Before the introduction of 3-D digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) imaging, 2-D full field digital mammography (FFDM) systems were the gold standard for breast cancer screening. However, during the past few years, DBT has become the new gold standard.

From streamlining your workflow to maximizing your return on investment (ROI), there are numerous benefits to having image integration with your electronic medical record (EMR). Below are three EMR integrations found to be very helpful to imaging centers.

Advanced imaging and hybrid modalities, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT are showing significant growth and will continue to do so, despite some slowdown in overall imaging volume due to the changing reimbursement landscape.

The global proton therapy market hit a major milestone in 2015, eclipsing the billion-dollar mark for sales orders and more than doubling the previous year’s total, according to market intelligence firm Medraysintell. This boom was evidenced by new proton therapy centers springing up all over the world, including 11 just since November 2015 — eight in the United States and three abroad in Hong Kong, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Cardio-oncology is an emerging field that combines the expertise of both cardiology and oncology to assess and treat cancer patients for the second leading cause of death among cancer survivors — cardiovascular disease brought on by their treatments. Specific types of chemotherapy and chest directed radiation therapy are known to cause cardiac dysfunction, mainly due to cardiotoxicity — the symptoms of which may not present until months or even years after cancer treatment.