Dear AuntMinnieEurope Member,
Serious professionals never used to bother much with social media. Facebook is for kids, they would often say. But now it's too important to ignore, particularly for education and training, promoting medical services, and efficient and speedy communication with patients and colleagues.
Our editorial adviser Dr. Erik Ranschaert gave two lectures on social media at a radiology congress in Bruges, Belgium, last week, and they proved very popular. We asked him to outline the latest developments in this area and give some advice on how to use social media safely and effectively. To read more, go to our PACS Digital Community, or click here.
BMJ seems to have an axe to grind when it comes to breast cancer screening. The journal published two articles slamming mammography this week as part of its ongoing crusade against overdiagnosis.
First, Dutch researchers wrote they believe routine breast cancer screening should not be performed on a large scale in women older than age 70 until more data are available. To find out more, go to our Women's Imaging Digital Community, or click here.
Second, a group of longtime opponents to breast screening are trying to halt a clinical trial in the U.K. examining whether mammography screening should be offered to a broader range of women. Get the story here.
The International Congress of Radiology ended on Friday, and hopefully you enjoyed our onsite news coverage. One of the highlights was the opening lecture about imaging of the royal mummies of ancient Egypt. Hopes are high that new investigations can begin soon, and you can learn more here. Also, to read Dr. Adrian Thomas' history column about the Egypt exhibition at the British Museum, click here.
Another high point was a survey from Saudi Arabia that showed the lack of knowledge among medical staff about radiation dose -- specifically for CT scans -- remains a serious concern, and patients still receive very little information about the pros and cons of scans. Find out more in our Middle East section, or click here.
