Vesta Teleradiology | teleradiology

2025 Year-End Review: The Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging Headlines That Mattered

Key Takeaways

AI shifted from pilot projects to real workflow infrastructure—with more focus on governance, validation, and safety in daily operations.

Photon-counting CT moved closer to mainstream adoption, strengthening the business case for next-gen CT planning and protocol upgrades.

Reimbursement and policy pressure stayed intense, keeping budgeting, contracting, and service-line ROI under a microscope.

Prior authorization and imaging appropriateness remained major throughput challenges, impacting scheduling, patient access, and operational efficiency.

Cybersecurity and downtime readiness became core imaging priorities, as ransomware and system disruptions increasingly threaten continuity of interpretation.

Radiology didn’t have a single “one story” year—it had a “many small shifts became operational reality” year. In 2025, diagnostic imaging leaders saw AI move from pilots into production workflows, next-gen CT mature from promise to procurement conversations, reimbursement pressures intensify, and cybersecurity become inseparable from patient care. Meanwhile, staffing strain and consolidation continued to reshape how coverage is delivered.

Below is a practical wrap-up of the biggest breakout themes from 2025—and what they signal for 2026 planning.

1) AI moved from point solutions to regulated, workflow-embedded infrastructure

If 2023–2024 was the era of “AI can detect X,” 2025 was the era of “AI has to behave safely inside real clinical systems.” Regulatory claritya and operational expectations became the story as much as the algorithms themselves. RSNA’s coverage highlighted how the FDA has been articulating pathways and challenges for AI-enabled radiology devices—making governance, validation, monitoring, and safety considerations a board-level topic, not just an R&D conversation. Daily Bulletin

At the same time, 2025’s conversation broadened from task-specific tools to foundation models and multimodal systems (images + text) that could impact triage, reporting support, and quality workflows—while also raising new risks around bias, generalizability, and clinical readiness. DirJournal

Operational takeaway for imaging leaders: AI value in 2025 increasingly depended on integration (PACS/RIS/reporting), change management, and clear accountability—especially as adoption expands and expectations shift from novelty to measurable outcomes. The Washington Post

2) Photon-counting CT stepped into the “real adoption” phase

Photon-counting CT (PCCT) wasn’t framed as a future curiosity this year—it showed up as a maturing platform with expanding clinical evidence and increasing operational readiness. RSNA 2025 coverage specifically called out how PCCT is taking center stage as the next CT evolution. Applied Radiology

Across 2025 literature and trade coverage, the narrative tightened around what administrators care about: clearer visualization and characterization, potential dose efficiencies, and broader specialty applications as the evidence base grows. ScienceDirect

Operational takeaway: If you’re building 3–5 year replacement plans, 2025 made PCCT a serious line item conversation—especially for high-volume sites where incremental image quality and protocol optimization can compound into throughput, repeat-scan reduction, and clinician confidence.

3) Payment pressure stayed relentless—and policy debates sharpened

For many departments, 2025 felt like a year of doing more with less. The 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule remained a major planning input for imaging groups and hospital finance teams, with ACR publishing a detailed imaging-focused summary of provisions and QPP updates. American College of Radiology

At the end of the year, broader Medicare payment policy debates also made headlines—reinforcing that specialty payment and “efficiency” assumptions are likely to stay politically active topics heading into 2026. Axios

Operational takeaway: Contracting, service line budgeting, and modality ROI assumptions increasingly need “policy sensitivity” built in—especially for outpatient imaging strategy and subspecialty coverage models.

4) Utilization management: prior auth and “right test, right patient” stayed in focus

Utilization controls continued to evolve. CMS prior authorization programs for certain outpatient services remain part of the broader backdrop of controlling unnecessary volume. CMS And late-2025 headlines underscored expanding demonstrations tied to prior authorization in additional settings, which imaging leaders often experience downstream as scheduling friction, referral leakage, or delayed care. Kiplinger

On the imaging appropriateness front, the Medicare AUC program remains a major framework (even as implementation timelines and mechanisms continue to be debated). CMS In 2025, ACR also publicly backed federal legislation (the ROOT Act) positioned as a way to revitalize Medicare imaging appropriateness workflows. American College of Radiology

Operational takeaway: Expect “appropriateness” and “utilization proof” to keep rising as operational requirements—meaning your radiology operation will benefit from tighter ordering communication loops, smarter triage, and documentation hygiene.

