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X-ray measurements help determine whether chronic problems with the hard-to-reach frontal sinuses can be corrected with surgery

"The frontal sinus is behind the forehead and it has a very tortuous drainage," says Dr. Stil E. Kountakis, vice chair of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. "It's the most difficult sinus to work with."

6 Jul 2005

Treatment options for skull base tumors

It is estimated that in 2000, more than 359,000 persons were living with a diagnosis of a primary brain tumor in the United States. In 2005, it is estimated that nearly 12,800 deaths will be associated with malignant tumors of the brain and other parts of the central nervous system. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children age 19 and younger.

28 Jun 2005

Researchers use PET/CT for molecular imaging of the heart

For the first time, researchers used positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for imaging the subcellar function of the heart - from its subcellular function to its morphologic appearance. The results of the study were reported at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 52nd Annual Meeting June 18–22 in Toronto.

20 Jun 2005

PET might be a promising tool for early prediction of response to chemotherapy for ovarian can

Noninvasive positron emission tomography (PET) imaging may allow earlier prediction of a patient's response to chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, according to research reported at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 52nd Annual Meeting June 18–22 in Toronto.

20 Jun 2005

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective, longlasting treatment for small kidney tumors in selected patients

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have shown that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) - a minimally invasive way of destroying tissue - is an effective, longlasting treatment for small kidney tumors in selected patients.

20 Jun 2005

Patients who need PET/CT scans should avoid drinking coffee

Patients who need a positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) procedure to evaluate known or suspected malignancies should lay off the java, according to research by Medhat M. Osman, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of internal medicine's division of nuclear medicine and director of PET at Saint Louis University Hospital.

20 Jun 2005

First demonstration that reduced metabolic activity in the hippocampus may be used to help predict future Alzheimer's disease

New York University School of Medicine researchers have developed a brain scan-based computer program that quickly and accurately measures metabolic activity in a key region of the brain affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

19 Jun 2005

Research urges a new approach to cancer detection

A few years ago, Medhat Osman, M.D., Ph.D., had a patient who was scanned due to a suspicion of lung cancer using positron emission tomography (PET) and computer tomography (CT) technology. The scan came back negative, but the patient then complained of a problem with his leg.

14 Jun 2005

Experimental drug therapy could open new window for treatment of deadly stroke

A new type of drug therapy that is currently being tested in Canada could significantly reduce the death rate caused by the deadliest form of stroke. According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, new developments in stroke research make it more important than ever that Canadians recognize and react to the warning signs of stroke.

9 Jun 2005

CT screening lowers negative appendectomy rate from 20% to 3% at urban hospital

Five years ago, the negative appendectomy rate at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston was 20%, but since the advent of CT screening, it has dropped to 3%, say MGH researchers. The negative appendectomy rate measures how often patients with symptoms of appendicitis have their appendix removed and then are diagnosed as not having acute appendicitis.

8 Jun 2005

High-tech imaging software locates more accurately the abnormal electrical impulses that produce heart arrhythmias

Loyola University Health System is one of the first hospitals in the United States to employ new high-tech imaging software - in conjunction with a three-dimensional cardiac mapping and navigation system - to locate more accurately the abnormal electrical impulses that produce heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias). This technology represents a major breakthrough in treating complex arrhythmias.

3 Jun 2005

Whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans may help physicians identify malignant cancerous tumors

A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Md., reports that whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans may help physicians identify new, unexpected malignant cancerous tumors in patients, according to an article in the May issue of the Society of Nuclear Medicine’s Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

29 May 2005

A small kidney stone should not preclude people from being donors

Results from a Mayo Clinic study suggest that using kidneys which have kidney stones for living donor transplant has little impact on the organ's function one year later.

26 May 2005

Patients with metabolic syndrome and moderate calcium levels in the coronary arteries have greater chance of blocked arteries

Conditions such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels and high blood sugar are problematic enough for people all on their own.

26 May 2005

Medical imaging costs at a steady percentage of overall hospital costs

The substantial increase in the use of medical imaging during recent years has fueled speculation that imaging costs were a major factor behind the rise in overall health care costs.

24 May 2005

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies are a safe and effective alternative to endoscopic biopsies

In most cases (61%) a diagnosis was possible after two passes with the biopsy needle. There were no major complications. In 14 of the patients, malignancy was diagnosed; eight patients had benign results.

20 May 2005

Chest CT can be first step to identifying if patient has had a heart attack

When radiologists are looking at contrast-enhanced chest CT examinations, they should take a look at the patient's heart to rule out heart attack, regardless of why the chest CT examination is being performed, a new study shows.

20 May 2005

Don’t skip chest CT in the ER just because X-ray checks out okay, warns study

Chest X-rays may miss 40% of clinically significant thoracic injuries in multiple trauma patients that can be caught by chest CT, say researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

18 May 2005

Zevalin safe and effective for non-Hogdkin's lymphoma patients

According to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) study, patients with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) previously treated with chemotherapy and adult stem cell transplantation can safely tolerate Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan), a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody that targets radiation directly to a tumor.

17 May 2005

Routinely reformatting computed tomography (CT) scans to view organs from several different directions may help radiologists improve diagnosis

"You can see things in one view that you might miss in another," said Craig Barnes, M.D., section head of pediatric radiology at Wake Forest Baptist's Brenner Children's Hospital. "It costs no more as relates to scan time or radiation exposure, and we believe it provides added value in diagnosis."

17 May 2005

CT News and Research

X-ray measurements help determine whether chronic problems with the hard-to-reach frontal sinuses can be corrected with surgery

Treatment options for skull base tumors

Researchers use PET/CT for molecular imaging of the heart

PET might be a promising tool for early prediction of response to chemotherapy for ovarian can

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective, longlasting treatment for small kidney tumors in selected patients

Patients who need PET/CT scans should avoid drinking coffee

First demonstration that reduced metabolic activity in the hippocampus may be used to help predict future Alzheimer's disease

Research urges a new approach to cancer detection

Experimental drug therapy could open new window for treatment of deadly stroke

CT screening lowers negative appendectomy rate from 20% to 3% at urban hospital

High-tech imaging software locates more accurately the abnormal electrical impulses that produce heart arrhythmias

Whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans may help physicians identify malignant cancerous tumors

A small kidney stone should not preclude people from being donors

Patients with metabolic syndrome and moderate calcium levels in the coronary arteries have greater chance of blocked arteries

Medical imaging costs at a steady percentage of overall hospital costs

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies are a safe and effective alternative to endoscopic biopsies

Chest CT can be first step to identifying if patient has had a heart attack

Don’t skip chest CT in the ER just because X-ray checks out okay, warns study

Zevalin safe and effective for non-Hogdkin's lymphoma patients

Routinely reformatting computed tomography (CT) scans to view organs from several different directions may help radiologists improve diagnosis

Exploring the intersection of biology and proteomics

Unlocking the Secrets of Multiple Sclerosis Progression: Brain-Immune Cell Communication

Passing on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Health risks for male offspring of women with PCOS

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