Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Computers”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,279 records · Page 71Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Breast cancer: effectiveness of computer-aided diagnosis observer study with independent database of mammograms.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized classification method as an aid to radiologists reviewing clinical mammograms for which the diagnoses were unknown to both the radiologists and the computer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six mammographers and six community radiologists participated in an observer study. These 12 radiologists interpreted, with and without the computer aid, 110 cases that were unknown to both the 12 radiologist observers and the trained computer classification scheme. The radiologists' performances in differentiating between benign and malignant masses without and with the computer aid were evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Two-tailed P values were calculated for the Student t test to indicate the statistical significance of the differences in performances with and without the computer aid. RESULTS: When the computer aid was used, the average performance of the 12 radiologists improved, as indicated by an increase in the area under the ROC curve (A(z)) from 0.93 to 0.96 (P <.001), by an increase in partial area under the ROC curve ((0.90)A(')(z)) from 0.56 to 0.72 (P <.001), and by an increase in sensitivity from 94% to 98% (P =.022). No statistically significant difference in specificity was found between readings with and those without computer aid (Delta = -0.014; P =.46; 95% CI: -0.054, 0.026), where Delta is difference in specificity. When we analyzed results from the mammographers and community radiologists as separate groups, a larger improvement was demonstrated for the community radiologists. CONCLUSION: Computer-aided diagnosis can potentially help radiologists improve their diagnostic accuracy in the task of differentiating between benign and malignant masses seen on mammograms.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of doses for bedside examinations of the chest with conventional screen-film and computed radiography: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the radiation doses received by patients during bedside chest radiography when a computed radiography system was used and when a 400-speed screen-film system was used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was performed whereby all patients who were admitted to an intensive care unit were randomly assigned at admission to have all radiographic chest images obtained with either computed or conventional screen-film radiography. Doses were measured for 1 year, during which 269 patients underwent imaging. For these patients, surface entry doses were measured by means of individual thermoluminescent dosimeters placed on the skin at the center of the radiation beam. In addition, data were collected relating to the patient and examination characteristics, as well as to repeat examinations. Effective doses were calculated. RESULTS: The patients in the two arms of the study were well matched. The surface entry doses were higher in the computed radiography group (median, 0.21 mGy for computed radiography and 0.16 mGy for conventional radiography), and the effective doses were also higher (median, 0.036 mSv for computed radiography and 0.027 mSv for conventional radiography). Fewer examinations were repeated when computed radiography was used. CONCLUSION: When computed radiography was used, patient doses increased. The speed of this computed radiography system, which uses phosphor plate imaging, equates approximately to a 300-speed screen-film system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Functional image of dynamic computed tomography for the evaluation of cerebral hemodynamics.

We report the usefulness of functional image of dynamic computed tomography as a technique for evaluating cerebral hemodynamics. Although the technique itself has been reported, the advance of computer technology has made it possible to obtain high-resolution functional images within only a few minutes. We conducted 70 examinations on 57 patients with cerebral ischemia and correlated the findings with clinical outcome. Those patients whose abnormalities were detected on all corrected mean transit time, time to peak, and peak value images developed massive cortical infarcts. On the other hand, patients with abnormalities detected only on the corrected mean transit time image had only partial low-density lesions on follow-up computed tomograms. Patients with abnormalities detected only on the time to peak image suffered repeated transient ischemic attacks, but follow-up computed tomograms showed no low-density lesion in most cases. Single-photon emission computed tomography with N-isopropyl-p-(123I)iodoamphetamine performed at the time of functional image of dynamic computed tomography showed a high concordance of the findings in many cases, especially those with hyperacute-stage cerebral ischemia, in which the concordance rate was 90.5% (19 of 21). Comparing images constructed from different parameters, functional image of dynamic computed tomography can delineate other than hemodynamic factors, such as extent of the vascular bed or the degree of collateral circulation. Thus, functional image of dynamic computed tomography is a potentially important and useful technique for the further analysis of cerebral hemodynamics.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

On the computational power of winner-take-all.

