For men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer, radiation treatment with brachytherapy alone can result in similar cancer control with fewer long-term side effects. The findings come from research presented at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) comparing brachytherapy alone to more aggressive treatment that combines brachytherapy with external beam therapy (EBT).

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a specialized and highly targeted method of delivering radiotherapy, or radiation therapy, to treat cancer. This approach, used to treat many solid-tumor cancers, including lung, liver and kidney cancers, can mean greater convenience and quality of life for patients because it involves fewer individual treatments and can help to spare healthy tissue. A new study led by Anurag Singh, M.D., of Roswell Park Cancer Institute presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2016 Annual Meeting suggests that a single high-intensity SBRT dose can be as effective as three slightly lower doses of radiation.

The Human Animal Bond Research Initiative (HABRI) announced it has awarded a $44,000 grant to Duke University School of Medicine’s Division of Pediatric Cardiology for a new research study on the impact of therapy dogs on pediatric echocardiograms.

Blue Earth Diagnostics Ltd. announced the peer-reviewed publication of results from a Phase 3 clinical trial of Axumin (fluciclovine F 18) injection. Axumin is a novel molecular imaging agent indicated for use in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) following prior treatment. Results of the multi-center study, conducted in Norway, Italy and the United States, demonstrated a 68 percent overall detection rate (DR) for Axumin, with the ability to detect local, as well as distant, prostate cancer recurrence across a wide range of PSA values. Axumin was well-tolerated in the study.

Leadership from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) recently participated in an event at the White House hosted by Vice President Joe Biden, who released a report outlining the Cancer Moonshot Initiative’s (CMI) progress to date and roadmap for its four remaining years. Former Chair of ASTRO’s Board of Directors Bruce G. Haffty, M.D., FASTRO, attended on behalf of the society following months of encouragement by ASTRO for the initiative to broaden its focus and integrate radiation oncology more fully into the moonshot effort.

Strategic Radiology (SR) has committed $800,000 to fund 20 Strategic Radiology Research Seed Grants through the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research and Education (R&E) Foundation. SR, a consortium of 26 practice groups representing more than 1,400 radiologists from around the United States, is the second Visionaries in Practice donor to fund a named grant award via the foundation’s Inspire-Innovate-Invest: The Campaign for Funding Radiology’s Future.

Intelerad Medical Systems recently announced that Radiology Consultants of Iowa (RCI) has selected InteleOne XE as their interoperability workflow platform.