Transport study of the real and adjoint flux for NASA Zero Power Reactor /ZPR-1/

Transport computer program for calculating real and adjoint flux for NASA zero power reacto

Transport analysis of measured neutron leakage spectra from spheres as tests of evaluated high energy cross sections

Integral tests of evaluated ENDF/B high-energy cross sections have been made by comparing measured and calculated neutron leakage flux spectra from spheres of various materials. An Am-Be (alpha,n) source was used to provide fast neutrons at the center of the test spheres of Be, CH2, Pb, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W. The absolute leakage flux spectra were measured in the energy range 0.5 to 12 MeV using a calibrated NE213 liquid scintillator neutron spectrometer. Absolute calculations of the spectra were made using version 3 ENDF/B cross sections and an S sub n discrete ordinates multigroup transport code. Generally excellent agreement was obtained for Be, CH2, Pb, and Mo, and good agreement was observed for Nb although discrepancies were observed for some energy ranges. Poor comparative results, obtained for Ta and W, are attributed to unsatisfactory nonelastic cross sections. The experimental sphere leakage flux spectra are tabulated and serve as possible benchmarks for these elements against which reevaluated cross sections may be tested

An integral test of inelastic scattering cross sections using measured neutron spectra from thick shells of Ta, W, Mo, and Be

Integral test of inelastic scattering cross sections using measured neutron spectra from thick shells of Ta, W, Mo, and B

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance features of caseous calcification of the mitral annulus

We present two cases of caseous calcification of the mitral annulus studied by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance; the diagnostic feature of this rare cardiac mass are described

Effects of steady state free precession parameters on cardiac mass, function, and volumes

G0400444/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom Wellcome Trust/United Kingdo

Improved Left Ventricular Mass Quantification with Partial Voxel Interpolation – In-Vivo and Necropsy Validation of a Novel Cardiac MRI Segmentation Algorithm

Background—CMR typically quantifies LV mass (LVM) via manual planimetry (MP), but this approach is time consuming and does not account for partial voxel components - myocardium admixed with blood in a single voxel. Automated segmentation (AS) can account for partial voxels, but this has not been used for LVM quantification. This study used automated CMR segmentation to test the influence of partial voxels on quantification of LVM. Methods and Results—LVM was quantified by AS and MP in 126 consecutive patients and 10 laboratory animals undergoing CMR. AS yielded both partial voxel (ASPV) and full voxel (ASFV) measurements. Methods were independently compared to LVM quantified on echocardiography (echo) and an ex-vivo standard of LVM at necropsy. AS quantified LVM in all patients, yielding a 12-fold decrease in processing time vs. MP (0:21±0:04 vs. 4:18±1:02 min; pFV mass (136±35gm) was slightly lower than MP (139±35; Δ=3±9gm, pPV yielded higher LVM (159±38gm) than MP (Δ=20±10gm) and ASFV (Δ=23±6gm, both pPV and ASFV correlated with larger voxel size (partial r=0.37, pPV yielded better agreement with echo (Δ=20±25gm) than did ASFV (Δ=43±24gm) or MP (Δ=40±22gm, both pPV and ex-vivo results were similar (Δ=1±3gm, p=0.3), whereas ASFV (6±3g, P\u3c0.001) and MP (4±5 g, P=0.02) yielded small but significant differences with LVM at necropsy

Oxygenation-sensitive CMR for assessing vasodilator-induced changes of myocardial oxygenation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As myocardial oxygenation may serve as a marker for ischemia and microvascular dysfunction, it could be clinically useful to have a non-invasive measure of changes in myocardial oxygenation. However, the impact of induced blood flow changes on oxygenation is not well understood. We used oxygenation-sensitive CMR to assess the relations between myocardial oxygenation and coronary sinus blood oxygen saturation (SvO₂) and coronary blood flow in a dog model in which hyperemia was induced by intracoronary administration of vasodilators.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During administration of acetylcholine and adenosine, CMR signal intensity correlated linearly with simultaneously measured SvO₂(<it>r</it>²= 0.74, <it>P </it>< 0.001). Both SvO₂and CMR signal intensity were exponentially related to coronary blood flow, with SvO2 approaching 87%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Myocardial oxygenation as assessed with oxygenation-sensitive CMR imaging is linearly related to SvO₂and is exponentially related to vasodilator-induced increases of blood flow. Oxygenation-sensitive CMR may be useful to assess ischemia and microvascular function in patients. Its clinical utility should be evaluated.</p

Late gadolinium uptake demonstrated with magnetic resonance in patients where automated PERFIT analysis of myocardial SPECT suggests irreversible perfusion defect

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (MPS) is frequently used as the reference method for the determination of myocardial infarct size. PERFIT^®is a software utilizing a three-dimensional gender specific, averaged heart model for the automatic evaluation of myocardial perfusion. The purpose of this study was to compare the perfusion defect size on MPS, assessed with PERFIT, with the hyperenhanced volume assessed by late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE) and to relate their effect on the wall motion score index (WMSI) assessed with cine magnetic resonance imaging (cine-MRI) and echocardiography (echo).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>LGE was performed in 40 patients where clinical MPS showed an irreversible uptake reduction suggesting a myocardial scar. Infarct volume, extent and major coronary supply were compared between MPS and LGE as well as the relationship between infarct size from both methods and WMSI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MPS showed a slightly larger infarct volume than LGE (MPS 29.6 ± 23.2 ml, LGE 22.1 ± 16.9 ml, p = 0.01), while no significant difference was found in infarct extent (MPS 11.7 ± 9.4%, LGE 13.0 ± 9.6%). The correlation coefficients between methods in respect to infarct size and infarct extent were 0.71 and 0.63 respectively. WMSI determined with cine-MRI correlated moderately with infarct volume and infarct extent (cine-MRI vs MPS volume r = 0.71, extent r = 0.71, cine-MRI vs LGE volume r = 0.62, extent r = 0.60). Similar results were achieved when wall motion was determined with echo. Both MPS and LGE showed the same major coronary supply to the infarct area in a majority of patients, Kappa = 0.84.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MPS and LGE agree moderately in the determination of infarct size in both absolute and relative terms, although infarct volume is slightly larger with MPS. The correlation between WMSI and infarct size is moderate.</p