Oncology Imaging

Medical imaging has become integral to cancer care, assessing the stage and location of cancerous tumors. By utilizing powerful imaging modalities including CT, MRI, MRA and PET/CT, oncology imaging radiologists are able to assist referring physicians in the detection and diagnosis of cancer.

MRI guidance significantly reduces radiotherapy side effects compared to CT
A recent comparison of the two modalities’ utility for guiding radiation therapy for prostate cancer shows numerous benefits for MRI over CT.
Interventional procedure often as effective as surgery for difficult-to-treat liver cancer
Given the complex nature of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, efforts to develop more effective methods of treating it have increased over the years.
AI tumor volume estimations could improve prostate cancer treatment strategies
More detailed estimations of lesion size could give providers greater insight into how to best manage a patient’s treatment plan.
MRI could be 'powerful tool' for guiding surgery decisions in patients with rectal cancer
“No one wants to get surgery if they can avoid it. Now we have a powerful tool to help patients and their doctors predict who would benefit from surgery after initial chemotherapy and radiation."
Breast cancer only visible via MRI is often less aggressive
The heightened sensitivity of MRI is beneficial in that it allows for earlier detection of cancers, but it also presents challenges for providers tasked with managing patients’ care plans.

Not all love letters for Brailer's health IT plans

National Coordinator for Health IT David Brailer, MD, PhD, has been facing some tough criticism of late for pieces of his overall health IT agenda.

October 20, 2005

AHRQ awards more than $22.3 million for 'best practices'

HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) last week announced the award of more than $22.3 million to 16 grantees to implement health information technology (health IT) systems to improve the safety and quality of healthcare.

October 13, 2005

Nevada to make e-prescribing available for all physicians

The state of Nevada is soon to become the first state to make e-prescription available to all of its physicians across the state.

October 6, 2005

CDC invests $4.5 million in disease tracking system

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded a team of Boston researchers a $4.5 million grant to develop a disease tracking system.

October 6, 2005

House lawmakers to introduce health IT legislation

Two Congressmen are introducing separate bills that promote health IT. Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.), who heads the House Government Reform Committee's Federal Workforce and Agency Organization Subcommittee, plans to introduce a bill that would create electron

October 6, 2005

HSS health IT contract winners unveiled

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded three contracts totaling $17.5 million to public-private groups to form strategic partnerships to develop widespread adoption of health IT initiatives such as interoperable electronic health

October 6, 2005

HHS hopes loosening of Stark law will spur health IT adoption

After much anticipation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued new rules to bolster adoption of e-prescription tools and EMR (electronic medical records) by physicians and healthcare organizations.

October 6, 2005

IMRT - Defining Precision in Treatment

The adoption rate of intensity modulated radiation therapy is skyrocketing thanks to new sophisticated techniques for treating malignancies of many kinds and sparing critical structures and normal tissue.

October 1, 2005

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

Global shortage of nuclear imaging isotopes may be over

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.

Cardiovascular Business

‘A huge win’: CMS significantly increases Medicare payments for cardiac CT

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.

Cardiovascular Business

FDA clears AI tool that flags signs of heart disease in chest CT scans

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.

Oncology Imaging

MRI guidance significantly reduces radiotherapy side effects compared to CT

Interventional procedure often as effective as surgery for difficult-to-treat liver cancer

AI tumor volume estimations could improve prostate cancer treatment strategies

MRI could be 'powerful tool' for guiding surgery decisions in patients with rectal cancer

Breast cancer only visible via MRI is often less aggressive

Around the web