A team of scientists from Princeton University has devised a new experimental technique that produces some of the best functional images ever taken of the human brainstem, the most primitive area of the brain.
The scientists believe they may be opening the door to inquiries into a region that acts as the staging area for the brain chemicals whose overabundance or absence in other parts of the brain are at the root of many neuropsychiatric disorders, like addiction, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease.
Reporting in the Feb. 28 edition of Science, the scientists describe using functional magnetic resonance imaging to study brainstem activity in dehydrated humans. The scanning technique allows researchers to watch the brain in action.
source: Princeton University
2.29.2008
Researchers Use MRI to Study Spontaneity and Creativity
A pair of Johns Hopkins and government scientists have discovered that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those that let self-expression flow.
The joint research, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, and musician volunteers from the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, sheds light on the creative improvisation that artists and non-artists use in everyday life, the investigators say.
It appears, they conclude, that jazz musicians create their unique improvised riffs by turning off inhibition and turning up creativity.
from material on Johns Hopkins Medicine
The joint research, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, and musician volunteers from the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, sheds light on the creative improvisation that artists and non-artists use in everyday life, the investigators say.
It appears, they conclude, that jazz musicians create their unique improvised riffs by turning off inhibition and turning up creativity.
from material on Johns Hopkins Medicine
2.28.2008
Detecting Bone Erosion In Rheumatoid Arthritis
Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are more sensitive than radiography - the standard imaging technique - for detecting bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to research published in the open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. The early detection of bone erosions is crucial for identifying those people most at risk from RA.
Uffe Møller Døhn from the Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre in Denmark and co-workers carried out CT, MRI and radiography on the wrist joints of 17 RA patients and four healthy controls.
source: Medical News Today
Uffe Møller Døhn from the Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre in Denmark and co-workers carried out CT, MRI and radiography on the wrist joints of 17 RA patients and four healthy controls.
source: Medical News Today
2.23.2008
Popular heart test questioned
By David Kohn | Sun Reporter
Critics see CT risks, with profits trumping science
Computed tomography angiography is booming. In 10 painless minutes, this noninvasive test provides a detailed, colorful three-dimensional view of a patient's heart. Many specialists say the CT procedure is more accurate and precise than other heart tests.
Exact figures aren't available, but some experts think Americans undergo several hundred thousand CT angiographies a year, perhaps more than a million.
"It's a very easy test to do," says Dr. Michael Lauer, a heart researcher at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The test is "proliferating," he says.
source article at baltimoresun.com
Critics see CT risks, with profits trumping science
Computed tomography angiography is booming. In 10 painless minutes, this noninvasive test provides a detailed, colorful three-dimensional view of a patient's heart. Many specialists say the CT procedure is more accurate and precise than other heart tests.
Exact figures aren't available, but some experts think Americans undergo several hundred thousand CT angiographies a year, perhaps more than a million.
"It's a very easy test to do," says Dr. Michael Lauer, a heart researcher at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The test is "proliferating," he says.
source article at baltimoresun.com
2.22.2008
Scanner ban fears eased by vote
Controversial European rules which some specialists claimed were a threat to vital MRI scans have been put on hold.
The directive set limits on exposure to powerful electromagnetic fields - but doctors claimed they were so low using an MRI scanner could breach them.
The European Parliament has now voted to delay implementation for four years.
A spokesman for the Parliament said it was still unclear whether MRI would have been affected, and further research would be carried out.
source: BBC News
The directive set limits on exposure to powerful electromagnetic fields - but doctors claimed they were so low using an MRI scanner could breach them.
The European Parliament has now voted to delay implementation for four years.
A spokesman for the Parliament said it was still unclear whether MRI would have been affected, and further research would be carried out.
source: BBC News
Mobile PET CT To Deliver Cancer Screening Closer To The Community (UK)
InHealth Molecular Imaging Solutions, leading provider of diagnostic and imaging services, has installed the first of four Biograph™ 6 TruePoint™ PET CT systems from Siemens into mobile vehicles. This is to fulfil its commitment to the Department of Health as chosen independent sector partner for delivering the PET/CT NHS Diagnostic Imaging Service.
