Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2021
Imaging of patients with multiple myeloma and associated plasma cell disorders: consensus practice statement by the Medical Scientific Advisory Group to Myeloma Australia.
Imaging modalities for multiple myeloma (MM) have evolved to enable earlier detection of disease. Furthermore, the diagnosis of MM requiring therapy has recently changed to include disease prior to bone destruction, specifically the detection of focal bone lesions. ⋯ The aim of this consensus practice statement is to review the evidence supporting these modalities. A more detailed Position Statement can be found on the Myeloma Australia website.
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2021
Reflections on pandemics and the 60th anniversary of the University of New South Wales Medical School.
In March 1961 the University of New South Wales enrolled the first students into the new faculty of medicine that is now ranked 4th in Australia and 59th in the world. The author was fortunate to be a member of that pioneering group and looks back in gratitude to all the visionary and committed academics and mentors, who made this happen. Many of the foundation academics were fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, with two becoming University of New South Wales deans of medicine. One-quarter of the foundation year's graduates became fellows of the college and the first PhD medical graduate, Professor John Chalmers AC, became president of the college.
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2021
Ten-year trends in prescribing of antiarrhythmic drugs in Australian primary care patients with atrial fibrillation.
Despite changes in antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) choice in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), trends in AAD prescribing remain not investigated. We aimed to examine these changes using a nationwide Australian general practice data from 2009 to 2018. Over the 10 years, AAD prescribing in patients with AF decreased, which was mainly due to a reduction in the use of amiodarone, sotalol and digoxin. In contrast, the use of beta-blockers and flecainide increased.
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Internal medicine journal · Oct 2021
Qualitative study of nuclear medicine physicians' perceptions of positron emission tomography/computed tomography in pregnant patients with cancer.
Staging using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is standard of care in many cancers that occur most frequently in pregnancy, particularly lymphoma. While expert guidelines generally recommend against PET/CT in pregnant women, there is emerging evidence that likely absorbed foetal doses in pregnancy are relatively low, and as such in certain circumstances PET/CT may be acceptable when balancing benefit and risk. We conducted a qualitative survey of nuclear medicine physicians in Australia and New Zealand to assess practice and attitudes with respect to PET/CT in pregnancy women, finding that most respondents considered PET/CT in pregnancy may be an appropriate modality in carefully selected clinical contexts with appropriate modifications. It is important to continue to define the role of PET/CT in pregnancy into the future, particularly as this imaging modality has emerged as the standard of care in staging and response assessment for many cancers.