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Scholarly work on the transatlantic slave trade has tended to focus on the volume, conditions and the profits of this hideous commerce and its demographic, economic and social impact on the coastal areas of Atlantic Africa. Much has therefore been published about the history of specific ports and coastal regions, but still little is known about the contribution of the slave trade to the overall formation and shaping of the Atlantic Africa port system and its regional port sub-systems, the links between various ports, their commercial struggles, and the variable factors that conditioned changes in their role within the system. This study will partly address these issues by examining how the slave trade, in conjunction with other local, regional and international economic and political dynamics, contributed to the rise and fall of ports in Atlantic Africa and helped shape its port system. In doing so, the analysis is based on shipping information gathered from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, and on the specific literature on various slave ports in Atlantic Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The particular location of port infrastructure holds characteristics that determine the activity of the port, both with respect to traffic and with respect to implementing competitive strategies; and the efficiency and efficacy of infrastructure depend on the governance systems that regulate the ports. Likewise, the development of port activity echoes in the regional economy as well, hence governance becomes integral to maximizing the impact of ports on their region's economic development. However, the activity of a port transcends the domestic/regional frontiers, as long as the port intends to take part in a global supply chain. Achieving this aim poses a challenge on the authorities that govern port activity, and this challenge needs to be seized when it comes to adjusting the governance to external and internal goals. In the specific case of the analysed ports, the prevailing governance model is known as Landlord, which differs noticeably from port to port. These differences make it possible to distinguish the orientation of European ports from that of the analysed Latin American ports, showing a dissimilar adjustment of the conception of governance that followed objectives that were not simultaneous. The paper draws forth a questioning of the uniqueness of the denomination Landlord and its legitimacy given the new challenges. Furthermore, the paper opens the way to understanding the need to adapt governance to changes, given the examined experiences. The analysis covers the following cases: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the general characteristics of the port system. It defines sets and functions describing the structure and work of the port. Moreover, it characterizes foundations of the massive handling theory. It provides basic literature information about selected processes and models of the massive handling theory. On the example of a transportation company serving the loading on ships in the port of Szczecin, it shows the loading method. The material loading onto ships was the sodium water glass. There are observation results of operation times comprising the data available to determine parameters of the massive handling theory. Operations covered in the analysis include: the arrival of the ship at the port's road, waiting for enter the port, passing through the fairway, waiting for loading, loading, determination of the cargo's weight, preparation of documents and waiting for leaving the port. It presents critical remarks about possibilities of using the data obtained to describe loading cargo on a ship with the use of elements of the massive handling theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port system development is a key theme in port geography literature. Recent decades have brought a rise in container terminal development at estuarine, coastal and offshore port locations, in part driven by scale increases in vessel size. This paper examines how container ports located upstream on rivers use processes of adaptive capacity building in an attempt to remain competitive in port systems. We link the development path of upstream seaports to a range of economic, technological, social and political factors. When combined, these factors shape the willingness and capacity of an upstream seaport to adapt to changing conditions such as an increasing demand for nautical accessibility. The case study results on Antwerp and Hamburg show that the discussion on the future of these upstream seaports cannot be detached from broader public policy and stakeholder management concerns and the influences of retention mechanisms, power, politics and collective action by the port community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of functional and efficient port system requiresthe realization of a common transport system whichwould allow taking advantages of larger areas, lower costs ofrailway traffic and inland wate1way traffic on longer relationsin cooperation with the road transport on shorter relations.The result of the development of intermodal technologiesin the port system is the maintenance of the cwTent and attractingof additional traffic to a certain port, and the reductionof port congestion by providing additional container capacities.Since the competition among ports is becoming moreemphasised by using intermodal technologies, their advantageis obvious. Congestion is one of the main economic points oftransport development. The usage of different fleets in case ofdifferent operators represents the main source of congestionsat terminals and ports resulting in inefficiency of the transportsystem.The aim of this work is to analyze the problems related tocongestions resulting from insufficient usage of intermodaltechnologies in the port system.

