Positron Emission Tomography and Computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning, the method du jour for identifying and staging cancers such as esophageal cancer, has been shown to have superior accuracy when compared to mere PET and CT performed separately. However, in circumstances where PET scanning yields disparate results from CT, clinicians can be at an impasse as to how to evaluate disease progression. To prevent this, doctors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have reported the first use of PET guided biopsy that has detected stage IV esophageal cancer without obvious distant metastasis elsewhere.
In their findings, detailed in this article submitted to the Journal of Surgical Radiology on July 26, 2010, PET guided biopsy allowed correct identification of stage IV disease in a 54-year-old white female, which eluded CT scanning. After an esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an ulcerating lesion in the distal esophagus and a CT scan that found a marked thickening of the distal esophagus, a full PET/CT scan showed an increased FDG uptake in the left iliac bone with possible metastasis, but without correlating evidence from a CT scan. In light of this evidence, a PET guided biopsy was performed, yielding conclusive evidence of metastasis.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
How to Get IT Help for EHRs
For doctors deciding how to implement electronic health records (EHR) systems to achieve meaningful use (MU) and reimbursements, it can be difficult to wade through the advertisements and claims of various vendors. Many seduce doctors with stories of doubling incomes and affording time for copious vacations, stories which turn out to be exceedingly rare.
It is difficult for a clinician to evaluate and use these different systems offered without outside help, says Mr. Shahid Shah, CEO of Netspective Communications, in his column. Luckily, to address this need, the government has allocated funds for Regional Extension Centers that offer consulting and technical expertise to help physicians adopt EHRs. However, these centers can be quite inexperienced, giving you, the physician, bad advice.
The fact to keep in mind when picking consultants is that the government ultimately benefits the most when EHR systems are used, and thus rewards compliant consumers with incentives. Coupled with patients expecting high tech clinical offices, there is a real pressure in adopting these systems. But it won’t be government incentives keeping you in business, only a proper business strategy. Thus, to protect and inform oneself, it is important to be cognizant of the various consultants and strategies offered, which are detailed in Mr. Shah’s full article.
To see Mr. Shah’s full article along with consultation recommendations, please visit this column featured in the Journal of Surgical Radiology.
It is difficult for a clinician to evaluate and use these different systems offered without outside help, says Mr. Shahid Shah, CEO of Netspective Communications, in his column. Luckily, to address this need, the government has allocated funds for Regional Extension Centers that offer consulting and technical expertise to help physicians adopt EHRs. However, these centers can be quite inexperienced, giving you, the physician, bad advice.
The fact to keep in mind when picking consultants is that the government ultimately benefits the most when EHR systems are used, and thus rewards compliant consumers with incentives. Coupled with patients expecting high tech clinical offices, there is a real pressure in adopting these systems. But it won’t be government incentives keeping you in business, only a proper business strategy. Thus, to protect and inform oneself, it is important to be cognizant of the various consultants and strategies offered, which are detailed in Mr. Shah’s full article.
To see Mr. Shah’s full article along with consultation recommendations, please visit this column featured in the Journal of Surgical Radiology.
Editorial: October 2010
Here at the Journal of Surgical Radiology, we are proud to present our second issue after the success of our July issue! Under our guiding principles of connectivity and real-time updates, we continue to develop our concept of our free, web-based publication.
Long term success depends on adaptation to the various advancements of science, and along with it, the various methods of accessing scientific data. However, even though we promote medical science through a medium of smartphones and social networking sites, our journal maintains the same peer-reviewed and academically rigorous standards set by our predecessors.
Examples of our new method of connectivity can be seen throughout the many articles posted on the Journal of Surgical Radiology website. For example, high-resolution images of medical diagnostic techniques are displayed in a way a print edition could never do. In addition, each article features a comment page, inviting readers to share their knowledge and communicate with the authors.
We look forward to the new innovations and possibilities of medical science, and are glad to continue sharing medical discoveries with every new issue.
Be sure to read the full editorial here by Dr. Cynthia Shortell, Duke University’s chief of vascular surgery.
Long term success depends on adaptation to the various advancements of science, and along with it, the various methods of accessing scientific data. However, even though we promote medical science through a medium of smartphones and social networking sites, our journal maintains the same peer-reviewed and academically rigorous standards set by our predecessors.
Examples of our new method of connectivity can be seen throughout the many articles posted on the Journal of Surgical Radiology website. For example, high-resolution images of medical diagnostic techniques are displayed in a way a print edition could never do. In addition, each article features a comment page, inviting readers to share their knowledge and communicate with the authors.
We look forward to the new innovations and possibilities of medical science, and are glad to continue sharing medical discoveries with every new issue.
Be sure to read the full editorial here by Dr. Cynthia Shortell, Duke University’s chief of vascular surgery.
Improving EMR Usability
In our July 2010 issue, the Journal of Surgical Radiology posted a column by Mr. Shahid Shah, CEO of Netspective Communications, who argued that physicians were shying away from EMRs due to a loss of efficiency. Even though companies were throwing money at what he claimed was essentially a bad design, the problem remained as these systems were more beneficial to hospital administrators than doctors, preventing fundamental change that would help efficiency.
In our August 2010 issue, Dr. Glenn Laffel corroborates this view in this guest column, noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published several reports on EMRs which involved injury or death to the patient. Many of these reports cited a lack of EMR usability as the reason for its problems, which cause healthcare providers to dispense the wrong amounts of medication.
Even though this issue is well-known with EMR vendors, the Dr. Laffel finds that the problem still hasn’t been addressed. Why could that be?
Check out the column on the Journal of Surgical Radiology website to read the full article and Dr. Glenn Laffel’s possible solution. Also, be share your thoughts with us on our comments page.
In our August 2010 issue, Dr. Glenn Laffel corroborates this view in this guest column, noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published several reports on EMRs which involved injury or death to the patient. Many of these reports cited a lack of EMR usability as the reason for its problems, which cause healthcare providers to dispense the wrong amounts of medication.
Even though this issue is well-known with EMR vendors, the Dr. Laffel finds that the problem still hasn’t been addressed. Why could that be?
Check out the column on the Journal of Surgical Radiology website to read the full article and Dr. Glenn Laffel’s possible solution. Also, be share your thoughts with us on our comments page.
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