Senators Reintroduce Bill to Expand Reimbursement for Radiologist Assistants
Senators John Boozman and Ben Ray Luján reintroduced the Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act (MARCA) to let Medicare reimburse nondiagnostic services performed by radiologist assistants (RAs) in hospitals. The bill seeks to close a reimbursement gap that limits RA use in hospital settings, where most work, and aims to improve imaging access amid nationwide provider shortages. The American College of Radiology, previously neutral, now backs the legislation, while some radiologists warn it could shift technologists into RA roles and expand non‑physician duties. MARCA has garnered support from several radiology societies and is a top legislative priority for 2026.
Radiation Oncologists Who Maintain Certification More Likely to Deliver Low-Cost Cancer Treatment
Radiation oncologists who voluntarily engage in the American Board of Radiology’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) adopt newer treatment modalities such as intensity‑modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) more often than their non‑participating peers. The study, published...
AI System Accurately Interprets Cardiac MRI Scans
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Cleveland Clinic unveiled CMR‑CLIP, an AI‑driven system that interprets cardiac MRI scans. Trained on more than 11,000 exams and their reports, the model achieves 88‑98% accuracy across major cardiomyopathies and can detect abnormalities in...
Trump Administration Appoints Temporary Surgeon General as Radiologist Nominee Awaits Hearings
The Trump administration has installed family physician Stephanie Haridopolos as interim surgeon general while awaiting Senate hearings for nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier, a breast‑cancer specialist and former Fox News commentator. Haridopolos, chief of staff for the Office of the Surgeon...
FDA Clears Prostate AI Solution From RadNet Subsidiary DeepHealth
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared DeepHealth's Prostate Suite, an AI‑driven tool that assists radiologists throughout the prostate MRI workflow. The platform automatically detects lesions, assigns risk, segments anatomy, and generates PI‑RADS‑compliant reports, and it works with 11...
Radiology Groups Urge Congress to Pass Bill that Would Cap Pay Cuts in Medicare
Radiology groups, including the American College of Radiology, Society of Interventional Radiology and American Society of Neuroradiology, have urged Congress to pass the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 to cap Medicare physician payment cuts. The bill would limit annual...
Contrast Use Significantly Increases Risk of Kidney Injury in Neonates
A retrospective study of neonates in intensive care from 2000 to 2023 found that iodinated contrast media (ICM) raises the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) to 13.9% compared with 8.2% in non‑contrast exams. AKI was defined by serum‑creatinine rises...
Radiology Associates of North Texas Says It Will Waste over $51M on Costs Related to No Surprises Act
Radiology Associates of North Texas (RANT), the nation’s largest independent imaging group, says it will incur more than $51 million in administrative expenses tied to the No Surprises Act. The practice estimates it must file 68,000 arbitration batches, each costing $115...
Radiologists, Other Docs Quitting Clinical Practice Earlier and for Different Reasons than Before
New AMA research shows radiologists and other physicians are leaving clinical practice earlier than in past generations. The average age of departure is now 48 years, roughly nine years younger than the 57‑year average reported in 2008. “Hassle factor” and...
Financial Toxicity Negatively Impacts Adherence to Imaging Recommendations
A new study in Academic Radiology surveyed 399 parents at two U.S. pediatric hospitals and found that financial toxicity is a major barrier to following imaging recommendations. The average FACIT‑COST score was 24.6, with nearly half of respondents classified as...
Telehealth Company Launches Direct-to-Consumer Imaging Order Service
Diagnostic Orders Direct, a Las Vegas telehealth platform, launched a direct‑to‑consumer imaging and lab ordering service across 30 states. For a flat $40 fee, patients receive a virtual consultation with a licensed clinician who assesses symptom history and determines test...
Airstrikes Have All but Eliminated the Gaza Strip's Imaging Capabilities
Airstrikes in Gaza have devastated the territory’s medical imaging capacity, wiping out roughly 76 % of equipment since the 2023 conflict began. All MRI scanners are offline, only five of 18 CT units remain functional, and a third of X‑ray machines...
