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RadRounds Radiology Network's Blog (797)

RSNA 2010 Preview - CT vendors crank up low-dose radiation solutions

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Protocols that get the most from every x-ray and high-tech algorithms that delete noise will drive CT at this year’s show. GE’s ASIR (adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction) technology will take center stage as a means to reduce patient x-ray dose by up to 50% on the company’s Discovery CT750 HD and LightSpeed VCT. ASIR is now running on more than 450 scanners worldwide, cutting dose for more than 10,000 patients per day, according to the firm. GE competitors will… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 16, 2010 at 11:21pm — No Comments

ASTRO 2010 Featured Twenty RTOG Presentations: Four of Which Were Primary Aim Results of Its Multicenter Clinical Trials

(ACR) -- ASTRO 2010 Featured Twenty RTOG Presentations: Four of Which Were Primary Aim Results of Its Multicenter Clinical Trials

Again in 2010, RTOG had a major presence at the American Society of Radiation Therapeutic Radiation (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. RTOG investigators presented at 20 scientific sessions. The following is a summary of one of the four presentations that announced primary research results.

RTOG 0229 principal investigator Mohan Suntharalingam, MD, from… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 13, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

Fall Edition of The ACR Scan Now Available

(ACR) -- Download the ACR’s latest edition of The Scan, a quarterly, patient-centered newsletter that you can make available in your waiting room or mail (or email) directly to your patients.… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 12, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

Image Gently, SNM Launch Initiative to Standardize Radiation Dose in Pediatric Nuclear Medicine

(AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY) -- Washington, DC — The Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) and the Society for Pediatric Radiology’s Board of Directors, recently approved new North American Guidelines for Radiopharmaceutical Doses for Children. These societies have expanded their pediatric radiation protection initiative by standardizing doses (based on body weight) for 11 nuclear medicine procedures commonly performed in children. The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging has… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 11, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

Final Rule on the 2011 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System

(ACR) - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule on the 2011 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) for public viewing on November 2, 2010. There is a 60 day comment period ending on January 3, 2011. The official version of this… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 10, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

Happy Rad Tech Week!

(ASRT) -- National Radiologic Technology Week®

Nov. 7-13, 2010

National Radiologic Technology Week® is celebrated annually to recognize the vital work of radiologic technologists across the nation. The celebration takes place each November to commemorate the anniversary of the x-ray's discovery by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on Nov. 8, 1895.

The week-long celebration calls attention to the valuable work of R.T.s in the health care field and the highly technical… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 9, 2010 at 10:41pm — No Comments

ARRS Leonard Berlin Scholarship - Applications Are Due Soon

(ARRS) -- The application deadline for both the ARRS Leonard Berlin Scholarship in Medical Professionalism and the ARRS Scholarship is Friday, November 19.

The purpose of the Berlin scholarship is to support study and research related to medical ethics, medico-legal principles, patient accountability, sensitivity to patient diversity and/or other topics encompassing medical professionalism.

The purpose of the ARRS scholarship is to support study in a field selected by the… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 9, 2010 at 5:26pm — No Comments

Final Rule on the 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for Radiology and more

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Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 9, 2010 at 4:30am — No Comments

Lung Cancer Screening News - Screening of People at High-Risk for Lung Cancer With Low Dose CT Scans Significantly Reduces Lung Cancer Deaths

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) released initial results from a large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether lung cancer screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) or standard chest X-rays saves lives.

Lung cancer, most frequently caused by cigarette smoking, is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It is expected to claim 157,300 lives in 2010. There are more than 94 million current and former smokers in the United States, many of whom… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 8, 2010 at 4:48am — No Comments

Merge Healthcare Expands Distribution in South America

Merge Healthcare Expands Distribution in South America

Agreement with Salumed brings image management solutions to Ecuador

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE), a leading Health IT solutions provider, today announced a new distribution agreement with Salumed, a large healthcare equipment distributor in Ecuador. Salumed has licensed Merge software technology for image management, specialty image review in orthopedics and mammography, and practice…

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Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 5, 2010 at 10:30am — No Comments

Lung Cancer Screening - Breaking News Regarding the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial

STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY (ACR) ON THE NATIONAL LUNG CANCER SCREENING TRIAL (NLST)

Lung cancer, most frequently caused by cigarette smoking, is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States – claiming nearly 160,000 lives each year. The most effective way to avoid lung cancer death is not to start smoking, and if you already smoke, to quit immediately and permanently.

