SKIN DOSE MAPPING IN INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY: A PRACTICAL SOLUTION

Numerous cases of radiation-induced tissue reactions following interventional cardiology (IC) procedures have been reported, resulting in the need for an optimized and personalized dosimetry. At present, there are many fluoroscopy units without Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Radiation Dose Structured Report globally installed. Many of these have not been updated yet, and may never be, therefore, the main objectives of this paper are to develop an offline skin dose mapping application, which uses DICOM headers for the peak skin dose (PSD) assessment and to compare the PSD assessment results to XR-RV3 Gafchromic film for common IC procedures. The mean deviation between the measured and the calculated PSD was 8.7 ± 26.3%. Simulated skin dose map showed good matching with XR-RV3 Gafchromic film. The skin dose mapping application presented in this paper is an elegant solution and a suitable alternative to XR-RV3 Gafchromic film.

Sequencing data on the long control region of human papillomavirus type 16

A one base change (adenine at position 7861) in the long control region (LCR) of the prototype sequence of human papillomavirus type 16 was reported. With this correction, a new E2-binding site was revealed, 111 bp and 143 bp upstream from the TATA box and P97, respectively, and 105 bp downstream of the keratinocyte-dependent enhancer. An A to C mutation at position 41 was found in a patient with invasive carcinoma. This mutation falls within an E2-binding site.

[Advantages and disadvantages of transabdominal taking of chorionic villi in prenatal diagnosis]

The analyses concerns 186 aspirated chorionic villi. In 168 cases (group A) the aspiration was transcervical and in 18 cases (group B) transabdominal. At that time the average gestation period was 9.7 (+/- 1.2) weeks in group A and 11.9 (+/- 1.3) weeks in group B. The quality of the sample of chorionic villi in group A increased with the experience of the medical team, so that after the first 60 aspirations the unfavourable findings were registered in 11.6 of cases and in the last 48 patients it was 4.2%. Failure of cytogenetic analyses was found in 9 of 154 cases with sufficient chorionic tissue. On the other hand there were no unsuccessful aspirations and cytogenetic analyses in group B. Immediate and early complications of the cervical transabdominal taking of chorionic villi were noted after the first 60 aspirations in 25% of patients.

[Prenatal diagnosis in the 1st trimester of pregnancy of the male fetus at risk for hemophilia B]

It is for the first time that chorionic villi biopsy was performed for diagnostic purposes; the indication for prenatal testing was haemophilia B-X-linked disease. The chorionic tissue was obtained by transcervical aspiration in the 9th week of gestation under ultrasound guidance. The techniques used for cytogenetic investigation were the Y body technique and direct fetal karyotyping. The presence of Y body was determined by slide examination. The analysis of the fetal karyotype confirmed the diagnosis of a male fetus. As this fetus had a great risk (50%) of being born with haemophilia B, the parents decided to terminate the pregnancy. It was done 9 days following the test. During this period no complications were observed. The chorionic villi biopsy has proved easy, quick, and successful in the diagnosis of X-linked disorders.

[Prenatal diagnosis of hereditary diseases using chorionic villi]

The paper is based on the first results of a preliminary study of the cytogenetic analysis of chorionic villi samples. Chorionic villi were obtained from 31 women undergoing artificial abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. The tissue was used for direct chromosome preparations and sex-chromatin examinations (X and Y body). The results suggest the possibility of a simple and quick prenatal determination of fetal sex in the first trimester and the provision of a sufficient number of mitosis with well-spread chromosomes. This new method may become the method of choice in prenatal diagnosis after being thoroughly examined and verified.