RSNA 2008 Courses Help You Protect Your Financial Future
Saturday, November 29
McCormick Place
RSNA will offer two financial seminars prior to RSNA 2008:
- 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Effective Estate Planning Strategies, presented by Barry Rubenstein, B.S., J.D., L.L.M.
- 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Effective Investment Strategies, presented by J. Michael Moody, M.B.A.
More information is available online. Further questions can be directed to the RSNA Education Center at 1-800-381-6660 x7772 or ed-ctr@rsna.org.
Headlines
Leading the News
Research
Technology
Medical-Legal Issues
Clinical Practice
Leading the News
MRI Assesses Cervical Cancer Extent
Endocavitary MRI is able to accurately assess the extent of cervical cancer, according to a study led by Dr. Nandita deSouza, co-director of the MRI Unit at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital. In their research, published in Radiology, deSouza and her team performed the new procedure on two groups of women between 24 and 83 years of age. The first group included 20 women who were waiting to undergo biopsies of abnormal cervical tissue and 18 women whose biopsies had confirmed the presence of invasive cervical cancer. The second group of 21 women were awaiting evaluation for invasive cervical cancer. "The main use is in women with small cervical cancers, in whom it is necessary to delineate accurately the extent of disease prior to fertility-sparing surgery," deSouza explained.
From "New MRI Puts Cervical Cancer Into Focus"
EmpowHer (10/21/2008)
Research
NIH Funds Two New Centers to Develop Innovative Imaging Technology
The National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research Resources has announced it will provide an estimated $11 million over the next five years to improve research capabilities at the Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) by providing them with the latest imaging technology. The NCIRE will receive a five-year award of up to $6.04 million to develop a center for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) designed to study neurodegenerative disorders. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop new MRI techniques to detect, diagnose, and treat diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. For its part, UCSD will receive an estimated $4.94 million over five years to support the development of a new center for computational mass spectrometry.
From "NIH Funds Two New Centers to Develop Innovating Imaging Technology for Neurodegenerative Disorders and Advanced Software for Protein Analysis"
NIH News Release (10/15/08)
Innovations Improve Accuracy of MRI as Internal Thermometer
Duke University Prof. Warren Warren and his team recently developed a new MRI technique designed to more accurately assess subtle changes in body temperature. Though traditional MRIs are able to precisely identify water temperature changes in isolation, they are often inaccurate when acting as an internal thermometer in patients. Much of this inaccuracy is due to the inability to distinguish between water and fat molecules in the body. To resolve this problem, the new technique uses selective detection of intermolecular multiple quantum coherences unique to hydrogen atoms. A study of the new technique, found in Science, showed that researchers were able to successfully detect interior temperature changes in animal models, including obese animals whose cells mimic those in fatty breast tissue. Conventional MRI is unable to perform temperature checks necessary to hyperthermia cancer treatments in breast tissue because of fat cells' effects on magnetic fields.
From "Duke Innovations Improve Accuracy of MRI as Internal 'Thermometer'"
PhysOrg.com (10/16/08)
Endoscopic Ultrasound Accurately Stages Gastric Cancers
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is an accurate diagnostic tool for the evaluation of T stage gastric cancer, according to a recent study published by Puli and colleagues in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 22 studies that found the pooled sensitivity of EUS was high for determining T stage tumor invasion as well as depth of tumor invasion. Additionally, the researchers concluded that EUS-evaluation of lymph node involvement is higher for advanced disease compared to early disease.
From "Is Endoscopic Ultrasound a Better Choice for Staging of Gastric Cancers?"
Science Centric (10/17/2008)
Technology
3-D Doppler Ultrasound Helps ID Breast Cancers
A group of University of Michigan researchers, led by radiology professor Gerald L. LeCarpentier, has found that 3-D Doppler ultrasound is effective in distinguishing between malignant and benign breast masses. Their study, published in Radiology, included 78 women aged 26 to 70 years. Biopsies confirmed 3-D Doppler was 100 percent accurate in identifying cancerous tumors and had a specificity of 86 percent in excluding benign tumors when combined with age-based assessment and grayscale visual analysis.
