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Organisations:
NEMA, ACR, ImPACT, G-MED, RSNA, SFR, American College of Cardiology, Society of Interventional Radiology, Heart Rhythm Society, HPRIM, EDESS, AAMIIHE: integration profiles, personal notes
Miscellaneous: Pathology Laboratory, The Visible Human Project
HL7
Formats: medical image FAQ, CORBAmed
News: AuntMinnie.com📡, AuntMinnieEurope.com📡, DiagnosticImaging.com
Articles and videos
- CT
- ct fluoroscopy and real-time ct by (2000) ► This white paper is a quick introduction to CT fluoroscopy and its dosimetry issues (doses and how to limit them).
- Multi-slice helical CT physics and technology by (10 September 2003) ► A good presentation of the evolution of CT technology.
- CT Update: Slice by Slice by (1 April 2004) ► A snapshot of the CT state of the art: 64 slices, software applications…
- Cardiac
- MDCT correlates ACS to mixed plaques🆓 by (20 April 2006) ► It seems that acute coronary events are linked to mixed plaques which are mostly noncalcified.
- Dual-source CT overcomes artifacts in coronary imaging🆓 by (14 November 2006) ► DSCT enables scan at higher heartbeat rates.
- Fourth-generation MDCT scanners do cardiac differently🆓 by (8 July 2008) ► Siemens, Toshiba, GE, and Philips are using different solutions to improve their scanners.
- VC
- Three-Dimensional Endoluminal CT Colonography (Virtual Colonoscopy): Comparison of Three Commercially Available Systems by (14 March 2003) ► A comparison of Navigator, Vitrea 2, and V3D-Colon.
- VC gets long-awaited reporting standards🆓 by (2 November 2004) ► C-RADS: a proposition for virtual colonoscopy standardised reports.
- 'Filet view' VC software slices reading time🆓 by (6 October 2005) ► The advantage of using a projection of the colon on a plane. (Advantage Windows has this for several years… it seems that Philips is still late compared to GE.)
- Doses
- CT, radiation, and risk: two views🆓 by (24 June 2004) ► People disagree about the statistical modelisation of the number of cancers induced by low radiations.
- Standard-dose no better than low-dose CT for diagnosing appendicitis🆓 by (28 July 2004) ► The title says it all.
- Full-body screening elevates cancer mortality risk🚫🆓 by (31 August 2004) ► Yet another study on radiation impact: 30 full body scans would result in a 2% raise of cancer mortality.
- Study shows whole-body CT screening centers on the rise🚫🆓 by (17 November 2004) ► The title says it all. Do you think these guys who ask for a full body scan really know the impact of XRays?
- Gonadal shield cuts scatter radiation from MDCT🆓 by (10 January 2005) ► Using lead capsules greatly reduces the testicular dose. But nobody is doing this…
- Associations set benchmarks for x-ray, CT, fluoro doses🆓 by (14 April 2005) ► AAPM and ACR define some advisory radiation limits.
- ACC studies examine CTA radiation dose🆓 by (17 March 2006) ► ECG gating enables dose reduction.
- Radiation dose slashed in 64-slice coronary CTA🆓 by (15 February 2007) ► Not using helical mode results in lower dose.
- CT scans could cause 5% of cancers, study finds; experts note uncertainty — The estimates are small and uncertain, but balancing risks and benefits is critical. by (15 April 2025) ► The title says it all.
- Jacoby Roth (Mad River Community Hospital)
- Parents sue California hospital over pediatric CT radiation overdose🆓 by (20 November 2008) ► "The technologist took 151 CT scans [of a 23 months old boy] in a 65-minute period". How is this possible?
- California hospital fined $25,000 for pediatric CT radiation overdose🆓 by (24 March 2009) ► The analysis of the child overdose.
- California RT gives deposition in CT overdose case🆓 by (10 December 2009) ► The trial is expected in February 2010.
