As an editor for DAIC and Imaging Technology News, I am a third-party observer in the cardiac and radiology markets. I also am a patient who recently received medical imaging. With both these sets of experience, I am of the opinion that physicians often miss an opportunity to connect with their patients in a critical way, one which could increase patient involvement and compliance for treatments and follow-up exams.

Medical devices employed for injecting radio-opaque contrast media into the body to enhance the visibility of tissues for a medical imaging procedure are known as contrast injectors. Over the years, with ever-increasing technological sophistication, these contrast injectors have evolved from manual injectors having manifolds with stop-cocks to automated versions, providing added accuracy and advantages. These automated versions are known as autoinjectors. Autoinjectors are capable of controlling the amount of contrast media injected, utilization rate, and are also able to increase dosage to keep pace with fast medical imaging scanners as well as alert the physician of potential hazards, such as air embolisms or extravasations.

The radial artery approach is exceptionally well-suited for diagnostic angiography and, with a lower incidence of bleeding complications, is a favorable alternative for femoral percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The most common complications with the transradial approach are asymptomatic radial artery occlusion (3-5 percent) and radial artery perforation (less than 1 percent).

Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center in Houston, Tex., has leveraged new imaging and interventional technologies to help contain and reduce costs, increase patient volume and revenues and build a reputation as a state-of-the-art heart center.

Patients with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (AFib) who received first-line catheter ablation treatment had a longer arrhythmia-free interval than patients receiving anti-arrhythmic drugs, the standard first-line treatment. The preliminary findings were presented during a late-breaking session at the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) 2012 scientific sessions last week in Boston.