2014 September/October

Isaac Newton humbly stated, "if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." We all look to leaders in our field to emulate and follow.

It’s all about the patient. This is an idea that seems obvious to most at first blush. After all, why would anyone seek a job in healthcare if not to help patients? But sometimes organizations need to rethink their processes to evaluate whether the patient is truly at the center of what they do. 

An ambulance-based mobile stroke unit created by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (TMC). The vehicle has a small head CT scanner to enable imm edit imaging to confirm if a patient had a stroke and what type before they arrive at the hospital to enable faster door to repercussion times, or faster door to tPA administration times. The unit also has a telemedicine system so a neurologist can evaluate patients remotely.

Germany's ground-breaking use of CT scanners in ambulances to assess for possible stroke inspired one program in Houston to follow suit. Supporters predict it will transform care in the future. 

A big question mark sits over the topic of low-dose CT lung cancer screening.

Bodies are made to move. Unfortunately, not all imaging modalities can keep up.

Cybersecurity is a top concern in medicine, but reports of the risks often leave many unanswered questions. What role does clinical staff need to play in maintaining security? Are certain systems more at risk than others?

Example of a RF burn from an MRI scan where a sedated patient's identification bracelet was touching their skin during an exam. Image courtesy of RSNA. https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.09090637

While MRI is often considered one of the safer imaging modalities due to its lack of ionizing radiation, other dangers remain for patients, with thermal burns being a chief concern. 

Follow-up on the largest randomized study of fractionation techniques for radiation treatment has shown that hyperfractionated radiotherapy improves local-regional control and overall survival at five years for patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancer compared with standard fractionation and other accelerated fractionation techniques. 

As communication across a healthcare system becomes more sophisticated, traditional imaging workflows must evolve. 

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