CT

Imulux, a pioneer in optical coherence tomography, showcased its FDA-cleared technology, Niris, at the World Congress of Endourology in Cleveland last week. Unlike other optical imaging tools that focus on the breast or brain, Niris renders images of the prostate. The system achieves a spatial resolution of 0.01 mm, which is well beyond the reach of diagnostic ultrasound.

Two IT products designed by McKesson have found their way into Toshiba America Medical Systems’ CT portfolio. The CT-specific mini-PACS products support Toshiba’s flagship Aquilion scanner. One is a low-cost archive for cardiology and the other is a scaled-down radiology PACS.

Only yesterday, PET was the talk of the town, and outpatient centers were clamoring to get their hands on it. I remember that day vividly and can recall the resources needed to get an outpatient PET center off the ground.

The news keeps getting better on the regulatory front. The imaging industry in July added to its already extraordinary record of FDA clearances for 2006, boosting the year’s tally by 32 to 200 premarket notifications.

A new method that uses carbon nanotube x-rays to create CT images promises to make CT scanners work faster than traditional ones while using less peak power.

Toshiba updates CT softwareMedrad unveils 3T prostate coilUltraSPECT names sales director

As if CT colonography needed more good publicity, a multinational study of more than 20,000 procedures has found that the technique is safer than previously thought, with a serious complication rate of just .018%.

The heart and kidneys appear in their true surroundings in this fusion of science and art composed by scientist turned photojournalist Andrew Tsiaras.

An image illustrating perfusion SPECT/CT's importance for assessing low-risk patients with suspected myocardial infarction was selected as image of the year at the 2006 Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting in San Diego.

Two top meetings showcase MI progress, while investment in basic sciences soars

A breast CT scanner dedicated to diagnostic applications could be on the market by the end of this year. The clinical test unit, unveiled today at the University of Rochester Medical Center, NY, has already scanned several patients and will soon begin a 60-patient study to compare its images with those obtained using conventional mammography systems.

The truce over cardiac CT between cardiologists and radiologists showed signs of strain last week at the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography meeting in Washington, DC, when several radiologists charged that the endorsement of clinical guidelines by the society favored cardiologists.

Sixteen-slice CT angiography can rule out -- but cannot conclusively identify -- heart disease in patients, according to results to be published in tomorrow’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The results establish a baseline for expectations regarding higher performance CTs, as their faster scan times could provide even better results.

Cardiac applications drive nuclear medicineCedara to distribute DICOM converterToshiba names VP of salesGE reorganizes ultrasound unit

Berlex initiated a nationwide recall July 20 to retrieve a single lot of Ultravist after particulate matter associated with crystallization was found in vials of the intravenous x-ray and CT contrast medium.

Berlex recalls tainted contrast media

A cardiology task force is recommending that two tests, CT for coronary artery calcium and ultrasound for carotid intima-media thickness and plaque assessment, be used to screen asymptomatic patients for heart attack risk.

Anecdotal evidence abounds for coronary CT angiography’s value in detecting heart disease in high-risk asymptomatic patients, and referring cardiologists are increasingly enthusiastic about its use. But do the facts support the confidence? A small new study suggests they do, at least for some referring doctors.

A top official for the American College of Cardiology says cardiologists should drive quality improvements in cardiac imaging, and that a major effort should be made to increase how imaging is used in cardiology research and practice.

Colonic diverticular disease won't spoil CT colonography as long as radiologists apply a 3D imaging approach, according to a study by University of Wisconsin researchers.

Buoyed by highly promising preliminary results, radiologists and cardiologists are lining up to learn coronary artery CT. Interest is growing in new CCT fellowships and medical conferences offering CCT training. Record sales of cardiovascular 64-slice CT scanners, many installed in the first half of 2006, are fueling the demand.

I believe myself fortunate to have a soapbox-this column in DI-from which to opine my views on the legal and regulatory issues encountered in my practice representing radiologists. Few issues have been as nettlesome, or as hot politically, as the one involving shared arrangements for radiologists and cardiologists to interpret cardiac CT angiography studies. It is my strongly held view that there are significant regulatory issues with many of these shared reading or overread arrangements between cardiologists and radiologists. If such arrangements are not structured correctly, I am concerned radiologists could face legal exposure.

Siemens installs dual-source CTsFonar rebrands flagship MR scanner…againBerlex aligns with Washington University

Definitive evidence that coronary CT angiography can replace conventional angiography is lacking, according to a report presented on the last day of the 8th Annual International Symposium on Multidetector-Row CT in San Francisco.

Anecdotal evidence abounds for coronary CT angiography’s value in detecting heart disease in high-risk asymptomatic patients, and referring cardiologists are increasingly enthusiastic about its use. But do the facts support the confidence? A small new study suggests they do, at least for some referring doctors.

A series of prospective, multicenter trials comparing 16-slice CT angiography with conventional angiography show results similar to single-center trials, although CTA performance in some applications is slightly lower than previously reported, according to presentations at the Stanford Multidetector-Row CT meeting on Saturday.

As if one CT imaging chain were not enough to swamp an IT network, Siemens Medical Solutions has added a second to its Somatom Definition, turning an everyday headache into a migraine. But the company has come up with a remedy, a thin-client server called syngo WebSpace.

Minimizing contrast while maximizing quality is a perennial challenge for CT imagers. But it can be met by following a few simple tips. The key is developing a protocol that makes the most of the contrast being used, said Dr. Michael Lev, director of emergency neuroradiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, speaking at the Stanford Multidetector-Row CT meeting in San Francisco.

ContextVision reaches milestoneFDA clears Barco cardiac analysisDynamic Imaging taps new executiveMedrad plans to expand production of sterile disposables

It’s not what you get, it’s what you keep could be an idiom that applies directly to imaging technology.