BoneXpert: automated bone age determination

BoneXpert is a software product that computes bone age automatically based using the Greulich-Pyle and the Tanner-Whitehouse systems. It is installed on a PC and can be set up as a "PACS listener" so that the radiographer can send the hand x-ray (as a DICOM file) from PACS to the BoneXpert PC, where the analysis is carried out automatically in 10 seconds. The images then appear on the BoneXpert PC with the patient details and the name of the referring physician.

I haven't tried it myself, but the program can be downloaded from the website. The first five analyses are free. Thereafter, licensing thereafter is on a fee-per-analysis basis, currently 5 Euro per image, with discounts for developing countries. BoneXpert "conforms to the European Community Directive for Medical Devices EC 1993/42, as indicated by the CE mark".

The website also has a list of publications which have been accepted in peer-reviwed journals which suggest that the product has been validated , based on the Greulich-Pyle atlas.

Sounds interesting, and possibly even cost-effective.

Socioeconomic Status Most Important Factor in NHL Survival

I've been rich and I've been poor. Believe me, rich is better.

Mae West

Low socioeconomic status is significantly associated with a higher risk for mortality among elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) Low socioeconomic status is significantly associated with a higher risk for mortality among elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). 

Article in Medscape

Ref:

Wang M, Burau KD, Fang S, Wang H, Du XL.

Ethnic variations in diagnosis, treatment, socioeconomic status, and survival in a large population-based cohort of elderly patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Cancer. 2008 Oct 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Also:

Bray C, Morrison DS, McKay P.

Socio-economic deprivation and survival of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Scotland.

Leuk Lymphoma. 2008 May;49(5):917-23.

X-rays generated from sticky tape

Researchers at UCLA have found that peeling sticky tape in a vacuum generated sufficient x-rays to obtain a radiograph of a finger.
ref: Camara, C. G., Escobar, J. V., Hird, J. R. & Putterman, S. J. Nature 455, 1089–1092 (2008).
Nature News Published online 22 October 2008 doi:10.1038/news.2008.1185
Read more...

(Thanks to BoingBoing)

Piero della Francesca and multiplanar recons

From Piero della Francesca's, De prospectiva pingendi, Book 3, figure lxiv. Casa Editrice Le Lettere

The brain continues to be represented using projections first devised in Renaissance Italy to illustrate the head; and for the neuroscientist 600 years later, Piero's little known illustrations provide a remarkable legacy of graphic representation that endures to this day

GD Schott
Perspectives, The art of medicine: Piero della Francesca's projections and neuroimaging today
The Lancet 2008; 372:1378-1379
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61576-7
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673608615767/fulltext

Auctioning Radiology Services

Jean-Léon Gérôme Slave Auction (c1884)

A new firm called Telerays has developed a novel Web-based auction approach to teleradiology services that calls for readings to be awarded to the lowest bidder. The company is currently recruiting radiologists to sign up to provide readings and is marketing its services to hospitals and imaging centers.

Read more in Aunt Minnie

I find this a bit disturbing, although I haven't exactly figured out why.

A couple of useful online utilities

Gustav Klutsis. (Latvian, 1895-1944). Maquette for Radio-Announcer. 1922. Painted cardboard, paper, wood, thread, and metal brads, 45 3/4 x 14 1/2 x 14 1/2" (106.1 x 36.8 x 36.8 cm). Sidney and Harriet Janis Collection Fund. Museum of Modern Art, New York. http://www.moma.org/

I recently discovered a usfeul online utility (free of course) called slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net/), where you can post you powerpoints online. It feels a bit like YouTube, except that it has slideshows rather than videos.

I gave a talk this morning to our surgeons about "Personalising your Internet" by using Web 2.0 applications like iGoogle, Google Reader, Google Docs, CiteuLike, and so on, which I have posted on Slideshare. (Link)

Another site I have been playing with is Survey Pro (http://www.esurveyspro.com/), which allows you to set up online surveys. There are free and paid versions. It's easy to use, and worth looking at if you ever want to conduct an online survey.

Digital rectal examination in primary care not that accurate?

Albrecht Durer Hand (21 May 1471)

http://astrodreamer.squarespace.com/blog/2008/6/19/miles-davis-irving-penn-durer-emerson.html

I found this a bit surprising:

1069 patients were referred to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire to the 14-day urgent colorectal cancer referral service. Of these, 108 patients were referred as having a 'palpable rectal tumour'. Only 32 of the 108 were found to have a rectal lesion on examination in the hospital. Ten tumours were missed by GPs' DREs.

The diagnostic value of digital rectal examination in primary care for palpable rectal tumour
C. W. Ang, R. Dawson, C. Hall and M. Farmer Colorectal Disease
Published Online: 14 Sep 2007
DOI 10.1111/j.1463-1318.2007.01381

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120125657/abstract

New accessory for PACS workstation

Just back after 4 weeks away on an Art History summer school at the Courtauld Institute. It's been quite busy at work, and I've not had much time for lunch on some days. I've just learnt of a device that it might be possible to have installed in our PACS workstations that may come in useful at times like this: a PC toaster.

When I looked today it was only 29 US dollars from this site.