According to the Boston Globe new, faster 64-slice CT scanners are selling fast into hospitals, despite their $1.5+ million price tag. For example 800 units of GE Healthcare's LightSpeed VCT were sold in a year. Among new use scenarios, the devices let doctors diagnose coronary artery plaque within an hour after a fast, painless scan rather than a
cardiac catheterization done under sedation. However these CT scans require a higher radiation dosage than is necessary for chest x-rays. Insurance coverage of cardiac CT scans is not yet uniform at a national level but a committee is about to evaluate them in order to advise Medicare on reimbursment policy.
Now the question is, when is it appropriate to use the devices for cardiac diagnosis purposes? Probably not on healthy patients because small plaque spots might be spotted in arteries but in the absence of symptoms, it's hard for doctors to interpret them. Patients might then seek unwarranted treatment. Even among patients with heart disease symptoms such as chest pain, more guidelines are necessary. Very acute chest pain might indicate a heart attack is happening and a CT scan at this point might waste time without providing useful information. Age, sex and various risk factors are to be taken into account.
Cardiac CT for calcium scoring could help take prevention steps and save lives but in some cases these exams don't provide conclusive evidence that treatment is actually needed. At the very least, used on the right patients, these scans could help keep ER less crowded thanks to their fast exam and result turnaround.
more...
April 30, 2006
Related topics:
New Technology & Innovation, Imaging, Cardiology, Evaluation & assessment
The FDA is
recommending additional safety steps on top of those listed by Baxter Healthcare Corporation these past months, when using the Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pump:
- "If possible, do not use the COLLEAGUE pumps in situations where delaying or interrupting therapy in order to reprogram or replace a malfunctioning pump may be life threatening, such as with critically ill patients being maintained on inotropic infusions and patients in mobile transfer units.
- Have a contingency plan to mitigate any disruption of infusion therapy (e.g., have a back-up pump available). Your contingency plans should take into account both the patient's condition and the reasons for the infusion.
- Monitor patients and check the pumps frequently.
- Report any problems as soon as possible to Baxter and FDA.
- If your facility relies primarily or entirely on COLLEAGUE Pumps, you may wish to consider evaluating other options for infusion therapy."
more...
April 29, 2006
Related topics:
Product Recalls, Quality, Safety, Errors
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