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RadRounds Radiology Network's Blog – January 2010 Archive (46)

Experts see big implications for radiology in federal clinical decision support efforts

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Most of the talk about changes in healthcare as it relates to radiology center on Medicare reimbursement levels. However, one piece that is yet to be discussed extensively but that has huge implications for radiology is clinical decision support. As Diagnostic Imaging previously reported, computer physician order entry/clinical decision support (CPOE DS) is a tool that helps primary care physicians ascertain what test to order for their patients and circumvent the need… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 31, 2010 at 3:30pm — No Comments

Alert - Last day to submit images for the SIEMENS International Image Contest

Last day to submit images for SIEMENS International Image Contest! http://siemens.com/image-contest Check out the Siemens International CT Image Contest – "highest image quality at lowest dose" Should a patient have a CT examination or not? The decision made is almost always a medical one. Does the potential benefit outweigh possible radiation risks for the patient? While CT imaging entails a dose of… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 31, 2010 at 7:59am — No Comments

Radiology Tech Salary

What is the typical IR Radiology Tech Salary? Here is some data to provide some general information. The average radiology tech salary ranges between $52K and $64K for Interventional Radiology for the year of 2009.

To read more, please visit Salary.com's website:
http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_hc07000347.html

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 30, 2010 at 5:40pm — No Comments

Alliance urges European Commission to address threats to MR in Europe

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- During the past week or so, thousands of European radiologists have received an e-mail with this rather alarmist heading: “EU directive still threatens MRI.” Another e-mail doing the rounds has an equally sensational title: “No more MRI in Europe?” The first point to note is that this is not spam. The bureaucrats in Europe have got themselves into a ludicrous and needless muddle during the past few years, and there is no sign of the issue being resolved in the near… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 30, 2010 at 5:34pm — No Comments

Merge Healthcare Successfully Deploys New Global Clinical Trial Solution

Selection of etrials eDiary™ validates expanded capabilities for complex trials

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE) has successfully deployed its etrials eDiary 5.0 platform to conduct a global Phase II urology clinical trial involving 750 patients for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Merge was awarded the project because of its eDiary technology, experience in global ePRO (electronic patient reported outcomes) trials and ability to… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 28, 2010 at 5:42pm — No Comments

Nothing says savings like a good partnership

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Why invent the wheel when there are perfectly good ones available for the picking? Among the companies looking for an edge through corporate teamwork are: Carestream has signed Technology Partners to a comarketing agreement. Under the agreement, billing software developed by Technology Partners will be integrated into Carestream’s RIS/PACS. The two companies will also promote each other’s wares to their respective installed bases. Mammography Reporting System will build… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 28, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

RSNA Research Medical Student Grant

Research Medical Student Grant

Deadline Date: February 1, 2010

Purpose: To increase the opportunities for medical students to have a research experience in medical imaging and to encourage them to consider academic radiology as an important option for their future. Recipients will gain experience in defining objectives, developing research skills and testing hypotheses before making their final choices for residency training programs. Students are expected to undertake a… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 27, 2010 at 10:44pm — No Comments

iPad Tablet, It's official! Big opportunity for healthcare.

(SAN FRANCISCO) -- Well, it's official! The name of the Apple tablet is now known as the "iPad." Apple's latest device represents not only a big opportunity for traditional publishers and media outlets, but healthcare stands to benefit significantly. The healthcare system is typically known to be late adopters but this year is likely to be different--many hospitals, practices, and physicians stand to adopt the tablet (iPad) with open arms. Already, many physicians own iPhones. Perhaps… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 27, 2010 at 10:30pm — No Comments

Will Europe and Asia eventually take over at the RSNA meeting?

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- The RSNA’s supremely well-oiled, amply resourced bureaucratic machine spewed out the audited attendance figures this week for its 2009 congress, and they are definitely worth a second look. The massive drop predicted by some doom merchants did not materialize, but the economic crisis clearly had a significant impact, and attendance appears to have peaked. A total of 56,824 people went to the 2009 meeting, which represents 4% less than in 2008. The official view is that… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 27, 2010 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Apple Tablet for Radiology - Potential Windfall of Apps and Use Cases

(SAN FRANCISCO) -- Reporting live from San Francisco, radRounds will bring you the latest coverage on the news from Apple's enveiling of the much anticipated "Tablet" (to be named iSlate or iPad or ? as many have speculated). The tablet will offer significant opportunities for app development in the arena of healthcare, especially radiology and medical imaging. Imagine a completely portable tablet-based PACS system (OsiriX on the Apple tablet!)! Imagine the use of a table for image-guided… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 27, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

USS Comfort's Radiology Unit Treats Patients in Haiti

Comfort's Radiology Unit Treats Patients in Haiti

By Airman 1st Class Clara Karwacinski

PORT-au-PRINCE, Haiti (NNS) -- The radiology facility aboard hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is equipped to provide doctors with critical information about patients coming on board for treatment.

