Emergency department (ED) visits increased 60 percent faster than population growth from 2001 to 2008, while ED crowding outpaced the surge in visits, according to a study published in the July issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine. The authors linked the increase to a 140 percent growth rate in advanced imaging. However, imaging had a smaller net effect on crowding than other diagnostic tests and clinical procedures.

Researchers have identified a performance gap related to adherence to a National Quality Forum performance measure for appropriateness of CT pulmonary angiography in emergency department (ED) patients with a low pre-test probability of pulmonary embolism (PE), according to a study published online June 4 in Archives of Internal Medicine.

Linda D. Gillam, MD, MPH, vice chair of cardiovascular medicine for Atlantic Health System, has been named chair of cardiovascular medicine of the three-center healthcare system.

Research published June 12 in BMJ found that an internet-based, nurse led treatment program in addition to usual care for vascular risk factors had a small effect on lowering some vascular risk factors in patients with the disease.

Molecular imaging scored two victories in studies that assessed its usefulness as a tool with added quantitative coronary flow reserve (CFR) measurements in patients with coronary disease. One study gave quantitative CFR a thumbs up for identifying elderly patients who are at low risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD) while the other found that adding CFR improves the diagnostic accuracy of PET myocardial perfusion imaging for detecting CAD.

  MIAMI-It's not enough to generate cool pictures for referring physicians, Rory Hachamovitch, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, said during a comparative effectiveness research symposium in cardiovascular molecular imaging at the annual meeting of Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). Instead of anatomical endpoints, referring physicians need information about whether or not the imaging exam benefitted the patient. These data form the crux of comparative effectiveness research.

A majority of radiologists and emergency medicine physicians reported feeling comfortable educating patients about radiation risks associated with CT imaging, according to survey that served as the basis for a research letter in the June 4 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. In contrast, most frontline providers indicated that they did not have the time or training to sufficiently discuss the risks of CT imaging.

The shift from V/Q scintigraphy to CT angiography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) has been tied to an increase in incidence of PE, but not a decline in mortality, according to a study published in the June issue of American Journal of Roentgenology. The findings suggest the possibility of overdiagnosis.