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NEW MRI Searchable Database
2008-09-18 00:46:00
There is a new service available for hospitals and clincs that can determine the mri safety of implanted devices . check out there website.http://www.DoctorDoctor.bizSEARCH ABLE DATABASE: THE NEWEST TOOL FOR MRI IMPLANT SAFETYThe MRI safety status of medical implant devices can be difficult to track because many manufacturers 1.) Change their names; 2) Sell their medical devices to other companies; 3.) Go out of business; 4) Discontinue manufacturing of certain devices; 5.) Merge with other companies; or holding companies move medical device ownership from company to company. Dozens of these transactions transpire annually, bringing confusion and obfuscation to MRI technologists, who need to be certain of an implanted device?s safety status before scanning. After seven or eight years of this merger and acquisition activity, the status of many implants can become impossible to find.MRI technologists, too often given the sketchiest of information, can spend hours looking for safety ...
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Top 13 Reasons to Date an X-ray Tech
2008-09-14 04:02:00
Description:1. We do our best work in the dark2. We can see through your clothes3. We know all the positions4. We are well developed5. The chemistry is always right6. We know what buttons to push7. We have all the right techniques8. We know how to warm up a tube9. We know how to get the best penetration10. When you need it now, we make it wet.11. Human anatomy is common knowledge.12. We do it on the table and sometimes we slip it in the bucky.13. Radiation physics: Hard Beam + Tight Collimation = Adequate penetration
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Bayer and Epix to part ways over vasovist.
2008-09-14 03:47:00
Bayer Schering Pharma will transfer the worldwide commercial rights for the novel blood pool magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) agent, Vasovist(R) (gadofosveset trisodium) to EPIX. Thecollaboration agreementbetween the two parties will terminate effectiveMarch 1, 2009; until that time, Bayer Schering Pharma will continue to provide continued supply of Vasovist in the 19 countries where it is currently marketed."We are pleased to regain complete worldwide commercial rights for Vasovist which has a PDUFA date of December 31, 2008," said Elkan Gamzu, Ph.D., interim chief executive officer of EPIX. "Pending FDA approval, Vasovist is positioned to become the first MRA contrast agent approved in the United States and it could be launched in 2009. Our goal remains to maximize the commercial value of Vasovist and we are committed to executing our monetization strategy which includes finding a marketing and commercialization partner for Vasovist.""Vasovist is a first-in-class blood specifi...
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Parrish Medical Centers Diamondback 360 System
2008-08-27 22:18:00
The Diamondback 360° System uses the principle of centrifugal force. As crown rotation increases, centrifugal force presses the eccentrically mounted, diamond-coated crown against the stenotic lesion, removing a thin layer of plaque. The increasing crown orbit creates a larger lumen ? minimizing procedure time and expense of catheter upsizing.http://www.cardiovascularsystems inc.com/technology.phpAdditional benefits of the orbiting motion include:Removing plaque while minimizing the potential for stress or injury to the media layer, and reducing the risk of barotrauma.The use of a 6 French introducer sheathDoctors Ravi Rao, MD, interventional cardiologist and Joseph Flynn, DO, interventional radiologist at Parrish Medical Center are among the first in Central Florida to offer a newly FDA approved treatment option to people with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)?the Diamondback 360?? Orbital Atherectomy System.The device removes plaque blockages in the legs (peripherals) and restores ...

BlackBerry Bold
2008-08-27 03:48:00
We've been waiting to get our smudgy digits on RIM's BlackBerry Bold seemingly since before the Earth's crust finished cooling, and finally, Canada's Rogers Wireless lent us a hand. In a few words, the screen is striking, size is actually pretty comfy to hang on to, the keys are fairly easy to use, and we're kinda digging it. As a quick refresher, the Bold has tri-band HSDPA, quad-band EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 1GB of onboard memory, and a 2-megapixel cam that can take advantage of the GPS for a bit of geotagging tomfoolery. The integrated media player seems to get the job done with a pile of supported formats -- including DivX, some support for XviD, H.264, MP3, WMA, and a bunch more -- the OS 4.6 looks slick, and have we mentioned the frickin' screen? We'll be back right quick with a deeper dive into the Bold's capabilities, but for now, enjoy the pics.
