Diagnostic Imaging North America

March 2006

COVER STORY

• Coronary CTA establishes new markets, standards

New Strategies

• Hybrid PET/CT angiography strikes at clinical mainstream

Practice Management

• Demand overwhelms supply of cardiac CT training slots
• Model LCD suggests terms for Medicare coverage

DEPARTMENTS

X-RAY VISION

John C. Hayes

Lawmakers' backroom barter leads to bad deal for imaging services

AGENDA

John C. Hayes

Stressed out at the reading station? Here's a solution worth tapping into

Overread

• Vendors put best function forward at PACS face-off
• MR oms in on brain structure changes
• Study taps cerebrospinal fluid to identify dementia
• Advocates urge uniformity for change analysis tools
• X-rays can predict survival after exposure to avian flu
• PET/CT localizes foot infection
• SCMR considers expanding its mission to include CT

Newsclips

• Molecular switch' protein protects heart from damage
• Laser therapy stands up to surgery for liver tumors
• Harmful errors in radiology suite top national database
• Female flyers risk getting skin and breast cancer
• Nuclear medicine society serves up online CME

Tech Watch

• Philips' MR software learns from experience in scanning
• GE builds gamma camera with wide-body capability
• Postprocessing injects dose of reality into CT

Imaging & The Law

• Utilization rules should target self-referral

Digital Department

• Stress reflects march of progress dichotomy

Intervention

• Solo practitioner finds ongoing success in full-service menu

Radiology Practice

• In collections, make a list and check it twice

Musculoskeletal

• Imaging of shoulder opens new turf fight for radiologists
• MSK radiologist questions shoulder ultrasound data

Backscatter

• Fat profits suck the care out of healthcare