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Offering a variety of AI-enabled tools to facilitate radiology workflow efficiency, the BlueSeal MRI system is reportedly the first wide bore, helium-free 1.5T MRI platform in the field.

Philips to Introduce AI-Powered, Helium-Free MRI System at RSNA

In recent interviews, Eric Rohren, M.D., and Krishna Nallamshetty, M.D., discuss the potential of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) to progress into life-threatening consequences and an emerging AI-powered tool that may bolster adherence to best practice recommendations in radiology reporting of incidental AAA findings on CT and MRI.

Improving Adherence to Best Practices for Incidental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms on CT and MRI

Emerging technologies included with the 10th version of the 1.5T MRI platform include Synergy DLR Clear and Synergy Vision that are geared toward mitigating common challenges with artifacts.

Artifact Reduction Drives Technology Advances with Updated Version of Echelon Synergy MRI System

The updated software reportedly provides access to more than 200 enhanced features including optimized hanging protocols with a cardiac MRI viewer and perfusion quantification analysis.

TeraRecon Launches Updated Intuition 4.10 Cardiac MRI Software

The Ezra Blueprint scan reportedly includes quantitative brain measurements, coronary calcium scoring (CAC) and a full-body MRI that provides screening for over 500 conditions.

Ezra Launches 3T MRI/CT Combination for Full-Body Scans

When evaluating an artificial intelligence (AI) model for initial assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on echocardiograms, David Ouyang, M.D., said he was genuinely surprised that cardiologists had greater confidence in initial AI assessments than those provided by cardiac sonographers with an average of 14.1 years of experience.

In the randomized trial, recently published in 

, cardiologists revised 27.2 percent of initial LVEF assessments by sonographers in comparison to 16.8 percent of AI assessments.

“We initially thought of the tool as kind of a streamlining tool where it speeds things up. We actually designed the trial as a non-inferior trial. We weren’t expecting AI to be better than sonographers. Hopefully, it would be equivalent,” noted Dr. Ouyang, who is affiliated with the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute and the Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “We were pleasantly surprised that AI actually was superior. This really speaks to the high level of precision that automation delivers.”

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “

Study Finds AI More Effective Than Sonographer Interpretation of Cardiac Function on Echocardiograms

Can AI Improve Triage of CT Pulmonary Angiography Exams for Acute PE?

AI Platform for Ultrasound Detection of Cardiac Amyloidosis Gets FDA Breakthrough Device Designation

In a recent interview, Dr. Ouyang also discussed another 

 that employed deep learning segmentation of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine how variations in left ventricle sphericity can impact cardiovascular risks. Based on their findings from a large cohort of nearly 39,000 participants from the UK Biobank, Dr. Ouyang and colleagues found that one standard deviation increase in the left ventricle sphericity index led to a 47 percent increased risk for cardiomyopathy and a 20 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation.

For more insights from Dr, Ouyang, watch the video below.

In a recent video interview, David Ouyang, M.D., shared insights from two recent studies he co-authored on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve initial assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on echocardiography and ascertain cardiac risks associated with changes in the left ventricle sphericity index seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Emerging AI Advances in Cardiac Imaging

For Raymond Y. Kwong, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCMR, long scan times with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can have a significant downstream effect on patient access to this technology. He noted the increased demand for cardiac MRI has led to wait times of three to five weeks for outpatients and four to five days for in-patients to be scheduled for a cardiac MRI.

“These numbers are really unacceptable for patient care from our standpoint,” noted Dr. Kwong, the director of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Cardiovascular Division of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and a professor medicine at Harvard Medical School.

With this in mind, Dr. Kwong recently started using Vista.ai (formerly HeartVista) One-Click MRI, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled software that helps improve image quality as well as the efficiency of cardiac MRI procedures. At the recent Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference, Dr. Kwong shared his six-month experience with Vista.ai’s One-Click MRI and noted a 31 percent reduction in scan times based on 1,100 consecutive cardiac MRI studies performed between April 2022 and September 2022 for patients with cardiomyopathy or structural heart disease.

