Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of variable helical pitch scan protocol for preoperative evaluation of transcatheter aortic valve implantation with automated software tool","authors":"Dr Ye Dong,&nbsp;Dr Jun Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101510","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101510","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate variable helical pitch (VHP) protocol for pre-intervention evaluation of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>60 patients (M/F 39/21, Mean age 59 ± 13 years) with aortic valvular disease who underwent CT scan for preoperative assessment of TAVI were randomly divided into two groups. Group A, performed VHP scan mode with ECG-gated scans for chest area by non-ECG-gated abdominal scans. Contrast agent: kg * 1.0 ml, flow rate 4.0 ml /s. Group B used conventional two injections protocol to scan retrospectively ECG-gated CTA of the aortic root and heart (Contrast agent: kg * 0.7 ml, flow rate 4.5ml / s) and non-ECG-gated CTA of the aorta / iliac artery / femoral artery respectively (Contrast agent: kg * 1.1 ml, flow rate 3.0 ml / s). Statistical analysis was performed on the image quality, radiation dose, software measurement report, and contrast agent usage of the two sets of data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There was no statistically significant difference (P&gt;0.05) in the CT values of the thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, coronary artery, and iliac artery between the two sets of images. After post-processing analysis using 3mensio software, both sets of scanning data were able to evaluate the patient's peripheral vascular access, sinus height, degree of coronary artery stenosis, and measure the diameter of the ascending aorta, aortic root, and aortic ring. In terms of patient radiation dose, Group A (DLP=706.4 ± 49.1) showed a significant decrease compared to Group B (DLP=923.8±56.6) (P&lt;0.001). The usage of the two groups of contrast agents was statistically significant (P&lt;0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The “one-stop” scan using the VHP protocol for preoperative TAVI evaluation can significantly reduce the radiation dose and contrast agent consumption without affecting the image quality and measurement data, which show great potential value in clinical routine for TAVI preoperative evaluation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Entrustable Professional Activities for Radiation Therapy Students: A Literature Review","authors":"Ms Anna Didenko,&nbsp;Mrs Nainaben Dhana","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101550","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101550","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The evolving healthcare landscape in Australia demands that Radiation Therapy (RT) graduates demonstrate competence and readiness to practice in diverse settings upon training completion. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are defined as units of professional practice. They constitute what clinicians do as daily work and the responsibilities and tasks that must be done in delivering patient care, such as assisting with treatment and simulation setups for cancer patients. This literature review explores the feasibility of implementing EPAs in the RT setting to standardise supervision and aid students in meeting legislative and academic requirements during shortened clinical placements.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>To identify relevant articles, a search of Ovid MEDLINE(R) ALL using a combination of MeSH terms and keywords for the two main concepts- EPAs and Radiation Therapy was conducted, yielding 384 results. Abstracts and titles were reviewed by both authors against inclusion criteria focusing on EPAs in RT, allied health and medical education.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>While evidence supporting EPAs in allied healthcare and medical settings is abundant, specific evidence for RT practice is limited. Literature in allied health and medical education highlights the number of benefits of EPAs for both students and educators in their specialties<u>,</u> such as cultivation of student confidence, a sense of ownership, and responsibility in professional development. This approach has the potential to enhance patient and student safety by linking competence to specific tasks, ensuring students acquire essential clinical skills before assuming independent roles.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The literature has demonstrated that the standardised use of EPAs may address the challenges of meeting legislative requirements within condensed clinical placements for RT students. Overall, the implementation of EPAs in RT would support both students and educators to meet the evolving demands of healthcare education and promote standardised competence among RT graduates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142531004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The practical experience of performing cardiac MRI (CMR) for patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device (CIED) using WB LGE (Wideband Late Gadolinium Enhancement) sequence","authors":"Mr Junda Song","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MRI conditional Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices have become more common nowadays, which allowing patients with these devices to undergo MRI examinations safely with appropriate programming and monitoring during the procedures. CIED is no longer a contraindication or safety concern for MRI examinations. However, patients with heart disease after CIED implantation are usually not able to undergo CMR because of the susceptibility and off-resonance artefacts caused by CIED and its leads. The artefacts are substantial and obscure the heart which makes CMR almost not interpretable, especially late gadolinium enhancement. WB LGE sequence is introduced by Siemens to reduce the susceptibility and off-resonance artefacts caused by the device. NUH installed the sequence in June 2023. CMR scans were performed on 2 patients with CIED. Quality of the CMR images produced was satisfactory. In conclusion, performing CMR for patients with CIED is challenging because of device related artefacts. With WB LGE sequence, we can produce diagnostic quality CMR images by reducing the artefacts caused by the device.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current State of Radiographic Patient Shielding in the United States","authors":"Dr. Kristi Moore ,&nbsp;Mr. Daniel DeMaio","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) proposed the elimination of routine patient fetal and gonadal shielding during x-ray-based diagnostic medical imaging in April 2019. This change was met with considerable confusion and consternation in the United States. The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Patient Shielding Task Force developed educational materials to assist radiologic technologists in appropriately implementing this change in patient shielding. After more than a year of developing and disseminating these resources, the Task Force seeks quantifiable information on current shielding practices and perceptions of the front-line imaging professionals who have been directly implementing this change in clinical practice.