Ultrasound

Image-guided percutaneous biopsy is safe and accurate, and it holds potential for eliminating needless nephrectomies, according to two studies presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society meeting in Vancouver.

Emory operates 64-slice PET/CTIMV study shows ultrasound expanding

GE Healthcare introduced today a miniaturized version of its 4D ultrasound system for women’s health and prenatal applications. The Voluson i is about the size of a laptop yet produces real-time volumetric images and displays them on a screen as big as the company’s cart-based 4D Voluson 730.

A California lawmaker has announced a bill that would restrict sales of ultrasound machines to medical professionals. The move follows public safety concerns raised by actor Tom Cruise’s November 2005 purchase of sophisticated equipment to perform ultrasound exams on his pregnant fiancée.

Portable ultrasound meets laptopR2 allies with GECedara and Swissray team upEclipsys revenues rise 19%U.S. Electronics unveils 5-MP display at SIIMNeurostar boosts network capabilitiesBrit Systems enhances image management

Percutaneous cryoablation of renal tumors is 100% effective, according to a report presented Monday at the American Roentgen Ray Society meeting.

For years, interventional radiologists have seen vascular disease management slip through their fingers and into the hands of cardiologists and surgeons. A new ultrasound-based technique, however, may help them reclaim lost turf.

SonoSite allies with Siemens in GermanyFDA approves optimized digital mammography unitCommissure launches RadCube suite

Schering boards recommend Bayer bidKodak plans product unveilings at SCAR meetingTomTec unveils 4D cardiac packageiCAD, R2 split decision in patent arbitrationCerner snags Australian contract

The industry rebounded in March from a sluggish start to the year as the FDA cleared 34 devices under 510(k) review, nearly matching the number cleared in the previous two months together. March brought the total to 72 radiological devices cleared so far in 2006, making up for the slow start and putting vendors on track with previous years.

Researchers from Seoul National University Medical Center have found that breast cancers detected by ultrasound only are not very sensitive to computer-aided detection.

Renal cell cancer is the most frequently encountered malignant tumor in the kidney. Over 30,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the U.S. Many cases are now detected incidentally, as a result of the widespread use of multislice CT. MSCT usage is also redefining diagnostic workup of renal lesions and facilitating renal cell cancer staging.

Ultrasound provides a safe and accurate method of detecting breast cancer and assessing response to chemotherapy in pregnant women, according to a study in the April issue of Radiology.

Electrical waveforms guide lumpectomyZonare snags Kaiser Permanente contract

Duke University engineers have developed a miniature ultrasound transducer capable of generating data for high-quality real-time 3D images, transducers so small they fit in a laparoscope, intracardiac catheter, or transesophageal probe. So far the images have been only of dogs, but Duke’s lead engineer on the project believes the step to human application is a small one.

FDA clears radiotherapy packageMerge struggles with financialsPreclinical optical imaging system releasedNew Cell processor puts Mercury on cutting edgePie Medical changes nameInsight acquires East Bay clinic

Siemens simplifies interventional workflowR2 Licenses remote support softwareBiosound launches anesthesiology scannerSwearingen offers RIS swapTraumaCad enters England

Results from a new study confirm that ultrasound reliably predicts success and failure of single-dose methotrexate treatment of ectopic pregnancy. On the basis of their findings, Boston Medical Center researchers say a change is needed in clinical protocols.

Toshiba installs five CV labs at Borgess Brachytherapy provider to distribute argetScan Optical imaging probes enter biomedical market FDA releases list of imaging opportunities Cardiac agent moves to next phase Module builder unveils transportable MR facilities Volcano files for IPO Terason signs with Premier PET/CT, preclinical systems debut at AMI MR Instruments appoints new COO North American Scientific readies launch of breast initiative ScImage and Excribe partner Film prices climb drastically NEMA exec nears career end Cedara readies advanced orthopedic software Fischer faces end of the line Mammography volume inches upward Outpatient provider bags $161 million in credit Siemens unveils upgrades at AIUM meeting Del Global names VP Emageon recruits new COO IT developers partner in orthopedics Positron woos Canada SonoSite prevails in patent case

MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery is a safe, effective treatment for uterine fibroids. The number and size of fibroids do not affect outcome, according to a pair of studies presented at the 2005 RSNA meeting.

Transvaginal ultrasound and serum CA 125 blood tests, used individually or in combination, can detect ovarian cancer early, according to preliminary results from a study conducted by the National Cancer Institute. But both tests produce too many false positives, prompting needless surgeries.

Patients often ask sonographer Cynthia Rapp just what it takes to perform ultrasound. Her frank response about the necessary qualifications sometimes comes as a surprise.

Data from around the world released at the 2005 RSNA meeting suggest that contrast-enhanced ultrasound use in molecular imaging will expand. Applications include the evaluation of tumor angiogenesis and lymph node metastases at nearly cellular levels as well as guidance, delivery, and assessment of gene therapy.

A radiologist was given a two-year prison term for using ultrasound to determine the sex of a fetus, according to a March 29 Associated Press report.

Findings of a Stanford University survey suggest teaching hospitals should reinforce training for radiology residents if they are to perform after-hours ultrasound scanning. Using residents to make up for the shortage of qualified sonographers could undermine medical education and compromise patient care. Data were published in the February issue of Academic Radiology.

Toshiba launches dual-panel system at ACC showAn angiography system that supports both cardiac and peripheral applications debuted March 11 in the Toshiba America Medical Systems booth during the American College of Cardiology meeting. Infinix DP-i/FD2, which incorporates two flat-panel detectors, meets ACC guidelines for both types of applications, according to the company. The system features an 8 x 8-inch floor-mounted cardiac C-arm and a 12 x 16-inch ceiling-mounted C-arm. The design allows coronary and vascular studies on the same table, increasing overall patient comfort and saving time that would otherwise be lost moving the patient to a second system.

A decade has passed since luminaries began generating promising clinical results using ultrasound elastography, which measures the elastic properties of tissue. Two years ago, Hitachi Medical began commercializing this technology. Now that company’s experience with its EUB Logos 8500 and pioneering work with a modified Siemens Allegra suggest that efforts to push elastography forward could soon begin paying dividends for vendors, customers, and patients.

The FDA was good to the radiology industry in 2005. For the third time in as many years -- and the fourth in the last five -- the regulatory agency cleared more than 300 radiological products. The last quarter could have been better, however.

Using intravascular ultrasound, researchers have found that intensive cholesterol lowering with a statin drug can regress the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta.

An unusual eulogy by a urologist sparked peals of laughter from radiologists during a prostate cancer imaging session at the European Congress of Radiology. The topic focused on a physical test that men have come to know, if not exactly love.