AVERAGE GLANDULAR DOSES AND NATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVELS IN MAMMOGRAPHY EXAMINATIONS IN TURKEY.

In order to establish national diagnostic reference levels for mammography examinations, entrance skin air kerma, entrance skin dose and average glandular doses (AGDs) were calculated for a total of 25 624 cranio-caudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) projections of 6309 patients for 40-49 and 50-64 age groups. The average entrance skin air kerma and entrance skin dose values for both age groups were found to be higher in MLO projections compared with CC projections. The minimum and maximum values of AGDs were determined as 0.4 and 7.9 mGy for both projections. The maximum numbers of AGDs for CC and MLO projections were calculated in the range of 1.1-1.5 and 1.6-2.0 mGy, respectively. The third quartile values of AGDs were calculated for each compressed breast thickness between 20 and 99 mm. The first national diagnostic reference levels of the country were established for each 10-mm compressed breast thickness in mammography examinations.

Correlation of Ocular Pulse Amplitude, Choroidal Thickness, and Internal Carotid Artery Doppler Ultrasound Findings in Normal Eyes.

INTRODUCTION: The choroid receives about 65-85% of ocular blood flow, which comes from the ophthalmic artery (OA), the first branch of the internal carotid artery (ICA). In the foveal avascular zone, there is no retinal vascular supply; therefore, choroidal blood supply plays a significant role in this subfoveal region. The ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) provides useful information about intraocular blood flow and is an indirect indicator of choroidal perfusion. In this study, we aimed to assess the correlation between the OPA, subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT), and ICA Doppler ultrasound findings in healthy eyes. METHODS: In total, 48 eyes of 48 healthy volunteers were included in this study. All eyes underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluation, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, axial length, OPA measurements, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) with enhanced depth imaging mode. Carotid Doppler ultrasound examination was performed by the radiologist. The correlation between the OPA, subfoveal CT, and ICA Doppler findings [peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV)] were evaluated, considering gender and age. RESULTS: The mean OPA was 3.06 ± 1.34 mmHg. The mean subfoveal CT was 305.85 ± 33.98 µm. The mean PSV and EDV of ICA were 73.25 ± 23.63 cm/s and 26.93 ± 13.42 cm/s, respectively. A moderate positive correlation was found between OPA and subfoveal CT (p = 0.001; rho = 0.481). This relationship was present in both men and women. While a positive correlation was found between the OPA and subfoveal CT in subjects under the age of 50 years, there was no correlation in those over the age of 50 years. CONCLUSIONS: A fair correlation was found between the OPA and subfoveal CT in healthy subjects under the age of 50.

Cerebrovascular disease in HIV-infected pediatric patients: neuroimaging findings.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study was to report on the prevalence and the neuroradiologic manifestations of cerebrovascular complications in children infected with HIV. We also elucidate the types of vascular involvement, identify their anatomic distribution, and discuss possible causes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 567 patients (age range, 1 month-29 years; median age, 5.47 years) who acquired HIV as children. Of these, 426 patients (75%) were evaluated with neuroimaging studies. We reviewed these studies to identify the cerebrovascular abnormalities and classify them by type, anatomic location, and shape. RESULTS: Eleven children (2.6%) were found to have cerebrovascular lesions. Only one had focal neurologic symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Twenty-six aneurysms were found in seven patients, and 27 infarctions were found in eight patients. In four of the patients with infarctions, fusiform aneurysms of the cerebral arteries were also identified. Most patients had advanced HIV disease. Nine of the 11 patients were infected by a vertical transmission route or during blood transfusion early in the neonatal period. In this group of patients, the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease was made earlier (mean age at diagnosis, 8.2 years) than in the two patients who were infected later in life (mean age at diagnosis, 14.9 years). CONCLUSION: HIV-infected children have an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease that is associated with severe immune suppression and with vertically acquired HIV infection or exposure to the virus in the neonatal period. Despite extensive lesions, most children in our study were asymptomatic. Screening with MR imaging should be considered for high-risk children and is advisable when evidence of neurologic symptoms or neurocognitive dysfunction is noted.