Some Interesting Facts About Radiology

Do you ever wonder about diagnostic imaging?  More specifically, do you ever wonder about radiology? Let’s face it, the world of medicine, advanced medicine, were it not for diagnostic imaging modalities. MRI scans, CT scans, X-Rays, and many other tests are what help determine everything from complex conditions to ways in which to treat them. We know that radiation is a part of it but what do you know about radiology?

Radiology is defined as the science of dealing with X-Rays and other high energy radiation. Let’s look at some other radiology facts:

1. All modalities in radiology are given around the clock coverage.
2. Radiologists require work stations so that the work put into one image flows effectively from person to person.
3. Some forms of radiology are procedural.

Patients come and go at all hours of the day, if a patient is seen at an emergency room it is vital to have someone run the MRI scanner, or CT scanner, or X-Ray machine in order to find out what may be wrong with that patient. Imaging studies are almost always necessary. The workflow is a key to successful imaging practices and often times it means the reputation of the center, hospital, or facility.

Workflow goes beyond just getting an image, the radiologist has to be able to read it, know what he is looking at and have the certainty that everyone has done their jobs right. The tech has to do his/her job right while everyone else present from nurses to assistants have to know what they are doing at all times. Radiology is not just looking at X-Rays, sometimes there are procedures involved.

A radiology procedure will involve a minimally invasive procedure that will employ imaging. While the procedure does not sound like a life altering surgery, it may mean the difference between life and death to some patients, patients that may be on the cusp of dealing with complex conditions. Radiology has a big overall impact when it comes to playing a role in situations that we may face.

If you have any questions regarding diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of imaging professionals looks forward to answering your questions and aiding you in your imaging needs. 


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The Breast Cancer Screening Alternative

When you think of screening for breast cancer you tend to think of mammography, the gold standard. The great thing about mammography is the fact that most of the time it will discover tumors, it doesn’t matter if they are benign, malign, or what the stage is. The difficulty is in the density of the breast, the denser the breast tissue, the more difficult to detect a lesion. Part of the concern with this difficulty is that while the tumor will be discovered, there is a definite chance that the tumor itself will likely be at an advanced stage.

According to some, a possible solution is the breast MRI. The problem with the breast MRI is that it’s currently priced in a very high range. Part of the difficulty that a lot of patients have is the cost of certain procedures varies from area to area. Even with better coverage there is the concern of high biopsy rates. Still even with all of these concerns there is a belief that the breast MRI will become the gold standard for finding tumors.

While this idea may well be a serious possibility, it’s important to note that before the breast MRI becomes a gold standard in terms of advocacy, pricing has to change. Even after pricing has changed, it is crucial that people performing the breast MRI can prove through studies and patient history that the breast MRI is as effective as and more effective than the mammography.

In the end there is another concern that centers on the length of time that the mammography has been around in comparison to a breast MRI. The MRI has been around about twenty years less than the mammography. It will be interesting to see how heavily advocacy groups will try to monitor the breast MRI as compared to the mammography.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures such as the MRI, or mammography please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated and experienced imaging professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering your questions and aiding you in all your diagnostic imaging needs.  

Evolution of diagnostic imaging

The X-Ray is the cornerstone of diagnostic imaging. Without the “wondrous” X-ray the world of diagnostic imaging is would not be where it is. With evolution allowing technology to move forward at a rapid pace, it’s easy to see how new technologies are revolutionizing the present and future of diagnostic imaging. The latest big possibility on the horizon is the use of 3D live introperative holography.

The technology allows the physician to go ahead and interact with the organ. The organ that was used was the heart, the imaging technology was used during 8 minimally invasive procedures. The technology allows the physician to use the scalpel and look at the organ prior to the procedure.

It was stated in the article published in medgadget.com that “Surgeons working on the heart in a minimally invasive fashion have to do quite a bit of interpolating and imagining of where their instruments are in relation to the anatomy and how that anatomy is different from that of other patients.” This only talks about the heart and surgery but the possibility for something far greater are already there.

