Effectiveness of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against radiographic pneumonia among children in rural Bangladesh: A case-control study

BackgroundPneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) effectiveness against radiographic pneumonia in South Asia is unknown. Bangladesh introduced PCV10 in 2015 using a three dose primary series (3 + 0). We sought to measure PCV10 effectiveness for two or more vaccine doses on radiographic pneumonia among vaccine-eligible children in rural Bangladesh.MethodsWe conducted a matched case-control study over two years from 2015 to 2017 using clinic and community controls in three subdistricts of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Cases were vaccine eligible 3–35 month olds at Upazila Health Complex outpatient clinics with World Health Organization-defined radiographic primary endpoint pneumonia (radiographic pneumonia). Clinic controls were matched to cases within a one week time window by age, sex, and clinic and had an illness unlikely to be Streptococcus pneumoniae; community controls were healthy and similarly matched within a one week time window by age and sex, and distance from the clinic. We estimated adjusted vaccine effectiveness (aVE) using conditional logistic regression.ResultsWe matched 1262 cases with 2707 clinic and 2461 community controls. Overall, aVE using clinic controls was 21.4% (95% confidence interval, −0.2%, 38.4%) for ≥2 PCV10 doses and among 3–11 month olds was 47.3% (10.5%, 69.0%) for three doses. aVE increased with higher numbers of doses in clinic control sets (p = 0.007). In contrast, aVE using community controls was 7.6% (95% confidence interval, −22.2%, 30.0%) for ≥2 doses. We found vaccine introduction in the study area faster and less variable than expected with 75% coverage on average, which reduced power. Information bias may also have affected community controls.ConclusionsClinic control analyses show PCV10 prevented radiographic pneumonia in Bangladesh, especially among younger children receiving three doses. While both analyses were underpowered, community control enrollment – compared to clinic controls – was more difficult in a complex, pluralistic healthcare system. Future studies in comparable settings may consider alternative study designs.     

Analysis of radiation exposure data from common radiological procedures in Dutch hospitals

IntroductionIn the Netherlands, Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) have not been based on a national survey as proposed by ICRP. Instead, local exposure data, expert judgment and the international scientific literature were used as sources. This study investigated whether the current DRLs are reasonable for Dutch radiological practice.MethodsA national project was set up, in which radiography students carried out dose measurements in hospitals supervised by medical physicists. The project ran from 2014 to 2017 and dose values were analysed for a trend over time. In the absence of such a trend, the joint yearly data sets were considered a single data set and were analysed together. In this way the national project mimicked a national survey.ResultsFor six out of eleven radiological procedures enough data was collected for further analysis. In the first step of the analysis no trend was found over time for any of these procedures. In the second step the joint analysis lead to suggestions for five new DRL values that are far below the current ones. The new DRLs are based on the 75 percentile values of the distributions of all dose data per procedure.ConclusionThe results show that the current DRLs are too high for five of the six procedures that have been analysed. For the other five procedures more data needs to be collected. Moreover, the mean weights of the patients are higher than expected. This introduces bias when these are not recorded and the mean weight is assumed to be 77 kg.Implications for practiceThe current checking of doses for compliance with the DRLs needs to be changed. Both the procedure (regarding weights) and the values of the DRLs should be updated.     

气管与主支气管肿瘤的影像诊断（附32例报告）

作者对３２例经病理证实的气管与主支气管良、恶性肿瘤的影像学表现进行分析，归纳为３型：腔内型、壁增厚型和腔内外型。后２种类型提示恶性，而无蒂的腔内型表现者不能鉴别良，恶性。作者还评价了常规体层、ＣＴ及ＭＲＩ诊断气管与主支气管肿瘤的优、缺点，讨论了影像诊断的作用。     

胸部螺旋CT扫描技术及临床应用

作者采用了不同的人体体模和临床应用实验，对常规和螺旋ＣＴ扫描进行了比较研究。结果显示：与常规ＣＴ比较，螺旋ＣＴ图像无失真，变形。分辨率略差于常规ＣＴ。改变扫描条件和床速，图像质量无明显改变。改变扫描图像数学处理模式后，分辨率有所增加，但螺旋扫描仍冰及常规扫描。在临床应用上，螺旋扫描有许多优点。如何采用一次屏气技术，对病人某一脏器检查只需一次连续扫描。扫描速度快，不易产生运动伪影，所选脏器的扫描无盲     

共同管综合征———胆、胰管异常汇合

对我院14年来2322例直接胆管造影所发现的27例AJPBD进行研究，27例中胆总管囊肿8例，胆石症9例，慢性胰腺炎4例，胆管炎3例，胆囊癌2例，胰体癌1例。临床表现为上腹痛（92．6％），黄疸（70．4％），发热（48．1％）或Charcot三联症（44.4％）。发病年龄3～60岁（36．9士17．8）。共同管长15～44mm（20.2士5．9）。据胆、胰管汇合形式作者将AJPBD分为三型。值得注意的是本组3例复杂型患病年龄均＜15岁。本组以胆、肠内引流手术效果满意。AJPBD与胆、胰疾病发生、发展密切相关，作者建议用“共同管综合征”来表述这一复杂病理现象。     

肺硬化性血管瘤的影像学与病理学对照研究

目的回顾性分析肺硬化性血管瘤(PSH)的影像学表现，并与病理学对照，旨在提高对PSH影像表现的认识。方法1976年1月至2002年12月由手术及病理证实的PSH共45例，其中男3例，女42例(93．3％)，年龄18～67岁，中位年龄49岁。无症状由体检发现19例(42．2％)。影像学资料(包括胸部正、侧位X线片和CX)完整的PSH共20例。平扫7例，直接增强扫描13例。将影像表现与病理对照。结果典型X线片表现为圆形、卵圆形边界清楚的肿物或结节，无分叶及毛刺。CT平扫7例，病变密度与肌肉密度相仿。直接增强扫描13例，9例为均匀强化(其中4例增强早期呈不均匀强化，延时后均匀强化)，4例呈不均匀强化，强化程度略高于或明显高于肌肉密度，强化的最大CT值为135HU。13例增强CT的病变中，强化程度高于或明显高于肌肉的11例，全部含有较多的血管瘤成分。含有较大面积低密度区的1例，组织学显示有囊变。影像检查见有钙化的5例均与病理学所见吻合。结论有助于PSH影像诊断的指标为：(1)40-60岁的女性患者；(2)胸片上表现为圆形、卵圆形边界清楚的肿物或结节；(3)CT平扫密度均匀，有时有小低密度区和粗大点状钙化，偶尔可见囊性变；(4)CT增强后有中度至明显强化。对于增强早期呈明显不均匀强化的圆形、卵圆形边界清楚的肿物或结节，应行延时扫描。