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vasovist mri contrast blood pool agents
2008-08-27 01:07:00
Epix Pharmaceuticals Inc., an Israeli firm that has developed Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium), a novel MRI contrast agent, has announced that its product "has achieved positive results from the blinded, independent re-read of images of its novel blood pool magnetic resonance angiographic (MRA) agent, Vasovist. In the re-read of images obtained from previous phase 3 studies, EPIX met all pre-specified endpoints prospectively agreed to with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). EPIX plans to resubmit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for Vasovist in mid-2008. Vasovist is currently approved for marketing in 33 countries." And that includes the European Union, where the device (as it is classified) has been marketed (in collaboration with Schering AG) since 2005.Here's how the agent is described:Vasovist® is an injectable intravascular contrast agent discovered internally at EPIX and is designed to provide improved imaging of the vascular system using magnetic resonance ...
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diffusion spectrum imaging
2008-08-27 00:58:00
At the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston researchers are using an MRI technique called diffusion spectrum imaging to create three dimensional models of the brains of animals and humans.MIT Technology Review describes this promising imaging modality:It uses magnetic resonance signals to track the movement of water molecules in the brain: water diffuses along the length of neural wires, called axons. Scientists can use these diffusion measurements to map the wires, creating a detailed blueprint of the brain's connectivity.On the medical side, radiologists are beginning to use the technology to map the brain prior to surgery, for example, to avoid important fiber tracts when removing a brain tumor. Wedeen and others are now using diffusion imaging to better understand the structures that underlie our ability to see, to speak, and to remember. Scientists also hope that the techniques will grant new insight into diseases linked to abnormal wiring, such as schizophrenia and autism
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Zecotek making hybrid mri/pet machines
2008-08-27 00:54:00
Photonics magazine is profiling photodetectors made by Zecotek Photonics, a firm out of Singapore, that work well within strong magnetic fields, allowing engineers to make hybrid PET/MRI machines.Zecotek is leading a collaborative research program with the University of Washington to develop a proprietary PET-MRI detector as the core technology of a new generation of medical imaging systems. The major barrier to a combined PET and MRI scanning device is the strong magnetic fields of MRI which destroy the photodetection capabilities of current PET scanning devices. Unlike the vacuum tube-based PMT, Zecotek's MAPD photodetectors can operate in highly magnetic environment of the MRI making the LFS scintillation crystals and MAPD photodetectors critical enabling technologies for a successful fusion of PET and MRI into one scanning device. This new generation device will offer both higher resolution and faster patient throughput which in turn improves patient diagnostics and reduces cos...
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A protien called Otx 2
2008-08-27 00:34:00
August 7, 2008Researchers have long sought a factor that can trigger the brain's ability to learn - and perhaps recapture the "sponge-like" quality of childhood. In the August 8 issue of the journal Cell, neuroscientists at Children's Hospital Boston report that they've identified such a factor, a protein called Otx 2.Otx2 helps a key type of cell in the cortex to mature, initiating a critical period--a window of heightened brain plasticity, when the brain can readily make new connections.Takao Hensch, PhD, of the Neurobiology Program and Department of Neurology at Children's, the study's senior investigator, speculates that there may be similar factors from the auditory, olfactory and other sensory systems that help time critical periods. Timing is important, because the brain needs to rewire itself at the right moment--when it's getting the optimal sensory input.Hensch, who last fall won the highly competitive NIH Director's Pioneer Award, is also interested in the transpor...

MRI through astonomy
2008-08-26 02:51:00
Astronomers from the University of Edinburgh are collaborating with clinicians in trying to apply their expertise in fuzzy image processing to improve the output of MRI machines. The algorithmic techniques, though not specified, are probably based on speckle imaging methods that, thanks to modern computers, have been used in astronomy for a couple decades.MRI scanning can record images of any part of the body from several angles and is used to examine organs or tissue. Patients who undergo scans may have to lie still for half-an-hour or more, while the scanner records successive layered images of their body, much like a slow-exposure photograph. If the patient moves, the images become distorted.The astronomy algorithm corrects distortions caused by movement or caused by the scanner. This makes the technique especially suitable for use with children or seriously ill patients, and avoids patients having to undergo repeat scans to get accurate results.Once an MRI scan is complete, it ...

digital light box
2008-08-26 02:46:00
BrainLAB AG, out of Feldkirchen, Germany has recently installed its first Digital Light box radiology system in a Munich hospital. Designed to be installed in radiology departments, clinical floors, and operating rooms, the system behaves like a giant iPhone, simultaneously displaying volumetric images from various imaging modalities along with patient information.Digital Lightbox replaces the conventional light box used to observe analog x-ray images. Connected to the hospital PACS, the new digital platform can be installed both in meeting rooms and in operating rooms, where clinicians can then access, manipulate, and utilize data for surgery planning. By displaying the human body in 3D, Digital Lightbox helps clinicians to more clearly demonstrate to patients what effects a disease can have and which procedures may be necessary.Digital Lightbox enables clinicians to select the most valuable images from large amounts of existing medical data. Ergonomic touchscreen technology with zo...

