A computer-assisted three-dimensional treatment planning system

The three-dimensional treatment planning system developed at the Rhode Island Hospital visualizes the spatial interrelationships of the radiation beam, the tumor, and the adjacent organs within the patient. It is possible to rotate and vary the scale of the display to better comprehend the extent of these structures. By viewing the display as if from along the radiation beam, one can design shaped treatment fields which best suit the three-dimensional nature of the disease. With this system, it is possible to reduce the volume of normal tissue which would typically be irradiated if two-dimensional treatment planning techniques and assumptions were employed.     

Tumours in Iceland. 10. Malignant tumours of the female breast. A histological classification, laterality, survival and epidemiological considerations

The Icelandic Cancer Registry has records of 1,720 cases of malignant tumours of the female breast diagnosed in 1,659 patients in the 30-year period 1955-1984. Of these, 1,658 tumours were invasive. Sufficient histological material existed for 1,666 malignant tumours to make it possible to classify them according to the criteria published by the WHO. The most frequent histological type was Ductal carcinoma: 1,064 neoplasms, or 64%. Second in frequency was Lobular carcinoma: 175 neoplasms, or 10%; third was Mucinous carcinoma: 115 neoplasms, or 7%; and fourth in frequency was Medullary carcinoma: 69 neoplasms, or 4%. The incidence of carcinoma of the breast increased by 74% from 37.0 per 100,000 per annum in 1955-59 to 64.4 per 100,000 in 1980-84. This increase in incidence affected all morphological types, but Lobular and Mucinous more than Ductal and Medullary. The survival times have improved with time. Unilateral tumours were 710 in the right and 837 in the left breast. Both breasts were involved 167 times (106 patients), and in 6 patients the side was not recorded. A second primary was more likely to develop when the first one was in the right breast. This study of malignant tumours of the breast is the tenth in a series of investigations into histological classification of tumours occurring in Iceland.     

Cognitive impairment: an increasingly important complication of type 2 diabetes: the age, gene/environment susceptibility--Reykjavik study

Persons with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. Less is known about which cognitive abilities are affected and how undiagnosed diabetes and impaired fasting glucose relate to cognitive performance. The authors explored this question using data from 1,917 nondemented men and women (average age = 76 years) in the population-based Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study (2002-2006). Glycemic status groups included diagnosed diabetes (self-reported diabetes or diabetic medication use; n = 163 (8.5%)), undiagnosed diabetes (fasting blood glucose >or=7.0 mmol/L without diagnosed diabetes; n = 55 (2.9%)), and impaired fasting glucose (fasting blood glucose 5.6-6.9 mmol/L; n = 744 (38.8%)). Composites of memory, processing speed (PS), and executive function were constructed from a neuropsychological battery. Linear regression was used to investigate cross-sectional differences in cognitive performance between glycemic groups, adjusted for demographic and health factors. Persons with diagnosed diabetes had slower PS than normoglycemics (beta = -0.12; P < 0.05); diabetes duration of >or=15 years was associated with significantly poorer PS and executive function. Undiagnosed diabetics had slower PS (beta = -0.22; P < 0.01) and poorer memory performance (beta = -0.22; P < 0.05). Persons with type 2 diabetes have poorer cognitive performance than normoglycemics, particularly in PS. Those with undiagnosed diabetes have the lowest cognitive performance.