Objective: To assess the noncontrast two-dimensional single-shot balanced turbo-field-echo magnetic resonance angiography (b-TFE MRA) features of the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) status following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and evaluate to detect endoleaks (ELs). Materials and Methods: We examined four aortic stent-grafts in a phantom study to assess the degree of metallic artifacts. We enrolled 46 EVAR-treated patients with AAA and/or common iliac artery aneurysm who underwent both computed tomography angiography (CTA) and b-TFE MRA after EVAR. Vascular measurements on CTA and b-TFE MRA were compared, and signal intensity ratios (SIRs) of the aneurysmal sac were correlated with the size changes in the AAA after EVAR (AAA prognoses). Furthermore, we examined six feasible b-TFE MRA features for the assessment of ELs. Results: There were robust intermodality (r = 0.92–0.99) correlations and interobserver (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97–0.99) agreement. No significant differences were noted between SIRs and aneurysm prognoses. Moreover, “mottled high-intensity” and “creeping high-intensity with the low-band rim” were recognized as significant imaging findings suspicious for the presence of ELs (p < 0.001), whereas “no signal black spot” and “layered high-intensity area” were determined as significant for the absence of ELs (p < 0.03). Based on the two positive features, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the detection of ELs were 77.3%, 91.7%, and 84.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the k values (0.40–0.88) displayed moderate-toalmost perfect agreement. Conclusion Noncontrast MRA could be a promising imaging modality for ascertaining patient follow-up after EVAR.

Objective: To assess the noncontrast two-dimensional single-shot balanced turbo-field-echo magnetic resonance angiography (b-TFE MRA) features of the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) status following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and evaluate to detect endoleaks (ELs). Materials and Methods: We examined four aortic stent-grafts in a phantom study to assess the degree of metallic artifacts. We enrolled 46 EVAR-treated patients with AAA and/or common iliac artery aneurysm who underwent both computed tomography angiography (CTA) and b-TFE MRA after EVAR. Vascular measurements on CTA and b-TFE MRA were compared, and signal intensity ratios (SIRs) of the aneurysmal sac were correlated with the size changes in the AAA after EVAR (AAA prognoses). Furthermore, we examined six feasible b-TFE MRA features for the assessment of ELs. Results: There were robust intermodality (r = 0.92–0.99) correlations and interobserver (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97–0.99) agreement. No significant differences were noted between SIRs and aneurysm prognoses. Moreover, “mottled high-intensity” and “creeping high-intensity with the low-band rim” were recognized as significant imaging findings suspicious for the presence of ELs (p < 0.001), whereas “no signal black spot” and “layered high-intensity area” were determined as significant for the absence of ELs (p < 0.03). Based on the two positive features, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the detection of ELs were 77.3%, 91.7%, and 84.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the k values (0.40–0.88) displayed moderate-toalmost perfect agreement. Conclusion Noncontrast MRA could be a promising imaging modality for ascertaining patient follow-up after EVAR.

This is a report of the activities of the committee on medical student selection 1994-1996, particularly focused on the 15th Conference on Medical-Student Admission held 1996/8/31 with the subjects of social needs and influences upon high school education for the purpose of improving student selection system in Japan. We must consider how largely admission tests have being influenced high school students at the time of decision making, what medical schools they submit their applications to, and what ability the society or community requires physicians, for creating better system of evaluation for admission in Japan.

We evaluated our undergraduate clinical clerkship system in 1992, using the multiplication method advocated by the Working Group on “Evaluation of clinical skills of medical students ” of the Japan Society for Medical Education. We divided the clinical training period into three terms: the first term was held from May through June, the second from September through October, and the third from December through January. We determined scores using checklists and rating scales in ten categories, totalled the scores for each period, and compared them between periods. The total scores for the third period were the highest, followed by those for the second period. Scores for basic knowledge, data gathering, and basic technical procedures increased with increase in the number of training hours. However, scores for manner, attitude, and interviewing skills were already high in the first period. We conclude that the multiplication method is useful for objectively evaluating students' clinical skills.

In 1991, the committee on postgraduate clinical training proposed revised behavioral objectives for basic clinical training in the initial two years. We present here a model for a clinical training program that should enable most residents to attain these objectives within two years.
The program begins with orientation for 1-2 weeks, including a workshop on team care, and nursing practice.
Basic clinical skills for primary care and emergency managements should be learned by experience during rotations through various clinical specialities. All staff members, even senior residents, should participate in teaching beginning residents in hospitals.

To determine the effectivenss of “clinical clerkship (CC)” in undergraduate clinical training, a questionaire was sent to 105 students who had received the classical bed side teaching (BST) in 1990 and to 103 who have received CC from 1992 through 1994. The effectiveness of clinical training was pointed out by 53, 7% of group BST and 61.8% of group CC. The numbers of effectively learned items were larger in the order of psychomotor, affective and cognitive domains in the group BST, while there were in the order of affective, psychomotor and cognitive domains the group CC, indicating that CC is more effective in learning in the affective domain than BST (p<0.01). In the affective domain, students learned by observing physicians' attitudes to patients in BST, while they learned through their own personal interactions with their assigned patients in CC. CC is therefore believed to be quite effective for students to learn humanistic attitudes.

Learning of humanistic attitudes in undergraduate medical education is increasingly expected to provide holistic care and comprehensive medical service. However, there has been no report that deals with doctors' attitudes toward patients in relation to the educational subject. Medical students, who had been implemented a clinical clerkship for two months, evaluated doctors' attitudes by questionnairs after clerkship. They scored by checklists and rating scales. In this article, we report the views of medical students on doctors' attitudes, and discuss important points for the success of the learning attitudes during undergraduate educational prosses.