ACCP Backs Low-Dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer

May 08, 2013

New screening recommendations from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) recommend offering low-dose CT chest imaging as a lung cancer screening test in patients at high risk of lung cancer.

The recommendations on who should be offered the test closely follow the characteristics of the subjects in the 2010 National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) study, which scientifically proved the mortality benefit of CT screening for long term heavy smokers at high risk for lung cancer.

Read More »

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Posted in ct , lung cancer

WSJ Highlights Progress and Challenges in Dose Reduction

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April 09, 2013

The Wall Street Journal put a spotlight on radiologists’ and manufacturers’ efforts to minimize radiation from CT scanning.

In an article by staff reporter Kate Linebaugh, it detailed how members of the diagnostic imaging community — including radiologists, researchers and manufacturers — are seeking to lower radiation exposure through better software programs, improved CT scanners, and education for referring physicians and patients.

However, it also highlighted the challenges, including referring physicians ordering two scans (with contrast and without contrast) when only one is needed, patients... Read More »

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Posted in ct , safety

Looser Rules on Approving Alzheimer’s Drugs Could Be Boon to PET Imaging

March 15, 2013

Tests of drugs to slow or even stop the cognitive decline that is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s have so far been disappointing. A leading theory of why this is holds that the drugs are being given too late. By the time Alzheimer’s patients show signs of dementia, the brain damage may be so extensive that the drugs are of little use, according to this theory.

Drug developers want to try giving their drugs to patients earlier, but they’ve been stymied by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirement that drug trials show... Read More »

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Posted in ct , alzheimer's disease , pet

MITA Releases New Smart Dose Standard for CT Equipment

March 12, 2013

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has released XR-29, also known as MITA Smart Dose, a set of four standard attributes of CT equipment that enable optimization or management of radiation dose delivery while also providing high quality medical images.

The XR-29 Standard Attributes on Computed Tomography (CT) Equipment Related to Dose Optimization and Management is the fourth dose-related standard to be released by MITA since 2010, preceded by XR-25, XR-26 and XR-27 standards.

XR-29 bundles four attributes of CT equipment that currently help physicians and technologists optimize and manage dose. These are:

DICOM... Read More »

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Posted in ct , safety , dose monitoring , mita

CT Colonography Bill Reintroduced

March 11, 2013

Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX), along with lead co-sponsor Representative Danny Davis (D-IL), have reintroduced legislation to extend Medicare coverage to CT colonography as a colorectal cancer screening test. The previous such legislation died in committee when the last session of Congress ended.

The new bill is H.R.991, the CT Colonography Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act of 2013. It was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), which has long pushed for a national Medicare coverage decision on virtual colonoscopy Read More »

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Posted in medicare , ct , mita , legislative

NEJM Study Supports Greater Use of CT Lung Cancer Screening

February 26, 2013

New statistical model research published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) indicates that more lives could be saved if low-dose CT lung cancer screening was used more often for more types of patients. It also adds support to advocates for greater use — and payor coverage — for the test; advocates like the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA).

Instead of merely screening 55- to 74-year-olds with 30-pack-year smoking histories, the research suggests that expanding that pool could be a good idea.

“Someone... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , lca , lung cancer

ACR Dose Index Registry Surpasses 5 Million Scans

February 21, 2013

Three months shy of its two-year anniversary, the American College of Radiology (ACR) reports that more than five million CT scans have been added to its Dose Index Registry™ (DIR). In addition to the scans, nearly three million exams have also been added, bringing the ACR closer to establishing national benchmarks for CT dose indices. 

More than 600 facilities are registered for the DIR, but Richard Morin, PhD, chair of the ACR Does Index Registry, is hopeful that more will join the registry in years to come. <... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , safety , dose tracking

Planmed’s Verity Extremity Scanner Gets FDA OK

February 12, 2013

Planmed’s Verity Extremity scanner has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. The Verity system, intended for X-ray computed tomography of the upper and lower extremities, utilizes 3D imaging to detect subtle fractures that could go undetected in 2D radiographs.

