Ultrasound

The American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging have walked away from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, an ambitious effort to certify breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided interventions backed by the American College of Surgeons. They disagree with the program’s accreditation standards, especially minimal physician qualifications for interpreting breast ultrasound and performing ultrasound-guided breast interventions.

InSite One enhances archiveMedrad CT injector detects contrast poolingDetails emerge about SonoSite convertible notesFonar reports surge in MR salesInSight readies for emergence from bankruptcy

SonoSite prepares $150M note offeringBiospace med plans ortho DR for U.S.Alliance provides Intelerad archivingMedrad snags Canadian contractAurora Imaging recruits Nobel physicist

Echocardiography is already widely accepted as a diagnostic test for infective endocarditis, but now researchers have proven it’s also a cost-effective option. Making decisions about early surgery for patients with significant stroke risk based on echocardiographic findings is ultimately more economical than standard care.

SonoSite projects strong quarterSiemens inks particle beam contract

SonoSite counter sues GETyco spins off health unit

Waiting period expires for Hologic/CytycTeraRecon notches settlement in 3D litigationConfirma appoints new CFOZonare snags ultrasound orderFDA clears CT software for lung and liver

Despite a 2005 consensus statement on the management of thyroid nodules detected at ultrasound, research presented at the 2006 RSNA meeting found wide variation in the criteria used to determine which nodules were chosen for aspiration. That shouldn"t be too surprising as even the panel of radiologists, endocrine surgeons, and endocrinologists who hammered out the consensus statement could not do so in perfect harmony.

Groin pain, whether acute or chronic, is a common clinical presentation that can be caused by a diverse array of disorders involving different anatomic structures. This makes definitive diagnosis difficult for even the most experienced clinician. Imaging can be invaluable in both localizing and characterizing otherwise uncertain groin pathology.

Merge upgrades mammo workstation for EUCivco refines ultrasound needle systems

June will be remembered as the month in which the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine renewed its crusade to have contrast agents approved for use beyond the heart. The Institute’s Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine published several papers dedicated to this topic, including an editorial article by two leading sonologists and a white paper outlining the AIUM’s strategy to get FDA approval. The JUM also included original research papers exploring microbubble contrast applications, mostly in the liver.

Intestinal parasites often cause no symptoms until they move into other parts of the body. Ascaris lumbricoides worms sometimes invade the biliary tract, a condition called biliary ascariasis. Identifying this problem can be difficult, but ultrasound was able to detect the worms in a study done in Yemen.

GE takes over ultrasound CAD productCarestream Health signs high-profile IT clients

Intestinal parasites often cause no symptoms until they move into other parts of the body. Ascaris lumbricoides worms sometimes invade the biliary tract, a condition called biliary ascariasis. Identifying this problem can be difficult, but ultrasound was able to detect the worms in a study done in Yemen.

The first study of its type has found ultrasound to be acceptable alternative to invasive biopsy for the management of tumors hidden to x-ray mammography but diagnosed as probably benign by the ultrasound Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, according to a study in the July issue of Radiology.

Philips unveils Live 3D Echo for TEE

The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine unveiled a new strategy aiming at final FDA approval of contrast media for clinical ultrasound applications outside cardiology. The white paper outlining the plan appears in the June issue of the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Neurosurgery depends heavily on the ability of the surgeon to navigate through what can be seen as well as what cannot. MR- and CT-guided neuronavigational tools lately have done much to fill in the blanks with 3D maps that provide the context for interventions. Now biomedical engineers at Duke University are researching how ultrasound might provide a real-time guide to such surgeries.

Civco introduces prostate needle guideCirino joins Imaging Dynamics as chairmanDamadian wins inventor of the year award Radlink wins CR dealPhilips plans cybersecurity webinar

Siemens highlights cardiovascular assessmentAurora expands breast MR operation to AsiaIBA launches headquarters in Beijing Gamma Medica-Ideas unveils high-performance CT

Real-time 3D echocardiography can measure mitral annular size and function as accurately as MRI, according to Egyptian researchers. They studied patients with both hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Research published in the June issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine suggests that radiolabeled recombinant tissue plasminogen activator can perform double duty for evaluations of deep vein thrombosis: It can diagnose the presence of DVT and distinguish between new and old thrombi. Peer-reviewed reports in the May medical literature reflect the growing value of medical imaging for diagnosing, assessing, and guiding the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

iCAD pairs with Agfa for mammography systemSonoSite extends availability of algorithmAurora offers breast MR insurance supportContextVision lands OEM contractsAmicas picks up major IT contract

Outer space technology looks inwardAlliance takes aim at IT

Ultrasound measurements of the inferior vena cava can predict shock in trauma patients entering the emergency room. While ultrasound is already used to identify sources of internal bleeding, researchers recommend adding measurement of the inferior vena cava to the standard focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST). This measurement can provide valuable information about how low blood volume has dropped, the key factor in hypovolemic shock.

GE introduces vascular ultrasound IT Iomega aims to store ultrasound data

The elderly patient was a major donor to the hospital. Intraoperative ultrasound revealed an unexpected liver lesion. Color Doppler showed vascularity. If the lesion was a cancerous tumor, the entire liver would need to be removed, the surgeon told radiologist Dr. Stephen Horii. Only histology would reveal actual pathology.

Quantitative ultrasound, the standard method for measuring bone quality, also correlates with bone mineral density and biochemical markers for bone turnover in women aged 66 to 77, according to a study from Greece. Older women in rural areas and others who lack access to biochemical labs and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry equipment, the standard for measuring bone density, could therefore be screened for complete bone status using ultrasound.

Hysterosalpingography is the radiographic evaluation of the uterine cavity and fallopian tubes after injection of radiopaque contrast through the cervical canal. The first hysterosalpingography, performed in 1910, was considered to be the first interventional radiological procedure.

Expectant parents no longer seem satisfied with keeping 3D fetal videos in their DVD collection armoire. Now they are posting them on the web. This practice could undermine organized radiology efforts to rein in unwarranted fetal sonography scans.