As a medical association representing nearly 34,000 health care… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 4, 2010 at 4:00pm — No Comments

RSNA 2010 Radiologist Job Posting Drive - Free Postings for Employers, Partners, Practice Owners, and Recruiters...

Attention Partners/Employers/Recruiters - Post radiologist jobs and positions for FREE for RSNA 2010 Job Drive - the market is tough, help the graduating fellows/residents out with more job postings (Expires 12/4/2010 - Discount code for 100% off - rsna2010)

Please visit http://www.radrounds.com/page/radiologist-job-listings to post your job for free now!

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 4, 2010 at 1:27am — No Comments

Do we hide behind our reports? The challenge of directly communicating results to our patients

(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- “I hope my doctor can figure out why I’ve been having so much difficulty swallowing of late,” said the patient as I finished his upper GI study. During the procedure I clearly saw a large mass invading the lumen of Mr. Jones’ esophagus but I kept this knowledge to myself as I made small talk with him before heading back to the reading room. A few minutes later I would issue my report that would contain a diagnosis of esophageal cancer and recommendation for Mr. Jones to… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 3, 2010 at 9:29pm — 1 Comment

Radiology Salaries Remained Flat in 2009 (via RSNA)

(RSNA) - According to the RSNA, radiologist salaries have hit a plateau and did not grow in the last year. It is quoted that "The changing face of healthcare and the faltering economy are among factors continuing to impact radiology salaries, which hovered just above the rate of inflation or flatlined altogether in 2009. Nevertheless, experts say those numbers should begin rebounding in 2010."

Brad Vaudrey, M.B.A., C.P.A. and Stephen Chan, M.D. have done extensive work in this… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on November 2, 2010 at 1:45pm — No Comments

Top 40 X-Ray Tech Job Listing Sites

While it seems as though jobs in sonography or ultrasound seem more abundant than x-ray tech jobs, if you search for the right job description you might find a number of job listings. We’ve helped you out by conducting the searches for you. This list of the top 40 x-ray tech job listings were discovered at large employment job listing sites, medical job listing sites, radiology sites with job listings and a category for recruiters, staffers and location-specific jobs.

Check out this… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 31, 2010 at 12:41pm — 1 Comment

Two ACR Members Elected to IOM

Two ACR members, Richard L. Ehmen, MD, FACR, and Bruce R. Rosen, MD, PhD, were recently elected to the Institute of Medicine. Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health.

During its 40th annual meeting, the Institute of Medicine announced the names of 65 new members and five foreign associates. In addition, IOM honored two of its members for outstanding service to the organization. The Institute also presented the 2010 Gustav O.… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 24, 2010 at 4:00am — No Comments

UCLA wins renewal of $14 million grant to find medical countermeasures to radiological attacks

Researchers in the radiation oncology department at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $14 million grant to develop countermeasures that will help treat damage caused by radiological or nuclear threats such as a dirty bomb attack.

The grant, awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is a renewal of a five-year, $14 million grant first awarded to UCLA in 2005. The grant is part of a major research effort to develop medical… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 23, 2010 at 9:30pm — No Comments

Merge Healthcare Announces New Wins for Clinical Trials Solutions

Advanced functionality wins new awards for Merge’s EDC solutions

Products will be on display at the upcoming SCDM conference

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE), a leading HIT solutions provider, today announced the addition of four new customers for its etrials myEDC™ solution. These wins reflect continued momentum and interest from the pharmaceutical and contract research organization community with this innovative solution.

“Customers… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 22, 2010 at 11:30pm — No Comments

Philips imaging equipment sales trend up, especially

Increasing demand for imaging systems sparked a 7% jump in orders for healthcare equipment at Philips in the third quarter. Much of the gain came from customers in North America, where orders grew by 11% compared with 2% growth elsewhere in the world, leading to hopeful speculation that the extended lull in equipment purchases may finally be coming to a close.

Pierre-Jean Sivignon, Philips chief financial officer, said the company expected and benefitted from large multiyear… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 22, 2010 at 9:30pm — No Comments

U.S. radiologists work to expand access to imaging in the developing world

While physicians and patients alike may take for granted the ease with which imaging services are ordered and administered in this country, we should not lose sight of the fact that four billion people in the world have no access to imaging services. While much of the recent healthcare debate in the U.S. has focused on how to prevent the overutilization and inappropriate use of medical imaging, a majority of the world’s population lacks access to even basic radiography. How is the radiology… Continue

Added by radRounds Radiology Network on October 21, 2010 at 9:29pm — No Comments