There were three key trends in X-ray vascular imaging systems made evident from new products showcased at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in late 2012. These include new hardware and software to lower ionizing radiation doses and improve image quality, better dose tracking software, and enhanced maneuverability for improved patient access and use in the growing hybrid OR market. As interventional procedures become more complex, imaging times have increased, raising concerns that are now being addressed by vendors.


Lancaster General Health is a 550-bed system in Central Pennsylvania performing nearly 500,000 exams per year in its major acute-care hospital, rehabilitation hospital, women’s center and 12 outpatient facilities. The 28 diagnostic radiologists and three radiation oncologists at Lancaster Radiology Associates, Ltd. handle all the radiology services for the health system, providing around-the-clock coverage using the McKesson Radiology picture archiving communications system (PACS). Leigh S. Shuman, M.D., a practicing radiologist at Lancaster Radiology Associates and the PACS medical director for the health system, recently spoke to us about the rollout of a workflow solution, the McKesson Qualitative Intelligence and Communications System (QICS) by peerVue. 


Imaging children has challenges that relate to the size, maturity and anxiety of the patient. In addition, we have become increasingly aware of the risks associated with radiation exposure, an issue that is of paramount importance to young patients. Through the efforts of professional organizations, industry and the Image Gently campaign, launched in 2008 by The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, tremendous advancements have been made in technology and its use to help meet these challenges.



New computed tomography (CT) dose studies and growing public media attention have made minimizing unnecessary radiation dose to patients a priority for medical imaging facilities. In addition, state regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies are increasing their oversight and regulation of radiation dose. Reducing dose while maintaining good clinical image quality, however, is complex. 



The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has issued a new white paper, “Assuring Safety and Quality in Image Guided Delivery of Radiation Therapy,” that recommends best practices to improve the safety and effectiveness of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), according to the manuscript published as an article in the online journal Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO).


At the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine’s (ISMRM) 21st Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Philips Healthcare demonstrated a range of clinical functionalities in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Leading research institutions are making breakthroughs in advanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Vantage Titan 3.0T MR system. Toshiba has partnered with Shands at the University of Florida and the Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California (USC) for MR research in fMRI, as well as body and cardiac imaging.


April 24, 2013 — A prostate cancer patient has become the first person in the world to be treated using the latest version of Varian's Vitesse real-time planning solution for planning and performing advanced high-dose-rate (HDR), ultrasound-guided brachytherapy treatments. The treatment took place at the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, N.C.


More than three years after the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine mammogram screening for women between the ages of 40 and 49, a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) finds that mammogram rates in the United States have not declined in that age group, or any other. The study results are published in the online journal Cancer.

Varian Medical Systems and Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) announced a collaboration to further advance motion management techniques for proton therapy. The multi-year agreement, aimed at optimizing treatment strategies for indications such as cancer in the lung, liver, pancreas and breast, will evaluate strategies using a 4-D treatment planning simulator developed by PSI.

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