Clinical Studies | Thursday, May 17
The high-risk variant, ApoE4, triggers an inflammatory reaction that weakens the blood-brain barrier, a network of cells and other components that lines brain vessels, which would normally create a barrier to nutrients into the brain and keep harmful substances out, according to a study published May 16 in
Nature. Researchers have found that in mice, having the most risky variant of ApoE damages the blood vessels that feed the brain.
Awards | Thursday, May 17
Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center and the department of radiology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia received a five-year, $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate a method that may stage prostate cancers and detect recurrent disease, potentially reducing the number of confirmation biopsies. The technique involves the use of a PET scan and a novel imaging agent.
Clinical Studies | Wednesday, May 16
18F-FDG PET/CT imaging impacted staging in 40 percent of patients newly diagnosed with esophageal cancer and management in 34 percent of patients, according to a study published online May 11 in the
Journal of Nuclear Medicine. PET/CT may help physicians direct patients to appropriate treatment, which could translate into survival improvements for patients with locally advanced disease.
Government News | Tuesday, May 15
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has released a national plan to fight Alzheimer’s disease. The plan was called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law in January 2011. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease sets forth five goals, including the development of prevention and treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s and related dementias by 2025.
Clinical Studies | Monday, May 14
An affibody which targets human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-expressing breast cancer lesions has been shown to allow early detection of HER2-positive pulmonary metastases and with more specificity than 18F-FDG, according to a study published online May 11 in the
Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Contracts & Installations | Monday, May 14
The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Bearsden, Scotland, and Carestream Molecular Imaging have signed a five-year partnership agreement to support the development of preclinical imaging approaches in oncology using the Carestream Albira trimodal imaging system.
Mergers & Acquisitions | Saturday, May 12
BC Technical has acquired Consus Medical Imaging, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based company that provides molecular imaging equipment service. While the company did not disclose the transaction amount, BC Technical said this acquisition will expand its customer base in the Southeast.
New Products | Thursday, May 10
Agfa HealthCare has launched Hydmedia, an electronic content management system for healthcare organizations, to the Canadian market.
Awards | Tuesday, May 08
Shine Medical Technologies and its partner, the Morgridge Institute for Research, will collaborate on a $20.6 million cooperative agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a new process for the production of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which will be produced without highly enriched uranium.
Regulatory News | Monday, May 07
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) regarding the agencies’ March 7 proposed rules to revise professional and technology requirements of the EHR meaningful use incentive program.
Clinical Studies | Monday, May 07
Higher levels of purpose in life reduce the deleterious effects of Alzheimer’s disease pathologic changes on cognition in advanced age, according to a longitudinal, epidemiologic and clinicopathologic study in the May issue of the
Archives of General Psychiatry.
Clinical Studies | Friday, May 04
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| Source: J Nuc Med 2012;53:754-64 |
SPECT/CT is a powerful diagnostic tool that has improved interpretation of classic radioiodine scintigraphy, and current management protocols and guidelines in thyroid cancer should be reassessed in light of this new technology, according to an article published in the May issue of the
Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Regulatory News | Friday, May 04
Starting May 30, the FDA will keep a more watchful eye on disqualified clinical investigators. Now, a clinical site investigator deemed ineligible to receive a certain test article (drugs, devices or new animal drugs) will also be ineligible to conduct any clinical investigations that would support an application for research or marketing permit for other products that are FDA regulated.
Government News | Friday, May 04
The Canadian Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq, has announced that the government will invest heavily in neuroscience research by creating the Canada Brain Research Fund.
Contracts & Installations | Friday, May 04
Installation of an IBA (Ion Beam Applications) cyclotron, beam line and two patient treatment rooms has begun at the Agenzia Provinciale Per la Protonterapie, a cancer center being constructed in Trento, Italy.
Association News | Wednesday, May 02
Paul H. Ellenbogen, MD, was elected chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR) board of chancellors.
Financial News | Wednesday, May 02
Covidien has reported double-digit net income results for the second quarter of fiscal 2012, which ended March 31.
