Researchers Develop 4-D Cardiac Image Capability

Utilizing an MRI scanner and software designed for the automotive and aircraft industries, researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health have developed technology that captures 4-D  images of the entire chest, with blood flow velocity represented in color coded filaments.

The procedure has the added advantage of producing results in 10 minutes—or nine times faster than current methods—does not require that a patient hold his breath, is not limited by a patient’s size, is non-invasive and does not necessitate a contrast agent or general anesthesia.

Radiologist Chris Francois, and … read more »

Pneumoperitoneum must be diagnosed promptly when it occurs, which is often abruptly and without warning.

Author: Stephen R. Baker, MD. Special Presentation for Practical Reviews in Radiology

Other Signs of Free Air on Radiography

This third section of the review on diagnosing pneumoperitoneum considers supine plain film signs of abdominal free air outside the right upper quadrant.

In the anterior paramedian superior position of the abdomen, the most common manifestation is the cupola sign, which is much more frequent than the presence of air in the lesser sac.

Like a cupola, free air in this … read more »

Pneumoperitoneum must be diagnosed promptly when it occurs, which is often abruptly and without warning.

Author: Stephen R. Baker, MD. Special Presentation for Practical Reviews in Radiology

Signs of Free Air on Radiography

The best place to look on plain films for findings of pneumoperitoneum is in the right upper quadrant, because the homogeneous shadow of the liver affords an excellent background upon which even very small collections of free air can be displayed.

However, to take advantage of the hepatic background, the entirety of the peritoneal cavity from the top to bottom must … read more »

PACS systems or review stations don’t always correctly display and measure lesions on magnified images, even though they have FDA approval. That’s according to a small study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Currently the FDA has approved eight digital mammogram systems. However, none of the literature on image quality among these systems addresses measurement accuracy, the Colorado researchers say.
Using an acrylic disk. the team took measurements in various magnification views across different systems, then compared them with measurements made with electronic calipers. Here’s how the … read more »

Over the past 10 years, CT angiography (CTA) has been replacing ventilation/perfusion (VQ) imaging as “the gold standard” for imaging pulmonary embolism (PE). Some would say that’s with good reason: CT is faster, produces sharper images, and is usually readily available in most hospitals. However, using CT for diagnosing PE is a big concern for some doctors, who say the test causes excessive radiation to the chest and breasts and poses a particular danger for younger women of child-bearing age. Because of the potential increase in the risk for breast … read more »

Annual screening with both mammography and MRI seems to be a cost-effective way to help high-risk women live longer, says a new study published in the March issue of Radiology. The findings support current screening recommendations by the American Cancer Society.

“For women at the highest risk of breast cancer, using both breast MRI and mammography together for screening will likely reduce their chances of dying from breast cancer and help them live longer, healthier lives,” said lead study author Janie M. Lee, M.D. in a press release.

In the study, Dr. … read more »

University of Missouri researchers are studying how photoacoustics, or a laser-induced ultrasound, could help scientists locate the general area of the lymph node where melanoma cells could be residing. This new technology could help doctors identify the stage of melanoma more accurately.

“This method can be used to determine if the cancer has spread from stage 2, where the melanoma is still just in the skin lesion, to stage 3, where the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes,” said John Viator, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Engineering and … read more »

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a public meeting March 30-31 to discuss what CT manufacturers and other vendors can do to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure. The day-long meetings will take place at the Holiday Inn Gaithersburg in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Registration is free and on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to the FDA’s federal notice, the goal of the meeting is “to receive public input on steps manufacturers of CT and flouroscopic devices should take to help reduce unnecessary patient exposure to ionizing radiation from these medical imaging modalities.”

Day … read more »

There’s no shortage of radiologists in the employment market today, and radiologists want more work, a new study suggests. The findings appear in the March issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Using anonymous data from the American College of Radiology’s 2007 Survey of Diagnostic Radiologists, researchers from the American College of Radiology (ACR), Yale, Johns Hopkins, and the University of California at San Francisco looked at factors such as type and size of practice, radiology subspecialty, and geographic region. They also looked at probable links between desired workload change and … read more »

Radiologists will play a key role in the event of a national disaster and should adequately prepare for such scenarios, says an article recently published in Emergency Radiology. The article describes 12 possible situations, formulated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Defense after the Sept 11 attacks, and the expected response from the radiology community. Potential scenarios include:

nuclear detonation
biological aerosol attack with anthrax
biological disease outbreak from pandemic influenza
biological attack from pneumonic plague
chemical attack from industrial chemicals
chemical attack from chlorine tank explosion
radiation dispersion attack
explosive attack using improvised explosive devices

According to the … read more »

The latest kind of CT technology exposes patients to as much as 91 percent less radiation than standard CT scans, according to a study published in the March issue of Radiology.

Conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, the study focused on the newest type of CT technology, a 320-detector row volume CT scanner, which can image the entire length of the heart (16 centimeters) in a single rotation and within a single heartbeat. Many current tests use 64-detector row scanners, … read more »

A recent Avon Foundation for Women survey confirms what some experts have feared: States are using U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) mammography recommendations to deny women coverage for mammograms, and many women are foregoing mammography care based on the USPSTF recommendations.

According to the Avon national survey of cancer health educators and providers, respondents from more than a dozen states reported changes in their states’ breast and cervical cancer early detection programs following the USPSTF recommendations, including the elimination of early screening programs for women under age 50. Avon reports … read more »

Folks following the Olympics this month may have noticed a new team player: medical imaging. Radiology is playing a bigger role than ever at the Winter games, including, for the first time, instant ultrasound that can help doctors and coaches determine if an athlete is fit to return to competition.

OVUS—short for on-venue ultrasound—is provided at the cross-country Nordic, speed skating, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey venues, explained Olympics imaging director Bruce Forster, MD, in an annoucement by the RSNA. A mobile OR with X-ray and ultrasound allows doctors to … read more »

Pneumoperitoneum must be diagnosed promptly when it occurs, which is often abruptly and without warning.

Author: Stephen R. Baker, MD. Special Presentation for Practical Reviews in Radiology

The diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum or free air is a crucial diagnosis. Free air can be caused by a number of serious medical conditions, and appear in a number of different locations depending upon the underlying health condition.

Prompt recognition of free air by a radiologist can mean the difference between life and death.

Clinical information, while often helpful, can sometimes be misleading.

Thus, the observation of free air … read more »