Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Peak PlasmaBlade Wants to Be The New Bovie
PEAK Surgical, Inc. from Palo Alto, CA hates the bovie cutter/coagulator. The company cannot stand the 1920's technology behind the bovie, and how its thermal function destroys healthy patient tissue around the cut. What do we hate about the bovie? Well, you know: all those bovie induced burns and destroyed gloves that surgeons are regularly subjected to.
Long story short, PEAK Surgical wants its Peak PlasmaBlade, a cold cutter and coagulator, to be the bovie of the 21st century. The company is quite hopeful: a new study presented in a poster session at the ongoing American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 56th Annual Clinical Meeting in New Orleans showed that PEAK PlasmaBlade™ "cut freshly excised human abdominal tissue with little thermal tissue injury compared with traditional electrosurgery."
More about the technology:
Electrosurgery was invented in the beginning of the 20th century and became one of the most-often used surgical tools after William Bovie introduced his electrosurgery (radiofrequency) generator in 1926. Since then, electrosurgical cutting has been performed using continuous radiofrequency waveforms, which thermally vaporizes soft tissue via an electrical arc through air and Joule heating. This results in a cutting and coagulation action that leaves a wide zone of collateral thermal damage.By contrast, PEAK Surgical’s PULSAR Generator supplies pulsed waveforms that produce short plasma-mediated, highly controlled electrical discharges through extensively insulated electrodes on a handheld device -- the PEAK PlasmaBlade. Because the radiofrequency is provided in short pulses with low duty cycle (fraction of time the voltage is ON), and the PEAK PlasmaBlade is so highly insulated, heat diffusion and associated thermal damage to surrounding tissues is limited, resulting in greatly reduced collateral damage and extreme cutting precision.
PEAK Surgical’s technology including the pulsed plasma-mediated discharges and electrode insulation techniques were originally developed by Professor Daniel Palanker’s group at the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory and Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University. They have been evaluated in ophthalmic applications, including human studies in retinal and cataract surgery – one of the most delicate, precise and difficult types of surgery, and in preclinical studies.
Check out the following product brochure distributed by PEAK Surgical:
Product page: Peak PlasmaBlade...
Press release: PEAK Surgical Announces Positive Results from Preclinical Study of PEAK PlasmaBlade™ for Obstetric and Gynecologic Surgery
Video demonstrating the device...
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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sentinelle Vanguard Breast MR Auxiliary Table
Sentinelle Medical Inc., a Toronto, Ontario firm, is reporting that its president Mr. Cameron Piron was just recognized as Best Young Innovator by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation. Putting aside the whole twisted idea of "Ministry of Research and Innovation", we ventured to check out the product of Sentinelle Medical. It turns out that the product, called Sentinelle Vanguard Breast MR Auxiliary Table®, is a pretty clever device. Designed to work in tandem with GE Healtcare's Signa® HDx 1.5T MRI system, the table features an eight channel coil array that enhances imaging of the breast, while the configuration of the table makes percutaneous biopsies (and other interventions) more tolerable for the clinician and the patient, thanks to an open design that offers easy accessibility to all quadrants of the breast.
More about the system:
Variable Coil Geometry® of the 8 channel array allows the position of the coils to be customized for every patient. Vanguard® coils can be moved medially and laterally, as well as posteriorally towards the axilla and chest wall providing improvements to image quality unavailable on traditional tabletop coilsThe unique coil geometry improves overall signal to noise ratio which can result in higher resolution images. Higher resolution images provide more detailed information and may promote earlier detection of lesions. This can, in turn, result in better management of disease and treatment...
Complete and open medial and lateral access provided by the Vanguard® design allows interventions to all quadrants of the breast. The system employs adjustable interventional grids which can be moved medially and laterally as well as towards the axilla and chest wall, providing access to lesions in the inner upper and outer upper quadrants of the breast. Use of a removable sternum support and support plate improves access to lesions near the chest wall in medial approaches.
The Vanguard® works in combination with several biopsy devices and localization needles...
A Significant amount of effort has been put into the design and padding of the patient support. Increased patient clearance in the bore means that more patients can be comfortably positioned with arms by their side. This improves comfort for the patient and reduces motion during the exam. The ‘wings’ of the system not only provide support for this positioning but also protect the patient from the magnet.
The padding used is made of visco-elastic foam providing improved comfort especially in common pressure areas such as the diaphragm and sternum. All padding is adjustable, allowing customized cushioning for every patient. The foam is covered in surgical grade material allowing for easy clean up.
