The COVID-19 virus has infected millions of people and became a global pandemic in 2020. The efficacy of laboratory and clinical parameters in the diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19 has been established. The CT scan has been identified as a crucial tool in the prognostication of COVID-19 pneumonia. Moreover, it has been proposed that the CT severity score can be utilized for the diagnosis and prognostication of COVID-19 disease severity and exhibits a correlation with laboratory findings such as inflammatory markers, blood glucose levels, and clinical parameters such as endotracheal intubation, oxygen saturation, mortality, and hospital admissions. Nevertheless, the correlation between the CT severity score and clinical or laboratory parameters has not been firmly established. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive review of the aforementioned association. This review used a systematic approach to collate and assess the existing literature that investigates the correlation between CT severity score and laboratory and clinical parameters. The search was conducted using Embase Ovid, MEDLINE Ovid, and PubMed databases, covering the period from inception to 20 May 2023. This review identified 20 studies involving more than 8000 participants of varying designs. The findings showed that the CT severity score is positively associated with laboratory and clinical parameters in COVID-19 patients. The findings indicate that the CT severity score exhibits a satisfactory level of prognostic accuracy in predicting mortality among patients with COVID-19.

Background: The use of ultrasound-based measurements to determine renal size has proven valuable in the diagnosis of renal function and associated disorders. The dimensions of the abdominal organs are affected by an individual’s body age, height, sex, and weight. The objective of this study was to establish the standard sonographic parameters for renal dimensions and to determine the correlation between body measurements and renal dimensions in a population of healthy adults residing in Jazan City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The present study was a prospective study conducted at a single center located in Jazan City from February to August 2022. Ninety-five participants underwent abdominal ultrasonography. The process of measuring renal size through sonography entails the measurement of various dimensions of the kidney, such as renal length, width, and thickness. The demographic information of the participants, including their sex, age, height, and weight, was documented. All analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v27 software. Results: The dimensions of the right kidney, specifically the length, width, and thickness, had mean value of 9.79 centimeters (cm), 5.09 cm, and 4.10 cm, respectively. The left kidney had mean dimensions of 10.1 cm, 5.09 cm, and 4.10 cm for length, width, and thickness, respectively. The left kidney was larger than the right kidney. Furthermore, male participants exhibited larger kidney measurements than their female counterparts did. A noteworthy positive correlation was observed between the thickness of the left kidney and sex, whereas no significant correlations were found with age, weight, or height. Conclusion: The current study revealed that the kidney dimensions were observed to be larger in males as compared to females. The research findings indicate that there is no significant correlation between kidney dimensions and various demographic factors, such as age, height, weight, and sex. In addition, this study provides reference tables for further use.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of ultrasound shear wave elastography (USWE) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting a change in biopsy-assigned Gleason Score (GS) after radical surgery for localised prostate cancer (PCa). Method: A total of 212 men opting for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) between September 2013 and June 2017 were recruited into this study. All the participants had 12-core transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsies and imaging using USWE and mpMRI before radical surgery. The predictive accuracy for imaging modalities was assessed in relation to upgrading and downgrading of PCa GS between the biopsies and radical prostatectomy using Student’s t-test and multivariable logistic regression analyses. A decision analysis curve was constructed assessing the impact of nomogram on clinical situations using different thresholds of upgrading probabilities. Results: Most GS 6 diseases on biopsies were upgraded on radical surgery (37/42, 88.1%). Major downgrading was seen in GS 8 category of disease (14/35; 37.1%), whereas no alteration was observed in GS 7 on biopsies in most men (55/75; 73.3%). In univariate analysis, higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (p = 0.001), higher prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) (p = 0.002), stiffer USWE lesions (p = 0.009), and higher prostate imaging–reporting and data system (PIRADS) (p = 0.002) on mpMRI were significant predictors of upgrading. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, only PSA (p = 0.016) and USWE-measured tissue stiffness (p = 0.029) showed statistical significance in predicting upgrading. Conclusions: Measurement of tissue stiffness using USWE in clinically localised PCa can predict upgrading of GS and has the potential to improve patient management options.

