RSNA

Sixty-four-slice cardiac CT may be the most disruptive technology to hit coronary artery imaging since the introduction of SPECT. And its influence does not end at the diagnosis of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.

PACS vendor CoActiv Medical Business Solutions highlighted a multimodality cardiovascular module for its Exam-PACS at the RSNA meeting. The new cardiovascular functionality combines local and remote viewing, management, distribution, and archiving of cardiac studies across several modalities, including nuclear cardiology, echocardiography, MR, and CT.

When I step onto the RSNA shuttle bus early Sunday morning, two questions dominate my thoughts: Am I out of my mind going to work at this hour on a holiday weekend? What’s the ambiance of RSNA going to be like this year?

Relying on CT multiplanar reconstructions alone to pick up cervical spine fractures in blunt trauma patients is too risky, researchers said at an emergency radiology session at the RSNA meeting on Monday.

Multislice CT allows accurate measurement, guidance, and assessment of several minimally invasive interventional procedures to fix pelvic, spinal, and other musculoskeletal lesions, according to studies from France and Germany presented at the RSNA meeting Monday.

Software developer Viztek unveiled Opal-Rad, a Web-based thin-client PACS with image streaming, at the RSNA meeting. Opal-Rad downloads applications from a central server, turning PCs into diagnostic workstations.

A superbug may be lurking in the remote corners of your MRI or CT unit. Unless you adopt a rigorous cleaning regime, it could pose a grave risk to patients, according to new research from Ireland.

German researchers have found that low-dose 64-slice CT colonography accurately detects colorectal polyps in a screening population. They also tested a new 3D visualization tool that enables simultaneous antegrade and retrograde views, significantly decreasing interpretation time.

The Molecular Imaging Zone, a new feature of the RSNA meeting, gives radiologists a chance to learn how molecular imaging applies to their current and future practice.

The era of 64-slice CT angiography as a tool to rule out cardiac catheterization in patients with an intermediate risk of coronary artery disease moved closer to reality at the RSNA meeting. A study confirming its superiority over dual-isotope SPECT for identifying CAD in these patients was reported in a Monday session.

The Axiom Artis dBA Twin, equipped with two 30 by 40-cm flat detectors, debuted at the RSNA meeting, positioned by Siemens Medical Systems as offering the largest anatomical coverage of any biplane system available.

Use of breast ultrasound and breast MRI in Medicare beneficiaries has been on the rise, but mammography utilization has not kept apace. Following a big boost in the number of mammograms in the late 1990s, growth has slowed in recent years. The reason could be waning awareness of screening programs or possibly a decline in access due to center closures.

News that two views are better than one with the emerging and promising technology of breast tomosynthesis raises questions about the technique’s practicality and cost-effectiveness as a screening tool.

Three-D interpretation tools have rapidly found their way into the image review process but seamless integration with workstations remains a barrier to widespread adoption, according to a study presented at the RSNA meeting on Sunday.

You can tell a lot about current trends in radiology just by walking around the exhibit halls in McCormick Place. I can remember when some of the largest displays were film companies and x-ray tube producers. No more.

Just when the bickering about vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty seemed headed for history, several presentations at the RSNA meeting Sunday rekindled debate over the right fix for vertebral compression fractures.

Semi-automated vessel analysis software offered by five vendors tends to underestimate the degree of carotid stenosis, particularly at the higher levels that indicate a need for corrective action, according to a study presented at the RSNA meeting Sunday.

Fatal complications resulting from interventional procedures can be avoided in up to half of cases if radiologists follow the correct procedures. Being familiar with good technique, understanding the desired end point of any procedure, and knowing when to ask for help are keys to success.

Positional MRI, which allows patients free range of motion during imaging, has allowed researchers to determine the optimal sitting posture to reduce chronic back problems. The technique may also be of value in future seating design.

Elasticity imaging with ultrasound allows radiologists to accurately distinguish benign from malignant breast lesions, according to a study presented at the RSNA meeting on Monday. Researchers using the technique correctly identified both cancerous and benign lesions in nearly all of the cases studied.

Seeking to broaden the appeal of its line of gamma cameras, Philips Medical Systems released at the RSNA show today BrightView, a new SPECT platform that can be configured to meet customer demands for premium or value performance. The variable angle dual-head BrightView can handle any exam, including cardiac studies, even supporting multiple acquisition protocols simultaneously.

Although MR colonography (MRC) is proving to be an effective method of colorectal screening, patients are no more likely to accept it than optical colonoscopy, according to two studies presented at the RSNA meeting.

EDDA Technology introduced its enterprise-wide computer-aided detection solution for digital x-ray at the 2006 RSNA meeting. The new version of the company's chest CAD product, IQQA-Chest Enterprise, has evolved from a dedicated workstation to one that can be used on existing PACS review consoles.

Siemens Medical Solutions has launched its newly acquired MammoTest breast biopsy table at the RSNA meeting. Rights to the system were acquired by Siemens this summer from now-defunct Fischer Imaging in a deal brokered by the Federal Trade Commission. Managers in every country should be well versed on the prone stereotactic biopsy unit and ready to begin selling it globally, said Erica Rouleau, national sales director for women’s health at Siemens.

Noncathartic bowel preparation is not an obstacle to accurate CT colonography (CTC). Preparations such as fecal tagging, electronic cleansing, and the use of stool-subtraction algorithms produce results comparable to those obtained with conventional bowel-cleansing preparations, according to studies presented at the RSNA meeting on Monday.

A first study of its kind has quantified the degree to which patients seek care across multiple unaffiliated medical facilities. The results suggest substantial mobility that could yield significant potential savings from the sharing of images across institutional borders.

Two new IT products from Mercury Computer Systems that are ready for commercial release are being highlighted at the 2006 RSNA meeting. The advanced function, new clinical applications, and improved image quality and performance of the Visage CS and Visage PACS will be featured. The company announced on Nov. 17 that its PACS and client server have cleared the FDA.

Aurora Technologies will begin routinely upgrading its installed base of about 20 dedicated breast MR scanners with an acquisition capability that boosts signal-to-noise by 300%, according to the company. The upgrade, called spiral RODEO (Rotating Delivery of Excitation Off-resonance), was commercially launched at the RSNA meeting.

News that CT use in the emergency room is soaring gets cheers in some corners and jeers in others. Radiologists heard from both sides of the appropriateness debate at a Monday morning session at the RSNA meeting.

I'm not sure why, but I think today is the best opening day of the RSNA meeting I can remember. Maybe it's because the weather in Chicago yesterday and today has been beautiful. Maybe getting lucky and finding several nice Christmas presents for my family last night, in just a couple of hours of shopping, is the reason. Maybe the fact that I didn't party last night is responsible.