Monday, January 5, 2009
EyeSeeCam: See What The Surgeon Sees
Biomed engineers and clinical neurologists at the University of Munich Hospital are working on commercialization of a head mounted camera designed to store and transmit the exclusive point of view of its wearer's eyes. The EyeSeeCam moves along with the pupils of the user, and as such allows "for the first time, to literally see the world through somebody else's eyes." The device will be presented at the upcoming MMVR 17 NextMed conference (Jan 19-22, in Long Beach, CA).
The possibilities for the camera are endless. Here's what its designers think it could be used for:
Health Care and Industry: Documentation, e.g., of Surgery; Teaching and Education; Quality AssuranceNeurology, ENT: Diagnosis of eye movement disorders; Diagnosis of vestibular disorders and vertigo
Movie and Video Making: Documentary and fictional movies; News and Videoart
Security: Quality assurance of special forces training; Documentation by a "third eye"
Sports: Sportsnews; Movie from the Athlete's perspective
(Neuro-) Marketing:Shopping behavior; Advertisement perception; Ergonomy
Research: Studies on attention; "Body language" during conversation
Consumer Applications: Sightseeing; Events
(hat tip: ScienceRoll)
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Monday, January 5, 2009
Amimon's High Definition Wireless Video Goes Clinical
Stryker Endoscopy is launching a wireless high definition monitor for the clinical world. Utilizing wireless technology from Israel's Amimon Inc., the monitor can receive signals up to 1080i, which means uncompromising quality in OR imaging with fewer tangled cables getting in the way.
AMIMON has granted Stryker Endoscopy exclusive access to AMIMON’s technology for the medical endoscopy market.“Only AMIMON’s High-Definition Wireless Technology is capable of transmitting the surgical video with no perceptible lag or interference throughout the entire operating room. This will allow surgeons greater flexibility in positioning the surgical display while operating. In addition, the hospitals and surgery centers will save the hassle and cost of routing DVI cables through the ceilings and overhead booms,” said William Chang, Stryker Endoscopy’s Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Technology Officer.
AMIMON WHDI™ Technology - Overview ...
Globes: Wireless video co Amimon wins deal with Stryker...
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Friday, January 2, 2009
Evident Microwave Ablation System Gets US Approval to Treat Liver Tumors
Covidien has received FDA approval to market the company's Evident™ microwave ablation system for nonresectable liver tumor ablation.
From the press release:
The Evident MW Ablation System is intended for the coagulation of soft tissue during percutaneous, laparoscopic and open surgical procedures. The system uses microwave energy, emanating from the feed point of the radiating section of an antenna, to cause coagulation of the tissue. The microwave energy creates heat by generating friction through the vibration of water molecules. With microwave ablation, there is no current flow through the patient, eliminating the need for grounding pads."The recent FDA concurrence for the Evident MW Ablation System's intended use for the ablation of nonresectable liver tumors is a testament to the comprehensive evidence-based approach EbD takes in the development of our products," said Ned Cosgriff, M.D., Vice President, Medical/Clinical Affairs, Covidien EbD. "As with any new technology, particularly one involving medical devices, training is essential for a product to be successful in today's healthcare environment. With the recently granted FDA clearance, our Interventional Oncology professionals can now train healthcare providers in the safe and effective use of the Evident MW Ablation System for the specific indication of ablation of nonresectable liver tumors."
This major technological advance allows surgical oncologists, interventional radiologists, hepatobiliary surgeons and other medical specialists to perform percutaneous, laparoscopic or open surgical soft-tissue ablation, and to perform these procedures at speeds up to 60 percent faster than is possible with other ablation products. With the Evident MW Ablation System, ablations may be achieved in approximately 10 minutes. The speed and efficiency of the Evident MW Ablation System may mean less time in the operating or radiology suite for medical professionals and patients and less time under anesthesia for patients.
Press release: FDA Clears Covidien's Evident(TM) Microwave Ablation System for Use in Nonresectable Liver Tumor Ablation...
