Advancing brain tumor detection: harnessing the Swin Transformer's power for accurate classification and performance analysis.

The accurate detection of brain tumors through medical imaging is paramount for precise diagnoses and effective treatment strategies. In this study, we introduce an innovative and robust methodology that capitalizes on the transformative potential of the Swin Transformer architecture for meticulous brain tumor image classification. Our approach handles the classification of brain tumors across four distinct categories: glioma, meningioma, non-tumor, and pituitary, leveraging a dataset comprising 2,870 images. Employing the Swin Transformer architecture, our method intricately integrates a multifaceted pipeline encompassing sophisticated preprocessing, intricate feature extraction mechanisms, and a highly nuanced classification framework. Utilizing 21 matrices for performance evaluation across all four classes, these matrices provide a detailed insight into the model's behavior throughout the learning process, furthermore showcasing a graphical representation of confusion matrix, training and validation loss and accuracy. The standout performance parameter, accuracy, stands at an impressive 97%. This achievement outperforms established models like CNN, DCNN, ViT, and their variants in brain tumor classification. Our methodology's robustness and exceptional accuracy showcase its potential as a pioneering model in this domain, promising substantial advancements in accurate tumor identification and classification, thereby contributing significantly to the landscape of medical image analysis.

Ultrasound Imaging in Subjects with Sickle Cell Disease: The Saudi Arabia Experiences.

Background: Abdominal organ sonography is a crucial part of the workup for treating sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the abdominal organs in SCD patients using ultrasonography. Methodology: A non-interventional descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Asir region Saudi Arabia from April 2019 to July 2020. The study was conducted in 78 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Data were gathered using a data collection sheet included demographic information, clinical information including medication types, and complications linked to SCD. Furthermore, the study evaluated abdominal ultrasound findings pertaining to the liver, gall bladder, spleen, and kidneys. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: More than half of the study participants 43 (55.1%) were females. About 53.8% of the study participants received blood transfusions, and (11.5%) receive extra-vaccine. Concerning ultrasound findings, hepatomegaly was found in seventeen (21.8%), focal liver lesions in four (5.1%), gallstones in five (6.4%), splenomegaly in fifteen (19.3%), and the presence of splenic focal lesions was found in seven (9.0%). The most frequent complication associated with SCD was osteomyelitis sepsis in six cases (7.7%). The study revealed a significant correlation between the type of crisis and type of medication used and the size of the spleen (P-value <0.01), and no notable correlation was found between the types of crises and the size of the liver (P-value >0.05). Conclusion: Abdominal sonography in SCD patients revealed a wide range of alterations in the liver, gallbladder, and spleen. The most frequently observed complications in SCD were hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, localized lesions in both organs, and the presence of gallstones.

Fabrication and Characterization of a Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@Tungsten Trioxide-Graphene Oxide Hybrid Electrode Nanocomposite for Supercapacitor Applications.

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the study of nanocomposites as electrode materials has significantly enhanced the scope of research towards energy storage applications. Exploring electrode materials with superior electrochemical properties is still a challenge for high-performance supercapacitors. In the present research article, we prepared a novel nanocomposite of tungsten trioxide nanoparticles grown over supported graphene oxide sheets and embedded with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) matrix to maximize its electrical double layer capacitance. The extensive characterization shows that the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) matrix was homogeneously dispersed throughout the surface of the tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide. The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide exhibits a higher specific capacitance of 478.3 F·g-1 at 10 mV·s-1 as compared to tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide (345.3 F·g-1). The retention capacity of 92.1% up to 5000 cycles at 0.1 A·g-1 shows that this ternary nanocomposite electrode also exhibits good cycling stability. The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide energy density and power densities are observed to be 54.2 Wh·kg-1 and 971 W·kg-1. The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide has been shown to be a superior anode material in supercapacitors because of the synergistic interaction of the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) matrix and the tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide surface. These advantages reveal that the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)@tungsten trioxide-graphene oxide electrode can be a promising electroactive material for supercapacitor applications.

