RADIOLOGY NEWS
»	High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Feasible for Uterine Localized Adenomyosis in Small Study [June 24, 2009] In a prospective trial to test the feasibility of laparoscopic high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine localized adenomyosis, Chinese researchers found the procedure to be a safe and effective procedure.
»	Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009: Alpha-Particle-Emitting Radiopeptide Produces Tumor Response [June 23, 2009] Data from a preclinical study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine 56th Annual Meeting suggest that α therapy, in association with fast-clearing peptides, can be effective in treating prostate cancer.
»	Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009: Positron Emission Tomography Can Be Used to Classify Dementia Subtype [June 23, 2009] Preliminary results of an ongoing study show that the use of positron emission tomography can help improve the accuracy of a dementia diagnosis.
»	Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009: Radioactive Patch Effectively Treats Skin Cancer [June 22, 2009] The application of a skin patch that delivers radiotherapy can be an effective alternative to surgery to treat skin cancer, according to data presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine 56th Annual Meeting.
»	Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009: Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography May Be Superior to CA-125 in Detecting Ovarian Cancer Recurrence [June 17, 2009] Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography can provide a more precise assessment of recurrence and outcome in ovarian cancer than the standard serum tumor marker, a study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine 56th Annual Meeting has found.
»	Emergency Department Pulmonary Embolism D-Dimer Screening Not Following Guidelines [June 17, 2009] Despite established clinical guidelines that suggest how D-dimer testing results should guide computed tomography evaluation of patients with suspected pulmonary emboli, emergency department use of such testing is not well standardized, according to researchers.
»	Computed Tomographic Colonography May Be Appropriate for Surveillance of High-Risk Patients [June 16, 2009] Computed tomographic colonography may be a reasonable alternative to colonoscopy for some patients at increased risk for colorectal cancer, Italian investigators suggested.
»	Lymph Node Ratio Predicts Survival in Stage III Rectal Cancer [June 16, 2009] Lymph node ratio independently predicts survival in patients with stage III rectal cancer treated with total mesorectal excision followed by chemoradiotherapy, according to a report in the July issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
»	Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009: Two-Year Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Follow-Up Useful in Patients with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Complete Remission [June 15, 2009] Patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma would benefit from fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography surveillance in the first 24 months after achieving remission of their cancer but not after that point, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine 56th Annual Meeting.
»	The European League Against Rheumatism 2009: New Diagnostic Recommendations for Knee Osteoarthritis [June 12, 2009] New European League Against Rheumatism recommendations for the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis unveiled focus on simple measures—clinical examination and plain radiography.
»	Diaphragm Electromyography Distinguishes Obstructive Versus Central Sleep Apnea [June 12, 2009] Diaphragm electromyography accurately distinguishes obstructive from central sleep apnea events, according to a report in the May issue of Chest.
»	Hormone Therapy May Not Need to Be Suspended Before Mammography [June 11, 2009] Hormone therapy may not need to be suspended before mammography, according to the results of a randomized trial reported in the June 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
»	Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers 2009: Long-Term Study Determines Early Predictors of Response to Interferon ß-1a in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis [June 10, 2009] In patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, progression of disability and higher relapse rates are early markers of long-term disease severity, whereas initiation of treatment with intramuscular interferon β-1a can delay this progression when initiated in patients with low disease burden, new findings suggest.
»	Simple Steps Can Reduce Radiation Dose with Computed Tomography Angiography [June 10, 2009] Amid the mounting popularity of cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanning coupled with concerns over increased radiation exposure, authors of a new study say that very simple steps can reduce radiation by more than 50%, without investing in some of the newer machines that have incorporated dose-reducing technology. But they also caution that centers performing CT angiography may not realize just how much radiation their patients are exposed to.
»	American Society of Clinical Oncology 2009: Partial-Breast Irradiation Remains Investigational, But Does Not Diminish Survival [June 09, 2009] In a meta-analysis comparing partial-breast irradiation with whole-breast radiation therapy among women with early stage breast cancer, there were no significant differences in overall survival or the development of metastases between the 2 groups, according to a meta-analysis presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 45th Annual Meeting.
