How to obtain diagnostic planes of the fetal central nervous system using three-dimensional ultrasound and a context-preserving rendering technology

The antenatal evaluation of the fetal central nervous system (CNS) is among the most difficult tasks of prenatal ultrasound (US), requiring technical skills in relation to ultrasound and image acquisition as well as knowledge of CNS anatomy and how this changes with gestation. According to the International Guidelines for fetal neurosonology, the basic assessment of fetal CNS is most frequently performed on the axial planes, whereas the coronal and sagittal planes are required for the multiplanar evaluation of the CNS within the context of fetal neurosonology. It can be even more technically challenging to obtain “nonaxial” views with 2-dimensional (2D) US. The modality of 3-dimensional (3D) US has been suggested as a panacea to overcome the technical difficulties of achieving nonaxial views. The lack of familiarity of most sonologists with the use of 3D US and its related processing techniques may preclude its use even where it could play an important role in complementing antenatal 2D US assessment. Furthermore, once a 3D volume has been acquired, proprietary software allows it to be processed in different ways, leading to multiple ways of displaying and analyzing the same anatomical imaging or plane. These are difficult to learn and time consuming in the absence of specific training. In this article, we describe the key steps for volume acquisition of a 3D US volume, manipulation, and processing with reference to images of the fetal CNS, using a newly developed context-preserving rendering technique

Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency in the newborn: Lactic acidaemia and leukoencephalopathy

We report a newborn with progressive leukoencephalopathy and lactic acidaemia, diagnosed with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency. We show that low plasma total homocysteine (PTHcy) is a valuable early indicator of sulfite oxidase dysfunction, providing a crucial first-line screen, whereas plasma cystine is not always informative in the first few days of life. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Knowledge of COVID-19 Infection Guidelines among the Dental Health Care Professionals of Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia

Background: This study aimed to assess the knowledge about guidelines related to COVID-19 infection control procedures among dental health care professionals (DHCPs) in the Jazan region. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving DHCPs (dental students, interns, and dentists) of the Jazan region between January and March 2021. A questionnaire with 35 items was developed and circulated online among the DHCPs. The dimensionality of the questionnaire was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The level of awareness (LOA) was compared across the genders, level of professional experience, and exposure to guidelines. Participants were considered to have high LOA when they responded to 26 or more items correctly. Results: A total of 363 DHCPs participated in the survey. The questionnaire was found to be valid and reliable. EFA revealed a distinct three-factor structure. Moreover, 61.2% of the respondents had high LOA related to COVID-19 infection prevention. Among those who had high LOA, dentists (65.5%) were relatively more than the students (62.5%) and interns (46.2%). Among the six guideline statements related explicitly to operative dentistry, more than 50% of the respondents were aware of 3 guideline statements, while less than 50% of the respondents were aware of the remaining statements. Conclusions: Most DHCP had a high LOA for general COVID-19 infection prevention and control guidelines. Dentists, males, and those who read the guidelines had higher LOA than their counterparts.Full Tex