August 29, 2008 MultiHance outperforms Omniscan for enhancement of brain tumors H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although both gadobenate dimeglumine and gadodiamide are gadolinium-based agents, the former provides more conspicuous enhancement for imaging of brain lesions, according to results from an international multicenter trial. Findings could lead to further improvements in the management of these patients. Neuroradiologists…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 29, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 29, 2008 Covidien advises customers about impending molybdenum shortage James Brice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Covidien has alerted customers for its technetium-99m generators about impending shortages caused by the unexpected shutdown of the Dutch nuclear reactor that serves as its main source of molybdenum-99. General manager Rick Lytle announced the following changes Aug. 27 to the production schedule for its Ultra-Technekow DTE…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 29, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 27, 2008 Optical brain imaging uncovers secret of newborn’s first words The University of British Columbia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A new study could explain why "daddy" and "mommy" are often a baby's first words. The human brain may be hard-wired to recognize certain repetition patterns. Using the latest optical brain imaging techniques, University of British Columbia postdoctoral fellow Judit Gervain and a team of researchers from…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 27, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 27, 2008 Nuclear medicine braces for effects of Petten reactor shutdown James Brice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An unscheduled shutdown of the High Flux Reactor at Petten in the Netherlands has raised concern about a possible interruption of molybdenum-99 supplies for nuclear medicine procedures in Europe and North America. The Netherlands' Nuclear Research & consultancy Group (NRG) announced Aug. 26 that isotope production from…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 27, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 25, 2008 MRI strategy supplies early warning of osteoarthritis Marjorie Preston -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A novel MRI technique that tracks naturally occurring polymers in cartilage can lead to the diagnosis of early-stage osteoarthritis and may lead to better drug treatment and a reduction in the need for joint replacement surgeries.Researchers from the NYU School of Medicine and Tel Aviv University have found that decreased…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 25, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 25, 2008 Mediterranean telepathology network proves successful, targets teleradiology next Douglas Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Teleradiology and tele-echocardiography are scheduled to take lead roles in phase two of a telemedicine network established between Italy and Egypt. The network is based on a web portal that opens a teleconsultation pipe to support difficult clinical cases. The portal also serves as an e-learning avenue to…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 25, 2008 at 9:30pm —
No Comments
August 22, 2008 New graphical user interface addresses MR reconstruction Douglas Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susceptibility-weighted MR imaging provides high-resolution, distortion-free blood oxygen level-dependent data for assessment of cerebral veins, blood products, and brain lesions. Currently, however, reconstruction of susceptibility-weighted imaging data is not implemented on all MR systems. A new German paper introduces a…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 22, 2008 at 10:00pm —
No Comments
August 22, 2008 Image Gently alliance pushes pediatric radiation dose standards H. A. Abella ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a breakthrough for pediatric radiology, the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging hosted the first pediatric CT vendor summit aimed at the standardization of radiation dose settings and display language for pediatric CT scanners. "Children are not just smaller adults. Their bodies are different and require a…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 22, 2008 at 10:00pm —
No Comments
August 21, 2008 Are we what our molecules make us? Greg Freiherr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've heard it since childhood: You either have chemistry with another person or not. PET imaging now is turning common sense into science. Using PET, researchers at Ludwig Maximilians-University in Munich have validated a long-held theory that individual personality traits are determined by chemistry in the brain's endorphin system. …
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 21, 2008 at 10:00pm —
No Comments
August 20, 2008 Panel pans FDG-PET evidence for expanded Medicare coverage H. A. Abella ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services advisory panel has found that most available clinical data for nine conditionally approved cancer indications of FDG-PET, evaluated by the National Oncologic PET Registry and a separate Canadian study, are too ambivalent to support Medicare coverage. The nine-member Medicare Evidence…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 20, 2008 at 10:00pm —
No Comments
August 20, 2008 PET links brain chemistry, personality H. A. Abella ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the first study of its kind, German researchers have shown a correlation between healthy people's personalities and their brain chemistry using PET. Findings could lead to better understanding and treatment of addictive behavior. Multiple studies have cemented the theory that genetic or acquired anomalies of the brain's endorphine or reward…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 20, 2008 at 12:30am —
No Comments
August 19, 2008 Thoracic aortic stenting tops surgery for management of blunt trauma H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Endovascular repair is better and safer than surgery for the treatment of blunt thoracic aortic trauma, according to the largest review of clinical data to date comparing both procedures. Stent-grafts could save more lives and reduce the risk of paraplegia, a frequent surgical complication. Nearly one-quarter of all…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 19, 2008 at 12:30am —
No Comments
August 18, 2008 Over-the-counter anesthetic gel reduces mammogram discomfort The Radiological Society of North America -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The simple application of lidocaine gel may reduce the breast discomfort some women experience during mammography exams, according to the results of a clinical trial from Idaho. Compression and the occasional discomfort and pain it brings in the breasts lead many women to avoid mammograms…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 18, 2008 at 1:00am —
No Comments
August 15, 2008 Carotid ultrasound predicts stroke, heart attack risk H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evaluation of carotid artery plaque density performed on serial ultrasound scans could help identify patients at high risk for a heart attack or other adverse cardiovascular events, according to Austrian researchers. Physicians know that the majority of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events occur in patients whose blood vessels…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 15, 2008 at 1:00am —
No Comments
August 14, 2008 Of heroes and teams Greg Freiherr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two virtual soccer clubs -- Predator F.C. and F50 -- would seem to have markedly different approaches to success. The Predator players focus on teamwork, determination, and precision. F50 players favor flair, flamboyance, and speed. Last year, Adidas leveraged the mottos of these two teams as part of a marketing campaign that urges kids aged 15 to 17 to open their…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 14, 2008 at 1:00am —
No Comments
August 14, 2008 MRI spots early biological markers of Alzheimer’s H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The era of postautopsy confirmation of Alzheimer's disease may be coming to an end. MR imaging could spot signs of brain deterioration predictive of cognitive decline months, even years, before the onset of dementia, according to recent studies performed in Canada, Europe, and the U.S. Clinical studies have found significant links…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 14, 2008 at 1:00am —
No Comments
August 13, 2008 PACS vendors explore managed services model Douglas Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At first glance, the recent volley of vendor offerings called managed services looks like a reincarnation of the application service provider model popular a few years ago. The ASP concept offered hospitals all the benefits of having PACS without the initial capital outlay. Instead, customers contracted a third party to deploy and maintain an…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 13, 2008 at 1:30am —
No Comments
August 13, 2008 Antihistamine, common drugs safely treat allergy-like contrast reactions The American Roentgen Ray Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patients who have had acute allergic-like reactions to nonionic iodinated contrast material rarely develop serious long-term problems and can be treated safely with commonly used medications, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Hospitals in Ann Arbor.…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 13, 2008 at 1:00am —
No Comments
August 12, 2008 New CMS anti-referral rules tighten knot on leasing arrangements H. A. Abella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Following its charge to reduce costly imaging overutilization, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced more stringent prohibitions against self-referral practices. Final Stark rules for the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System for 2009 could force providers to restructure numerous space and…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 12, 2008 at 7:30pm —
No Comments
August 11, 2008 Convenience helps mammography facilities keep patients The American Roentgen Ray Society -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location! Location! Location! The magic word for retail business success may also have a huge impact on breast imaging centers. Patients cite convenience to home or work as the main reason they changed mammography facilities, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati. Study…
Continue
Added by Diagnostic Imaging on August 11, 2008 at 7:30pm —
No Comments
