Ultrasound

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.

Ultrasound could make the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis considerably more accurate, aiding in recommendations for treatment. Treatment decisions can depend on how far the disease has progressed, and the only way to measure the progression of rheumatoid arthritisis to identify which of a patient’s joints show synovitis. Yet a recent study shows that doctors miss swelling in the shoulder joints of 30% of patients.

Revenues from ultrasound scanners in the U.S. rose more than 5% last year compared with 2005 on the heels of increasing demand for echocardiography. A drop of 23% in upgrades, however, damped overall growth to just 2.6%, according to a new report by Klein Biomedical Consultants. Still the ultrasound market rose to a record $1.33 billion in 2006 and could go much higher. Sales are expected to grow at an annual rate of 5.8% to reach $1.76 billion by 2011, according to the report, “Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound Market in the USA: Challenges & Opportunities in the New Millennium, 2006.”

Earlier this year it was SonoSite and Zonare preparing to battle in court over ultrasound patents. Last week GE opened a new front, alleging SonoSite infringement of five GE patents.

Hepatitis and related syndromes may be a stronger predictor of early atherosclerosis than such classic risk factors as insulin resistance, according to Italian researchers.

Treatment guidelines from the FDA limit the ultrasonic ablation of uterine fibroids to 50% of the lesion mass, as seen and targeted with MRI, a limitation that has raised doubts in the medical community about whether the treatment can be effective. But Dr. Phyllis Gee, medical director of the North Texas Uterine Fibroid Institute in Plano, says physicians need not be concerned about the efficacy or long-lasting effect of this treatment.

Nerve blocks used for regional anesthesia in knee surgery can be made safer using ultrasound guidance for needle placement, lowering the necessary dose, according to a recent Italian study.

Features of high-end cart-based ob/gyn scanners officially trickled down to lapsize ultrasound systems this week when GE Healthcare launched its new ob/gyn portfolio at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists meeting in San Diego.

Epix expenses skyrocketCarestream taps Hobert as CEOToshiba installs first Atlas MRSiemens upgrades Antares

FDA clears Hansen EP robotic systemToshiba nabs ultrasound contractFinal data clock in for 64-slice CT trial

Researchers have found a way to use ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for gout. The noninvasive modality could serve as a potential supplement to blood, urine, and joint fluid tests, which don't always provide a definitive diagnosis.

Practitioners can choose either vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty to treat vertebral compression fractures until a prospective trial comparing the two techniques says otherwise, according a multisociety position statement in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. The statement does not fully address the economic impact of each treatment choice.

An increased demand for vascular ultrasound technologists and interventional technologists parallels an increase in the number of peripheral vascular disease cases and minimally invasive procedures.

Lower costs, speedier recovery, and reduced pain give uterine artery embolization an edge over surgery for fibroid treatment, according to a multicenter trial that examined the relative merits of the two methods.

Current teleradiology image transfer systems were developed for high-bandwidth networks and therefore cannot support radiographs or sonograms from remote or underdeveloped areas due to limited bandwidth availability at those locations.