Tag Archives: cancer imaging

Getting the COVID Vaccine? Here’s What You Should Know About Cancer Imaging

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Nurse leader Jeanine Gordon gives nurse Emma Devlin the COVID-19 vaccination.

Nurse leader Jeanine Gordon gives nurse Emma Devlin the COVID-19 vaccination. Photo: Richard DeWitt.

A small but significant number of people experience swollen lymph nodes as a side effect of receiving a COVID vaccine. This can look like a clinically significant finding on cancer imaging, including chest CTs, PET scans, mammography, and breast MRI. In response, radiologists from MSK and three other institutions recently published recommendations for cancer imaging and COVID vaccination.

As reported by Reuters and the Associated Press, the authors recommend scheduling routine cancer imaging screenings either before vaccination or six weeks after. But patients should not delay getting either the vaccine or clinically urgent imaging. Cancer patients should receive the vaccine in the arm opposite the active or suspected cancer. Medical staff should ask patients receiving imaging about their vaccine history, including the date of vaccination and the side of the body vaccinated. If enlarged lymph nodes appear on imaging, radiologists may request follow up images or, in a small number of cases, biopsy.  

Want to learn more about MSK’s COVID-related research? Visit Synapse, the Library’s database of MSK-authored publications, for a full list of COVID-related works.

 Want to know more about COVID vaccination? Visit MSK’s info page.

Three Questions for our Librarians – Kendra

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This month we spoke with Kendra Godwin, Research Informationist and Liaison for the Evidence-based Cancer Imaging Program. 

What areas can you help MSK users with?

I am part of a team that is working to support evidence-based practice at MSK. More specifically, my work surrounds the PAMA mandate, its establishing of the Appropriate Use Criteria Program, and future requirements for ordering advanced diagnostic imaging services.

What projects have you been working on recently?

The Evidence-based Cancer Imaging Program (ECIP) is MSK’s coordinated response to the PAMA mandate, and its purpose is to develop and implement appropriate use criteria (AUC) in pursuit of the best patient care. As the liaison for ECIP, I serve as the lead research informationist within AUC development, and as the MSK Library’s project manager for this program.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

The Voynich Manuscript combines all of the hits. Mysterious origins, coded text, and bizarre ink drawings of a possible medical nature? Yes! I was going to say wherever it is held, but after a quick search I see it’s only a few hours north of me in New Haven! Still, I encourage anyone to use the link above to learn more and view Yale’s beautiful digitization work. And, if I’m not fantasy traveling to Connecticut, I will be visiting my sister in Tokyo for the first time.