Join the 'Diagnosis and Investigation' group to help and get support from people like you. How it works

Diagnosis and Investigation Blog

Blog (34)

Colonoscopy May Detect Curable Cancer in Elderly: Study

Posted 5 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 22 – Colonoscopies helped doctors detect a high rate of curable cancer in elderly people who had the screening for the first time, a new study indicates. The findings suggest that screenings should be made available to otherwise healthy elderly people who have never been tested, Dr. Therese Kerwel, research fellow at Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners, and colleagues from Spectrum Health Medical Group in Grand Rapids, Mich., concluded. For the study, the investigators examined information on 903 outpatient colonoscopies among elderly patients. Specifically, they investigated why these people, aged 76 to 85, underwent a colonoscopy and analyzed the results of the screenings. The study revealed that patients who had never had a colonoscopy before had a cancer rate of 9.4 percent, much higher than those who had had the procedure before. The findings are scheduled for ... Read more

FDA Seeks Less Radiation for Kids Getting X-Rays, CT Scans

Posted 18 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 9 – In an effort to make sure children are not exposed to any more radiation than necessary when they get X-rays or CT scans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked the makers of these devices to factor in the safety of pediatric patients when using existing machines and designing new ones. And if the manufacturers of these scanners can't show their equipment is safe for children, the FDA wants labels on the machines that say so. The agency released its recommendations on Wednesday, and there will be a four-month period of public comment before the guidelines become final. X-ray imaging, such as CT scans, conventional X-rays and fluoroscopy, are a valuable way of diagnosing problems and developing treatments, and they can be essential before surgery, the agency noted in a statement. However, the exposure to ionizing radiation can, over time, raise the risk of ... Read more

Related support groups: Computed Tomography, Diagnosis and Investigation

Mammograms Beat Thermography for Breast Cancer Detection: Study

Posted 4 May 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, May 4 – Thermography – a breast cancer detection method touted by some as a substitute for mammography – is an unreliable cancer screen, according to new research. In a study of about 180 women, thermography missed about 50 percent of cancers and delivered too many false positives, said Dr. C.M. Guilfoyle, a researcher at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania. The radiation-free screening method uses computer software to measure and compare thermal abnormalities in the breasts and create a breast "map" to look for signs of developing breast cancer. The thinking is that increased temperature is found in areas with increased blood flow, and that may indicate a tumor. Researchers evaluated the technique, marketed as the No Touch Breast Scan, on the breasts of women undergoing biopsies after they had suspicious findings on other imaging exams. "I think we are still trying to ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Diagnosis and Investigation

Study Downplays Risk of CT Scans

Posted 1 May 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 1 – A new study of young people who underwent CT scans suggests that their risk of dying from a condition related to their radiation exposure is far less than dying from the original disease they faced. The study has weaknesses, and one specialist said it confirms his belief that the scans are safe but doesn't directly prove it. Still, the lead author of the study said it puts the debate over the safety of CT scans into perspective. "We're trending toward the camp that says you should err on the side of scanning rather than not, because the chance of dying from one to two scans is very small," said study author Rob Zondervan, a medical student at the University of New England. "More often than not, patients should be getting that CT scan because the risk of the underlying cause is higher than from radiation." Doctors use CT scans to look for signs of trouble in the body ... Read more

Related support groups: Diagnosis and Investigation

Heart Test Spots Sudden Death Risk in Young Athletes

Posted 27 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 27 – Electrocardiograph (EKG) screening of young athletes can help identify those at risk for sudden cardiac death, according to a new study. Researchers screened nearly more than 1,300 young athletes and conducted EKGs on 586 of them based on medical history, family history, a physical exam or prior EKG. Six athletes were found to have a heart disorder known to cause sudden cardiac death. The study looked at how sensitive and specific the EKGs were as tests. Sensitivity refers to how confidently a doctor can rule out a problem and that it isn't a "false negative." Specificity refers to how sure a doctor can be that a positive test result is accurate. For medical history alone, the sensitivity and specificity to detect heart disorders linked to sudden cardiac death were 33 percent and 69 percent. For physical exam, the figures were 16 percent and 91 percent. For EKG, ... Read more

