Ultrasound contrast boosts prostate biopsy yield May 22, 2008 -- ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Prostate biopsy guided by contrast-enhanced color Doppler ultrasound is superior to systematic biopsy in a screening setting, according to research presented at the Leading Edge in Diagnostic Ultrasound conference this week.Read More
Automated polyp measurement cuts variability May 21, 2008 -- A new study from the Netherlands found that manual polyp measurements in virtual colonoscopy were a bit more accurate than an automated process based on polyp protrusion measurements. The automated scheme still came out ahead, however, because it eliminated interobserver variability.Read More
Small lung nodules vex dual-energy DR, study says May 1, 2008 -- European researchers found no statistically significant benefit in the use of dual-energy digital radiography (DR) compared with conventional DR for detecting pulmonary nodules. The predominance of small lung nodules in the multicenter study may have exceeded the ability of dual-energy DR to detect them, they wrote.Read More
Ground-glass nodule features on CT reveal malignancy risk April 29, 2008 -- Researchers are peering through a proverbial glass, darkly, to study the features of ground-glass opacities (GGOs). GGOs are being detected with increasing frequency as more thin-section CT lung scans are performed to check for cancer in smokers and former smokers. Distinguishing benign from malignant GGOs is a hit-or-miss task for CT, one that could potentially improve if researchers are able to find reliable signs of malignancy or benignity, thereby reducing the need for invasive biopsy.Read More
Open-source software delivers 3-way (PET/CT/MR) image fusion April 25, 2008 -- There is a growing tendency for MR images to be viewed in combination with PET and/or CT in the quest for more accurate diagnoses of complex diseases. While hybrid PET/MR machines have yet to reach the market, a new open-source software application offers radiologists a way to create three-way PET/CT/MR image fusion.Read More
Breast MRI with USPIO contrast helps assess lymph node metastases April 25, 2008 -- Austrian researchers have found that breast MRI with a contrast medium based on ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles could help avoid mastectomy for women whose breast cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. But further development of the technique could be limited by the investigational nature of the contrast agent.Read More
Tagging trials: Balancing image quality with patient acceptance in VC April 16, 2008 -- Virtual colonoscopy is generally accepted as an effective and reliable screening tool for polyps and cancer. But laxative-based bowel-cleansing methods can be uncomfortable and inconvenient for patients. To improve the patient experience, recent studies have sought to eliminate cathartic cleansing and rely instead on fecal tagging using iodinated oral contrast agents.Read More
Combining chemo and radiation improves NSCLC outcomes for elderly April 16, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO - French researchers have found that combining chemotherapy with radiation treatment is effective and tolerable for elderly patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In a study presented at this week's American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting, the investigators analyzed the efficacy and side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens in patients older than age 65.Read More
U.K. study finds direct access to knee MRI is cost-effective April 3, 2008 -- Sending patients with suspected internal knee damage directly to MRI before examination by an orthopedic specialist can be cost-effective, while improving the quality of life for patients, according to new research from the U.K. The study adds support to a recent policy change in the National Health Service giving general practitioners the ability to refer out directly for radiological exams.Read More
MRI beats mammography, US in detecting breast cancer in high-risk women March 12, 2008 -- VIENNA - Breast MRI should be an integral part of annual breast cancer surveillance for high-risk women, according to researchers from Vienna. They compared mammography, ultrasound, and MRI for breast cancer screening in this patient population, and presented their findings at the 2008 European Congress of Radiology (ECR).Read More