This article initiates a rigorous theoretical analysis of the computational power of circuits that employ modules for computing winner-take-all. Computational models that involve competitive stages have so far been neglected in computational complexity theory, although they are widely used in computational brain models, artificial neural networks, and analog VLSI. Our theoretical analysis shows that winner-take-all is a surprisingly powerful computational module in comparison with threshold gates (also referred to as McCulloch-Pitts neurons) and sigmoidal gates. We prove an optimal quadratic lower bound for computing winner-take-all in any feedforward circuit consisting of threshold gates. In addition we show that arbitrary continuous functions can be approximated by circuits employing a single soft winner-take-all gate as their only nonlinear operation. Our theoretical analysis also provides answers to two basic questions raised by neurophysiologists in view of the well-known asymmetry between excitatory and inhibitory connections in cortical circuits: how much computational power of neural networks is lost if only positive weights are employed in weighted sums and how much adaptive capability is lost if only the positive weights are subject to plasticity.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Identification and quantification of apneas by computer-based analysis of oxygen saturation.

Manual detection and quantitation of apneas from an all-night polysomnogram is very time-consuming. Because SaO2 changes with virtually every apnea event, we reasoned that by identifying cyclical SaO2 changes, we could calculate (1) an apnea-hypopnea index that would correlate very well with the manually derived apnea-hypopnea index, and (2) the duration of apnea-hypopnea events. We developed a computer algorithm to scan and detect dips in SaO2 data digitally stored as a time series by computer throughout overnight studies. Desaturations detected by computer were compared with the events detected manually in 9 all-night polysomnograms from 6 patients with typical obstructive sleep apnea. Events detected by one method but not the other were subsequently verified to determine the overall number of apnea-hypopnea events present and to determine false positive and false negative rates for the 2 methods of detection. The total number of apneas was 4,008. Both methods agreed on 3,639 of them. Of 77 manually recorded apneas not detected by computer, 24 were subsequently discounted (manual false positives, 24 of 4,007 = 0.6%) and 53 confirmed (computer false negatives, 1.32%). Of 358 events not detected manually, 316 were confirmed (manual false negatives, 7.9%) and 42 discounted (computer false positives, 1.1%). Using the final manual scoring as the reference, the computer program detected apneas with a sensitivity of 97.9%, and the predictive value of a computer-detected event was 90.8%. For event duration, a regression was performed on 3,623 matched apneas-hypopnea events, giving a coefficient of r = 0.9431, p less than 10(-6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Computer-assisted cognitive therapy for depression: maintaining efficacy while reducing therapist time.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to compare the efficacy of computer-assisted cognitive therapy against standard cognitive therapy and a control group without treatment for outpatients with nonpsychotic major depressive disorder. METHOD: Medication-free participants (N=45) with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to cognitive therapy (N=15), computer-assisted cognitive therapy (N=15), or a wait list (N=15). Both active treatments consisted of nine sessions over 8 weeks. Therapist time was reduced after the first visit for computer-assisted cognitive therapy, with 25-minute sessions rather than 50-minute sessions. Assessments were completed pretreatment, after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy, and 3 and 6 months posttreatment. RESULTS: Computer-assisted cognitive therapy and standard cognitive therapy were superior to the wait list control group for treatment of depression and did not differ from each other on the primary outcome variables. Very large between-group effect sizes were observed. Improvement in depression for both computer-assisted cognitive therapy and standard cognitive therapy was maintained at the 3- and 6-month follow-up evaluations. Computer-assisted cognitive therapy had more robust effects, relative to being wait-listed, than standard cognitive therapy in reducing measures of cognitive distortion and in improving knowledge about cognitive therapy. CONCLUSIONS: A multimedia, computer-assisted form of cognitive therapy with reduced therapist contact was as efficacious as standard cognitive therapy. Computer-assisted therapy could decrease costs and improve access to cognitive therapy for depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Computer-mediated psychotherapy: toward patient-selection guidelines.