The Verity system is designed to be flexible with anatomy-specific imaging programs, movements, and carbon-fiber positioning trays. The adjustable gantry and motorized positioning allows for a comfortable patient experience during examination. The company says that Verity uses significantly lower doses of radiation... Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging vendor news

New CT Scanner Improves Image Quality With Reduced Radiation

February 06, 2013

A new computed tomography (CT) scanner promises improved image quality with substantially reduced radiation. Designed between National Institutes of Health researchers and engineers from Toshiba Medical Systems, the scanner produced images that were less blurry, with less noise, and contained greater visibility of fine details. From data analysis on 107 patients undergoing heart scans, radiation exposure was reduced by as much as 95 percent compared to current machines.

Median effective radiation dose was 0.93 millisieverts (mSv), compared to 2.67 for first-generation scanners. Coronary CT angiography typically exposes patients to... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , cardiac

Including CT Colongraphy into HEDIS Can Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Compliance

January 14, 2013

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates increased when CT colonography (CTC), commonly known as virtual colonoscopy, was included as a Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS)-compliant CRC test, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, which evaluated CTC utilization in military medical facilities.

HEDIS was developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance to provide quality measures and standards of medical care... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , research

ACS Comes Out in Favor of CT Lung Cancer Screening for Heavy Smokers

January 14, 2013

Since the publication in 2011 of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) that found that screening for lung cancer with low-dose spiral CT imaging resulted in a 20 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths among 55-or-older heavy smokers, diagnostic imaging providers have watched and waited to see how the research might change the screening recommendations of the American Cancer Society. On Friday, the ACS came out in cautious favor of the test.

Because many payors look to the ACS’s recommendations for which tests to cover, the decision could open the door to greater coverage for low-dose spiral CT... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , acs

Merck and GE Healthcare Collaborate on Alzheimer’s Disease Research

December 20, 2012

Merck and GE Healthcare announced a clinical study collaboration to support the development of MK-8931, an oral beta amyloid precursor protein site cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitor and Merck’s lead investigative candidate for treating Alzheimer’s Disease. GE will license and supply [18F]Flutemetamol, an investigational PET imaging agent, to Merck for use in their clinical trials with MK-8931.

Beta amyloid accumulation in the brain is an indicator of Alzheimer’s Disease, but current methods of diagnosis cannot reliably measure beta amyloid deposits in the brain during... Read More »

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Posted in ct , ge healthcare , research , joint ventures , alzheimer's disease , contrast agent

NEMA’s New CT Access Control Standards Earn Kudos for Safety

October 16, 2012

They like it, they really do! Several key groups involved in imaging radiation safety have lined up to support the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) new access control standard for CT equipment.

As one would expect, The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of NEMA, supports the new standard. But so does the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, and the ACR’s Image Wisely initiative.

Published as NEMA’s XR 26 Access Controls for Computer Tomography: Identification, Interlocks, and Logs, the standard encourages assigning... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , safety , mita

ACR Promotes Tools to Cut Radiation Exposure in Kids

September 19, 2012

As the use of digital X-ray on pediatric patients grows, the ACR’s Image Gently campaign “Back to Basics” initiative is moving forward in getting practical resources on minimizing radiation exposure in pediatric patients into the hands of providers. This week it announced new online teaching materials, checklists and practice quality improvement projects to help radiologists and their staff strengthen radiation protection when performing X-ray examinations on children.

At least 10 million X-rays were performed on children in 2010. Children are more sensitive to radiation received from... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , safety , dose monitoring , pediatric , digital x-ray

Dept. of Veterans Affairs to Cover CT Screening for Lung Cancer

August 13, 2012

Advocates for broader coverage for low-dose CT lung cancer screening in patients with a heavy smoking history and other risk factors are cheering news that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will follow the lead of some private payors and cover the testing ahead of a Medicare coverage decision.