5) Breast imaging compliance stayed operationally important—density language included

Breast density notification requirements became routine compliance work after enforcement of MQSA’s amended regulations began in 2024, and 2025 was about living with the operational realities: consistent report language, patient communication workflows, and inspection readiness. U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Notably, 2025 also saw attention on density reporting language options under MQSA—an example of how “small wording changes” can have major downstream effects in templates, patient letters, and audit processes. DenseBreast-info, Inc.

Operational takeaway: Standardization wins here—clear templates, audit trails, and staff training reduce risk while improving patient communication consistency.

6) Workforce strain and burnout remained the constant—and coverage models kept shifting

Radiology’s capacity crunch persisted in 2025. ACR continued to flag ongoing workforce shortages amid rising imaging demand, while national physician burnout tracking suggested improvement from prior peaks but still elevated rates that affect retention and coverage reliability.

Operational takeaway: The “coverage plan” is now a strategic asset. Departments that treat coverage as a system (subspecialty access, peak-demand flex, nights/weekends/holidays, overflow protection, and consistent turnaround governance) are better positioned for 2026.

7) Cybersecurity became inseparable from imaging operations

Cyber risk is no longer “IT’s problem”—it’s a continuity-of-care risk, especially for imaging organizations that depend on always-on networks and data flow. In 2025, radiology-specific alerts and incidents reinforced how real the threat landscape is, from FBI-linked warnings about ransomware targeting healthcare entities to major breach reporting involving large imaging providers. Radiology Business

Operational takeaway: Imaging leaders should be asking: Do we have downtime playbooks? How resilient is PACS access? How are third-party integrations governed? How do we preserve interpretation continuity if local systems are disrupted?

A 2026-ready checklist for imaging leaders

Here’s what 2025’s headlines suggest you prioritize next:

AI governance that’s operational, not theoretical: validation, monitoring, and workflow accountability.
Modern CT strategy: map where photon-counting CT could change protocols, dose strategy, and long-term equipment planning. Applied Radiology
Payment + policy resilience: bake MPFS sensitivity into budgets and service line forecasts.
Utilization friction planning: anticipate prior-auth expansion impacts on scheduling and throughput.
Compliance consistency in breast imaging: templates, audits, and MQSA-ready workflows.
Coverage strategy as a system: subspecialty access + surge/overflow + nights/weekends/holidays planning.
Cyber continuity: imaging downtime workflows and vendor access governance.

Where Vesta Teleradiology fits in a “do more with less” reality

For hospitals and imaging centers, one of the most immediate ways to de-risk 2026 is to strengthen coverage—especially when staffing shortages collide with growing imaging demand. Vesta Teleradiology supports facilities with 24/7/365 coverage (including nights, weekends, and holidays) and subspecialty radiology interpretations designed to integrate with your existing technology and workflows.

If you’re planning for 2026 coverage resilience—overflow protection, consistent turnaround times, or expanded subspecialty reads—you can request a quote or schedule a test run here.

Breast Imaging 2025–26: Risk Models, CEM/MRI Momentum — RSNA Preview

RSNA 2025 is putting real energy behind risk-adjusted screening and the evolving roles of contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and breast MRI. For breast programs, the takeaway is practical: risk tools are moving from the research poster to the reading room, and CEM/MRI decisions are becoming operational levers you can plan around—especially for dense-breast pathways and overflow routing to subspecialists.

What’s new at RSNA: risk from the image itself

RSNA’s breast-imaging preview highlights sessions on image-only, 5-year breast cancer risk models, external validation work, and how MRI adds value in multi-modal AI. It also calls out global screening updates and a deeper look at background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on MRI. RSNA

In parallel, the FDA granted De Novo authorization to the first image-only AI risk platform that predicts 5-year risk directly from a screening mammogram—an inflection point that makes risk-adjusted pathways far more scalable. Coverage from Radiology Business and BCRF explains the authorization and clinical intent. Radiology Business

Why it matters: average-risk guidance in the U.S. now begins screening at age 40 (USPSTF, 2024). Programs can layer image-based risk on top of that baseline to triage who needs annual vs. short-interval follow-up and who merits supplemental imaging. USPSTF

CEM is earning a seat next to MRI

Expect exhibits and sessions positioning CEM as a cost-effective, accessible adjunct—particularly for dense-breast populations and diagnostic workups. RSNA News recently framed CEM as a practical alternative to MRI in some screening/diagnostic scenarios, and new peer-review literature is refining technique (e.g., lower volume/higher-iodine contrast while preserving diagnostic performance). RSNA

On outcomes, the RACER trial in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe reported that using CEM as primary imaging for recalled women improved the accuracy and efficiency of the work-up compared with conventional imaging—evidence that will influence protocols beyond the show floor. The Lancet

MRI still leads for sensitivity—BPE is your underused signal

Breast MRI remains the sensitivity champion for high-risk patients and for problem solving. This year’s RSNA content spotlights BPE—how the level of background enhancement relates to tumor biology and outcomes. Recent reviews (2024–2025) synthesize BPE’s predictive/prognostic value, including associations with pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant therapy and survival in certain subtypes. SpringerLink

Practical move: standardize how you document BPE and incorporate it into structured reports and risk conferences; it’s becoming more than a descriptive footnote.

