The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Amyvid (Florbetapir F 18 Injection) a drug for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the brain in adults who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other causes of cognitive decline. Cognitive decline refers to a condition where the ability to think and form clear, rational thoughts and decisions has decreased. It can cause an individual to lose touch with reality, oneself, other people, and external events and surroundings.
Amyvid is used to produce PET scans that estimate the brain β-amyloid neuritic plaque density in patients with cognitive impairment. β-amyloid protein is a type of protein that forms in patients with AD and some other cognitive disorders. Neuritic plaques, also called amyloid plaques, are abnormal clumps of brain cells mixed with β-amyloid protein. A negative Amyvid scan indicates few to no neuritic plaques and reduces the likelihood that any cognitive impairment is due to AD. A positive scan indicates moderate to frequent plaques. This amount of β-amyloid plaque can be found in patients with AD, in patients with other types of cognitive impairment, and in older people with normal cognition.
“Many Americans undergo evaluations to try to determine the cause for a decline in cognitive functioning,” says Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Until now, the brain content of β-amyloid neuritic plaques could only be determined with a brain biopsy or examination of the brain at autopsy. This imaging agent is one tool to help physicians in the assessment of their patients by serving as an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations.”
Following intravenous injection, Amyvid (a radioactive drug) binds to brain β-amyloid. A radioactive signal is detected with a PET scanner to produce images of the plaque in the brain. A positive Amyvid scan indicates moderate to frequent plaques. However, a positive Amyvid scan does not establish a diagnosis of AD because, although patients with AD always have an increased brain content of plaque, the test also may be positive in patients with other types of neurologic conditions, as well as in older people with normal cognition.
source: FDA
4.14.2012
Obese Patients Face Higher Radiation Exposure From CT Scans—But New Technology Can Help
Most medical imaging equipment is not designed with overweight and obese patients in mind. As a result, these individuals can be exposed to higher levels of radiation during routine X-ray and CT scans.
A new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the first to calculate exactly how much additional radiation obese patients receive from a CT scan. Research results show the internal organs of obese men receive 62 percent more radiation during a CT scan than those of normal weight men. For obese women, it was an increase of 59 percent.
New technology developed at Rensselaer by nuclear engineering expert X. George Xu could help solve this problem. Xu’s research team created ultra-realistic 3-D computer models of overweight and obese men and women, and used computer simulations to determine how X-rays interact with the different body types. These models, known as “phantoms,” can help empower physicians to configure and optimize CT scanning devices in such a way that minimizes how much radiation a patient receives.
“Radiation exposure is cumulative over a patient’s lifetime. The risk associated with a radiation dose from a single CT scan is relatively small when compared with the clinical benefit of the procedure. But patients are increasingly undergoing multiple CT scans and other radiation-based procedures, which can lead to unnecessary radiation risk. Regretfully, our study shows that obese and overweight patients can be exposed to an even greater level of radiation,” said Xu, head of the Nuclear Engineering Program and a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE) at Rensselaer.
source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
A new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the first to calculate exactly how much additional radiation obese patients receive from a CT scan. Research results show the internal organs of obese men receive 62 percent more radiation during a CT scan than those of normal weight men. For obese women, it was an increase of 59 percent.
New technology developed at Rensselaer by nuclear engineering expert X. George Xu could help solve this problem. Xu’s research team created ultra-realistic 3-D computer models of overweight and obese men and women, and used computer simulations to determine how X-rays interact with the different body types. These models, known as “phantoms,” can help empower physicians to configure and optimize CT scanning devices in such a way that minimizes how much radiation a patient receives.
“Radiation exposure is cumulative over a patient’s lifetime. The risk associated with a radiation dose from a single CT scan is relatively small when compared with the clinical benefit of the procedure. But patients are increasingly undergoing multiple CT scans and other radiation-based procedures, which can lead to unnecessary radiation risk. Regretfully, our study shows that obese and overweight patients can be exposed to an even greater level of radiation,” said Xu, head of the Nuclear Engineering Program and a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE) at Rensselaer.
source: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
2.28.2012
Siemens’ New Biograph mCT PET•CT System Receives FDA Clearance
Malvern, Pa., February 15, 2012 – Siemens Healthcare has announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the features associated with the new Biograph mCT positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET•CT) scanner. The new Biograph mCT enables precise measurement of metabolic processes and data quantification, including the assessment of neurological disease and cancerous tissue, as well as cardiac blood flow (perfusion). Technological innovations and intelligent software solutions within the new PET•CT result in accurate, consistent quantitative assessments. With the new Biograph mCT, which was unveiled last November at the 2011 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, Siemens offers yet another paradigm in PET•CT, bolstering the company’s innovative power and competitiveness – a goal of its recently announced global initiative, Agenda 2013.
Accuracy and reproducibility in PET quantification enable the physician to more precisely characterize cancer lesions, which permits better staging and monitoring of changes in activity over time for more accurate assessment of treatment response. The ability to measure absolute myocardial blood flow in cardiology allows the physician to more accurately assess multi-vessel disease. In neurology, noninvasive assessment of the brain can potentially improve the diagnosis and management of patients who present with signs of dementia.
source: Siemens Medical
Accuracy and reproducibility in PET quantification enable the physician to more precisely characterize cancer lesions, which permits better staging and monitoring of changes in activity over time for more accurate assessment of treatment response. The ability to measure absolute myocardial blood flow in cardiology allows the physician to more accurately assess multi-vessel disease. In neurology, noninvasive assessment of the brain can potentially improve the diagnosis and management of patients who present with signs of dementia.
source: Siemens Medical
2.11.2012
International Medical Imaging Experts Join Efforts to Advance Prostate Cancer Care
BOSTON, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- American College of Radiology (ACR), AdMeTech Foundation and European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) Create Standards for High Quality MRI
ACR, AdMeTech Foundation and ESUR announced today a joint effort to create standards for a high quality prostate MRI and to expedite its transfer of technologies from laboratories to patients. Standards for the Magnetic Resonance Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (MR PI-RADS) are modeled after successful efforts in breast cancer care, and are planning to be released in early 2013.
The goal of this international cooperation is to address the central challenge in prostate cancer care recently framed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, American Cancer Society and other groups - improving early detection while reducing unnecessary biopsies and treatment. MR PI-RADS will be based on prostate MRI guidelines developed by ESUR and the work by the AdMeTech Foundation's International Prostate MRI Working Group.
