IMRIS Receives FDA Clearance for 3 Tesla IMRISneuro

WINNIPEG, Dec 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- IMRIS Inc. ("IMRIS" or the "Company") today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company's 3 Tesla IMRISneuro for sale in the U.S. IMRISneuro is now available with either a 1.5 Tesla (1.5T) or a 3 Tesla (3T) magnet. Both systems provide IMRIS' patented technology and utilize 70 cm wide bore advanced magnetic resonance imaging systems from Siemens.

The 3T IMRISneuro provides higher quality advanced imaging techniques for surgical planning such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI and spectroscopy as well as superior quality vascular imaging in a robust platform specifically designed for use in an operating room. This additional system provides hospitals with more choice to meet the unique and growing needs of intraoperative and interventional imaging.

"Just three years after the successful commercialization of our first advanced intraoperative imaging product, IMRIS continues to revolutionize the field with this latest addition of a 3T wide bore magnet to the IMRISneuro family of surgical imaging solutions," said David Graves, President and CEO of IMRIS. "We believe the 3T IMRISneuro system is the most advanced surgical imaging technology available today, providing physicians with timely access to information that can measurably improve the outcome of interventional and surgical procedures."

source: IMRIS Inc.

ContextVision Enters Interventional Radiology Market

BOSTON, Mass. and CHICAGO, Illinois and STOCKHOLM, Sweden – November 30, 2008 – At RSNA today, ContextVision, the software imaging partner for the most recognized medical imaging manufacturers worldwide, will introduce GOPView® iRVPlus, a new image enhancement and dose reduction software package for interventional radiology.

Clinical teams rely on this type of tool during fluoroscopy procedures, such as angioplasty or stent replacement, during which real-time images are used to guide catheters to the target location. GOPView iRVPlus relies on a continuous adaptive filtration method to analyze every pixel in an image, giving every structure in the image the same level of analysis. This rotationally invariant process guarantees that all objects, independent of position and orientation, receive the highest level of image enhancement possible. This eliminates the risk of critical information being overlooked during a procedure, leading to higher clinical value.

source: Contextvision

Nearly Three-Quarters of Symptomatic Women Are Candidates for Focused Ultrasound Fibroid Therapy: Presented at RSNA

Ed Susman

CHICAGO -- December 1, 2008 -- Approximately 73% of women who present with uterine fibroid symptomatology are eligible candidates for treatment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), researchers reported here at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 94th Annual Meeting.

The most frequent reason for disqualification from the procedure was a finding of adenomyosis, a condition that is not amenable to current ablation procedures.

"The ability for physicians to be able to advise patients of their suitability for magnetic resonance focus ultrasound is critical to the success of the procedure," said Suzanne LeBlang, MD, University MRI & Diagnostic Imaging, affiliated with Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida.

source: Doctors Guide

Radiologists Diagnose and Treat Self-Embedding Disorder in Teens

CHICAGO — Minimally invasive, image-guided treatment is a safe and precise method for removal of self-inflicted foreign objects from the body, according to the first report on "self-embedding disorder," or self-injury and self-inflicted foreign body insertion in adolescents. The findings will be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"Radiologists are in a unique position to be the first to detect self-embedding disorder, make the appropriate diagnosis and mobilize the healthcare system for early and effective intervention and treatment," said the study's principal investigator, William E. Shiels II, D.O., chief of the Department of Radiology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

source: RSNA

SonoSite Introduces S-FAST Vascular Access Option For Safer Emergent Procedures

BOTHELL, WA - November 20, 2008 - SonoSite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, today announced the S-FAST™ Vascular Access option, a streamlined, affordable solution for hospitals wanting to incorporate ultrasound into their emergency departments to facilitate the accuracy and safety of commonly performed interventional emergent procedures.

“SonoSite has led the way with innovative products designed for point-of-care use,” said Diku Mandavia, MD, FACEP, FRCPC, Attending Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Clinical Associate Professor Emergency Medicine, LA County + USC Medical Center, Los Angeles. “Both the U.S. Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the UK have recommended ultrasound guidance of central vascular access as a standard of care for ensuring patient safety. It’s difficult to imagine practicing emergency medicine today without ultrasound guidance.”

source: SonoSite

Navigating the body without radiation – GPS for interventional radiology

At the Medica exhibition in Duesseldorf, Germany, between November 19 and 22, 2008, Siemens Healthcare will be showing iGuide CAPPA*, a new solution that supports the physician during minimally invasive needle procedures.