PET•CT imaging is critical in oncology patient management. Patients undergoing cancer care need multiple scans throughout the course of treatment. Historically, in some cases, patients in the south of the UK needed to travel 50-100 miles for the procedure. The new mobile service will deliver screening provision closer to the community, reducing travelling time for people undergoing treatment.
source: Medical News Today
PET•CT imaging is critical in oncology patient management. Patients undergoing cancer care need multiple scans throughout the course of treatment. Historically, in some cases, patients in the south of the UK needed to travel 50-100 miles for the procedure. The new mobile service will deliver screening provision closer to the community, reducing travelling time for people undergoing treatment.
source: Medical News Today
2.21.2008
American Imaging Management Launches Patient Safety Program to Increase Awareness of Radiation Dose
Deerfield, IL – February 21, 2008 – American Imaging Management (AIM), an operating subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP), and a leading radiology benefit management and technology company with health plan clients representing over 20 million consumers, has introduced an enhanced Patient Safety Program to increase awareness of radiation dose associated with advanced imaging procedures, such as Computerized tomography (CT) scans and Positron emission tomography (PET) scans. AIM's new program is targeted toward increasing awareness among physicians and their patients of radiation dose associated with advanced imaging and promoting the most effective use of these procedures.
AIM is launching a new interactive radiation awareness tool on its Web site (www.americanimaging.net/safety) that allows users to select imaging procedures and obtain information on the use of a specific procedure and the amount of radiation associated with that procedure. AIM will also be introducing an educational campaign with physicians to raise awareness of radiation issues related to imaging in order to promote more informed decision making between physicians and their patients across the country.
source: American Imaging Management
AIM is launching a new interactive radiation awareness tool on its Web site (www.americanimaging.net/safety) that allows users to select imaging procedures and obtain information on the use of a specific procedure and the amount of radiation associated with that procedure. AIM will also be introducing an educational campaign with physicians to raise awareness of radiation issues related to imaging in order to promote more informed decision making between physicians and their patients across the country.
source: American Imaging Management
2.19.2008
Johns Hopkins Bayview at Forefront of Expanding Access to MRI with First Install of Siemens New MAGNETOM Verio
MALVERN, Pa., February 2008 – Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore has become the first facility in the United States to install the newest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system from Siemens Medical Solutions (www.usa.siemens.com/healthcare) – the MAGNETOM® Verio. Combining 3 Tesla (T) strength and sensitivity with a 70-cm open bore and Tim™ (Tot¬al imaging mat¬rix) technology, the MAGNETOM Verio is helping Hopkins Bayview to provide high-field imaging to many patients who previously could not benefit from the technology.
Certain patients, such as children or adults experiencing excessive pain or limited mobility, and the elderly, have had difficulty tolerating MRI exams. However, the Verio’s short length – the shortest 3T on the market today – along with its large bore – the widest 3T available – can help reduce a patient’s anxiety and discomfort. Furthermore, due to the system’s wide bore and a 550-pound table-weight capacity, the MAGNETOM Verio enables clinicians to image and diagnose many obese patients, an increasingly important factor as one-in-three Americans is considered obese.
source: Siemens Healthcare
Certain patients, such as children or adults experiencing excessive pain or limited mobility, and the elderly, have had difficulty tolerating MRI exams. However, the Verio’s short length – the shortest 3T on the market today – along with its large bore – the widest 3T available – can help reduce a patient’s anxiety and discomfort. Furthermore, due to the system’s wide bore and a 550-pound table-weight capacity, the MAGNETOM Verio enables clinicians to image and diagnose many obese patients, an increasingly important factor as one-in-three Americans is considered obese.
source: Siemens Healthcare
3-D Imaging Made Quicker, Easier Using New Technology
Technology invented by scientists from The Johns Hopkins University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev can make three-dimensional imaging quicker, easier, less expensive and more accurate, the researchers said.