What to ask vendors at RSNA

Risk engine proof: “Show external validation and calibration plots by density and race; how does your image-only model integrate into our mammography worklist and letters?”
CEM logistics: “Demonstrate CEM acquisition workflows, contrast protocols, and how your viewer handles subtraction/kinetics alongside priors.”
MRI + BPE analytics: “Can we standardize BPE capture in structured reports and trend it across treatment?”

As risk-first screening, CEM, and MRI gain real traction, the winners will be the programs that operationalize them quickly and consistently. If you’re planning your 2026 breast-imaging playbook, stop by Vesta at RSNA to see how our subspecialists, standardized templates, and overflow routing make risk-adjusted pathways usable on day one.

Imaging the Individual — In the Trenches: AI, Personalization & Equity at RSNA 2025

RSNA’s 2025 theme, Imaging the Individual, isn’t just about futuristic science—it’s about doing the basics better for each patient, every day. The official Trending Topics preview highlights three threads cutting across subspecialties: AI you can deploy, personalized care you can operationalize, and equity you can measure. This guide translates those themes into practical checkpoints hospitals and imaging centers can use right now. RSNA

1) AI that graduates from pilot to practice

This year’s agenda emphasizes real outcomes over proofs of concept: reader-in-the-loop tools, bias monitoring, and governance. In breast imaging alone, RSNA previews spotlight external validation for image-only risk models and integration of MRI signals into multimodal AI—clear signals that “personalization” is landing in routine workflows. Bring vendor questions that force specifics: external validation cohorts, drift detection, and how metrics (TAT, recalls, rework) appear in your dashboard. RSNA

What to set up before RSNA: define 3–5 outcome metrics and insist every demo shows pre/post performance tied to those measures. Use QIBA concepts to push for standardized inputs/outputs so results are reproducible across scanners and sites. QIBA Wiki

2) Personalization that reaches the reading room

Personalization isn’t only radiogenomics. RSNA’s preview points to risk-stratified pathways you can actually run: e.g., image-only 5-year breast cancer risk at the point of screening to route patients into annual vs. short-interval follow-up or supplemental imaging (CEM/MRI). That pairs well with updated U.S. recommendations: screening beginning at age 40 for average-risk women, then adjusting based on risk and local policy. Build routing rules, templates, and letters now, so RSNA demos can plug into your plan.

Operational checklist:

Map risk thresholds → next steps (annual vs. short-interval, CEM/MRI).
Standardize templates so risk outputs appear consistently in reports and patient letters.
Decide who reviews outlier risk flags and how quickly (SLA).

3) Equity you can instrument—not just endorse

RSNA is foregrounding health equity, with sessions on encoding equity in AI and addressing access gaps for underserved communities. Equity becomes real when you can see it in your data: turnaround times by language, missed-appointment patterns by zip code, recall rates by screening site, and AI performance by subgroup. Build those slices into your analytics now; then ask vendors to show subgroup performance in their dashboards.

Practical moves:

Add demographic and language filters to your TAT and recall reports.
Require AI vendors to show calibration and error analysis by subgroup.
Stand up multilingual patient letter templates to support new screening starts at 40. USPSTF

4) CEM/MRI momentum: choose the lever that fits your service line

RSNA coverage calls out CEM as an increasingly practical adjunct—especially useful for dense-breast populations and diagnostic workups where capacity or cost limits MRI. The RACER trial reported higher accuracy and efficiency for CEM as the primary exam for recalled women vs. conventional imaging—evidence that can justify protocol changes and equipment planning. Meanwhile, MRI retains the sensitivity crown, with renewed attention on background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) as a signal worth documenting consistently.

Action items:

Decide where CEM fits: diagnostic recall pathway, dense-breast supplemental strategy, or both.
Add BPE level to structured MRI reports and trend it during therapy response clinics.

5) Governance, not guesswork

If personalization is the “what,” governance is the “how.” Use QIBA ideas—claim definitions, acquisition standards, and profile adherence—to control variability across devices and shifts. Tie RSNA learnings to a written governance plan with three parts: 1) protocol book (who owns it, update cadence), 2) quality book (metrics, subgroup views), and 3) AI book (approval process, monitoring, rollback).