Unveiling the Chemical Profiling Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Algerian Myrtus communis L. Essential Oils, and Exploring Molecular Docking to Predict the Inhibitory Compounds against Cyclooxygenase-2.

Considering the large spectrum of side effects caused by synthetic drugs and the development of natural alternatives utilizing Algerian flora, this study aimed to place a spotlight on the chemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Myrtus communis L. essential oils (MCEOs). In this study, essential oils (EOs) were collected via hydro-distillation of the plant's leaves, and a chemical constituent analysis was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging tests. The in vitro anti-inflammatory capacity was estimated by studying the antidenaturation effect using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein model. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity was carried out by utilizing the classical model of carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, using diclofenac (DCF) as the reference drug. Moreover, the molecular interaction of the compounds obtained from the GC-MS analysis was studied within the binding site of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) using an in silico approach as the confirmatory tool of the in vitro and in vivo experiments. The GC-MS analysis revealed that MCEOs were mainly composed of oxygenated monoterpenes (70.56%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (3.1%), sesquiterpenes (4.17%), and monoterpenes (8.75%). Furthermore, 1,8-cineole was the major compound (19.05%), followed by cis-geranyl acetate (11.74%), methyl eugenol (5.58%), α-terpineol (4.62%), and ß-myrcene (4.40%). MCEOs exhibited remarkable concentration-dependent free radical scavenging activity, with an IC50 of 15.317 ± 0.340 µg/mL, 18.890 ± 2.190 µg/mL, and 31.877 ± 0.742 µg/mL for DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical, respectively. The significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity due to the inhibition of BSA denaturation was proportional to the EO concentration, where the highest value was recorded at 100 µg/mL with an approximately 63.35% percentage inhibition and an IC50 of 60.351 ± 5.832 µg/mL. MCEOs showed a good in vivo anti-inflammatory effect by limiting the development of carrageenan-induced paw thickness. The in silico study indicated that, among the 60 compounds identified by the GC-MS analysis, 9 compounds were observed to have a high binding energy to cyclooxygenase-2 as compared to diclofenac. Our study revealed that EOs from Algerian Myrtus communis L. can be considered to be a promising candidate for alleviating many debilitating health problems and may provide new insights in the fields of drug design, agriculture, and the food industry.

Advancing Brain Tumor Classification through Fine-Tuned Vision Transformers: A Comparative Study of Pre-Trained Models.

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the classification of brain tumor images using five pre-trained vision transformer (ViT) models, namely R50-ViT-l16, ViT-l16, ViT-l32, ViT-b16, and ViT-b32, employing a fine-tuning approach. The objective of this study is to advance the state-of-the-art in brain tumor classification by harnessing the power of these advanced models. The dataset utilized for experimentation consists of a total of 4855 images in the training set and 857 images in the testing set, encompassing four distinct tumor classes. The performance evaluation of each model is conducted through an extensive analysis encompassing precision, recall, F1-score, accuracy, and confusion matrix metrics. Among the models assessed, ViT-b32 demonstrates exceptional performance, achieving a high accuracy of 98.24% in accurately classifying brain tumor images. Notably, the obtained results outperform existing methodologies, showcasing the efficacy of the proposed approach. The contributions of this research extend beyond conventional methods, as it not only employs cutting-edge ViT models but also surpasses the performance of existing approaches for brain tumor image classification. This study not only demonstrates the potential of ViT models in medical image analysis but also provides a benchmark for future research in the field of brain tumor classification.

Modification of Dispersin B with Cyclodextrin-Ciprofloxacin Derivatives for Treating Staphylococcal.

