Thickness gauging and ultrasonic B-scan is still widely used by industries. However, both techniques have their own disadvantages. The most notable disadvantages of these techniques are related to the reliability of readings given by the equipment. In addition to this, thickness gauge would only provide data at certain points and B-scan would only provide data for certain lines. This paper presents and discusses results of C-scan measurement performed in power generation, chemical and petro-chemical plants. Due to its high accuracy, results from these measurements were used to establish the true condition of plant and to calculate its remaining safe life. Results presented in this paper include those related to corrosion, erosion and lamination in acid and gas pipelines, finger sludge catcher, steam drums in vessels and piping and electron beam machine. (Author)

Musculature of Notholca acuminata (Rotifera : Ploima : Brachionidae) revealed by confocal scanning laser microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, M.V.; Funch, P.; Hooge, M.

2003-01-01

The body-wall and visceral musculature of Notholca acuminata was visualized using phalloidin-linked fluorescent dye under confocal laser scanning microscopy. The body-wall musculature includes dorsal, lateral, and ventral pairs of longitudinally oriented body retractor muscles, two pairs of head...

Modular design of a scanning Gantry for animal SPECT, PET and CT applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brady, J.A.M.; Lerch, M.; Bourke, J.; Rozenfeld, A.B.; Meikle, S.R.

2005-01-01

Full text: Using the modular design methodology, we have developed a scanning gantry system; custom designed for multi-modality nuclear imaging techniques (NITs) and the CoALA SPECT project. This paper discusses the gantry's flexible modular design and how significant components and functionality have been reused in other medical physics related instrumentation developed at the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong. The gantry is designed to meet the exacting requirements of researchers in new radiotracer development who require accurate functional and anatomical information-the scanning gantry has a linear stepping accuracy of +/-12.5 microns and an angular accuracy of +/-0.03 degree. The scanning gantry is a precision instrument that is also affordable to research groups working in small laboratories or universities. Copyright (2005) Australian Institute of Physics

High-resolution computed tomography scan of lumbosacral spine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lifson, A.; Heithoff, K.B.; Burton, C.V.; Ray, C.D.

1981-01-01

A GE 8800 computed tomography (CT) scanner was used in over 4,000 cases of acute and chronic low back pain. Practically unlimited potentials of the study were clearly demonstrated in the diagnosis of such conditions as central and lateral spinal stenosis, overgrowth of fusions, disk herniation and free extrusion. Nonenhanced CT scanning is capable of clear visualization of soft-tissue structures: nerve roots and ganglia, epidural fat, epidural fibrous tissue, and epidural veins. CT scanning has become a primary diagnostic modality in the Low Back Clinic at our institute, replacing myelography in the majority of cases. Enhancement of the image with metrizamide was found to be of limited diagnostic value in lumbar degenerative disk disease. However, the utilization of a radiopaque material is indicated in selected circumstances. (Auth.)

Application of stereo-imaging technology to medical field.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Kyoung Won; Park, Jeongyun; Kim, In Young; Kim, Kwang Gi

2012-09-01

There has been continuous development in the area of stereoscopic medical imaging devices, and many stereoscopic imaging devices have been realized and applied in the medical field. In this article, we review past and current trends pertaining to the application stereo-imaging technologies in the medical field. We describe the basic principles of stereo vision and visual issues related to it, including visual discomfort, binocular disparities, vergence-accommodation mismatch, and visual fatigue. We also present a brief history of medical applications of stereo-imaging techniques, examples of recently developed stereoscopic medical devices, and patent application trends as they pertain to stereo-imaging medical devices. Three-dimensional (3D) stereo-imaging technology can provide more realistic depth perception to the viewer than conventional two-dimensional imaging technology. Therefore, it allows for a more accurate understanding and analysis of the morphology of an object. Based on these advantages, the significance of stereoscopic imaging in the medical field increases in accordance with the increase in the number of laparoscopic surgeries, and stereo-imaging technology plays a key role in the diagnoses of the detailed morphologies of small biological specimens. The application of 3D stereo-imaging technology to the medical field will help improve surgical accuracy, reduce operation times, and enhance patient safety. Therefore, it is important to develop more enhanced stereoscopic medical devices.

Frida Kahlo: Visual Articulations of Suffering and Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, Lois LaCivita

1996-01-01

Illustrates the value of interdisciplinary approaches to patient care by exploring visual articulations of suffering as rendered by one artist. Makes general observations about the nature of humanities courses offered to medical students and depicts a visual portrayal of an illness story representing personal perspectives about patient suffering…

21 CFR 886.1360 - Visual field laser instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Visual field laser instrument. 886.1360 Section 886.1360 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 886.1360 Visual field laser instrument...

Visual reinforcement audiometry: an Adobe Flash based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Atherton, Steve

2010-09-01

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) is a key behavioural test for young children. It is central to the diagnosis of hearing-impaired infants (1) . Habituation to the visual reinforcement can give misleading results. Medical Illustration ABM University Health Board has designed a collection of Flash animations to overcome this.

SEM visualization of glycosylated surface molecules using lectin-coated microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Duke, J.; Janer, L.; Campbell, M.

1985-01-01

There are several techniques currently used to localize glycosylated surface molecules by scanning electron microscopy (Grinnell, 1980; Molday, 1976; Linthicum and Sell, 1975; Nicolson, 1974; Lo Buglio, et al, 1972). A simple and rapid method, using a modification of Grinnell's technique is reported here. Essentially, microspheres coated with Concavalin A are used to bind to glycosylated regions of the palatal shelf epithelium and are visualized in the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Visual form-processing deficits: a global clinical classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Unzueta-Arce, J; García-García, R; Ladera-Fernández, V; Perea-Bartolomé, M V; Mora-Simón, S; Cacho-Gutiérrez, J

2014-10-01

Patients who have difficulties recognising visual form stimuli are usually labelled as having visual agnosia. However, recent studies let us identify different clinical manifestations corresponding to discrete diagnostic entities which reflect a variety of deficits along the continuum of cortical visual processing. We reviewed different clinical cases published in medical literature as well as proposals for classifying deficits in order to provide a global perspective of the subject. Here, we present the main findings on the neuroanatomical basis of visual form processing and discuss the criteria for evaluating processing which may be abnormal. We also include an inclusive diagram of visual form processing deficits which represents the different clinical cases described in the literature. Lastly, we propose a boosted decision tree to serve as a guide in the process of diagnosing such cases. Although the medical community largely agrees on which cortical areas and neuronal circuits are involved in visual processing, future studies making use of new functional neuroimaging techniques will provide more in-depth information. A well-structured and exhaustive assessment of the different stages of visual processing, designed with a global view of the deficit in mind, will give a better idea of the prognosis and serve as a basis for planning personalised psychostimulation and rehabilitation strategies. Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Policy, Practice, and Research Agenda for Emergency Medical Services Oversight: A Systematic Review and Environmental Scan.

Science.gov (United States)

Taymour, Rekar K; Abir, Mahshid; Chamberlin, Margaret; Dunne, Robert B; Lowell, Mark; Wahl, Kathy; Scott, Jacqueline

2018-02-01

Introduction In a 2015 report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM; Washington, DC USA), now the National Academy of Medicine (NAM; Washington, DC USA), stated that the field of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) exhibits signs of fragmentation; an absence of system-wide coordination and planning; and a lack of federal, state, and local accountability. The NAM recommended clarifying what roles the federal government, state governments, and local communities play in the oversight and evaluation of EMS system performance, and how they may better work together to improve care. This systematic literature review and environmental scan addresses NAM's recommendations by answering two research questions: (1) what aspects of EMS systems are most measured in the peer-reviewed and grey literatures, and (2) what do these measures and studies suggest for high-quality EMS oversight? To answer these questions, a systematic literature review was conducted in the PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, Maryland USA), Web of Science (Thomson Reuters; New York, New York USA), SCOPUS (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands), and EMBASE (Elsevier; Amsterdam, Netherlands) databases for peer-reviewed literature and for grey literature; targeted web searches of 10 EMS-related government agencies and professional organizations were performed. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed literature to be published between 1966-2016 and grey literature to be published between 1996-2016. A total of 1,476 peer-reviewed titles were reviewed, 76 were retrieved for full-text review, and 58 were retained and coded in the qualitative software Dedoose (Manhattan Beach, California USA) using a codebook of themes. Categorizations of measure type and level of application were assigned to the extracted data. Targeted websites were systematically reviewed and 115 relevant grey literature documents were retrieved. A total of 58 peer-reviewed articles met inclusion

Scanning ion conductance microscopy for visualizing the three-dimensional surface topography of cells and tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, Masato; Mizutani, Yusuke; Iwata, Futoshi; Ushiki, Tatsuo

2018-01-01

Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM), which belongs to the family of scanning probe microscopy, regulates the tip-sample distance by monitoring the ion current through the use of an electrolyte-filled nanopipette as the probing tip. Thus, SICM enables "contact-free" imaging of cell surface topography in liquid conditions. In this paper, we applied hopping mode SICM for obtaining topographical images of convoluted tissue samples such as trachea and kidney in phosphate buffered saline. Some of the SICM images were compared with the images obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after drying the same samples. We showed that the imaging quality of hopping mode SICM was excellent enough for investigating the three-dimensional surface structure of the soft tissue samples. Thus, SICM is expected to be used for imaging a wide variety of cells and tissues - either fixed or alive- at high resolution under physiologically relevant liquid conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a hardware-based registration system for the multimodal medical images by USB cameras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwata, Michiaki; Minato, Kotaro; Watabe, Hiroshi; Koshino, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Akihide; Iida, Hidehiro

2009-01-01

There are several medical imaging scanners and each modality has different aspect for visualizing inside of human body. By combining these images, diagnostic accuracy could be improved, and therefore, several attempts for multimodal image registration have been implemented. One popular approach is to use hybrid image scanners such as positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT. However, these hybrid scanners are expensive and not fully available. We developed multimodal image registration system with universal serial bus (USB) cameras, which is inexpensive and applicable to any combinations of existed conventional imaging scanners. The multiple USB cameras will determine the three dimensional positions of a patient while scanning. Using information of these positions and rigid body transformation, the acquired image is registered to the common coordinate which is shared with another scanner. For each scanner, reference marker is attached on gantry of the scanner. For observing the reference marker's position by the USB cameras, the location of the USB cameras can be arbitrary. In order to validate the system, we scanned a cardiac phantom with different positions by PET and MRI scanners. Using this system, images from PET and MRI were visually aligned, and good correlations between PET and MRI images were obtained after the registration. The results suggest this system can be inexpensively used for multimodal image registrations. (author)

Metoprolol-induced visual hallucinations: a case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goldner Jonathan A

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Metoprolol is a widely used beta-adrenergic blocker that is commonly prescribed for a variety of cardiovascular syndromes and conditions. While central nervous system adverse effects have been well-described with most beta-blockers (especially lipophilic agents such as propranolol, visual hallucinations have been only rarely described with metoprolol. Case presentations Case 1 was an 84-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of hypertension and osteoarthritis, who suffered from visual hallucinations which she described as people in her bedroom at night. They would be standing in front of the bed or sitting on chairs watching her when she slept. Numerous medications were stopped before her physician realized the metoprolol was the causative agent. The hallucinations resolved only after discontinuation of this medication. Case 2 was a 62-year-old Caucasian man with an inferior wall myocardial infarction complicated by cardiac arrest, who was successfully resuscitated and discharged from the hospital on metoprolol. About 18 months after discharge, he related to his physician that he had been seeing dead people at night. He related his belief that since he 'had died and was brought back to life', he was now seeing people from the after-life. Upon discontinuation of the metoprolol the visual disturbances resolved within several days. Case 3 was a 68 year-old Caucasian woman with a history of severe hypertension and depression, who reported visual hallucinations at night for years while taking metoprolol. These included awakening during the night with people in her bedroom and seeing objects in her room turn into animals. After a new physician switched her from metoprolol to atenolol, the visual hallucinations ceased within four days. Conclusion We suspect that metoprolol-induced visual hallucinations may be under-recognized and under-reported. Patients may frequently fail to acknowledge this adverse effect believing that they

CoViCAD : comprehensive visualization of coronary artery disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Temeer, M.; Olivan Bescos, J.; Breeuwer, M.; Vilanova, A.; Gerritsen, F.A.; Gröller, E.