Low-Radiation CT Scans Effective at Spotting Appendicitis: Study

Posted 25 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, April 25 – Lower levels of radiation during CT scans could be just as effective for diagnosing appendicitis as the standard radiation dose, according to a new study from South Korea. Doctors typically order CT scans of the abdomen for adult and teen patients who have symptoms of appendicitis, such as pain near their belly button, to diagnose their condition before they decide whether to do an appendectomy – surgery to remove the appendix. "As long as CT is used judiciously, it allows doctors to reduce the rate of negative appendectomies – before CT scans, about one in five patients would have their appendix removed and it was normal and their pain was due to something else," explained Dr. Erik Paulson, a radiologist at Duke University Medical Center. There are about 250,000 cases of appendicitis a year in the United States, according to study background information. While ... Read more

Related support groups: Diagnosis and Investigation, Appendicitis

FDA Approves Amyvid (Florbetapir F 18 Injection) for Use in Patients Being Evaluated for Alzheimer's Disease and Other Causes of Cognitive Decline

Posted 9 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

INDIANAPOLIS, April 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Eli Lilly and Company and Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Lilly, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Amyvid, a radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for brain imaging of beta-amyloid plaques in patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's Disease and other causes of cognitive decline.[1] Amyvid binds to amyloid plaques, a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer's Disease,[2],[3],[4] and is detected using PET scan images of the brain.[1] A negative Amyvid scan indicates sparse to no amyloid plaques are currently present, which is inconsistent with a neuropathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and reduces the likelihood that a patient's cognitive impairment is due to Alzheimer's Disease.[2] [5] A positive Amyvid scan indicates moderate to ... Read more

Lung Cancer Screening Might Pay Off, Analysis Shows

Posted 9 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 9 – Screening people at high risk for lung cancer could be at least as cost-effective as screening for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers, a new study suggests. A group of actuaries specializing in the health care industry estimated how much private insurance companies would pay and the survival benefits that would follow if they covered lung cancer screening. They based their study on using a scanning technology called low-dose spiral computed tomography (CT) on people between the ages of 50 and 64 who were at high risk for developing lung cancer due to their smoking history. The authors estimated that screening high-risk people would cost providers less than $19,000 for every year of life saved. The study was published in the April issue of Health Affairs. In comparison, the costs per life-year saved for breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening – the three ... Read more

Diagnostic Scans Tied to Radiation Risk for Gastro Patients

Posted 6 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 6 – Patients with digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease may be exposed to significant levels of radiation from diagnostic imaging tests, a new study suggests. Irish researchers analyzed data from 2,590 patients with gastrointestinal disorders between 1999 and 2009, and found that 57 percent of them had undergone diagnostic imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) imaging. Higher yearly and total levels of diagnostic radiation exposure were seen in patients with such conditions as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, fatty liver disease and benign liver cysts, as well as in younger patients with irritable bowel syndrome and unexplained abdominal pain syndrome. The study appears in the April 1 online edition of the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. "Our results show that significant increases in radiation exposure in the last ... Read more

False-Positive Mammogram Results May Turn Out Not to Be: Study

Posted 5 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, April 5 – Women who have a false-positive result on their mammogram may be at higher long-term risk of developing breast cancer than those whose initial test is negative, according to a new Danish study. However, the link between false-positive results and an increased risk of breast cancer was weaker among women who had been screened from the early 2000s on, the researchers found. Experts have long known that screening mammograms, done in healthy women to detect breast cancer early, are bound to lead to some false-positive test results. These are results that seem to detect cancer but turn out to be false upon further testing. However, few studies have followed these women with false-positive results long-term to evaluate what happens, said My von Euler-Chelpin, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen, who led the study. The new findings were ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Diagnosis and Investigation

Ultrasound, MRI Might Spot Cancer in Dense Breast Tissue

Posted 3 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 3 – New research suggests that adding an ultrasound or MRI scan to breast cancer screening if a woman has dense breasts and at least one other risk factor for breast cancer would increase the number of cancers found. Dense breast tissue increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, and it also makes screening for breast cancer more difficult with standard mammography, previous research has found. The addition of ultrasound to screening resulted in the detection of an additional 4.3 cancers per 1,000 women screened, and MRI resulted in an additional 14.7 cancers detected per 1,000 screened on average, according to the results of the new study. These cancers were found before they had spread to nearby lymph nodes. "This is a very important time in breast cancer screening. Breast cancer is becoming more treatable, and now we have these extra tools to find cancers," ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, Diagnosis and Investigation