The Sentinelle Vanguard Breast MR Auxiliary Table® is a comprehensive system. All features, including storage drawers, tray tables, biopsy grids, padding, safety rails, movable sternum supports, and integrated lighting are designed to work together for improved workflow. The Vanguard® is the only dedicated, detachable table design available for Breast MR.
The Vanguard’s® unique detachable table design allows patient preparation prior to and after both imaging and intervention to be performed outside the MR suite. Used in conjunction with the standard Signa™ detachable table, this results in significant savings in per-patient magnet use time. Experience with Vanguard® has shown an average efficiency increase of 10-25 minutes per patient.
Product page: Sentinelle Vanguard Breast MR Auxiliary Table...
(hat tip: Boomer Babe)
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Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Philips HD7
Philips is introducing in the United States its new general purpose, modestly priced ultrasound system, the Philips HD7:
The system provides grayscale and color Doppler imaging with simple one button optimization, as well as Tissue Harmonic Imaging. In addition, the HD7 features a wide array of transducers, an adjustable flat panel LCD monitor, proven system architecture, and advanced imaging, measurement and quantification technologies.The Philips HD7 system addresses basic scanning needs while adding new technology and design advances that help improve image quality. Developed with clinicians in mind, the ergonomic, easy-to-use system can meet the demands for high-volume use in cardiovascular, OB/GYN, anesthesiology, oncology, electrophysiology, stress echo, pediatric, orthopedic, urologic, emergency and other applications.
Like all Philips ultrasound systems, the HD7 has a broadband digital beamformer to capture and preserve more tissue information than conventional narrowband systems and its wide dynamic range and digital focal tuning provide exceptional sensitivity and detail resolution. Features such as iSCAN one button image optimization, multiple transducer ports, DICOM connectivity, and easy data recording to CD or USB, position the HD7 well against other modestly priced ultrasound systems. In addition, optional off-line QLAB quantification software capability allows clinicians to perform post-examination image review and analysis on a PC. Further enhancing the system’s usability is a Study Guide on disk that quickly equips clinicians to use the advanced features of the HD7.
The system can accommodate a range of Philips' transducers for all kinds of clinical applications.
Product page: HD7 Ultrasound System...
Press release: Philips HD7 ultrasound system now commercially available in the United States...
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Friday, April 4, 2008
FDA Grants Approval to First (?) Digital Mammograph With Computer Aided Detection
iCAD Inc. has announced that the FDA approved the integration of its SecondLook Digital tumor detection system with Fuji's FCRm tomograph. iCAD claims it is the first implementation of computer aided detection technology on top of a digital mammography system, although Medgadget covered Siemens' announcement of iCAD's integration into its systems two years ago. (Update below)
From the product brochure:
The unique SecondLook algorithms detect up to 72% of actionable missed cancers an average of 15 months earlier than screening mammography alone. Potential cancers are identified using patented artificial intelligence and pattern recognition technology to analyze images and identify patterns. Sophisticated mathematical analysis identifies and marks suspicious areas without obscuring the underlying image, enabling faster, more accurate reading.SecondLook Digital provides the most powerful and flexible DICOM connectivity solutions – enhancing digital workflow and enabling seamless integration with acquisition systems, review workstations, and PACS from
leading vendors. Flexible integration options enable CAD results to be viewed on workstations or sent to a plain paper printer. Priority queuing of studies improves clinical efficiency and efficacy by enabling the most
urgent or important studies to be analyzed with CAD first. SecondLook Digital performs CAD analysis on an image in an average of up to just 30 seconds, maximizing throughput and preventing bottlenecks.
Press release: iCAD receives FDA Approval for its SecondLook Digital for use with Fuji's Digital Mammography System
Product page: SecondLook Digital
Update: In an email, a representative from iCAD corrects our initial confusion: "The write-up questions the statement in iCAD's release about this being the first application of CAD "with digital mammography"..you are correct to point out that this is not the first application of CAD with DM. However, this refers to the first application of CAD with Computed radiography, a version of digital mammography that is more cost-effective than previous DM systems."