The greatest obstacle currently slowing the progress of research in computer-mediated psychotherapy is the fact that unless the physicians using it truly believe in its effectiveness, even the most sophisticated computer technology will fail. The more complex the tasks, the less likely are people, including mental health professionals, willing to believe that computers can successfully carry them out. Many people fear the psychotherapy experience would be dehumanized by the introduction of computer technology. But the medium must not be confused with the message; the computer is simply an extension of the therapist, permitting one therapist to treat not just a few, but thousands of desperate patients. The current state of computer-mediated psychotherapy is such that this medium appears to be best suited to individual psychotherapy of a brief or focused nature, particularly the cognitive-behavioral therapies. The introduction of computer technology into psychotherapy offers the significant advantages of flexibility, consistency, and economy that would make psychotherapy more effective and more readily available to a much broader patient population than the one presently benefiting from such treatment. The preceding discussion has been an attempt to offer some practical guidelines for patient selection for computer-mediated psychotherapy based upon available investigations. As such, it is nevertheless incomplete and open to future revision. Considerable work remains to be done before definitive recommendations can be made, but it is hoped that these suggestions may prove helpful to clinicians working at the frontier of this new and exciting therapeutic medium.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1990

Hypertext computer study guides and the social studies achievement of students with learning disabilities, remedial students, and regular education students.

Hypertext is a relatively new term for today's teachers, who work hard to stay abreast of the quickly changing field of computer technology in education. Hypertext as an educational tool is very different from traditional computer-assisted instructional software, offering the reader immediate access through its computer format to supplemental information. Two related studies were conducted to design and field-test hypertext computer study guides. In Study 1, 40 students (10 with learning disabilities, 15 remedial, and 15 regular education) worked in three different treatment groups (lecture, lecture/computer study guide, and computer study guide). Study 2 involved the five lowest achieving students (two with learning disabilities and three remedial) from Study 1 in an A-B-A design. Results indicated that (a) the computer study guide treatment was as effective as lecture, (b) the lecture/computer study guide treatment was as effective as lecture, (c) posttest scores were higher for the computer study guide group, and (d) retention test scores were higher for the computer study guide group.

Achievement↗
PubMed1996

Radiation dose reduction in computed skeletal radiography. Effect on image quality.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of radiation dose reduction on image ++quality in computed musculoskeletal radiography and determine optimal exposure range. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 11 corpses, 1 hand and 1 hip were examined with film-screen radiography, and a series of computed radiographs was obtained using exactly the same technique except for the exposure, which was 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, and 1.56% of the mAs numbers used for the film-screen images. The computed hip radiographs were processed in 2 different ways, one simulating the film-screen images and one using contrast enhancement. Four radiologists reviewed the images regarding the following parameters: cortical bone, trabecular bone, joint space, and soft tissue, giving each a diagnostic quality rating on a scale from 1 to 5. The median and mean values were found for the pooled results. RESULTS: For the hands, the computed radiographs were ranked inferior to the film-screen images for all parameters except soft tissue, where the computed radiographs scored higher. The computed images with 50 and 25% exposure were ranked equal to the 100% ones. The quality rating slowly declined with lower exposures. For the hips, the 100 and 50% computed radiographs were generally similar to or slightly better than the film-screen images. The decline was somewhat faster than for the hands. The contrast-enhanced hip images scored less than the nonenhanced images at any given exposure for all parameters except soft tissue, where the contrast-enhanced images scored better at all exposures. The difference between nonenhanced and enhanced images became less at the lower exposures. CONCLUSION: Lowering the exposure in computed musculoskeletal radioagrphy below the level of film-screen radiography is feasible, especially in the peripheral skeleton. Contrast enhancement seems to be valuable only in the evaluation of soft-tissue structures.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed2005

