RxPG News : Radiology

First breast PET/CT scanner to visualize suspected cancerous lesions in 3-D.

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:35:47 PST

An innovative collaboration among UC Davis engineers, physicists and radiologists has resulted in the first-ever fully 3-D breast imaging technique that uses both high-resolution PET and CT scanning.

Drug eluting stents may save limbs

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:01:36 PST

Interventional radiologists have been studying a potential solution—the use of drug-eluting stents—and have found that these types of stents lessened the rate of repeat procedures to open these small arteries, according to results presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 34th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Combining patient photos with imaging improves diagnosis

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:59:37 PST

Combining a patient's photo with imaging results may yield a more exact interpretation of his or her condition, according to a study.

Ultrasound Imaging Improved by New Computer Model

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:32:25 PST

London, Nov 5 - Doctors rely on ultrasound to determine the health of organs and other internal structures of the body. Now a Dutch researcher has developed a computer model that will improve the ultrasound's imaging capacity.

Computer model improves ultrasound image

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:59:37 PST

Doctors use diagnostic sonography or ultrasound to visualise organs and other internal structures of the human body. Dutch researcher Koos Huijssen has developed a computer model that can predict the sound transmission of improved designs for ultrasound instruments. The computer model is capable of processing large quantities of data and can be run on both a PC and a parallel supercomputer. Erasmus University Medical Centre and Oldelft Ultrasound are now using this program to design a new sonographic transducer.

Indian American develops tool to image tumours

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:30:35 PST

New York, April 1 - A team of researchers led by Indian American Sanjiv Gambhir has developed a new type of imaging system capable of picturing tumours to a precision of a trillionth of a meter.

Injectable Microfoam for Varicose Veins safe in Phase II trial

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:46:19 PST

A small group of patients with a common heart defect who were treated for varicose veins with an injectable microfoam experienced no neurological, visual or cardiac changes as a result of the treatment, according to preliminary results from a phase II trial. The results are being presented today (March 17) in Washington, D.C., at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR).

Newer Nonionic Contrast Agents Safe for Children

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:34:44 PST

Allergic-like reactions to newer iodine-containing contrast agents (nonionic contrast media), are rare in children according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan Medical Center and C.S. Mott Childrenâs Hospital both in Ann Arbor.

Electromagnetic breast imaging techniques offer high contrast and ability to distinguish between healthy breast tissue and abnormal tissue

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:01:37 PST

Dartmouth physicians and engineers have published a paper with results from a five-year project testing three new imaging techniques to examine breast abnormalities, including cancer. The study finds that the new methods of electromagnetic imaging offer a high contrast and the ability to distinguish between healthy breast tissue and abnormal tissue. Their study appears in the May 2007 issue of Radiology, the journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors prove safe and effective

Sat, 05 May 2007 02:14:03 PST

Percutaneous imaging guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma is a safe and effective technique, with benefits such as reduced post-procedural pain and length of hospital stay, according to a study conducted by researchers from Changi General Hospital in Singapore.

CT and MRI accurate for pre-transplant evaluation of patients with cirrhosis

Sat, 05 May 2007 00:28:39 PST

CT and MRI are highly accurate at determining which patients would be optimal candidates for liver transplantation, says a recent study.

Stem cells used to regenerate healthy human liver tissue

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:12:31 PST

For the first time, researchers have used adult bone marrow stem cells to regenerate healthy human liver tissue, according to a study published in the April issue of the journal Radiology.

Lung cancer screening regimen provides opportunity for cure

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:09:42 PST

Annual computed tomography (CT) screening identifies a high proportion of patients with early-stage lung cancer, according to the latest findings of the New York Early Lung Cancer Action Project (NY-ELCAP) published in the April issue of the journal Radiology.

RF ablation effective for treating inoperable lung cancer

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:02:23 PST

A minimally invasive procedure known as radiofrequency (RF) ablation is effective for treating lung cancer in patients who are not candidates for surgery, according to a Rhode Island Hospital study published in the April issue of the journal Radiology.

Ultrasound could help couples undergoing IVF

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:04:32 PST

Ultrasound-based tests allowing women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to count their chickens before they've hatched may provide alternatives to the hormone-based tests used today. Less costly and invasive than the current ovarian reserve tests, clinicians may in future consider using ultrasound scans of a woman's ovaries to predict her ovaries' response to IVF.

Patients prefer CT to MRI to evaluate coronary arteries

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:50:10 PST

Computed tomography (CT) is preferred to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by patients with heart disease. That is the result of a study performed at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and published on February 28, 2007 in PLoS ONE, the international, peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication from the Public Library of Science (PLoS).

Single-slice MRI is a fast, non-invasive way to measure intra-abdominal fat

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:22:41 PST

According to a new study featured in the March issue of Radiology, single-slice magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a fast, non-invasive way to measure intra-abdominal fat, which when excessive, may put children and teenagers at risk for developing heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

Multislice CT speeds the diagnosis of chest pain in the emergency room

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 08:23:54 PST

Imagine coming to the hospital with crushing chest pain, only to find that emergency room doctors are uncertain whether youre having a heart attack. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is inconclusive and the blood tests that detect heart damage are normal. The only thing to do is wait, hour after hour, as doctors repeat the tests several times and scrutinize the results for diagnostic clues.

