The radiology handbook; a pocket guide to medical imaging.

Benseler, J. S.

Ohio University Press

2006

283 pages

$20.00

Paperback
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This pocket (7×5″) reference on medical image interpretation is written for medical students, but can also serve as a basic introduction for any practitioner who needs readily accessible information on ordering or interpreting images. Material is presented in sections on ordering schemes, general information, and practice images. All chapters are arranged in question-and-answer format. A quiz provides 60 images of normal anatomy and common imaging pathology, plus an answer key. Editor information is not given.

Barrington Medical Imaging can optimize the clinical and financial possibilities of its customers’ practices by offering preowned imaging technology. Barrington completely refurbishes and stages its equipment in one of six staging bays at its large Chicago facility. All customers are encouraged to personally inspect any system in which they are interested.

Barrington Medical Imaging offers turnkey solutions to meet customers’ needs, with services ranging from complete site planning to financing options. The company’s team has a combined 50 years of imaging experience to help customers meet their practice goals.

Patient perceptions of risk for harm influence their decisions concerning medical procedures and feelings of satisfaction with medical care choices. Radiologic technologists, dental hygienists, and other allied health professionals frequently are asked by patients to explain the radiation exposure dose and health risk associated with an imaging procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiation risk perceptions within the community to develop an effective patient education strategy for health professionals based on the responses of 200 participants in a crosssectional survey. Less than half of the adults responding to the survey agreed with experts regarding the risk of radiation exposure from various sources, and 75% to 90% of the responders thought that imaging providers should be highly educated and highly regulated. With efficacious patient education, appropriate risk comparisons can be made in simple terminology by addressing the public’s knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward sources of radiation exposure. J Allied Health. 2002; 31: 159-164.

GLARING IMAGES OF BIRTH DEFECTS and skin ulceration attributed to invisible radiation exposure make radiation sinister and threatening to patients. The snippets of information and misinformation provided by the media on the risks and hazards of radiation exposure create heightened public awareness, concern, and confusion. Studies involving professional groups, business clubs, and college students consistently revealed that most people overestimate the risk of industrial radiation sources and underestimate the risk of medical radiation applications.1

Variations in measurement resulting from the type of radiation source, length of exposure, volume of tissue exposed, and sensitivity of the tissue exposed further complicate effective communication between health professionals and laypersons. Although the care provider may know the radiation dose and health risks of a particular medical procedure, many struggle to respond adequately to patient concerns and questions simply because the patient does not understand dose terminology. Little research on perceptions of radiation exposure risks and its implications for patient education in medical imaging exists.

It has been a year of growth and expansion for the USC Executive Health and Imaging Center in downtown Los Angeles–which offers an array of medical services.

USC Executive Health and Imaging Center opened its doors in Spring 2001 as a custom facility, featuring a trademark executive physical program–full-day customized medical exams that center around extended time with executive health physicians.

USC had conducted executive health physicals on its Health Sciences Campus in East Los Angeles for many years, but the new medical office at 333 S. Hope Street was built specifically for the program and related imaging and specialty services. It is the only facility of its type in the city’s financial district.

“The concept behind executive health is to personalize each client’s exam based on his or her current health, family medical history and lifestyle, as well as scientifically-based screening guidelines,” says John Brodhead, M.D., USC associate professor of medicine, who leads the program. “Our focus is on disease prevention to identify health risks early, when preventive strategies and treatments are most effective.”

Brodhead says the Executive Health Program’s clientele is usually men and women ages 40 and older. “Reaching middle age makes people take a serious look at their health.” he says. “It’s a perfect time for people to learn what they can do to keep their vitality and prevent chronic disease.”

“With our comprehensive, customized approach to executive health, each client leaves supplied with information to make wise health choices to improve their quality of life,” says Jeff fry Huffman, M.D., president and CEO of USC Care Medical Group, Inc.

