CT News and Research

RSS

First Edition: February 10, 2010

Today's headlines indicate that health reform is among the issues on the table as President Obama meets with Republican leaders and seeks to 'bridge the partisan divide.'

10 Feb 2010

Renowned experts explore latest key development in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at 2010 SNM summit

Educators, researchers, physicians, technologists and medical experts from across the country converged on Albuquerque, N.M., last week to explore topics in nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, nanomedicine and clinical trials during SNM's 2010 Conjoint Mid-Winter Meetings.

10 Feb 2010

FDA announces initiative to reduce cancer risk from medical imaging procedures

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced an initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from three types of medical imaging procedures: computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine studies, and fluoroscopy.

10 Feb 2010

Simple, inexpensive test for diagnosing cardiac-related chest pain

Researchers at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center have shown that a simple, inexpensive test can determine whether it is safe to send home a patient who comes to the emergency room with chest pain.

9 Feb 2010

New tool may help standardize use of CT scans in children with minor head injuries

A new tool may help standardize the use of computed tomography (CT scans) in children with minor head injury and help reduce the number of scans, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj091421.pdf.

9 Feb 2010

Tax on sugared drinks loses appeal, tanning salons still fighting

Los Angeles Times: "Only months ago, supporters of the soda tax saw it as an idea whose hour was near. The sheer magnitude of the medical cost of obesity added urgency to the issue ... But opponents questioned any link between sugary drinks and obesity, and expressed concern about a slippery slope of taxes on other products. Proponents, meanwhile, thought a tax that drove down consumption while raising money for health care seemed like a natural with Democrats controlling Congress."

9 Feb 2010

Illinois high court rules medical malpractice caps are unconstitutional

The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a medical malpractice law enacted in 2005 that limited monetary damages to $1 million from hospitals and $500,000 from doctors for pain and suffering, the Chicago Tribune reports. "The much-anticipated ruling deals a blow to doctors and hospital officials who say caps on damages are a way to tame rising health care costs. … The court said the law violates the state's separation-of-powers clause between the branches of government by allowing lawmakers to interfere with a jury's right to determine damages."

6 Feb 2010

AMAG Pharmaceuticals releases safety update on Feraheme Injection

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a therapeutic iron compound to treat anemia and novel imaging agents to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular disease, today provided a safety update on Feraheme® (ferumoxytol) Injection for intravenous use.

6 Feb 2010

Local organizations team up to support Haiti's healthcare system

Injured Haitians desperately in need of medical treatment will soon have advanced technology available to the medical professionals providing their care. Through a partnership of Stamford Hospital, FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA (Fujifilm), and AmeriCares, a portable digital x-ray system is being donated to the Haitian relief effort and will be sent to a hospital where currently x-ray capabilities are simply non-existent.

6 Feb 2010

Radiation oncologists push for safety standards

The New York Times: "The leading professional organization dedicated to radiation oncology has called for enhanced safety measures in administering medical radiation, including the establishment of the nation's first central database for the reporting of errors involving linear accelerators — machines that generate radiation — and CT scanners.

5 Feb 2010

Tracking early signs of coronary artery clogs: CT perfusion vs. SPECT nuclear imaging tests

Cardiologists and heart imaging specialists at 15 medical centers in eight countries, and led by researchers at Johns Hopkins, have enrolled the first dozen patients in a year-long investigation to learn whether the subtle squeezing of blood flow through the inner layers of the heart is better than traditional SPECT nuclear imaging tests and other diagnostic radiology procedures for accurately tracking the earliest signs of coronary artery clogs.

5 Feb 2010

FRG announces new molecular imaging division

Foundation Radiology Group (FRG), a premier provider of diagnostic imaging professional services, headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh, is pleased to announce its new division, FRG Molecular Imaging, which will be led by nationally renowned physician and PET/CT imaging pioneer, Todd M. Blodgett, M.D..

4 Feb 2010

Major study of perfusion imaging under way to assess value of alternative diagnostic methods

3 Feb 2010

Shina Systems' 3Di medical imaging advanced (3D/4D) visualization software suite receives FDA clearance

Shina Systems announces U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its 3Di medical imaging advanced (3D/4D) visualization software that downloads over the Internet and provides a full suite of image processing and clinical analysis applications on any PC.

3 Feb 2010

Maximizing quality in clinical trials is emphasized at community workshop

A community workshop sponsored by SNM's Clinical Trials Network (CTN) officially kicked off on Feb. 1, in Albuquerque, N.M., and presented participants with a series of educational sessions on the use of molecular imaging in clinical trials for investigational therapeutic drugs.

3 Feb 2010

UCR purchases Nikon BioStation CT technology to assist in stem cell research

Stem cell research at the University of California, Riverside is about to gather speed thanks to the establishment of a new Stem Cell Core Facility (SCCF) - a shared facility providing infrastructure, equipment, and trained personnel for doing stem cell research that ordinarily would not be available in most laboratories.

3 Feb 2010

Veran Medical Technologies receives two FDA clearances to expand the use of ig4 Navigation platform

Veran Medical Technologies announced today that it has recently received two clearances (K093146 & K093995) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand its indications for use of the ig4 Navigation platform.

3 Feb 2010

Kool Smiles of Waterbury opened to offer quality dental care

It's all smiles in Waterbury thanks to the new Kool Smiles office, which opened at 728 Wolcott Street, Waterbury, CT in the Fair Oaks Shopping Center. Kool Smiles of Waterbury opened its doors on January 22nd, 2010 in a mission to expand access to quality dental care to families in the community of Waterbury.

2 Feb 2010

Study evaluates hepatocyte transplantation as an alternative to liver transplantation

A research team from the National Taiwan University Hospital has evaluated the efficiency of transplanted hepatocyte (liver) cells in animal models severely damaged by two kinds of chemical toxicity to see whether and how transplanted hepatocytes were able to efficiently repopulate the toxin-induced, severely damaged livers.

2 Feb 2010

NewTom VGi mobile 3D Cone Beam CT scanner now at Illinois 3D Mobile Imaging

AFP Imaging and Deborah Vessell, owner of 3D Mobile imaging, are proud to announce the first NewTom VGi mobile 3D Cone Beam CT scanner to operate in the state of Illinois. This adds yet another mobile operation to an ever growing fleet of independently owned mobile Cone Beam CT units across the country which utilizes the NewTom VGi Cone Beam CT.

2 Feb 2010