Clinically relevant human temporal bone measurements using novel high-resolution cone-beam CT

Objective: To test the feasibility of measuring fine temporal bone structures using a newly established cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) system. Materials and methods: Six formalin-fixed human cadaver temporal bones were imaged using a high-resolution CBCT system that has 900 frames and copper + aluminum filtration. Fine temporal bone structures, including those of the facial nerve canal and vestibular structures, were identified and measured. Results: The fine structures of the middle ear, including the tympanic membrane, tendon of the tensor tympani, cochleariform process of the semicanal of the tensor tympani, pyramidal eminence, footplate of the stapes, full path of the facial nerve within the temporal bone, supralabyrinthine space, semicircular canals, pathway of the subarcuate canal, and full path of the vestibular aqueduct, were clearly demonstrated. The vestibular aqueduct has a midpoint width of 0.4 ± 0.0 mm and opercular width of 0.5 ± 0.1 mm (mean ± SD). The length of the internal acoustic meatus was 10.6 ± 1.2 mm (mean ± SD), and the diameter of the internal acoustic meatus was 3.7 ± 0.3 mm (mean ± SD). Conclusion: This novel high-resolution CBCT system has potentially broad applications in the diagnosis of inner ear disease and in monitoring associated pathological changes, surgical planning, navigation for the ear surgery, and temporal bone training

Clinical Effectiveness of Budesonide/Formoterol Fumarate Easyhaler(A (R)) for Patients with Poorly Controlled Obstructive Airway Disease: a Real-World Study of Patient-Reported Outcomes

The effectiveness of inhaled therapies can be influenced by many factors, including the type of inhaler, which may have clinical implications. We report a real-world, multicenter, open-label, non-randomized, non-interventional study conducted by 200 pulmonologists across 200 centers in Hungary. The effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol inhalation therapy in daily clinical practice, delivered via the Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)), was evaluated in patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO). Effectiveness was assessed after 12 weeks of treatment by spirometry, the Asthma Control Test, mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, COPD Assessment Test and modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale. Patient satisfaction with the Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) and physicians' assessments (ease of use and time taken to learn the technique) were also assessed. A total of 1498 patients with obstructive airway disease were evaluated (asthma: n = 621; COPD: n = 778; ACO: n = 99), of whom 455 (30.4%) were newly diagnosed inhaler-na 0.002) were reported after 12 weeks of Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) use. Improvements were observed in both inhaler-na 90.0% of physicians described the Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) as easy to teach; 73.8% and 98.9% of patients learned the technique within 5 and 10 min of teaching, respectively. Twelve weeks' treatment with the Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) resulted in significant improvements in disease control and quality of life. The Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) was considered easy to use, and most patients were satisfied with the inhaler. Results confirm the real-world effectiveness of the Bufomix Easyhaler(A (R)) in the treatment of adult outpatients with obstructive airway disease. Orion Corp., Orion Pharma

Tietokonetomografialaitteen kuvausgeometrian määrittäminen

Tässä diplomityössä kehitetään menetelmä tietokonetomografialaitteen kuvausgeometrian määrittämiseen. Kuvausgeometrialla tarkoitetaan röntgenlähteen ja -anturin asentoa kuvattavaan kohteeseen nähden, ja se määritellään erikseen kullekin kerätylle kuvalle. Tietoa laitteen kuvausgeometriasta tarvitaan rekonstruoitaessa kaksiulotteisista projektiokuvista kolmiulotteista kuvadataa. Tavoitteena on selvittää voidaanko rekonstruoitujen kuvien laatua parantaa ottamalla huomioon kuvausgeometrian poikkeamat aiemmin oletetusta kuvausgeometriasta. Tutkittavan laitteen kuvausgeometria määritetään analysoimalla tunnetusta kohteesta otettuja röntgenkuvia. Kohteesta valitaan pisteet, joiden projektiot tunnistetaan kerätyistä kuvista kuvankäsittelyn menetelmin. Näille projektioille johdetaan analyyttinen esitys, jolloin todellisen kuvausgeometrian poikkeama oletetusta voidaan ilmaista mitattujen ja laskettujen vastinpisteiden projektioiden välisen neliösumman avulla. Kuvauksen aikana vallinnut kuvausgeometria saadaan tällöin selville minimoimalla tämä neliövirhe optimoimalla projektioiden laskennassa käytetty kuvausgeometria. Työssä saadut tulokset osoittavat, että tutkittavan laitteen kuvausgeometrian poikkeama oletetusta kuvausgeometriasta on vähäinen. Näin ollen oletuskuvausgeometrian korvaaminen tässä työssä määritellyllä kuvausgeometrialla ei mainittavasti paranna rekonstruoitujen kuvien laatua. Tämä osoitetaan laskemalla kuvaussysteemin modulaation siirtofunktio ennen kuvausgeometrian määrittämistä ja sen jälkeen. Työssä kehitetty menetelmä kuitenkin osoittautuu nopeaksi ja luotettavaksi tavaksi määrittää tutkittavan laitteen kuvausgeometria. Menetelmää voidaan soveltaa esimerkiksi laitteen kalibroinnissa kun määritetään kuvaussysteemin dimensioita suurella tarkkuudella

Patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can generate sufficient inspiratory flows via Easyhaler (R) dry powder inhaler : a pooled analysis of two randomized controlled trials

Background: To evaluate whether patients of varying ages and lung function with asthma or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can achieve sufficient inspiratory flows for effective use of the fixed-dose combination of salmeterol-fluticasone propionate and budesonide-formoterol dispensed with the Easyhaler (R) (EH) device-metered, multi-dose dry powder inhaler (DPI). Methods: A pooled analysis of two randomized, multicenter, crossover, open-label studies (NCT01424137; NCT009849061) was conducted to characterize inspiratory flow parameters across the EH, Seretide Diskus (DI) and Symbicort Turbuhaler (TH) inhalers in patients with asthma and/or COPD of varying severity. The primary endpoint was peak inspiratory flow (PIF) rate through the EH. Results: The intent-to-treat population comprised 397 patients; 383 patients were included in the per protocol (PP) population. The mean PIF (standard deviation) values through the EH in patients = 18 years of age with asthma and in those with COPD, were similar: 61.4 (11.5), 69.7 (13.5), and 61.9 (13.2) L/min, respectively. These flow rates correspond to pressure drops of 5.05 (1.80), 6.52 (2.34) and 5.19 (2.07) kPa, respectively. In total, 380 (99.2%) of patients in the PP population were able to generate a PIF rate through the EH of >= 30 L/min, which is required to enable consistent dose delivery from the DPI; there was a moderate direct association between age and PIF in younger patients with asthma, but this was inverse and less apparent in adult patients with asthma and/or those with COPD. Height and weight were also moderately correlated with PIF. Stronger associations with PIF were observed for some lung function parameters, particularly native PIF and forced inspiratory vital capacity. Conclusions: Over 99% of patients with asthma and/or COPD were able to inhale through the EH with an adequate PIF rate, irrespective of age, or severity of airway obstruction. This confirms that patients with asthma and/or COPD can achieve inspiratory flows via the EH DPI that are sufficient for its effective use.Peer reviewe

Imaging optimization of temporal bones with cochlear implant using a high-resolution cone beam CT and the corresponding effective dose

Objective: To evaluate the impact of tube voltage, tube current, pulse number, and magnification factor on the image quality of a novel experimental set-up and the corresponding radiation. Materials and Methods: Six human temporal bones with cochlear implant were imaged using various tube voltages, tube currents, pulse numbers, and magnification. The effect of radiation was evaluated using a metaloxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) dosimeter device on an anthropomorphic RANDO RAN102 male head phantom. A copper and aluminum combination filter was used for hardware filtration. Results: Overall, 900 frames, 11 mA, and 88 kV provided the best image quality. In temporal bones imaged with the optimized parameters, the cochlea, osseous spiral lamina, modiolus, stapes, round window niche, and oval window landmarks were demonstrated with anatomic structures still fully assessable in all parts and acceptable image quality. The most dominant contributor to the effective dose was bone marrow (36%-37 %) followed by brain (34%-36%), remainder tissues (12%), extra-thoracic airways (7%), and oral mucosa (5%). Conclusions: By increasing the number of frames, the image quality of the inner ear details obtained using the novel cone-beam computed tomography improved

Imaging cochlear implantation with round window insertion in human temporal bones and cochlear morphological variation using high-resolution cone beam CT

Conclusions: The present experimental set-up of high spatial resolution cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) showed advantages of demonstrating the critical landmarks of the cochlea in identifying the position of intracochlear electrode contacts and has the potential for clinical application in cochlear implant (CI) surgery. Objective: To evaluate a newly developed CBCT system in defining CI electrode array in human temporal bone and cochlear morphological variation. Methods: Standard electrode, flexible tip electrode (Flex28), and an experimental electrode array with 36 contacts from MED-EL were implanted into the cochleae of six human temporal bones through an atraumatic round window membrane insertion. The cochleae were imaged with 900 frames using an experimental set-up based on a CBCT scanner installed with Superior SXR 130-15-0.5 X-ray tube in combination with filtration of copper and aluminum. Results: In all temporal bones, the landmarks of the cochlea, modiolus, osseous spiral lamina, round window niche, and stapes were demonstrated at an average level of 3.4-4.5. The contacts of electrode arrays were clearly shown to locate in the scala tympani. There was a linear correlation between the ‘A’ value and cochlea height, and between the A value and actual electrode insertion length for the first 360° insertion depth