March 04 News Headlines

These are radiology news updates from other sites

Date this page was last updated: 01/07/2007 03:02:51 PM

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March 31, 2004   Multiple Myeloma: Clinical Review and Diagnostic Imaging - Radiology These biopsies have resulted in increased identification of cytogenetic abnormalities, particularly the presence of chromosome 13 deletion, which is a grave prognostic indicator in MM... March 29, 2004   Protecting genetic privacy: Is a law needed? - American Medical News Genetic testing can offer a glimpse into someone's future health and someday could hold the potential for better prevention and treatment regimens. But some physicians on the cutting edge of this scientific horizon worry that health insurers and employers could use the results of genetic tests to discriminate against patients and employees. These worries resulted in Senate passage last year of legislation aimed at preventing the misuse of genetic information. Some lawmakers are pressing the House to vote on the measure this year...

March 22, 2004   Hertel exophthalmometry versus computed tomography and optical 3D imaging for the determination of the globe position in zygomatic fractures - International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Sugery It has been the aim of the present study, to introduce the combination of computed tomography and optical 3D imaging to exophthalmometry and to compare the resulting data to the classic Hertel method. Twenty patients without orbital pathology and 12 patients were included in the study, who were subjected to a preoperative computed tomography. Optical 3D images of the facial surface were assessed and Hertel exophthalmometry was carried out to determine protrusion...   Role of DNA-dependent protein kinase in the process of radiation-induced aberration formation - International Journal of Radiation Biology Conclusions: Since in M059J-Fus1 cells the radioresistant phenotype with respect to chromosome-type aberration formation was restored by the complementation of PRKDC, ATM expression determines the chromosomal radiosensitivity of M059J cells only to a minor extent. The increasing presence of chromatid-type aberrations in cells irradiated in G0/G1 phase as observed either in DNA-PK- or ATM-deficient cells definitely requires the lack of either kinase. Thus, the aberration spectrum observed is determined by the genetic profile of the respective cells and aberration class amplitudes can be modulated by the inhibition of either kinase... March 19, 2004   Importance and Effects of Altered Workplace Ergonomics in Modern Radiology Suites - Radiographics The transition from a film-based to a filmless soft-copy picture archiving and communication system (PACS)–based environment has resulted in improved work flow as well as increased productivity, diagnostic accuracy, and job satisfaction. Adapting to this filmless environment in an efficient manner requires seamless integration of various components such as PACS workstations, the Internet and hospital intranet, speech recognition software, paperless electronic hospital medical records, e-mail, office software, and telecommunications...   Treatment of knee articular cartilage injuries - Current Opinion in Orthopedics Conclusion: Advanced MRI along with a high index of suspicion allows the orthopaedist to identify and treat symptomatic articular cartilage defects in the knee. Short-term and mid-term results of surface replacement procedures such as autologous chondrocyte implantation are encouraging. With basic science research in areas such as tissue scaffolding, improvements in current treatment and new directions for future treatment are anticipated...   Detection and Grading of Soft Tissue Sarcomas of the Extremities with 18F-3'-Fluoro-3'-Deoxy-L-Thymidine - Clinical Cancer Research Conclusions: FLT-PET is able to visualize STS and differentiate between low-grade and high-grade STS. The uptake of FLT correlates with the proliferation of STS ...