The technology is new and the interesting thing is the implications that it may have on imaging in the future. There is a distinct possibility that the next step may well be holographic imaging. The ability to tell a patient what their prognosis is with an interactive hologram may be the next big thing in the market.

The cost of this type of technology may be huge when considering you are talking about a way to interact with an image. This kind of technology will certainly provide a new opening in the ever-expanding medical technology sector and provide new opportunities for everyone trying to get into the business.

It will be interesting to see if this makes the X-Ray an obsolete technology within the next few years. It will probably be a while before that happens if it actually does happen.

3D Mammography May be the Difference

Any form of cancer, breast cancer included, has the distinct and highly dangerous ability to hide. In other words treatment may well be beating out the cancer but it won’t necessarily eradicate all of it. It appears as if though mammography performed in 3D may be the solution to this particular issue. 

In a study of over 500,000 mammograms, a fraction done in 3D, it was discovered that 3d scanning may be able to spot more than a regular scan. While it’s unnerving to think that the cancer is so powerful it’s good to know that there are ways to figure out how much of it there really is and the dangers it presents. 

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to contact us. We here at Clermont Imaging look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

Sources:

http://news.yahoo.com/3-d-mammogram-scans-may-more-breast-cancer-205041899.html

Breast Cancer Suppressant

When we think of cancer we can safely liken it to a nasty creature that lurks around at night. According to research nighttime is the best time for cancer to grow. Knowing this, it almost makes you want to avoid going to sleep so you can keep the cancer away. One of the more aggressive forms of cancer is breast cancer, which unfortunately has become an apex predator among women.

Apparently making sure to administer certain types of hormone treatments, including GC hormone, can suppress, if not avoid, the growth of cancer. Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones affect the body by activating specialized GC receptors located inside of cells. While cancer, especially breast cancer continues to be a major concern the knowledge from this particular development goes a long way.

If you have any questions about breast cancer prevention or mammograms please feel free to give us a call. We here at Clermont radiology are eager to help you address all your concerns.

Sources:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/283558.php

Potential Breast Cancer Treatments

Brest cancer is far from being cured so it’s definitely promising to hear that potential treatments beyond radiation are actually being sought out. According to medicalnewstoday.com “Researchers at the University of Michigan have described a new approach to discovering potential cancer treatments that requires a fraction of the time needed for more traditional methods.” This is incredibly promising when you think about how long there has been a strong push to eradicate breast cancer.

The main problem with new drugs is making sure that the healthy cells manage to stay healthy. The many challenges presented by this particular problem require research and as stated “Discovering new targets for cancer therapeutics is a long and tedious undertaking, and identifying and developing a potential drug to specifically hit that target without harming healthy cells is a daunting task.”

The work has paid off because as they stated “They discovered a particular antibody 4C3, that was able to almost completely stop the proliferation of the breast cancer cells. They then identified the molecule on the cancer cells that the antibody targets.” It’s not yet known how truly effective 4C3 will be but the hope is that it will be a big factor in the current battle against breast cancer.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call. We at Clermont Imaging look forward to answer any questions you may have. 

Rates of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is that one uninvited guest that makes the dinner table an uncomfortable place. With what we know about breast cancer we do our best to avoid it. Through early detection and proper treatment the patient always has a good chance for survival. Women tend to question if factors such as age, family history, diet and so on, play a part in breast cancer diagnosis.

There are often other factors that determine, or may determine a patient’s chances for getting breast cancer. Geography actually plays a part in that particular equation. Living in poor areas of the country may actually increase a woman’s risk. It’s not that environment plays a part so much as having the means or the facilities near by in order to get the proper tests or treatments.

A good example is women in the Appalachian region. According to an article in auntminnie.com “Older women living in the poorest areas of Appalachia fail to get regular breast cancer screening and have a higher incidence of late-stage breast cancer.” In part this has to do with scarcity of financial resources in those areas. One critical point made by the article was the fact that Appalachia as a whole is massive and it also has a massive shortage of health professionals. It was stated that “Appalachia is made up of 420 contiguous counties across 13 states. In 2010, 69% of these counties were classified as "health professional shortage areas," and 91% of the most economically stressed counties in Appalachia were designated as shortage areas, according to Anderson's team. The incidence of late-stage breast cancer in Appalachia is a strong indicator of preventable breast cancer disparity, and it is influenced, in part, by a lack of regular access to mammography.”

