Medical device manufacturer Medtron is expanding its portfolio with two new reusable syringe models. The new products will be presented to the public for the first time at the German Radiology Congress in Wiesbaden.
Cryoablation, the destruction of malignant cancer cells by freezing them, is increasingly becoming an alternative to having conventional lumpectomy for patients diagnosed with early-stage, localised, low-risk breast cancer. Findings from numerous recent clinical trials show that cancer recurrence rates are very low and are comparable to breast conservation surgery (BCS).
United Imaging, a global leader in manufacturing advanced medical imaging and radiotherapy equipment, showcases a range of cutting-edge technologies aligned with sustainable values. Notably, the company achieves an A rating in the MSCI ESG ratings, highlighting its unwavering commitment to transforming medical diagnostics and patient care worldwide through a holistic, sustainable approach.
HighlightsThe QUART DVTap phantom is designed for QA / QC at cone-beam CT (CBCT), dental volume tomography (DVT) and further 3D imaging equipment.It is to be used in dental 3D imaging (according DIN and latest IEC requirements) as well as angiography in C-arm x-ray applications (manufacturer-specific applications).Based on latest research, the solution can also be utilised for standard CT IQ…
HighlightsThe QUART DVT 150 phantom is designed to meet the requirements of the German DIN 6868-150 x-ray imaging acceptance test standard.Handling and positioning of the phantom is easy and straight-forward. It enables quick and simple contrast resolution tests for 3D, ENT and angiography X-ray applications.
HighlightsFor Quality Assurance of “Digital Subtraction Angiography” (according DIN 6868-150, DIN 6868-4, DIN EN 61223-3-3)Test parameter:Cupper dynamic step wedge with logarithmic checkDSA contrast sensitivityArtefacts
HighlightsVisionary in intervention Floor-mounted angiography system with flexible system positioning and small footprint
HighlightsVisionary in interventionCeiling-mounted angiography system with double C-arm for head-to-toe coverage (up to 230cm) in 2D and 3D
HighlightsVisionary in interventionBiplane angiography system for neuro interventions with identic detector and tube configuraion in both planes
HighlightsEnables interdisciplinary clinical imaging examinations in both angiography and computed tomography Wireless and mobile configuration provides flexibility to quickly change examination rooms and eliminates barriers; such as nearby power requirements and/or cable installation Reduces risk of infections by being easy to clean and hygienicIntegration with the scanner interface…
The virus behind Covid-19 initially causes acute lung injury and respiratory failure. However, new evidence indicates the virus also involves inflammation that can affect the cardiovascular system.
Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) 3D imaging of the heart greatly contributes to preventing heart attacks, compared to standard tests, a new study finds.
HighlightsWith its combination of fixation system and high-quality intraoperative imaging, the LUCY OR Head Holder & 8-Ch Coil is your dedicated application for precise neurosurgical interventions. The dedicated sterile concept and its three-point fixation with integrated force indicator ensure optimized workflow. The removable and height-adjustable lower coil grants excellent access to the…
Ultrasound plays a pivotal role in the assessment of organ transplant patients. It enables physicians to safely and easily assess progress, identify complications and resolve problems, as well as deliver long-term monitoring. The value of ultrasound in the transplant space was highlighted in a session at ECR 2024, covering liver, renal, pancreas, paediatric and multi-organ transplants with…
For coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), a ‘no-touch’ technique to harvest the saphenous vein graft has been considered superior to the conventional approach. Surprisingly, a new study comes to a different conclusion.
A whole-body MRI scanner with a compact 0.05 Tesla permanent magnet has been developed that operates on a standard wall power outlet without radiofrequency or magnetic shielding cages.
New approaches to cardiovascular radiology are evolving to help clinicians gain an increasingly better insight into heart conditions. Latest developments in cardiovascular radiology include myocardial strain imaging, 4D flow and photon-counting CT technology. An ECR 2024 session shone the spotlight on these areas of cardiovascular imaging with expert speakers outlining the pros and cons of each.
Striking the balance between diagnostic efficacy and patient safety remains critical when utilising iodinated contrast media to deliver the best imaging outcomes. While playing a crucial role in diagnosis and treatment of disease, CT expert Efthimios Agadakos believes the medical profession has a duty to do its utmost to minimize patient risk from contrast media.
