The nation’s leading lab in the use of PET for psychiatric studies, the Kreitchman PET Center in New York, has suspended its research after federal investigators found that it had repeatedly injected mental patients with impure drugs.

The New York Times reported Friday that the center, which is part of Columbia University, had used at least 10 batches of drugs that … read more »

An article in the Los Angeles Times last week discusses “the greatest cancer risk you’ve never heard of”—breast density. It suggests that health-care professionals should routinely tell women how dense their breasts are.

The article, by Karen Ravn (who writes frequently on health topics), says: “Evidence shows that for women with extremely dense breasts, the cancer risk can be four to … read more »

Do patients deserve to know the whole truth about a brain MRI? What if the patient is a child? What should parents be told?

A team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore explored those questions. Unfortunately, the researchers didn’t come up with easy answers. They did say that doctors had better decide on a plan in advance, … read more »

Is it really a big surprise that a University of California, Davis researcher has found that the use of computer-aided detection (CAD) in association with mammograms has soared since Medicare began paying for it—even though “systemic reviews point to uncertainty regarding whether CAD has a clinically important impact on key breast cancer outcomes”?

A UC Davis news release describes the research … read more »

Experts at a conference this week in Glasgow, Scotland, had a word for plans to use MRI scans to “read minds” of insurance customers, potential employees, or court witnesses:

Stop.

Some research indicates that MRI can reveal whether a person is lying by showing which parts of the brain are active during speech or viewing of objects, images, or people. According to … read more »

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“Radiologic examination is the mainstay for diagnosing physical abuse in children.”

This quote in emedicine from a paper by lead author Avneesh Chhabra, MD, staff radiologist at the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia both harkens back and proclaims forward and is especially significant during April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Dr. Chhabra remembers John Patrick Caffey, MD, “the father of pediatric radiology,”  and his … 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 … read more »

In response to the vast medical needs and human suffering resulting from the recent, devastating earthquake in Haiti, the American College of Radiology Foundation has launched the Haiti Radiology Relief Fund. The Fund will help supply health care facilities in Haiti with necessary radiological support – including radiology equipment, supplies, materials as well as physician and medical physicist volunteers.

“We urge … read more »

If you’ve been listening to the news at all lately, you’ve probably heard the recent debates over the use of full-body scanners in airports, sparked by the Christmas Day bombing attempt in Detroit. Last week, the American College of Radiology (ACR) released a statement on the scanners, which allow screeners to see through passengers’ clothing to check for hidden weapons. … read more »