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Monday, December 22, 2008
Unbound Medicine Now Direct on Blackberry
Unbound Medicine has just released some of its flagship products for direct download on Blackberry devices.
From the company:
Unbound customers can now experience the speed and reliability of their trusted references without having to rely on an internet connection. Enjoy the convenience of over-the-air installation and wireless automatic updates with the user-friendly navigation of Unbound's award-winning platform.Products now available for BlackBerry include:
Nursing Central is the complete mobile solution for nursing. Have premier disease, drug, and test information on your BlackBerry anytime, anywhere!
The 5-Minute Clinical Consult quickly answers your questions about diagnosis and management of more than 700 conditions seen in everyday practice.
Davis's Drug Guide delivers up-to-date, comprehensive, and practical information on thousands of generic and trade name drugs.
The Merck Manual family of products includes The Merck Manual for Mobile and Web, The Merck Manual with Patient Symptoms Guide and The Merck Manual Suite + Davis's Drug Guide.
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Friday, December 19, 2008
PROCEED Ventral Patch for Hernia Repairs
ETHICON , a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary out of Somerville, New Jersey, is making a new patch available for ventral herniorrhaphies.
PVP Device is the first and only umbilical hernia repair device featuring lighter-weight mesh and exclusive, absorbable deployment technology. It is indicated for use in umbilical, epigastric, small ventral and trocar site hernias.The PROCEED Ventral Patch is a sterile, self-expanding, partially absorbable, flexible mesh device that utilizes the proven design of PROCEED Surgical Mesh. The unique product design offers surgeons secure and stable deployment, strength without ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene), and a macroporous / partially absorbable construction. The PVP Device is available in small (4.3 cm) and medium (6.4 cm) sizes.
Press release: ETHICON Launches the Latest Innovation in Hernia Repair Platform; PROCEED(TM) Ventral Patch (PVP(TM) Device) ...
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
ZOLL R Series Defibrillator with WiFi Given US Green Light
Not so long ago hospitals looked sceptically on wireless networks existing inside their facilities. In no time things have gone 180, as more and more clinics use networks to improve and speed up the care that they offer. Now the FDA has given clearance to a Wi-Fi equipped external defibrillator from ZOLL out of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, which can notify staff if something is going wrong.
Based on standard 802.11b WiFi technology, R Series defibrillators equipped with WiFi automatically send an alert when their state of readiness is compromised. Early notification maximizes patient safety by letting the clinician intervene before the defibrillator is needed for a code.While defibrillators rarely fail, their readiness can be compromised if someone forgets to plug it in, a cable is missing, or the electrodes are old and dried out. With WiFi, when the state of readiness is compromised, a notification identifies the contributing factors and code readiness can be restored with unmatched efficiency by troubleshooting from any PC on the hospital network.
For downloading patient data, the Defibrillator Summary is an important part of the code, and the R Series WiFi capability simplifies merging the Summary Report with event documentation. At the end of the code, the summary report can be transmitted over a standard wireless network to a server hosting the CodeNet® system, where it is merged and time-synchronized with the Event Report documented on CodeNet Writer.
The R Series is a Code-Ready device that is simple, smart, and ready to use. It offers a OneStep™ system to simplify and speed up deployment of pacing and defibrillation therapy. It also offers smart tools to help clinicians improve CPR performance, which is important since more than half of in-hospital codes involve non-shockable rhythms and, in such cases, the only treatment is high-quality CPR with minimal interruptions.
The R Series can also verify the condition and expiration date of the electrode set. All of this testing occurs without disconnecting electrodes or paddles, or requiring additional equipment to test shock delivery. The system provides a printed or electronic log to alert hospital personnel of any concerns in advance of a code. A simple green checkmark indicates that the R Series is fully ready for use.
CodeNet is the first software system that allows hospital teams to better document, manage, and review cardiac arrest event and resuscitation information. It brings new improvements and efficiencies in data capture, event time synchronization, and case and aggregate reporting. It is the only system that time stamps logged events and synchronizes these times with defibrillator data, providing clinicians with a complete and accurate timeline of an entire cardiac arrest event.