Assessing the precision of high-throughput computational and laboratory approaches for the genome-wide identification of protein subcellular localization in bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Identification of a bacterial protein's subcellular localization (SCL) is important for genome annotation, function prediction and drug or vaccine target identification. Subcellular fractionation techniques combined with recent proteomics technology permits the identification of large numbers of proteins from distinct bacterial compartments. However, the fractionation of a complex structure like the cell into several subcellular compartments is not a trivial task. Contamination from other compartments may occur, and some proteins may reside in multiple localizations. New computational methods have been reported over the past few years that now permit much more accurate, genome-wide analysis of the SCL of protein sequences deduced from genomes. There is a need to compare such computational methods with laboratory proteomics approaches to identify the most effective current approach for genome-wide localization characterization and annotation. RESULTS: In this study, ten subcellular proteome analyses of bacterial compartments were reviewed. PSORTb version 2.0 was used to computationally predict the localization of proteins reported in these publications, and these computational predictions were then compared to the localizations determined by the proteomics study. By using a combined approach, we were able to identify a number of contaminants and proteins with dual localizations, and were able to more accurately identify membrane subproteomes. Our results allowed us to estimate the precision level of laboratory subproteome studies and we show here that, on average, recent high-precision computational methods such as PSORTb now have a lower error rate than laboratory methods. CONCLUSION: We have performed the first focused comparison of genome-wide proteomic and computational methods for subcellular localization identification, and show that computational methods have now attained a level of precision that is exceeding that of high-throughput laboratory approaches. We note that analysis of all cellular fractions collectively is required to effectively provide localization information from laboratory studies, and we propose an overall approach to genome-wide subcellular localization characterization that capitalizes on the complementary nature of current laboratory and computational methods.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Computer-assisted quantification of occlusion and coil densities on angiographic and histological images of experimental aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Occlusion rates (OR) and coil densities were quantified by computer-assisted morphometry on angiograms and histological ground sections of coil-embolized experimental aneurysms. The aims of this study were 1) to develop computer-assisted evaluations of angiographic OR and histometrical OR, 2) to compare these results to subjectively estimated angiographic OR from clinical practice, and 3) to test the correlation between histometrical data of coil density and occlusion. METHODS: Eight rabbit carotid-bifurcation aneurysms had been followed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) before and after Guglielmi detachable coil embolization and at sacrifice (1 h to 24 wk postembolization). Angiographic OR was subjectively estimated, then determined by computer-assisted density-gradient distinction on digitized DSAs. Histometrically, maximum length, neck width, total area, recanalized area, and coil-occupied area were measured on digitized and calibrated color micrographs from surface-stained histological ground sections of the aneurysms. Histometrical OR and coil density were calculated as indirect parameters. RESULTS: Subjective versus computer-assisted angiographic OR yielded for one aneurysm, 100% versus 100%, and for three aneurysms less than 90% versus 65 to 60% occlusion. For four aneurysms, OR was estimated greater than 90%, whereas computer-assisted OR ranged between 45 to 80%, the latter being more precise because of better definition of the aneurysm's total area on digitized DSA. Histometrical OR ranged between 32.8 and 87.6%, but did not correlate significantly with computer-assisted angiographic OR (r = 0.467, P > 0.1) because of differences in two aneurysms. Coil densities between 5.5 and 22.1% were slightly lower than reported in literature but significantly correlated to histometrical OR (r = 0.646, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Computer-assisted DSA evaluation, delivering more precise values than subjectively estimated occlusion, may be a useful tool for follow-up studies. Comparing computer-assisted angiographic with histometrical occlusion demonstrates limits of DSA in displaying the real morphology of coil-embolized aneurysms. The clinically postulated correlation of OR and coil densities was statistically corroborated.

Aneurysm↗
PubMed1992

Introducing computer literacy skills for physicians.

Computers are integral to medical practice, education, and research. While medical students learn computer skills during their training, many practicing physicians do not have the same computer experience. To familiarize this group with the exciting developments in medical informatics, the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library and Department of Computer Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center organized a workshop "Introducing Your Office Computer!" for attending physicians. The workshop featured a short lecture/video presentation on computer applications in medicine followed by a "computer fair" of five computer applications. Eleven physicians attended the workshop. Feedback was very positive; many called later to request more detailed instructions on using the programs demonstrated. It was a valuable experience for the staff, and new bridges were built between departments and clients.

Computer User Training↗
PubMed2025

Catalyzing computational biology research at an academic institute through an interest network.

Biology has been transformed by the rapid development of computing and the concurrent rise of data-rich approaches such as, omics or high-resolution imaging. However, there is a persistent computational skills gap in the biomedical research workforce. Inherent limitations of classroom teaching and institutional core support highlight the need for accessible ways for researchers to explore developments in computational biology. An analysis of the Scripps Research Genomics Core revealed increases in the total number and diversity of experiments: the share of experiments other than bulk RNA- or DNA-sequencing increased from 34% to 60% within 10 years, requiring more tailored computational analyses. These challenges were tackled by forming a volunteer-led affinity group of approximately 300 academic biomedical researchers interested in computational biology, referred to as the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB) affinity group. This adaptive group has provided continuing education and networking opportunities through seminars, workshops, and coding sessions while evolving along with the needs of its members. A survey of CBB's impact confirmed the group's events increased the members' exposure to computational biology educational and research events (79% respondents) and networking opportunities (61% respondents). Thus, volunteer-led affinity groups may be a viable complement to traditional institutional resources for enhancing the application of computing in biomedical research.

