A New X-Ray Blocking Cream in Town

All physicians have some sort of cream that they use for their hands, in terms of interventional procedures. Often times procedures require some manner of diagnostic imaging to serve as a guide for the physician. When it comes to just actual procedures there is a legitimate concern in terms of exposure to radiation. If an interventional radiologist has to run multiple tests per procedure there is a concern.

Radiation exposure is not just an issue for patients; in fact it’s a big issue for radiologists and their staff as well. Doses of radiation repeated over a lengthy period of time can expose someone to risks such as cancer. 

BloXR's Ultra Blox x-ray attenuating cream, as the hand cream is known, is a mix of bismuth oxide with hand lotion. The level of protection is well backed by research and the cream did get an FDA clearance.

The advantage of the cream is that it allows interventional radiologists more time and freedom to focus on their task. Sure cream may not seem like such a big deal but when dealing with patient well being and personal peace of mind it’s vital to take every little advantage that you can.

An article about it best describes it “The procedure can last two or three hours, and the operator is getting irradiated for that length of time. Yes, it's always a concern when the patient is getting irradiated, but patients hopefully get irradiated at the most once or twice in their lifetime. The problem with clinicians is they're chronically exposed for 30 to 40 years... and it becomes potentially a long-term chronic exposure problem." Exposure really is a danger that affects clinicians.

This new cream is the kind of advancement that’s not necessarily high tech but it really helps. Not everything is a high tech innovation in particular modalities.

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

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: 

http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=xra&pag=dis&ItemID=104226&wf=5563

Some Radiology History

Diagnostic imaging is full of interesting little facts that we don’t often stop to think about. Let’s look at some interesting history:

• Radiology began as a sub specialty in the first part of the 1900’s.
• Radiographs were made onto glass plates.
• Film was introduced in 1918 but would not be used for years to come.
• Society of radiographers was formed in 1920.
• The image intensifier and X-Ray television came in the 1950’s.
• Real time ultrasound came in the late 1970’s.

During the early days of radiology the patient had to hold a film cassette. What’s incredible is that during the early days an X-Ray could take close to twenty minutes, where now it takes almost no time at all. While radiology was thriving as time progressed there were several different developments that were somewhat adverse such as:

• Exposure to radiation. 
• Limited processing.
• Contrast agents were not as advanced and while they helped, they had a long way to go.

It’s incredible to think that contrast agents or “dye” has been around for well over 100 years. Contrast agents were injected in order to create a better and more effective view of the body. Prior to the use of the image intensifier the system in place was a complex type of mirror maze that was extremely difficult to handle. Today we rely on digital technology but the truth of the matter is that they have been around for almost four decades. Some of the benefits of digital technology include:

• Less x-ray dose can often be used to achieve the same high quality picture as with film.
• Digital x-ray images can be enhanced and manipulated with computers giving physicians the ability to get a closer look at the images.
• Digital images can be sent via network to other workstations and computer monitors so that many people can share the information and assist in the diagnosis creating a more effective and patient centric workflow.
• Digital images can be retrieved from an archive at any point in the future for reference, making it easy for physicians to be able to compare cases and develop some form of effective treatment.

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

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References:

http://www.imaginis.com/faq/history-of-medical-diagnosis-and-diagnostic-imaging

http://www.bir.org.uk/patients-public/history-of-radiology/

Evolution of Communication

The simplest definition of communication is the exchange of information through one means or another. Verbal communication and other non- verbal forms are sometimes complex and create difficulty. In the world of diagnostic imaging it’s no different than in the regular world. In order to better help the patient it’s vital that radiologists better communicate with clinicians.

Radiologists don’t just read an X-Ray and formulate a diagnosis. Radiologists have a responsibility to communicate properly with the clinicians and also provide results in a manner that puts the patient at ease. As procedures get more complex and require more attention, so to does the evolution of communication. A radiologist cannot just jot down a few notes and take a wild stab at a possible issue. It’s important that a diagnosis be the correct one. Often times a procedure may be repeated but in order to avoid the extra expense it is vital to get that treatment program right away.

According to Dr. Mark Flyer “During the past decade, the field of radiology has also grown exponentially, and clinicians have ordered significantly more diagnostic exams across all modalities. In today's fast-paced and consumer-driven medical environment, more demands are imposed on clinicians to deliver quick and accurate care. These increasing demands have made it difficult for them to review imaging results in a timely fashion, resulting in potentially dire consequences for their patients and medicolegal implications for their organizations.”