From "3-D Doppler Ultrasound Helps ID Breast Cancers"
U.S. News & World Report (10/21/08)
Web-Based Modules Will Improve Radiology Resident Education
RSNA is currently working with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) to develop 32 educational modules designed to improve educational resources for the physics of radiology. The modules are being developed by radiologists and physicists at institutions in North America and Europe. For example, Medical College of Georgia radiologist Dr. James V. Rawson is working with medical physicist Dr. Jerry Allison to develop four 45-minute instructional modules on the physics of MRI and X-ray imaging. Each module will include examples of clinical relevance, prerequisites, objectives, outlines, questions, and a post-test as well as lectures and power-point presentations. The practical applications included in these modules may help improve radiologist performance on their board exams, which have also gained more clinical focus. As Dr. Weber points out, the modules may "help residents adjust to the new way board exams are given."
From "Web-Based Modules Will Improve Radiology Resident Education"
Media Newswire (10/22/08)
Medical-Legal Issues
GAO to Review CDRH Medical Device Approval Process
The Government Accountability Office is expected to release a report in November studying the device-review process currently used by the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The report is the result of a congressional request based on rising concern that the current review process does not accurately assess the safety and efficacy of medical devices. Critics of the CDRH say it should use tighter standards for medical technologies, similar to those in use for pharmaceutical products.
From "Cancer Therapy Raises Questions About FDA's Reviews"
Boston Globe (10/27/08)
Associations Call on CMS to Expand PET Coverage for All Cancer Types
Several groups, including the Society of Nuclear Medicine, have submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asking for the expansion of PET coverage for all cancer types. Their request is reportedly based on recent data collected by the National Oncologic PET Registry which showed that PET scans helped boost survival of cancer patients. CMS is expected to make a decision regarding PET coverage in early 2009.
From "Associations Call on CMS to Expand PET Coverage for All Cancer Types"
Smart Brief (10/22/2008)
Clinical Practice
Ultrasound Screening Criteria for Diagnosing Polycystic Kidney Disease Proposed
An updated version of the current screening criteria for diagnosing patients with autosomal dominant polycystic disease (ADPKD) will appear in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Ultrasound screening for ADPKD is based on diagnostic criteria develop to detect cases caused by mutations in the PKD1 gene. However, University of Toronto researchers, led by Dr. York Pei, have determined that different diagnostic criteria are necessary for patients with mutations in the PKD2 gene. Dr. Pei and his team performed kidney ultrasounds on 577 at-risk individuals and genetic tests on 371 at-risk individuals from families with both the PKD1 and PKD2 genes. They found that current ultrasonic criteria may misdiagnose individuals with PKD2 genes. To correct this problem, Dr. Pei suggests that in families of unknown gene type, the presence of three or more kidney cysts is sufficient for establishing ADPKD diagnosis in patients between the age of 15 and 39 years. For patients between 40 and 59 years, the presence of two or more cysts in each kidney is sufficient, while four or cysts are required to establish a diagnosis in patients over the age of 60 years.
From "Ultrasound Screening Criteria for Diagnosing Polycystic Kidney Disease Proposed"
Doctor's Guide (10/22/08)
Algorithm Developed to Prevent NSF
Drs. G. Bhave, B. Lewis, and S.S. Chang recently established an algorithm designed to prevent nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with compromised renal function following the use of gadolinium based MRI contrast agents (GBMCA). The algorithm, reported in the Journal of Urology, suggests that MRI with low dose, stable contrast agent or CT with IVP contrast and prophylactic measures is acceptable in patients with GFR greater than 30 ml per minute. In patients with acute kidney injuries or GFR less than 30 ml per minute, no contrast agents should be used.
From "Association of Gadolinium Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents and Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis"
Medical News Today (10/17/08)
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