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
ARUP Consult: The Physician's Guide to Lab Test Selection and Interpretation
Our wise readers probably have been using this website for a couple of decades now, but for us it's been a new and interesting discovery. ARUP Consult, a collaborative website run by Utah-based ARUP Laboratories with help from an expert panel of University of Utah medical faculty, is described as a "dynamic tool to provide instant, electronic, point-of-care access to laboratory testing information, help with test selection and decision making, and test interpretation for more than 750 laboratory tests." The information offered through ARUP Consult can be accessed either via the Web or PDA. The website offers more than 1,500 lab tests categorized into disease-related topics, as well as a number of clinical decision-making algorithms. Our staff anesthesiologists were particularly drawn to the Porphyrias Testing Algorithm that is illustrated at the bottom of the post.
A representative for ARUP Consult tells the following to Medgadget:
New and updated information is “published” every two months and each topic or disease receives a thorough annual review to ensure current and correct information. In an industry where nearly 80 percent of major medical decisions are based on lab test results it is extremely important to know which tests to order, why, how to interpret them and which steps to take next. Physicians don’t have the time or resources to stay current on a lab industry that constantly changes with improved techniques and assays. However, getting tests right the first time and having a resource at your fingertips to improve diagnostic capabilities will not only save valuable time and money to both physician and patient, but will ensure optimum patient care.We saw more than $50 billion spent last year in laboratory testing and over 10 percent or more of that was unnecessary… and this is not counting patient downstream costs and unnecessary therapy. ARUP Consult fills a giant gap in patient diagnostics.
Porphyrias Testing Algorithm:
ARUP Consult: The Physician's Guide to Laboratory Test Selection and Interpretation...
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Friday, February 22, 2008
Did I Break My Water? Lets See It on The AmniScreen!
Barr Pharmaceuticals is announcing the US launch of the first at-home detection test of amniotic fluid leakage during pregnancy. The product, called AmniScreen, is a fancy pantyliner that has a special chemical strip that detects an elevated pH that amniotic fluid is known for, and turns the strip from yellow to blue-green in color. The device is based on technology initially developed and implemented by Israel-based Common Sense, Ltd., a firm that has been selling overseas a product called AL-SENSE Kit (pictured). We have no image of the AmniScreen due to Barr Pharmaceuticals choosing not to respond to our multiple requests.
From the press release:
AmniScreen works by detecting elevated pH levels, which may indicate amniotic fluid leakage. Patients are instructed to report or show test results to their healthcare provider for interpretation and medical care. The pivotal trial demonstrated that AmniScreen detected amniotic fluid leakage about 96% of the time. During the trial, patient-read results and clinician-read results matched more than 97% of the time.Pregnant women who experience unexplained vaginal wetness are potential candidates for AmniScreen. Additional candidates include high-risk pregnant women, women who have undergone amniocentesis, have experienced prior amniotic leakage, and those who are concerned about unexplained wetness.
Press release: AmniScreen(TM) Amniotic Fluid Detection Device is Now Available
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Monday, February 4, 2008
New Fetal-Maternal Monitors from Philips
Philips is adding two new models (FM40 and FM50) to its successful Avalon line of monitors. Here's what the press release touts:
Philips understands that patient comfort is extremely important, so the Avalon transducers are constructed with a softer material which adds to the comfort of the mother during antepartum and labor and delivery monitoring. The large, external display allows the family of the patient to become more involved in the birth experience since they can more easily view what is going on at all times; and for obstetricians and nurse/midwives to be able to view pertinent patient information at a distance . The ability to interface the FM40 and FM50 with the Avalon Cordless Transducer System (CTS) allows the mother to be mobile while she and her baby are being continuously monitored.The Philips Avalon FM40 and FM50 provide clinicians with advanced, intuitive technologies to care for expectant mothers and their babies. As with the rest of the Avalon fetal-maternal monitoring family, vital patient data is continuously captured by the built-in data buffer system with the added capability of selective data printout, which reduces the risk of data loss. The monitors also feature “smart” transducers with universal plug and play connectors to enhance ease of use. Replacement parts, such as the cables, can be exchanged easily without having to replace an entire unit, reducing the cost of service.
The Philips Avalon FM40 antepartum monitor provides an extensive set of external monitoring capabilities, such as external monitoring of uterine activity, up to three fetal heart rates and fetal movement profile (FMP) via ultrasound. The Avalon FM50 intrapartum monitor includes the external monitoring capabilities of the FM40 and internal fetal measurements including fetal heart rate via direct fetal ECG and intrauterine pressure. Both monitors provide monitoring of maternal blood pressure, SpO2, maternal ECG and maternal heart rate. Both fetal and maternal ECG waves can be displayed on the screen. These new high-end intrapartum and antepartum monitors easily integrate with Philips’ obstetrical information system, OB TraceVue, as well as other information systems.
