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A Aslaksen

Publications and source records attributed to A Aslaksen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[How is the specialist training in radiology?].

BACKGROUND: On the basis of results from a focus group interview showing that the specialist training in radiology was considered unsatisfactory, we performed a questionnaire survey among residents attending specialist training in Norwegian x-ray departments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire on background and working and study conditions was mailed to 113 radiology residents. RESULTS: The response rate was 73%. More than 50% of the residents reported that the quality of the training they received in magnetic resonance imaging and to some extent in interventional radiology and doppler examinations, was unsatisfactory, independent of type of department. Residents working in larger departments reported more problems in learning the most common interventional procedures, CT examinations and fluoroscopy examinations than did collegues working in smaller departments. Experienced autonomy with regard to organisation of own work was significantly lower among female physicians than among their male collegues. INTERPRETATION: There is shortage of time as well as specific learning possibilities for Norwegian radiology residents. The potential for improvement is large.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Impaired accommodation of the proximal stomach in children with recurrent abdominal pain.

BACKGROUND: A new ultrasonographic method was applied in children with recurrent abdominal pain, to study accommodation of the proximal stomach to a meal. METHODS: After an overnight fast, 20 patients with recurrent abdominal pain (age, 7-14 years) and 23 healthy control subjects (age, 7-13 years), were scanned by a 5-MHz transducer positioned in the epigastrium, to monitor the size of the proximal stomach before and after a test meal of meat soup. RESULTS: Children with recurrent abdominal pain had a significantly smaller sagittal area of the proximal stomach at 10 and 20 minutes after the meal than in healthy control subjects (P = 0.01 for both) and significantly higher emptying fraction of the proximal stomach at 10 minutes after the meal than in healthy control subjects (P = 0.02). There was no significant difference in emptying of the distal stomach between the patients and healthy control subjects. Children with recurrent abdominal pain experienced more symptoms (pain, bloating) in response to the test meal than did healthy control subjects. CONCLUSION: The results support the view that recurrent abdominal pain in children may be a motility disorder that can be detected in the proximal stomach as an impairment of adaptive relaxation in response to a meal. This new ultrasonographic method may become a valuable diagnostic tool in patients with recurrent abdominal pain.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1998

[Radiology--an exciting specialty, unsatisfactory training situation?].

Despite the medical and technological advances during the last decade, there have been problems in attracting new recruits for radiology specialization in Norway. The increasing number of vacancies is a cause for concern. To address this problem, we held interviews with six residents--three males and three females aged between 30 and 39 years. They had from four months to three years of experience in diagnostic radiology at the time of the study. The data were analyzed according to the principles of Giorgi. The participants found radiology both interesting and challenging, but considered the specialist training inadequate, mainly because there were too many routine tasks and not enough supervision.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Reliability of ultrasound in the early diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip.

The purpose of this study was to determine inter- and intra-observer agreement in assessing hip morphology and stability by ultrasound. Three groups of infants, of 206, 74 and 78 newborns respectively, were examined. Morphology was classified into four categories (normal, immature, minor dysplastic and major dysplastic) according to subjective assessment, objective measurement (of the acetabular inclination angle alpha) or a combination of the two. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was determined for reading of recorded ultrasound scans, and for examination (recording plus reading of the scans). Hip stability was subjectively classified as stable, unstable, dislocatable or dislocated, and inter-observer agreement was determined. There was a high degree of agreement for morphological classification based on repeated readings of recorded scans by the same observer (206 infants, kappa = 0.7 and 0.8 for the two observers, respectively) while the degree of agreement between observers was moderate (kappa = 0.5). The agreement between observers for repeated readings and recordings was moderate when based on a subjective classification (kappa = 0.5). Adding the alpha angle did not improve agreement. There was a moderate inter-observer agreement in determining hip stability (70 infants, kappa = 0.4). The authors concluded that a high degree of inter- and intra-observer agreement in classifying hip morphology may be obtained for the reading of recorded ultrasound scans. Inter- and intra-observer agreement in producing the scans is poorer than for reading. To obtain a high degree of inter-observer agreement in assessing hip morphology and stability in the newborn, substantial training, attention to details in the technique, and evaluation of results are necessary.

Hip Dislocation, Congenital↗
PubMed1993

[Spontaneous esophageal rupture. Differential diagnosis from acute myocardial infarction].