- Nailed in the head: X-ray, CT show patient's good luck🆓 by (13 July 2004) ► Using CT to count and find the positions of nails in a worker’s head…
- Innovation notwithstanding, CT has a long wish list🆓 by (16 June 2005) ► would like shorter scan times, higher and configurable spatial resolution, using different spectra and saying that CT generates low doses.
- In high-tech Japan, most CT scanners are still primitive🆓 by (15 November 2005) ► The status of the Japan’s CT installed base: most scanners are old technology.
- Part I: Radiologists prepare for growing CT role in virtual autopsy🆓 by (22 May 2006) ► A description of the methods used by some forensic departments.
- Constructors
- Toshiba
- Prototype 256-slice CT scanner creates high-res images in a heartbeat🆓 by (14 March 2006) ► Toshiba releases the 256-slices prototype.
- CT pioneer test-drives 256-slice scanner🆓 by (21 August 2006) ► Some feedback about Toshiba’s prototype, but there is nothing new in this article.
- Siemens
- Multislice CT powers up with dual-source scanning🚫🆓 by (1 March 2007) ► The advantages of DSCT: scans are faster, so no beta-blockers are needed; subtraction of dual energy images… But this seems to be an advertisement for Siemens.
- Siemens launches Definition Flash as flagship dual-source CT scanner🆓 by (24 November 2008) ► Somatom Definition Flash is the new version of Siemens’ DSCT: faster, larger scanning field, low-energy photon filtering, and dose reduction.
- GE
- GE focuses on high-res CT with launch of LightSpeed CT750 scanner🆓 by (13 May 2008) ► For the time being, GE focuses on improving the detector and the tube, rather than continuing the slice war.
- Toshiba
- MR
- The Heart of MR by (1 March 2004) ► Cardiac MR looks promising, but who will own the market: radiologists or cardiologists?
- MR-guided intervention takes off in Japan🆓 by (29 June 2006) ► Dr. Morikawa reports how he is performing MR-guided surgery.
- World's Most Powerful MRI Ready To Scan Human Brain (4 December 2007) ► The first safety trial with a 9.4T machine.
- Breakthroughs in Imaging Neurovascular Diseases by (16 September 2010) ► After explaining the basis of MRI, describes the new technologies to measure iron concentration. After, he tries to convince Google to help for a very large study to test the hypothesis of a relation between chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis.
- French group casts light on safety of 11.7T MRI🆓 by (21 October 2024) ► The title says it all.
- Hardware
- Chilled loop failure: How to break your magnet without even trying🆓 by and (8 December 2004) ► When the chilled water loop contains rust.
- Safetiness
- The fire extinguisher in your MRI suite: will it save a life or take one?🆓 by and (22 September 2004) ► How to choose a safe and effective fire extinguishers for a MR room.
- Did the MRI community learn from the Colombini tragedy?🆓 by (28 July 2005) ► The death of a young boy in a MRI suite has not been a trigger to set up MRI safety rules.
- The new 'MR Safe': Language changes for the FDA🆓 by (27 October 2005) ► ASTM International proposes a classification for MR safetiness of objects.
- Magnet room doors and quench entrapment🆓 by (22 May 2006) ► The door of the MR room should open outward, but this should not be used as the solution for equalising pressure, a fan or grille should also be present.
- Magnet room equipment and furnishings: The ultimate caveat emptor🆓 by (19 July 2006) ► It is difficult to check the MR safetiness of everything in the room (e.g. a wooden chair with a metal frame), especially when the term "MR safe" changes of meaning.
- FDA learns of more cases of gadolinium-related disease🆓 (26 December 2006) ► Some MRI contrast agents have adverse effect on patients with kidney failures.
- MRI suite design
- What your vendor may not have told you about magnetic contamination🆓 by and (27 July 2004) ► After having contained a MR for several years, a room may become improper for other use due to a permanent magnetisation of its structure.
- HIPAA compliance strategies for MR control rooms🆓 by and (26 October 2004) ► Most MR rooms are not HIPAA compliant, the authors suggest some ideas to solve this.