2007-01-01

We present novel, comprehensive visualization techniques for the diagnosis of patients with Coronary Artery Disease using segmented cardiac MRI data. We extent an accepted medical visualization technique called the bull’s eye plot by removing discontinuities, preserving the volumetric nature of the

Medical thoracoscopy | Elameen | Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Medical thoracoscpy [MT] (pleuroscopy) is a minimally invasive procedure performed by using endoscopic telescope to visualize and evaluate the pleura, pleural space, ... It is performed by the pulmonary physician in an endoscopy suite or procedure room using non disposable rigid (or semi-rigid) instruments7.

Changes observed in radionuclide bone scans during and after teriparatide treatment for osteoporosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, Amelia E.B.; Blake, Glen M.; Fogelman, Ignac [King' s College London, School of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, London (United Kingdom); Taylor, Kathleen A.; Ruff, Valerie A.; Rana, Asad E.; Wan, Xiaohai [Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN (United States)

2012-02-15

Visual changes on radionuclide bone scans have been reported with teriparatide treatment. To assess this, serial studies were evaluated and quantified in ten postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with teriparatide (20 {mu}g/day subcutaneous) who had {sup 99m}Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scans (baseline, 3 and 18 months, then after 6 months off therapy). Women were injected with 600 MBq {sup 99m}Tc-MDP, and diagnostic bone scan images were assessed at 3.5 h. Additional whole-body scans (10 min, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h) were analysed for {sup 99m}Tc-MDP skeletal plasma clearance (K{sub bone}). Regional K{sub bone} differences were obtained for the whole skeleton and six regions (calvarium, mandible, spine, pelvis, upper and lower extremities). Bone turnover markers (BTM) were also measured. Most subjects showed visual changes on 3- and 18-month bone scan images that disappeared after 6 months off therapy. Enhanced uptake was seen predominantly in the calvarium and lower extremities. Whole skeleton K{sub bone} displayed a median increase of 22% (3 months, p = 0.004) and 34% (18 months, p = 0.002) decreasing to 0.7% (6 months off therapy). Calvarium K{sub bone} changes were three times larger than other sites. After 6 months off therapy, all K{sub bone} and BTM values returned towards baseline. The increased {sup 99m}Tc-MDP skeletal uptake with teriparatide indicated increased bone formation which was supported by BTM increases. After 6 months off therapy, metabolic activity diminished towards baseline. The modulation of {sup 99m}Tc-MDP skeletal uptake during treatment was the result of teriparatide's metabolic activity. These findings may aid the radiological evaluation of similar teriparatide patients having radionuclide bone scans. (orig.)

Effect of marihuana and alcohol on visual search performance

Science.gov (United States)

1976-10-01

Two experiments were performed to determine the effects of alcohol and marihuana on visual scanning patterns in a simulated driving situation. In the first experiment 27 male heavy drinkers were divided into 3 groups of 9, defined by three blood alco...

Computed Tomography Scanning and Geophysical Measurements of Core from the Coldstream 1MH Well

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crandall, Dustin M.; Brown, Sarah; Moore, Johnathan E.; Mackey, Paige E.; Paronish, Thomas J.

2018-03-05

The computed tomography (CT) facilities and the Multi-Sensor Core Logger (MSCL) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Morgantown, West Virginia site were used to characterize core of the Marcellus Shale from a vertical well, the Coldstream 1MH Well in Clearfield County, PA. The core is comprised primarily of the Marcellus Shale from a depth of 7,002 to 7,176 ft.

The primary impetus of this work is a collaboration between West Virginia University (WVU) and NETL to characterize core from multiple wells to better understand the structure and variation of the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. As part of this effort, bulk scans of core were obtained from the Coldstream 1MH well, provided by the Energy Corporation of America (now Greylock Energy). This report, and the associated scans, provide detailed datasets not typically available from unconventional shales for analysis. The resultant datasets are presented in this report, and can be accessed from NETL's Energy Data eXchange (EDX) online system using the following link: https://edx.netl.doe.gov/dataset/coldstream-1mh-well.

All equipment and techniques used were non-destructive, enabling future examinations to be performed on these cores. None of the equipment used was suitable for direct visualization of the shale pore space, although fractures and discontinuities were detectable with the methods tested. Low resolution CT imagery with the NETL medical CT scanner was performed on the entire core. Qualitative analysis of the medical CT images, coupled with x-ray fluorescence (XRF), P-wave, and magnetic susceptibility measurements from the MSCL were useful in identifying zones of interest for more detailed analysis as well as fractured zones. En echelon fractures were observed at 7,100 ft and were CT scanned using NETL’s industrial CT scanner at higher resolution. The ability to quickly identify key areas for more detailed study with higher resolution will save time and

Muscular injury in a child diagnosed by 99mTc-MDP bone scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tondeur, M.; Piepsz, A.; Ham, H.R.; Haentjens, M.

1989-01-01

An 11-year-old boy had bone scanning to rule out an osseous lesion of the right arm. He presented progressive pain and hard swelling of the right arm. His past medical history and general physical examination were unremarkable. He trained for karate. The scan demonstrated considerable muscular uptake in both arms. CKP and CKP MB levels were both abnormally high, suggesting muscle injury. After a 10-day rest period the bone scan returned to normal. (orig.)

Applications of pilot scanning behavior to integrated display research

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, M. C.

1977-01-01

The oculometer is an electrooptical device designed to measure pilot scanning behavior during instrument approaches and landing operations. An overview of some results from a simulation study is presented to illustrate how information from the oculometer installed in a visual motion simulator, combined with measures of performance and control input data, can provide insight into the behavior and tactics of individual pilots during instrument approaches. Differences in measured behavior of the pilot subjects are pointed out; these differences become apparent in the way the pilots distribute their visual attention, in the amount of control activity, and in selected performance measures. Some of these measured differences have diagnostic implications, suggesting the use of the oculometer along with performance measures as a pilot training tool.

Effects of copper and arsenic stress on the development of Norway spruce somatic embryos and their visualization with the environmental scanning electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Đorđević, Biljana; Neděla, Vilém; Tihlaříková, Eva; Trojan, Václav; Havel, Ladislav

2018-05-18

Somatic embryogenesis is an important biotechnological technique which can be used in studies associated with environmental stress. Four embryogenic cell lines of Norway spruce were grown on media enriched with copper and arsenic in concentration ranges 50-500 μM and 10-50 μM, respectively. The effects were observed during subsequent stages of somatic embryogenesis, the characteristics evaluated being proliferation potential, average number of somatic embryos obtained per g/fresh weight, morphology of developed somatic embryos, metal uptake, and microanalysis of macro- and micronutrients uptake. Copper and arsenic at higher concentrations significantly reduced the growth of early somatic embryos. In almost all treatments, the cell line V-1-3 showed the best performance compared with the other lines tested. Environmental scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize and identify morphological abnormalities in the development of somatic embryos. Abnormalities observed were classified into several categories: meristemless somatic embryos, somatic embryos with disrupted meristem, reduced number of cotyledons, single cotyledon and fused cotyledons. With the application of a low temperature method for the environmental scanning electron microscope, samples were stabilized and whole meristems could be investigated in their native state. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of the effect of copper and arsenic during the process of somatic embryogenesis and the first to evaluate the content of macro and micronutrients uptake in Norway spruce. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computational assessment of visual search strategies in volumetric medical images.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Gezheng; Aizenman, Avigael; Drew, Trafton; Wolfe, Jeremy M; Haygood, Tamara Miner; Markey, Mia K

2016-01-01

When searching through volumetric images [e.g., computed tomography (CT)], radiologists appear to use two different search strategies: "drilling" (restrict eye movements to a small region of the image while quickly scrolling through slices), or "scanning" (search over large areas at a given depth before moving on to the next slice). To computationally identify the type of image information that is used in these two strategies, 23 naïve observers were instructed with either "drilling" or "scanning" when searching for target T's in 20 volumes of faux lung CTs. We computed saliency maps using both classical two-dimensional (2-D) saliency, and a three-dimensional (3-D) dynamic saliency that captures the characteristics of scrolling through slices. Comparing observers' gaze distributions with the saliency maps showed that search strategy alters the type of saliency that attracts fixations. Drillers' fixations aligned better with dynamic saliency and scanners with 2-D saliency. The computed saliency was greater for detected targets than for missed targets. Similar results were observed in data from 19 radiologists who searched five stacks of clinical chest CTs for lung nodules. Dynamic saliency may be superior to the 2-D saliency for detecting targets embedded in volumetric images, and thus "drilling" may be more efficient than "scanning."

A Tool for Interactive Data Visualization: Application to Over 10,000 Brain Imaging and Phantom MRI Data Sets

OpenAIRE

Panta, Sandeep R.; Wang, Runtang; Fries, Jill; Kalyanam, Ravi; Speer, Nicole; Banich, Marie; Kiehl, Kent; King, Margaret; Milham, Michael; Wager, Tor D.; Turner, Jessica A.; Plis, Sergey M.; Calhoun, Vince D.

2016-01-01

In this paper we propose a web-based approach for quick visualization of big data from brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using a combination of an automated image capture and processing system, nonlinear embedding, and interactive data visualization tools. We draw upon thousands of MRI scans captured via the COllaborative Imaging and Neuroinformatics Suite (COINS). We then interface the output of several analysis pipelines based on structural and functional data to a t-distributed ...

Raccoon eyes and the MIBG super scan: scintigraphic signs of neuroblastoma in a case of suspected child abuse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohdiewicz, P.J.; Gallegos, E.; Fink-Bennett, D.

1995-01-01

The authors report on an infant suspected of having been abused, who presented with periorbital edema and ecchymoses (clinial 'raccoon eyes'). The pattern of the nuclear medicine bone scan suggested neuroblastoma rather than trauma. Both the bone scan and the subsequent MIBG scan revealed multiple abnormalities, including markedly increased activity around the orbits, that we termed the 'scintigraphic raccoon eyes' sign. In addition, the grossly abnormal MIBG scan demonstrated avid uptake of MIBG throughout the entire skeleton with essentially complete absence of visualization of the liver and heart (the 'MIBG super scan'). These signs have not previously been described in an infant or a child with neuroblastoma. (orig.)

Raccoon eyes and the MIBG super scan: scintigraphic signs of neuroblastoma in a case of suspected child abuse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bohdiewicz, P.J. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI (United States); Gallegos, E. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI (United States); Fink-Bennett, D. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI (United States)

1995-11-01

The authors report on an infant suspected of having been abused, who presented with periorbital edema and ecchymoses (clinial `raccoon eyes`). The pattern of the nuclear medicine bone scan suggested neuroblastoma rather than trauma. Both the bone scan and the subsequent MIBG scan revealed multiple abnormalities, including markedly increased activity around the orbits, that we termed the `scintigraphic raccoon eyes` sign. In addition, the grossly abnormal MIBG scan demonstrated avid uptake of MIBG throughout the entire skeleton with essentially complete absence of visualization of the liver and heart (the `MIBG super scan`). These signs have not previously been described in an infant or a child with neuroblastoma. (orig.)

