E-Z-EM to Strengthen Bracco’s Diagnostic Imaging Business; Merger to Close in April

E-Z-EM, a diversified provider of contrast agents for gastrointestinal radiology, will be acquired by Bracco Diagnostics, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., for $241 million in cash. The merger is expected to close sometime in early April.

Under the terms of the agreement, EZ stockholders will receive $21 per share in cash. In October, when the merger was announced, EZ had been trading in the $16 range.

E-Z-EM markets approximately 30 fluoroscopy formulations, 11 varieties of CT contrast media, and radiological medical devices, such as entry biopsy needles and trays and mammography wipes.

source: OneMedPlace

New Method Offers Insight into Radiation Damage to DNA

UPTON, NY - A new technique for assessing the damage radiation causes to DNA indicates that the spatial arrangement of damaged sites, or lesions, is more important than the number of lesions in determining the severity of the damage. The technique, developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Brookhaven National Laboratory, helps reveal why high-energy charged particles such as the heavy ions in outer space are more potentially harmful than lower-energy forms of radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays. The research could help clarify the risks faced by future astronauts flying long-term missions to the moon or Mars. It will be published in the March 19, 2008 issue of the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

source: Brookhaven National Laboratory

PLC Systems Receives FDA Approval to Commence Pivotal Study Of RenalGuard(TM) In the U.S.

FRANKLIN, Mass., March 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PLC Systems Inc. (Amex: PLC) announced today that it has received conditional approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin enrollment in a U.S. pivotal trial to study the effectiveness of the Company's RenalGuard Therapy(TM) and RenalGuard System(TM) in the prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy (CIN).

Mark R. Tauscher, President and Chief Executive Officer of PLC, said, "We are very pleased with the FDA's conditional approval to the Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) supplement we filed last month. This will enable us to commence our pivotal study on schedule this spring. We are focused now on incorporating FDA's input into our final study protocol, and rapidly moving through the next phase of our clinical trial plan, which includes securing approvals to begin our study from hospital Institutional Review Boards at the sites that have elected to participate".

source: NewsBlaze

Illinois Radiologists Self-Edit Reports, Reduce Turnaround Time

Mount Laurel, NJ, March 19, 2008 -- Provena Mercy
Medical Center, a 356-bed community-based hospital
in Aurora, Illinois, has achieved new levels of efficiency
and physician satisfaction using SpeechQ for Radiology™
, the award-winning front-end interactive speech
recognition solution from MedQuist (Pink Sheets: MEDQ.PK).
Radiologists in Provena Mercy’s Imaging department are
self-editing 90 percent of their reports, and report turnaround
time (TAT) has been reduced by more than half since the
implementation of SpeechQ.

The Imaging department at Provena Mercy performed more
than 80,000 exams in 2007. In the past, all reports were
dictated and then outsourced to a transcription company.
Once transcribed, these reports were then returned to the
appropriate radiologist for review and signature. With
SpeechQ, average report turnaround time has been reduced
from 6½ hours to 3 hours, and TAT for STAT and ED reports
is now five minutes.

source: Medquist

Carestream Health India Unveils Innovative Radiology Solutions

Carestream Health India recently unveiled its newest digital imaging products and solutions which help healthcare providers improve quality and operational performance at the 61st Indian Radiology Congress. The company also announced state-of-the-art systems and services for the capture, processing, sharing, printing and storing of images for diagnostic and non-diagnostic applications. The three-day annual Radiology Congress, organised by the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association, was held in Bangalore.

Carestream Health's newest product—the single-cassette KODAK DIRECTVIEW Elite CR Systems that delivers exceptional versatility and value—is being demonstrated in India for the first time. With this introduction, Carestream Health has revamped its KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR platform to further enhance image quality, improve technologist efficiency and increase ease of use.

source: Express Healthcare

Safe at Any Age: Octogenarians Do As Well as Younger Patients With Interventional Radiology Arterial Procedures

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seniors
over the age of 80 can safely undergo diagnostic angiography
and arterial interventions -- such as vascular stenting and
angioplasty -- and do just as well as younger patients. A study
released today during the Society of Interventional
Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting indicates that
seniors (ages 85-93) tolerated these procedures well, avoided
surgery and could be treated as outpatients -- irrespective of
age. The outcomes of the treatments in the octogenarians
were compared to those of 50- to 79-year-old patients who
had an equivalent procedure during the same time period by
the same doctor. The study included 64 octogenarians who
had arterial angioplasty and/or stenting to treat peripheral
arterial disease (PAD) -- caused by blocked arteries in the
legs -- or to improve blood flow to the kidneys by opening
blocked arteries that deliver blood to that organ. All were
treated as outpatients and followed after discharge from
the hospital.


source: PR Newswire

Advanced Technology in Dental Imaging Benefits Patients

Waltham, Massachusetts—According to Millennium Research Group’s US Markets for Dental Imaging 2008 report, the benefits associated with dental imaging devices such as dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital X-rays will fuel sales in the overall market. Robust sales will translate into market revenues in excess of $1.4 billion by 2012, representing a compound annual growth rate of over 16% from 2008 to 2012.

