Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for June 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Three Issues to Consider Before Selecting EHR
TUESDAY, June 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Work flow, features and functionality, and technical infrastructure should all be considered in advance of selecting an electronic heath record (EHR) system, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
AMA Discusses Pre-Retirement Evaluation for Aging Doctors
MONDAY, June 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Issues relating to physician retirement and evaluation of aging physicians before retirement are discussed in a Council on Medical Education report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Functional MRI of the Brain May Help Guide Treatment for OCD
FRIDAY, June 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help some patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and a new study suggests that brain scans can help spot those patients for whom the therapy will be most effective. The research was published online May 20 in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
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SCOTUS Upholds Subsidies for Affordable Care Act
FRIDAY, June 26, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Supreme Court upheld on Thursday the legality of tax subsidies for millions of Americans who signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Yearly CT May Adequately Monitor Non-Solid Lung Nodules
WEDNESDAY, June 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with non-solid lung nodules of any size, annual computed tomography (CT) scans may be all that’s needed to monitor their condition, a new study suggests. The report was published online June 23 in Radiology.
Medical Identity Theft Incidents Increasing
MONDAY, June 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Medical identity theft is on the rise, costly to consumers, and challenging to resolve, according to the fifth annual report published by the Ponemon Institute.
Caution in Social Media Age: Self-Promotion Can Backfire
FRIDAY, June 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a series of experiments, researchers found that people who self-promote often offend others. The study was published in the June issue of Psychological Science.
One-Day Workshop Ups Stress Recovery for Cancer Care Workers
FRIDAY, June 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For cancer care workers, a one-day interventional workshop can improve recovery from job stress, according to a study published online June 10 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.
FDA Cracks Down on Online Sale of Illegal Medical Products
FRIDAY, June 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with international partners, moved this week against more than 1,050 websites that sell potentially dangerous counterfeit medicines and medical devices, the agency said Thursday.
White Matter Abnormalities in Female Interstitial Cystitis
FRIDAY, June 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Women with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome have white matter abnormalities, according to a study published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology.
Hundreds Arrested Nationwide for Medicare/Medicaid Fraud
FRIDAY, June 19, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Hundreds of people have been charged after health care fraud sweeps were made across the United States, the federal government said Thursday.
Health Highlights: June 19, 2015
Most Chronic Pain Fellowships Include Ultrasound Training
THURSDAY, June 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Most chronic pain fellowships are teaching ultrasound-guided procedures, offering training throughout the fellowship year, according to a study published online June 12 in Pain Medicine.
Virtual Credit Card Fees Amount to 3 to 5 Percent of Payments
THURSDAY, June 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Payment with virtual credit cards (VCCs) is associated with considerable fees, although physicians are often unaware of these charges, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
MRI Scoring System IDs Metastatic Vertebral Fractures
THURSDAY, June 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system can differentiate between osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) and metastatic vertebral fractures (MVFs), according to a study published in the July 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Unique White Matter Injuries for Anxiety, Depression Post TBI
WEDNESDAY, June 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Unique white matter injury patterns are seen for anxiety and depression after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but not for irritability, according to a study published online June 16 in Radiology.
Direct Messaging Not Yet Widely Adopted by Physicians
TUESDAY, June 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Direct secure messaging (Direct), which is a standardized protocol for exchanging clinical messages and attachments, has not been widely adopted by physicians, despite its potential for improving care coordination, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Review Examines Inappropriate Prescribing of IV Fluids
TUESDAY, June 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Inappropriate prescribing of intravenous (IV) fluids most often involves incorrect volumes and types of IV fluids prescribed, according to a review published online June 11 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
Article Weighs Paying Off Student Loans Versus Investment
MONDAY, June 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Newly-minted physicians should consider the issues relating to paying off their loans versus investing for retirement, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Younger Adults Receiving Excess Anticoagulant Dosing in PCI
FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many younger adults with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) receive excess dosing of anticoagulants, with evidence of a trend toward an association between excess dosing and increased bleeding, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Vessel Boost Tied to Improved Surgical Resection Rate
FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (BRPAC) and locally-advanced PAC (LAPAC) treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACRT), dose escalation with a vessel boost (VB) correlates with a trend toward improvement in the surgical resection rate. These findings were published online June 12 in Practical Radiation Oncology.