Quantitative detection of gold nanoparticles on individual, unstained cancer cells by Scanning Electron Microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartsuiker, Liesbeth; van Es, Peter; Petersen, Wilhelmina; van Leeuwen, Ton; Terstappen, Leonardus Wendelinus Mathias Marie; Otto, Cornelis

2011-01-01

Gold nanoparticles are rapidly emerging for use in biomedical applications. Characterization of the interaction and delivery of nanoparticles to cells through microscopy is important. Scanning electron microscopes have the intrinsic resolution to visualize gold nanoparticles on cells. A novel sample

Quantitative detection of gold nanoparticles on individual, unstained cancer cells by scanning electron microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartsuiker, L.; van Es, P.; Petersen, W.; van Leeuwen, T. G.; Terstappen, L. W. M. M.; Otto, C.

2011-01-01

Gold nanoparticles are rapidly emerging for use in biomedical applications. Characterization of the interaction and delivery of nanoparticles to cells through microscopy is important. Scanning electron microscopes have the intrinsic resolution to visualize gold nanoparticles on cells. A novel sample

Development of Ultrasonic Visual Inspection Program for In-Vessel Structures of SFR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Y. S.; Park, C. G.; Lee, J. H.

2009-02-01

As the liquid sodium of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is opaque to light, a conventional visual inspection is unavailable for the evaluation of the in-vessel structures under a sodium level. ASME Section XI Division 3 provides rules and guidelines for an in-service inspection (ISI) and testing of the components of SFR. For the ISI of in-vessel structures, the ASME code specifies visual examinations. An ultrasonic wave should be applied for an under-sodium visual inspection of the in-vessel structures. The plate-type waveguide sensor has been developed and the feasibility of the waveguide sensor technique has been successfully demonstrated for an ultrasonic visual inspection of the in-vessel structures of SFR. In this study, the C-scan image mapping program (Under-Sodium MultiView) is developed to apply this waveguide sensor technology to an under-sodium visual inspection of in-vessel structures in SFR by using a LabVIEW graphical programming language. The Under-Sodium MultiVIEW program has the functions of a double rotating scanner motion control, a high power pulser receiver control, a image mapping and a signal processing. The performance of Under-Sodium MultiVIEW program was verified by a C-scanning test

Visually induced eye movements in Wallenberg's syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanayama, R.; Nakamura, T.; Ohki, M.; Kimura, Y.; Koike, Y.; Kato, I.

1991-01-01

Eighteen patients with Wallenberg's syndrome were investigated concerning visually induced eye movements. All results were analysed quantitatively using a computer. In 16 out of 18 patients, OKN slow-phase velocities were impaired, in the remaining 2 patients they were normal. All patients showed reduced visual suppression of caloric nystagmus during the slow-phase of nystagmus toward the lesion side, except 3 patients who showed normal visual suppression in both directions. CT scan failed to detect either the brainstem or the cerebellar lesions in any cases, but MRI performed on the most recent cases demonstrated the infractions clearly. These findings suggest that infractions are localized in the medulla in the patients of group A, but extend to the cerebellum as well as to the medulla in patients of group B. (au)

Analyzing Dental Implant Sites From Cone Beam Computed Tomography Scans on a Tablet Computer: A Comparative Study Between iPad and 3 Display Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco, Alejandro; Jalali, Elnaz; Dhingra, Ajay; Lurie, Alan; Yadav, Sumit; Tadinada, Aditya

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare a medical-grade PACS (picture archiving and communication system) monitor, a consumer-grade monitor, a laptop computer, and a tablet computer for linear measurements of height and width for specific implant sites in the posterior maxilla and mandible, along with visualization of the associated anatomical structures. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were evaluated. The images were reviewed using PACS-LCD monitor, consumer-grade LCD monitor using CB-Works software, a 13″ MacBook Pro, and an iPad 4 using OsiriX DICOM reader software. The operators had to identify anatomical structures in each display using a 2-point scale. User experience between PACS and iPad was also evaluated by means of a questionnaire. The measurements were very similar for each device. P-values were all greater than 0.05, indicating no significant difference between the monitors for each measurement. The intraoperator reliability was very high. The user experience was similar in each category with the most significant difference regarding the portability where the PACS display received the lowest score and the iPad received the highest score. The iPad with retina display was comparable with the medical-grade monitor, producing similar measurements and image visualization, and thus providing an inexpensive, portable, and reliable screen to analyze CBCT images in the operating room during the implant surgery.

Coronary artery visibility in free-breathing young children with congenital heart disease on cardiac 64-slice CT: dual-source ECG-triggered sequential scan vs. single-source non-ECG-synchronized spiral scan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

The potential impact of dual-source ECG-triggered sequential CT scan on coronary artery visibility has not been evaluated in free-breathing young children. To compare coronary artery visibility in free-breathing young children with congenital heart disease on cardiac 64-slice CT between dual-source ECG-triggered sequential (DSET) scan and single-source non-ECG-synchronized spiral (SSNE) scan. In 93 young children, 108 cardiac 64-slice CT examinations were performed during free-breathing. Visibility of coronary arteries and side branches was compared between SSNE and DSET scans. Heart rates and trigger delays for DSET scan were recorded. Effective dose of each scan technique was calculated. Visual grades were significantly higher (P < 0.001 or =0.011) on DSET scan than on SSNE scan except for the distal left anterior descending artery. Coronary arteries were traceable in 79.3% on DSET scan and 54.3% on SSNE scan in the overlapped scan range (P < 0.0001), and 97.1% and 71.9% for the origins and proximal segments (P < 0.0001). Visibility of side branches was improved on DSET scan by a factor of 2.0. Heart rates and trigger delays for DSET scan were 131 {+-} 24 beats per min and 199 {+-} 44 ms, respectively. Effective doses of DSET and SSNE scans were 0.36 {+-} 0.12 mSv and 0.99 {+-} 0.23 mSv, respectively. DSET scan improves visibility of coronary arteries on cardiac 64-slice CT in free-breathing young children with congenital heart disease, compared with SSNE scan. (orig.)

Analysis of exploratory eye movements in patients with schizophrenia during visual scanning of projective tests' figures Análise dos movimentos oculares de pacientes com esquizofrenia durante a exploração visual de figuras de testes projetivos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katerina Lukasova

2010-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Compare pattern of exploratory eye movements during visual scanning of the Rorschach and TAT test cards in people with schizophrenia and controls. METHOD: 10 participants with schizophrenia and 10 controls matched by age, schooling and intellectual level participated in the study. Severity of symptoms was evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Test cards were divided into three groups: TAT cards with scenes content, TAT cards with interaction content (TAT-faces, and Rorschach cards with abstract images. Eye movements were analyzed for: total number, duration and location of fixation; and length of saccadic movements. RESULTS: Different pattern of eye movement was found, with schizophrenia participants showing lower number of fixations but longer fixation duration in Rorschach cards and TAT-faces. The biggest difference was observed in Rorschach, followed by TAT-faces and TAT-scene cards. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest alteration in visual exploration mechanisms possibly related to integration of abstract visual information.OBJETIVO: Comparar o padrão do movimento ocular durante a inspeção dos cartões dos testes projetivos Rorschach e TAT em pessoas com esquizofrenia e controles. MÉTODO: Participaram 10 sujeitos com esquizofrenia e 10 controles, pareados por idade, escolaridade e nível de inteligência. A severidade dos sintomas foi avaliada com a Escala das Síndromes Positiva e Negativa. Os cartões dos testes foram divididos em três grupos: figuras do TAT representando ambientes, figuras do TAT com faces humanas e figuras abstratas do teste Rorschach. Os movimentos oculares foram analisados para: número total, duração e localização das fixações e comprimento dos movimentos sacádicos. RESULTADOS: Foram encontradas diferenças no padrão do movimento ocular, e pessoas com esquizofrenia apresentaram menos fixações nos cartões do teste Rorschach e TAT-faces. Maiores diferenças foram observadas nos cart

ELABORATION OF THE 3D MODEL AND SURVEY OF THE POWER LINES USING DATA FROM AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogusława Kwoczyńska

2016-09-01

Full Text Available One of the methods of obtaining highly accurate and current spatial data about the terrain, as well as objects situated on it, is laser scanning. LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging is among the most modern, dynamically developing technologies and reveals in surveying new capabilities that have been unachievable in a traditional way so far. The aim of the publication is to show the possibilities of using data from airborne laser scanning to perform the survey and visualization of the energy network, and also identification of hazards which the present network constitutes for the immediate environment using the TerraSolid software package. The survey was conducted for two independent sections of the power line, on the basis of two different clouds of points obtained from the airborne laser scanning. The first one had a density of 16 points/m2, while the other 22 pts/m2. The project was created in an environment of MicroStation V8i software using special overlays – TerraScan and TerraModeler of Finnish TerraSolid Company. The use of the test clouds of different densities was intended to indicate an optimal density of the cloud of points, which allows carrying out a survey and visualization of the energy network based on data derived from airborne laser scanning. The publication presents on particular examples the procedure of vectorization and visualization of the power line and detection of objects within a dangerous distance from it. The possibility of using applied LIDAR data, meeting the industry requirements, to the survey of power lines has been also confirmed.

A Study on Liver Scan using 113mIn Colloid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koh, Chang Soon; Rhee, Chong Hoen; Chang, Kochang; Hong, Chang Gi

1969-01-01

There have been reported numberous cases of liver scanning in use of 198 Au colloid by many investigators, however, one in use of 113m In colloid has not been reported as yet in this country. The dose of 113 mIn for high diagnostic value in examination of each organ was determined and the diagnostic interpretability of liver scanning with the use of 113m In was carefully evaluated in comparison with the results of the liver scanning by the conventionally applied radioisotope. The comparative study of both figures of liver scanning with the use of 113m In colloid and 198 Au colloid delivered following results:1) The liver uptake rate and clearance into peripheral blood were accentuated more in case of 113m In colloid than in case of 198 Au colloid. 2) The interpretability of space occupying lesion in liver scanning with 113m In was also superior to one with 198 Au. 3) The figure of liver scanning with 113m In colloid corresponds not always to the figure with 198 Au. This difference can be explained by difference of phagocytic ability of reticuloendothelial system within liver. 4) In the liver scanning with 113m In colloid, the spleen is also visualized even in normal examine. 5) In the cases of disturbed liver function, uptake is more decreased in use of 113m In colloid than in 198 Au, in the spleen, however, the way is contrary. 6) With use of 113m In colloid, the time required for scanning could be shortened in comparison with 198 Au. 7) The filtration of 113m In colloid for scanning prior to human administration gives an expectation for better scanning figure.

Adult head CT scans: the uncertainties of effective dose estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregory, Kent J.; Bibbo, Giovanni; Pattison, John E.

2008-01-01

Full Text: CT scanning is a high dose imaging modality. Effective dose estimates from CT scans can provide important information to patients and medical professionals. For example, medical practitioners can use the dose to estimate the risk to the patient, and judge whether this risk is outweighed by the benefits of the CT examination, while radiographers can gauge the effect of different scanning protocols on the patient effective dose, and take this into consideration when establishing routine scan settings. Dose estimates also form an important part of epidemiological studies examining the health effects of medical radiation exposures on the wider population. Medical physicists have been devoting significant effort towards estimating patient radiation doses from diagnostic CT scans for some years. The question arises: How accurate are these effective dose estimates? The need for a greater understanding and improvement of the uncertainties in CT dose estimates is now gaining recognition as an important issue (BEIR VII 2006). This study is an attempt to analyse and quantify the uncertainty components relating to effective dose estimates from adult head CT examinations that are calculated with four commonly used methods. The dose estimation methods analysed are the Nagel method, the ImpaCT method, the Wellhoefer method and the Dose-Length Product (DLP) method. The analysis of the uncertainties was performed in accordance with the International Standards Organisation's Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement as discussed in Gregory et al (Australas. Phys. Eng. Sci. Med., 28: 131-139, 2005). The uncertainty components vary, depending on the method used to derive the effective dose estimate. Uncertainty components in this study include the statistical and other errors from Monte Carlo simulations, uncertainties in the CT settings and positions of patients in the CT gantry, calibration errors from pencil ionization chambers, the variations in the organ

Temporal versus Superior Limbal Incision: Any difference in visual ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: To compare the visual outcome of a superiorly placed limbal incision with a temporal limbal incision in extracapsular cataract surgery. The main outcome measures are visual acuity and the degree of stigmatism based on refraction. Method: A retrospective non randomized comparative study. Medical records of 40 ...