When employing full use of the Vista.ai One-Click MRI software, Dr. Kwong found that 90 percent of cardiac MRI studies could be completed in less than 45 minutes in comparison to 25 percent of non-AI-aided studies.

(Editor’s note: This interview was recorded prior to HeartVista’s announcement about the company name change to Vista.ai.)

For more insights from Dr. Kwong, watch the video below.

In a recent video interview, Raymond Y. Kwong, MD, discussed his clinical experience with the Vista.ai (formerly HeartVista) One Click MRI software and recent research, presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference, that revealed a 31 percent decrease in cardiac MRI scan times for patients with cardiomyopathy or structural heart disease.

Can Emerging AI-Guided Software Rein in Scan Times for Cardiac MRI?

The purchase of new and cutting-edge imaging equipment comes with a lot of excitement—and a learning curve. That's where Canon Medical Education comes in, providing a host of education solutions for clients that include both in-person and virtual training and continuing education opportunities.

The education arm of Canon Medical Systems USA provides a customizable plan to ensure that all imaging associates are well-trained and comfortable operating advanced equipment including MR and CT, as well as vascular and cath applications, among others. 

Understanding that every learner is different, Canon offers educational opportunities that include in-person, at their Institute of Advanced Imaging in Irvine, California; on-site training at a client facility; online and instructor-led courses in their Canon Learning Center; as well as CE and non-CE webinars and special programs.

To learn more about Canon's educational offerings, 

Canon Medical Systems offer a range of in-person and virtual educational opportunities for their clients. 

Education in Radiology: Canon's Customized Approach

Morris Panner didn’t want to call the familiar PACS system outdated or antiquated. However, he did suggest that radiology is on the cusp of a revolution with medical image and data management that parallels the ongoing emergence of the radiologist from the reading room to being a key member of the interdisciplinary team in facilitating optimal patient outcomes.

“The PACS system is no longer a new invention. It is important and you can always improve it but what people are really looking for now is how to free that data, take that pixel information, share it, use it with other types of data and advance the liquidity and flexibility in data management. That was the revolution that came out of the SIIM (Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine) meeting this year,” noted Panner, the president of Intelerad Medical Systems, in a recent video interview.

recent survey research showing an increasing patient acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI)

, and the more gradual “try it” phase for many radiologists as they discern the most optimal fit for AI in their current workflows. To that end, Panner also reviewed key aspects of Intelerad’s Enterprise Imaging and Informatics Suite. It is Panner’s hope that by emphasizing improved efficiency and quality in radiology workflows, the system can “free up brain space for great diagnostics.”

For more insights from Morris Panner, watch the video below.

In a video interview, Morris Panner, the president of Intelerad Medical Systems, discussed key observations from the recent Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) conference, recent research about artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and emerging goals for enhancing the efficiency of radiology workflows.

What's Next in Medical Image and Data Management in Radiology?

Not only do women have higher prevalence and mortality rates with ischemic heart disease (IHD) than men, they also have more atypical symptoms of the disease, according to researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).

In a video interview, Diana Litmanovich, MD, chief of the cardiothoracic imaging section at BIDMC, and Rokas Liubauskas, a clinical research fellow in the radiology department of BIDMC, discussed their 

recent poster presentation at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) conference

, which focused on the impact of sex-based differences with risk factors, imaging, and the diagnostic workup of suspected IHD in women.

While diabetes mellitus and hypertension are well-established risk factors for myocardial infarction (MI), Dr. Liubauskas noted that they are higher risk factors in women than men. The authors also said that fewer women symptomatic for IHD present with typical symptoms such as chest pain. Common atypical symptoms in women who could have IHD may include nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain. Other complaints in women with possible IHD may include dyspnea, jaw pain, loss of appetite or lightheadedness.

When assessing women for potential coronary artery disease (CAD), Dr. Litmanovich explained that clinical predictive factors are reliable but less reliable in women compared to men. However, she maintained that predictability of an acute coronary event in women via imaging is better than that of men.

