Ultrasound

SonoSite unveiled its second hand-carried ultrasound unit in as many weeks. This one, like the one that came out Oct. 1, is focused on point-of-care ultrasound. Unlike the M-Turbo, however, which can handle a broad range of bedside applications, the S-FAST (Focused Assessment with Ultrasound for Trauma) was designed specifically for emergency medicine.

A surprise acquisition appeared at week’s end, as ultrasound saw both opportunity and threat. Features: GE acquires Web-based RIS/PACS vendor Dynamic Imaging; company execs give the inside story behind why and how. SonoSite launched its second point-of-care ultrasound system in as many weeks. The MR market in the U.S. is weathering the DRA rather well-here’s why. How to make sales at the RSNA (and look like you’re not really trying).

Europe expands Exablate clinical reachConvertible ultrasound shines at ASAToshiba fleet turns greenLCDs head for RSNAHigh-speed imager suits tight spaces

The Cardiac Diagnostic Laboratory at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis has stopped using Definity, the echocardiographic contrast agent marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb, according to an Oct. 11 memo obtained by Diagnostic Imaging.

SonoSite unveils handcarried ultrasound for nerve blocksBarnes-Jewish drops DefinityDRA stings GE, PhilipsSymbia adds low-cost cameraDictaphone plans RSNA releaseDigirad counsel steps down

Patient-controlled sedation and analgesia with a combination of propofol and fentanyl worked just as well as the standard gastroenterologist-administered midazolam and pethidine for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopic ultrasound exams. Patients and endoscopists were equally satisfied with each method.

FDA advises black box warning for ultrasound contrast agents

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Point-of-care medicine took a step forward Oct. 1 with the release of SonoSite’s latest hand-carried ultrasound system. M-Turbo, so named because of its speed, offers improved image clarity and ease of use. This is achieved, according to the company, through a 16-fold increase in processing power that allows the running of several algorithms that reduce artifacts, boost spatial resolution, and match imaging parameters to exam type.

It was a tumultuous week, marked by displaced products and industry execs. Features: The MR market shows signs of a rebound; DI SCAN explains why CT is struggling. Nuance acquired Commissure and spread its corporate focus from transcription to decision making. MicroMaxx dropped a peg in the SonoSite portfolio as M-Turbo was added to the mix, signaling a renewed emphasis by the company on point-of-care ultrasound. Ultrasound shapes and contours its way into “aesthetic medicine.”

Doppler sonography and 3D power Doppler angiography can distinguish between endometrial cancer and hyperplasia, according to researchers in Spain. The standard measurement of endometrial thickness alone, however, did not significantly differentiate between the two conditions.

SonoSite unveils emergency scanner SonoSite expands Indian operationsSiemens’ CAD set to shine at RSNAHopkins doc joins software boardMedtronic acquires Biophan patents

The commercial prospects of Definity and Optison, the only two ultrasound contrast media approved for clinical use in the U.S., may be damaged if the FDA moves ahead with plans to require black box warnings for the two echocardiography agents.

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Point-of-care medicine took a step forward Oct. 1 with the release of SonoSite’s latest hand-carried ultrasound system. M-Turbo, so named because of its speed, offers improved image clarity and ease of use. This is achieved, according to the company, through a 16-fold increase in processing power that allows the running of several algorithms that reduce artifacts, boost spatial resolution, and match imaging parameters to exam type.

Researchers in Austria showed duplex ultrasound measurements of the carotid artery could demonstrate the progression of stenosis and predict which patients would suffer serious cardiovascular complications.

Increasing volumes of work and demanding schedules, exacerbated by staff shortages and the pressures of working in a target-driven environment, contribute to the increased prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers, according to leaders in the field.

Breast ultrasound significantly increases detection of cancers in high-risk women but takes a big toll on the rate of benign biopsies, according to the initial results of a screening trial sponsored by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network and the Avon Foundation.

For nearly a decade, radiologists have used breast ultrasound as an adjunct to x-ray mammography to avoid unnecessary biopsies in equivocal cancer cases. Now ultrasound innovations that increase image resolution while decreasing operator dependence are reflected in a study published in the July issue of Radiology.

Three-D ultrasound designed for cardiac imaging may be just what interventionalists need to improve the administration of nerve blocks, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

The number of image-guided percutaneous interventions being performed, including tissue biopsies, fluid aspiration, and catheter insertions, has increased markedly. The rising popularity of these procedures is due to their less invasive nature and lower risk compared with surgery, their high diagnostic accuracy, and the substantial cost savings they provide.

Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers in Boston have shown that MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery reduces the painful symptoms of uterine leiomyomas for at least a year after treatment. Better technique and growing experience with the minimally invasive procedure have improved its effectiveness and safety while helping physicians with patient selection.

Doppler ultrasound breast tumor exams conducted prior to chemotherapy can reliably predict the outcome of treatment, according to research conducted in India. Most breast cancer is treated with chemotherapy prior to surgery. The traditional way to assess the success of this chemotherapy is to study tissue samples collected at surgery. In this study, researchers developed a scoring method using Doppler ultrasound to predict chemotherapy success.

Both ultrasound alone and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of lymph nodes are reliable ways to stage invasive lobular carcinoma, a form of breast cancer occurring in only 10% to 15% of cases. Although preoperative assessment can be quite challenging with this cancer, research from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston found ultrasound to be as effective for staging invasive lobular carcinoma as it is for the more common invasive ductal carcinoma.

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The American College of Radiology has asked members for feedback on a draft of clinical performance measures involving several radiology subspecialty areas. The measures, designed to improve the quality of medical services, may be used to support pay-for-performance plans sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Doing full fetal anatomical surveys during follow-up exams of low-risk pregnancies can identify unanticipated fetal anomalies, particularly if the exams are intended to monitor fetal growth.

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Radiology practitioner assistants can perform image-guided venous access procedures just as safely as do interventional radiologists, IR fellows, and residents, according to a study in the August issue of the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.

Ultrasound could stand in for MRI in evaluating muscle atrophy in diabetic patients, with the advantage of being a bedside tool, according to Danish researchers.