Kaitlyn Dmyterko, staff writerWe now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn, writer and management consultant Peter Drucker once said. As the 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference kicks off on Monday in the City by the Bay, physicians from more than 100 countries will meet to explore cutting-edge technologies in the medical field. As physicians share clinical experiences and innovative lifesaving techniques, they will work to understand how to better practice medicine in the challenging and changing healthcare environment.

Heart disease topped the list of most costly conditions in terms of overall expenditures in 2008, according to a brief released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Expenditures for heart disease-related care and treatment of men and women were $47.3 billion and $43.6 billion, respectively.

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men, with 15 to 25 percent of cases classified as high-risk, but researchers have shown that men with locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer who receive combined radiation and hormone therapy live longer and are less likely to die from their disease, according to a study published online on Nov. 2 in The Lancet.

Eight of nine hospitals surveyed by the FDA currently use RFID and RTLSradio frequency identification and real-time locating systemsand most use the technologies facility-wide. A summary of the findings appears in MedSun's November newsletter.

The U.K. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) for approval for the indication of preventing stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). The approval comes after the institute reviewed cost-effectiveness data of the drug.

In a performance evaluation, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association found the NanoPET/CT system to be of significant value in preclinical research, according to an article published in the November issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Radiologists continue to dominate the noncardiac point-of-care ultrasound market. However, radiologists share of exams has dipped slightly and the widespread diffusion of point-of-care systems may be problematic, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

McKesson (Booth 211) is showcasing new features on Horizon Medical Imaging PACS, Radiology Manager RIS and Horizon Cardiology CVIS at the 97th annual RSNA scientific sessions and annual meeting of RSNA Nov. 27 to Dec. 2 in Chicago. McKesson customers also are sharing RIS, PACS and CVIS success stories.