The FDA has granted Abiomed 510(k) clearance for its percutaneous, catheter-based Impella device providing peak flows of approximately four liters of blood per minute.

Bayer HealthCare's partner, Janssen Research & Development, has submitted its reply to the complete response letter from the FDA for the use of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) 2.5 mg twice daily in combination with standard antiplatelet therapy to reduce the risk of secondary cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

A Dutch study of soldiers who have experienced combat stress has found severe stress reduces midbrain activity and has adverse effects on concentration, but most combat-related changes in that region normalize with time, according to the results published online Sept. 3 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Rapid expansion of hybrid operating rooms (ORs) will drive growth in the U.S. x-ray market, according to U.S. Markets for X-Ray Systems 2012, a report issued by Millenium Research Group (MRG).

Women carrying a mutation in the BRCA1- or BRCA2- (breast cancer) genes who have undergone diagnostic radiation to the chest before the age of 30 are more likely to develop breast cancer than those who carry the gene mutation but have not been exposed, according to a study published Sept. 6 in British Medical Journal. The authors recommended that clinicians use non-ionizing imaging modalities for surveillance imaging of BRCA 1/2 mutation carriers.

Low-dose CT provides an effective and more sensitive alternative to abdominal x-ray in the screening of people suspected of carrying intracorporeal drug packets, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in Radiology. The authors cautioned recent advances in packet materials may render x-ray obsolete for this application.

Several observational studies published recently highlighted the value of continued vigilance of pharmaceuticals after FDA approval. One looked at the side effects of statins and the other at the cardiotoxic effect of two chemotherapy drugs for treating invasive breast cancer.

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has released the first of its in-depth case studies, intended to highlight how IT can improve healthcare delivery and to detail how providers are successfully implementing technology to promote sharing of best practices in IT implementation.