Production of 129mXe and 131mXe via neutron activation of 128Xe and 130Xe at ILL-RHF and NCBJ-MARIA high-flux reactors.

The long-lived xenon isomers 129mXe and 131mXe are of interest for the GAMMA-MRI project, which aims at developing a novel imaging modality based on magnetic resonance of polarized unstable tracers. Here, we present the steps leading to and following the production of these two isomers via neutron irradiation of highly-enriched 128Xe and 130Xe gas samples at two high-flux reactors, the High-Flux Reactor (Réacteur à haut flux, RHF) at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) and the MARIA reactor at the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ). We describe the experimental setups and procedures used to prepare the stable xenon samples, to open the irradiated samples, and to transfer xenon isomers into reusable transport vials. The activity of 129mXe and 131mXe was measured to be in the range of tens of MBq per sample of 0.8(1)mg, and was proportional to thermal neutron flux density. A small activity of unstable contaminants was also visible in the samples, but their level is not limiting for the GAMMA-MRI project's objectives. In addition, the minimum thermal neutron flux density required to produce 129mXe and 131mXe sufficient for the project could be also determined.

Telemedicine and telepresence for trauma and emergency care management.

The use of telemedicine is long-standing, but only in recent years has it been applied to the specialities of trauma, emergency care, and surgery. Despite being relatively new, the concept of teletrauma, telepresence, and telesurgery is evolving and is being integrated into modern care of trauma and surgical patients. This paper will address the current applications of telemedicine and telepresence to trauma and emergency care as the new frontiers of telemedicine application. The University Medical Center and the Arizona Telemedicine Program (ATP) in Tucson, Arizona have two functional teletrauma and emergency telemedicine programs and one ad-hoc program, the mobile telemedicine program. The Southern Arizona Telemedicine and Telepresence (SATT) program is an inter-hospital telemedicine program, while the Tucson ER-link is a link between prehospital and emergency room system, and both are built upon a successful existing award winning ATP and the technical infrastructure of the city of Tucson. These two programs represent examples of integrated and collaborative community approaches to solving the lack of trauma and emergency care issue in the region. These networks will not only be used by trauma, but also by all other medical disciplines, and as such have become an example of innovation and dedication to trauma care. The first case of trauma managed over the telemedicine trauma program or "teletrauma" was that of an 18-month-old girl who was the only survival of a car crash with three fatalities. The success of this case and the pilot project of SATT that ensued led to the development of a regional teletrauma program serving close to 1.5 million people. The telepresence of the trauma surgeon, through teletrauma, has infused confidence among local doctors and communities and is being used to identify knowledge gaps of rural health care providers and the needs for instituting new outreach educational programs.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in children.

The authors presented the cases of two children with inflammatory myofibroblastic (IMF) tumor and reviewed the literature to facilitate the preoperative recognition, delineate the clinical features, and describe the natural history of this entity. The first child had IMF tumor arising from the mesentery of the small intestine. He presented with an abdominal mass associated with severe inflammatory response manifested by fever, impaired growth, thrombocytosis, and microcytic, hypochromic anemia. After surgical resection, his fever resolved and his growth rate and the laboratory abnormalities normalized. Five months after initial diagnosis, the fever, anemia, and thrombocytosis recurred along with two tumors arising from the omentum and the abdominal soft tissue. After the second surgery, he remains free of recurrent disease for 30 months. The second child presented with a lung mass that was radiologically indistinguishable from pulmonary sequestration. After surgical resection, she remains free of recurrent disease for 18 months. IMF tumor should be considered in any solid tumor that occurs in association with a chronic inflammatory response. IMF tumor should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary sequestration.

Cervical spine hyperextension injuries: MR findings.

Cervical hyperextension injuries are common and often show minimal radiographic abnormalities, even with severe or unstable lesions. Fourteen patients, nine with acceleration hyperextension "whiplash" injuries and five injured by direct frontal head trauma, underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging within 4 months of injury. Five of seven patients with anterior spinal column injuries showed characteristic separation of the disk from the vertebral end plate, lesions still evident as late as 9 months after injury. The demonstration of this type of lesion and its delayed resolution may have prognostic and surgical implications. These lesions, anterior longitudinal ligament injuries, anterior annular tears, and occult anterior vertebral end-plate fractures usually occurred at multiple levels except when preexistent degenerative disk narrowing reduced spine mobility. Seven patients had acute cervical disk herniations causing cord impingement. Radiographically occult injuries are well demonstrated with MR imaging, and findings correspond to previously described surgical and anatomical pathologic conditions.