»	Characteristic X-Ray Findings Help Identify Internal Hernia After Gastric Bypass Surgery [June 09, 2009] Radiographic findings at small-bowel examination can aid in the diagnosis of internal hernia following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure for morbid obesity, according to a report in the June issue of Radiology.
»	Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Can Assess At-Risk Myocardium After Myocardial Infarction [June 04, 2009] Cardiac magnetic resonance with T2-weighted short tau inversion recovery can identify myocardium at risk up to 1 week after opening of an occluded coronary artery.
»	Hyperkyphosis Associated with Increased Mortality in Older Women with Vertebral Fractures [June 02, 2009] In older women with previous vertebral fractures, increased kyphosis can predict an increased risk for death, independent of the extent and severity of their underlying spinal osteoporosis, according to the results of a prospective cohort study reported in the May 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
»	Digestive Disease Week 2009: Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Risk for Extremely High Levels of Radiation Exposure [June 02, 2009] Patients with inflammatory bowel disease, particularly those with Crohn's disease, are at potential risk for dangerously high levels of radiation exposure.
»	American Association of Neurological Surgeons 2009: Stereotactic Radiosurgery Effective for Spinal Metastases [June 02, 2009] Stereotactic body radiosurgery is showing promise for patients with spinal metastases, reported researchers. Presenting at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons 77th Annual Meeting, investigators showed that the approach yields high 6-month and 1-year progression-free survival rates and reduces symptoms, including pain.
»	European Stroke Conference 2009: Leukoaraiosis Increases Risk for Periprocedural Stroke with Carotid Stenting and Endarterectomy [June 01, 2009] A substudy of the International Carotid Stenosis Study shows that white-matter changes are associated with an increase in the risk for periprocedural stroke, myocardial infarction, or death with carotid endarterectomy, but particularly with carotid stenting.
»	Digestive Disease Week 2009: Cancer Detection Rates Higher with Deep Sedation During Colonoscopy [June 01, 2009] Deep sedation allows for better visualization of the colon and inspection of polyps during colonoscopy and has a significantly higher diagnostic yield than moderate conscious sedation, according to an analysis of data from the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative. Moderate conscious sedation is currently recommended by American Cancer Society guidelines.
»	European Stroke Conference 2009 – International Carotid Stenting Study: Carotid Endarterectomy Superior to Stenting, at Least in the Short Term [May 28, 2009] Safety data from the International Carotid Stenting Study, comparing carotid endarterectomy with stenting in patients with recently symptomatic carotid stenosis eligible for either procedure, shows superior results with surgery, at least at 30 days' postprocedure.
»	American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Science Advisory Recommends Use of Tissue Plasminogen Activator Between 3 and 4.5 Hours After Stroke [May 28, 2009] A new science advisory from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has given the green light to the use of tissue plasminogen activator to treat acute ischemic stroke between 3 and 4.5 hours after symptom onset.
»	Sodium Bicarbonate-Based Hydration May Help Prevent Contrast-Induced Nephropathy [May 21, 2009] Sodium bicarbonate-based hydration is better than normal saline in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy, according to the results of an updated meta-analysis reported online in the May 13 issue of BMC Medicine.
»	Echocardiography Predicts Heart Disease Mortality When Electrocardiography Does Not [May 21, 2009] Exercise echocardiography can predict mortality and major cardiac events in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, but who have normal exercise electrocardiography results, new research indicates.
»	Stereotactic Body Radiation Slows Lung Cancer [May 21, 2009] Stereotactic body radiotherapy appears to be highly effective for treating certain patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, providing a 3-year local tumor control rate of 90% or higher with minor toxicity, Scandinavian researchers reported in a May 4 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
»	Home Phototherapy as Safe, Effective as Outpatient Therapy for Treating Psoriasis [May 15, 2009] Ultraviolet B phototherapy administered at home for the treatment of psoriasis is equally safe and effective as ultraviolet B phototherapy administered in an outpatient setting, according to the results of a randomized-controlled noninferiority trial reported in the May 8 issue of the BMJ.