GE HealthCare Reassures Customers Its Contrast Supply Is Stable Following Recall
GE HealthCare confirmed that its iodinated contrast supply remains stable after a WHO‑issued alert on May 7 regarding metallic particulates in the polypropylene bottles of Accupaque, Omnipaque and Visipaque. The defect, identified by Ireland’s HPRA, affected only the packaging, not the...
Rapid Brain MRI Protocols Cut Payer Costs While Patient Out-of-Pocket Spending Remains Unchanged
Rapid brain MRI protocols, which use fewer sequences to answer targeted clinical questions, have been shown to lower payer reimbursement costs without reducing patients' out‑of‑pocket expenses. A study of 313 outpatient brain MRIs at Cincinnati Children’s found average insurer payments...
Imaging Startup Braid Health Launches Radiologist 2nd Opinion Service Charging $199 per Read
San Francisco‑based Braid Health has launched an online radiology second‑opinion service priced at $199 per read. The platform lets patients upload MRI, CT, ultrasound or X‑ray DICOM files for a board‑certified radiologist to re‑interpret, delivering written reports within days. Braid, which...
Why RadNet Is Betting Heavily on AI to Reshape Radiology Workflows
RadNet is consolidating disparate AI tools onto a single, centrally managed platform to streamline radiology workflows across its 435 imaging centers. Leveraging its massive volume of roughly 12 million exams per year, the company can test, refine and deploy AI solutions...
Reminder Texts Help Radiology Department Reduce Nuclear Medicine Appointment Cancelations
Automated reminder texts introduced by the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville have cut cancellations for nuclear medicine exams. In a study published in JACR, opening the messages lowered stress‑test cancellations to 3.21% versus 5.91% overall, and FDG PET cancellations fell to...
Appeals Court Revives Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Against Radiologist, Claiming Judge Gave Jury Improper Instructions
An appellate court in New York has revived a medical malpractice suit against radiologist Dr. Voytek Sobieraj and Associated Radiologists of the Finger Lakes, overturning a 2024 jury verdict that had dismissed the case. The court found the trial judge...
New MRI Technique Maps 20-Plus Multiple Sclerosis Biomarkers in a Single Noncontrast Scan
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign have unveiled MRx, a multiparametric MRI method that maps more than 20 quantitative brain biomarkers in a single, non‑contrast scan. The AI‑driven acquisition and physics‑based processing deliver high‑resolution structural, physiological and molecular data...
American College of Radiology Urges FDA to Address Breast Biopsy Needle Shortages
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has warned the FDA about a nationwide shortage of stereotactic breast biopsy needles that could last through 2026. The shortage began after a major manufacturer halted shipments following a safety notice on Hologic’s disposable...
Radiologist Must Pay $14,000 Fine, Undergo Training After Allegedly Overlooking Abnormalities on Brain Scan
Florida radiologist John S. Scales, MD, agreed to pay more than $14,000 and complete mandated training after the state Board of Medicine found he missed critical abnormalities on a 2019 head CT. The board issued a Letter of Concern, a...
The Key Ingredients of a Successful Radiologist-Wellness Initiative
A wellness program for community radiologists at Mass General Brigham Imaging combined brief group fitness sessions, family‑oriented social events, and financial‑wellness lectures. More than two‑thirds of the targeted radiologists joined, and a six‑month survey showed 84% felt social events boosted...
New Radiopharmaceutical Achieves Remission in Difficult-to-Treat Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers have unveiled a novel radiopharmaceutical, ¹⁷⁷Lu‑AKIR001, that homes in on the CD44v6 protein variant prevalent in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In mouse xenograft studies, a single 12 MBq dose achieved complete remission in 40% of subjects when used alone and...
Radiologist-AI Combo Has Highest Potential to Improve Pulmonary Embolism Detection, Experts Charge
A new study from the Neiman Health Policy Institute shows that pairing radiologists with AI yields the highest potential to improve pulmonary embolism (PE) detection. Researchers applied Aidoc's AI to 32,500 CT pulmonary angiography exams from 2021‑2023, achieving 99.2% sensitivity...
Solis Mammography Opens 4 New Imaging Centers
Solis Mammography announced the opening of four new imaging centers—two in Texas (Houston’s Sawyer Heights district and Pflugerville) and two in Pennsylvania (Doylestown) and Corpus Christi, Texas. The Doylestown location is a joint venture with Jefferson Health, the 18th such partnership...
