Topic

Computed Tomography


Siemens installs SPECT/CT at UK hospital

Contracts & Installations | Thursday, September 02 2010
A hybrid SPECT/CT scanner from Siemens Healthcare, the Symbia T TruePoint, has been installed in the muclear medicine department at Southend Hospital, part of Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Essex, U.K.
 

Report: Radiology among least common diagnostic errors

Industry News | Wednesday, September 01 2010
While diagnostic errors are encountered in every specialty and are generally lowest (less than five percent) for certain specialties that rely on visual pattern recognition and interpretation (e.g., radiology, pathology, dermatology), error rates in specialties that rely more on data gathering and the combination of different elements for a conclusive diagnosis are higher (10 to 15 percent), according to a September article published in the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory.
 

California bill to track rad dose clears one hurdle

Top Stories | Sunday, August 29 2010
The California State Assembly in a bipartisan vote of 70-4 has approved SB 1237, which seeks to establish protocols and safeguards to protect patients from excess radiation exposure during CT scans by requiring radiation dosage levels be recorded on the scanned image and in a patient’s health records and that radiation overdoses be reported to patients, their treating physicians and the California Department of Public Health.
 

Siemens lands multi-site CT installs in Midwest

Monday, August 23 2010
BJC HealthCare, a nonprofit heathcare organization based in St. Louis, has purchased five Somatom Definition Flash CT scanners from Siemens Healthcare.
 

Report: Molecular imaging device market to reach $6.6B by 2014

Industry News | Friday, August 20 2010
There is a 5.8 percent yearly increase in the market for molecular imaging devices and the market is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2014, according to a market research report from Kalorama Information.
 

ASRT, Elsevier partner to offer CT education modules

Industry News | Friday, August 20 2010
The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and technical and medical information publisher Elsevier have formed a partnership to provide technologists with a complete series of CT modules.
 

Circ: Integrating 3D CE-CT into ablation mapping improves outcomes

Clinical Studies | Thursday, August 19 2010
Using select data from 3D contrast-enhanced (CE) CT imaging can better locate areas to be ablated in patients with ventricular tachycardia, compared with standard voltage mapping, according to a small study published online July 24 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
 

Digirad seeks to expand beyond cardiology markplace

New Products | Thursday, August 19 2010
Diagnostic imaging manufacturer Digirad has launched an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) initiative aimed at the expansion of the distribution of its solid-state technology.
 

UN: Medical imaging radiation is main source of rad exposure

Industry News | Wednesday, August 18 2010
The use of radiation in medicine accounts for most human exposure to ionizing radiation, according to a report issued by the United Nations scientific committee on the effects of atomic radiation.
 

AJR: Brain CT rad dose varies by scanner

Top Stories | Wednesday, August 18 2010
Patients are subject to different organ radiation doses in the lens of the eye and brain depending on CT scanner assignment, according to a study published in the August edition of American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR).
 

AJR: Preradiotherapy FDG PET modifies treatment in NSCLC

Clinical Studies | Sunday, August 15 2010
Preradiotherapy FDG PET for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients referred for 3D conformal radiotherapy may lead to significant modification of treatment strategy and radiotherapy planning, according to a prospective multicenter study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
 

RadNet completes purchase of three N.J. imaging facilites

Mergers & Acquisitions | Thursday, August 12 2010
Diagnostic imaging services provider RadNet has completed its acquisition of the N.J. operating subsidiary of Health Diagnostics, which is based in Melville, N.Y.
 

Highmark to require preauthorization for MPI

Top Stories | Thursday, August 12 2010
Highmark, beginning in September, will require general practitioners, cardiologists and other providers to request an authorization before performing myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).
 

Tech vacancy rates continue to decline

Top Stories | Wednesday, August 11 2010
The vacancy rate for radiographers has continued to decline in recent years and is now at 2.1 percent, according to a staffing survey conducted by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).
 

CARE bill for medical radiation, imaging services introduced

Top Stories | Friday, August 06 2010
The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence (CARE) in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill (S. 3737) was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week for the establishment of minimum education and credentialing standards for personnel who plan and deliver radiation therapy treatments and medical imaging services as part of the Medicare program.
 

JNM: Hybrid PET/MRI of intracranial tumors comparable to PET/CT

Clinical Studies | Thursday, August 05 2010
Structural, functional and molecular imaging in patients with brain tumors is feasible with diagnostic imaging quality using simultaneous hybrid PET/MRI acquisition, according to a study published in this month’s Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
 

Vital Images drastically narrows losses in Q2

Financial News | Thursday, August 05 2010
Vital Images, an advanced visualization and analysis software company, has narrowed its net losses considerably, according to financial results for the second quarter, which ended June 30.
 

Kitware nets NIH grant to improve biopsy using PET/CT

Industry News | Thursday, August 05 2010
Kitware has received a one-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $228,458 to improve the clinical effectiveness of liver lesion biopsy using PET/CT imaging.
 

Study: 95% of high school sports-related fractures require imaging exams

Clinical Studies | Wednesday, August 04 2010
Nintey-five percent of high school sports-related fractures required diagnostic imaging, including x-rays, MRIs and CT scans, and 16 percent required surgical repair, found a recent study published in the July issue of Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.
 

PerkinElmer buys in vivo MI developer VisEn

Mergers & Acquisitions | Tuesday, August 03 2010
PerkinElmer of Waltham Mass., has acquired VisEn Medical, an in vivo molecular imaging technology company, for an undisclosed sum.
 
Web Exclusives

Feature: U.S. needs national strategy to curb imaging overutilization

Medical imaging overutilization--a growing concern in the U.S.--exposes patients to unnecessary radiation, while also adding to rising healthcare costs, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Radiology. In an interview, William R. Hendee, PhD, lead author, reviewed various methods by which medical imaging could be curtailed.

Radiology: Prelim study shows CE breast CT outperforms CT, mammo

Dedicated contrast-enhanced (CE) breast CT delivered significantly improved conspicuity of malignant breast lesions, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), compared with unenhanced breast CT and mammography, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology.

Radiology: Rad role may evolve as image-guided biopsies trend up

CT, ultrasound and MRI have helped shift biopsy techniques away from more invasive approaches toward image-guided percutaneous techniques, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. The trend toward less-invasive approaches translates into enhanced safety and efficiency and could lead to more interaction between patients and radiologists.

CMS Webinar: Incentive payments to offset EHR adoption, not reimburse

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) EHR incentive payments are not considered reimbursement for money expended on EHR technology, but are intended to offset the cost associated with adoption and ongoing meaningful use, according to CMS during an Aug. 12 webinar.

CMS webinar: Eligible professionals can expect EHR incentives in 2011

Funding incentives for EHR use is the main goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) meaningful use initiative, and there are incentive programs for both hospitals and eligible professionals, according to Elizabeth Holland, health insurance specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke during a CMS-sponsored webinar Aug. 8.

Webinar: Stage 1 of meaningful use is for quality reporting acclimation

Stage 1 requirements for meaningful use incentives aim to strike a balance between the overall goal of EHR use and widespread adoption, while avoiding added work, said Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, chief medical informatics officer at Elsevier Health Services, during a HIMSS webinar titled “Meaningful Use: Safety and Quality of Care.”

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