A new year is upon us, and we’re all wondering what’s ahead. Who will win the Super Bowl? Your guess is as good as mine. As far as medical imaging is concerned, we’re looking at the trends that will likely shape the year ahead. Want to know what’s hot in CT or ultrasound? We’ve got you covered. Or you can jump into this month’s cover feature. It’s not often that we have a topic that draws opinions from bothThe New Yorker and Kim Kardashian.
Preventive medicine is usually considered to be ideal, but Beth W. Orenstein examines whether it can be too much of a good thing. A couple of companies, Prenuvo and Ezra, are offering preventive MRI scans to customers who are willing to pay anywhere from $1,350 to $2,500, depending on the company and the scope of the scan. The selling point is that these scans may be able to catch a medical condition early, possibly facilitating life-altering or even life-saving treatment. Most people would likely agree that they’d rather know sooner than later about a medical condition that could prove fatal, but radiologists have an important caveat about these scans: They may find something that will never be harmful but will end up resulting in unnecessary and possibly painful tests to rule out the potential for future harm. In a world where access to medical care is not evenly distributed, unnecessary testing diverts resources from people who can actually benefit from it. And that doesn’t take into account the additional stress that patients may feel while waiting to find out just how stressed they should be about what turned up on the scan. On the other hand, some proponents believe these scans can (and perhaps should) be used to track changes over time rather than being a cause for immediate action. Currently, there is not enough capacity to use MRI in this way. Whether that capacity can be developed in the coming years remains to be seen. Orenstein speaks with experts on both sides of this issue to get more insight on the pros and cons.
Also in this issue, Keith Loria has a round-up of CT scanners. This year’s notable features include photon counting and (what else?) AI. Turn to page 14 for all of the details.
For trends in ultrasound, Orenstein takes a look at what’s new. As demand for ultrasound rises, features that prioritize ease of use while reducing ergonomic strain are in demand.
Finally, 5 Things to Watch in 2024 has our account of notable trends from RSNA. And don’t miss our annual coding update on page 6.
Enjoy the issue.
— Dave Yeager
david.yeager@gvpub.com