Press release: ZOLL Receives Clearance to Market R Series Code-Ready Defibrillator with WiFi Option ...
Product page: R Series Defibrillators ...
Flashback: ZOLL R Series Defibrillator for Hospitals...
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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
WAND Vascular Introducer Gets FDA OK
Access Scientific out of San Diego, California wants to cannulate the central venous access market. The company just won FDA approval for its WAND™ MicroAccess Safety Introducer, a novel device that combines needle, guidewire, and the catheter into one system.
The MicroAccess WAND is the first of several planned WAND devices from Access Scientific to receive FDA clearance. The devices combine all components of the older, Modified Seldinger Technique into a unitary device that provides faster, safer, simpler over-wire vascular access.The MicroAccess WAND is expected to be used primarily in interventional radiology suites and cardiac catheterization labs. Subsequent iterations -- including the PICC WAND(TM) and Power WAND(TM) now in development - are designed to be used primarily by vascular nurse specialists for insertion of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and extended-dwell peripheral IVs.
The Seldinger technique was developed in 1953 to reduce complications associated with the introduction of catheters and other medical devices into blood vessels and hollow organs. Because there have been few significant improvements to the technique since it was invented, what is now known as the Modified Seldinger Technique (MST) still carries serious risks for patients and clinicians.
Among the patient risks of MST that are reduced by the Accelerated Seldinger Technique is air embolism. Beginning in October 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ceased reimbursing healthcare institutions for air embolism, which CMS considers preventable.
In addition to uniting the elements needed to perform the Seldinger technique into one unitary device, The WAND is designed to reduce the risk of accidental needlesticks, bleeding, contamination, guidewire embolism, and loss of cannulation. Its "Fast-flash" feature provides early detection of vessel entry.
Learn more by going to the product page: MicroAccess WAND ...
Press release: Access Scientific Receives FDA Clearance for The WAND ...
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Monday, December 8, 2008
Text Messaging Surgical Instructions...It's "Easy! Good Luck"
Médecins Sans Frontières surgeon Dr. David Nott recently performed a life-saving amputation of a young Congonese boy's gangrenous left arm after receiving step-by-step text messaging instructions from a colleague. The young boy was spear fishing when he had most of his left arm ripped off by a hippopotamus, a herbivore. A forequarter amputation is no small operation, even in a tertiary-care facility as it entails the surgical removal of the entire upper extremity, scapula, and clavicle.
Dr. Nott had never performed such a surgery, but luckily, his friend in the UK had, so he sent his friend, Professor Meirion Thomas, a text message. Thomas replied almost immediately with 10 steps Nott should follow to carry out the procedure and then signed off with "Easy! Good luck."
Press play to listen to a BBC interview with Dr. Nott about the experience:
BBC News: Surgeon saves boy's life by text...
Médecins Sans Frontières website article...
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Zonare Shows Off Proprietary Ultrasound Technology
At the RSNA 2008 conference this week, ZONARE Medical Systems out of Mountain View, California is showing off its latest ultrasound transducers and image processing software for improved image quality. The company describes its z.one ultrasound system as "smaller, lighter, more maneuverable, and nimbler than any system of equivalent image quality."
From the press release:
New Transducer Technology The C4-1 is a small footprint, curved array transducer designed by ZONARE's acoustic engineers. It offers physicians improved access and imaging performance resulting in improved penetration with sensitive Doppler imaging. All ZONARE customers worldwide have access to this new technology on their current z.one ultrasound platform.ZONARE is also showing its new L14-5w high resolution, high frequency transducer, which offers broad bandwidth for improved imaging of small parts, breasts and superficial anatomy. Its wide field of view has an aperture of 55mm offering virtual apex capability, and it has 10 frequencies including three fundamental, one tissue harmonic, two compound imaging and two each for color Doppler and PW Doppler modes.
Elastography and 3D Imaging
The z.one ultrasound system will feature new elastography applications that enable qualitative visual assessment of the mechanical stiffness properties of tissue. The high resolution elastography images are generated and visualized using a variety of grayscale and colorized maps and the L10-5 and L14-5w transducers are supported. Clinicians using the new applications report that this technique may provide significant new diagnostic information.