»	Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Cleared for Use in Brain Tumors [May 15, 2009] A device that can deliver laser interstitial thermal therapy into the brain is being investigated in patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme in clinical trials in 2 centers in the United States.
»	Computed Tomography Scanning Improves Survival in Lung Cancer [May 12, 2009] Screening computed tomography might be able to detect early stage lung cancers and improve the prognosis of patients with lung cancer, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology.
»	American Roentgen Ray Society 2009: Study Confirms Virtual Colonoscopy Is Reliable for Colorectal Cancer Screening [May 11, 2009] A study using computed tomography colonoscopy found that the technique can reliably detect polyps as small as 6 mm in approximately 92% of cases. The finding was presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2009 Annual Meeting.
»	New Echocardiography Tool Offers Rapid, Accurate Assessment of Left Ventricular Function [May 11, 2009] Norwegian researchers have developed a new semi-automated tool for real-time 3-dimensional (3D) echocardiography, which offers "rapid and reproducible measurements of left ventricular volumes and ejection fractions," with good agreement compared with more conventional 3D echocardiography.
»	Ferumoxtran-10 and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Help Detect Metastasis of Prostate Cancer to Lymph Nodes [May 11, 2009] In patients with prostate cancer, magnetic resonance imaging with the experimental imaging agent ferumoxtran-10 (Combidex; AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Lexington, MA) appears to be effective in detecting lymph node metastases outside of the routine surgical area, Dutch researchers report in the May issue of Radiology.
»	Pelvic Arterial Embolization May Be Safe, Effective for Postpartum Hemorrhage [May 07, 2009] Pelvic arterial embolization for postpartum hemorrhage may be safe and effective, according to the results of a large, single-center series reported in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
»	Surface Electromyography Helps Track Fibromyalgia [May 07, 2009] Surface electromyography analysis demonstrates muscle modifications in patients with fibromyalgia and the technique could be of help in managing the disease, Italian researchers reported in an April 15 paper in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.
»	Carbon Ion Radiotherapy Effective for Skull Base Tumors [May 06, 2009] Carbon ion is effective for skull base tumors in children and young adults, according to a report by a German group.
»	Radiofrequency Ablation Promising for Refractory Chronic Cluster Headache [May 04, 2009] Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of the sphenopalatine ganglion is an effective treatment for patients with chronic cluster headaches who fail standard drug therapy, a group of clinicians from Ohio reported in the April issue of the journal, Headache.
»	Wii Gaming Remote [May 04, 2009] An adapted Nintendo Wii handheld wireless device-the "WiiMote"-appears to be an outstanding substitute for the standard keyboard and mouse used to manipulate computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging images, according to presentations at the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting, which wrapped up late last week in Boston.
»	Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Identifies Pelvic Lymph Node Metastases [May 04, 2009] In patients with gynecologic malignancies, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging can accurately differentiate malignant from benign pelvic lymph nodes, according to a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and reported at the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting in Boston.
»	European Association for the Study of the Liver 2009: Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 May Be Safe and Effective in Advanced Liver Cancer [May 03, 2009] A phase 2 study of radioembolization with yttrium-90 has shown it to be effective and safe for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, with or without portal vein thrombosis. The study was presented at the European Association for the Study of the Liver 44th Annual Meeting.
»	Tube Current Modulation Reduces Computed Tomography Angiography Radiation Dose [May 01, 2009] The effective radiation dose received by patients undergoing "triple rule-out" coronary computed tomography angiography can be reduced by modulating the tube current, without loss of image quality, according to a report in the April issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
»	Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Prostate Cancer Predicts Pathologic Stage, Improves Outcomes [May 01, 2009] Presurgical magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate modality for staging of prostate cancer and assessing capsular involvement, according to results of 2 studies presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting in Boston.