AdMeTech Foundation has been providing international leadership in supporting research, development and testing of high-precision prostate MRI since 1998. AdMeTech's research program has been funded by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research, and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, MD. Dr. Faina Shtern, President of AdMeTech Foundation said, "In the '90s, the American College of Radiology led development of the BI-RADS standardization of breast cancer imaging which transformed women's health. Over the last several years, ESUR led the way in the development of proposed clinical reporting guidelines for prostate MRI."
source: PR Newswire
ACR, AdMeTech Foundation and ESUR announced today a joint effort to create standards for a high quality prostate MRI and to expedite its transfer of technologies from laboratories to patients. Standards for the Magnetic Resonance Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (MR PI-RADS) are modeled after successful efforts in breast cancer care, and are planning to be released in early 2013.
The goal of this international cooperation is to address the central challenge in prostate cancer care recently framed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, American Cancer Society and other groups - improving early detection while reducing unnecessary biopsies and treatment. MR PI-RADS will be based on prostate MRI guidelines developed by ESUR and the work by the AdMeTech Foundation's International Prostate MRI Working Group.
AdMeTech Foundation has been providing international leadership in supporting research, development and testing of high-precision prostate MRI since 1998. AdMeTech's research program has been funded by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research, and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, MD. Dr. Faina Shtern, President of AdMeTech Foundation said, "In the '90s, the American College of Radiology led development of the BI-RADS standardization of breast cancer imaging which transformed women's health. Over the last several years, ESUR led the way in the development of proposed clinical reporting guidelines for prostate MRI."
source: PR Newswire
1.27.2012
My Medical Images Viewer App For Windows Phone 7 Devices To Display Medical Images From Microsoft HealthVault Account, Released By Peridot Technologies
Peridot Technologies announced the release of another Medical Imaging App for Windows Phone 7 devices that can browse and load medical images from patient’s HealthVault Account, so patient can easily share his medical images with friends, family and other doctors.
My Medical Images is a DICOM Viewer app for Microsoft HealthVault users to load medical images and studies (like X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, MRI, PET Scan etc.) on Windows Phone 7. With this application user can securely sign in to HealthVault account to search studies within the account and then open the specific study with all of the study data and medical images, once study data and preview images for all of the series are loaded, then user may touch or click on any preview image tile to load the high resolution medical images on the full screen of the phone, where user can scroll through various images and frames within that series or pinch to zoom or pan the image
♦ Securely Sign In to HealthVault Account
♦ Search Studies within HealthVault account with Study Date, Series UID, Physician’s Name or Study Description
♦ Open Study with Preview Images and Study Header Data
♦ Load High Resolution/high Quality Study Images in Full screen mode
♦ Scroll through different images / Frames of the Series with the touch and scroll of the finger on the image
♦ Pinch to Zoom
♦ Rotate phone to Rotate Image on the screen
source: PR Web
My Medical Images is a DICOM Viewer app for Microsoft HealthVault users to load medical images and studies (like X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT Scan, MRI, PET Scan etc.) on Windows Phone 7. With this application user can securely sign in to HealthVault account to search studies within the account and then open the specific study with all of the study data and medical images, once study data and preview images for all of the series are loaded, then user may touch or click on any preview image tile to load the high resolution medical images on the full screen of the phone, where user can scroll through various images and frames within that series or pinch to zoom or pan the image
♦ Securely Sign In to HealthVault Account
♦ Search Studies within HealthVault account with Study Date, Series UID, Physician’s Name or Study Description
♦ Open Study with Preview Images and Study Header Data
♦ Load High Resolution/high Quality Study Images in Full screen mode
♦ Scroll through different images / Frames of the Series with the touch and scroll of the finger on the image
♦ Pinch to Zoom
♦ Rotate phone to Rotate Image on the screen
source: PR Web
1.26.2012
CT Scans for Dizziness in the ER: Worth the Cost?
DETROIT – Performing CT scans in the emergency department for patients experiencing dizziness may not be worth the expense – an important finding from Henry Ford Hospital researchers as hospitals across the country look for ways to cut costs without sacrificing patient care.
According to the Henry Ford study, less than 1 percent of the CT scans performed in the emergency department revealed a more serious underlying cause for dizziness – intracranial bleeding or stroke – that required intervention.
The findings suggest that it may be more cost effective for hospitals to instead implement stricter guidelines for ordering in-emergency department CT scans of the brain and head for patients experiencing dizziness.
“When a patient comes into the emergency department experiencing dizziness, a physician’s first line of defense is often to order a CT scan to rule out more serious medical conditions. But in our experience it is extremely rare that brain and head imagining yields significant results,” says study author Syed F. Ahsan, M.D., a neuro-otologist in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford.
“It is our hope that our investigation into our own practices will shed light on avenues to run leaner practices within our institution, as well as serve as a model for other health systems.”
Along with Dr. Ahsan, Henry Ford study co-authors are Mausumi N. Syamal, M.D., and Kathleen Yaremchuk, M.D.
source: Henry Ford Health System
According to the Henry Ford study, less than 1 percent of the CT scans performed in the emergency department revealed a more serious underlying cause for dizziness – intracranial bleeding or stroke – that required intervention.
The findings suggest that it may be more cost effective for hospitals to instead implement stricter guidelines for ordering in-emergency department CT scans of the brain and head for patients experiencing dizziness.
“When a patient comes into the emergency department experiencing dizziness, a physician’s first line of defense is often to order a CT scan to rule out more serious medical conditions. But in our experience it is extremely rare that brain and head imagining yields significant results,” says study author Syed F. Ahsan, M.D., a neuro-otologist in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford.
“It is our hope that our investigation into our own practices will shed light on avenues to run leaner practices within our institution, as well as serve as a model for other health systems.”
Along with Dr. Ahsan, Henry Ford study co-authors are Mausumi N. Syamal, M.D., and Kathleen Yaremchuk, M.D.
source: Henry Ford Health System
1.22.2012
New Technology Allows CT Scans to Be Done with a Fraction of the Conventional Radiation Dose
University of Michigan Health System is first U.S. academic site to put GE’s Veo into clinical use
A technological breakthrough is allowing the University of Michigan Health System to be the first teaching hospital in the U.S. to perform some CT scans using a fraction of the radiation dose required for a conventional CT image.
Over the past decade, U-M scientists have contributed to the research behind the new GE Healthcare technology, known as Veo.
“Reducing patients’ radiation exposure is a high priority for us,” says Ella Kazerooni, M.D., M.S., professor of radiology at the U-M Medical School. “The radiation dose for a standard chest CT is equal to about 70 chest x-rays. In comparison, a chest CT using Veo can use a radiation dose equivalent to just one or two chest x-rays."
Doses for scans using Veo, however, will vary depending on factors like the size of the patient, the part of the body being scanned, and the diagnostic task, Kazerooni notes.
source: University of Michigan
1.19.2012
Bismuth Nanoparticles Yield Promising X-ray Imaging Agent
A major focus of research in cancer nanotechnology aims to develop nanoparticles that can improve the ability of various imaging techniques to spot tumors at a very early stage. While these efforts have focused almost exclusively on developing so-called “contrast agents” for use with magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging, one group of investigators has now developed a polymer-coated bismuth nanoparticle that holds promise for improving the tumor-detecting capabilities of computed tomography X-ray imaging, or CT.
