Strain imaging, or elastography, has become a common ultrasound technique to assess properties of suspicious masses in the breast. Recently, researchers have begun exploring new clinical targets for the technique, from evaluating thyroid masses to confirming the margin of ablated tumors. Join Diagnostic Imaging for a panel discussion of strain ultrasound imaging and emerging targets.
GE launched today Healthymagination, a six-year initiative that will redirect half of its $1 billion healthcare R&D budget toward driving down the cost of healthcare while boosting access to improved care through technology and service innovations in the U.S. and around the world. More »
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine has launched a social networking site to allow attendees to hook up, discuss, and even blog before, during, and after the group’s 2009 meeting in New York City starting April 2. At least a dozen ultrasound subspecialties are now linked through the... More »
The Obama administration has sent to Congress a budget that relies on radiology benefit managers to cut imaging utilization costs, mirroring a recommendation issued last summer by the Government Accountability Office. Just like that recommendation did, the budget proposal drew criticism from imaging... More »
Japanese researchers have established by studying nearly 500 patients that ultrasound is just as useful as CT in diagnosing intraperitoneal free air in patients suffering from abdominal pain or acute injury. More »
A new endovascular sonic lysis system reduces thrombolytic dosage for treating peripheral thrombi while lessening the risk of hemorrhage by dissolving clots in as little as 12 hours, according to a report from southern Florida interventionalists at the 2009 International Symposium on Endovascular... More »
Screening tackles hidden cardiovascular disease in retired football pros
February 2008 The colossal linemen of the National Football League and large folks in general may have more in common than their size. Everyone who weighs more than 300 pounds is more than twice as likely as a lighter person to die from a heart attack or stroke, according to a study sponsored by the Living Heart Foundation.
Sonographers worldwide face debilitating injuries October 2007 Increasing volumes of work and demanding schedules, exacerbated by staff shortages and the pressures of working in a target-driven environment, contribute to the increased prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers, according to leaders in the field.
Focused ultrasound spells a year of fibroid pain relief October 2007 Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers in Boston have shown that MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery reduces the painful symptoms of uterine leiomyomas for at least a year after treatment. Better technique and growing experience with the minimally invasive procedure have improved its effectiveness and safety while helping physicians with patient selection.
Sonography reveals causes of acute or chronic groin pain July 2007 Groin pain, whether acute or chronic, is a common clinical presentation that can be caused by a diverse array of disorders involving different anatomic structures. This makes definitive diagnosis difficult for even the most experienced clinician. Imaging can be invaluable in both localizing and characterizing otherwise uncertain groin pathology.
Ultrasound's future in play:
Will radiologists remain in the picture?
March 2007 Diagnostic ultrasound is ideal for many patients. No other imaging option gives them a real-time look at their own anatomy or so openly encourages discussion with the radiologist about their symptoms and the evidence of disease on the monitor. Ultrasound is safe, patient-friendly, and inexpensive. But while patients welcome it, many radiologists in the U.S. want it to go away.
Automated breast US nears clinical acceptance February 2007 Breast ultrasound is a highly useful tool in the hands of an expert, but it is notoriously operator-dependent. Systems that offer partial or full automation to minimize performance variability are gaining attention, as trial data accumulate and system designs evolve.
Three-D polishes ultrasound's image, pumps up demand January 2006 Newly developed ultrasound probe technology that acquires data in one sweeping stroke is propelling 3D ultrasound into new realms. Aided by software that reconstructs volumetric information, radiologists can review ultrasound data on workstations the same way they do CT and MR.
Scanning techniques further ultrasound contrast's cause October 2006 Gas-filled microbubbles have generated considerable interest as a means of improving ultrasound's ability to gather vascular information. Dedicated scanning techniques, which have boosted the sensitivity and specificity of microbubble-assisted imaging, are now helping to clarify the agents' full potential, according to experts in the field.
Elastography stretches horizons of breast ultrasound June 2006 Born in the U.S. and incubated in research facilities for more than 15 years, ultrasound elastography emerged with a splash across the Atlantic at the 2006 European Congress of Radiology. Researchers at the March meeting hailed the technique's potential to dramatically reduce benign breast biopsy rates.
Advanced applications make ultrasound more competitive November 2005 Although ultrasound use in medicine continues to grow, the modality faces increasingly stiff competition from other modalities such as CT, MRI, and PET, which have undergone startling advances in the past several years. To respond to this competition, radiologists can employ several rapidly developing new technologies to enhance ultrasound's capabilities.
