CAR To Re-design Guidlines For Medical Imaging Tests In Canada

The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) has recently cooperated with the Health Council of Canada (HCC) in preparing a report. It was titled “Decisions, Decisions: Family Doctors as Gatekeepers in the Use of Prescription Drugs and Diagnostic Imaging in Canada.” The report aims to support one of the main targets of CAR; which is the designing and deploying medical imaging guidelines, in a nationwide manner, to offer assistance to doctors to select the best medical imaging procedure to request.

Astellas Launches A New Mobile Application For RNI

Astellas Pharma US, Inc. announced that it has launched a new application for smartphones. The application is the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Cardiac Radionuclide Imaging (RNI). It aims to allow doctors to review the published criteria used to determine a patient’s need to undergo RNI procedure. The recently alunched application can be downloaded for free, and it works on several platforms such as BlackBerry®, Android™, and iPhone®. The data included in the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for RNI was taken from the ACCF/ASNC/ACR/AHA/ASE/SCCT/SCMR/SNM 2009 Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Cardiac Radionuclide Imaging (RNI), which was published back in 2009.

EU Recommends Using U-Systems' somo*v With Mammography For Breast Cancer Screening

Early detection of cancer is the main goal of any screening program around the world. Regarding breast cancer, both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, even those with dense breasts, currently in Europe have a high potential for early diagnosis, thus offering a great opportunity to start treatment as early as possible. The European Union gave a CE clearance for U-Systems’ somo•v automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) system to be used in conjugation with traditional mammography for breast cancer screening. It is not slated for ABUS system to replace traditional mammography screening, rather, it will be used in conjugation with it increasing early detection of patients, as CEO Ron Ho, in a U-Systems press release illustrated, “We have strong scientific evidence that for women with dense breast tissue, supplementing mammograms with somo•v ABUS can substantially increase breast cancer detection.”

RadNet To Expand Into Medical Imaging Business By Acquiring eRAD

RadNet, Inc, National outpatient imaging center operator based in Los Angeles, has acquired Image Medical Corporation, the parent company of eRAD, Inc., for $10.75 million in cash and promissory notes. This acquisition emphasizes an increasing trend of incorporation in the medical imaging business; earlier this month, Carestream Health announced its integration with Quantum Medical Imaging, in addition Merge Healthcare recently acquired PACS competitor, Amicas. RadNet currently operates 191 outpatient imaging centers in the U.S. eRAD, a PACS and medical informatics company based in Greenville, South Carolina, supports more than 250 hospitals and teleradiology businesses.

Virtual Radiologic Acquires NightHawk

Virtual Radiologic (vRad), a national radiology practice and developer of radiologist workflow technology, has announced that it will acquire its competitor NightHawk Radiology in a $170 million deal. NightHawk Radiology is specialized in providing radiology solutions to radiology groups allover the country. vRad will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of NightHawk Radiology Holdings, Inc. for $6.50 per share in cash, which is double NighHawk's closing stock price of $3.25 per share.

GE Healthcare To Lead U.S. Ultrasound Market In The Next Years

Millennium Research Group (MRG) predicts a robust growth for GE Healthcare during 2014. GE Healthcare was a major leader of the U.S. ultrasound system market in 2009 as well as its strength in the fast-growing emerging ultrasound system, therefore MRG expects further success and progress for the company. The continued growth of GE Healthcare enables it to increase its lead over Philips and Siemens in a market that is projected to be at $1.2 billion in the United States.

The Christie NHS promotes its CT facilities with Siemens’ SOMATOM

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, one of the major oncology centers in Europe, announced that it has recently promoted its CT facilities following the implementation of a SOMATOM® Definition AS from Siemens Healthcare.  The new 64-slice CT system is going to cover various radiotherapy planning needs at the cancer center, which will help in promoting radiotherapy treatment for several types of cancer.
The SOMATOM Definition AS is a highly adaptable system, developed to perform successfully with a wide range of patient types and imaging needs.  The system has several features such as its high spatial resolution, wide bore, and advanced scanning capabilities, staff members at The Christie NHS have been impressed with the CT’s dependable performance and high quality images.  The system is placed next to a 16-slice Siemens SOMATOM® Sensation that is used to carry out general radiology scans.

Agfa’s Healthcare IT Solutions Move Forward In Europe

Agfa Healthcare, a major company providing medical imaging systems and healthcare IT solutions, announced that it has signed around 150 contracts for deals including its healthcare IT products within the last 8 months, 70 of them are in Europe.  Agfa provides several healthcare IT solutions including hospital information systems (HIS), radiology information systems (RIS), and picturing archiving and communications systems (PACS).

Recommendation For Pediatricians To Reduce Radiation During CT Scans

Computed Tomography (CT) scans has been one of the significantly important medical imaging techniques. The procedure provides highly-detailed images that help doctors in diagnosing a wide range of diseases. However, there are concerns about the safety of CT scans as they include delivering radiation to patients in order to generate the required images. Realizing the risks of radiation exposure, state Health Commissioner Dr. Richard Daines and Dr. Howard A. Freed, director of the department's Center for Environmental Health has recently sent mails to 16,000 pediatricians in New York. The mails included recommendations on how to reduce radiation exposure during CT scans carried out on children.

Salisbury District Hospital Upgrades Its imaging services with Siemens’ Luminos dRF

Salisbury District Hospital, managed by Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, has recently improved its radiography service following the upgrade to a Luminos dRF™ two-in-one fluoroscopy and radiography digital imaging system, provided by Siemens Healthcare.  The system was chosen due to its design which copes with the increase in bariatric patients and spinal injuries.
Luminos dRF features a new Ysio™ general imaging extension, which offers increased levels of versatility and enables digital imaging with a wireless portable detector, in addition to projection flexibility with the ceiling-suspended tube and a wall stand for performing erect examinations. Luminos dRF is used at Salisbury District Hospital in a wide range of procedures including video-uro-dynamic scans and diaphragmatic screening. The system’s new wireless direct digital detector is capable of delivering fully digital, high-resolution images for revision within seconds to aid in faster, more efficient workflow. Luminos dRF allows staff to carry out more diverse imaging in combination with the ceiling-suspended tube, such as procedures at the wall stand, standing feet or lateral decubitus imaging.  The ceiling-mounted tube also includes a vertical tracking function with the wall stand for fast positioning.