January 2008 Blog Archive
Thursday, January 31, 2008
MRIs are Getting Bigger and Better
MRI scan technology is on its way to rapid advancement. The battle between makers of this technology is being called "
the tesla wars". That's because the most important piece of technology in the MRI scanner is the magnet, a piece measured in Teslas.
Most MRI scanners today are operating in the 1-3 Tesla range. However, it's possible to use scanning technology with up to 60 Tesla power in certain research situations. (Learn more
here.) Technology makers are trying to utilize this advanced technology to create marketable MRI scanners that are in the 10 Tesla power range.
The advances in technology will allow doctors and researchers to see within the body at a deeper level. Different atomic structures as well as different bodily functions could be studied using the new machinery. However, this machinery is more expensive than what is currently being used and may be slow to see adoption.
Question of the Day: Would you be comfortable moving to a more advanced MRI at the recommendation of your doctor?photo link
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
PET Scans Can Be Used for Cervical Cancer Screening
PET scans have traditionally been used to screen for problems in the brain and heart. However, this same technology can be used for cervical cancer screening. In fact, it just might be the best method of screening available for detecting this female cancer.
"New research from the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University show that PET scans are more accurate than any other method at predicting the aggressiveness of a cervical cancer tumor. The device also effectively shows whether treatments had destroyed the cancer." (source)
There are many different scans that can be used for observing the body from the inside out. However, PET scans have been found to be the msot sensitive to providing quality information to doctors seeking to find, prevent and treat cancer. For patients at risk of cervical cancer, this new information could be a great step forward.
Question of the Day: What scans have you seen used for cervical cancer prevention?photo link
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
New Pacemaker Safe for MRIs
People who have pacemakers face a number of difficulties during their lives as a result of the fact that the pacemaker is incompatible with certain types of technology. For example, when these people are dealing with medical conditions, their screening options are sometimes limited because screening methods like the
MRI can't be used on someone who has a pacemaker.
Hopefully, this fact will someday be a thing of the past. That's what Medtronic is working on right now. The company just
received approval from the FDA to start a trial of a new type of pacemaker that should be able to work with MRI scanning technology. There will be certain scanning requirements and precautions that need to be taken but it could be a great breakthrough for pacemaker patients.
The MRI can be a very important tool in diagnosing many different diseases at their onset. Patients with pacemakers should be prevented from utilizing this tool. If things go well with the Medtronic trial, they may not have to be for long.
Question of the Day: What limitations are you aware of for pacemaker patients?photo link
Monday, January 28, 2008
Atlanta Law Firms Implement Preventive Scans for Their Employees
Stress can lead to a significant number of health problems. The life of a lawyer is filled with stress. The logical leap then is that the life of a lawyer can lead to a significant number of health problems. Many of these problems can, of course, be detected early if the lawyer is vigilant about preventive health care and disease screening. However, since lawyers are busy people, that prevention doesn't always take priority in their lives. Some firms in Atlanta are
working to change that.
The firms are encouraging all of their employees over the age of forty to get regular screening done. They're recommending the use of fast track executive health care which allows the patient to go to just one appointment and get a variety of informative tests done. The basic blood work and annual physical is combined with things like cancer screening. Based on results, which come back immediately, the doctor may recommend additional screening, such as an
MRI or CT scan, which can also be donein the same day.
Law firms want their lawyers to be at work not at the doctor. But they also want them healthy enough to be able to keep working for years to come. Combining preventive care with fast track medicine, they can meet these goals.
Question of the Day: Would you go to a fast track appointment?photo link
Friday, January 25, 2008
Heart Disease Down But Risks Still High
There's good news and there's bad news when it comes to heart disease. The good news is that rates of heart disease and stroke-related deaths have declined in accordance with a goal set by the American Heart Association. The bad news is that there is still a long way to go in reducing heart disease in America. (Learn more about the study that determined this news
here.)
A key tool of that reduction is, of course, heart disease prevention. Because heart disease is leading killer in America, everyone needs to be concerned about preventing it. And one of the tools that is used to do that is the
heart scan. The heart scan is a simple procedure that only takes about ten minutes to complete. And yet, this simple tool can help save numerous lives.
Speak to your doctor about a heart scan if you want to be one of the people who helps to further reduce heart disease and stroke-related deaths in America in the years to come.