Higher image quality, better spatial resolution: A new radiology study demonstrates how photon-counting CT imaging can improve evaluation of coronary artery disease.
Highlights:Automatic monitoring, analysis and documentation of patient radiation dose informationCompliant with German and many international guidelinesVendor-neutral solution compatible with virtually any PACSSupport of most CT, angiography, fluoroscopy, X-ray and mammography devicesAutomatic overdose notification e-mails
HighlightsAdvanced ZST+ platformA new standard of image clarity for different clinical scenariosMore advanced tools for confident diagnosis and clinical research: HiFR CEUS, High frame rate STE, uHIT, iFusion, V Flow, UMA (Ultra Micro Angiography)Intelligent tools with more efficiency and accuracy: Smart Breast and Smart HRMulti-parametric assessment solutions for liver, breast and thyroid…
Photon-counting CT allows for a comprehensive, simultaneous evaluation of lung structure and function, something not possible with standard CT, according to a new study.
Photon-counting CT enables accurate diagnosis of coronary artery disease in high-risk patients, a potentially significant benefit for people previously ineligible for noninvasive screening.
Radiology practitioners have highlighted the benefits of cone beam CT in delivering high resolution at a low dose. Delegates at ECR 2023 in Vienna heard how cone beam CT (CBCT) could replace multidetector CT (MDCT) in some areas and is already showing cost-effectiveness benefits.
According to an accepted manuscript published in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), using a dual-source CT (DSCT) scanner for coronary CTA can facilitate clinical processes by eliminating the need to administer beta-blockers for heart rate control while decreasing nondiagnostic examinations.
Radiation exposure in diagnostic and interventional radiology is steadily being reduced, but some important parameters have hardly been taken into account so far, says Dr Kerstin Jungnickel. The medical physics expert explains how patient-specific protocols can improve radiation protection and outlined new findings on the radiosensitivity of certain body regions and their impact.
Researchers developed a radiomics model that uses information from coronary CT angiography images to assess coronary plaque vulnerability, a common cause of heart attacks.
Highlights• General radiography (abdominal / skeletal).• Non-vascular contrast-enhanced studies of the spine, intervertebral disks, joint cavities, biliary tract, nerve block procedures, etc.• Non-vascular IVR(ERCP, PTC, biopsy, ileus tube, etc.).• Angiography (abdomen, shoulders, upper / slower trunk and cervical spine, etc.).• Vascular IVR (simple angioplasty,…
HighlightsA single room X-ray solution with two C-Arms both with dedicated imaging chains for interventional cardiac and angiography procedures that share a common generator, table, monitors and digital acquisition system.Designed for both diagnostic and interventional examinations.Space, time and dose saving technology are key design elements of the Alphenix Dual Plane.Detector size: 20 ×…
HighlightsThis integrated system combines premium CT and ceiling-mounted angiography technology. The perfect diagnostic and treatment set-up for high-risk procedures in various interventional segments such as:Interventional OncologyTrauma / Neuro / StrokeGeneral VascularAdditional or Backup CTDetector size: 30 × 30 cm / 30 × 40 cmThe system is available with two different CT…
Photon-counting detector CT reduces the amount of contrast needed for CT angiography (CTA) while maintaining image quality, according to a new study published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging.
Artificial intelligence (AI) may help improve care for patients who show up at the hospital with acute chest pain, according to a new study published in Radiology.
An important prospective study showcases improvement in outcomes for women with ischemic heart disease by attending a multidisciplinary women’s health center.
As knowledge about Covid-19 advances, so does the arsenal of techniques to predict, diagnose and follow up on the disease. At ECR, researchers presented a range of promising imaging modalities to keep track of Covid-19 symptoms, severity, and mortality, often including AI support to enhance or accelerate diagnostics.
Advances in image post-processing and contrast-enhanced techniques have widened the scope of possibilities for MRI and ultrasound vascular imaging, experts showed in a dedicated course at the ECR Overture.
Recently, a Korean research team has developed a 3D foot imaging technique that vividly captures peripheral blood vessels, even thinner than 1 mm. It combines photoacoustic and ultrasound images.
