Imaging displays, from consumer to medical grade, have come a long way since the days of bulky screens and low resolutions. Today, flat panel displays in the healthcare arena have increasing capacity to offer improved contrast ratios, truer colors, better energy efficiency, high luminance and more. A variety of vendors continue to improve the technology to better display imaging modalities, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, positron emission tomography (PET), mammography and ultrasound, and to ensure screens remain DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) compliant.

Cardiac ultrasound technology has advanced to keep up with several trends. These include improved workflow for greater efficiency, expanded use of qualification metrics, expanded use of 3-D echo to speed exam times and improve operator reproducibility, and expanded use of 3-D transesophageal echo (TEE) to aid guidance in the growing area of transcatheter structural heart procedures. Here are a few examples of how the newest technology is addressing these trends.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) recently held its annual meeting in St. Louis. It provided an in-depth review of molecular imaging technologies, clinical applications, and translational and advanced research topics for molecular imaging professionals — nuclear medicine physicians, scientists, radiologists, cardiologists, pharmacists, technologists, researchers, and others involved and interested in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and therapy.