82% of Radiologists and Other Physicians Now Employed by Corporate Entities
A new Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere Health analysis shows 82% of U.S. radiologists and other physicians are now employed by hospitals, insurers, private‑equity firms or other corporate entities. The shift added over 48,000 physicians in the past two years...
State Health Authorities Investigating Radiology Group's Handling of Fatal MRI Incident
Tennessee health officials have opened an investigation into Premier Radiology after a patient with a pacemaker and implantable cardioverter‑defibrillator died during an MRI on July 11. The patient showed distress before the scan, became unresponsive, and staff struggled to locate and...
Patients Are Discussing Whole-Body MRIs on Reddit, Presenting Opportunity for Radiologists
Researchers analyzed nearly 3,100 Reddit posts about whole-body MRI from 2013‑2024, finding a surge in discussion after a Kardashian endorsement in August 2023. While 47% of commenters expressed opposition and only 4% reported having undergone the $2,500 exam, sentiment was...
Lumexa Acquires Imaging Center as Part of New Joint Venture with UPMC
Lumexa Imaging announced the acquisition of a Wexford, Pennsylvania imaging center as the first step in a new joint venture with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, while also securing a Concord, North Carolina center with Advocate Health. The company, which...
Novel Urine Test Reduces Need for MR Imaging, Prostate Biopsies
Researchers at Vanderbilt Health introduced MyProstateScore 2.0, a urine‑based assay that outperforms traditional PSA testing and multiparametric MRI in monitoring men on active surveillance for low‑risk prostate cancer. In a cohort of more than 300 patients, the test avoided up to...
Radiology Groups Urge Congress to Enact Penalties Against Payers Who Violate No Surprises Act
Radiology societies and other physician groups have urged Congress to pass the No Surprises Act Enforcement Act, a bipartisan bill that would increase penalties for insurers that refuse to pay after losing an independent dispute resolution (IDR) ruling. The legislation,...
GE HealthCare Recalls Certain CT Systems Due to 'Security Vulnerability'
The U.S. FDA has issued a Class 2 recall for GE HealthCare's Revolution series CT scanners after identifying a security vulnerability in the AW Server accessed through Edison Health Link. Approximately 200 systems worldwide are affected, prompting GE to issue Urgent...
Vigilance Needed to Ensure Safety in Pediatric MR Imaging, Experts Warn
A new study in the Journal of the American College of Radiology examined safety incidents across five leading pediatric hospitals from 2017 to 2022. Out of roughly 541,000 pediatric MRI scans, 146 safety events were recorded, most occurring in Zone 4,...
Administration Quietly Lifts Hold on Immigration Applications for Radiologists and Other Docs
The Trump administration has quietly removed a visa and green‑card pause for radiologists and other physicians, while the broader immigration hold for high‑risk countries remains. The exemption applies only to pending applications, leaving already denied cases untouched. Medical societies and...
Opposition Forming Against Radiologist Nominee for Surgeon General
President Donald Trump announced radiologist Nicole B. Saphier, a breast‑cancer specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as his new surgeon‑general pick, replacing wellness influencer Casey Means. The nomination has sparked opposition from the Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition, which argues...
Siemens Healthineers Shakes up Leadership Team, Cuts Profit Outlook
Siemens Healthineers announced a leadership reshuffle and cut its 2026 profit outlook after diagnostics revenue fell 6.5% YoY, mainly due to a structural slowdown in China. New heads for diagnostic imaging, advanced therapies, and regional Europe‑Middle East‑Africa were named, while...
PSMA PET Imaging’s Proliferation Produces Uptick in Aggressive Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging, FDA‑approved in 2021, has rapidly displaced conventional bone scans among U.S. insurers, becoming the dominant diagnostic tool for advanced prostate cancer by 2023. A national Blue Cross Blue Shield claims analysis of nearly 6,000...
Radiologist to Repay Nearly $3M for 'Unusually High Volume' Of Inappropriate Medicare Claims
An Australian radiologist has been ordered to repay nearly $2.6 million USD after a Professional Services Review investigation uncovered an unusually high volume of inappropriate Medicare claims. The practitioner repeatedly altered referring doctors’ orders, performed alternate procedures without clinical justification, and...
