فهرست مطالب sohee kim

Professionalism is essential to a strong trusted patient-doctor relationship, which is believed, could lead to more patient compliance and treatment outcomes. The purpose of our study was the development and psychometric analysis of an assessment tool for the professional behavior of dental students.

The study was done in the School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. After providing a pool of various criteria to assess professionalism, an expert panel prepared the primary version of the tool. The tool was set in a questionnaire frame to explore the significance level and evaluation feasibility of each criterion. The questionnaire was completed by tutors of the “Medical Ethics” course (N=6). After necessary revisions, in order to evaluate face and content validity, the checklist was given to eight experienced dental educators to determine the relevance, clarity and simplicity of the questions. At the second stage, the final checklist with 37 items was given to dental educators to evaluate twenty students. To assess the reliability of this checklist, at least two professors evaluated each student and the weighted-  was calculated. Minor revisions were done according to feedbacks.

According to the obtained data, the total validity of the tool (S-CVI) was 100%. In all items, except just for one item, the weighted-  was greater than or equal to 0.5, showing sufficient reliability of these items.

The designed tool to evaluate the professionalism among dental students in different clinical departments seems to be both valid and reliable.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is not feasible when hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly defined or invisible on conventional gray-scale ultrasonography (GSUS). Recent introduction of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) helps diagnose HCC by showing its typical enhancement pattern.
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the added value of CEUS as a RFA planning modality for HCC compared with conventional GSUS.
Patients and A total of 64 HCCs from 57 patients (men:women = 41:16; mean age, 62.6) who had undergone GSUS and CEUS for RFA planning in 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Ultrasound contrast agent was used for CEUS after conventional GSUS. The recorded images of GSUS and CEUS were reviewed retrospectively. On GSUS, the size, location, echogenicity, and margin of each HCC were reviewed. The visibility scores of HCC on GSUS and CEUS were measured using a 3-point scale. GSUS visibility score: score 1, definite nodule with well-defined margin; score 2, slightly hypo-/hyperechoic nodule with partial margin; score 3, isoechoic nodule without margin. CEUS visibility score: score 1, arterial enhancement; score 2, only delay washout; score 3, no arterial enhancement or washout.
The mean size of HCCs was 1.8 cm (range, 1.0 - 4.8 cm). Among 64 HCCs, visibility score 1 were 37; score 2, 8; score 3, 19 on GSUS. By performing CEUS, 10 out of 19 HCCs with GSUS visibility score 3 showed CEUS visibility score 1. Seven out of 8 HCCs with GSUS visibility score 2 showed CEUS visibility score 1. Total 37 HCCs showed visibility score 1 on GSUS; whereas, 53 HCCs showed visibility score 1 on CEUS (57.8% vs. 82.8%).
CEUS can be an effective RFA planning modality when a target HCC is invisible or questionable on GSUS.