To address the high tolerance of biofilms to antibiotics, it is urgent to develop new strategies to fight against these bacterial consortia. An innovative antibiofilm nanovector drug delivery system, consisting of Dispersin B-permethylated-ß-cyclodextrin/ciprofloxacin adamantyl (DspB-ß-CD/CIP-Ad), is described here. For this purpose, complexation assays between CIP-Ad and (i) unmodified ß-CD and (ii) different derivatives of ß-CD, which are 2,3-O-dimethyl-ß-CD, 2,6-O-dimethyl-ß-CD, and 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-ß-CD, were tested. A stoichiometry of 1/1 was obtained for the ß-CD/CIP-Ad complex by NMR analysis. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) experiments were carried out to determine Ka, ΔH, and ΔS thermodynamic parameters of the complex between ß-CD and its different derivatives in the presence of CIP-Ad. A stoichiometry of 1/1 for ß-CD/CIP-Ad complexes was confirmed with variable affinity according to the type of methylation. A phase solubility study showed increased CIP-Ad solubility with CD concentration, pointing out complex formation. The evaluation of the antibacterial activity of CIP-Ad and the 2,3-O-dimethyl-ß-CD/CIP-Ad or 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-ß-CD/CIP-Ad complexes was performed on Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) strains. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) studies showed that the complex of CIP-Ad and 2,3-O-dimethyl-ß-CD exhibited a similar antimicrobial activity to CIP-Ad alone, while the interaction with 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-ß-CD increased MIC values. Antimicrobial assays on S. epidermidis biofilms demonstrated that the synergistic effect observed with the DspB/CIP association was partly maintained with the 2,3-O-dimethyl-ß-CDs/CIP-Ad complex. To obtain this "all-in-one" drug delivery system, able to destroy the biofilm matrix and release the antibiotic simultaneously, we covalently grafted DspB on three carboxylic permethylated CD derivatives with different-length spacer arms. The strategy was validated by demonstrating that a DspB-permethylated-ß-CD/ciprofloxacin-Ad system exhibited efficient antibiofilm activity.

Work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among Saudi radiologists: a cross-sectional multi-centre study.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are common health problems worldwide. Several factors cause these symptoms, including ergonomics and other individual considerations. Computer users are prone to repetitive strain injuries that increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS). Radiologists are susceptible to developing MSS because they work long hours analysing medical images on computers in an increasingly digitalised field. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of MSS among Saudi radiologists and the associated risk factors. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional, non-interventional, self-administered online survey. The study was conducted on 814 Saudi radiologists from various regions in Saudi Arabia. The study's outcome was the presence of MSS in any body region that limited participation in routine activities over the previous 12 months. The results were descriptively examined using binary logistic regression analysis to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of participants who had disabling MSS in the previous 12 months. All university, public, and private radiologists received an online survey containing questions about work surroundings, workload (e.g., spent at a computer workstation), and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of MSS among the radiologists was 87.7%. Most of the participants (82%) were younger than 40 years of age. Radiography and computed tomography were the most common imaging modalities that caused MSS (53.4% and 26.8%, respectively). The most common symptoms were neck pain (59.3%) and lower back pain (57.1%). After adjustment, age, years of experience, and part-time employment were significantly associated with increased MSS (OR = .219, 95% CI = .057-.836; OR = .235, 95% CI = 087-.634; and OR = 2.673, 95% CI = 1.434-4.981, respectively). Women were more likely to report MSS than males (OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.327-3.377). CONCLUSIONS: MSS are common among Saudi radiologists, with neck pain and lower back pain being the most frequently reported symptoms. Gender, age, years of experience, type of imaging modality, and employment status were the most common associated risk factors for developing MSS. These findings are vital for the development of interventional plans to reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in clinical radiologists.

