Success criteria and challenges of mobile radiography in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: A Singapore perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Radiographers provide mobile radiography services for patients who are critically ill as well as patients isolated due to highly infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The pandemic has caused the demand for mobile radiography to increase. This study aims to understand the experience of radiographers performing mobile radiography during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify the success criteria and challenges faced. METHODOLOGY: This study utilized a cross sectional online survey to obtain data. The online survey was disseminated to radiographers working in public hospitals who have performed mobile radiography from February 2020 to September 2021. The key sections explored in the survey are: (1) demographics, (2) operations, (3) adequacy of resources, and (4) success criteria. The answers were obtained in the form of multiple choice questions, Likert scales or free text. RESULTS: Radiographers reported a rise in mobile radiography workload as well as increased time required to perform an examination for COVID-19 patients. The factors identified for success criteria were: (1) infection control management, (2) resource management (3) modified techniques and (4) improved workflow. The challenges encountered were: (1) nature of exam, (2) juggling the demand for mobile imaging and (3) staff well-being. CONCLUSION: As the COVID-19 situation is evolving, departments have to constantly refine policies and processes as well as ensure the provision of adequate resources such as manpower and personal protective equipment (PPE) so that radiographers feel supported and can perform their duties safely. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study has identified challenges that radiographers face in mobile radiography as well as the success criteria that can aid radiographers in their job.

Superior Temporal Gyrus (STG) and Cerebellum Show Different Activation Profile during Simple Arithmetic Addition Task in Quiet and in Noisy Environment: An fMRI Study / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

Despite a vast number of studies that were focused on the roles of superior temporal gyrus (STG) and cerebellum as sensory area, little is known about their involvement in cognitive function such as attention and perception. The present fMRI study aimed to identify this cognitive role from brain activation profile of STG and cerebellum obtained from an arithmetic addition task. Eighteen healthy right hand dominance male adults participated in this study. They were instructed to solve single-digit addition tasks in quiet and noisy background during the fMRI scan. Both the in-quiet and in-noise addition tasks activated the bilateral STG and cerebellum (lobule VI and lobule VII) significantly but differentially. In both quiet and noisy conditions, STG activation is dominant in the left hemisphere while cerebellum showed a right hemisphere dominance. Bilateral STG and cerebellum (lobule VI) activation decreasedin noise, conversely cerebellum (lobule VII) activation increased in noise. These asymmetrical activation indicated hemispheric lateralization and differential behaviors of both brain areas in different environment while performing simple arithmetic addition task.

Investigating Brain Activation and Neural Effi cacy During Simple Arithmetic Addition Task in Quiet and in Noise: An fMRI Study / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

Knowledge about the hemodynamic model that mediates synaptic activity and measured magnetic resonance signal is essential in understanding brain activation. Neural effi cacy is a hemodynamic parameter that would change the evoked hemodynamic responses. In this work, brain activation and neural effi cacy of the activated brain areas during simple addition task in two different backgrounds were studied using fMRI. The objectives were to determine the activated areas during the performance of arithmetic addition in quiet (AIQ) and noisy (AIN) background and to investigate the relationship between neural effi cacy and height extent of activation for the respective areas. Eighteen healthy male participants performed simple arithmetic addition in quiet and in noise. Bilateral cerebellum, superior temporal gyrus (STG), temporal pole (TP) and supplementary motor area (SMA) were signifi cantly (p < 0.05) activated during AIQ and AIN. Left middle frontal gyrus (L-MFG), right superior frontal gyrus (R-SFG), right superior orbital gyrus (R-SOG) and bilateral insula were more active in quiet as compared to in noise while the left middle cingulate cortex (L-MCC), left amygdala (L-AMG), right temporal pole (R-TP) and left cerebellum (L-CER) were more active in noise as compared to in quiet. The t value for most of the activated regions was found to be inversely proportional to the neural effi cacy. Signifi cant (p < 0.05) negative relationship between t value and neural effi cacy were found for R-STG and bilateral cerebellum during AIQ, while for AIN, similar relationships were found in R-CER, R-STG and R-TP. This study suggests that while being signifi cantly activated, the hemodynamic responses of these brain regions could have been suppressed by the stimulus resulting in an intensity decrease with increasing neural efficacy