October 2010

IAC revamps its chapter websites
Ellicott City, MD—All chapters of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, including ICAVL and ICAEL, have reformatted their websites to be more straightforward and user-friendly. Now, visitors choose whether they seek accreditation, are currently accredited, or wish to apply for reaccreditation from three boxes on the home page and walk through any process with step-by-step help and information.

http://www.icavl.org/icavl/index.htm

http://www.icael.org/icael/index.htm

Accreditation tips from AIUM
Laurel, MD—AIUM Director of Accreditation and Clinical Affairs Paula Woletz relates several tips on how to avoid noncompliant findings in case study reports from carefully recording uterine orientation to selecting the correct thermal index. In the Sound Waves newsletter link below, click the Accreditation Tips headline to read the full informational article.

http://www.aium.org/publications/soundWavesWeekly/newsletter.aspx?id=20101028

ACR outlines what the MIPPA Act means for accreditation
Reston, VA—The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) states that in order to receive technical funding for CT, MRI, breast MRI, nuclear medicine, and PET exam equipment certain providers of these procedures must be accredited by January 1, 2012. The American College of Radiology (ACR) outlines to whom these changes apply and their significance in an informational online article, as well as providing a 60-minute webinar familiarizing facilities with the MIPPA Act and new accreditation mandates.

http://www.acr.org/accreditation/10-CMS-Accreditation-Requirements.aspx

Access the webinar by clicking the link below to provide your name and email address and a Windows Media Player application will open on your screen.

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/318309427

SRU career center online
Reston, VA—The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) offers an online career center where job seekers can search job categories, post resumes, and receive job alerts and employers can create an employer profile and post ads. The career center is comprehensive and diverse, with jobs posted all over the United States every single day.

http://rad.sru.associationcareernetwork.com/Common/HomePage.aspx?abbr=RAD.SRU

New ultrasound screening technology allows instant breast imaging
United Kingdom—Professor Zhipeng Wu at the University of Manchester has developed a breast screening device that uses the same technology as a mobile phone but only a fraction of the power. His new instant imaging scanner is portable and would reduce wait times enormously, imaging breast tissue in real time. The ultrasound technology is faster, less invasive, and less costly than mammography, and is claimed to screen breast tissue in women under 50 more accurately, allowing for earlier detection of abnormalities.

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=6282

Ultrasound offers advances in Alzheimer's treatment
New York, NY—Columbia university professor Elisa Konofagou is working to develop a way to break through the blood-brain barrier using ultrasound in order to deliver helpful intravenous drugs to neurological disease patients suffering from ailments such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Existing methods are costly and ineffective, and if Konofagou's technique proves usable on humans, intravenous drugs would help to slow the effects of neurological diseases while lowering risk for ill side effects.

http://news.columbia.edu/record/2186

ARDMS renewal fees due December 31, 2010
Rockville, MD—ARDMS members who wish to renew membership for 2011 must pay dues on or before December 31, 2010. Send a check in the mail, or visit the ARDMS membership site to pay dues online at https://productionweb.ardms.org/ardmsonline/login.aspx.

http://www.ardms.org/default.asp?contentID=888

SVU updates its Professional Performance Guidelines
Lanham, MD—The Society for Vascular Ultrasound offers 20 Professional Performance Positions and Guidelines outlining suggested minimum standards of operation for certain ultrasound procedures. This month SVU has reviewed and updated two new guidelines for lower extremity venous insufficiency evaluation and upper extremity arterial segmental physiologic evaluation.

http://www.svunet.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3286

Single-beat echocardiography better for LV volume measurement
United Kingdom—A study in Cardiovascular Ultrasound concludes that single-beat 3D echocardiography measures left ventricular volume and ejection fraction in patients with atrial fibrillation more efficiently than commonly used four-heartbeat 3D echocardiography. While four-heartbeat 3D echocardiography offers higher spatial and temporal resolution, single-beat 3D echocardiography has unique advantages for detecting LV volume in patients with atrial fibrillation, such as reduction of stitching artifacts and faster acquisition of data.

http://www.cardiovascularultrasound.com/content/pdf/1476-7120-8-45.pdf

October is Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
Laurel, MD—AIUM, ARDMS, ASE, CCI, SDMS, and SVU have joined together to sponsor Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month in October 2010. MUAM is designed to increase the public's knowledge about medical ultrasound and its diverse uses in health care. Learn how participating organizations are promoting Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month at the following info pages.

http://www.svunet.org/files/publications/muam.pdf

AIUM offers free information kits including fact and terminology sheets, suggested activities, logos to use in promotional materials, and more. http://www.aium.org/muam/muam.aspx