How safe is "boutique ultrasonography"?

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:05:14 PST

Expectant parent' desire to see images of their unborn children has given rise to commercial companies offering keepsake ultrasound scans without medical supervision, often referred to as "boutique ultrasonography."

SCAI recommends maintenance of high standards while performing PCI without on-site cardiac surgery support

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:09:31 PST

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), a leading organization for interventional cardiologists, today released a document recommending the adoption of stringent quality standards by those who perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in hospitals not equipped for cardiac surgery.

Technology can't replace doctors' judgment in reading mammograms

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 15:05:05 PST

Radiologists should not become too dependent on the use of computer-assisted detection (CAD) technology when reading screening mammograms because the doctors can see lesions that CAD sometimes misses. This is according to a study conducted at Group Health Cooperative, a Seattle based health care system. The research appears in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Inside the Head of an Ancient Pharaoh

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 18:38:20 PST

Egyptian radiologists who performed the first-ever computed tomography (CT) evaluation of King Tutankhamun's mummy believe they have solved the mystery of how the ancient pharaoh died. The CT images and results of their study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

New way of tracking muscle damage from radiation

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 14:28:37 PST

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could become a valuable tool for predicting the risk of muscle injury during and following radiation therapy, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Audit shows excellent performance of radiologists in interpreting mammograms

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:25:37 PST

A recent study of medical audit data funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) revealed that community mammography screening results surpass performance recommendations across the United States.

Comparing MDCT and digital radiography in orthopedic patients

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 17:19:37 PST

Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) using high-quality 2D formatting is highly recommended as the primary imaging technique for the evaluation of bone healing, according to a study done by radiologists at the Medical University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria.

New MRI technique shows emphysema in asymptomatic smokers

Wed, 31 May 2006 17:07:37 PST

A new imaging method has revealed early signs of emphysema in smokers with no external symptoms of the disease, according to a study published in the June issue of Radiology. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, details a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that appears to be much more sensitive to lung changes than even the current modality of choice, computed tomography (CT).

Safety profile for CT colonography (CTC) favorable

Wed, 03 May 2006 01:14:37 PST

The safety profile for CT colonography (CTC) is extremely favorable, particularly for the purposes of screening patients with no symptoms and when distending the colon using an automated carbon dioxide technique, a finding that goes against the higher complication rates for CTC reported by other groups, according to a new study.

Modulating tube current to account for body symmetry reduces radiation exposure in CT

Wed, 03 May 2006 01:08:37 PST

By lowering the tube current to account for both the weight and body symmetry of a child, an abdominal CT radiation dose can be reduced by 60% without compromising the image quality, says a new study by researchers from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

Training on virtual 'patient' improves carotid angiography skills

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:13:37 PST

Cardiologists can learn to perform risky catheter procedures such as carotid angiography on a virtual patient simulator, rather than on real patients, according to a new study in the May 2, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "Virtual reality simulation technology has advanced to the point where we can actually use a virtual environment and have the trainee learn in a very 'patient-safe' way in a virtual patient environment and make mistakes on a virtual patient versus doing it on a real patient," said Christopher U. Cates, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Twenty interventional cardiologists participating in the Emory NeuroAnatomy Carotid Training program underwent an instructional course on carotid angiography and then performed five serial simulated carotid angiograms on the Vascular Interventional System Training (VIST) VR simulator. The cardiologists committed fewer catheter errors, while performing the virtual procedure in less time, and subjecting the virtual patient to less X-ray imaging and smaller injections of contrast agent during the final run compared to the first one.

Radiologic signs more than double sensitivity of MRIs

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 18:03:37 PST

Radiologists can make a more accurate preoperative diagnosis of damage to knee cartilage by using four radiologic 'signs', a recent study found. Using the four signs to identify the extent and type of damage to knee cartilage makes interpreting MRIs with higher degrees of accuracy easier for any radiologist, regardless of their level of expertise.

CT Enteroclysis Has a Superior Diagnostic Value in Crohn's Disease

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:37:37 PST

The diagnostic value of CT enteroclysis is superior to conventional enteroclysis, previously considered the gold standard, as an imaging method for the evaluation of the small bowel in patients with Crohn's disease, a new study shows.

Characteristic Cardiac Scar Pattern Predicts Risk Of Fatal Arrhythmias

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 03:50:38 PST

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the heart wall, researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that people whose muscle wall thickness contained more than 25 percent scar tissue were approximately nine times more likely to test positive for a fast and dangerous heart rhythm known as ventricular arrhythmia.

Remote Detection Makes NMR Compatible with Microfluidics

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:47:38 PST

A breakthrough in the technology of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), one of the most powerful analytic tools known to science, is opening the door to new applications in microfluidic chips, devices for studying super-tiny amounts of fluids. A team of scientists with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California, Berkeley, has demonstrated a means by which NMR can be made compatible with microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices. This demonstration holds great promise for biomedical research, the detection of biohazards and toxic chemicals, and other endeavors in which the chemical composition of a fluid must be determined.

