British Columbia to invest $32M Canadian in nuclear medicine
The government of British Columbia has secured $32 million Canadian ($23.7 million U.S.) in funding for a new cyclotron facility and radiopharmacy laboratory at the University of British Columbia (UBC), according to news reports.British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix said on January 30 that the funds are intended to increase domestic supplies of radioisotopes for nuclear medicine imaging exams, with the new facility expected to expand British Columbia's capacity from 16,000 PET/CT scans per year to 41,000 per year, CTV News Vancouver reported.“Increasing our PET CT scan access enables our physicians to accurately...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - February 6, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: AuntMinnie.com staff writers Tags: Industry News Source Type: news
New tau PET tracer shows promise in Alzheimer ’s disease patients
In this study, the group aimed to further test the approach to better understand the dynamic interactions between tau accumulation and beta-amyloid, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline over time.
The team prospectively enrolled 52 participants (age, 69.7 ± 8.4 years; 18 men and 34 women): seven with normal cognition, 28 with mild cognitive impairment, and 17 with Alzheimer’s disease. All patients underwent F-18 PI-2620 PET imaging, as well as amyloid PET, MRI, and neuropsychologic tests at baseline and at follow-up after one year. In addition, the researchers classified the participants into early-onset ( (S...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - February 5, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Subspecialties Neuroradiology Source Type: news
What is the Differential Diagnosis of a Suprarenal Mass?
Discussion
Suprarenal masses (SRM) are not that common (incidence of 1.9/1000 in neonates), but are more commonly diagnosed prenatally because of prenatal ultrasound. Masses can be difficult to accurately diagnose even after birth because their features overlap. Radiographically they can be variable in size, cystic/solid or mixed and with or without calcifications. Common signs and symptoms of SRM include anemia, jaundice, scrotal hematoma and abdominal mass. Signs of asphyxia may also occur. Often patients whose diagnosis is not clear are monitored closely for a few weeks to see how the lesion changes with time. This is e...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - February 5, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Pediatric Education Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Can robots transform U.S. medical isotope production?
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding efforts to test whether a robotics system can safely increase the production of medical isotopes, according to scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, IL.
Ultimately, those running the project hope to replace systems based on technologies used in national labs in the U.S. since the 1940s, noted nuclear physicist Jerry Nolen, PhD, principal investigator.
“Just by gaining the ability to do the manipulation of the sample from across the room means that we can safely handle samples up to 10 times as radioactive without requiring the use of hot cells,” Nolen ...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - February 2, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Subspecialties Nuclear Radiology Source Type: news
ARRS awards scholarships to two emerging researchers
Ian Mark, MD. Image courtesy of the ARRS.The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) is awarding its two 2024 ARRS Scholarships to Ian Mark, MD, of Mayo Clinic Minnesota and Evan Calabrese, MD, PhD, of Duke University Medical Center.
The scholarships, provided by ARRS' "The Roetgen Fund," support early-career faculty members pursuing radiological research seeking to change how medical imaging is practiced. They are intended to advance emerging scholars and prepare them for leadership. Each scholarship is a two-year grant that totals $180,000.
Mark completed his diagnostic radiology residency at Mayo Clinic, where he was chi...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - February 1, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: AuntMinnie.com staff writers Tags: Industry News Source Type: news
Could yoga help radiologists deal with burnout?
Yoga could be one way to alleviate burnout symptoms in radiologists, a study published January 31 in JAMA Network Open suggests.
Researchers led by Duygu Sag, PhD, from Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus in Izmir, and Fahri Saatcioglu, PhD, from Blindern in Oslo, Norway, found that a yoga method called Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) reduced psychological distress and burnout and increased wellness in physicians, including radiologists and radiation oncologists. They also highlighted that the program is safe and practical.
