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States wonder: What happens to us after health law ruling?

States are anxiously considering the effect of the pending court decision. In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott says his state will comply with the health law if it is upheld. And in California, officials and lawmakers worry over what a ruling could mean for plans to institute consumer protections.

22 Jun 2012

North Shore-LIJ installs new imaging technology that uses lower radiation doses for CT scans

GE Healthcare today unveiled the GE Blueprint for low dose, a comprehensive program that helps healthcare providers integrate CT technologies, education and process improvements, and data analysis to reduce patient radiation dose from Computed Tomography (CT) by up to 50 percent.

22 Jun 2012

N.C. budget includes additional funds for Medicaid; KanCare plan triggers nerves

Medicaid spending and revamp plans being advanced in various states are drawing headlines and public scrutiny.

22 Jun 2012

Improved CT angiography protocols minimize radiation exposure

Refinements to coronary computed tomography angiography practices can significantly reduce the radiation dose associated with imaging, demonstrates research from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA.

19 Jun 2012

Health care spending slowdown may not last as economy heats back up

The Associated Press reports that, although health care spending may have slowed, the trend may not last long. In the meantime, The Arizona Republic reports on a website that allows consumers to shop for discounted medical services.

19 Jun 2012

Bariatric surgery may increase risk for alcohol use disorders

Among patients who underwent bariatric surgery, there was a higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the second year after surgery, and specifically after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, compared with the years immediately before and following surgery, according to a study in the June 20 issue of JAMA.

19 Jun 2012

Lower dose study using Toshiba AIDR 3D with Aquilion ONE CT system

Today's healthcare facilities seek to manage patient radiation dose while maintaining high image quality for accurate diagnoses. Dr. Jeff Dardinger from St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Ky., will discuss the initial findings of using Toshiba's AIDR 3D with the AquilionTM ONE CT system to lower dose while maintaining high image quality across multiple CT exams.

18 Jun 2012

A third of ED imaging for PE is avoidable

Data from 12 hospitals in the USA indicate that one-third of imaging performed in the emergency department for suspected pulmonary embolism is avoidable, according to a National Quality Forum measure.

15 Jun 2012

Simple exercise stress test still the most widely used medical test for coronary artery disease

Most people might assume that technology first developed in 1928 would be obsolete by now. But from air conditioned buildings to sliced bread, many inventions of that era are still essential to our lives today. That includes the exercise stress test, which is still the most widely used medical test for coronary artery disease.

15 Jun 2012

Advances in robotic spine surgery

1. Please could you give a brief outline of robotic spine surgery and its recent history? Robotic spine surgery is very new, less than 10 years old. There are only 10 hospitals in the US offering it and we are the second hospital in California to offer this technology.

15 Jun 2012

LFA announces 2012 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Fellowship Program grantees

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is pleased to announce the 2012 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Fellowship Program grantees. This unique program, established more than 25 years ago by former LFA President Dr. Sergio Finzi in honor of his daughter Gina who passed away from lupus, seeks to cultivate an interest in lupus research among young scientists by funding basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, and behavioral research studies under the supervision of an established investigator.

15 Jun 2012

CTC as accurate as conventional colonoscopy in detecting cancerous polyps

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), also known as virtual colonoscopy, administered without laxatives is as accurate as conventional colonoscopy in detecting clinically significant, potentially cancerous polyps, according to a study performed jointly at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, the University of California, San Francisco and Massachusetts General Hospital.

15 Jun 2012

Skin cancer does not discriminate between skin colors

Do you have darker skin? If so, skin cancer might not be top of mind as a significant health threat, but beware – just because your skin is darker does not mean you are immune to skin cancer.

15 Jun 2012

Use, overuse of imaging tests adds about $100 billion to U.S. medical bills

The use of diagnostic imaging has nearly tripled since the mid-1990s, according to a new study, raising questions about whether the benefits outweigh the risks of increased radiation exposure.

14 Jun 2012

R.I. lawmakers pass federal health care law compliance bill

Rhode Island and Connecticut moved forward on implementing the health law: Lawmakers in Providence approved legislation to bring state health insurance laws in line with the federal health care law. In Connecticut, the health insurance exchange board added a member.

14 Jun 2012

Siemens receives FDA clearance for SOMATOM Perspective CT system

Siemens Healthcare has announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the SOMATOM Perspective – an advanced 128-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner engineered to drive efficiency and reduce costs.

From Siemens Healthineers 14 Jun 2012

Significant increase in use of CT, MRI and PET imaging over the last two decades

Among six large integrated health care systems between 1996 and 2010 there was a substantial increase in the use of advanced diagnostic imaging, including approximately a tripling of the use of computed tomography and nearly a quadrupling of the use of magnetic resonance imaging, as well as a substantial increase in estimated radiation exposure, according to a study in the June 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 13, 2012

Today's headlines feature reports about new government projections for the nation's health care spending and the latest from the campaign trail.

13 Jun 2012

MD Anderson installs first TomoHD System in Florida

Cancer patients in the Southeast now have access to the world's most advanced radiation treatment system. MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando has installed the first TomoHD System in Florida.

13 Jun 2012

Study shows increase in medical imaging in health maintenance organization systems

Concern about overexposure to radiation due to excessive use of medical imaging has come to the fore in recent years. Now, a study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Group Health Research Institute, shows that medical imaging is increasing even in health maintenance organization systems (HMOs), which don't have a financial incentive to conduct them.

13 Jun 2012