CT

Every major hospital in this country has a nuclear medicine department. Last year, 19.7 million nuclear medicine procedures were performed on 17.2 million women, men, and children in more than 7200 medical sites in the U.S.-a 15% increase from four years ago.

This fall brought good news for advocates of CT colonography. A study in the November issue of Radiology presented the latest results from the University of Wisconsin, and they were very good: in a population of 1110 patients, CT colonography demonstrated a positive predictive value of 93.8% for polyps 6 mm and larger, up from 58.5% in an earlier trial conducted at the same institution (Radiology 2006;241:417-425).

Nuclear medicine specialist Numa showed at the 2006 RSNA meeting enhancements for NumaLink, a cross-vendor data translation product, and NumaStore, a gamma camera and PET/CT image management system. The products promise greater connectivity within the nuclear medicine department and between nuclear medicine and radiology. Among NumaLink’s enhancements are DICOM translation capabilities for proprietary PET data sets, including those generated using Siemens and GE PET systems. The NumaStore upgrade supports Siemens’ preclinical microPET and the Inveon Dedicated PET small-animal imaging systems.

Software upgrades introduced by GE Healthcare this week for the company's LightSpeed VCT scanner promise to cut patient x-ray dose for coronary CT angiography by 70% or more and double the area covered during dynamic angiography and perfusion.

Amicas unveils software for referring docsBarco expands visualization offeringSiemens showcases MR advances

Software designed by researchers at the University of Chicago helps detect interval changes in successive nuclear medicine bone scans, and can reduce interpretation time by up to 32%, according to research presented in an educational exhibit at the RSNA meeting.

Toshiba readies 256-slice CT for Johns HopkinsSiemens unveils X series ultrasoundNaviscan launches PEM Flex Solo II

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.

Philips releases 1.5T to 3T upgradeGE shrinks BrightSpeed CTAloka upgrades ProSound Alpha 10Siemens integrates CR into mobile x-raySonoSite MicroMax sets new mark

Philips Medical Systems debuted a new flagship gamma camera on the RSNA exhibit floor: BrightView SPECT, a compact nuclear medicine camera that can be scaled to fit different needs and budgets.

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 2006 RSNA meeting.

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.

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.

IT specialist ScImage debuted a multidepartment PACS, Version 3.0 PicomEnterprise, at the 2006 RSNA meeting. The PACS uses a single database, which allows exams to be scheduled, tracked, reported, archived, and distributed across radiology, cardiology, nuclear medicine, and orthopedics using one Web-based log-on.

The assumption that CT colonography is the logical choice for pairing with optical colonoscopy to stage colorectal cancer took a hit at the RSNA meeting today. A prospective study from Europe shows that whole-body FDG-PET/CT is significantly more accurate than CT colonography for staging colorectal tumors.

Siemens unveils biplane angio systemMR pancreas agent receives orphan drug statusAquilion CT goes into "wide" blue yonderTeraRecon and Hitachi team up Dejarnette taps migration managerMaxant enhances workstation Kodak serves under the Tuscan sun

GE Healthcare will sign today an agreement with the Cleveland Clinic and outpatient provider AmSurg to explore how CT colonography might evolve into an accepted screening tool for colon cancer. The agreement calls for GE to provide equipment, engineering, and support; eRadiology, the teleradiology group within the Cleveland Clinic radiology division, will provide clinical expertise; and AmSurg will provide the outpatient facilities for conducting CTC exams.

Nuclear medicine technologists enjoy their jobs and find their salaries near the top of the scale for professions with similar educational requirements. They are concerned, however, about changes being wrought by new imaging technology and practice patterns, according to a survey sponsored by the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologists Section.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine wants healthcare providers to inform patients undergoing nuclear medicine treatment or testing that they may set off security alarms at high-risk locations with the radioactive materials in their bodies.

Kodak submits CR mammography data to FDAContextVision installs low-dose CT featureSectra launches next-generation management toolFonar revenues fallInSite annual revenues grow 56%Digital x-ray digs in

The imaging industry tallied another 34 FDA clearances in September, pushing the running count for the year to 261. Image management led all categories with 14 devices, followed by x-ray with 10, radiotherapy with four, ultrasound and CT each with two, and nuclear medicine with one. A surgical microscope accessory that is used to view intraoperative cerebral blood flow fits none of the traditional categories.

IMV study shows vibrant CT usageIBA launches Proton Therapy System at ASTROPhilips extends MR, CT oncology appsAccuray and Siemens strike allianceDouble Black releases calibration softwareEmageon net slips, revenues surge

Mercury teams with Koning, Brit SystemsSiemens signs California distributorDeJarnette inks national sales and service dealKodak offers to tweak provider performance

Siemens Medical Solutions will spotlight a new kind of medical display at the upcoming RSNA meeting, one that creates volumetric images that appear to hang in space beyond the flat screen of the monitor. Unlike similar systems that have popped up in the past, however, this display will not require the user to wear glasses.

Approach addresses pitfalls that have held back widespread use of SPECT/CT for myocardial ischemia

Breast scintigraphy with technetium-99m NC100692 is safe and effective and could be used to monitor cancer treatment response, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine

Optimal small bowel evaluation includes use of neutral contrast, 3D processing, and use of dose-reduction techniques

There is often confusion between doing the right things and doing things right. Perhaps the best way to explain the difference is with an example.

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