Small studies assessing the efficacy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to diagnose or rule out coronary artery disease (CAD) have been the staple reference standard for its adoption. But a new era of comparative-effectiveness research is unfolding as CCTA will be tested against other validated cardiac imaging modalities, in particular, SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).

The FDA has approved Medtronics Protecta portfolio of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-Ds).

Full-body scanners found in most U.S. airports do not appear to be a significant radiation threat to air travelers, according to article published online in the Archives of Internal Medicine on March 28. The radiation exposure incurred during a full-body scan is a fraction of the exposure incurred during air travel, the authors reported.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded more than $36.7 million in new grants to investigators at UT Southwestern Medical Center to support cancer-related projects and to recruit pre-eminent cancer investigators.

Almost all hospitals have response plans in place for chemical releases, natural disasters, epidemics and biological incidents. However, significantly fewer have plans for explosive or incendiary incidents, according to a report released March 24 in National Health Statistics Reports.

Both half-time and half-dose wide-beam reconstruction (WBR) software can provide myocardial perfusion SPECT quality superior to full-time ordered-subset expectation maximization (OSEM) software, with an associated decrease in scan acquisition time and patient radiation exposure, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.

American Imaging Management (AIM) has launched Opti Net, a concierge-type program that delivers pricing and capability information to health plan members, using data submitted by health plans and imaging facilities. Early pilot data indicate the program may save $1,000 for each study redirected to an alternate provider.

A study of 231 patients demonstrated that the use of angioplasty to widen veins is a safe, minimally invasive option for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to research presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's (SIR) 36th annual scientific meeting in Chicago. The findings open the door for further research into the clinical role of the treatment.