Product page: Avalon FM40 and FM50 fetal monitors ...
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Friday, January 25, 2008
z.one ultra System
KLAS, a technology consultancy, has released its 2007 Best in KLAS report that features a ranking of what they believe are the top 20 overall medical technology companies (plus a ranking within specific fields). ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. (Mountain View, Calif.) is one of the companies chosen, as the top hand carried ultrasound (HCU) vendor for its z.one ultra System.
Zone Sonography technology has enabled ZONARE Medical Systems to bring its unique, patented Convertible Ultrasound platform to the industry providing premium image quality and performance together with greater portability at an attractive price to value ratio compared to conventional ultrasound systems. Clinicians are able to convert the z.one system, at the touch of a button, from a full-featured, cart-based system into a premium compact ultrasound system, optimizing its versatility in a variety of clinical settings, without sacrificing image quality or performance.Unlike most other HCU systems, the z.one system's Zone Sonography software-based architecture allows its performance to continue to improve as greater processing power becomes available. System upgrades can be downloaded via the internet, allowing for fast, convenient advances in clinical capabilities, enabling clinicians to cost-effectively maintain a state of the art premium ultrasound system.
Press release: ZONARE RANKED BEST IN KLAS AS HAND CARRIED ULTRASOUND VENDOR IN 2007 TOP 20: YEAR-END REPORT
Product page: z.one
Top 20: 2007 Best in KLAS report can be conveniently purchased for $2,500 from KLAS...
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
ReeTrakt Surgical Retractor
Insightra Medical Inc. of Irvine, California has just been granted the European CE Mark to sell what the company calls a "new generation" of disposable soft-tissue surgical retractors.
ReeTrakt is the new generation of disposable soft-tissue surgical retractor systems providing complete retraction flexibility and optimal exposure of view in a variety of surgical procedures. It has been designed in conjunction with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore for surgeons to gently retract and secure the delicate soft tissue away from the operative site. Apart from being designed to make access to surgery easier and more efficient, ReeTrakt is also designed to minimize tissue trauma, optimize retraction force and lower the risk of infection. ReeTrakt allows the surgeon to perform the procedure with less assistance, in some cases facilitating procedures to even be performed single-handedly.
"ReeTrakt introduces a novel concept for use in pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The placement of four hooks (two superiorly and two inferiorly) could completely replace the need for a second assistant. It should allow a much better field of view and improved access," said Dr Mark Slack, Head of Department, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, U.K.Because of the versatility of ReeTrakt's design, which can be customized and catered to a wide variety of surgical procedures, it is anticipated that ReeTrakt will eventually be used in dozens of types of surgical procedures on a global basis.
Now available in the US and Europe. Here are the features that the company is trying to emphasize:
Low profile
Follows the body contours
Optimizes the view of the wound
Highly stable platform
Simple device
Hands free usage
Single Patient Use
Product page: ReeTrakt...
Press release: Insightra® Medical Inc Receives CE Mark on Revolutionary New Surgical Retraction System
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007
In Utero Laser Treatment of Vasa Previa
In the first of its kind endoscopic technique, fetal surgeon Dr. Ruben Quintero from the University of South Florida at Tampa General Hospital performed an in utero laser ablation of vasa previa, making delivery of the baby safe and successful:
Dr. Quintero used a laser to seal off the abnormally positioned fetal blood vessels connecting the two parts of a bilobed placenta. The procedure essentially removed the unprotected vessels crossing the cervical entrance to the birth canal beneath the baby, so that the vessels would not tear or break and cause rapid fetal hemorrhage...Vasa previa has a high death rate if it's not caught before labor, because many babies lose most or all of their blood supply within a few minutes when their mother's water breaks. A color Doppler ultrasound showing blood flow in the womb can help detect vasa previa, but unless a woman is identified as having a high-risk pregnancy, she typically does not get this more sophisticated test during pregnancy.
The 37-year-old patient described in the published report had an abnormal placenta with one smaller and one larger lobe linked by two exposed fetal vessels. Normally the blood vessels feeding the fetus are embedded in the placenta or umbilical cord, but in this case the vessels linked the two lobes. This would not necessarily be life-threatening if the unsupported vessels were positioned in other areas of the uterus - but these vessels were caught between the fetus and the opening to the birth canal (cervix).
