Automatic segmentation of the lumen in magnetic resonance images of the carotid artery

The segmentation of the lumen and vessel wall in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of carotid arteries represents a crucial step towards the evaluation of cerebrovascular diseases. However, the automatic segmentation of the lumen is still a challenge due to the usual low quality of the images and the presence of elements that compromise the accuracy of the results. In this article, we describe a fully automatic method to identify the location of the lumen in MR images of the carotid artery. A circularity index is used to assess the roundness of the regions identified by the K-means algorithm in order to obtain the one with the maximum value, i.e. the potential lumen region. Then, an active contour algorithm is employed to refine the boundary of the region found. The method achieved a maximum Dice coefficient of 0.91 +/- 0.04 and 0.74 +/- 0.16 in 181 postcontrast 3D-T1-weighted and 181 proton density-weighted MR images, respectively. Therefore, the method seems to be promising for identifying the correct location of the lumen in MR images

A new computational solution to compute the uptake index from 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy images

The appearance of bone metastasis in patients with breast or prostate cancer makes the skeleton most affected by metastatic cancer. It is estimated that these two cancers lead in 80% of the cases to the appearance of bone metastasis, which is considered the main cause of death. 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) bone scintigraphy is the most commonly used radionuclide imaging technique for the detection and prognosis of bone carcinoma. With this work, it was intended to develop a new computational solution to extract from 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy images quantitative measurements of the affected regions in relation to the non-pathological regions. Hence, the uptake indexes computed from a new imaging exam are compared with the indexes computed from a previous exam of the same patient. Using active shape models, it is possible to segment the regions of the skeleton more prone to be affected by the bone carcinoma. On the other hand, the metastasis is segmented using the region-growing algorithm. Then, the uptake rate is calculated from the relation between the maximum intensity pixel of the metastatic region in relation to the maximum intensity pixel of the skeletal region where the metastasis was located. We evaluated the developed solution using scintigraphic images of 15 patients (7 females and 8 males) with bone carcinoma in two distinct time exams. The bone scans were obtained approximately 3 h after the injection of 740 MBq of 99mTc-MDP. The obtained indexes were compared against the evaluations in the clinical reports of the patients. It was possible to verify that the indexes obtained are according to the clinical evaluations of the 30 exams analyzed. However, there were 2 cases where the clinical evaluation was unclear as to the progression or regression of the disease, and when comparing the indexes, it is suggested the progression of the disease in one case and the regression in the other one. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that the computed indexes allow a quantitative analysis to evaluate the response to the prescribed therapy. Thus, the developed solution is promising to be used as a tool to help the technicians at the time of clinical evaluation

New computational solution to compute the uptake index from 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy images

The appearance of bone metastasis in patients with breast or prostate cancer makes the skeleton most affected by metastatic cancer. It is estimated that these two cancers lead in 80% of the cases to the appearance of bone metastasis, which is considered the main cause of death. 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) bone scintigraphy is the most commonly used radionuclide imaging technique for the detection and prognosis of bone carcinoma. With this work, it was intended to develop a new computational solution to extract from 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy images quantitative measurements of the affected regions in relation to the non-pathological regions. Hence, the uptake indexes computed from a new imaging exam are compared with the indexes computed from a previous exam of the same patient. Using active shape models, it is possible to segment the regions of the skeleton more prone to be affected by the bone carcinoma. On the other hand, the metastasis is segmented using the region-growing algorithm. Then, the uptake rate is calculated from the relation between the maximum intensity pixel of the metastatic region in relation to the maximum intensity pixel of the skeletal region where the metastasis was located. We evaluated the developed solution using scintigraphic images of 15 patients (7 females and 8 males) with bone carcinoma in two distinct time exams. The bone scans were obtained approximately 3 h after the injection of 740 MBq of 99mTc-MDP. The obtained indexes were compared against the evaluations in the clinical reports of the patients. It was possible to verify that the indexes obtained are according to the clinical evaluations of the 30 exams analyzed. However, there were 2 cases where the clinical evaluation was unclear as to the progression or regression of the disease, and when comparing the indexes, it is suggested the progression of the disease in one case and the regression in the other one. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that the computed indexes allow a quantitative analysis to evaluate the response to the prescribed therapy. Thus, the developed solution is promising to be used as a tool to help the technicians at the time of clinical evaluation