- Part I: 10 questions to ask your architect about MRI suite design🆓 by and (5 April 2005) ► A quiz to test MR room designer wannabes…
- ↪Part II: Answers to the 10 questions to ask your architect about MRI suite design🆓 by and (7 April 2005) ► … and the answers.
- Burying MRI construction mistakes: What you cannot see affects what you can🆓 by (23 November 2005) ► Some pitfalls to avoid.
- XRay
- Implementing Digital by (1 October 2001) ► This article presents the current state for DR products and indicates that it is probably too early to compare them.
- Medical radiation workers see reduction in cancer risk🆓 by (21 September 2004) ► Radiologists before 1950 were suffering from higher cancer rates than the remainder of the physicians.
- Study compares eight digital x-ray systems in clinical setting🆓 by (24 December 2004) ► A simple study comparing some systems using different technologies.
- Digital hand atlas throws up puzzling results versus G&P atlas🆓 by (28 December 2004) ► Using XRay to perform bone age assessment.
- Digital radiography slowly, but surely, makes its mark🆓 by (25 July 2006) ► DR market share is increasing, but its price limits its growth despite the increased throughput. CR is cheaper and more adequate for immobile patients.
- 'Instant replay' fluoroscopy cuts radiation dose in children🆓 by (9 January 2007) ► A very basic idea: replay the last fluoro sequence instead of performing a new one helps to reduce radiation. I can’t understand why this is a breakthrough.
- New paper updates guidelines on fluoro radiation injuries🆓 by (18 February 2007) ► A new article describes how to detect skin injuries due to fluoroscopy.
- Dual-energy digital x-ray still looking for acceptance🆓 by (22 February 2007) ► A list of advantages of using dual-energy CR/DR.
- Mammo
- Breast Imaging Reporting and Data® Atlas (BI-RADS®) Atlas🚫 by (11 November 2003) ► This is the official text. The Guidance Chapter is a very good way to understand the workflow in hospitals using BI-RADS.
- When push comes to shove: Addressing compression in mammography🆓 by (5 October 2004) ► Even if women’s complaint about breast compression is mainly the translation of their anxiety about cancer, some techniques can be used to reduce the discomfort.
- A road map for integrating FFDM with generalized PACS🆓 by (14 December 2004) ► A radiologist describes his experience with Fisher (acquisition + review) and DR System PACS. "radiologist productivity was halved", I am not sure this is a success… most sites would simply refuse this.
- Breast CT developers aim to 'revolutionize' mammography🆓 by (20 December 2005) ► Some researchers have created a special kind of horizontal CT scanner for mammo.
- How the legal system stacks the deck against mammography🆓 by (3 April 2006) ► Mammography is bogged down by the number of malpractice lawsuits, and these ones have fully incompetent juries.
- Expanded role looms for 3D in breast imaging🆓 by (11 April 2006) ► An overview of the technologies that may be used in future mammography.
- The parallax view: Digital breast tomosynthesis has cancer screening in its crosshairs🆓 by (21 June 2007) ► An overly emphatic description of mammo tomosynthesis. It is true that this is very probably the future or mammography, but this article contains too much hype, it is not neutral in anyway.
- DBT unlikely to hit its target as savior of breast cancer screening🆓 by (26 June 2007) ► The author claims that FFDM and DBT are dead end: "The future of breast cancer diagnosis lies in imaging function, not morphology".
- Breast centers can manage malpractice risk🆓 by (13 January 2009) ► Some advice for breast imaging centres in order to protect themselves of lawsuits: document.
- Nuclear Medicine
- SNM: 1 year later, Mo-99 shortage 'a lot worse'🆓 by (8 June 2010) ► US physicians are complaining that Canada still does not deliver Mo-99.
- SPECT/PET
- The Story of SPECT by (1 June 2004) ► The current status of SPECT.
- PET Project by (1 June 2004) ► The current trends in PET imaging: CT/PET fusion, mammography…
- PET/CT Basics↑🚫 by , , , , , , , and (2006) ► A PET/CT tutorial for radiologists.
