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Background Nowadays, radiology is considered one of the most important disciplines of medicine as it guides physicians to reach the proper diagnosis by using many types of medical imaging modalities, such as x-ray radiography, computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These modalities are used to create dynamic images of different parts of the human body, which are being used to accurately diagnose and follow up on a variety of medical conditions. Moreover, in recent decades, radiology has experienced substantial growth and transformation, establishing itself not just in diagnostics but also in the domain of medical interventions, which includes the increasingly recognized discipline of interventional radiology. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) in Makkah from October 2022 to April 2023. The population size of medical students from the fourth to sixth year at Umm Al-Qura University is about 820 students. Results The total number of participants was 359, but two did not fill out properly. Hence, data was analyzed for (n=357), whereas more than half of them were female, 195 (54.6%). About 133 (37%) of the students were in their sixth year, while 106 (29%) were in their fourth year. Regarding their grade point average (GPA), 209 (58%) had >3.5, and 119 (33%) had 3.0-3.5. The maximum number of females 77 (57.9%) students were in the sixth year. Regarding knowledge, 291 (81.5%) had heard about interventional radiology before, while 66 (18.5%) had never heard about interventional radiology before. Moreover, 270 (75.6%) believe that the years in radiology residency are the same as other specialties. Regarding perceived knowledge about radiology, 183 (51.3%) said it is adequate. Conclusion This study showed that medical students at Umm Al-Qura University have a positive attitude towards radiology. However, the majority of the students do not have adequate knowledge regarding radiology as well as radiation hazards. We can improve this by increasing radiology experience in our institutions. Also, courses should be designed and incorporated into the curriculum to increase the knowledge of medical students about ionizing radiation.
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The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the abdomen. It then bifurcates giving the two common iliac arteries. Knowing the normal abdominal aorta diameter is a basis for diagnosing abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and subsequently developing an optimal management plan. In order to diagnose AAA, one must have a reference for the normal abdominal aortic diameter that represents the anatomical variation in the population being studied. The aim of this research is to establish normal abdominal aortic diameters in the Saudi population.
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Anemia affects approximately a quarter of the global population, and improved detection may reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. This study investigated correlations between the results of laboratory hematological determinations of hemoglobin levels and attenuation values measured in the lumina of the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava (IVC) via unenhanced computed tomography (CT) with the aim of expanding diagnostic options for anemia. The data of 423 patients who underwent abdominal unenhanced CT examinations and laboratory examinations at a tertiary hospital were retrospectively evaluated. CT data were collected using a standard abdominal protocol without contrast. The 151 patients who met the inclusion criteria were categorized by hemoglobin values as follows: <8 (severe anemia), 8-10.9 (moderate anemia), 10.9-12 (mild anemia in females), 10.9-13 (mild anemia in males), and >13 g/dL (non-anemic). The mean CT attenuation values in the aorta and IVC were 37.7 and 36.1 Hounsfield units (HU), respectively. A regression analysis performed to evaluate the correlation and predictability of hemoglobin-based aortic and IVC density yielded a coefficient of determination, R2: 0.42 (F ratio: 149.23, p < 0.0001). The highest contribution in the dependent variable (hemoglobin) was reported to IVC density, showing a significant positive correlation between hemoglobin and IVC density. Our study results demonstrate significant correlations between the densities of the aorta, IVC, and hemoglobin value. Accordingly, radiologists and clinicians can use these readily available values to facilitate diagnosis and patient care.
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Detection of lung nodules in a chest Radiograph is very difficult due to sensitivity to noise, lighting, and similar disturbances of the blood vessels and trachea. Therefore, such images need to be carefully examined to identify and characterize lung lesions. However, human interpretations are usually contradictory and may cause confusion. Current works propose an image processing technique based on frequency domain processing to clarify X-ray radiographic images taken in patients with a variety of lung lesions. The Picture Archiving and Communication Systems workstation allows transferring radiographic data from DICOM into JPEG image formats. In the preprocessing phase, the lung nodules are identified by an experienced chest radiologist and used for extracting regions of interest. Subsequently, low-pass followed by emphasis high-pass frequency filters are applied to enhance the images with appropriate cut-off frequencies. It has been found that high-frequency domain image filtering enhances the morphological features of lung masses. Enhanced images are then visually arbitrated by an expert radiologist. We found that the characteristics of lung lesions are easily identified after this process.