ARDMS has posted a list of easy ways sonographers can promote the event in their labs and clinics daily, as well as an informational brochure available when you add yourself to the ARDMS mailing list. http://www.ardms.org/default.asp?
contentID=872

ASE has fashioned a fun informational poster in honor of the event. http://www.asecho.org/i4a/headlines/headlinedetails.cfm?id=34&archive=1

CCI has launched a line of "Catch the Wave" products including buttons, travel mugs, and posters to promote ultrasound and celebrate the ultrasound profession. http://www.cci-online.org/content/october-medical-ultrasound-awareness
-month

SDMS has added "Sonography—Waves of Possibility" products to its online store. http://www.sdms.org/store/

SVU offers a short list of planned activities designed to familiarize your local public with medical ultrasound and its current uses, including tours of your facility, essay contests, or free lectures at a local school or health care facility. http://www.svunet.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3693

2010 CARE bill on hold until Congress reconvenes
Washington, DC—The CARE bill, which would establish minimum education and certification standards for all medical imaging personnel nationwide, has been put on hold. Congress adjourns in October in preparation for November House and Senate elections and will return to the bill at a later date. SVU urges its members to contact their members of Congress in support of the CARE bill. Read the bill text: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi
-bin/query/z?c111:S.3737.IS:

http://www.svunet.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3698

September 2010

Incidental findings occur in over one-third of medical imaging tests
Chicago, IL—A study recounted in the American Medical Association's JAMA reports that radiologists and sonographers incidentally find additional obstructions, tumors, or infections in about 40% of patients who undergo medical imaging tests such as an MRI, PET, CT, or ultrasound procedure. Doctors discuss under what stipulations incidental findings in medical imaging tests should be reported, as a small number of patients benefit from early treatment of unintentional findings. Read the free abstract or purchase the full article: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/170/17/1525

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/202933.php

Microbubbles in conjunction with ultrasound reduce need for second surgery
San Diego, CA—Researchers at UC San Diego have developed microscopic glass spheres that attach to cancerous materials within the body and serve as markers detected by ultrasound. By placing the microbubbles in early stage breast cancer, doctors could flag cancerous material with minimal discomfort to the patient, making it possible for surgeons to remove all malignant material during one operation.

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/09-17BreastCancer.asp

Study suggests risk of infection after ultrasound-guided procedures is low
Rochester, MN—A Mayo Clinic study published in the October 2010 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (www.ajronline.org) demonstrates that the incidence of infection following ultrasound-guided procedures such as fine-needle aspiration, biopsy, and thoracentesis is very low. Of 13,534 procedures over 2 years, only 11 resulted in procedure-related infection. According to the lead author, ultrasound-guided procedures are safe, effective, and accurate—information that can be used to educate patients who must give consent for such procedures.

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2010/09/21/risk.infection.after.
ultrasound.guided.procedures.low.study.suggests

Medipattern receives US patent for its multiple modality software
Canada—Medipattern's CadenzaTM software augments sonographers' individual expertise with computer-aided detection (CAD) in medical imaging interpretation. It is the first cross-modality and cross-disease technology for use in both ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as vascular and breast imaging and screenings for thyroid and prostate cancer.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Medipattern-Receives-US -ccn-1767028331
.html?x=0&.v=1

ARRT announces Continuing Qualifications 2011 requirement update
St. Paul, MN—After announcing its plan to instate continuing qualifications requirements in June 2007, the ARRT has since definitively resolved that those radiologic technologists certified with ARRT after January 1, 2011, and therefore subject to continuing qualifications requirements, will not be expected to retake entry level exams. Read more about CQ2011 (Continuing Qualifications 2011) at https://www.arrt.org/cq2011.html.

https://www.arrt.org/new/2010-09-09-CQ2011updates.html

ARDMS posts new podcast on examination security
Rockville, MD—The ARDMS offers a new podcast detailing the importance of examination security that outlines the dos and don'ts of information sharing and how to best protect your credential. Listen to the podcast: http://www.ardms.org/downloads/Podcasts/
Examination %20Security%20-%20VO%20from%20Kristen-mp3.mp3

http://www.ardms.org/default.asp?ContentID=1019&menubar=1

Kmart joins effort to raise awareness for abdominal aortic aneurysms
Minneapolis, MN—The Find the AAAnswers Coalition announced its collaboration with Kmart in supporting free education and risk assessment for triple A, or abdominal aortic aneurysm, a condition that affects more than one million people nationwide and is the third leading cause of sudden death in men over 60. Beginning this September, select Kmart pharmacies will offer free at-risk ultrasound screenings and educational materials to the public.