Cedars-Sinai physician-scientists are pioneering imaging techniques and investigating new biomarkers to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and treatment.
The system could enable significant advances for the 40,000 pediatric congenital heart disease patients born each year.
When it comes to imaging stable cardiac chest pain, which modality should be used as the first-line test to investigate coronary artery disease: CT or MRI? Radiologists discussed the strengths and limitations of the two approaches in a lively Pros and Cons session at ECR Overture.
When a patient suffers a stroke, speed in treatment can mean the difference between successful recovery, permanent disability, or death. For Christopher Hess, success in stroke diagnosis is a question of workflow and efficient care delivery.
Gender-specific benefits of women should have a greater impact in interventional radiology (IR). But also, the field should see more women practicing the craft, two experts stressed at the most recent annual JFR meeting.
A commonly available imaging technique can identify stroke patients most likely to benefit from a procedure to restore blood flow, a potential breakthrough in care that could save thousands of lives every year
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) demonstrate a thorough and non-invasive imaging technique to identify areas of the eye affected by diabetic retinopathy (DR), a progressive eye disease associated with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. The researchers have found that blue light can be used to probe the depths of the eye and uncover areas affected by DR.
The percentage of medical imaging equipment in Europe that is more than ten years old is alarmingly high, and the broad disparities in equipment density between European countries remain. These are the principal findings in the 2021 edition of the COCIR Medical Imaging Equipment Age Profile and Density. This has potentially negative consequences for patients and for the budgets of healthcare…
Contact shielding is one of the most divisive areas in radiography. Is it still essential in protecting patients from radiation, or has new technology made this precaution obsolete? Two experts debated the issue at the ISRRT congress in Dublin.
Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a non-invasive imaging test which can be used to evaluate coronary artery stenosis and measure plaques. Current plaque analysis is time-consuming and needs expert readers in order to help assess a patient’s heart attack risk. That’s about to change.
An AI-led device to assess coronary CT angiographs has been designed to assess cardiac plaque that may lead to myocardial infarction (MI). In his presentation ‘Vascular inflammation and cardiovascular risk assessment using coronary CT angiography’ (CCTA), Charambalos Antoniades, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford, presented the research team’s findings during…
For the first time, a prospective, international study has shown that chest pain caused by problems with the very small vessels supplying blood to the heart is an important health problem that increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke and death due to cardiovascular reasons. The study, which is published in the European Heart Journal, recruited 686 patients from 14 institutions in seven…
With interventional procedures becoming more and more complex the demands on the interventionalists are also increasing. Endovascular simulators allow practical angiography training. In December 2020, the University Hospital Essen, Germany, was the first European facility to install Mentice’s VIST G7+. Professor Dr Jens Theysohn, senior physician at the Institute of Diagnostic and…
Around 50% of patients who have been hospitalised with severe Covid-19 and who show raised levels of a protein called troponin have damage to their hearts. The injury was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at least a month after discharge, according to new findings published in the European Heart Journal. Damage includes inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), scarring or…
Acute stroke in children has the same incidence as brain tumours and can seriously affect a patient’s life. Two kinds of arteriopathies are common drivers of paediatric acute stroke and radiologists must learn to distinguish their signs as early as possible to improve prognosis, according to Béatrice Husson, a paediatric radiologist at Le Kremlin Bicêtre Hospital in Paris.
According to Professor Fabian Bamberg, Medical Director at the Clinic for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at University Hospital Freiburg, Germany, ‘In recent years, cardiac CT has seen a mindboggling technological evolution.’ It is, he believes, a very robust procedure that allows the routine acquisition of high-resolution images with very few side effects.
