Radiology in public focus
Press releases were sent to the medical news media for the following articles appearing in recent issues of RSNA Journals.
Ultra-Low Dose CT Aids Pneumonia Diagnosis in Immunocompromised Patients
Denoised ultra-low dose CT (ULDCT) can effectively diagnose pneumonia in immunocompromised patients using only 2% of the radiation dose of standard CT, according to a study published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging.
Maximiliano Klug, MD, Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, and colleagues sought to test the denoising capabilities of a deep learning algorithm on ULDCT scans.
“This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients,” Dr. Klug said.
Read the related RSNA News story.
Brain Abnormalities Seen in Military Members with Blast Exposure
In military service members with a history of repetitive blast exposure, researchers found that higher blast exposure correlated with changes in the functional connectivity between brain regions, according to a study published in Radiology.
Andrea Diociasi, MD, Department of Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues analyzed structural and resting-state functional MRI data of Special Operations Forces members and the relationship between the frequency of blast injuries, persistent clinical symptoms and related changes to volume measurements in the cerebral cortex, as well as functional connectivity changes.
“Even though their brains looked normal on traditional exams, we used advance MRI to find that the ones with more blast exposure had noticeable differences in brain activity and brain structure,” Dr. Diociasi said.
The service members also reported more symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, irritability, poor concentration, forgetfulness, slowed thinking, headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and balance problems.
“We also noticed certain brain regions were actually larger in more-exposed individuals, which could reflect long-term tissue changes like scarring,” Dr. Diociasi said. “The findings reveal that even when the brain looks ‘normal,’ it might still be carrying hidden signs of trauma—and now we have tools to detect them.
Read the related RSNA News story.
Preventative Care Focus for Men's Health Month
June is Men’s Health Month, a time to raise awareness about critical health issues affecting men and the importance of preventative care. One such concern is abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—a potentially life-threatening condition that often develops without symptoms.
Older male smokers are at higher risk and should consider US screening to detect AAA early, when treatment is most effective. To support this effort, RSNA is distributing public service announcements (PSAs) to inform patients about AAA and the need for older male smokers to consider US screening.
Health care professionals play a key role in empowering patients. Refer your patients to RadiologyInfo.org, a trusted resource from RSNA and the American College of Radiology, where they can access easy-to-understand information about AAA screening.
Increasing Public Awareness of Radiology Research
RSNA amplifies research published in our journals through targeted media outreach and monitoring. In February, 1,971 RSNA-related news stories were tracked in the media. These stories had over 1.1 billion audience impressions.
Coverage included U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo! News, HealthDay, United Press International, Benzinga, ScienceDaily, Radiology Today, Health Management, HealthImaging, Radiology Business, Diagnostic Imaging and AuntMinnie.com.
In February, the following press releases were issued for research published in Radiology:
Lung Abnormalities Seen in Children and Teens with Long COVID
Phase-resolved functional lung MRI-derived parameters showed pulmonary perfusion abnormalities in children and adolescents with post-COVID-19 condition and correlated with heart rate and chronic fatigue severity.
Researchers Develop AI Model to Automatically Segment MRI Images
Research scientists in Switzerland have developed and tested a robust AI model that automatically segments major anatomic structures in MRI images, independent of sequence.
AI Has Potential to Flag Mammograms for Supplemental MRI
Applying an AI tool to mammograms has the potential to improve breast cancer detection by identifying the patients that may benefit the most from breast MRI, this study indicates.