MRI tracks stem cells in the heart.
2008-08-26 02:42:00
Now for the first time, researchers have tracked the stem cells in mice using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from their bone marrow origin to the injured site. This opens up the possibility of finding some therapeutic treatment to direct these cells after a heart attack.Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are found in the bone marrow and can differentiate into certain cell types. They have been detected around heart injuries following a myocardial infarction (heart attack), but whether they come to regenerate heart tissue or to promote healing is still under debate.Using a series of MRI scans, Tom Hu and colleagues at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA, have tracked MS?s in a sample of mice. The researchers first transplanted into the bone marrow a few hundred thousand MSCs that had been labeled with both iron-oxide (a molecule that essentially shades out the MRI signal) and a special protein that fluoresces when exposed to blue light. The team then operated on all of the ...
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New MRI contrast agents
2008-08-26 02:40:00
Berlin, July 8, 2008 ?The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bayer Schering Pharma?s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent Primovist® (gadoxetate disodium) for the detection and characterization of liver lesions in adults with known or suspected focal liver disease. The product will be marketed in the United States under the name EOVIST®; it is currently marketed as Primovist outside the U.S. and as EOB Primovist in Japan. It is the first organ-specific MRI contrast agent to be approved in the U.S. for over a decade. Bayer plans to make EOVIST available to customers in the U.S. in the summer of 2008.?Primovist not only offers the unique benefit of being able to simultaneously detect, locate and distinguish various types of liver lesions, but also helps to guide and follow-up on treatment decisions, as it enables radiologists to identify even tiny pathological liver lesions,? said Dr. Gunnar Riemann, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer Schering Phar...
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Eovist Bayers new contrast for MRI
2008-07-31 03:59:00
Berlin, July 8, 2008 ?The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bayer Schering Pharma?s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent Primovist® (gadoxetate disodium) for the detection and characterization of liver lesions in adults with known or suspected focal liver disease. The product will be marketed in the United States under the name EOVIST®; it is currently marketed as Primovist outside the U.S. and as EOB Primovist in Japan. It is the first organ-specific MRI contrast agent to be approved in the U.S. for over a decade. Bayer plans to make EOVIST available to customers in the U.S. in the summer of 2008.?Primovist not only offers the unique benefit of being able to simultaneously detect, locate and distinguish various types of liver lesions, but also helps to guide and follow-up on treatment decisions, as it enables radiologists to identify even tiny pathological liver lesions,? said Dr. Gunnar Riemann, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer Schering Phar...
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words of wisdom
2008-07-31 03:58:00
The hours of folly are measured by the clock; but of wisdom, no clock can measure. - William Blake
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vasovist a new contrast for MRI
2008-07-31 03:57:00
LEXINGTON, Mass.?(BUSINESS WIRE)?July 1, 2008?EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:EPIX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics through the use of its proprietary and highly efficient in silico drug discovery platform, announced today that the New Drug Application (NDA) for its novel blood pool magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) agent, Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium) was resubmitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 30, 2008.If approved, Vasovist will be the first contrast agent approved for marketing in the United States for use with MRA, a non-invasive modality for imaging blood vessels. In 2007, there were approximately 1.3 million MRA procedures performed in the United States using contrast agents.We look forward to continuing to work with the FDA to bring Vasovist to market in the United States, said Michael G. Kauffman, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of EPIX. Throughout the appeal process for Vasovist,...
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Thank you to The Beatles for the First CAT Scan machine
2008-07-24 01:43:00
As a direct result of The Beatles ? success, Dr Timmis claimed, the scanner?s inventor, Sir Godfrey Hounsfield, was able to devote about four years developing the scanner from its 1968 prototype, to something that could be used in a clinical setting. His work was done in the Central Research Laboratory, a facility near Heathrow airport that was part of the EMI Group. Having sold 200 million of the Fab Four?s singles, (at seven inches, almost enough vinyl to stretch the length of the equator) the Beatles? record company, EMI, was able to fund Hounsfield to do his research and the CT scanner was ready be used in hospitals in the 1970?s. Look how far we have come Aquillion 320 slice CT scanner Check out out my friends at Mind Hacks where I first read about this story
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10 penny nail found pre mri
2008-06-22 09:59:00
You ever have one of thoose days that you just wanted to put a 10 penny nail into your bladder? What? I know this sounds crazy but that is exactly what this woman did. The pt came into the ER with slurred speech. The CT scan from the night before had revealed a hypodense area in her brain therefore an MRI was ordered. Before the MRI could be performed the patient had to be Xrayed to find out if she did have a nail in her body. The patient reported it was in her Uterous but upon Ultrasound localization it was found to be in her bladder. (source NEJM). ??Read more here to find out why?