With as strong as advocacy for breast cancer is, it’s vital to make this a serious focus. All women need to have access to facilities and healthcare professionals that may be able to help them. This is something that represents a major challenge for people in the advocacy role but it needs to be addressed. Diagnostic imaging procedures play a major role and it’s important that women in these areas find a way to access them. Late stage breast cancer can represent a death sentence. Hopefully, as time goes on, there will be a way to correct this particular problem.

If you have any question about diagnostic imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call.

Support Breast Cancer Awareness

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Encourage the women in your life to get mammograms on a regular basis.

Clermont Radiology’s ACR and FDA accredited Women's Center offers Digital Mammography, Ultrasound, and Bone Densitometry in comfortable, private settings. Our highly trained staff and technicians are on hand to answer questions and provide educational advice.

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Medical Scans and Race Cars, Who Knew?

What do you not think about when thinking about diagnostic imaging?  Chances are you don’t think about your car, or for that matter a race car. Let’s face it, a CT scanner and MRI scanner don’t really move as quickly on a track. It’s also a safe assumption that it’s not very likely to see a race car produce an accurate brain scan. It’s very interesting to note that race cars and scanners do have something in common, auto lubricant.

Apparently auto lubricant makes scanners work ten times faster without sacrificing image quality. Silicon is typically what’s used, when combined with auto lubricant it speeds up. Auto Lubricant is an inexpensive way to help speed up the scan. Researchers at UC- Berkley stated, “Like a book, MoS2 is made of individual sheets. You can tear off a single sheet or a bunch of them and make very thin and thus flexible electronic devices."


This kind of discovery adds an element of affordability considering the affordability of auto lubricant. This also means that diagnostic imaging systems could operate at several thousand rates per second as opposed to hundreds. It’s great to see how something so simple can have such a positive effect on complex technology.


If a scan is sped up it means a smoother process, which means a happier patient. Anything that can be done to make a patient not focus quite as much and the negative aspects of having a scan done is worth trying and implementing. It’s certain that this will be a big hit as time goes on.


It’s early still in this development but chances are that it won’t take long to see the development take steam and create some opportunities.


ClermontRadiology.com

The Fight Rages on to Eradicate Breast Cancer

For many years breast cancer has stood out as a killer of women. The survival rates often times depend heavily on detection as well as many other factors. The decrease in breast cancer is due in large part to the heavy push for early detection through mammography and also preventive procedures. As the push to eradicate breast cancer continues so too does the push to improve existing diagnostic techniques.

According to an article published on medicalnewstoday.com “Digital tomosynthesis is an effective tool for reducing the recall rate in breast cancer screening.” Diagnostic imaging is continuing its move forward in order to aid in the fight against breast cancer. With mammograms improving in terms of quality it’s great to see that there is something other than the known screen tool. According to the article it was stated that “Digital mammography is the gold standard for breast cancer screening, but may yield suspicious findings that turn out not to be cancer.” It’s fair to say that with the big drive against cancer, it’s vital to be certain.

Perhaps with the many new technologies and hybrid modalities coming out, there may be a chance that new developments will only help in the battle. While a CT scan, MRI, or common X-Ray will not soon be the golden standard, the improvements will likely help make those as a strong backup. Considering some of the statistics of breast cancer, it’s a breath of fresh air to see these developments come full circle. The statistics on breast cancer are not, by any extent, relaxing. Some of the following facts are a great example:

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
•  In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
• About 39,520 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2011 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 — especially in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
•  In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.

Breast cancer is a serious and very difficult problem that has been plaguing women in the US and through the world for years. The more that can be done, not only in medical technologies, but in healthcare in general, the more progress that will be made against it.

It’s interesting to see how this particular development will aide in creating new pushes for R&D. With healthcare drivers in emerging markets like the Philippines creating new opportunities for improvement, it will be great to see these types of developments filter out to make things better all around.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. We look forward to answering any questions you may have.

