Radiographic outcomes and evaluation of developmental dysplasia of the hip in children

The Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), also know as Congenital Dislocation of the Hip, is common in infants and children and may persist into adulthood. The radiographic interpretation is highly conditioned by appropriate patient positioning and image quality criteria. The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the value of radiographic evaluation of DDH. Through the retrospective analysis of 65 radiographs of the hips, only 2 (3.1%) female patients with 1-2 years of age presented radiographic findings of DDH. The inappropriate field size and the improper placement and size of the gonadal shields, were the most common errors observed.A Displasia de Desenvolvimento da Anca (DDA), também conhecida como Luxação Congénita da Anca, é comum em bebés e crianças, podendo persistir na idade adulta. A interpretação radiográfica é altamente condicionada pelo posicionamento do paciente e critérios de qualidade da imagem. O principal objectivo deste estudo é demonstrar o valor da avaliação radiográfica da DDH. Através da análise retrospectiva de 65 radiografias da bacia, apenas 2 (3,1%) pacientes do sexo feminino com idades entre 1-2 anos apresentaram achados radiográficos de DDH. O tamanho inadequado do chassi e a colocação e tamanho incorrecto das protecções gonadais, foram os erros mais comumente observados

A utilização da ressonância magnética na caracterização funcional da fala

Documento confidencial. Não pode ser disponibilizado para consultaTese de Programa Doutoral. Engenharia Biomédica. Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Engenharia. 201

Modelos morfológicos tridimensionais por IRM do tracto vocal para as principais vogais do Português Europeu

O entendimento da produção da fala tem sido ampla mente procurado, recorrendo à imagem por ressonância magnética (IRM), mas não é totalmente conhecido, particularmente no que diz respeito aos sons do Português Europeu (PE). O principal objectivo deste estudo foi a caracterização das vogais do PE. Com base na IRM recolheram-se conjuntos de imagens bidimensionais, em cinco posições articulatórias distintas, durante a produção sustentada do som. Após extracção de contornos do tracto vocal procedeu-se à reconstrução tridimensional, constatando-se que a IRM fornece in formação morfológica útil e com considerável precisão acerca da posição e forma dos diferentes articuladores da fala

Learner’s perception, knowledge and behaviour assessment within a breast imaging E-Learning course for radiographers

E-learning has been revealed as an a useful tool among continuing education within health professionals, namely for radiographers or radiologic technologists. Therefore like traditional learning, this teaching approach needs continuous evaluation in order to validate its effectiveness and impact. Kirkpatrick's model has been widely used for this purpose by health information management instructors. Our aim was to assess an E-learning Course on Breast Imaging for radiographers based on the first three levels of Kirkpatrick's framework: reaction, learning and behaviour.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development and Assessment of an E-Learning Course on Breast Imaging for Radiographers: A Stratified Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Mammography is considered the best imaging technique for breast cancer screening, and the radiographer plays an important role in its performance. Therefore, continuing education is critical to improving the performance of these professionals and thus providing better health care services. Objective: Our goal was to develop an e-learning course on breast imaging for radiographers, assessing its efficacy , effectiveness, and user satisfaction. Methods: A stratified randomized controlled trial was performed with radiographers and radiology students who already had mammography training, using pre- and post-knowledge tests, and satisfaction questionnaires. The primary outcome was the improvement in test results (percentage of correct answers), using intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. Results: A total of 54 participants were assigned to the intervention (20 students plus 34 radiographers) with 53 controls (19+34). The intervention was completed by 40 participants (11+29), with 4 (2+2) discontinued interventions, and 10 (7+3) lost to follow-up. Differences in the primary outcome were found between intervention and control: 21 versus 4 percentage points (pp), P<.001. Stratified analysis showed effect in radiographers (23 pp vs 4 pp; P=.004) but was unclear in students (18 pp vs 5 pp; P=.098). Nonetheless, differences in students’ posttest results were found (88% vs 63%; P=.003), which were absent in pretest (63% vs 63%; P=.106). The per-protocol analysis showed a higher effect (26 pp vs 2 pp; P<.001), both in students (25 pp vs 3 pp; P=.004) and radiographers (27 pp vs 2 pp; P<.001). Overall, 85% were satisfied with the course, and 88% considered it successful. Conclusions: This e-learning course is effective, especially for radiographers, which highlights the need for continuing education

Learner’s satisfaction within a breast imaging eLearning course for radiographers