By combining an angiographic C-arm system with the electromagnetic navigation system iGuide CAPPA, a new method was developed that enables navigation with very low radiation dose. Prior to the intervention, the Siemens software syngo DynaCT provides the 3D soft tissue images required by the physician.

The method uses electromagnetic tracking and facilitates interventions such as precise and quick needle placements – for liver biopsies, for vertebroplasties when stabilizing fractured vertebras, or for cancer pain treatment.

source: Innovations Report

Naviscan Receives 510(k) Clearance for Stereo Navigator(TM) - the First Commercially Available Breast PET-Guided Biopsy Feature

SAN DIEGO, Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Naviscan, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for its biopsy-guidance feature designed exclusively for use with its high-resolution organ-specific PET scanner. The scanner's breast application is Positron Emission Mammography (PEM).

Stereo Navigator(TM), the PEM-guided biopsy accessory, is indicated for the localization of lesions in female breasts, as identified on a PET image. This guidance system will now enable physicians to guide compatible interventional devices towards abnormalities visible on PET.

"The strength of our high-resolution PET scanner has always been the ability to resolve suspicious lesions down to 2 mm," said Paul Mirabella, Chairman & CEO. "Now we can also offer biopsy guidance, providing physicians with the all important pathological confirmation to determine the optimal course of treatment."

source: Naviscan

Traxtal Introduces PercuNav 2.0 Image Guidance Software at RSNA 2008

Traxtal Inc, the pioneer and world leader in image guided soft tissue navigation, will showcase its PercuNav™ 2.0 software for the PercuNav system at the Radiological Society of North America’s 94th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting. Traxtal’s PercuNav system is the only computer assisted, image-guided diagnostic and interventional system cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for all imaging modalities, and is the only such system that features a broad range of flexible and rigid “tip-tracked” instruments. It is also the only commercially available soft tissue navigation system with tracked instrumentation that provides the option of navigation with multimodal image fusion with any single modality, such as CT or ultrasound imaging.

Neil Glossop, PhD, Traxtal President, said, “CT and MR images provide physicians with terrific tools for identifying areas of interest but are often impractical for navigation purposes. Ultrasound is a great live imaging modality but images can be difficult to interpret. We set out to combine all available imaging data with real time tracking of the tips of flexible instruments on one screen to allow the physician to accurately target and navigate directly to areas of interest with confidence. We are delighted with the extremely positive physician response to the PercuNav.”

source: Traxtal

New Model Developed to Estimate Radiation Skin Doses during CT Guided Interventional Procedures

A new model that would allow interventional radiologists (radiologists who specialize in fine needle aspiration, fine needle biopsy and radiofrequency ablation) to better estimate patient radiation skin doses during CT guided interventional procedures has been developed according to a study performed at the Agios Savvas and Konstantopoulio Hospitals in Athens, Greece.

“It is clear that skin doses in CT guided interventional procedures can become very high. Even for skin doses around 1 Gy, the prospect of repeating a procedure makes the determination of peak skin dose crucial for avoiding radiation injuries,” said Ioannis A. Tsalafoutas, PhD, Virginia Tsapaki, PhD, Charikleia Triantopoulou, MD, John Papailiou MD, Christina Pouli, MD, Virginia Kouridou, MSc, and Ioanna Fagadaki, MD, authors of the study.

The theoretical model that was developed “considers the skin dose resulting from each CT slice, utilizing data that is already stored along with CT images. The skin doses calculated with this model were compared with those measured using films positioned under patients that underwent CT guided interventional procedures.

source: ARRS

Toshiba and MAQUET Partnership to Offer Hybrid Solutions for Infinix-i Addressing a Wide Range of Surgical, Imaging and Interventional Needs

TUSTIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To offer hospitals more versatility and a seamless transition from endovascular imaging to surgical intervention on a single system, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. is partnering with surgical table manufacturer, MAQUET, to provide new solutions for Toshiba’s Infinix™-i product line. The partnership combines the Infinix-i systems’ unparalleled image quality and versatility with a complete range of innovative MAQUET table top options, which range from general surgery to radiology-specific.

The Toshiba/MAQUET hybrid operating room (OR) suite is the only hybrid solution to offer interchangeable table tops, optimizing asset utilization of these specialized OR suites. This no-compromise approach to hybrid OR configurations demonstrates Toshiba’s philosophy to provide imaging systems that maximize the everyday utility of cardiovascular/interventional imaging systems.

