Image-processing Algorithm Cuts CT Radiation by 95 Pct

A novel image-processing algorithm makes use of 20-times less radiation to produce the information needed by radiologists.

Perfusion CT scanning, an emerging imaging technology, was slammed in 2009 when a machine set to incorrect radiation levels overdosed hundreds of people in Los Angeles.

Radiologists Can Decrease Radiation Dose Delivered To The Patient During CT Angiography: Study
Prospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating can significantly reduce the patient radiation dose delivered during computed tomography (CT) angiography, suggests a new study.

After the incident, researchers at the Mayo Clinic have developed a way to reduce the amount of radiation involved in the procedure which, when done properly, already involves very little risk.

At the correct dose, there should be no injury," said Cynthia McCollough.

"We believe in the clinical value of perfusion CT, so we're trying to lower the dose and reduce the stigma," she added.

England Needs More Consultant Radiologists to Meet Rising Demand
Around 1300 extra consultant radiologists are needed in England over the coming years if the NHS is to meet the increasing demand for emergency interventional treatments.

McCollough and her colleagues created a new image-processing algorithm that can give radiologists all of the information they need using as up to 20 times less radiation, depending on the diagnostic application.

A typical CT perfusion procedure lasts about half a minute and scans the same tissue many times, each scan at a low dose.

Radiologists Shifting to Digital Mammograms in US
More and more radiologists are switching from traditional X-ray film to digital mammograms, despite some glitches.

"When we use very low doses, the noise gets so high that it's hard to tell what you are seeing," said Juan Carlos Ramirez Giraldo.

"With this algorithm, we're trying to maintain both the image quality, so that a doctor can recognize the anatomic structures, and the functional information, which is conveyed by analyzing the flow of the contrast agent over the many low dose scans," he added.

Radiologists's Productivity Inproves With Baroque Classical Music
A new study on radiologists has suggested that playing baroque classical music in the reading room can help improve mood and productivity.

"We're up to 15 or 20 cases that we've shown to the docs, and they're all giving us the thumbs up," said McCollough.

The research will be presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) in Philadelphia.

Source-ANI