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NUMEDICS: a system for on-line data processing in nuclear medicine.

A multiterminal system --NUMEDICS--has been developed to study the problems of on-line acquisition, processing, and display of scintigraphic data. The hardware-software configuration of NUMEDICS permits simultaneous and independent operation of terminals in the Division of Nuclear Medicine, the Physics Research Laboratory, and the Cyclotron Laboratory of the Massachusetts General Hospital. This paper describes the hardware and software developments in NUMEDICS which have been proven to be of value in clinical and research applications. These features are illustrated by applications to the evaluation of left ventricular performance, three-dimensional imaging, and functional imaging of rCBF.

Nuclear Medicine

Neurosurgical robot Minerva: first results and current developments.

We describe the development and approach to clinical application of the neurosurgical robot Minerva, including the mechanical structure of the robot and the software developed to perform intracranial neurosurgical operations with accuracy, smoothness, and safety. The first eight operations have been undertaken on patients requiring stereotactic brain biopsy. We describe the ongoing developments, including improved sterilization features, force sensors, nonlinear electrostimulation probe, and implantation of living encapsulated cells, all of which have entered a test phase. The goals are increased safety and capability to perform simple three-dimensional operations. This research should ease the way for new complex operations that are difficult to perform manually today.

Biopsy

Critical care medicine in cyperspace: Internet resources and techniques for the intensivist.

The internet, is an informational tool of impressive proportions and capabilities. New software developments puts the use of this informational technology into the hands of all physicians. The use of Internet informational resources allows the intensivist to stay abreast of new developments in critical care medicine, communicate in a matter of seconds with colleagues half a world away, acquire medically related software, access remote database structures, obtain continuing medical education, and in the near future to "see' patients and obtain physiological data in real time. This tutorial will introduce the Internet and it's current tool suite.

Computer Communication Networks

Topographical brain electrical activity mapping on an IBM-compatible personal computer.

A new system for computing brain electrical activity maps on a standard IBM-compatible computer has been developed. The EEG is recorded using a CED1401 intelligent laboratory interface and stored in the computer; colour coded maps are generated using software developed in Turbo PASCAL and displayed on the EGA graphics screen. An acceptable computation time of 1.2 s for a 64 x 64 map displayed as a 128 x 128 pixel image has been achieved by incorporating assembly language routines and a maths coprocessor. The system may be readily upgraded as improved hardware becomes available and further software can be added. In addition to triggering auditory, visual and somatosensory stimulators, it provides the potential for the generation of complex stimuli for cognitive experiments by means of mass RAM and digital-to-analogue converters.

Brain Mapping

Photo CD and medical archives.

Most people involved in medical photography and illustration are aware of the difficulties of efficient archiving and retrieval of picture information. The recent developments in Photo CD now enable cost effective storage of high resolution images. Applications already exist for easy archive management and new software developments make it simple to tailor standard systems for professional people in very specific fields without the necessity of commissioning programmers and system developers with the consequential cost implications.

Archives

Automated identification by computer of the mass spectra of drugs in urine or serum extracts.

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is the method of choice for confirming the presence of drugs tentatively identified in urine or serum by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography, or immunoassay. One of the most widely used GC/MS systems is the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Model 5970 mass selective detector equipped with a work station programmed in Pascal. Searching of mass spectra after a GC/MS run must be done manually, and this can take hours, especially when there are many peaks in a chromatogram to check. I have developed software that allows the unattended searching of all peaks in a run, using a forward search algorithm with a custom-made drug library developed over a period of 5 years, and a reverse search with a 1600+ drug library from HP or another in-house drug library. Using these libraries with the two algorithms maximizes the chances of finding a drug peak and identifying it correctly. Individual searches take about 5 seconds each. Overall search time of nearly 200 mass spectra per run takes about 40 minutes, including printing time. This software has proven to be both labor saving and effective in positively identifying drugs.

Electronic Data Processing

A computer-assisted electrocardiographic analysis system: methodology and potential application to cardiovascular toxicology.

An automated analysis of electrocardiographic (ECG) waveforms, based on a precise one-dimensional analysis of features within a generalized computer-enhanced ECG waveform, has been developed in our laboratory. ECG signals are monitored, amplified, and recorded using standard techniques. The recorder output signal is distributed to a microcomputer system. Software developed for the microcomputer slows the signal playback rate and permits operator review of the slowed signal for arrhythmia analysis. The analysis program identifies and superimposes 10-40 individual ECG complexes, depending on the heart rate, and generates an "ensembled" waveform. Operator interaction permits delineation of specific points on the displayed waveform and calculation of heart rate and duration of components within the ECG complex. The primary advantages of this system include (1) extensive automation--computer support decreases analytical time, increases precision, and permits rapid screening of large numbers of animals; (2) enhanced sensitivity--the use of functional parameters should provide a more sensitive index of toxicity than morphological parameters; (3) broad utility--this system provides the capability to utilize a variety of animals, both anesthetized and unanesthetized, ranging in age from fetuses to geriatrics, and permits studies of block as well as longitudinal design; and (4) ease of replication--standardization of equipment and techniques facilitates replication by other laboratories.