Models and empirical studies of port system evolution dominantly focus on land-based dynamics. Hence, it is traditionally recognized that such dynamics condition the evolution of ports and their relations as well as wider regional integration processes. The Maghreb region (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia), which is currently responsible for no less than one-third of all African port throughputs, offers a fertile ground to test the possibility for regional integration to occur through maritime linkages despite limited trade integration and land-based transport connectivity. Main results highlight the increase of trans-Maghreb maritime connectivity but this occurs mostly at the periphery of the system based on transit flows. Logistical integration versus trade integration is discussed in light of the recent evolution of Maghreb ports and of the region in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of China. Yet, the spatial mismatch between production centers (inland Northwest) and consumption centers (coastal region) within China fostered the emergence of dedicated coal transport corridors with limited alternatives. Serious problems of energy shortage and power rationing have already affected southeastern China. At the same time, enormous interregional coal transfers face a lack of transport capacity along the transport system. Based on first-hand statistics, a disaggregated analysis of coal distribution patterns since the late 1970s provides novel evidences about the local effects of macroscopic trends, such as the shift from dominant exports to dominant imports in terms of changing traffic concentration levels and distribution patterns among routes and ports. The spatial evolution of coal distribution is also discussed in terms of related industry linkages and local influences, coal trade policies and market pricing, port system evolution, and transport network planning. The paper also discusses possible improvements of the current situation through enhancing multimodal transport based on a review of current policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines the development of the Spanish port system from the perspective of the people and society they serve. Reference is made to Iribarren, the creator of harbour and sea works, and other illustrious engineers that have made the system what it is today. These founding figures have been followed by other engineers that give a human dimension to maritime engineering and allow us to consider the ensuing commitment to young engineers and the environment. The harbour, sea passage and the transit of passengers and vessels, all serve as this basis for these deliberations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial models of port system evolution often depict linearly the emergence of hierarchy through successive concentration phases of originally scattered ports. The Chinese case provides a fertile ground for complementing existing works by a long-term perspective, given the early importance of river ports and seaports and the development irregularities caused by periods of closure and openness over time and across such a large land mass. In both qualitative and quantitative ways, this paper describes and analyses the changing spatial pattern of China's port system since the first unified empire (221 bc). Main results underline a certain stability of the port system with regard to the location of main sea-river gateways, notwithstanding important regional shifts from one period to the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to treat patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) and anhydramnion using continuous amnioinfusion through a subcutaneously implanted port system. Methods: An amniotic fluid replacement port system was implanted in seven patients with PPROM and anhydramnion starting at the 20th week of gestation (range, 14-26 weeks) for long-term amnioinfusion. Saline solutions (2 L/day; Jonosteril®, Sterofundin®, isotonic NaCl 0.9% solution, lactated Ringer's solution) and a hypotonic aqueous composition with reduced chloride content similar to the electrolyte concentration of human amniotic fluid were used for the continuous amnioinfusion. Results: The mean duration of the PPROM delivery interval continued for 49 days (range, 9-69 days), with 3 weeks of amnioinfusion via the port system (range, 4-49). The newborns showed no signs of lung hypoplasia. Conclusion: Long-term lavage of the amniotic cavity via a subcutaneously implanted port system in patients with PPROM and anhydramnion may help prolong the pregnancy and avoid fetal lung hypoplasia. A hypotonic aqueous composition with reduced chloride content similar to human amniotic fluid can be safely used for amnioinfusion. Prospective