6) Where teleradiology extends your capacity

Personalization increases complexity at peaks (recalls, dense-breast seasons, MR backlogs). A teleradiology partner helps you keep individualized pathways moving: standardized templates, subspecialty over-reads, and after-hours coverage that adheres to your risk rules and equity metrics—so “Imaging the Individual” doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.

Headed to RSNA?

Visit Vesta at Booth 1346 (South Hall) to see how we make “Imaging the Individual” work in real clinics—then enter to win a 1-year Medality CME subscription. Don’t wait: email “RSNA CME Entry” to info@vestarad.com now for a reserved entry, and show your confirmation at the booth for a bonus entry.

Vizamyl’s New PET Label: Quantify & Monitor Amyloid—What It Means for Imaging Teams

What changed—and why it matters

The FDA has expanded the label for flutemetamol F 18 (Vizamyl), enabling quantification of amyloid plaque burden and long-term therapy monitoring in Alzheimer’s disease. This shift moves amyloid PET beyond a qualitative “positive/negative” decision toward objective, longitudinal assessment that can inform treatment choice, dose intervals, and discontinuation decisions. Business Wire

Professional groups report the update aligns amyloid PET with the clinical era of disease-modifying anti-amyloid therapies (e.g., lecanemab, donanemab), clarifying roles for baseline confirmation, on-treatment monitoring, and response tracking in routine care. Notably, SNMMI stated the FDA granted supplemental indications—including quantitative measurement and use for therapy monitoring—to three amyloid PET agents (flutemetamol F-18/Vizamyl, florbetapir F-18, and florbetaben F-18). SNMMI

Operational updates for radiology leaders

Protocols & quant pipelines: Build or validate a quant workflow (SUVr or comparable metrics) that’s scanner-calibrated and reproducible across sites. If you operate multi-vendor fleets, document harmonization steps in your SOPs.
Structured reports: Add fields for quantified burden at baseline, change from baseline, and interpretive guidance tied to therapeutic decisions (initiation, continuation, or discontinuation).
Scheduling & throughput: Expect rising referral volume from neurology and geriatrics as therapy monitoring enters routine practice; protect access with extended hours or overflow capacity.
Quality & governance: Define thresholds for biologically meaningful change, reader training for quant review, and reconciliation rules when quant and visual impressions diverge.

For additional context, trade coverage underscores that the updated label formally removes previous limitations around therapy monitoring and permits quant analysis in routine reporting. Empr

How Vesta Teleradiology helps

Vesta’s subspecialty neuro and nuclear medicine radiologists provide:

Amyloid PET expertise: Visual+quant reads with structured templates aligned to your therapy pathway.
Coverage when you need it: After-hours, weekends, or daytime overflow—without sacrificing turnaround time.
Interoperability: Seamless delivery to your PACS/RIS and EMR; clear flags for therapy decisions and recall intervals.
QA you can see: Peer review, consistency checks across readers, and optional double-reads during program ramp-up.

If you’re standing up or scaling amyloid PET services, we can supply immediate subspecialty coverage and templates tuned to your neurologists’ needs.

FDA’s 2025 AI Draft Guidance: A Buyer’s Checklist for Imaging Leaders

In January 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a draft guidance for AI-enabled medical devices that lays out expectations across the total product life cycle—design, validation, bias mitigation, transparency, documentation, and post-market performance monitoring. For imaging leaders, it’s a clear signal to tighten procurement criteria and operational guardrails before piloting AI in CT, MRI, mammo, ultrasound, or PET.

As teams lock in Q4 budgets and head into RSNA season, the FDA’s AI lifecycle draft (Jan 2025) and the now-final PCCP (Dec 2024) have reset what buyers should expect from AI in imaging—devices, software, and workflows. Vendors are updating claims and governance; this issue distills a practical buyer’s checklist—multisite validation with subgroup results, drift monitoring and version control, clear in-viewer transparency—and how pairing those tools with Vesta’s subspecialty coverage and QA turns promise into measurable gains across CT/MRI/US/mammography.

