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MRI Reduces Prostate Biopsies | Cops Cause MRI Quench
September 26, 2024
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Together with
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“AI can analyze medical images like X-rays to help doctors find issues but cannot replace doctors.”
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Septiandri AA et al, in a new study on AI’s impact on the workforce. Paging Dr. Hinton?
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New research provides additional support for MRI’s role in making prostate screening more effective. In a new study in NEJM, researchers found that MRI can help reduce unnecessary biopsies more than 50%, with a very low chance of missing high-risk disease.
As we’ve discussed in previous newsletters, prostate cancer screening based on PSA levels is an imprecise test.
- Many men with suspiciously high PSA (typically 3-4 ng/mL or higher) undergo biopsies that detect clinically insignificant disease that would never present a health risk during their lifetimes – the classic definition of overdiagnosis.
Adding MRI can help make prostate screening more precise by directing biopsy-based workup to only those men with clinically significant cancer – but questions still abound about exactly when it should be used.
In new results from the GÖTEBORG-2 trial in Sweden, researchers compared prostate screening protocols in men with PSA levels 3 ng/mL and higher who got MRI scans:
- One group automatically got systemic biopsy and then MRI-targeted biopsy based on MRI results.
- The other group only got MRI-targeted biopsy if they had a suspicious MRI scan.
In 13.2k men who were followed up for a median of four years, researchers found that those in whom systemic biopsy was omitted …
- Had 57% lower risk of clinically insignificant cancers.
- Had lower relative risk of clinically insignificant cancers in subsequent screening rounds (RR=0.25 vs. 0.49).
- Had 16% lower risk of detecting clinically significant cancers.
- Had 35% lower risk of advanced or high-risk cancers.
On the down side, the protocol eliminating systemic biopsy could lead to later diagnoses for higher-risk disease for 3 in 1k men – but given the slow-growing nature of prostate cancer it’s not clear how significant this is.
- Also, the data indicate that “most prostate cancers become visible on MRI” before they are incurable, which increases the likelihood that they would at least be detected on subsequent screening rounds and could be treated effectively.
The Takeaway
The new findings should help clinicians hone in on the best prostate screening protocols for maximizing detection of clinically significant cancer while minimizing unnecessary workup. Hopefully, the addition of new technologies like AI can move this process along.
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AI for Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Screening
Check out this comprehensive new eBook from Calantic by Bayer on the role of AI in lung cancer diagnosis and screening. It explores AI’s potential role in improving lung cancer screening strategies, identifying high-risk individuals, and enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Download it today.
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AI for Detecting Fractures on X-Rays
Missed fractures occur all too frequently and are a significant cause of patient morbidity. Learn how U.K. researchers are using Gleamer’s BoneView algorithm to discover how AI can help radiologists improve their diagnostic accuracy for fracture detection on X-rays.
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- Cops Cause MRI Quench: Police officers investigating reports of an illegal cannabis farm allegedly caused an MRI magnet quench at a Los Angeles imaging center after an officer’s gun was pulled into the magnet bore. The officers were searching the center when one entered the MRI suite with a rifle; the gun was pulled into the bore and a second officer hit an emergency release button shutting the scanner down and quenching the magnet. The incident occurred in October 2023, but details have come to light in a lawsuit the center filed. No cannabis plants were found.
- AI’s Impact on Radiology Jobs: A new report says radiologic technologists and radiologists are among the top 20 professions to be impacted by AI. Writing in PNAS Nexus, researchers cross-referenced 749 job titles to 24.8k AI patents, determining that cardiovascular technologists were the most likely to be impacted, followed by nuclear medicine and MRI technologists at positions 3 and 5, respectively, while radiologists ranked no. 16. But they noted that “impact” could mean AI augments rather than replaces jobs, especially in industries that have workforce shortages. Know of any?
- Radiation Therapist Vacancies Grow: A new survey from the ASRT shows that the vacancy rate for radiation therapists grew to 14% in 2024, up from 11% in the last survey. At the same time, vacancies for medical dosimetrists fell to 9.6% this year, compared to 11% previously. The survey found the number of FTE therapists budgeted per facility went from 2.4 in 2022 to 2.7 in 2024. The numbers reflect the shortage of allied health personnel, prompting ASRT to work with other organizations to address the shortfall.