Sending a “selfie” to the doctor could be a cheap and simple way of detecting heart disease, according to the authors of a new study. The study is the first to show that it’s possible to use a deep learning computer algorithm to detect coronary artery disease (CAD) by analysing four photographs of a person’s face. Although the algorithm needs to be developed further and tested in larger…
The complex form of machine learning DLIR (Deep Learning Image Reconstruction) is based on a deep neuronal network which is similar to the human brain. The artificial neurons of this network learn according to their biological model through intensive training. For the DLIR image reconstruction, the network is fed with sample data from phantom images on the one hand and high-resolution images of…
Computed tomography (CT) is one of the most important imaging options for the diagnostics of patients. For a long time, in clinical routine CT technology mostly showed the Hounsfield Units (HU) that are indicated in the grayscale. However, the Dual Energy CT (DECT) enables colored X-ray images, therefore significantly improving examination methods. “We can also do material separation and get a…
Siemens Healthineers AG took a big step last October. To incorporate treatment along an entire clinical path, the firm acquired Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc., to combine image-guided diagnosis with robot-assisted surgery. A couple of months later, the Corindus endovascular robotic system CorPath GRX was used to implant a vascular stent into an obstructed coronary artery – the first use of…
Radiomics is one of the most exciting topics in radiology. It involves data and artificial intelligence (AI) but very few people know or understand the details. In her lecture ‘How does Radiomics work?’, presented at the German Radiology Congress in Leipzig, Professor Ulrike Attenberger outlined how radiomics will advance radiology but also the obstacles faced along the way.
Robocath announces the success of its first two coronary angioplasties performed with assistance from its R-One robotic platform.
ESC Congress, Paris: Two key strands in the ‘Controversies in imaging coronary artery disease’ session at the congress will examine the pros and cons of imaging use for coronary artery disease risk stratification in asymptomatic patients; the second strand will focus on whether CT angiography should be the first choice for imaging coronary artery disease in patients with stable chest pain.…
A remarkable number of studies and innovations were presented at the 30th anniversary of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Diego, California. TCT 2019 will take place in San Francisco, CA between 25-29-Sep-2019. On the clinical side, the long-expected results from COAPT trial studying MitraClip device in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation and heart failure…
Findings from a comparative outcome study have highlighted the benefits of using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) perfusion imaging as a first-line ischaemia test in patients with moderate risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). The MR-INFORM (Magnetic Resonance Perfusion or Fractional Flow Reserve in Coronary Disease) trial, which began in 2012 (results published in the New England…
Interventional cardiologists have been aware of the value of intracoronary (IC) imaging in clinical practice for more than twenty years. However, recent developments and improvements in modalities and software have enabled huge strides in its range and scope for both diagnostic assessment and in percutaneous coronary interventions. Imaging options now include intravascular ultrasound (IVUS),…
Vincent Vidal (Marseille, France) and colleagues have demonstrated the in vivo feasibility of arterial embolization with permanent and absorbable suture fragments, leading them to propose what they have termed the “FAIR-Embo” concept to the wider interventional radiology (IR) community. Writing in Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (CVIR), they conclude: “Embolization by absorbable…
Earlier this July, 75 Medical Physics Experts gathered in Prague to attend the EFOMP and COCIR Summer School “State of the art & new trends of angiographic equipment: Image quality, Patient and Staff dosimetry”, endorsed by the European Society of Radiology (ESR). The Summer School was organised in collaboration with the Czech Association of Medical Physicists and the Department of…
Siemens Healthineers and Mentice AB announced the collaboration to fully integrate Mentice’s VIST Virtual Patient into the Artis icono angiography system from Siemens Healthineers. The VIST Virtual Patient thus becomes a fully integrated simulation solution for the angio-suite. The global partnership between the two companies will allow interventional radiologists, neuroradiologists, and…
Despite COCIR raising the alarm as early as 2014, the age of the installed base of medical imaging equipment in Europe continues to increase. To draw attention to this worrying trend, COCIR is presenting new data on the current situation in four modalities of medical imaging, graphically demonstrating the extent of the issue. These were launched tday at the European Congress of Radiology 2019 in…
Canon Medical Systems Europe B.V. introduces a new angiography configuration featuring its Alphenix Sky+ C-arm and Hybrid Catheterization Tilt/Cradle Table for interventional procedures with its Aquilion One Genesis CT system. The new pairing, called the Alphenix 4D CT, allows clinicians to efficiently plan, treat and verify in a single clinical setting. “The all new Alphenix 4D CT was designed…
The professionals we all rely on to keep us healthy, they rely on X-Ray imaging systems empowered by flat panel detectors and software solutions provided by Thales. Our solutions offer superior accuracy and advanced image processing to help image interpretation while decreasing radiation exposure. They also include a variety of innovative features that simplify the daily workflow of healthcare…
A first-in-human study reports that the novel positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) tracer 18F-GP1 showed excellent image quality and a high detection rate for the diagnosis of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). Well-tolerated in patients, 18F-GP1 PET/CT also identified blood clots in distal veins of the leg below the knee, where conventional imaging has limitations.