randomized studies are ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need and purpose of the introduction of each unclassified port into the county port system has been the subject of an ongoing discussion between scientists and experts, as well as the very users of the seaports. The fundamental dilemma regarding the ports of county and local significance open to public traffic is the question whether or not to include separate anchorage, and particularly mooring points, into the legal and economic regime of ports open to public traffic of county and local significance. Therefore, the basic purpose of this paper is to highlight the steps necessary for the process of legalization, i.e. sorting out of those seaports and defining activities necessary for their commercial use. The object of research of this paper are the newly classified county seaports, and the focus of the research is based on defining the activities and factors regarding their commercial use and successful implementation into the county port system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Port system is a research focus of transport geography, and most studies believe carriers are important factors in the development and concentration of the port system. Since the 1990s, carriers have played an important role in organizing the global shipping network and reorganizing the port system. But there isn’t a perfect method to evaluate carriers’ influence and the roles of each port in the maritime shipping networks. In this paper, we use the monthly schedule table of international carriers to describe and model the spatial pattern of the global shipping network and identify its hub-and-spoke system. The result shows that a hierarchical structure exists in the global shipping network. The North Hemisphere, especially the East Asia and the Southeast Asia, is a dominant region of the worldwide shipping network. East Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Europe, and East coast of the USA are the concentration regions of worldwide shipping lines. The ports of Hong Kong, Singapore, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Kaohsiung etc have advanced capacity for maritime shipping and high potentials for being hub ports in the global shipping network. Today, the worldwide shipping network is transforming from the multi-port calling system to 44 regional hub-and-spoke systems. Meanwhile, the sub-networks with hub ports of Antwerp, Singapore, and Hong Kong have become the most important ones and dominate the whole global shipping network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Collected Papers of the Faculty of Law in Split / Zbornik Radova Pravnog Fakulteta u Splitu is the property of Split Faculty of Law and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The European container port system features a unique blend of different port types and sizes combined with a vast economic hinterland. This paper provides an update of the detailed container traffic analysis developed by by extending it to the period 1985–2008 and to 78 container ports. The paper also aims at identifying key trends and issues underlying recent developments in the European container port system. These trends include the formation of multi-port gateway regions, changes in the hinterland orientation of ports and port regionalization processes. While the local hinterland remains the backbone of ports’ traffic positions, a growing demand for routing flexibility fuels competition for distant hinterlands between multi-port gateway regions. The prevailing assumption that containerisation would lead to further port concentration is not a confirmed fact in Europe: the European port system and most of its multi-port gateway regions witness a gradual cargo deconcentration process. Still, the container handling market remains far more concentrated than other cargo handling segments in the European port system, as there are strong market-related factors supporting a relatively high cargo concentration level in the container sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyzes North Korean ports in light of existing models of port system evolution. It reviews the economic and political factors shaping port concentration in developed, developing, and socialist countries. A database on vessel movements allows for the analysis of individual North Korean port traffic by total capacity circulated, cargo type, fleet nationality, immediate origin and destination, and berthing time. While ideological factors and military control hamper port modernization and trade openness, traffic concentration at the Pyongyang–Nampo gateway highlights the spatial polarization in the capital region at the expense of Eastern ports for which inland transport limitations and industrial decline have become major issues. The North Korean case only partly fits general models because traffic concentration occurs due to geopolitical isolation and internal limitations rather than economic and trade growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A high-quality management is essential for a successful business of the traffic system. Therefore, the factors affecting on business performance need to be researched, as well as business efficacy indicators and the ways for their improvement need to be explored. In order to manage