The topic of radiation safety and radiation dose monitoring has moved from state-specific regulations to a national trend with The Joint Commission’s (TJCs) recent announcement of their “New and Revised Diagnostic Imaging Standards.” The call for dose management and tracking has graduated from being advised to being mandated – from both a legal perspective and from within the world of healthcare’s patient safety foundation. The question that many organizations find themselves asking is “Where does this leave me?” and “Are we prepared for compliance?”

Digital mammography screening with photon-counting technique offers high diagnostic performance, according to a study published online in the journal Radiology. As mammography screening has shifted to digital technology, a range of computed radiography (CR) and direct radiography (DR) systems have emerged. The photon-counting technique is a DR approach that uses a detector to decrease scattered radiation and noise, enabling dose reduction.

The average age of installed MRI scanners in the United States has increased from 8.7 years in 2010 to 11.4 years in 2013, according to a new market research report by IMV Medical Information Division.

GlobalMed’s CapSure Cloud application can eliminate a second radiation dose by making an initial CT scan available to all healthcare providers involved in a patient’s care. Once the images are uploaded to the secure cloud imaging server from the originating hospital, the sign-on information can be shared with specialists at the receiving hospital so they can view the study. In emergency cases, this means the team at the receiving hospital can be prepared for the patient’s arrival and go directly to the OR.

Researchers found older women with invasive breast cancer treated with brachytherapy were at higher risk for a later mastectomy compared to women treated with standard radiation therapy. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center led the research and published findings in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology.

Stage 2 meaningful use guidelines for electronic medical records (EMRs) suggest use of clinical decision support (CDS) software to help clinicians choose appropriate labs, diagnoses, therapies and imaging exams. A draft policy to replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula now being considered by a joint U.S. Senate Finance and House Committee on Ways and Means Committee might make this suggestion a requirement in the future. The draft policy would deny Medicare payment for exams if the ordering physician did not consult appropriate use criteria (AUC) and require prior authorization for outlier providers.

The push for healthcare to be digitally transformed and paper-free means having access to electronic medical records anytime/anywhere. This effort amplified, has left many cardiology departments struggling to catch up. According to the Administration on Aging people 65+ represented 12.4 percent of the population in the year 2000, but are expected to grow to be 19 percent of the population by 2030. The increase in longevity-on top of advances in medications, less invasive treatments and diagnostic testing will greatly increase demand for cardiology.