Color Doppler ultrasound in high-low risk pregnancies and its relationship to fetal outcomes: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To calculate the multivessel color Doppler indices in high-risk and low-risk pregnancies and relate these to fetal outcomes. Methods: The investigation involved 60 patients who were pregnant. The patients were separated into groups according to assessment of low and high risk. The patients underwent color Doppler ultrasonography to detect the maternal and fetal blood vessels, and the measured Doppler indices were then analyzed for any association with fetal outcomes. Results: The gestational stages (in weeks) of the participants at the respective times of investigation and delivery were 32.06 ± 2.98 and 36.2 ± 1.78 in the low-risk group and 29.21 ± 1.95 and 29.83 ± 1.86 in the high-risk group. The pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI), and systolic/diastolic ratio (SD) decreased with gestation length in the low-risk group, whereas in the high-risk group, these values increased in the uterine and umbilical arteries. With increased gestational stage, MCA-PSV (peak systolic velocity) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) increased, while PI decreased. Pulsatile and reversal flow of the uterine vein, the vein of Galen, and the umbilical vein were noted in high-risk pregnancies, and these negatively affected the fetal outcome. The fetal venous parameters were more specific and sensitive for predicting an unfavorable fetal outcome than the arterial factors, with a greater negative predictive value. Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that abnormal Doppler indices of the blood vessels in high-risk pregnant patients will result in adverse clinical outcomes. Therefore, the patients can be monitored and managed accordingly using Doppler ultrasonography.

Association of Smoking with the Blood Concentration of 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D and Testosterone at High and Low Altitudes.

PURPOSE: This research examined the association of cigarette smoking and altitude with the blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, testosterone and carotid artery thickness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This comparative cross-sectional study involved 37 non-smokers and 24 smokers from a high-altitude area (≥2245 m above sea level) and 40 smokers and 40 non-smokers from a low-altitude area (39-283 m above sea level). The blood testosterone level was determined spectrophotometrically, and the 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration was measured by ELISA. The IMT of the right and left carotid arteries was determined using ultrasound imaging. RESULTS: Smoking notably elevated the thickness of the intima media of the right and left carotid arteries at both high and low altitudes (p ≤ 0.001). Smoking at high altitude was associated with a significant increase in the concentration of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and testosterone, while at low altitude it was associated with a significant decrease in both parameters (p ≤ 0.046). CONCLUSION: These contrasting results suggest that future studies should focus on finding out if other biochemical parameters show any significant differences in smokers or/and non-smokers when they are tested at elevated height and sea-level. This indicates that dose modifications of medicines (related to alterations in vitamin D and testosterone levels) should be kept in mind while treating smokers and non-smokers at elevated height above sea level.

A Novel Multicolor-thresholding Auto-detection Method to Detect the Location and Severity of Inflammation in Confirmed SARS-COV-2 Cases using Chest X-Ray Images.

OBJECTIVES: Since late 2019, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread around the world. It has been determined that the disease is very contagious and can cause Acute Respiratory Distress (ARD). Medical imaging has the potential to help identify, detect, and quantify the severity of this infection. This work seeks to develop a novel auto-detection technique for verified COVID-19 cases that can detect aberrant alterations in traditional X-ray pictures. METHODS: Nineteen separately colored layers were created from X-ray scans of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Each layer represents objects that have a similar contrast and can be represented by a single color. In a single layer, objects with similar contrasts are formed. A single color image was created by extracting all the objects from all the layers. The prototype model could recognize a wide range of abnormal changes in the image texture based on color differentiation. This was true even when the contrast values of the detected unclear abnormalities varied slightly. RESULTS: The results indicate that the proposed novel method is 91% accurate in detecting and grading COVID-19 lung infections compared to the opinions of three experienced radiologists evaluating chest X-ray images. Additionally, the method can be used to determine the infection site and severity of the disease by categorizing X-rays into five severity levels. CONCLUSION: By comparing affected tissue to healthy tissue, the proposed COVID-19 auto-detection method can identify locations and indicate the severity of the disease, as well as predict where the disease may spread.