CBCT systems reduce patient exposure to radiation. Additionally, the quality of the data that can be obtained from the images allows clinicians to spot conditions that are not normally caught using traditional imaging systems. The accurate images acquired from CBCT systems and the resulting superior diagnostic capabilities of the technology will contribute to rapid market growth.

source: Millenium Research Group

Healthcare watchdog calls on hospitals to ensure they are not exposing patients to unnecessary doses of radiation (UK)

First report on x-ray and radiological incidents shows that one in three involve the wrong patient and that reporting is patchy.

The Healthcare Commission today calls on NHS and independent sector hospitals to ensure they are not exposing patients to the dangers of unnecessary radiation through x-rays, CT scans and other procedures.

In the first report of its type, the Commission analyses 329 incidents reported to it during the 14 month period from November 2006 to December 2007 under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (2000).

Exposure to ionising radiation is a vital part of healthcare provision and can save lives, but it does have the potential to cause harm and in extreme cases can increase the risk of cancer. The Commission stresses that the majority of incidents reported to it were of a low dose and carry little risk to patients.

source: Healthcare Commission

AAOS: X-rays Better than MRI's for Knee Arthritis

Osteoarthritis in the knee joint affects millions of people. A great many of those are sent for MRI studies to diagnose the problem. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons thinks this represents a bit of diagnostic overkill on the part of many physicians.

A study revealed at the at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has found that patients seeking treatment for arthritic knees should be given a weight-bearing X-ray first. X-rays are considerably less expensive and a much better tool for diagnosing arthritis in the knee joint.

According to Wayne Goldstein, MD, lead author on the study, clinical professor of orthopaedics at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and chairman of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, “MRIs are being used in excess. Many doctors no longer talk to or examine their patients. Instead, they are going right for the technology." For further information the link to the AAOS study is here

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Introduces VistaTrak(TM) an Innovative Contrast Media Management System

WAYNE, N.J. (Map) - WAYNE, N.J., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., a leader in diagnostic imaging, unveiled plans to launch VistaTrak(TM), an innovative contrast media management system that provides radiology departments with a new and powerful management tool to help enhance patient care and safety, optimize inventory management and improve billing accuracy.

VistaTrak is a collaboration between Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Mobile Aspects, an industry leader in providing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled solutions for healthcare and hospital environments. The companies worked together to optimize Mobile Aspects' proprietary iRIS(TM) platform for the unique needs and requirements of the radiology environment. Bayer is the first company to offer a contrast media management system based on an RFID platform to automate manual processes and capture valuable operational data that currently cannot be found in any one system.

source: examiner.com

Agfa HealthCare launches IMPAX™ Suites for integrated digital imaging in Europe at ECR

Agfa HealthCare, a leading provider of IT-enabled clinical workflow and diagnostic imaging solutions, announces today that it is launching six IMPAX™ Suites at the ECR 2008 exhibition, which will take place in Vienna, Austria, from 07th until 11th March. The Suites, ranging from enterprise solutions for multi-site healthcare facilities, to specialized mammography, cardiovascular, radiology and orthopaedic systems, are designed to provide facilities and clinicians with more focused solutions for their diagnostic imaging needs.

Agfa HealthCare’s IMPAX Suites are an integration of several modules into one, each designed to support specific enterprise or departmental activities and to meet very specific clinical needs. All suites offer the latest Agfa HealthCare PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) and are delivered with state-of-the-art clinical and administrative applications, designed for the specific environments in which they will operate.

source: Webwire

Third edition of “Differential Diagnosis in Conventional Radiology” is now available

Thieme Publishers is pleased to announce that the third edition of “Differential Diagnosis in Conventional Radiology” is now available.

The new book by Francis A. Burgener, MD, Martti Kormano, MD, and Tomi Pudas, MD, is essential for making conventional x-ray an effective tool in diagnosing disorders affecting bones and joints as well as thoracic and abdominal body segments.

This new edition features a fully updated and revised section on radiology of the abdomen. The recently published “Bones and Joint Disorders” and “The Chest X-Ray,” both of which were written by the same authors, are incorporated in this section.
Organized according to classifications of radiologic findings rather than disease, the book enables readers to approach diagnosis in a way reflecting the actual clinical situation. Comprehensive tables concisely outline key information on diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

adapted from press release

IDC X-Series DR system selected for use in leading edge RSA clinical trial application

Calgary, Alberta – February 28, 2008 – IDC (Imaging Dynamics Company Ltd.) (TSX: IDL), the global leader in digital radiography (DR) for image quality and value, today announced that Halifax Biomedical has selected IDC’s X1590 as the DR component for an imaging product suite currently under development for conducting orthopaedic clinical trials for Roentgen Steriophotogrametric Analysis (RSA). Under a Canadian federal grant, Halifax Biomedical will interface its calibration technology with IDC’s DR system and analytical software from Medis Specials of Holland to create the first standardized, fully digital RSA suite. The system will measure the stability of orthopaedic implants to a fraction of a millimeter and will be exhibited in the IDC booth #5430 at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) conference being held in San Francisco, March 5 - 7, 2008.

