Detection of breast cancer using non-invasive X-ray diffraction technique of hair: a preliminary study

Background: An early diagnosis of breast cancer relates directly to an accurate treatment plan and strategy. Early detection of breast cancer before its development would be a significant reduction of morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this preliminary study is to investigate the sensitivity of Wide Angle X-ray diffraction [WAXRD] method on women hair samples of healthy and breast cancer patients in comparison with other modalities such as synchrotron based XRD beam and mammography. Materials and Methods: Hair samples were taken from occipital region of skull from healthy and breast cancer patients [43 women] were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and the results were analyzed and compared with mammography and pathology reports. Results: The results of analyzed samples showed the sensitivity for purposed WAXRD method was 86% in comparison with synchrotron based XRD beam [64%] and also with mammography [70%]. Conclusion: This non-invasive method is less harmful and is more sensitive than the two other methods and help the physicians for choosing accurate treatment plan

Assessment of patients skin dose undergoing coronary angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty [PTCA]

Practice of interventional cardiology procedures such as Coronary angiography [CA] and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty [PTCA] has largely increased in recent years and is now changing to a matter of routine in many hospitals. The purpose of this study was to measure skin and organ doses in patients undergoing CA and PTCA and to find a probable relation with cardiologist's work experience. A group of 57 patients who were admitted to Nour and Chamran hospitals, Isfahan, Iran, either for CA [n=37] or PTCA [n=20] was checked for skin, eyes and thyroid gland radiation dose. Skin dose measurement was carried out with thermoluminescent dosimeters [TLD-100] placed at three different positions on the patients' bodies. Also the thyroid and eye doses were measured using the same procedure. Mean median, standard deviation and maximum doses for these results are presented. Maximum values found for skin in CA, PTCA, thyroid gland and eyes were 41.00, 73.90, 3.10 and 1.43 cGy, respectively. Average exposure time for CA and PTCA was 4.2 +/- 2.6 and 10.8 +/- 8.2 minutes, respectively. Radiation dose to the critical areas in each procedure in addition to its relation to the type of procedure was studied. Correlation between maximum skin dose and cardiologists' work experience was also investigated. 85% of the cases in CA and 78% of cases in PTCA received maximum skin dose of lower than 25cGy well below the threshold of 2 Gy suggestions for transient erythema

Evaluation of the relation between breast glandular absorbed dose and radiographic quality in mammography

Breast is one of the main radiological sensitive organs, hence it is important to evaluate absorbed dose to this organ especially to the glandular parts. It is the aim of this study to measure mean glandular dose and image contrast in terms of different mammographic parameters. In this study two mammography machines located at Said-al Shohada [Giotto] and Shahid Behesti [GE] hospitals were used. According to the recommendations of ACR and MQSA, breast phantoms were constructed and used for this study. For dose evaluation TLD dosimetry method was used. The TLD dosimeters were of LiF type and the reader was a Solaro TLD reader. To obtain a constant contrast when increasing kVp from 22 to 24, it was necessary to reduce mAs by 12 percent. The obtained relation between these two parameters is: contrast=0.2829D-0.2427. It was also found that there is a linear relationship between contrast and image quality. The relation between these two parameters is: Image quality = 28.117 Contarst + 20.134. Increasing kVp and hence decreasing mAs results a reduction to the glandular dose, especially in patients with large breast. Increasing kVp from 28 to 30 results in reduction of dose from 6.8mGy to 5mGy. It was found that there has been a linear relationship between contrast and image quality. It was also found that increasing kVp necessitate to reduce mAs for a constant contrast and hence reduction of glandular dose

Assessment of bone mineral density with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in pre- and post-menopausal women

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that contributes substantially to decrease physical activity and decline in the quality of life. Osteoporosis can be diagnosed easily with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA] equipment. The aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude of bone loss on proximal femur and lumbar spine LS in pre- and post-menopausal women from Isfahan Osteoporosis Diagnosis Center [IODC] since 2005. Bone mineral density [BMD] measurements using DXA have been performed at IODC. 185 pre-menopausal and 174 early post-menopausal women were selected randomly. A Norland XR46 system was used for the investigations. The student t-test was done to find the difference between the T-scores of the femoral neck [FN] and lumbar spine [LS] in pre- and post-menopausal women. Mean BMDs for the FN and LS in pre-menopausal women were 0.859 +/- 0.136 and 1.012 +/- 0.161 and in post-menopausal women were 0.816 +/- 0.119 and 0.919 +/- 0.140, respectively. Long-term BMD CVs of 1.0% and 1.2% for the LS and FN were found, respectively. The differences between the FN and LS for pre- and post-menopausal women were t = - 9.02, p < 0.05 and t = -3.50, p < 0.05, respectively. In spite of, the reported lower BMD T-scores for the LS compared with the FN for women, we found that the FN had significantly lower T-score than LS for both pre- and post-menopausal women

