News From Around the Web
> A large-scale U.S. study comparing conventional 2-D mammography screening exams alone against 2-D mammograms combined with breast tomosynthesis has shown that the latter significantly reduces recall rates and increases cancer detection. The study population included 13,856 women who had received conventional 2-D mammography screening exams and 9,499 women who received a breast tomosynthesis screening exam in addition to a 2-D mammogram. Announcement
> GE Healthcare is building a $17 million helium liquefaction facility in Florence, S.C., that when completed will allow it to use proprietary techniques and innovative technology to capture waste helium from MRI operations and liquefy it for future use, DOTmed News reports. The new plant will be situated adjacent to GE's MRI production plant. Article
> The accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain is associated with gray matter atrophy and memory impairment in cognitively healthy older people, according to the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study of Aging, MedPage Today reports. The results, published in JAMA Neurology, suggest Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography (PiB-PET) imaging for amyloid deposits could be used to screen for cognitive impairment, according to Christopher C. Rowe, M.D., of the University of Melbourne in Australia, and his colleagues. Article
Health IT News
> The healthcare IT merger and acquisition space will go through heavy consolidation over the next five years, according to Tom O'Connor, managing director at New York-based Berkery Noyes. Article
Health Finance News
> Medicare cost variations across geographical regions have more to with health status than wasteful spending or inefficient care practices, according to study published in the journal Medical Care Research and Review. Article
And Finally… Hot tickets in Germany. Article