“We carefully evaluated every available digital radiography system and only IDC technology could meet our rigorous requirements,” said Chad Munro, President of Halifax Biomedical. He added, “IDC’s X-Series clearly contains the best technology for this type of precise, specialized application.”

source: Imaging Dynamics Company

Agfa HealthCare presents complete CR portfolio at ECR 2008

Vienna, Austria - (HealthTech Wire) - ECR (booth # 212-213) - Agfa HealthCare, a leading provider of IT-enabled clinical workflow and diagnostic imaging solutions, announces today that it will be presenting its entire Computed Radiography solutions range at ECR 2008, to be held in Vienna from 7 until 11 March. From desktop and compact solutions to groundbreaking Computed Radiography systems that fill the gap between CR and DR, Agfa HealthCare today is able to offer its customers the right solution for every facility of any size. Each solution has been developed to meet specific needs of the most demanding clinical and workflow demands and to improve the delivery of patient care.

Agfa HealthCare's extensive CR family is composed of four leading solutions, all of which have been installed successfully around the world, delivering state-of-the-art solutions in the CR field.

source: Health Tech Wire

Innovations Help Improve Radiology Processes And Research

Developing networks, improving communication, simplifying work - the term "workflow" includes all of this and is playing an increasingly important role in modern healthcare. At the ECR (European Congress of Radiology) in Vienna, Austria, Siemens Healthcare is presenting a whole array of IT services for radiology and its communication within hospitals and with physicians' practices. The new role-based portals syngo Portal Radiologist, syngo Portal Referring Physician and syngo Portal Executive (the latter still in development), support radiologists and hospital personnel with intelligent access to and management of patient images, data or reports. All portals contribute at various levels not only to optimization of workflows, but also provide users with innovative applications relevant to the context of their task. This is supplemented by new applications for computer-aided detection (CAD).

Medical News Today

A New X-Ray System For All Of The Clinical Requirements In Radiography

At the European Congress on Radiology 2008 in Vienna Siemens Healthcare introduced the new system for digital radiography (DR), Ysio. The concept of Ysio is to offer one DR solution for virtually all clinical demands. By selecting modules from a program, users can create their own Ysio X-ray system exactly customized to their needs. Regardless of whether medical practices and hospitals require one or two detectors, whether they want a patient table or not, or whether they need fully automated or synchronized operation - Ysio can provide an X-ray system adaptable to virtually any clinical requirement.

Patient volume and profiles, workflows, budgets, local standards and regulations are different for every medical practice and hospital. That's why Siemens Healthcare now offers Ysio, an X-ray system that can be composed according to individual needs.

source: MedicalNewsToday

IMIX Americas Announces European Launch of Full-Featured, Affordable Insight(TM) Digital Radiography Products at ECR 2008

STERLING, Va. — IMIX Americas Inc., a provider of innovative digital radiography systems, today announced the European launch of the IMIX insight line of full-featured, affordable digital radiography (DR) products. The IMIX insight line will be showcased at the 2008 European Congress of Radiology meeting in Vienna March 7-11, 2008 (Booth 516 Expo E).

Based on the company's proven detector technology, the new high-quality IMIX insight line addresses general radiography and orthopedic imaging applications. According to Sigrid Smitt-Jeppesen, president and chief executive officer of IMIX Americas, the European launch follows a successful U.S. launch at the 2007 Radiological Society of North America meeting.

source: CentreDaily.com

Gratuitous MRI Exemplifies Healthcare Waste

MRI Unnecessary for Diagnosing Osteoarthritis of the Knee

A new study released today at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting, found that patients seeking treatment for arthritic knees should be given a weight-bearing X-ray before following up with more expensive MRI.

“MRIs are being used in excess. Many doctors no longer talk to or examine their patients. Instead, they are going right for the technology,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Wayne Goldstein, a professor of orthopedics at the University of Illinois.

source: OneMedPlace

X-rays move to next stage

A Cardiff University scientist has developed imaging software which may revolutionise the way X-rays are used.

The software, developed by Professor Hechmi Toumi at the university’s School of Biosciences, enhances the X-ray image of knee cartilage and other non-bony structures, uncovering early signs of cartilage damage, degeneration and osteoarthritis.

The development of the Degenerative Knee Indicator aims to increase the ability of surgeons, radiologists, physiotherapists and GPs to diagnose patients with knee damage and arthritis, without having to revert to more expensive MRI scans.

source: Healthcare Equipment and Supplies

Carestream Health’s DR Portfolio Earns Top Ranking by MD Buyline

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 28 — Carestream Health, Inc., announced that for the third consecutive calendar quarter its digital radiography (DR) systems received the highest ranking in user satisfaction in a study conducted by MD Buyline, an independent healthcare market research firm.

Members of the MD Buyline network gave Carestream Health the highest composite rating based on user satisfaction composite ratings and customer interviews. As part of the detailed evaluation, users rate system performance, reliability, installation, applications training, service response time and service repair quality.

source: Carestream Health