AST to platelets ratio (APRI) as a Biomarker of liver fibrosis status in patients of chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in comparison with Fibroscan

Objective: The aim of the study is to correlate the AST to platelets ratio (APRI) with different stages of liver fibrosis measured by the fibroscan. Methods: The study included 40 patients. The study was conducted in outpatient clinic of Lahore General Hospital. The study duration was from November-2020 to January-2021. Their fibroscan data was collected from hepatic clinic of general hospital OPD and their AST and Platelets values were obtained retrogradely from the PACS system of hospital. Correlation between the APRI and fibroscan values was done by linear Pearson correlation test. Results: APRI values showed moderately positive correlation with increased kpa values and different stages of fibrosis (r=0.55). Similarly, the correlation coefficient of AST also shown to be moderately positive correlated with kpa values and stages of fibrosis however this correlation was slightly weak as compared to APRI values (r=0.49). The correlation coefficient (r) for platelets showed moderately negative correlation with liver fibrosis stages (r=-0.43). Conclusions: APRI levels increased as the degree of fibrosis and inflammation increased in patients suffering from chronic hep B and hep C. So, our data showed the clinical significance of APRI levels in diagnosing extent of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Keywords: AST, Platelets, APRI, fibroscan, chronic hepatitis

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY

The new touch controlled TE7 ultrasound system has a 15 inch anti-glare touchscreen, preset image optimization options, continuous wave Doppler, and the ability to accept a TEE transducer. The system is also capable of performing needle tracking and comes with built-in nerve exam presets.The device features a speedy three second boot time from standby, can run for two hours on a battery, and has a built in WIFI to interface with the hospital’s PACS system.

Effective Factors on continued use of the Picture Archiving and Communication System in Teaching Hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: The evaluation of information systems by health care professionals is one of the key factors for improving the acceptability and usability of systems. Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) is the support for more accurate diagnosis in the medical field. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the factors affecting the continuance of this system in teaching hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study conducted in 2014. The sample consisted of 200 PACS users (general practitioners, residents, specialists and radiologists) in Faghihi and Nemazee hospitals of Shiraz. They were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. To confirm the reliability of the questionnaire, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (84%) was used and 5 experts from health information management were used to confirm the validity of the questionnaire. The results of the present study were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and regression tests) using SPSS 22 software.Results: The study showed that in selected hospitals according to the model, the highest correlation was found between the relationship between expectation confirmation of and satisfaction (r=0.682; R2=0.465) and the least correlation was related to the relationship between the expectation confirmation and the compatibility (r=0.347; R2=0.120). Also, there was a significant relationship between the level of education of users and the continuance intention to use the PACS system (P-value = 0.008). Radiologists have the highest tendency to continue using the PACS system and the least-favored were specialists.Conclusion: The results of the research indicate that for continued use of information systems by users and increase their satisfaction and the success of systems, consideration of users' expectations, requirements and technical requirements of systems to fit the system with the tasks of users before implementing information systems is necessary and inevitable.

DICOM Standard and Its Application in PACS System

PACS is an important link in the rapid development of information technology in contemporary hospitals. DICOM is the standard of PACS TCM medical image format and transmission medical image protocol. This paper describes the status of PACS system based on DICOM standard. In addition, the PACS system is described in detail according to its application classification and the characteristics and significance of DICOM standard are expounded. At the same time, it discusses the long-term prospect of DICOM in PACS.