Dear AuntMinnieEurope Member,
As we go to press, word has come in that Siemens Healthineers has wrapped up its acquisition of radiation therapy vendor Varian Medical Systems. This has been billed as perhaps the largest deal in healthcare in the past several years -- get all the details from our coverage.
In other news, field strength has been a major preoccupation of the MRI community since the 1980s, and for many years it seemed likely the supporters of high-field scanning would prevail. They made a strong case that field strength leads to image quality, but now a consensus is emerging that high- and low-field scanners can coexist and complement each other.
In a video interview, Arthur Kaindl, PhD, explains why he thinks low-field systems will become a permanent feature of the fast-changing MRI marketplace. His team won the Best New Radiology Device award in the 2021 EuroMinnies scheme for a new MRI scanner that the company hopes will change the established paradigm. Find out more in the MRI Community.
Biomarkers, in combination with liquid biopsy and pathology, can help to optimize cancer detection and characterization, and they form a vital part of a diagnostic approach that aims to integrate diverse data from imaging, pathology, and liquid biopsy/laboratory medicine. Combining liquid biopsy and imaging can improve future surveillance by detecting subclinical disease earlier, experts say. Earlier this week, Italian researchers presented important new findings in this area. Get the full story in the Women's Imaging Community.
What do patients think about the use of artificial intelligence (AI)? A Scottish group addressed this question in a survey of more than 150 participants in breast screening. Their results, presented at ECR 2021, deserve a close look.
The early 20th century was a fascinating period in the development of x-ray, and Dr. Ironside Bruce did some significant work in this field. His sudden death in 1921 drew attention to the suffering of the early x-ray martyrs and led to the creation of the British X-ray and Radium Protection Committee. Don't miss Dr. Adrian Thomas' new history column.
Finally, it's great to see so many of you have enjoyed this week's interview with Dr. Luis MartĂ-BonmatĂ, PhD, from Valencia, Spain. We'll be posting more chats with the winners of the 2021 EuroMinnies over the coming days.