March 18, 2004   CT with 3D Rendering of the Tendons of the Foot and Ankle: Technique, Normal Anatomy, and Disease - Radiographics Three-dimensional rendering of computed tomographic data with volume rendering (VR), shaded surface display (SSD), and maximum intensity projection has been performed for over 20 years. In the foot and ankle, no one image reformatting technique is satisfactory for displaying every anatomic relationship or disease process. Two-dimensional multiplanar reformatted (MPR) images are the basic images used for diagnosis...   Differences in proximal femur geometry distinguish vertebral from femoral neck fractures in osteoporotic women - British Journal of Radiology Bone mineral density (BMD) is generally used to predict the risk of fracture in osteoporotic subjects. However, femoral neck BMD and spine BMD have been reported not to be significantly different among patients with hip or vertebral fractures, suggesting that other risk factors are needed to determine the different fracture types. Proximal femur geometry (PFG) parameters, such as hip axis length (HAL), femoral neck-shaft angle (NSA) and femoral neck diameter (FND) have also been shown to predict the risk of hip fracture... March 17, 2004   An Introduction to PET-CT Imaging - Radiographics Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries such as the United States. Complex clinical decisions about treatment of oncologic patients are largely guided by imaging findings, among other factors. Most radiologic procedures map the anatomy and morphology of tumors with little or no information about their metabolism...   Hereditary intraosseous vascular malformation of the craniofacial region: imaging findings - British Journal of Radiology Benign vascular lesions can be classified into two categories depending on clinical behaviour and endothelial cell characteristics: neoplasms (haemangiomas) and vascular malformations. However, intraosseous vascular anomaly, previously called intraosseous haemangioma, is a very rare malformation...   Are T1 weighted images helpful in MRI of cervical radiculopathy? - British Journal of Radiology MRI in patients with cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy usually includes T1 weighted (T1W) and T2 weighted (T2W) images. We prospectively examined a hypothesis that T2W alone is sufficient to diagnose the cause of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy and that the T1W sagittal images do not provide additional useful information...   Influence of the characteristic curve on the clinical image quality of lumbar spine and chest radiographs - British Journal of Radiology The "European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images" do not address the choice of the film characteristic (H&D) curve, which is an important parameter for the description of a radiographic screen�film system. The image contrast of clinical lumbar spine and chest radiographs was altered by digital image processing techniques, simulating images with different H&D curves, both steeper and flatter than the original...

March 16, 2004   Technical aspects of contrast delivery in advanced CT - Applied Radiology Patient characteristics, the approach to contrast injection, and the scan itself all influence contrast enhancement... March 15, 2004   Freestanding Intervention: Out on a Limb - Decisions in Imaging Economics Bradley A. Blackburn, MD, knows he has climbed far out on a limb by opening the first freestanding outpatient diagnostic imaging center in northeastern Ohio to feature interventional procedures among its retinue of services. Yet Blackburn projects only confidence that the 4-year-old venture will grow up to be a full-blown success story, one that could very well serve as a model for other interventional radiologists tired of feeling overlooked by colleagues from other fields and eager to escape the hamstringing effects of health-system politics...   CT Angiography of the Systemic Arterial System - Decisions in Imaging Economics There has been a substantial increase in the use of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) for the evaluation of the arterial system in recent years. This increase has been fueled by hardware advances, including spiral and multidetector CT (MDCT), which can be used for rapid imaging of large scan volumes using thin section collimation...   3D and Treatment Planning - Decisions in Imaging Economics Three-dimensional medical imaging has revolutionized radiological diagnosis and treatment planning, with reconstructions providing lifelike views of anatomic structures. In the field of oncology, 3D reconstructions obtained from CT scans are being used to facilitate treatment plans for prostate cancer, lung tumors, brain tumors, head and neck tumors, gynecological tumors, and pediatric tumors....   Understanding the Role of the Physician Liaison - Decisions in Imaging Economics With the days of automatic referrals from local physicians to radiologists a thing of the past, and in the face of growing competition, marketing radiology practices to referrers is a do or die concern. Freestanding imaging centers are competing for patients not only with hospitals and other subspecialty providerssuch as orthopedistsbut with other imaging centers as well, leaving market share sought after and margins tight...   Radiology in the World of Medicine - Decisions in Imaging Economics Anyone practicing radiology for more than a few years can attest to tremendous change within the field: New technology, new applications to existing technology, telecommunications opportunities that place us somewhere between the traditional film reader and the virtual radiologist, to name a few. On the financial side, growth in the number of imaging procedures has been tempered by declining reimbursement per procedure, global payment schemes, and, the scourge of radiology, the capitated reimbursement model... March 11, 2004   Clinical use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy: part I - British Journal of Radiology Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is a novel conformal radiotherapy technique which is gaining increasing clinical use worldwide. This article aims to summarize the published data pertaining to clinical indications of this therapy for head and neck, central nervous system, and lung tumours...   Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI of the spine in thalassaemia - British Journal of Radiology Back pain is common in adult patients with homozygous thalassaemia, and degenerative disc disease is increasingly recognised as a cause. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequences, which are sensitive to the presence of short T2 relaxation components in tissue produced by iron deposition and other processes, were used to examine the lower thoracic and lumbar spine in symptomatic patients with beta-thalassaemia major or intermedia... March 10, 2004   99mTc-HMPAO-Leukocyte Scintigraphy in Patients with Symptomatic Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: Improved Diagnostic Accuracy by Means of Semiquantitative Evaluation - The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Conclusion: In those patients who underwent 99mTc-HMPAO-leukocyte scintigraphy for suspected hip or knee prosthesis infection, the addition of a semiquantitative evaluation to the qualitative analysis of early and late images leads to a significant improvement in both specificity and accuracy...   Sodium 3-D MRI of the human torso using a volume coil - Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sodium MR imaging is considered to provide clinically important information about the human body that is not achievable by hydrogen-based approaches. However, due to the low natural abundance in biological tissues, sodium signals usually lead to low spatial resolution, low SNR, and long acquisition times compared to conventional 1H imaging, even using well-adapted surface coils. For our study, a volume coil was designed with nearly homogeneous excitation/receive characteristics and a suitable geometry fitting the human torso...

