| 1. |
- Alshamari, Muhammed, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Impact of iterative reconstruction on image quality of low-dose CT of the lumbar spine
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Acta Radiologica. - London : Sage Publications. - 0284-1851 .- 1600-0455. ; 58:6, s. 702-709
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Iterative reconstruction (IR) is a recent reconstruction algorithm for computed tomography (CT) that can be used instead of the standard algorithm, filtered back projection (FBP), to reduce radiation dose and/or improve image quality.Purpose: To evaluate and compare the image quality of low-dose CT of the lumbar spine reconstructed with IR to conventional FBP, without further reduction of radiation dose.Material and Methods: Low-dose CT on 55 patients was performed on a Siemens scanner using 120 kV tube voltage, 30 reference mAs, and automatic dose modulation. From raw CT data, lumbar spine CT images were reconstructed with a medium filter (B41f) using FBP and four levels of IR (levels 2-5). Five reviewers scored all images on seven image quality criteria according to the European guidelines on quality criteria for CT, using a five-grade scale. A side-by-side comparison was also performed.Results: There was significant improvement in image quality for IR (levels 2-4) compared to FBP. According to visual grading regression, odds ratios of all criteria with 95% confidence intervals for IR2, IR3, IR4, and IR5 were: 1.59 (1.39-1.83), 1.74 (1.51-1.99), 1.68 (1.46-1.93), and 1.08 (0.94-1.23), respectively. In the side-by-side comparison of all reconstructions, images with IR (levels 2-4) received the highest scores. The mean overall CTDIvol was 1.70 mGy (SD 0.46; range, 1.01-3.83 mGy). Image noise decreased in a linear fashion with increased strength of IR.Conclusion: Iterative reconstruction at levels 2, 3, and 4 improves image quality of low-dose CT of the lumbar spine compared to FPB.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Alshamari, Muhammed, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
-
Low dose CT of the lumbar spine compared with radiography : a study on image quality with implications for clinical practice
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Acta Radiologica. - London, United Kingdom : Sage Publications. - 0284-1851 .- 1600-0455. ; 57:5, s. 602-611
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Lumbar spine radiography is often performed instead of CT for radiation dose concerns.Purpose: To compare image quality and diagnostic information from low dose lumbar spine CT at an effective dose of about 1 mSv with lumbar spine radiography.Material and Methods: Fifty-one patients were examined by both methods. Five reviewers scored all examinations on eight image quality criteria using a five-graded scale and also assessed three common pathologic changes.Results: Low dose CT scored better than radiography on the following: sharp reproduction of disc profile and vertebral end-plates (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-2.5), intervertebral foramina and pedicles (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 3.1-5.9), intervertebral joints (OR, 139; 95% CI, 59-326), spinous and transverse processes (OR, 7.0; 95% CI, 4.3-11.2), sacro-iliac joints (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 3.2-5.7), reproduction of the adjacent soft tissues (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 2.1-4.0), and absence of any obscuring superimposed gastrointestinal gas and contents (OR, 188; 95% CI, 66-539). Radiography scored better on sharp reproduction of cortical and trabecular bone (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4). The reviewers visualized disk degeneration, spondylosis/diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and intervertebral joint osteoarthritis more clearly and were more certain with low dose CT. Mean time to review low dose CT was 204 s (95% CI, 194-214 s.), radiography 152 s (95% CI, 146-158 s.). The effective dose for low dose CT was 1.0-1.1 mSv, for radiography 0.7 mSv.Conclusion: Low dose lumbar spine CT at about 1 mSv has superior image quality to lumbar spine radiography with more anatomical and diagnostic information.
|
|
| 4. |
- Andersson, Karin M., 1989-, et al.
