April 12, 2012 — U-Systems announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Radiological Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee recommended approval of the somo•v Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) system.

Accustomed to paper-based workflow processes and legacy single-modality solutions, most cardiology departments lag several years behind radiology in their adoption of cardiovascular image and information management systems (CIIMS). After providers have met the requirements for the first stages of meaningful use through their electronic medical record (EMR) implementation, the CIIMS market will likely start to benefit from IT stimulus funding starting in 2014.

April 11, 2012 - The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a proposed rule that would delay, from Oct. 1, 2013 to Oct. 1, 2014, the compliance date for the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition diagnosis and procedure codes (ICD-10).

April 11, 2012 - Georgian Radiology Consultants, of Barrie, Ontario, installed CARESTREAM DRX-1 systems at each of its six imaging clinics that serve a community of 360,000 centered around Barrie, north of Toronto. The implementation of Carestream’s wireless DR detectors was an integral part of the group’s conversion to an all-digital workflow that began with implementation of a PACS and an EMR. The DRX systems were purchased from and installed by BCL X-Ray Canada Inc., an authorized Carestream distributor.

April 9, 2012 — Healthcare supply contracting company Novation released its 2012 Diagnostic Imaging Watch report. Peer reviewed by members of Novation's Diagnostic Imaging Council, the report is an overview of the latest product technology and trends for imaging subspecialties.

April 9, 2012 — Elekta announced it has received clearance to CE mark Agility, a beam-shaping device integrated into the head of a linear accelerator (linac). Patients and clinics will benefit from the speed and reliability of this new MLC (multileaf collimator) design.

April 6, 2012 — Positron Corp. announced the approval of its Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) manufacturing and distribution license amendment for the company's radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Crown Point, Ind.

April 5, 2012 — The American College of Cardiology (ACC) released a list of “Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question” in cardiology as part of Choosing Wisely, an initiative of the ABIM Foundation. The list identifies five targeted, evidence-based recommendations that can support physicians in working with their patients to make wise choices about their care.

April 5, 2012 - SK Capital Partners, a U.S. based private investment firm, and IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) announced that they have closed on their previously announced agreement to create IBA Molecular, a jointly-owned company derived from IBA’s worldwide radiopharmaceutical division. IBA Molecular is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing and distribution of radioactive isotopes used for medical imaging and therapy, with over 50 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia and employs over 1,000 people. The transaction is valued at approximately €180 million ($239 million). SK Capital will own 60 percent of the recapitalized entity and IBA will retain a 40 percent stake.