Question of the Day: Have you ever had a heart scan?photo link
Thursday, January 24, 2008
4 Patients Who Should Get a Breast MRI
The breast cancer MRI was considered to be one of the
major medical achievements of 2007. It allows doctors to take a better look at what's going on with women's breasts to assist them in preventing breast cancer through early detection. But not everyone should be rushing to get a breast MRI. So who should?
According to
Whig.com, there are four types of patients who should strongly consider the breast MRI:
1. Patients who can feel that they have a mass in their breasts but who have taken traditional breast exams and received negative results. The breast MRI can provide more detailed information about the existing mass to better screen for cancer.
2. Women who have a close relative that was diagnosed with ovarian or breast cancer at a young age (under 60) and who additionally have dense breasts which make them higher risk and good candidates for the breast MRI.
3. "Patients with repeated equivocal conventional mammogram reports."
4. Women who already know that they have breast cancer but want to determine the extent of it as well as to check for additional disease in the breasts. This is most commonly the case for women who want to retain as much of the breast as possible while eradicating the cancer.
Talk to a
qualified doctor about whether or not a breast MRI is right for you?
Question of the Day: Do you get your annual mammogram?photo link
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
What to Expect from a Virtual Colonscopy
Many people know that they need to go get a
virtual colonscopy to get screened for colon cancer but they don't want to do it because they're scared of the procedure. Knowing what to expect can help battle that fear.
Here are some of the things that you can expect from a virtual colonscopy:- It will take about ten to fifteen minutes.
- A tube will be placed in your rectum. Air will be pumped through the tube. This is uncomfortable but not painful.
- You will enter a scanning tunnel and pictures will be taken.
- It will be done once while lying on your back and once while on your stomach.
- You will not need any sort of sedation.
See, it's really not that bad. Sure, it's not the most fun thing to go do on any given day but it's not terrible. And it's something that can help save your life from one of the most common types of cancer there is.
Question of the Day: What other concerns do you have about getting a colonscopy?photo link
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Profile of a Scan Professional
There are many different doctors that you can go to in order to get preventive imaging. Sometimes it's nice to get a little more information about what those doctors are like. Here's a closer look at one of the offices in
our network to assist you in better understanding what you might be able to expect from this type of service provider.
The office:
AZ-Tech Radiology and Scan4HealthThe location: Arizona
The services: Preventive image scanning including breast, lung, heart, bone density, and colon screening.
Other info: This provider is listed under "
Arizona Companies to Watch". They do their billing in-house which reflects their efficiency and speaks to the total package approach of their services.
Learn more about the other doctors in our network
here.
Question of the Day: What other information would you like to know about your scan professionals?
Monday, January 21, 2008
Young Patient Makes Progress In Treating Rare Cancer
In January 2006, a
brain scan showed that teenager Josh Sumner had a growth which was
ultimately diagnosed as a rare form of cancer called Chordoma. The cancer is untreatable and patients suffering from it generally only live for about seven years after diagnosis. The average teen might have sunk into a depression after receiving this news. But Josh Sumner is not your average teen.
The Duke University student decided to do something about the problem by working towards finding a cure for Chordoma. And he's come a long way in just the two years since his diagnosis. In fact, he's come further than many scientists and researchers in finding a cure for the disease.
Some of Sumner's accomplishments include:- He rapidly learned how to do lab work and soon had discovered new findings about the genes that are believed to be related to chordoma.
- "He has scoured the globe for cell lines cultured from live chordoma tissues, providing a vital resource for scientists testing possible treatments." (source)
- He established the Chordoma Foundation which assists in his research. He is currently trying to raise $3 million to improve the efforts of the foundation.
- He helped to sponsor the first ever international research meeting on the disease.
Of course, the greatest accomplishment of all is that Sumner is maintaining a positive forward-thinking attitude despite having contracted the rare cancer.
Question of the Day: How likely do you think it is that Sumner's efforts will result in a cancer cure?photo link
Friday, January 18, 2008
Life after an Alzheimer's Diagnosis
Alzheimer's is a disease which ravages the minds of far too many Americans. Although it is obviously difficult for the person who has the disease, it is those people who love that individual that often suffer the most from it. Trying to take care of someone you love who no longer even knows who you are can be a devastating experience. And sometimes you get to a point where you just can't deal with it anymore.
The Courier-Journal from Lousiville, Kentucky recently reported on just such a case. A woman whose husband was diagnosed with the disease went through the long process of caring for him and ultimately had to move him to a nursing home. The story gives a terrific overview of what it is like to live with someone who has Alzheimer's. You can read it
here.