March 08, 2004   Florida fraud crackdown targets MR centers - Diagnostic Imaging Florida clinics and MR centers face new licensure and accreditation requirements under a law aimed at controlling fraud in personal injury claims. Most independent diagnostic testing facilities that provide MR or PET services must meet the new requirements. Exceptions include medical practices that are wholly owned by licensed physicians. The deadline for submitting licensure application was March 1, 2004, but clinics have a year from date of licensure to obtain accreditation...   Influence of age and osteoporosis on calcaneus trabecular bone structure: a preliminary in vivo MRI study by quantitative texture analysis - Magnetic Resonance Imaging Recent developments in high-resolution MR imaging techniques have opened up new perspectives for structural characterization of trabecular bone by non-invasive methods. In this study, 3-D MR imaging was performed on 17 healthy volunteers and 6 osteoporotic patients. Two different MR sequences were used to evaluate the impact on MR acquisition on texture analysis results...   Sacroiliitis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: association of MR findings with disease activity - Magnetic Resonance Imaging The purpose of this study was to determine whether MR findings can correlate disease activity as measured by laboratory markers in ankylosing spondylitis. MR images in 19 patients with ankylosing spondylitis were retrospectively analyzed for cartilage abnormality, periarticular erosion, synovial enhancement, and bone marrow edema...   MRI findings of intraosseous lipoma: case report - Magnetic Resonance Imaging Intraosseous lipoma is one of the rarest benign bone tumors and usually presents in the fourth to fifth decades. Except for minor symptoms, they are usually asymtomatic. Metaphysis of long bones, especially proximal parts of femur and fibula, are involved in most cases... March 05, 2004   ASPs return to radiology realm in a different format - Diagnostic Imaging Application service providers may be making a comeback in the radiology department. The high-flying ASP days were brought to an end by the dot-com bust, and many observers wondered how long the model could survive. The University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center has taken another look, but they have added a twist: a nonlinear ASP financial model for PACS data storage...

