In complying with CT dose reduction programs, radiologists should be aware that reduced-dose CT techniques may not be appropriate for all patients, particularly for radiotherapy planning CT scans, according to an article published in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

The American College of Radiology (ACR), AdMeTech Foundation and European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) have formed a joint effort to expedite development of standards for the Magnetic Resonance Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (MR PI-RADS) modeled after a successful effort in breast cancer care.

The first national survey of orthopedic surgeons revealed that 96 percent have practiced defensive medicine, according to a study presented Feb. 9 at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in San Francisco. The study estimated the annual cost of defensive orthopedic care at $2 billion. Although radiologists and imaging informatics systems play a role in curbing defensive medicine, the issue is broader and requires a comprehensive approach, according to researchers.

It was only Feb. 3 that the IRS released guidance for implementing the  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Acts 2.3 percent excise tax on manufacturers and importers of medical devicesdue to kick in next Januarybut the action has already reignited a firestorm of protest. This will surprise no one who has followed industrys anti-tax drumbeat, which began upon the release of a Sept. 2011 economic analysis forecasting the loss of 43,000 American jobs at the hands of the tax.

The Obama Administration announced new efforts to fight Alzheimers disease on Feb. 7, including immediately making an additional $50 million available for Alzheimers research. In addition, the administration said that its FY 2013 budget will boost funding for Alzheimers research by $80 million.

A Los Angeles-area man was sentenced this week to 77 months in prison for organizing and leading a medical clinic fraud scheme that used the stolen identities of physicians to submit more than $18.9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced.

WASHINGTON, D.C.The Society of Thoracic Surgeons-American College of Cardiology (STS-ACC) Transcatheter Valvular Therapy (TVT) Registry, which will track real-life outcomes of implanting transcatheter heart valves, will charge an initiation fee of $25,000 and an annual fee of $10,000 for each year following, STS Past-President Michael J. Mack, MD, told Cardiovascular Business during the Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) meeting this week.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that sellers of implantable medical devices are negotiating widely varying prices from different hospitals for the same devices and keeping their pricing strategies a secret. The lack of transparency may have major ramifications for Medicare, as hospitals with less purchasing power pass their costs along.