- Qure Raises $65M in Funding: AI company Qure.ai just completed a sizable $65M Series D funding round, bringing its total funding raised to date to $100M. Qure will use the new funds to fuel its U.S. expansion and continue commercialization of the 18 AI algorithms that have received FDA clearance so far, from its qCT LN Quant solution for analyzing suspicious lung nodules on CT scans to qXR-LN for assessing lung nodules on X-rays. The funding shows the rebounding momentum for VC funding of AI developers.
- Prenatal Ultrasound Disparities: Pregnant women with public insurance (mostly Medicaid) who had babies born with congenital heart defects were 13.2% less likely to receive second-trimester ultrasound during pregnancy than women with private insurance. In a study in Prenatal Diagnosis, researchers looked at outcomes for 496 pregnant women of whom 43% were publicly insured and 62% gave birth to a baby diagnosed with CHD. Women with public insurance were 12.6% less likely to have a prenatal diagnosis, but if they got second-trimester ultrasound this disparity disappeared.
- deepc Lands Mexico Contract: German AI platform company deepc landed a contract to provide its solutions to one of Mexico’s largest private healthcare providers. Grupo RIO Laboratorio Clinico will integrate deepc’s deepcOS into its medical imaging workflow to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve efficiency. deepc landed the contract through its distributor InteliMed.ai, which specializes in providing AI and machine learning solutions in Latin America. The contract exemplifies deepc’s international expansion, which has included recent contracts in Iberia and Scandinavia.
- Cardiac MRI Reveals Death Risk: Sudden cardiac death is a catastrophic – and tragic – outcome for young people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. But cardiac MRI can help detect which kids are at risk. In a paper in JAMA Cardiology, researchers studied 700 adolescents with HCM, finding that those with late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac MRI (defined as 10% of total myocardium) had higher risk of sudden cardiac death (HR=2.19). What’s more, adding LGE improved the performance of standard risk scores like the HCM Risk-Kids (0.73 vs. 0.66).
- BAC Linked to Cardiac Risk in Women: More evidence has emerged of a link between breast arterial calcification and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In a presentation at the Menopause Society’s annual meeting this month, researchers tracked 383 women, finding that those with BAC on mammography were more likely to experience ASCVD events over 18 years of follow-up (23% vs. 14%). The findings highlight the need to acquire and report information on a woman’s BAC status during mammography screening so therapeutic interventions can be started if needed.
- SYMPHONY-HF Starts Recruiting: A new clinical trial across five countries designed to screen high-risk people for undiagnosed heart failure is recruiting patients. The SYMPHONY-HF trial will use a combination of NT-proBNP blood testing with echocardiography using an EchoNous POCUS scanner, with echo AI software from Us2.ai generating AI-automated reports. Patients with HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFmrEF will be referred for follow-up. The goal is to see if POCUS, echo AI, and blood testing can make heart failure screening available outside hospital settings.
- FDA Clears Exo AI Guidance: Point-of-care ultrasound developer Exo received FDA clearance for SweepAI, which provides AI-based guidance for cardiac and lung scans on the company’s Exo Iris device. SweepAI gives users feedback on correct positioning during scans, with automated AI-based indicators for congestive heart failure, acute decompensated heart failure, stroke volume, and heart rate. SweepAI is Exo’s third major update in a year, and the company this week also announced new software upgrades and features for Exo Iris and its Exo Works platform.
- AI Reduces Fracture Discrepancies: French researchers found that Gleamer’s BoneView AI algorithm reduced image interpretation discrepancies by 17% between radiologists and emergency physicians when reading X-rays with suspected limb fractures. In a new study in MDPI, researchers included 3.7k patients visiting the emergency department, finding the discrepancy rate fell with use of AI (5.1% vs. 6.6%), with the biggest impact on arm fractures. AI also reduced length of stay by 5% (181 vs. 190 minutes).
- Telix to Buy Radiopharmacy Network: Radiopharmaceutical developer Telix Pharmaceuticals took a step toward expanding its distribution capabilities with a bid to buy RLS, which runs 31 U.S. radiopharmacies. RLS had fiscal 2023 revenues of $158M and already distributes Telix’s Illuccix PET tracer; it will be folded into its Telix Manufacturing Solutions business, which includes the ARTMS radiopharmacy firm Telix bought earlier in 2024. Telix recently submitted an NDA for its Pixclara brain PET agent and is also moving its Zircaix kidney PET tracer to market.