- Ultrasound
- Investment firm garners third ultrasound THI patent, approaches vendors about licensing🆓 by (10 October 2006) ► Some information about Research Corporation Technologies, the companies owning the THI patents.
- Microbubble contrast shows broad potential for US🆓 by (10 October 2006) ► A californian laboratory is studying shelled microbubbles as a contrast agent. They can event push them, make them explode…
- Portable Ultrasound Proves a Potent Weapon in the Fight Against COVID-19 — Inexpensive, pocket-size systems are surprising and ubiquitous tech stalwarts by (22 April 2020) ► Handheld ultrasound systems are used to diagnose COVID-19.
- 3D
- Requirements for continued advancement of 3D applications🆓 by (8 November 2006) ► Some basic requirements for visualisation: performance, correct models, registration, and ergonomics.
- 3D labs add value for radiology — if managed properly🆓 by (20 May 2008) ► Radiologists are now expected to provide 3D images.
- CAD
- What's Hot (and What's Not) by (January 2002) ► Cardiac, CAD, PACS and GE are the 2002 hot stuff.
- Caution: Computers at Work by (February 2002) ► Some new companies, in particular R2, are proposing CAD tools.
- Buying CAD: Worth a Second Look by (1 February 2004) ► The current state of CAD: mammography, lung and colonoscopy.
- PACS
- PACS secrets
- Part I: Exploring PACS secrets🆓 by (14 April 2004) ► How to choose a PACS: kind of RFP, real cost, choice of the service…
- ↪Part II: Exploring PACS secrets🆓 by (6 July 2004) ► Who owns the PACS and what factors should be taken into account for the ROI evaluation.
- ↪Part III: Exploring PACS secrets🆓 by (17 September 2004) ► Is it necessary to get help from a PACS consultant and, if yes, how to choose and work with him?
- ↪Part IV: Exploring PACS secrets — RSNA edition🆓 by (18 November 2004) ► Some advice to have an effective RSNA visit. The comments about engineers are funny, but quite true…
- ↪Part V: Exploring PACS secrets — Buyers and sellers↑🆓 by (16 December 2004) ► A politically incorrect description of the PACS vendor world and of the buyer errors. Very good!
- ↪Part VI: Exploring PACS Secrets — State of the market🆓 by (10 October 2005) ► The current markey size, the evolution to software only deals, hospitals’ RFP are still not good…
- ↪Part VII: Exploring PACS Secrets — Pre-RSNA edition🆓 by (28 November 2005) ► About the importance to get the right information before deciding… A questionnaire is proposed.
- ↪Part VIII: Exploring PACS Secrets -- It's broke, fix it🆓 by (6 April 2006) ► Nothing new in this article, Cannavo tells us once more about customers who don’t know how to properly define their needs and PACS vendors who do not teach them.
- ↪Part IX: Exploring PACS Secrets — How to fix DICOM🆓 by (20 April 2006) ► The standards (DIOM, IHE) shall be mandatory instead of being optional.
- ↪Part X: Exploring PACS Secrets — Excuses, excuses🆓 by (19 May 2006) ► As always, the author explains, first, that imaging centres should go for a PACS, even with the new Deficit Reduction Act. Then, he says that price is not the main choice criteria. There is nothing new in this article…
- Conversion algorithm eases PACS data migration🆓 by (29 July 2004) ► Using a RIS/PACS matching algorithm to migrate from an old PACS to a new one.
- Reviewing images on a mobile phone
- Mobile phones show promise for remote image viewing🆓 by (1 September 2004) ► Are they kinding?
- Smartphone vs. PACS: Smartphone does just fine for skeletal trauma🆓 by (4 December 2008) ► It seems that reviewing image on a phone becomes a reality. A very small study shows that using an Iphone is adequate.
- MiniPACS eases CT data crunch🆓 by (6 October 2005) ► A two tiers PACS architecture to handle the overload of CT data: a usual PACS to record all the reformated thick slices and the 3D snapshots and a mini-PACS to store all the original CT slices.
