Loredana D’ERcole

The increasing use of ionizing radiation in interventional cardiology raises the need for reliable estimates of operator exposure, particularly for organs such as the eyes and hands. This retrospective study analyzed personal dosimetry records from interventional cardiologists working in three Italian hospitals. A total of 1,897 valid dosimetry measurements were analyzed across three centres, including whole-body Hp(10), eye lens Hp(3), and extremity Hp(0.07) doses. We derived the following conversion factors by using the third quartile of the ratio distributions from all centres: Hp(3)/Hp(10):1.1 and Hp(0.07)/Hp(10): 2.7. However, our data show high variability across all centres, which probably reflects differences in procedure complexity and operator positioning observed in routine interventional cardiology practice. These findings support the use of whole-body dosimetry as a practical surrogate for organ dose assessment when eye lens or extremity monitoring is unavailable. The proposed conversion factors (Hp(3)/Hp(10) = 1.1 and Hp(0.07)/Hp(10) = 2.7) provide a conservative and field-applicable tool to retrospectively estimate lens and hand doses in cases of incomplete dosimetry.

This paper aimed to verify how a new protocol, recently proposed for treating chronic wounds due to its excellent antimicrobial properties, affects human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). Single and combined action of light-emitting diodes (LED), complex magnetic fields (CMFs), and methylglyoxal (MGO) on cell viability and activity of NHDFs were investigated. Our first objective was to exclude any toxicity of this combined treatment on these cells. NHDFs were exposed to LED light for 17 min, CMFs for 22 min, MGO, MGO + LED, and MGO + CMFs, and then were assessed for cell viability, morphology, cytoskeletal integrity, collagen type I production, and migration capacity. Results of combined treatments were compared with those of single treatments and unexposed controls. NHDFs exposed to both single and combined treatments maintained viability, morphology, and cytoskeletal integrity, showing no signs of cytotoxicity. MGO at low concentrations was non-toxic and, when combined with other technologies, could confer beneficial effects on cell adhesion. LED stimulated collagen type I synthesis, and the production increased in samples subjected to the combined action of MGO + LED. CMFs notably accelerated fibroblasts’ migration in scratch assays, and when combined with MGO, they further enhanced this effect. The effects of MGO + LED and MGO + CMFs were probably due to cellular uptake and receptor sensitivity. The tested protocols were not only non-toxic but also promoted beneficial effects on the vitality and activity of dermal fibroblasts, confirming their potential in treating chronic wounds.

Pediatric dentistry continually seeks effective and efficient treatments for young patients, especially within pediatric endodontics, where cooperation can often be challenging. This in vivo study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocol using a 5-aminolevulinic acid gel (Aladent, ALAD) combined with light irradiation during the endodontic treatment of primary teeth. This study included primary teeth requiring root canal therapy due to carious lesions or trauma, with clinical symptoms suggesting irreversible pulpitis or acute apical periodontitis. Following local anesthesia and isolation with a rubber dam, carious lesions were excavated, and access to the pulp chamber was established. Canal preparation included determining the working length and using a sequence of k-files. Afterward, ALAD gel was applied, and the patients were divided into two groups based on their visit duration (Group A with a single visit, Group B returning after one week). Microbiological analysis was conducted on the samples taken before and after treatment. The findings demonstrated significant antibacterial efficacy of the PDT protocol in reducing root canal bacterial load, suggesting ALAD-based PDT may serve as an alternative to traditional endodontic treatment in cases where retaining primary teeth is essential for orthodontic or strategic reasons. Clinically, improvement in symptoms and fistula resolution were observed. Treatment time, patient compliance, and protocol safety in pediatric applications are also discussed, highlighting the protocol’s potential to enhance clinical outcomes in pediatric endodontics.

To measure the maximum entrance skin dose (MESD) on patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS) using embolic-protection devices, to analyze the dependence of dose and exposure parameters on anatomical, clinical, and technical factors affecting the procedure complexity, to obtain some local diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), and to evaluate whether overcoming DRLs is related to procedure complexity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It is essential to measure the skin dose of radiation received by patients during interventional neuroradiologic procedures performed under fluoroscopic guidance, such as embolization of cerebral aneurysms, which is regarded as a high-dose interventional radiology procedure. In this study, we report a method for evaluating maximum skin dose (MSD), an ideal marker of radiation-induced effects, based on an innovative use of radiochromic films.