Sonographic Evaluation of the Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreas is a vital insulin-producing gland, and it is subjected to various disorders which produce alteration in the morphology and function. Ultrasound (US) of the pancreas is sensitive for evaluating the gland and provides the accurate diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. The aim of this study is to determine whether there were alterations in pancreatic size and echogenicity in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: A total of 100 patients with Type-1 DM (insulin dependent) were examined using the ultrasonography. They were compared to 22 healthy controls. Measurements of the pancreas were performed on type 1 diabetic patients and controls. RESULTS: Pancreatic diameters of the head, body, and tail of the pancreas were reduced in Type 1 DM versus controls (1.78 vs. 1.80 cm, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.147 -0.099, P = 0.699 for the head of the pancreas; and 1.093 vs. 1.13 cm: 95% CI: -2.97-1.196, P = 0.484 for the body of the pancreas; 1.12 vs. 1.46 cm, 95% CI: -0.491-0.194, P < 0.001 for the tail of the pancreas). The echogenicity of the pancreas in patients with Type 1 DM increased significantly as the duration of the disease increased (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Individuals with Type 1 DM have reduced pancreatic size in comparison with controls. Patients with Type 1 DM have increased echogenicity of the pancreas as the duration of the disease increased.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Imaging Case Volumes in Aseer Region: A Retrospective Study.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on global health systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate how imaging volumes and imaging types in radiology departments have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic across different locations. METHODS: Imaging volumes in the Aseer region (in the south of Saudi Arabia) across main hospitals were reviewed retrospectively including all cases referred from different locations (outpatient, inpatient and emergency departments). Data for years 2019 and 2020 were compared. The mean monthly cases were compared using a t-test. RESULTS: The total imaging volumes in 2019 were 205,805 compared to 159,107 in 2020 with a 22.7% overall reduction. A substantial decline was observed in both the April to June and the July to September periods of approximately 42.9% and 44.4%, respectively. With respect to location, between April and June, the greatest decline was observed in outpatient departments (76% decline), followed by emergency departments (25% decline), and the least impact was observed in inpatient departments, with only 6.8% decline over the same period. According to modality type, the greatest decreases were reported in nuclear medicine, ultrasound, MRI, and mammography, by 100%, 76%, 74%, and 66%, respectively. Our results show a statistically significant (p-value ≤ 0.05) decrease of cases in 2020 compared to 2019, except for mammography procedures. CONCLUSION: There has been a significant decline in radiology volumes due to COVID-19. The overall reduction in radiology volumes was dependent on the stage/period of lockdown, location, and imaging modality.

Evaluation of Post-Vaccination Symptoms of Two Common COVID-19 Vaccines Used in Abha, Aseer Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) and the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) COVID-19 vaccines have shown promising safety and acceptability. However, COVID-19 vaccine side effects play an essential role in public vaccine confidence. We aimed to study the side effects of these COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS: A randomized, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between March and May of 2021. In total, 330 participants among the King Khalid University community in the Aseer region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reported their side effects following the COVID-19 vaccine. A questionnaire was designed and validated to collect the participants' demographic data and COVID-19-related symptoms after COVID-19 vaccine injection. RESULTS: Symptoms associated with COVID-19 were reported by 226 participants (68.5%). The most common side effects reported by the participants were fever (n = 136, 41.2%), fatigue (n = 119, 36.1%), headache (n = 86, 24.2%), malaise (n = 121, 36.7%), myalgia (n = 121, 36.7%), and muscle and joint pain (n = 76, 23%). Of the participants, 5.1% became infected with COVID-19 after vaccination. Symptoms were significantly more common in males than in females (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The incidence of COVID-19 vaccination side effects in the Aseer region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was consistent with the manufacturers' data. The most common post-vaccination symptoms reported by the participants were fever, myalgia, malaise, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and headache. The results of this study showed significant variation in adverse events between Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare providers and recipients of vaccines can be more confident about the safety of Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