Because ceiling mounted systems are typically best suited for a hybrid operating room setting, these table tops match perfectly with Toshiba’s Infinix CC-i and Infinix VC-i systems.

source: Business Wire

VirtuoCTC Devoted To Successful Implementation Of CTC

Leading CT colonography (CTC) radiologists launch new company, VirtuoCTC, L.L.C., to provide guidance through products and services to achieve quality performance and interpretation in a CTC practice.

VirtuoCTC, led by Drs. Perry J. Pickhardt and David H. Kim, was founded to streamline the process of incorporating CTC into clinical practice. VirtuoCTC will help radiologists implement CTC in their practice through hands-on training courses, a variety of useful templates, a comprehensive teaching file and clinical database program - all developed from a proven, highly successful and unique clinical model.

source: Medical News Today

New Cardiovascular Products Division Launches at TCT2008

The merger between MEDRAD and Possis(R) Medical Inc. has resulted in a new MEDRAD cardiovascular division focused on advancing interventional medicine

PITTSBURGH, Oct 14, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The new name and branding for MEDRAD, INC.'s new interventional products division was unveiled to the public today at the 20th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Oct. 12 -- 17th in Washington D.C. Operating under the new name MEDRAD Interventional(TM)/Possis(R), the division combines a number of market-leading products such as the AngioJet(R) Thrombectomy System, the MEDRAD Avanta(R) Fluid Management Injector System, Mark V ProVis(R) Angiographic Injection System, and Fetch(R) Aspiration Catheter, among others.

"We are very excited about the synergies created in this new division," said John Friel, president and CEO of MEDRAD. "Possis Medical and our former cardiovascular business unit complement each other extremely well, and the resulting team is experienced and well positioned to serve the needs of interventional cardiology, interventional radiology and vascular surgery. The name and brand tells the purpose and shows the heritage of our new division," said Friel.

source: MarketWatch

First Scottish Hospital Installs Artis Zee Interventional Imaging System - Radiographers And Cardiologists Highlight Improved Workflow

Hairmyres Hospital in Lanarkshire, has installed the first cardiac Artis zee units in Scotland. The floor mounted systems will be used for diagnostic procedures, coronary intervention and pacemaker insertions. Hairmyres Hospital is NHS Lanarkshire's only cardiac catheterisation centre and the Artis zee equipment forms part of two replacement, state-of-the-art cath labs. The innovative AXIOM Sensis XP Haemodynamic recording systems with enhanced workflow have also been installed with the systems.

Radiographers and cardiologists are already benefitting from more efficient workflow and better patient throughput due to the excellent image quality and easily manoeuvrable C-arm of the Artis zee. Clinicians are able to achieve comprehensive body coverage and fantastic image quality without increasing dose. The C-arm is controlled through a simple and logical user console, which provides an excellent range of movement without limiting patient access.

source: Medical News Today

Core Needle Breast Biopsy Safe for Patients Taking Blood Thinners

It is safe to take anticoagulants (blood thinners) before core needle breast biopsies, according to a study performed at the Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic in Rochester, NY. Core needle biopsies are offered as an alternative to surgical biopsy when a tissue sample of an irregular area in the breast is found by mammogram or sonogram. “They are safer than surgical procedures, require fewer anesthetics, and are accurate,” according to Patricia Somerville, MD, lead author of the study.

The study included 200 women who were taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) and 855 women who were not. Adverse reactions, lumps and bruises, after a woman’s core needle biopsy were recorded. Results showed that lumps or bruising occurred in 34% of women who were taking blood thinners and 26.5% of women who were not taking them.

source: ARRS

Endoscopic ultrasound can offer safer and more effective cancer therapy

Washington, September 13 (ANI): American scientists are studying the efficacy of a therapeutic technique that can allow doctors to directly inject tumours with cancer fighting agents from inside the body.

The technique called curvilinear EUS uses a flexible gastrointestinal endoscope with a miniature ultrasound transducer on the tip to guide a small needle directly into a tumour.

Dr. Robert Hawes, Professor of Medicine and Peter Cotton Chair for Endoscopic Innovation at the Medical University of South Carolina, says that the new technique can prove to be a safer and more effective approach to administering chemotherapy, as it allows doctors to deliver therapy right to the tumour and avoid damaging normal surrounding tissues.

source: Thaindian

Society Of Interventional Radiology Applauds Report's Uterine Fibroid Embolization Recommendations

The Society of Interventional Radiology, a national organization of nearly 4,500 doctors, scientists and allied health professionals dedicated to improving health care through minimally invasive treatment interventions, applauds the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that uterine fibroid embolization "is a safe and effective option" for women.

