Objectives: Small field of view gamma detection and imaging technologies for monitoring in vivo tracer uptake are rapidly expanding and being introduced for bed-side imaging and image guided surgical procedures. The Hybrid Gamma Camera (HGC) has been developed to enhance the localization of targeted radiopharmaceuticals during surgical procedures; for example in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies and for bed-side imaging in procedures such as lacrimal drainage imaging and thyroid scanning. In this study, a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed, constructed, and evaluated using representative modelled medical scenarios to study the capability of the HGC to detect SLNs and image small organs. Methods: An anthropomorphic head and neck phantom has been designed to mimic the adult head and neck including some internal organs and tissues of interest, such as the thyroid gland and sentinel lymph nodes. The design of the head and neck phantom included an adjustable inner jig holding the simulated SLNs and thyroid gland. The simulated thyroid gland was designed and 3D printed taking into consideration the size and the shape of a healthy adult thyroid gland. The inner sealed space of the thyroid was filled with 15MBq of 99mTc through two upper filling valves. Sealed micro-tubes (0.2ml) have been employed to simulate SLNs containing various 99mTc activity concentrations ranging between 0.1MBq and 1MBq, and can be positioned at any desired place in the head and neck region. An active background was simulated through mixing 10MBq of 99mTc solution with the water used to fill the outer shell of the head and neck phantom. Results: The head and neck phantom was employed to simulate a situation where there are four SLNs distributed at two different vertical levels and at two depths within the neck. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) calculations were performed for the detected SLNs at an 80mm distance between both pinhole collimators (i.e. 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameters) and the surface of the head and neck phantom with a 100s acquisition time. The recorded CNR values for the simulated SLNs are higher when the HGC was fitted with the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator. For instance, the recorded CNR values for the superficially simulated SLN containing 0.1MBq of 99mTc using 0.5mm and 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimators are 6.48 and 16.42, respectively (~87% difference). The anatomical context provided by the hybrid imaging aided the localization process of radioactivity accumulation in simulated SLNs. Gamma and hybrid optical images were acquired using the HGC with both available pinhole collimators for the simulated thyroid gland. The thyroid images produced varied in terms of spatial resolution and detectability. The count profiles through the middle of the simulated thyroid gland images provided by both pinhole collimators were obtained. The HGC could clearly differentiate the individual peaks of both thyroid lobes in the gamma image produced by the 0.5mm pinhole collimator. In contrast, the recorded count profile for the acquired image using the 1.0mm diameter pinhole collimator showed broader peaks for both lobes, reflecting the degradation of the spatial resolution with increasing the diameter of the pinhole collimator. Conclusion: The capability of the HGC has been evaluated utilizing a prototype anthropomorphic head and neck phantom, and the gamma and hybrid images obtained demonstrate that it is ideally suited for intraoperative SLNs detection and small organ imaging. The standardization of test phantoms and protocols for SFOV portable gamma systems will provide an opportunity to collect data across various medical centers and research groups. Moreover, it will provide a technical baseline for researchers and clinical practitioners to consider when assessing their SFOV gamma imaging systems. The anthropomorphic head and neck phantom described is cost effective, reproducible, flexible and anatomically representative.
Almost human societies are not void of poverty, as the latter accompanied the emergence of humanity, and it, thus, represents an eternal problem. To advance an individual's reality and raise the level of the poor social classes, social security networks have been established. Such networks operate in society following social systems and laws to provide food, and material support. Besides, such networks help to rehabilitate the individual academically and vocationally. They empower vulnerable groups through the establishment of courses and workshop, provide (conditional) subsidies related to the health and educational aspects in order to achieve the sustainable development goals of (2030), and apply developmental roles of social safety ne
... Show More
Background: Maxillary first premolar with wide MOD cavity more susceptible to fracture. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of cavity design for cusp coverage on the fracture resistance of weakened maxillary first premolar restored with CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic versus nanohybide composite. Materials and Methods: Fifty six intact maxillary first premolars of approximately comparable sizes were divided into seven groups eight for each: Group A: Intact teeth (control group); Group B: teeth prepared for MOD inlay; Group C: teeth prepared for MOD onlay covering the lingual cusp; Group D: teeth prepared for MOD covering buccal and lingual cusps ,the previous three groups indirectly restored with nanohybrid composite (3M ESPE Z 250 X
... Show MorePoly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a typical microbial bio-polyester reserve material; known as “green plastics”, which produced under controlled conditions as intracellular products of the secondary metabolism of diverse gram-negative/positive bacteria and various extremophiles archaea. Although PHB has properties allowing being very attractive, it is too expensive to compete with conventional and non-biodegradable plastics. Feasibility of this research to evaluate the suitability of using a watermelon-derived media as an alternative substrate for PHB synthesis under stress conditions was examined. Results, include the most nutrients extraction, indicated that the watermelon seeds contain a high content of nutrients makes them a promisi
... Show MoreAu XIXe siècle, avec l’excès de la passion, le roman français commence à avoir de nouvelles figures. Il tend à être un reflet de la pensée et de la passion. Stendhal et Balzac révèlent ainsi le conflit de l’âme et donnent à leur héros l’impression que tout est permis.
Ces protagonistes doivent, d’une part, subir des fluctuations psychologiques, et d’autre part, ces héros doivent être capables de faire face aux rancunes et aux conflits destructeurs. Les personnages stendhaliens et balzaciens finissent par croire que leur combat ne portera pas ses fruits, parce que toute passion déséquilibrée mènera, soit à la fol
... Show MoreThere are varieties of reasons lead for drilling horizontal wells rather than verticals. Increasing the recovery of oil, especially from thin or tight reservoir permeability is the most important parameter.
East Baghdad oil field considered as a giant field with approximately more than 1billion barrel of a proved reserves accompanying recently to low production rate problems in many of the existing wells.
It is important to say that presence of of horizontal wells in East Baghdad field especially by converting some of already drilled wells by re-entry drilling horizontal sections may provide one of best solutions for the primary development stage in East Baghdad field which may be followed by drilling n
... Show More
(3)
There are varieties of reasons lead for drilling horizontal wells rather than verticals. Increasing the recovery of oil, especially from thin or tight reservoir permeability is the most important parameter. East Baghdad oil field considered as a giant field with approximately more than 1billion barrel of a proved reserves accompanying recently to low production rate problems in many of the existing wells. It is important to say that presence of of horizontal wells in East Baghdad field especially by converting some of already drilled wells by re-entry drilling horizontal sections may provide one of best solutions for the primary development stage in East Baghdad field which may be followed by drilling new horizont
... Show More
(3)
(4)
The key objective of the study is to understand the best processes that are currently used in managing talent in Australian higher education (AHE) and design a quantitative measurement of talent management processes (TMPs) for the higher education (HE) sector.
The three qualitative multi-method studies that are commonly used in empirical studies, namely, brainstorming, focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews were considered. Twenty
(9)
(5)
