Thursday, September 02 2010
Socioeconomic status (SES) remains associated with survival among cancer patients in Ontario, despite a universal healthcare approach, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in Cancer.
Wednesday, September 01 2010
The cost patterns of prostate cancer treatment can vary widely based on initial treatment choice, and treatments that may be less expensive in the short-term may have higher long-term costs, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in Cancer.
Wednesday, September 01 2010
Using readily available computer programs such as Microsoft Excel, researchers can quickly generate valuable gene signatures for predicting breast cancer without specialized software or extensive bioinformatics training, according to an article published online Sept. 1 in Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research.
Monday, August 30 2010
PET/CT using [11C] choline may be useful to restage in patients with prostate cancer who had increasing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radical prostatectomy and no disease evidence on conventional imaging, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.
Monday, August 30 2010
An MRI exam of sodium ions in human articular cartilage can provide a noninvasive method to diagnose osteoarthritis in its very early stages, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance.
Sunday, August 29 2010
The combination of FDG PET/CT and circulating tumor cell (CTC) counts might be a useful tool to monitor response to therapy in breast cancer patients, according to a study published in this month's Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Friday, August 27 2010
The transition from a default transfemoral access approach for coronary angioplasty to a default transradial approach increased fluoroscopy time, according to a study published in the September edition of American Journal of Cardiology. The transradial approach increased dose-area product for diagnostic procedures, but not interventional procedures.
Wednesday, August 25 2010
Nuclear MR (NMR) spectroscopy, a new method of testing that can assess a tissue metabolic profile, offers a noninvasive technique for distinguishing between different neurological disorders in patients and may enable earlier diagnosis, according to a study published online in March in the Journal of Comparative Neurology.
Tuesday, August 24 2010
Patients receiving care from hospitals with the most advanced type of EMRs spend 22.4 percent less time in the emergency room (ER) than at other hospitals, but providers with basic EMRs were associated with longer wait times on average, especially for patients arriving at the ER with truly urgent medical needs, according to research published online in Medical Care Research and Review.
Tuesday, August 24 2010
Whole exome sequencing — a new gene scanning technology that cuts the cost and time of searching for rare mutations — can identify mutations in a single gene that can cause several types of developmental brain abnormalities that have traditionally been considered different disorders, according to a study published online Aug 22 in Nature.
Monday, August 23 2010
Whole-body FDG-PET scans revealed that visceral adipose tissue has increased glucose uptake compared with subcutaneous adipose tissue and the differences in stromal metabolic activity can aid in cardiovascular risk stratification, according to a study published in this month’s Journal of American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging.
Monday, August 23 2010
Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) reduced radiation dose 33 percent compared with routine-dose CT with filtered back projection, according to a study published in the September edition of American Journal of Roentgenology.
Monday, August 23 2010
The use of fractional-flow reserve (FFR) resulted in significantly lower PCIs compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in patients with intermediate coronary artery disease (CAD), based on study results in this month's Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Monday, August 23 2010
A novel protein called sucrose nonfermenting AMPK-related kinase (SNARK) involved in mediating glucose transport has been found to be activated in skeletal muscle in response to contraction and exercise in both rodents and humans, according to a study published Aug. 16 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Monday, August 23 2010
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine report that physicians who use an automated EMR tracking system to follow-up on patients with an abnormal Pap test could increase the number of women who achieved diagnostic resolution and have women achieve resolution in less time than using traditional methods.
Sunday, August 22 2010
The addition of chemotherapy (cisplatin) to radiotherapy improves survival of women with locally advanced cervical cancer compared with radiotherapy alone, without an apparent rise in late treatment complications, according to a study published in the September issue of Clinical Oncology.
Thursday, August 19 2010
Using select data from 3D contrast-enhanced (CE) CT imaging can better locate areas to be ablated in patients with ventricular tachycardia, compared with standard voltage mapping, according to a small study published online July 24 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
Wednesday, August 18 2010
Proton-decoupled phosphorus 31 (31P) MR spectroscopy shows promise in grading of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and may be useful in detecting treatment response in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), according to a study published in this month’s Radiology.
Tuesday, August 17 2010
FDG PET may be a valuable noninvasive method for gaining comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as well as for the evaluation of therapeutic interventions, according to a review published in this month's American Journal of Roentgenology.
Sunday, August 15 2010
Preradiotherapy FDG PET for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients referred for 3D conformal radiotherapy may lead to significant modification of treatment strategy and radiotherapy planning, according to a prospective multicenter study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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Medical imaging overutilization--a growing concern in the U.S.--exposes patients to unnecessary radiation, while also adding to rising healthcare costs, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Radiology. In an interview, William R. Hendee, PhD, lead author, reviewed various methods by which medical imaging could be curtailed.
Dedicated contrast-enhanced (CE) breast CT delivered significantly improved conspicuity of malignant breast lesions, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), compared with unenhanced breast CT and mammography, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology.
CT, ultrasound and MRI have helped shift biopsy techniques away from more invasive approaches toward image-guided percutaneous techniques, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. The trend toward less-invasive approaches translates into enhanced safety and efficiency and could lead to more interaction between patients and radiologists.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) EHR incentive payments are not considered reimbursement for money expended on EHR technology, but are intended to offset the cost associated with adoption and ongoing meaningful use, according to CMS during an Aug. 12 webinar.
Funding incentives for EHR use is the main goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) meaningful use initiative, and there are incentive programs for both hospitals and eligible professionals, according to Elizabeth Holland, health insurance specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke during a CMS-sponsored webinar Aug. 8.
Stage 1 requirements for meaningful use incentives aim to strike a balance between the overall goal of EHR use and widespread adoption, while avoiding added work, said Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, chief medical informatics officer at Elsevier Health Services, during a HIMSS webinar titled “Meaningful Use: Safety and Quality of Care.”
