Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Is CT a good first-line tool for diagnosing COVID-19? You're forgiven if you're confused, as the conventional wisdom on CT's value as a screening tool for the novel coronavirus has swung back and forth like a pendulum.
Initial reports from China earlier this year gave CT high marks for detecting early signs of lung damage in COVID-19 cases when reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests were unreliable or equivocal. Soon thereafter, however, that was countered by calls to avoid early CT use -- especially for screening -- in most COVID-19 patients.
That thinking is being challenged by a new study from French researchers, who say they obtained good results with CT as an initial diagnostic tool, and they maintain it could be valuable for screening in areas with high disease prevalence. Find out what CT's advantages are in an article in our CT Community.
Meanwhile, a swirl of controversy has erupted around Dr. Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist who was appointed last month to advise President Donald Trump on the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of news outlets profiled Dr. Atlas this past week, in a story that in microcosm demonstrates the highly politicized nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.
Minnies semifinalists
On a lighter note, we were pleased this week to announce the semifinalists in the Minnies, our annual event recognizing excellence in radiology.
Based on your nominations, we've assembled a stellar lineup of candidates, from Most Influential Radiology Researcher to Best Educational Mobile App. In between, you'll find categories covering new devices, software, scientific papers, and news events. Do you know anyone who was nominated for a Minnie?
The Minnies candidates will now be reviewed by our expert panel of key opinion leaders in radiology, with finalists announced later this month. Until then, you can vote in our Best Radiology Image contest by clicking the "like" button on the image you think should win on our Facebook page.
AMVC Fall 2020
Finally, have you checked out the program for our Fall 2020 AuntMinnie Virtual Conference (AMVC), "AI, Enterprise Imaging & Beyond?" It's scheduled for September 22-23, and we've assembled a top-notch lineup of speakers to address some of the most important issues in artificial intelligence and enterprise imaging. And with all our events, registration is free.
