Diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography in detecting bone invasion due to squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa

Objective: to determine the diagnostic accuracy of contrast enhanced computed tomography [CECT] of head and neck in detecting adjacent bone invasion due to squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa using histopathology as gold standard

Study Design: cross sectional / descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: department of Radiology, Dow Medical College, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from September 2015 to October 2016

Methodology: a total of 116 patients clinically suspected of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma [OCSCC] involving buccal mucosa was included. After taking proper history, all these patients referred to Radiology Department for contrast enhanced contiguous thin slice sections of 3-5 mm the primary site of the lesion prior to surgery. Reconstruction of all images done by using bone algorithm. The diagnostic accuracy of CECT was analysed against the gold standard of histopathology. Statistical analyses were carried out by using SPSS 21. Mean +/- SD were calculated for quantitative variable like age. For qualitative variables, frequencies and percentages were calculated. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were computed for CECT, taking histopathology as gold standard

Results: eighty-three male [71%] and 33 female [28%] patients. Mean age was 46.66 +/- 10.77 years. Mean duration of sign and symptoms was 3.47 +/- 1.54 months. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy were 69.2%, 78.4%, and 80.4%, 66.7% and 73.3%, respectively

Conclusion: CECT is a reliable technique for detecting adjacent bone invasion due to squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa by using 3-5 mm thin-section CT reconstructed with bone algorithm

Measuring gamma -ray dose of terrestrial samples using beta - gamma spectrometry

The existence of some radionuclides in soil and some building materials produce a beta - gamma radiation field, which in some regions the exposure of these radionuclides to human is high. The air-absorbed dose, indoor and outdoor annual effective dose of soil and some building material samples [ceramic, granite, gypsum, etc.]. The samples were collected from 35 different regions in the northwest of Iran were calculated. Specific activity of natural radionuclides [226]Ra, [232]Th and [40]K were measured by using a beta - gamma spectrometer consisted of NaI[Tl] and organic scintillators. The analysis of measured spectra was based on maximum likelihood estimation. The calculated data were compared with world's mean values. It is found that the specific activity of 40K ranges from 573.8 to 1392 Bqkg[-1], for [232]Th ranges from 6 to 54.6 Bqkg[-1] and for [226]Ra ranges from and 5.1 to 36.2 Bqkg-1. In some regions, the concentrations of natural radionuclides [[40]K, [232]Th, [226]Ra] were higher than standard level. Experimental results related to specific activity, indoor and outdoor annual effective doses of [226]Ra, [232]Th and [40]K revealed that radionuclide concentration in soil and some building material samples of some regions of northwest of Iran are of some radiological importance

[ incidence of headache after inhalational general anesthesia]

Inhalation gases that are used for general anesthesia influence central nervous system. Headache is one of the most common complications of the patients in recovery room. The more basic and exact the pain control and monitoring of patients' condition in recovery room is, the more practicable prevention of the next uncontrollable accidents is, and the more the rate of patient's satisfaction will be. This study was done with the goal of prevalence detection of headache after inhalational general anesthesia with halothane and nitrous oxide in patients who referred to Yasuj training hospitals for being under the elective operation. Subjects of this study were 417 patients referred to Yasuj training hospitals for elective operation. All of the patients were under inhalational general anesthesia. Before anesthesia the patients were asked about previous chronic headache, age, sex and smoking. After the complete return of consciousness until the patients were in recovery room, they were monitored for headache. In this study, most of the patients [66.7%] complained about headache. Rate of headache in men [80.9%] was more than women [53.1%]. The most prevalence of headache was in the age between 10-15 and the least was in the age between 26-40. Headache in the group who didn't have the history of chronic headache was more prevalent. There wasn't any meaningful relationship between headache appearing after operation of anesthesia and the length of anesthesia. The rate of headache in smokers [82.4%] was higher than in nonsmokers [63.3%]. There wasn't any meaningful relationship between headache and the method of oxygenation during anesthesia. This study shows the high prevalence of headache in inhalational general anesthesia which can be attributed to smoking, history of chronic headache, age and sex. With the recognition of disposing factors and their removal, patient's satisfaction will be more and the cure expenses will be less