- Doctors without Borders Has an Opening for a Radiologist
ACR Interlink
Doctors without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) has an immediate opening for a radiologist who can support and implement the following key recommendations as part of a program to implement the "Diagnostic Strategy 2008-2010." - Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging to Hold Pediatric CT Vendor Summit to Discuss Radiation Dose Used in Scans Performed on ChildrenThe Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, of which ACR is a member, will host a pediatric computed tomography (CT) vendor summit to discuss product development to standardize radiation dose estimation settings and display language for pediatric CT scanners Aug. 20, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. EDT, at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati. Summit participants will also explore how vendor provided education for technologists can promote better understanding of the unique steps required to safely perform CT scans on children.
- Today on the ACR Blog: How Can Radiologists and Equipment Manufacturers Work Together to Provide Better Pediatric Imaging Care?
The ACR Blog welcomes guest blogger Marilyn Goske, M.D., chair of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, as she discusses an upcoming pediatric CT vendor summit. If you could attend this summit, what would you like to see manufacturers do in order to standardize care nationwide and better the care that you provide to your patients? - ACR, SBI Release Breast Imaging Training Curriculum
ACR News
The breast imaging training curriculum has been designed principally to provide guidance to academic chairs, residency program directors, and academic section chiefs in assessing and improving their residency and fellowship training programs, and to indicate to residents and breast imaging fellows the topics they need to learn and the experience they should try to acquire during their training. - JACR Welcomes First Resident to Editorial Board
ACR Daily News Scan
Thomas M. Carr, M.D., has been appointed to the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR) Editorial Board as the first ACR Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) representative. - CMS FY 2009 IPPS Final Rule — “Stark” Changes to Self-Referral
ACR Daily News Scan
In the dog days of August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued some fresh air for self-referral reform advocates. This overview highlights key changes to the Stark regulations that affect ACR members. - Medicare Imaging Disclosure Sunshine Act of 2008 Introduced in House
ACR Daily News Scan
New York Representative Carolyn McCarthy introduced the “Medicare Imaging Disclosure Sunshine Act of 2008” on August 1. A companion bill (S. 3343) was introduced in the Senate by Iowa Senator Charles Grassley on July 25. - National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Outpatient Imaging Efficiency Comment Period Opens
ACR Daily News Scan
The National Quality Forum (NQF) announced on July 31 that its draft report, National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Outpatient Imaging Efficiency, is available for review and comment. - Have You Been Selected to Participate in the Physician Practice Information Survey?
The American College of Radiology, the American Medical Association and more than 70 other organizations are conducting a comprehensive multi-specialty survey of America’s physician practices. The results will be used to positively influence national decision makers. - ACR Statement on Imaging Accreditation in the Medicare System
ACR News Release
As the nation’s oldest and most experienced medical imaging and radiation oncology accrediting organization, the ACR will complete the process to become a deemed accrediting body for the Medicare program and work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide the accreditation services that the new law requires. - ACR Education Center “Classroom of the Future” Offers One-of-a-Kind Radiology Education on 11 Different Imaging Systems
ACR Daily News Scan
True to its mission, the ACR Education Center offers next-generation education today — and word is spreading fast. In June, classes in Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) and CT Colonography (CTC) quickly sold out, with several students registering for additional courses during class break. - Are You Overexposed? NBC Today Show Airs Segment on Medical Imaging
On Thursday July 24, NBC Chief Medical Editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, discussed radiation exposure from medical imaging exams, the importance of ACR accreditation, and financial incentives for physicians to order scans. *Editor note: As the video is on the NBC Web site (not ACR), a brief commercial will air before the Today Show segment starts. - Summary of Provisions in the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 Which Directly Affect Radiology
ACR Daily News Scan
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) repeals a statutorily mandated 10.6 percent physician payment cut, which became effective July 1, as well as an additional 5 percent cut set for Jan. 1, 2009, and instead extends the current payment rate for the rest of 2008 and a 1.1 percent update through 2009.
