CHICAGO--Radiologists who are caring, competent, comprehensive, consistent and credible should be able to practice their livelihood without too much fear of being sued for malpractice, according to a presentation "Minefields in Radiology," delivered Thursday at the Radiological Society of North American (RSNA) conference.

CHICAGO—The recent recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force limiting breast cancer screening for women in various age groups, as well as the frequency of those exams, ignited a flurry of criticism by a panel of breast imaging experts, hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) on Wednesday morning at their annual scientific sessions.

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming administration is drawing on the network of campaign supporters to lay the groundwork for an attempt to restructure the U.S. healthcare system, waging an outreach campaign by marrying lobbying and social-networking technologies.

Mark Vachon, president and CEO of GE Healthcare Global Diagnostic Imaging business, told Reuters that its diagnostic unit will reduce costs and cut jobs.

CHICAGO—During the Annual Oration in Diagnostic Radiology and Gold Medal Awards presented Tuesday, keynote lecturer Elizabeth McFarland, MD, challenged attendees to “run the enduring race” in the effort to increase CT colonography utilization in the current restrictive reimbursement climate.

CHICAGO—Breast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is effective in the detection of cancers not found on mammograms or by clinical exam, according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO— As CT colonography (CTC) gains wider acceptance as an effective and less-invasive exam for colon cancer screening, advanced visualization tool development is keeping pace by offering applications that will allow interpreting clinicians the ability to efficiently and effectively manage the virtual colonoscopy workflow.

CHICAGO—The utilization of nanometer-size compounds in medicine offers the potential for a new era of diagnostic imaging as well as the promise of new capabilities for delivering therapies tailored and targeted for a specific disease, according to Michael J. Welch, PhD, who delivered the Eugene P. Pendergrass New Horizons Lecture at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—When the New England Journal of Medicine published the CorE-64 study in the Nov. 26th issue, which produced positive results for cardiac CT angiography, an accompanying editorial questioned whether the technology had enough clinical evidence to warrant widespread CMS reimbursements. Udo Hoffmann, MD, director of CT research at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, explains the importance of the trial and analyzes the editorial’s commentary.

CHICAGO—CT colonography (CTC), or virtual colonoscopy, has the potential to screen for two diseases at once—colorectal cancer and osteoporosis—both of which commonly affect adults over age 50, according to study results presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—CT again is in the hot seat at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) due to a New England Journal of Medicine editorial that accompanies the CorE 64 study published November 27th that questions whether cardiac CT angiography yet has enough clinical evidence to support its CMS widespread reimbursement. In March, CMS chose to continue local coverage determination for CCTA.

CHICAGO—Researchers defined a series of promising cardiac CT applications at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). In several studies, functional cardiac CT competed well with other modalities including MRI and various forms of echocardiography.

CHICAGO—A collection to imaging informatics tools developed under the umbrella of the National Cancer Institutes caBIG (cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid) are demonstrating the potential for collecting, analyzing, integrating, and disseminating information associated with cancer research and care, according to a scientific presentation at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—FDG PET/CT may add significant value in patients with prostate cancer by accurately identifying primary lesions and/or metastases at initial staging and detecting recurrent disease, according to results presented Sunday during the Nuclear Medicine scientific sessions at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—The luminance levels of flat-panel displays can degrade over time and are affected by the utilization of the monitors, according to a team of Japanese researchers who presented their analysis in a poster presentation at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Nuclear medicine has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, creating the need for a new clinical specialty—nuclear medicine advanced associates, said David Gilmore, program director school of nuclear medicine technology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Gilmore presented at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Radical robotic radiosurgery, a treatment designed to eradicate both gross and peritumoral microscopic disease, results in a distinctive PET/CT imaging pattern following treatment, which is likely related to the high radiation doses delivered 1-cm or more around the tumor, according to researchers from Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

CHICAGO—Abnormalities in auditory and language processing may be evaluated in children with autism spectrum disorder by using magnetoencephalography (MEG), according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Cellularity assessed with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at initial presentation is potentially an important parameter to further characterize tumor microstructure and predict clinical course in the pediatric population, according a study presented Monday in the Pediatric Radiology Series at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Women with early-stage breast cancer who have undergone breast augmentation may be treated successfully with partial-breast radiation treatment brachytherapy, according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Adolescent gymnasts are developing a wide variety of arm, wrist and hand injuries that are beyond the scope of previously described gymnastic-related trauma, according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Combining an ultrasound-guided technique with steroid injection is 95 percent effective at relieving the common and painful foot problem called plantar fasciitis, according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGO—Radiologists must embrace global, non-proprietary attitudes to expand radiologist education for the 21st century, according to the RSNA Presidential Address from Theresa McLoud, MD, presented this morning at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

CHICAGO—As the 94th annual meeting of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) opened this morning to overcast skies, misty rain and the possibility of snow, RSNA Scientific Program Committee Chair Robert Quencer, MD, highlights several foci of this year’s conference for Health Imaging News.

CHICAGO—As soon as attendees arrived at McCormick Place this morning, the first thing they were sure to grab was a map—as there are a lot of changes around the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. As the radiologic community comes together to witness the latest advances in technology and research, a new layout and more dining options for the Technical Exhibition should help attendees broaden their horizons, seeing more, in less time.

CHICAGO—FDG PET/CT improves staging accuracy in cancer patients compared with whole-body MRI (WBMR) at 3T field strength, according to study results presented today at the Nuclear Medicine (PET/CT Oncology) scientific session during the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

CHICAGO—A new method of characterizing breast lesions found during an MRI exam could result in fewer biopsies of benign tumors with the benefits of reduced pain and expense for patients and providers, according to a study presented today at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

CHICAGO—Children and teenagers with even mild cases of anorexia exhibit abnormal bone structure, according to research presented at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, and simultaneously published in the December issue of Radiology.