Radiology Community Attitude in Saudi Arabia about the Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Radiology.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad, umbrella term that encompasses the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. The aim of this study is to assess the radiology community's attitude in Saudi Arabia toward the applications of AI. METHODS: Data for this study were collected using electronic questionnaires in 2019 and 2020. The study included a total of 714 participants. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics (version 25). RESULTS: The majority of the participants (61.2%) had read or heard about the role of AI in radiology. We also found that radiologists had statistically different responses and tended to read more about AI compared to all other specialists. In addition, 82% of the participants thought that AI must be included in the curriculum of medical and allied health colleges, and 86% of the participants agreed that AI would be essential in the future. Even though human-machine interaction was considered to be one of the most important skills in the future, 89% of the participants thought that it would never replace radiologists. CONCLUSION: Because AI plays a vital role in radiology, it is important to ensure that radiologists and radiographers have at least a minimum understanding of the technology. Our finding shows an acceptable level of knowledge regarding AI technology and that AI applications should be included in the curriculum of the medical and health sciences colleges.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Concerning COVID-19 Among Undergraduate Students of Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences at King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Surveyed Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has exerted great efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This research aims to scrutinize the outlook, awareness, and customs of Saudi undergraduate students regarding COVID-19. METHODS: The current cross-sectional study comprises 178 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences. The data were collected from online Google form questionnaires. The differences were picked out of the questionnaires, and the mean scores of the differences were duly assessed. The variables associated with knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 were evaluated; moreover, a comparative study was conducted on these variables in different faculty departments. ANOVA, Student's t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis were used to assess the data on knowledge, attitude, and practice. RESULTS: Most of the undergraduate students were well acquainted with COVID-19. We obtained the mean knowledge score for COVID-19 to be 3.08 ± .82 (range: 1-5), indicating good knowledge. The attitude means the score was 3.02 ± .61 (range: 0-4), implying good positive attitudes. On assessing the mean score of practices, it was found 5 ± .47 (range: 0-7), pointing towards perfect practices. There were no significant differences between males and females regarding knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward COVID-19 (p-value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Students of Applied Medical Sciences are knowledgeable about COVID-19. Health education programs should be focused on protection and safety from COVID-19 for Applied Medical Sciences students, especially Medical Rehabilitation Sciences and Radiology. Hand hygiene awareness programs must be conducted for undergraduate students. Infection control should be part of the undergraduate applied for medical sciences curriculum program.

A Novel Computational Model for Detecting the Severity of Inflammation in Confirmed COVID-19 Patients Using Chest X-ray Images.

Since late 2019, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread all over the world. The disease is highly contagious, and it may lead to acute respiratory distress (ARD). Medical imaging can play an important role in classifying, detecting, and measuring the severity of the virus. This study aims to provide a novel auto-detection tool that can detect abnormal changes in conventional X-ray images for confirmed COVID-19 cases. X-ray images from patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were converted into 19 different colored layers. Each layer represented objects with similar contrast that could be defined as a specific color. The objects with similar contrasts were formed in a single layer. All the objects from all the layers were extracted as a single-color image. Based on the differentiation of colors, the prototype model was able to recognize a wide spectrum of abnormal changes in the image texture. This was true even if there was minimal variation of the contrast values of the detected uncleared abnormalities. The results indicate that the proposed novel method can detect and determine the degree of lung infection from COVID-19 with an accuracy of 91%, compared to the opinions of three experienced radiologists. The method can also efficiently determine the sites of infection and the severity of the disease by classifying the X-rays into five levels of severity. Thus, the proposed COVID-19 autodetection method can identify locations and indicate the degree of severity of the disease by comparing affected tissue with healthy tissue, and it can predict where the disease may spread.

Patients' perceptions and attitude towards MRI safety in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of Saudi patients toward the safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 142 Saudi patients at King Khalid hospital, Asir, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a self-questionnaire based on MRI safety issues gained from the literature. The questionnaire was divided into two sections, one containing the respondents' sociodemographic information and the other assessing their knowledge and attitudes toward participating in MRI. RESULTS: A total of 142 patients responded to the survey, and their average age was 31.5 ± 4 years. The majority were married and held a bachelor's degree. The mean knowledge score regarding MRI safety was 0.29 ± 0.25, which reflects poor knowledge, whereas the attitude score was 0.67 ± 0.20, reflecting a moderately positive attitude. Awareness and attitude among patients improved as education levels increased. Finally, only 53.5% of the respondents were aware of the noise produced by the MRI scanner. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the awareness of MRI safety among patients in the Asir Region is poor, although they showed positive attitudes toward the issue. Thus, education is necessary for patients to improve awareness of MRI safety to facilitate MRI examinations, which will help decrease scan time and image artefacts.

