The purpose of this study was to assess the occupational radiation exposure arising from positron emission tomography combined with X-ray computed tomography (PET/CT) procedures. From 2009 through the end of 2014, in a team of six technologists, personal dosimetry was performed using electronic personal dosemeters and film badge dosemeters. The technologists registered the separate exposure after each PET/CT operational step, which included radiopharmaceutical arrival, dispensing in individual syringes, injection and patient positioning.From the total of 3024 PET/CT procedures, 2142 were available for analysis. The personal dose equivalent for the technologists performing PET/CT ranged from 11.5 nSv/MBq to 23.8 nSv/MBq. Whole-body radiation dose originated mainly from radiopharmaceutical injection (41.5%) and patient positioning (51.1%). The sources of occupational exposure were successfully identified for PET/CT procedures. Record keeping using on-site occupational dosimetry is a useful tool for exposure optimisation.
Summary Automated leucocyte counts in newborns generated by the impedance principle are artificially affected by the high osmotic resistance of some newborn RBC and possibly by the high normoblast numbers present during the neonatal period. Erroneously high WBC counts may result. The haematology analyser CKLL‐DYN 3500TM (Abbott Diagnostika GmbH, Wiesbaden‐Delkenheim, Germany) has two different channels for the WBC count, an electrical resistivity (impedance) channel and a laseroptical channel. In combination with facultative extended lysis of resistant RBC before WBC count, this instrument is claimed to be very suitable for newborn blood analysis. We measured the WBC count and differential of 165 blood samples from newborns and cord blood on the CELL‐DYN 3500TM. Reticulocyte count and manual differential including normoblasts were determined. Furthermore, some technical aspects of neonatal blood analysis were evaluated: precision, cell stability, effect of incorrect blood‐anticoagulant ratio of small blood collecting tubes. The internal decision making process of the CELL‐DYN 3500TM selects the result either from the optical channel (identifies and excludes normoblasts) or from the resistivity channel (eliminates resistant RBC). This instrument gives a reliable and accurate WBC count and differential of neonatal samples even in blood samples with normoblasts and lytic resistant RBC. The result given by the CELL‐DYN 3500TM can be confirmed by a subsequent run in extended lyse mode.
Combined PET/CT leads to greater accuracy in the interpretation of data and is a valuable tool for diagnosis and anatomic localization of metastases in colorectal cancer patients.
Summary
Aim: To evaluate the extent to which single measurements of microvascular lung permeability may be relevant as an additional parameter in a heterogenous clinical patient collective with Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Methods: In 36 patients with pneumonia (13), non pneumogenic sepsis (9) or trauma (14) meeting the consensus conference criteria of ALI or ARDS double-isotope protein flux measurements (51Cr erythrocytes as intravascular tracer, Tc-99m human albumin as diffusible tracer) of microvascular lung permeability were performed using the Normalized Slope Index (NSI). The examination was to determine whether there is a relationship between the clinical diagnosis of ALI/ARDS, impaired permeability and clinical parameters, that is the underlying disease, oxygenation, duration of mechanical ventilation and mean pulmonary-artery pressure (PAP). Results: At the time of study, 25 patients presented with increased permeability (NSI > 1 × 10-3 min1) indicating an exudative stage of disease, and 11 patients with normal permeability. The permeability impairment correlated with the underlying disease (p >0.05). With respect to survival, there was a negative correlation to PAP (p <0.01). Apart from that no correlations between the individual parameters were found. Especially no correlation was found between permeability impairment and oxygenation, duration of disease or PAP. Conclusion: In ALI and ARDS, pulmonary capillary permeability is a diagnostic parameter which is independent from clinical variables. Permeability measurement makes a stage classification (exudative versus non exudative phase) of ALI/ARDS possible based on a measurable pathophysiological correlate.
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