Patients who received daily humidification of the mouth and throat region beginning from day one of radiation therapy treatment spent nearly 50 percent fewer days in the hospital to manage their side effects, according to research presented today at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

Research by Beaumont Health System radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons found that symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) were reduced in those treated with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery. The results were published in the February issue of the journal Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery.

At HIMSS14, Microsoft Corp. showcased a range of health organizations, including Epic and AirStrip, that have improved care team collaboration and productivity, expanded mobility and enhanced patient care through Windows 8.1 devices and apps, and Windows Embedded solutions. With the Windows 8.1 platform of clinical-grade devices, apps and services, including Microsoft Surface, mobile care teams can: communicate with each other via a variety of methods; gain access to full-function EMRs from anywhere at any time; and use U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -cleared clinician apps to deliver mobile-based care and guidance.

March 5, 2014 — Esaote has launched CrystaLine, a significant evolution of its ultrasound technology that delivers new levels of accuracy, quality, versatility and value. Esaote will showcase the new technology at the 2014 annual meeting of the European Congress of Radiology in Vienna, March 6-10.

March 4, 2014 — Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA), a growing international player in molecular nuclear medicine, announced they have received orphan drug designation status for their radiopharmaceutical, Gallium-68 Dotatate.

DR Systems exhibited capabilities designed to increase the quality and efficiency of patient services at HIMSS 2014. Also on display was Health Companion, a patient portal for secure messaging and patient engagement.