dave borczuk internship
TRANSCRIPT
A Summer Filled A Summer Filled With Lymph NodesWith Lymph Nodes
Massachusetts General HospitalMolecular Imaging Department
Boston, MA
David BorczukOctober 15, 2009
MentorsMentors
Dr. Sanjay SainiProfessor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Mukesh Harisinghani, M.DAssociate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Assistant Radiologist, Dept. of Abdominal Imaging
MentorsMentors
Veena Iyer◦ Research fellow who assisted me in my
research.
A Typical Workday:A Typical Workday:
Catch the 9:48 AM commuter rail
Arrive at North Station at 10:30 AM
Start work
Lunch at 1:00 PM
Take train back home at 3:00 PM
Project 1Project 1: Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC): Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC)
Cancer of bladder or ureter lining.
Ages 50-70 y/o
Initial complaints:◦ Hematuria (blood in urine)◦ Abdominal Pain
Metastasis to lymph nodes
Transverse Pelvic/Abdominal CTTransverse Pelvic/Abdominal CT
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/381323-overview
Transitional Tumor
The ProblemThe Problem
Tests can be negative or positive
Sometimes, tests can be wrong◦ False Positives◦ False Negatives
Goal: To test for false negatives◦ Increase in node size in f/u CT = potential
indication of TCC
A Sample SpreadsheetA Sample Spreadsheet
Project 2:Project 2: Periportal Lymphadenopathy Periportal Lymphadenopathy
Periportal Lymph Node Enlargement Causes◦ Cancer◦ Cirrhosis of liver◦ Excessive alcohol consumption◦ Hepatitis (HCV and HBV)◦ AIDS◦ UNKNOWN?
Goal: To explain this “unknown” cause!
Project 2:Project 2: Periportal Lymphadenopathy Periportal Lymphadenopathy
2005-2007 patients with enlarged periportal lymph nodes
Noted if patient had any causes
No causes = included in study
Sample SpreadsheetSample Spreadsheet
ConclusionsConclusions
Abstract to be presented 2010
About 50-70 patients out of 700 had unexplained periportal lymph node enlargement.
Around 20 patients with negative TCC images were actually positive.
What I learnedWhat I learned
A vast amount of medical vocabulary and jargon.
Background of many types of cancers. Ability to work with medical software.◦ CAS (digital patient record system).
How to read some types of CT and MRI images.