Síndrome de Burnout e os aspectos sócio-demográficos em profissionais de enfermagem Síndrome de Burnout y los aspectos sociodemográficos en profesionales de enfermería Burnout Syndrome and the socio-demographic aspects of nursing professionals

OBJETIVO: Demonstrar a incidência da Síndrome de Burnout (SB) de acordo com os aspectos sociodemográficos dos profissionais de enfermagem que atuam em dois hospitais regionais, no município de Cáceres-MT. MÉTODOS: Estudo de natureza quantitativa, descritivo, com delineamento transversal, realizado com 141 profissionais de enfermagem. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizado um questionário estruturado com dados para o delineamento sociodemográfico, acrescido do instrumento Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). RESULTADOS: Com base na análise das entrevistas dos 141 profissionais, 13 (9,58%) apresentaram Síndrome de Burnout,, conforme o MBI, e destes acometidos 7 (53,84%) são enfermeiros e 6 (46,16%) técnico/auxiliares. Quanto à incidência da SB em função dos aspectos sócios demográficos, o maior número de casos foi verificados no sexo feminino, nos profissionais com menos tempo de formação e nos solteiros. Resultados semelhantes foram encontrados na literatura, relevando as constatações. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo evidenciou que a presença da SB nos profissionais de enfermagem, revelando assim a necessidade de intervenções em relação às condições de trabalho dos enfermeiros.<br>OBJETIVO: Demostrar la incidencia del Síndrome de Burnout (SB) de acuerdo a los aspectos sociodemográficos de los profesionales de enfermería que actúan en dos hospitales regionales, en el municipio de Cáceres-MT. MÉTODOS: Se trata de un estudo de naturaleza cuantitativa, descriptiva, de tipo transversal, realizado con 141 profesionales de enfermería. Para la recolección de los datos, fue utilizado un cuestionario estructurado con datos para el delineamiento sociodemográfico, además del instrumento Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). RESULTADOS: Con base en el análisis de las entrevistas de los 141 profesionales, 13 (9,58%) presentaron Síndrome de Burnout, conforme el MBI, de los cuales 7 (53,84%) son enfermeros y 6 (46,16%) técnico/auxiliares. En cuanto a la incidencia del SB en función de los aspectos sociodemográficos, el mayor número de casos fue verificado en el sexo femenino, en los profesionales con menos tiempo de formación y en los solteros. Resultados semejantes fueron encontrados en la literatura, confirmando las constataciones. CONCLUSIÓN: En este estudio se evidenció la presencia del SB en los profesionales de enfermería, revelando así la necesidad de intervenciones en relación a las condiciones de trabajo de los enfermeros.<br>OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the incidence of burnout syndrome according to sociodemographic characteristics of nursing professionals who worked in two regional hospitals in the city of Cáceres-MT. METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted with 141 nursing professionals. To collect data, a structured questionnaire with sociodemographic data for the design was used, along with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). RESULTS: Based on the analysis of interviews with 141 professionals, 13 (9.58%) presented with burnout syndrome, according to the MBI, and of those affected, seven (53.84%) were registered nurses and six were (46.16%) technicians / auxiliaries. In terms of the relevance of burnout syndrome as a function of sociodemographic aspects, the largest number of verified cases were female professionals with less training time, and those who were single. Similar results were observed in the literature, emphasizing the findings. CONCLUSION: This study showed the presence of burnout syndrome in nursing professionals, thus revealing the need for interventions in relation to the working conditions of nurses