(författare)
-
Visual grading evaluation of commercially available metal artefact reduction techniques in hip prosthesis computed tomography
- 2016
-
Ingår i: British Journal of Radiology. - London, United Kingdom : British Institute of Radiology. - 0007-1285 .- 1748-880X. ; 89:1063
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To evaluate metal artefact reduction (MAR) techniques from four computed tomography (CT) vendors in hip prosthesis imaging.Methods: Bilateral hip prosthesis phantom images, obtained by using MAR algorithms for single energy CT data or dual energy CT (DECT) data and by monoenergetic reconstructions of DECT data, were visually graded by five radiologists using ten image quality criteria. Comparisons between the MAR images and a reference image were performed for each scanner separately. Ordinal probit regression analysis was used.Results: The MAR algorithms in general improved the image quality based on the majority of the criteria (up to between 8/10 and 10/10) with a statistically improvement in overall image quality (P<0.001). However, degradation of image quality, such as new artefacts, was seen in some cases. A few monoenergetic reconstruction series improved the image quality (P<0.004) for one of the DECT scanners, but it was only improved for some of the criteria (up to 5/10). Monoenergetic reconstructions resulted in worse image quality for the majority of the criteria (up to 7/10) for the other DECT scanner.Conclusions: The MAR algorithms improved the image quality of the hip prosthesis CT images. However, since additional artefacts and degradation of image quality were seen in some cases, all algorithms should be carefully evaluated for every clinical situation. Monoenergetic reconstructions were in general concluded to be insufficient for reducing metal artifacts. Advances in knowledge: Qualitative evaluation of the usefulness of several MAR techniques from different vendors in CT imaging of hip prosthesis.
|
|
| 5. |
- Dreifaldt, Mats, 1959-, et al.
(författare)
-
Pedicled versus skeletonized internal thoracic artery grafts : a randomized trial
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Asian cardiovascular & thoracic annals. - : Medikaru Toribyun. - 1816-5370 .- 0218-4923. ; 29:6, s. 490-497
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Concerns have been raised regarding whether skeletonization of the internal thoracic artery could damage the graft and thereby reduces its patency. The objective of this study was to compare patency rates at mid- and long-term follow-up between pedicled and skeletonized left internal thoracic artery grafts.METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included 109 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. The patients were assigned to receive either one pedicled or one skeletonized left internal thoracic artery graft to the left anterior descending artery. Follow-up was performed at 3 years with conventional angiography, and at 8 years with computed tomography angiography. Differences between patency rates were analyzed with Fisher's exact test and a generalized linear model.RESULTS: The patency rates for pedicled and skeletonized left internal thoracic artery grafts were 46/48 (95.8%) versus 47/52 (90.4%), p = 0.44 at 3 years, and 40/43 (93.0%) versus 37/41 (90.2%), p = 0.71 at 8 years, respectively. The difference in patency rates for pedicled and skeletonized grafts was 5.4% (95% confidence interval: -4.2-14.5) at 3 years and 2.8% (95% confidence interval: -9.9-14.1) at 8 years. All failed grafts, except for one with a localized stenosis, were anastomosed to native coronary arteries with a stenosis less than 70%. Three patients suffered sternal wound infections (two in the pedicled group, one in the skeletonized group).CONCLUSIONS: The skeletonization technique can be used without jeopardizing the patency of the left internal thoracic artery. The most important factor in graft failure was target artery stenosis below 70%.
|
|
| 6. |
- Dreifaldt, Mats, 1959-, et al.
(författare)
-
The no-touch saphenous vein is an excellent alternative conduit to the radial artery 8 years after coronary artery bypass grafting : A randomized trial
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier. - 0022-5223 .- 1097-685X. ; 161:2, s. 624-630
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In 2004, a prospective randomized trial demonstrated that after 3 years, saphenous veins (SVs) harvested with a no touch (NT) technique had a greater patency than radial grafts for coronary bypass surgery. Here we report the 8-year follow-up data of this trial.Methods: The trial included 108 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Each patient was assigned to receive 1 NT SV and 1 radial artery (RA) graft to either the left or right coronary territory to complement the left internal thoracic artery (LITA). Sequential grafting was common, so overall graft patency as well as the patency of each anastomosis were assessed.Results: Angiography was performed in 84 patients (78%) at mean of 97 months postoperatively. Graft patency were high and similar for both NT and RA: 86% for NT versus 79% for RA (P = .22). The patency of coronary anastomoses was significantly higher with the NT SV grafts (91% vs 81%; P = .046). The NT grafts also had excellent patency in coronary arteries with <90% stenosis (93% patency) and in coronary arteries of small diameter (87% patency) or with mild calcification (88% patency). Patency for the LITA was 92%.Conclusions: NT SV grafts have excellent patency similar to that of RA grafts after 8 years. In addition, NT SV grafts can be used in situations that are not ideal for RA grafts.
|
|
| 7. |
- Engstrand, Per, 1955-, et al.
