Intravenous contrast media (typically iohexol or iodixanol) used in computed tomography (CT) does not appear to be associated with chronic kidney disease, dialysis, kidney transplant or acute kidney injury, despite long-held fears to the contrary. The results of the largest controlled study of acute kidney injury following contrast media administration in the emergency department were published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("Risk of Acute Kidney Injury Following Intravenous Contrast Media Administration").

Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York have devised a new way to protect personal electronic health records using a patient’s own heartbeat.

The ultrasound systems space, which covers 39 major markets, is set to rise steadily from $4.2 billion in 2016 to $5 billion by 2023, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5 percent. The company’s latest report states that the growth will primarily be driven by the rising prevalence of diseases and expanding demand for cost-effective quality healthcare.

CardioFocus Inc. recently announced the initial clinical evaluation of the HeartLight Excalibur Balloon, a next-generation technology designed for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The Excalibur Balloon leverages the universal balloon design of the HeartLight Endoscopic Ablation System and introduces an advanced feature set that optimizes the speed and magnitude of target tissue contact during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures.

Survival statistics, surgeon-specific experience and complication rates are the types of information most wanted by parents of children with congenital heart disease, according to a survey released at the 53rd Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).

Using data from a national study, Johns Hopkins researchers determined that using heart computed tomography (CT) scans can help personalize treatment in patients whose blood pressure falls in the gray zone of just above normal or mild high blood pressure. Previously, the appropriate blood pressure treatment for these patients used risk calculations and some guesswork, potentially leaving many vulnerable to heart disease or taking drugs they do not need. Nearly one in three adults in the United States has prehypertension, blood pressure higher than normal but not considered high yet.