scholarly journals Impact of spectral body imaging in patients suspected for occult cancer: a prospective study of 503 patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 5539-5550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Brun Andersen ◽  
Dyveke Ebbesen ◽  
Jesper Thygesen ◽  
Matthijs Kruis ◽  
Finn Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Spectral Ct ◽  
Occult Cancer ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Diagnostic Certainty ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Individual ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
Conventional Ct

Abstract Objectives To investigate the diagnostic impact and performance of spectral dual-layer detector CT in the detection and characterization of cancer compared to conventional CE-CT. Methods In a national workup program for occult cancer, 503 patients (286 females and 217 males) were prospectively enrolled for a contrast-enhanced spectral CT scan. The readings were performed with and without spectral data available. A minimum of 3 months between interpretations was implemented to minimize recall bias. The sequence of reads for the individual patient was randomized. Readers were blinded for patient identifiers and clinical outcome. Two radiologists with 9 and 33 years of experience performed the readings in consensus. If disagreement, a third radiologist with 11 years of experience determined the outcome of the reading Results Significantly more cancer findings were identified on the spectral reading. In 73 cases of proven cancer, we found a sensitivity of 89% vs 77% and a specificity of 77% vs 83% on spectral CT compared to conventional CT. A slight increase in reading time in spectral images of 82 s was found (382 vs 300, p < 0.001). For all cystic lesions, the perceived diagnostic certainty increased from 30% being completely certain to 96% most pronounced in the kidney, liver, thyroid, and ovaries. And adding the spectral information to the reading gave a decrease in follow-up examination for diagnostic certainty (0.25 vs 0.81 per reading, p < 0.001). Conclusion The use of contrast-enhanced spectral CT increases the confidence of the radiologists in correct characterization of various lesions and minimizes the need for supplementary examinations. Key Points • Spectral CT is associated with a higher sensitivity, but a slightly lower specificity compared to conventional CT. • Spectral CT increases the confidence of the radiologists. • The need for supplementary examinations is decreased, with only a slight increase in reading times.

scholarly journals Economic impact of spectral body imaging in diagnosis of patients suspected for occult cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Brun Andersen ◽  
Dyveke Ebbesen ◽  
Jesper Thygesen ◽  
Matthijs Kruis ◽  
Qing Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Spectral Data ◽  
Spectral Ct ◽  
Body Imaging ◽  
Occult Cancer ◽  
Contrast Enhanced Ct ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Conventional Ct ◽  
Data Reading

Abstract Background Based on prior studies spectral CT has shown a higher sensitivity for malignant lesions than conventional CT at the cost of lower specificity. For the radiologists, it also offers a higher degree of certainty in the diagnosis of benign lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of spectral CT in patients suspected of occult cancer in a medical center in Denmark. Methods This study was a secondary analysis using de-identified data from a prospective study of patients receiving a contrast-enhanced spectral CT scan. Based on suggested follow-up examinations on both spectral CT and contrast-enhanced CT, costs from a payer’s perspective were determined using unit costs obtained from national databases. Results The dataset contained 400 patients. Overall, 203 follow-up procedures were eliminated based on spectral data reading. The largest reduction in suggested follow-up procedures was found for the kidney (83%), followed by the liver (66%), adrenal glands (60%), and pancreas (42%). The total estimated costs for suggested follow-up procedures based on spectral data reading were €155,219, 25.2% (€52,384) less than that of conventional CT reading. Conclusion Our results provide support for spectral body imaging as an advanced imaging modality for suspected occult cancer. A substantial number of follow-up diagnostic procedures could be eliminated based on spectral data reading, which would result in significant cost savings.