- PACS users wise to maintain DICOM object integrity🆓 by (6 April 2006) ► Some basic advice about PACS use: keep private fields, avoid proprietary compression encodings…
- PACS installations stuck in traffic jam🆓 by (20 February 2007) ► 13 months are necessary, in average, between the decision of getting a PACS and having it installed.
- Biological 'fingerprints' help identify mislabeled chest x-rays🆓 by (10 August 2008) ► Misfiling of images on a PACS can be detected and corrected by using algorithms fingerprinting some anatomy parts.
- PACS secrets
- RIS
- European studies show SR has multilingual muscle🆓 by (4 March 2005) ► Speech recognition reduces the time to transcript, review and sign the report.
- Voice recognition speeds operations, irks radiologists🆓 by (17 May 2006) ► A study about an implementation of voice recognition: it increased productivity, but annoyed the radiologist. But the article does not say what system (PACS vendor, VR software…) was used and does not analyse the data.
- Weird
- X-ray alien head vanishes from duck stomach🆓 by (23 May 2006) ► A duck eats an alien…
- X-ray reveals python's too-hot dinner🆓 by (21 July 2006) ► … and a python eats an electric blanket.
- Imaging reveals truth about Barnum mummy🆓 by (31 October 2006) ► A CT exam reveals that the Barnum mummy is a real one, not a hoax.
- New CT scans of Pa-Ib mummy unveil more secrets🆓 by (11 February 2010) ► A new scan of the mummy gives further details.
- Market laws
- Massachusetts bill takes aim at physician self-referral🆓 by (4 April 2006) ► More and more US states define laws to control self-referral radiology examination.
- Illinois AG dishes dirt on 'sham' MRI leasing deals🆓 by (17 May 2007) ► Some imaging centres pay illegal kickbacks to referring physicians.
- Miscellaneous
- Advancing the State of Data Integration in Healthcare🚫 by (2002) ► This article gives the current status of the computerised patient record and proposes some success factors to have a real data integration across the hospital.
- Tongue and shriek: Piercing makes for unique imaging challenges🆓 by (19 July 2004) ► Two problems with piercing: first, it is sometimes the cause of bad complications; second, it is an issue when acquiring images.
- Thrall cites risks of outsourcing in RSNA opener🚫🆓 by (28 November 2004) ► Some hospitals start to look at outsourcing radiology readings, but Thrall does not think globalisation will happen.
- De nouvelles images en 3D des squelettes humains by (15 February 2005) ► Some news about Biospace Instruments, the company which tries to exploit ’s discoveries.
- Tomorrow's operating room to harness Net, RFID by (19 October 2005) ► Unifying all the patient medical information on a single display and using RFID to recognise the hospital staff and the patients.
- FDA Clearance for World's First RFID Surgical Sponge Counting System to Prevent Retention of Surgical Sponges (13 June 2007) ► Using RFID to avoid sponges forgotten in the patient during surgery.
- X-ray film market still growing🆓 (22 April 2008) ► For many years, I have heard that less and less films were produced. This seems to be globally wrong…
- Open-source software delivers 3-way (PET/CT/MR) image fusion🆓 by (25 April 2008) ► A CT/MR/PET fusion based on Osirix.
- Lossy compression perceptible at even low levels🆓 (15 May 2008) ► A study on impact of image compression, but its protocol is far from a clinical workflow: comparing the images in flicker mode is much more stringent than performing a real exam reading.
- Web site solicits patients for cases of radiology errors🆓 (27 May 2008) ► A website collecting misdiagnosis reports is managed by a radiology services company.
- Global Image Search🚫 by (23 September 2008) ► A presentation of Medting, a website to share clinical images.
- Canadian authorities review 70,000 cases after rad is suspended🆓 (11 June 2009) ► 5 years of a dubious radiologist have to be interpreted once again.
- French government mulls nationwide PACS initiative🆓 (14 September 2010) ► France is studying the creation of regional PACS and a national long-term archive.
- JFR: France shifts to regional focus for PACS deployment🆓 by (21 October 2011) ► France will create four regional imaging PACS.