http://www.findtheaaanswers.org/news/newsroom/press-release/?i=259

ICAEL modifies accreditation requirements for non-echocardiography physicians
Ellicott City, MD—The National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) has modified its requirements for medical directors and staff applying for accreditation or reaccreditation with ICAEL under the practice experience pathway for physicians without formal training in echocardiography. Directors and staff must now document Testamur status (having successfully passed the ASCeXAM, PTEeXAM, ReASCE, or RePTE examination but having chosen not to apply for certification) with the NBE by January 1, 2015, in addition to previous requirements.

http://www.intersocietal.org/iac/news/2010/div_icael/nbe_testamur.htm

ARDMS posts its newest informational podcast
Rockville, MD—Listen to the newest podcast from ARDMS regarding CAAHEP vs. non-CAAHEP program accreditation on the ARDMS website.

http://www.ardms.org/downloads/Podcasts/CAAHEPFINAL.mp3

Last chance to pre-register for SDMS annual conference
Plano, TX—Pre-registration for the SDMS annual conference ends September 10. This year the conference takes place in Denver, Colorado, October 15–17 at the Hyatt Regency Denver. For more information, call the SDMS Education and Meetings department at 800-229-9506, email meetings@sdms.org, or register online.

https://secure.sdms.org/conference/registration.aspx

AIUM 2011 research grants available
Laurel, MD—The AIUM announces a call for proposals for several research grants of up to $10,000 funded by the Endowment for Education and Research (EER). Ultrasound researchers may apply for a grant in teaching, ob/gyn clinical research, non-ob/gyn clinical research, and basic science research by November 1, 2010.

http://www.aium.org/grants/grants.aspx

Ultrasound allows detection of disturbing self-embedding trend
Oak Brook, IL—Adolescents who engage in self-embedding, a rising self-harm trend, may undergo minimally-invasive surgery after early detection of foreign objects inserted within skin and muscle tissue. Radiologists may now interrupt individuals' self-harm cycles using ultrasound to detect embedded foreign bodies that are invisible to x-ray.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/200160.php

ARDMS updates its retired member policies
Rockville, MD—Sonographers who wish to maintain affiliation with the ARDMS but no longer practice nor teach within their ultrasound field may change their ARDMS status to "Retired." While retired members may not renew their active status, they do benefit from reduced yearly fees.

http://www.ardms.org/downloads/RR_Summer2010_FINAL.pdf
#nameddest=policies

CCI credentialing now a one-part examination process
Raleigh, NC—All CCI credentials, formerly achieved in two parts, now require only a one-part process. Applicants who have begun the former two-part credentialing process must complete the two-part credential by December 31, 2010, or they will be required to sit for the new one-part exam process beginning January 1, 2011.

http://cci-online.org/node/239

Ultrasound offers cheap, reversible male contraception
Chapel Hill, NC—Studies conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that a controlled blast of ultrasound offers reversible male contraception for up to 6 months. By the end of a one-year grant, researchers hope that community heath volunteers will be approved to perform the procedure.

http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/ultrasound/content/article/
113619/1655651#

SVU online job center a tool for recruiters and potential employees
Lanham, MD—SVU's online job center provides access to over 4,600 potential employers and employees in the vascular ultrasound community. Employees search jobs posted while employers post jobs as well as utilize SVU's additional Student Profile Directory in hiring students.

http://www.svunet.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3575

ARDMS newsletters and emails filtered as spam
Rockville, MD—Members of the ARDMS should take steps to white-list ARDMS as an email sender so that important information is not filed as junk or spam by their email filters. The ARDMS outlines steps for white-listing its sender information on email providers such as AOL, Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook 2003, Mozilla Thunderbird, Netscape, and more.

http://www.ardms.org/default.asp?contentID=1015

Obgyn.net ultrasound image gallery growing
De Valle, TX—Obgyn.net has a public 160-image ultrasound gallery with video clips and descriptions now available for review. Upload your own informative case studies, images, and videos to keep the gallery growing.

http://www.obgyn.net/ultrasound/ultrasound.asp?page=gallery/gallery

AIUM features ultrasound podcast from its 2010 annual convention
Laurel, MD—AIUM podcast Ultrasound of Superficial Palpable Lumps presented by Levon Nazarian, MD, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is available for online viewing. The program is excerpted from AIUM's Ultrasound of Superficial Lumps and Bumps, Nodes, and Salivary Glands, which reviews sonography of palpable superficial masses, including cutaneous and subcutaneous solid and cystic tumors, lymphadenopathy, foreign bodies, salivary glands, and hernias.

