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Introduction: Allied health assistants are support staff who assist medical imaging professionals in their clinical and non‐clinical role. Assistants can improve efficiency of medical imaging services; however, little is known about the specific tasks they perform. Method: A two‐phase explanatory, sequential mixed‐methods study design comprising a time motion survey and qualitative interviews was conducted across three health services in Victoria, Australia. Participants were medical imaging assistants supporting medical imaging professionals. Participants recorded tasks completed on a time motion proforma across two working days. Time spent on tasks was categorised into patient related and non‐patient related tasks. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to explore assistants' perspectives about tasks, their roles and any responsibilities. Time motion data was descriptively analysed. Qualitative data were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the framework analysis method. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated using data triangulation. Results: Four medical imaging assistants participated, providing 4170 min of time motion data and 138 min of interview data. Integration of time motion and interview data revealed the medical imaging assistant role is predominantly non‐patient facing; autonomous and critical to workflow; diverse and requires flexibility; has the potential to expand into a more patient‐facing role. Conclusions: Medical imaging assistants make significant contributions to workflow management. Their role is predominantly non‐patient facing but there appear opportunities for the clinical role to expand. Realizing these opportunities will require careful consideration of the challenges and benefits of extending their scope of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To review authorship details of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) conference accepted abstracts for medical imaging and radiation therapy disciplines; identify the Australian or international institutions that submitted abstracts; and to determine the rates of ASMIRT conference abstracts to papers and their citation number. Methods Retrospective analysis of oral and poster conference abstracts published in the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences (JMRS) from 2015 through 2017 identified 581 Australian and international abstracts. Of these, 513 Australian abstracts were analyzed using Google Scholar, PubMed, and Google databases. Abstracts were allocated to medical imaging or radiation therapy disciplines. Abstract titles, key words, institutions, and author names were used to search for peer-reviewed papers. Papers were authenticated through open access, publicly available author information, or library access. Results During a 3-year period, medical imaging and radiation therapy averaged 12.7 ± 7.8 and 12.7 ± 2.8 abstracts and posters, respectively. Oral abstracts averaged 70.0 ± 26.9 (medical imaging) and 76.3 ± 24.0 (radiation therapy). A total of 111 publications from 117 Australian conference presentations were distributed across 53 journals or books between the 2 disciplines. ASMIRT conference presentation to full publication rate was 18.3% (medical imaging) and 24.7% (radiation therapy). The citation number exceeded 270 for medical imaging publications and 540 for radiation therapy publications at the time of writing. Discussion Many factors affect whether medical radiation practitioners present their research at conferences. Conferences in Australia have smaller audiences compared with well-known journals such as JMRS, which limits the dissemination of data and the research impact. Research collaborations can improve publication opportunity and build research capacity, while the publication citation number can reflect the impact of the published research. The publication of research findings is a challenging process but essential to sharing medical knowledge and improving clinical practice. Conclusion The rate of ASMIRT conference abstract to full publication was at the lower end of reported literature. This finding provides a benchmark for future studies on abstract-to-publication rates in Australia and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial perfusion imaging is a non-invasive procedure that plays an integral role in the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease. With the routine use of computerised tomography attenuation correction (CTAC) in myocardial perfusion imaging still under debate, the aim of this review was to determine the impact of CTAC on image quality in myocardial perfusion imaging. Medline, Embase and CINAHL were searched from the earliest available time until August 2019. Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies version 2. Details pertaining to image quality and diagnostic accuracy were analysed, and results summarised descriptively. Three studies with 'unclear' risk of bias and low applicability concerns (1002 participants) from a yield of 2725 articles were identified. Two studies demonstrated an increase in image quality, and one study found no difference in image quality when using CTAC compared to no attenuation correction. Benefits of CTAC for improving image quality remain unclear. Given the potential exposure risk with the addition of CTAC, patient and clinician factors should inform decision making for use of CTAC in myocardial perfusion imaging for coronary artery disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): The aims of this study were to: 1) discover location (by city) of contributors to poster and oral presentations at recent ANZSNM conferences; 2) determine the nuclear medicine themes most commonly explored; 3) establish institutions producing the highest number of oral and poster abstracts and 4) determine publication rates of conference abstracts to full papers from recent ANZSNM conferences. Methods: Retrospective analysis of abstracts published in the Internal Medicine Journal Special Issues 2014-2019 identified 614 abstracts. Invited plenary speaker abstracts were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used in data analysis. Conference abstracts were analysed using the following criteria: poster or oral presentation, author/s, city location, hospital and subject matter. Themes defined by the ANZSNM conference committee for abstract submission were: cardiology, oncology, neurology, therapy, renal/urology, gastrointestinal, paediatrics, musculoskeletal, infection/inflammation, technology, physics, radiation safety, radiopharmacy/radiochemistry, education, or general. Retrospective analysis of 555 conference abstracts (excluding New Zealand and International, 59 abstracts) using Google Scholar, Pubmed and Google databases was undertaken. Abstract titles, key words, institutions and/or authors' names were used to find peer-reviewed papers. Identified papers were authenticated through either open access, publicly available author information or Monash University's library access. Published paper citations were also recorded (up to 1st July 2019). Results: Analysis of 614 abstracts 2014 - 2019 was performed. Over five years, the average number of poster abstracts was 67.8 and oral 55.0. Sydney submitted the highest number of poster abstracts, while Melbourne the highest number of oral abstracts. Most popular abstract theme was oncology for both poster and oral abstracts. Publications found had in excess of 1250 citations. One hundred and one publications from one hundred and seven conference presentations were identified, distributed across sixty journals. Conference presentation to full publication rate was 18.2%; excluding 2019 conference abstracts the rate was 21.5%. Conclusion: Publishing research findings is a challenging process. A retrospective analysis of research presented at recent ANZSNM conferences by abstract content was undertaken, with conference presentation to full publication rate found to be at the lower end of reported literature findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of aminoacyl-triazine derivatives based upon the pan-PI3K inhibitor ZSTK474 were identified as potent and isoform selective inhibitors of PI3Kβ. The compounds showed selectivity based upon stereochemistry with L-amino acyl derivatives preferring PI3Kβ while their D-congeners favoured PI3Kδ. The mechanistic basis of this inhibition was studied using site-directed mutants. One Asp residue, D862 was identified as a critical participant in binding to the PI3Kβ-selective inhibitors distinguishing this class from other reported PI3Kβ-selective inhibitors. The compounds show strong inhibition of cellular Akt phosphorylation and growth of PTEN-deficient MD-MBA-468 cells.