"This finding fully opens the door to women's choice. It will prompt gynecologists to discuss all treatment options for symptomatic uterine fibroids - including UFE - if they are not already doing so," said interventional radiologist John Kaufman, M.D., SIR president.

source: Society Interventional Radiology

Stent Grafts: A Better Way To Treat Blunt Trauma Injuries

Endovascular repair-fixing an injury in a blood vessel from inside that vessel-is a better option for individuals who receive highly lethal injuries from high-speed collisions or falls (together referred to as blunt trauma) and is shown to save more lives and nearly eliminate paraplegia (the loss of the ability to move and/or feel both legs), a complication of surgical repair for thoracic aortic aneurysms.

"Analysis of the available data provides unequivocal support for endovascular repair to replace open surgery as the procedure of choice for repair of the most common traumatic aortic injury," said Eric K. Hoffer, the director of vascular and interventional radiology at Dartmouth Medical School. "This minimally invasive interventional radiology technique can decrease the death rate by half and diminish the risk of paraplegia by 75 percent as compared to open surgical repair," he added.

source: Society of Interventional Radiology

Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) May Reduce Drug-Eluting Stent Thrombosis by a Third

July 8, 2008 -- A provocative study in the current issue of the European Heart Journal concludes that: "IVUS guidance during DES implantation has the potential to influence treatment strategy and reduce both DES thrombosis and the need for repeat revascularization."

The article describes a retrospective observational study of almost 1,800 patients in whom drug-eluting stents had been placed between April 2003 and May 2006 at a single center: the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, where IVUS guidance is used in approximately 70% of coronary interventions.

The patient population was split into two groups (IVUS and non-IVUS) of 884 each, using a propensity-score for matching, in order to minimize any confounding impact due to lesion type, patient characteristics, etc.

source: Angioplasty.org

New deep vein thrombosis treatment uses radiology to break up blood clots

Robin Tierney

“Let’s forget this rest-in-bed stuff,” said Dr. Gerard O’Sullivan. Soon after treatment for deep vein thrombosis, he physically walks his patients down the corridor so they can prepare to leave the hospital.

O’Sullivan is an interventional radiologist — a physician who specializes in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. In mid-March at the Society of Interventional Radiology scientific meeting in Washington, D.C., he described the biggest DVT treatment advance in 40 years: using a device called the Trellis to break up blood clots faster, more completely and with fewer complications than conventional DVT treatment.

Conclusions were based on the largest DVT study group to date, using registry data for 532 patients.

source: examiner.com

InSightec to Exhibit Non-Invasive Treatment for Uterine Fibroids at 5th Annual World Health Care Congress

TIRAT CARMEL, Israel — InSightec Ltd. today announced that it will exhibit at the 5th Annual World Health Care Congress in Washington, DC from April 21-23. The company will feature the only FDA approved MR Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) device, the ExAblate(R) 2000, which has been used to treat uterine fibroids non-invasively, minimizing trauma, morbidity and recovery time. In addition to enhancing patient care, the procedure has a significant economic impact reducing overall medical costs when compared to conventional surgery. Uterine fibroid is a pervasive condition that impacts up to 70% of women of childbearing age and can lead to serious symptoms.

The company's ExAblate(R) 2000 is the world's first non-invasive surgery system to combine focused ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. It received its European CE Marking in 2002 and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2004 for treating uterine fibroids.

source: Centre Daily Times

Major Surgery No Longer Needed For The Removal Of Uterine Fibroids

The treatment of uterine fibroids with 3T MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is safe, non-invasive and effective, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY.