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Gastric Tumors
2008-05-04 20:54:00
Gastric tumors may be classified as benign or malignant on the basis of their biologic behavior; epithelial and mesenchymal tumors may be similarly classified on the basis of their origin. More than 95% of malignant tumors of the stomach are adenocarcinomas . The remaining malignant tumors include lymphoma, sarcoma (eg, malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumor), carcinoid tumor, metastasis, and so on. Between 85% and 90% of gastric tumors are benign . About half of these benign tumors are mucosal lesions (mostly hyperplastic or adenomatous polyps) and about half are mesenchymal tumors .Mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract are divided into two broad groups. The first group consists of tumors that are identical to those arising in the somatic soft tissue. These include smooth muscle tumors (eg, leiomyoma, leiomyosarcoma), neural tumors (eg, schwannoma, neurofibroma, plexosarcoma), lipocytic tumors (eg, lipoma, liposarcoma), tumors originating from vascular and perivascular...

thoracic aorta disection
2008-05-04 15:54:00
Aortic dissection is the most common catastrophe affecting the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery of the body through which blood leaves the heart to deliver oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. It occurs in about 24 people per million each year in the U.S. It is caused when the inner layer of the aortic wall tears and then peels or separates away from the next layer of the aorta. This creates two channels; the original aortic channel for blood flow (the true lumen) is still present while the peeling away of the outer layer in the dissection creates a new additional flow channel (the false lumen).Symptoms of Aortic DissectionLocation of Pain:Chest painBack painFlank painAbdominal painLeg painQuality of PainPain that is tearing or sharpAbrupt onset of painPain that migrates or radiatesNeurological DeficitsComa/Altered consciousnessParalysisExtremity numbnessDifficulty with speaking or slurred speechLight-headedness/FaintingDifficulty breathing/shortness of breathThere are th...

abccess of lower leg on MRI « Coolmristuff
2008-04-02 00:17:00
abccess of lower leg on MRI « CoolmristuffThis abcces was not what I expected when I first saw it. The entire lower leg was red and extremley sore to the touch. there was an open wound where the abccess had been drained the night before but it was small compared to the amount of involvement of the entire lower leg. This patient is diabetic and therefore at risk for infection or a non-healing wound.t1 cor & sag This is a Stir axial image of the lower legt1 ax pre and post contrast.(multihance)April 1, 2008 - Posted by turbospinecho 1 abccess, infectionNo Comments »No comments yet.Leave a comment
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Stewart-Treves syndrome is a rare, deadly cutaneous angiosarcoma????..
2008-03-08 04:02:00
I scanned a patient with the diagnosis of angiosarcoma. I was not familiar with the disease and had to do a little research before we did the procedure. She had a history of lymphedema for 13 years after her breast surgery for cancer. Her entire right arm was swollen. Her doctor had done a biopsy on two lesions on her arm and confirmed angiosacroma. She had a CT of the Chest and A MRI of the Forearm and Humerus. Here is some background info on Angiosacroma.this is not the patient I scanned it is only an example in angiosarcomaStewart -Treves syndrome is a rare, deadly cutaneous angiosarcoma that develops in long-standing chronic lymphedema. Most commonly, this tumor is a result of lymphedema induced by radical mastectomy to treat breast cancer. Unfortunately, although the breast cancer may be cured with such radical surgery, this second primary cancer may be responsible for the patient?s worsening course. The term Stewart-Treves syndrome is broadly applied to an angiosarcoma that ari...
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ZenniOptical.com Amazing prices on eyeglasses.
2008-02-10 17:12:00
When I saw this website offering eyeglasses for $ 8 complete prescription eyeglasses + case I thought this was too good to be true. I started to read reviews about experiences with Zenni Optical. People are very happy with the results from this company. They are able to get affordable glasses when they may not have been able to do so in the past. There is a high quality selection of frames. Here are some of the new Titanium frames.You will find huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic)lens, tinted suglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. You also can apply sunglass color tint coating to your lens (7 colors) or antisreflective coating .http://www.zennioptical.com/The Secret to Zenni's Low Prices is that they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer, with no middlemen and virtually no advertising budget. This is great in case you loose a pair they are easy and cheap to replace. They also have a very stylish selction. Yo...