The comprehensive 3D ultrasound imaging capabilities are available for the z.one ultra system with primary applications for obstetrical imaging during the second and third trimester. The new C8-33D curved linear transducer offers mechanical sweep array, 3D fetal surface rendering, 3D Multi Planar rendering and additional diagnostic tools. The new 3D imaging capabilities are also available for general abdominal ultrasound imaging. ZONARE's 3D ultrasound imaging expands the clinical utility of the z.one ultra system and may reduce exam time, enabling physicians to spend additional time on patient care.Proprietary Software
The difficult-to-image patient population makes up a large percentage of patients examined with ultrasound today and includes people who are overweight, elderly, muscular, or who have a thick body wall. Traditionally, a definitive ultrasound diagnosis for this patient group was challenging and often these patients were referred for more expensive testing. ZONARE has engineered new proprietary software for ZONE Sonography technology and, when combined with the company's new C4-1 transducer, clinicians have a new tool to image their most technically difficult patients with advanced image clarity.
Press release: ZONARE Medical Systems Introduces Advancements for z.one Ultrasound Platform at RSNA ...
Product page: z.one Ultrasound Platform ...
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Opto-Acoustic Imaging Improves Lab Rat Visualization
Seno Medical, the company responsible for developing an opto-acoustical imaging modality that uses lasers to acoustically excite tissue, is bringing the technology to the real world. Partnering with VisualSonics, a maker of specialty ultrasound systems, the technology is to be introduced into VisualSonics' Vevo imaging platform for preclinical small animal trials.
From the press release:
Seno’s small animal (preclinical) opto-acoustic technology is designed to enable researchers to non-invasively detect and monitor biological structures, functions and processes at the cellular and molecular level. It is the first new functional technology developed in 30 years. (Other examples of functional technology are fMRI and PET.) This technology uniquely images angiogenic growth of a tumor and reveals the oxygen saturation within the tumor, thus providing functional information. This technology can also reveal disease progression and inflammation processes that were previously unattainable. As a result of this agreement, VisualSonics will be able to embed Seno’s opto-acoustic technology in their next generation of high-frequency ultrasound platforms and thus extend their molecular imaging capability to the sub cellular level. This combination will drive the new molecular imaging utility for the next generation of small animal (preclinical) imaging with the Vevo® platform.
Press release: Seno Reaches Milestone Licensing Agreement with World Leading High-Frequency Ultrasound Company ...
Technology page: Laser Opto-Acoustic Imaging ...
Flashbacks: Laser Opto-Acoustic Imaging Technology from Seno Medical; Optoacoustic Technology for Early Cancer Detection
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Tuesday, December 2, 2008
NEC Showcases New Medical Monitors
NEC is releasing a new line of medical monitors at RSNA this week in Chicago, featuring an impressive 12-bit grayscale and DICOM calibration.
From the press release:
NEC's new UA-SFT LCD module technology offers high brightness without compromising contrast or viewing angles, making the image quality outstanding for color or grayscale images. Select units include built-in front sensors for stability, as well as remote assurance of DICOM conformance.NEC's new offerings to the MultiSync MD Series include the 21-inch, 2-megapixel MD212MC and the 21-inch, 3-megapixel MD213MC color displays - both with front sensors; and the 21-inch, 3-megapixel MD213MG grayscale display with front sensor.
The MD212MC and MD213MC color displays follow in the footsteps of the highly successful line of medical grayscales from NEC, and join the 30-inch, 4-megapixel MD304MC color display with backlight sensor announced earlier this year.