Batch Reading Mammograms Lowers Recall Rates

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 07:44:38 PST

Batch reading, the process of interpreting screening mammograms during a set-aside block of time in a quiet environment that prevents interruption or distraction, can significantly reduce the number of patients who have to return for additional mammogramsalthough few hospitals use it, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin.

Fluorescence spectroscopy can detect inflammatory cells in blood vessels

Sun, 14 Aug 2005 14:34:38 PST

Now, in a study involving laboratory rabbits, a device that stimulates, collects and measures light emissions from body tissues has been able to detect the presence of inflammatory cells that are associated with critical atherosclerotic plaques in humans plaques that are vulnerable to rupture.

MRI is Better Than SPECT in Assessing Heart Damage in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Sat, 06 Aug 2005 16:57:38 PST

Contrast-enhanced MRI is better than SPECT in detecting heart damage in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease that can lead to sudden death in young patients.

Contrast Agent Allows Quicker, More Thorough MRI Screening of Living Liver Donors Before Surgery

Sat, 06 Aug 2005 11:38:38 PST

A single dose of the contrast agent gadobenate dimeglumine can help liver donors avoid multiple MRI examinations during the screening process, cutting down on time and cost without compromising accuracy, say researchers from the Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea.

MDCT Arthrography Good for Assessing Hip Dysplasia

Sat, 06 Aug 2005 11:38:38 PST

MDCT arthrography is an accurate method for assessing cartilage loss in patients with hip dysplasia and may be more reliable than MRI in such instances, says a new study by researchers from Osaka University Medical School in Japan.

CT Significantly Reduces the Need for Appendectomy

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 19:48:38 PST

Lowers Negative Appendectomy Rate from 20% to 3% at Urban Hospital

MDCT Highly Accurate for Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Zero to Moderate Coronary Calcification

Wed, 04 May 2005 18:01:38 PST

In patients with no or moderate coronary calcification, 16-slice MDCT allows the reliable detection of coronary artery stenosis with high diagnostic accuracy, say researchers from Tuebingen University Hospital in Germany. Coronary artery stenosis is the narrowing of coronary arteries due to the build-up of calcified plaques.

Chest X Rays can help Detect Osteoporosis

Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:43:38 PST

Undetected osteoporosis in the elderly might be discovered if chest radiographs (x-ray images) that are done for other reasons were examined for fractures of the vertebrae, according to an article in the April 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Newer Imaging Techniques May Lead to Over-Treatment

Tue, 05 Apr 2005 17:46:38 PST

Newer imaging technologies allow physicians to visualize more of the arteries in the lungs, including detecting small blood clots not previously seen, but seeing more may have little impact on the patients outcome, a new study suggests.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) may guide therapy designed to prevent heart attacks

Sun, 27 Mar 2005 16:23:38 PST

A catheter-based imaging technology called optical coherence tomography (OCT) can successfully identify the characteristics of coronary plaques in patients with various cardiac symptoms.

A New Dyssynchrony Imaging Technique to Aid Cardiologists in the Quantification of Left Ventricular Mechanical Dyssynchrony

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 12:15:38 PST

The Aplio CVs new Dyssynchrony Imaging technique aids cardiologists in the quantification of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony by providing a color-coded display that demonstrates the timing of events within the myocardium of the heart. Early mechanical events are green and severely delayed events are displayed red, allowing clinicians to quickly identify the presence and severity of the patients dyssynchronous events.

Full body MRI can be used as screening tool for cancer and heart diseases

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 19:24:38 PST

The use of full-body cardiovascular and tumor MRI to screen for disease in patients who do not have any suspicious symptoms is technically feasible, but for the present, full-body MRI screening should not be performed outside of a research setting due to the uncertainty of whether the benefits outweigh the risks, according to a new study by researchers from the University Hospital of Essen in Germany. For the study, the researchers conducted 298 full-body MRI screenings of healthy patients. The screenings revealed that 21% of the study group exhibited signs of atherosclerotic disease and 12% had peripheral vascular disease. Twelve colon polyps, nine pulmonary lesions, two cerebral infarctions and one myocardial infarction were also discovered. In addition, 29% of the examinations revealed relevant additional findings in nontargeted organs.

The accuracy of mammographic interpretation

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 19:24:38 PST

The accuracy of mammographic interpretation can vary widely, but the source of the variability has not been explained. To investigate the relationship between radiologists' characteristics and actual performance, William E. Barlow, Ph.D., of Cancer Research and Biostatistics in Seattle, and colleagues surveyed 124 radiologists and tracked cancer outcomes from the more than 460,000 screening mammograms they interpreted between 1996 and 2001.

Greater volume of mammograms interpreted and more years of experience were not associated with greater accuracy. However, greater volume was associated with higher sensitivity (more true positive results in women who had breast cancer) and lower specificity (more false positive results in women who did not have breast cancer) whereas more experience was associated with lower sensitivity and higher specificity. The authors conclude that increasing volume requirements for radiologists is unlikely to improve the interpretation of mammograms.