Diagnostic Imaging's Blog – May 2009 Archive (7)

May 8, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Cardiac CT triple rule-out debunks radiation fears By H.A. Abella For years, high radiation dose exposure has been the bogeyman that kept the cardiac CT triple rule-out exam for chest pain from widespread application. That concern has been addressed with the use of radiation dose reduction techniques, according to a Thomas Jefferson University study. "The amount of radiation that people get from a triple rule-out study is not as high as everybody thinks it is,"… Continue

May 7, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. GE launches ‘Healthymagination’ initiative By Greg Freiherr GE launched today Healthymagination, a six-year initiative that will redirect half of its $1 billion healthcare R&D budget toward driving down the cost of healthcare while boosting access to improved care through technology and service innovations in the U.S. and around the world. GE's chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt announced in a press conference the company's commitment to spend $3 billion in R&D… Continue

May 6, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Thrall predicts healthcare reforms in 2009 By James Brice Dr. James Thrall, chair of the American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors, predicted during the opening session of the college's annual meeting Sunday that Congress will adopt healthcare reforms in 2009 and that of all the pending proposals, Medicare legislation has the greatest likelihood of passage. The ACR meeting and chapter leadership conference in Washington, DC, is closed to the media, but… Continue

May 5, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Multimodality imaging tracks cardiac stem cell therapies By H.A. Abella PET, SPECT, MRI, and even x-ray-based modalities are helping researchers learn how to use stem cells to restore the pumping power of injured hearts. The modalities factor into plans to track stem cell delivery, survival, and replication during clinical use, making them essential for research. Labeling studies follow human stem cell therapies. That was the take-home message delivered by Dr.… Continue

May 4, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. International agency wants smart cards to track patient radiation histories By Paula Gould The International Atomic Energy Agency has launched an effort to create a running total of how much medical radiation patients are exposed to over time by issuing smart cards and modifying electronic medical records. Organizers expand scope of Image Gently radiation reduction program. IAEA safety experts note that tracking dose for patients would provide a level of… Continue

May 1, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Today's young radiologists see their jobs in different light, Gen X and Y imagers feel more keyed in to technology than older rads, bring new requirements and expectations BY REBEKAH MOAN, Ms. Moan is deputy editor of Diagnostic Imaging. Staff Care, a division of the recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins & Associates, has a Country Doctor award, not for radiologists but for family practitioners. One Mississippi physician, from Morton, used to work 70 hours a week… Continue

May 1, 2009 Diagnostic Imaging. Senate report considers financial penalties for inappropriate imaging By James Brice Financial penalties would be enforced against physicians who frequently recommend inappropriate medical imaging under a set of policy options outlined in a potentially influential report issued April 30 by the Senate Finance Committee. Obama budget makes no assumptions about Medicare sustainable growth rate cuts Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee,… Continue