What Dr. Flyer is basically is stating that timeliness is vital but it cannot sacrifice accuracy. Dr. Flyer refers to a critical test results management software oriented toward the improvement of communication between radiologists and clinicians. Another interesting point brought up by Dr. Flyer was “Radiologist-clinician communication failure is a major concern in today's malpractice litigation, and it has become a major focus for improvement and regulation by the ACR. The process of reaching clinicians in today's hospital environment is often time-consuming and reduces radiologists' productivity.” Malpractice litigation is a major issue and when it can be traced back to miscommunication it makes it nearly impossible for physicians in general to be able to perform properly.

As time passes these systems will continue to improve communication, timeliness and accuracy for the patient. Ultimately the goal is to make medical practice as successful as possible and the patient satisfied.

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

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References:

http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=ris&pag=dis&ItemID=104200&wf=5562

Robots in the Battle

Kidney cancer is one of the worst conditions that a person can go through. Ultrasound is a commonly used tool to detect cancer in the kidneys. Through detection comes treatment and that usually can lead to the control of the condition. When it turns into something serious the results can often be very problematic and difficult. There’s a new aide in the diagnostic imaging and surgical war against kidney cancer. The new aide is none other than the robot. The Robot is not just a dance or character from Lost in Space. The robot in terms of a surgical procedure is the robotic ultrasound.

According to a related article “The kidney surgeon who performs the ultrasound robotically has direct control over the meticulous procedure, instead of having to rely on an assistant for much of the surgery.” It’s fair to assume that the Robot works as a surgeon of sorts without really performing anything outside of the ultrasound.

While there was a comparison between the use of robotic ultrasound and the use of an assistant to guide the probe, the robotic ultrasound seems to be getting a major amount of ground. The comparative study between the two methods showed similar results but there is a lot to be said for robotic ultrasound. A doctor that can fully concentrate on operating without having to worry about mistakes, at least that’s what’s being alluded to.

There is a concern that needs to be addressed and that is the concern over robotic malfunction. While this is something that was not mentioned it may be interesting to see if it’s brought up. One good thing is the fact that the ultrasound is the least invasive and harmful imaging procedure when it comes to dealing with cancer. Yes, there are many battles to be fought in the cancer front but diagnostic imaging is up to task.

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

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: 

http://www.healthimaginghub.com/news/digital-radiography/4407-robotic-ultrasound-allows-better-control-during-kidney-cancer-surgery.html

Diagnostic Imaging Goes Small

Diagnostic imaging is its own world and it changes on a daily basis. Hybrid modalities are invented and new ways to make procedures safer are brought forward. New manners of existing modalities are released to the market and there are many attempts at going ahead and making procedures universally affordable no matter the region. So what do you know about diagnostic imaging? Here are a few things that can be told:

• MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging
• CT stands for computed tomography
• X-Ray is the gold standard and was invented over 100 years ago
• All of the machines are fairly large

Diagnostic imaging modalities all have size and many buttons in common. When you step in to get a CT scan or you step in to get an MRI there’s something of a feeling of intimidation. Knowing that there is also some risk given the radiation that’s used, you feel a little of the nerves. So with the latest invention in diagnostic imaging there’s a great deal of surprise. The latest invention in scanning is a small molecule scanner the world’s smallest.

This particular invention is fresh and has yet to clear the massive hurdles that it must clear before being released to the market. Chances are that before this molecule scanner comes out it will be a few good years but this is amazing either way. According to the article on the invention it was stated that “Our invention allows lines to be 'written' and 'erased' much in the manner that an Etch A Sketch® toy operates. The only difference is that the smallest feature is a trillion times smaller than the children's toy, able to create conductive lines as narrow as two nanometers.” The invention will be small but the implications are gigantic.

This miniscule fix it all has what a lot of modalities lack, the ability to go molecule by molecule. The idea that the body can be read in flawless detail is huge. This could mean a different approach to cancer, heart conditions, maybe even AIDS.  Perhaps this is all too much, given this invention just came about, but it’s not bad to hope.

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

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager
Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.healthimaginghub.com/news/digital-radiography/4409-worlds-smallest-molecule-scanner-invented.html