Large Language Models Offer Potential for Helping Appeal Denied Radiology Claims
A recent Academic Radiology analysis tested four large language models—Claude 3.5, Nova Pro, Llama‑3.1‑70B and ChatGPT‑4o—by tasking them with drafting appeal letters for simulated denied radiology exams. Across 12 generated letters, the models achieved average content and grammar scores of 3.9 and...
Radiologists Speak Out Against Whole-Body MRI Screening in Prominent Editorial
Two leading radiologists published a JAMA editorial urging consumers to skip elective whole‑body MRI scans, noting that over 100,000 people have already paid for the service despite no major medical society endorsing it for the general population. They argue the...
Texas-Based Teleradiologist Wins Court Battle over California Income Taxes
A Texas‑based teleradiologist, Xavier Garcia‑Rojas, successfully challenged California’s attempt to levy income tax on his remote imaging reads for a San Diego firm. The California Court of Appeal rejected the state’s use of the unitary business doctrine, ruling that a...
New Mexico Company Sets Sights on Bolstering the Domestic Supply of Mo-99
Eden Radioisotopes LLC, based in Albuquerque, has submitted a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a new radioisotope production facility near Eunice, New Mexico. The plant will focus on manufacturing Molybdenum‑99, a critical isotope used in thousands...
Hospitals Sue Anthem over Policy Prohibiting Use of Out-of-Network Radiologists
California hospitals have filed a lawsuit against Anthem, challenging a new policy that will levy a 10% administrative penalty on claims involving out‑of‑network radiologists and other physicians starting June 1. The hospitals argue the policy breaches California’s AB 72, which permits...
American College of Radiology Council Approves ‘Groundbreaking’ Framework for Assessing AI
The American College of Radiology (ACR) Council approved a new Practice Parameter for Imaging Artificial Intelligence, a framework designed to guide real‑world AI deployment in radiology. Developed with the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, the guideline outlines governance, inventory,...
MRI Reveals Link Between Hidden Muscle Fat and Undiagnosed Cardiometabolic Risk
Researchers used a deep‑learning segmentation algorithm on whole‑body MRIs of more than 11,000 ostensibly healthy adults and found that intramuscular fat is strongly associated with hypertension, atherogenic dyslipidemia and dysglycemia. The AI model dramatically reduced the time needed to quantify...
Even Low-Level Drinking Is Bad for Long-Term Brain Health, MRI Shows
A new longitudinal MRI study published in *Alcohol* shows that even low‑level drinking—defined as up to 60 drinks per month—diminishes brain perfusion and thins cortical tissue in healthy adults. Researchers scanned nonsmoking participants over three years and found reduced blood...
Physicians in Congress Propose Fix for Troubled Merit-Based Incentive Payment System
Two physician‑lawmakers, Rep. Mariannette Miller‑Meeks and Rep. Herb Conaway, introduced the Medicare Physician Data‑Driven Performance Payment System Act to replace the troubled Merit‑based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The bill creates a Data‑Driven Performance Payment System (DPPS) that would lower penalties,...
AI Model Helps Discern Patients' Need for Supplemental Breast Imaging
A deep‑learning model called Mirai, developed by MIT and Mass General, predicts a woman’s five‑year breast‑cancer risk from routine mammograms with an AUROC of 0.71, markedly higher than the 0.53 achieved by traditional density‑based BI‑RADS categories. The study evaluated over...
Former Governor Joins Radiology Partners Board of Directors
Radiology Partners, the nation’s largest physician‑owned radiology practice, announced that former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has joined its board of directors. Hogan, who served from 2015 to 2023, led the state’s $216 million Cancer Moonshot initiative and survived stage 3 non‑Hodgkin lymphoma...
4D Mammo May Be up to Four Times More Accurate than 3D
Calidar Inc.'s 4D mammography system, which uses X‑ray diffraction to capture molecular tissue signatures, demonstrated up to four times the diagnostic precision of traditional 3D digital breast tomosynthesis in an early‑stage human trial at Baptist Health Hardin. The first‑in‑human study...