Brain Ct Scans In Clinical Practice

Across emergency rooms all over the world, thousands of patients are referred for brain CT scans daily. A radiologist often has to interpret the scan or a consultation has to be made to a neuros- geon to review the scan. Most of this happens late at night and is a signi?cant source of discontent. Thus having frontline phy- cians to be pro?cient in interpreting the emergency brain CT scan improves the ef?ciency of the whole pathway of care and is pot- tially life saving as time is of the essence for many patients with severe brain injury or stroke. Underlying all of the above and the primary reason for writing this book is because the skill required to determine an immediate life threatening abnormality in a brain CT scan is so basic and can be learned in a short time by people of various backgrounds and certainly by all physicians. ‘Indeed the emergency head CT scan is comparable to an electrocardiogram in usefulness and most de?nitely as easy to learn. ’ This book is therefore written for ca- givers the world over to demystify the emergency CT brain scan and to empower them to serve their patients better. It is obvious to me from the response from people I have had opportunity to teach this subject that not only is there a desire to learn this basic skill but also people learn it quickly and wonder why it has not been presented so simply before.

This book is designed to provide a foundation of information necessary to those wishing to integrate brain imaging into their practice or who seek more training. Information is provided to assist the clinician in interpreting images, determining which scans to order, and how images should be used in the clinic.

This book describes the development of systems of magnetic resonance imaging using the higher magnetic field strength of 3 tesla, in comparison to the current gold standard of 1.5 tesla. These new systems of MRI make it possible to perform with high spatial, temporal and contrast resolution not only morphological examinations but also functional studies on spectroscopy, diffusion, perfusion, and cortical activation, thus helping research and providing an important tool for routine diagnostic activity. At the same time the new systems offer unparalleled sensitivity and specificity in the numerous conditions of neuroradiological interest.

Aims to give radiographers working in CT on a regular basis an extended knowledge of CT protocols and how they should be adapted to optimise image quality.

Most imaging books are ordered according to underlying etiology. However, in real life clinical practice, radiologists usually make their differential diagnoses according to the image patterns, as the etiology is often unknown. Brain Imaging with MRI and CT presents over 180 disease processes and normal variants, grouping entities by these basic patterns to accentuate differential diagnostic features. High quality CT and MRI scans show multiple typical and distinguishing images for each entity. Common and unusual clinical scenarios are described, including dilated perivascular spaces, capillary teleangiectasia, Susac's syndrome and desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma. Both basic and advanced imaging techniques are used, reflecting the reality of clinical practice. This image-focused book emphasises the most pertinent clinical information relevant to the diagnostic process. Trainee and practising radiologists will find Brain Imaging with MRI and CT an invaluable and clinically relevant tool for learning and teaching.

This concise integrated handbook looks at all available imaging methods for head and neck cancer, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The information is provided in a clinical context and will guide radiologists as to the information the clinician actually needs when managing a patient with head and neck cancer. It will also provide the clinician with the advantages and limitations of imaging. The text therefore deals with Ultrasound, CT and MRI. The initial chapters aim to give the reader a core knowledge, which can be used in imaging by the various methods described. The subsequent chapters are directed towards clinical problems and deal with the common cancers in a logical order.

This pocket book is an up-to-date guide to the diagnostic imaging of head and neck cancers. The focus is particularly on FDG PET/CT, with coverage of the basic principles, clinical indications, typical and atypical appearances, normal variations and artifacts, advantages, limitations, and pitfalls. Consideration is also given to emerging roles for PET/CT in head and neck cancer, including radiotherapy planning and treatment response monitoring, and to radiotracers beyond FDG. In addition, succinct information is provided on clinical presentation, diagnosis, staging, pathology, management, and other diagnostic imaging techniques. A brief discourse on the practice of guideline adoption is included. The book is published within the Springer series Clinicians’ Guides to Radionuclide Hybrid Imaging (compiled under the auspices of the British Nuclear Medicine Society) and will be an excellent asset for clinicians, nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists, radiographers, technologists, and nurses who work in the field of head and neck cancer.

In the last few years the use of medical imaging has increased exponentially in routine clinical practice. This has been reflected in a rapidly increasing use of medical imaging in clinical trials, through all phases. More recently this has culminated in a number of inter-disciplinary meetings with the various stake holders, including the FDA. Changes in the regulatory process has resulted, when it comes to the submission of data to the FDA, in a therapeutic agent where one or more of the trial end-points is the assessment of a radiological end-point. No longer is it sufficient to have the images read by the local investigator site. The FDA has also identified Medical Imaging as one of the key 6 points in the Critical Path initiative which was launched in 2004. This puts a keen focus on the role of imaging and the need to clearly identify and understand this aspect of clinical trials. As the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industry continues to identify ways to improve and speed up product development, medical imaging plays a more significant role. An understanding of the methodology and the metrics is therefore required but difficult to ascertain in one easy to read volume for individuals entering this field. This book will therefore fulfill this void, be it for the pharmaceutical personnel from medical director to monitor, or the Principal Investigator who is having to understand the complexities of the imaging and why it is having to be sent off-site for a 'central read.'