Common features of the monitors:
DICOM calibration and the X-Light ProTM sensor system for maintaining a consistent image
12-bit lookup table (LUT) for detailed images and grayscale
ColorCompTM, which reduces LCD uniformity errors and compensates for differences in color/grayscale and luminance
Front or backlight sensors
Full medical certifications
5-year limited warranty with overnight exchange service
Also, NEC has announced that it received FDA certification for its 5-megapixel 20-inch monitor:
"The FDA digital mammography approval is a clear demonstration of NEC's commitment to the medical industry," said Stan Swiderski, Product Manager of medical and professional displays for NEC Display Solutions. "The MD205MG provides diagnostic professionals with the advanced tools they need to accurately diagnose and consistently review detailed images."The 5-megapixel monitor is part of the MultiSync MD Series, a family of medical-grade LCDs designed specifically for radiology, Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), MRI, CT and 3D applications.
With a 2560 x 2048 native resolution, the MD205MG display features advanced in-plane switching (IPS) LCD technology, which offers powerful details of medical images and a possible 3,061 shades of gray. It also includes a backlight sensor, DICOM calibration and a contrast ratio of 600:1.
In addition, GammaCompTM MD software, supplied with the MD monitor system, supports different sensors for calibration. These include both external colorimeters for direct measurement at the surface and spot luminance meters for distance measurement.
The 5-megapixel display also is Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant, containing fully disposable plastics, no hazardous materials such as hex-chrome, cadmium, PBDE and PBB, and limited amounts of mercury and lead.
Press releases: NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS INTRODUCES A NEW LINE OF HIGH-BRIGHTNESS COLOR AND GRAYSCALE DISPLAYS FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ...; NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS RECEIVES FDA 510(K) APPROVAL OF 5-MEGAPIXEL GRAYSCALE MONITOR FOR USE IN DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY APPLICATIONS ...
Product brochure: MD304MC...
Product page: MD205MG ...
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Siemens Couples Mammography with Stereotactic Breast Biopsy into One Unit
Siemens has released its stereotactic breast biopsy add-on for the company's Mammomat Inspiration mammography machine.
From Siemens:
The digital system with basic functions for screening has been on the market since the end of 2007. Since then, it has been installed in countless hospitals and private practices worldwide. The new device with its supplemental biopsy function recently went into operation in Copenhagen and Dortmund. Using the new system, all workflows are performed faster and easier than ever before.The biopsy unit is easy to install; it simply slides on the full field detector of the mammography platform. Using the same detector ensures that the radiographic image quality remains high. The mammography system detects the biopsy unit and automatically switches all hardware an software functions to biopsy mode. A preconfigured examination workflow and a well-defined user interface intuitively guide clinical personnel through the intervention.
The system enables vertical or lateral needle access to lesions. Another advantage is that only one space-saving, ergonomic workstation is required for all applications of the mammography platform.
With Mammomat Inspiration, screening, clarifying diagnostics, biopsy, and tomosynthesis (in the future) are all based on a unified digital platform for the first time. A hospital or private practice can purchase a screening device as needed, and enhance this basic system with the biopsy unit and, eventually, with 3D tomosynthesis currently in development.
Press release: Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Made Easy with Mammomat Inspiration`.
Flashback: MAMMOMAT Inspiration from Siemens
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Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) Goes to RSNA
At the ongoing meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, Dilon Technologies (Newport News, VA) is showcasing its innovative system Dilon 6800, a device that sports a compact detector outfitted with "over 3,000 individual 3mm square detector crystals and 48 position-sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PMT)." The company says it has developed all this gadgetry for its Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) modality, a molecular breast detection that measures "hot spots" of abnormally increased metabolic activity in breast cancer lesions. A pharmaceutical tracing agent that emits gamma radiation is injected and taken up by all cells of the body. BCGI works by detecting the increased metabolic activity of cancerous cells as compared to surrounding tissues. The company says that its diagnostic modality is independent of tissue density and can discover very early stage cancers. It is also significantly less expensive and better tolerated than breast MRI.
From the statements issued by Dilon Technologies:
For difficult to diagnose patients, Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) is found to be a more useful adjunctive imaging tool than ultrasound for patients who need additional imaging following a questionable mammogram, this according to findings presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). BSGI is a molecular breast imaging technique that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover very early stage cancers."My colleagues and I found that in women who needed further examination beyond mammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer, BSGI offered more definitive answers than ultrasound," said Dr. Jean Weigert, Director of Women's Imaging at Mandell and Blau M.D.'s PC, in New Britain, Conn.
