Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for May 2011. 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.
Effect Estimates May Be Inflated in Biomarker Studies
TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Biomarker effects are often overestimated in highly cited studies compared to the effects reported in subsequent meta-analyses of the same associations, according to a review published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Lateral Radiography Can Measure Prevertebral Soft Tissue Width
TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Use of upright magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has validated the use of lateral radiography for measuring prevertebral soft tissue (PVST) width, which is dependent on spinal level and gender, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Modic Changes Common in Patients With Lower Back Pain
FRIDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- A high prevalence of Modic changes is seen among Spanish patients with chronic lower back pain (LBP) for whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been prescribed, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Contact With Drug Industry Linked to Positive Attitudes
WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The extent of contact that medical students have with the pharmaceutical industry is associated with positive attitudes about marketing, according to a review published online May 24 in PLoS Medicine.
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More Scans for Back Pain by Doctors Who Bill for MRI
WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with low back pain in the care of primary care physicians or orthopedists who own or lease magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment are more likely to receive an MRI, according to a study published online April 21 in Health Services Research.
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Use of CCTA Screening Tied to Increased Invasive Testing
TUESDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Low-risk adults who undergo coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) screening use more medications and undergo invasive coronary procedures, according to a study published online May 23 in Archives of Internal Medicine.
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CT Fluoroscopy Superior to C-Arm in Disc Herniation
MONDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy is clinically more effective and safer than C-arm fluoroscopy for cervical transforaminal steroid injections for treatment of patients with cervical disc herniation, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Many Medical Students Lack Confidence in Medical Law
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of medical students lack confidence in their knowledge and skills across many areas of medical law, according to a study published online May 16 in the Journal of Medical Ethics.
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Limiting Gadolinium Use May Avert Renal Systemic Fibrosis
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Following the adoption of restrictive guidelines for gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration, no new nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) cases have been identified in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) examinations, even in patients with a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), according to a study published online May 17 in Radiology.
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In Vivo 3-D Cervical Spine Kinematics Demonstrated
THURSDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- In vivo three-dimensional (3-D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) kinematics of the cervical spine during head rotation identifies differences in cervical motion between patients with cervical spondylosis and healthy controls, according to a study published in the May 1 issue of Spine.
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ASIR Produces Acceptable CT Images at Low Radiation Dose
MONDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Acceptable quality chest computed tomography (CT) images without artifacts that may affect diagnostic confidence can be achieved at 40 mAs using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR), according to a study published in the May issue of Radiology.
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Arthritic Bone Erosions Can Be Detected by Ultrasound
FRIDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Most arthritic bone erosions seen on ultrasound (US) imaging are cortical breaks, which are detected on micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Use of Breast Intensity-Modulated Radiation on Rise
WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) rose steeply from 2001 to 2005, substantially increasing the cost of breast cancer radiation, according to research published online April 27 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Medical Education Participants Recognize Funding Bias
WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although most medical professionals believe that commercial funding of continuing medical education (CME) introduces bias, most are not willing to pay higher fees to offset or eliminate such funding sources, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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CT Pulmonary Angiography Tied to Embolism Overdiagnosis
TUESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is associated with overdiagnosis reflected by increasing incidence, limited change in mortality, and reduced case fatality, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Observing Children With Head Injury Reduces CT Scan Use
MONDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Clinical observation is associated with reduced computed tomography (CT) use among children with minor blunt head trauma, according to a study published online May 9 in Pediatrics.
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True Interval Breast Cancers May Have Aggressive Features
MONDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- True and missed interval cancers are more likely to have a higher grade and stage compared with screen-detected breast cancers, and true interval cancers have additional adverse prognostic features, according to a study published online May 3 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Breast Augmentation Blurs Mammography Results
FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Mammographic findings fail to differentiate between benign and malignant carcinoma microcalcifications after autologous fat injection for breast augmentation, according to a study published in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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Ultrasound Viable Option to Radiography in Acute Dyspnea
FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- For most pulmonary diseases causing dyspnea, ultrasonography and radiography demonstrate high concordance, but ultrasound is more accurate at identifying free pleural effusion, according to a study published in the May issue of Chest.
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Cerebral Cortex Enlargement Found in Children With Autism
WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have generalized cerebral cortical enlargement with disproportionate enlargement in temporal lobe white matter, according to a study published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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CT Colonography More Sensitive in Detecting Cancer
TUESDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomographic (CT) colonography is more sensitive than optical colonoscopy (OC) in detecting colorectal cancer, especially when both cathartic and tagging agents are combined in the bowel preparation, according to a meta-analysis published in the May issue of Radiology.
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Efficacy of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Unclear
TUESDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Though stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is currently used as a treatment for various solid malignant tumors, there is a lack of evidence confirming its effectiveness and safety, according to a review published online May 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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