Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Radiology for December 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Catheter Ablation Tops Drug Therapy for A-Fib in Heart Failure
MONDAY, Dec. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Catheter ablation is better than drug therapy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure, according to a review published online Dec. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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New Guidelines Address Care for Malignant Pleural Effusions
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — New clinical practice guidelines for the management of malignant pleural effusions were published in the January issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Risk for Breast Cancer Increased With False-Positive Screening Result
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women with prior false-positive screening results have an increased risk for screen-detected and interval breast cancer for more than 10 years, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the British Journal of Cancer.
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Obese Patients Exposed to Higher Radiation Doses for X-Rays
FRIDAY, Dec. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patients with obesity undergoing projection radiography receive a higher dose area product (DAP) than normal-weight adults, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in the Journal of Radiological Protection.
Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.
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Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
New AAP Guideline Available for Infantile Hemangioma Treatment
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed its first guideline for the management of infantile hemangiomas (IHs); the clinical practice guideline was published online Dec. 24 in Pediatrics.
Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.
Food Allergy Linked to Increased Multiple Sclerosis Activity
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), food allergy is associated with a greater number of attacks and with a higher likelihood of gadolinium-enhancing lesions, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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Modifying Criteria for Amnestic MCI Dx Increases Prognostic Accuracy
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Modifying diagnostic criteria to require impairment on at least two memory tests for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis can improve prediction of medial temporal atrophy and conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Brain Imaging and Behavior.
Liver Proton Density Fat Fraction Drops After Bariatric Surgery
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The average liver proton density fat fraction (PDFF) normalizes by a mean of 22.5 weeks after bariatric surgery, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Radiology.
Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Chest CT Can ID Respiratory AE Risk in RA Patients on Biologics
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Chest computed tomography (CT) findings may identify risk factors for respiratory adverse events (RAEs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients undergoing long-term biological therapy, according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
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Cisplatin Superior to Cetuximab for HPV+ Oropharyngeal Cancer
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive low-risk oropharyngeal cancer, cetuximab shows no benefit compared with the standard cisplatin regimen in terms of reduced toxicity and results in worse tumor control, according to a study recently published in The Lancet.
Certain Sites of Brain Lesions in MS Tied to Bowel Incontinence
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Specific locations of cerebral multiple sclerosis lesions appear to be associated with bowel incontinence, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in the Journal of Neuroimaging.
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Persistent Discrimination ID’d Among Physician Mothers
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician mothers experience discrimination in a range of ways, which can impact the medical profession, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.
Novel Breast Imaging Technique Might Cut Unnecessary Biopsies
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A novel technique, quantitative three-compartment breast (3CB) image analysis of dual-energy mammography combined with mammography radiomics, could reduce unnecessary breast biopsies, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in Radiology.
Medication Errors Resulting in Death Most Common in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors in acute care that result in death occur most often in patients older than 75 years, with the most common error category being omitted medicine or ingredient, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.
Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act Down From Last Year
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is down with just days left to sign up, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
2017 Saw Slowing in National Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National health care spending slowed in 2017, according to a report published online Dec. 6 in Health Affairs.
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U.S. Medical Schools See Increase in Diversity
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After implementation of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) diversity accreditation standards, U.S. medical schools saw increasing percentages of female, black, and Hispanic matriculants, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Paid Childbearing Policies Lacking for Residents
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Policies for paid childbearing or family leave for residents are lacking at top-ranking medical schools and may be exacerbated by lack of direction from specialty boards, according to two research letters published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Breast CA Detection Rate Up With Digital Mammography in the U.K.
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Digital mammography (DM) has increased the overall cancer detection rate by 14 percent, with higher detection rates for grade 1 and 2 invasive cancers, according to research published online Dec. 11 in Radiology.
Visual Registration + Image Fusion Best for Targeted Biopsy
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The combination of visual registration and image fusion should be used when targeted biopsy is being performed on men with suspected prostate cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in European Urology.
HIT-Related Stress Linked to Burnout Among Physicians
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stress related to use of health information technology (HIT) is common and predictive of burnout among physicians, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
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Veterans Health Administration Hospitals Outperform Non-VHAs
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals outperform non-VHA hospitals for 14 of 15 outcome measures in 121 regions, according to a research letter published online Dec. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Most Insured Patients Not Using Online Portals
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of insured adults with a previous health care visit did not use an online patient portal in 2017, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
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Breast Screening Linked to Lower Risk for Breast Cancer Death
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Women who have participated in mammography screening have a lower risk for dying from breast cancer within 10 and 20 years after diagnosis, according to a study recently published in Cancer.
Few Physicians Work in Practices That Use Telemedicine
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only 15.4 percent of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine for a wide spectrum of patient interactions, with larger practice size being an important correlate of telemedicine use, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
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Imaging, Biopsy Often Still Needed After Mastectomy
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Subsequent imaging is required for 10 to 15.5 percent of women who undergo mastectomy, according to a study published in the December issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
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HHS Issues Draft Strategy for Reducing Health IT Burden
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a draft strategy to reduce the health information technology (IT) burden, and the strategy is open for public comment through Jan. 28, 2019.
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