Announcements 

IOM Names Medical Imaging Among National Priorities

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has identified several investigative projects related to medical imaging in its 2009 report, Initial National Priorities for Comparative Effectiveness Research. As directed by Congress under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, IOM has recommended national priorities for research questions to be addressed by comparative effectiveness research and supported by ARRA funds.

Among priorities in the first and second quartile project list are: comparisons of the effectiveness of imaging technologies in diagnosing, staging and monitoring patients with cancer; film-screen or digital mammography alone or with MR in community practice-based screening; new screening technologies, including CT colonography versus usual care for preventing colorectal cancer; and the outcomes of care with and without obstetric ultrasound in normal pregnancies.

In the third and fourth quartile, priorities will include: comparing traditional risk stratification for coronary heart disease with noninvasive imaging using coronary artery calcium and carotid intima media thickness scoring; the effectiveness of imaging modalities when ordered for neurological and orthopedic indications by primary care practitioners, emergency department physicians and specialists; the effectiveness of CT angiography versus conventional angiography in assessing coronary stenosis; and the effectiveness of diagnostic imaging performed by radiologists and non-radiologists.

For information on IOM's current projects, visit www.iom.edu/CMS/2954.aspx.

2009 International Young Academics Named

The RSNA Committee on International Relations and Education (CIRE) received more than 60 applications for the 2009 Introduction to Research for International Young Academics (IRIYA) program. Selected participants attend a specially designed four-day program, held during the RSNA annual meeting, that encourages them to pursue careers in academic radiology. At its June meeting, the RSNA Board of Directors approved recommendations from CIRE to invite the following 17 candidates to participate in this year's IRIYA program:

For more information or nomination forms, go to RSNA.org/IRIYA or contact Fiona Miller at 1-630-590-7741 or CIRE@rsna.org. The deadline for nominations each year is April 15.

JVIR Publishes Radiation Safety Guidelines

As a special supplement to the July issue of the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR), the Society of Interventional Radiology has published 2009 standards division guidelines for daily practice reference.

The supplement includes "Guidelines for Patient Radiation Dose Management," which provides guidance on the safe use of fluoroscopy for interventional radiologists performing procedures on adults and children. Guidelines also address procedures including embolization/chemoembolization for cancer, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation for liver disease and renal/visceral artery angioplasty or stent placement.

For more information, go to www.SIRweb.org.

House Tables Self-Referral Ban in Healthcare Bill

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee closed its mark-up of HR 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, without including an imaging self-referral amendment.

Although acknowledging that 66 amendments remained outstanding, the committee closed off further consideration and decided to reconvene this month.

Congressmen Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) are working closely with the American College of Radiology (ACR) on an amendment similar to the Integrity in Medicare Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Act of 2009 (HR 2962), introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). HR 2962 sought to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to close the "Stark Laws" self-referral loophole for certain advanced diagnostic imaging services.

Introduced in the 1989 and 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Acts in an effort to remedy the problem of self referral, Stark I and Stark II currently contain exceptions for in-house ancillary services, enabling non-radiologist physicians to open their own diagnostic imaging centers and bill insurance providers and Medicare for the services. If passed, HR 2962 will exclude "certain advanced diagnostic imaging services," including diagnostic MR, CT and PET, from the in-house ancillary services exception.

"Although ACR was extremely disappointed that the Energy and Commerce Committee finished its mark-up of HR 3200 without the amendment being offered, we are still hopeful there will be an opportunity for the amendment's sponsors to offer it at a later time," said James Thrall, M.D., chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors.

View HR 3200 at hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.111hr3200.