CT, computed tomography

As hospitals begin replacing their first-generation 64-slice computed tomography (CT) scanners after a decade of use, there are several considerations evaluation teams should think about when looking at the newer-generation scanners. Chief among these is the idea that more slices makes for a better scanner — which CT experts say is not necessarily the case, and there are costs versus benefits to consider when looking at high-slice systems.
Dose monitoring
cloud-based dose tracking

For all the benefits of medical imaging, most forms come with the inherent danger of radiation exposure. Public radiation exposure has increased significantly overall in the last 30 years, and according to a 2006 report from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), medical imaging accounted for nearly half (48 percent) of all public exposure that year. Several high-profile cases of excessive radiation exposure due to medical imaging have brought the discussion into the public eye, which in turn has spurred greater focus on radiation safety among healthcare facilities and their various regulatory bodies.

The theme for this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 102nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly is “Beyond Imaging.”  This year’s conference invites radiologists to explore new ways to collaborate and envision their field beyond just imaging. The meeting will take place Nov. 27-Dec. 2, 2016, at McCormick Place in Chicago.  

radiotherapy

The Mayo Clinic defines radiation therapy as a type of cancer treatment that uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells, mostly getting its power from X-rays, but the power can also come from protons or other types of energy. Most often, it is in the form of external beam radiation therapy. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, more than half of all people with cancer receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment, making it one of the most common treatments for cancer.

In an effort to improve patient care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's (CHOP) Information Services team is using data and advanced analytics to screen patients for venous thromboembolism (VTE). This innovative technology is being honored by Drexel University and CIO.com in their inaugural Analytics 50 award ceremony, which will be held on Nov. 9, 2016 at Drexel University's LeBow College of Business.

SecurityScorecard, a security rating and continuous risk monitoring platform, released its 2016 Healthcare Industry Cybersecurity Report in October. The report is a comprehensive analysis exposing alarming cybersecurity vulnerabilities across 700 healthcare organizations including medical treatment facilities, health insurance agencies and healthcare manufacturing companies. Security breaches in this industry pose devastating consequences, according to the company, because they can render an entire system or network inoperable, creating a life or death situation that needs immediate attention.

At the 2016 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA 2016), GE Healthcare will introduce the Revolution CT (computed tomography) scanner with Whisper Drive technology, designed to take high-speed scans that allow full imaging of the heart in just one heartbeat.

Children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience disruptions in the structure of the neural networks inside their brains, according to a study appearing online in the journal Radiology. The findings could help in the development of treatments for the disorder, researchers said.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) have released a report on the state of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production, its utilization in medicine, and progress toward eliminating the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) during production.

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