New 7-Tesla MR methods could potentially shed light on cardiomyopathies’ principles, according to a leading French radiologist who also stresses the importance of teamwork between radiologists, cardiologists, surgeons and anaesthesiologists. Morphologic and dynamic information of the myocardium is achieved with millimetric resolution (0.9x0.9 square mm). Strong intensity variations…
The new 1.5 Tesla MRI from Siemens Healthineers, Magnetom Sola, is packed with helpful algorithms and other functions. AI-supported systems monitor patients and scan parameters and ensure consistent image quality. Whilst visitors at this year’s ECR-Expo admired the new device, Prof. Ulrike Attenberger has already tested it in practice.
Researchers at Cleveland Clinic, University of Oxford, and University of Erlangen have identified a novel imaging biomarker – and found it can be used to predict all-cause and cardiac mortality by measuring inflammation of fatty tissue surrounding the coronary arteries.
Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is an increasingly important guiding tool for structural heart disease interventions – without general anaesthesia. José Ribeiro, who works in the thorax and circulation unit at Gaia Hospital Centre, Portugal, who has worked with this technology for the past two years, explained its benefits and limitations.
While the question is still debated as to whether MRI is the better CT, along comes a potential game changer – a new data based 3-D reconstruction method of heart anatomy and function that aims to replace diagnostic coronary angiography. In the near future not only adult patients with coronary heart disease could benefit from this new technique but also children with complex congenital heart…
MR Fingerprinting and Compressed Sensing are two procedures that will facilitate much faster MR sequencing than currently possible – and more. ‘MR Fingerprinting will revolutionise MRI scanning,’ according to Dr Siegfried Trattnig, head of the Centre of Excellence for High-Field MRI at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria. ‘It will completely change the way MRI scans are currently…
A new software to calculate the pressure drop and vFFR value (vessel Fractional Flow Reserve) in the coronary artery non-invasively was presented to interventional cardiovascular experts at EuroPCR 2018 in Paris. The software called CAAS vFFR (Cardiovascular Angiographic Analysis Systems for vessel Fractional Flow Reserve) was developed by Pie Medical Imaging (Esaote Group). The vFFR calculation…
Gadolinium-containing/gadolinium-based contrast agents (GCCAs/GBCAs) and their usage was a major topic at ECR 2018. Fuelled by the current debate a number of presentations focused on possible impact, risks and necessities. Some were highly specific, others took a broader view. The only consensus, however, seems to be the need for more research and the focus on safety. Three ECR speakers, Joseph…
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) separates blood from the brain tissue and protects the brain by allowing certain substances to pass while keeping others out. Walter H Backes, with his interdisciplinary team of Maastricht UMC and Leiden UMC, are hot on the tracks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as they aim to visualise small vessel leakage in BBB.
“With Your Stories – lifetime healthcare support” is the future-driven approach combining the best of two worlds by using our insight and expertise in medical imaging systems and laboratory instrumentation to benefit patients through even better prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up and thus help them in the pursuit of a healthy life.
Liver disease is widespread in Germany. It is, in fact, the most common cause of death in patients under the age of 40, with liver cirrhosis, which can develop into liver cancer, playing a major role here. These days, modern, comprehensive treatment concepts are unimaginable without interventional radiology, for liver cirrhosis as well as liver cancer. Prof. Dr. Christian Stroszczynski, Director…
Samsung Electronics, a leader in medical imaging technology, will debut its OmniTom mobile 16-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2017 Annual Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago. OmniTom received 510(k) FDA clearance for the U.S. market on August 18 of this year, and attendees will get to see it for the first time at RSNA booth #2543 (South…
Celebrating 40 years of PCI, cardiologists fret over their future with big data, machine learning and robots.
Coronary angioplasty is arguably the most revolutionary breakthrough in the history of cardiology. While the technique is today performed on millions of patients worldwide, its origins can be traced back to Zurich, Switzerland, in the late 1970s.
