Announcements

A recently started 4-year research project aims at improving the situation of children who have mentally ill parents in Tyrol. Different approaches can be followed for early identifying and supporting these children. One is to get into contact with the children via the parents in the adult mental health care settings. To explore this strategy further, we analysed the prevalence of mental disorders and the use of mental health benefits that are provided within the health care sector in Tyrol. Our data sources were published literature and administrative data from the Tyrolean health insurance.

Hardly any other medical technology has been evaluated as often in the western countries as positron emission tomography (PET/PET-CT): this is an expression of uncertainty about the value of PET diagnostics in the care of patients. The present HTA report updates the evidence on oncological indications and adds neurological indications and inflammatory diseases to the LBI-HTA report from 2015. The report was conducted in cooperation between the TU Berlin and the LBI-HTA to provide an updated decision support for evidence-based PET/PET-CT planning in Germany and Austria.

External trigeminal nerve stimulation (e-TNS) device produced by the manufacturer Cefaly is the intervention at stake. The mechanism of action is that e-TNS produces a micro-pulse on the upper branch of the trigeminal nerve (suborbital nerve) through an adhesive electrode that is placed on the forehead. The aim of the project is to perform a synthesis of evidence on the basis of a systematic literature search regarding effectiveness and safety of the e-TNS for the prevention and treatment of episodic and chronic migraine.

The project aimed at elaborating possible cancer types, being an indication for carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT). As such, clinical studies, analysing the use of CIRT for specific cancer types, were identified through a systematic literature search and were reviewed and reported in this project.

Furthermore, a systematic review on the effectiveness (mortality, morbidity) and safety of CIRT for 54 oncologic indications in 12 regions (i.e., skull base, eye, brain, ear-nose-throat, lung, gastrointestinal, bone and soft tissue, prostate, breast, kidney, nervous system, hematologic cancer) was conducted.

Irreversible electroporation (IRE, NanoKnife®) is a type of focal therapy which has been suggested as an alternative to radical treatment. It typically uses 3 to 5 electrodes which deliver short repetitive electrical pulses to destroy the cancer cells. Stereotactic radiotherapy (stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT) is a type of external radiation in which a higher radiation dose is delivered in a reduced number of fractions as is the case with conventional or moderately fractionated radiation therapy. Proton therapy (PT) is a further type of external radiation therapy which uses high doses of ionizing rays directed at the tumour.  There is at present inadequate and insufficient evidence to show that IRE, SBRT and PT have either a positive impact on survival and quality of life or the ability to prevent or delay prostatectomy.

The intention of the present MRI report, part 3, is to identify methods for the identification of inappropriate care. In addition, relations between MRI of lower extremities and subsequent (surgical) interventions are evaluated.