Cardiac imaging researchers are expanding the scope of topics considered at the 2009 RSNA meeting to include iodinated contrast media administration as a safety issue and clinical outcomes studies that weigh the relative merits of cost and clinical efficacy.

Rather than retreating after the hard blow handed them by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which refused to grant reimbursement for the application in May, CT colonography researchers will arrive at the 2009 RSNA meeting with more of what CMS wants: hard data.

RSNA meeting attendees can expect health services scientific sessions to focus on quality, according to the committee chair. The sessions will define quality and how radiologists can work on the entire care experience.

The evolution of neuroradiological research from anatomy to biochemistry can be seen in the frequency with which MRI techniques have led to research that will be presented at the 2009 RSNA meeting. Nearly all of the hottest papers this year employ some form of physiological or metabolic imaging.

Musculoskeletal scientific sessions at the RSNA meeting will address the use of dual-energy CT in multiple settings, including the possibility of combined heart and bone density scans. Submitted papers also show the use of dual-energy CT for imaging other indications, such as gout.

Genitourinary scientific papers to be released at the 2009 RSNA meeting underscore attempts to address diagnostic challenges as old as the subspecialty itself by taking advantage of recent technological developments.

Miniaturization gives portable units functions once available only in cart-based systems.

Diverse capabilities in MR reflect the corporate philosophies of individual vendors, as well as how they see opportunities in the marketplace and seek to capitalize on them

Advanced computing architectures are necessary to support the demands of wide area radiology.

Progress in wide-bore technology precedes advances of Healthymagination initiative.

Specialties outside of radiology could benefit from unified databases and iPhone applications.

Impact on patient safety, hospital stay lead list of vendor priorities for scanner enhancements.

New twists on digital detectors spark vendors' hope for long-awaited commercial success.

Efforts to increase comfort result in speedier exams and improved image quality.

Workflow, patient comfort, image quality rise with innovative devices and applications.

Feet-first and ‘boreless’ magnets address clinical and patient comfort needs.

MultiTransmit technology enables customers to realize 3T benefits in breast, body imaging.