Diagnostic Imaging's Blog (1,118)

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Follow-up care of incidental brain findings draws criticism C. P. Kaiser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The number of brain MR scans obtained in the clinical and research setting increases each year, as scanner equipment and scanning protocols become ever more sensitive to subtle abnormalities. Many of these incidental findings are low risk and do not need rigorous imaging follow-up. Researchers therefore… Continue

January 22, 2008 FDA warning flummoxes ultrasound contrast trial Notice catches AIUM off guard as both parties had agreed about noncardiac use of microbubble agents James Brice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Plans for a clinical trial designed to overcome long-standing regulatory obstacles to the general clinical use of ultrasound contrast media in the U.S. have been knocked off track by an FDA-mandated black box safety warning for two… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Expectations for tomosynthesis debut rise amid nagging doubts Hologic targets 2008 release, but other vendors defer, citing clinical questions, regulatory issues, and technological uncertainties Greg Freiherr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not since the height of the CT slice wars have vendors said so much about products that were so far from market. They have been talking up breast tomosynthesis for years,… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. DWI breaks new ground in pelvic MR imaging, staging -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Several studies released at the 2007 RSNA meeting suggest that diffusion-weighted MR imaging could one day become a routine exam for noninvasive characterization and staging of uterine tumors, replacing unnecessary catheter or surgical biopsies. Dr. Nagaraj S. Holalkere and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Digital breast tomosynthesis cuts callbacks, aids detection Positive study from Netherlands stands out in finding no difference between conventional and new technology Sarah Jersild -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digital tomosynthesis detects more breast masses, better categorizes those masses, and produces lower callback rates than conventional mammography. In a study of symptomatic patients, tomosynthesis… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Demand skyrockets for digital mammography Vendors struggling to keep up with orders look for ways to boost production and beat backlogs Greg Freiherr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While demand for MR and CT equipment languishes, digital mammography is enjoying a heyday with no end in sight. When the final numbers are tallied, vendors expect to have shipped twice as many full-field digital mammography units… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. CTA seeks niche triage role in unstable angina patients If multislice CT can rule out obstructive coronary artery disease, time and cost of care would be reduced and risk stratification improved Francesca Pugliese, M.D., and Gabriel P. Krestin, M.D., Ph.D. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coronary CT angiography has been found to be a powerful tool to evaluate patients suspected of coronary artery disease who… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. CT shines for head and neck vascular trauma Time-efficient whole-body CT for blunt cervical arterial injury delivers less dose than focused CT angiography Sarah Jersild -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The use of multislice CT angiography has increased detection of vascular injury in patients suffering head and neck trauma, prompting debate on whether whole-body screening or focused attention on the head and… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. CT perfusion expands stroke care options H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New CT perfusion scanning techniques that are safer and faster than older CT protocols could offer a practical imaging alternative to MR perfusion for stroke patients, according to two studies presented at the 2007 RSNA meeting. Findings also emphasize a new trend for widening the window for thrombolysis. A number of clinical… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Computer illiteracy relates to age, stress, and persona Smiles can help radiologists deal with technological advances, while frowns can be disadvantageous C. P. Kaiser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While stress and personality have a well-established relationship with one another, they were also found to have a strong relationship to computer literacy within the radiologist community. Radiologists with lower… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Commoditization situates specialty at crossroads John C. Hayes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Radiology is at a crossroads, according to three prominent radiologists who have followed the specialty's digital revolution and evolution of practice. Their message was characterized by the RSNA as "a warning and a challenge." The transformative impact of technology was at the heart of opening session presentations… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Case Of The Month Pooja Voria, M.D., MBA, Irini Youseff, M.D., MPH, and Robert Perone, M.D. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinical History A 13-year-old girl presents with abdominal pain, right lower quadrant tenderness, guarding, elevated lipase, and a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Findings On contrast-enhanced CT images, a heterogeneous low-attenuation intraluminal mass is identified in the… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Cardiologist involvement ups Medicare imaging costs Cardiac CT boosts self-referred utilization, other nonradiology specialists see modest growth James Brice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The explosive growth of Medicare outpatient imaging from 2000 to 2005 explains why federal regulators have singled out radiologists for restraints. Medicare payments for outpatient medical imaging jumped 93% during that… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Cardiac CT studies pose questions on clinical role Researchers stress need for better dose reduction strategies as whole-chest exams earn positive reviews James Brice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Studies of chest pain patients with conventional 64-slice and dual-source CT add to a growing base of evidence suggesting that CT is well suited to rule out acute coronary syndrome in the emergency room and to… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Buyers, sellers alike need valuation data for best deal Basic guidelines and formulas can help both parties estimate worth of imaging center and avoid unprofitable guesswork -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diagnostic imaging centers have experienced significant ownership changes over the last few years. Radiologist affiliation arrangements, hospital joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, as well as other… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Breast ultrasound adjusts to get past false positives Despite ACRIN 6666 trial results, sonography could still play a role in supplemental screening of high-risk women Emily Hayes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The massive American College of Radiology Imaging Network 6666 trial shows that adding ultrasound to the initial breast screening protocol for high-risk women could help detect 30% more cancers, but at… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Breast MR imaging aids high-risk women Once again, MRI has outrun other modalities as a supplemental tool for screening high-risk women. Emily Hayes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A large prospective screening trial from the University of Pennsylvania compared screen-film mammography, digital mammography, whole-breast ultrasound, and contrast-enhanced MRI in a population of 569 asymptomatic women. In this… Continue

January 22, 2008 Diagnostic Imaging. Academy suggests CT in ER for some seizure patients ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New American Academy of Neurology guidelines recommend immediate CT brain scans for some patients who arrive in the emergency room with seizures. The AAN-appointed Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee, led by Dr. Cynthia L. Harden of Cornell University, reviewed all the clinical literature related to neuroimaging… Continue