Shalmali Pal[email protected]Nuclear MedicinePET plays universal role in pre- and post-treatment for head and neck cancerPredicting the success of head and neck cancer treatment, staging it, and addressing its side effects are the focus of three recent papers. German investigators devised a tumor control model using repeat PET scanning during radiotherapy, while a group from Stanford University offered practical PET/CT guidelines for this disease. Finally, the North Central Cancer Treatment Group tested zinc sulfate in preventing dysgeusia in patients undergoing radiation to the oral pharynx.April 25, 2007MRIAuntMinnie.com MRI InsiderApril 22, 2007BreastMammography still offers advantages over breast MR in DCISIn its new guideline for breast MR, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends against routine use of the modality in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The results of a recent study jibe with the ACS' assessment: The Italian authors said that MRI could not be used as a diagnostic tool for evaluating microcalcifications, but that it did have other uses in DCIS. On the same subject, Dr. Philippe Sebag from the Centre de Senologie in Nice, France, outlined why mammography is the gold standard test for DCIS.April 19, 2007Womens ImagingAuntMinnie.com Women's Imaging InsiderApril 15, 2007Clinical NewsMeasuring breast's electromagnetic properties ups contrastThe electromagnetic properties of breast tissue offer high contrast for depicting malignancies, and electromagnetic imaging can boost the contrast between normal tissue and abnormal findings, according to Dartmouth University-based researchers. But their prototype scanners still require fine-tuning before they'll be useful in a high-throughput clinical setting.April 9, 2007UltrasoundUS is best bet in male breast, but only if imaging is absolutely necessaryMale breast cancer is rare, but the incidence of the disease is rising due to shifts in diet and environment, among other things. Dr. Robin Wilson from the London-based Guy's Hospital discusses why he prefers sonography over mammography for examining the male breast, as well as what imaging experts should look for on these exams.April 3, 2007CTCortical defects on prevertebroplasty MR ups risk of cement leakageAs many as half of all vertebroplasty patients wind up with a new compression fracture, most often in the adjacent vertebral bodies. The leaking of cement into the disk space can increase the risk of new fracture. But preoperative MR exams can help predict which patients are more likely to have cement leakage, according to a paper in the April American Journal of Roentgenology.April 2, 2007BreastBreast studies: Persistence a must with noncompliant patients; race-based tissue density not a risk factorCompliance rates for diagnostic mammography and the effect of race on breast density are highlighted in two studies in the April issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. While Michigan researchers looked at the costs associated with a system designed to encourage patients to return for additional imaging, a group in Massachusetts sought to determine if innate racial differences in breast density might explain differences in breast cancer risk.March 29, 2007Nuclear MedicineSPECT/CT offers on-target diagnosis in noncancerous bone diseaseThere's no shortage of research on SPECT/CT in oncologic imaging and the fact that bone scintingraphy has its limitations in this setting. But what about patients who are referred for nononcologic imaging? Is bone scintigraphy any more useful? No, according to nuclear medicine specialists from Israel, who advocated using SPECT plus multislice low-dose CT (MslCT) instead.March 22, 2007Digital X-RayGRAPPA MRA curtails gadolinium dose in peripheral arterial occlusive diseaseUsing a parallel acquisition technique can reduce the amount of gadolinium needed for intra-arterial MRI, according to Swiss imaging experts. Furthermore, a high contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) can be achieved in the vessel lumen, they wrote in the American Journal of Roentgenology.March 20, 2007Previous PagePage 11 of 100Next PageTop StoriesMolecular ImagingAmyloid PET scans validated in racially diverse patientsChanges in care plans occurred in 59% of individuals after PET scans.Womens ImagingLimited access to PCPs thwarts mammography screening uptakeUltrasoundPOCUS rules out pulmonary congestion in kidney patientsEconomicsLow-value imaging services part of high Medicare costsDigital X-RayAI helps clinicians identify misplaced endotracheal tubes