the traffic system successfully, the setting up of the appropriate model/models representing a simplified real traffic system is required. The aim of this paper is to research into possible problems and difficulties that occur when modelling the traffic system and to find solutions or options for their avoidance. For a better and easier interpretation of the research work done, the example of the port system is selected for illustration. The listed research results can be very easily identified and applied in modelling other traffic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We assessed longevity and complications of totally implantable venous access devices in oncology patients. Methods: 197 patients received a total of 201 port devices via the subclavian vein for delivery of chemotherapy between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006. We reviewed the patient charts for port-related complications and risk factors until July 31, 2007. Results:A total of 47,781 catheter days were analyzed (median, 175 days; range, 1–831). Forty-six different complications occurred (0.96 complications/1,000 catheter days). The only risk factor significantly associated with a higher complication rate was younger age. Older patients had a lower risk for developing complications with a risk reduction of 2.4% for each year. There were no differences regarding underlying tumor, gender, access side, method of placement (subclavian/cephalic vein) or implanting team (thoracic versus visceral surgery). A trend was seen for shorter port longevity in hematologic patients compared to oncologic patients (p = 0.059). The former developed significantly more port-associated infections than solid tumor patients [11/53 cases (21%) versus 2/148 cases (1.4%); p < 0.0001]. Conclusions: Port-associated infections were mostly observed in younger patients with hematologic neoplasms. Prospective trials should be performed to evaluate the benefit of a prophylactic antimicrobial lock in these selected patients. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy employs a hepatic artery catheter as a conduit to achieve a high concentration of antineoplastic agents to liver tumors. Historically, this catheter placement has been performed via laparotomy. However, it may now be performed using less-invasive percutaneous image guided procedures. There are many anatomical hepatic arterial variations and complicated blood flow patterns. Various techniques are required to ensure high concentration of antineoplastic agents in liver tumors. These techniques are composed of arterial redistribution by embolization, percutaneous catheter placement applying “tip-fixation method,” and evaluation and management of flow patterns that reflect drug distribution. The role of interventional radiologists in hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy is to create and manage the access to achieve these objectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Der Hautarzt is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This paper discusses traffic inequality in the European and North American container port systems by means of the so-called inequality decomposition analysis. The results show that the observed traffic concentration levels in the North American container port system are emanating from strong inter-range structural differences whereby some port ranges are increasingly dominating the whole system. Alternatively, the European port system is reaching a more balanced composition of the Gini coefficients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The need for serial blood sampling and continuous infusion using the portal vein for experimental surgery and pharmacological studies is evident. As suitable animal models are rare, we established a new technique to implant a permanent vascular access device to the portal vein in swine. All operations in study animals (n = 8) were technically feasible due to a regularly detected side branch of the portal vein within the inferior pancreatic region; complications did not occur. Mean operation time was 48 ± 17 min. This study clearly shows that the portal venous access is feasible and can be achieved safely using the inferior pancreatic vein for a permanent vascular access port system. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. We have implanted a new port system (Percuseal® ) in altogether 13 patients with haemophilia A, B, von Willebrand disease and alpha1 -antitrypsin deficiency in order to facilitate venous access. The Percuseal system differs from subcutaneous ports, such as Port-a-Cath, in that the upper part of the device protrudes above the skin. In this way, the patient can easily puncture the port membrane under the guidance of his eyes without penetrating the skin. In the present study cohort, a number of complications occurred. These were mainly caused by repeated local infections (in five patients), which made it necessary to replace the ports in three of the patients and to permanently remove the ports as the first option in two of the patients. In one patient, the port was removed because of inconvenience when doing physical exercise. In one additional patient, a severe systemic infection occurred, causing spondylitis. Despite the high infection rate, most patients considered the device very convenient to use. Because of