July 15, 2011 — In a true hybrid suite, both cath lab and open surgical procedures are performed in a single room. In creating hybrid cath labs, healthcare facilities require imaging technologies that provide the flexibility to quickly and easily access both the patient and ancillary equipment. Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla., a leading children’s hospital, recently installed Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Infinix CF-i bi-plane system with the CAT-880B hybrid catheterization table for its new dedicated hybrid suite. When combining the five-axis positioner of the Infinix-i system with the tilting and cradling features of the hybrid table, physicians are able to obtain optimal image angles while having unprecedented patient access.

July 14, 2011 — A jury in federal district court has returned a guilty verdict against Rajashakher P. Reddy, M.D., 41, of Atlanta, on charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, health care fraud and obstruction of justice. Reddy, a radiologist who ran the Atlanta-based radiology practice Reddy Solutions Inc., was charged with and found guilty of perpetrating a scheme to defraud various hospitals by signing and submitting tens of thousands of radiology reports without even reviewing many of the X-rays, mammograms, computed tomography (CT) scans and other films that were the subjects of the reports.

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.