This new technology, dubbed FINCH, for Fresnel incoherent correlation holography, could have implications in medical applications such as endoscopy, ophthalmology, CT scanning, X-ray imaging and ultrasounds, co-inventor Gary Brooker said. It may also be applicable to homeland security screening, 3-D photography and 3-D video, he said.
source: MedicalNewsToday
This new technology, dubbed FINCH, for Fresnel incoherent correlation holography, could have implications in medical applications such as endoscopy, ophthalmology, CT scanning, X-ray imaging and ultrasounds, co-inventor Gary Brooker said. It may also be applicable to homeland security screening, 3-D photography and 3-D video, he said.
source: MedicalNewsToday
2.18.2008
Before a CT Scan, Many Should Take Drug to Protect Kidneys
Newswise — As more and more Americans undergo CT scans and other medical imaging scans involving intense X-rays, a new study suggests that many of them should take a pre-scan drug that could protect their kidneys from damage.
The inexpensive drug, called N-acetylcysteine, can prevent serious kidney damage that can be caused by the iodine-containing “dyes” that doctors use to enhance the quality of such scans.
That “dye,” called contrast agent, is usually given intravenously before a CT scan, angiogram or other test. But the new study shows that taking an N-acetylcysteine tablet before receiving the contrast agent can protect patients — and that it works better than other medicines that have been proposed for the same purpose.
source: Newswise
The inexpensive drug, called N-acetylcysteine, can prevent serious kidney damage that can be caused by the iodine-containing “dyes” that doctors use to enhance the quality of such scans.
That “dye,” called contrast agent, is usually given intravenously before a CT scan, angiogram or other test. But the new study shows that taking an N-acetylcysteine tablet before receiving the contrast agent can protect patients — and that it works better than other medicines that have been proposed for the same purpose.
source: Newswise
2.16.2008
Imaging software gives doctors a new diagnostic tool
ANNIE GETSINGER
DECATUR - If video game fiends can conference over headsets to rally against a band of mutants in a high-tech virtual dungeon, it only makes sense that doctors should be able to fight disease while working from a high-tech virtual image of a patient's heart, brain or colon.
Doctors at Decatur Memorial Hospital are doing just that with Tera-Recon software, a program that translates a high-resolution helical CT scan into a three-dimensional computer image they can manipulate in countless ways. Essentially, it puts the pieces of the puzzle back together, said Dave Overlot, executive director of radiology.
complete article at Herald & Review.com
DECATUR - If video game fiends can conference over headsets to rally against a band of mutants in a high-tech virtual dungeon, it only makes sense that doctors should be able to fight disease while working from a high-tech virtual image of a patient's heart, brain or colon.
Doctors at Decatur Memorial Hospital are doing just that with Tera-Recon software, a program that translates a high-resolution helical CT scan into a three-dimensional computer image they can manipulate in countless ways. Essentially, it puts the pieces of the puzzle back together, said Dave Overlot, executive director of radiology.
complete article at Herald & Review.com
The Risks of Scanning
Nayer Khazeni, M.D.
The saying "what you don't know can't hurt you" in modern medicine could apply to a trend in healthy adults receiving full body or cardiac CT (computer tomography) scans. In addition to radiation risks, unnecessary CT scans can expose you to a host of problems - from risks of invasive biopsies to aggressive treatments for misdiagnosed cancers.
When ordered by your doctor in the proper setting, any risks of CT scans are far outweighed by their potential benefits. They are one of modern medicine's greatest diagnostic tools, used to examine any part of your body and, increasingly, to guide minimally invasive procedures previously performed with surgery.
SFGate.com
The saying "what you don't know can't hurt you" in modern medicine could apply to a trend in healthy adults receiving full body or cardiac CT (computer tomography) scans. In addition to radiation risks, unnecessary CT scans can expose you to a host of problems - from risks of invasive biopsies to aggressive treatments for misdiagnosed cancers.
When ordered by your doctor in the proper setting, any risks of CT scans are far outweighed by their potential benefits. They are one of modern medicine's greatest diagnostic tools, used to examine any part of your body and, increasingly, to guide minimally invasive procedures previously performed with surgery.
