A categorical course curriculum for radiology residencies

A categorical course curriculum was introduced at Brooke Army Medical Center to focus the content of daily conferences and lectures according to radiology subspecialties. Our goal was to improve the traditional uncoordinated conferences and apprenticeship approach to resident learning. After one-year's experience, resident performance has improved, and residents and staff greatly prefer this style of teaching. The format has been adopted.     

The virtual course: delivery of live and recorded continuing medical education material over the Internet

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to deliver live and recorded lectures from a continuing medical education course, including the representations of original slides, over the Internet, using streaming audio media. CONCLUSION: The streaming audio media, an emerging technology, not only delivers large lectures over the Internet using commercially available PCs and modems, but also allows review at any time by individuals with access to the Web. An interactive conference of continuing medical education curriculum can thus be delivered and continuing medical education credit earned without leaving home.     

The continuing risk of nuclear war

Climate change and nuclear war are currently the most dangerous challenges to human civilisation and survival. The effects of climate change are now sufficient to persuade many governments to take effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today there are about 27,000 nuclear warheads, many at least ten times more powerful than the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, and a meaningful medical response to a nuclear attack is impossible. Nevertheless, the threat of nuclear war does not raise public concern, and indeed the nuclear-weapon states are upgrading their capability. The only effective preventive measure is the abolition of nuclear weapons. Steps towards this include: a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, for the nuclear weapon states to observe their obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to enter into force. The ultimate need is for a Nuclear Weapons Convention; International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War have launched an International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons (ICAN) to promote a NWC.     

The concept of image-guided therapy

Parallel with current applications in minimally invasive surgery, the introduction of new imaging modalities, and the availability of high-performance computing, new image-guided therapies are being developed at an impressive rate. Indeed, across a broad front of imaging technologies, rapid advances are being realized. Vastly refined technology for processing and using images, as well as improved therapeutic end-effectors, have no doubt hastened this remarkable progress. At the same time, advances in clinical evaluation and complementary technologies will provide the necessary infrastructure through which IGT can be applied in diverse therapeutic settings--from the already well-established neurosurgical applications to the thermal ablation of tumors in organs other than the brain. That IGT is more efficient and effective and less expensive than conventional surgery has been confirmed both in extensive, long-term studies and in ongoing, revolutionary applications in the operating room. We have laid critical groundwork with this extraordinary technology and have now begun to realize quantifiable benefits in terms of improved surgical and patient outcomes.     

16层CT在颈动脉海绵窦瘘分型诊断中的临床意义

目的:探讨16层CT在颈动脉海绵窦瘘分型诊断中的临床意义。方法:回顾性分析17例经临床或DSA检查证实的颈动脉海绵窦瘘16层CTA检查结果,同时对本组病例进行分型。结果:①直接型瘘12例,其中5例瘘口位于海绵窦Ⅱ段,2例瘘口位于海绵窦Ⅲ段,4例瘘口位于海绵窦Ⅳ段,1例瘘口位于海绵窦Ⅴ段,瘘口呈线条状8例,呈非线条状4例。②间接型瘘5例,均未能清晰显示颈内、外动脉的硬脑膜支。结论:16层CT血管成像是一种无创的颈动脉海绵窦瘘的首选诊断方法,能清楚显示颈动脉海绵窦瘘瘘口的位置和大小,对其在治疗方案的选择有重要的临床意义。