A practical buyer’s checklist

Use this when evaluating AI for your service lines:

Intended use fit: Verify indications, inputs/outputs, and claims match your pathway and patient mix.
Validation depth: Prefer multisite, diverse datasets; stratified results; pre-specified endpoints; documented data lineage and splits.
Bias mitigation: Demand subgroup performance (sex, age, race/ethnicity when available), scanner/vendor variability analyses, and site-transfer testing.
TPLC plan: Require drift monitoring, retraining triggers, versioning, and how updates are communicated.
Human factors & transparency: Ensure limitations, failure modes, and interpretable outputs are presented in-viewer without slowing reads.
Security & support: Patch cadence, vulnerability disclosure, SOC2/ISO posture, uptime SLAs, and rollback paths for version issues.
Governance: Define metrics owners, review cadence, and thresholds to pause or roll back a model.

Implementation playbook: pilot → scale without disruption

Start with a 60–90 day pilot in one high-impact line (e.g., ED stroke CT or mammography triage) and lock in baselines: median TAT, positive/negative agreement, recall rate, PPV/NPV, and discrepancy rate. Set guardrails—when to auto-triage vs. force human review—and document escalation paths for model failures. Require case-level confidence and structured outputs your radiologists can verify quickly. Stand up a model governance huddle (modality lead, QA, IT security, and your teleradiology partner) that meets biweekly to review drift signals, subgroup performance, and near-misses. Bake in a rollback plan (version pinning) and a quiet-hours change window so updates don’t collide with peak volumes. As results stabilize, scale by cohort (e.g., expand to non-contrast head CT, then CTA) and keep training “micro-bursts” for techs/readers—short videos or checklists in-workflow. Tie vendor SLAs to uptime, support response, and clinical KPIs so the AI program stays accountable to operational value.

Where teleradiology fits

AI only delivers when it’s welded to coverage, quality, and speed. A teleradiology partner should provide:

24/7 subspecialty + surge capacity: Vesta absorbs volume peaks so AI never becomes a bottleneck.
QA you can see: We benchmark pre/post-AI performance, add targeted second looks for edge cases, and feed variance data back to your team.
Standardized outputs: Structured reports that integrate model outputs with radiologist findings—no black-box surprises.
Smooth rollout: Pilot by service line (stroke CT, mammo triage, PE workups), then scale with tracked KPIs (TAT, PPV, recalls).
Interoperability & security: Seamless PACS/RIS/EMR integration with strict access controls, audit trails, and support for change-controlled updates.

Bottom line: Pairing AI with Vesta Teleradiology gives you round-the-clock subspecialty reads, measurable QA, and operational breathing room while you pilot and scale responsibly. If you’re mapping your AI roadmap under the FDA’s 2025 draft guidance, we’ll be your coverage and quality backbone—so your clinicians see faster answers and your patients see safer care. Visit vestarad.com to get started.

AI-Enabled Ultrasound: Transforming Imaging at the Point of Care

In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, ultrasound is increasingly recognized not just for prenatal or cardiac assessment, but as a versatile diagnostic tool across specialties. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating ultrasound’s impact — reducing operator dependency, improving diagnostic confidence, and enabling faster bedside care. For imaging leaders, especially in rural or underserved settings, AI-powered ultrasound technology paired with teleradiology support offers a compelling path for enhanced access and precision.

Innovations in AI-Ultrasound You Should Know

FDA Clearance for AI Thyroid Ultrasound
In 2024, See-Mode Technologies received FDA clearance for an AI-powered thyroid ultrasound system that can detect and classify nodules using the ACR TI-RADS scale. It has shown promising results in standardizing reporting and reducing unnecessary biopsies and follow-ups.
Source: https://www.auntminnie.com
Projected Market Growth
The global AI ultrasound market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22% through 2029. This rapid growth is fueled by the rising burden of chronic disease, limited radiologist availability, and the push for faster, more accessible diagnostics.

Source: https://www.pharmiweb.com/
Rural Potential with Point-of-Care AI
A JAMA Cardiology viewpoint outlines how AI-assisted point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can enable more accurate cardiovascular assessments even when performed by generalists—especially valuable in remote areas without imaging specialists.
Source: https://jamanetwork.com
Clinician Enthusiasm and Challenges
The COMPASS-AI global survey found that 81% of clinicians support AI-assisted ultrasound, citing improved diagnostic utility and speed. However, top concerns include training, clinical validation, and workflow integration.

Source: https://theultrasoundjournal.springeropen.com/

Why It Matters for Facilities and Radiology Teams

Reduces staffing burden: AI ultrasound reduces variability among operators, ideal for high-turnover or remote settings.
Speeds up decision-making: Frontline providers can quickly gather meaningful imaging data, while teleradiologists handle the interpretation.
Expands imaging reach: Portable, AI-powered ultrasound extends diagnostic capabilities to underserved regions.
Supports standardization: AI helps standardize image acquisition and reporting, improving overall workflow efficiency.