There has not been extensive research into crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) in neurodegenerative disorders. CCD is frequently detected using positron emission tomography (PET). However, advanced MRI techniques have come forth for the detection of CCD. The correct diagnosis of CCD is crucial for the care of neurological patients and those with neurodegenerative conditions. The purpose of this study is to determine whether PET can offer extra value over MRI or an advanced technique in MRI for detecting CCD in neurological conditions. We searched three main electronic databases from 1980 until the present and included only English and peer-reviewed journal articles. Eight articles involving 1246 participants met the inclusion criteria, six of which used PET imaging while the other two used MRI and hybrid imaging. The findings in PET studies showed decreased cerebral metabolism in the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital cortices, as on the opposite side of the cerebellar cortex. However, the findings in MRI studies showed decreased cerebellar volumes. This study concludes that PET is a common, accurate, and sensitive technique for detecting both crossed cerebellar and uncrossed basal ganglia as well as thalamic diaschisis in neurodegenerative diseases, while MRI is better for measuring brain volume. This study suggests that PET has a higher diagnostic value for diagnosing CCD compared to MRI, and that PET is a more valuable technique for predicting CCD.

Background: Dental radiography, a pivotal diagnostic technique in dentistry, plays a significant role in patient care. Despite its indispensability, the use of ionizing radiation in dental radiography entails inherent risks. Dental students, as future practitioners, bear the responsibility of acquiring a thorough knowledge of radiation protection to ensure the safety of both patients and operators. Aim: This study seeks to evaluate the levels of awareness, knowledge, and approach regarding ionizing radiation among dental students enrolled in the dentistry program at Jazan University (JU). Material and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was carried out involving 82 dental students, with a participant distribution of 63 males (77%) and 19 females (23%) across different academic years. The survey utilized a structured questionnaire designed to assess awareness regarding deterministic and stochastic effects of ionizing radiation, as well as various aspects of radiation protection practices. Demographic factors, including gender and academic year, were scrutinized for their potential impact on radiation protection awareness. The collected data underwent statistical analysis using chi-square tests implemented in SPSS to explore any significant associations. Results: The study included 82 dental students with varying age distributions. Age-wise, 39% fell within the 21–23 yr range, 31% were between 18–20 yr, 24% ranged from 24–26 yr, and 6% were older than 26 yr. Participants were distributed across different academic years, with the largest group being fourth-year students (25%), followed by fifth-year students (15%). Most participants (91%) recognized the harm of dental X-rays. Awareness varied by topic, with 52-90% awareness rates. Female students showed a higher awareness of certain topics. Female students exhibited higher awareness of the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) and International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations and the practice of standing behind lead barriers during exposure Conclusion: Overall awareness of radiation protection was high among dental students, but there were variations by gender and academic year. Tailored educational interventions are needed to ensure comprehensive understanding and promote responsible practices.

Objectives: Accurate differentiation between usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) is crucial for guiding treatment in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). This study evaluates the efficacy of clinical, radiomic, and combined models in classifying UIP and NSIP using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 105 HRCT scans (UIP = 60, NSIP = 45) from Faisal Hospital and Research Center. Demographic and pulmonary function data formed the clinical model. Radiomic features, extracted using the pyRadiomics package, were refined using recursive feature elimination. A combined model was developed by integrating clinical and radiomic features to assess their complementary diagnostic value. Model performance was assessed via the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis, including both global feature importance and individual-level explanations, was used to interpret the model predictions. Results: The clinical model achieved an AUC of 0.62 with a sensitivity of 54% and a specificity of 78%. The radiomic model outperformed it with an AUC of 0.90 with a sensitivity and specificity above 85%. The combined model showed an AUC of 0.86 with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 78%. SHAP analysis identified texture-based features, such as GLCM_Idmn and NGTDM_Contrast, as influential for classification. Conclusions: Radiomic features enhance classification accuracy for UIP and NSIP compared to clinical models. Integrating HCR into clinical workflows may reduce variability and improve diagnostic accuracy in ILD. Future studies should validate findings using larger, multicenter datasets.