ABSTRACT
Objective To establish a method to characterize the size and density of the female breast based on three-dimensional images of breast cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and describe the breast characteristics of women in a region of China, and to explore its value in dosimetric assessment for breast CBCT examinees. Methods We retrospectively surveyed the breast CBCT images of 203 women in a grade A tertiary hospital in a southwestern city of China from January 2021 to March 2023. The effective diameter of the breast at the chest-wall (Deff), chest wall-to-nipple length (CNL), the effective diameter of the breast at half of CNL (Dh/2), breast volume (BV), glandular volume (GV), and volumetric breast density (VBD) were measured using the specific tools of the Koning Imaging Viewer system. The differences between groups were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. The correlation between variables was assessed using the Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results The median values of Deff, Dh/2, CNL, BV, GV, and VBD of the surveyed population were 11.9 cm, 8.3 cm, 6.5 cm, 327.7 cm3, 47.0 cm3, and 15.4%, respectively. GV and VBD had significant negative correlations with age. Deff, Dh/2, CNL, and BV were significantly negatively correlated with VBD. Conclusion We established a quantitative method to analyze female breast characteristics based on three-dimensional breast CBCT images, and preliminarily characterized the female breast in a region of China, which can provide methodological support for the investigation of female breast characteristics in various regions of China in the future.
ABSTRACT
Objective @#To evaluate the implementation, application, and problems and suggestions of the Radiation Shield- ing Requirements in Room of Radiotherapy Installations—Part 1: General Principle (GBZ/T 201.1—2007) through a survey of relevant personnel in radiation health technical service institutions, and to provide a scientific basis for further revision and implementation of this standard.@*Methods@#A questionnaire survey was conducted among randomly selected per- sonnel in radiation health technical services across China, which mainly investigated the awareness, training, application, and revision suggestions related to the GBZ/T 201.1—2007. The results were aggregated and analyzed.@*Results@#A total of 184 evaluation questionnaires on the GBZ/T 201.1—2007 were collected from technical service staff in 25 provinces. Among the responders, 64.1% thought that the standard had been widely applied; 91.8% thought that the standard could meet work needs; only 54.3% ever received relevant training on the standard; 68.5% used the standard once or more per year; 33.7% thought that the standard needed to be revised.@*Conclusion@#The personnel in radiation health technical services have a high awareness rate of the GBZ/T 201.1—2007 and its contents, but their familiarity with and application of the standard need to be improved. Relevant departments should strengthen the training and promotion of the standard, and part of the standard should be revised.
ABSTRACT
Objective To understand the status of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy in southeaster Chongqing area, and to provide evidence for health authorities to carry out radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy management. Methods The questionnaire survey was carried out in radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy institutions. Results In 2020 there are 224 radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy institutions, including 3 tertiary hospitals and 16 secondary hospitals. Three hospitals carried out radiotherapy, two hospitals carried out nuclear medicine, and seven hospitals carried out interventional radiology. There were 376 sets of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy equipment, and the number of DR and CT machine was large (58.8% and 14.9% respectively). There were 786 radiological workers (66.9% male), and most of them were X-ray diagnostic workers (85.8%). There were 977, 043 cases of routine X-ray diagnosis(application frequency of 357.7 per 1000 population), mainly in the first level and below hospitals (accounting for 45.3%). There were 391, 067 cases of CT diagnosis (application frequency 143.8 per 1000 population), mainly in secondary hospitals (66.0%). 4860 patients received interventional therapy (application frequency 1.78 per 1000 population) and 781 patients received radiotherapy (application frequency 0.003 per 1000 population), mainly in tertiary hospitals (55.3% and 69.8% respectively). Conclusion Radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy resources in southeast Chongqing area backward and unevenly developed, and there are few hospitals carrying out radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and interventional radiology. Except for Qianjiang district, the level of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy in the other five districts and counties (autonomous counties) is weak, it is necessary to further improve the level of radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy.