Factors affecting the electronic communication of radiological information to an intensive-care unit.

In order to examine communication of radiological information under circumstances where rapid exchange of information was essential, we studied communication of non-routine portable chest radiographs to an intensive-care unit (ICU). Images and reports were available through the usual communication channels and through a PACS workstation in the ICU. Data were obtained to determine how quickly and by what means ICU physicians first viewed images and received radiologists' reports of chest radiographs. Peak information demand occurred within 4 h of the examination. The most rapid means of communication was for the physician to visit the radiology department. Image viewing and report receipt were tightly coupled, usually for images which were first viewed as hard copy. PACS performance suffered from unreliable film digitization and delayed report transcription. Integration of computed radiography and digital dictation into a PACS could markedly reduce the delays in ICU physicians' access to radiological information.

Automated localization and identification of lower spinal anatomy in magnetic resonance images.

Clinical interpretation of the subtle changes present in MR images in the setting of disease currently relies on subjective image analysis. Image evaluation could potentially be improved by computerized segmentation and precise quantification of the image anatomy. However, this cannot be automated unless reliable navigation within an image is established, capable of compensating for unpredictable factors such as anatomical variability, positioning of an image plane in the body, and variable image characteristics. Focusing on the lower spinal region, this paper explores the presence of image- and anatomy-invariant features which facilitate automated, unconstrained identification, and localization of basic lower spine anatomy.

Identification of abnormally [32P]-phosphorylated cyanogen bromide cleavage product of erythrocyte membrane spectrin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

We measured [32P]-phosphorylation of erythrocyte membrane spectrin band 2 peptides from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Erythrocyte ghosts were prepared and subjected to [32P]-phosphorylation by endogenous protein kinase incubations. Purified spectrin was then cleaved by cyanogen bromide, and the resulting peptides were analyzed by electrophoresis on 5%/15% SDS polyacrylamide stacking slab and tube gel systems. More than 50% of the incorporated [32P] was associated with a single band, CN-A, with an apparent molecular weight of 23 kilodaltons. The Coomassie blue-stained peptides were identical in patients and controls. Band CN-A represented approximately 2% of the total peptide protein but was more [32P]-phosphorylated in patients than in controls.