SFGate.com
2.15.2008
CT Radiation Dose Report Released by AAPM
College Park, MD (January 27, 2008) -- Aiming to promote the best medical imaging practices nationwide and help ensure the health and safety of the millions of people who undergo computed tomography (CT) scans each year in the United States, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has issued a CT radiation dose management report this month recommending standardized ways of reporting doses and educating users on the latest dose reduction technology.
AAPM is the premiere professional association of medical physicists and includes both scientists and board-certified health professionals who care for patients.
Targeted at radiologists, medical physicists, and other medical professionals, the report outlines the best ways to measure, manage, and prescribe radiation dosages. It also gives an overview of ways that doctors can optimize modern CT scanners to get the most bang for the buck -- reducing to a bare minimum the amount of radiation to which patients are exposed while still allowing them to benefit from the technique's life-saving ability to image inside the human body.
AAPM
AAPM is the premiere professional association of medical physicists and includes both scientists and board-certified health professionals who care for patients.
Targeted at radiologists, medical physicists, and other medical professionals, the report outlines the best ways to measure, manage, and prescribe radiation dosages. It also gives an overview of ways that doctors can optimize modern CT scanners to get the most bang for the buck -- reducing to a bare minimum the amount of radiation to which patients are exposed while still allowing them to benefit from the technique's life-saving ability to image inside the human body.
AAPM
Joint Commission Alert Shines Light on Preventing MRI Accidents, Injuries
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Joint Commission today issued a Sentinel Event Alert that urges hospitals and ambulatory care centers to pay special attention to preventing accidents and injuries that can occur during MRI scans.
More than 10 million MRI scans are performed each year in the United States and while most cause no harm, the inherent dangers of the process are not well known. The most common types of injuries are burns, while some of the more devastating accidents are caused by common objects that become missiles when brought into the MRI scanners magnetic field. The Sentinel Event Alert brings the reality of risks associated with MRIs to the attention of the nations accredited health care organizations, and offers practical solutions to avoiding injuries or deaths.
Yahoo News
More than 10 million MRI scans are performed each year in the United States and while most cause no harm, the inherent dangers of the process are not well known. The most common types of injuries are burns, while some of the more devastating accidents are caused by common objects that become missiles when brought into the MRI scanners magnetic field. The Sentinel Event Alert brings the reality of risks associated with MRIs to the attention of the nations accredited health care organizations, and offers practical solutions to avoiding injuries or deaths.
Yahoo News
2.14.2008
Ontario PET scanners idle instead of saving lives: study
Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen
Cancer coalition slams province for not using machines to potential
There is a widening gap between Ontario and the rest of Canada when it comes to cancer patients' access to a key diagnostic test, says a report on cancer care in Canada.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada's report, which tracks availability of drugs and diagnostics, found that access to positron emission tomography (PET) scans increased throughout Canada, but access in Ontario remained limited.
Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective, said the report.
Ottawa Citizen
Cancer coalition slams province for not using machines to potential
There is a widening gap between Ontario and the rest of Canada when it comes to cancer patients' access to a key diagnostic test, says a report on cancer care in Canada.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada's report, which tracks availability of drugs and diagnostics, found that access to positron emission tomography (PET) scans increased throughout Canada, but access in Ontario remained limited.
Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective, said the report.
Ottawa Citizen
2.13.2008
Non-invasive imaging method for diagnosing osteoarthritis
Researchers at New York University and Tel Aviv University have developed a non-invasive imaging method that can be used to diagnose and monitor a number of diseases, including osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration, in their early stages. Their work appears in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The research team examined glycosaminogycans (GAGs), which are molecules that serve as the building blocks of cartilage and are involved in numerous vital functions in the human body. Mapping the GAG concentration in vivo, or in a living organism, is desirable for the diagnosis and monitoring of a number of diseases. It is also valuable in determining the efficacy of drug therapies. For instance, GAG loss in cartilage typically marks the onset of osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration.