How Vesta Teleradiology Enhances AI-Ultrasound Value

While AI augments imaging workflows, expert interpretation is still essential. Vesta provides:

Subspecialty reads across thyroid, vascular, MSK, and more
24/7 coverage with fast turnaround times
Seamless PACS/RIS integration for AI-acquired ultrasound data

Our radiologists help bridge the gap between frontline imaging and specialist analysis—ensuring that every AI-enabled ultrasound scan contributes to timely, confident patient care.

Bringing AI and Teleradiology Together

Whether you’re running a rural health center, a large outpatient clinic, or an emergency department, AI ultrasound paired with expert teleradiology interpretation helps:

Increase imaging access without compromising accuracy
Alleviate staffing constraints
Deliver faster diagnoses
Improve patient outcomes

AI in ultrasound is not replacing radiologists — it’s helping them focus on what matters most. With Vesta’s support, healthcare organizations can embrace innovation while maintaining high-quality, consistent imaging interpretation.

Photon-Counting CT: What Healthcare Facilities Need to Know Now

Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) is one of the most exciting breakthroughs in diagnostic imaging technology in recent years. Offering greater spatial resolution, reduced radiation dose, and improved tissue characterization, PCCT is quickly gaining attention from radiologists, imaging directors, and healthcare systems looking to stay ahead.

As the healthcare landscape evolves, staying informed about how new imaging technologies integrate with workflows and diagnostic goals is critical. Here’s what facilities need to know now about photon-counting CT—and how teleradiology can help maximize its impact.

What Is Photon-Counting CT?

Unlike conventional CT, which measures the total X-ray energy reaching the detector, photon-counting CT counts individual photons and measures their energy levels. This allows for:

Sharper images with better spatial resolution
Lower noise, especially in soft tissue
Multi-energy imaging from a single scan
Reduced radiation exposure

Siemens Healthineers introduced the first FDA-approved photon-counting CT system (NAEOTOM Alpha) in 2021, and adoption has slowly grown among academic and high-volume centers.

Clinical Benefits of PCCT

Photon-counting CT provides enhanced detail for a range of applications, including:

Cardiac imaging: Better visualization of stents and plaques
Pulmonary imaging: Improved nodule detection and perfusion data
Neuroimaging: Greater contrast at lower doses for brain scans
MSK imaging: Superior resolution for joint, bone, and soft tissue analysis

The ability to perform multi-energy imaging without dual-source CT equipment allows radiologists to generate virtual non-contrast images, improve lesion characterization, and reduce contrast agent use—benefiting both patients and providers.

Growing Market and Adoption

While still early in widespread adoption, the global photon-counting CT market is projected to grow rapidly. According to a recent report from Research and Markets, the global PCCT market is expected to reach over $800 million by 2030, driven by increasing demand for advanced diagnostic tools and a growing focus on radiation dose reduction.

As more vendors develop photon-counting detectors and more clinical use cases are validated, experts anticipate broader adoption beyond academic centers and into regional hospitals and imaging centers.

Source: Research and Markets, “Photon Counting CT Market – Forecast 2030”

How Teleradiology Supports Advanced CT Adoption

Deploying a photon-counting CT system requires more than just the hardware. Facilities must ensure they have access to radiologists who are:

Trained in multi-energy CT interpretation
Familiar with new artifact patterns and reconstructions
Able to optimize clinical workflows using new scan data types

That’s where teleradiology plays a critical role.

At Vesta Teleradiology, our radiologists stay at the forefront of imaging advances. With experience in multi-energy and advanced CT post-processing, we help facilities take full advantage of what photon-counting CT offers—delivering fast, accurate interpretations backed by subspecialty insight.

Integration and Workflow Considerations

Facilities considering photon-counting CT should think about:

PACS/RIS compatibility with new data formats
Training staff to understand and use spectral data
Building protocols for when and how to use PCCT scans
Collaborating with teleradiology teams for consistent interpretations

While the learning curve is real, the payoff is significant. Early adopters report better diagnostic confidence, fewer repeat scans, and more comprehensive patient evaluations.

Conclusion: Prepare for the Future of CT Imaging

Photon-counting CT represents the next leap in diagnostic precision. As this technology becomes more accessible, imaging leaders must evaluate how it fits into their long-term strategy. For facilities looking to stay competitive, offer premium diagnostics, and improve patient care, PCCT should be on the radar now—not later.

Partnering with a forward-thinking teleradiology provider like Vesta ensures you’re equipped with the expertise to unlock its full potential.

