RSNA

An abbreviated field-of-view can lead to a 48% cut in radiation dose for CT pulmonary embolism exams and 96% dose reduction compared to full-view 64-slice CT triple rule-out without affecting the diagnostic sensitivity of either procedure.

Siemens Medical Solutions demonstrated on the RSNA exhibit floor a novel marriage between industrial robotics and advanced C-arm technology. Its new work-in-progress, Artis zeego, is based on technology developed for heavy equipment manufacture.

In a surprising discovery, researchers from Germany have found that whole-body staging of patients with recently diagnosed malignant melanoma using either MRI or PET/CT could miss a substantial number of metastatic lesions.

Thomas Jefferson University researchers have demonstrated that a 64-slice CT triple rule-out exam can, with 99.3% certainty, dismiss the presence of acute coronary syndrome in the emergency room for chest pain patients at mild or intermediate risk for ACS. The test also diagnosed pulmonary emboli and other noncardiac sources of the patients’ discomfort.

Canon Medical Systems has taken concerns about falling reimbursements as the justification for a program in which hospitals and other medical facilities can upgrade their x-ray equipment with digital detectors.

Cancer of the lung is overwhelmingly the most common cause of suits involving thoracic disease, outdistancing by far any other condition within the confines of the thoracic cavity. Conversely, failure to diagnose gastrointestinal conditions is an uncommon cause of suits against radiologists, but perforated viscus awards are much higher than for other gastrointestinal conditions.

Integration is an essential theme for National Institutes of Health director Dr. Elias Zerhouni. His vision for medical research revolves around the use of breakthrough science to address major health needs.

Hitachi Medical Systems formally launched its 1.2T vertical field open MR scanner at the RSNA meeting. Oasis, shown as a work-in-progress at last year’s meeting, cleared the FDA in September.

Magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) and ultrasound bring different strengths to imaging and treating joint injuries and stresses, according to research presented at the RSNA meeting. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a superior method of assessing of neovascularity in patients with lateral epicondylitis, while MR can detect signs of recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome after surgery. A combination of MRI and ultrasound may be the most effective solution for imaging medial elbow pain.

Biospace Med is showing off an innovative low-dose, high-contrast EOS digital x-ray system that uses two matched sets of x-ray tubes and detectors. Designed specifically for whole-body scanning, the system relies on orthogonally mounted x-ray chains that scan the standing patient and acquire data in continuous top-to-bottom motion.

Esaote introduced S-SCAN, a dedicated joint and spine MR scanner derived from the company’s earlier released G-SCAN system. It includes improved electronics, new coils for lumbar and cervical spine, new pulse sequences, and a modified magnet.

Radiologist and NIH director Dr Elias Zerhouni gave yet another talk on trends in the imaging sciences. He deserves special attention, since he is probably the only radiologist at the meeting who can actually direct those trends. I can talk about trends all day, but I have trouble controlling my seven- and nine-year-old sons.

Planning for your next PACS within the contractual confines of a current implementation is a prudent business strategy, two University of Southern California radiologists advised fellow users.

Fonar featured a new scoliosis application for its Upright MR scanner. New software and a receiver coil produce coronal, sagittal, and axial views of the entire spine.

Spectrum Dynamics unveiled at the RSNA meeting the commercial version of its D-SPECT Cardiac gamma camera, which promises to cut the time typically needed to do a SPECT heart scan by 75% or more. Time savings come from solid-state cadmium-zinc-telluride detectors and proprietary image reconstruction techniques, according to the company.

Evidence is mounting that CT is overused for ruling out pulmonary embolism, exposing patients unnecessarily to radiation and hiking up healthcare costs, according to research presented Tuesday morning.

A wide-bore 3T scanner small enough to fit in the same footprint as a 1.5T system debuted at Siemens RSNA booth. At 170 cm, Verio is the shortest 3T on the market, according to the company, but the 70-cm bore diameter may be of greater interest to prospective buyers.

Digital tomosynthesis detects more breast masses, better categorizes those masses, and produces lower callback rates than conventional mammography, according to research presented at the RSNA meeting. In a study of symptomatic patients, tomosynthesis was not superior to mammography, but a combination of the two techniques detected more carcinomas than either alone.

Detecting, classifying, analyzing, and managing errors can help avoid the repetition of preventable mistakes and minimize harmful effects, according to a research team from Boston.

Researchers called for both legislation and public awareness to curb the magnitude and severity of injuries to children from accidents on all-terrain vehicles after compiling the largest series of imaging findings in children suffering ATV injuries.

HIV-positive patients could benefit from the ability of MR diffusion tensor imaging to reveal microscopic changes in their spinal cords before abnormalities show up on conventional MR imaging. The early warning could identify those who would benefit from antiretroviral therapy.

Pulmonary embolism and other conditions may be detected in pregnant women using lower radiation doses than is currently standard, according to studies presented at the RSNA meeting on Monday. New techniques show promise, but obstacles such as small study populations and the lack of prospective trials must be overcome before a definitive protocol can be devised.

I don’t know if it is my own insecurity or a real phenomenon, but I feel like corporate America is creeping further into radiology, and most of my life, every year. The number of teleradiology companies continues to expand, and now two of them are publicly held. Every year, more of us become employees of for-profit firms.

Executives at Siemens Medical Solutions hope to end eight years of slice wars with a work-in-progress CT platform unveiled this week at the RSNA meeting.

Public policymakers have long sought valid scientific evidence linking lung disease and secondhand smoke. Their wait ended Monday at the 2007 RSNA meeting, when Chengbo Wang, Ph.D., announced clinical trial results using hyperpolarized helium-3 diffusion MRI to make the connection.

The massive American College of Radiology Imaging Network 6666 trial shows that adding ultrasound to the initial screening protocol for high-risk women could help detect 30% more cancers. The cost, however, could be many more needless biopsies of benign lesions.

In a novel approach to cervical spine trauma, researchers have found that changes in diffusion tensor imaging parameters are most marked at the spinal cord injury site and also reflect the severity of cord injury.

New CT perfusion scanning techniques that are safer and faster than older CT protocols could offer a practical imaging alternative to MR perfusion for stroke patients, according to two studies presented at the 2007 RSNA meeting. Findings also emphasize a new trend for widening the window for thrombolysis.

The soft, white sound of an air conditioner forcing air into a radiology reading room may be music to the virtual ear of speech recognition reporting systems and improve accuracy during automated radiology report transcription.

Executives at Siemens Medical Solutions are out to give competitors, including those selling reburbished MRs, a run for their money. Listing below $1 million, the company’s new Essenza MR scanner is the most affordable 1.5T system in the industry.