To present the results of occupational radiation doses investigated through a national survey promoted by the National Society of Interventional Radiology in Spain.
The monthly dosimetric records of ...28 interventional radiologists from 10 hospitals were analyzed and filtered to remove inconsistent dosimeter readings. The evaluation of the results includes different workloads as well as different radiation protection habits.
Poor use of personal dosimetry by some interventional radiologists was brought to light. Most professionals do not use an over-apron dosimeter as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Ceiling-suspended protective screens are used irregularly in many cases. All interventionalists perform digital subtraction angiographic imaging from a control room in more than 80% of procedures. The maximum monthly doses recorded were 3.8 mSv under the apron, 20.2 mSv over the apron, and 63.1 mSv to the hands.
For under-apron and hand readings, extrapolated median values were below 30% of annual dose limits, but in the case of over-apron readings, the extrapolated median dose was higher than the newly recommended limit for the eye lens of 20 mSv per year. This study mainly highlights the need to use radiation protection tools and personal dosimeters to protect staff and monitor eye lens doses.
The radiation dose, artifact incidence, and image quality of high-resolution chest CT examinations performed with standard and low doses and patient cooperation were investigated in children and ...young adults.
Three successive controlled studies were conducted in different groups of children and young adults, totaling 203 patients. Dosimetry of high-resolution CT was performed at 180, 50, and 34 mAs in three groups of 25 patients. Streak artifact incidence using alternating 50- and 34-mAs slices was assessed and correlated with patient compliance with breath-holding commands in 44 children. Image quality was evaluated in scans obtained with 34 versus 180 mAs in cooperative patients (n = 42) and in scans obtained with 50 versus 180 mAs in noncooperative patients (n = 42). Artifacts and image quality were assessed by controlled repeated interpretations.
Radiation dose was 5.4+/-1.6 mSv for 180 mAs, 1.5+/-0.5 mSv for 50 mAs, and 1.1+/-0.3 mSv for 34 mAs. Cooperation was obtained in 66% of the patients. Artifacts were more frequently seen in scans of noncooperative patients (30%) and in 34-mAs scans (47%); the highest incidence was found using 34 mAs in noncooperative patients (60%, p = 0.02). No differences in image quality scores were seen in scans obtained with 50 mAs versus those obtained with 180 mAs in noncooperative patients (p<0.05), and small differences were found in scans obtained with 34 mAs versus those obtained with 180 mAs in cooperative patients for fissures (p = 0.005) and peripheral structures (p = 0.02).
Low-dose high-resolution CT provided a significant reduction in radiation dose (72% for 50 mAs and 80% for 34 mAs) and good-quality images of the lung when performed with 50 mAs in noncooperative and 34 mAs in cooperative pediatric and young adult patients.
Yersinia ruckeri causes important economic losses for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farms worldwide. This bacterial disease is likely the most common among trout in Peru; however, no commercial ...vaccine is available nationally, which is, in part, due to a lack of information on the bacterium. The aim of the current study was to characterize 29 Y. ruckeri isolates sampled from seven cage‐reared farms in the Puno Region, the focal point for aquaculture activities in Peru. For this, samples were taken from fish with clinical signs (i.e. haemorrhages, uni‐ or bilateral exophthalmia, hyphaemia and/or melanosis). Notable among our findings was the existence of both Y. ruckeri biotype 1 (9 isolates) and biotype 2 (20 isolates; negative for sorbitol and Tween 80). The isolates further differed in API profiles 5307100 (21 isolates), 1307100 (4 isolates), 1305100 (2 isolates), 1307120 (1 isolate) and 5305100 (1 isolate), with the main differences being in the tests for lysine decarboxylase, gelatine hydrolysis and D‐saccharose fermentation. Despite these differences, all isolates shared identical ERIC‐PCR and REP‐PCR profiles and belonged to the O1a serotype. Fingerprints were identical to the reference strain CECT 955 (serotype O1a). The information obtained will be used for epidemiological purposes by health authorities and for the development of a vaccine against Y. ruckeri, a prominent request made by fish farmers in Peru.
Objective
Patients with COVID-19 presented with an elevated prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) but the relationship with thrombosis is controversial. We analysed the persistence of aPL ...and their association with the clinical outcomes during hospitalisation in a cohort of COVID-19 patients.
Patients and Methods
We conducted a prospective study including consecutive hospitalised patients with COVID-19 from Hospital Clínic of Barcelona between March 28th and April 22nd, 2020. Clinical outcomes during hospitalisation were thrombosis, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and severe ventilatory failure. We determined both criteria and non-criteria aPL. Of note, in those patients with a positive result in the first determination, a second sample separated by at least 12 weeks was drawn to test the persistence of aPL.
Results
One hundred and fifty-eight patients (59.5% men) with a mean age of 61.4 ± 14.9 years old were included. Thrombosis was present in 28 (17.7%) patients, severe respiratory failure in 47 (30.5%), and 30 (18.9%) patients were admitted to ICU. Sixteen (28.6%) patients were positive for the criteria aPL at both determinations and only two (3.6%) of them suffered from thrombosis during hospitalisations (both had aCL IgG). However, they presented with low titers of aCL. Of note, aPL were not related to thrombosis, ICU admission or severe respiratory failure.
Conclusion
Although aPL were prevalent in our cohort of hospitalised COVID-19 patients and they were persistent in half of tested patients, most determinations were at low titers and they were not related to worse clinical outcomes.
Primary tuberculosis of the glans penis Jimenez Parra, Jose David; Alvarez Bandres, Silvia; Garcia Garcia, Diego ...
Archivos españoles de urología
67, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Tuberculosis of the penis is an extremely rare disease with few cases reported in the literature.
We present the case of a 64 year-old man with a whitish papular-ampullary eruption in the glans ...penis. After antibiotic/antimycotic therapy and several topical ointments for 3 months without response he was referred to our Department. Biopsy of the ulceration edge was performed and pathology result showed a chronic granulomatous inflammatory necrotizing lesion with granulomatous vasculitis lesions, without tumor infiltration. Systemic examination to rule out other tuberculosis foci was negative. With de suspicion of primary tuberculosis of the glans penis, anti tuberculosis therapy with Isoniazid and Piridoxine was started.
Within a period of five months the ulceration healed significantly. Currently, the patient is still asymptomatic without glans penis lesions.
Primary glans penis tuberculosis is a rare disease, but we must consider it (both primary and secondary forms) to try to avoid diagnostic delays that may cause prejudice for the patient. This condition promptly responds to anti tuberculosis therapy as evidenced by our case and many other reports.
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