What Diagnostic Imaging Did

Often times people look at diagnostic imaging as unnecessary, or going to far. Past an X-Ray people tend to look at the MRI or CT scan as a bit too much. Imaging does serve a major function and it does provide a service that aides people. Without imaging patients may never discover that they have tumors, complex conditions, and other issues, maybe not as severe. So what exactly is it about imaging that makes it special?

The fact is that diagnostic imaging played a crucial part in aiding the victims of the unfortunate bombing at the Boston Marathon. It was stated in an article published on medscape.com that “In the Boston Marathon bombing, radiologic imaging of blast injuries played a key role in emergency response, with findings illustrating optimal timing and use of modalities and techniques.”  Emergency response in this situation is crucial. There were victims that lost limbs and inhaled enormous quantities of smoke.

The injuries also included negative effects in the vowels, in the ears, and in the lungs. A blast radius that encompasses a large area can create some seriously negative effects on the victims. The Boston Marathon tragedy was one that proved why diagnostic imaging serves such a major purpose.

While a diagnostic imaging procedure may not be comfortable, or for that matter pleasant, it’s definitely necessary, especially in this type of situation. People affected by the bombing were getting horrible ringing in their ears, coughing up a little blood and so on. The article stated that “Prompt imaging was critical for assessing these injuries. Many patients underwent one or more operations, and rehabilitation from the injuries for many patients will be prolonged and difficult.”

While imaging was not the sole solution to this set of problems it was definitely a player with major impact in a tragic situation that changed many lives.

ClermontRadiology.com

A Look at Doctor Damadian

It’s always good to know a little bit about the creation of things. History can be fun and it can also go a long way toward helping people at ease. In diagnostic imaging there is a lot of fun history that can help relax a patient’s mind. So what kind of history is there that people want to learn about? Any modality has something of a fun fact really. MRI and CT scanners, X- Rays, all of them are interesting and reveal the origins of the often feared “procedure.”

If we stop to look we can find fun and interesting facts about the creation, and the creators. If we take a minute we can likely find some interesting facts about the MRI. Let’s see if we can come up with a few interesting facts about the inventor of the MR machine:

• The inventor of the MR machine was Raymond Damadian
• Raymond was a musician; he attended Julliard and played a mean violin.
• Raymond is an MD with a BS in mathematics.
• Served in the US Air Force
• Proposed the first body scanner in 1969, at the age of 33
• Damadian conducted the first experiments on rats.
• His company created the whole body scanner
• He is a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and has been since age 53

While these facts do not necessarily serve as a way to educate a patient on needs for procedures or the nature of procedures themselves, it’s good to know. Often times small talk between a patient and doctor may work to ease the patient’s mind prior to a procedure. It’s certain that a talk about Raymond Damadian’s life and genius achievements will not really make a procedure’s outcome better, but the knowledge may just help alleviate what could be bad news.

If you have any questions about imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call. We here at Clermont Radiology look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

ClermontRadiology.com

Affordable Care Act and Radiology

The affordable care act has been met with both favorable and not so favorable reviews. One interesting thing to question is what the affordable care act may mean for Radiology on an academic level. We know about the tax on medical devices but that’s a different story altogether.

Academic radiology departments are looking at possibly taking new approaches in terms of what’s a necessity for lower volume and higher quality. Some of the newer approaches are the following:

1. Appropriate utilization: Academic radiology departments can provide support to referring physicians for determining when imaging is appropriate.
2. Radiation dose control: ACA will probably increase the volume of imaging orders, and radiologists will need to know which tests to use at the most efficient radiation dose.
3. Reimbursement changes: Although the current fee-for-service model will continue in some form under ACA, new payment models such as bundled payments and pay for performance are gaining ground.
4. Medical informatics: ACA will spark increased use of imaging informatics to track quality, safety, productivity, scheduling, billing, and feedback from patients and referring physicians.
5. Accountable care organizations (ACOs): As ACA is implemented; these groups will play a key role in the effort to curb inappropriate imaging.