Alzheimer's is most commonly
diagnosed with a
brain scan. However, preventive imaging technology is not used solely for diagnosis. Many researchers are using this technology in order to better understand the disease. The hope is that they will be able to come up with a treatment once it is better understood.
Question of the Day: What has been your personal experience with Alzheimer's?photo link
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Brain Scan Shows You May Not Know When To Stop Eating
Have you ever heard about those animals that will eat until they physically can not eat anymore? You know, someone has a cat and they have to give it portioned meals or it'll just eat until there's nothing left. It seems a little strange to us humans since we're all intimately familiar with that feeling of "being full". But a
new study shows that we might actually be less capable of knowing when we should stop eating than we might think we are.
The study made use of real-time
brain scans to observe the communication happening in the brain while certain people were eating. The goal was to observe addictive behaviors and see if those people who were addicted to eating could tell when it was time to stop. The conclusion was that the brain didn't know that the stomach was full.
It was found that thinner people seem to be more capable of noticing when their stomachs are full. Further brain and body scans would be necessary to confirm the link between weight and the brain's ability to recognize a full stomach.
Question of the Day: Do you believe that you can tell when your stomach is full?photo link
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The Risk of CT Scans for Kids
Many people are interested in knowing what the risks are of radiation exposure by a CT scan. The problem is that there are no specific numbers on those risks. This can lead to media hype which frightens people unnecessarily.
However, there is one area where you can never be too careful; that's when making medical decisions about your kids.
ABC News reports that the potential dangers of the CT scan could be increased for children. Of course, the reality is that your doctor is probably not going to recommend a CT scan for your child unless it's really necessary anyway. Nevertheless, you should speak about any concerns you have with your doctor so you can make the best choice for your kids.
As we
noted yesterday, media reports about CT scans are often not based on factual information. You should read this all with a cautious eye and be sure to speak with your doctor about the true risks for you or your children.
Question of the Day: In what case would you accept or refuse a CT scan on your child?photo link
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Reports of CT Scans Causing Cancer Aren't Based in Science
The Daily Herald from Suburban Chicago ran
an article recently which is of great importance to anyone who might be considering getting a
CT scan. That includes people with cancer and other diseaes as well as people in the general public who are interested in preventive imaging. The gist of the article is that there are media reports out there which try to link CT scans with cancer ... and that these reports are unfounded.
The author of the article had read a report of this kind warning about the dangers of the CT scan. She noticed that it did not cite scientific studies or use medical journals as a resource. She got in touch with a family member working in the field of preventive imaging and learned that that's because there have been no studies confirming the supposed dangers of the CT scan.
The medical advice in the article is to work with your doctor to make sure that you get the lowest possible dose of CT radiation. That's getting even easier now that
new technology is being made which reduces the radiation exposure down to very low levels. In the meantime, you should make sure that you read reports in the media with a wary eye and ask yourself where their facts are coming from.
Question of the Day: Do you believe the fears about CT scans are hype or have some basis?photo link
Monday, January 14, 2008
The Risks of Being a Police Officer or Firefighter
It is the job of police officers and firefighters to subject themselves to
risk in order to protect the people of their communities. However, most people in the community are not aware of the extent of that risk. We all know about the dangers of getting shot or losing your life in a serious fire. But what many people don't realize is that the general stress of these types of jobs causes a serious health risk to the majority of people who engage in these professions.
One of the biggest risks that these people face is the risk of heart disease. Nearly half of firefighter deaths are caused by heart disease. Likewise, nearly one quarter of police officer deaths can be attributed to this problem. Some people believe that the stress of the job puts too much strain on the heart and causes the general risk of heart problems to increase for this population.
Both police officers and firefighters undergo general health screening on a regular basis. However, at least one doctor believes that this is insufficient to provide them with the preventive health they need to keep their hearts in working order. And he's not complaining; he's doing something about it. A new pilot program has been launched in Texas to provide free screening to this population. The screening includes a variety of preventive tests including a
heart scan.
You can learn more about this issue - and the pilot program - from
The Fort Bend Sun.
Question of the Day: Were you aware of the health risks associated with these professions?photo link
Friday, January 11, 2008
Important Medicare Issue Requires Your Attention
There's an important issue that we'd like to draw your attention to before it's too late. Medicare has proposed a National Coverage Decision (NCD) for Cardiac CTA that we believe deserves your comments opposing it. The deadline for commenting on this issue is tomorrow, January 12th, 2008. Below you'll find the additional information that you need to understand and comment on this topic.
