Computed Tomography in Stroke Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with more than 5.5 million deaths annually. Imaging is required before treating a stroke, and imaging techniques assist in diagnosis and treatment decisions. Computed tomography (CT) is the most common diagnostic tool for suspected stroke because of its affordability, wide availability, and speed of acquiring images. Mobile stroke units bring CT directly to the patient.

Cybersecurity in Medical Imaging.

Cybersecurity is an increasing concern for many in the medical cybersecurity and information technology professions. As computerized devices in medical facilities become increasingly networked within their own walls and with external facilities, the risk of cyberattacks also increases, threatening confidentiality, safety, and well-being. This article describes what health care organizations and imaging professionals should do to minimize the risks.

First-in-Human Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 gag Vaccine (HVTN 090).

Background. We report the first-in-human safety and immunogenicity evaluation of a highly attenuated, replication-competent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 vaccine. Methods. Sixty healthy, HIV-1-uninfected adults were enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled dose-escalation study. Groups of 12 participants received rVSV HIV-1 gag vaccine at 5 dose levels (4.6 × 10(3) to 3.4 × 10(7) particle forming units) (N = 10/group) or placebo (N = 2/group), delivered intramuscularly as bilateral injections at 0 and 2 months. Safety monitoring included VSV cultures from blood, urine, saliva, and swabs of oral lesions. Vesicular stomatitis virus-neutralizing antibodies, T-cell immunogenicity, and HIV-1 specific binding antibodies were assessed. Results. Local and systemic reactogenicity symptoms were mild to moderate and increased with dose. No severe reactogenicity or product-related serious adverse events were reported, and all rVSV cultures were negative. All vaccine recipients became seropositive for VSV after 2 vaccinations. gag-specific T-cell responses were detected in 63% of participants by interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot at the highest dose post boost. Conclusions. An attenuated replication-competent rVSV gag vaccine has an acceptable safety profile in healthy adults. This rVSV vector is a promising new vaccine platform for the development of vaccines to combat HIV-1 and other serious human diseases.

Computed tomography of celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and destruction in the small intestine in response to the ingestion of gluten and related proteins. Although long considered a pediatric condition, it is now recognized as a condition that affects all ages, with significant complications if it goes untreated. Adults are most likely to present for imaging without a diagnosis for unspecified abdominal symptoms. Imaging the small intestine is complicated. Although the advent of multidetector computed tomography (CT) helps, the relative newness of its use, combined with the relative scarcity of imaging studies of celiac disease, make CT imaging of celiac disease a constantly evolving arena.

Brain arteriovenous malformations.

An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a particular abnormality of blood vessels. Brain AVMs are congenital, but symptoms usually do not appear until the second decade of life - if at all. The most common presenting symptom is a brain hemorrhage, but other possible symptoms include neurological deficits, seizures and headaches. Until recently, the gold standard for diagnosing AVM was conventional angiography. However, computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiography are now the first-line diagnostic tools for AVMs. This article reviews the presenting symptoms, diagnostic procedures and treatment options for brain AVMs, including embolization, micro-surgery and radiosurgery. This article is a Directed Reading. Your access to Directed Reading quizzes for continuing education credit is determined by your CE preference. For access to other quizzes, go to www.asrt.org/store.

Benign breast disease.

Benign breast disease is common in women. Because it is not a life-threatening condition, epidemiology information and research into the etiology and diagnosis is lacking. Benign breast disease encompasses a variety of conditions; some are harmless, but others increase the risk of breast cancer in patients. Among lesions that add to a woman's risk of breast cancer, the magnitude of this increased risk varies and a family history of breast or ovarian cancers increases risk even more. When a woman has significant symptoms of benign breast disease, it often raises suspicion of breast cancer, and physicians rely on imaging examinations and biopsies to determine the nature of the condition.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a generalized term commonly associated with emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These lung diseases are characterized by airflow obstruction in both the airways and alveoli resulting from inflammation and destruction of these structures. Progressive COPD results in increased difficulty in breathing, a variety of related physical symptoms, deteriorating quality of life and ultimately death. Like lung cancer, COPD is mainly linked to smoking. Imaging can help diagnose and evaluate the progression of COPD. The 3 imaging modalities that are used for COPD are radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR). Of the 3, CT technology has proved to be the most useful, although that scenario may be changing.

Nuclear imaging in breast cancer.

Nuclear imaging of the breast shows physiological changes that usually are due to malignancies. These changes are detectable earlier than those visible on other imaging modalities. Recent advances in functional breast imaging have given us promising new tools - positron emission mammography and breast-specific gamma imaging - that combine the advantages of functional imaging with a finer resolution than that of positron emission tomography and scintimammography. If its promises bear out, breast-specific functional imaging will provide a powerful new tool in the fight against breast cancer and will assume a larger role in the coming years.

Inflammatory breast cancer: challenges and developments.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and exceedingly aggressive type of cancer that is often mistaken for other conditions. Because it spreads throughout the breast tissue, imaging modalities are not sensitive enough to allow for a conclusive diagnosis. Treatment typically is patterned after treatment for aggressive non-IBC breast cancer.