A new study by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute found that in the Medicare population, the utilization rates have increased in both volume and per beneficiary over the past two decades for the most common musculoskeletal (MSK) extremity imaging modalities. The study focused on radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound.

Augmenix Inc. announced that Palmetto GBA LLC — the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) covering North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia — will establish coverage for SpaceOAR hydrogel when medically necessary, effective Oct. 2, 2017. The change will enable Medicare beneficiaries in these states access to SpaceOAR hydrogel for use in prostate cancer radiotherapy.

September 5, 2017 — A new study reviewed more than 5 years of records of pediatric patients treated for sports ...

September 1, 2017 — The Division of Mammography Quality Standards (DMQS) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...

Fujifilm Medical Systems U.S.A. Inc. was recently designated the enterprise imaging partner of choice for several healthcare providers across the nation. Specifically, Fujifilm has secured contracts with seven healthcare systems, including two of the largest healthcare networks in the mid-Atlantic region, Hackensack Meridian Health and West Virginia University Health System, for installations of various products from its comprehensive Synapse Enterprise Imaging portfolio. The installations will include Synapse 5 PACS (picture archiving and communication system), Synapse VNA (vendor neutral archive), Synapse Mobility Enterprise Viewer, Synapse Cardiovascular and Synapse Cloud Services.

August 30, 2017 — IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) and the Department of Radiation Oncology at Penn Medicine, in ...

Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa, recently purchased and installed two Carestream Touch Prime XE Ultrasound Systems to capture radiology, OB/GYN, vascular, pediatric and interventional imaging studies. Covenant Medical Center is a 366-bed, full-service, multi-specialty hospital. A third Touch Prime Ultrasound XE system is deployed at Mercy Hospital, an affiliated critical access hospital in Oelwein, Iowa.

iCAD Inc. announced that the company’s Xoft Axxent balloon applicators have received approval from the China Food & Drug Administration (CFDA) for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. The Xoft Axxent balloon applicators are a key component of the Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx) System, which is used to perform intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) in early-stage breast cancer patients who meet specific selection criteria.

Radioembolization is a therapy method used for liver tumors that are uncurable with surgery or chemotherapy. Thorough development of an individual plan is important for successful treatment. Within the SIRTOP project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Medical Image Computing MEVIS in Bremen, Germany, is developing sophisticated computer algorithms to make therapy planning faster and more precise. The research team will present their initial results at several upcoming conferences.