The Jumpstarting Brain Tumor Drug Development Coalition (JBTDDC) announced a new consensus protocol for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in brain tumor clinical trials to help better assess if a new treatment is effective. The coalition’s Brain Tumor Imaging Standardization Steering Committee published its recommended new standards for acquisition of imaging data in multicenter clinical trials, called the Brain Tumor Imaging Protocol (BTIP), in the advanced access online edition of the journal Neuro-Oncology.

The Mini-Doppler Flow 404 from Gammex tests both Doppler and B-mode ultrasound systems in a single unit, and is ideal for cardiology, musculoskeletal and breast applications.

The Gammex CT (computed tomography) Perfusion Phantom is designed to mimic a perfusion study where traceable material is monitored as it travels through brain tissue. Software that is proprietary to the CT scanner is then used to determine blood flow rate curves and to compare them to known normals. This provides a reference baseline.

In the wake of a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on improving diagnostic capability in healthcare, the American College of Radiology (ACR) praised the document, of which it is a sponsor. The ACR commended IOM on its thorough analysis of the complex process of diagnosis and its recommendations for improvement, and voiced its support for collaborative, patient-centered approaches to reduce diagnostic errors.