There are also key differences with imaging findings in this patient population. They pointed out that the smaller coronary artery diameter in women plays a key role with interpretation of imaging. Drs. Litmanovich and Liubauskas also discussed a lack of flow-limiting stenosis in over 50 percent of women symptomatic for IHD.

Other considerations impact the use of imaging devices for women with suspected IHD. While coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been recognized for its ability to help stratify risk in patients with CAD, the use of some medications to mitigate anxiety-related tachycardia in women may warrant heart rate monitoring, according to Dr. Liubauskas. When microvascular dysfunction is part of the equation for cardiac ischemia, Dr. Liubauskas says this requires functional tests for diagnosis.

When it comes to CAD, Dr. Litmanovich said women with preserved myocardium and ejection fraction may still have heart failure. In these cases, she said the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with delayed gadolinium enhancement may be warranted as “what looks normal on echocardiography or CT might actually correlate with abnormal MRI findings.”

For additional insights on the imaging and diagnosis of IHD in women, watch the video below:

Sharing insights from their recent presentation at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) conference in a new video interview, researchers discussed how sex-based differences have an impact in the imaging and diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women.

Diagnosing Cardiac Ischemia in Women: Key Imaging Considerations

Despite the technological advances in transferring electronic health information, medical imaging data, to this day, is predominantly exchanged between instiutions via physical media (such as a CD or flash drive) that patients carry to an appointment at another facility.

Emphasizing the impact of this seemingly dated practice on workflow efficiencies within radiology and the broader field of health care, Arun Krishnaraj, MD, MPH and David Larson, MD, MBA, said the continued reliance on patients to transport medical images via physical media (such as a CD or flash drive) can lead to delays in patient care.

In their quest to change this dynamic, Drs. Krishnaraj and Larson recently co-authored a provocative article, “

Moving Toward Seamless Interinstitutional Electronic Image Transfer

ournal of the American College of Radiology (JACR)

. In the article and in a video interview with 

, Drs. Krishnaraj and Larson discussed the potential creation of a “linked multi-hub model” that would facilitate electronic transmission of medical images through image exchange companies that would connect different health-care facilities.

“Everyone in the imaging community should really see this as a call to arms to work with our imaging vendor exchange communities to solve this problem for the benefit of patients,” emphasized Dr. Krishnaraj, Chief of the Division of Body Imaging with the Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

For more insights from Drs. Krishnaraj and Larson, watch the video below:

In a recent video interview, Arun Krishnaraj, MD, MPH and David Larson, MD, MBA, discussed the continued use of physical media to transport medical images between different health-care facilities, resulting inefficiencies and delays with patient care, and the initiative to create a linked multi-hub model to end this dated practice once and for all.

'A Call to Arms' for Electronic Transfer of Medical Images Between Institutions

Welcome to Diagnostic Imaging’s Weekly Scan. I’m senior editor Whitney Palmer.

Before we get out our featured interview with Dr. Diana Miglioretti about a risk-based model designed to help providers prioritize which women to bring in for mammograms during a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, here are the top stories of the week.

Fetal cardiovascular MRI can be useful in providing information about congenital heart defects when echocardiography results are unclear, said a group of researchers in 

Although echocardiography is typically the tool of choice to catch these defects in utero, sometimes the acoustic window isn’t sufficient, leading to indeterminate images. In these cases, fetal CMR can provide useful details in 84 percent of cases, potentially impacting choices for mode of delivery, early postnatal care planning, and parental counseling. To determine how well fetal CMR performs, the team examined results from 31 fetuses with an average gestational age of 36 weeks between January 2017 and June 2020. Alongside that additional diagnostic information, the team determined the extra data bolstered parental counseling in 68 percent of cases.

