News about our scientific and volunteer trip to Congo DRC/africa, march 2009

Lubumbashi university, March 18-21, 2009.
I and my boss from kochi university-japan,prof Suganuma, visited DRC to start a collaboration between our department of Environmental and occupational health, Kochi Medical school, with the faculty of medicine of University of lubumbashi in south Congo DRC. After meeting kinshasa university president and visited university hospital, hopital general, Ecuries clinic and clinique Ngaliema, we flew to Lubumbashi where we gave conferences and had meetings with local academical authorities. A need for a fruitful collaboration between our unversities was expressed by the staff of University of Lubumbashi, not only in the filed of occupational heatlth but other domains as well.
(Nous venions de sejourner en RD Congo pour une mission de service qui consistait a demarrer une collaboration entre notre departement de medecine environnementale et sante au travail d'une part,et la faculte de medecine de l'universite de Lubumbashi de l'autre.Avant cela, nous avons visite l'universite de kinshasa, les cliniques universitaires, ecuries clinic et la clinique ngaliema a Kinshasa,avant de nous rendre a lubumbashi. Sur place, nous avons tenu deux conferences et avons eu des rencontres et reunions avec les autorites acaemiques locales qui ont souhaite que la collaboration entre nos deux universites soit aussi elargie a d'autres facultes,autres que la medecine. Un article sur notre mission a ete publie par le journal 'le potentiel' du 21 mars 2009. L'accueil chaleureux et l'hospitalite congolaise etaient au rendez-vous. disons grand merci a nos hotes).
Dr Ngatu Roger Nlandu
PS: l'evenement insolite de ce bref sejour a ete le fait de retrouver dans la salle de conference, a l'universite de lubumbashi, un ancien collegue de ma promotion (UNIKIN) que j'ai vu en reve environs 1 mois avant de recevoir l'invitation du recteur.C'etait un grand temoignage pour mon boss qui, lui, en etait au courant depuis fevrier( voir photo ci-bas).

Publication2-presentation at ICOH 2009 conference,march22-27,Cape town, south africa

29th ICOH, International Congress on Occupational Health
March 2009,Cape Town, South Africa.
(Abstract submitted in July 2008, accepted in September 2008)
　　
Title: View-box seminar as a tool to improve Physicians’ Skill in reading
Chest radiographs related to Pneumoconioses

Ngatu roger Nlandu, MD1; Shun Suzuki1, Narufumi Suganuma, MD, PhD1; Yukinori Kusaka, MD, PhD2.
1. Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi University Graduate Medical School.
Kohasu, Oko-cho. Nankoku 8505. Tel / Fax: +81 88 880 2407. Japan.
2. Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Fukui University, Japan.

Abstract:
Objective
The ILO / WHO Global Programme on Elimination of Silicosis, adopted in 2003, aimed at establishing an international co-operation for elimination of Silicosis as occupational health problem by 2030. In 2006, cluster of environmental mesothelioma among inhabitants near an asbestos factory triggered social concern for asbestos in Japan and general practitioners as well as occupational physicians recognized the impact of asbestos. Numerous cases of misinterpretation of radiographs often occur, leading to biased diagnosis. This intervention trial was aimed at improving local physicians’ skill in Pneumoconioses CXR interpretation..
Method
Twenty-five physicians of Kochi, Japan, underwent two reading-tests using 12 test-radiographs, before and after a training session with standard films of ILO 2000 International classification of pneumoconioses chest radiographs, conducted by a NIOSH B-reader.
Result

Although variability has been observed among readers, the general trend was towards improvement. 80% (20/25) of readers had a good Sensitivity for the variable “small opacity” (≥ 0.70) in post-intervention reading-test, compared to 32% (8/25) before, and a very little increase readers with good specificity score (≥0.70) was observed, 20%(5/25) and 16%(4/25) respectively. However, for “plaque”, an increase of number of readers with higher score of Sensitivity and Specificity was observed for the intermediate sub-category (0.50 – 0.69). Mean values of Sensitivity and Specificity got increased, especially Sensitivity for “small opacity” (0.89 before and 0.93 after) and “plaque” (0.60 and 0.73 respectively), and Specificity for “profusion”(0.56 – 0.59). Mc Nemar’s Chi2 test was　significant for sensitivity for plaque (P=0.0013), marginally significant for Specificity for plaque (P=0.1701) and Sensitivity for small opacity (P=1573), not significant for Specificity for“small opacity” (P=0.4795).

Conclusion

This intervention corroborates with other previously published works, stressing the importance of use of ILO standard films for interpreting CXR related to pneumoconioses. Even non-experienced individuals, if well trained under controlled conditions,may read CXR related to those occupational diseases; but excluding standard films while performing CXR interpretation

can restrict reading performance.