AuntMinnieEurope.com Women's Imaging Insider

Dear Women's Imaging Insider,

If you're anything like us, when you see "7T" in a headline you say, "Oooooh."

Unfortunately, those in the women's imaging field don't often see such headlines pertaining to their field. Well, prepare to say "Ooooooh." A new study from Germany discusses the use of 7-tesla MRI for the female pelvis. What did they find? And which is better, T1-weighted imaging or T2? Discover what they revealed.

Another story of note from the U.K. is about pregnancy. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has updated its guidelines on the measures routinely taken in imaging departments to protect unborn children from irradiation. There is evidence that the incidence of childhood cancer may rise slightly following in utero irradiation before a period has been missed. What else did the RCR recommend? Read more here.

If you're interested in fetal ultrasound and history, then you'll love this recent column by Dr. Adrian Thomas. What was life like before fetal ultrasound? How has prenatal care changed since then? In 1966, one of the inventors of obstetric ultrasound exclaimed that the modality's workload was rising at a rate that threatened to become unmanageable: "No less than 28% [of women] had undergone ultrasonic examination at some time in pregnancy." How times have changed.

Something that seems as if it should be confined to 1966, but isn't, is the existence of a gender gap in radiology, at least in Italy. A study in the European Journal of Radiology found that despite the significant number of women radiologists in Italy, these numbers are not translating into representation in the highest levels of a clinical or academic career -- nor are women adequately represented in some career specialties.

Women also claimed that they had less control over their work, made a greater effort to fulfill job requirements, were more overcommitted, and received fewer rewards than men. Also, women had a significantly lower level of perceived justice than men. Are you experiencing a gender gap in your country? Let us know in the comments.

There are many other articles in your Women's Imaging Digital Community, so be sure to check them out. As always, send us an email with your tips, suggestions, or comments.