Being a new radiologist can be difficult. You have to learn the ropes of your new practice, get to know your colleagues, and figure out how to handle the daily workload. It can be overwhelming – and, frankly, residency doesn’t necessary give you the skills you need navigate it all successfully. In an attempt to help you, a group of radiology experts from The Netherlands published a list of 10 survival tips this week in the 

Journal of the American College of Radiology

 They touched on finances, insurance, continuing medical education, setting boundaries, avoiding burnout, and more. Not only can these tips help the new radiologist, but they can also be good suggestions for how residency programs can improve how they prepare providers for the realities of clinical practice.

spoke with Dr. Diana Miglioretti, chief of biostatistics at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine, about the risk-based model she and her colleagues created. It is designed to help providers prioritize which women to bring in for screening mammography during times of crisis when resources and capacity are limited, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s what she had to say about the impact of using such as model.

For more coverage based on industry expert insights and research, subscribe to the Diagnostic Imaging e-Newsletter 

Fetal cardiac MRI and congenital heart defects; Survival tips for early radiology practice; Plus, Risk-based prioritization models for mammography during crises.

Diagnostic Imaging's Weekly Scan: April 2, 2021

 Weekly Scan. I’m senior editor Whitney Palmer.

Before we get to our featured interview with Dr. Lynn Baxter, director of breast imaging at Radiology Partners member practice Northside Radiology Associates about how to address COVID-19 vaccine-related adenopathies with patients, here are the top stories of the week.

Missing even one screening mammogram can put a woman at significantly higher risk for dying from breast cancer. According to a study of more than half a million women published in 

, researchers determined that undergoing consecutive mammograms reduces a woman’s risk by half – but, skipping out makes a big difference. From 1992 to 2016, investigators followed 549,091 women in Sweden to see how frequently they underwent screening. During the study, the country’s policy was to offer screening mammography to women ages 40 to 54 every 18 months – it was every 24 months for women ages 55 to 69. The researchers divided women into four groups – those who received two consecutive screenings; those who had their last, but not next-to-last; those who had their next-to-last, but not last; and those who had none. Overall, they identified 3,995 breast cancer deaths across the groups and determined that women who had both screenings had a 49-percent lower risk for breast cancer mortality. It was only 33 percent and 28 percent for women who had only their last or next-to-last screening, respectively. This benefit stretched out for 10 years, they said, with women who underwent both screenings experiencing a 50-percent drop in breast cancer mortality within a decade of the exams.

More radiologists are providing cardiac CT and MRI services, but these studies still are not as common as echocardiography and nuclear medicine, according to a recent study from 

. In a study from 2012 to 2017, investigators examined the number of cardiac CT and MRI exams performed, as well as the number of providers who conducted them. Based on their analysis, they found cardiovascular CT and MRI use rose by 97.4 percent and 75.5 percent, respectively. The number of providers also increased by 84.8 percent for MRI and 77.3 percent for CT. The majority of providers were men, and most were cardiologists or radiologists. However, while reimbursements rates for MRI and CT during the study period amounted to $16.2 million and $55.8 million, respectively, those number paled in comparison to reimbursement for echocardiography and nuclear medicine while came in at $5.9 billion and $4.2 billion, respectively.

This week, Andrew Colbert, senior managing partner and founding member of Ziegler’s Healthcare Investment Banking shared his thoughts on how radiology practices can help secure themselves financially during this turbulent healthcare environment. In his 

, he discussed five factors that are directly impacting the playing field currently: federal healthcare policy changes, industry consolidations and mergers, the push to outpatient service and consumerization, the economic impact of COVID-19, and Medicare payment reallocations. In addition to laying out how each of these factors is making an impact, Colbert pointed to an analysis that could help practices identify areas of investment and fortification, and he highlighted several key types of investments that could drive success.

 spoke with Dr. Lynn Baxter, director of breast imaging at Radiology Partners member practice Northside Radiology Associates about how to address COVID-19 vaccine-related adenopathies with patients. Not only did she discuss how both technologists and radiologists should approach this information with patients, but she shared how her practice, in particular, does it. Here’s what she said.

Dangers of missing one screening mammogram; Rise of cardiac CT and MRI; Strategies to improve financial stability; Plus, Talking to patient about COVID-19 vaccine-related adenopathies.