Celebrating National Health Center Week: The Frontline of Community Care

Every August, National Health Center Week (August 3-9 2025) recognizes the critical role community health centers play in delivering affordable, high-quality healthcare across the United States. These centers serve more than 30 million patients annually, many of whom live in medically underserved or rural regions. But as demand for comprehensive care grows, so does the need for accessible diagnostic imaging—an area where teleradiology is helping bridge the gap.

The Imaging Gap in Rural and Underserved Areas

Access to diagnostic imaging remains a persistent challenge for many community health centers. Facilities in rural or low-resource areas often face:

Limited access to on-site radiologists
Delays in turnaround times for imaging reads
Difficulty recruiting or retaining subspecialty radiologists
Rising imaging volumes due to expanded preventive care

These barriers can compromise patient outcomes, especially in time-sensitive cases involving stroke, cancer screening, or trauma. Imaging is a critical step in diagnosis—and delays in radiology reports can delay treatment.

Teleradiology: A Scalable Solution for Imaging Access

Teleradiology enables healthcare facilities to send medical images (like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and mammograms) electronically to off-site, board-certified radiologists for interpretation. For community health centers, this technology is transformative.

Here’s how teleradiology supports health centers during National Health Center Week and year-round:

24/7 Coverage, Including Nights and Holidays
Teleradiology ensures that community health centers can offer imaging services around the clock—even if there’s no radiologist physically on-site. This is especially important for urgent care and emergency settings in rural hospitals.
Access to Subspecialty Reads
Facilities may not always have access to neuroradiologists, MSK radiologists, or breast imaging specialists. Vesta Teleradiology offers access to subspecialty reads, ensuring every case is interpreted by the right expert.
Faster Turnaround Times
With cloud-based image transfer and structured reporting, teleradiology reduces delays and improves turnaround times. That means faster results, quicker clinical decisions, and better patient care.
Support for Preventive Imaging Initiatives
Community health centers are expanding their use of imaging for preventive care—particularly for breast cancer screening, lung health, and cardiovascular risk. Teleradiology provides scalable support during screening campaigns or high-volume periods.
Cost-Effective Radiology Staffing
Teleradiology helps optimize budgets by supplementing in-house radiologists or replacing expensive on-call coverage. Flexible pricing models ensure services align with facility needs and patient volume.

Why Imaging Access Matters More Than Ever

The need for diagnostic imaging continues to rise in 2025. According to recent projections from the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, demand for imaging will grow at a faster rate than the radiologist workforce through 2055. In rural and medically underserved areas, the shortage is even more pronounced.

Community health centers are on the front lines of closing this gap. But without reliable imaging access, they face limitations in diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning.

How Vesta Teleradiology Helps Health Centers Thrive

At Vesta, we understand the pressures community health centers face. That’s why we offer:

Fully customizable radiology services tailored to your patient population
Rapid onboarding and seamless PACS integration
Weekend, holiday, and night coverage
A team of U.S.-based, board-certified radiologists
Subspecialty interpretations across all major imaging fields

Whether you’re a rural clinic needing full radiology coverage or a mid-sized health center looking for overflow support, our teleradiology solutions are built to help you scale—without compromising care quality.

Join the Movement: National Health Center Week

National Health Center Week is more than a celebration. It’s a reminder that access, equity, and quality care start with supporting the providers who serve our most vulnerable populations. Teleradiology is a powerful tool to help meet that mission.

If your health center is planning to expand imaging services or looking for reliable radiology coverage, Vesta is here to help.

Let’s build healthier communities—one accurate read at a time.

Supporting Women’s Health with Subspecialty Teleradiology: National Women’s Health Week 2025

Each May, National Women’s Health Week serves as a reminder of the importance of preventive care, early detection, and access to high-quality medical services for women across the country. Among these essential services, breast imaging stands out as a cornerstone of women’s health — and timely, accurate interpretation of mammograms plays a vital role in early detection of breast cancer.

But what happens when a facility doesn’t have immediate access to a subspecialty-trained breast radiologist?

That’s where teleradiology steps in.

At Vesta Teleradiology, we support women’s health initiatives year-round by providing reliable, fast, and compliant mammography interpretations, especially for facilities that may not have in-house specialists available.

The Need for Expert Mammography Interpretation

According to the CDC, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., and regular mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early, when it’s easier to treat and before symptoms appear1. The American College of Radiology (ACR) also notes that interpretation by radiologists trained in breast imaging can improve detection rates and reduce false positives2.

However, many imaging centers and rural hospitals don’t have a dedicated breast radiologist on-site — and delays in interpretation can lead to gaps in care or unnecessary anxiety for patients.