Tattoos Can Mimic Metastasis on PET-CT in Cervical Cancer
FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with cervical cancer, extensive tattoos could mimic metastasis on positron emission tomography (PET) fused with computed tomography (CT) imaging, according to a case report published online June 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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CCTA Reclassifies CAD Risk for Most Patients With Chest Pain
FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For most patients with chest pain and low to intermediate pretest probability (PTP) of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) results in reclassification, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
CDC Advises U.S. Health Professionals to Be Alert for MERS
FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Government officials are advising U.S. health professionals to be alert for signs and symptoms of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) following an outbreak in South Korea.
Some Graduating Seniors Not Matching to Residency Positions
THURSDAY, June 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More than 250 of this year’s graduating seniors from U.S. medical schools did not match to a residency position, according to the American Medical Association.
Report Offers Guidance on Medical Ethics Education
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An analysis of the current state of medical ethics education in the United States has been published in the June issue of Academic Medicine. The article, the Romanell Report, also offers guidance to assist medial ethics educators in meeting expectations.
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Geographic Location Most Important for Residents
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For residents, the most important element in a future practice is geographic location, with lifestyle, adequate call hours and personal time, and a good financial package also cited as being important, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
Imaging Deemed More Effective Than Exercise Tolerance Testing
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients presenting with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiac imaging leads to fewer invasive coronary angiography (ICA) procedures and a higher yield of CAD, and is associated with lower costs than a traditional exercise tolerance test (ETT) strategy, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Extra Time During MCAT Linked to Less Success in Med School
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Medical school applicants with Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores obtained with extra test administration time have lower rates of success in medical schools, according to a study published in the June 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Spinal Cord Injuries Up Among the Elderly in U.S.
WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — While the overall rate of traumatic spinal cord injuries was stable from 1993 to 2012, an increasing number of older Americans have experienced this injury, according to research published in the June 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Professional Guidelines Have Limited Impact on Pre-Op Testing
TUESDAY, June 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The publication of 2002 professional guidelines on routine preoperative testing correlated with a reduction in routine electrocardiogram testing, but not in the incidence of radiography, hematocrit, urinalysis, or cardiac stress testing, according to research published online June 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Analysis Targets U.S. Hospitals With Highest Markups
TUESDAY, June 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The 50 U.S. hospitals with the highest charge-to-cost ratio have markups approximately 10 times the Medicare-allowable costs, and most of these hospitals are for profit, according to a study published in the June issue of Health Affairs.
AMA Offers Guidance for Physician-Hospital Relationships
MONDAY, June 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New guidelines can enable successful physician hospital relationships and integrated leadership, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Coaching Can Halve Radiation Dose for Pain Physicians
FRIDAY, June 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Knowledge of and real-time coaching on scatter dose profiles can reduce the radiation dose received by physicians performing pain treatment procedures, according to a study published in the June issue of Pain Practice.
Study IDs Surgical Never Events, Contributing Factors
FRIDAY, June 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Surgical never events and contributing human factors have been identified, with individual cognitive factors contributing one half of all nano-codes, according to a study published online May 29 in Surgery.
Limited Evidence for Screening Mammography for Women in 40s
THURSDAY, June 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Adding to the debate about the benefits of mammography screening before age 50, a new research review finds limited evidence that screening prevents breast cancer deaths among women in their 40s. The report, published in the June 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, reflects a longstanding debate.
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Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Formed
THURSDAY, June 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Nine states have enacted the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact law, with the seventh state’s enactment triggering formation of a commission to administer a process for physicians seeking licensure in multiple states, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
MRI Can Visualize Effects of Traction on Herniated Discs
THURSDAY, June 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to visualize the effects of continuous traction on herniated lumbar intervertebral discs and their surrounding structures, according to a study published in the June issue of Radiology.
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CMS: Hospital Charges for Common Procedures Up
WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The prices hospitals charge patients for a number of common procedures rose more than 10 percent between 2011 and 2013, more than twice the rate of inflation, according to data released by the federal government Monday.
Pre-Op Variable Calculator Accurately Predicts AAA Survival
MONDAY, June 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An independent calculator that uses preoperative variables can accurately predict long-term survival in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, according to a study published in the June issue of Anaesthesia.
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