Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Radiologists (and other physicians for that matter) are up in arms over a proposal by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to give advanced-level nurses the ability to perform many medical procedures previously reserved for physicians.
The VA on May 25 released proposed rules that are designed to alleviate long waits for medical services by allowing nurses with advanced training to perform additional duties. In radiology, the VA's proposal said it would allow nurses to "order, perform, supervise, and interpret laboratory and imaging studies."
That's not sitting well with radiologists, who see the proposal as an unprecedented intrusion into their area of responsibility -- an intrusion that could have major ramifications with respect to the quality of care for veterans, as well as for appropriate imaging utilization in the VA system. The American College of Radiology has vowed to fight the proposal, and individual radiologists are weighing in with comments of their own.
Learn more about this developing story by clicking here, or visit our Imaging Leaders Community at leaders.auntminnie.com.
MRI links fatty acids to breast cancer
In other news, researchers from New York have used a spectroscopy-based MRI technique to analyze the chemical composition of breast adipose tissue, finding that the presence of fatty acids can be a link to breast cancer.
The research is significant because it offers a better way to analyze the connection between cancer and dietary fat intake, according to the researchers. What's more, the test is noninvasive and can easily be incorporated into the clinical routine of a breast MRI exam. Find out how it's done by clicking here.
Imaging helps guide transplant
Finally, visit our CT Community to read a fascinating story about how physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital used medical imaging to help guide one of the world's first successful penis transplants. That story is available by clicking here.
