Xeromammographic automatic exposure termination

A method of automatic exposure termination (AET) for xeromammography has been devised, significantly reducing the rate of repeat exposures due to poor choice of manual exposure factors. AET images are of good quality and are reliably produced. The concept of AET is based on the existence of an optimal transmitted exposure to the selenium plate, which is easily determined experimentally. In routine clinical xeromammography, a repeat rate of 20% was eliminated by the use of AET.     

Breast neoplasms: duplex sonographic imaging as an adjunct in diagnosis

Sonographic breast imaging has been useful in the differentiation of cystic from solid masses. It has also been helpful in the characterization of palpable breast masses in the absence of corresponding abnormalities. The authors undertook a prospective study that incorporated pulsed Doppler analysis into sonographic real-time imaging of solid breast masses. Thirty-eight patients were examined. In 12 of the patients there were positive Doppler signals, while in 26 patients there were no Doppler signals. The 12 patients showing positive Doppler signals proved to have infiltrating ductal carcinoma, while the 26 patients with negative Doppler signals proved to have benign breast disorders. Pulsed Doppler analysis as a supplement to sonographic real-time imaging shows promise for the identification of breast carcinoma.     

Applying for a certificate of need for unit dose and i.v. admixture services in a Connecticut hospital

The process of obtaining regulatory-agency review of a proposal for unit dose and i.v. admixture services is described. In a 901-bed community hospital in Connecticut, a pharmacy department proposal for instituting unit dose distribution and expanding the i.v. admixture service was supported by the hospital administration and included in hospital budget projections. A state body that regulates hospital revenues, the Commission on Hospitals and Health Care (CHHC), rejected the proposal for these changes in pharmaceutical services. The pharmacy and hospital administration subsequently petitioned the Health Systems Agency in that jurisdiction for a certificate of need (CON); the procedure required that the application also be simultaneously submitted to CHHC. Implementation of the program over a three-year period was proposed. The CON application was submitted in July 1981; it required detailed information from pharmacy, nursing services, and hospital administration. During the nine months following application for the CON, further questions were asked and five hearings were held. In April 1982, CHHC approved the program and the capital expenditures but did not approve the proposed 10% increase in drug revenue needed to support the services. The hospital ultimately committed funding for implementation of the program over three years. The net result of the application procedure was a delay in implementation of expanded pharmaceutical services.