Given Imaging (NASDAQ: GIVN), a world leader in specialty GI products and pioneer of capsule endoscopy, today announced that Japan's Central Social Insurance Medical Council (Chuikyo) has approved the recommendation by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) to provide reimbursement for Given Imaging's PillCam COLON. With this approval, Chuikyo established a reimbursement of 83,100 JPY, or roughly $840.00 USD (using current exchange rate), per capsule that is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2014. This decision follows regulatory clearance of PillCam COLON in July of this year by Japan's Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). The MHLW will determine the final indication for use for PillCam COLON in December as well as the amount for the professional fee.

Claims research that examines particular conditions, patients with high utilization rates and physicians with high referral rates may advance the evidence base for quality improvement, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in The Journal of the American College of Radiology.

RadNet Inc. (Nasdaq:RDNT), a national leader in providing high-quality, cost-effective, fixed-site outpatient diagnostic imaging services through a network of 251 fully-owned and operated outpatient imaging centers, announced today that David W. Stoller, M.D., F.A.C.R. has joined its network of providers as the National Director of Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Imaging. Dr. Stoller will also serve as the Director of Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Imaging for the Northern California division of RadNet's affiliated radiology group, Beverly Radiology Medical Group.

Radiology is deploying new technology and techniques to tackle the obesity epidemic, —but image quality and radiation dose are still major challenges.

With the high political contention that surrounds the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it’s no surprise that numerous rumors have been circulating about what types of care and procedures are and are not covered under the statute. In particular, many believe that the ACA restricts one’s ability to get a mammogram. FactCheck.org recently debunked this myth, addressing the growing concern that women over the age of 70 will not be covered by Obamacare for mammography.

Unfors RaySafe (formerly Unfors Instruments), the leading international supplier of measurement solutions for quality assurance of X-ray equipment, has launched its new RaySafe X2 Prestige System consisting of a base unit and external sensors for radiography/fluoroscopy (R/F), mammography (MAM), computed tomography (CT), as well as a light sensor for testing monitors. An additional mAs sensor can be integrated into the base unit. 

CT scans performed with a reduced-dose protocol and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) maintain diagnostic quality and are feasible in pediatric patients, according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Radiology.

Silvergate Pharmaceuticals, Inc., focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and safe medicines for children, today announced the availability by prescription of Epaned(tm) (enalapril maleate Powder for Oral Solution) to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) in people older than one month. Enalapril is one of the most commonly prescribed medicines in the United States to treat high blood pressure.