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In February 2024, a 30-item online survey will be administered to members of the ASRT currently performing radiographic procedures in the United States. Survey questions are designed to investigate the current state of patient shielding as reported by responding ASRT members and to identify needed educational resources to assist clinical practitioners and patients in understanding the rationale behind this proposed change.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>While survey results are pending, we will collect and analyze data demonstrating the diversity of current practice and the perceptions of radiologic technologists regarding these recent changes. Analyses of the survey responses will inform the Task Force of the depth and breadth of this change's impact. They will aid in the further development of educational resources for both patients and technologists.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The proposed elimination of routine fetal and gonadal shielding during x-ray-based medical imaging impacted a fundamental tenet of radiation protection in medical imaging practice. Strategic change management is critical for the effective implementation of any significant change. The ASRT Patient Shielding Task Force continues to evaluate current practices and develop practical educational resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multisequence MRI-based nomogram for prediction of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in breast cancer","authors":"M.S. Mengyi Shen,&nbsp;Dr Xiaohua Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Accurate identification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression has a clinical significance for the diagnosis and therapy in breast cancer (BC). This study was aimed at developing a nomogram based on multi-sequence MRI (msMRI) radiomics signatures (RSs) and imaging characteristics to predict HER2 expression in BC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>206 consecutive women diagnosed with invasive BC were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into a training set (n = 144) and validation set (n = 62). Tumor segmentation and feature extraction were performed on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI, T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. Radiomics models were constructed using RSs, and radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated. Rad-score and significant clinical-imaging characteristics were included in the multivariate analysis to establish the nomogram. The performance was mainly evaluated via the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Edema types on T2WI (OR = 4.480, <em>P</em> = 0.008), enhancement type (OR = 7.550, <em>P</em> = 0.002), and Rad-score (OR = 5.906, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) were independent risk predictors for HER2 expression. Radiomics model based on msMRI (AUCs of 0.936 and 0.880 in the training and validation sets, respectively) was superior to those based on one sequence or dual sequences. With the combination of edema and enhancement types, the nomogram achieved the highest performance in the training set (AUC: 0.940) and validation set (AUC: 0.893).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Multisequence MRI-based nomogram could effectively predict the HER2 expression in BC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of workplace-related burnout among diagnostic radiographers at selected public and private radiography departments in the Eastern Cape, South Africa","authors":"Ms Afika Qwayede ,&nbsp;Ms Simamkele Saul ,&nbsp;Ms Enkosi Tshutsha ,&nbsp;Prof Yaseen Ally ,&nbsp;Dr Riaan van de Venter","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background/Purpose</h3><div>Constant profession advances, a broad scope of practice, and the work setting contribute to occupational stress which increases radiographers’ risk of workplace-related burnout. This can have negative consequences for radiographers’ social and psychological wellness, patient safety, and service delivery. The prevalence of workplace-related burnout among diagnostic radiographers is not well-researched in South Africa. Thus, this study aimed to contribute to this knowledge gap.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An exploratory-descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was used. Diagnostic radiographers (n=29/35; 82.86%), at two research sites, participated. Data collection was through an electronic self-reporting questionnaire based on the burnout assessment scale (BAT). Data analysis was done as prescribed for the BAT scale: distribution frequencies, proportions and norm-referencing to determine the categorisation of scores as very high, high, average, and low.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There was a high prevalence of the core symptoms of workplace-related burnout (44.83%), while the secondary symptoms prevalence was average (48.28%). Three core burnout symptoms contributed to the high burnout score: exhaustion (55.17%), mental distance (37.93%), and emotional impairment (48.28%). The overall cognitive impairment score was average, with the majority of participants scoring low and average (58.62%). Headaches (17.24%) and muscle pain (44.83%) were the most frequently experienced psychosomatic complaints. While a tendency to worry (37.93%), feeling stressed (37.93%), and being disturbed by noise and crowds (34.48%) were the most prevalent psychological complaints identified.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The prevalence of workplace-related burnout was high. Participants demonstrated exhaustion and mental distance, but the lower cognitive impairment score indicates a sense of organisational commitment. Strategies need to be considered to promote workplace wellbeing to mitigate the development of burnout. Workplace-related wellness and wellbeing strategies would be beneficial as the participants noted work stress as their primary stressor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Water-excitation improves the image quality of diffusion-weighted MR imaging in esophageal cancer:Comparison with spectral attenuated inversion recovery diffusion-weighted imaging","authors":"Ms Ruolan Sun ,&nbsp;Ms Lanqing Yang ,&nbsp;Prof. Chunchao Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To determine whether water-excitation (WE) in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can improve the image quality in patients with esophageal cancer compared with standard spectral attenuated inversion recovery (SPAIR).