- New Data on COVID’s Cancer Impact: New data reveal how the COVID-19 pandemic reduced screening rates – and new cancer diagnoses. Writing in a study in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers found that – except for breast cancer – incidence of advanced disease for five cancers has not risen as might have been expected given the pandemic’s interruption in screening. Cases of advanced-stage breast cancer in 2021 rose 9% over what might have been expected, the only change that was statistically significant. Other studies have documented a post-pandemic drop in cancer diagnoses.
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A Single Source of Truth for Medical Data
Intelerad’s cloud vendor-neutral archive, InteleShare VNA, creates a centralized repository of images regardless of modality, source, or file type. Find out how it can serve as your single source of truth for effortlessly retrieving and utilizing medical data.
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Clearer MRI for Alzheimer’s Disease
Clinicians and patients are encouraged by new drugs available to slow or reduce cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Learn how 30% faster MRI scans and clearer images enabled by SpinTech MRI’s STAGE software can help address imaging challenges.
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Transform Your Practice into a Multispecialty Powerhouse
Medality is the practice development platform that helps radiologists upskill in high-growth, advanced imaging areas. Request a demo today and discover how to transform your practice into a multispecialty powerhouse.
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- Request an RSNA Meeting with TeraRecon: RSNA 2024 will be here before you know it. Come explore TeraRecon’s latest updates and find out why the company is an award-winning solution provider for AI-empowered radiology, oncology, cardiology, neurology, and vascular surgery.
- Give Patients a Clear Path to Accessing Medical Data: Clearpath is a simple integration that empowers digital delivery of medical records and images. Request a demo today to find out how you can ditch the disc and give your patients and third parties instant access to digital data.
- Presenting Unboxing AI: Check out CARPL’s video series, Unboxing AI, featuring experts discussing AI and its future in radiology. The next episode on September 27 features Suresh Mukherji, MD, of the University of Louisville – reserve your seat today.
- Focus on Mammography Workflow: Mammography workflow is key to providing high-quality breast imaging services. In this Imaging Wire Show, we talked with Christie Devine of Siemens Healthineers about how recent advances in mammography workflow are leading to more effective mammography technologists — and happier patients.
- Digital Tools for Heart Failure: Clinicians have a growing array of digital tools for assessing patients with suspected heart failure. A new review article in Lancet Digital Health takes stock of some of the options, including echo AI tools like those from Us2.ai.
- AI Supports Diagnosis of Cognitive Disorders: How can AI support the early diagnosis of cognitive disorders in elderly people? Read this article from DeepHealth on how AI-powered software with MRI can be used with both neuropsychological tests and clinical information to improve early diagnosis of cognitive impairments.
- Unlock Medical Imaging’s Full Potential: Unlock the full potential of medical imaging with the power of cloud technology and discover how Optum’s solutions can streamline operations, enhance data security, and improve patient outcomes. Embrace the future of medical imaging today and see the difference the cloud can make!
- Data Standardization and Patient Care: Standardization of patient data is a crucial aspect of healthcare. It helps make practices more efficient, but it also benefits patients by improving outcomes and patient satisfaction. Learn how data standardization can help improve your practice in this article from Enlitic.
- Go Virtual with Ease: Visage Imaging’s new Visage Ease VP solution makes it easy for you to take advantage of the unique clinical capabilities of the new Apple Vision Pro spatial computing environment. Learn how it can change your practice today.
- Advance Your Enterprise Image Exchange Strategy: 9 out of 10 healthcare leaders identified rising costs as a challenge. Discover how to reduce costs, improve patient retention and increase referral volumes in this white paper from PocketHealth.
- Improving Your Mammography Workflow: Want to learn how AI can relieve pressure in your mammography department? Watch this on-demand webinar hosted by Blackford featuring a panel discussing the importance of assessing breast density, image quality reporting, and prioritizing studies.
- How McFarland Clinic Reduced Downtime: McFarland Clinic Health Ventures recently experienced a downtime occurrence when an HL7 interface went down. But thanks to a suite of medical imaging solutions from Merge by Merative, McFarland’s downtime lasted all of 15 minutes. Find out how they did it in this case study.
- Unprecedented Insights Made Possible with AI: With the largest normative dataset of whole-body imaging in the world, Prenuvo’s AI researchers partner with the best academic minds to understand – like never before – what “normal” aging means. Learn about their work today.
- Celebrating Happy Customers: There’s nothing better than happy customers. Find out what radiology personnel at Western New York MRI in Buffalo had to say about their new uMR 680 scanner from United Imaging.
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