March 04, 2004   Radiologists, cardiologists cooperate in heart hospital - Diagnostic Imaging Personalized medicine is here, and it has nothing to do with molecular genetics. Staff at Edward Heart Hospital in Naperville, IL, focus less on how a patient's disease might respond to treatment and more on how the patients themselves respond to medical practice. They look for ways to make treatment more efficient and the environment friendlier...   When it comes to global radiology, we're all in it together - Diagnostic Imaging Radiology is centered around the developed nations in North America, Europe, and Asia. The major meetings we attend-the RSNA and the European Congress of Radiology, for example-draw participants from around the world, but most come from developed countries in those three regions. The easy exchange of ideas is fed in part by the multinational vendors that operate there...   Series shows paths to improvement for radiology practices - Diagnostic Imaging Patricia Kroken and Dr. Phillip Carmody have teamed up to prepare a four-part series devoted to monitoring and measuring financial performance indicators for radiology practices. We frequently carry practice management articles in DI and they're always well received. What's distinctive about this one, however, is that the authors have developed a fairly large database (55 practices) to fuel their basis for analysis. Using this database, they've been able to identify what works and what doesn't... March 03, 2004   Molecular imaging research gathers new momentum - Diagnostic Imaging An elite corps of academic radiologists represents the most reliable source of information about the state of molecular imaging in oncology. These researchers are the designated principal investigators at seven In vivo Cancer Molecular Imaging Centers supported by the National Cancer Institute. Established in 2000, the ICMICs have developed an agenda for molecular imaging research while creating a vision of how molecular imaging may someday transform clinical imaging practice...   Globalization leads radiology to ruin - Diagnostic Imaging Much has been written about globalization, including a cover story of Diagnostic Imaging (November 2003, p. 70). While the positives have been emphasized, I feel that too little attention has been given to the negative aspects of this movement. I think that if this trend is not stopped, it will result in the end of radiology as it currently exists. Let me address a few specifics...   Focal asymmetric density sets off warning - Diagnostic Imaging The field of mammography has become a high-liability activity for diagnostic radiologists. Given public perceptions, limitations of technology, and the monetary incentives involved, breast imaging represents one of the highest risk areas that a physician can choose to specialize in. It has become critical for the radiologist to recognize high-liability situations when they arise...   Demands of volume coverage drive use of teleradiology - Diagnostic Imaging Joe and Jane Radiologist seem reasonably happy. Volumes at their practice are way up. Reading an average of 15,000 to 20,000 studies per year, they occasionally feel overworked, but they manage by putting in longer hours. They do wish they had a little more help. Their practice, with the aid of teleradiology, provides 24-hour coverage. Profits remain strong, but Joe and Jane worry about reimbursement pressures and the need for systems upgrades to meet the demands of the digital age. Still, they consider their working lives good. Asked if they would retire tomorrow if they could, they may hesitate just a moment, but eventually they answer no... March 02, 2004   Novel RF coil geometry for lower extremity imaging - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine A receive-only phased-array coil was designed to image the lower extremities. The array consists of four volume coils placed on two cylindrical formers. The coil array has the ability to image both legs simultaneously over a 40 cm longitudinal field of view (FOV)...

March 01, 2004   Patellar Articular Cartilage Lesions: In Vitro MR Imaging Evaluation after Placement in Gadopentetate Dimeglumine Solution - Radiology Conclusion: T1-weighted MR images obtained in vitro after gadopentetate dimeglumine diffusion allow demonstration of articular cartilage surface lesions and early stages of cartilage degradation...   Financial Ratios in Diagnostic Radiology Practices: Variability and Trends - Radiology Conclusion: The opposing geographic pattern of billed charges and gross collection rate suggests that geographic variation in the latter is driven more by variation in billed charges than by variation in payment levels. Radiologists saw a substantial decrease in the real (inflation-adjusted) value of payment per service during the 1990s. The large fraction of practices with accounts receivable of 90 or more days of billings?a level considered potentially imprudent by financial management advisors?suggests that many practices should improve financial management and that state prompt-payment laws have not had a substantial positive effect...   Novel system for determining contrast agent concentration in mouse blood in vivo - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine A method for measuring contrast agent concentration in blood was developed using a switchable RF tail coil to obtain MR signal from the mouse tail vein. The switchable RF coil was used to obtain quantitative high-resolution T1 maps of the tail in combination with a second coil used to obtain images from regions of interest in a mouse tumor model...   Primary Vertebral Osteosarcoma: Imaging Findings - Radiology Conclusion: This study provides age and sex distribution and location and imaging features in a large series of PVOS...