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Aim: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to optimize recovery through a series of evidence‐based recommendations. A key component of ERAS is the provision of patient education. Whilst the recommendation for this is strong, the evidence to inform its format, timing and delivery is unclear. The aim of this review was to describe previous educational interventions used to improve recovery after colorectal surgery and to explore opportunities for future research. Methods: A systematic scoping review was performed. MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched between 1 January 1990 and 12 February 2020. Studies which described or assessed the effectiveness of a patient education or information resource to improve recovery after colorectal surgery were eligible. Outcomes of interest included the format, timing and delivery of interventions, as well as key features of intervention and study design. A narrative synthesis of data was produced through a process of charting and summarizing key results. Results: A total of 1298 papers were inspected, and 11 were eligible for inclusion. Five papers were reports of randomized controlled trials, and others reported a mix of non‐randomized and qualitative studies. The design of educational interventions included audio‐visual resources (n = 3), smartphone device applications (n = 3) and approaches to facilitate person‐to‐person counselling (n = 5). Most of the counselling interventions reported positive outcomes (mainly in length of hospital stay), whereas the other types reported mixed results. Patients and the public were seldom involved as collaborators in the design of interventions. Conclusions: Patient education is generally advantageous, but there is insufficient evidence to optimize its design and delivery in the setting of colorectal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss a modern curriculum developed by the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) specifically for the education and training of medical physicists in nuclear medicine. The topics covered by the main sections of the curriculum include the fundamental physics knowledge and measurement skills expected of all physicists. Other areas addressed by the curricula include professionalism and communication.

Two scientific committees (physics & dosimetry) of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) commented on the draft ‘Radiation Protection 162: radiation criteria for acceptability of radiological equipment used in diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy’ (RP 162). This document updates and extends the acceptability criteria mentioned in ‘Radiation Protection 91’ and is an important means to further improve the quality of medical procedures involving ionising radiation. While the EANM committees support the presented framework as described in the introductory chapter, they have suggested substantial changes to the specific suspension levels for nuclear medicine equipment. During the revision process, an agreed consensus position was reached. The EANM considers RP 162 a significant improvement of RP 91 and endorses the document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now considered the gold standard in second-line imaging of patients with suspected scaphoid fracture and negative radiographs, bone scintigraphy can be used in patients with pacemakers, metallic implants, or other contraindications to MRI. Bone scintigraphy is highly sensitive for the detection of fractures, but exact localization of scintigraphic lesions may be difficult and can negatively affect diagnostic accuracy. Purpose: To investigate the influence of image fusion of planar bone scintigraphy and radiographs on image interpretation in patients with suspected scaphoid fracture. Material and Methods: In 24 consecutive patients with suspected scaphoid fracture, a standard planar bone scintigraphy of both hands was supplemented with fusion imaging of the injured wrist. Standard and fusion images were evaluated independently by three experienced nuclear medicine physicians. In addition to the diagnosis, the degree of diagnostic confidence was scored in each case. Results: The addition of fusion images changed the interpretation of each of the three observers in seven, four, and two cases, respectively, reducing the number of positive interpretations of two of the observers from 11 and nine cases to six and seven cases, respectively. The degree of diagnostic confidence increased significantly in two observers, and interobserver agreement increased in all three pairs of observers from 0.83, 0.57, and 0.73 to 0.89, 0.8, and 0.9, respectively. Conclusion: Image fusion of planar bone scintigrams and radiographs has a significant influence on image interpretation and increases both diagnostic confidence and interobserver agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with [123I]FP-CIT is a marker for loss of presynaptic dopamine transporters in the striatum in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We used [123I]FP-CIT SPECT in order to evaluate binding to the dopamine transporter before and after neurosurgical treatment with bilateral stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Thirty-five patients with levodopa-responsive PD were examined with [123I]FP-CIT SPECT pre-operatively (baseline scan: mean 3 months before surgery), and 3 and 12 months after surgery. Pre-operatively, all patients already had substantial signs of severe nigrostriatal neuronal loss as determined from the [123I]FP-CIT SPECT scans. One year after surgery the specific [123I]FP-CIT binding to the striatum was significantly reduced by 10.3% compared with the pre-operative baseline scan. The mean time span from the baseline scan before surgery to the follow-up scan 1 year after surgery was 16.2 months. Hence, the rate of reduction equals a mean annual reduction of 7.7%. A comparable control group of patients with PD who did not undergo surgery was also examined longitudinally. In this group the specific binding of [123I]FP-CIT was reduced by 6.7% per year. The specific binding of [123I]FP-CIT was reduced equally in the STN-stimulated patients and a group of non-operated PD patients with advanced disease. Our study does not support the notion that electrode implantation and STN stimulation exert a neuroprotective effect by themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ouabain, digoxinn and beta-methyl digoxin (medigoxin) have been investigated in a crossover study in four normal healthy volunteers. 2 Pharmacokinetics were studied using [3H]-labelled glycosides and the shortening of the left ventricular ejection time (LVET) was used as a measure of the effect of the drugs. A graded exercise protocol was used to correct for the effects of heart rate on LVET. 3 In three of the four subjects, both digoxin and beta-methyl digoxin produced a shortening in the LVET, but no such change could be detected with ouabain in any of the four subjects. 4 There was a good linear correlation between the shortening of the LVET and the amounts of digoxin or beta-methyl digoxin present in the body tissues. 5 One subject who showed no drug-related LVET shortening had greatly enhanced clearances of all three drugs studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]