Evidence from x-ray exams suggests that tabs used to open aluminum beverage cans pose a swallowing risk to children, according to a study presented Monday at the 2009 RSNA meeting.

Adding noncontrast and delayed-contrast series to abdominal/pelvic CT examinations appears common in routine clinical practice and represents a potential public health danger with no associated clinical benefit, according to a presentation Monday afternoon at the 2009 RSNA meeting.

Using 3T MR imaging, California researchers have found that high levels of physical activity may be linked to knee abnormalities in middle-aged men and women. People between the ages of 45 and 55 who engage in several hours of walking, sports, or other types of exercise per week may be at greater risk of developing osteoarthritis than less active adults, according to a study presented Monday at the 2009 RSNA meeting.

Digital mammography plus MRI is the most clinically effective strategy for screening women carrying a genetic mutation known to increase the risk for breast cancer. However, unless the cost of breast MRI decreases substantially, the modality doesn’t translate as cost-effective, according to a study presented on Tuesday at the RSNA 2009 meeting.

A new Irish study has highlighted an alarming lack of knowledge among clinicians about radiation exposure and its potential risks.

Siemens brought two blockbuster MR offerings to the RSNA meeting this week: the 3T Skyra and 1.5T Aera. The two new products, works-in-progress pending FDA clearance but scheduled to begin shipping by mid-2010, promise a productivity lift through their patient-friendly bores, measuring 70 cm wide, and automation that simplifies complex scan tasks.

GE Healthcare unveiled at RSNA 2009 a software technique that uses low-frequency sound waves in combination with MRI to measure the elasticity of liver tissue as an indicator of disease.

Philips Healthcare executives believe the MultiTransmit parallel RF (radiofrequency) technology built into the company’s flagship 3T scanner will help make 3T a clinical workhorse.

Universal x-ray screening of tuberculosis has limited value, carries potentially adverse effects for patients, and creates an unnecessary cost burden, according to a study presented Monday at the 2009 RSNA meeting.

Full-field digital mammography significantly increases the cancer detection rate for women younger than 50 years, according to a study presented Monday afternoon at the RSNA meeting.

Siemens unveiled a new information technology at RSNA 2009: software that promises to do the tedious and time-consuming tasks involved in reading MR and CT exams. The new product, a work-in-progress pending FDA clearance, is an outgrowth of the syngo platform that Siemens has used for years to provide consistency in data processing among its modalities.

CMC-001, an investigational MRI liver contrast medium, may be at least a partial answer to reducing the long imaging times that have frustrated patients and encouraged radiologists to look for imaging alternatives to aid diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and colon cancer metastases in the liver. A phase III trial indicates it is as sensitive as a gadolinium-enhanced MRI for detecting colon cancer metastases, but at the cost of lower specificity.

Radiologist Dr. Richard M. Chesbrough has taken an in-depth look at outpatient imaging services in Southeast Michigan, and the resulting picture is not pretty