The Center also provides convenient access to university-based physicians for routine physician visits as well as specialized services. These USC private practice physicians accept most major insurance plans. Physicians in the following specialties practice at the center:

* internal medicine specializing in both men’s and women’s health

* endocrinology

* dermatology, general and cosmetic

* gynecology

* urology

The Center offers the most sophisticated imaging available, with on-site X-ray, mammography and full-body CT scanning. It is supported by the services of USC University Hospital, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital and Doheny Eye Institute.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Even before the game starts at Dolphins Stadium in Miami, Tom Waters, the on-site RT (radiologic technologist), takes x-ray images of players’ injuries to help evaluate a player’s readiness to compete. During half time, more players rush to have exams taken to evaluate new and existing injuries before the game resumes. This need for rapid radiographic exams of injured athletes led Dolphins administrators to install a new KODAK digital x-ray capture system that processes high-resolution medical images in less than one minute.

“It’s important that our stadium have state-of-the-art imaging equipment so that team physicians can determine the seriousness of players’ injuries and their ability to return to the game,” said G. Eric Knowles, Senior Director of Stadium Operations and Community Relations for Dolphins Stadium. “Physicians for the Dolphins and visiting football teams have been extremely pleased with the increase in image quality and speed provided by our new KODAK digital medical imaging system.”

Knowles involved Dolphins team physicians and Waters in the evaluation of several vendors’ computed radiography (CR) systems for image quality and ease of use. Based on this assessment, stadium directors purchased a KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR 825 System and a KODAK DRYVIEW 8150 Laser Imager for digital output onto radiographic film.

“The orthopaedic specialists are extremely impressed with the image quality produced by the CR 825 system. Kodak’s specialized medical imaging software provides both the fine detail and high contrast required to detect soft tissue injuries and subtle fractures,” Waters said. “The image quality of the radiographic film output is also outstanding.”

He added that the CR 825 system offers efficient image processing and is easy to use. “Having a streamlined workflow with very few steps is important, especially when I have several players from both teams waiting to be imaged during a 12-minute half time,” said Waters.

The KODAK imaging system will also be used for Florida Marlins’ major league baseball games and for collegiate events played at Dolphins stadium, including the Orange Bowl in January 2006.

The CR 825, a single-cassette digital x-ray capture system, is widely used by orthopaedic practices, diagnostic imaging centers and small hospitals. The KODAK 8150 Laser Imager offers outstanding performance in low- to mid-volume medical printing environments.

China is poised to be a large exporter of medical imaging equipment in the world. Their market share is expected to increase further as suppliers boost production, gain CE marking and FDA approvals and new players enter the market. While manufacturers are presently focused on low technology products we did find evidence of increasing R&D expenditures and a commitment from manufacturers to develop more sophisticated products to compete globally.

With “Medical Imaging: Supplier capability in China” you will:

– Pre-qualify manufacturers that are leading exporters with CE marking and FDA approval.

– Benefit from detailed profiles of 25 leading suppliers that highlight their company facts, main products, production capacity, R&D plans, export strategies, QC procedures and expansion plans — based on personal factory visits and telephone interviews with senior managers.

– Benchmark 75 additional suppliers using concise profile tables that highlight key sourcing data such as product lines, export capabilities, and product certifications.

– Learn about R&D initiatives and emerging new technologies.

– Discover manufacturing capabilities and export experience from key medical imaging equipment manufacturers throughout China.

Companies are rated based upon their size, exports, and our own perception of their capabilities, their ability to communicate in English, FDA Registration, ISO Certification and CE Marking. This report allows you to identify all Chinese medical imaging equipment manufacturers in alphabetical order, geographical location and recommendation level.

Headquartered in the Twin Cities, Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Inc. (CDI) is celebrating two milestone events - a national award in healthcare and its 25th Anniversary.Founded by radiologist Dr. Kenneth Heithoff, CDI was the first outpatient imaging provider in Minnesota, and one of the first in the country. CDI currently provides diagnostic imaging services in 13 cities in eight states. “From the beginning, we pioneered a medical imaging experience that was second-to-none - in quality, comfort, convenience and cost-effectiveness,” said Dr. Heithoff, now CDI’s chairman and national medical director. “This commitment has never wavered - and I am proud that our radiologists and associates continue to meet and exceed the expectations of our patients and referring physicians every day,” he added.

CDI was recently voted the “Number One Freestanding Imaging Group” in the U.S. by readers of Medical Imaging magazine, a leading, national, industry publication. Several CDI associates and a CDI radiologist were also recognized in the top ten in their individual categories, including Steve Fischer, the company’s chief information officer; Terry Duggan-Jahns, a CDI technologist in Seattle, Washington; Daniel Fernandez, a CDI technologist in Central Florida; and Dr. Elizabeth McFarland, a CDI body radiologist in St. Louis, Missouri.

