We use Neolane 6.1 and in a "Javascript template" we do a check to see if we got an image or not. Before this template runs we set the value '0' if there's no image, consider this code:
var newsImage = '' + content.@img; // string???
if (newsImage && newsImage.length > 4 && newsImage != '' && newsImage != '0') {
// shows image if image URL and if newsImage == '0' :-O
} else {
// should end up here if newsImage == '0' but it wont, is this javascript or what is it???
}