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Biotech / Medical : IMAT - ultrafast tomography for coronary artery disease -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bruce Rozenblit who wrote (2579)	7/9/1998 4:58:00 AM
From: Steven Durrington	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3725

I too, believe that IMAT technology could have widespread screening applications. However, please do try and remember that high speed CT and PET scanning are modalities which expose people to ionizing radiation. I would not like to see promotional offers, financial inducements or otherwise unrestricted referrals to these technologies. We must remain aware of the need to accurately assess those who fit into certain risk groups and to have them referred for imaging on a doctor's advice only. In doing so, we have an adequately trained professional who weighs the risks vs rewards and controls the dispensation of radiation. Historically, radiation was not well controlled. Many shoe shops had fluoroscopy machines to size feet, and Radium was promoted as a healthy tonic that the public good buy unrestricted. Thousands of cases of cancer, leukaemia and radiation burns later, we started realizing the need to control radiation use by the public. As much as it would be great for IMAT machines to start popping up everywhere, it is not healthy for such units to be used carelessly by untrained people in shopping malls or health clubs on a walk in basis. International regulations regarding radiation use state that it may be used when there is a tangible net benefit to the patient. Scanning everyone and their dog does not follow this principle. Scanning those in potential risks groups for heart disease as part of a preventative medicine program does. But, when you add up the 40-60 year old diabetic smokers, overweight hypertensives and stressed fast food eaters, it's still a large target patient population. Regards, Durro