This challenge is magnified by a growing shortage of radiologists, particularly those specializing in breast imaging. A 2023 workforce survey from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) highlighted that more than 50% of practicing radiologists are over the age of 55, and retirements are outpacing new entrants. Breast imaging — already a subspecialty with fewer practitioners — is feeling the strain. Many facilities are facing longer turnaround times or are unable to offer advanced imaging interpretation consistently.

In addition, burnout remains a real concern. Breast radiologists face high volumes and frequent callbacks, which can affect accuracy and job satisfaction. Teleradiology can help balance the workload by offering overflow and relief coverage, supporting both the health system and the radiologists themselves.

How Teleradiology Closes the Gap

Vesta Teleradiology provides healthcare facilities with remote access to subspecialty-trained radiologists, including experts in breast imaging. This allows imaging centers, OB/GYN clinics, and hospitals to meet women’s health needs without overextending in-house teams.

Here’s how we help:

Full MQSA-compliant interpretations
Support for both screening and diagnostic mammograms
24/7/365 availability, including STAT and overflow reads
Subspecialty reads in breast MRI, ultrasound, and 3D mammography (tomosynthesis)
Seamless PACS integration and secure data exchange

Whether your site needs full-time coverage or help during vacation season, we ensure that your patients receive timely, high-quality reads.

National Women’s Health Week Is the Perfect Time to Prioritize Imaging Readiness

National Women’s Health Week 2025 runs from May 12–18 and encourages women to schedule important preventive screenings — including mammograms.

Facilities should be prepared for increased volume during this time and throughout Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns later in the year (October). Having a trusted teleradiology partner means you can handle increased demand without sacrificing quality or turnaround times.

Vesta Teleradiology: Your Partner in Women’s Imaging

At Vesta, we believe in supporting facilities that support women. Our flexible coverage options and experienced radiologists help ensure that women’s health screenings — including mammograms — are interpreted accurately, securely, and quickly.

Whether you’re preparing for Women’s Health Week or looking for year-round coverage, we’re here to help you deliver the care your patients deserve.

Let’s improve access, together. Contact us to learn more about how Vesta can support your women’s imaging services.

CMS Extends Virtual Supervision for Contrast Imaging Through 2025

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the allowance for virtual direct supervision of certain diagnostic imaging services—such as contrast-enhanced MRI and CT scans—through December 31, 2025. This policy enables supervising physicians to be “immediately available” via real-time, interactive audio-visual communication, eliminating the need for physical presence during these procedures.

This extension is part of CMS’s ongoing efforts to maintain flexibility in healthcare delivery, particularly in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially introduced in 2020, the virtual supervision policy has been extended multiple times, reflecting its effectiveness in enhancing access to care, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Official CMS Reference: See the final rule summary here — CMS 2025 PFS Final Rule

Why This Matters for Imaging Providers and Teleradiology

This change is particularly impactful for radiology providers and Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities (IDTFs), who can now increase efficiency while expanding access to care. Here’s how:

Flexible Staffing Across Locations
Virtual supervision allows radiologists to provide oversight for contrast studies across multiple sites simultaneously. This is especially valuable for multi-site imaging networks.
Source: CMS Telehealth FAQ – April 2025
Improved Access in Underserved Areas
In rural or medically underserved regions, where on-site radiologist availability is limited, this policy enables diagnostic imaging to proceed without delay.
Source: CMS Manual System – R12975CP
Streamlined Operations and Cost Savings
By enabling remote supervision, imaging centers can better allocate radiologist time, minimize idle staffing, and reduce operational overhead—all without compromising safety.
Source: CMS MLN901705 – Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring

A Forward-Thinking Step for Radiology

The virtual supervision policy not only helps radiology groups manage rising imaging volumes but also strengthens the case for broader adoption of remote technologies in medical imaging. Industry groups are urging CMS to consider making this flexibility permanent, citing its benefits for workflow optimization, clinical outcomes, and equitable access.

How Vesta Teleradiology Can Help

At Vesta Teleradiology, we are well-positioned to support imaging centers and IDTFs adapting to this policy. Our services are designed with flexibility, compliance, and subspecialty depth in mind:

Seamless remote reads for contrast studies
Board-certified U.S.-based radiologists
24/7/365 final reads with rapid turnaround
HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based PACS integration
Support for both permanent and overflow coverage

If your facility is looking to implement or expand remote supervision workflows under the CMS extension, Vesta can help you transition smoothly while maintaining the highest standards in patient care.

Reach out today to learn how Vesta Teleradiology can streamline your imaging operations under this new CMS flexibility.