Dr. Weigert conducted a study comparing BSGI to ultrasound in patients who required additional imaging following a mammogram. As part of their diagnostic evaluation, 70 patients had mammography, ultrasound, BSGI and biopsy. BSGI and ultrasound had 96 percent and 58 percent sensitivity respectively and 55 percent and 43 percent specificity respectively. These results demonstrate that BSGI may be more useful than ultrasound as an adjunctive imaging technology to mammography...
"According to the national Medicare average, BSGI costs $219.43 compared to $994.43 for breast MRI. Since BSGI has some advantages over MRI, including higher patient tolerance and significant cost savings, BSGI should be considered an alternative for preoperative planning in patients with breast carcinoma," said Dr. Margaret Bertrand, Director of Breast Imaging at Solis Bertrand Breast Center in Greensboro, N.C.
In this study, BSGI was performed prior to needle biopsy on 63 patients with 64 breast malignancies who subsequently had a post-biopsy, preoperative breast MRI for surgical planning in accordance with the ACS guidelines. Of the 64 malignancies, BSGI and MRI were positive in 61 and 62 lesions, respectively. BSGI and MRI were comparable in sensitivity for breast carcinoma, 95 percent and 97 percent respectively. Unlike MRI, BSGI was tolerated by all patients.
Technology page: Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI)...
Product page: Dilon 6800...
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Stereo Navigator: The First Commercially Available Breast PET-Guided Biopsy System
Naviscan, Inc., a San Diego, CA firm, is reporting that the US FDA has granted the company marketing approval for the world's first Positron Emission Mammography (PEM)-guided biopsy system. A company rep tells Medgadget that Stereo Navigator™, as the technology is called, is comprised of software that resides on the company's system and some hardware to help position the breast.
More about the device:
Stereo Navigator™, the PEM-guided biopsy accessory, is indicated for the localization of lesions in female breasts, as identified on a PET image. This guidance system will now enable physicians to guide compatible interventional devices towards abnormalities visible on PET."The strength of our high-resolution PET scanner has always been the ability to resolve suspicious lesions down to 2 mm,” said Paul Mirabella, Chairman & CEO. “Now we can also offer biopsy guidance, providing physicians with the all important pathological confirmation to determine the optimal course of treatment.”
This Stereo Navigator biopsy feature represents the cutting edge of targeted molecular imaging in the breast. The accessory uses a stereotactic frame fixed between the scanner’s paddles to guide the insertion of a compatible interventional device into the breast. Accurate targeting is possible due to the high-resolution 3-D tomographic images acquired. Localization of the abnormality is verified using a PET-visible line source that is inserted into the needle track allowing the user to confirm trajectory and position. The accessory is compatible with the following breast biopsy systems: Mammotome® from Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., ATEC® from Hologic, Inc., and EnCor® from SenoRx Corporation.
Product page: PEM-Guided Biopsy with Stereo Navigator...
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Monday, November 24, 2008
Somatom Definition Flash: All Around Dual Nature CT
In about a week, at the upcoming 94th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Siemens will roll out the Somatom Definition Flash, a new dual source, dual detector CT scanner. The machine is so fast that patients don't have to hold their breath during chest scans, and the bed moves through the scanner at about twice the speed of conventional models, likely eliminating claustrophobia in most patients.