Reporting its work in the journal Nature Materials, a team of researchers led by Ralph Weissleder, M.D., Ph.D., at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, began their work by refining a method for growing bismuth sulphide nanocrystals to produce flat, rectangular particles of reproducible size and shape. They then coated the resulting nanocrystal with the biocompatible polymer poly(vinylpyrrolidone), or PVP, to create nanoparticles that would be inert in the body, absorb X-rays efficiently, and remain long enough to accumulate in the tumor, and thus, be more visible in a CT image. The researchers note that the PVP coating should also enable them to add tumor-targeting molecules to the particles to increase their ability to image small tumors.
Tests in animals showed that these bismuth nanoparticles remained in the bloodstream far longer than commercially available iodine-based CT contrast agents, and could be used at lower doses.
source: National Cancer Institute
Reporting its work in the journal Nature Materials, a team of researchers led by Ralph Weissleder, M.D., Ph.D., at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, began their work by refining a method for growing bismuth sulphide nanocrystals to produce flat, rectangular particles of reproducible size and shape. They then coated the resulting nanocrystal with the biocompatible polymer poly(vinylpyrrolidone), or PVP, to create nanoparticles that would be inert in the body, absorb X-rays efficiently, and remain long enough to accumulate in the tumor, and thus, be more visible in a CT image. The researchers note that the PVP coating should also enable them to add tumor-targeting molecules to the particles to increase their ability to image small tumors.
Tests in animals showed that these bismuth nanoparticles remained in the bloodstream far longer than commercially available iodine-based CT contrast agents, and could be used at lower doses.
source: National Cancer Institute
1.16.2012
Medical Arts Radiology Introduces First Volumetric PET/CT to Long Island
PET/CT scanning is a powerful diagnostic tool in medicine and has revolutionized the field of oncology. Medical Arts Radiology, one of the first sites on Long Island to offer PET/CT, has extensive expertise in the performance and interpretation of this important imaging modality.
Medical Arts Radiology introduces the GE Discovery VCT to its Plainview location, offering improved patient safety with new, state-of-the-art crystal technology. The Discovery VCT’s ultra-fast LSO crystal produces enhanced quality images, and brings significant advantages to 3-D volumetric acquisition. In addition, the VCT addresses one of the biggest challenges in PET/CT – motion artifact, enabling detailed and precise imaging even in areas subject to motion, like the heart and lungs.
These advances in PET/CT technology being employed by Medical Arts offer an improved measure of patient safety, boasting a faster scan time and reduces the dose of radiation necessary to produce enhanced quality images.
source: PR Web
Medical Arts Radiology introduces the GE Discovery VCT to its Plainview location, offering improved patient safety with new, state-of-the-art crystal technology. The Discovery VCT’s ultra-fast LSO crystal produces enhanced quality images, and brings significant advantages to 3-D volumetric acquisition. In addition, the VCT addresses one of the biggest challenges in PET/CT – motion artifact, enabling detailed and precise imaging even in areas subject to motion, like the heart and lungs.
These advances in PET/CT technology being employed by Medical Arts offer an improved measure of patient safety, boasting a faster scan time and reduces the dose of radiation necessary to produce enhanced quality images.
source: PR Web
1.15.2012
Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology Suggests Axonal Repair in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Treated with COPAXONE(R)
JERUSALEM, Jan, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Researchers utilizing an advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to characterize and chart the evolution of MS lesions found that relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients treated with COPAXONE(R) (glatiramer acetate injection) experienced significantly increased magnetization transfer ratio (MTR). Magnetization transfer ratio is a nonconventional MRI technique used to investigate abnormalities in brain structures, and increased values indicate potential remyelination and axonal tissue repair.
The 12-month MRI study, conducted at the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC) located in the Jacobs Neurological Institute at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, examined 40 RRMS COPAXONE(R) naive patients. Patients received monotherapy with COPAXONE(R) (20 mg/day) everyday beginning at the baseline visit for 12 months. Study patients were assessed at baseline and after 12 months based on clinical examinations and using detailed conventional and nonconventional MRI protocols, including magnetization transfer imaging (MTI), an emerging MRI technique used to assess remyelination in the brains of MS patients.
"These data indicate that treatment with COPAXONE(R) resulted in a measureable amount of tissue repair in study patients," said Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, Director of the BNAC, Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo, and lead study author. "The observed increases in MTR point to a potential for remyelination. Overall, these findings contribute to the vast body of research that supports the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy."
source: MarketWatch
1.11.2012
Patient-Matched Technology Shows Value for Patients, Surgeons and the Healthcare System
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN, LSE: SN) today announces the publication of a new study on the value of patient-matched technology for total knee replacement. Published in the Journal of Arthroplasty (JOA), the official Journal of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, this first-of-its-kind study specifically looked at the VISIONAIRE patient-matched system from Smith & Nephew.
With the VISIONAIRE system, a surgeon uploads each patient's specific MRI and X-Ray images into Smith & Nephew's proprietary web-based software. A Smith & Nephew engineer then uses this data to design and build customized surgical instruments that accommodate the unique shapes and angles of each patient's joint for a more precisely aligned implant.
According to the JOA study, surgeries that used patient-matched instruments resulted in implants that were a full degree closer to neutral – the body's natural alignment – than those using traditional instrumentation. The accurate placement of an implant has been shown to reduce implant wear and improve the longevity of an implant.[i]
Additional key findings in the study are that patient-matched technology:
source: PR Newswire
With the VISIONAIRE system, a surgeon uploads each patient's specific MRI and X-Ray images into Smith & Nephew's proprietary web-based software. A Smith & Nephew engineer then uses this data to design and build customized surgical instruments that accommodate the unique shapes and angles of each patient's joint for a more precisely aligned implant.
According to the JOA study, surgeries that used patient-matched instruments resulted in implants that were a full degree closer to neutral – the body's natural alignment – than those using traditional instrumentation. The accurate placement of an implant has been shown to reduce implant wear and improve the longevity of an implant.[i]
Additional key findings in the study are that patient-matched technology:
- Reduces the amount of time a patient spent under anaesthesia;
- Shortens a patient's hospital stay;
- Shortens the length of the incision required for knee replacement surgery.
source: PR Newswire
1.09.2012
Costly diagnostic MRIs unnecessary for many back pain patients
By Stephanie Desmon, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins–led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve pain. Moreover, MRI plays only a small role in a doctor’s decision to give these epidural steroid injections, or ESIs, the most common procedure performed at pain clinics in the United States.
