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Anecdotal evidence abounds for coronary CT angiography’s value in detecting heart disease in high-risk asymptomatic patients, and referring cardiologists are increasingly enthusiastic about its use. But do the facts support the confidence? A small new study suggests they do, at least for some referring doctors.

A top official for the American College of Cardiology says cardiologists should drive quality improvements in cardiac imaging, and that a major effort should be made to increase how imaging is used in cardiology research and practice.

Colonic diverticular disease won't spoil CT colonography as long as radiologists apply a 3D imaging approach, according to a study by University of Wisconsin researchers.

Buoyed by highly promising preliminary results, radiologists and cardiologists are lining up to learn coronary artery CT. Interest is growing in new CCT fellowships and medical conferences offering CCT training. Record sales of cardiovascular 64-slice CT scanners, many installed in the first half of 2006, are fueling the demand.

I believe myself fortunate to have a soapbox-this column in DI-from which to opine my views on the legal and regulatory issues encountered in my practice representing radiologists. Few issues have been as nettlesome, or as hot politically, as the one involving shared arrangements for radiologists and cardiologists to interpret cardiac CT angiography studies. It is my strongly held view that there are significant regulatory issues with many of these shared reading or overread arrangements between cardiologists and radiologists. If such arrangements are not structured correctly, I am concerned radiologists could face legal exposure.

Business Briefs

Siemens installs dual-source CTsFonar rebrands flagship MR scanner…againBerlex aligns with Washington University

Definitive evidence that coronary CT angiography can replace conventional angiography is lacking, according to a report presented on the last day of the 8th Annual International Symposium on Multidetector-Row CT in San Francisco.

Anecdotal evidence abounds for coronary CT angiography’s value in detecting heart disease in high-risk asymptomatic patients, and referring cardiologists are increasingly enthusiastic about its use. But do the facts support the confidence? A small new study suggests they do, at least for some referring doctors.

A series of prospective, multicenter trials comparing 16-slice CT angiography with conventional angiography show results similar to single-center trials, although CTA performance in some applications is slightly lower than previously reported, according to presentations at the Stanford Multidetector-Row CT meeting on Saturday.

Minimizing contrast while maximizing quality is a perennial challenge for CT imagers. But it can be met by following a few simple tips. The key is developing a protocol that makes the most of the contrast being used, said Dr. Michael Lev, director of emergency neuroradiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, speaking at the Stanford Multidetector-Row CT meeting in San Francisco.

Business briefs

ContextVision reaches milestoneFDA clears Barco cardiac analysisDynamic Imaging taps new executiveMedrad plans to expand production of sterile disposables

Business Briefs

GE equipment performs CT helical shuttle, dual-energy scansUltrasound for iPodsEclipsys to acquire lab software companyGE releases CardIQ Fusion

From the Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting, an audio interview with Jeff Grenier, director of marketing and sales for Stockholm-based Hermes Medical Solutions, about the company’s plans for referring physician outreach and expansion into PACS.

GE Healthcare commercially launched its quad-slice Infinia Hawkeye SPECT/CT at the Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting. The company also kicked off a sales campaign for its 64-slice Discovery PET/CT.

From the Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting exhibit floor, an audio interview with Karthik Kuppusamy, Ph.D., general manger for Americas nuclear medicine, PET/CT, and cyclotron business at GE Healthcare, who touted the company’s Discovery VCT.

The 2006 meeting of the Academy of Molecular Imaging occupied the middle ground between meetings of its two sister societies, the eminently scientific Society for Molecular Imaging and the clinically oriented Society of Nuclear Medicine.

Image reconstruction software that virtually unfolds the colon wall could shorten CT colonography's reading time without compromising diagnostic accuracy, according to researchers at the 2005 RSNA meeting.