Fasciolosis, a parasitic disease caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica underreported is expanding both in human and animal population, throughout the world. The constant use of synthetic drugs to treat this condition has led to the natural selection of resistant strains of the parasite. Hence, there is a growing focus on the potential anti-helminthic properties of medicinal plants and phytopharmaceuticals. The current study assessed the potential anti-fasciolicide action of Momordica charantia leaf extracts and fractions on the eggs of F. hepatica parasites. The lyophilized crude extract (CE) of M. charantia leaves and its sub-fractions, obtained from liquid-liquid partitioning with organic solvents, were analysed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), suspended in 1% DMSO and used in in vitro tests. Quadruplicates of 50F. hepatica eggs were incubated at 23°C with M. charantia leaf CE in different concentrations. After 12days no larvae were formed in eggs incubated with CE concentrations above 12.5mg/mL. Eggs incubated with CE sub-fractions at concentrations of 1000, 100, 10, 1, 0.1, 0.01μg/mL affected embryonic development, with n-butanol presenting the strongest inhibition of miracidia formation. In contrast, on the 12th day, 90% of the miracidia hatched in the control experiments using 0.03% DMSO whereas embryogenesis was completely abolished with any concentration of albendazole sulphoxide ABZ(SO). Chemical analysis of the CE and sub-fractions revealed a prominent presence of flavonoids. HPLC-MS confirmed Quercetin to be one of the main flavonoids present in the CE and the n-butanol subfraction. This is the first study to analyse the potential anti-fasciolicide action of M. charantia leaf CE and subfractions.

The Computed Tomography (CT) has become an important tool to diagnose cancer and to obtain additional information for different clinical questions. Today, it is a very fast, painless and noninvasive test that can be performed high quality images. However, CT scan usually requires a higher radiation exposure dose than a conventional radiography examination. The aim of this study is to determine the dose variation deposited in thyroid and in nearby radiosensitive organs, such as: lenses, pharynx, hypophysis, salivary gland and spinal cord with and without the use of bismuth shielded. A cervical CT scan was performed on anthropomorphic male phantom model Alderson Rando, using a GE scanner, Discovery model with 64 channels. Dose measurements have been performed by using radiochromic film strips to register the individual doses in the organs of interest. The results show us that the thyroid received the highest dose, 24.70 mGy, in the phantom, according to the incidence of the primary X-ray beam.

No abstract

Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the most used exams for radiological diagnosis in medicine. The increase of CT exams is a global concern due to high radiation doses. It is important to improve protocols to seek lower doses while maintaining the diagnostic image quality. The use of phantoms allows the testing of different acquisition protocols. For this, the phantom must present an absorption characteristic of the X-ray beam like the represented patient. In this study, it was used a standard head phantom made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The phantom is a cylinder with 16 cm in diameter and 15 cm in length. Different acquisition protocols were performed on a Toshiba CT scanner, Aquilion model with 64 channels. The central slice of the phantom was irradiated successively, and using a pencil ionization chamber, measurements of CT air kerma index in PMMA (Ck,PMMA,100) were performed. From these results, the CT Dose Index values weighted and volumetric (CTDIw, CTDIvol) were obtained for 10 cm scans of the central area of the head phantom, in helical mode. The scans were performed using different voltage values (80, 100 and 120 kV) and charge (mA.s). Dose values of CTDIw varied from 2.55 mGy to 7.76 mGy. The absorbed dose (CTDIvol) was 23.67 mGy with the routine protocol used in the radiological service. The pitch of the scans were adjusted and acquisition protocols were tested for each voltage and varying the charge (mA.s). Optimized protocols were approved when the noise in the central slice was less than 1%. The better protocol happens with the voltage of 120 kV and the absorbed dose was reduced in 68.31%. The other parameters tube time, thickness beam and image reconstruction were the same of the routine protocol.

No abstract

Computed Tomography (CT) scans promote a higher dose deposition than conventional radiology exams. These exams have significantly increased patient and collective doses and have become a global public health concern. There is a great need to improve protocols to seek for lower doses while maintaining the diagnostic image quality. The development of phantoms allows the testing of different acquisition protocols. In this study were tested two cylindrical head phantoms of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). One CT head phantom is the head standard test with 16 cm in diameter and the other head phantom developed is smaller at 12 cm in diameter. Both phantoms are 15 cm long. Different acquisition protocols were performed on a Philips CT scanner, Access model with 16 channels. The central slice of the phantoms was irradiated successively and measurements were performed using a pencil ionization chamber to obtain the CT air Kerma indexes in PMMA (Ck,PMMA,100) and CT dose indexes (CTDI).  From these results, the CT Dose Index values weighted and volumetric (CTDIw, CTDIvol) were obtained to 10 cm scans of the central region of the head phantoms, in helical mode. The scans were performed using different voltage values (80, 100 and 120 kV) and charge (mA.s). Dose values varied from 5.59 to 21.51 mGy. The highest recorded dose value was 21.51 mGy for the smaller head phantom and 19.25 mGy for the standard head phantom with 120 kV. Considering the generation of images with the same diagnostic objective, the results obtained showed that the volumetric dose index (CTDIvol) presented a higher dose value in the 12 cm diameter phantom. This phantom has smaller volume than the standard head phantom.

Computed Tomography (CT) has been one of the most used exam for radiologic diagnostic in medicine. The increase of CT is a global concern due to high doses of radiation. The dose evaluation in CT is one of many steps that can contribute for reducing patient doses. The head CT scans helps to diagnose disorders that affect the brain, including tumors, infarction, bleeding within the brain, hematoma and other diseases. The aim of this work is to compare the reduction of absorbed dose in the head CT scan with and without the use of bismuth shielding using a male and female anthropomorphic phantom model Alderson Rando.The head CT scan were done from the cervical vertebra C1 to the top of skull, in a GE CT scanner, LightSpeed VCT model, with 64 channels.Radiochromic films strips were used to evaluate the doses in the organs such as lenses, thyroid, hypophysis, spinal cord, pharynx, breasts, salivary and parotid glands.Record doses were lower with the use of bismuth shielding in both phantoms for all organs, mainly in the lenses. The analysis of noise in the image of the head central slice presented acceptable values for soft tissues, less than 1%. Dose values were significantly reduced and they suggested that the use of bismuth shielding would be a proper procedure for protection during a head CT scan.

No abstract