“Given the high personal and financial toll of physician burnout worldwide, these findings suggest t...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 31, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Amerigo Allegretto Tags: Practice Management Source Type: news
MD Anderson Cancer Center signs agreement with IAEA
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has signed an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to become an IAEA Collaborating Centre.Chris McKee, senior vice president of strategy and business development at MD Anderson Cancer Center (left) and Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General (right). The two organizations have signed an agreement that will see the cancer center become an IAEA Collaborating Centre.IAEA
The two organizations aim to improve radiation oncology, radiation physics, radiology, nuclear medicine, and nutrition globally. MD Anderson said it will be the first I...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 30, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: AuntMinnie.com staff writers Tags: Industry News Source Type: news
FAPI-PET shows promise in head and neck cancer patients
In this study, the researchers tested the approach for the first time in head and neck cancer patients with tumors of unknown origin in a prospective clinical trial.PET/CT and MR images of a 72-year-old woman. (A) F-18 FDG-PET images (left and top) and PET/CT images (bottom) shown in coronal, sagittal, and axial views (from left to right), demonstrated a metastatic lymph node of the right neck with intensive metabolic activity (black arrow, SUVmax, 30.1) but presented no evidence for primary tumor. (B) Ga-68 FAPI-PET images (top and right) and PET/CT images (bottom), shown in axial, sagittal, and coronal views (from left t...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 26, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Molecular Imaging Radiation Oncology/Therapy Source Type: news
Neiman publishes advanced imaging prediction index
The Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute (HPI) has developed and released a comorbidity index designed to help predict the use of advanced imaging.Titled "The Neiman Imaging Comorbidity Index (NICI)," the document "fills a gap in risk-adjustment methods for imaging utilization," and was developed based on radiology claims for 10.5 million individuals covered by healthcare service provider Optum's Clinformatics Data Mart database, the Neiman HPI said in a statement. It was published January 24 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology."In designing the NICI, we balanced the marginal improvement in the ability...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 25, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Kate Madden Yee Tags: Clinical News CT Molecular Imaging MRI Nuclear Medicine Source Type: news
Pluvicto prostate cancer treatment protocols vary globally
An international survey of treatment centers has revealed significant differences in several aspects of Lu-177 PSMA-617 prostate cancer therapy, including patient imaging protocols, according to a study published January 18 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.Aligning these differences could improve patient outcomes, noted lead author Andrea Farolfi, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues.“Standardization or harmonization of protocols and dedicated training are desirable in anticipation of increasing numbers of patients and theranostic centers,” the group wrote.Pluvicto was approved by the U.S....
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 23, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Subspecialties Genitourinary Radiology Source Type: news
Few ‘surprise’ patient bills are from radiologists, study finds
Out-of-network billing by radiologists – often referred to as “surprise billing” – dropped significantly beginning in 2007 and imaging claims are now almost completely in network, according to a recent study.
In an analysis of billing trends, the rate of out-of-network (OON) imaging claims declined from 12.6% in 2007 to 1.1% in 2021, with the decline occurring broadly across imaging modalities, noted lead author Jay Parikh, MD, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
“This consistent decline over time likely reflects in part effective persistent good-faith negotiations between radiology...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 22, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Practice Management Source Type: news
Unlocking the potential of imaging in Alzheimer ’s disease care
Jan Makela.In the U.S., more than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, a debilitating and far-reaching disease that accounts for 60% to 80% of dementia cases, and by 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International.
Alzheimer’s has been a formidable challenge for our society, patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems for decades. The disease affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Its symptoms typically start with mild cognitive impairment and eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.
Historically, medications and therapies have...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 19, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Jan Makela Tags: Practice Management Molecular Imaging MRI Neuroradiology Source Type: news
Can ictal SPECT make a comeback in epilepsy patients?
A feasibility study could could revive interest in SPECT seizure imaging to help neurosurgeons guide brain surgery in epilepsy patients, according to a team in Switzerland.The researchers leveraged what they described as an untapped opportunity that allowed them to perform SPECT just seconds after triggering seizures, with the imaging visualizing brain regions associated with language difficulties in three patients, noted lead author Sabry Barlatey, MD, PhD, of University Hospital of Bern, and colleagues.“We show that triggering of seizures with direct electric stimulation for ictal SPECT imaging is convenient, spares re...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 16, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Subspecialties Neuroradiology Source Type: news
Workplace violence ‘extremely high’ in radiologic sciences
More than 60% of diagnostic radiology and radiation therapy staff experience workplace violence, according to a study published January 9 in Radiography.
Risk factors for workplace violence include intoxicated patients, staff stress, long patient waiting times, overcrowded environments, and inadequate staff and security measures, wrote lead author Krushi Shah, of Curtin University in Perth, Australia. The authors called for implementing strategies to reduce risk.
“The most common coping strategy [we found in our review] was doing nothing, which is concerning,” they noted.
Workplace violence is a significant issue in...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 12, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Practice Management Radiologic Technologist Imaging Leaders Source Type: news
SNMMI issues guidelines on FES-PET breast cancer imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) have issued guidelines for F-18 fluoroestradiol (FES) PET imaging of breast cancer.
The practice guidelines are intended to assist physicians in recommending, performing, interpreting, and reporting the results of tumor estrogen receptor (ER) F-18 FES-PET studies and were published January 5 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
“The availability of a standardized imaging procedure will help to promote the appropriate use of F-18 FES-PET and enhance subsequent research,” wrote lead author David Mankoff,...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - January 9, 2024 Category: Radiology Authors: AuntMinnie.com staff writers Tags: Industry News Subspecialties Nuclear Radiology Source Type: news
