May 2009 Briefing - Radiology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for May 2009. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Electrophysiology Predicts Tachycardia After Heart Failure

THURSDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy who go on to develop ventricular tachycardia have differences in the electrophysiology and electroanatomy of the scarred areas, according to a study published online May 27 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Focus on Meaningful Work Protects Doctors From Burnout

THURSDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Academic faculty physicians who focus on what they find most meaningful are less likely to experience burnout, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Many Black Women Forgo Late Stage Breast Cancer Treatment

MONDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- There are distinct clinical characteristics associated with black women who have stage III breast cancer, and understanding the reasons why many of them refuse treatment is key to improving compliance rates, according to a study published online on May 22 in Cancer.

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Echocardiography in CRT Patient Selection Controversial

FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Research should continue into the use of echocardiography as a means to select candidates for implant of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices, but QRS prolongation remains the recommended criterion in making that decision. That was the apparent consensus of a trio of papers arguing the question in the May 26 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Democrats Set Ambitious Goal for Health Care Reform

THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Congressional Democrats face formidable challenges in their efforts to pass health care reform legislation by July 31, but physicians can take the lead to ensure changes are enacted, according to two perspectives published online May 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Scans Correlate Well to Assess Spinal Deformity

THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomography (CT) and radiography scans correlate well in assessing traumatic spinal deformity, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques.

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Sticking to Work Hours Limits Very Costly

WEDNESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) limits on work hours, and other measures aimed at reducing fatigue among residents, would be costly with no proven benefits, according to an article published in the May 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Early Angiography Benefits High-Risk Coronary Patients

WEDNESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- For high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome, coronary angiography within hours after presentation can reduce the chance of subsequent death, heart attack and stroke, according to a study in the May 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Benefits Seen in Myocardial Bone Marrow Cell Injections

TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Injections of bone marrow cells into the myocardium of patients with chronic myocardial ischemia were associated with improved myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function, according to research published in the May 20 issue of JAMA.

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Imaging Technology Assesses Graft During Off-Pump CABG

FRIDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Intraoperative fluorescence imaging (IFI) can evaluate graft patency during off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, making possible immediate graft revision, if needed, and potentially better clinical outcomes, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging.

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Medicare Denies Coverage for 'Virtual Colonoscopy'

THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced May 12 that it would not cover the cost of so-called "virtual colonoscopies," colon screenings using computed tomography scanning devices. The decision was immediately blasted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Radiology (ACR).

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American Cancer Society Statement
American College of Radiology Statement

Cement-Free Hip Replacement Has Good Long-Term Results

THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Porous-coated acetabular metal shells inserted without the use of cement during total hip arthroplasty produce good long-term results, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Diabetes Linked to Death After a Heart Attack

WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who have had a heart attack have a higher risk of death or hospitalization for heart failure if they have diabetes mellitus, according to a study in the May issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.

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Early Breast Cancer Often Not Monitored After Surgery

WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Women who undergo breast-conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) often do not receive long-term surveillance mammography, according to a study published online May 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Role of Patent Foramen Ovale in Stroke Needs More Study

WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Greater patient involvement in ongoing trials is needed to guide clinical decisions on the optimal treatment of patent foramen ovale (PFO) for stroke prevention, according to an advisory published online May 11 in Circulation.

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Learning to Read CT Angiograms a Lengthy Process

MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Developing skill in reading coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiograms is a slow process and may require more training and practice than provided in a typical one-year fellowship, according to a study reported in the May issue of Radiology.

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No Clear Benefit to Renal Artery Stents

THURSDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with renal artery stenosis do not benefit from renal artery stent placement and are at risk for procedure-related complications, according to a study published online on May 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Drug-Eluting Stents May Help Prevent Restenosis

WEDNESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Drug-eluting stents had lower rates of restenosis and lower rates of lesion and vessel revascularization in head-to-head trials against bare-metal stents in two studies published in the May 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Abstract - Stone
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Abstract - James
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High Urine Albumin Linked to Venous Thromboembolism

TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Already a recognized risk factor for arterial thromboembolism, microalbuminuria also is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a study published in the May 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Rivaroxaban Effective in Preventing Thrombosis

TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- A phase III trial of oral rivaroxaban has shown that it is more effective than subcutaneous enoxaparin in preventing venous thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty, according to a study published online May 5 in The Lancet.

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Medical Center Press Releases Often Lacking Key Details

TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Press releases from academic medical centers may often overstate the importance of research findings while failing to acknowledge relevant limitations of the studies, according to research published in the May 5 Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Amygdala Enlargement Seen in Young Children With Autism

TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- At the age of 2 years, the amygdala was enlarged in children with autism compared to controls, a finding that was associated with joint attention, according to research published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

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Evidence Supports Heritability of Breast-Tissue Composition

MONDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Breast water -- which is correlated with mammographic density -- is higher in young women, which may point to a factor related to susceptibility to breast carcinogens at younger ages, according to research published online April 30 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Depression Types Can Be Discerned by Brain Blood Flow

FRIDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Refractory and nonrefractory depressive disorder are distinguished by differing perfusion in the regions of the brain, which might be useful in diagnosis and customizing therapy, according to a study reported in the May issue of Radiology.

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More Americans Reporting Disability

FRIDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans reporting disabilities rose by 7.7 percent from 44.1 million in 1999 to 47.5 million in 2005, according to a report in the May 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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