the side-effects seen in our study, the Percuseal port in its present form is not to be recommended for regular use. A reconstruction of the port, making it smaller and giving it an antibacteriostatic cap, may possibly make this kind of port system a feasible alternative to use in order to improve pharmacoeconomics in the prophylactic treatment of haemophilia and patients with alpha1 -antitrypsin deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake early warning (EEW) systems are used to provide timely alerts on ongoing earthquakes, which can facilitate important risk-mitigation actions before potentially damaging seismic waves reach target sites. A major shortcoming of existing EEW approaches is that the earthquake-related conditions for activating alerts are not generally defined according to a formal decision-support system (DSS) that accounts for possible risk-based consequences of triggering/not triggering the alarm. This paper exploits a next-generation risk-informed EEW DSS, which incorporates multi-criteria decision-making for evaluating the optimal decision. The proposed DSS integrates engineering-driven loss predictions associated with issuing/not issuing an EEW alert during an event, also considering possible system malfunctions. The DSS is demonstrated for the strategic Gioia Tauro seaport, located in a region with some of the highest seismic hazard in Italy. Real-time seismic risk analyses are conducted for various earthquake scenarios, accounting for event-parameter uncertainties that are integral to any EEW process and considering the multicomponent nature of the port as a system of interconnected elements. The results of these analyses are used as input to the proposed EEW DSS along with end-user risk preferences, to evaluate the optimal decision in each case and to define a series of risk-informed EEW warning thresholds for the port. • The system integrates seismic risk predictions and multi-criteria decision-making. • The system identifies the optimal action (issue or not a warning) for a given event. • The optimal action can be sensitive to stakeholder risk preferences. • The optimal action can depend on the level of functionality interdependence captured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acknowledging that sea-land intermodal integration and transshipment are core transformations of the contemporary international logistic system, we study the spatial and functional structure of a port system across land and sea in this context. Previous port-driven regional development models have focused only on landside port-hinterland spatial structures in the local vicinity of ports, not seaside inter-port connections together. By revisiting the concepts of port triptych and hinterland-foreland continuum, we argue that the spatial structure of a port system should consider both flows to and from ports together when tracing spatial structures of hinterlands and forelands. Incorporating the network-based analytical model of the nonparametric weighted stochastic blockmodel, we study the global-scale structures of hinterlands and forelands under integrated landside-seaside freight flow dynamics. We investigate the network block structures of cargo shipping routes between Europe and the United States based on micro-level shipping flow data. We find a rich and meaningful collection of different network blocks of hinterlands, feeder and hub ports, and forelands that mirror the functional division of logistic processes across space, the interdependent relationships between hinterlands and forelands along a logistical continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China with the implement of the strategy of overall opening up to the outside world, northeast China has basically formed an open pattern with simultineous development of border opening and coast opening. As a national window to open up to the outside world, an open port system in northeast region has formed. These ports can be classified from different angles, such as management level, transport mode, location. From management level, they can be classified into the state first-class ports and the second-class ports. According to transpost mode, they can be divided into railway port, highway port, water transport port, air transport port and special mode port, and based on location, they can be divided into border port, coast port and inland port. The paper introduces in detail the foreign trade connection of 4 most representative state first-class border ports: Hunchun, Suifenhe, Heihe and Manzhouli. The open ports of northeast coast region mean mainly coast water transport ports in Liaodong Peninsula. The foreign trade connection of coast open ports: Dandong, Jinzhou, Yinkou and Dalian is expounded. And the paper also analyses the transport connection of ports of northeast region with their hinterlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive literary review is carried out to determine the strategic and business advantages, and difficulties that non-smart ports must face to develop sustainability. Based on a two-port case study, the strategic text of the corporate missions of port administrators and operators is analyzed and classified in order to understand to what extend economic, social and environmental aspects are fulfilled. A conceptual model is designed for an information