According to a study presented by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital a rapid decline in metabolic activity on a PET scan after radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer is correlated with good local tumor control. In addition, the researchers also found that the higher the metabolic activity and tumor size on a PET scan before treatment, the more likely a patient is to die from lung cancer.

Memorial Hermann Imaging Center (Richmond Avenue) has the state’s first Siemens MAGNETOM(R) Verio Open Bore 3T MRI. This state-of-the-art machine allows for more precise diagnosis, better pre-surgical planning and exceptional patient comfort. With the open bore design, the tight confines in older MRIs are a thing of the past. In this device, the bore, or the long tube, is more than two feet wide and only four feet long.

UCF’s Teaching Academy has put on display a new brain-scanning instrument with the potential to aid research in mental illness, stroke rehabilitation, seizure detection and learning disorders. The instrument, also called the functional Near-Infrared Imaging system, was developed by Hitachi Medical Corp., an international medical-supply developer in Tokyo. The system uses infrared light to monitor oxygen levels in the brain, which are associated with increased brain activity and performance.

The University of Florida (UF) Veterinary Medical Center has installed a new clinical imaging system to enable veterinarians to obtain diagnostic images of previously inaccessible and larger parts of the body, such as the upper legs of horses. The new 1.5 Tesla Titan MR, made by Toshiba, has never previously been used by any academic veterinary medical center in the United States.

BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG has announced the European launch of its new, unified platform pacemaker series, Evia, and several new products to further strengthen its bradycardia portfolio. Evia pacemakers are already designed to be MRI-conditionaland BIOTRONIK is planning to launch a new pacemaker-lead system which will be MRI-compatible under specific conditions during the first half of 2010.

SonoSite’s NanoMaxx ultrasound system has just received FDA approval. The NanoMaxx system relies on SonoSite’s advanced proprietary imaging algorithms, including SonoMB and SonoAdapt to offer superior image quality in a lightweight, rugged form factor. Since it is fully portable, it can be used in several places including busy clinics, ambulances, emergency rooms and other places where ultrasound is required.

The FDA has announced the release of a draft guidance entitled “The Mammography Quality Standards Act Final Regulations: Modifications and Additions to Policy Guidance Help System 13.” The document is aimed at providing the FDA’s current view on the final regulations implementing the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 MQSA) to the mammography facilities and their personnel. Some of the points addressed in the draft guidance are:
•    General guidance regarding Additional Mammography Reviews (AMRs)
•    Previously approved alternative standards
•    Labeling of mammographic images
•    Mammographic modality and its impact on personnel experience requirements

The University of Illinois at Chicago recently unveiled this new generation magnetic resonance imaging (popularly called MRI) machine, which has a magnetic field strength more than three times that of the state-of-the-art clinical units. The world’s most powerful MRI can detect brain tumors and diseases such as Alzheimer’s even before actual symptoms appear. The FDA has approved the use of the device for certain research projects.

Positron Corp, a molecular imaging solutions company focused on Nuclear Cardiology, will be showcasing its newly developed cardiac optimized PET scanner, the Attrius, at the 14th Annual American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) annual conference in Minneapolis. The demand for Cardiovascular PET imaging is rapidly increasing as it enables the physician to provide better patient care, accurate diagnoses and the potential to reduce unnecessary procedures and radiation exposure. Joseph Oliverio, Chief Technology Officer of Positron said, “The Attrius has a small footprint, robust standard cardiovascular software package, competitive scan times and an affordable cost of entry making the AttriusTM the right choice for enhancing the capabilities of a Cardiovascular practices, while providing better care.”

NeuroLogica Corporation has received the 510(k) clearance from the FDA for the SPECT (single photon emission computed tomograph). The inSPira HD is a mobile system that runs on batteries and can be moved around hospital wards if necessary. Image quality of inSPira HD is close to that of PET with the resulting reconstructed spatial resolution as high as 3.0mm. inSPira HD is capable of imaging all available neuro radiotracers offering a broad range of clinical applications including Epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Stroke and Alzheimer’s.