The patient described in Dr. Quintero's paper was counseled about management alternatives and elected to undergo laser surgery to seal the abnormal fetal vessels. The procedure was performed at Tampa General Hospital at about 23 weeks of pregnancy without complications, Dr. Quintero reported. However, the patient subsequently required a cesarean delivery at 27 weeks for ruptured membranes, which may have been prompted by the breech position of the fetus. After a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, the infant was discharged and is thriving today at 9 months old.
Case report: In utero laser treatment of type II vasa previa (.pdf) The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, December 2007; 20(12): 847-851
Press release: USF fetal surgeon treats rare prenatal condition with laser surgery for first time ...
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Promises, Promises: Early Breast Cancer Blood Test
DiaGenic ASA, a Norwegian company and the winner of Frost & Sullivan 2007 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award in the European molecular diagnostics market, is planning to introduce early next year a blood test to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages. Opaldia, United Kingdom's private breast cancer care provider, will be distributing the genetic diagnostic blood test in the country, according to a press release.
At the heart of the test is the technology called Gene Expression Signatures, which is essentially expression patterns of noncancerous genes detected from samples of peripheral blood, that the company believes could be characteristic enough to be used to help diagnose early breast cancer. DiaGenic reports that its blood test "has been validated in international trials, most recently in India, suggesting there is no ethnic variability in the gene expression signature."
DiaGenic's unique and patent-protected concept for the diagnosis of disease is based on the finding that even when a disease is localized at specific body site, secondary responses that are also specific for the disease can be measured in clinical samples obtained from the peripheral parts. One such response includes characteristic changes in the expression pattern of selected genes in peripheral blood samples. DiaGenic's concept involves identifying these genes and using them to develop a disease-specific gene expression signature to form the basis of a diagnostic test.Being able to base a diagnosis on the analysis of gene expression signatures in sample material taken at a distance from the site of the disease, such as peripheral blood, has clear advantages for both patients and clinicians. Most competitors that are developing products based on gene expression use sample material taken from the site of the disease, namely tissue samples obtained by biopsy. This traditional approach has severe limitations. For example, there has to be a suspicion of the disease, which is not required with DiaGenic's concept. DiaGenic also has a significant advantage in cases where it is impossible or extremely difficult to take samples from the site of the disease itself. This is particularly important with neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, and various forms of cancer - diseases where today we lack good diagnostic tools. Against this background DiaGenic has chosen to focus on the two diseases, breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
More from the BBC...
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Monday, December 17, 2007
In the Works: Photoacoustic Tomography Device
The New Scientist is reporting about the efforts of Dr. Paul Beard and colleagues from the Dept. of Medical Physics and Bioengineering at University College London to develop a portable surgical probe based on photoacoustic tomography. In essence, the device's technology works on a near infrared laser that is fired into tissue. The laser's energy, once absorbed by the tissues, generates heat, which in turn generates the photoacoustic signals that are picked up by an ultrasound transducer.
Here's how Dr. Beard's Photoacoustic Imaging Group website explains the technology:
The sensor is placed in acoustic contact with the surface of the target tissue, the excitation laser pulses transmitted through it and the resulting photoacoustic signals recorded at different points over the surface of the sensor. From the time-of-arrival of the signals, and with knowledge of the speed of sound, a 3D image of the tissue structure, based upon the absorbed optical energy distribution, can then be reconstructed. This type of imaging instrument has several important advantages over conventional piezoelectric based photoacoustic detection systems. Firstly, the system operates in "backward mode". That is to say, the photoacoustic signals can be detected on the same side and over the same region of the tissue surface that is irradiated with the excitation light, a consequence of the transparent nature of the sensor. This is particularly important for imaging superficial anatomical features, such as blood vessels in the skin, where it would be problematic to deliver the excitation laser beam around an array of opaque piezoelectric receivers. Secondly, the concept provides excellent acoustic performance, with uniform broadband frequency response characteristics (to at least 30MHz) and wideband detection sensitivities (<0.1kPa noise-equivalent-pressure) comparable to piezoelectric PVDF receivers but with much smaller "element" sizes (<50μm) and "interelement" spacings -- the latter being a consequence of the optically addressable nature of the sensor which, in principle, affords near-optical diffraction limited spatial sampling of the incident acoustic field. These attributes make the instrument well suited to high resolution (10μm-100μm) tissue imaging applications - click here to see examples of some of the images that have been obtained with the system.
