Medical Imaging

Physicians utilize medical imaging to see inside the body to diagnose and treat patients. This includes computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, angiography,  and the nuclear imaging modalities of PET and SPECT. 

Quantitative PET/CT could improve prostate cancer treatment

Men suffering from prostate cancer have a very high chance of developing bone metastases, making it imperative to track and effectively treat local and distant tumors, especially in castrate-resistant cases. Metabolic imaging with FDG PET could provide a biomarker for predicting patients’ survival, which has been found to be a beneficial indicator in the prognosis of patients with this highly variable disease, according to a study published June 19 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

MR maps tumor angiogenesis with targeted nanoparticles

Effective imaging of the formation of new blood vessels feeding invasive tumors is essential to the continued development of antiangiogenetic therapy. A range of imaging methods and antiangiogenic drugs have been developed in this area with inconsistent results, but a technique using 3D MR and avb3-receptor targeted nanoparticles is providing an index of new vessel development over time that could push research forward and potentially improve patient management and outcomes of antiangiogenetic therapy, according to a study published online June 14 in Radiology.

GE Healthcare Agrees to Acquire Certain Assets of Rayence, a Subsidiary of Vatech, Acknowledging Korea’s Technology in Mammography

GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has agreed to acquire certain Mammography assets of Rayence, a subsidiary of Vatech Co Ltd (KOSDAQ: 043150), a Korean X-Ray manufacturer. The Mammography assets of Rayence will, at closing, become part of the Detection & Guidance Solutions (DGS) business unit of GE Healthcare.

Siemens Announces FDA Clearance of Virtual Touch Elastography Imaging

Siemens Healthcare, a pioneer in ultrasound innovation, has announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the company’s Virtual Touch imaging ultrasound application – Siemens’ first commercially available implementation of Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) technology.

MDs override guidelines: Kids w/ headache often referred for CT

Physicians are bucking the recommendations from multiple specialty societies against the use of neuroimaging for many children presenting with headaches, researchers reported in a study published June 24 in Pediatrics. Although they are common offenders, emergency room physicians aren’t the only providers who appear to be guilty of inappropriate use.

Healthcare Agrees to Acquire Certain Assets of Rayence, a Subsidiary of Vatech, Acknowledging Korea’s Technology in Mammography

GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has agreed to acquire certain Mammography assets of Rayence, a subsidiary of Vatech Co Ltd (KOSDAQ: 043150), a Korean X-Ray manufacturer. The Mammography assets of Rayence will, at closing, become part of the Detection & Guidance Solutions (DGS) business unit of GE Healthcare.

iCAD Receives FDA Approval for FujiFilm Aspire HD Digital Mammography System

iCAD, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICAD), an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today announced approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use of the Company’s SecondLook® mammography computer-aided detection (CAD), on the next generation PowerLook Advanced Mammography Platform (AMP)™, for FujiFilm’s Aspire™ HD Full-Field Digital Mammography System.

What is my role in radiation safety?

As a healthcare professional who works in medical imaging, you most likely work with equipment that produces ionizing radiation. You and your team are responsible for following as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principles and balancing the right dose for the right patient to provide optimal care. As a result, radiation protection is a vitally important part of your job.

Around the web

RBMA President Peter Moffatt discusses declining reimbursement rates, recruiting challenges and the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the industry.

Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and principal investigator of the TRANSFORM trial, explains an emerging technique for cardiac screening: combining coronary CT angiography with artificial intelligence for plaque analysis to create an approach similar to mammography.

A total of 16 cardiology practices from 12 states settled with the DOJ to resolve allegations they overbilled Medicare for imaging agents used to diagnose cardiovascular disease.