http://files.aium.org/podcasts/Lumps_and_Bumps/lumps.html

August 2010

CARE bill introduced in the U.S. Senate
Washington, DC—While basic educational standards for medical imaging professionals are currently voluntary in many states, the CARE bill—Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (S. 3737)—would ensure that basic minimum education and certification standards are established as part of the Medicare program for all medical imaging and radiation therapy personnel nationwide. The CARE bill is supported by more than 22 organizations including the SDMS, ASE, SVU, ASRT, ARRT, and CCI. Informational pages are available on the websites of each of these organizations.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.3737.IS:

Nanotransducers could bring ultrasound to the cellular level
United Kingdom—Scientists and engineers at the University of Nottingham have developed the world's smallest ultrasonic transducers, so tiny that as many as 500 of them might be placed across the width of one human hair. While these ultra small transducers are only in early stages of development, scientists and physicians speculate on the extraordinary possibilities the new technology could mean for the future of ultrasound, including incredibly high imaging resolution and even diagnosis by noninvasive biopsy.

http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/ultrasound/content/article/113619/
1642950

SVU submits letter to CMS regarding 2011 Physician Fee Schedule
Lanham, MD—The Society for Vascular Ultrasound recently commented on the proposed revisions to payment policies under the Physician Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 2011 (the "Proposed Rule") in a letter sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter addresses items such as the removal of barriers to preventive services, coverage of annual wellness visits, expansion of the Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) policy, and the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

http://www.svunet.org/files/advocacy/082410_Comment_
CY2011MPFSProposedRule.pdf

ARDMS launches recertification program
Rockville, MD—To align the practice of sonography with other health care disciplines, ARDMS will institute obligatory web-based recertification exams. Registered sonographers will be required to undergo recertification testing once every 10 years—this in addition to existing CME requirements. Ten-year periods will be assigned beginning in 2012, and the first exams will be available in 2019.

http://www.ardms.org/default.asp?ContentID=1012&menubar=1

New AIUM online career and job center is open
Laurel, MD—The AIUM's new online career center connects job seekers and employers. Job seekers post a resume, create a profile, and custom search relevant jobs. Employers post available jobs, search resumes, and have qualified candidates emailed straight to their inboxes.

http://careers.aium.org/

Contrast ultrasound processing tool shows malignant liver lesions
Switzerland—Swiss researchers with Bracco Group have developed a real-time parametric imaging technique for distinguishing benign from malignant liver lesions easily and noninvasively using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

http://www.ardms.org/downloads/NewsWire%20Editions/NewsWire-
08-06-10-USJadsFINAL.html#B

Carotid ultrasound uncovers cardiovascular risk
Rockville, MD—An article in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography suggests that screening young to middle-aged patients with ultrasound for carotid plaque or carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is likely to reveal cardiovascular risk in patients with a low Framingham risk score (FRS). Another article in the same journal demonstrated that carotid ultrasound was better than a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score via CT in predicting risk.

http://www.onlinejase.com/article/S0894-7317(10)00473-6/abstract
http://www.onlinejase.com/article/S0894-7317(10)00367-6/abstract

October is Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
Laurel, MD—AIUM, ARDMS, ASE, CCI, SDMS, and SVU have joined together to sponsor Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month in October 2010. Because many people associate ultrasound solely with use during pregnancy, MUAM is designed to increase the public's knowledge about medical ultrasound and its diverse uses in health care. AIUM offers free information kits including fact and terminology sheets, suggested activities, logos to use in promotional materials, and more.

http://www.aium.org/muam/muam.aspx

AIUM offers new accreditation workshop video online
Laurel, MD—The AIUM now offers a free video introduction to AIUM practice accreditation led by Paula Woletz, MPH, RDMS, RDCS, director of accreditation and clinical affairs. Entitled Accreditation "Getting Started" Workshop, the presentation answers questions regarding accreditation requirements, examines the different components of the process, and discusses how to complete the application and select case studies.

http://www.aium.org/accreditation/gettingStarted.aspx

ICAVL Accreditation on Demand
Ellicott City, MD—The ICAVL has created a new series of webcasts entitled Accreditation on Demand . The first two videos in the series review payment policies, what laboratories need to know to ensure compliance, and how to begin online accreditation procedure. Available online now.

http://www.icavl.org/icavl/main/on_demand.htm

AIUM patient information materials available
Laurel, MD—AIUM information cards and patient pamphlets provide patients with an in-depth look at ultrasound and all that is involved in the exam. Pamphlets and cards are available in a variety of areas, including breast, fetal echocardiography, gynecology, musculoskeletal, obstetrics, pediatrics, prostate, scrotum, and thyroid.

http://www.aium.org/store/products.aspx?cId=100