July 12, 2011 – The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) has published the SCCT Guidelines on Radiation Dose and Dose-Optimization Strategies in Cardiovascular CT document, which will be printed in the July/August special Radiation Focus issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. This guideline document reviews available data and provides recommendations regarding interpretation of radiation dose indices and predictors of risk, appropriate use of scanner acquisition modes and settings, development of algorithms for dose optimization and establishment of procedures for dose monitoring.

July 5, 2011 — Cancer patients in Sweden have gained access to fast and efficient radiotherapy treatments with the installation of Scandinavia's first TrueBeam system from Varian Medical Systems. This advanced system has commenced clinical treatments for patients at Vasteras Hospital, west of Stockholm.

July 5, 2011 — ECRI Institute, an independent nonprofit that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, and the Health Care Improvement Foundation, an independent nonprofit corporation with a multi-dimensional focus on healthcare safety, announced the launch of a new Partnership for Patient Care regional collaborative focused on improving computed tomography (CT) radiation safety. Jointly funded by Philadelphia-area hospitals and Independence Blue Cross, this collaborative will engage hospitals and imaging centers in Philadelphia and surrounding counties in a 12-month project aimed at strengthening patient safety specific to CT imaging.

July 5, 2011 – A statement was issued by Peter W. Carmel, M.D., the president of the American Medical Association (AMA), regarding cuts to Medicare payments for diagnostic imaging.

June 30, 2011 – Breast cancer screening with mammography results in a significant reduction in breast cancer mortality, according to long-term follow-up results of a large-scale Swedish trial. The results are published online in the journal Radiology.

June 30, 2011 — During the first quarter of 2011, Biosound Esaote completed a name transition to become Esaote North America. The purpose of this transition was to emphasize the relationship with its parent company, the Esaote Group.

June 29, 2011 — A new study utilizing data from the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL) suggests that while noncompliance with reporting standards is found in the majority of nuclear cardiology laboratories throughout the U.S., those facilities participating in the ICANL accreditation process demonstrate an increase in compliance over time.