The VA decision was announced by the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), a non-profit patient advocacy group funded largely by private donors, medical centers and pharma companies, according to its annual report. The LCA’s president and CEO, Laurie Fenton Ambrose, stated... Read More »

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Posted in reimbursement , medicare , ct

RadNet Begins Offering Alzheimer’s Disease Testing with Amyvid Tracer

July 31, 2012

Late yesterday afternoon, RadNet Inc., the nation’s largest imaging center chain, performed its first Alzheimer’s Disease test using Eli Lilly’s radioactive tracer Amyvid and PET/CT imaging, confirmed Judith Rose, MD, director of PET/CT and nuclear medicine for RadNet.

The procedure — which was scheduled for 5 p.m. PST at NorCal Imaging in Walnut Creek, Calif. — marked the beginning of one of the largest standardized testing programs so far for Amyvid. Under RadNet’s “Shine a New Light on Dementia” initiative, a... Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging center chains , radiopharmaceuticals

NHLBI Study Finds CCTA for ER Chest Pain Patients Leads to Faster Diagnosis, Quicker Discharge

July 26, 2012

The eagerly awaited follow-up study to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Rule Out Myocardial Infarction/Ischemia Using Computer Assisted Tomography (ROMICAT) study is out, and it could support adding coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to chest pain ER screening procedures.

ROMICAT II was designed to test if CCTA done soon after a patient arrives at the ER with a complaint of chest pain could help clinicians diagnose more quickly without putting the patient at increased risk. It found that yes, it could.

The prospective, multicenter, randomized, strategy-controlled trial attempted to duplicate as closely... Read More »

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Posted in ct , safety , research

FDA Provides Clearance for GE’s FREEdom Cardiac Imaging Platform

July 23, 2012

The FDA has cleared GE Healthcare’s new cardiac imaging platform, the Discovery CT750 HD FREEdom Edition. According to the press release, the FREEdom Edition is designed to address the main challenges of cardiac imaging: coronary motion, calcium blooming, plaque composition and accurate myocardial perfusion.

Motion FREEdom and SnapShot Freeze technology accomplishes intelligent motion correction by determining actual vessel position and correcting the effects of motion during cardiac CT exams. Bench-top evaluation demonstrated that SnapShot Freeze can achieve a 58msec Equivalent Gantry... Read More »

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Posted in ct , ge healthcare , imaging vendor news , cardiac

AMA Cites Radiation Risks, Best Practices in Slowing CT Orders

July 02, 2012

As research has demonstrated greater risks from ionizing radiation, doctors are ordering fewer imaging scans, according to a story this week from the American Medical Association (AMA). Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , research , utilization management , dose monitoring , ama

UC Radiologists to Test Informatics Assist in CT Dose Reporting

June 29, 2012

Going into the weekend on which radiologists in California will be required to begin including CT dose metrics in their reports (deadline July 1, 2012), radiologists at medical centers associated with UC Davis, UCLA, and UCSF will be beta-testing the integration of Nuance’s PowerScribe 360 and the Radimetrics eXposure solution for dose reporting, reports Barbara Dumery, director of diagnostics solutions marketing, Nuance Healthcare.

The solution from Radimetrics collects a variety of dose metrics from the modality—including but not limited to CTDIvol... Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging vendor news , dose monitoring

Increase in Imaging Concerns Researchers

June 14, 2012

Questions about the necessity of imaging tests continued to dominate headlines this week, as a new study published in JAMA claims that HMOs are seeing an increase in imaging despite the lack of their financial incentive to conduct them.

Amid concerted efforts to lower, manage, and optimize imaging doses, “the latest study showed a dramatic increase in imaging rates and a doubling in the proportion of patients who incurred high and very high radiation exposures from 1996 to 2010, paralleling the rise in the fee-for-service world,” according to a UCSF press... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , safety , research

Study Suggests Background Radiation Responsible for Some Leukemia

June 14, 2012

Pediatric exposure to radiation has been a hot topic in the imaging world since a Lancet study last week cautioned against the long-term effects of CT exposure on childhood cancer patients.

Now additional research has been released that demonstrates the relationship, however small, of natural exposure to background gamma radiation in cases of leukemia.

For every millisievert of natural gamma-ray dose to the bone marrow, researchers calculated a relative leukemia risk increase likely within a range of 3% to 22% per millisievert.

