Subspecialties: Page 1450

CMS to maintain PET payment rates

By Kate Madden Yee

PET proponents are rejoicing at the news that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will retain 2002 outpatient reimbursement rates for FDG-PET procedures next year. CMS had been proposing a 42% cut in the rate for oncology PET procedures and a 9% cut in cardiac PET payments for its 2003 outpatient payment schedule.

November 7, 2002

Stress test with SPECT remains main modality for assessing myocardial viability

Thanks to its ease of use and familiarity, SPECT is likely to remain the imaging modality of choice for myocardial viability assessment, even as other technologies emerge, according to a panel of experts at the 2002 American Society of Nuclear Cardiologists meeting in Baltimore.

November 7, 2002

Digirad tallies record Q3 sales

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers

Solid-state gamma camera developer Digirad recorded revenue of $11 million in the third quarter (end-September 30), up 39% compared to $7.9 million in the third quarter of 2001.

November 6, 2002

Preoperative assessment of bile duct stones with sonography

By Ultrasound Review

(Ultrasound Review) Surgeons at Parma University School of Medicine have shown that ultrasound can accurately predict the likelihood of asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) in patients with gallbladder stones.

November 6, 2002

CAD scheme offers faster, more accurate virtual colonoscopy

By Eric Barnes

An improved computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme detects colorectal polyps with relatively high accuracy and a low false-positive rate. The system is designed to save time and reduce human error in the detection of adenomatous polyps with virtual colonoscopy.

November 5, 2002

Mentor to buy ProstaSeed maker Mills

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers

Mentor of Santa Barbara, CA, has reached an agreement to acquire Mills Biopharmaceuticals of Oklahoma City, OK.

November 5, 2002