With greater focus on runaway health care costs, the study’s findings, appearing online in the Archives of Internal Medicine, highlight one element of the problem: the indiscriminate use of an expensive imaging tool that shows little clinical benefit.
“Our results suggest that MRI is unlikely to avert a procedure, diminish complications or improve outcomes,” said study leader Steven P. Cohen, an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Considering how frequently these epidural injections are performed, not routinely ordering an MRI before giving one may save significant time and resources.
“If we’re trying to cut back on unnecessary medical costs,” Cohen added, “we should stop routinely doing MRIs on almost everyone who comes to us needing ESIs.” A single MRI costs roughly $1,500.
source: Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins–led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve pain. Moreover, MRI plays only a small role in a doctor’s decision to give these epidural steroid injections, or ESIs, the most common procedure performed at pain clinics in the United States.
With greater focus on runaway health care costs, the study’s findings, appearing online in the Archives of Internal Medicine, highlight one element of the problem: the indiscriminate use of an expensive imaging tool that shows little clinical benefit.
“Our results suggest that MRI is unlikely to avert a procedure, diminish complications or improve outcomes,” said study leader Steven P. Cohen, an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Considering how frequently these epidural injections are performed, not routinely ordering an MRI before giving one may save significant time and resources.
“If we’re trying to cut back on unnecessary medical costs,” Cohen added, “we should stop routinely doing MRIs on almost everyone who comes to us needing ESIs.” A single MRI costs roughly $1,500.
source: Johns Hopkins University
1.01.2012
MRI Scan May be a Better Tool for Assessing Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease has traditionally been assessed through coronary angiography and SPECT scanning, both of which employ ionizing radiation to produce diagnostic images.
A recent British Heart Foundation study which was published online in the Lancet has
shown that MRI may also be a reliable and in some respects better alternative in assessing chronic heart disease.
The five year study led by Leeds researchers involved 752 patients. The results have shown that not only is MRI a consistent and reliable tool for detecting CHD, it was also better than SPECT at diagnosing CHD and at ruling out heart disease in patients who did not have the condition. MRI scanning has the additional advantage of not exposing the patient to radiation.
In a press release the University of Leeds noted that this is "the first time that MRI has been compared head-to-head against the 'gold standard' tests for CHD in such a large group of patients".
A recent British Heart Foundation study which was published online in the Lancet has
shown that MRI may also be a reliable and in some respects better alternative in assessing chronic heart disease.
The five year study led by Leeds researchers involved 752 patients. The results have shown that not only is MRI a consistent and reliable tool for detecting CHD, it was also better than SPECT at diagnosing CHD and at ruling out heart disease in patients who did not have the condition. MRI scanning has the additional advantage of not exposing the patient to radiation.
In a press release the University of Leeds noted that this is "the first time that MRI has been compared head-to-head against the 'gold standard' tests for CHD in such a large group of patients".
12.31.2011
MRI Pathology May Be Misleading
By Warren Hammer, MS, DC, DABCO
How often does a patient come in with an MRI showing a herniated or extruded disc who has been told they need surgery? Examination may show minimal weakness or even diminished reflexes.
The problem is that often, the patient did not receive a functional examination to determine other possible causations or treatments that might help repair the area without surgery.
Structural changes are immediately assumed to be causative from a torn meniscus to a disc herniation to facet degeneration, etc. A significant portion of the population have torn menisci, rotator-cuff and disc lesions, especially as they age. Frequently, rather than the spine being the causative factor, passive and resistive testing of the hip reduplicate the patient's pain.
There is no doubt that MRI is a wonderful diagnostic instrument, but doctors must make sure they provide a clinical examination that emphasizes soft-tissue examination and function before a final decision is made based on structure alone. Regrettably, the rush to surgery based on an MRI occurs too often.
complete article: Dynamic Chiropractic
How often does a patient come in with an MRI showing a herniated or extruded disc who has been told they need surgery? Examination may show minimal weakness or even diminished reflexes.
The problem is that often, the patient did not receive a functional examination to determine other possible causations or treatments that might help repair the area without surgery.
Structural changes are immediately assumed to be causative from a torn meniscus to a disc herniation to facet degeneration, etc. A significant portion of the population have torn menisci, rotator-cuff and disc lesions, especially as they age. Frequently, rather than the spine being the causative factor, passive and resistive testing of the hip reduplicate the patient's pain.
There is no doubt that MRI is a wonderful diagnostic instrument, but doctors must make sure they provide a clinical examination that emphasizes soft-tissue examination and function before a final decision is made based on structure alone. Regrettably, the rush to surgery based on an MRI occurs too often.
complete article: Dynamic Chiropractic
12.24.2011
Study Looks at CT Scans, Cancer Risk
Animal Model Suggests Increased Risk for People with Cancer Susceptibility Genes
Newswise — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., -- Dec. 14, 2011 -- From the doctor’s office to the airport, Americans have more opportunity for radiation exposure than ever before.
While low levels of radiation are used in medical imaging and airport body scanners, there is much debate about exposure levels and potential cancer risks. New research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that there could be an increased risk of cancer for certain individuals who are exposed to multiple CT scans.
The research, published in the December issue of the journal Radiation Research, was the first to look at how CT scans affected mice specially bred with a lung cancer-susceptibility gene known as Ki-ras. Mutations in this gene have been implicated in about 30 percent of a common form of human lung cancer. In this study, mice that expressed the mutant Ki-ras gene were exposed to low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) radiation. The mice exposed to CT radiation had 43 percent more tumors than unirradiated mice, and females were more susceptible than males.
We believe we are the first to use an animal model in an actual clinical CT scanner to directly look at the risk of producing tumors after a diagnostic procedure,” said lead researchers Michael T. Munley, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation oncology, and Mark S. Miller, Ph.D., professor of cancer biology, at Wake Forest Baptist. “What we found is that there may be an increased risk of tumor formation from CT scans in certain individuals with cancer susceptibility.”
source: Newswise
Newswise — WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., -- Dec. 14, 2011 -- From the doctor’s office to the airport, Americans have more opportunity for radiation exposure than ever before.
While low levels of radiation are used in medical imaging and airport body scanners, there is much debate about exposure levels and potential cancer risks. New research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that there could be an increased risk of cancer for certain individuals who are exposed to multiple CT scans.
The research, published in the December issue of the journal Radiation Research, was the first to look at how CT scans affected mice specially bred with a lung cancer-susceptibility gene known as Ki-ras. Mutations in this gene have been implicated in about 30 percent of a common form of human lung cancer. In this study, mice that expressed the mutant Ki-ras gene were exposed to low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) radiation. The mice exposed to CT radiation had 43 percent more tumors than unirradiated mice, and females were more susceptible than males.