Some technical info about the scanner from Siemens' press release:
The fastest scanning speed in CT (43 cm/s) and a temporal resolution of 75 ms, enable for example complete scans of the entire chest region in just 0.6 seconds. Thus, patients are no longer required to hold their breath during the exam the way they had in the past. At the same time, the Somatom Definition Flash operates at an extremely reduced radiation dose. For example, a spiral heart scan can be performed with less than 1 millisievert (mSv), whereas the average effective dose required for this purpose usually ranges from 8 mSv to 40 mSv. The new CT scanner will be available for sale in the first quarter of 2009.The gantry (i.e., the X-ray detector system surrounding the bore) rotates about its own axis in just 0.28 s. It is this extraordinary rotational speed that enables a scan speed never before attained in CT (i.e., up to 43 cm per second) and temporal resolution of 75 milliseconds. The patient is moved through the CT tube more than twice as fast as with any conventional system. At the same time, scans acquired with the Somatom Definition Flash require a much lower radiation dose than conventional scans. While the average effective dose for a heart CT scanner ranges from 8 mSv to 40 mSv, the new Siemens CT scanner gets by with less than 1 mSv. In comparison: The X-ray radiation that everyone is exposed to each year from natural sources amounts to 2 mSv to 5 mSv. The dose values of the new Siemens CT scanner, thus lie far below those of an intracardiac catheter examination, thus opening up possibilities for using CT scanners for routine cardiological examinations.
Due to the high scanning speed, it is now possible to acquire scans of the thorax, the heart or both at the same time in fractions of a second. For example, thorax examinations now only require a scan time of 0.6 seconds. As a result, patients no longer have to hold their breath during the scan. This offers considerable advantages, especially in cases involving the elderly, children, emergency, and ICU patients.
It is also possible to perform whole-body scans extremely fast: For example, a person with a height of 6 feet 6 inches can be scanned in less than 5 seconds. Until now, such whole-body examinations took more than 10 minutes to perform from patient preparation to diagnosis. With the Somatom Definition Flash, this process is completed in just a few minutes. This represents an advantage, especially for emergency medicine since, until now, physicians often had to forego this examination method due to time pressure. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to sedate children prior to the examination, since they no longer have to remain still. The high scanning speed also makes it possible to cover large areas measuring up to 48 cm with 4D imaging (3D plus time). The areas scannable using conventional systems are limited to a maximum of 16 cm due to the detector size involved.A scan of the entire heart can be performed in only 250 milliseconds, which is less than half a heart beat. In addition, it is possible for physicians to reliably display a heart with a fast pulse or an irregular heart beat without using beta blockers, thus simplifying the workflow and yielding clinical and financial advantages. Owing to its high scanning speed, the Somatom Definition Flash also features new possibilities for performing CT examinations of the heart in the sub-mSv range. This represents a much lower radiation dose than is obtainable with conventional systems, which require doses ranging from 8 mSv to more than 40 mSv. For the first time ever, the heart can thus be examined at a radiation exposure level that is three times lower than the background radiation a person naturally absorbs in a year.
The second generation of Dual Energy imaging will introduce a new imaging quality. The contrast in CT scans will be increased without having to apply the higher radiation dose previously required. This is achieved via a new, selective photon shield which blocks unnecessary parts of the energy spectrum. It thereby provides improved separation of the two simultaneous scans with low and high photon energy, without causing a higher radiation exposure than would result from an individual, conventional CT examination with only one energy source. Thus, the Somatom Definition Flash can always provide a double contrast which, for the first time ever, can also be used to classify the chemical composition of tissues via a CT scan in routine daily work. Subsequently, It could also be used to reconstruct unenhanced CT images without contrast media not having to perform an additional examination.
Gene Ostrovsky, one of our editors, joined Dr Val Jones of Better Health in a conversation with Dr. André Hartung of Siemens about the new machine. You can read the interview or listen to the podcast at Better Health...
Press release: Flash Speed. Lowest Dose (.pdf)...
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Friday, November 21, 2008
TruSystem 7500: New OR Table from TRUMPF
Thanks to its modular design, this new OR table from TRUMPF can accommodate almost all known surgical positions, and can provide an optimal operating environment for all kinds of cases, from hip pinnings to robotic prostatectomies.
In surgery, no operation is identical to another. So it's not just surgeons and staff who need to be flexible – that requirement applies to OR tables as well. For the TruSystem 7500 OR table system, TRUMPF offers universal OR tabletops with a variety of application options, and special OR tabletops for specific requirements. Depending on the desired application and budget, from an extensive product line users can put together the precise OR table that fits their individual needs.TruSystem 7500 is consistently designed to simplify the everyday clinical work of physicians and staff, and to support them in their daily tasks. OR tabletops with up to three motorised joint pairs make it possible to use remote controls to position the patient quickly, safety and precisely. Manual adjustments to the tabletop are reduced. Staff can program the adjustment speed of all tabletop motors as needed. To return to the zero position, all motors in the tabletop work simultaneously, saving time.
