“Unfortunately, teleradiology is taking an ugly turn. It’s no longer aiding radiologists. It’s replacing radiologists.”

— David Cervantes, MD, president of Consulting Radiologists of Toledo, Ohio.

Cervantes’ comment from this article in the Toledo Blade illustrates what many radiologist fear is happening to radiology practice. A group that had been serving the hospital for decades was terminated with a few weeks’ notice. The fired group’s radiologists were asked to work for the incoming company, which will supplement on-site services with teleradiology reads, including final reads. What radiology groups fear is clear: teleradiology becoming a competitor rather than a partner. Read the rest of this entry »

A new study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reported that what was thought to be minor, reversible contrast-induced nephropathy actually increases patient’s long-term risk of stroke, renal faillure and other complications.

While prospective studies are needed to prove causality, the trial examined nephropathy associated with two contrast agents, iodixanol (Visipaque) and iopamidol (Isovue). Richard J. Solomon, MD, of the University of Vermont in Burlington, and colleagues conducted the retrospective review, which found a two- to four-times higher rate of adverse events among patients receiving iodixanol.

Below is a MedPageToday interview with Solomon discussing the research.

I first saw this on Aunt Minnie.com, where Brian Casey and company smartly picked it up from its original source: Dr. Len’s Cancer Blog. Len Lichtenfeld, MD, wrote a fabulous, long post about CMS’s decision not to cover CT colonography for the prevention and early detection of colon cancer for Medicare patients. Lichtenfeld focused on CMS’s justification that the “evidence-based analysis” did not support covering CT Colonography. Read the rest of this entry »

CBS News reports that 11 Egyptian mummies were scanned on North Shore University Hospital’s CT scanners in New York. One of the mummies from the Brooklyn Museum, named Lady Hor and thought to be a female, apparently was a male. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the old saying…  When the only tool you have is an endoscope, every job tends to look like an…

For example, have you ever noticed how studies evaluating virtual colonoscopy that are led by gastroenterologists tend of favor traditional colonoscopy while those done by radiologists seem to lean toward imaging? Some people in healthcare point to situations like this as an example of the concerns surrounding comparative effective research (CER).

Using different imaging-related example—stenting vs. CABG—our June 15 cover story on comparative effective research (CER), points out medicine’s concerns about CER leading to so-called “cookie cutter” medicine.

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Here’s a piece of film from CNN that compares healthcare costs in different countries. It raises interesting questions we need to reflect on as both taxpaying citizens and as workers in (or tied to) the healthcare system. Your relationship to healthcare is very different if your day-to-day link with our healthcare system is as a consumer not a provider.

We’re getting our first peek at the “meaningful use” definition. Let the analysis begin.
HIMSS has posted the workgroup recommendations.  Here is a broad summary of the recommendations:

• Data Sharing by 2011 

• Incorporate Data into establishing Advanced Clinical Processes by 2013 

• Improved outcomes through information sharing by 2015

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Patients are people, too. And apparently understanding that helps radiologists do a better job, according to this CNN Report on the benefits of having a picture of the patient accompany a diagnostic image.