Proton therapy is a type of stereotactic radiosurgery that uses proton beams instead of X-rays. In proton therapy, a beam of protons is used to blast diseased tissue precisely. It extracts positively charged protons from hydrogen gas and accelerates them through a cyclotron, or particle accelerator, up to nearly two-thirds the speed of light. The protons are guided to the tumor site by powerful magnetic and electrical fields, and carry just enough charge to reach a precise point in the tumor.
Imaging/Diagnostic Services
What’s New in Radiology? Highlights of the RSNA 2015 Annual Meeting
The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in late November 2015 is the premier scientific and educational meeting that brings together radiologists, oncologists, physicists, radiological technologists, and allied healthcare professionals from around the world. This meeting used to be dominated by “heavy metal” with flashy introductions of new imaging modalities. Today, there is more emphasis on smaller, light-weight, mobile, and more versatile equipment, along with new software enhancements for existing equipment to provide better clinical data and workflow productivity.
What is Capsule Endoscopy?
Modern endoscopy techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, and duodenum) and the colon. The last remaining frontier has been the small intestine. The small intestine has been a difficult organ in which to make diagnoses and treat without performing surgery. Radiological procedures, specifically the upper GI, which involves following swallowed barium as it passes through the intestine with x-ray films, have been available for diagnosis but these radiological procedures are time-consuming and are not accurate in identifying small tumors and other subtle abnormalities of the small intestine.
Imaging is Going Mobile With Smart Phones
Radiologists can accurately diagnose acute appendicitis from a remote location with the use of a handheld device or mobile phone equipped with special software, according to a study presented last fall at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). A physician in the division of neuroradiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore presented results from a study that found that radiologists were able to correctly diagnose appendicitis using an iPhone 3G equipped with OsiriX Mobile medical imaging viewing software. Fifteen of the 25 patients were correctly identified as having acute appendicitis on 74 of 75 (99 percent) interpretations with one false negative. There were no false positive readings. The iPhone interpretations of the CT scans were as accurate as the interpretations viewed on dedicated picture-archiving and communication system (PACS) workstations according to the study’s author. The $20 application is far cheaper than most imaging software. However, physicians and hospitals will likely be reluctant to use mobile software until they feel confident that it is comparable to traditional alternatives when it comes to security and quality. Patients with smart phones could also download the software and potentially carry around a library of their personal medical images.
New Options for MRI — Open, Closed, or Standing
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses magnets, radio waves and computers to see detailed images of the internal structures of the body. This technology can be used to diagnose trauma, strokes, problems with the aorta and problems with soft tissues. There are two main types of MRI machines ― open and closed. They both have a top over the patient. The main difference is in their size and how much the machine surrounds the patient. A closed machine has a smaller and more narrow tube and provides the best images.
3D Mammography is a New Screening and Diagnostic Tool
Tomosynthesis (also know as 3D mammography) is a revolutionary screening and diagnostic tool designed for early detection of breast cancer that can be done in conjunction with a traditional 2D digital mammogram. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011, it is becoming more common in the U.S. During the 3D portion of the exam, the X-ray arm — which uses a comparable radiation dose to a traditional mammogram — sweeps in a slight arc over the breast, taking multiple images in a matter of seconds. A computer then produces a 3D image of the breast tissue in one millimeter slices, providing greater visibility for the radiologist to see tissue details — potentially providing greater accuracy, earlier breast cancer detection, and a decrease in biopsies and recall rates.
Hologic makes the only equipment approved by the FDA. General Electric and Siemens market tomosynthesis equipment overseas and expect to introduce it in the U.S. It is estimated that more than six million American women will undergo tomosynthesis this year.