“In terms of... Read More »

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Posted in ct , safety , research

Bayer, Radimetrics Partner to Distribute CT QA, Patient Safety Software

June 11, 2012

In a deal that both parties say will create the first digital management portfolio to track both CT radiation and contrast dosage, Bayer HealthCare and Radimetrics, Inc. will co-distribute a radiology workflow solution that addresses both issues.

According to a press release that accompanied the announcement, the joint initiative “enables reliable, automated radiation and contrast-dose information administration and provides tools that support patient safety management and regulatory reporting requirements while improving quality... Read More »

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Posted in ct , pacs , practice management , safety , imaging informatics , dose monitoring , contrast media

MITA Responds to Lancet Study, Emphasizes Strengthened Standards

June 08, 2012

A Lancet study about the long-term cancer risks associated with CT scans for pediatric patients continues to draw reactions from the imaging world.

MITA issued a statement today that criticized the limited nature of the risk presented in its ten-year follow-up findings—one excess case of leukemia and one excess case of brain tumor in 10,000 head CT scans among children younger than ten years.

The organization also pointed out that in the time since the study was... Read More »

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Posted in ct , safety , research , pediatric , mita

Lancet Study Shows Cancer Risk Increases After Childhood CT Studies

June 07, 2012

In a joint study of the long-term health outcomes of pediatric cancer patients dating back as far as 1985, radiation from diagnostic imaging scans nearly tripled children’s risks for leukemia and brain tumors, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Even excluding from its assessment CT studies that were conducted as a course of cancer treatment, researchers observed an increased risk for cancers in their follow-up. Given these findings of associated risk, researchers are advocating for the use of alternative diagnostic methods... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , safety , pediatric

CT Procedures Up, Report Says, but Double-Digit Growth is Over

June 06, 2012

Although the number of CT procedures performed across the country is still increasing annually, a new survey from market researchers IMV shows that the days of double-digit growth are behind the industry.

In 2011, IMV reports, some 85.3 million CT procedures were performed across the United States on an estimated 13,775 scanners at nearly 8500 locations. That’s up 4 percent annually from 2010 numbers, when the estimated numbers were just shy of 82 million. Of those procedures, 53 percent were conducted with a contrast agent; that figure is down from 67 percent in 2007.

... Read More »

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Posted in ct , marketing , health economics , contrast media

The Eyes Have It

May 18, 2012

This week, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONR) threw down a $150,000 gauntlet for the development of a multidisciplinary solution that would advance electronic image collection and sharing across a variety of specialties.

The Ocular Imaging Challenge, which runs until November 9, 2012, will award $150,000 in the form of three top prizes to the creator of “an application that improves interoperability among office-based ophthalmic imaging devices, measurement devices, and EHRs,” according to the challenge rules.

Documenting ophthalmic exams in EHR “creates barriers to full acceptance... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

NIH Awards $2.6M to PET/CT Researchers with Prostate Biomarker Technique

May 16, 2012

Radiologists at Thomas Jefferson University were awarded a five-year, $2.6 million NIH grant to develop a new PET/CT technique that could eliminate the need for confirmation biopsies in the detection of prostate cancer.

Lead researcher Matthew Thakur and colleagues say they have developed peptides that would detect the presence of biomarkers that are expressed by developing prostate cancer tumors.

“This noninvasive method could significantly contribute to the management of prostate cancer,” said Dr. Thakur in a statement accompanying the announcement. “It would result in a reduction of... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

Gate Stroke Center Study Finds Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE CT Improves Acute Stroke Diagnoses

May 15, 2012

Kaleida Health’s Gates Stroke Center (GSC) at the Gates Vascular Institute in Buffalo, N.Y. recently completed the second phase of its study analyzing the patient and fiscal benefits of using Toshiba America Medical System, Inc.’s Aquilion ONE CT system in diagnosing acute stroke.

According to GSC and Toshiba, GSC achieved $1.31 million in annualized cost savings, a reduction in patient length of stay and improved discharge dispositions as a result of its multidisciplinary approach, enhanced education and training, and advanced Aquilion ONE CT imaging technology.

... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , imaging vendor news

Laxative-Free CT Colonography Shows Promise, but Needs Fine-Tuning

May 14, 2012

Laxative-free CT colonography might be on its way to greater adoption, say researchers at Harvard Medical School, but the technology still has some holes in its game.

US News & World Reports cites an advance study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, in which patients who opted for the virtual colonoscopy ate contrast-enhanced meal supplements instead of the traditional laxative cleanse. Although the study showed that the... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

Most Stroke Victims Do Not Get Diagnostic Imaging Fast Enough

May 08, 2012

Fewer than half of all stroke patients undergo brain imaging within the AHA-recommended, 25-minute window after arriving at the ER, according to a new study in the journal Stroke.

CT or MR scans are critical in determining whether a stroke is caused by a blockage or a ruptured blood vessel, which dictates the course of treatment.

The study is based on data collected from the AHA “Get with the Guidelines” program, which spanned some 1200 hospitals and 40,000 patients at the time it was collected. It... Read More »

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Posted in ct , mri , research

Toshiba’s AIDR 3D Receives FDA Clearance

April 25, 2012

Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has received FDA clearance of Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D (AIDR 3D), the company’s newest dose-reduction technology.

AIDR 3D is Toshiba’s third generation iterative dose reconstruction software that reduces radiation dose compared to conventional scanning. The algorithm is designed to work in both the raw data and image data space, reducing noise while attempting to maintain image quality.

AIDR 3D can also be seamlessly integrated with SUREExposureTM 3D, a software that calculates the minimum radiation exposure required for every... Read More »

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Posted in ct , dose monitoring

CT Scans Valuable to Current and Former Smokers, Says ALA

April 24, 2012

If you smoke or have smoked, a CT scan could save your life by helping in the early detection of lung cancer, says the American Lung Association (ALA); in 80-90 percent of cases, a lung cancer patient has been a smoker. Read More »

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Posted in ct

American Lung Association Issues New Guidelines Favoring Chest CT

April 24, 2012

A critical component in getting more private insurers and possibly even Medicare to cover low-dose chest CT for lung cancer screening for current and former heavy smokers has arrived. The influential American Lung Association (ALA) has revised its guidelines on lung cancer screening to favor chest CT over chest X-ray.

According to the new interim guidelines, individuals should not receive chest X-rays for lung cancer screening. Low-dose chest CT is recommended instead, but only in patients who match the criteria of the patients in the National Cancer Institute’s influential... Read More »

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Posted in ct

Canadian Scientists Develop Imaging-Guided Surgical “Lightsaber”

April 19, 2012

The Ottawa Citizen reports that Queen’s University researchers have developed a highly accurate, imaging-based laser surgery technique that will allow surgeons to “see below the surface” of an incision.

Scientists have dubbed their innovation “inline coherent imaging,” based on its derivation from optical coherence tomography. In short, the technique helps to limit the depth, density, and power of a cut by providing imaging guidance.

Researchers believe their discovery has applications for neurosurgery and robotic-guided operations, “and will hopefully allow a... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

Strkyer Partners with NeuroLogica on Mobile CT Surgical Nav Unit

April 13, 2012

Stryker Corp. subsidiary Stryker Navigation has partnered with the Danvers, MA-based portable CT maker, NeuroLogica to produce an integrated surgical navigation unit for its BodyTomTM 32-slice CT scanners.

The technologies should expedite minimally invasive surgeries, “including spine, trauma, neurosurgery and ENT,” according to a joint press release issued by the manufacturers.

Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging vendor news

Foundation Radiology to Provide 24/7 Reads for United Radiology of MD

April 11, 2012

Foundation Radiology Group of Pittsburgh, PA signed an exclusive teleradiology deal to read advanced imaging studies performed at the Rockville, MD-based United Radiology.

United Radiology is a diagnostic imaging provider that specializes in cardiac imaging, and claims to be the only site in the Mid-Atlantic region to offer rubidium-based PET/CT.