Animals

BACOMP--database of bioactive compounds for structure-activity relationship.

BACOMP database is presented for structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigations; it was realized on a BK-1300 general purpose microcomputer using the MICRO-SETOR network database management system. Some general considerations of database design are given and the models and facilities for a development of a microcomputer-based SAR oriented database are described. The database contains the following information for the bioactive compounds: chemical structures, biological activities, trade names, reference numbers and information sources. For computer representation of chemical structures SAR oriented language is used. The database software includes: system software, data capture and data editing software, information retrieval and data processing applications. The software development is done in FORTRAN IV and MACRO assembly language. The programs are written in a completely interactive mode. The information retrieval software includes 12 functions giving an information for the database as a whole and for a single compound as well. The data processing software includes 8 functions for finding common structural fragments among compounds with similar biological activity and for estimating a structural similarity between different compounds. The functions are selected from corresponding screen MENUs. The function realization results are framed as appropriate screen formats and the receipt of hardcopies is available. The database can be used to develop predictive methods in respect of the investigated biological activity.

Drug Information Services

Interactive video: an analysis of its value to nurse education.

This paper attempts to explain the emerging technology of interactive video and examine its possible place in nursing education. A brief description of the media is given with an exploration of the educational theory and justification underlying its use. A range of approaches to the evaluation of the technology itself and software available are given, which examine advantages and disadvantages for individual learners and for an organisation considering investment in this area. The possible role of interactive video in nurse education is discussed and a recommendation given that nurse educators need to keep up-to-date with developments in this type of educational technology and develop software suitable for the needs of nurses, rather than having to use packages developed for other purposes which have limited application for nursing.

Computer-Assisted Instruction

Three-dimensional prostate ultrasound and its application to cryosurgery.

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), despite its undeniable utility in prostate imaging, employs a spatially flexible and variable 2-dimensional (2-D) imaging technique to visualize a 3-dimensional (3-D) disease process and anatomy. To circumvent some of the limitations of 2-D TRUS, 3-D TRUS was developed. The system consists of a motorized assembly (to hold a standard ultrasound transducer) and a computer with a video frame grabber. The microcomputer, using software developed in our laboratory, rapidly reconstructs a series of linear ultrasound images into a 3-D image. The 3-D TRUS technology has been incorporated into our program for cryoablation of the prostate. With intraoperative 3-D TRUS providing a unique coronal view, cryoprobe placement is facilitated to detect malalignment and avoid subsequent suboptimal cryoablation. In our use of 3-D TRUS guidance, in all 21 initial patients, probe malalignment, otherwise not apparent on standard 2-D TRUS, was detected and corrected before cryosurgery. With median follow-up of just < 1 year, only 2 of 44 biopsy cores (from the same site of 1 patient) were positive at 3 and 6 months. 3-D TRUS appears to be a valuable adjunctive tool in prostate imaging, especially in providing guidance for cryoblation of prostate cancer.

Cryosurgery

Quality controlling interpretive reporting systems in clinical medicine--a changing responsibility.

This paper presents some observations on a number of topics which affect the quality of computer software and includes: current trends in software design, current levels of responsibilities for the various parties involved in bringing automation to clinical medicine, why software development is so difficult to quality control, and certain characteristics of system development which contribute most to the construction of inaccurate models.

Humans

Computerized tracking of mammography patients: value of a radiology information system integrated with a personal-computer data base.

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the advantages of using a radiology information system as the primary data source for a mammographic patient-tracking system that is based on a personal-computer local-area network and that requires almost no data entry. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. Our mammographic data base is maintained on a file server that provides cross-platform access to both Macintosh and IBM-compatible personal computers. Locally developed software automatically transfers mammographic data from our radiology information system to the file server's mammographic data base. The data transferred include patients' demographics (e.g., hospital identification number, address, referring physician) and the complete mammographic report. With the use of specific terminology, the need for follow-up can be automatically gleaned from the mammographic report and coded within the data base. Graphically oriented, commercially available software provides easy access to this information from any personal computer on our department's network. The software provides considerable flexibility for searching and manipulating the data without the need for customized data-base programming. Redundant data entry and associated errors are drastically reduced, as are personnel requirements for maintaining the system. Relative to most commercial radiology information systems, a personal computer facilitates the steps involved in tracking patients and obtaining highly customized analyses of the mammographic data base. The data in the mammographic data base exactly match those in the hospital's registration data and are easily transferred to other personal-computer programs for ancillary processing. CONCLUSION. This technique is ideal for departments that use a general-purpose radiology information system for mammographic reporting, yet need a more powerful but user-friendly and low-cost method for tracking their mammography patients.

Female

Maxsim, software for the analysis of multiple axonal arbors and their simulated activation.

