Radiation dose tracking in medical imaging is helping increase patient safety by lower X-ray doses.
An example of radiation dose monitoring software offered by Sectra.

Patient X-ray radiation exposure from medical imaging has been a hot topic in radiology the past few years and has prompted the implementation of radiation dose monitoring systems. Prior to these systems dose measurements either were not tracked or required manual calculation of dose based on scanner data in the DICOM headers. Since radiation doses per exam were often elusive, dose levels and scanning protocols vary, often greatly, between centers. Also, without automated dose tracking, no national standards have ever been established.

Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have produced the first direct evidence that parts of our brains implicated in mental disorders may be shaped by a “residual echo” from our ancient past. The more a person’s genome carries genetic vestiges of Neanderthals, the more certain parts of his or her brain and skull resemble those of humans’ evolutionary cousins that went extinct 40,000 years ago, said NIMH’s Karen Berman, M.D. NIMH is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The U.S. Senate voted Monday, with a tiebreaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence, to begin debate on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), the legislation drafted by Senate Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell immediately called a vote on the first version of the bill, which was defeated 57-43.

In five years, Kaleida Health’s Stroke Care Center (SCC) at the Gates Vascular Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., has realized more than $5.4 million in cost savings by using the Aquilion One computed tomography (CT) system from Toshiba Medical, a Canon Group company, to diagnose acute stroke. A multiyear study showed dramatic improvements in patient outcomes across a variety of resource-intensive ICD-9-CM codes, with an up-to-a-full-day reduction in patient length of stay and better discharge dispositions. These results demonstrate that with the right multidisciplinary approach and advanced imaging technology, providers can contain costs while delivering high-quality, effective care that meets the demands of the modern healthcare environment.

July 25, 2017 — Using a new nuclear imaging technique that can diagnose cardiac sarcoidosis much more accurately than traditional tests, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have found the disease affects other organs in 40 percent of known patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. The findings are published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.

July 25, 2017 — ViewRay Inc. announced recently that the first cancer patients have been treated using the company's MRIdian Linac system at Henry Ford Health System in Metro Detroit. MRIdian Linac is the world's only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided radiation therapy system with linear accelerator-based delivery.

ScImage Inc. recently announced West Virginia University Health System has partnered with ScImage to utilize ScImage’s PICOM365 Enterprise PACS (picture archiving and communication system) throughout the eight WVU Medicine hospitals. The high-security, cloud-based PICOM365 will deliver cardiovascular image management, viewing and reporting capabilities for seamless workflow throughout the health system.

July 24, 2017 — Insignia Medical Systems has been selected to supply three National Health Service (NHS) Trusts working in partnership under the banner of the Essex Success Regime (ESR), with a fully integrated picture archiving and communication system (PACS) solution at each hospital.

Moffitt Cancer Center researchers launched a first-of-its-kind study comparing the long-term benefits of radiation therapy in women with breast cancer either before surgery (neoadjuvant) or after surgery (adjuvant). Their study, published in the June 30 issue of Breast Cancer Research, found that patients who have neoadjuvant radiation therapy have a significantly lower risk of developing a second primary tumor at any site.

July 24, 2017 — TomTec Zero is the latest addition to the TomTec portfolio. Now every physician reading cardiovascular studies at locations such as the office, reading room or from home will have full diagnostic access to all images and clinical tools, including automated strain measurements.

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