"Approximately 25% of women in the United States have clinically symptomatic fibroids, and treatment has most commonly been surgical with hysterectomy or myomectomy. However, in the past decade, new options have been developed in radiology, includingnon-invasive MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) and minimally invasive uterine artery embolization (UAE) to treat these patients," said Elizabeth K. Arleo, MD, lead author of the study along with Robert J. Min, MD, MBA, chairman of radiology at Weill Cornell Medical College.

source: Medical News Today

BioSphere Medical Highlights Patient and Economic Benefits When Ob/Gyns and Interventional Radiologists Collaborate

BioSphere Medical Highlights Patient and Economic Benefits When Ob/Gyns and Interventional Radiologists Collaborate to Treat Women Suffering with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids

ROCKLAND, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2008--BioSphere Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: BSMD) today announced that more than 41,000 ob/gyns around the country are expected to receive a supplement in the April 2008 Contemporary OB/GYN which highlights the clinical benefits that result when ob/gyns and interventional radiologists (IRs) work in collaboration to treat women suffering with symptomatic uterine fibroids. The supplement, entitled "Expert Exchange: How to Formulate the Relationship Between the Ob/Gyn and the Interventional Radiologist for the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids," was funded by BioSphere Medical.

The "Expert Exchange" supplement details the mutually beneficial collaborative experiences of John H. Fischer II, M.D., Assistant Professor of Radiology, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and Robert K. Zurawin, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine.

source: Biosphere Medical

Refer PAD ‘directly to interventional radiologists’, researchers say

Paola Accalai

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) should be referred directly from primary care to an interventional radiologist, a study suggests [1].

Researchers said the option should be evaluated considering “the trend toward catheter-based procedures” for revascularization, and the “known expertise” of interventional radiologists in these procedures.

The study group assessed whether the management practices of interventional radiologists were similar to those of vascular surgeons.

source: MedicExchange

Toshiba Introduces Advanced Image Processing for its Infinix Cardiac Systems

CHICAGO — April 1, 2008 — At this year's American College of Cardiology (ACC) annual meeting in Chicago, March 30 – April 1, 2008 (Booth # 8001), Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. will be showcasing its Advanced Image Processing (AIP) technology for its Infinix™ X-ray product line. With AIP, physicians will be able to better visualize even the smallest interventional devices and provide better patient care to patients undergoing interventional procedures.

"The image quality offered by Toshiba's Infinix line, particularly the AIP feature, is remarkable," said Dr. John S. Wilson, medical director, cardiovascular services, Washington Hospital. "AIP allows us to image bariatric patients, which was difficult to do before. It also gives us reduced background noise and improved device and vessel visualization, which allows us to increase workflow and provide better patient care during our interventional procedures."

source: Toshiba Medical

Drug Delivery Through the Ophthalmic Artery Successful in Advanced Retinoblastoma Pediatric Patients

WASHINGTON, DC -- March 26, 2008 -- A new interventional radiology treatment successfully treats advanced retinoblastoma in children and often spares these patients from having their eyes surgically removed, researchers reported here at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

Retinoblastoma is the seventh most common pediatric cancer, with 80% being diagnosed in children aged less than 3 years. Approximately 350 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States and 40% of patients have the genetic form. Five-year survival is 98% in the United States and less than 50% in third-world countries, said Pierre Gobin, MD, Attending Radiologist, Professor of Radiology and Neurosurgery, and Director of Interventional Neuroradiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York.

source: Dctors Guide

Cryoablation of Kidney Tumour Appears Successful With Few Complications: Presented at SIR

Ed Susman

WASHINGTON, DC -- March 25, 2008 -- Treatment of kidney tumours by cryoablation successfully destroys the lesions without causing major complications for the patients, researchers reported here at the Society of Interventional Radiology [SIR] 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

Percutaneous cryoablation using computed tomography (CT) guidance is a viable treatment option for selected small renal cell tumours and offers good short-term results and no major complications, said investigator Mark A. Gibson, MD, Resident in Diagnostic Radiology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.

source: Doctors Guide

Trellis® Catheter Removes Blood Clots Quickly, Restoring Blood Flow in 771 Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Patients

Washington, D.C. – March 19, 2008 – Registry clinical data presented this week at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting shows DVT treatment with the Trellis® Peripheral Infusion System from Bacchus Vascular, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) successfully breaks up the blood clot in most patients in about 20 minutes.

This technique restores blood flow more quickly and safely than current catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) techniques. It provides an important adjunct to the standard therapy of anti-coagulation alone, which is intended to prevent future clots but does not break up the existing clot.

source: Bacchus Vascular

Trellis(R) Catheter Removes Blood Clots Quickly, Restoring Blood Flow In 771 Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Patients

Registry clinical data presented this week at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting shows DVT treatment with the Trellis(R) Peripheral Infusion System from Bacchus Vascular, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) successfully breaks up the blood clot in most patients in about 20 minutes.

