We’ve rung in a New Year and we’ve all made our New Year’s resolutions. So now it’s the time to recall the happenings of 2001 to gain insight into what awaits this year.

Judging from the overall theme and trends of RSNA 2001, radiology’s obsession is on increasing productivity, increasing the productivity of the radiologist, technologist and department at large. Tools such as computer-assisted detection (CAD) in mammography and some day soon in chest x-ray and CT, and picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) are essential to increasing productivity of radiologists inundated with more procedures (with more images per exam) than ever and the greater complexity of these procedures. CAD vendors say the 8 seconds CAD adds to the time the radiologist looks at the film brings a sensitivity rate jump of (at least) 72 percent with no increase in the work-up rate. CAD can improve breast cancer detection up to 20.5 percent, according to an R2 Technology study.

Throughout the imaging modalities, easier-to-use software and “smarter,” Windows-enabled tools are simplifying tasks for technologists and nurses, and even for receptionists who are prompted to give essential patient instructions or question timing conflicts prior to exam time. Better ergonomics are turning heads, too, of department heads burdened with valuable staff dealing with repetitive strain injuries. Enpowered workflow is in vogue. As always, doing more with less is the mantra — and that may never change.

Around the RSNA exhibit floor, vendors claimed new open MRI systems possess the strength only their higher field siblings were capable of 18 months ago. (See “Open MRI: Performance Without Compromise,” page 50.) Radiation doses among x-ray and CT units are diligently being lowered — by a third, a half of the previous dose — but not at the expense of image quality or speed. Virtual, “fly through” studies such as CT colonography whose multiplanar views dive down noninvasively are gaining keen interest among physicians and payers, let alone patients. Real-time 3D imaging applications are gaining strength and ease, too. Sixteen-slice is the big news in CT. And hybrid imaging merging PET and CT brought a lot of clinical interest. Confidence is high among IT vendors also that their products will meet the recently pushed-back compliance deadlines of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts (HIPAA) set for October 2002.

Many vendors agreed that the tire-kickers stayed home this year, and that the buyers on the exhibit floor were focused on fulfilling the equipment need they came for. The majority of vendors found qualified leads unchanged and even up from previous years, despite the 11 percent slide in attendance figures (see news, page 8). And overall, solid vendors say they are not feeling any ill effects of the economy.

For sure, we continue to see healthy procedure growth across the modalities. On the reimbursement front, there is good news for newcomer CAD for mammography (up 18 percent in 2002 to $17.74; in addition to the mammogram), yet bad news for PET as Medicare reimbursement for PET with FDG will decline 41 percent to $1,375 per scan (see news, page 8). (A bit of good news came in late December when CMS postponed the start date of new, and often lower, reimbursement rates that were to start Jan. 1st to at least March 31st. Stay tuned!) Far from a fatal flaw, that will just separate dedicated centers from those only striving for riches.

The Consumer Product Index is up again after a dip seen after the Sept. 11th tragedy.

And overall, consumer confidence is high in radiology these days too, and it should be — technology continues to march to the beat of innovation

Mary C. Tierney, Editor
mtierney@mwc.com