This approach from Academic Radiology will certainly help a great deal in part because of the following reasons:

1. Radiation control, as radiation is controlled there is less concern of over exposure and far more focus on quality imaging.
2. Pay for performance actually increases the level of pressure on Radiologists to perform with the utmost care and attention to detail.
3. With ACOs curbing the inappropriate use of imaging there is likely to be so many complaints about so many bills and such little results.

Hopefully these improvements will mean that the patient will properly benefit and be protected from overexposure. While it’s difficult to say if these implications are long term or short term, it’s good to hope for something that will give patients the best service possible.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of imaging experts here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions. We here at Clermont Radiology pride ourselves in providing our patients the best quality imaging with a focus on satisfaction and results.

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

Breast Cancer and Aging

One day you go in to get a mammogram and you find out you have breast cancer. The diagnosis explains why you may be feeling weaker; perhaps some unexplained pain as a result of an unusually bothersome lump. Although lumps are not always painful, to have one, and discover it is cancer can really get inside your head. Breast cancer will affect one in every eight women and ultimately it will have a lagging effect on everyone, not just a woman affected by it.

Breast cancer is not a certain death sentence as it was before advocacy became a big part of the fight against the disease. There are several areas outside of a woman’s physical well being affected by breast cancer and those areas are:

• Family
• Mental Health
• Diet
• Regular Habits

Having breast cancer is a serious challenge; even having an early stage of breast cancer is a major problem. During the early stages a woman’s fear may originate from not knowing whether or not treatment will be effective. There is also a major concern; will the treatment use create an unexpected reaction in the individual? In the end there are so many concerns that they start to have a negative and stressful effect on the woman.

To imagine that you may die and leave loved one behind is a source of stress and feeling like everything has to change. Unfortunately the tolls on mental health are debilitating. It’s not that breast cancer will drive a patient to madness so much as the fact that it will make a patient feel like there’s very little about life that’s positive.

Breast cancer at any stage seems to age women at a fairly rapid rate. The multiple procedures coupled with the treatment that can expand from hormone therapy the chemo therapy and radiation therapy. What ages a woman is not just the therapy but also the stress. Stress and concern over what things may come is a big part of may serve as an aide to aging.

While aging is a natural process it’s vital to a breast cancer patient’s well being not to allow stress and nerves to speed up the process. If you are concerned about possibly having breast cancer, make sure to get your mammograms and also to engage in self exams. It’s vital to ask questions and be aware of the facts of breast cancer. Aging quicker as a result of breast cancer can only worsen the effect of the disease.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures such as the mammogram please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals looks forward to answering your questions and aiding you in all your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

Radiation’s Effects on the Kids, According to the UN

As far as diagnostic imaging is concerned the big concern is radiation. The effects of radiation are serious and can be potentially harmful depending on the patient’s manner of responding. One major concern is the effect of radiation on children, and it has been for years. To make it clear children are not likely to develop cancer from a single procedure, but repeat procedures over a short period can have negative side effects in the future.

This is a particularly difficult situation especially when you consider the fact that often times radiation levels determine image quality. While there have been concentrated efforts to work on radiation dosage, it’s very important to understand where the lines are drawn. A recent study by the UN released its findings as far as radiation and children is concerned.

The report stated “Because of their anatomical and physiological differences, radiation exposure has a different impact on children compared with adults” One particular note in the report made references to future to cancer. “The report finds that children are more susceptible to certain kinds of tumor types including leukemia, thyroid, brain and breast, although the risk is not always immediate and more likely to develop later in life.

The thing is that some studies have shown that there is a possibility that at least 29,000 future cases of cancer will be attributed to radiation exposure. The UN is exposing something that most everyone already knows. In releasing their report the UN has probably heightened the desire for greater efforts to reduce the usage of radiation without sacrificing image quality.

