
Europe needs radiologists
The 12th annual European Radiology Congress, held in Vienna, received 16,000 visitors from 90 countries.

The 12th annual European Radiology Congress, held in Vienna, received 16,000 visitors from 90 countries.

France - EuroPCR is a major European event for interventional cardiologists and radiologists. Focusing on existing and new technologies in percutaneous interventions (coronary, peripheral and non-coronary cardiac diseases), cardiac and vascular invasive and non-invasive imaging, this year's meeting will take place at the Palais des Congrès, Paris, from 16-19 May.

In September 2002, when Philippe Houssiau became President of Agfa's HealthCare Business Group, he quickly saw that the company possessed huge imaging technology and knowledge that could be focused on producing new products and solutions.

A report about an innovative informatics/logistics solution for the Policlinico Gemelli Hospital - Catholic University of the Sacred Heart - Rome.

Radiologists working abroad - the reality

I am delighted that the Hospital Administrator Symposium organised by European Hospital is being held in conjunction with the ECR again this year.

X-ray computed tomography (CT) has shown an absolutely remarkable and impressive increase in its performance characteristics for many years - remarkable because the modality was declared dead in the 1980s, impressive because these developments seemed impossible to many, for technical and for physics reasons.

Following enthusiastic reactions to the Aquilion Large Bore (LB) scanner, when shown as a work in progress at last year's ECR, and with orders in hand, Toshiba has commenced production.

Siemens Medical Solutions reports that the first installations have been completed in France, Germany, Italy and Sweden of its new all-in-one system for digital full-field mammography, named Mammomat Novation.
Mammography as a diagnostic procedure to evaluate detected tumours is not an issue. But because the technique is performed, in screening programmes, on apparently healthy people, for ethical reasons it becomes an issue.
More sensitive dissemination tests are needed for patients with locoregionally recurrent (LRR) breast cancer, according to a paper by Dutch researchers published online by the European Journal of Cancer (Volume 40, Issue 10 , 7/2004).

Interviewed by Daniela Zimmermann, Executive Director of EH, Jean Hooks, General Manager, Global Mammography at GE Healthcare, examined reasons behind the slow uptake of digital technology in some European countries, comparing this with its early adoption in the USA

Despite advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that have revolutionised diagnostic possibilities, e.g. for functional imaging (fMRI), motion artifacts are still extremely detrimental in multi-slice 3D sequences, often used in fMRI or with uncooperative patients (children, elderly, accidents, stroke...).

Karlsruhe, Germany - A new type of ultrasound computed tomography (CT) system promising to improve diagnosis significantly is currently being developed at the Research Centre Karlsruhe.

France - Four studies of three TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stents have demonstrated their safety and efficacy, according to the maker, Boston Scientific Corporation of Natick, Maryland, USA.

Russia & Netherlands - Immediate echocardiographic assessment during consultation rounds can lead to significant cost savings and can shorten the time to diagnosis, according to a new study carried out by teams at the Dept. of Cardiology, Thoraxcentre, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam and the Dept. of Internal Diseases, Medical Academy of Nizhny, Novgorod.

Germany - Diagnostic imaging equipment handler Neuromed Solutions GmbH (est. 1993) has split from the firm's former managing company UMS Neuromed AG.

The DynaWell L-Spine, a compression harness that axially loads the lumbar spine in the supine position, has no magnetic parts, so can be used with most CT and MRI scanners.

The diagnosis of kidney and urinary tract problems can be particularly difficult when young patients are involved.


Innovative Technologies are the driving force behind the development of medical procedures aimed at minimum invasiveness with the highest precision and best clinical results.

Dan Kerpelman: Kodak's Health Imaging Group is one of Kodak's three business groups, which include photography, commercial imaging and a components business.


Breast cancer (breast carcinoma; often abbreviated as BRCA) is the most common cancer in women in many countries and the cancer with the highest mortality rate. The diagnostic and therapeutic options for breast cancer are correspondingly diverse. Keep reading for latest developments in early detection, staging, treatment and research.

Many procedures in diagnostic imaging would be impossible without contrast agents: they open up insights into vascular structures, show stenoses, inflammations, aneurysms and more. However, reports about side effects – especially with gadolinium-based contrast media – cause uncertainty among many patients.