In the News
-
07.22.10
Patient Safety Symposium Draws Crowds at AAPM
Patient safety in radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging has always been an important concern for the medical physics community. At the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) annual meeting taking place this week, a special symposium examined the issues surrounding patient safety and what’s being done to improve it…
» Read The Article -
07.21.10
Lack of Insurance Coverage Remains Obstacle to Wider Colorectal Cancer Screening With CT Colonography
A recent questionnaire submitted to a group of patients at one of the nation’s largest general hospitals suggests that a significant number of patients, who have previously refused colorectal cancer screening, are willing to undergo computed tomography colonography (CTC) (or virtual colonoscopy), but not willing to pay for the exam themselves when not covered by insurance, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology…
» Read The Article -
07.21.10
X-ray Tube Modulation Helps Reduce Pediatric CT Dose
By modulating x-ray tube output based on patient characteristics, instead of using a fixed tube current, Texas researchers were able to lower radiation dose in pediatric CT studies by 23%, according to a poster presentation at this week’s American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) meeting. Thanks to improved treatments, the outlook for children diagnosed with cancer is more positive than ever, and the majority of children survive their diseases. But their future is not entirely bright, because childhood cancer survivors have higher than average risks of developing a second cancer later in life…
» Read The Article -
07.21.10
Web Tool Estimates Pediatric CT Dose Risk
A pediatric CT dose calculator is now available to estimate the effective radiation dose and additional lifetime risk of cancer for a child having a CT exam. This free Web-based application is designed to educate radiologists and referring clinicians about the potential risks of CT scan exposure, and to place specific CT exams in context with recent cancer risk reports…
» Read The Article -
07.20.10
Image-Processing Algorithm Reduces CT Radiation Dose by as Much as 95 Percent
Perfusion CT scanning, an emerging imaging technology, got a bad rap last year when a machine set to incorrect radiation levels overdosed hundreds of people in Los Angeles. In the wake of this incident, researchers at the Mayo Clinic, excited by the technology’s promise for diagnosing stroke, cancer, and possibly heart disease, have developed a way to reduce the amount of radiation involved in the procedure — which, when done properly, already involves very little risk…
» Read The Article -
07.20.10
Screening: Gaps Found in Breast Cancer Testing
One-fifth of American women ages 50 to 74 have fallen behind on mammography screenings for breast cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. Although the percentage of women in this age group who get a regular breast cancer screening every two years increased steadily during the 1990s, the rate has remained just over 80 percent since 2000, according to the centers’ Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report is based on data collected from surveys given to 120,095 women in that age range…
» Read The Article -
07.19.10
A new CT reconstruction algorithm can help lower radiation dose
A new way of processing X-ray information can lower the amount of radiation patients receive during cone beam CT scans by a factor of ten or more, a new study finds. Cone beam CT scans are vital in locating the tumor during image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) but the continuous exposure to CT radiation is a source of constant concern for medical professionals and patients, Steve Jiang, an associate professor of radiation oncology at the University of California, San Diego and the study’s senior author, told DOTmed News. The concern over radiation exposure is especially problematic for the pediatric population…
» Read The Article -
07.19.10
Preventive Service Regs Could Give Screening Tools A Boost
Preventive services including colonoscopies, mammograms and diabetes screenings may become more accessible under a federal government plan announced July 14. Starting Sept. 23, health plans newly introduced or significantly modified by private insurers will be required to cover evidence-based preventive services without any cost sharing from beneficiaries, according to 1 interim final regulations drafted by Health and Human Services and the Departments of Labor and the Treasury…
» Read The Article -
07.19.10
Colorectal Cancer Screening Underused Despite Expanded Medicare Coverage
Despite expansion of Medicare coverage, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening remains underused for a variety of reasons, including lack of supplemental health insurance and a usual place of healthcare, according to new research published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. “In 2001, Medicare changed its policy on CRC screening to include reimbursement for screening colonoscopy for those at average risk as defined by national guidelines,” write Chyke A. Doubeni, MD, MPH, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester, and colleagues. “An important question is whether this expansion of benefits reduced disparities associated with the type of health insurance coverage, income, or usual place of care?”…
» Read The Article -
07.18.10
How Technology May Improve Treatment for Children With Brain Cancer
A study presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) shows that children with brain tumors who undergo radiation therapy (the application of X-rays to kill cancerous cells and shrink tumors) may benefit from a technique known as “intensity modulated arc therapy” or IMAT. This technique relies upon new features on the latest generation of X-ray therapy equipment that allow X-ray sources to be continuously rotated in any direction around a patient during treatment, potentially increasing the number of directions that the beams come from…
» Read The Article
Get Involved
Write Congress
Urge Congress to Support Access to Medical Imaging.
» ACT NOW
Spread the Word
Tell your friends and family to contact Congress.
» Tell a Friend