A physician has basically two possibilities to look inside a body: putting a scalpel to the patient’s skin or using an imaging device. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.
Obsolescence and strategies to manage equipment data to benefit patients were at the centre of debates during the Radiology Triangle meeting in Madrid earlier this year.
Researchers are revisiting their views on the relative dangers soft and hard atherosclerotic plaque deposits pose to heart health. Findings of a new study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute may be a “game-changer” for determining who’s at risk of a heart attack, they say.
New 3-D simulation models that include haemodynamics enable better treatment of hepatic tumours via radio-embolisation, according to eminent Spanish radiologist José Ignacio Bilbao Jaureguizar.
It is a collaboration that could push vascular imaging to a new level.
Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a global leading company in the diagnostic imaging business, today announced the approval of the use of MultiHance® (gadobenate dimeglumine) in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the whole body in adults and paediatric patients (> 2 years). The approval was obtained through a Mutual Recognition Procedure, with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency…
Coronary interventions often rely more on art than science as the decision to treat a patient tends to be based on what clinicians can see, a subjective interpretation of cardiac imaging. Two new techniques have emerged for cardiovascular diagnostics that are enabling software to help surgeons and cardiologists measure, and thereby better manage cardiac disease.
One of the first facilities to purchase a complete set of the 3-D TEE transducer, including the equipment, was the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at University Hospital Magdeburg, as Thomas Groscheck, specialist physician for internal medicine at the echocardiography lab explains. Since July 2015 he has worked with the new Siemens transducer – and is enthusiastic.
Stroke patients will first undergo a CT scan as they enter the hospital. Before any further imaging scan is carried out, the medical team must decide whether they need to intervene intra or extra cranially. ‘Imaging enables you to see which pathology you are dealing with and helps you select patients for either recanalisation or revascularisation or, in some cases, occlusion by embolisation,’…
The hybrid operating room is one of the most innovative developments in the surgical sector. The combination of interventional and minimally invasive surgical procedures is exciting for many clinical disciplines. The room design, intraoperative imaging techniques as well as interdisciplinary collaboration play a pivotal role in this.
Did we get all of the tumor during a cone beam CT? Can the patient hold his breath for several seconds during a CBCT acquisition? There is only one sure way to answer these critical clinical questions. Get the patient to a CT scanner.
As a leading global provider of both diagnostic imaging and analytical instrumentation technologies, Shimadzu offers broad expertise in medical imaging and mass spectrometry detection platforms helping to deliver a measurable impact on healthcare and diagnosis. The company is the perfect partner for transformational technologies to accelerate diagnosis.
Since launching Somatom Definition in 2005, Siemens has continued to develop Dual Source technology in order to overcome the remaining challenges in computed tomography. This significant development has made it possible to produce diagnostic images of a patient’s beating heart and coronary vessels without having to artificially lower their heart rate, for example. Scanning speeds that were…
Not all innovations marketed as ‘world premieres’ actually make a significant impact on the world. However, the new robotic X-ray system ‘Multitom Rax’ (Robotic Advanced X-ray) introduced by Siemens Healthcare and the University Hospital Erlangen is one innovation in the world of medicine technology that deserves this label, the manufacturer reports. ‘With the combination of robotic and…
Living in a small Mediterranean island has its own advantages; nevertheless there are certain limitations. In healthcare, for example, resources may be somewhat more limited in such a small country and some of the latest technologies may not always be available to patients.
Technological advances in CT imaging have sparked a veritable explosion of imaging data. Pushing against the rush of novel imaging findings there is, what Dr Geoffrey Rubin calls, the slow wave of adoption in medicine, the acceptance and agreement of the clinical community for new diagnostic assessments.
CT angiography (CTA) is evolving from a morphological – anatomical – to a functional imaging modality. In the past two years, cardiac CT perfusion measurement techniques were launched that predict which lesion will cause a reduction in blood flow.
