Hiatt's Insights
Substituting the Stethoscope with a Scan
Substituting the Stethoscope with a Scan As a radiologist, I have seen the occasional substitution of the stethoscope with the CT scanner, of the physical exam with the PET scan, of clinical thinking with clinical testing. I remember working in the emergency department of a university hospital. Commonly, teams of consulting doctors would come to the dark room in which I read films to see their patients' studies and ask for my interpretation.
• October 31, 2011
Can The Risk Of Breast Cancer From CT Radiation Be Reduced?
Can the risk of breast cancer from CT radiation be reduced? Breast radiation dose to females during CT imaging is a significant concern because of the potential for development of cancer. The percentage of patients developing cancer as a result of radiation exposure is dependent upon the age of the patient and the radiation dose to the breasts (Einstein AJ et al., JAMA 2007; 298(3): 317-323). Industry responses include partial volume scanning, improved collimation to reduce overscanning, iterative reconstruction techniques, bismuth shields, and breast displacement. These responses can be divided into hardware and software equipment developed by CT manufacturers and equipment actively protecting women being scanned by either shielding or moving their breast tissue. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of these approaches.
• October 19, 2011
Henda’s Law Goes Into Effect
Here in Texas, where HealthHelp is headquartered, a new law relating to mammography went into effect Sept. 1. Popularly known as "Henda's Law," H.B. 2102 requires the following to be conveyed verbatim by a mammography facility to each woman upon completion of her mammogram in Texas: “If your mammogram demonstrates that you have dense breast tissue, which could hide abnormalities, and you have other risk factors for breast cancer that have been identified, you might benefit from supplemental screening tests that may be suggested by your ordering physician. “Dense breast tissue, in and of itself, is a relatively common condition. Therefore, this information is not provided to cause undue concern, but rather to raise your awareness and to promote discussion with your physician regarding the presence of other risk factors, in addition to dense breast tissue. “A report of your mammogram results will be sent to you and your physician. You should contact your physician if you have any questions or concerns regarding this report.”
• September 28, 2011
Weighing Advantages and Disadvantages of CT Screening for Lung Cancer
A recent National Cancer Institute (NCI) study proclaimed a clear advantage to CT screening for lung cancer in patients with a long history of smoking.
As a result, many smokers are clamoring for the exam, and imaging centers are happy to oblige by performing this profitable procedure, as reported in a recent USA Today article.
Definitely profitable, but preliminarily helpful to only certain patients with defined characteristics. Furthermore, this type of screening is still an uncovered indication for Medicare subscribers.
• August 30, 2011
