Siemens Healthcare showcased at RSNA 2008 a PET/CT designed with radiologists in mind. It emphasizes CT performance and casts PET as the “smart contrast” that enhances the dynamic information delivered by CT. Siemens is pitching the CT component of its new Biograph mCT (molecular CT) as the most important part of the scanner and the PET component as delivering complementary information.

The news was mixed for CT in the emergency department in research presented Wednesday at the RSNA meeting. CT was found to be better than ultrasound for diagnosing ER patients with abdominal pain, but radiation dose can be drastically reduced for patients suspected of appendicitis, according to authors of several studies.

Out of every 10 women whose mammogram or physical exam reveals potentially cancerous cells in their breasts, approximately three of them will have additional dangerous clusters the examinations missed, according to a recent study presented at the RSNA conference Wednesday.

For victims of psychological trauma, the challenge of suppressing painful memories may be rooted in the wiring of the brain, an ongoing study revealed at the RSNA conference Wednesday.

A neuroradiologist, a neurosurgeon, and a radiological technologist explained to an RSNA audience how working together to analyze fMR scans has significantly helped them pinpoint hard-to-reach brain tumors and plan delicate surgery, resulting in improved surgical outcomes.

Toshiba America Medical Systems has positioned its MicroPure ultrasound technology as a way to better characterize microcalcifications. The new technology, showcased at RSNA 2008 on Toshiba’s Aplio XG ultrasound scanner, improves the detection of small calcifications that otherwise may evade detection with ultrasound.

Extending its reach in applications for MR in women’s health, Toshiba unveiled at RSNA 2008 its Radiance Plus Breast Imaging Suite for use on the company’s two 1.5T scanners, the Vantage Atlas and Vantage Titan.

Philips Healthcare showcased its new value-oriented HD15 ultrasound system at RSNA 2008. The latest addition to Philips’ HD product line, commercially released in summer, is designed for use in small hospitals, clinics, and private practices.

The Brilliance iCT SP (scalable platform) scanner officially joined the Philips CT portfolio at RSNA 2008.

Web-PACS and IT developer Infinitt North America unveiled at RSNA 2008 a software tool that uses 3D and other postprocessing techniques to improve visualization and analysis of coronary vessels.

After two years of R&D, GE Healthcare released at RSNA 2008 a thin-client server to support 3D visualization on PCs.

The 2008 RSNA meeting serves as a reference point of sorts for two important trials testing the clinical efficacy of multislice cardiac CT. Results from the Core64 trials of 64-slice coronary CTA were published Nov. 28 while plans for a Core320 trial were announced in Chicago at the RSNA show.

As the mammography community embraces digital mammography, newly converted sites must overcome the challenge of comparing new images with old. PACSGEAR introduced at RSNA 2008 its solution to the problem.

Most radiologists know about the medical risks associated with patient exposure to ionizing radiation, but many are still in the dark about basic steps they can take to reduce patient exposure. A University of Michigan survey presented at the RSNA meeting found that a surprising percentage were unaware of methods to adjust mA and kVp during CT procedures.

FiatLux Imaging leveraged advances in the video gaming industry to develop software for processing 3D medical images, a product made to order for tight budgets.

A new configuration of GE Healthcare’s LightSpeed VCT cuts dose by up to 40% during routine imaging, according to the company.

A prototype system developed by the University of Maryland was able, for a time at least, to dramatically boost and document the communication of critical results findings, according to a presentation Tuesday. It’s since been sent back to the drawing board for more work, but points to a solution to a problem that vexes radiologists nationwide.

Adolescent gymnasts are developing a wider variety of arm, wrist, and hand injuries than previously described in gymnast-related medical literature, according to a retrospective review presented Monday at the RSNA meeting.

Researchers using a massive database of radiology reports to identify 10-year trends in scanning practices found mixed results. The good news: CT scans of children increased only slightly. In adults, however, they increased more than 50%, with abdominal and chest scans leading the way.

Radiologists should take much greater care over the patient information contained in their PowerPoint files, according to researchers from the University of Michigan.