Dear Digital X-Ray Insider,
ECR 2024 wrapped up recently in Vienna, and we’ve highlighted many of the presentations delivered at the meeting, including a talk by Dr. Ilze Apine, PhD, of Riga, Latvia, who discussed special considerations for interventional radiologists when imaging pregnant patients. Click here to read the story.
Not unsurprisingly, AI dominated much of the research in digital x-ray. To that end, we asked a hot question: Who's winning the race to implement AI, the U.S. or Europe? Check out our interview with plenary lecturer Dr. Rick Abramson for the answer.
Yet other standout research included a study on green protocols that can be implemented to reduce radiology department energy consumption. In another session, researchers posed the question, “Is x-ray technology still alive?” The question was resolved in the first 10 minutes of the session.
In addition, the following are a few other stories in our coverage of ECR 2024:
- According to research conducted at Singapore University Hospital, implementing imaging referral guidelines not only supports value-based radiology but also makes it easier to communicate with patients about low-value services.
- Is chest x-ray about to be rendered obsolete by chest CT scans? Or will integration with AI allow chest radiographs to hold their own? Those questions were answered in another session.
Aside from our ECR coverage, it appears that researchers are calling for more “real-world” studies of AI algorithms designed for interpreting chest x-rays. Recently, a group in Spain tested a product called ChestEye (approved in the European Union in 2019) and found it provided less than what’s required for clinical implementation.
Also, we wrote that dark-field chest x-ray took a step forward, with its developers in Germany overcoming a technical limitation of the technology – namely, by adjusting for photon scattering caused by interferometers used in the experimental system.
Finally, we noted, sadly, that an investigation into the death of a 9-month-old baby at Northampton General Hospital, U.K., has highlighted serious shortcomings in radiology on-call provision and the availability of emergency imaging exams.
Be sure to visit the site regularly for more news from your Digital X-Ray content area.