Diagnostic Imaging's Weekly Scan: March 1, 2021, to March 5, 2021

Welcome to Diagnostic Imaging’s Weekly Scan. I’m senior editor, Whitney Palmer.

Before we get to our featured interview this week with Dr. Donald Frush, instructor of radiology in the Duke University School of Medicine and Health System, about the announced recommendation against across-the-board gonad shielding with X-ray imaging from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), here are the top stories of the week.

In contrast to what you might have anticipated, the severity of a patient’s case of COVID-19 is not necessarily linked to how well his or her lungs will recover from the virus. Fortunately, post-recovery imaging at least shows that most people’s lungs will not experience any long-term scarring. In a study from Trinity College in Dublin, published in the 

, investigators followed 153 patients for an average of 75 days in an outpatient clinic, evaluating their condition with chest X-rays and CT, as well as a six-minute walk test. They also examined blood samples for disease indicators, such as C-reactive protein. The results surprised them. Only 4 percent of patients who had previous abnormal X-rays had any evidence of lung scarring on chest CT, and shorter six-minute walk test distances were associated with frailty and longer hospitalizations – not disease severity. These outcomes point to a need for greater cardiovascular and fitness assessment, as well as rehabilitation for patients who have fatigue and breathlessness after COVID-19 recovery.

Looking to reduce your emergency department medical imaging recall rates? It might be as easy as adding an attending radiologist to the overnight hours, according to University of Toronto researchers. This group of investigators tested an intervention at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center from 2016 to 2018, and they found having an attending radiologist in-house after-hours sliced imaging exam recalls by approximately 90 percent. In fact, they said in their article in 

, the average number of recalls plummeted from 61 annually to 7. This drop was impressive they said since the number of images ordered in the emergency department actually rose annually during this time, climbing from 13,883 in 2016 to 15,112 in 2018. While radiology residents still provided preliminary reports and remained the main points-of-contact for referring physicians, the attending radiologists were responsible for final reports for both emergency department patients and inpatients. Not only did their intervention improve work flow, but it also improved patient comfort and safety because patient were not called back for a re-scan. In addition, emergency physicians also reported a higher level of satisfaction.

New findings this week from Vanderbilt University contradicted some alarming results published in the fall about the effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular health of athletes. Initially, it was reported that approximately 15 percent of athletes suffered from myocarditis, captured on cardiac MRI, after recovering from the virus. Vanderbilt’s investigators determined the real amount is 3 percent, and their findings were published by the American Heart Association in 

Vanderbilt researchers compared COVID-19-positive athletes to 60 healthy controls to make this determination. Unfortunately, they realized, no screening tests that they evaluated were effective in pinpointing which athletes had myocarditis – this was a let-down because the team had hoped those screenings would have been definitive, limiting the need for cardiac MRI to the most necessary instances. Still, in one beneficial result, they found both COVID-19-positive and health athletes experience similar levels of benign scarring in healthy heart muscle in the same location, indicating it is not a consequence of the virus and should not restrict an athlete from competition.

And, finally this week, Diagnostic Imaging spoke with Dr. Donald Frush, an instructor of radiology at Duke University School of Medicine and Duke University Health System about the recommendations against the universal use of gonad shielding during X-ray imaging that were released this week. Frush, who served as the chair of the NCRP subcommittee on gonadal shielding discussed the reasoning behind the recommendation, the challenges that exist to implementing the protocol change, what facilities can do to successfully shift their shielding practice, and the drawbacks that exist to still using shielding routinely.

