Objectives: Small field of view gamma detection and imaging technologies for monitoring in vivo tracer uptake are rapidly expanding and being introduced for bed-side imaging and image guided surgical procedures. The Hybrid Gamma Camera (HGC) has been developed to enhance the localization of targeted radiopharmaceuticals during surgical procedures; for example in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies and for bed-side imaging in procedures such as lacrimal drainage imaging and thyroid scanning. In this study, a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed, constructed, and evaluated using representative modelled medical scenarios to study the capability of the HGC to detect SLNs and image small organs. Methods: An anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed to mimic the adult head and neck including some internal organs and tissues of interest, such as the thyroid gland and sentinel lymph nodes. The design of the head and neck phantom included an adjustable inner jig holding the simulated SLNs and thyroid gland. The simulated thyroid gland was designed and 3D printed taking into consideration the size and the shape of a healthy adult thyroid gland. The inner sealed space of the thyroid was filled with 15MBq of 99mTc through two upper filling valves. Sealed micro-tubes (0.2ml) have been employed to simulate SLNs containing various 99mTc activity concentrations ranging between 0.1MBq and 1MBq, and can be positioned at any desired place in the head and neck region. An active background was simulated through mixing 10MBq of 99mTc solution with the water used to fill the outer shell of the head and neck phantom. Results: The head and neck phantom was employed to simulate a situation where there are four SLNs distributed at two different vertical levels and at two depths within the neck. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) calculations were performed for the detected SLNs at an 80mm distance between both pinhole collimators (i.e. 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameters) and the surface of the head and neck phantom with a 100s acquisition time. The recorded CNR values for the simulated SLNs are higher when the HGC was fitted with the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator. For instance, the recorded CNR values for the superficially simulated SLN containing 0.1MBq of 99mTc using 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimators are 6.48 and 16.42, respectively (~87% difference). The anatomical context provided by the hybrid imaging aided the localization process of radioactivity accumulation in simulated SLNs. Gamma and hybrid optical images were acquired using the HGC with both available pinhole collimators for the simulated thyroid gland. The thyroid images produced varied in terms of spatial resolution and detectability. The count profiles through the middle of the simulated thyroid gland images provided by both pinhole collimators were obtained. The HGC could clearly differentiate the individual peaks of both thyroid lobes in the gamma image produced by the 0.5mm pinhole collimator. In contrast, the recorded count profile for the acquired image using the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator showed broader peaks for both lobes, reflecting the degradation of the spatial resolution with increasing the diameter of the pinhole collimator. Conclusion: The capability of the HGC has been evaluated utilizing a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom, and the gamma and hybrid images obtained demonstrate that it is ideally suited for intraoperative SLNs detection and small organ imaging. The standardization of test phantoms and protocols for SFOV portable gamma systems will provide an opportunity to collect data across various medical centers and research groups. Moreover, it will provide a technical baseline for researchers and clinical practitioners to consider when assessing their SFOV gamma imaging systems. The anthropomorphic head and neck phantom described is cost effective, reproducible, flexible and anatomically representative.
Effective management of advanced cancer requires systemic treatment including small molecules that target unique features of aggressive tumor cells. At the same time, tumors are heterogeneous and current evidence suggests that a subpopulation of tumor cells, called tumor initiating or cancer stem cells, are responsible for metastatic dissemination, tumor relapse and possibly drug resistance. Classical apoptotic drugs are less effective against this critical subpopulation. In the course of generating a library of open-chain epothilones, we discovered a new class of small molecule anticancer agents that has no effect on tubulin but instead kills selected cancer cell lines by harnessing reactive oxygen
The aim of the study is to examine the challenges of financing small and medium enterprises in Iraq and subsequently to proffer solutions to mitigate problems. These solutions are achieved by focusing on the role of accounting information on the financial projects in for example, hotel construction, and by providing the necessary accounting information for the concerned parties to finance these projects. In order to highlight the challenges associated with the funding of small and medium enterprises and the role of accounting information in reducing those challenges, a questionnaire was prepared. As the government authorities are the ones responsible for the accomplishment of these projects, a questionnaire form was distributed in the proje
... Show MoreTested effective Alttafaria some materials used for different purposes, system a bacterial mutagenesis component of three bacterial isolates belonging to different races and materials tested included drug Briaktin
In this paper we present an operational computer vision system for real-time motion detection and recording that can be used in surveillance system. The system captures a video of a scene and identifies the frames that contains motion and record them in such a way that only the frames that is important to us is recorded and a report is made in the form of a movie is made and can be displayed. All parts that are captured by the camera are recorded to compare both movies. This serves as both a proof-of- concept and a verification of other existing algorithms for motion detection. Motion frames are detected using frame differencing. The results of the experiments with the system indicate the ability to minimize some of the problems false detec
... Show MoreBackground: A comparism study for management of deep seated small brain tumors less than 4 cm in the 3 diameters between cases managed by Brain lab navigator and those without it.
Patients and methods: We took 20 patients from the retrospecture data before the use of Navigator in our country compared with the 20 patients managed after the use of navigator in our hospital (specialized surgical hospital) in the neuro-surgical. Unit since 2002 till now. From 1/8/2002 till 31/12/2007 the study included the type of tumor & surgery & the result of surgery & time & complications ((morbidity & mortality)).
Results: There was a significant increase of the safety of surgery by using the navigator
This paper examined accounting information systems (AIS) as a mediator between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) strategies, including (finance source, administrative innovation, organizational culture, developing capabilities levels of SMEs, information source, development of business managers, and technological innovation) and organizational performance. In this quantitative study, 450 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the managers and owners of SMEs using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method via SmartPLS3 Software. The study offers empirical findings on the importance of AIS as a mediator, considers various factors, a
Kirchhoff Time migration was applied in Pre and Post-Stack for 2D seismic survey for line AJ-99N, that is located in Ajeel oilfield in Salah Al-Din Governorate, Central Iraq. The process follows several accurate steps to reach the final time migration stage. The results of applied time migration give an accurate image for the Ajeel anticline reservoir and to improve the signal to noise ratio. Pre-Stack shows a clearer image for the structure in the study area, and the time-frequency analysis insure the result.
The process of transformation from the central economy to a free economy requires restructuring the economy according to a new economic philosophy that relies on activating the role of private economic activity in which private and medium-sized institutions occupy an essential axis for their active role in the economies of all countries, especially those countries that have directed towards the market mechanism and sector leadership. The special process of economic development and the role that commercial banks can play in advancing the financing of these projects by establishing specialized business incubators for financing.
What encouraged countries to pay attention to these institutions is the ease of
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