Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Radiology has always worked in shades of gray. But the use of color for diagnostic applications is rising exponentially, and it's creating potential challenges for radiologists.
One of these challenges is the need for color display calibration that is as robust and consistent as what's used for grayscale monitors. This week in our Advanced Visualization Community we present new research indicating that radiology is making progress on that front.
Research presented at last month's RSNA 2014 meeting in Chicago analyzed preliminary tests of an extension that would add support for color to the DICOM Grayscale Standard Display Function (GSDF), a commonly used display calibration standard.
How well did it work? Click here to find out, or visit the community at av.auntminnie.com.
New questions about breast density
In other news, new questions are arising about the effectiveness of breast density notification laws.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology late last month found that half of the primary care physicians surveyed in California weren't aware of the state's notification law, which went into effect in 2013. The finding raises questions about whether the law has been successful in promoting discussions between women and their healthcare providers about the risks of breast density.
The percentage of physicians who didn't know about the law was higher than the researchers expected, they said. And many providers may not be well-equipped to answer questions about breast density when they do get them. Read more by clicking here, or visit our Women's Imaging Community at women.auntminnie.com.
Can imaging predict future behavior?
We close with a tantalizing question: Can medical imaging studies such as functional MRI (fMRI) predict future behavior in individuals?
Researchers using fMRI have already made astounding discoveries regarding the relationship between brain function and an individual's actions in the present. The modality could potentially also be used to predict future behavior, such as one's propensity to commit a crime or succeed in school.
But in a new review article, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology assert that studies so far have fallen short of this goal. Learn more by clicking here, or visit our MRI Community at mri.auntminnie.com.
