Abstract-The Department of Veterans Affairs traumatic brain injury (TBI) screening program is intended to detect and expedite treatment for TBI and postconcussive symptoms. Between April 14, 2007, and May 31, 2012, of 66,089 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans who screened positive on first-level TBI screening and later completed comprehensive TBI evaluation that includes the Neurobehavioral Symptoms Inventory, 72% reported moderate to very severe cognitive impairment (problems with attention, concentration, memory, etc.) that interfered with daily activities. This included 42% who were found not to have sustained combat-related mild TBI (mTBI). In contrast, 70.0% received a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and 45.8% received a depression diagnosis. Compared with Veterans without mTBI, PTSD, or depression diagnoses, the lowest risk for self-reported cognitive impairment was in Veterans with confirmed mTBI only; a greater risk was found in those with PTSD diagnoses, with the greatest risk in Veterans with PTSD, depression, and confirmed mTBI, suggesting only a weakly additive effect of mTBI. These findings suggest that Veterans with multiple mental health comorbidities, not just those with TBI, report moderate to very severe cognitive impairment. Mental health treatment for conditions such as PTSD and depression (with or without TBI) may result in improvements in cognitive functioning and/or include assessment and support for Veterans experiencing cognitive problems.

Elevation in serum creatinine due to intravenous and intra-arterial iodixanol administration is infrequent and is not more common than after unenhanced CT scans.

Objective: To systematically investigate the effect of CT localizer radiograph acquisition on the tube current modulation and thus radiation dose of the subsequent diagnostic scan. Methods: Localizer radiographs of an abdominal section CT phantom were taken, and the resulting volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) for the diagnostic scan was recorded. Variables included tube potential, the phantom's alignment within the CT scanner gantry in both the vertical and horizontal directions and the X-ray source angle at which the localizer was acquired. Results: Diagnostic scan CTDIvol decreased with increasing tube potential. Vertical (table height) movement was found to affect radiation dose more than horizontal movement, with 650 mm table movement resulting in a standard deviation in the diagnostic scan CTDIvol of 4.4 mGy, compared with 2.5 mGy with 6 50 mm horizontal movement. Correspondingly, localizer angles of 90°or 270°(3 o'clock and 9 o'clock X-ray source positions) were less sensitive overall to alignment errors, with a standard deviation of 2.5 mGy, compared with a 0°or 180°angle, which had a standard deviation of 3.8 mGy. Conclusion: To achieve a consistently optimized radiation dose, the localizer protocol should be paired with the diagnostic acquisition protocol. A final acquisition angle of 90°should be used when possible to minimize dose variation resulting from alignment errors. Advances in knowledge: Localizer parameters that affect radiation output were identified for this scanner system. The importance of tube potential and acquisition angle was highlighted.Radiation exposure from medical imaging remains in the public awareness and has spurred the adoption of several technologies to minimize CT dose.

Objectives: We analyzed post-marketing surveillance data from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database for suture-based vascular closure devices (VCDs) -Perclose ProGlide (Abbott, Chicago, Illinois) and Prostar XL (Abbott). Background: Suture-based VCDs are mostly used for large-bore femoral arterial access-site closure. Real-world, contemporary experience on the most commonly reported complications and modes of failure associated with these devices is limited. Methods: Post-marketing surveillance data from the FDA MAUDE database, for the ProGlide system and for the Prostar XL system, were analyzed, yielding 827 Perclose ProGlide reports and 175 Prostar XL reports.Results: Of the 827 reports of major complications involving the Perclose ProGlide devices, 404 reports involved injury, and one involved death related to the device. In the Prostar XL analysis, 94 reports involved injury, and one involved death. Bleeding from vessel injury was the most common adverse outcome described with both devices, followed by hematoma and thrombus. Surgical repair was the most commonly used treatment strategy. In terms of device malfunction, suture-related malfunction (212 reports) was most commonly seen in the Perclose ProGlide group, while failed deployment was most commonly seen in the Prostar XL group.Conclusions: Our analysis of the MAUDE database demonstrates that in real-world practice, suture-based VCDs were found to be associated with complications, including vascular injury, difficulties with the device itself, and even death. Ongoing user education and pre-procedural patient selection are important to minimize risks associated with suture-based vascular closure devices.