December 2020

Doctor admits to performing thousands of unnecessary angiography exams in $29M fraud scheme
Key mammography protections in year-end spending bill uncertain after Trump criticizes legislation
Bankrupt radiology practice not entitled to $527K PPP loan, appeals court rules
Florida man’s lawsuit claims Aetna wrongfully denied coverage for his prostate cancer treatment
‘A year like no other’: Editor of radiology’s top medical journal reflects back on 2020
Radiology scores relief as Congress addresses pay cuts, RO payment model in year-end spending bill
New copper PET tracer one-two punch identifies deadly tumors and boosts survival
COVID-19 patients with neurological problems requiring brain imaging face increased risk of death
The top 10 Health Imaging stories of 2020
RSNA’s first dataset of annotated COVID-19 images officially published
Medical isotope firm Shine breaks ground on new 54,000-square-foot facility
New evidence reveals that COVID-19 crosses the blood-brain barrier
Largest radiology PAC on Capitol Hill announces new board members
COVID-19 pushes lung cancer screening rates lower and sends malignancies up to 29%
Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography helps predict the risk of negative outcomes after a liver transplant
CT lung cancer screening complication rate close to 17%, validating preexisting concerns
Congress votes to give U.S. service members, veterans permanent access to DBT screening
Telehealth visits key to maintaining interventional radiology exam volumes, revenue during pandemic
How CMS Grants New Technology Add-On Payments and Determines Substantial Similarity
Intelerad Medical Systems acquires Digisonics, Inc.
Imaging alliance names new chairman; UC Davis welcomes radiology leader, and more executive news
Gadolinium-free imaging agent has strong potential as preferred contrast for MRI exams
More than 45M medical images accessible online via unprotected servers, new report finds
Hospital lays off nearly all its assistant radiologic technologists amid pandemic-driven financial crunch
Novel PET imaging tracer helps researchers diagnose rare form of lymphoma
Radiology practices must become agile to navigate future COVID-19 peaks and valleys
Premier nuclear medicine journal celebrates 60th anniversary with special issue
HHS proposes HIPAA rule changes to enhance care coordination and patient engagement
Norwegian healthcare region has appointed Sectra as enterprise imaging vendor for efficient region-wide patient care
ACR, Alzheimer’s Association launch new amyloid brain PET study focused on underserved populations
New commercial partnership Cerca Magnetics develops ‘world’s most advanced’ functional brain scanner
3 radiology leaders offer key tips to prevent providers from drowning in email
Advocates urge health officials to include front-line imaging workers in plans for first COVID-19 vaccines
EvoHealth celebrates 100th install milestone
Ultrasounds performed by orthopedic surgeons on-par with MSK radiology exams, study finds
CCTA is a safe, effective alternative to SPECT in patients with stable chest pain
42% of radiologists say unsupportive work culture restricts their breastfeeding goals
Medical school applications skyrocketing, propelled by COVID-19 and the ‘Fauci effect’
Patients wearing a mask with metal during MRI exams at risk of suffering facial burns, FDA warns
Patients want radiologists to explain imaging findings quickly, but referring providers tend to disagree
Lantheus agrees to sell offshore radiopharmacy and PET facility to PharmaLogic in $18M cash deal
Radiologists find more evidence DBT enhances breast cancer screening
FDA eases inspection, quality regulations for mammography facilities struggling during COVID crisis
Fujifilm releases SYNAPSE® Dose 2.0
Imaging startup Nanox livestreams its digital x-ray imaging capabilities during RSNA’s annual meeting
RSNA 2020: New automated tool uses CT-based fat data to predict heart attack, stroke
Sectra signs subscription-based enterprise imaging contract with Dayton Children’s Hospital in US
Students propose capping radiology residency interviews to ease pandemic-driven match disruptions
Standardized reporting can elevate radiologists’ top product from single-use to reusable asset
Imaging groups push back against ‘arbitrary, ruinous’ radiology cuts in CMS’ 2021 Physician Fee Schedule
‘Game changer’: FDA approves first PSMA-targeted PET imaging tracer for men with prostate cancer
AI spots 18% more stroke patients eligible for treatment compared to radiologists
RSNA welcomes new board members during annual meeting
Belgium hospital orders enterprise imaging solution from Sectra