Computational Biology↗
PubMed2001

Three-dimensional computer modeling of the human upper respiratory tract.

Computer simulations of airflow and particle-transport phenomena within the human respiratory system have important applications to aerosol therapy (e.g., the targeted delivery of inhaled drugs) and inhalation toxicology (e.g., the risk assessment of air pollutants). A detailed description of airway morphology is necessary for these simulations to accurately reflect conditions in vivo. Therefore, a three-dimensional (3D) physiologically realistic computer model of the human upper-respiratory tract (URT) has been developed. The URT morphological model consists of the extrathoracic (ET) region (nasal, oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal passages) and upper airways (trachea and main bronchi) of the lung. The computer representation evolved from a silicone rubber impression of a medical school teaching model of the human head and throat. A mold of this ET system was sliced into 2-mm serial sections, scanned, and digitized. Numerical grids, for use in future computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, were generated for each slice using commercially available software (CFX-F3D), AEA Technology, Harwell, UK. The meshed sections were subsequently aligned and connected to be consistent with the anatomical model. Finally, a 3D curvilinear grid and a multiblock method were employed to generate the complete computational mesh defined by the cross-sections. The computer reconstruction of the trachea and main bronchi was based on data from the literature (cited herein). The final unified 3D computer model may have significant applications to aerosol medicine and inhalation toxicology, and serve as a cornerstone for computer simulations of air flow and particle-transport processes in the human respiratory system.

Bronchi↗
PubMed2003

Consultation computer use to improve management of chronic disease in general practice: a before and after study.

BACKGROUND: Computers have become widespread in primary care but their potential to improve clinical effectiveness has not been completely fulfilled. One explanation for this is the difficulty in evaluating their impact on the process of care. AIM: To determine the effects of computers in consulting rooms on the management of chronic disease. METHODS: Before and after study with concurrent control group, matching six practices moving from paper-based recording to a consultation-based computer environment, with six practices using paper-based systems. Data were collected retrospectively via case note review for the year preceding the arrival of the computers and for the subsequent year. All patients with diagnosed diabetes mellitus (n = 1070) or rheumatoid disease (n = 202) were included. The main outcome measure was recording of disease management items. RESULTS: The computer group improved recording for seven of the eight diabetic and four of the seven rheumatoid items studied. Increases were significant for height (5% increase; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2% to 8.8%), weight (6.6%; 95% CI: 2.2% to 11.0%), foot pulses (8.7%; 95% CI: 4.1% to 13.4%), foot sensation (8.6%; 95% CI: 5.2% to 11.9%), blood pressure (12.6%; 95% CI: 2.0% to 23.2%) and urinalysis (20.2%; 95% CI: 11.0% to 29.4%). The control group improved for two diabetic and five rheumatoid items, the only significant increase being for urinalysis (1.1%; 95% CI: 0.2% to 22.0%). Computer use was associated with increased recording of each diabetes item except fundoscopy, and with increased blood pressure recording for rheumatoid disease. The larger the practice, the larger the effects observed. CONCLUSIONS: Use of computers can improve management of chronic disease in primary care. Impact is most clearly seen in those items easily recorded on computer during consultations. Effects are most evident in practices with larger patient numbers.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Persistent asthma in adults: comparison of high resolution computed tomography of the lungs after one year of follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of high resolution computed tomography of the thorax in detecting abnormalities in chronic asthmatic patients and to determine the behavior of these lesions after at least one year. METHOD: Fourteen persistent asthmatic patients with a mean forced expiratory volume in 1-second that was 63% of predicted and a mean forced expiratory volume in 1-second /forced vital capacity of 60% had two high resolution computed tomographies separated by an interval of at least one year. RESULTS: All 14 patients had abnormalities on both scans. The most common abnormality was bronchial wall thickening, which was present in all patients on both computed tomographies. Bronchiectasis was suggested on the first computed tomography in 5 of the 14 (36%) patients, but on follow-up, the bronchial dilatation had disappeared in 2 and diminished in a third. Only one patient had any emphysematous changes; a minimal persistent area of paraseptal emphysema was present on both scans. In 3 patients, a "mosaic" appearance was observed on the first scan, and this persisted on the follow-up computed tomography. Two patients had persistent areas of mucoid impaction. In a third patient, mucus plugging was detected only on the second computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there are many abnormalities on the high resolution computed tomography of patients with persistent asthma. Changes suggestive of bronchiectasis, namely bronchial dilatation, frequently resolve spontaneously. Therefore, the diagnosis of bronchiectasis by high resolution computed tomography in asthmatic patients must be made with caution, since bronchial dilatation can be reversible or can represent false dilatation. Nonsmoking chronic asthmatic subjects in this study had no evidence of centrilobular or panacinar emphysema.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effects of reduced exposure on computed radiography: comparison of nodule detection accuracy with conventional and asymmetric screen-film radiographs of a chest phantom.

