The current gold standard to estimate local and global specific energy absorption rate for MRI involves numerically modeling the patient and the transmit radiofrequency coil. Recently, a patient‐individual method was presented, which estimated specific energy absorption rate from individually measured B1 maps. This method, however, was restricted to quadrature volume coils due to difficulties distinguishing phase contributions from radiofrequency transmission and reception. In this study, a method separating these two phase contributions by comparing the electric conductivity reconstructed from different transmit channels of a parallel radiofrequency transmission system is presented. This enables specific energy absorption rate estimation not only for quadrature excitation but also for the nonquadrature excitation of the single elements of the transmit array. Though the contributions of the different phases are known, unknown magnetic field components and tissue boundary artifacts limit the technique. Nevertheless, the high agreement between simulated and experimental results found in this study is promising. B1‐based specific energy absorption rate determination might become possible for arbitrary radiofrequency excitation on a patient‐individual basis. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of physician sitting versus standing on the patient's preference of physician communication style, and perception of compassion and consult duration. Sixty-nine patients were randomized to watch one of two videos in which the physician was standing and then sitting (video A) or sitting and then standing (video B) during an inpatient consultation. Both video sequences lasted 9.5 minutes. Thirty-five patients (51%) blindly preferred the sitting physician, 16 (23%) preferred the standing, and 18 (26%) had no preference. Patients perceived that their preferred physician was more compassionate and spent more time with the patient when compared with the other physician. There was a strong period effect favoring the second sequence within the video. The patients blinded choice of preference (P = 0.003), perception of compassion (P = 0.0016), and other attributes favored the second sequence seen in the video. The significant period effect suggests that patients prefer the second option presented, notwithstanding a stated preference for a sitting posture (55/68, 81%). Physicians should ask patients for their preference regarding physician sitting or standing as a way to enhance communication.

Timely intervention by a child psychiatrist or other mental health professional with proven competence in working with children can help children to better cope with the death and dying of their parent and ameliorate the process of bereavement following the parent's death. Because of our small sample, we cannot generalize about all of the findings. Further research is required to characterize the level of distress in the children and the long-term impact in their overall adjustment to life.

The communication challenges faced by oncology nurses require skills that go beyond simple supportive techniques like empathy and listening. Teaching advanced communications skills geared to specific problems identified by nurses may be useful.

No abstract