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Cardiac CTA visualizes cardiovascular disease as well as interventional hea
2008-02-03 16:29:00
January 30, 2008Last night I had the privilege to listen to David Bush MD from John Hopkins speak at Parrish Medical Center. He was very informative about the topic of heart disease and Cardiac CTA. With all of the talk of cut backs on Medicare reimbursements in this area I find it hard to believe that this exam should be considered. CTAs of the Heart are becoming the industry standard for patients that are not experience acute MI symptoms. Those patients will always needs immediate action taken by a cardiologist in a Cathlab setting.The results the cardiovascular CT imaging community has been waiting for two years are in: Sixty-four-slice CT meets cardiac catheterization in the primary diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and disorders in all populations, according to results of the CorE 64 study announced Monday by Julie Miller, MD, lead investigator of the study and assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. The study also...
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Thomas Laupstad and I?m a photographer from Northern Norway
2008-01-24 00:31:00
Thomas Laupstad from Northern Norway Prints of his work can be bought over at Imagekind. Just a few of his photos are available, but all photos seen on this site can be printed upon request.Sunset picture from winter afternoon in Northern Norway - The sun has come backJanuary 22nd, 2008 · 8 CommentsTaken with Olympus E500 digital camera January 21st 2008. Click image for larger view.The sun has finally come back here in Northern Norway, but because of clouds I have yet to actually see it. Later in the afternoon I got to see this spectacular winter sunset and because of the warm, still weather it felt like spring time. Had to take some pictures to share the sunset with you. Take a look at these great pictures !!!
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NIH Normal Brain study
2008-01-21 18:58:00
Below are some images from our gallery. Please click for full view. Image A) Images of T1W, T2W, DTI Fiber Orientations, Fractional Anisotropy at various stages of development. Image B) Animation of a T1W image from 3 months to 11 months. C) Cortical thickness outputClick here
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Radrounds
2008-01-21 17:28:00
I found this cool place called Radrounds after going to Neuroraz webpage. This is set up alot like Facebook for radiologist. It is a place to meet with others from around the world and post intresting cases. take a look. http://www.radrounds.com/

Sumers Radiology site nominated as Best medical blog
2008-01-21 17:09:00
Check out Sumers site It is full of great content.Sumer?s Radiology Site gets nominated as one of the finalist in Best Clinical Sciences Blog CategoryDear friendsIt gives me great pleasure to share with you that my website- Sumer?s Radiology Site has been nominated into the finalists for the best clinical sciences blog on Medgadget Journal.Here is one intresting case on cerebral vasculitis
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3d medical record
2008-01-21 16:57:00
The idea is to have a rendered 3D representation of the anatomy of the patient, and to use that as a basis for the record. This is reported in IEEE Spectrum.Visualizing Electronic Health Record s With ?Google-Earth for the Body? By Robert N. CharetteJanuary 2008Andre Elisseeff leads a research team at IBM?s Zurich Research Lab that in September demonstrated a prototype system that will allow doctors to view their patients? electronic health record (eHR) using three-dimensional images of the human body. Called the Anatomic and Symbolic Mapper Engine, the system maps the information in a patient?s eHR to a 3-D image of the human body. A doctor first clicks the computer mouse on a particular part of the image, which triggers a search of the patient?s eHR to retrieve the relevant information. The patient?s information corresponding to that part of the image is then displayed, including text entries, lab results, and medical images, such as magnetic resource imaging.Elisseeff hopes that b...
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Laser infared energy for stroke treatment
2008-01-21 16:20:00
Laser Light for Stroke Treatment Filed under: NeurologyPhotoThera, a company out of Carlsbad, California, is currently conducting clinical trials of their experimental laser system for the treatment of strokes. Using a near-infrared laser that is capable of reaching the brain through the scalp, it is thought that the light can help reinvigorate cells in the ischemic milieu.To prevent Quire's [Linda Quire, stroke patient at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison --ed.] penumbra from going over to the dark side, two things had to occur.First, the laser treatment would have to work. Although animal studies and limited human research suggest it might be effective, the treatment still is in the experimental stage and its value has yet to be proved.Second, Quire would have to get the actual laser treatment. Under the protocol of the clinical trial, half the patients get the treatment and half get a sham treatment. Neither the doctor nor the patients know who is getting treated.Essent...
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