Spatial Angular Compounding Technique for H-Scan Ultrasound Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Khairalseed, Mawia; Xiong, Fangyuan; Kim, Jung-Whan; Mattrey, Robert F; Parker, Kevin J; Hoyt, Kenneth

2018-01-01

H-Scan is a new ultrasound imaging technique that relies on matching a model of pulse-echo formation to the mathematics of a class of Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials. This technique may be beneficial in the measurement of relative scatterer sizes and in cancer therapy, particularly for early response to drug treatment. Because current H-scan techniques use focused ultrasound data acquisitions, spatial resolution degrades away from the focal region and inherently affects relative scatterer size estimation. Although the resolution of ultrasound plane wave imaging can be inferior to that of traditional focused ultrasound approaches, the former exhibits a homogeneous spatial resolution throughout the image plane. The purpose of this study was to implement H-scan using plane wave imaging and investigate the impact of spatial angular compounding on H-scan image quality. Parallel convolution filters using two different Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials that describe ultrasound scattering events are applied to the radiofrequency data. The H-scan processing is done on each radiofrequency image plane before averaging to get the angular compounded image. The relative strength from each convolution is color-coded to represent relative scatterer size. Given results from a series of phantom materials, H-scan imaging with spatial angular compounding more accurately reflects the true scatterer size caused by reductions in the system point spread function and improved signal-to-noise ratio. Preliminary in vivo H-scan imaging of tumor-bearing animals suggests this modality may be useful for monitoring early response to chemotherapeutic treatment. Overall, H-scan imaging using ultrasound plane waves and spatial angular compounding is a promising approach for visualizing the relative size and distribution of acoustic scattering sources. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scanning transmission ion micro-tomography (STIM-T) of biological specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwertner, Michael; Sakellariou, Arthur; Reinert, Tilo; Butz, Tilman

2006-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) was applied to sets of Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) projections recorded at the LIPSION ion beam laboratory (Leipzig) in order to visualize the 3D-mass distribution in several specimens. Examples for a test structure (copper grid) and for biological specimens (cartilage cells, cygospore) are shown. Scanning Transmission Micro-Tomography (STIM-T) at a resolution of 260 nm was demonstrated for the first time. Sub-micron features of the Cu-grid specimen were verified by scanning electron microscopy. The ion energy loss measured during a STIM-T experiment is related to the mass density of the specimen. Typically, biological specimens can be analysed without staining. Only shock freezing and freeze-drying is required to preserve the ultra-structure of the specimen. The radiation damage to the specimen during the experiment can be neglected. This is an advantage compared to other techniques like X-ray micro-tomography. At present, the spatial resolution is limited by beam position fluctuations and specimen vibrations

Comparing the Precision of Information Retrieval of MeSH-Controlled Vocabulary Search Method and a Visual Method in the Medline Medical Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Hariri, Nadjla; Ravandi, Somayyeh Nadi

2014-01-01

Medline is one of the most important databases in the biomedical field. One of the most important hosts for Medline is Elton B. Stephens CO. (EBSCO), which has presented different search methods that can be used based on the needs of the users. Visual search and MeSH-controlled search methods are among the most common methods. The goal of this research was to compare the precision of the retrieved sources in the EBSCO Medline base using MeSH-controlled and visual search methods. This research was a semi-empirical study. By holding training workshops, 70 students of higher education in different educational departments of Kashan University of Medical Sciences were taught MeSH-Controlled and visual search methods in 2012. Then, the precision of 300 searches made by these students was calculated based on Best Precision, Useful Precision, and Objective Precision formulas and analyzed in SPSS software using the independent sample T Test, and three precisions obtained with the three precision formulas were studied for the two search methods. The mean precision of the visual method was greater than that of the MeSH-Controlled search for all three types of precision, i.e. Best Precision, Useful Precision, and Objective Precision, and their mean precisions were significantly different (P searches. Fifty-three percent of the participants in the research also mentioned that the use of the combination of the two methods produced better results. For users, it is more appropriate to use a natural, language-based method, such as the visual method, in the EBSCO Medline host than to use the controlled method, which requires users to use special keywords. The potential reason for their preference was that the visual method allowed them more freedom of action.

Medical images of patients in voxel structures in high resolution for Monte Carlo simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boia, Leonardo S.; Menezes, Artur F.; Silva, Ademir X.

2011-01-01

This work aims to present a computational process of conversion of tomographic and MRI medical images from patients in voxel structures to an input file, which will be manipulated in Monte Carlo Simulation code for tumor's radiotherapic treatments. The problem's scenario inherent to the patient is simulated by such process, using the volume element (voxel) as a unit of computational tracing. The head's voxel structure geometry has voxels with volumetric dimensions around 1 mm 3 and a population of millions, which helps - in that way, for a realistic simulation and a decrease in image's digital process techniques for adjustments and equalizations. With such additional data from the code, a more critical analysis can be developed in order to determine the volume of the tumor, and the protection, beside the patients' medical images were borrowed by Clinicas Oncologicas Integradas (COI/RJ), joined to the previous performed planning. In order to execute this computational process, SAPDI computational system is used in a digital image process for optimization of data, conversion program Scan2MCNP, which manipulates, processes, and converts the medical images into voxel structures to input files and the graphic visualizer Moritz for the verification of image's geometry placing. (author)

Causes of visual impairment in children with low vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Mufarriq; Khan, Mirzaman; Khan, Muhammad Tariq; Khan, Mohammad Younas; Saeed, Nasir

2011-02-01

To determine the main causes of visual impairment in children with low vision. To assess the need of spectacles and low vision devices (LVDs) in children and to evaluate visual outcome after using their LVDs for far and near distance. Observational study. Khyber Institute of Ophthalmic Medical Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, from June 2006 to December 2007. The clinical record of 270 children with low vision age 4-16 years attending the Low Vision Clinic were included. All those children, aged 4-16 years, who had corrected visual acuity (VA) less than 6/18 in the better eye after medical or surgical treatment, were included in the study. WHO low vision criteria were used to classify into visually impaired, severe visually impaired and blind. Results were described as percentage frequencies. One hundred and eighty nine (70%) were males and 81 (30%) were females. The male to female ratio was 2.3:1. The main causes of visual impairment included nystagmus (15%), Stargardt's disease (14%), maculopathies (13%), myopic macular degeneration (11%) and oculocutaneous albinism (7%). The percentages of visually impaired, severe visually impaired and blind were 33.8%, 27.2% and 39.0% respectively. Spectacles were prescribed to 146 patients and telescopes were prescribed to 75 patients. Spectacles and telescope both were prescribed to 179 patients while Ocutech telescope was prescribed to 4 patients. Retinal diseases nystagmus and macular conditions were mainly responsible for low vision in children. Visually impaired children especially with hereditary/congenital ocular anomalies benefit from refraction and low vision services which facilitate vision enhancement and inclusive education.

Bone scan as a screening test for missed fractures in severely injured patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, K-J; Jung, K; Kim, J; Kwon, J

2014-12-01

In many cases, patients with severe blunt trauma have multiple fractures throughout the body. These fractures are not often detectable by history or physical examination, and their diagnosis can be delayed or even missed. Thus, screening test fractures of the whole body is required after initial management. We performed this study to evaluate the reliability of bone scans for detecting missed fractures in patients with multiple severe traumas and we analyzed the causes of missed fractures by using bone scan. A bone scan is useful as a screening test for fractures of the entire body of severe trauma patients who are passed the acute phase. We reviewed the electronic medical records of severe trauma patients who underwent a bone scan from September 2009 to December 2010. Demographic and medical data were compared and statistically analyzed to determine whether missed fractures were detected after bone scan in the two groups. A total of 382 patients who had an injury severity score [ISS] greater than 16 points with multiple traumas visited the emergency room. One hundred and thirty-one patients underwent bone scan and 81 patients were identified with missed fractures by bone scan. The most frequent location for missed fractures was the rib area (55 cases, 41.98%), followed by the extremities (42 cases, 32.06%). The missed fractures that required surgery or splint were most common in extremities (11 cases). In univariate analysis, higher ISS scores and mechanism of injury were related with the probability that missed fractures would be found with a bone scan. The ISS score was statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Bone scan is an effective method of detecting missed fractures among patients with multiple severe traumas. Level IV, retrospective study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Emotional Faces in Context: Age Differences in Recognition Accuracy and Scanning Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Soo Rim; Isaacowitz, Derek M.

2014-01-01

While age-related declines in facial expression recognition are well documented, previous research relied mostly on isolated faces devoid of context. We investigated the effects of context on age differences in recognition of facial emotions and in visual scanning patterns of emotional faces. While their eye movements were monitored, younger and older participants viewed facial expressions (i.e., anger, disgust) in contexts that were emotionally congruent, incongruent, or neutral to the facial expression to be identified. Both age groups had highest recognition rates of facial expressions in the congruent context, followed by the neutral context, and recognition rates in the incongruent context were worst. These context effects were more pronounced for older adults. Compared to younger adults, older adults exhibited a greater benefit from congruent contextual information, regardless of facial expression. Context also influenced the pattern of visual scanning characteristics of emotional faces in a similar manner across age groups. In addition, older adults initially attended more to context overall. Our data highlight the importance of considering the role of context in understanding emotion recognition in adulthood. PMID:23163713

Transition of Research into Medical Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Polk, James D.; Johnson-Throop, Kathy A.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the process of transforming medical research into practical medicine for astronauts and for every day people. Several examples of medical practices that started in space medical research and then were proved useful in other settings: Actigraphy, bone density scanning, the use of Potassium Citrate as a countermeasure used to lessen the risk of kidney stone formation, and ultrasound uses in remote and telemedicine,

Assisted Living Facilities, Locations of Assisted Living Facilities identifed visually and placed on the Medical Multi-Hazard Mitigation layer., Published in 2006, 1:1200 (1in=100ft) scale, Noble County Government.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — Assisted Living Facilities dataset current as of 2006. Locations of Assisted Living Facilities identifed visually and placed on the Medical Multi-Hazard Mitigation...

Muscular injury in a child diagnosed by /sup 99m/Tc-MDP bone scan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tondeur, M.; Piepsz, A.; Ham, H.R.; Haentjens, M.

1989-06-01

An 11-year-old boy had bone scanning to rule out an osseous lesion of the right arm. He presented progressive pain and hard swelling of the right arm. His past medical history and general physical examination were unremarkable. He trained for karate. The scan demonstrated considerable muscular uptake in both arms. CKP and CKP MB levels were both abnormally high, suggesting muscle injury. After a 10-day rest period the bone scan returned to normal.

