These and other strategies can help the imaging industry through the current economic crises.

"We're now at a point where we need to see a sense of urgency," Locke says. "It requires not just the CEO but also his or her staff to sustain the line in order to build their business."


Breast MR a Promising Modality

There will also be a workshop on dedicated MR at the Imaging 100 Conference, which will help high-level management personnel make an educated decision about adding the technology to their facilities.

The workshop is titled "The Business Opportunity of Dedicated Breast MRI" and will be facilitated by Olivia Cheng, president and CEO of Aurora Imaging, Inc, a leading manufacturer of Breast MR technology. Debbie Thomas, vice president of marketing for Aurora talked to DOTmed about what's happening at the workshop.

Market reports and clinical studies reveal dedicated breast MRI to be a very strong contender for today's innovating imaging center, says Thomas. This workshop will help C-level executives in charge of revenue and business development to decide if breast MR will be a good revenue stream for them by discussing specialization and integration of mammo systems.

"It's a very hot and in-demand topic," Thomas says. Aurora Imaging has seen steady growth of their own breast MR product. In less than four years the company has provided dedicated breast MR units to 50 imaging centers worldwide. Thomas notes that the process requires significant construction and doesn't happen overnight.

Aurora's breast MR machine offers .7mm slice thickness in all planes, as well as a large field of view and coverage area. Its gradient coil technology is designed specifically for breast anatomy, unlike whole body, general purpose MR machines, which are far less exacting.

"You're either sacrificing scan time or image quality," says Thomas. "With breast MRI there is no compromise."

It is not meant to replace, but to complement breast radiology in order to build the most comprehensive approach to breast imaging, she says.

The workshop will cover procedure volume and the staffing needs of imaging centers, as well as marketing and issues of reimbursement. Thomas says that typically diagnostic breast MRI is well reimbursed by CMS across the country.

DOTmed News is attending and covering the conferences. Watch our website for further details of these important meetings.

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