Dear AuntMinnie Member,
A program that used ultrasound to screen children and teens for thyroid cancer in the area around Fukushima, Japan, has confirmed the worst: a sharp rise in thyroid cancer cases following the 2011 nuclear disaster.
Researchers who performed ultrasound screening found thyroid cancer rates in one district that were 50 times higher than the national average among those 18 and younger, while cancer rates throughout the Fukushima Prefecture were 30 times higher than the national average for Japan.
What's worse, there are probably many more thyroid cancer cases still developing, the group reported. Learn more about this story by clicking here, or visit our Ultrasound Community at ultrasound.auntminnie.com.
Before you leave the community, be sure to read this article about the importance of your vendor having all of its International Organization for Standardization certifications in order.
More CPT code bundling
Code bundling has become the bête noire of radiology practices, as imaging procedures that once warranted two or more claims submissions are now bundled into a single payment code. Next year promises more bundling under changes to CPT codes, according to Jeff Majchrzak of Panacea Healthcare Solutions.
In fact, there are 60 changes to the radiology section of the CPT book alone. Find out how to navigate the new environment and make sure your code submissions are squeaky-clean by clicking here.
PET and Parkinson's
Finally, visit our Molecular Imaging Community for a new article on the use of FDG-PET for individuals with early-stage atypical Parkinsonian syndrome. Researchers from Germany found that PET was able to predict survival times for patients with the disease that were shorter than with other forms of dementia. Read all about it by clicking here, or visit the community at molecular.auntminnie.com.