A novel feature is the third motorised joint pair between the lower and upper back plates, which enables new positioning options. For thoracic surgeries, for instance, the patient's ribcage can be stretched precisely to the desired degree by pushing a button, so it can be opened more easily. Complicated positions, such as the side thorax position, can be assumed quickly, precisely and conveniently for both patient and staff. The patient also benefits from ergonomic, safe positioning, since the lengths of the individual tabletop segments correspond to the average distances between joints in the human anatomy.
TruSystem 7500 has universal coupling points, which have proven their worth in other TRUMPF OR tables. This latest OR table system is thus compatible with the entire TRUMPF accessory line, as well as with all other TRUMPF OR tables. The mechanically encoded coupling points prevent disallowed configurations of the table. Thus new and existing customers can quickly familiarise themselves with operation of the table. Moreover, they benefit from the option of combined use with predecessor models, and thus from the safety of investment in TRUMPF products. This philosophy permeates the entire TRUMPF medical technology portfolio.
One special feature of the “ST 26” special OR tabletop: First, the Trendelenburg capability is split between the column and the top. Besides the 45 degrees offered by the column, the tabletop can be adjusted by another 20 degrees. With the TruSystem 7500, therefore, an extremely low head or foot position of 65 degrees can be achieved. If the user doesn't need this additional functionality, less expensive universal OR tabletops can be selected.Special TRUMPF positioning accessories can be mounted on the TruSystem 7500 tabletops at any time. A spinal column positioning assembly, an extension unit or carbon elements for intraoperative X-ray diagnosis, for instance, make this jack-of-all-trades a specialist in just moments.
Check out all the available positions and accessories in this product brochure...
Product page: TruSystem 7500...
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Monitoring Muscle Tissue for Signs of Circulatory Shock
At the University of Massachusetts Medical School, researchers are developing a device that can noninvasively detect signs of peripheral hypoperfusion, presumably offering in the future a new method to diagnose and monitor the circulatory shock.
MIT Technology Review explains:
Traditionally, patients in critical condition are continuously monitored for changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse oxygen saturation. But the body has mechanisms to compensate for massive blood loss and systemic infection, keeping those parameters steady even while the patient's status deteriorates. "When the blood pressure starts to drop, it's too late," says spectroscopist Babs Soller, who developed the new device along with colleagues at the UMass Medical School. "The patient is already going into shock." The new device instead measures the levels of oxygen, pH, and hematocrit--the proportion of red blood cells in the blood--in a patient's muscle tissue.Soller's device beams near-infrared light through the skin over an arm or leg muscle, where it travels through fat and reflects off muscle tissue and back to the monitor. Based on the spectrum of the reflected light, computer algorithms determine the oxygen, pH, and hematocrit levels. Unlike similar infrared biomeasurement devices, the new monitor automatically compensates for differences in skin color and fat thickness between patients to optimize the results.
Full story from MIT Technology Review...
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CollaRx Gentamicin Surgical Implant Gets FDA Fast Track Designation
The FDA has given Innocoll's (Dublin, Ireland) CollaRx® Gentamicin surgical implant fast track designation to speed through Phase III clinical trials. The device, thought to decrease risk of surgical site infection in patients with diabetes and obesity, has already received EU marketing approval.
From the product page:
CollaRx® Gentamicin Surgical Implant is a peri-operative surgical implant comprised of a lyophilized collagen matrix impregnated with the broad spectrum antibiotic, gentamicin (as the sulfate salt). The product utilizes Innocoll's fully biocompatible and biodegradable CollaRx® sponge technology to deliver the gentamicin to the site of the infection or one at risk of infection.CollaRx Gentamicin Surgical Implant achieves very high local concentrations of d