Effects of 1 year training on the performance of ultrasonographic image interpretation: A preliminary evaluation using images of Sjogren syndrome patients.

Purpose This study investigated the effects of 1 year of training on imaging diagnosis, using static ultrasonography (US) salivary gland images of Sjögren syndrome patients. Materials and Methods This study involved 3 inexperienced radiologists with different levels of experience, who received training 1 or 2 days a week under the supervision of experienced radiologists. The training program included collecting patient histories and performing physical and imaging examinations for various maxillofacial diseases. The 3 radiologists (observers A, B, and C) evaluated 400 static US images of salivary glands twice at a 1-year interval. To compare their performance, 2 experienced radiologists evaluated the same images. Diagnostic performance was compared between the 2 evaluations using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results Observer A, who was participating in the training program for the second year, exhibited no significant difference in AUC between the first and second evaluations, with results consistently comparable to those of experienced radiologists. After 1 year of training, observer B showed significantly higher AUCs than before training. The diagnostic performance of observer B reached the level of experienced radiologists for parotid gland assessment, but differed for submandibular gland assessment. For observer C, who did not complete the training, there was no significant difference in the AUC between the first and second evaluations, both of which showed significant differences from those of the experienced radiologists. Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that the training program effectively helped inexperienced radiologists reach the level of experienced radiologists for US examinations

The Principal of Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI, the Method of Pharmacokinetic Analysis, and Its Application in the Head and Neck Region

Many researchers have established the utility of the dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in the differential diagnosis in the head and neck region, especially in the salivary gland tumors. The subjective assessment of the pattern of the time-intensity curve (TIC) or the simple quantification of the TIC, such as the time to peak enhancement () and the wash-out ratio (WR), is commonly used. Although the semiquantitative evaluations described above have been widely applied, they do not provide information on the underlying pharmacokinetic analysis in tissue. The quantification of DCE-MRI is preferable; therefore, many compartment model analyses have been proposed. The Toft and Kermode (TK) model is one of the most popular compartment models, which provide information about the influx forward volume transfer constant from plasma into the extravascular-extracellular space (EES) and the fractional volume of EES per unit volume of tissue is used in many clinical studies. This paper will introduce the method of pharmacokinetic analysis and also describe the clinical application of this technique in the head and neck region

FUNDAMENTAL TONGUE MOTIONS FOR TRUMPET PLAYING

OBJECTIVE: Though the motions of the outside of the mouth in trumpet performance have been reported, the dynamics of intraoral structures remain unelucidated. This study explored tongue’s movement in trumpet playing using cine magnetic resonance imaging (cine MRI) and demonstrated the effects of intraoral anatomical structures on changes in pitch and dynamics. / METHODS: Cine MRI was applied to 18 trumpet players, who were divided into two groups according to level (beginner n = 7 and advanced n = 11) based on their ability to play a certain high note. They were instructed to play a custom-made MRI-compatible simulated trumpet. Pitch-change tasks and dynamics-change tasks were assigned. The positions of the anatomical points and intraoral areas were identified on the outlined images and the changes associated with each task were evaluated. / RESULTS: A forward and upward projection of the tongue was observed in the production of higher pitches, and there were no significant differences in the areas. In louderdy namics, a backward and downward bending occurred, the tongue area became smaller, and the cavity area became larger (p < 0.001 and p < 29 0.001, respectively). No significant differences between beginner and advanced were seen in the changes in pitch and dynamics. / CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated using cine MRI that certain tongue movements were associated with each task. Tongue protrusion in the production of higher pitch and bending in louder dynamics can be rationalized using acoustics theory and the movements of anatomical structures. These findings seem to be consistent regardless of proficiency.The published title is "Fundamental Tongue Motions for Trumpet Playing: A Study Using Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Cine MRI)"