Diagnostic Imaging North America

March 2005

COVER STORY

MSCT angio advances in peripheral vessels

By: Manish Taneja, M.D., FRCR, Andrew Wood, FRCR, and Andrew Gordon, FRCR

DEPARTMENTS

X-RAY VISION

John C. Hayes, Editor

Variations in practice may harm care and create liability issues

AGENDA

John C. Hayes, Editor

Hot Button brings different viewpoints to big issues

Molecular Imaging Outlook

• Institutional pressures impede translational research
• Bioluminescent light shines on MI
• Molecular Imaging Briefing
• New Alzheimer's disease probes appear on the horizon
• MRI tracks stem cells used to treat condition similar to multiple sclerosis
• I-131 phospholipid remains in bilateral pulmonary tumors for days
• Novel technique grades breast cancer to predict its response to chemotherapy
• Semiconductor-based gamma camera finds subcentimeter breast tumors
• MR strategy gauges myocardial flux to show energy status of failing hearts

Overread

• Federal imaging proposals mesh with ACR initiatives
• Don't spit into the wind . . .
• Doubts linger over next stage of lung RF ablation
• Microgravity shoulder scan makes ultrasound history
• Intraoperative high-field MR revamps neurosurgery
• Some cardiologists cling to catheter angiography
• Breast MR false negatives vex researchers
• Erratum

Newsclips

• MR contrast patterns predict therapy response
• U.K. revisits use of x-ray vans for TB screening
• Israeli HMO adopts ACR imaging criteria
• Three CT techs increase throughput and revenue
• Real-time MR guides liver cryotherapy

Malpractice Monitor

• Mammographic markers may lead to confusion and liability

Chest Pain Imaging

• Cardiac CT's triple ruleout: Is it hype or real benefit?
• Who benefits from triple ruleout?

Informatics

• PACS veterans eye storage, compatibility for new units

Nuclear Practice

• All clinical sides take hard look at PET and PET/CT

Tech Watch

• CT slice battle obscures value of flying focal spots
• Web links distant radiologists to hospitals and facilities
• Software, coil advances promise to broaden MR mammography
• C-arm technology brings soft- tissue resolution to angio suite
• ER practice may save us from neutering

Mailbox

• Doctors are talented, but so are lawyers