Tuberculosis (TB) is still the main cause of death in the world, and children account for a large proportion of cases and death. Because it is difficult to use conventional laboratory tests, diagnosis of children’s tuberculosis is particularly challenging. Radiation imaging, such as chest X -ray and CT scan, plays a vital role in diagnosing children’s tuberculosis, but this diagnosis ability is usually limited, especially in low -income and middle -income countries. This new plan is designed to evaluate and optimize the use of radiation technology to diagnose the use of pediatric tuberculosis in different economic environments, thereby providing valuable insights for improving medical care practice and policies.
A new multinational research project aims to meet the challenges of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis by comprehensively evaluating radiological ability and usage. The survey will compare the effectiveness of radiology diagnosis of three countries: Mozambique, South Africa and Spain, each country represents different economic and medical institutions. The study was cooperated with researchers from various institutions by Dr. Isabelle Thierry-Chef at the Barcelona Global Institute of Health. These discoveries are published in the journal PLOS of peer review.
The main purpose of this study is to draw and evaluate radiological resources that can be used to diagnose the tuberculosis of children in these countries. Researchers will collect data about the number of X -rays and CT scanning units per million people, and evaluate the geographical distribution of these resources in each country. The quantitative mapping will highlight the changes in the area and provide insights on potential infrastructure differences between the three countries.
The project will also focus on evaluating human resources that can be used for radiology diagnosis, check the training and qualifications of radiation personnel, and record typical schemes for children’s tuberculosis diagnosis. This aspect of this study is critical because it will determine the challenges and obstacles facing medical care professionals in effectively using radiology diagnosis.
One of the important parts of this research is to analyze the radiation dose of children who have been diagnosed and treated with tuberculosis. Researchers will conduct retrospective analysis of dose measurement data from tuberculosis and radiology records to evaluate the possibility of dose optimization, so as to ensure the maximum radiation exposure while maintaining the diagnostic effect. This is particularly important for children who may need to repeat the imaging (such as HIV with HIV with high risk of HIV).
According to Dr. Thierry-Chef, “this project is the first similar project to comprehensively evaluate radiological ability and usage in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in different economic environments. Our discovery will be decision makers, clinicians and radiology departments. Doctors provide the best practice and means to optimize the use of radiation technology in managing children’s tuberculosis. “
This method involves several methods. At the national level, the team will use the official registry to review the X -rays and CT units with licenses. At the level of health institutions, they will conduct standardized investigations on on -site operating managers and radiologists to collect data on existing equipment, human resources and radiology agreements. In addition, they will investigate clinicians participating in screening, diagnosis and managing children’s tuberculosis to collect clinical use data on radiological diagnosis.
In Mozambique, this study will make it adapt to local privacy laws and lack of picture archives and communication systems (PACS). In South Africa and Spain, the data calculation dose method extracted from PACS will be used to ensure accurate and comparable results in these three countries/regions. Cumulative radiation exposure will use the calculation tool computing of the National Cancer Institute.
This study solves a dangerous gap in the current understanding of radiological capabilities and usage of tuberculosis diagnosis of children’s tuberculosis, especially in low -income and middle -income countries. Through detailed assessment of existing resources and practice, Dr. Isabelle Thierry-Chef and his colleagues aims to optimize the use of radiology technology and ultimately improve the diagnosis and management of pediatric tuberculosis.
Journal reference
Munyangaju, I., José, B., Esmail, R., Palmer, M., Santiago, B., Hernanz-Lobo, A. wait. “Radiation ability and use evaluation in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: Mozambique, a mixed method solution for comparative research in South Africa and Spain.” Plos One, 2024. Doi: https: //doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299293
About the author
Isabelle Thierry-CHEF (chief researcher); As the person in charge of the medical radiation team, in the ISGLOBAL life course plan, it leads environmental and healthy radiation activities. With the main background of environmental science and radiation protection, she obtained a doctorate degree in 2000 to reconstruct the organ dosage of 15 countries in the 15 countries in the radiation worker of the nuclear industry. In the past 20 years, she is committed to studying the potential health of ionizing radiation (mainly cancer, which is also the impact and social impact of non -cancer), and pay special attention to children. She has rich experience in the activities in coordinating major international research projects, such as: Harmonic, EPI-CT, Medirad, E-QUOL and Imageomics, and contributed to several expert groups: IRC and NCI monographs are related to exposure For low -dose cancer risks, electrostatic radiation. Since 2021, Dr. Thierry-Chef is a member of the 3rd Committee of the International Radio-Protection Commission. She has led a mission group dedicated to protecting the research on biomedical research.
Elisa Lopez-Varela, doctor of medicine, doctorate, pediatrician (CO-PHD supervisor); Holds and tuberculosis have more than ten years of leading research projects in children’s HIV and tuberculosis. Half of them have been in Mozambique and South Africa, where she combines pediatric clinical nursing and research activities. She is a certified pediatrician who has a master’s degree in public sanitation from Harvard University and a doctorate degree in the University of Barcelona. Since 2018-2020, she has conducted postdoctoral research funds at the Desmond Tutu TB Central University in Cape Town in the Desmond Tutu Tut Tut Tut Tut Tut TUT TUT TUT TUT TUT TUT TUT TUT TE TUT TUT TE TUT TE TUT TE TUT TB Central University, where she focuses on optimizing dynamic research on pediatric tuberculosis treatment. In 2020, she was awarded a Respire4 Marie Sklodowska-Curie researcher (European Respiratory Society) to focus on improving the management of children’s respiratory infections including tuberculosis. It is particularly interested in evaluating the burden of high HIV. Since May 2023, she has been the global medical affairs director of Viiv HealthCare.
Ph.D.; Doctors and public health professionals in Mozambique, in the past 10 years, have been engaged in the field of infectious diseases (mainly tuberculosis and tuberculosis/HIV common infection), engaged in clinical and procedural management, and in South Africa and Egypt Eswatini conducted work experience. She is a medical graduate of Witwatersrand University (South Africa), and has a master’s degree in infectious disease (LSHTM), vaccine (University of Tsaria, Italy) and the Global MBA (University of London). In 2021, he was awarded the “LA CAIXA” Foundation Scholarship (ID 100010434); she is currently studying the PhD in Barcelona Isglobal. optimization.