Measuring Awareness of Infection Control Guidelines for Patients with COVID-19 in Radiology Departments in Saudi Arabia.

Due to the contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus, healthcare workers are at a great risk of infection. Since medical imaging plays a significant part in the healthcare system and is often used in the diagnosis of potential COVID-19 patients, the radiology personnel are at a very high risk of becoming infected. PURPOSE: This study aims to assess the enforcement of infection control guidelines for patients with COVID-19 during medical imaging procedures and raise awareness of infection control in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A total of 128 responses were collected from four hospitals across Saudi Arabia using a new structured questionnaire, which was created for health workers by the WHO specifically for this purpose. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. RESULTS: Most participants correctly followed the guidelines of the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on infection control in the X-ray and general radiology departments. Guideline awareness was higher among magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised tomography (CT) radiographers, which reduced the risk of future infections. Out of the total respondents, 98.4% stated that they had received formal training in hand hygiene. Only 40.6% of participants, however, knew that respiratory droplets are the primary mode of transmission of the virus from person to person. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of healthcare professionals in the radiology department regarding infection control needs to be continually assessed. A focus on educational interventions on infection control is required in order to maintain well-informed medical staff.

Radiologists' Knowledge and Attitudes towards CT Radiation Dose and Exposure in Saudi Arabia-A Survey Study.

Computed tomography (CT) is a key imaging technique in diagnostic radiology, providing highly sensitive and specific information. While its use has increased dramatically in recent years, the quantity and associated risks of radiation from CT scans present major challenges, particularly in paediatrics. The fundamental principles of radiation protection require that radiation quantities be as low as reasonably achievable and CT use must be justified, particularly for paediatric patients. CT radiation knowledge is a key factor in optimising and minimising radiation risk. The objective of this study was to analyse knowledge level, expertise, and competency regarding CT radiation dose and its hazards in paediatrics among radiologists in Saudi Arabian hospitals. A self-reported, multiple-choice questionnaire assessed the attitudes and opinions of radiologists involved in imaging studies using ionising radiation. Among the total respondents, 65% ± 13.5% had a good comprehension of the dangers of carcinogenicity to the patient resulting from CT scans, with 80% presuming that cancer risks were elevated. However, only 48.5%, 56.5%, and 65% of the respondents were aware of specific radiation risks in head, chest, and abdominal paediatric examinations, respectively. Regular, frequent, and specific training courses are suggested to improve the fundamental knowledge of CT radiation among radiologists and other physicians.

Lipid profile, random blood glucose and carotid arteries thickness in human male subjects with different ages and body mass indexes.

OBJECTIVE: This article investigated the effect of age and body mass index of male humans on the carotid arteries intima media thickness (IMT) and the blood concentration of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. METHODS: Thirty seven normal male human subjects participated in this study. The participants were classified to three groups depending on their age; 20-29 (11), 30-39 (14) and 40-49 (12). Also, the study subjects were divided to three groups according to their body mass index; normal (13), overweight (13) and obese (11). The Anova test was used for the statistical analysis of the obtained results. RESULTS: The body mass index significantly affected the blood glucose concentration while its effect on all the other parameters was insignificant. The age significantly affected all the studied parameters except the blood glucose, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. The total cholesterol/HDL ratio was significantly affected by the age and insignificantly by the body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The age was more effective on the studied parameters than the body mass index. Worsening of the lipid profile was seen in the overweight participants rather than the obese ones.