The subject: Changes are proposed to reduce Medicare coverage of Cardiac CTA.
What Cardiac CTA is: The CTA (
CT Angiography) "is a radiological test that combines the technology of a conventional CT scan with that of traditional angiography to create detailed images of the blood vessels in the body". In short, it helps doctors to obtain important information about the health of your cardiovascular system without the need for more invasive, more costly procedures.
The problem: The proposed NCD essentially eliminates reimbursement for a Cardiac CTA. The only exception to this is in cases of Medicare-approved research trials.
Why you care: Medicare is a major form of medical coverage for many Americans. Whether you are one, know one or could be one in the future, this news affects you. That's because heart problems are a major concern for most Americans. You want to make sure that your heart health is protected by your insurance.
What you can do: Go to
this website and follow the instructions on the home page to see how you can "act now". Your voice counts in these matters.
Spread the word before it's too late!
Question of the Day: Who else are you going to share this information with?photo link
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Are You Related to the Guy Responsible for Colon Cancer?
Did you know that there is one guy responsible for the world's colon cancer problem? Okay, that's not actually true. But
new information has been found which links a significant percentage of
colon cancer cases to a common ancestor. This means that if you trace your family tree back and find this guy on one of those top branches, your likelihood of getting colon cancer is increased.
The research took a look at two large U.S. families and their history of colon cancer. They traced those families back to a common ancestor who is believed to have come over to the United States during the Pilgrim period. The suggestion is that being able to date the cancer back this far indicates that there is likely to be a significant spread of it among many families.
As with all types of colon cancer, knowledge is power. Colorectal cancer screening can assist you in catching the disease in its early stages and preventing devastation caused by its development. Discussing family history, particularly as it relates to cancer, is an important part of the process of discovering your risk levels.
Question of the Day: How far back have you traced your own family tree?photo link
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
MRI Can Read Your Mind
Yesterday we reported on the fact that MRI scans disproved the theory that you can have ESP. However, MRIs themselves seem to have a little bit of ESP. Or at least the ability to read your brain.
A
two-year study which was just completed over at Carnegie Mellon University shows that a
brain scan can read the patterns of the brain to determine when you are thinking about certain familiar objects.
The study asked participants who were being monitored by
MRI scanning technology to think about the properties of ten different familiar objects shown to them one at a time. Doing so, information was revealed about how you store information. For example, when you think about the properties of a hammer, you think about its purpose, its shape, and the swinging motion used when using it. The brain thinks about these parts in different areas. Tracking these areas, the researchers were able to tell which objects were being thought about.
Of course, this doesn't mean that someone could hook you up to an MRI and know what you're thinking. The study was limited to just these ten familiar objects and included extensive reviews of how those objects were seen be the paricular brains of the study participants. But it provides interesting information about the workings of the brain and the way that we store information.
Question of the Day: Would you participate in a study such as this one? Why or why not?photo link
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Brain Scans Disprove Theories of ESP
Have you ever felt that you had something like ESP? You know, you get a feeling that something is going to happen and then that thing happens and you start to wonder if you have predictive abilities. Well, chances are that you don't, at least according to a
new study which claims to disprove the existence of ESP.
The study, completed by psychology researchers from Harvard University, uses neuroimaging techniques to study theories of ESP. The underlying belief of the research is that if ESP exists, then a
brain scan should reveal that the brain reacts differently to ESP stimuli than it would react to non-ESP stimuli.
"The brain shows a suppressed response to stimuli that a person has seen before, even when those stimuli were presented subliminally, so the person wasn't consciously aware of having seen them; furthermore, it shows an enhanced response to stimuli that a person is expecting." (source)
The conclusion of the study is that the brain doesn't act differently to the two types of stimuli and therefore that there is no such thing as ESP.
Question of the Day: Do you believe in ESP?photo link
Monday, January 07, 2008
Not Enough People Are Getting Colorectal Cancer Screens
Colorectal cancer is a leading killer of many Americans. In fact, it's a disease that kills far more people than it should. That's because it is easily treatable if caught early but Americans are not taking advantage of the availability of
colon cancer screening to catch the disease in its early stages. This failure to take preventive health measures is costing people their lives.
Two
recent studies showed that half of the people who should be screened are failing to do so. It is recommended that people age fifty and over get a
virtual colonscopy to check for signs of colon cancer. Only fifty percent of people in this category do.
