Elekta, Royal Philips and University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht (the Netherlands) announced that the initial components of the world's first high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided radiation therapy system are being installed at UMC Utrecht.

April 10, 2014 — In a presentation exploring the promise of magnetic nanoparticle (mNP) hyperthermia in breast cancer treatment, Dartmouth researcher P. Jack Hoopes, DMV, Ph.D., co-director of Norris Cotton Cancer Center's Nanotechnology Working Group, reviewed preclinical studies conducted at Norris Cotton Cancer Center and discussed plans for early-phase clinical studies in humans at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

Screening programs sometimes assume an almost mystical sense of destiny, as though the technology is fated for use. A lung cancer screening program in the 1950s through the 1970s was one of them. Chest X-rays and sputum cytology were used in the mistaken belief that they could spot lung cancer at a curable stage.

Today’s digital picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) is highlighted with several choice words around the industry: accessible, flexible, Web-based, thin client versus thick client and vendor-neutral. Whatever term is used to describe the PACS of today and the future, one thing is clear: the aim now is to be able to store medical images, sourced from any modality, in a secure location on a network and retrieve them for review from any platform or any device.

In December 2012 my wife was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. As the sting of that reality was setting in, we were presented with multiple options regarding her treatment. Chemotherapy was required, but the number of treatments was up for debate. Three different oncologists within the same healthcare system gave three different recommendations: four, six or eight doses of chemo. Even a family member who is a primary care physician told us they were all good options. We were distraught that such a critical decision was left to our own gut feelings. We felt chemo was the right treatment, but the variation of dose options hampered our confidence in the care.

As a less expensive, radiation-free form of medical imaging, ultrasound is finding increased utility in many areas of healthcare. The technology’s evolving flexibility and portability make it an attractive option for doctors looking to triage patients in an emergency room, perform rapid cardiology examinations or offer supplemental imaging for women who have already undergone screening mammograms. Its use is rapidly expanding at the point of care in hospitals in more than 20 specialties, according to a December 2013 report in the journal of the World Heart Federation, Global Heart.1

With healthcare reform’s focus on information technology (IT) as the primary vehicle for change, there has been an increased interest in this area. Health IT software has taken center stage as healthcare facilities look to implement new Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements. So, it is no wonder that the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual meeting, held Feb. 23-27 in Orlando, Fla., drew a record crowd of attendees and exhibitors alike.