“The Medical Imaging award is an honor, and is also an indicator of our organization’s continued success as a healthcare leader,” said CEO Robert Baumgartner. “Our business model has evolved over the years to one focused on local partnerships, in which we work with hospitals, physicians, specialized radiologists and the community to provide convenient, appropriate outpatient imaging services,” he added. This approach has proven to be successful in critical ways - increasing patient access to excellent care and services; providing concise, specialized clinical information to referring physicians for better diagnosis and treatment; and delivering cost-effective, appropriate imaging services to improve quality and help control rising healthcare costs.

Stereotaxis, Inc., a St. Louis based company in the field of image-guided interventional medicine, announced the successful test of a revolutionary system that uses semiconducting magnets and advanced computer imaging technology to automatically navigate a catheter through the brain. The first test was conducted on a patient at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO., on December 17, 1998.

The system, approved for use under a US FDA Investigational Device Exemption, is being evaluated as a potentially safer, less invasive, and more effective way to biopsy brain tumors. By allowing physicians to follow a curved path through the brain using a computer to steer a catheter using externally applied magnetic fields, the system gives the surgeons greater navigational control. The computer recalculates the position and trajectory of the catheter every millimeter it travels, taking less than five minutes for the entire navigation process.

Future applications under development include diagnosing and treating cardiovascular conditions, such as coronary artery disease and cardiac arrhythmias, and treating neurovascular conditions such as aneurysms.

Eleven members of the American Chiropractic College of Infrared Imaging (ACCII) recently attended the annual conference of the American Academy of Thermology (AAT). This marks the first time chiropractors have been invited to participate in the conference, which brings together medical imaging specialists from around the world for meetings, research presentations and discussion on the standards and appropriate use of infrared imaging. The academy invited ACCII members to the event, held April 16-18, 2004 at Auburn University, Alabama, after noting the organization’s continuing contributions to the legitimate use of infrared imaging.

“This is an historic occasion,” commented ACCII President Robert Ensley, DC, CACBII. “This medical organization has never before felt the need to invite interprofessional participation, and our chiropractic ACCII members are delighted by this opportunity. We believe that we will benefit from this association by obtaining access to and association with a wide variety of infrared imaging specialists from all over the world. We also believe that we will contribute to the body of knowledge by now having a wider forum for sharing our own expertise in infrared imaging, particularly as it relates to the musculoskeletal system.”

The ACCII is a subdivision of the Council on Diagnostic Imaging of the American Chiropractic Association. (ACA), established by the ACA House of Delegates in 1987 to recommend criteria for certification, ethics and professional competency; to promote, assist and publish research in infrared imaging by members; and to advance the specialty of infrared imaging in the chiropractic profession.

Athletes at the upcoming ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games will greatly benefit from advances in medical technology. Using digital medical imaging and information equipment from Eastman Kodak Company, images of injured athletes can be sent electronically to medical specialists in remote locations.

The technology will enable radiologists at the Polyclinic, the primary medical center for the Games located in the Olympic Village, to send digital x-ray images, CT scans and other medical images and accompanying reports to specialists at the ATTIKO University Hospital in metropolitan Athens, which will assist in serving Olympic athletes and officials.

This technology includes a Kodak picture archiving and communications system (PACS) and a Kodak radiology information system (RIS) at the Polyclinic, along with a Kodak PACS/RIS workstation at the University Hospital; which will enable physicians to view and make diagnoses from the medical images and written reports transmitted by the Polyclinic. In addition, Kodak will equip the Polyclinic with systems that capture x ray images digitally in seconds.

Kodak also installed a digital medical imaging capture system at KAT Hospital, one of the largest trauma treatment hospitals in Greece, to also assist in serving individuals associated with the Olympic Games.

The Polyclinic is expected to perform medical imaging studies for up to 140 patients per day and to complete more than 2,000 imaging exams over the course of the Games. After the Games, Kodak digital imaging equipment will continue to pro vide medical imaging services for the citizens of Athens. “What is unique about file Athens Games is that the Olympic Village Polyclinic will remain after the Games have concluded,” said Dan Kerpelman, President of Kodak’s Health Imaging Group and a senior Vice President of Eastman Kodak Company.