In the University of Tsukuba, PACS research is being carried out with a special emphasis on the reporting system. The radiological diagnostic system in Japan is not sufficiently developed and the number of diagnostic radiologists in Japan is not as large as in many European countries (M. Akisada, Present status of PACS activities in Japan. Med. Inform. 13 (1988) 289-293). With recognition of this fact, PACS research in Japan should also focus on the reporting system. Recently, the first PACS workstation was installed in the Department of Radiology of the University Hospital, but it has not yet been put to clinical use. Reports can be made on this workstation while viewing the properly provided digital images of MR and CT. As to the concepts of the reporting system, there are three important points. The first one is the double check system to maintain the standard quality of diagnostic performance. This system is expected to provide proper training and education to students and young doctors (S.E. Selzer, S.J. Hessel, P.G. Herman et al., Resident film interpretations and staff review. Am. J. Radiol. 137 (1981) 129-133). The second one is to develop a transcriber workstation, through which reports are easily handled as routine work. The last point is to provide a well-organized diagnostic coding system. For this purpose, a modified IRD (Index for Radiological Diagnosis, by the American College of Radiology) is assumed to be one of the best choices.

Computer Systems↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A new type of cross-hatched wedged grid for biplanar serial angiography of the abdomen.

In an attempt to obtain an improved image in serial abdominal angiography, two new types of linear and cross-hatched grids were designed, called respectively the wedged grid and cross-hatched type of wedged grid. The grid ratio of the wedged grid ranges continuously from 12:1 to 8:1 from edge to edge. The cross-hatched wedged grid is a combination of two grids. The upper part is a linear wedged grid with a grid ratio ranging from 12:1 to 5:1. The lower part is a linear grid with a grid ratio of 5:1. The individual grids are placed at right angles to each other. Hence, the grid ratio of this combination ranges from 17:1 to 10:1. By using the special cross-hatched wedged grid, satisfactory biplanar abdominal angiography can be performed without significantly increasing radiation dosage.

Angiography↗

PubMedDate not supplied

N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine SPECT in MELAS syndrome: comparison with CT and MR imaging.

Regional cerebral perfusion was studied in three patients with the mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome, using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (IMP). Accumulation of the tracer was relatively decreased in the parietooccipital regions and also in the frontotemporal regions after stroke-like episodes. However, quantitative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurement showed that rCBF was relatively well preserved even at these sites, and a hyperemic state was observed at the sites of normal accumulation. IMP SPECT may be useful in the diagnosis and assessment of the progress of the MELAS syndrome.

Acidosis, Lactic↗