One thing is for certain, reactions are different from patient to patient. The UN studied 23 kinds of cancer. Radiation is necessary in order to put together an image. It doesn’t matter what the procedure, MRI, CT scan, or X-Ray, there is a form of radiation involved with all examinations. Hopefully this study coupled with the information already available will help curb the radiation issue.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please give us a call. Our team of dedicated imaging professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  

352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com

References: http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/22319

Breast Cancer Can Make Difficulties Impossible

Breast cancer is no one’s ally; in fact breast cancer is the worst thing that can happen to any family. The problems are not just limited to the woman and her physical and emotional state. A family often times has to go through the difficult task of seeing someone battle through the difficult physical and emotional effects of breast cancer. As time goes on so too does the feeling that there’s very little that can be done blankets people’s emotions.

So, after the mammogram, what are some difficulties that we are likely to face? The patient can often face difficulties that are far greater than what’s expected. According to a scincedaily.com “Many older women with newly diagnosed breast cancer have difficulty accomplishing daily tasks, and African-Americans seem to be disproportionately affected. Those are the findings of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study's results suggest that many breast cancer patients could benefit from receiving therapy to improve their physical function.”

It’s sad to think that breast cancer can not only take a life but it can also hinder it in the process. Yes there are many myths about breast cancer but unfortunately there are also many well researched facts. This kind of discovery is part of the reason why it is vital to ensure that early detection becomes a key objective amongst all women.

The battle against breast cancer has progresses and it continues to improve, but even with all of this improvement there is a long way to go. There is a strong need for greater advocacy in areas such geographic location and demographics. The battle will rage on for a very long time to come and that can only mean continuous discoveries that are both favorable to the cure and counter to the cure.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering any questions you may have and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst 

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130923093033.htm

Arterial Stiffness and Dementia

Dementia, along with Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the most difficult conditions that a person of advanced age can deal with. Dementia progressively takes a person’s memory and cognitive abilities away. The definition of dementia according to the mayo clinic is “a group of symptoms affecting thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning.” Eventually a patient cannot really function when stricken with dementia. It’s very important that we can see dementia coming, while it’s unavoidable, the sooner you know it’s there the sooner you can help delay some effects.

In a recent study it was shown that PET scans help detect a link between arterial stiffness and dementia. This was an interesting discovery when you think about the fact that the stiffening of the arteries is enough to show a likelihood of dementia setting in without the symptoms actually setting in. It was stated in an article by auntminnie.com that “Arterial stiffness appears to play a role in hypertension and the adverse effects it can have on the brain, including impaired cognitive function and dementia in older adults.” One thing that was noted was the fact that there is no known or clear relationship between arterial stiffness and beta amyloid deposition.

One thing that this is likely to set off is the possibility of greater screening among older patients. Memory loss is a common side effect of aging and in some cases it can be a far greater concern. Due to the fact that aging is a natural process there is not as great of a push as there should be with conditions like dementia simply because they cannot be reversed or cured. Perhaps with greater research in the field and more concentration on screening for the possibility of dementia there may be a way to discover how to slow the effects of the condition.

Chances are that there are many years before this happens. Part of the problem is going to be actually being able to take existing studies and further proving the relation between arterial stiffness and dementia. This discovery is a step in the right direction and it will aide in fighting dementia as well as Alzheimer’s disease.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated imaging professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in all your imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=mol&pag=dis&ItemID=105141

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131

The Peanut Butter Equation Factoring in Breast Cancer

Do you love to have the occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Everyone loves a little peanut butter in just about anything. If you like m&m’s candy, try the peanut butter ones, same with anything else. Peanut butter is like life’s answer to all those difficult days we go through. So, how exactly does peanut butter fit into the breast cancer equation?

Let’s clear up what peanut butter doesn't do. Peanut butter is not used in mammograms, chemotherapy, or any manner of radiation therapy. Peanut butter is not pink, and it’s also not a medication prescribed by doctors. There is something about peanut butter that we all know and are fully aware of, it’s natural. Like the grapes that make red wine, considered an aide in the fight, peanut butter is made up of natural components.

