CT

Siemens highlights cardiovascular assessmentAurora expands breast MR operation to AsiaIBA launches headquarters in Beijing Gamma Medica-Ideas unveils high-performance CT

CAD-powered CT colonography enters EuropePhilips notches CT milestoneMultislice CT looks into the pastMR system expands options for breast biopsyHansen robotic catheter system ships to U.S. site

Research published in the June issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine suggests that radiolabeled recombinant tissue plasminogen activator can perform double duty for evaluations of deep vein thrombosis: It can diagnose the presence of DVT and distinguish between new and old thrombi. Peer-reviewed reports in the May medical literature reflect the growing value of medical imaging for diagnosing, assessing, and guiding the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

GE highlights CT advances at Stanford conference Toshiba streamlines bone subtractionFranklin & Seidelmann adds $25M to coffers

Amid a stir created by competitors about high definition at the Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting, Philips Medical Systems quietly promoted what may be the ultimate answer to improved image quality: its proprietary time-of-flight PET/CT. Clinical data supporting the benefit of this approach are now being generated by the company’s Gemini TF (TruFlight, commercially launched in 2006).

After more than a year of toggling with a rebranding process, the Society of Nuclear Medicine is no more. Along with a new face, the SNM acronym and the tagline "Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy" are the society's brand name from now on.

Researchers from Germany and the U.S. released findings from the first study showing images of the human brain acquired simultaneously by the two modalities of a hybrid PET/MR scanner. They released the data at the 2007 Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting being held in Washington, DC.

FDG-PET can predict which patients with gastric or gastroesophageal cancer will benefit more from treatment and can thus assist decision-makers regarding the appropriate management of these patients, according to two studies presented Sunday at the 2007 Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting.

Using PET with carbon-11-labeled monoamine oxidase A inhibitor clorgyline, researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory have found an association between MAO-A brain activity and violent behavior. Their study was selected as Image of the Year at the 2007 Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting in Washington, DC.

Diagnostic imaging rests squarely within the sights of regulators, so don't be surprised if significant rule changes relating to imaging services may be in the offing. One likely target relates to how interpretation services, including those provided via teleradiology, can be performed and billed.

University Hospital Zurich is well known for its work in PET/CT. The hospital installed one of the world's first PET/CT systems in March 2001 and currently operates two PET/CT scanners. Now radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians from around the world are being offered the chance to improve their dual-modality reading skills at this pioneering institution.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine anticipates highlights galore at its upcoming 54th annual meeting in Washington, DC. But no other topic will receive more attention this year than the continuing integration of molecular imaging into the day-to-day doings of nuclear medicine specialists. Congress even declared the week of June 3 as Molecular Imaging Week to raise awareness on the emerging field.

Autopsies have long been instrumental in documenting the cause of death from disease and crime. The procedure’s contribution to public welfare is beyond debate, but religious beliefs and family preferences have led to a decline in its use. Into this breach has stepped digital imaging in the form of CT, which lets forensic scientists investigate cases they would otherwise be prevented from working on.

Research developments showcased the future of MR last week in Berlin, as Siemens demonstrated the feasibility of creating a hybrid of this modality with PET, while GE Healthcare exhibited the potential of 3T MR in virtual colonography.

A new PET agent could help neuroimagers accurately tell the difference between the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients and those of healthy aging individuals, according to a study published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Preliminary studies presented Tuesday at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine meeting in Berlin gave radiologists a glimpse of future imaging practices for cancer patients: a molecular nuclear imaging test to assess the extent of hypoxia and functional MRI to monitor the response of head and neck carcinoma to treatment.

Preliminary studies presented Tuesday gave radiologists a glimpse of future imaging practices for cancer patients: a molecular nuclear imaging test to assess the extent of hypoxia and functional MRI to monitor the response of head and neck carcinoma to treatment.

Treatment guidelines from the FDA limit the ultrasonic ablation of uterine fibroids to 50% of the lesion mass, as seen and targeted with MRI, a limitation that has raised doubts in the medical community about whether the treatment can be effective. But Dr. Phyllis Gee, medical director of the North Texas Uterine Fibroid Institute in Plano, says physicians need not be concerned about the efficacy or long-lasting effect of this treatment.

Vendors are pouring money into R&D aimed at reducing radiation dose to patients when a simpler, more immediate answer might be at hand: positioning patients correctly before scanning.

Breast cancer screening declinesMindray quarterly results rocketNeuroLogica CT spots brain hemorrhage in boxerSourceMedical lands RIS/PACS contracts

Most of the potential associated with dual-beam CT scanning, a technology developed and being solely pioneered by Siemens Medical Solutions, has been in cardiology. The applicability of this technology to other disciplines is only beginning to be explored.

Fewer than one quarter of U.S. outpatient imaging centers surveyed by the marketing research firm IMV plan to purchase any type of high-end diagnostic imaging equipment between now and 2008, a draconian measure prompted by the implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA).

FDA clears Hansen EP robotic systemToshiba nabs ultrasound contractFinal data clock in for 64-slice CT trial

NeuroLogica bridges CT gapSiemens upgrades cardiovascular ITGE adds novel CT injector to lineupEdap targets EU, Russia for HIFU salesNorth American Scientific taps new top exec

Whole-body MR imaging could complement-and, in some cases, even replace-traditional bone scanning techniques. Researchers across Europe have found that whole-body MRI has a significant impact on patient management compared with x-ray and nuclear medicine.

Multislice CT has steamed into our radiology departments like a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. In its wake, an entire support industry has sprung up to help us quench our ever-increasing thirst for more and better slices.

A portable CT scanner built by NeuroLogica will be one door away from the dressing rooms of Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. when the two middleweights duke it out May 5 at the MGM hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The dedicated head scanner will scan either or both, if physicians attending the boxers see any signs of neurological damage.

Nuclear medicine applications have boomed since PET studies secured reimbursement, and the use of hybrid modalities combining nuclear imaging with multislice CT scanning is growing. The potential for increasing radiation exposure for patients and medical workers requires beefing up radiation safety measures, according to two leading nuclear medicine experts who spoke at the 2007 National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements meeting.

Varian shares plungeBycast cuts deal with Big BlueMazor targets misplaced spinal screwsShands adds 16-slice CT

Quantitative Radiology is now part of AFP Imaging. Purchase of the Italian firm, which has installed about 500 conebeam CT scanners for dental applications over the past decade, is being framed as a coup by AFP chairman and cofounder David Vozick.