一种长度可调水模体的研制

目的：研制一种新型的、专用于全身放射治疗中吸收剂量测定所使用的水模体,该水模体的宽度及高度固定为300 mm,长度可在50～400 mm之间任意调节。方法：使用10 mm厚的有机玻璃板材,粘接成边长为300 mm的正立方型箱体,在箱体的一个侧壁安装一个尺寸合适、可抽动的有机玻璃套筒状活塞,再在套筒内安装一个板状有机玻璃活塞。这样,只要推进或者拉出活塞,就可以改变水模体的长度。结果：将本水模体与国际标准水模体作测量比对,以便测定该水模体的准确性。测试时,分别测量了6 MV和15 MV X线在2个水模体中、不同水深距离的吸收剂量。将2个模体的测试结果作比对及统计学分析,无统计学差异。结论：该水模体完全能够满足全身放射治疗时临床模拟吸收剂量检测需要。     

Design, construction and evaluation of an anthropomorphic head phantom with realistic susceptibility artifacts

PURPOSE: To design and construct an anthropomorphic head phantom using materials of appropriate magnetic susceptibility and air spaces of realistic dimensions, with the aim of reproducing the susceptibility artifacts found in the human brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The phantom is based on a plastic skull filled with MnCl2-doped water. Materials to mimic soft tissue (wax) and bone (plastic skull) were chosen based on mass susceptibility measurements using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. The phantom was designed for and evaluated at 4.7T using field mapping and echo-planar imaging (EPI). RESULTS: The main magnetic field (B0) maps of the phantom resemble those of four volunteers' brains and have similar standard deviations (SDs). Maps of the B0 field gradients in the phantom and real brains are also similar. The phantom has relaxation times close to those of brain tissue at 4.7T. Gradient-echo (GE)-EPI images of the phantom suffer from susceptibility artifacts comparable to those in real heads and at anatomically realistic locations. CONCLUSION: The phantom is a useful tool for evaluating and comparing different susceptibility artifact reduction techniques. The phantom could also be used to test CT-MRI coregistration in the presence of susceptibility artifacts since the water-filled brain cavity is both CT- and MR-visible.     

Robust dynamic susceptibility contrast MR perfusion using 4D nonlinear noise filters

PURPOSE: To investigate if 4D (simultaneous space and time) nonlinear filtering techniques can produce more robust cerebral blood flow (CBF) estimates by reducing noise in acquired dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR perfusion data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A digital anthropomorphic brain perfusion phantom was constructed to analyze filter performance by: 1) deriving anthropomorphic tissue volume fractions from a human subject and 2) simulating DSC-MR perfusion signals for voxels with mixed tissue for various signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). DSC-MR data for 11 acute ischemic stroke patients were also acquired at 3T. CBF maps cross-calibrated so that normal white matter CBF was 22 mL/minute/100 g were produced from DSC-MR data without filtering and from 4D-Gaussian and 4D-bilateral noise-filtered DSC-MR data. RESULTS: The nonlinear 4D-bilateral filter yielded the lowest CBF root-mean square error (RMSE) in the phantom experiments with noise (average RMSE across all tissues regions for no filtering, 4D-Gaussian, and 4D-bilateral was 5.3 mL/minute/100 g, 6.2 mL/minute/100 g, and 4.0 mL/minute/100 g, respectively) and had the best image quality in both the phantom and patient data. CONCLUSION: Nonlinear 4D noise filters are better suited to the 4D nature of DSC-MR data. Linear spatial filters are not appropriate and can produce larger CBF errors than without filtering.     

Management of nerves during leg amputation--a neglected area in our understanding of the pathogenesis of phantom limb pain

BACKGROUND: Chronic neuropathic pain after leg amputation is a significant problem, with a reported incidence during the first year as high as 70%. Intra-operative handling of the nerves during amputation has not been discussed in the literature on post-amputation pain and, in major textbooks, it is recommended that the ischial nerve be ligated, despite the fact that the experimental literature uses nerve ligations to produce neuropathic pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical practice of nerve handling during leg amputation. METHODS: Trainees with at least 2 years of practice received a questionnaire regarding handling of the nerves during leg amputation; 128 of 149 questionnaires sent (86%) were returned. RESULTS: Ligation of the nerves was used by 31% of surgeons. CONCLUSION: There is no consistency in the management of the large nerves during lower leg amputation. The recommendations in major textbooks may not be appropriate when compared with the experimental literature on nerve ligature models to produce neuropathic pain. Future studies on post-amputation pain should consider intra-operative nerve management.     

~(252)Cf裂变中子源在组织等效模体中的中子和γ辐射剂量分布的计算

目的　计算2 5 2 Cf裂变中子源的中子和γ辐射在组织等效模体内的剂量分布 ,为使用2 5 2 Cf裂变中子源进行中子放疗提供有用的剂量学参数。方法　建立2 5 2 Cf源和组织等效模体的三维几何计算模型 ,利用蒙特卡罗方法进行中子和γ辐射联合输运计算。结果　计算了两种医用2 5 2 Cf裂变中子源在水、血液、肌肉、皮肤、骨骼和肺组织等效材料构成的模体中距源不同距离点处的中子和γ辐射吸收剂量。结论　蒙特卡罗计算结果与文献数据以及使用双电离室实验测量的结果符合得较好。对2 5 2 Cf裂变中子源在 5种组织材料构成的模体中中子和γ辐射的剂量分布进行了比较 ,使用水作为组织等效材料对2 5 2 Cf裂变中子源在以肌肉、血液和皮肤构成的局部组织内的剂量分布进行模拟计算 ,可取得比较可靠的结果。     

CT剂量指数的研究

目的 研究用不同积分区间(±7 T和±50 mm)计算CT剂量指数(CTDI)时对结果的影响。方法 用热释光剂量计(TLD)在标准的CT剂量监测模体上,测量日立W-1000型CT机的单层扫描的剂量分布曲线,根据分布曲线计算不同积分区所对应的CTDI值。结果 对层厚大于7 mm(10 mm)的单层扫描,±50 mm积分长度所得的CTDI₁₀₀小于±7T积分长度所得的CTDI_F;对层厚小于7 mm(5 mm)的单层扫描,则CTDI₁₀₀大于CTDI_F。结论 当扫描层厚不是7 mm时,用100 mm活性长度的笔形电离室测得的CTDI₁₀₀与CTDI_F有差异,为了便于统一比较,应对不同层厚的扫描作适当修正。