Huliq.com
The research team examined glycosaminogycans (GAGs), which are molecules that serve as the building blocks of cartilage and are involved in numerous vital functions in the human body. Mapping the GAG concentration in vivo, or in a living organism, is desirable for the diagnosis and monitoring of a number of diseases. It is also valuable in determining the efficacy of drug therapies. For instance, GAG loss in cartilage typically marks the onset of osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration.
Huliq.com
2.12.2008
Siemens Debuts Its MR & CT Innovations To Satisfy UK Clinical And Cost Expectations
The latest innovations in the field of CT and MRI imaging have been formally launched in the UK by Siemens at the Science Museum in London.
A high-field 3T MRI system, the MAGNETOM Verio and an adaptable single source CT, the SOMATOM Definition AS, have both been designed to offer advanced imaging functionality for routine and specialised clinical procedures at a much more viable capital cost for the UK health marketplace.
With the NHS and private diagnostic centres demanding higher throughput rates and a return on investment, the new systems meet clinical and cost expectations.
MedicalNewsToday
A high-field 3T MRI system, the MAGNETOM Verio and an adaptable single source CT, the SOMATOM Definition AS, have both been designed to offer advanced imaging functionality for routine and specialised clinical procedures at a much more viable capital cost for the UK health marketplace.
With the NHS and private diagnostic centres demanding higher throughput rates and a return on investment, the new systems meet clinical and cost expectations.
MedicalNewsToday
2.11.2008
Scientists Use Functional MRI to Validate Reflexology Tenets
Albuquerque, NM (PRWEB) February 11, 2008 -- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies are about to change reflexology, providing illustration of some of reflexology's basic tenets. In three separate studies, Hong Kong researchers explored with fMRI what happens in the brain when pressure or technique is applied to specifc reflex areas of the left foot. Their finding: the specific parts of the brain activated by such work correlates with reflexology's theory and intended use.
In one study, reflexology applied to a specific part of the foot activated the reflected area. Specifically technique stimulation applied to the inner lateral corner of the left great toe activated the right temporal lobe, the part of the brain related to the reflex area. of the brain inner lateral corner of the left great toe to see if this would activate the part of the brain reflected by this reflex area, the right temporal lobe.
PR Web
In one study, reflexology applied to a specific part of the foot activated the reflected area. Specifically technique stimulation applied to the inner lateral corner of the left great toe activated the right temporal lobe, the part of the brain related to the reflex area. of the brain inner lateral corner of the left great toe to see if this would activate the part of the brain reflected by this reflex area, the right temporal lobe.
PR Web
2.09.2008
Allergic Like Reactions Occur In Pre Medicated Patients (gadolinium)
Allergic-like reactions can occur in patients (both children and adults) when given gadolinium containing contrast agents, even if they have been pre-medicated with corticosteroids and antihistamines, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Health Systems in Ann Arbor.
"We pre-medicate patients at our institution who have a history of prior allergic-like reaction to gadolinium-containing contrast agents", said Jonathan R. Dillman, MD, lead author of the study. "Pre-medication is sometimes also considered in patients who have a history of prior severe allergic-like reaction to another substance (including iodinated contrast material)," said Dr. Dillman. "While we know from previous studies that allergic-like reactions may occur following pre-medication in the setting of repeat iodinated contrast material injections (the so-called 'breakthrough reaction'), we were uncertain if this phenomenon also occurred in the setting of repeat gadolinium-containing contrast material administration," he said.
MedicalNewsToday
"We pre-medicate patients at our institution who have a history of prior allergic-like reaction to gadolinium-containing contrast agents", said Jonathan R. Dillman, MD, lead author of the study. "Pre-medication is sometimes also considered in patients who have a history of prior severe allergic-like reaction to another substance (including iodinated contrast material)," said Dr. Dillman. "While we know from previous studies that allergic-like reactions may occur following pre-medication in the setting of repeat iodinated contrast material injections (the so-called 'breakthrough reaction'), we were uncertain if this phenomenon also occurred in the setting of repeat gadolinium-containing contrast material administration," he said.