Contrast enhanced ultrasonography in characterization of focal liver lesions in cirrhosis: A prospective study of 96 patients

2006 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. S157-S158
Author(s):  
I. de Sio ◽  
E. Caturelli ◽  
F. Magnolfi ◽  
A. Cozzolino ◽  
L. Tibullo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Focal Liver Lesions ◽  
Liver Lesions ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasonography ◽  
A Prospective Study

University Dropout

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 134-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel C. Voelkle ◽  
Nicolas Sander
Keyword(s):  
Grade Point Average ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽  
School Grade ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
High School Grade ◽  
Hands On ◽  
University Dropout ◽  
The Individual ◽  
A Prospective Study

University dropout is a politically and economically important factor. While a number of studies address this issue cross-sectionally by analyzing different cohorts, or retrospectively via questionnaires, few of them are truly longitudinal and focus on the individual as the unit of interest. In contrast to these studies, an individual differences perspective is adopted in the present paper. For this purpose, a hands-on introduction to a recently proposed structural equation (SEM) approach to discrete-time survival analysis is provided ( Muthén & Masyn, 2005 ). In a next step, a prospective study with N = 1096 students, observed across four semesters, is introduced. As expected, average university grade proved to be an important predictor of future dropout, while high-school grade-point average (GPA) yielded no incremental predictive validity but was completely mediated by university grade. Accounting for unobserved heterogeneity, three latent classes could be identified with differential predictor-criterion relations, suggesting the need to pay closer attention to the composition of the student population.

CONTRAST ENHANCED SONOGRAPHY IN CHARACTERIZATION OF ENLARGED LYMPH NODES OF THE NECK IN CHILDREN

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (S 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
U Zaleska-Dorobisz ◽  
K Domagala-Pêkalska ◽  
D Sokolowska ◽  
E Czapiga
Keyword(s):  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Contrast Enhanced

Contrast-Enhanced Conventional CT in Patients after Surgery for Malignant Tumors. Evaluation of the Optimal Method of the Administration of the Contrast Medium.

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 99-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAMORU WAKOH ◽  
MASAYUKI YAMADA ◽  
TOSHIMICHI MORI ◽  
HITOSHI SHIBUYA ◽  
NORIO KOBAYASHI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Medium ◽  
Malignant Tumors ◽  
Optimal Method ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Conventional Ct

Separation and Characterization of Standard Propoxyphene Diastereomers and Their Determination in Pharmaceutical and Illicit Preparations

1981 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-883
Author(s):  
Shiv K Soni ◽  
Daniel Van Gelder
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Optical Isomers ◽  
Gold Chloride ◽  
Melting Points ◽  
Eutectic Melting ◽  
Racemic Mixtures ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Isomeric Mixtures ◽  
Asymmetric Carbon

Abstract Due to the existence of 2 asymmetric carbon atoms in: the propoxyphene molecule, there are 4 diastereomers: alpha dextro, alpha levo, beta dextro, and beta levo. Only α-d-propoxyphene is included under the federal Controlled Substances Act. Baseline separations of propoxyphene from various incipients (aspirin, caffeine, phenacetin, and acetaminophen) present in pharmaceutical and illicit preparations, and between the alpha and beta diastereomers, were achieved by high pressure liquid chromatography. The column eluant was collected and propoxyphene was extracted. The optical isomers were differentiated and characterized by melting points and by chemical microcrystalline tests. Using hot stage thermomicroscopy, the eutectic melting points of binary isomeric mixtures of propoxyphene bases and salts were found to be depressed about 10° and 15-30°C, respectively, below the individual isomer melting points. The characteristic microcrystals formed with the alpha racemic mixtures by using a glycerin-aqueous gold chloride reagent were not produced by the beta racemic mixtures.

scholarly journals Does higher education properly prepare graduates for the growing artificial intelligence market? Gaps identification using text mining

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Lamiae Benhayoun ◽  
Daniel Lang
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Text Mining ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Academic Training ◽  
Market Requirements ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
The Individual

BACKGROUND: The renewed advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is inducing profound changes in the classic categories of technology professions and is creating the need for new specific skills. OBJECTIVE: Identify the gaps in terms of skills between academic training on AI in French engineering and Business Schools, and the requirements of the labour market. METHOD: Extraction of AI training contents from the schools’ websites and scraping of a job advertisements’ website. Then, analysis based on a text mining approach with a Python code for Natural Language Processing. RESULTS: Categorization of occupations related to AI. Characterization of three classes of skills for the AI market: Technical, Soft and Interdisciplinary. Skills’ gaps concern some professional certifications and the mastery of specific tools, research abilities, and awareness of ethical and regulatory dimensions of AI. CONCLUSIONS: A deep analysis using algorithms for Natural Language Processing. Results that provide a better understanding of the AI capability components at the individual and the organizational levels. A study that can help shape educational programs to respond to the AI market requirements.

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