We believe we are the first to use an animal model in an actual clinical CT scanner to directly look at the risk of producing tumors after a diagnostic procedure,” said lead researchers Michael T. Munley, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation oncology, and Mark S. Miller, Ph.D., professor of cancer biology, at Wake Forest Baptist. “What we found is that there may be an increased risk of tumor formation from CT scans in certain individuals with cancer susceptibility.”
source: Newswise
12.16.2011
MRI Power to Track MS
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a new way to track the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in those living with the disease, by using a powerful, triple strength MRI to track increasing levels of iron found in brain tissue.
The researchers discovered that iron levels in MS patients are increasing in grey matter areas of the brain that are responsible for relaying messages. High iron levels in a specific "relay area" were noted in patients who had physical disabilities associated with MS. Iron is very important for normal function of the brain and the amount of iron is a tightly controlled system by the brain tissue. The discovery suggests there is a problem with the control system. Too much iron can be toxic to brain cells and high levels of iron in the brain have been associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. But to date, no tests have been able to quantify or measure iron in living brain.
Alan Wilman and Gregg Blevins, co-principal investigators from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, used a new MRI method to quantitatively measure iron in the brain to gain a better understanding of what the disease is doing in the brains of those who were recently diagnosed with MS. Twenty-two people with MS took part in the study, along with 22 people who did not have the condition.
"In MS, there is a real desire and need to get a good idea of the state and progression of the disease," says Blevins, who is both a practising neurologist and a researcher from the Division of Neurology.
"When patients with MS currently get an MRI, the typical measures we look at may not give us a good idea of the nature and state of MS. Using this new MRI method would give physicians a new way to measure the effectiveness of new treatments for patients with MS by watching the impact on iron levels. This opens up the idea of having a new biomarker, a new way of looking at the disease over time, watching the disease, seeing the progression or lack of progression of the disease, a new way to track it."
Wilman, a researcher and physicist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, says the new MRI method may be a better gauge for disease progression than strictly looking at number and frequency of relapses.
source: Unioversity of Alberta
The researchers discovered that iron levels in MS patients are increasing in grey matter areas of the brain that are responsible for relaying messages. High iron levels in a specific "relay area" were noted in patients who had physical disabilities associated with MS. Iron is very important for normal function of the brain and the amount of iron is a tightly controlled system by the brain tissue. The discovery suggests there is a problem with the control system. Too much iron can be toxic to brain cells and high levels of iron in the brain have been associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. But to date, no tests have been able to quantify or measure iron in living brain.
Alan Wilman and Gregg Blevins, co-principal investigators from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, used a new MRI method to quantitatively measure iron in the brain to gain a better understanding of what the disease is doing in the brains of those who were recently diagnosed with MS. Twenty-two people with MS took part in the study, along with 22 people who did not have the condition.
"In MS, there is a real desire and need to get a good idea of the state and progression of the disease," says Blevins, who is both a practising neurologist and a researcher from the Division of Neurology.
"When patients with MS currently get an MRI, the typical measures we look at may not give us a good idea of the nature and state of MS. Using this new MRI method would give physicians a new way to measure the effectiveness of new treatments for patients with MS by watching the impact on iron levels. This opens up the idea of having a new biomarker, a new way of looking at the disease over time, watching the disease, seeing the progression or lack of progression of the disease, a new way to track it."
Wilman, a researcher and physicist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, says the new MRI method may be a better gauge for disease progression than strictly looking at number and frequency of relapses.
source: Unioversity of Alberta
12.13.2011
Costly Diagnostic MRI Tests Unnecessary for Many Back Pain Patients
Johns Hopkins-led study suggests imaging studies add no value for patients getting epidural steroid injections
Newswise — Johns Hopkins-led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve pain. Moreover, MRI plays only a small role in a doctor’s decision to give these epidural steroid injections (ESIs), the most common procedure performed at pain clinics in the United States.
With greater focus on runaway health care costs, the study’s findings, appearing online in the Archives of Internal Medicine, highlight one element of the problem: the indiscriminate use of an expensive imaging tool that shows little clinical benefit.
“Our results suggest that MRI is unlikely to avert a procedure, diminish complications or improve outcomes,” says study leader Steven P. Cohen, M.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Considering how frequently these epidural injections are performed, not routinely ordering an MRI before giving one may save significant time and resources.”
Cohen adds that, “if we’re trying to cut back on unnecessary medical costs, we should stop routinely doing MRIs on almost everyone who comes to us needing ESIs.” A single MRI costs roughly $1,500.
source: Newswise
Newswise — Johns Hopkins-led research suggests that routine MRI imaging does nothing to improve the treatment of patients who need injections of steroids into their spinal columns to relieve pain. Moreover, MRI plays only a small role in a doctor’s decision to give these epidural steroid injections (ESIs), the most common procedure performed at pain clinics in the United States.
With greater focus on runaway health care costs, the study’s findings, appearing online in the Archives of Internal Medicine, highlight one element of the problem: the indiscriminate use of an expensive imaging tool that shows little clinical benefit.
“Our results suggest that MRI is unlikely to avert a procedure, diminish complications or improve outcomes,” says study leader Steven P. Cohen, M.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Considering how frequently these epidural injections are performed, not routinely ordering an MRI before giving one may save significant time and resources.”
Cohen adds that, “if we’re trying to cut back on unnecessary medical costs, we should stop routinely doing MRIs on almost everyone who comes to us needing ESIs.” A single MRI costs roughly $1,500.
source: Newswise
12.11.2011
CT Scans Shown to Help in the Detection of Gout
CHIGAGO – According to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago, a type of computed tomography scanning (commonly called CT scans) appears to help in the diagnosis of gout by detecting the urate crystals that are often a symptom of the disease.
Gout is a painful and potentially disabling form of arthritis that has been recognized since ancient times. Initial symptoms of gout usually consist of intense episodes of painful swelling in single joints, most often in the feet (especially the big toe). Gout occurs when excess uric acid (a normal waste product) accumulates in the body, and needle‐like uric acid crystals deposit in the joints. Large deposits of uric acid crystals, called tophi, may also deposit both in joints and in the tissues around joints. This may happen because either uric acid production increases or because the kidneys are unable to remove uric acid from the body adequately.
A type of CT scan called dual energy CT scan (commonly called DECT) is highly accurate in spotting kidney stones, and this technology has recently been modified to detect monosodium urate crystals. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. recently assessed the accuracy of using DECT scanning to diagnose gout as a complementary or alternative way for physicians to make a diagnosis of the disease (in addition to or instead of withdrawing and examining synovial fluid from a person’s joint).
source: American College of Rheumatology
Gout is a painful and potentially disabling form of arthritis that has been recognized since ancient times. Initial symptoms of gout usually consist of intense episodes of painful swelling in single joints, most often in the feet (especially the big toe). Gout occurs when excess uric acid (a normal waste product) accumulates in the body, and needle‐like uric acid crystals deposit in the joints. Large deposits of uric acid crystals, called tophi, may also deposit both in joints and in the tissues around joints. This may happen because either uric acid production increases or because the kidneys are unable to remove uric acid from the body adequately.
