Poised for another big year

Happy New Year and welcome to 2016, which, if recent history is any indication, is sure to bring major developments to the world of advanced visualization.

Just look at how we finished up last year. As I wrote in December, 3D printing had a strong showing at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. There, press conferences recounted the efforts of physicians at Texas Children’s Hospital who used 3D printing to plan a complicated surgical procedure that separated a pair of conjoined twins. If that piqued attendees’ interest, there were plenty of opportunities at RSNA for a little hands-on exposure to 3D printing technology.

Another area to watch is computer-aided detection. This technology has been buzzworthy for years, but the applications seem to be expanding. Researchers have put it to the test against a number of different types of cancer, and now efforts are expanding to apply the same principles in cardiovascular and musculoskeletal imaging.

Economic prognosticators have taken notice of the growth in advanced visualization technologies. Forecasters with MarketsandMarkets recently predicted the global advanced visualization market to hit $2.8 billion by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.9 percent from 2015 to 2020.

What advanced visualization stories have caught your eye recently? Find us on Twitter and let us know!

-Evan Godt 
Editorial Director

Evan Godt
Evan Godt, Writer

Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.