Contracts & Installations | Tuesday, May 01
Eckert & Ziegler has begun construction of a production facility for cyclotron-based PET radiopharmaceuticals in Warsaw, Poland.
Clinical Studies | Tuesday, May 01
A dedicated pediatric imaging department may enable improved compliance with pediatric CT protocols and allow reduced radiation exposure, according to a study published in the May issue of
Journal of American College of Radiology. However, departments that image both children and adults may be challenged to comply with pediatric-dose adjusted CT protocols, according to the researchers.
Partnerships & Alliances | Monday, April 30
ECRI Institute is banding with the Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals to help hospitals make better decisions around selecting medical equipment.
Government News | Monday, April 30
Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and David Vitter (R-La.) introduced S. 2347, the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act in the U.S. Senate on April 25.
Mergers & Acquisitions | Monday, April 30
Bracco Imaging has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire local subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico of Justesa Imagen, a distributor of contrast media in Latin America.
Mergers & Acquisitions | Thursday, April 26
BC Technical has acquired RA Services, a Detroit-based company that services molecular imaging equipment. This acquisition will expand BC Technical's customer base in the Midwest.
Partnerships & Alliances | Thursday, April 26
Varian Medical Systems and Siemens Healthcare have signed a global partnership to provide diagnostic and therapeutic systems and services for treating cancer with image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery.
Financial News | Tuesday, April 24
When Royal Philips Electronics announced its 2012 first quarter earnings, its Philips Healthcare unit showed a sales growth of 9 percent over the 2011 first quarter to EUR2.21 billion ($2.91 billion U.S.).
Association News | Tuesday, April 24
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has issued a statement detailing the pros and cons of including breast density information in patient summaries.
Government News | Tuesday, April 24
An estimated 4 to 7 percent of nuclear and molecular imaging procedures are repeated due to poor imaging, which equates to $132 million in Medicare spending on avoidable scans, according to the Government Accountability Office. The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging (CARE) bill, which would establish minimum education and certification standards for personnel who perform nuclear medicine and molecular imaging procedures, could help curb these costs, according to SNM.
Clinical Studies | Tuesday, April 24
PET/CT is useful in differentiating between cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection and recent post-implant changes, and may guide appropriate therapy, according to a study in the May 1 issue of the
Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Industry News | Tuesday, April 24
The overwhelming majority of physicians would prefer to attend continuing medical education (CME) training online, according to the findings of the April 2012 Joint Survey of Physician Digital Behavior.
Government News | Monday, April 23
Almost half of top bean counters in the medical device industry suggest their companies are considering price increases and cost reductions—including layoffs—to stay competitive when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s 2.3 percent excise tax goes into effect next January. The finance executives revealed their concerns by responding to a survey conducted in March by tax-advisory firm KPMG.
Regulatory News | Monday, April 23
From a bipartisan duo in the Senate comes a 244-page bill with language calling on the U.S. Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS) to put forth a final unique medical device identifier rule sooner rather than later.
Financial News | Friday, April 20
General Electric (GE) has reported that its healthcare unit saw a 5 percent increase in revenues and a double-digit increase in earnings in the first quarter of 2012, compared with the first quarter of 2011.
Industry News | Thursday, April 19
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has named Eric S. Perlman, MD, the chief medical officer (CMO) of ACR Image Metrix, a contract research organization and for-profit subsidiary of the ACR.
Clinical Studies | Thursday, April 19
Time-independent proportionality between red marrow and plasma activity concentration may be too simplistic. Individualized imaged-based dosimetry is probably required for the optimal therapeutic delivery of radiolabeled antibodies, which does not compromise red marrow and may allow, for some patients, a substantial increase in administered activity and thus tumor dose, based on a study in the April issue in the
Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Partnerships & Alliances | Wednesday, April 18
GE Healthcare and NXT2B, a privately owned venture capital company started in 2011, have entered into a joint financing agreement with the goal of developing a micro-scale radiotracer infrastructure including cyclotron and PET tracer production.
