Original research

Absolute cutting edge research in the latest (July 2006) edition of Radiology journal--M. Beth McCarville et al write about "Angiogenesis Inhibitors in a Murine Neuroblastoma Model: Quantitative Assessment of Intratumoral Blood Flow with Contrast-enhanced Gray-Scale US "

Their results support the hypothesis that gray-scale US measurements of microbubble contrast agent flow can be used to measure the functional consequences of antiangiogenic therapy in orthotopic tumors, and, at least to some degree, they reflect histologic changes in tumor vascularity. Radiology 2006 240: 73-81 (DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2401050709). Contrary to the previous use of US contrast with doppler/ power doppler images the authors have used grey scale US to assess tumors. Read about this at http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/abstract/240/1/73
The full text article is available at IRIA HQ and can be viewed only at IRIA house.

There is also an editorial about this research in the same issue: "Will Improved Assessment of Response to Antiangiogenic Therapies Be Achieved with Contrast-enhanced Gray-Scale US?" authored by Jonathan B. Kruskal

Evidence based imaging

Check out this fantastic CME on medscape on the appropriateness of imaging modalities at http://www.medscape.com/viewprogram/4462?src=sr

Also see this great CME on Imaging Screening and Wellness: What to Tell Patients and Referring Clinicians by Bruce J. Hillman, MD . The article talks about various screening strategies for patients in times of wellness and finds most of them to be cost-ineffective except for Calcium scoring for coronary artery disease, CT virtual colonoscopy for colon cancer and CT Chest for Lung Ca. Whole body CT screening is an absolute no-no. Read more about this on http://www.medscape.com/viewprogram/5499_pnt

MR in spondylolisthesis

Dynamic Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: Diagnosis With Axial Loaded Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Posted 05/30/2006
Prakash Jayakumar, MBBS, BSc (Hons); Colin Nnadi, FRCS (Eng); Asif Saifuddin, MRCP, FRCR; Emer MacSweeney, FRCR; Adrian Casey, FRCS
Check out this article on a brand new technique of axial loaded MR to detect degenerative spondylolisthesis which can otherwise be detected on erect XRays but may get missed on a routine MRI without axial loading. Read about it on:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/532037?src=mp

Percutaneous Vertebroplasty

From Spine
Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: Functional Improvement in Patients With Osteoporotic Compression Fractures
Posted 05/30/2006
Luis Álvarez, MD; María Alcaraz, MD; Antonio Pérez-Higueras, MD; Juan J. Granizo, MD; Ignacio de Miguel, MD; Roberto Rossi, E.; Diana Quiñones, MD

Check out this article at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/532038?src=mp

The article talks about how percutaneous vertebroplasty significantly improves functional quality of life in patients with osteoporotic compression fractures.

Cardiac CT us Vs. them

Check out a new artice on Medscape regarding cardiac CT using the link http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/533036?src=mp
It's interesting to see that physicians world-over are reluctant to prescribe CCTA because the patient may require a conventional catheter angio later and this may just add to his lifetime radiation exposure.

Also see an an interview on Cardiac MR--use it or lose it, on turf battles between cardiologists and radiologists on the use of Cardiac MR. Check it out at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/528832?src=sr

Another article on relative and absolute contraindications for CCTA is an absolute must-read for those who are interested in or performing CCTA. Read it at aunt minnie http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=car&Pag=dis&ItemId=71696&wf=1073&d=1

A comparison between MR and CT for assessment of coronary arteries gives CT a definitive edge. Check this out at http://www.auntminnie.com/index.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=cto&Pag=dis&ItemId=72438&wf=1243