</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>Twenty-two patients Clinically diagnosed with esophageal cancer were enrolled in this study. For each patient, both WE-DWI and SPAIR-DWI were performed using a 3T MR scanner. Two radiologists independently assessed the overall image quality, homogeneity of fat suppression, lesion conspicuity and artifacts of two sequences by using a four-point scale. The quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were also measured and calculated on the largest slice of the tumor. The interobserver agreement was evaluated using a weighted Kappa test and the respective intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Comparisons of the quantitative and qualitative parameters were performed using the paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The interobserver agreement between two independent radiologists was good for qualitative assessments (weighted kappa value 0.626-0.760) and quantitative evaluations (ICC:0.768-0.968). The overall image quality, homogeneity of fat suppression and lesion conspicuity of WE-DWI were all significantly higher than those of SPAIR-DWI (all p&lt;0.001). There was no significant difference in artifacts scores between the two sequences(p=0.093). The SNR and CNR were all higher in SPAIR-DWI than those in WE-DWI (all p&lt;0.05). There was no significant difference between WE-DWI and SPAIR-DWI with regard to mean ADCs of the tumor (p=0.101)</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Diffusion-weighted imaging with water-excitation is a clinically useful technique to improve the image quality for the purpose of evaluating lesions in patients with esophageal cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Findings of energy spectrum CT in anterior talofibular ligament injury of ankle joint","authors":"Huize Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the diagnostic value of energy spectrum CT in structural injury of anterior talofibular ligament using MRI as reference standard.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>50 patients with ankle injury were scanned by DECT and MRI. The articular surface was analyzed. CT and MRI images were independently evaluated by two diagnostic physicians. Using MRl as the reference standard, the diagnostic ability of energy spectrum CT and MRI was compared. The consistency of MR And CT conclusions was evaluated. Energy spectrum CT adopts virtual decalcification technology. 80keVCT value and mixed keV value were used in MRI.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The 80keVCT value, mixed keV value and Rho value of EDCT before the tear of talofibular ligament were significantly lower than that of intact ligament. The optimal critical value was 80keV and CT value was 65HU. The mixed keV value was 64.5. There was no difference in diagnosis between MRI and DECT.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>DECT is accurate and reliable in the diagnosis of anterior talofibular ligament tear.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digital Health: How should radiographers be trained when it comes to DH? The approach at Monash University","authors":"Mr John McInerney ,&nbsp;Ms Selina Van","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Digital Health (DH) is a fundamental principle of healthcare as technological advancements reshape healthcare delivery to enable safer, better-quality healthcare. There is much thinking to be done to consider how healthcare professionals of different types should be trained when it comes to DH to prepare a future-focused workforce. This is particularly crucial in medical imaging as radiographers operate in technologically rich environments. It is imperative that radiographers use DH technologies to optimise their techniques and understand their obligations when working in technologically rich environments.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and Results</h3><div>The presentation explores the multifaceted approach taken toward embedding DH into the radiography curriculum at one University in Australia. It emphasises the application, challenges, and impact of DH education. The Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University worked to establish a curriculum framework with common education needs across all health professional degrees. DH education is integrated in a consistent yet tailored way. One of the most commonly reported challenges of DH education is the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment with real-world scenarios. We have addressed this by bringing real-life scenarios and expertise into the educational experience. Students wrestle with issues that present in medical imaging. The presentation will present a series of case studies to showcase this. A diverse range of DH assessment strategies have been described in the literature. Assessment strategies that align with the unique characteristics of DH technologies must continue to be developed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Integrating DH into healthcare education is imperative to prepare a workforce that can effectively operate in these environments. Teaching learning and assessment strategies that are authentic to real-life must be embedded in DH education in healthcare. There remains a need to develop standardised frameworks for assessment in DH.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic Analysis of Ongoing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Post SARS-COV-2 Through Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy","authors":"Yanfei Bi (Metabolic Analysis of Ongoing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Post SARS-COV-2 Through Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy)","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Previous research has established that SARS-COV-2 infection not only leads to acute systemic damage but also results in persistent symptoms, collectively known as \"long-term COVID.\" Our research aims to verify whether the sustained presence of neuro-psychiatric symptoms after SARS-COV-2 infection is linked to changes in the metabolite GABA and/or an imbalance in excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) function.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) techniques, we investigated the levels of metabolites (GABA and Glx) and the excitatory-inhibitory balance (E/I) in the rACC and dACC brain regions, examining differences between two groups. Anxiety and depression states were assessed in all participants (37 in the infection group, 44 in the control group).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the rACC brain region, the study revealed higher GABA levels (p=0.004) and depression scores (p=0.001) in the COVID-19 infection group compared to the control group. The previously established excitatory-inhibitory balance (E/I) was disrupted (p=0.056, r=0.317). Additionally, depression scores and GABA concentration in the COVID-19 infection group showed a positive correlation (p=0.026, r=0.366), and Glx/GABA exhibited a negative correlation (p=0.019, r=-0.384).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The precise pathological mechanisms of \"long-term COVID\" remain incompletely understood. Our study suggests that in patients post COVID-19 infection, elevated GABA levels beyond normal may trigger a range of neuro-psychiatric symptoms and emotional changes by disrupting the excitatory-inhibitory balance. The implicated physiological processes include the activation of the transporter protein TSPO and the initiation of long neural circuits within the brain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142530597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}