»	Acupuncture Relieves Radiation-Induced Xerostomia in Head and Neck Cancer [May 01, 2009] Acupuncture can improve subjective symptoms of dry mouth in patients with radiation-induced xerostomia, according to the results of a pilot trial. When treated twice a week for 4 weeks with acupuncture, oncology patients who received radiation treatments to the head and neck area reported significant improvements in physical well being and quality of life.
»	Pre-Employment Screening Chest X Rays Can Safely Omit Lateral View [April 30, 2009] In an occupational health setting, a single posteroanterior chest X ray is sufficient for tuberculosis screening, according to a presentation at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2009 Annual Meeting in Boston.
»	For Recurrent Ovarian and Uterine Cancers: A Weekly Chemotherapy Regimen [April 29, 2009] A weekly regimen of topotecan and docetaxel for recurrent uterine and ovarian cancers in heavily pretreated women might provide clinicians with another option in this difficult setting, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City.
»	American Society of Breast Surgeons 2009: Seeking to Evaluate Breast Cancer Tissue Margins During Surgery [April 28, 2009] Of the estimated 150 000 lumpectomies performed every year in the United States in the treatment of breast cancer, approximately 40% of cases require reoperation because of positive margins that are found postoperatively, according to researchers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
»	No Rise in Mastectomy Rates with Greater Use of Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging [April 27, 2009] Contrary to what some researchers have shown, increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating invasive breast cancer does not necessarily raise mastectomy rates, according to study findings presented Friday at the 10th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons in San Diego, California.
»	Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Plus Radiation Raises Risk of Dermatologic Toxicity [April 23, 2009] Pooled data from studies involving numerous patients show that although the addition of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors to radiotherapy has improved action against solid tumors, it has also increased radiation dermatitis.
»	Obesity, Diabetes Interfere with Ultrasound Detection of Fetal Anomalies [April 22, 2009] The ability to identify major fetal anomalies by ultrasonography is reduced in pregnant women who are obese or diabetic, according to researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
»	Radiofrequency Ablation Helpful in Some Recurrent Pediatric Solid Tumors [April 22, 2009] Radiofrequency ablation may provide benefit to a sizable minority of patients with recurrent solid tumors that were first treated in childhood, according to findings from a pilot study.
»	Transesophageal Echocardiography Informative in Cryptogenic Stroke [April 22, 2009] Transesophageal echocardiography can shed light on contributing cardiogenic factors in patients with cryptogenic cerebral ischemia, according to German and US researchers.
»	Whole-Heart Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography Advance Shows Promise [April 21, 2009] A study comparing the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with conventional X-ray angiography has shown that MRA can accurately detect coronary artery stenosis with high sensitivity and moderate specificity.
»	Zoledronic Acid Infusion Effective for Bone Loss Linked with Glucocorticoid Use [April 20, 2009] A single 5-mg intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid was at least as effective and more acceptable to patients than 5 mg of oral risedronate daily to prevent and treat glucocorticoid-related bone loss, according to the results of a 1-year, noninferiority, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, controlled trial reported in the April 10 issue of The Lancet.
»	Stereotactic Radiotherapy Effective in Early Inoperable Lung Cancer [April 20, 2009] Stereotactic body radiation therapy for early stage non-small cell lung cancer results in "excellent 3-year local control and survival rates," researchers reported based on 4-year results of a prospective phase II study.
»	Imaging Predicts Responders to Chemotherapy—After Just 1 Cycle [April 17, 2009] The effectiveness of chemotherapy can be accurately determined in patients with sarcoma-after only 1 treatment cycle, according to investigators at the University of California at Los Angeles.
»	3-Dimensional Plus Computed Tomography Improves Imaging of Asbestos-Related Diseases [April 16, 2009] Advanced visualization analysis of multidetector computed tomography images shows promise for improving the accuracy of imaging asbestos-related lung disease, according to physicians at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Michigan.