A type of CT scan called dual energy CT scan (commonly called DECT) is highly accurate in spotting kidney stones, and this technology has recently been modified to detect monosodium urate crystals. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. recently assessed the accuracy of using DECT scanning to diagnose gout as a complementary or alternative way for physicians to make a diagnosis of the disease (in addition to or instead of withdrawing and examining synovial fluid from a person’s joint).
source: American College of Rheumatology
12.08.2011
MRI may be noninvasive method to measure breast cancer prognosis
Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging measures were associated with prognostic tumor markers, demonstrating the potential of magnetic resonance imaging for prediction of disease prognosis and stratification of patients to appropriate therapies, according to preliminary data presented at the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 6-10, 2011.
"Breast cancers are heterogeneous, and different subtypes of breast cancer will respond differently to therapy," said Sana Parsian, M.D., a research assistant in the department of radiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. "Every patient with breast cancer must undergo biopsy to be evaluated for the type of breast cancer they have. Based on that, adjuvant medical therapies are prescribed for them."
Parsian and her colleagues hypothesized that some quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures, such as diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE), would correlate with histopathological markers by enabling the researchers to measure the tumor's cellularity and vascularity.
source: MedXpress
"Breast cancers are heterogeneous, and different subtypes of breast cancer will respond differently to therapy," said Sana Parsian, M.D., a research assistant in the department of radiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. "Every patient with breast cancer must undergo biopsy to be evaluated for the type of breast cancer they have. Based on that, adjuvant medical therapies are prescribed for them."
Parsian and her colleagues hypothesized that some quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures, such as diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE), would correlate with histopathological markers by enabling the researchers to measure the tumor's cellularity and vascularity.
source: MedXpress
12.04.2011
New Siemens SOMATOM Perspective CT Scanner Focuses on Cost-effectiveness
CHICAGO, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 97th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Siemens Healthcare (NYSE: SI) (Booth #822, East Building/Lakeside Center, Hall D) is unveiling the SOMATOM® Perspective(1) – the first computed tomography (CT) scanner to offer the eMode software solution, which may potentially determine the best correlation between dose, efficiency and image quality, and may adjust the required scan parameters automatically. Potentially suited to cover a variety of clinical fields, the SOMATOM Perspective may potentially allow clinics and practices to extend their range of available examinations. The system's operation can potentially be optimized for the individual scan – for example, in terms of tube current or scan velocity – relieving wear and tear on the CT. The system is an example of Siemens approach to delivering innovative solutions that provide maximum value to customers – primary goals of the Healthcare Sector's recently announced Agenda 2013.
The SOMATOM Perspective's eMode software (the "e" represents efficiency) can be selected from the user interface control panel. eMode may potentially determine and automatically select the scan parameters so that the CT operates with as low a load as possible, potentially minimizing wear and increasing the scanner's life cycle.
With its slim gantry and footprint of 18 square meters, the SOMATOM Perspective has the potential to be placed even in smaller rooms. On average, it may use just 71 kVA of electricity and may emit approximately 7 kW of heat. To help facilitate its use in daily routines and possibly minimize exam times, the SOMATOM Perspective is equipped with new available Fully Assisting Scanner Technologies (FAST) features that may potentially simplify and automate time-consuming, complex procedures, thus potentially supporting clinical personnel at every stage of the CT examination.
source: Virtual Press Office
The SOMATOM Perspective's eMode software (the "e" represents efficiency) can be selected from the user interface control panel. eMode may potentially determine and automatically select the scan parameters so that the CT operates with as low a load as possible, potentially minimizing wear and increasing the scanner's life cycle.
With its slim gantry and footprint of 18 square meters, the SOMATOM Perspective has the potential to be placed even in smaller rooms. On average, it may use just 71 kVA of electricity and may emit approximately 7 kW of heat. To help facilitate its use in daily routines and possibly minimize exam times, the SOMATOM Perspective is equipped with new available Fully Assisting Scanner Technologies (FAST) features that may potentially simplify and automate time-consuming, complex procedures, thus potentially supporting clinical personnel at every stage of the CT examination.
source: Virtual Press Office
12.01.2011
Self-Referral Leads to More Negative Exams for Patients
CHICAGO, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Physicians who have a financial interest in imaging equipment are more likely to refer their patients for potentially unnecessary imaging exams, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
"Self-referral," whereby a non-radiologist physician orders imaging exams and directs patients to imaging services in which that physician has a financial interest, is a concerning trend in medicine and a significant driver of healthcare costs.
"Self-referred medical imaging has been shown to be an important contributor to escalating medical costs," said Ben E. Paxton, M.D., radiology resident at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
"Attempts to date at reducing healthcare spending on medical imaging have come in the form of across-the-board cuts that threaten to reduce access to vital imaging services," said the paper's senior author, Ramsey Kilani, M.D., associate faculty member at Duke. "We believe patients would be better served if we instead eliminated underlying drivers of unnecessary imaging spending."
Between 2000 and 2005, ownership or leasing of MRI equipment by non-radiologists grew by 254 percent, compared to 83 percent among radiologists. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the proportion of non-radiologists billing for in-office imaging more than doubled from 2000 to 2006. During that same time period, private office imaging utilization rates by non-radiologists who control patient referral grew by 71 percent.
source: PR Newswire
"Self-referral," whereby a non-radiologist physician orders imaging exams and directs patients to imaging services in which that physician has a financial interest, is a concerning trend in medicine and a significant driver of healthcare costs.
"Self-referred medical imaging has been shown to be an important contributor to escalating medical costs," said Ben E. Paxton, M.D., radiology resident at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
"Attempts to date at reducing healthcare spending on medical imaging have come in the form of across-the-board cuts that threaten to reduce access to vital imaging services," said the paper's senior author, Ramsey Kilani, M.D., associate faculty member at Duke. "We believe patients would be better served if we instead eliminated underlying drivers of unnecessary imaging spending."
Between 2000 and 2005, ownership or leasing of MRI equipment by non-radiologists grew by 254 percent, compared to 83 percent among radiologists. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the proportion of non-radiologists billing for in-office imaging more than doubled from 2000 to 2006. During that same time period, private office imaging utilization rates by non-radiologists who control patient referral grew by 71 percent.
source: PR Newswire
11.30.2011
PET - CT Can Help Detect Curable Cause of High Blood Pressure
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a new test that could help doctors diagnose thousands of people with hypertension. While for most people with hypertension there is no discernible cause, in a small number of people there is a specific condition which causes blood pressure to rise. One such condition is known as Conn's syndrome, and this is the condition which researchers have been able to target with PET - CT scanning.