system based on indicators that can determine the state or degree of sustainability in the critical operational activities of the ports studied. A system is proposed that is based on a data warehouse core and a multidimensional database, which can be implemented in the ROLAP mode, allowing taking advantage of the good characteristics of relational databases without losing the OLAP approach. A discussion of the strategic feasibility of implementing this conceptual model of case study monitoring and its long-term benefits is delivered. The conclusions state that the development of this green technology requires cultural changes, public policy initiatives and the incorporation of new actors. In addition, more research is needed in this area to identify other relevant sustainable variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of various interactive metal artifact reduction (iMAR) algorithms on attenuation correction in the vicinity of port chambers in PET/CT.Material and Methods: In this prospective study, 30 oncological patients (12 female, 18 male, mean age 59.6 ± 10.5y) with implanted port chambers undergoing 18F-FDG PET/CT were included. CT images were reconstructed with standard weighted filtered back projection (WFBP) and three different iMAR algorithms (hip, dental filling (DF) and pacemaker (PM)). PET attenuation correction was performed with all four CT datasets. SUVmean, SUVmax and HU measurements were performed in fat and muscle tissue in the vicinity of the port chamber at the location of the strongest bright and dark band artifacts. Differences between HU and SUV values across all CT- and PET-images were investigated using a paired t-test. Bonferroni correction was used to prevent alpha-error accumulation (p < 0.008).Results: In comparison to WFBP (fat: 94.2 ± 53.9 HU, muscle: 197.6 ± 49.2 HU) all three iMAR algorithms led to a decrease of HU in bright band artifacts. iMAR-DF led to a decrease of 159.2 % (fat: -51.9 ± 58.5 HU, muscle: 94.5 ± 55.3 HU), iMAR-hip of 138.3 % (fat: -30.3 ± 58.5, muscle: 70.4 ± 28.8) and iMAR-PM of 122.3 % (fat: -21.2 ± 47.2 HU, muscle: 72.5 ± 25.1 HU; for all p < 0.008). There was no significant effect of iMAR on SUV measurements in comparison to WFBP.Conclusion: iMAR leads to a significant change of HU values in artifacts caused by port catheter chambers in comparison to WFBP. However, no significant differences in attenuation correction and consecutive changes in SUV measurements can be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port catheters have been increasingly used in recent years. Using one case as an example, we demonstrate how an anatomic variation can easily become a pitfall when inserting a central venous catheter, port catheter, pacemaker or Swan-Ganz catheter. We report a case of persistent left superior vena cava, the most common variation in the thoracic venous system. Since these procedures are increasingly being performed, surgeons, anesthesiologists and radiologists should be aware of the possible anatomic variations. The French version of this article is available in the form of electronic supplementary material and can be obtained by using the Springer Link server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00276-002-0088-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: CT artifacts from port-systems are a common problem in staging- and restaging-examinations and reduce image quality and diagnostic assessment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reduction of these artifacts using virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) from dual-energy spectral-detector CT (SDCT) in comparison to conventional CT-images (CI).Method: 50 SDCT-datasets of patients with artifacts from port-chamber and port-catheters were included in this IRB-approved, retrospective study. CI and VMI (range, 40-200 keV, 10 keV increment) were reconstructed from the same acquisition. The quantitative image analysis was performed ROI-based assessing mean and standard deviation of attenuation (HU) in most pronounced hypo- and hyperdense artifacts surrounding to the port-chamber and the distal end of the port-catheter in the superior vena cava. Subjectively, artifact reduction and diagnostic assessment of surrounding soft tissue were rated on 5-point Likert-scales.Results: In comparison to CI, VMI of higher keV-values showed strong reduction of hypo- and hyperattenuating artifacts around the port-chamber and port-catheter (CI/VMI200keV: hypodense -104.7 ± 124.7HU/10.8 ± 58.1HU and -101.6 ± 101.5HU/-36.7 ± 32.9HU; hyperdense 240.8 ± 151.6HU/79.6 ± 81.3HU and 108.6 ± 129.3HU/25.9 ± 31.9HU; all p < 0.001). Image noise could also be reduced significantly. The subjective analysis showed significantly reduced artifacts around the port-chamber and port-catheter (CI/VMI200keV: hypodense 3(1-4)/5(4-5) and 3(2-4)/5(4-5); hyperdense 3(1-4)/5(4-5) and 3(2-3)/5(3-5); all p < 0.001) and improved diagnostic assessment of pectoral/subclavian soft tissue for VMI of ≥100keV. Ratings for diagnostic assessment were best between 140-200 keV. Overall interrater agreement was high (ICC = 0.79).Conclusions: Higher keV VMI enabled a significant reduction of artifacts from port-systems around the chamber and the catheter leading to improved assessment of surrounding soft tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]