SNMMI SmartBrief

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November 21, 2012

News for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging professionals

The news summaries appearing in SNMMI SmartBrief are based on original information from multiple internet sources and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The items below are not selected or reviewed by SNMMI prior to publication. Questions and comments may be directed to SmartBrief at snmmi@smartbrief.com.

Top Story

Many Medicare beneficiaries undergo repeat diagnostic testing
Between a third and a half of six common diagnostic tests for Medicare patients, including nuclear imaging stress tests, were repeated on patients from 2004 to 2006, according to a study that examined the records of a sample of patients. Researchers reported their results in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Retesting can be medically appropriate, including as a way to monitor whether treatments are working, but it can be a factor in overdiagnosis and adds to health care costs, experts said. HealthDay News (11/19) , MedPage Today(free registration) (11/19)

Clinical News & Research

PET, MRI study provides clues on Tourette Syndrome
Researchers using PET with carbon-11 flumazenil and structural MRI found that patients with Tourette Syndrome have lower binding of gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic receptors in the ventral striatum, globus pallidus, thalamus, amygdala and right insula. The study findings are consistent with long-held theories about the disease concerning the disinhibition of particular circuits in the brain. Medscape (free registration) (11/20)

Industry Report

IBA sees lower PET, SPECT volume for Q3
Radiopharmaceutical company Ion Beam Applications reported higher revenue for the third quarter compared with the same period in 2011, owing to a strong equipment segment and dosimetry business. IBA, however, saw weakness in its molecular division, driven by price pressures on FDG-PET radiopharmaceuticals in Europe and a decline in volume of PET in the U.S. and SPECT in Europe. AuntMinnie.com (free registration) (11/20)

News from the Field

Societies update guidelines for stable ischemic heart disease
An expert panel representing seven health care associations has issued guidelines to update the treatment approach for stable ischemic heart disease. The guidelines include 48 recommendations for diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment. Patients with uninterpretable ECG who can exercise may have an exercise stress with nuclear MPI or echocardiography to address intermediate to high risk of IHD, while patients who can't exercise may have nuclear MPI or echocardiography with pharmacologic stress, according to the guidelines. TCTMD.com (11/19) , TheHeart.org (Montreal)(free registration) (11/19) , Forbes (11/19)

MedInt, Nuance work to ease radiation dose data reporting
MedInt Holdings and Nuance Communications said they are combining their products to make radiation dose data on medical imaging scans more accessible. The partnership will allow MedInt to integrate its Imalogix software, used to autopopulate radiation dose data, with Nuance's PowerScribe 360 reporting system. AuntMinnie.com (free registration) (11/20)

Health Policy

ONC launches beta version of stage 2 EHR certification testing tool
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has launched a beta version of Cypress, an open-source certification testing software for calculating and reporting clinical quality standards in the second stage of the federal meaningful use program for EHRs. The tool will be provided free to testing labs and vendors. Health Data Management (11/19)

Advancing Health Care

Big Pharma firms work together on clinical databank
Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. and Eli Lilly & Co. are pooling information about clinical investigators in an effort to speed the clinical trial process and avoid repeating one another's efforts. The databank will make information on investigators' clinical practice training available across the three firms, allowing investigators looking into a new indication or disease to forgo training at one firm if they have already had the appropriate training at another. Reducing the administrative burden will effectively expand the pool of investigators, said Dr. Andreas Koester, chief of clinical trial innovation at J&J unit Janssen Research & Development. Pharmalot.com/Pharma Blog (11/16)

From SNMMI

Beta-amyloid imaging appropriate use criteria available for comment
SNMMI and the Alzheimer's Association have developed draft appropriate use criteria for beta-amyloid imaging that are available for comment through Dec. 6. View and comment.

Thanks from SNMMI!
In honor of Thanksgiving, SNMMI would like to say thank you to all of its members, volunteers and partners — in the United States and internationally — for your support of the society. We appreciate your contributions to the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.

Editor's Note

SmartBrief will not publish Thursday and Friday
In observance of Thanksgiving in the U.S., SmartBrief will not be published Thursday and Friday. Publication will resume Monday. Enjoy the holiday!

SmartQuote

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'thank you,' that would suffice."

--Meister Eckhart,
German theologian and philosopher

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