“That’s their niche and we’re helping them fill that,” says Phil Feldstein, spokesperson for Foundation Radiology.

Although the contract is a 24/7 arrangement, Feldstein says his group... Read More »

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Posted in ct , teleradiology , pet-ct , cardiac

“Choosing Wisely” Highlights Opportunities to Improve Utilization by Cutting Waste

April 11, 2012

Radiologists can play a key part in helping referring physicians concentrate on areas where they can eliminate financial waste and unnecessary testing, says an ACR fellow who worked on the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation Choosing Wisely campaign.

“We’re trying to make patients and physicians comfortable with the idea that having more tests is not always the best way,” says Debra Monticciolo, MD, FACR. “This is a good start to look at the... Read More »

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Posted in ct , acr , mri , health care reform , health analytics , safety , operations , organizational culture

Bruker Buys, Re-Brands Micro-CT Maker SkyScan

April 04, 2012

Instrument manufacturer Bruker Corporation is entering the micro-CT business with the purchase of micro-CT makerSkyScan NV, a deal that is expected to net Bruker some $13 million in revenue through the end of 2012 alone. Financial terms of the deal were undisclosed.

SkyScan will be re-branded as Bruker microCT NV but will continue to retail its micro-CT technologies under the SkyScan brand at its current location. Bruker plans to supplement its purchase by investing in additional... Read More »

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Posted in ct , marketing , imaging vendor news , m&a

Ditch the Wire Brush for Spring Break Grilling, Says AJR Study

March 30, 2012

You might want to re-think your barbecue strategy this summer: according to a new study in the American Journal of Roentgenology, accidental ingestion of wire grill brush bristles is on the rise.

Within 24 hours of ingesting grilled meat, six patients presenting with stomach or throat pain required endoscopic or surgical treatment to remove the objects.

“Careful history revealed cleaning of the grill with a metallic brush immediately before cooking in all six cases,” reads Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

SIR Presenters Tout New Directions for Interventional Radiology

March 28, 2012

Underscoring a press statement from SIR President-elect Marshall Hicks that interventional radiology is “the future of health care,” researchers at SIR 2012 debuted findings from a handful of studies spanning new IR treatment options in multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic obesity, and CT-guided lung biopsy, among others.

• IR may yield new hope for MS patients with venous lesions via angioplasties in the neck and chest, which researchers report discovering in 95 percent of the groups they studied. More than... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , dose monitoring

Additional MR Techniques Improve Detection of Pulmonary Embolism

March 19, 2012

According a study published in the March issue of the journal Radiology, radiologists now have a comparable, non-ionizing option to CT for the detection of pulmonary embolism.

The study was led by Diego R. Martin, MD, of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.

By adding a pair of sequences—volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) and non-contrast true fast imaging with steady-state precession (true FISP)— to previously established MR pulmonary angiography (MRPA) techniques, Martin, et al., found the accuracy of MRPA scans to be improved by as much as 29 percent.

In... Read More »

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Posted in ct

EMR Use Up Among Radiation Therapy Sites, External-Beam Tech Still a Growth Market, Says IMV

March 12, 2012

In just four years, the implementation of information systems among radiation therapy sites as an integrated component of oncology treatment has climbed from 50% to two-thirds, according to new research from IMV Medical Information Division.

The group credits meaningful use incentives specifically for this increase, and expects adoption of EMR will continue to grow in the future as long as there’s money to pay for it, with a significant majority of planned upgrades incorporating some form of health IT.&

The IMV Radiation Therapy Market Summary Report also claims that oncologists... Read More »

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Posted in ct , ehr , mri , forecasts

Head CT Use Can Vary Widely Even Within a Single ER, Study Says

March 09, 2012

Variation in head CT use may be unnecessarily overtaxing hospital resources and increasing costs to patients, according to a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

On the heels of an ill-received CMS measure calling for limiting use of head CT in the interests of lowering patient radiation dose, lead author Luciano M. Prevedello said in a prepared statement that “even after accounting for a number of factors associated with... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , utilization management

GE Touts Nonionic Contrast Agent, New Reconstruction Software in Lowering Patient CT Doses

March 09, 2012

A new study from MDx, the medical diagnostics business of GE, demonstrates strides the company has taken to reduce radiation exposure and iodine concentration in abdominal CT scan patients.