According to an article published on usnews.com “Eating peanut butter regularly as a preteen and teen girl appears to decrease the risk of developing benign breast disease as an adult, new research has found.” While this is not a statement of fact on the effective nature of peanut butter, it is incredibly positive as far as developments go. As far as the study goes, 9000 females were followed over a 14 year period. The end result was a 39% reduction in the possibility of developing cancer. One thing that does need to be

According to the article it may well be the protein in foods that possesses the X factor. A big part of this study is to drive the point of giving teens peanuts and peanut butter as opposes to cookies and jaw breakers. Of course there is that particularly difficult subject of allergies. People with allergies to peanuts and nuts in general may not see this as an option. This is good where benign tumors are concerned, but avoiding any tumor benign or advanced, is always a great thing.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering your questions and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/09/27/can-eating-peanut-butter-cut-breast-cancer-risk-in-later-life

Screenings for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a lot like breast cancer in that it actually has a high incidence and mortality. By comparison to breast cancer, lung cancer is still a far more aggressive killer and often times far more difficult to control. A big question among patients and a big concern is whether or not screening can help.

The fact is that screening does help, the problem beyond that is the patient’s concern with the level of radiation used in the diagnostic imaging process and the frequency of the screening that’s done. It doesn’t matter the process, if it’s an X-Ray, MRI, or CT scan, radiology is always a part of the equation.

Currently there is a broad movement aimed at using less radiation and helping lower associated risks as well as still creating a good image. So your obvious question may be: “How does all of this valuable information relate to lung cancer and lung cancer screening?”  The answer to that is simple, it relates in two very important ways.

In order to battle lung cancer screening is very important, being able to uncover a tumor in its infancy and being able to battle it effectively is a major component of the equation. While screening has become synonymous with breast cancer, lung cancer still has a bit of a ways to in terms of having that type of association with screening. A patient at risk of lung cancer, or feeling like they may be at risk for any number of factors should be screened twice every year. A question that may be raised is “What about the radiation?”

Radiation is a concern in screening but low dosage CT scans performed twice every year increase early detection and decrease late stage diagnosis. A trial conducted with over 500,000 participants and conducted during a period of nearly two years reveals that incidences for high risk patients diminished with this type of frequent screening. This is a hugely promising development when you consider what it means in terms of such a strong manner of cancer.

While these developments do not really man that the battle has been won it’s good to know that a significant stride has been made. It may well be years before another significant hit is made against lung cancer. Until any new developments take place make sure to educate yourself on lung cancer and effective screening practices.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals here at Clermont Radiology is eager to answer any questions you may have and aide you in all your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1208962?query=oncology-hematology#t=article

http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/low-dose/two-low-dose-ct-annual-screenings-may-detect-early-lung-cancer

Did you Know What DIM Could Do?

DIM is a compound found in vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli. It’s fair to assume that you are thinking “Wonderful.” Well considering some recently discovered information about the DIM compound this may well be something that you actually feel.

DIM compound has been proven to have properties that help prevent cancer. One very interesting thing is that now it may actually protect people from radiotherapy side effects. In a recent article published by www.medimaging.net the recent discovery was discussed at length. Considering the side effects of radiotherapy in cancer patients it’s good to know that there is something that can help deter some of those effects.

Considering the major concern that exists in terms of radiation in diagnostic imaging this is a major breakthrough, even though the experiment has been conducted in lab rats only. It was stated in the article that “The scientists irradiated rats in the study with lethal doses of gamma ray radiation. The animals were then treated with a daily injection of DIM for two weeks, starting 10 minutes after the radiation exposure.” It seems like the animals that were treated survived where the untreated ones died.

Concerns over radiation have been big for years in diagnostic imaging because without the right dosage there is concern over image quality. If there is a high dosage used there is concern over negative side effects. The more that there is available to combat radiation concern, the more confidence that a patient will have.

It was stated in the article that “DIM could protect normal tissues in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer, but could also protect individuals from the lethal consequences of a nuclear disaster.” The fact that a compound that’s easily found can have this much of an impact is a great thing. The ultimate result will be a major success in terms being able to treat patients.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated imaging professionals looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in all your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.medimaging.net/radiography/articles/294748809/vegetable_compound_found_to_protect_against_radiation.html