(författare)
-
Improved refining energy efficiency in thermo-mechanical pulping by means of collimated wood chipping – from solid mechanics to full scale evaluation
- 2016
-
Ingår i: PaperWeek Canada 2016 Conference <em>February 1 to 5, 2016, Montreal</em>.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The wood chipping process was never optimized with regard to high yield pulping processes as thermomechanical pulping (TMP) and chemithermomechanical pulping (CTMP). It is generally believed that wood chips for pulping should be produced in such a way that the degree of damage is minimized and that the chip dimensional distribution should be as narrow as possible. Since the TMP and CTMP processes were developed in the 60-ies and 70-ies, compression screw as well as roll nip equipment have been developed to pretreat wood chips as a way to reduce refining energy consumption to given fiber and pulp properties and also in order to improve impregnation. The general conclusions are that a combination of shear and compression in the tangential or radial direction of the wood initiates cracks that later in the refiner will enhance and optimize fiber separation and also fiber property development. The idea with the collimated chipping technology is to utilize the wood chipper as a tool, combining cutting of wood logs to wood chips with a pretreatment of the chips by creating cracks that would enhance fiber separation, fiber surface development as well as chip-impregnation. In this case the compression is performed in the wood fiber direction, in which direction wood actually is weakest when it comes to compression induced cracking. The maximization of the amount of cracks in wood-chips is performed by optimizing the knife angle (or spout angle) in the chipper, to what we call collimated chipping (according to a patent owned by CCT AB). This presentation describes a theoretical background and two demonstration scale studies performed by SCA Forest Products at their Ortviken mill. One conclusion drawn, based on two-month test period with three weeks of collimated chipping, was that specific refining energy reduction was around 100 kWh/adt of the 1400 kWh/adt used in primary stage double disc refining. Most probably the potential is higher if the whole system is optimized. Tests were performed at constant production rate and energy was reduced by reducing power to constant freeness, leading to similar tensile and light scattering levels. The deliberately increased forces created in the wood chipper by means of an optimized (increased) edge angle caused more problems with knife holder equipment than normally, as well as increased vibrations. These problems will have to be solved for future long-term implementation of the technique.
|
|
| 8. |
- Ahlstrand, Erik, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
-
Visual scoring of chest CT at hospital admission predicts hospitalization time and intensive care admission in Covid-19
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Infectious Diseases. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2374-4235 .- 2374-4243. ; 53:8, s. 622-632
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chest CT is prognostic in Covid-19 but there is a lack of consensus on how to report the CT findings. A chest CT scoring system, ÖCoS, was implemented in clinical routine on 1 April 2020, in Örebro Region, Sweden. The ÖCoS-severity score measures the extent of lung involvement. The objective of the study was to evaluate the ÖCoS scores as predictors of the clinical course of Covid-19.METHODS: Population based study including data from all hospitalized patients with Covid-19 in Örebro Region during March to July 2020. We evaluated the correlations between CT scores at the time of admission to hospital and intensive care in relation to hospital and intensive care length of stay (LoS), intensive care admission and death. C-reactive protein and lymphocyte count were included as covariates in multivariate regression analyses.RESULTS: In 381 included patients, the ÖCoS-severity score at admission closely correlated to hospital length of stay, and intensive care admission or death. At admission to intensive care, the ÖCoS-severity score correlated with intensive care length of stay. The ÖCoS-severity score was superior to basic inflammatory biomarkers in predicting clinical outcomes.CONCLUSION: Chest CT visual scoring at admission to hospital predicted the clinical course of Covid-19 pneumonia.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
- Albin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
0253 Hairdressers are occupationally exposed to ortho- and meta- toluidine
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - : BMJ. - 1470-7926 .- 1351-0711. ; 71 Suppl 1, s. 32-33
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hairdressing work is classified as carcinogenic based on excess risk for bladder cancer. We aimed at evaluating if current hairdressers are exposed to established/suspected bladder carcinogens (aromatic amines) and indicate possible sources of exposure.
|
|