OBJECTIVE: Radiographic exposure has been thought to have little impact on the diagnostic quality of chest computed radiography because of automatic digital control of global optical density. The objectives of this study were to compare images obtained with two different exposures in computed radiography with conventional and asymmetric screen-film images of the chest for the detection of simulated lung nodules by use of receiver operating characteristic analysis and to relate differences in observer performance to parameters of image noise measured for each receptor condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At 110 kVp (fixed), exposures for the two screen-film systems were those necessary to achieve adequate optical densities over the lung and mediastinal regions of an anthropomorphic phantom. The two exposures used for the computed radiographs corresponded to the exposure used for the conventional chest screen-film system and an exposure 22% lower. An anthropomorphic phantom constructed of materials matched to the muscle, lung, and bone attenuation of a muscular adult man was used. Soft-tissue-equivalent plastic nodules of various sizes were secured at multiple sites on the phantom to simulate lung nodules. The chest phantom was imaged in 50 configurations with a total of 70 superimposed nodules. The perceptual performances of five radiologists were compared by use of receiver operating characteristic analysis. The signal-to-noise ratio in the mediastinum and the coefficient of variation of noise were measured for all four image conditions by use of a step wedge technique to provide an explanation for differences in diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: We found no significant differences in the detection of lung nodules between the two screen-film systems or between the conventional screen-film images and the standard-exposure computed radiographs. However, there was a significant decrease in nodule detection on computed radiographs obtained at a reduced exposure; this result was associated with a 21% decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio. CONCLUSION: Our results show that underexposure of computed radiographs decreases the detection of low-contrast objects such as lung nodules. Although consistent global optical density on computed radiographs is achieved over a wide range of exposures, the alterations in signal-to-noise ratio that result from underexposure can reduce the diagnostic quality of computed radiographs.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Computed tomography of the elbow joint in clinically normal dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To use computed tomography (CT) to provide a detailed description of elbow joint structures in clinically normal dogs. ANIMALS: 6 clinically normal adult mixed-breed dogs weighing 24 to 37 kg and one 12-month-old Labrador Retriever weighing 27 kg. PROCEDURE: To perform CT of both elbow regions, dogs were anesthetized and placed in lateral recumbency. One- and 2-mm contiguous slices were obtained by use of a third generation computed tomographic scanner. Good resolution and anatomic detail were acquired from the computed tomographic images by use of a bone (window width, 3,500 Hounsfield units; window level, 500 Hounsfield units) and soft-tissue setting (window width, 400 Hounsfield units; window level, 66 Hounsfield units). After euthanasia, the forelimbs from the Labrador Retriever were removed and frozen in water at -18 degrees C. Elbow joints were sectioned into approximately 1-mm-thick slab sections by use of an electric planer. Anatomic sections were photographed and compared with the corresponding computed tomographic images. Computed tomographic reconstructions of the elbow joint were created in sagittal and dorsal planes. RESULTS: Structures on the computed tomographic images were matched with structures in the corresponding anatomic sections. The entire humeroradioulnar joint surface could be evaluated on the reconstructed images in the sagittal and dorsal plane. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Computed tomographic images provide full anatomic detail of the bony structures of the elbow joint in dogs. Muscles, large blood vessels, and nerves can also be evaluated. These results could be used as a basis for evaluation of computed tomographic images of the forelimbs of dogs with elbow joint injuries.

Animals↗