2006年VOA标准英语-Physicians Defend Medical Imaging in Fight

By Chris Mitchell
Washington, DC
06 April 2006
 
watch Medical Imaging report

Medical experts have defended medical imaging as a way to improve health care, during a briefing at the U.S. Capitol building. 

A panel of experts said medical imaging, which uses technology to evaluate parts of a patient that are not visible externally, has proven critical in the fight against cancer.

 
Medical Imaging
  
The procedures, which include CAT-scans, x-rays, and magnetic resonance¹ imaging, or MRIs, have become more common in recent years.

But their increased use has drawn² some opposition³.  In a March 2005 report, a Congressional commission indicated that advanced technology, including medical imaging, has helped drive increases in health care spending.

But medical experts say most people do not understand how much advanced technology helps physicians improve the level of care for their patients. 

The experts said medical imaging also allows physicians to conduct fewer operations to determine the cause of a symptom and lets them focus more on procedures to correct or eliminate problems.  It also allows doctors to determine if therapy treatments are working for a patient.

Joe Hogan  
  
President and CEO of General Electric Healthcare Joe Hogan says there are financial benefits to using the technology.

"That's a terrific thing, too, because you don't want a patient to go forward with therapy if it's not working,” said Mr. Hogan.  “You want to find the right therapy, and, at the same time, you don't want to incur⁴ the cost of the system of applying therapies that don't make sense."

But the 2005 commission suggested imaging procedures are overused and sometimes misused⁵.  The study recommended steps to control how often medical imaging is used, as well as improving its quality.  The commission also suggested limits to government insurance reimbursements⁷ for some medical imaging.

Nancy Davenport-Innis  
  
Nancy Davenport-Innis of the National Patient Advocate Foundation says limiting those payments could be counterproductive. "Reducing reimbursement⁶ for imaging will, indeed, reduce patient access to the very therapy that can help to appropriately stage the disease, intervene favorably with the appropriate therapy at the appropriate time.  Imaging will avoid added cost to the system."

Medical experts say technological⁸ advances have given cancer victims a better chance at survival.  In the United States alone, the National Cancer Institute estimates the number of cancer survivors⁹ has risen from 3 million in 1971 to roughly 10 million today.

1 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

2 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

5 misused   

v.使用…不当( misuse的过去式和过去分词 )；把…派作不正当的用途；虐待；滥用

参考例句：

• He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had grossly misused his power. 他严重滥用职权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？

7 reimbursements   

n.偿还( reimbursement的名词复数 )；退款；补偿；赔偿

参考例句：

• We had to put in for the food reimbursements again. 我们不得不再次申请食物赔偿。 来自互联网
• Have you figured up the total of the reimbursements I gave you? 你有没有把我给你的报销账目全部加总了呢？ 来自互联网

8 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

9 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者