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.