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- Long-Term Revascularization Rates Lower with Drug-Eluting than Bare Metal Stents
Reuters Health
In a real-world setting, target vessel revascularization rates are lower with drug-eluting stents (DES) than with bare metal stents (BMS), particularly in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease, according to an analysis of the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease. - Value of Chemoradiotherapy in Nonresectable Rectal Cancer Confirmed
Reuters Health
In nonresectable rectal cancer, the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy, compared with radiotherapy alone, improves local control and prolongs time to treatment failure and cancer-specific survival, results of a randomized phase III study confirm.
- Coronary Multidetector CT Cost-Effective for Triage of Acute Chest Pain Patients
Reuters Health
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Compared with standard protocols for assessing acute chest pain in emergency department patients, the use of coronary multidetector CT (MDCT) is modestly more effective and offers cost savings in the case of women, according to a report in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. - FDA: Boston Scientific Recalls NexStent Products
Reuters Health
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boston Scientific Corp is recalling its NexStent carotid artery products because part of the stent's delivery system can detach and cause injury, U.S. health officials said on Thursday. - Perceived Bias Tied to Lower Cancer Screening Rates
Reuters Health
Minority men and women who believe their health providers are biased against them are less likely to be screened for breast and colon cancers, a new study suggests. - Craniocaudal View on Mammography Important for Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
Reuters Health
A "substantial amount of information" is provided by a second, craniocaudal view on screening mammography, researchers report in the July 23 online issue of Breast Cancer Research. Tissue density and breast cancer risk can be better assessed than with a single mediolateral oblique view. - U.S. Medicare to Weigh Easing Some PET Scan Limits
Reuters Health
U.S. Medicare officials are seeking advice on whether to lift a payment restriction on PET scans used for nine cancers, a move that could lead to wider use of the technology among elderly and disabled patients.
- Relapse Risk "Substantial" After 5 Years of Adjuvant Therapy for Early Breast Cancer
Reuters Health
Survivors of early breast cancer remain at elevated risk for late recurrence after the landmark of 5 years of treatment with adjuvant systemic therapy (AST), according to research conducted at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. - Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy May Improve Survival in Pancreatic Cancer
Reuters Health
After resection of pancreatic carcinoma, overall survival appears to be improved in patients who go on to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, according to findings reported in the July 20th issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. - Notice: Possible Incompatibility When Images From Some FFDM Units Are Displayed on Some Third-Party PACS
FDA has learned that when images from some full-field digital mammography (FFDM) units are displayed on some third-party picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), the image identification information may obscure breast tissue on hard copy images in violation of regulation 21 CFR 900.12(c)(5), or the view and laterality may not always appear near the axillary portion of the breast in either the soft or hard copy images as required by regulation 21 CFR 900.12(c)(5)(iii). - Image Gently™ Campaign Gains International Momentum
Reuters Health
The American College of Radiology (ACR) is proud to be a founding member of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, the organization that launched the Image Gently™ campaign to reduce radiation dose used in pediatric imaging. The campaign has had a positive impact on medical practice and is growing exponentially as it attracts national and international attention and participation. - Divergent Paths: Differences between the McCain and Obama Health Plans
National Journal recently published an excellent article comparing and contrasting the health care policy proposals of presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.
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- Thirty Senators to Finance Committee: No More Imaging Cuts
ACR News Release
Thirty Senators penned a letter November 1 to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) stating their opposition to further cuts to medical imaging as the Committee continues to craft its version of Medicare legislation this fall.
- Imaging Under Attack - Resources to Counter DRA Imaging Cuts
Please visit this special Web section for the latest news regarding government efforts to reduce medical imaging reimbursement and ACR efforts to counter these cuts which would restrict patient access to critical medical imaging care.
- ACR Backs Senate Bill to Protect Seniors' Access to Imaging Care
ACR Daily News Scan
The American College of Radiology (ACR) strongly urges all members of the U.S. Senate to vote for passage of the Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2007 (S. 1338), the bipartisan legislation calling for a two-year moratorium on drastic medical imaging reimbursement cuts included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005...
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