Comparative study on skull CT scan and bone scintigraphy in chronic hemodialysed patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochi, Hironobu; Inoue, Yuichi; Fukuda, Teruo; Shibakiri, Ippei; Tsuda, Kazuyoshi

1981-01-01

A comparative study of computed tomography (XCT) scan utilizing EMI head unit and radionuclide bone scan was performed in 17 patients with chronic renal failure on maintenance hemodialysis. Bone scintigram was positive in 7 out of 17 patients. EMI number of the skull in the positive bone scintigram group was significantly lower than that of the negative bone scintigram. Radionuclide bone scan is the most useful method to detect early bone change and XCT scan will determine the grade of the bone mineral contents. XCT is especially useful to follow patients under the medical treatment (active vitamine D 3 therapy) in order to know the therapeutic effect. (author)

Conveying Clinical Reasoning Based on Visual Observation via Eye-Movement Modelling Examples

Science.gov (United States)

Jarodzka, Halszka; Balslev, Thomas; Holmqvist, Kenneth; Nystrom, Marcus; Scheiter, Katharina; Gerjets, Peter; Eika, Berit

2012-01-01

Complex perceptual tasks, like clinical reasoning based on visual observations of patients, require not only conceptual knowledge about diagnostic classes but also the skills to visually search for symptoms and interpret these observations. However, medical education so far has focused very little on how visual observation skills can be…

Diagnostic evaluation of the adrenal scanning using 131I-adosterol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugawara, Seiya; Nakamura, Mamoru; Sawai, Yoshikazu; Fukuchi, Soitsu.

1978-01-01

We have performed adrenal scanning in the 30 patients with suspected adrenal disorders eight days after the intravenous administration of about 500 μCi of 131 I-adosterol (NCL-6- 131 I), using 5 inch crystal rectilinear scintiscanner. Successful image of the adrenals was obtained in all the patients. In the 30 patients, 27 were proved to have adrenal disorders by surgical and hormonal findings. In 13 patients with primary aldosteronism, the side of adrenal adenoma was diagnosed correctly in all the cases by adrenal scanning. We could detected a small aldosterone-producing adenoma which measured 11 x 8 x 6 mm in size. In two patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism, asymmetrical radio-uptake between the two adrenals was seen on the standard scanning, and it was difficult to differentiate between tumor or hyperplasia. Dexamethazone-modified suppression scanning was very effective in lateralizing adenomas in the patients with primary aldosteronism. Two patients with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal hyperplasia showed prominent and almost equal radioactivity of both the adrenal glands. Adrenal adenomas in 8 patients with Cushing's syndrome were definitely visualized on adrenal scanning, with no uptake in the contralateral sides. In one patient with Cushing's syndrome due to an adrenal carcinoma, adrenal scanning showed significant activity in the area of the carcinoma, and no uptake on the opposite side. In one patient with adrenogenital syndrome due to a virilizing adenoma with focal malignancy, adrenal scanning showed high radioactivity in the region of the tumor, and moderate activity on the opposite side. Also in the case of adrenal carcinoma, we appreciated diagnostic value of the adrenal scanning utilizing 131 I-adosterol. (author)

Brain SPECT of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): a blinded visual analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casse, R.; Chew, G.; Barnden, L.; DelFante, P.; Burnet, R.; Kwiatek, R.; Chew, J.; Behin-Ain, S.; Unger, S.

2002-01-01

Full text: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating and complex disorder characterised by profound fatigue and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. Previous studies with cerebral perfusion SPECT (rCBF) scans have yielded conflicting results. Most were performed with inhomogeneous patient populations and the findings were not based on a blinded visual analysis. To address this, HMPAO SPECT on a triple head gamma camera was performed on a group of 59 subjects. This group included 32 subjects (16-61 years, 24F and 8M) with moderate CFS based on the Fukuda criteria not on medication and not depressed and 27 normal volunteers (20-56 years, 16F and 11 M). Two blinded reviewers (RC and GC) separately assessed the SPECT studies. 28 brain structures were scored as either definitely abnormal(1), possibly abnormal(2) or normal(3-5). Abnormal results were only found in the temporal lobes and brainstem. The results (Sensitivity/Specificity) based on scores 1 or 2, show that that abnormal score yielded acceptable specificity but low sensitivity. Scores 1 or 2 improved sensitivity but reduced the specificity. This shows that visual analysis of brain SPECT is not a reliable discriminant test for CFS, although quantitative analysis with statistical parametric mapping (SPM) has demonstrated significant abnormalities. Copyright (2002) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

Visual search and emotion: how children with autism spectrum disorders scan emotional scenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Maccari, Lisa; Pasini, Augusto; Caroli, Emanuela; Rosa, Caterina; Marotta, Andrea; Martella, Diana; Fuentes, Luis J; Casagrande, Maria

2014-11-01

This study assessed visual search abilities, tested through the flicker task, in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Twenty-two children diagnosed with ASD and 22 matched typically developing (TD) children were told to detect changes in objects of central interest or objects of marginal interest (MI) embedded in either emotion-laden (positive or negative) or neutral real-world pictures. The results showed that emotion-laden pictures equally interfered with performance of both ASD and TD children, slowing down reaction times compared with neutral pictures. Children with ASD were faster than TD children, particularly in detecting changes in MI objects, the most difficult condition. However, their performance was less accurate than performance of TD children just when the pictures were negative. These findings suggest that children with ASD have better visual search abilities than TD children only when the search is particularly difficult and requires strong serial search strategies. The emotional-social impairment that is usually considered as a typical feature of ASD seems to be limited to processing of negative emotional information.

Combining textual and visual information for image retrieval in the medical domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Gkoufas, Yiannis; Morou, Anna; Kalamboukis, Theodore

2011-01-01

In this article we have assembled the experience obtained from our participation in the imageCLEF evaluation task over the past two years. Exploitation on the use of linear combinations for image retrieval has been attempted by combining visual and textual sources of images. From our experiments we conclude that a mixed retrieval technique that applies both textual and visual retrieval in an interchangeably repeated manner improves the performance while overcoming the scalability limitations of visual retrieval. In particular, the mean average precision (MAP) has increased from 0.01 to 0.15 and 0.087 for 2009 and 2010 data, respectively, when content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is performed on the top 1000 results from textual retrieval based on natural language processing (NLP).

Visual rating of medial temporal lobe metabolism in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease using FDG-PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosconi, Lisa; Santi, Susan De; Li, Yi; Li, Juan; Zhan, Jiong; Boppana, Madhu; Tsui, Wai Hon; Leon, Mony J. de; Pupi, Alberto

2006-01-01

This study was designed to examine the utility of visual inspection of medial temporal lobe (MTL) metabolism in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) using FDG-PET scans. Seventy-five subjects [27 normal controls (NL), 26 MCI, and 22 AD] with FDG-PET and MRI scans were included in this study. We developed a four-point visual rating scale to evaluate the presence and severity of MTL hypometabolism on FDG-PET scans. The visual MTL ratings were compared with quantitative glucose metabolic rate (MR glc ) data extracted using regions of interest (ROIs) from the MRI-coregistered PET scans of all subjects. A standard rating evaluation of neocortical hypometabolism was also completed. Logistic regressions were used to determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the MTL and cortical ratings. For both MTL and cortical ratings, high intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were found (p values glc measures (p values <0.001). The combination of MTL and cortical ratings significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy over the cortical rating alone, with 100% of AD, 77% of MCI, and 85% of NL cases being correctly identified. This study shows that the visual rating of MTL hypometabolism on PET is reliable, yields a diagnostic accuracy equal to the quantitative ROI measures, and is clinically useful and more sensitive than cortical ratings for patients with MCI. We suggest this method be further evaluated for its potential in the early diagnosis of AD. (orig.)

Novel grid-based optical Braille conversion: from scanning to wording

Science.gov (United States)

Yoosefi Babadi, Majid; Jafari, Shahram

2011-12-01

Grid-based optical Braille conversion (GOBCO) is explained in this article. The grid-fitting technique involves processing scanned images taken from old hard-copy Braille manuscripts, recognising and converting them into English ASCII text documents inside a computer. The resulted words are verified using the relevant dictionary to provide the final output. The algorithms employed in this article can be easily modified to be implemented on other visual pattern recognition systems and text extraction applications. This technique has several advantages including: simplicity of the algorithm, high speed of execution, ability to help visually impaired persons and blind people to work with fax machines and the like, and the ability to help sighted people with no prior knowledge of Braille to understand hard-copy Braille manuscripts.

Three phase bone scan in sports injuries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauhan, M.S.; Chowhan, M.

2007-01-01

Full text: Sports injuries are common in individual who participate in sports and exercise related activities. In majority of sports related injuries such as stress fracture, periosteitits, acute stress reaction of bone, the radiological investigations are usually normal in early stages. These injuries can lead to serious complications if not detected early and managed properly. This study was jointly carried out in premier medical institutes. All patients were referred from premier sports institute of the country and also by orthopedic surgeons. All patients were subjected for relevant radiological investigations and 3 phase bone scan. Total number of cases included in this study was 70 (N=70) among which bone scan was positive for stress fracture in 45 patients and shin splint was detected in 15 patients and avulsion injury seen in 3 patients. However, only one patient showed features of avulsion injury in X ray and in 1 patient X-ray was inconclusive. Conclusion:-The study shows that 3 phase bone scan is the most sensitive and relatively an inexpensive study. Bone scan has the ability for early detection of sports injuries and provide physiological information and evaluate multiple sites in single examination.SPECT study will help in the diagnostic specificity. (author)

[Non-operation management of 12 cases with brain abscess demonstrated by CT scan].

Science.gov (United States)

Long, J

1990-12-01

This paper reported 12 cases with brain abscess demonstrated by CT scan. Using antibiotic management without surgical intervention, in 10 cases the curative effects were satisfactory. The paper indicated that CT scan was very useful in prompt and correct diagnosis of brain abscess and with sequential CT scan medical therapy was feasible. It is significant in treatment of brain abscess especially for the patients who have a poor general condition, have the brain abscess located in important functional area or have multiple abscesses so that the operation is difficult for them.

Prediction of Splint Therapy Efficacy Using Bone Scan in Patients with Unilateral Temporomandibular Disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Mi; Lee, Won Woo; Yun, Pil Young; Kim, Young Kyun; Kim, Sang Eun

2009-01-01

It is not known whether bone scan is useful for the prediction of the prognosis of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of the present study was to identify useful prognostic markers on bone scan for the pre-therapeutic assessment of patients with unilateral TMD. Between January 2005 and July 2007, 55 patients (M:F=9:46; mean age, 34.7±14.1 y) with unilateral TMD that underwent a pre-therapeutic bone scan were enrolled. Uptake of Tc-99m HDP in each temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was quantitated using a 13X13 pixel-square region-of-interest over TMJ and parietal skull area as background. TMJ uptake ratios and asymmetric indices were calculated. TMD patients were classified as improved or not improved and the bone scan findings associated with each group were investigated. Forty-six patients were improved, whereas 9 patients were not improved. There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients regarding the TMJ uptake ratio of the involved joint, the TMJ uptake ratio of the non-involved joint, and the asymmetric index (p>0.05). However, in a subgroup analysis, the patients with an increased uptake of Tc-99m HDP at the disease-involved TMJ, by visual assessment, could be easily identified by the asymmetric index; the patients that improved had a higher asymmetric index than the patients that did not improve (1.32±0.35 vs. 1.08±0.04, p=0.023), The Tc-99m HDP bone scan may help predict the prognosis of patients with unilateral TMD after splint therapy when the TMD-involved joint reveals increased uptake by visual assessment

Prediction of Splint Therapy Efficacy Using Bone Scan in Patients with Unilateral Temporomandibular Disorder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sang Mi; Lee, Won Woo; Yun, Pil Young; Kim, Young Kyun; Kim, Sang Eun [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2009-04-15

It is not known whether bone scan is useful for the prediction of the prognosis of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of the present study was to identify useful prognostic markers on bone scan for the pre-therapeutic assessment of patients with unilateral TMD. Between January 2005 and July 2007, 55 patients (M:F=9:46; mean age, 34.7{+-}14.1 y) with unilateral TMD that underwent a pre-therapeutic bone scan were enrolled. Uptake of Tc-99m HDP in each temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was quantitated using a 13X13 pixel-square region-of-interest over TMJ and parietal skull area as background. TMJ uptake ratios and asymmetric indices were calculated. TMD patients were classified as improved or not improved and the bone scan findings associated with each group were investigated. Forty-six patients were improved, whereas 9 patients were not improved. There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients regarding the TMJ uptake ratio of the involved joint, the TMJ uptake ratio of the non-involved joint, and the asymmetric index (p>0.05). However, in a subgroup analysis, the patients with an increased uptake of Tc-99m HDP at the disease-involved TMJ, by visual assessment, could be easily identified by the asymmetric index; the patients that improved had a higher asymmetric index than the patients that did not improve (1.32{+-}0.35 vs. 1.08{+-}0.04, p=0.023), The Tc-99m HDP bone scan may help predict the prognosis of patients with unilateral TMD after splint therapy when the TMD-involved joint reveals increased uptake by visual assessment.

