Medical Device maker C.R.Bard, of Murray Hill, N.J., has reached an agreement to acquire SenoRx for $200 million.

SAN DIEGO--An implantable pacemaker-sized monitor that sounds an alarm when it senses abnormal changes in the hearts electrical activity is proving an effective early warning system for patients at high risk of MI or plaque rupture, according to data presented Wednesday at the 33rd annual scientific sessions for the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).

A clinically controlled trial will determine whether PCI in appropriate patients with left main disease is as good or superior to CABG, said Gregg W. Stone, MD, of the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, during a presentation at the fourth annual Left Main and Bifurcation Summit April 29 in Seoul, South Korea, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF).

According to the findings of two recent Italian studies presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego on May 5, breast MRI can detect lesions missed on mammography and ultrasound and help surgeons plan the most appropriate surgical treatment, and by using preoperative breast MRI prior to surgical intervention, the number of local cancer recurrences at follow-up can be reduced.

Compared to the Taxus Express paclitaxel-eluting stents, the Xience V everolimus-eluting stents proved more effective for patients with coronary artery disease and significantly reduced rates of target-lesion failure (TLF) at one-year, according to a study published May 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have selected 15 pilot communities for wide-scale use of health IT through the Beacon Community program, with awards totaling $220 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Implementation of a locally modified, commercially sold computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the hospital-wide mortality rate at a quaternary care academic childrens hospital, according to research from a recent article in Pediatrics.

Several IHE profiles (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise) were endorsed for national European programs in several countries where IHE national initiatives are active, which was one of the most important results observed last month at the 10th annual European Connectathon in Bordeaux, France.