Dear AuntMinnie member,
This month saw the departure of perhaps the last of the early titans of medical imaging -- Dr. Raymond Damadian, who some call the "father of MRI" for his pioneering research into the technology.
Damadian was always a complex and controversial figure. The impact of his accomplishments is undeniable -- he led the team that acquired the first MRI scan of a human, in 1977. But he also engendered controversy, particularly with his vociferous reaction to being snubbed for the Nobel Prize in 2003 -- an award that went to other, less colorful researchers.
In any event, Damadian's passing on August 3 offers a moment to pause and reflect on the drive for innovation and discovery that has always been a hallmark of radiology. You can view Editor Kate Madden Yee's look back at his eventful life in our MRI Community.
While you're in the community, be sure to check out a new story on how cross-sectional modalities like MRI can help with planning breast cancer treatment.
Lung nodule protocols
What's the best way to follow up on suspicious lung nodules detected on CT lung cancer screening exams? The answer may be found in recent research conducted in Europe.
Researchers found that the volumetric-based protocol for assessing nodules used in the Dutch-Belgian Randomized Lung Cancer Screening (NELSON) trial was more sensitive than that used in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) in the U.S. The difference could explain the superior performance of screening in the NELSON trial compared to NLST.
In other news in CT, recent research out of China suggests that data acquired in CT lung cancer screening exams could also be used to assess people for osteoporosis -- a classic example of opportunistic screening. Also, a recent study demonstrates -- once again -- the heavy toll that smoking takes on the global population.
We took a moment yesterday to observe the anniversary of the passing of another important inventor in radiology -- Sir Godfrey Hounsfield, who drove the development of the first CT scanner in the 1970s. Hounsfield passed away on August 12, 2004.
Minnies wrap-up
Speaking of innovation and discovery, you've got just over 24 hours to participate in the Minnies, our annual awards event in radiology. We'll be taking nominations through midnight Eastern time on Sunday, August 14. Be sure to get your nominations in today!