The chief catalyst for this announcement, GE says, is the proprietary contrast agent, Visipaque, also known as iodixanol, an isosmolar, nonionic chemical that the company says is more easily eliminated—and therefore suitable for use by more vulnerable populations—than iomeprol, another popular contrast agent.

Read More »

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Posted in ct , ge healthcare , utilization management , dose monitoring , contrast media , advanced visualization

FDA Clears New Toshiba CT

February 02, 2012

Toshiba America Medical Systems has won FDA clearance for a new CT scanner designed for ultra-low radiation dosage and a fast workflow.

The Aquilon PRIME CT system is the latest addition to Toshiba’s line of CT products. It was designed for facilities that perform a variety of advanced applications with the lowest radiation exposure possible.

“The system can generate 160 unique slices per rotation, enhancing MPR and 3D-rendered images,” according to a company press release.

Toshiba’s proprietary dose checking software is... Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging vendor news

Studies Lacking on Radiation Exposure from Cardiac Imaging

February 01, 2012

An article in the Feb 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology examines the available research on dose exposure for cardiac imaging and finds it lacking

Author Andrew Einsten, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center found no direct studies of cancer risk from cardiac imaging but could nonetheless project risk from other studies on radiation exposure, according to an article at CardiovascularBusiness.com.

Cardiac imaging requires some of the highest dose levels compared to... Read More »

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Posted in ct , dose monitoring , cardiac

False Positives Low for CT Lung Cancer Screening

January 27, 2012

Addressing concerns that CT imaging to screen for lung cancer would increase the number of false-positives, researchers found it actually resulted in a low rate for benign nodules.

A study published in the current issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology looked at nearly 5,000 high-risk current and former smokers who had CT of the chest between 2003 and 2009. Biopsies were performed on 127 patients with an overall false-positive rate of 0.42%.

An earlier National Cancer Institute study... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research

Harvard Researchers Link Iodine Based Contrast Material to Hyperthyroidism

January 23, 2012

Harvard University researchers have documented a link between iodinated contrast media used in CT scans and hyperthyroidism, based on a report in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital looked at data from nearly 2,000 patients from 1990 to 2010.

While the authors found an association between the commonly-used contrast material and hyperthyroidism, they stop short of advocating policy implications and instead suggest further study.

In an accompanying commentary... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , contrast media

University of Michigan Helps Develop Low-Impact CT

January 20, 2012

Radiologists at the University of Michigan have been helping to develop a new technology that performs a CT scan at a fraction of the radiation dose required for a conventional CT, according to a press release by the University of Michigan Health System.

GE Healthcare is said to have collaborated with university radiologists over the past decade developing its Veo technology. The breakthrough device uses the equivalent amount of radiation as one or two chest x-rays compared to standard CT scans that can use up to 70 times the... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , dose monitoring

NeuroLogica Reports Higher Than Expected Sales for Portable CT

January 12, 2012

NeuroLogica says its portable full-body CT scanner named BodyTom is selling better than expected.

The Massachusets-based developer of medical imaging devices said it had raised an additional $12 million to fund higher-than-expected orders, according to an article in the Boston Business Journal.

The BodyTom multi-slice CT scanner gained 501(k) pre-market clearance from the FDA in March. Clinicians can transport the device from room to room similar to existing x-ray machine. 

Read More »

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Posted in ct , imaging vendor news

Siemens CT Dose Reduction App Promising for Children

January 10, 2012

Siemens Healthcare showed off its new CT application for dose reduction specifically for children at the Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Radiology in London.

The new technology is said to scan infants in less than a second at a dose of less than one milisevert, according to a report in ExpressHealthcare.in.

