Dear AuntMinnieEurope Member,
Tattoos are getting attention from European regulators right now because many chemicals in the inks are carcinogenic and some of the pigments were originally intended for use in products like textiles or plastics. A major concern is the materials used for tattooing differ considerably from country to country, and are partly toxic or can become toxic over the years.
But are tattoos safe for MRI? That's the key question U.K. and German researchers have studied closely, and they've also looked at implanted devices. To read about their findings, go to our MRI Community, or click here.
Participation in quality assurance testing can help the smooth operation of MRI, but often it falls short and participation of radiographers is low, especially compared with nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. Get the full details here.
Everybody seems to agree that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to have a huge impact on medical imaging in the years to come, but quantifying the financial value and prospects of the AI market is no simple task. Industry guru Simon Harris has taken a long, hard look at the sector. Visit the Imaging Informatics Community, or click here.
AI is also having an effect on the detection of prostate lesions. German authors found that machine learning and radiomics did not beat the predictive performance of a quantitative MRI protocol, but they think the development of new machine-learning techniques may produce a different result in the future. You can learn more by clicking here.
Another recent study has shown how systematic evaluation of breast cancer screening programs can help identify gaps and lead to implementation of corrective measures. The example of Morocco may be useful for other developing countries introducing clinical exam-based programs, and perhaps eventually full mammographic screening. Visit the Women's Imaging Community, or click here.
