While the National Lung Screening Trial provided a wealth of evidence on the effect of low-dose CT screening on lung cancer mortality, it remains to be seen how that information willor shouldbe used, according to a teleconference discussion of the benefits and harms of CT screening for lung cancer organized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) and American College of Radiology (ACR) have called upon Congress to pass H.R. 4165the CT Colonography Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act. Passage of this bill would cover Medicare beneficiaries for the exam.

Crux Biomedicals vena cava filter has received FDA clearance for the prevention of recurrent pulmonary embolisms.

The Chinese governments large investment in bridging the gap in healthcare quality between rural and urban hospitals will be the largest driver of growth in the Chinese diagnostic imaging market, according to Millennium Research Group. Domestic competitors will maintain a strong presence, particularly in lower-end x-ray and ultrasound systems, while consumer preference for known brand names will support sales by multinational manufacturers.

In the wake of the National Center for Health Statistics' data brief on physician adoption of EHR systems, Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, national coordinator of health IT, is encouraged by the high satisfaction rate and "tangible benefits" available to patients today, he wrote in a post on the Department of Health and Human Services' HealthITBuzz blog.

EHR system adoption rates increase with the size of a physician practice and most physicians are satisfied with their EHR system, according to the figures for 2011 physician adoption of EHR systems published in a data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics.

The FDA approved the weight-management drug Qsymia, a combination of the two FDA-approved drugs phentermine and topiramate, in an extended-release formulation. The agency also is requiring a long-term outcomes trial to assess the drugs cardiovascular effects.

A genetic test may improve prostate cancer risk detection, and could reduce the need for repeat biopsies among men who have had a negative biopsy, according to a study published online May 11 in European Urology.