Screening

Diagnostic screening programs help catch cancer, abnormalities or other diseases before they reach an advanced stage, saving lives and healthcare costs. Screening programs include, lung, breast, prostate, and cervical cancer, among many others.

Debra L. Monticciolo, MD, FACR, FSBI, past-president of both the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI), and the American College of Radiology (ACR), explains the current recommendations and a study she did looking at real patient data and projected outcomes using different screening parameters.

The debate over when women should start breast screenings

Debra Monticciolo, MD, who has previously led both the Society of Breast Imaging and the American College of Radiology, discussed how different screening strategies may impact patient outcomes.

Comparison of a 2D digital mammogram and breast tomosynthesis 3D mammography from UCSF.

90% of breast imaging centers now offer 3D tomosynthesis

Experts in the field say the rising numbers of 3D mammography systems show it is becoming the new standard of care.

ACR CEO outlines top trends in breast imaging

Dana Smetherman, MD, is a diagnostic radiologist who specializes in breast imaging. She spoke to Health Imaging about some key issues that have her attention in 2024 and beyond. 

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CT colonography utilization has doubled over the last decade

That number is expected to grow even more in the coming years, as the exam serves as a noninvasive alternative to colonoscopy, while also providing more accurate results than stool tests. 

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Former smokers who vape now still need to be screened for lung cancer. Many of them aren't

Despite kicking their initial habit, these individuals remain at risk of developing lung cancer due to their history of smoking cigarettes, current use of e-cigarettes, or both, experts caution.

EHR interventions increase lung cancer screening by 30% but still leave over half of patients behind

Although CT lung cancer screening is known to improve detection rates and health outcomes, compliance among eligible patients remains lackluster.

Lung cancer screening CT image in a 66-year-old male patient shows a sessile nodule with internal air in the left mainstem to left upper lobe bronchus (arrow) with a mean diameter of 10 mm. The nodule was assigned as Lung-RADS category 4A in the clinical report. (B) Follow-up CT image shows the lesion is resolved. Image courtesy of RSNA

Lung-RADS update helps limit false-positive results, unnecessary procedures

Using the latest version was associated with improved diagnostic accuracy, researchers wrote in a new analysis. 

breast cancer mammography screening mammogram scheduling

Offering evening, weekend hours could increase compliance with breast cancer screening recommendations

This is especially true among women younger than 50 and who live in areas considered more socioeconomically disadvantaged, according to new data.

Around the web

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.

The newly cleared offering, AutoChamber, was designed with opportunistic screening in mind. It can evaluate many different kinds of CT images, including those originally gathered to screen patients for lung cancer. 

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