Although the potential of proton therapy was recognised over half a century ago, and since its development is now known to deliver a radiation beam accurately into a tumour without damaging surrounding tissue, high equipment costs limit its general introduction. Mark Nicholls reports on a British hospital with two decades of experience in its use - and value
Many randomised trials have shown that endoscopic colonoscopies as well as virtual colonoscopies via CT scans are equally efficient in detecting colon polyps and tumours. With an endoscopic examination suspicious mucosal findings can be investigated by biopsy and polyps can be removed. However, causes for argument against this method include the incomplete examination, often severe pain and a…
As in every medical field, children have special needs in radiology. Increasingly aware of this - and just as they must adapt scanners for increasing numbers of obese patients - manufacturers are sharing lively exchanges with practitioners to develop the most advanced equipment available for very small patients. At the Medical University in Graz, Austria, which has taken a lead in this…
At ECR healthcare manufacturers not only introduced the latest products, but also the future technologies and trends that will have an impact on the market in the coming years.
Tissue removal is currently the only way to verify suspicious lesions in the prostate. It is also a key requirement before treating prostate carcinomas. The standard biopsy is performed with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) to guide the needle in the right direction.
IMRT is an evolving method of treatment for complex forms of cancer. Although patients benefit from treatment, a precise evaluation of that benefit and overall cost-effectiveness of the method is still an uncertain science. Mark Nicholls reports
Agfa HealthCare has released the latest version of its IMPAX HeartStation, a comprehensive management system for electrocardiograms (ECGs). Built on standards-based architecture, the system supports most existing and new ECG devices, integrating easily with the legacy hospital and clinic IT infrastructure and ECG workflow, Agfa reports.
Voyager NC, a new coronary dilation catheter with a high-pressure capability designed to optimise coronary artery treatment during angioplasty procedure, can be used for both pre-dilatation and post-dilatation procedures, the manufacturer Abbott explains, adding: "Surgeons can use it to navigate tortuous anatomy and open up lesions before a stent is delivered, or expand a stent more precisely…
Echocardiography is the work horse of non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics. Has this developed?
EuroPCR 2009 is focused on minimally invasive cardiac surgery, but narrowing the broad field of cardiology does not make this conference any less complex.
Results of five clinical studies evaluating the predictive value of VENDYS, a new FDA-approved cardiovascular test, were presented at the 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Florida.
The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the effect of therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction was demonstrated in a series of papers presented at the 12th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR).
A new partnership between BreastHealth UK (BHUK) and Lab21 Ltd aims to offer women predictive genetic testing for breast cancer risk. BHUK, which offers personalised, private breast screening services, has launched a Breast Health Risk Assessment Service.
Doctors who frequently recommend inappropriate medical imaging may be financially penalised.
A new technology which dramatically improves the sensitivity of Magnetic Resonance techniques including those used in hospital scanners and chemistry laboratories has been developed by British scientists. The technique could replace current clinical imaging technologies that depend on the use of radioactive substances or heavy metals, which themselves create health concerns.
Evalve, Inc., the leader in the development of devices for the percutaneous repair of cardiac valves, announced the first enrollment in the ACCESS-Europe study, a post-market observational study of the MitraClip therapy in Europe. The system is the first commercially available treatment option for non-surgical mitral valve repair for patients suffering from the effects of functional and…
University of Utah researchers have found that delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) holds promise for predicting treatment outcomes and measuring disease progression for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a little known heart rhythm disorder that affects more than 3.5 million Americans and causes more than 66,000 deaths a year. Their latest study on a novel application of…
Jede Behandlung mit einem Ballonkatheter provoziert die Narbenbildung an der Gefäßinnenwand, weil durch das Dehnen des verstopften Gefäßrohres mikrofeine Verletzungen entstehen. Unangenehme Folge sind erneute Verengungen der Arterien, weitere Gefäßweitungen werden nötig...Radiologen der Berliner Charité entwickelten nun einen Gefäßkatheter, der die Narbenbildung in den Gefäßwänden…
Definiens, the number one Enterprise Image Intelligence company, launched its first computer-aided detection (CAD) application, Definiens LymphExpert at the annual European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, Austria. Now commercially available for European radiologists, the application assists in tracking lymph nodes of interest, facilitating earlier detection of the metastatic spread of…
56 people were killed and over 700 injured when bombers staged four simultaneous attacks upon the London Transport system on 7 July 2005.
The figures prove that even in the face of current economic difficulties, first-class quality still ensures success. 274 scientific presentations and 25 industry-supported Satellite Symposia and Hands-on Workshops bore witness to the most recent developments in science and research.
Without developments in computers and information technology, medicine and radiology would not be what they are today. Data processing to an extent that a human being would never be able to manage, and transmission systems that make diagnoses independent of place and person, have made the computer one of the modern radiologist's most important allies. But which one of them is the boss? This…
In a symposium organised by Bayer Schering Pharma at the 2009 European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the audience heard a series of four presentations on the potential advantages of high-signal-intensity contrast agents for MRI, focusing on gadobutrol (Gadovist). During the discussion, several claims made by the speakers were challenged and debated by ECR delegates.
André Hoppen, Sales Manager VR Medico, Berlin, Germany, kicked off the finance item at the HMS agenda with his lecture “Do you know the right financing strategy for your hospital?”
Depending on the institution, CT examination doses can vary dramatically by a factor of ten, said Professor John Damilakis, PhD, associate professor at the University of Crete, Iraklion, ahead of the session. The difference is related principally to variations in the examination technique, as the protocol or the imaging system itself determines the level of radiation.