Chest pain is a common cause of hospitalization. Occasionally, chest pain is due to spontaneous perforation of the oesophagus, a dangerous condition that is often misdiagnosed. This case illustrates different aspects of Boerhaave's syndrome. In patients with chest pain of uncertain etiology, chest radiographs or CT scan of the thorax should be performed. If pneumo-(hydro) thorax and/or mediastinal air is observed, oesophageal contrast studies must be carried out to verify perforation of the oesophagus. The preferred treatment is immediate operation and closure of the defect.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Ultrasound measurement of the luminal diameter of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries in patients without vascular disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish ultrasonographic criteria for the normal size of the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries in patients without vascular disease. METHODS: The luminal diameters of the proximal and distal abdominal aorta and the common iliac arteries were measured by ultrasonography in 160 patients (15 to 89 years) who were without known vascular disease. RESULTS: In patients above 50 years of age the distal aorta, which most often is involved in aneurysmatic dilations, measured 16.8 +/- 2.9 mm in men and 14.6 +/- 1.9 mm in women (p < 0.001). The diameter of the iliac artery in these patients was 10.1 +/- 2.0 mm in men and 9.2 +/- 1.3 mm in women (p < 0.001). The usually present gradual narrowing of the aorta toward the bifurcation was replaced by a slight increase (1 to 2 mm) in 5% of the men and 6% of the women. Focal areas of aortic enlargement, however, were not observed. In multivariate analysis, including age, height, body weight, and sex, the distal aortic diameter was significantly correlated only to age (r = 0.46; p < 0.001) and sex (r = -0.29; p < 0.001). With aging the mean of the proximal and distal aortic diameters increased by 0.08 and 0.05 mm/yr, respectively. Also correlated with age was a linear reduction in systolic expansion (r = -0.73; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Enlargement of the distal aorta and common iliac artery should be considered when (1) the luminal diameters in men exceed 23 and 14 mm, respectively, and in women 19 and 12 mm, respectively, (2) the ratio of the proximal and distal aortic diameter exceeds 1.1, and (3) there is demonstration of focal enlargement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Postrenal acute renal failure with deficient or minimal dilatation of the renal pelvis].

This article presents the clinical and radiological findings in three patients with acute obstructive renal failure. In a setting of typical clinical symptoms of acute postrenal obstruction, the lack of or only minimal ultrasonographic dilatation of the pelvicalyceal system should not lead to the conclusion that there is no obstruction until supplementary invasive procedures have demonstrated open urinary tracts. Minimal pelvic dilatation in acute obstructive renal failure is typically associated with malignant diseases encasing the distal parts of the ureters, retroperitoneal fibrosis, urinary calculi and urinary infections. Various pathophysiologic mechanisms are discussed.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1991

Imaging of solid renal masses.

Detection of renal cell carcinoma is still a major task for the radiologist. Ultrasonography has replaced excretory urography as the most cost-effective means of detecting early renal cell carcinoma. Detection of small tumors confined to the renal parenchyma has made partial nephrectomy a safe therapeutic alternative, but a longer life expectancy has not been proved. Doppler ultrasonography and MR imaging are used to help distinguish between benign and malignant renal tumors with initial equivocal results. However, accurate diagnostic criteria for CT have been developed and CT remains the standard diagnostic method for characterizing and staging renal tumors. MR imaging has one major advantage: it depicts the degree of tumor involvement of the renal vein and inferior vena cava. Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy is still important for discriminating between benign and malignant tumors as well as enlarged lymph nodes.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗
PubMed1991

Compression ultrasonography in hospitalized patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis.

Compression ultrasonography was compared with contrast venography in 215 hospitalized patients (218 limbs) with suspected deep venous thrombosis. All scans were performed using a 5-MHz linear-array scanner. The calf veins were not assessed owing to their small caliber. Distribution of deep venous thrombosis was proximal in 113 of 215 patients (number of limbs with deep venous thrombosis being the same as the number of patients) and limited to the calf veins (distal) in 29 patients. Deep venous thrombosis was detected by compression ultrasonography in 101 of 113 patients (sensitivity, 89%) and falsely diagnosed in two of 76 limbs (73 patients) with negative venographic results (specificity, 97%). The method was less sensitive below the knee, where deep venous thrombosis of the distal popliteal vein was not detected in five of 10 patients as compared with seven of 103 patients with thrombus extension above the knee. Pelvic vein deep venous thrombosis (n = 34) was detected by compression ultrasonography in 71% of the patients. The results of this study indicate that venography may be omitted in patients where compression ultrasonography demonstrates proximal deep venous thrombosis. In patients with negative compression ultrasonographic results, however, venographic verification is needed since venography has a considerably higher sensitivity than compression ultrasonography in detecting isolated iliac and calf vein deep venous thrombosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Imaging of the urinary tract in adults. A guideline for general practice].