Coronary Artery Stent Evaluation Using a Vascular Model at 64-Detector Row CT: Comparison between Prospective and Retrospective ECG-Gated Axial Scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Shigeru; Furui, Shigeru; Kaminaga, Tatsuro; Miyazawa, Akiyoshi; Ueno, Yasunari; Konno, Kumiko; Kuwahara, Sadatoshi; Mehta, Dhruv

2009-01-01

We wanted to evaluate the performance of prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated axial scans for assessing coronary stents as compared with retrospective ECG-gated helical scans. As for a vascular model of the coronary artery, a tube of approximately 2.5-mm inner diameter was adopted and as for stents, three (Bx-Velocity, Express2, and Micro Driver) different kinds of stents were inserted into the tube. Both patent and stenotic models of coronary artery were made by instillating different attenuation (396 vs. 79 Hounsfield unit [HU]) of contrast medium within the tube in tube model. The models were scanned with two types of scan methods with a simulated ECG of 60 beats per minute and using display field of views (FOVs) of 9 and 18 cm. We evaluated the in-stent stenosis visually, and we measured the attenuation values and the diameter of the patent stent lumen. The visualization of the stent lumen of the vascular models was improved with using the prospective ECG-gated axial scans and a 9-cm FOV. The inner diameters of the vascular models were underestimated with mean measurement errors of -1.10 to -1.36 mm. The measurement errors were smaller with using the prospective ECG-gated axial scans (Bx-Velocity and Express2, p < 0.0001; Micro Driver, p = 0.0004) and a 9-cm FOV (all stents: p < 0.0001), as compared with the other conditions, respectively. The luminal attenuation value was overestimated in each condition. For the luminal attenuation measurement, the use of prospective ECG-gated axial scans provided less measurement error compared with the retrospective ECG-gated helical scans (all stents: p < 0.0001), and the use of a 9-cm FOV tended to decrease the measurement error. The visualization of coronary stents is improved by the use of prospective ECG-gated axial scans and using a small FOV with reduced blooming artifacts and increased spatial resolution

Projector-Based Augmented Reality for Quality Inspection of Scanned Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Kern, J.; Weinmann, M.; Wursthorn, S.

2017-09-01

After scanning or reconstructing the geometry of objects, we need to inspect the result of our work. Are there any parts missing? Is every detail covered in the desired quality? We typically do this by looking at the resulting point clouds or meshes of our objects on-screen. What, if we could see the information directly visualized on the object itself? Augmented reality is the generic term for bringing virtual information into our real environment. In our paper, we show how we can project any 3D information like thematic visualizations or specific monitoring information with reference to our object onto the object's surface itself, thus augmenting it with additional information. For small objects that could for instance be scanned in a laboratory, we propose a low-cost method involving a projector-camera system to solve this task. The user only needs a calibration board with coded fiducial markers to calibrate the system and to estimate the projector's pose later on for projecting textures with information onto the object's surface. Changes within the projected 3D information or of the projector's pose will be applied in real-time. Our results clearly reveal that such a simple setup will deliver a good quality of the augmented information.

Medical technology advances from space research

Science.gov (United States)

Pool, S. L.

1972-01-01

Details of medical research and development programs, particularly an integrated medical laboratory, as derived from space technology are given. The program covers digital biotelemetry systems, automatic visual field mapping equipment, sponge electrode caps for clinical electroencephalograms, and advanced respiratory analysis equipment. The possibility of using the medical laboratory in ground based remote areas and regional health care facilities, as well as long duration space missions is discussed.

Touchfree medical interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossol, Nathaniel; Cheng, Irene; Rui Shen; Basu, Anup

2014-01-01

Real-time control of visual display systems via mid-air hand gestures offers many advantages over traditional interaction modalities. In medicine, for example, it allows a practitioner to adjust display values, e.g. contrast or zoom, on a medical visualization interface without the need to re-sterilize the interface. However, when users are holding a small tool (such as a pen, surgical needle, or computer stylus) the need to constantly put the tool down in order to make hand gesture interactions is not ideal. This work presents a novel interface that automatically adjusts for gesturing with hands and hand-held tools to precisely control medical displays. The novelty of our interface is that it uses a single set of gestures designed to be equally effective for fingers and hand-held tools without using markers. This type of interface was previously not feasible with low-resolution depth sensors such as Kinect, but is now achieved by using the recently released Leap Motion controller. Our interface is validated through a user study on a group of people given the task of adjusting parameters on a medical image.

Qualitative doping area characterization of SONOS transistor utilizing scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) and scanning spread resistance microscopy (SSRM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heo, Jinhee; Kim, Deoksu; Kim, Chung woo; Chung, Ilsub

2005-01-01

Continuous shrinkage in the memory devices demands further understanding about the doping concentration variations at shallow junction and channel region. Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) and scanning spread resistance microscopy (SSRM) can provide reliable information about the electrical and physical junction structure simultaneously. In this work, we attempt to visualize the doping concentration variations of split-gate structure silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) transistor with thin oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO; 4/7/11 nm). From SCM image, we could identify the source and drain region, which have different doping concentrations from that at channel region. In addition, a gate oxide layer and a depletion region were also identified. Similar results were obtained using SSRM. However, SSRM shows a better resolution, in particular, for highly doped region. For this experiment, the cross-sectional sample has been prepared using focused ion beam (FIB) and hand-polishing method. The results show that SCM and SSRM are very useful methods to analyze the doping profile near the junction as well as the channel

Reading wiring diagrams made easier for maintenance operators: contribution from research in visual attention and visual search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponthieu, L.; Wolfe, J.M.

1994-07-01

This work has been carried out while the author was visiting the Visual Psychophysics lab at the Center for Ophthalmic Research, Harvard Medical School. The general framework is the design of a wiring diagrams visualization system for maintenance operators in electric plants. This study concentrates on how knowledge and experimental techniques from visual attention can help this goal. From this standpoint, the visualization system must best exploit the human visual system abilities. As electronic databases containing all the diagrams will soon be available, it is important to think in advance the display techniques. Presently, maintenance operators favor working with paper printouts even where such databases are already available. The study shows why such an approach is valuable for the design of a display that fits the operator's tasks. Beyond that, this work has been a mean to learn the experimental techniques of cognitive sciences in an applied frame. (authors). 9 figs., 5 annexes

Perspective: Medical education in medical ethics and humanities as the foundation for developing medical professionalism.

Science.gov (United States)

Doukas, David J; McCullough, Laurence B; Wear, Stephen

2012-03-01

Medical education accreditation organizations require medical ethics and humanities education to develop professionalism in medical learners, yet there has never been a comprehensive critical appraisal of medical education in ethics and humanities. The Project to Rebalance and Integrate Medical Education (PRIME) I Workshop, convened in May 2010, undertook the first critical appraisal of the definitions, goals, and objectives of medical ethics and humanities teaching. The authors describe assembling a national expert panel of educators representing the disciplines of ethics, history, literature, and the visual arts. This panel was tasked with describing the major pedagogical goals of art, ethics, history, and literature in medical education, how these disciplines should be integrated with one another in medical education, and how they could be best integrated into undergraduate and graduate medical education. The authors present the recommendations resulting from the PRIME I discussion, centered on three main themes. The major goal of medical education in ethics and humanities is to promote humanistic skills and professional conduct in physicians. Patient-centered skills enable learners to become medical professionals, whereas critical thinking skills assist learners to critically appraise the concept and implementation of medical professionalism. Implementation of a comprehensive medical ethics and humanities curriculum in medical school and residency requires clear direction and academic support and should be based on clear goals and objectives that can be reliably assessed. The PRIME expert panel concurred that medical ethics and humanities education is essential for professional development in medicine.

Visual attention modulates brain activation to angry voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Miltner, Wolfgang H R; Straube, Thomas

2011-06-29

In accordance with influential models proposing prioritized processing of threat, previous studies have shown automatic brain responses to angry prosody in the amygdala and the auditory cortex under auditory distraction conditions. However, it is unknown whether the automatic processing of angry prosody is also observed during cross-modal distraction. The current fMRI study investigated brain responses to angry versus neutral prosodic stimuli during visual distraction. During scanning, participants were exposed to angry or neutral prosodic stimuli while visual symbols were displayed simultaneously. By means of task requirements, participants either attended to the voices or to the visual stimuli. While the auditory task revealed pronounced activation in the auditory cortex and amygdala to angry versus neutral prosody, this effect was absent during the visual task. Thus, our results show a limitation of the automaticity of the activation of the amygdala and auditory cortex to angry prosody. The activation of these areas to threat-related voices depends on modality-specific attention.

Learned image representations for visual recognition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Anders Boesen Lindbo

This thesis addresses the problem of extracting image structures for representing images effectively in order to solve visual recognition tasks. Problems from diverse research areas (medical imaging, material science and food processing) have motivated large parts of the methodological development...

Reducing task-based fMRI scanning time using simultaneous multislice echo planar imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiss, Mate [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest (Hungary); Janos Szentagothai PhD School, MR Research Centre, Budapest (Hungary); National Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neuroradiology, Budapest (Hungary); Hermann, Petra; Vidnyanszky, Zoltan; Gal, Viktor [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest (Hungary)

2018-03-15

To maintain alertness and to remain motionless during scanning represent a substantial challenge for patients/subjects involved in both clinical and research functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) examinations. Therefore, availability and application of new data acquisition protocols allowing the shortening of scan time without compromising the data quality and statistical power are of major importance. Higher order category-selective visual cortical areas were identified individually, and rapid event-related fMRI design was used to compare three different sampling rates (TR = 2000, 1000, and 410 ms, using state-of-the-art simultaneous multislice imaging) and four different scanning lengths to match the statistical power of the traditional scanning methods to high sampling-rate design. The results revealed that ∝ 4 min of the scan time with 1 Hz (TR = 1000 ms) sampling rate and ∝ 2 min scanning at ∝ 2.5 Hz (TR = 410 ms) sampling rate provide similar localization sensitivity and selectivity to that obtained with 11-min session at conventional, 0.5 Hz (TR = 2000 ms) sampling rate. Our findings suggest that task-based fMRI examination of clinical population prone to distress such as presurgical mapping experiments might substantially benefit from the reduced (20-40%) scanning time that can be achieved by the application of simultaneous multislice sequences. (orig.)

