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Go After Some Bargains

By Michael Shulman

CAT Scans (Computer Axial Tomography)

CAT scans provide detail that is up to 100 times better than X-rays. They are based on multiple pictures (multiple X-rays) that are eventually combined into a single picture using hardware and software. CAT scans are superior because they can show more detail and reveal some soft-tissue injuries.

I'm amazed by this technology. The CAT scan system hits a patient with X-rays at up to 160 points on their body, while using minimal radiation. The large amount of data collected is then constructed into a two-dimensional (2-D) image on a computer screen.

The software in this segment is very significant and is often designed for specific parts of the body. CAT scans also use databases to help physicians interpret images as they come on screen.

Big companies dominate this segment, and software and other suppliers are often organ- or body-part-specific.

PET Scans (Positron Emission Tomography)

When we turn to PET scans, we move into three dimensional (3-D) imaging.

PET scans use very radioactive agents that are injected into the body to create vivid 3-D color images of the radioactive agents as they lie in or travel through the body. The radioactive agent in question has a very short half-life to minimize the amount of radiation the patient's body absorbs.

A PET scan is taken to reveal data about a bodily function -- typically metabolic activity and body chemistry in selected areas -- and for selected maladies.

To date, these scans are most useful for cardiology, neurology and oncology issues. Often, a PET scan is standard procedure after coronary artery bypass surgery, and is also used to find tumors or other problems in the brain and central nervous system.

Despite the expense, these scans are becoming more important to standard diagnostic protocols and are increasingly receiving appropriate reimbursement rates from third-party payers.

Software and imaging agents are very important in this sector. Due to the big money involved in the equipment, the big companies, once again, dominate.