COVID-19 and Long-Term Lung Effects; Reduce Emergency Department Imaging Recalls; COVID-19, Myocarditis, and Athletes; Plus, New Recommendation for X-ray Gonad Shielding

Diagnostic Imaging's Weekly Scan: Jan. 11 to Jan. 15, 2021

Before we get to our featured interview this week with Dr. Murray Rebner about the disadvantages African American women experience with breast cancer screening, here are the top stories of the week.

 published a study, revealing that 15 percent of competitive athletes had evidence of myocarditis on cardiac MRI scans after recovering from COVID-19. The news is certainly concerning and has pushed many in healthcare to investigate these findings further. But, the results of that study – which included asymptomatic patients – also caught the attention of a cadre of experts from cardiology, diagnostic imaging, and general medicine. And, they are worried the investigation’s outcome could lead clinicians down a questionable path. In an 

 to the American College of Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America, the European Society of Radiology and more than a dozen other professional organizations, this group requested those organizations craft and publish guidance that does not recommend the use of cardiac MRI in patients who are asymptomatic for COVID-19. Ohio State cardiologist, Dr. Matthew Tong who was involved with the 

 and he agreed these concerns are not unfounded and that there is a need for more data that enable direct comparisons. The important thing, he stressed, is to continue to investigate this problem.

In addition to cardiac imaging, abdominal radiologists should keep their eyes open for signs of COVID-19, too. That’s according to a study published this week in 

 According to investigators from the University of Alberta, 18 percent of patients who end up testing positive for the virus first present with complaints of appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal gas – in fact, 16 percent of patients only show those symptoms. For their study, the researchers analyzed 36 articles published between March 31 and July 15 of this year. In that review, they identified the most common findings as small and large bowel wall thickening, fluid-filled colon, pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum, intussusception, and ascites. And, in most cases, radiologists only caught these as incidental findings in the base of the lungs that show up on abdominal CT scans. So, if you’re examining any abdominal scans, be on the look out for evidence that might help you diagnose a COVID-19-positive patient.

And, once again, this week, investigators turned their eyes to how the pandemic is continuing to affect you and your colleagues. In a study published in the 

 a team from France showed that many of you are still experiencing insomnia, anxiety, and depression brought on by the continued outbreak. Based on an anonymous survey conducted from April 10 to April 19 of this year with responses from 1,515 radiologists, the team found that more than one-third of providers are struggling with these issues. In particular, 40.9 percent reported having trouble sleeping, 35 percent said they had symptoms of anxiety, and 30.6 percent wrestled with depression. Between 12 percent and 15 percent self-report that these issues were clinically significant. Radiologists in all care environments said they experienced these problems to some degree, but those in private practice were most affected. It’s possible the team said that substantial drops in workload led to a reduced sense of usefulness, as well as worries about financial stability. It’s also important to note, the team said, that these added feelings of stress and anxiety have compounded the already heavy sense of burnout that many providers in radiology were already dealing with prior to the pandemic.

In non-COVID-19 news, lung cancer screening guidelines could be overlooking African American smokers who are at risk for developing the disease. This sounds an alarm bell because African Americans have a higher incidence of and worse outcomes with lung cancer. In a study published in the 

 researchers from Cook County Health and Northwestern University in Chicago shared evidence that the 30-pack-year threshold used to determine which patients should undergo low-dose CT screening could be too high. They found that while African Americans might smoke for the same number of years as their white counterparts, they aren’t actually smoking as many packs a day. So, they are closer to a 20-pack-year threshold. Based on their review of CT scans from 784 current and former smokers, the team determined African Americans had an incidence of lung cancer of 2.5 percent while their white counterparts experienced 1.9 percent. When looking at lung cancer diagnosis in the context of smoking, African American participants were the only race who received the cancer diagnoses when they had a pack-year history below 30. Specifically, 30-pack-year smokers had an incidence of 2.2 percent, but for those less than 30, it was 2.7 percent. Based on these results, the team recommended changing the lung cancer screening threshold from 30-pack-years to 20-pack-years.

 spoke with Dr. Murray Rebner, professor of diagnostic radiology and molecular imaging at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. He is also the director of the division of breast imaging at Beaumont Health System. He spoke with us about his latest research published in the 

 that examines the many obstacles and disadvantages that African American women face when it comes to being properly screened for breast cancer in a timely manner. Here’s what he had to say.

Rethinking CMR during COVID-19; Abdominal Imaging and COVID-19; Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19; African American and Lung Cancer Screening; Plus, African American Women and Disadvantages in Breast Cancer Screening

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