Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Today is D-Day for virtual colonoscopy advocates, who are awaiting news on whether the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will approve reimbursement for VC as a screening tool.
CMS said it may indeed issue the decision on May 12, but the agency telegraphed its intentions in February when it said it planned to deny coverage. Will virtual colonoscopy advocates be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat? Read our background coverage by clicking here, and visit the Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community at vc.auntminnie.com as we provide updates on this developing story.
MRI contrast for lymph node metastasis
In other news, a work-in-progress MRI contrast agent turned in a good performance for detecting signs of lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer patients, according to new research we're featuring this week in our MRI Digital Community.
The agent, ferumoxtran-10 (known commercially as Combidex), enabled Dutch researchers to find metastases as small as 2 mm outside the usually suspected area, according to the story. But you may never get a chance to use the agent in your practice, as its developer has had difficulty securing regulatory approval in both the U.S. and Europe. Read more by clicking here.
In other MRI news, a team of researchers conducted a study to see if whole-body MRI with a short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence could be used to replace radiographic bone surveys in cases of suspected child abuse. Although STIR-MRI had some advantages, it might not be ready to totally replace bone surveys for all patients. Find out why by clicking here.
You'll find both of these stories in our newly redesigned MRI Digital Community at mri.auntminnie.com.
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