»	Computed Tomography Colonography May Yet Challenge Colonoscopy [April 16, 2009] Although computed tomography colonography (CTC) is a promising technique that has good sensitivity for detecting larger colon polyps and is less invasive than colonoscopy, it does not appear to be cost-effective for average-risk colorectal cancer screening. However, used in the right circumstances, the CT technique could prove to be economically viable, according to US and Dutch researchers.
»	Magnetic Resonance Imaging Shows Abnormal Brain Development From Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure [April 15, 2009] With the help of 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging, researchers in Honolulu have found indications that prenatal methamphetamine exposure accelerates brain development in an abnormal pattern, according to a study published in Neurology.
»	Unchanging: Less Than Half of Patients with Melanoma Receive Recommended Biopsy [April 14, 2009] Less than 50% of patients with melanoma with stage IB or II disease receive a sentinel lymph node biopsy, even though the procedure has been recommended in these patients by clinical practice guidelines since 1998.
»	Drug Boost Plus Radiotherapy Promising in Glioblastoma [April 10, 2009] Intensive treatment with a combination of lomustine, temozolomide, and radiotherapy can achieve long-term survival in patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma, German and Swiss researchers reported in the March 10 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
»	American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Issues Guidelines on Intracranial Neurointerventional Procedures [April 09, 2009] New guidelines from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association examine the evidence to support neurointerventional procedures in the gamut of intracranial cerebrovascular conditions, ranging from acute ischemic stroke, to ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, to intracranial stenosis and arteriovenous malformations.
»	Radiation Dose Reduced During Triple Rule-Out Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography [April 09, 2009] The amount of radiation used during coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans to rule out coronary artery disease, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, and other chest diseases can be significantly reduced without compromising image quality, a new study has shown. Investigators showed that the use of tube-current modulation cuts the amount of radiation in half, compared with triple rule-out coronary CTA without tube-current modulation.
»	US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Expands Coverage for Positron Emission Tomography Scanning in Patients with Cancer [April 07, 2009] The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that they will expand coverage for positron emission tomography (PET) for Medicare beneficiaries who are diagnosed with cancer. CMS will now provide reimbursement for PET scans used in the initial treatment-strategy evaluation of patients with most types of solid tumors, and will allow for use of PET in subsequent treatment-strategy evaluations for an expanded number of cancer types.
»	Suppressor of Melanoma Tumor Growth Identified [April 03, 2009] A gene that suppresses tumor growth in melanoma has been identified by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The gene, known as matrix metalloproteinase-8, could pave the way for new individualized therapies for melanoma, wrote the authors of a new study that was published online March 29 in Nature Genetics.
»	Screening-Mammography Benefits and Harms in Spotlight Again [April 02, 2009] A new study adds to the debate about how the benefits and harms of screening mammography are presented to the public and provides new estimates of the absolute numbers of breast cancer deaths prevented by the screening.
»	American College of Cardiology 2009: Catheter-Based Renal Denervation Reduces Resistant Hypertension [March 30, 2009] A new proof-of-concept study in 45 patients with resistant hypertension suggests that a brief catheter-based procedure can safely ablate renal sympathetic nerves and may provide persistent blood-pressure reduction.
»	Computed Tomography-Aided System Quickly Detects and Quantifies Pneumothorax [March 27, 2009] A computer-assisted volumetry system is showing promise for rapidly detecting and quantifying pneumothorax in trauma patients who undergo multidetector computed tomography imaging, researchers reported in the March issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
»	Whole-Body Computed Tomography May Improve Survival for Patients with Polytrauma [March 27, 2009] For patients with polytrauma, integrating whole-body computed tomography scan into early trauma care significantly increases the probability of survival, according to the results of a retrospective, multicenter study reported in the March 24 online first issue of The Lancet.
»	Magnetic Resonance Imaging Anomalies May Predict Multiple Sclerosis [March 27, 2009] Patients with incidental magnetic resonance imaging anomalies suggestive of multiple sclerosis appear to be at increased risk of the condition, said researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. The degree of risk remains to be determined, however.