Dear AuntMinnie Member,
We're pleased to announce daily coverage of the proceedings of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) as well as the Society for MR Radiographers & Technologists (SMRT), starting today!
We've created a special RADCast @ ISMRM section at radcast.auntminnie.com, where you'll find all our coverage of the SMRT and ISMRM events, which run through August 14. We'll be running articles on fascinating topics such as using augmented reality to control MRI scanners, alternatives to gadolinium MRI contrast, and a comprehensive analysis of the costs involved in operating an MRI suite.
You can also follow our Twitter account, @AuntMinnie, for the latest news from ISMRM and SMRT 2020.
Siemens and Varian deal
Meanwhile, our hottest story of the past week was our coverage of the proposed acquisition of radiation oncology vendor Varian Medical Systems by Siemens Healthineers. The $16 billion deal would create an integrated imaging and radiation therapy firm able to offer end-to-end solutions to oncology customers.
Indeed, the Siemens and Varian deal is a win-win for both companies, according to market analyst Steve Holloway of Signify Research. He believes that the combination will give Siemens access to a market-leading vendor with a mature product lineup, as well as what he believes is an overlooked aspect of the deal that could bring major benefits to Siemens. Find out more in an article in our Radiation Oncology Community.
Cuts to radiology payments
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its proposed payment schedules for 2021, and the news isn't good for radiology.
Payments for imaging exams would see an 11% hit in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and a proposed rule in the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System could result in inadequate reimbursement for CT exams. Fortunately, imaging organizations like the American College of Radiology are fighting the proposed cuts.
After you're done reading that story in our Imaging Leaders Community, check out the latest update from Rebecca Farrington of Healthcare Administrative Partners on emergency funding sources available to radiology practices other than the Paycheck Protection Program. Also, learn about how radiology practices are cutting costs in response to COVID-19.
But hospitals and imaging centers aren't the only ones affected by the pandemic. Radiology education programs have also had to implement major changes. Find out what two programs did in a new webinar that's available now on radiology education in the COVID-19 era.
It was no surprise to anyone who follows the group, but the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this past week updated its guidance on carotid artery screening to once again advise against the procedure.
You'll find the story in our Ultrasound Community, where you'll also find an article on how the use of ultrasound and MRI have increased in pediatric emergency cases as clinicians look for radiation-free alternatives to CT.
Finally, there's just one week left to nominate candidates in the Minnies, our annual event recognizing excellence in radiology. Nominations close at midnight Eastern on Sunday, August 16 -- to get your suggestions in, just go to minnies.auntminnie.com.
![Regions of interest depicted in colors: cerebrospinal fluid (blue), cortical gray matter (dark green), and white matter (yellow). Scatter plots present significant correlations between (b) [semi-solid spin pool size, or ms0m0s] entropy and age in cerebrospinal fluid and cortical gray matter, and (c) [longitudinal relaxation rates, or Rf1R1f] entropy and age in cortical gray matter and white matter (p < 0.05). Images, graphics, and caption courtesy of Sohae Chung, PhD, and the ISMRM.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2025/05/2025-05-09-novel-mri-technique-image.tmqDtL6pTg.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
