Dear Digital X-Ray Insider,
More evidence is in this month regarding the utility of digital chest tomosynthesis as an intermediary modality between conventional chest x-ray and CT for working up suspicious lung nodules.
Researchers from Sweden reviewed their institution's use of tomosynthesis over one month in 2010 and analyzed whether the technology was able to prevent the use of CT. They found that indeed it did, obviating the need for CT in some 80% of cases.
What's more, tomosynthesis also reduced radiation dose in the process. Get the details in our Insider Exclusive, available to you before the rest of the AuntMinnie.com membership can access it.
In other news in the Digital X-Ray Community, radiography performed a key role in managing patients who arrived at Boston-area hospitals immediately after the Boston Marathon bombings last year, according to an article by Features Editor Wayne Forrest. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital offer an analysis of the types of injuries and how they looked on x-rays in an article you can read by clicking here.
In a related story, a group from Brigham and Women's Hospital described how the facility fine-tuned its operations after the attacks, making adjustments to improve the response to emergency situations. One of the problems was a delay in processing x-rays, which the researchers attributed to having a single-plate computed radiography reader. The solution? Switch to portable digital radiography.
Also, click here to read an article by Senior Editor Erik L. Ridley on using consumer-grade medical displays for reading chest radiographs, and click here for an article by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital on how they developed a hybrid operating room.
Finally, several radiography images are candidates in the Best Radiology Image category of the Minnies, AuntMinnie.com's annual event recognizing excellence in radiology. You can vote on the images on our Facebook page.