MedicalNewsToday
2.08.2008
Blasting Tumors with CT Guided Hot and Cold Probes
The beneficial applications of “blasting” tumors with needle probes that emit vaporizing heat or freezing cold have blossomed, creating more options for cancer patients here, says Spokane interventional radiologist Ken Symington.
The techniques, called percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous cryoablation, respectively, are being performed here at Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital by interventional radiologists, including Symington and several of his colleagues from Spokane-based Inland Imaging LLC.
Symington says both techniques now are proving useful for treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in the lungs, kidney, liver, and bones, in addition to the more familiar use of cryoablation for treatment of prostate cancer.
complete article at Spokane Journal of Business
The techniques, called percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous cryoablation, respectively, are being performed here at Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital by interventional radiologists, including Symington and several of his colleagues from Spokane-based Inland Imaging LLC.
Symington says both techniques now are proving useful for treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in the lungs, kidney, liver, and bones, in addition to the more familiar use of cryoablation for treatment of prostate cancer.
complete article at Spokane Journal of Business
2.07.2008
Multi-Institutional Study Comparing The Diagnostic Accuracy Of PET And CT
Researchers involved in a large, multi-institutional study comparing the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) in the characterization of lung nodules found that PET was far more reliable in detecting whether or not a nodule was malignant.
"CT and PET have been widely used to characterize solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) as benign or malignant," said James W. Fletcher, professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Ind. "Almost all previous studies examining the accuracy of CT for characterizing lung nodules, however, were performed more than 15 years ago with outdated technology and methods, and previous PET studies were limited by small sample sizes," he noted.
MedicalNewsToday
"CT and PET have been widely used to characterize solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) as benign or malignant," said James W. Fletcher, professor of radiology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Ind. "Almost all previous studies examining the accuracy of CT for characterizing lung nodules, however, were performed more than 15 years ago with outdated technology and methods, and previous PET studies were limited by small sample sizes," he noted.
MedicalNewsToday
2.04.2008
Johns Hopkins Bayview Expanding Access to MRI With First Install of Siemens New MAGNETOM Verio
PRNewswire-FirstCall MALVERN, Pa.
MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore has become the first facility in the United States to install the newest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system from Siemens Medical Solutions (http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcare) -- the MAGNETOM® Verio. Combining 3 Tesla (T) strength and sensitivity with a 70-cm open bore and Tim™ (Tot al imaging mat rix) technology, the MAGNETOM Verio is helping Hopkins Bayview to provide high-field imaging to many patients who previously could not benefit from the technology.
Certain patients, such as children or adults experiencing excessive pain or limited mobility, and the elderly, have had difficulty tolerating MRI exams. However, the Verio's short length -- the shortest 3T on the market today -- along with its large bore -- the widest 3T available -- can help reduce a patient's anxiety and discomfort. Furthermore, due to the system's wide bore and a 550-pound table-weight capacity, the MAGNETOM Verio enables clinicians to image and diagnose many obese patients, an increasingly important factor as one-in-three Americans is considered obese.
For more information visit http://press.siemens.us/index.php?s=43&item=794
MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore has become the first facility in the United States to install the newest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system from Siemens Medical Solutions (http://www.usa.siemens.com/healthcare) -- the MAGNETOM® Verio. Combining 3 Tesla (T) strength and sensitivity with a 70-cm open bore and Tim™ (Tot al imaging mat rix) technology, the MAGNETOM Verio is helping Hopkins Bayview to provide high-field imaging to many patients who previously could not benefit from the technology.
Certain patients, such as children or adults experiencing excessive pain or limited mobility, and the elderly, have had difficulty tolerating MRI exams. However, the Verio's short length -- the shortest 3T on the market today -- along with its large bore -- the widest 3T available -- can help reduce a patient's anxiety and discomfort. Furthermore, due to the system's wide bore and a 550-pound table-weight capacity, the MAGNETOM Verio enables clinicians to image and diagnose many obese patients, an increasingly important factor as one-in-three Americans is considered obese.