More from Photoacoustic Imaging Group ...
NewScientist: Laser scanner gives 3D view inside tumours ...
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Thursday, December 6, 2007
Somatom Definition AS: The World's First Adaptive Computed Tomograph
This new CT scanner from Siemens AG is touted to adapt to "virtually any patient and clinical need." The world's first Somatom Definition AS system has just been installed at the University Hospital Erlangen in Germany:
The system is suitable for routine diagnostic work as well as for more complex examinations in, for example, oncology, neurology and cardiology. It is also ideally suited for emergency situations where speedy diagnosis for accident, stroke or heart attack patients are concerned. Even difficult patients - obese, claustrophobic and children - are quickly scanned with high diagnostic confidence. The first system has recently been installed at the University Hospital Trauma Center at Erlangen, Germany. Not only will all clinical situations be accelerated but also examinations of seriously wounded patients will permit faster application of life-saving treatments.The Somatom Definition AS is the first scanner to combine such dynamic components as the Adaptive Dose Shield with a scan field of up to 200 cm and the 78-cm gantry opening. This allows fast and problem-free head-to-foot scanning, even for poly trauma patients. The unequaled high temporal resolution of up to 150 ms -- combined with extremely fast coverage with up to 128 slices per rotation -- makes crystal-clear images possible, free of movement artifacts, of even the finest anatomical details. This permits for example highly accurate measurement of stenosis and/or precise planning for stent implantation.
Another outstanding feature is the new Adaptive 4D-Spiral. The continuous movement of the patient table permits a larger area to be imaged so that entire organs and their functions can be examined with a single scan. In a stroke situation, for example, the entire brain perfusion can be displayed. With previous systems, only a portion of the affected organ could be imaged. "We hope we can diagnose stroke earlier than before. Time is brain. The earlier we get the patient to therapy, the better", said Werner Bautz, M.D., Director of the Institute for Radiology and Medical Director of the University Hospital Erlangen.
Minimal invasive procedures will also become faster and more certain. Biopsies of suspicious tumor tissues can, for the first time, be performed with the help of 3D image guidance. Accurate needle positioning will thereby become clinical routine.
Product page: SOMATOM Definition AS ...
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Monday, December 3, 2007
Baby Kick Counter
Low activity of a fetus in the womb may be indicative of a problem during pregnancy, and women are often told to monitor baby kicks and count how many are felt. The kickTrack is a simple new device for mothers too neurotic to be able to count and watch the second hand of the clock at the same time.
Each of the ten kicks during a single session is displayed on the digital screen's Kick Count Window A timer displays the duration of the session in minutes & hours in the Kick Count Window kickTrak lets moms know the baby has moved ten times by playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" Store & recall function allows moms & healthcare providers to view the data from the ten most recent kick count sessions. Changes in the data allow a mom to promptly notify her healthcare provider of problems and potentially reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. The Pregnancy Progress Window shows moms how far along they are in their pregnancy, displaying how many weeks and days have passed since conception and gives an estimate of how many days are left before they'll give birth.
Product page...
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Friday, November 30, 2007
ARIA Through-Wave Holographic Ultrasound Breast Imaging System
Advanced Imaging Technologies, Inc. (AIT) ( Richland, WA) has announced at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) that its ARIA ultrasound breast imaging system is now equipped for image-guided biopsy. The device is the winner of 2007 Frost & Sullivan's Technology Innovation Award for ultrasound devices. In essence, the ARIA imaging system uses the diffractive properties of sound combined with holography (HU) to create highly-detailed, dynamic three-dimensional images of breast tissue. In transmission optical holography an image is obtained using the interference of two coherent acoustic sources, one being the transmitted wave and the other one, a reference wave. The resulting image is a true hologram.
The company believes that its system delivers better sensitivity for detection of masses in women with dense breast tissue. Furthermore, the company claims that ARIA delivers higher spatial and contrast resolution than regular mammography, or a standard ultrasound.
Features, taken from the product page:
Automated image acquisition of volumetric data sets User-friendly interface Real time image review Standardized, multi-planar imaging protocol Cost-effective Workflow efficiencies No special infrastructure requirements Minimal maintenance One day installation for a standard patient examination room Multiple reimbursement opportunities
Product page and videos: ARIA ultrasound breast imaging system ...
Press release: Through-Wave Ultrasound: Effective, Economical and Ideal for Breast Imaging, Biopsy ...