This technique restores blood flow more quickly and safely than current catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) techniques. It provides an important adjunct to the standard therapy of anti-coagulation alone, which is intended to prevent future clots but does not break up the existing clot.

source: MediLexicon

Foam For Varicose Veins Found To Be Safe In Preliminary Results From Phase 2 Trial

A small group of patients with a common heart defect who were treated for varicose veins with an injectable microfoam experienced no neurological, visual or cardiac changes as a result of the treatment, according to preliminary results from a phase II trial. The results were presented in Washington, D.C., at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR).

Injectable foams are usually made by mixing a sclerosant, an irritant that causes damage to the vein wall and subsequent scarring, with room air. Sclerosant foams have been a standard treatment since 1997 for spider veins and small varicose veins. Varisolve®, a foam made with carbon dioxide, is relatively painless compared to other sclerosants, which can cause burning, said John D. Regan, M.D., clinical director of the Interventional Section in the Department of Radiology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

source: Medical News Today

Treatment Gives Lung Cancer Patients With Inoperable Tumors Two Years Or More

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) -- an interventional treatment that "cooks" and kills lung cancer tumors with heat -- greatly improves survival time from primary or metastatic inoperable lung tumors, according to a study released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting. Of the 244 patients suffering from lung metastases (195 patients) or primary non-small cell lung cancer (49 patients), 70 percent were still alive at two years, including 72 percent for lung metastases and 64 percent for primary lung cancer.

These survival results are similar to surgical results from other studies, but the interventional treatment is less invasive and has far fewer side effects and less recovery time. The researchers found that RFA often can completely destroy the primary tumor and, therefore, extend a patient's survival and greatly improve his or her quality of life. Survival thus becomes dependent on the extent of disease elsewhere in the body.

source: Medical News Today

Few Women Hear About Uterine Fibroid Embolization Treatment

Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2008)—A study presented today at
the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 33rd Annual Scientific
Meeting shows of 105 patients in the Atlanta metro area, only
18 percent of the women who saw a private practice
gynecologist were told about uterine fibroid embolization (UFE),
a minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids provided by
interventional radiologists. UFE is a safe, effective established
treatment that has been widely available for the past decade and
is covered by insurance.

The majority of women who sought treatment from their private
practice gynecologists for uterine fibroids were only offered
hysterectomy or myomectomy surgery, which is provided by
gynecologists. However, Kaiser Permanente, which standardizes
many medical protocols, has its gynecologists discuss all the
treatment options with their patients, including UFE.

source: Society of Interventional Radiology

New Interventional Radiology Treatment Shows Hope for People With Complications from Bone Marrow, Stem Cell Tranplants

Newswise — The standard treatment to treat graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow or cord blood transplant is intravenous (IV) steroids that alter the immune response; however, it is not always effective and failure results in very high mortality. In a study released today, 15 patients who failed standard treatment were given a high dose of steroids directly to the affected organ. By delivering the steroids via catheter to the arteries that are supplying the organs affected by GVHD, a much higher, more effective dose can be given because the rest of the body is spared from the steroid’s side effects.

“Overall, fewer than 30 percent of patients with steroid-resistant GVHD respond completely or partially to the standard IV treatment, and their chance of living one year is 15 percent or less. This interventional radiology treatment can be life-saving for these people,” said Joshua L. Weintraub, M.D., chief of the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

source: Newswise

Breakthrough Treatment For Severe Frostbite Saves Limbs

Using imaging to visualize areas lacking blood flow and deliver drugs via catheter, interventional radiologists are reopening recently frozen, clotted arteries with clot-busting and anti-spasmodic drugs. The people in a recent prospective trial had severely frostbitten hands and feet (with tissue frozen to the bone and damage occurring deep in muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels). Typically this leads to gangrene and loss of limbs. In severe frostbite, the blood vessels are affected and blood flow is blocked. After thawing and re-warming, small clots form. Spasm of the injured arteries further impedes flow to the smallest vessels of the limbs.

The standard treatment for frostbite -- typically involving re-warming the affected area and, in severe cases, amputation -- hasn't changed for decades. Interventional radiologists used angiography, an X-ray exam of the arteries and veins, to confirm loss of blood flow to a patients hand or toes, then intra-arterial catheters to directly deliver drugs to dissolve the blood clots and relax the arteries' muscular walls. This treatment was significantly successful in preventing amputation and saving limbs, according to a study released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

source: MedicalNewsToday