Dosimetric characteristics of 137Cs sources used in after loading selectron system by Monte Carlo method

For an effective treatment planning in brachytherapy, it is necessary to know the accurate source dosimetric information such as air kerma strength, exposure rate constant, dose rate constant and redial dose distribution. The usual method to determine these factors is thermo luminescent dosimeter [TLD] dosimetry. Nowadays, another more accurate method is known to be the Monte Carlo simulation, and it is widely used in determining of brachytherapy sources dosimetric factors. The aim of the present study has been determine to dose distribution of 137Cs sources configuration used in interacavitary low dose rate [LDR] Selectron brachytherapy by Monte Carlo simulation method. Simulation has been performed for 137Cs stainless-steel encapsulated source in 2.5 mm in diameter of Selectron system. Six different combinations of 137Cs sources were simulated and each combination was put into different applicator. The Monte Carlo MCNP4C code was used for simulation. The number of history was taken 1 million for the calculation of air kerma strength and exposure rate constant and 0.1 million for calculating dose rate constant and redials dose distribution. Maximum air kerma strength was obtained for the combination with fourteen active sources and found to be 919.3 microGym2h-1 while its minimum value was 133.9 microGym2h-1 for the case with two active sources. Maximum and minimum dose rate constant of 4.3 cGyh-1mCi-1 and 2.1 cGyh-1mCi-1 were obtained for the combination with eight and fourteen active sources, respectively. The results indicated that the Monte Carlo simulation method may be useful to determine dosimetric characteristics of brachytherapy sources

Solar ultraviolet radiation on the ground level of Isfahan

Ultraviolet [UV] radiation affects human organs such as skin, eyes and immune system, as well as animals and plants. The main natural source of UV radiation is the Sun. To study the effects of solar UV radiation there is a need to quantify variations of solar energy received on the earth surface at different intervals. To measure UV radiation a broadband fiber optic UV spectrometer was used. With the spectrometer, the energy received at earth surface was measured from wavelength 100 to 400 nm [the UV spectrum]. Measurement duration was from January first to the end of December 2003, and from sunrise to sunset. The received UVC at the ground level was too low to be measured. The measured UVA was between 11 to 21 times higher than UVB energy during the measurement period. The minimum UV received on the ground level was in January and it was 14.5x10[5] J/m[2] while the maximum was in July and it was 80.14x10[5] J/m[2]. Total UV radiation received on the ground level was during the year of measurement period 579 x10[5] J/m[2]. The measurement showed that UVC intensity on the earth surface was negligible. As the wavelength increased the receiving UV energy at the ground level also increased. From the results, it has become clear that the main health consequences of solar UV were related to UVA band. As the intensity of the UVR during summer is too high, a method of UV health risk reduction should be devised

Gadolinium-hematoporphyrin: new potential MRI contrast agent for detection of breast cancer cell line

Gadolinium-porphyrins have been synthesized and are currently being investigated as magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] contrast agents. This study aimed to synthesize Gd-hematoporphyrin and applicate it for in vitro detection of breast cancer cell line [MCF-7]. The naturally occurring porphyrin [hematoporphyrin] was inserted with gadolinium [III] nitrate hexahydrate to yield Gd-H. T1 relaxation times and signal enhancement of the contrast agents were presented, and the results were compared. UV spectrophotometer measured the attachment of Gd to the cell membrane of MCF-7. Most of gadolinium chloride [GdCl3] was found in the washing solution, indicate that it didn't fixed to the breast cell membranes during incubation. Gd-DTPA showed some uptake into the MCF-7 cell membranes with incubation, however, its uptake was significantly lower than Gd-H. Good cell memberan uptake of Gd-porphyrin is comparable to controls, indicating selective delivery it to the breast cell line and considerable potency in diagnostic MR imaging for detection of breast cancer