Colon distension and scan protocol for CT-colonography: An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boellaard, Thierry N., E-mail: t.n.boellaard@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PB 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam (Netherlands); Haan, Margriet C. de, E-mail: m.c.dehaan@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PB 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam (Netherlands); Venema, Henk W., E-mail: h.w.venema@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PB 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PB 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam (Netherlands); Stoker, Jaap, E-mail: j.stoker@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PB 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2013-08-15

This article reviews two important aspects of CT-colonography, namely colonic distension and scan parameters. Adequate distension should be obtained to visualize the complete colonic lumen and optimal scan parameters should be used to prevent unnecessary radiation burden. For optimal distension, automatic carbon dioxide insufflation should be performed, preferably via a thin, flexible catheter. Hyoscine butylbromide is – when available – the preferred spasmolytic agent because of the positive effect on insufflation and pain/burden and its low costs. Scans in two positions are required for adequate distension and high polyp sensitivity and decubitus position may be used as an alternative for patients unable to lie in prone position. The great intrinsic contrast between air or tagging and polyps allows the use of low radiation dose. Low-dose protocol without intravenous contrast should be used when extracolonic findings are deemed unimportant. In patients suspected for colorectal cancer, normal abdominal CT scan protocols and intravenous contrast should be used in supine position for the evaluation of extracolonic findings. Dose reduction can be obtained by lowering the tube current and/or voltage. Tube current modulation reduces the radiation dose (except in obese patients), and should be used when available. Iterative reconstructions is a promising dose reducing tool and dual-energy CT is currently evaluated for its applications in CT-colonography. This review also provides our institution's insufflation procedure and scan parameters.

Geovisual analytics to enhance spatial scan statistic interpretation: an analysis of U.S. cervical cancer mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jin; Roth, Robert E; Naito, Adam T; Lengerich, Eugene J; Maceachren, Alan M

2008-11-07

Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic and its software implementation - SaTScan - are widely used for detecting and evaluating geographic clusters. However, two issues make using the method and interpreting its results non-trivial: (1) the method lacks cartographic support for understanding the clusters in geographic context and (2) results from the method are sensitive to parameter choices related to cluster scaling (abbreviated as scaling parameters), but the system provides no direct support for making these choices. We employ both established and novel geovisual analytics methods to address these issues and to enhance the interpretation of SaTScan results. We demonstrate our geovisual analytics approach in a case study analysis of cervical cancer mortality in the U.S. We address the first issue by providing an interactive visual interface to support the interpretation of SaTScan results. Our research to address the second issue prompted a broader discussion about the sensitivity of SaTScan results to parameter choices. Sensitivity has two components: (1) the method can identify clusters that, while being statistically significant, have heterogeneous contents comprised of both high-risk and low-risk locations and (2) the method can identify clusters that are unstable in location and size as the spatial scan scaling parameter is varied. To investigate cluster result stability, we conducted multiple SaTScan runs with systematically selected parameters. The results, when scanning a large spatial dataset (e.g., U.S. data aggregated by county), demonstrate that no single spatial scan scaling value is known to be optimal to identify clusters that exist at different scales; instead, multiple scans that vary the parameters are necessary. We introduce a novel method of measuring and visualizing reliability that facilitates identification of homogeneous clusters that are stable across analysis scales. Finally, we propose a logical approach to proceed through the analysis of

The significance of 1-131 scan dose in patients with thyroid cancer: determination of ablation: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waxman, A.; Ramanna, L.; Chapman, N.; Chapman, D.; Brachman, M.; Tanasescu, D.; Berman, D.; Catz, B.; Braunstein, G.

1981-01-01

Twenty-four patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were studied with diagnostic I-131 neck chest scans after having undergone bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and initial I-131 therapy with either 30- or 100-mCi doses. With an endogenous stimulation protocol, follow-up studies were performed with neck and chest scans using 2 and 10 mCi I-131. A 400% increase in sensitivity was found with a 10-mCi dose relative to a 2-mCi dose. Comparison with therapeutic doses of 30 and 100 mCi resulted in further increases in the detection of residual iodine-avid tissue. We conclude that a 2-mCi or lower dose of I-131 is inadequate in evaluating residual iodine-avid tissue visually in patients with thyroid cancer. The study does not answer the critical question of whether it is necessary to treat a patient presenting a negative 2-mCi but a positive 10-mCi scan. It may be appropriate to define ablation visually as well as clinically, with further studies directed toward determining a treatment rationale in this patient population

An object-oriented framework for medical image registration, fusion, and visualization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yang-Ming; Cochoff, Steven M

2006-06-01

An object-oriented framework for image registration, fusion, and visualization was developed based on the classic model-view-controller paradigm. The framework employs many design patterns to facilitate legacy code reuse, manage software complexity, and enhance the maintainability and portability of the framework. Three sample applications built a-top of this framework are illustrated to show the effectiveness of this framework: the first one is for volume image grouping and re-sampling, the second one is for 2D registration and fusion, and the last one is for visualization of single images as well as registered volume images.

MR scanning, tattoo inks, and risk of thermal burn

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alsing, K. K.; Johannesen, H. H.; Hvass Hansen, R.

2017-01-01

: Magnetic resonance imaging effects on 3 commonly used commercial ink stock products marketed for cosmetic tattooing was studied. A main study tested 22 formulations based on 11 pigment raw materials, for example, one line of 11 called pastes and another called dispersions. Samples were spread in petri...... dishes and tested with a 0.97 T neodymium solid magnet to observe visual magnetic behavior. Before MRI, the surface temperature of the ink was measured using an infrared probe. Samples were placed in a clinical 3T scanner. Two scans were performed, that is, one in the isocenter and one 30 cm away from...... the center. After scanning, the surface temperature was measured again. Chemical analysis of samples was performed by mass spectroscopy. Results: Mean temperature increase measured in the isocenter ranged between 0.14 and 0.26°C (P

Visualization of femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Stachs, Oliver; Schumacher, Silvia; Hovakimyan, Marine; Fromm, Michael; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Lubatschowski, Holger; Guthoff, Rudolf

2009-11-01

To evaluate a new method for visualizing femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue. Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hannover, Germany. Lenses removed from porcine eyes were modified ex vivo by femtosecond laser pulses (wavelength 1040 nm, pulse duration 306 femtoseconds, pulse energy 1.0 to 2.5 microJ, repetition rate 100 kHz) to create defined planes at which lens fibers separate. The femtosecond laser pulses were delivered by a 3-dimension (3-D) scanning unit and transmitted by focusing optics (numerical aperture 0.18) into the lens tissue. Lens fiber orientation and femtosecond laser-induced microincisions were examined using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) based on a Rostock Cornea Module attached to a Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II. Optical sections were analyzed in 3-D using Amira software (version 4.1.1). Normal lens fibers showed a parallel pattern with diameters between 3 microm and 9 microm, depending on scanning location. Microincision visualization showed different cutting effects depending on pulse energy of the femtosecond laser. The effects ranged from altered tissue-scattering properties with all fibers intact to definite fiber separation by a wide gap. Pulse energies that were too high or overlapped too tightly produced an incomplete cutting plane due to extensive microbubble generation. The 3-D CLSM method permitted visualization and analysis of femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue. Thus, 3-D CLSM may help optimize femtosecond laser-based procedures in the treatment of presbyopia.

Computational Diagnostic: A Novel Approach to View Medical Data.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mane, K. K. (Ketan Kirtiraj); Börner, K. (Katy)

2007-01-01

A transition from traditional paper-based medical records to electronic health record is largely underway. The use of electronic records offers tremendous potential to personalize patient diagnosis and treatment. In this paper, we discuss a computational diagnostic tool that uses digital medical records to help doctors gain better insight about a patient's medical condition. The paper details different interactive features of the tool which offer potential to practice evidence-based medicine and advance patient diagnosis practices. The healthcare industry is a constantly evolving domain. Research from this domain is often translated into better understanding of different medical conditions. This new knowledge often contributes towards improved diagnosis and treatment solutions for patients. But the healthcare industry lags behind to seek immediate benefits of the new knowledge as it still adheres to the traditional paper-based approach to keep track of medical records. However recently we notice a drive that promotes a transition towards electronic health record (EHR). An EHR stores patient medical records in digital format and offers potential to replace the paper health records. Earlier attempts of an EHR replicated the paper layout on the screen, representation of medical history of a patient in a graphical time-series format, interactive visualization with 2D/3D generated images from an imaging device. But an EHR can be much more than just an 'electronic view' of the paper record or a collection of images from an imaging device. In this paper, we present an EHR called 'Computational Diagnostic Tool', that provides a novel computational approach to look at patient medical data. The developed EHR system is knowledge driven and acts as clinical decision support tool. The EHR tool provides two visual views of the medical data. Dynamic interaction with data is supported to help doctors practice evidence-based decisions and make judicious

Medical image of the week: Boerhaave's syndrome during colonoscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meenakshisundaram C

2015-07-01

Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. A 76-year-old woman with no significant past medical history underwent outpatient screening colonoscopy. The procedure was difficult due to a tortuous colon and only multiple diverticula were visualized. She vomited once during the procedure. In the immediate postoperative period, she complained of neck swelling. Her vital signs were stable. On examination, right sided neck and facial swelling with palpable crepitations were noticed as well as coarse breath sounds heard on auscultation of both lung fields. Immediate chest X-ray (Figure 1 was obtained which showed bilateral subcutaneous emphysema extending from the supraclavicular area and above to the neck. Subsequent thoracic CT scan showed extensive subcutaneous air within the soft tissues of the neck bilaterally, extending into the mediastinum and along the anterior chest wall (Figure 2. An esophagram (Figure 3 revealed a focus of oral contrast actively extravasating approximately at 2.5 cm above the gastro-esophageal junction consistent with a small perforation ...

Visual acuity and visual skills in Malaysian children with learning disabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muzaliha MN

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Mohd-Nor Muzaliha,1 Buang Nurhamiza,1 Adil Hussein,1 Abdul-Rani Norabibas,1 Jaafar Mohd-Hisham-Basrun,1 Abdullah Sarimah,2 Seo-Wei Leo,3 Ismail Shatriah11Department of Ophthalmology, 2Biostatistics and Research Methodology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; 3Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, SingaporeBackground: There is limited data in the literature concerning the visual status and skills in children with learning disabilities, particularly within the Asian population. This study is aimed to determine visual acuity and visual skills in children with learning disabilities in primary schools within the suburban Kota Bharu district in Malaysia.Methods: We examined 1010 children with learning disabilities aged between 8–12 years from 40 primary schools in the Kota Bharu district, Malaysia from January 2009 to March 2010. These children were identified based on their performance in a screening test known as the Early Intervention Class for Reading and Writing Screening Test conducted by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Complete ocular examinations and visual skills assessment included near point of convergence, amplitude of accommodation, accommodative facility, convergence break and recovery, divergence break and recovery, and developmental eye movement tests for all subjects.Results: A total of 4.8% of students had visual acuity worse than 6/12 (20/40, 14.0% had convergence insufficiency, 28.3% displayed poor accommodative amplitude, and 26.0% showed signs of accommodative infacility. A total of 12.1% of the students had poor convergence break, 45.7% displayed poor convergence recovery, 37.4% showed poor divergence break, and 66.3% were noted to have poor divergence recovery. The mean horizontal developmental eye movement was significantly prolonged.Conclusion: Although their visual acuity was satisfactory, nearly 30% of the

Benefit of cerebrospinal fluid spectrophotometry in the assessment of CT scan negative suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hann, Angus; Chu, Kevin; Greenslade, Jaimi; Williams, Julian; Brown, Anthony

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine if performing cerebrospinal fluid spectrophotometry in addition to visual inspection detects more ruptured cerebral aneurysms than performing cerebrospinal fluid visual inspection alone in patients with a normal head CT scan but suspected of suffering an aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). We performed a single-centre retrospective study of patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital who underwent both head CT scan and lumbar puncture to exclude SAH. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of an approach utilising both spectrophotometry and visual inspection (combined approach) was compared to visual inspection alone. A total of 409 patients (mean age 37.8 years, 56.2% female) were recruited and six (1.5%) had a cerebral aneurysm on angiography. The sensitivity of visual inspection was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.4-82.6%), specificity was 99% (95% CI: 97.5-99.7%), PPV was 42.9% (95% CI: 10.4-81.3%) and NPV was 99.2% (95% CI: 97.8-99.8%). The combined approach had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 54.1-100%), specificity of 79.7% (95% CI: 75.4-83.5%), PPV of 6.8% (95% CI: 2.6-14.3%) and a NPV of 100% (95% CI: 98.8-100%). The sensitivity of the combined approach was not significantly different to that of visual inspection alone (p=0.25). Visual inspection had a significantly higher specificity than the combined approach (p<0.01). The combined approach detected more cases of aneurysmal SAH than visual inspection alone, however the difference in sensitivity was not statistically significant. Visual xanthochromia should prompt angiography because of a superior specificity and PPV. Due to its reduced sensitivity, caution should be applied when using only visual inspection of the supernatant. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrospective study of renal images on whole bone scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, Munetoshi; Machida, Toyohei; Miki, Makoto; Ohishi, Yukihiko; Ueda, Masataka

1978-01-01

One hundred and twenty-seven cases were surveyed by sup(99m)Tc-pyrophosphate at Jikei hospital. Renal images on whole-bone scanning were observed in all cases; 75% of all renal images were normal and 25% were abnormal. Thirteen percent of these abnormal images were symmetric and 87% were asymmetric. Four of the symmetric renal images were bilaterally bad. Three of the four bilaterally bad renal images involved prostate carcinomas with general metastases and the last involved serious bilateral hydronephrosis. The reason for the high percentage of asymmetric renal images was that the materials involved many urogenital cases. Asymmetric renal images other than the urogenital cases, were recognised in 8% of all cases. This percentage is consistent with Hattner's report. Unilateral abnormal renal images involved 8 hydronephrosis cases, 2 unilateral nonfunctioning kidneys and one malrotation kidney. Among the hydronephrosis cases, serious cases gave low uptake and mild cases gave high uptake. The reason for this phenomenon was, presumably, that there were differences in renal uptake, renal excretion and renal pelvic accumulation. In nine cases, one kidney was not visualized on whole-bone scanning, 8 of them involved nephrectomy and the remainining one unilateral nonfunctioning kidney. Six cases presented locally abnormal renal images on whole-bone scanning, three of them suffered renal cell carcinomas and the rest renal solitary cyst. Eighty-eight percent of the abnormal renal images agreed with IVP findings. The renal images of whole-bone scanning faithfully reflected the original renal lesion. Two cases of renal carcinoma and renal solitary cyst recognized on whole-bone scanning are presented, to indicate the usefulness of renal images on whole-bone scanning. (auth.)

3D quantification of soil structure and functioning based on PET and CT scanning techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garbout, Amin

This thesis explores the potential of PET and CT scanning techniques to quantify and visualize soil structure, root development, and soil/plant interactions. At the investigated scale, these non-invasive and nondestructive techniques have some obvious advantages compared with most other techniques....... The processed measurements show some expected and a few unexpected effects (or lack of effects) on different characteristics of soil structure. The combination of CT and PET scanning in an air plant soil controller system revealed some very interesting research possibilities. Interactions between soil structure...

Neural response to visual sexual cues in dopamine treatment-linked hypersexuality in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Politis, Marios; Loane, Clare; Wu, Kit; O'Sullivan, Sean S; Woodhead, Zoe; Kiferle, Lorenzo; Lawrence, Andrew D; Lees, Andrew J; Piccini, Paola

2013-02-01

Hypersexuality with compulsive sexual behaviour is a significant source of morbidity for patients with Parkinson's disease receiving dopamine replacement therapies. We know relatively little about the pathophysiology of hypersexuality in Parkinson's disease, and it is unknown how visual sexual stimuli, similar to the portrayals of sexuality in the mainstream mass media may affect the brain and behaviour in such susceptible individuals. Here, we have studied a group of 12 patients with Parkinson's disease with hypersexuality using a functional magnetic resonance imaging block design exposing participants to both sexual, other reward-related and neutral visual cues. We hypothesized that exposure to visual sexual cues would trigger increased sexual desire in patients with Parkinson's disease with hypersexuality that would correspond to changes in brain activity in regions linked to dopaminergically stimulated sexual motivation. Patients with Parkinson's disease with hypersexuality were scanned ON and OFF dopamine drugs, and their results were compared with a group of 12 Parkinson's disease control patients without hypersexuality or other impulse control disorders. Exposure to sexual cues significantly increased sexual desire and hedonic responses in the Parkinson's disease hypersexuality group compared with the Parkinson's disease control patients. These behavioural changes corresponded to significant blood oxygen level-dependent signal changes in regions within limbic, paralimbic, temporal, occipital, somatosensory and prefrontal cortices that correspond to emotional, cognitive, autonomic, visual and motivational processes. The functional imaging data showed that the hypersexuality patients' increased sexual desire correlated with enhanced activations in the ventral striatum, and cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices. When the patients with Parkinson's disease with hypersexuality were OFF medication, the functional imaging data showed decreases in activation during

The Use Of Scanning Probe Microscopy To Investigate Crystal-Fluid Interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orme, C A; Giocondi, J L

2007-01-01

Over the past decade there has been a natural drive to extend the investigation of dynamic surfaces in fluid environments to higher resolution characterization tools. Various aspects of solution crystal growth have been directly visualized for the first time. These include island nucleation and growth using transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy; elemental step motion using scanning probe microscopy; and the time evolution of interfacial atomic structure using various diffraction techniques. In this lecture we will discuss the use of one such in situ method, scanning probe microscopy, as a means of measuring surface dynamics during crystal growth and dissolution. We will cover both practical aspects of imaging such as environmental control, fluid flow, and electrochemical manipulation, as well as the types of physical measurements that can be made. Measurements such as step motion, critical lengths, nucleation density, and step fluctuations, will be put in context of the information they provide about mechanistic processes at surfaces using examples from metal and mineral crystal growth

Crossmodal recruitment of the ventral visual stream in congenital blindness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ptito, Maurice; Matteau, Isabelle; Zhi Wang, Arthur

2012-01-01

We used functional MRI (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that blind subjects recruit the ventral visual stream during nonhaptic tactile-form recognition. Congenitally blind and blindfolded sighted control subjects were scanned after they had been trained during four consecutive days to perform......, inferotemporal (IT), cortex, lateral occipital tactile vision area (LOtv), and fusiform gyrus. Control subjects activated area LOtv and precuneus but not cuneus, IT and fusiform gyrus. These results indicate that congenitally blind subjects recruit key regions in the ventral visual pathway during nonhaptic...

Computer-Based Tutoring of Visual Concepts: From Novice to Experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharples, Mike

1991-01-01

Description of ways in which computers might be used to teach visual concepts discusses hypermedia systems; describes computer-generated tutorials; explains the use of computers to create learning aids such as concept maps, feature spaces, and structural models; and gives examples of visual concept teaching in medical education. (10 references)…

Learning semantic and visual similarity for endomicroscopy video retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Andre, Barbara; Vercauteren, Tom; Buchner, Anna M; Wallace, Michael B; Ayache, Nicholas

2012-06-01

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) is a valuable computer vision technique which is increasingly being applied in the medical community for diagnosis support. However, traditional CBIR systems only deliver visual outputs, i.e., images having a similar appearance to the query, which is not directly interpretable by the physicians. Our objective is to provide a system for endomicroscopy video retrieval which delivers both visual and semantic outputs that are consistent with each other. In a previous study, we developed an adapted bag-of-visual-words method for endomicroscopy retrieval, called "Dense-Sift," that computes a visual signature for each video. In this paper, we present a novel approach to complement visual similarity learning with semantic knowledge extraction, in the field of in vivo endomicroscopy. We first leverage a semantic ground truth based on eight binary concepts, in order to transform these visual signatures into semantic signatures that reflect how much the presence of each semantic concept is expressed by the visual words describing the videos. Using cross-validation, we demonstrate that, in terms of semantic detection, our intuitive Fisher-based method transforming visual-word histograms into semantic estimations outperforms support vector machine (SVM) methods with statistical significance. In a second step, we propose to improve retrieval relevance by learning an adjusted similarity distance from a perceived similarity ground truth. As a result, our distance learning method allows to statistically improve the correlation with the perceived similarity. We also demonstrate that, in terms of perceived similarity, the recall performance of the semantic signatures is close to that of visual signatures and significantly better than those of several state-of-the-art CBIR methods. The semantic signatures are thus able to communicate high-level medical knowledge while being consistent with the low-level visual signatures and much shorter than them

First year medical students' learning style preferences and their correlation with performance in different subjects within the medical course.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Torrano, Daniel; Ali, Syed; Chan, Chee-Kai

2017-08-08

Students commencing their medical training arrive with different educational backgrounds and a diverse range of learning experiences. Consequently, students would have developed preferred approaches to acquiring and processing information or learning style preferences. Understanding first-year students' learning style preferences is important to success in learning. However, little is understood about how learning styles impact learning and performance across different subjects within the medical curriculum. Greater understanding of the relationship between students' learning style preferences and academic performance in specific medical subjects would be valuable. This cross-sectional study examined the learning style preferences of first-year medical students and how they differ across gender. This research also analyzed the effect of learning styles on academic performance across different subjects within a medical education program in a Central Asian university. A total of 52 students (57.7% females) from two batches of first-year medical school completed the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire, which measures four dimensions of learning styles: sensing-intuitive; visual-verbal; active-reflective; sequential-global. First-year medical students reported preferences for visual (80.8%) and sequential (60.5%) learning styles, suggesting that these students preferred to learn through demonstrations and diagrams and in a linear and sequential way. Our results indicate that male medical students have higher preference for visual learning style over verbal, while females seemed to have a higher preference for sequential learning style over global. Significant associations were found between sensing-intuitive learning styles and performance in Genetics [β = -0.46, B = -0.44, p styles and performance in Genetics [β = 0.36, B = 0.43, p learning techniques. Instructors can also benefit by modifying and adapting more appropriate teaching approaches in these

[Nursing Experience of Using Mirror Visual Feedback for a Schizophrenia Patient With Visual Hallucinations].

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Shu-Ling; Chen, Yu-Chi; Chang, Hsiu-Ju

2018-06-01

The aim of this paper was to describe the nursing application of mirror visual feedback in a patient suffering from long-term visual hallucinations. The intervention period was from May 15th to October 19th, 2015. Using the five facets of psychiatric nursing assessment, several health problems were observed, including disturbed sensory perceptions (prominent visual hallucinations) and poor self-care (e.g. limited abilities to self-bathe and put on clothing). Furthermore, "caregiver role strain" due to the related intense care burden was noted. After building up a therapeutic interpersonal relationship, the technique of brain plasticity and mirror visual feedback were performed using multiple nursing care methods in order to help the patient suppress her visual hallucinations by enhancing a different visual stimulus. We also taught her how to cope with visual hallucinations in a proper manner. The frequency and content of visual hallucinations were recorded to evaluate the effects of management. The therapeutic plan was formulated together with the patient in order to boost her self-confidence, and a behavior contract was implemented in order to improve her personal hygiene. In addition, psychoeducation on disease-related topics was provided to the patient's family, and they were encouraged to attend relevant therapeutic activities. As a result, her family became less passive and negative and more engaged in and positive about her future. The crisis of "caregiver role strain" was successfully resolved. The current experience is hoped to serve as a model for enhancing communication and cooperation between family and staff in similar medical settings.

Studying antimicrobial-induced morphostructural damage of bacteria by Scanning Electron Microscope