Near-Peer Teaching in Radiology Symposia: A Success Story in Residents as Teachers

INTRODUCTION Peer learning and near-peer teaching have been described in many specialties, less so in Radiology. We present near-peer teaching whereby residents present a series of didactic sessions at the course outset in the form of “symposia” and perform a scholarly activity in the form of teaching. We aim to demonstrate how near-peer teaching in symposia front-loaded within an introductory radiology course can improve medical student satisfaction. METHOD A total of 169 students were enrolled over a period of 3 years, 55 before (2017-2018) and 114 (2018-2020) after the introduction of the symposium. Anonymous course evaluations were collected from all students. In addition, 240 fourth-year medical students who also attended symposium lectures received satisfaction surveys in 2019 and 2020. RESULTS All (169/169, 100%) students taking the course evaluated it. Overall evaluation scores rose from 8.3/10 to 9.0/10 post-symposia. Among student satisfaction surveys, 89/240 (37%) specifically commented on symposia; 91% (80/89) of those found symposia very or extremely informative. 29/71 (41%) of all residents were able to participate in the symposia, 20/29 in multiple years throughout residency, allowing them to fulfill the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education interpersonal and communication skills core competencies and meet scholarly activity requirements. CONCLUSION Near-peer teaching in the form of resident-taught interactive didactics grouped in symposia can have a positive outcome on medical student satisfaction

A Toolkit for Pediatric CT Dose Reduction in Community Hospitals

"Eighty percent of success is just showing up."—Woody Allen Pediatric CT radiation dose optimization is a challenging process for pediatric-focused facilities and community hospitals alike. Ongoing experience and trial-and-error approaches to dose reduction in the large academic hospital setting may position these centers to help community hospitals that strive for CT quality improvement. We describe our hands-on approach in a pilot project to create a partnership between an academic medical center and a community hospital to develop a toolkit for implementing CT dose reduction. Our aims were to (1) assess the acceptability of an interactive educational program and electronic toolkit booklet, (2) conduct a limited test of the efficacy of the toolkit in promoting knowledge and readiness to change, and (3) assess the acceptability and practicality of a collaborative approach to implementing dose reduction protocols in community hospitals. In partnering with the community hospital, we found that they had size-specific radiation doses two to three times higher than those at our center. Survey results after a site visit with interactive educational presentations revealed an increase in knowledge, stronger opinions about the health risks of radiation from CT scans, and willingness and perceived ability to reduce pediatric CT doses

Quantitative assessment of the upper airway in infants and children with subglottic stenosis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Determine whether quantitative geometric measures and a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model derived from medical imaging of children with subglottic stenosis (SGS) can be effective diagnostic and treatment planning tools. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart and imaging review in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: Computed tomography scans (n = 17) of children with SGS were analyzed by geometric and CFD methods. Polysomnograms (n = 15) were also analyzed. Radiographic data were age/weight flow normalized and were compared to an atlas created from radiographically normal airways. Five geometric, seven CFD, and five polysomnography measures were analyzed. Statistical analysis utilized a two-sample t test with Bonferroni correction and area under the curve analysis. RESULTS: Two geometric indices (the ratio of the subglottic to midtracheal airway, the percent relative reduction of the subglottic airway) and one CFD measure (the percent relative reduction of the hydraulic diameter of the subglottic airway) were significant for determining which children with SGS received surgical intervention. Optimal cutoffs for these values were determined. Polysomnography, the respiratory effort-related arousals index, was significant only prior to Bonferroni correction for determining which children received surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Geometric and CFD variables were sensitive at determining which patients with SGS received surgical intervention. Discrete quantitative assessment of the pediatric airway was performed, yielding preliminary data regarding possible objective thresholds for surgical versus nonsurgical treatment of disease. This study is limited by its small, retrospective, single-institution nature. Further studies to validate these findings and possibly optimize treatment threshold recommendations are warranted

Diagnostic Ionizing Radiation Exposure in a Population-Based Sample of Children With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The degree of diagnostic radiation exposure in children with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is largely unknown. Here we describe this exposure in a population-based sample of children with IBD and determine characteristics associated with moderate radiation exposure

Chemical resolution in T 2 - T 1 correlations

Oil and water fractions have been identified in fluid saturated carbonate rock cores using a novel T2-T1-d pulse sequence. The inclusion of the chemical shift dimension d allows T2-T1 plots to be generated independently for the oil and water. The T2-T1-d pulse sequence utilises a “double-shot” T1 measurement that provides free induction decays (FIDs) as a function of both relaxation times for suitably broad line samples. The T2-T1-d data set is acquired in the same experimental time as a conventional T1-T2 measurement (without chemical resolution) of equivalent data density. Here we demonstrate that different behaviour can be observed between the oil and water fractions in water wet and preferentially oil wet cores, and that saturation states can be determined. This technique could provide a quantitative NMR measure of wettability

Lung Radiology and Pulmonary Function of Children Chronically Exposed to Air Pollution

We analyzed the chest radiographs (CXRs) of 249 clinically healthy children, 230 from southwest Mexico City and 19 from Tlaxcala. In contrast to children from Tlaxcala, children from southwest Mexico City were chronically exposed to ozone levels exceeding the U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards for an average of 4.7 hr/day and to concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM(2.5)) above the annual standard. CXRs of Mexico City children demonstrated bilateral hyperinflation (151 of 230) and increased linear markings (121 of 230). Hyperinflation and interstitial markings were significantly more common in Mexico City children (p < 0.0002 and 0.00006 respectively). Mexico City boys had a higher probability of developing interstitial markings with age (p = 0.004). Computed tomography (CT) scans were obtained in 25 selected Mexico City children with abnormal CXRs. Mild bronchial wall thickening was seen in 10 of 25, prominent central airways in 4 of 25, air trapping in 8 of 21, and pulmonary nodules in 2 of 21. Only 7.8% of Mexico City children had abnormal lung function tests based on predicted values. These findings are consistent with bronchiolar, peribronchiolar, and/or alveolar duct inflammation, possibly caused by ozone, PM, and lipopolysaccharide exposure. The epidemiologic implications of these findings are important for children residing in polluted environments, because bronchiolar disease could lead to chronic pulmonary disease later in life

Quantitative assessment of the upper airway in infants and children with subglottic stenosis: Upper Airway in Infants and Children With SGS

Determine whether quantitative geometric measures and a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model derived from medical imaging of children with subglottic stenosis (SGS) can be effective diagnostic and treatment planning tools

Reader variability in the use of diagnostic terms to describe white matter lesions seen on cranial scans of severely premature infants: The ELGAN study

To evaluate reader variability of white matter lesions seen on cranial sonographic scans of extreme low gestational age neonates (ELGANs)

Observer variability assessing US scans of the preterm brain: the ELGAN study

Neurosonography can assist clinicians and can provide researchers with documentation of brain lesions. Unfortunately, we know little about the reliability of sonographically derived diagnoses

Taxonomy based on science is necessary for global conservation

Peer reviewe