The radiology unit is currently treating patients in Haiti which is the first stop on Continuing Promise 2009 (CP09).

CP09 is a partnership with Latin America and the… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 26, 2010 at 6:28pm — No Comments

ACR Designated a National Medical Imaging Accrediting Body by CMS

Reston, VA ─ Jan. 26, 2010 ─ The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has selected the American College of Radiology (ACR), the nation’s oldest and most widely recognized medical imaging and radiation oncology accrediting body, as a designated accrediting organization for medical imaging facilities, able to satisfy all accreditation requirements for providers of advanced medical imaging mandated by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA). The ACR… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 26, 2010 at 1:49pm — No Comments

Radiologist Jobs and Gen X views on work-life balance

(AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY BULLETIN) -- This month's ACR bulletin features a very interesting piece regarding radiologist jobs and "Gen Xer's" views on radiology and their careers. This excellent article raises a few questions and addresses a fundamental issue - "It’s an issue often raised by older radiologists. why, they ask, do so few young radiologists seem to volunteer with local, state, and national medical societies? why aren’t these Gen Xers and yers championing organized medicine as… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 25, 2010 at 5:23pm — No Comments

Radiology e-ordering makes meaningful use list, but problems remain

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- CMS’s recently proposed regulations on “meaningful use” and electronic health record (EHR) certification present both opportunities and challenges for the radiology market. The good news is that proposed regulations now recognize and support the use of computerized radiology order entry and acknowledge the availability of computerized decision support tools, which will make our industry much more efficient and transparent. The not-so-good news is that despite the growing… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 25, 2010 at 3:00pm — No Comments

February Issue of AJR Features Significant Studies Regarding Women’s Health and Radiation Safety

(ACR/ARRS) - February Issue of AJR Features Significant Studies Regarding Women’s Health and Radiation Safety

Digital Mammography Delivers Less Radiation than Standard Mammography

Data from one of the largest mammography trials in history demonstrates that overall the radiation dose associated with digital mammography is significantly lower (averaging 22 percent lower) than that of conventional film mammography and that the reduction could be greater in women with larger and… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 25, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Imaging proves clinical value in cases of human toxocariasis

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Human toxocariasis, or visceral larva migrans, is a zoonotic disease caused by tissue migration of the nematode larva Toxocara canis, a dog ascaris. The condition involves the liver and lungs producing eosinophilic inflammation. Mature dog ascarid worms, T. canis, live in the small intestine of the wild dog, wolf, dingo, and fox. Eggs produced by these worms are unembryonated when passed in feces, and have a subglubose appearance and a pitted shell. They reach the… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 24, 2010 at 3:00pm — No Comments

X-Ray of a Boeing 777 - Seriously.

(RADROUNDS) -- Nick Veasey is a unique photographer and artist who uses x-rays, yes x-rays, to create images of super structures. Check out this image of a stunning x-ray generated photography of a Boeing 777 Airplane and its twin GE turbofan engines. This image took 500 individual x-ray films/images to produce and over four months! If you live in Boston, you will recognize this image on the hangar of United at Logan International Airport.

TED… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 24, 2010 at 10:31am — No Comments

MRI cracks down on 'age doping' in international youth sports

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- MRI has been adopted as a definitive measure for fair play by the International Federation of Association Football, the governing body for international soccer competition. FIFA launched a program of random MRI wrist screening to verify the age of players competing in the Under-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria between Oct. 24 and Nov. 15. The issue of fielding over-age players has been around for some time. It made headlines again last March at the Confederation of African… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 23, 2010 at 3:00pm — No Comments

ARRS Annual Meeting Travel Grants Available for Radiology Residents and Fellows

Applications being accepted now through February 15

Two travel grants of $2,500 each are available for residents and fellows interested in attending the 2010 ARRS Annual Meeting May 2-7 in San Diego, CA. The grants provide funding for meeting registration, lodging and travel. The grants are funded by FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA.

APPLICANTS MUST BE:

* A radiology resident or a fellow at the time of the ARRS Annual Meeting in May 2010.

* Enrolled in a… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 22, 2010 at 5:54pm — No Comments

Patients refusing breast MRI not as common as it seems, experts say

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Recent news coverage makes it seem as if women at high risk for breast cancer are refusing breast MRI screening left and right. That’s simply not the case, according to several experts. The presumption hinges on a study published in Radiology in which 42.1% of women refused to be screened for breast cancer using MR. About a quarter of them cited claustrophobia as a concern and another 18.2% said time constraints were an issue. “I do not think the study’s finding is… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on January 22, 2010 at 2:30pm — No Comments