Conn's syndrome is caused by a benign tumor called an adenoma in one of the adrenal glands. The tumor causes over-production of a key blood pressure-regulating hormone called aldosterone and once diagnosed can be treated surgically or with medication.
The new test, studied on patients at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, requires scanning the abdomen using positron emission tomography with x-ray computer tomography technology. The scanning technique isd more commonly known as a PET-CT and is frequently used in cancer diagnosis. Researchers have developed a special radioactive tracer called 11C-metomidate, which "lights up" the adenomas in the scan. The test takes around 45 minutes.
The initial study has been published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The work was funded mainly by the British Heart Foundation and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the research funding arm of the NHS.
Conn's syndrome is caused by a benign tumor called an adenoma in one of the adrenal glands. The tumor causes over-production of a key blood pressure-regulating hormone called aldosterone and once diagnosed can be treated surgically or with medication.
The new test, studied on patients at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, requires scanning the abdomen using positron emission tomography with x-ray computer tomography technology. The scanning technique isd more commonly known as a PET-CT and is frequently used in cancer diagnosis. Researchers have developed a special radioactive tracer called 11C-metomidate, which "lights up" the adenomas in the scan. The test takes around 45 minutes.
The initial study has been published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The work was funded mainly by the British Heart Foundation and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the research funding arm of the NHS.
11.28.2011
Philips Receives FDA Clearance to Market Its First Whole Body PET/MR Imaging System in the United States
CHICAGO, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Royal Philips Electronics PHG -0.27% (aex:PHI) is announcing 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the company's first commercially available whole body positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging system, the Ingenuity TF PET/MR. This leading edge platform will redefine how medicine is practiced in the future by helping clinicians and researchers investigate novel personalized medicine and treatments for oncology, cardiology and neurology. The system is on display at the 97th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), November 27 - December 2.
It was previously thought that PET and MR scans were incompatible; however, Philips overcame the enormous technical hurdles, through advances in technology, to create a new class of hybrid imaging that will push the bounds of what's possible in imaging. The system is designed to provide a state-of-the-art platform well into the future by facilitating the addition of new technologies as they become available.
The Ingenuity TF PET/MR delivers increased economic value, as it is a sequential imaging system that has a similar clinical workflow experience to PET/CT, the current benchmark for hybrid imaging. In addition, the system is designed so the patient table rotates between each modality to scan a patient, thus enabling the system to perform both standalone MR and hybrid PET/MR studies.
source: MarketWatch
It was previously thought that PET and MR scans were incompatible; however, Philips overcame the enormous technical hurdles, through advances in technology, to create a new class of hybrid imaging that will push the bounds of what's possible in imaging. The system is designed to provide a state-of-the-art platform well into the future by facilitating the addition of new technologies as they become available.
The Ingenuity TF PET/MR delivers increased economic value, as it is a sequential imaging system that has a similar clinical workflow experience to PET/CT, the current benchmark for hybrid imaging. In addition, the system is designed so the patient table rotates between each modality to scan a patient, thus enabling the system to perform both standalone MR and hybrid PET/MR studies.
source: MarketWatch
11.25.2011
Digital ArtForms Debuts iMedic3D at RSNA '11
CHICAGO, Nov. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- RSNA '11 -- Digital ArtForms announces iMedic3D, the first in a new generation of imaging tools, as well as the addition of Dr Eliot Siegel and Dr David H Kim to its Advisory Board.
"iMedic3D brings immersive interaction to medical imaging. By replacing the 2D mouse with a pair of 3D mice, we empower radiologists and surgeons to better visualize and interact with their 3D datasets," said Paul Mlyniec, President of Digital ArtForms.
"I'm proud to welcome Drs. Siegel and Kim to our Advisory Board. We are delighted that two such distinguished radiologists are so enthusiastic about iMedic3D, and we look forward to their considerable contributions to its development and acceptance. With their help, we believe we can change the face of Radiology. We are confident that the clinicians visiting with us at RSNA '11 will agree," said Mlyniec.
"The mouse and keyboard interface for imaging systems, including the PACS, has been essentially unchanged since the early 1990s," said Dr Siegel. "... Digital ArtForms' tracked interface ... seems to be a truly innovative and an out of the box concept for interaction with complex CT and MRI datasets. It becomes intuitive after a few minutes of practice, and I believe that it has the potential to provide a more efficient and effective interface if workstation vendors can support its many degrees of freedom of motion."
"The tracked interface is a paradigm shift in interpretation that makes sense," said Dr. Kim. "It supports cross-sectional evaluation and extends naturally to manipulating volumetric data. In my opinion, this is clearly the future of radiology."
source: PR Newswire
"iMedic3D brings immersive interaction to medical imaging. By replacing the 2D mouse with a pair of 3D mice, we empower radiologists and surgeons to better visualize and interact with their 3D datasets," said Paul Mlyniec, President of Digital ArtForms.
"I'm proud to welcome Drs. Siegel and Kim to our Advisory Board. We are delighted that two such distinguished radiologists are so enthusiastic about iMedic3D, and we look forward to their considerable contributions to its development and acceptance. With their help, we believe we can change the face of Radiology. We are confident that the clinicians visiting with us at RSNA '11 will agree," said Mlyniec.
"The mouse and keyboard interface for imaging systems, including the PACS, has been essentially unchanged since the early 1990s," said Dr Siegel. "... Digital ArtForms' tracked interface ... seems to be a truly innovative and an out of the box concept for interaction with complex CT and MRI datasets. It becomes intuitive after a few minutes of practice, and I believe that it has the potential to provide a more efficient and effective interface if workstation vendors can support its many degrees of freedom of motion."
"The tracked interface is a paradigm shift in interpretation that makes sense," said Dr. Kim. "It supports cross-sectional evaluation and extends naturally to manipulating volumetric data. In my opinion, this is clearly the future of radiology."
source: PR Newswire
10.31.2011
iCAD Announces Distribution Agreement with Hitachi For MR Image Analysis and Guided Biopsy Solution
NASHUA, N.H., Oct 31, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- iCAD, Inc. ICAD +2.82% , an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapies for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Hitachi Medical Systems. With this agreement, iCAD's SpectraLook with PrecisionPoint image analysis solution for breast MRI will be available for purchase with Hitachi's Oasis and Echelon MRI systems. iCAD's MRI solution will assist radiologists in distinguishing potential cancers in the breast as part of their overall analysis of MRI studies and streamline the planning and performance of MRI-guided percutaneous breast biopsies.