Routine Mammography May Lead to Overdiagnosis: Study

Posted 2 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 2 – As many as one-quarter of breast cancers identified through routine mammography are "overdiagnosed," according to a new study that could reignite the debate about screening guidelines. Overdiagnosis refers to cancers that are too small to be detected by means other than a mammogram and would not become lethal in a woman's lifetime. "Overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment of nonfatal cancer creates a substantial ethical and clinical dilemma and may cast doubt on whether mammography screening programs should exist," said lead author Dr. Mette Kalager, a researcher at the Telemark Hospital in Norway and a visiting scientist at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. "This dilemma can be reduced only when potentially fatal cancer that requires early detection and treatment can be reliably identified." Until then, Kalager said, "women eligible for screening need to be ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, Diagnosis and Investigation

Inadequate Bowel Prep May Invalidate Colonoscopy

Posted 29 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, March 29 – Doctors may fail to detect precancerous growths if patients' colons aren't adequately cleansed before having a colonoscopy, a new study warns. On the day before a colonoscopy, patients are instructed to stop eating solid food and to consume only clear liquids. They also drink bowel-cleansing mixtures to empty the colon. However, previous research suggests that up to one-quarter of colonoscopy patients fail to adequately cleanse their colons. The new study, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, examined the potential consequences of poor bowel preparation. Researchers identified 373 patients who underwent a colonoscopy between 2004 and 2009, and had inadequate bowel preparation. Of the 133 patients who later had a second colonoscopy, nearly 34 percent had at least one precancerous growth detected in the repeat screening. Nearly one in five ... Read more

CT Scans Can Spot Heart Trouble Fast

Posted 26 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 26 – Most people who go to the emergency room with chest pain aren't having a heart attack, but it can take hours or days to make a definitive diagnosis. However, a new study finds that a special kind of CT scan given in the emergency room seems to identify a heart attack faster than traditional methods, so patients can be sent home safely sooner. "You can go to an emergency department with chest pain, be concerned it might be a heart attack – get a CT scan, like we do for everything else in the emergency department – and we can say it's not your heart and you can go home, within a couple of hours," said researcher Dr. Judd Hollander, clinical research director of the department of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. "We can now answer the questions faster, and let people go home sooner," he said. Using the CT scan is faster, Hollander ... Read more

Related support groups: Diagnosis and Investigation

Two Studies Find Routine Mammography Saves Lives

Posted 21 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 21 – Two long-term studies from the Netherlands suggest that routine mammography screening does save women's lives. One of the longest national breast cancer screening programs in the world led to a significant drop in deaths and caused limited harm, such as false-positive results and over-diagnosis, according to one of the new studies. Another study found that regular mammography screening helped save lives even after adjusting for improvements in breast cancer treatment. "These results show why mammography is such an effective screening tool," said one U.S. expert, Dr. Kristin Byrne, chief of breast imaging at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She was not involved in the new research. Both studies were slated to be presented Wednesday at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Vienna, Austria. In one study, researchers analyzed data collected during the first 20 ... Read more

Related support groups: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Diagnosis and Investigation

Page: 1 2 3 Next (34 results)

Ask a Question

Further Information

Related Condition Support Groups

Computed Tomography, Endoscopy or Radiology Premedication, Radionuclide Myocardial Perfusion Study, Small Intestine Intubation, Diagnostic Bronchograms, Magnetic Resonance Angiography, Body Imaging, Head Imaging, Subcutaneous Urography, view more... Gallbladder Contraction, Arthrography, Radiographic Exam, Vascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Myelography, Visceral Arteriography, Peripheral Angiography, Venography, Gastrointestinal Tract Examination, Hysterosalpingography, Reversal of Dipyridamole During Myocardial Imaging, Urography, Renal Arteriography, Intravenous Urography, Cystourethrography, Barium Meal Transit, Deferoxamine Infusion Test, Digital Subtraction Angiography, Pancreatic Secretion, Angiocardiography, Penicillin Sensitization Testing

Related Drug Support Groups

arginine, L-Arginine, Thyrogen, mannitol, Lexiscan, glucagon, GlucaGen, Lymphazurin, Secretin-Ferring, view more... Iodotope, Amyvid, SecreFlo, Rosets, GastroMARK, Cysview, Aridol, BexxarTherapeutic, AdreView, DaTscan, ChiRhoStim, Human Secretin, Provocholine, secretin, sodium iodide-i-131, rose bengal, methacholine, ferumoxsil, isosulfan blue, thyrotropin alpha, regadenoson, florbetapir f 18, aminohippurate, ioflupane i 123, hexaminolevulinate, iobenguane i 123, tositumomab, R-Gene 10