Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Ultrasound contrast could use a few friends right now. The technology has been slow to catch on, at least in the U.S., and it's been dogged by safety concerns since last year, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required the two main agents on the market to carry black box warning labels.
Stepping in to help is a newly formed academic society, the International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS). With the backing of ultrasound luminaries such as Dr. Barry Goldberg and Dr. Steven Feinstein, the ICUS will promote the increased use of contrast and help resolve the safety issues that led to the black box warning. Learn more about the society in an article by staff writer Erik L. Ridley in our Ultrasound Digital Community by clicking here.
Are zoo scanners an option for the obese?
In other news, staff writer Eric Barnes examines an urban myth that's apparently settled into public opinion, and even into the minds of some healthcare providers -- that obese patients too big for regular-sized CT and MRI scanners can be imaged on supersized animal systems at zoos and veterinary schools.
For a recent survey in the journal Obesity, U.S. researchers called zoos and vet schools across the U.S. They found that few actually owned specialty animal scanners, and even fewer were willing to image human patients. Emergency departments weren't much better prepared. Learn more in our CT Digital Community by clicking here.
Announcing the Minnies finalists
In less weighty matters, the list of final candidates is now available for the Minnies, AuntMinnie.com's annual event recognizing excellence in radiology. Our expert panel has narrowed the list of 148 candidates to two finalists in each of the 13 categories.
Which CT scanner will be named the Best New Radiology Device -- AquilionOne from Toshiba America Medical Systems of Tustin, CA, or LightSpeed CT750 from GE Healthcare of Chalfont St. Giles, U.K.? Will the Most Influential Radiology Researcher be Dr. Vijay Rao of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia or Dr. C. Daniel Johnson of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN?
See the full list of Minnies finalists by clicking here. Our expert panel will now vote in the final round, with winners to be announced next month.
