Patients who have advanced liver cancer with blockage or narrowing of the blood vessel that brings blood to the liver from the intestines—i.e., portal vein thrombosis—are safely and effectively treated by interventional radiologists administering the isotope yttrium-90 (Y90) for radioembolization, according to a study conducted at Northwestern University and published online Dec. 7 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Medical research can gain traction in the mainstream media when findings make for catchy headlines. Last week, The New England Journal of Medicine reported hormonal contraception use can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. (Radiology Business tackled the subject.)

While digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as 3D mammography, may cost more than digital mammography (DM) screenings at first, researchers believe it could reduce cancer screening costs in the long run. Findings were presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

AUBURNDALE, MASS. — December 7, 2017 — UltraSPECT Inc., a leading provider of image reconstruction solutions supporting safer and faster nuclear cardiology and oncology exams, today announced the availability of a new add-on capability that vigorously protects nuclear imaging operations against every manner of breach, from basic malware to advanced persistent threats posed by the most determined hackers and cybercriminals.

Three new studies published in Cancer, the journal of the American Cancer Society, delivered mix news to black Americans. The good? Five-year survival rates for colon, breast and ovarian cancers have been improved—from 54.7 percent for 2001-2003 to 56.6 percent for 2004-2009.

Dense breast tissue presents problems for detecting cancer—often leading to additional screenings after negative or questionable mammograms. But at RSNA 2017 in Chicago, a research team discussed abbreviated breast MRI (AB-MR), a new method to screen asymptomatic women with dense breasts.

Abdominal radiographs have been used to diagnose functional constipation in children and adolescents, despite a lack of evidence showing reliability. Researchers from the Boston Children’s Hospital examined how gastroenterologists use the images in diagnosing young patients.

Radiologists and health imaging specialists trust in technology—improvements in image quality, efficiency and costs will likely continue. But the methods of cancer detection may be no match for individual health decisions.