Helical CT versus intermittent CT fluoroscopic guidance for musculoskeletal needle biopsies: impact on radiation exposure, procedure time, diagnostic yield, and adverse events.

OBJECTIVE: Image-guided percutaneous needle biopsies are essential in the workup of musculoskeletal (MSK) lesions. While helical CT (HCT) is well established, intermittent CT fluoroscopy (iCTF) is an increasingly used alternative. The purpose of this study is to establish whether differences in subject radiation exposure, procedure time, yield, or adverse events exist between HCT and iCTF guidance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive MSK needle biopsies performed on a single-CT scanner over a 12-month period at a tertiary academic center. Subject demographics, radiation dose, and outcomes were abstracted from the medical record. Comparisons between the two cohorts were performed using Student's t-test for continuous data and using Fisher's exact test for categorical data and a two-tailed p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Two hundred sixteen adults (115 (53.2%) females) with a mean age of 58.8 ± 18.4 years, underwent 216 biopsies (109 (50.5%) HCT guided, 107 (49.5%) iCTF guided) between June 2017 and June 2018. Dose-length product (DLP) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) were significantly higher for the HCT cohort (HCT 698.9 ± 400.8 mGycm vs iCTF 312.8 ± 170.8 mGycm; p < 0.005 and HCT 19.1 mGy ± 8.8 vs iCTF 6.9 mGy ± 1.5, p < 0.001). No significant difference in diagnostic yield, procedure time, or adverse event rate was identified. CONCLUSION: For CT-guided MSK needle biopsies, iCTF decreases subject radiation dose compared to HCT without negatively affecting outcomes. iCTF should be strongly considered by radiologists performing MSK biopsies given the reduced patient radiation exposure.

Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, acetaminophen and codeine based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified with magnetic nanoparticles paste electrode.

Based on incorporating ZnCrFeO4 into multi-walled carbon nanotubes paste matrix (MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO4/CPE), a chemically modified electrode was prepared for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), acetaminophen (AC) and codeine (CO). The prepared electrode, MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO4/CPE, was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO4/CPE showed an efficient electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of AA, AC, and CO. The separations of the oxidation peak potentials for AA-AC and AC-CO were about 250mV and 630mV, respectively. The calibration curves obtained for AA, AC, and CO were in the ranges of 0.4-730.0µmolL(-1), 0.1-368.0µmolL(-1), and 0.3-250.0µmolL(-1), respectively. The detection limits (S/N=3) were 0.03µmolL(-1), 0.009µmolL(-1), and 0.01µmolL(-1) for AA, AC, and CO, respectively. The method was also successfully employed as a selective, simple, and precise method to determinate AA, AC, and CO in pharmaceutical and biological samples.

Highly efficient Brønsted acidic ionic liquid-based catalysts for biodiesel synthesis from vegetable oils.

Biodiesel has been produced by transesterification of canola oil with methanol in the presence of highly Brønsted acidic ionic liquids based on 1-benzyl-1H-benzimidazole, and the effect of reaction temperature, type and amount of catalyst, molar ratio and reaction time investigated. The results show that the 4B ionic liquid has the highest catalytic activity and best recyclability under the optimised reaction conditions. Thus, this ionic liquid is able to catalyze the transesterification of canola oil to its methyl esters in 5 h with yields of more than 95%. Density functional calculations (B3LYP), using the 6-311G basis set, have been performed to have a better understanding on the reactivity of these catalysts. The catalytic activity of 4B for the transesterification of other vegetable oils and alcohols has also been studied.