In order to analyze the structural organization of complex axonal arbors reconstructed from histological serial sections, and to investigate the functional implications of their geometrical properties, we developed software providing the following facilities: (1) direct importation of data files generated by a commercially available 3-D light-microscopic reconstruction system, including routine procedures for identification and correction of data acquisition errors; (2) real-time 3-D rotations of the arbors in the stack of serial sections; (3) multiple interactive display modes; (4) possibility of modifying diameter and/or connectivity of different branches; (5) simulation of the invasion of the arbor by a single action potential initiated at any chosen point, and visualization of spatio-temporal profiles of activation; (6) extraction of quantitative data converted to standard file formats compatible with available mathematical software. All these tools can be applied to single or multiple axons, individually or simultaneously. The software, called Maxsim, is a highly flexible C-written program running on graphical workstations using the UNIX operating system and X-Window environment.

Animals

A cardiac potential mapping system.

The technical aspects of a multiple-purpose cardiac mapping system are presented. The authors begin with a brief history of hardware and software development and then concentrate on the major problems in acquiring high-quality recordings from the torso surface or from the epicardial surface and on the processing of the signals for display of color maps or other analysis. To achieve the desired adaptability to a variety of cardiac applications and experiments, they incorporated three parallel microprocessors that can record the signals from 240 electrodes and simultaneously provide display and analysis of the incoming cardiac data. While the parallel processors and modular software offer computational and flexibility advantages, the user interacts with an ordinary AT-compatible computer. This discussion is not a survey of the systems used in the many research laboratories or specific cardiac applications but is focused on experience in developing the specific hardware for such a multi-purpose instrument, and less specifically on the software that makes the system easy to use and adaptable to a variety of experimental and clinical situations.

Action Potentials

Magnetic resonance imaging simulator: a teaching tool for radiology.

The increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a clinical modality has put an enormous burden on medical institutions to cost effectively teach MRI scanning techniques to technologists and physicians. Since MRI scanner time is a scarce resource, it would be ideal if the teaching could be effectively performed off-line. In order to meet this goal, the radiology Department at the University of Pennsylvania has designed and developed a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Simulator. The simulator in its current implementation mimics the General Electric Signa (General Electric Magnetic Resonance Imaging System, Milwaukee, WI) scanner's user interface for image acquisition. The design is general enough to be applied to other MRI scanners. One unique feature of the simulator is its incorporation of an image-synthesis module that permits the user to derive images for any arbitrary combination of pulsing parameters for spin-echo, gradient-echo, and inversion recovery pulse sequences. These images are computed in 5 seconds. The development platform chosen is a standard Apple Macintosh II (Apple Computer, Inc, Cupertino, CA) computer with no specialized hardware peripherals. The user interface is implemented in HyperCard (Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA). All other software development including synthesis and display functions are implemented under the Macintosh Programmer's Workshop 'C' environment. The scan parameters, demographics, and images are tracked using an Oracle (Oracle Corp, Redwood Shores, CA) data base. Images are currently stored on magnetic disk but could be stored on optical media with minimal effort.

Computer Simulation

Image-guided stereotactic surgery: a 10-year evolutionary experience.

The recent revolution in medical imaging has demanded concurrent development of sophisticated and compatible stereotactic guiding devices in order to diagnose or treat mass lesions on the brain and disorders of cerebral physiology. Between July 1, 1979, and July 1, 1989, 1,006 patients underwent image-guided stereotactic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. During this 10-year interval the first dedicated computed tomography stereotactic operating room and the first North American radiosurgical suite containing a 201 60Co source gamma knife were constructed. Early in our experience, 60.5% of the patients underwent diagnostic (biopsy) stereotactic surgery whereas, by 1988, 77.8% of the patients underwent therapeutic stereotactic surgery. At our institution, stereotactic surgery was performed last year in 257 patients, representing 19.9% of all neurosurgical operations. During the past 10 years, stereotactic surgery has developed an integral and definitive role in contemporary mainstream neurosurgery. Across the world stereotactic technology is now widely available. In the future increasing emphasis will be placed on therapy, image integration, computer software development, and new instrumentation designed to meet the evolving needs of neurological surgeons who demand safe, precise, and effective tools to explore the brain.

Biopsy

A microcomputer-based research system for the optical analysis of agar-cultured micro-organism colonies.

A system which has been developed for the automatic of agar-cultured microorganism colonies is described. A camera of the line-scanning type is used to scan the plates and details of the hardware and software development are explained. Flow diagrams are included which illustrate the operation of the system, but, as yet, no results are available. The prototype machine is undergoing evaluation testing.

Agar

Arcuate transverse keratotomy with a mechanical arcutome based on videokeratography.

Corneal topographic hardware was used to develop software analysis for configuration and localization of relaxing astigmatic arcuate incisions. The software is based on the assessment of the results of corneal topographic measurements, performed by the EyeSys Corneal Analysis System. Data assessment includes: A) plotting the dioptric power curves along the circular zones that may be considered appropriate for the placement of arcuate cuts; B) determination of the astigmatic axes position in each selected arc; and C) finding the position of points with the mean dioptric power value between the neighboring astigmatic axes which determine the proposed placement of the arcuate incisions. The new instrument developed for arcuate astigmatic keratotomy includes the algorithm for incision(s) disposition, the software, and the arcutome.

Algorithms