Diagnostic Reading #22: Five “Must Read” Articles on Medical Imaging
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COVID-19 in imaging continues to dominate the news.
This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: imaging helps identify possible coronavirus treatment; world’s X-ray facilities team up; a positive side to the pandemic; strategies to help radiology practices recover revenue; and a new X-ray contrast agent improves vascular imaging.
Advanced imaging IDs antibody for potential COVID-19 treatment – Health Imaging
As organizations around the world are working to create a vaccine for the coronavirus, one group of international researchers is using imaging to do their part—identifying microscopic structures that may be key to a preventative or therapeutic treatment against the disease. These researchers have discovered that neutralizing antibodies taken from past SARS survivors could be used to block SARS-CoV-2 and other similar coronaviruses from infiltrating host cells within the body, according to a research paper published online in Nature.
World’s X-ray science facilities team up to battle COVID-19 – Axis Imaging News
The world’s most sophisticated X-ray science facilities are teaming up in the research to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This research includes the use of a high-brightness, high-energy X-ray beam, which is unlike anything available at a doctor’s office and exists only at a few specialized sites around the world. Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS), a Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility, is one of these sites. “COVID-19 affects all of us, and I’m proud to be working with our international colleagues as we pool our resources to combat this pandemic,” says APS Director Stephen Streiffer, PhD.
COVID’s positive side: collegiality and public awareness up in radiology, expert says – Radiology Business
Trying to stay positive during the COVID-19 pandemic, an imaging expert recently shared a few reasons for the radiology community to remain upbeat during this time. Those reasons include increased interdisciplinary teamwork between imaging and other parts of the hospital, renewed awareness of the “central role that radiology plays in patient care” and greater flexibility to work remotely. This commentary from RSNA News is the first in a series published by the Radiological Society of North America in the coming weeks, highlighting its board members’ perspectives on the pandemic.
Recovering revenue during COVID-19 – Diagnostic Imaging
When healthcare providers were urged to stop elective procedures—in hopes of slowing the spread of coronavirus—it resulted in a 40-60 percent loss in revenue for radiologists. Radiology practices now must maximize their ability to recover revenue and adapt to changing times in the industry. This article provides strategies to help practices maneuver this low point of business and prepare for lasting revenue cycle management excellence throughout the rest of COVID-19 and long after it is neutralized.
New X-ray contrast agent enhances vascular imaging – Healthcare-in-Europe
Researchers at the University of Zurich have developed a new X-ray contrast agent that is easier to use and distributes into all blood vessels more reliably, increasing the precision of vascular imaging. With this X-ray contrast agent, capillaries can be made visible much more precisely using computer tomography. This process also reduces the number of animals required in research experiments.
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