It's apparently not the cost of screening that is the concern. Colorectal cancer screening is covered by some insurance and is available to people on Medicare. Only one fourth of Medicare patients who qualify for the screening take advantage of the opportunity to prevent the disease. Women and people of certain ethnicities are more likely to avoid colon cancer screening than their white male counterparts.
Question of the Day: Why are people not getting colorectal cancer screening?photo link
Friday, January 04, 2008
Looking Forward from a Year of Scans
Sometimes it's nice to take a break from news about technological advances and just look at the human factor in world medicine. That was done recently by a lifestyle writer for
The Frederick News Post. She shared her story about spending a year with a cancer diagnosis. And in the end she shared that even though she hasn't eradicated the cancer, she's able to recognize the ways that she was lucky in the last year.
Among the many things that she mentioned as far as her year of medical treatments were a number of different preventive imaging scans. Of course, she already knows that she has the cancer. But these scans give doctors additional information to prevent further damage from the disease. (For example, it has recently been found that MRI screening after a breast cancer diagnosis can significantly alter the appropriate course of treatment.) Scans mentioned in the woman's first-person article included
MRI scans, CT scans,
bone density scans and one
full body scan.
She's still working with her doctors to find out what stage of treatment and recovery she is at. The hope that she expressed at the end of the article was that she can reduce the number of scans she gets this year because the cancer will be gone. But even with that in mind, she was able to express thankfulness for the little things in life. And that is something inspirational that only a human-focused story can tell us.
Question of the Day: Which stories do you prefer - information about medicine or information about people?photo link
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Improved Technology Reduces Risks of CT Scan
There are many good reasons that people get
CT scans. They are used by doctors to obtain additional information when initial symptoms or screening indicate that there could be a problem within the body. They are also used by individuals interested in taking preventive measures to avoid health problems by having their bodies checked out.
However, not all people believe that CT scans are a good thing, especially for preventive medicine. Some people worry that there is a link between cancer and the use of CT scans. They believe that the radiation from the scan is cancer-causing. This is an issue of debate among the medical community and not one that's been conclusively proven. The studies that have been done indicate that if this is true, it's rare.
But for those people who are concerned about the issue, there is new CT technology on the market which should reduce those fears. The technology is a new type of CT scanner for the brain which has reduced radiation levels. There isn't just a minor reduction in these levels either; the technology is reported to emit eighty percent less raditation than the standard CT scan.
You can learn more about this technology from a
recent article in the South Bend Tribune. Ask your doctor for additional information.
Question of the Day: Have you avoided CT scans because of the possible radiation risk?photo link
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Clinical Trial Awareness Month
January is a month for many different celebrations. There are holidays that last only a day, holidays that people set aside a week for and a few holidays that certain organizations are celebrating all month long. One of those month-long celebrations that certain segments of society are celebrating this month is Clinical Trial Awareness Month.
The major area where this is being celebrated is in the state of Connecticut. You can read
this article to learn more about how hospitals in the area have come together with the American Cancer Society to raise particular awareness of the importance of clinical trials to prevention and treatment of cancer.
Clinical trials play an important role in medicine. They allow doctors to obtain they information that they need to provide better treatment to their patients. That applies to preventive care as well as to treatment of disease. The more successful that clinical trials are, the better doctors can do their jobs and the healthier people in society will be. That's truly something to celebrate!
Question of the Day: What is one small thing that you could do in January to celebrate Clinical Trial Awareness Month?photo link
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Breast Cancer MRI Considered Major 2007 Medical Advance
Yesterday we took a look at some of the favorite 2007 stories on this blog. Before we get too far into the New Year, let's look back one more time. This time, we want to take a look at what the experts are saying was important in 2007. Making the top of the list of terrific medical advances in the past year was
MRI breast cancer screening.
The report comes from the
American Society of Clinical Oncology. They named six different topics of medical concern that were identified as the most important medical advances of the past year. Because of the value of the MRI screen for breast cancer, it was on the list.
Also making the list of top six was another preventive technique: preventive radiation therapy. This is important to note because it gives credibility to preventive medicine advances instead of just to advances in treatments. The report also identified nearly twenty other advances that were considered 'notable'. Two of those were related to prevention of
colorectal cancer: reduction of fats and use of aspirin.
Question of the Day: Do you predict that we'll see more preventive medicine on lists at the end of this year or that we'll return to a treatment focus?photo link
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