Patricia Oliveira-Szejnfeld, M.D., and Fernanda Tovar-Moll, M.D., Ph.D., explain what radiologists should be looking for to aid early diagnosis of Zika virus. They were among the key investigators for the first large-scale, multimodality assessment of the Zika in Brazil, the epicenter of the 2016 Zika outbreak. They spoke to ITN at RSNA 2016. Read the article “Imaging Zika Virus - Radiologic Assessment and Tracking in Prenatal Development.”

Emanuel Kanal, M.D., director of MRI services and professor of radiology and neuroradiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, explains what is known about MRI contrast retention in the brain and other MRI safety concerns. He spoke to ITN at RSNA 2016. 

Gadolinium-based contrast agents have been used for diagnosis and treatment guidance in more than 100 million patients worldwide over the past 25 years. These agents enhance the quality of MR images by altering the magnetic properties of nearby water molecules in the body. By improving the visibility of specific organs, blood vessels or tissues, contrast agents help physicians diagnose and treat a wide variety of medical conditions. On its own, gadolinium can be toxic. Therefore, when used in contrast agents, gadolinium is bonded with a molecule called a chelating agent, which controls the distribution of gadolinium within the body. 

Read the article "Gadolinium May Remain in Brain after Contrast MRI."

The medical imaging staff of Salem Community Hospital has expanded the value their Medrad Stellant Injection System delivers. Learn about this radiology team's experience in eliminating guesswork, driving consistent image quality, and benefiting from CT workflow efficiencies.

How to turn your imaging center into a Swiss army knife to maximize ROI was a key radiology business session at the 2016 Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn. Robert Junk, AIA, and Tobias Gilk, M.Arch, of RAD-Planning, explain how radiology departments can assess their business model to make the most of their capital investments. Read the related article that include Junk and Gilk "Rethinking the Radiology Business Model."
 

New this year is the SIIM Innovation Challenge, which offered a prize of $10,000 to the winning team to help support innovation exploration and development to raise awareness and engagement in innovation efforts that will help shape the present and future of imaging informatics. Co-chairs Ram Chadalavada, M.D., MS, CIIP and Adam Kaye, M.D., MBA, CIIP, discussed some of the innovative ideas presented at this year’s challenge, and future plans, with itnTV.

2016 marks the third year for the SIIM Hackathon. itnTV sat down with Marc D. Kohli, M.D., Hackathon Committee-Co-Chair, SIIM Board of Directors and director of clinical informatics at UCSF to discuss some of its new objectives and future plans.

This year's keynote speaker, Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., founder and director of Are You Dense and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc., expands on her keynote presentation "Why I Talk to Strangers About My Breasts."

Cary S. Kaufman, M.D., FACS, discusses best practices in breast centers at NCoBC 2016.

Kristie Bobolis, M.D., president elect and current chair of 2016 Planning Committee for the National Consortium of Breast Centers, discusses the role of genetic testing, how it is evolving, and how a physician best assess the high-risk patient.

With the LOGIQ E9 XDclear 2.0 ultrasound system, GE Healthcare rethought virtually every element of the imaging chain, from the pulse of the probes to the clarity of the pixels. The result is their highest level of imaging performance yet.

ITN/DAIC Editor Dave Fornell shows his choices for some of the most innovative new imaging technologies on the expo floor at Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2015 meeting.

Researchers have developed software for the Microsoft Kinect gaming console that measures body part thickness and checks for motion, positioning and beam adjustment immediately before X-ray imaging, according to a feasibility study presented at the 2015 meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The technology may help reduce radiation exposure and aid in higher quality images to ensure diagnostic accuracy. Microsoft Kinect was originally developed as a motion sensor and facial and voice recognition device for the Xbox gaming system that enabled players to play games without a standard controller. Subsequently, the technology has been adapted for select non-gaming applications. For this feasibility study, researchers combined the technology of the Microsoft Kinect 1.0 with proprietary software to address common problems that affect imaging results, including body-part thickness and motion. This fail-safe helps to reduce or eliminate common causes of unnecessary repeat image acquisition. Read the story

Interview with Dave Fox, AHRA president, and president of the North Campus, system vice president of statewide network development, St. Vincent Health, Little Rock, Ark.

Interview with Harold Litt, M.D., Ph.D., chief of cardiovascular imaging section and associate professor of radiology, University of Pennsylvania. He also served as co-principal investigator of the ACRIN-PA study of cardiac CT use in the emergency department (ED). Litt spoke in sesveral sessions on how to begin using cardiac CT to evaluate chest pain to quickly rule in or rule out heart attacks.

Read more about the ACRIN-PA trial. 

Watch a video of Litt explaining the trial.

Interview with Daniel Berman, M.D., FACC, chief of Cardiac Imaging and Nuclear Cardiology, professor of imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 

William Way, M.D., director of diagnostic imaging at Wake Radiology, explains how he is building an enterprise-wide imaging system and offers advice on what to look for when shopping for a replacement PACS. Here are some questions to ask prospective PACS vendors.

He was interviewed at the annual Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.

Siemens introduces True volume TEE transducer. This 3-D/4-D 90°x90° TEE solution enables clinically meaningful visualization of anatomy, volume color Doppler and function in one volume view, without compromises like stitching. Combined with eSieValves advanced analysis package, it offers automated modeling and quantification in seconds allowing cardiologists to remove the guesswork from valve sizing.

The Aplio 500 CV is the system of choice for all premium 2-D cardiac exams. Featuring Toshiba's 2-D Wall Motion Tracking technology, the system provides stunning visualization and quantitative analysis of myocardial wall motion with unrivaled accuracy and reproducibility. With on-board cardiac quantification measurements in all directions (radial, circumferential, 2D rotation and longitudinal), the Aplio500 CV system is designed to get the most comprehensive information anytime and anywhere in the hospital, right at the patient's bedside. Additional cardiac-specific technologies include Tissue Enhancement, Advanced Dynamic Flow, Lateral Gain Controls, Tissue Doppler, Stress Echo, Flex-M Mode and Auto IMT. The system is easy to use, with superior ergonomics and a smaller footprint, making it easier to maneuver for greater patient access and improved workflow. For more information: http://medical.toshiba.com/products/ul/cardiovascular/index.php