"Dynamic MRI is being utilized with increased frequency as a less-invasive way to identify cancer at an early stage," said Ken Ferry, President and CEO of iCAD. "With this agreement, iCAD's advanced image analysis technology will be available to assist the many clinicians using Hitachi's MR systems to increase diagnostic confidence -- allowing them to more accurately and quickly assess a tumor, which should lead to more targeted treatment options for their patients."
source: Market Watch
"Dynamic MRI is being utilized with increased frequency as a less-invasive way to identify cancer at an early stage," said Ken Ferry, President and CEO of iCAD. "With this agreement, iCAD's advanced image analysis technology will be available to assist the many clinicians using Hitachi's MR systems to increase diagnostic confidence -- allowing them to more accurately and quickly assess a tumor, which should lead to more targeted treatment options for their patients."
source: Market Watch
10.24.2011
White children more likely than minorities to receive CT scans following minor head trauma
BOSTON – African-American and Hispanic children are less likely to receive a cranial computed tomography (CT) scan in an emergency department following minor head trauma than white children, according to University of Michigan research presented Oct. 14 at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.
While racial disparities in adult health care are well documented, less is known about the variations in pediatric, and specifically, Emergency Department care. Appropriate CT scan use can ensure optimal diagnosis. However, as CT scans emit "appreciable radiation," potentially increasing cancer risk, their overuse can be harmful and expensive.
In the study, "Cranial CT Use for Minor Head Trauma in Children is Associated with Race/Ethnicity," researchers at the University of Michigan and other institutions including University of California-Davis, reviewed existing data on children seeking care at one of 25 Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network trauma centers. The study looked at CT use following a head injury, based on the child's potential for traumatic brain injury.
source: University of Michigan Health System
While racial disparities in adult health care are well documented, less is known about the variations in pediatric, and specifically, Emergency Department care. Appropriate CT scan use can ensure optimal diagnosis. However, as CT scans emit "appreciable radiation," potentially increasing cancer risk, their overuse can be harmful and expensive.
In the study, "Cranial CT Use for Minor Head Trauma in Children is Associated with Race/Ethnicity," researchers at the University of Michigan and other institutions including University of California-Davis, reviewed existing data on children seeking care at one of 25 Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network trauma centers. The study looked at CT use following a head injury, based on the child's potential for traumatic brain injury.
source: University of Michigan Health System
7.19.2011
Texas Children's Hospital Pioneers Use of MRI-guided Laser Surgery for Revolutionary New Epilepsy Treatment
HOUSTON, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital is the first hospital in the world to use real-time MRI-guided thermal imaging and laser technology to destroy lesions in the brain that cause epilepsy and uncontrollable seizures.
According to hospital experts, this new surgical approach offers a safer and significantly less invasive alternative to craniotomy, currently the most commonly used cranial surgical treatment for epilepsy. For high-risk patients with deep brain lesions, this new technique can be particularly life-changing because the MRI-guided laser probe utilizes a much smaller pathway through the brain to reach a deep lesion. This reduces the risk of patient complications related to contact with surrounding brain tissue. In addition, the MRI-guided laser probe is inserted through a hole in the skull that is only 3.2 mm (about the diameter of a pen) versus the removal of a larger area of skull bone for a craniotomy. Because it is a less invasive procedure, patient recovery time is much shorter.
More than three million people in the U.S. are affected by epilepsy, including about 300,000 children under the age of 14. Uncontrollable seizures can affect a child's memory, concentration, motor skills, school performance and quality of life. Drug therapies control seizures in about 60 percent of those with epilepsy. Invasive craniotomy, nerve stimulation and special diets are treatment options for patients who do not respond to medication.
"Based on our experience, we believe the use of MRI-guided laser surgery will change the face of epilepsy treatment and provide a life-changing option for many epilepsy surgery candidates -- both children and adults," said Dr. Angus Wilfong, director of Texas Children's comprehensive epilepsy program and associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Baylor College of Medicine.
source: PR Newswire
According to hospital experts, this new surgical approach offers a safer and significantly less invasive alternative to craniotomy, currently the most commonly used cranial surgical treatment for epilepsy. For high-risk patients with deep brain lesions, this new technique can be particularly life-changing because the MRI-guided laser probe utilizes a much smaller pathway through the brain to reach a deep lesion. This reduces the risk of patient complications related to contact with surrounding brain tissue. In addition, the MRI-guided laser probe is inserted through a hole in the skull that is only 3.2 mm (about the diameter of a pen) versus the removal of a larger area of skull bone for a craniotomy. Because it is a less invasive procedure, patient recovery time is much shorter.
More than three million people in the U.S. are affected by epilepsy, including about 300,000 children under the age of 14. Uncontrollable seizures can affect a child's memory, concentration, motor skills, school performance and quality of life. Drug therapies control seizures in about 60 percent of those with epilepsy. Invasive craniotomy, nerve stimulation and special diets are treatment options for patients who do not respond to medication.
"Based on our experience, we believe the use of MRI-guided laser surgery will change the face of epilepsy treatment and provide a life-changing option for many epilepsy surgery candidates -- both children and adults," said Dr. Angus Wilfong, director of Texas Children's comprehensive epilepsy program and associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Baylor College of Medicine.
source: PR Newswire
7.18.2011
Cleveland Clinic Researchers Launch Long-Term Study of Brain Health in Pro Fighters
LAS VEGAS, July 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has launched a landmark study with professional fighters that will help determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, along with other tests, can detect subtle changes in brain health that correlate with impaired thinking and functioning. The Center is working hand-in-hand with the Nevada Athletic Commission, Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank Boxing and the UFC to spread the word about the importance of this research to the sport.
Researchers hope the information uncovered by this research will eventually result in better ways to prevent permanent brain injury in not only fighters, but also in others who may suffer from brain trauma. This information could also be used in the future to help develop better protective equipment across sports.
"It has been known for decades in the boxing community that recurrent blows to the head can result in permanent brain damage. Many notable fighters have developed striking neurological conditions at relatively young ages," said Charles Bernick, M.D., Associate Medical Director at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and principal investigator on the study. "Our goal is to help the next generation of fighters by improving fighting safety. New technologies, such as advanced MRI scanning, may offer us the ability to determine who is at greatest risk to develop permanent brain injury and detect it at its earliest stages."
source: PR Newswire
Researchers hope the information uncovered by this research will eventually result in better ways to prevent permanent brain injury in not only fighters, but also in others who may suffer from brain trauma. This information could also be used in the future to help develop better protective equipment across sports.
"It has been known for decades in the boxing community that recurrent blows to the head can result in permanent brain damage. Many notable fighters have developed striking neurological conditions at relatively young ages," said Charles Bernick, M.D., Associate Medical Director at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and principal investigator on the study. "Our goal is to help the next generation of fighters by improving fighting safety. New technologies, such as advanced MRI scanning, may offer us the ability to determine who is at greatest risk to develop permanent brain injury and detect it at its earliest stages."
source: PR Newswire
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