Up until advances in dose reduction, CT was rarely used on children and infants. Close to 8 million CT examinations were performed on pediatric patients in the U.S. per year, according to... Read More »

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Posted in ct , research , imaging vendor news , pediatric

Cancer Screening Increases with Virtual Colonography Over Colonoscopy

January 05, 2012

It’s no surprise that men would prefer not to receive a colonoscopy, but just how much they prefer the alternative CT colonography was the subject of a study in the current issue of The Lancet.

Researchers found a 55% improvement in screening compliance with the non-invasive virtual colonography over colonoscopy. The study looked... Read More »

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Posted in medicare , ct , acr , research

WellPoint to Cover Lung CT for Heavy Smokers

December 02, 2011

Indianapolis-based insurer WellPoint is first out of the gate among the nation’s insurers in deciding to cover low-dose CT screening for lung cancer in heavy smokers, company spokesperson Jill A. Becher confirmed to ImagingBiz today.

CT screening for lung cancer is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, but is not yet recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the National Cancer Institute, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Thoracic Society. As a result, Medicare, Medicaid and all major private payors have up until now... Read More »

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Posted in reimbursement , ct

Proposed Rule Would Limit Multi-Procedure Payment Reductions

October 31, 2011

A rule that strikes back against imaging cuts advocated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was introduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Pete Olson (R-TX) and Betty McCollum (D-MN).

Co-sponsored by 31 House members, the proposed rule — known as the Diagnostic Imaging Services Protection Act (Bipartisan H.R. 3269) — would take effect next year and would prohibit any multiple procedure payment reduction to the “professional component” of CT, MRI, and ultrasound exams received by the same patient, on the same day, in the same setting. It is a... Read More »

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Posted in reimbursement , medicare , ct , acr , ultrasound , mri , health care policy news , legislation , medicaid , physician compensation

JAMA Finding Lends Support to Using Chest CT for Lung Cancer Screening

October 28, 2011

Hospital-based radiology departments that began offering discounted chest CTs to current and ex-smokers who could pay cash for the procedure may have been right. New research published in JAMA indicates that the standard insurance-covered annual chest x-rays do little if anything to actually reduce lung cancer death rates.

A separate NEJM published study indicated that chest CTs could lower the death rate as much as 20 percent. Acting on this finding, large and well-respected hospitals have jumped on offering discounted chest CTs as a for-cash alternative to the standard annual chest X-rays. These hospitals include: Abbott Northwestern Hospital... Read More »

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Posted in ct , marketing , research , hospital administration

Loss Leader? Low-Cost CT for Smokers Gains Popularity

August 19, 2011

With new research showing that CT scans may help in the early detection of lung-cancer in current or former smokers, hospitals are increasingly offering steeply discounted CT scans to patients for cash, reports Kaiser Health News (KHN).

Because CT screening for lung cancer is typically not covered by insurance, patients must pay out of pocket for the scans. Hospitals are facilitating the scanning by dropping the cost of the test to amounts most middle class consumers can easily afford. According to KHN, St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., offered a clip-out coupon for a $49 procedure and... Read More »

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Posted in ct , revenue

Study Links Increased CT Scan Usage,Lower Hospital Admission Rates

August 10, 2011

A new study shows a correlation between volume of CT scans administered to hospital admission rates, with the latter falling as the former increase.

According to the study, which was published online in the August 9 issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine, the use of CT scans in emergency departments increased by 330% between 1996 and 2007, from 3.2% of patient visits to 13.9% of patient visits. Rates of growth were highest for patients with symptoms that can be indicative of life-threatening emergencies, including abdominal pain, flank pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

But just as CT scan usage rates... Read More »

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Posted in ct

Study Pinpoints Techniques for CT Radiation Dose Reduction

August 03, 2011

Such techniques as lower tube current, automatic exposure control, and reduced tube voltage rank among keys to significantly reducing radiation dose from CT of the head, paranasal sinuses, and spine, according to a study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

In the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Johns Hopkins University note that radiation dose reduction from using these techniques is possible in adults and children alike. Moreover, despite the increasing use of MRI rather than CT when feasible, the latter remains an important tool,... Read More »

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Posted in ct , dose monitoring