Multimodality imaging is rapidly becoming an essential tool, particularly in oncology, where many publications have focused on a role for PET/CT.
Dose reduction at one time played second fiddle to image quality, but today it enjoys top billing. New algorithms are coming into play in CT, radiography, and fluoroscopy to maintain image quality at traditional levels by processing out the noise that sneaks in during low-dose exams. In some cases, fear of radiation has gotten so bad that patients forego CT and other sources of ionizing radiation all together.
Properly designed radiology reading rooms can boost radiologists’ efficiency and communication.
PACS already enjoys success in the healthcare marketplace and provides numerous benefits to institutions where it has been implemented. Now the focus is shifting from departmental to enterprise-wide systems. The enterprise is a different place, more intimidating than the safe confines of a radiology department. An enterprise network makes its way to many more locations; in some cases, to every location. Users are everywhere. Some have valid reasons to access imaging information, and others do not.
Case History: 82-year-old male presented with acute onset of right inguinal region mass.
The number of coronary CTangiographies performedin Europe has alreadyovertaken the practice ofcalcium scoring, accordingto a 2007 European Society ofRadiology survey on cardiac radiology.
A 35-year-old man with generalized weakness, ptosis, and difficulty swallowing.
Implanted medical devices such as neurostimulators,cardiac pacemakers, cochlear implants, and infusionpumps have become common.
The number of PET/CT systems in Europe is limited but growing rapidly. The world market was estimated at around $1.2 billion in 2004, which translates into 600 to 700 systems sold. Approxi-mately 90% of European PET sales, whether new installations or replacement, now involve PET/CT scanners. This figure shows the tremendous need for education in PET/CT.
Data collected by the European Association of Radiology in 2005 revealed that more than 60 centers in Europe have facilities for animal imaging research. Of these, 12 are in Germany, 10 in France, six in the U.K., and five each in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Our PACS project at the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium radically follows from an overall IT perspective. The emphasis on image flow throughout the entire hospital supersedes operations within the image-generating departments. Image management outside the radiology department is not an afterthought, but rather an integral part in, and even a driving factor for, decisions that the department makes. Although images have specific characteristics and requirements, we often consider them yet another type of data or a collection of bytes.
A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposal meant to streamline billing and other imaging management duties could actually backfire and create administrative havoc, according to radiology administrators.
Case History: 35-year-old patient with gradually progressive, painless swelling in left parotid region, unremarkable history.
Case History: 20-year-old male with originally painless swelling of right cheek that has become painful.
Case History: 35-year-old female presented with pain in the left paraumbilical region for two days, nausea and vomiting.
Although most hernias involving the anterior abdominal wall or groin can be diagnosed easily by inspection and palpation, imaging is the principal means of detecting internal, diaphragmatic, and other nonpalpable or unsuspected hernias.1,2
20-year-old male with no medical history presents with left-sided neck pain for 5 days.
All medical procedures, including imaging and image interpretation, are relatively risky. But the fact that we make mistakes doesn't mean that we can't control and minimize them.
After 12 years on the board of the International Society of Radiology (ISR), it is with complex feelings I have entered the last stage as the organization’s immediate past president. On one hand, it is relaxing to know that new and powerful forces have taken over. On the other, it is a little bit sad to know that there was a lot left to do, issues that I should have fixed-or at least tackled to start a resolving process.
Non-small cell lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women and men in the Western Hemisphere. Surgical resection remains the mainstay of therapy in disease at stages I and II, and this treatment has an acceptable morbidity and mortality rate. Imaging is needed for effective treatment planning and accurate diagnosis, including preoperative assessment of resectability.
Case History: 22-year-old male with absence of vision since birth, nasal blockage for three years, and headache for one month.
In countries where resources are limited, only a few wealthy individuals have access to well-equipped, properly staffed private healthcare institutions.
It's quick, safe, and relatively painless, and if interventional radiologists want to own it, they'd better step up quickly: Endovenous laser treatment of varicose veins is poised to take off, according to researchers at Cornell University. A two-year follow-up of 97 treated limbs showed a 6% recurrence rate, compared with 10% or higher recurrence that was reported for surgery, radio-frequency ablation, and transcatheter sclerotherapy.
Case History: 39-year-old male patient with h/o chronic cough and weight loss. Patient was advised CT.
Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries.1 Accurate detection of early cardiac disease is of utmost importance for the delivery of appropriate treatment.
The spatial resolution of 1.5T MRI has beenimproved by parallel imaging and 3D gradient-echo sequences.
Traditional polygraph tests to determine whether someone is lying may take a back seat to fMRI, according to a study in the February issue of Radiology. Researchers from Temple University Hospital used fMRI to show how specific areas of the brain light up when a person tells a lie.
Postprocessing software vendors sell their software based on the "push of a button" fantasy: Simply by pressing several buttons, the user completes the entire case. Although software interfaces are becoming increasingly more user-friendly, postprocessing volumetric data still requires an advanced skill set.