Dear Digital X-Ray Insider,
Radiography is a great first-line imaging tool due to its low cost and minimal radiation dose. But are there still clinical conditions for which x-ray is being overused?
Chest radiography for cases of syncope could be one such condition. Most of the time, the causes of syncope aren't serious. But in a few cases, syncope can be a sign of more serious underlying disease -- pathology that could lead to a major adverse event at some point in the future.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston wanted to determine if chest radiography really was useful in cases of syncope, so they tracked a group of patients experiencing the condition, figured out how many received chest radiographs, and then analyzed their outcomes. Find out what they discovered in this edition's Insider Exclusive, available to you before the rest of our members.
In other news, this month we were pleased to welcome a new column by Dr. Neal Klitsch, also known as the Neighborhood Radiologist. Dr. Klitsch sees his mission as making radiology more accessible and less mysterious to patients and referring physicians alike -- and maybe even a few radiology professionals. In his first column for AuntMinnie.com, Dr. Klitsch addressed the language of the chest x-ray. Check it out by clicking here.
Thoracic radiography is frequently used in children, and there are a number of pathologies that can be spotted on x-ray, if you know what to look for. Fortunately, the American Journal of Roentgenology published a review paper in its October issue that chronicled some of the most common errors that occur in chest x-ray exams of children.
The review was broken down by anatomical region, from the mediastinum to the lungs and pleura and finishing with the bones. Get the rest of the details by clicking here, and if you want more, check out AJR's website -- the original article is available on an open-access basis.
Finally, the RSNA 2016 meeting starts in just over one week. If you're looking for a great place to find out what new digital x-ray technology will be introduced, be sure to check out the pages of your Digital X-Ray Community, at x-ray.auntminnie.com.
