Cuts to diagnostic imaging services are not included in the initial measures called for in the debt limit agreement approved yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in a move to raise the debt ceiling and prevent the near-term possibility of a default by the U.S. on its fiscal obligations.

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), a Minneapolis, Minn.-based developer of interventional devices, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application and clinical trial protocol to begin evaluating its Advisa DR MRI™ SureScan® pacing system.

A study published Friday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) found that computer-aided detection (CAD) software used to help analyze and interpret mammography images does not improve the accuracy of mammograms in detecting breast cancer.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) have issued a statement claiming that the results of a British study have little bearing on, or resemblance to, screening in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should gather the information needed to develop a new regulatory framework to replace the 35-year-old 510(k) clearance process for medical devices, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) advises in a long-awaited report commissioned by the agency and released today.

Radisphere, a Westport, Conn.-based provider of software-enabled physician services, yesterday announced the appointment of Alison Shurell as chief marketing officer. In this role, Shurell will lead Radisphere's strategic marketing activities, brand management, client acquisition and retention initiatives, and public relations.

Fueled by the increasing size of the aged population and widening applications stemming from continuous developments, the global diagnostic imaging market is expected to grow from $20.7 billion in 2010 to $26.6 billion by 2016, indicates a research report issued by research firm MarketsandMarkets.

The Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA) today praised U.S. policymakers for their continued attention to the issue of medical device user fee payment. The industry group formally expressed its sentiments following this morning’s hearing on the topic held by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.