Can the average glandular dose in routine digital mammography screening be reduced? a pilot study using revised image quality criteria.

There is a need for tools that in a simple way can be used for the evaluation of image quality related to clinical requirements in mammography. The aim of this work was to adjust the present European image quality criteria to be relevant also for digital mammography images, and to use as simple and as few criteria as possible. A pilot evaluation of the new set of criteria was made with mammograms of 28 women from a General Electric Senographe 2000D full-field digital mammography system. One breast was exposed using the standard automatic exposure mode, the other using about half of that absorbed dose. Three experienced radiologists evaluated the images using visual grading analysis technique. The results indicate that the new quality criteria can be used for the evaluation of image quality related to clinical requirements in digital mammography in a simple way. The results also suggest that absorbed doses for the mammography system used may be substantially reduced

Clinical evaluation of a new set of image quality criteria for mammography.

The European Commission (EC) quality criteria for screen-film mammography are used as a tool to asses image quality. A new set of criteria was developed and initially tested in a previous study. In the present study, these criteria are futher evauated using screen-film mammograms that have been digitised, manipulated to simulated different image quality level and reprinted on film. Expert radiologists have evaluated these manipulated to simulate different image quality levels and reprinted on film. Expert radiologists have evaluated these manipulated images using both the original (EC) and the new criteria. A comparison of three different simulated dose levels that the new criteria yield a larger separation of image criteria scores than the old ones. These results indicated that the new set of image quality crieteria has a higher discriminative power than the old set and thus seems to be more suitable for evaluation of image quality in mammography. © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

ASPEN safe practices for enteral nutrition therapy [formula: see text]

Enteral nutrition (EN) is a valuable clinical intervention for patients of all ages in a variety of care settings. Along with its many outcome benefits come the potential for adverse effects. These safety issues are the result of clinical complications and of process-related errors. The latter can occur at any step from patient assessment, prescribing, and order review, to product selection, labeling, and administration. To maximize the benefits of EN while minimizing adverse events requires that a systematic approach of care be in place. This includes open communication, standardization, and incorporation of best practices into the EN process. This document provides recommendations based on the available evidence and expert consensus for safe practices, across each step of the process, for all those involved in caring for patients receiving EN