Background: An asynchronous eLearning system was developed for radiographers in order to promote a better knowledge about senology and mammography. Objectives: to assess the learners’ satisfaction. Methods: Target population included radiographers and radiogr aphy students, in order to assess eLearning satisfaction according to different experience levels in breast imaging. Satisfaction was measured through a questionnaire developed especially for eLearning systems, using a seven - point Likert scale. Main topics related are content, interface, personalization and learning community. Results: Overall, 85% of learners were satisfied with the course and 87,5% considered that the course is successful. Main areas that were evaluated by most learners in a positive way were interface and content (between six and seven - point); on the other hand, learning community presented a wider distribution of answers . Conclusions: The course provides an overall high degree of learner satisfaction, thus providing more effective knowle dge gain on breast imaging for radiographers

Three-dimensional modeling of tongue during speech using MRI data

The tongue is the most important and dynamic articulator for speech formation, because of its anatomic aspects (particularly, the large volume of this muscular organ comparatively to the surrounding organs of the vocal tract) and also due to the wide range of movements and flexibility that are involved. In speech communication research, a variety of techniques have been used for measuring the three-dimensional vocal tract shapes. More recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) becomes common; mainly, because this technique allows the collection of a set of static and dynamic images that can represent the entire vocal tract along any orientation. Over the years, different anatomical organs of the vocal tract have been modelled; namely, 2D and 3D tongue models, using parametric or statistical modelling procedures. Our aims are to present and describe some 3D reconstructed models from MRI data, for one subject uttering sustained articulations of some typical Portuguese sounds. Thus, we present a 3D database of the tongue obtained by stack combinations with the subject articulating Portuguese vowels. This 3D knowledge of the speech organs could be very important; especially, for clinical purposes (for example, for the assessment of articulatory impairments followed by tongue surgery in speech rehabilitation), and also for a better understanding of acoustic theory in speech formation

Magnetic resonance imaging of the vocal tract: techniques and applications

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been used to analyse and evaluate the vocal tract shape through different techniques and with promising results in several fields. Our purpose is to demonstrate the relevance of MR and image processing for the vocal tract study. The extraction of contours of the air cavities allowed the set - up of a number of 3D reconstruction image stacks by means of the combination of orthogonally oriented sets of slices for e ach articulatory gesture, as a new approach to solve the expected spatial under sampling of the imaging process. In result these models give improved information for the visualization of morphologic and anatomical aspects and are useful for partial measure ments of the vocal tract shape in different situations. Potential use can be found in Medical and therapeutic applications as well as in acoustic articulatory speech modelling

The use and relevance of gonad protection shields in children during hips radiography

Considering that ionizing radiation effects are cumulative and the gonads are particularly sensitive to these effects, and also the clinical importance of pelvic radiographs in children, the excess of radiation exposure to the gonads must be avoided. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the relevance of the correct use of gonad protection shields and to evaluate their use on the hip radiographs performed in a reference clinical institution, through the retrospective analysis of pelvic radiographic images performed in children. According the image quality assessment, 20 (40%) patients were unprotected and gonads shields were incorrectly placed in 24 (80%) patients.Dado que os efeitos da radiação ionizante são cumulativos e as gónadas são particularmente sensíveis a estes efeitos, e também pela importância clínica das radiografias pélvicas nas crianças, deve evitar-se a exposição excessiva da região gonadal à radiação. Neste estudo, pretende-se demonstrar a relevância da correcta utilização da protecção gonadal e avaliar a sua utilização em radiografias da bacia. Através da análise retrospectiva de imagens radiográficas da bacia realizadas em crianças, concluiu-se que não foi utilizada a protecção gonadal em 20 (40%) pacientes, e estas foram incorrectamente colocadas em 24 (80%) pacientes

Analysis of tongue shape and motion in speech production using statistical modeling

The mechanisms of speech production are complex and have been raising attention from researchers of both medical and computer vision fields. In the speech production mechanism, the articulator’s study is a complex issue, since they have a high level of freedom along this process, namely the tongue, which instigates a problem in its control and observation. In this work it is automatically characterized the tongues shape during the articulation of the oral vowels of Portuguese European by using statistical modeling on MR-images. A point distribution model is built from a set of images collected during artificially sustained articulations of Portuguese European sounds, which can extract the main characteristics of the motion of the tongue. The model built in this work allows under standing more clearly the dynamic speech events involved during sustained articulations. The tongue shape model built can also be useful for speech rehabilitation purposes, specifically to recognize the compensatory movements of the articulators during speech production