For more information visit http://press.siemens.us/index.php?s=43&item=794
For Measuring Treatment Response PET Superior To Standard Evaluation Tools
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) was much more sensitive and more accurate than conventional imaging methods in detecting response to treatment in sarcoma patients, according to a UCLA study that is among the first to directly compare PET to CT scanning.
The study has important implications for patients. If conventional imaging fails to detect treatment response, oncologists may discontinue therapies that in fact are working and study participants may be dismissed from clinical trials that are actually helping them. Conversely, if a patient is not responding, using PET scanning to evaluate response could help prevent them from undergoing toxic therapies that aren't working.
MedicalNewsToday
The study has important implications for patients. If conventional imaging fails to detect treatment response, oncologists may discontinue therapies that in fact are working and study participants may be dismissed from clinical trials that are actually helping them. Conversely, if a patient is not responding, using PET scanning to evaluate response could help prevent them from undergoing toxic therapies that aren't working.
MedicalNewsToday
2.02.2008
GE Healthcare showcases motion-free imaging for routine clinical applications at Arab Health 2008
GE's exclusive MotionFree imaging technologies, along with new VUE Point High Definition applications to improve small lesion detection and advanced image processing, went on display at Arab Health 2008.
These MotionFree capabilities which went on display at this year's Arab Health will help enable radiologists to work efficiently, accurately and ultimately help offer patients confidence in their healthcare decisions. In many cases disease can be successfully treated - if doctors can detect and intervene early. And for patients who've successfully battled cancer, the trick is keeping it at bay. With higher degree of accuracy, motion-free imaging for GE Healthcare's PET/CT technology enables physicians to see disease earlier, localize and personalize treatment and carefully monitor that treatment.
AME Info
These MotionFree capabilities which went on display at this year's Arab Health will help enable radiologists to work efficiently, accurately and ultimately help offer patients confidence in their healthcare decisions. In many cases disease can be successfully treated - if doctors can detect and intervene early. And for patients who've successfully battled cancer, the trick is keeping it at bay. With higher degree of accuracy, motion-free imaging for GE Healthcare's PET/CT technology enables physicians to see disease earlier, localize and personalize treatment and carefully monitor that treatment.
AME Info
2.01.2008
EPIX Pharmaceuticals Reaches Agreement With FDA On Protocol, Initiates Re-Read Of Vasovist(TM) Phase 3 Images
EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: EPIX) announced that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its proposal for the re-read of images of its novel blood pool magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) agent, Vasovist™ (gadofosveset trisodium). EPIX has received an Action Letter from the FDA confirming that the jointly agreed-upon protocol design and statistical analysis plan adequately address the objectives necessary to support the resubmission of the New Drug Application (NDA) for Vasovist. EPIX has initiated the re-read of images obtained in prior Phase 3 studies. Vasovist has been approved for marketing in 33 countries outside of the U.S.
MedicalNewsToday
MedicalNewsToday
Positron emission tomography superior to standard evaluation tools in measuring treatment response
Standard evaluation imaging missed 80 percent of responders
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) was much more sensitive and more accurate than conventional imaging methods in detecting response to treatment in sarcoma patients, according to a UCLA study that is among the first to directly compare PET to CT scanning.
The study has important implications for patients. If conventional imaging fails to detect treatment response, oncologists may discontinue therapies that in fact are working and study participants may be dismissed from clinical trials that are actually helping them. Conversely, if a patient is not responding, using PET scanning to evaluate response could help prevent them from undergoing toxic therapies that aren�t working.
EurekAlert
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) was much more sensitive and more accurate than conventional imaging methods in detecting response to treatment in sarcoma patients, according to a UCLA study that is among the first to directly compare PET to CT scanning.
The study has important implications for patients. If conventional imaging fails to detect treatment response, oncologists may discontinue therapies that in fact are working and study participants may be dismissed from clinical trials that are actually helping them. Conversely, if a patient is not responding, using PET scanning to evaluate response could help prevent them from undergoing toxic therapies that aren�t working.
EurekAlert
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
