Cardio- ; Pulmonary evaluation ; Preventive monitoring ; Conferences ; physiological aspects

The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy, image quality and radiation dose of prospective electrocardiography (ECG)-triggered coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). We searched databases containing studies of CCTA that used prospective ECG-triggering between 2008 and 2011. The effective dose and image quality reported in each study were analysed and compared between the types of multislice CT scanners. We identified 23 studies through this search, with mean assessable coronary segments and effective dose at 96.8% (95% confidence level [CI] 83%, 100%) and 3.6 mSv (95% CI 2.9, 4.3 mSv), respectively. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments of image quality indicated that image quality was achieved in studies using prospective ECG-triggered CCTA, regardless of the type of CT scanners. The pooled estimates of diagnostic values were more than 90% for patient-, vessel- and segment-based assessments. Prospective ECG-triggered CCTA results in high diagnostic accuracy and image quality, with a significantly low radiation dose.
Cardiology ; methods ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Stenosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; Humans ; Models, Statistical ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; methods ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Reproducibility of Results ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

With the surge of interest in the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology, we propose that know-how on the development and clinical evaluation of AI models needs to be incorporated in radiologist training curricula to prepare our specialty to lead in the new era of radiology practice augmented by AI.

Rapid technological developments in medicine have taken place in the Asia-Pacific region over the last decades. Radiology, in particular, has seen enormous growth with the latest medical equipment and practices being commonplace in this region. The use of radiation in medicine must be carefully considered with regard to the potential side effects, such as radiation-induced cancer. There are very limited published papers on the use of radiation in medicine in this region. Hence, in this paper, we present an overview of the use of radiation in medicine in the Asia-Pacific region.
Asia ; Developing Countries ; Humans ; Pacific Islands ; Radiation Oncology ; statistics & numerical data ; Radiotherapy ; utilization

China ; Communicable Disease Control ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Plague ; therapy ; Public Health ; history ; Quarantine

China ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Medicine ; Physicians ; Politics

INTRODUCTIONVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common risk among critically ill ventilated patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of nurse-led education on: (a) knowledge of and compliance with ventilator care bundle (VCB) practices among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses; and (b) reduction in the rates of VAP post intervention.

METHODSA quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest evaluation and observation was used to investigate nurses' knowledge of and compliance with VCB practices, and the incidence of VAP. The study was conducted among 71 nurses, and the intervention involved structured education on VAP and its prevention using VCB in an ICU setting. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTSNurse-led education significantly increased nurses' knowledge of (t[70] = -36.19; p < 0.001) and compliance with (t[65] = -21.41; p < 0.001) VCB practices. The incidence of VAP, which was 39 per 1,000 ventilator days during the two-month period before intervention, dropped to 15 per 1,000 ventilator days during the two-month period following intervention.

CONCLUSIONOur findings show that nurse-led education on VAP and VCB significantly increased knowledge of and compliance with VCB practices among ICU nurses, and was associated with a reduction in the incidence of VAP among intubated and mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Inclusion of recent knowledge and evidence-based VCB guidelines for VAP prevention when educating anaesthetists, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare providers in the critical care setting is recommended.

Adult ; Clinical Competence ; Critical Care ; methods ; standards ; Critical Illness ; Education, Nursing ; Education, Nursing, Continuing ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; standards ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Nursing ; standards ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; prevention & control ; Respiration, Artificial ; standards ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; standards ; Young Adult

The use of computed tomography (CT) in emergency departments has increased over several decades, as physicians increasingly depend on imaging for diagnoses. Patients and medical personnel are put at risk due to frequent exposure to and higher levels of radiation, with very little evidence of improvements in outcomes. Here, we explore why CT imaging has a tendency to be overused in emergency departments and the obstacles that medical personnel face in ensuring patient safety. The solution requires cooperation from all emergency care stakeholders as well as the continuous education of doctors on how CT scans help in particular cases.
Diagnosis ; Education ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Patient Safety ; Private Practice ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Risk Assessment ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The world is now plagued by a pandemic of unprecedented nature caused by a novel, emerging, and still poorly understood infectious disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Wu and McGoogan, 2020). In addition to the rapidly growing body of scientific and medical literature that is being published, extensive public reports and stories in both the traditional media and social media have served to generate fear, panic, stigmatization, and instances of xenophobia (Zarocostas, 2020).
Betacoronavirus ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/psychology* ; Fear ; Health Education ; Humans ; Pandemics ; Panic ; Pneumonia, Viral/psychology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Social Media ; Trust