This article discusses the indications for imaging of the urinary tract from the general practitioners' point of view. Urography should be used in the control of patients with previous attacks of ureteral colic, in patients presenting macroscopic hematuria and as a preoperative investigation prior to extracorporal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Ultrasound should be chosen in patients with microscopic hematuria and non-specific abdominal pain. Computed tomography should be used in cases with non-specific findings using urography and ultrasound. There are no indications for imaging in women with recurrent urinary tract infection, in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy and in the evaluation of hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Intravenous urography versus ultrasonography in evaluation of women with recurrent urinary tract infection.

Intravenous urography and ultrasonography were compared prospectively in 120 women with recurrent urinary tract infection. The median age was 44 years (range 15-85). There was good correlation between the two methods in detecting hydronephrosis, calculi greater than or equal to 5 mm, and major post-pyelonephritic scarring. Urography was superior in detecting small cortical scars, slight caliceal dilatation, and less than or equal to 4 mm calculi. Based on the good results, low cost, and absence of radiation hazards or contrast media reactions, we conclude that ultrasonography may replace urography when a radiological screening of the upper urinary tract is deemed necessary in women with recurrent urinary tract infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Ultrasonography versus urography as preoperative investigation prior to hysterectomy.

Ultrasonography (US) has been compared with urography (IVU) as a preoperative investigation prior to hysterectomy in 62 patients. In 38 patients the urinary tract was deemed normal by both US and IVU. US and IVU coincided in varying degrees of hydronephrosis in 8 patients and disagreed in one. Of 5 double ureters, US missed 2. IVU showed expansile lesions in 5 kidneys where US showed benign cysts. No severe contrast media reactions were observed. We recommend that preoperative urography should be replaced by preoperative ultrasonography when a screening examination of the upper urinary tract morphology is deemed necessary prior to hysterectomy.

Female↗
PubMed1988

Ultrasonography versus excretory urography: value in urological disease.

Considerable savings in cost and some reduction in gonad dose and contrast medium allergy can be expected if excretory urography can be replaced by real-time ultrasonography as the first examination in upper urinary tract disease. For one year, all patients referred for excretory urography (UG) are first examined with real-time ultrasonography (US) to establish whether UG can be completely replaced by US, or the indications for which US should be the first examination of choice. The results in 200 consecutive patients indicate that both methods sometimes fail, but not in the same patients. A combination of the two may be unbeatable, but uneconomical. The results obtained over one year may give the answer. Hopefully studies at other centres will be initiated to increase the size of the case material.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1988

Calculation of internal costs in a department of diagnostic radiology.

Even though high technology accounts for less than 1% of health care costs in industrialized countries, radiology is often blamed for their escalation. In a squeezed health care economy it is important to know the real cost of diagnostic radiological procedures in order to set priorities and realistic budgets, and to bill (actually or fictively) referring departments, physician's patients, insurance companies etc., and to demonstrate real costs of radiology for politicians and clinicians. The so-called Radiology Points used in the Nordic countries are in our opinion not adequate as basis for "price tags", even if to some extent they do reflect work and expenses involved in an examination. The real costs of ultrasonography (US) and excretory urography (UG) of the upper urinary tract have been compared in a study being performed to determine whether US can replace UG as the first examination in upper urinary tract disease. The cost of US is 53% (high osmolar contrast media) or 27% (anionic contrast media) of UG. If US can replace UG as the first examination in upper urinary tract disease the cost savings will be dramatic, especially if low osmolar or anionic contrast media are routinely used.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1988

The changing scene of radiology: value of urography as initial examination in infectious and hypertensive disease, hematuria and malignant disease.

Four to 20% positive findings were found in a review of 1913 excretory urographics. Possibly relevant findings were 20% in patients referred for infectious disease, 10% in hypertensive disease, 6% in hematuria and 4% in neoplasms. Urography influenced treatment mainly in the 2 groups with few positive findings. The costs for positive findings may be acceptable in patients with hematuria or suspicion of neoplasms, but are too high in the other groups. Until ultrasonography can replace intravenous urography as the first screening method in upper urinary tract disease, the patient selection for urography in infectious and hypertensive disease should be improved.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Comparative pharmacokinetics of theophylline and aminophylline in man.

1 The pharmacokinetics of theophylline and aminophylline was compared after oral administration and intravenous infusion. 2 Theophylline (250 mg) and aminophylline (390 mg) were taken orally by eight healthy volunteers in a randomized cross-over study. 3 In another cross-over study theophylline and aminophylline were administered intravenously to six healthy volunteers at a dose corresponding to 5 mg/kg pure theophylline. 4 The protein binding of the theophylline in serum collected during the intravenous study was studied by ultrafiltration. The serum concentration of theophylline was measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. 5 Almost identical concentration-time curves were found for theophylline and aminophylline in both of the studies. No significant difference was found in the pharmacokinetic parameters or protein binding with the two preparations.

Administration, Oral↗