Biologic age, a DNA-based estimate of a person’s age, is associated with future development of breast cancer, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. Biologic age was determined by measuring DNA methylation, a chemical modification to DNA that is part of the normal aging process. The study showed for every five years a woman’s biologic age was older than her chronologic or actual age, known as age acceleration, she had a 15 percent increase in her chance of developing breast cancer. The study was published online Feb. 22 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Late-breaking results confirm the HeartFlow FFRct (fractional flow reserve computed tomography) Analysis enables efficient identification of which patients, despite symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease (CAD), have a low risk of adverse cardiovascular events and can safely avoid invasive testing out to one year. These results from the ADVANCE trial were presented as a late-breaking trial during the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 68th Annual Scientific Session, March 16-18 in New Orleans, and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC): Cardiovascular Imaging.

A new study positron emission tomography (PET) scans has identified a biomarker that may accurately predict which patients with one type of HER2-positive breast cancer might best benefit from standalone HER2-targeted agents, without the need for standard chemotherapy. The study was conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in an effort to further individualize therapy and avoid over-treating patients.

Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without contrast agent is just as effective as the contrast-enhanced approach for monitoring disease progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study in the journal Radiology. The findings support the possibility that contrast enhancement can be omitted from routine follow-up scans.

Artificial intelligence (AI) company Bay Labs announced the presentation of two studies assessing performance of the company’s deep learning software for cardiovascular imaging. The first evaluated the software when used by medical professionals with no prior ultrasound experience to acquire diagnostic-quality echocardiograms, and the second evaluated the fully automated calculation of ejection fraction (EF) with accuracy and increased reproducibility. Results from these studies will be presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 68th Annual Scientific Session, March 16-18 in New Orleans.

Canon Medical Systems Europe B.V. introduced the all-new Aquilion Start computed tomography (CT) system to the European market at the 2019 European Congress of Radiology (ECR), Feb. 28-March 3 in Vienna, Austria. Featuring premium technologies based on Canon Medical’s Aquilion family, the new Aquilion Start will provide the opportunity for medical institutions to extend their radiology practice.

A team of researchers at the University of Washington announced they developed a new automated system for producing zirconium-89, a diagnostic radionuclide used for cancer tumor imaging.

The number of new particle therapy rooms ordered worldwide dropped by almost 20 percent in 2018, according to a new report from MEDraysintell, continuing a trend dating back to mid-2016. The report says this trend may change if particle therapy vendors are able to build a strong order book in 2019 and 2020.