September 2012 Briefing - Radiology
Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for September 2012. 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.
Radiography Unnecessary After Spinal Fusion Surgery
FRIDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In patients who have undergone spinal fusion surgery with intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance and have no postoperative problems, postoperative radiographs do not provide additional clinical information and are not cost-effective, according to a study published in the July issue of The Spine Journal.
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Preparation Process Eases MRI for Children With Sickle Cell
THURSDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- For young children with sickle cell disease (SCD), preparation and support procedures (PSP) can help reduce the need for sedation during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, according to a study published online June 19 in Pediatric Radiology.
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European Review: Benefits of Mammograms Outweigh Harms
THURSDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- For women in Europe, mammographic screening is associated with a reduction in breast cancer mortality that is greater than the potential harms of over-diagnosis and false-positive screening results (FPRs), according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Medical Screening.
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SPECT/CT Associated With Improved Survival in Melanoma
TUESDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with clinically lymph node-negative melanoma, the use of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) to aid sentinel lymph node excision (SLNE) is associated with increased detection of metastatic involvement and improved disease-free survival, compared with standard SLNE, according to a study published in the Sept. 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Not All Docs/Nurses Want to Be Asked About Hand Hygiene
FRIDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although most health care workers (HCWs) appreciate the role of patients in preventing health care-associated infection, a considerable proportion are uncomfortable with patients asking about their hand hygiene, according to a letter published online Sept. 3 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Diagnostic Radiation Ups Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA Carriers
FRIDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, exposure to diagnostic radiation before age 30 correlates with a significantly increased risk of breast cancer, with a dose-response pattern, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in BMJ.
Prone-Position Breast Radiation Avoids Heart, Lung Exposure
THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For most women with breast cancer, prone positioning during computed tomography (CT) simulation scans correlates with a reduction in the amount of heart and lung irradiation, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Dynamic Diffuse Optical Tomography Can Diagnose PAD
THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Dynamic diffuse optical tomography (DDOT), a noninvasive, non-ionizing imaging modality, may be a useful new tool for diagnosing peripheral arterial disease (PAD), even in patients with diabetes, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Biomedical Optics Express.
Unrecognized MI Prevalent in Older Adults, Ups Mortality
TUESDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- For older patients, the prevalence of unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI), as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, is higher than that of recognized myocardial infarction (RMI) and correlates with increased mortality, according to a study published in the Sept. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Pulmonary Artery Enlargement Predicts Exacerbation in COPD
TUESDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), computed tomographic (CT) measurement of pulmonary artery enlargement, as determined by a ratio of the diameter of the pulmonary artery to the diameter of the aorta (PA:A) of >1, correlates with severe exacerbations, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the European Respiratory Society, held from Sept. 1 to 5 in Vienna.
