Diagnostic Reading #6: Five “Must Read” Articles on Medical Imaging
Reading Time: 3 minutes read
Imaging techniques detect lung tumors and hidden stomach cancers.
This week’s articles in Diagnostic Reading include: guidelines for choosing X-ray room equipment; new imaging technique identifies hidden tumors; DCR may be pre-op alternative; X-ray reveals medieval details; and mobile units with CT improve patient outcomes.
Guidelines for choosing X-ray room equipment – Everything Rad
New X-ray room equipment is a major expenditure for an imaging facility. Read the blog to learn about two important aspects that you should consider when purchasing new X-ray room equipment: capabilities that will help you improve the workflow and efficiency of your imaging exams; and a foundation to leverage future advances in imaging like Artificial Intelligence applications in image capture and automation.
Hyperspectral imaging technique roots out hidden stomach cancers – Health Imaging
A new imaging technique based on near-infrared technology can identify potentially cancerous tumors hidden deep under protective layers of muscle tissue. Researchers paired machine learning with their hyperspectral imaging technique to detect stomach tumors that are typically difficult to observe using standard methods, such as endoscopy, and were 86% accurate at identifying gastrointestinal stromal tumors in a small group of tissue samples. “This is a very exciting development,” one researcher explained. “Being able to accurately, quickly, and non-invasively diagnose different types of submucosal tumors without biopsies, a procedure that requires surgery, is much easier on both the patient and the physicians.”
Dynamic chest radiography spots lung tumor invasion – AuntMinnie
In a proof-of-concept study with phantoms, a research team demonstrated that a dynamic chest radiography (DCR) protocol was able to detect lung tumor invasion, according to findings published in Medical Physics. Researchers from Japan and the U.S. showed that their DCR technique produced bone-suppression images that enabled motion analysis of lung tumors, and at a radiation dose equivalent to conventional chest X-ray. They believe the technique could provide an alternative to chest CT for preoperative imaging.
X-ray reveals dark secrets of medieval life – AuntMinnie Europe
U.K. researchers have used X-ray to present historic evidence of medieval skeletal trauma. After analyzing the remains of people dating from the 10th – 14th centuries, and excavated from three very different burial sites in the city of Cambridge, their study highlighted widespread social inequality. “By comparing the skeletal trauma of remains buried in various locations within a town like Cambridge, we can gauge the hazards of daily life experienced by different spheres of medieval society,” said the lead author.
CT-equipped, teleradiology-backed mobile stroke units bolster outcomes over traditional ambulances – Radiology Business
Mobile stroke units—equipped with CT scanners and backed by teleradiologists—can help improve patient outcomes when compared to conventional ambulances, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Future investigations could explore the cost effectiveness of mobile stroke units, but scientists believe there’s a strong case for this intervention.
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