Editor's Note: This article is an introduction to the ultrasound scanning systems comparison chart that ran in the September 2010 issue of Imaging Technology News. The chart can be found under the comparison chart tab at the top of the page.

The applications for ultrasound in medicine have been quite varied. Back in the 1940s, physical therapists used its thermal energy to reduce inflammation, and physicists used high-intensity ultrasound as a surgical tool to treat brain disorders.
Information extracted from The Moran Company's Analysis of Imaging Trends from 2000 to 2008. Data Source: Medicare Part B Phyician's Supplier Master File 2000-2008.

Despite the continued attacks by policymakers regarding imaging and its impact on healthcare costs, the diagnostic imaging industry is positioned to take on these challenges to not only survive, but also to thrive in the healthcare reform implementation era.

Advancements in newer 64-slice computed tomography (CT) and the introduction of 256- and 320-slice systems are helping to significantly reduce patient exposure to ionizing radiation.

cardiac CT, cardiovascular computed tomography, what to look for in a CT scanner, advances in CT
what to look for in a CT scanner, advances in CT

In this era of financial cost cutting, questions are raised over the true need for 256- or 320-slice computed tomography (CT) systems for cardiac imaging. There are many radiologists and cardiologists who argue a 64-slice CT system is good enough to make a cardiac diagnosis without spending twice as much for the higher-slice systems.

Biopsies were once the domain of surgeons, but with the introduction of image-guided needle biopsies in 1992, radiologists have increasingly taken over that diagnostic role.
CAD Gives a Boost to Breast Imaging
CAD Gives a Boost to Breast Imaging

Mammography and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are tried-and-true methods for spotting and preventing the spread of breast cancer and other abnormalities. Mammography alone detects up to 90 percent of breast cancers in women over 50, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Information-based decision-making is critical to physicians in delivering quality care and ensuring efficiency in today’s health care systems. Patient data must be available and used for effective decision-making. Yet, because it exists in various systems across numerous healthcare providers, this information is not always readily available to clinicians.

As managed care penetrated more fully into the radiology sector in the 1990s, the industry experienced a time in which demand for diagnostic radiology exceeded the supply of radiologists. Studies published in the early part of this decade highlighted a severe radiologist shortage.
Change in Demand

August 25, 2010 - Polymer bottle packaging for contrast media is now included in the GE Healthcare ecomagination campaign. The +Pluspak, a packaging container for contrast media, offers advantages over traditional glass packaging that includes reduced storage, improved workplace safety for healthcare workers who administer contrast media to patients, and decreased cost of waste disposal.

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