Through computed tomography (CT) images of the heart and other types of imaging, build-up of dangerous coronary plaques — which restrict the flow of blood to the heart — can be detected, even before a person develops symptoms of heart disease. Because of this, there is increasing interest in using these imaging techniques to screen for heart disease. According to a review published recently in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, a simple CT imaging technique called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan—often referred to as a calcium scan—may be particularly useful when screening for coronary artery disease.

Healthcare imaging specialist Barco has expanded its diagnostic display toolset for a more intuitive workflow with new features to support radiologists with their increasingly busy and demanding workload. The new additions were developed to increase visibility of subtle details and better control the reading environment.

Philips and Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Arizona) announced a long-term strategic partnership with a total value of up to $65 million, providing the hospital access to Philips’ advanced medical technologies. Phoenix Children’s is the first stand-alone children’s health system to sign a long-term strategic partnership model with Philips.

Seven leading healthcare providers will be able to fund education and training programs to improve the patient experience and safety in diagnostic imaging, thanks to the ninth annual 2016 Putting Patients First grants. AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba Medical recently awarded one grant of up to $20,000 to an integrated delivery network (IDN) and six grants of up to $7,500 — three focused on pediatric imaging and three on overall patient care and safety in imaging.

Employing new photonics technology, European scientists are developing a new augmented reality surgical visor in a bid to improve accuracy of interventions. The visor shows anesthetic and medical data while superimposing a patient’s X-ray in perfect unison with their body, meaning surgeons never have to look away during an operation and surgery times are reduced by over 20 minutes for every three hours.

McKesson Corp. and Change Healthcare Holdings Inc., provider of software and analytics, network solutions and technology-enabled services, (CHC) recently announced the completion of their previously announced agreement to create a new healthcare information technology company. The new company is named Change Healthcare and combines substantially all of CHC’s business and the majority of McKesson Technology Solutions (MTS).

An extensive study by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers found significant variation in treatment strategies for people with three or more brain metastases. The study is bringing light to the need for further research to guide physicians’ decision making.

RamSoft its 100 percent web-based PowerServer Cloud PACS (picture archiving and communication system) at the 2017 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference and Exhibition (HIMSS 2017), Feb. 19-23 in Orlando, Fla.