(hat tip: MTB Europe)
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Thursday, November 29, 2007
3D Mammography Improves Cancer Detection
In the latest study, Emory University investigators discovered that stereoscopic digital mammography, a novel experimental imaging modality, "allows clinicians to detect more lesions and could significantly reduce the number of women who are recalled for additional tests following routine screening mammography." The findings of the study--a reduction by 49% of false-positive results--were just presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
Stereoscopic Digital Mammography (SDM) was developed by BBN Technologies from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Here's what the company says about its device:
The current standard method to screen for breast cancer is x-ray mammography. In a standard mammographic screening exam, radiologists view the breast in the form of two orthogonal 2D images, which severely limits their ability to derive information about the three-dimensional layout of the breast tissue. Specific limitations in lesion detection with standard mammography include:A true lesion often remains undetected when masked in the 2D images by overlying or underlying normal tissue, leading to false negative examinations.
Overlapping of normal tissue at different depths within the breast, which in the 2D projected image may mimic a true focal lesion, lead to false positive detections.
Information regarding the volumetric structure of the breast that can be derived from the pair of 2D images is very limited and often omits information that can be important in detecting suspicious lesions. With BBN's patented Stereoscopic Digital Radiography system, the radiologist sees the breast in stereo providing a direct, intuitive, in-depth view of the internal structure of the breast. The stereoscopic display workstation developed by BBN consists of a high-resolution grayscale stereo display developed by Planar Systems Inc in collaboration with BBN, and a BBN-developed software application that permits the radiologist to control many aspects of the displayed stereo image.
By providing an in-depth view of the breast, stereo mammography substantially reduces the limitations of standard mammography:
Masking of subtle lesions is reduced by their separation in depth from surrounding normal tissue.
False positive detections are reduced because layers of normal tissue are directly seen to lie at different depths in the breast and don't superimpose to resemble a lesion.
The internal structure of the breast is directly appreciated in depth.
Product page: Stereoscopic Digital Radiography system ...
Emory press release: New Mammography Technology Improves Cancer Detection ...
BBN press release: False-Positive Reports of Breast Lesions Reduced by 49 percent in Clinical Trial ...
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Acuson P50 Portable Ultrasound System from Siemens
At the Medica conference in Düsseldorf, Siemens unveiled its Acuson P50 portable ultrasound laptop system. Based on the Apple MacBook, the laptop can be used for anything from echocardiography to browsing through YouTube.
The system provides superb image resolution in B mode and in color Doppler mode. It also includes an integrated stress echo function. It can run several cardiology application packages including syngo Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) and syngo Arterial Health Package (AHP) which can used to determine a patient's vascular age. Together with syngo Auto Left Heart, these applications turn the P50 into an ideal solution which considerably simplifies and accelerates the workflow in echocardiography and vascular diagnosis.The Acuson P50 is a Microsoft Windows-based PC equipped with such additional functions as Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office PowerPoint and many other special image viewing programs. The system's flexible architecture provides for excellent ultrasound images and gives users a number of tools for image post-processing, for generating protocols or for accessing the Internet for additional research. During the examination, the physician is able to view other images, look at technical papers or clarify abnormalities before he making a diagnosis. This gives physicians more flexibility during the diagnostic process.
The Acuson P50 weighs slightly more than 5 kilograms and is easily transported in a laptop bag. When not connected to the Internet, it has up to two hours of battery life, making it fully equipped for emergency situations. The P50 is built off of an Apple MacBook laptop with 2 GB RAM, a 160 GB hard disk and a 2.0GHz Intel Dual-Core Pentium M processor.
(hat tip: The Raw Feed)
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Xario XG Ultrasound from Toshiba
Having recently received FDA approval, Toshiba is displaying its Xario XG Ultrasound system at the RSNA conference in Chicago. Featuring Toshiba's new "4D" image processing technology, which according to Dr. Sara O'Hara, professor of Radiology and director of Ultrasound at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, "gives physicians the ability to review a volumetric image of a patient after they have left the scan room." The system, that also sports an 19 inch monitor, "the smallest probes available on the market," and some fresh software, is capable of the following:
Advanced Dynamic Flow™, which accurately displays blood flow with directional information, even for tiny vessels, and improves diagnoses. ApliPure, which uses real-time spatial and frequency compounding technology to deliver clearer image quality. QuickScan, one touch auto optimization for 2D and Doppler imaging. Trapezoid, which provides wide or expanded field of view imaging.