Feeling high levels of distress, fear and hostility prior to undergoing an angioplasty or other interventional radiology procedure may lead to a poor outcome, according to new research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
In the year of its 140th anniversary, Shimadzu has released the new Trinias MiX package (Minimally invasive eXperience) to support less invasive treatments through a variety of applications. The Trinias MiX package is an exten¬sion of the Trinias angiography system, which facilitates high-level interventions through proprietary image processing technology. Shimadzu provides functional…
Virtual models can be created in the angiography room thanks to an approach developed by researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) and the university’s departments of radiology, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine. The latest advances were presented by Dr. Gilles Soulez at the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe (CIRSE) conference…
Cardiac catheterisation is the gold standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD), the main cause of death worldwide. More than 3.5 million invasive coronary angiographies (ICAs) are performed in the European Union each year, tendency rising. Nearly 60 percent of these minimal invasive examinations do not result in further treatment, since the patients do not have obstructive epicardial…
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the major killer worldwide. Its early detection can save the lives of many. Computed tomography (CT) has shown tremendous results in this area, but its advantage over more invasive techniques remains to be demonstrated, especially in patients with low to moderate risk.
World-renowned cardiologists reviewed the latest trends and dose reduction strategies in cardiac CT during the International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT (ICNC) that unfolded in Madrid in May.
Results from six international randomised controlled studies conclusively and uniformly confirm, for the very first time, the effectiveness of thrombectomy in patients with acute, severe ischaemic strokes caused by a blood clot in one of the proximal cerebral arteries. The endovascular procedure is an add-on to conventional thrombolysis. EH reports from a German Stroke Society (DSG) press…
Non-calcified arterial plaque is associated with diabetes, high systolic blood pressure and elevated 'bad' cholesterol levels in asymptomatic individuals, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) demonstrates that technology invented by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University’s Casey Eye Institute can improve the clinical management of the leading causes of blindness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography could largely replace current dye-based angiography in the management of these…
The German care system for patients with acute and unspecific chest pain is unique in Europe. The closely knit and countrywide network of accredited Chest Pain Units (CPUs) ensures fast and targeted diagnosis of acute cardiac events. The German CPUs may soon serve as a blueprint for other European countries. The German Cardiac Society (DGK) has already accredited the first institutions – others…
The importance of cardiac imaging is increasing, but nuclear medicine procedures are by no means obsolete, observes Okan Ekinci, during our EH interview with the Siemens Vice President for Healthcare Consulting & Clinical Affairs about the latest innovations for cardiology.
The son of a craftsman making Buddhist altars, he was driven to create instruments for physics and chemistry. Attending the Physics and Chemistry Research Institute he gained experience with a variety of technologies and fields of expertise. He was convinced that Japan, as a should work towards becoming a leader in science. At the dawn of the industrial revolution and scientific age in 1875 he…
Toshiba Medical Systems Europe today announced that it has signed a European Union-wide reseller agreement with French radiology manufacturer, Apelem, to market Xantara, a remote controlled, digital radiography and fluoroscopy (RF) system developed for Toshiba Medical Systems Europe.
In the year of Shimadzu’s 140th anniversary, new systems continue the company’s tradition in diagnostic imaging providing innovative technologies and industry firsts.
Premieres in Europe: The new RADspeed fit (DR ready) with its best-in-class features for general radiography as well as the new MobileDaRt Evolution EFX for mobile X-ray applications are the most recent developments provided by Shimadzu. Together with angiographic, R/F and C-arm systems, they make the main attractions on Shimadzu’s stand at ECR 2015 in Vienna, Austria – 4-8 March, Expo C,…
What's the ideal solution for vulnerable plaque imaging? 'A non-invasive imaging procedure with high spatial and temporal resolution, and without radiation exposure, and which provides information on coronary plaque composition precisely and in series.' Report: Axel Viola
Imaging has progressed at vertiginous paces since X-rays were invented, not only as a diagnostic tool but also as an invaluable partner in the realm of non-invasive medical intervention.
The significant benefits of cardiac catherisation remain undisputed. However, cross-sectional imaging modalities are serious competitors when it comes to arriving at the right diagnosis.
The significant benefits of cardiac catherisation remain undisputed. However, cross-sectional imaging modalities are serious competitors when it comes to arriving at the right diagnosis.
Medicine as a profession has held a superior aloofness for many centuries, wary of losing its unique distinctiveness and esteem if ‘tainted’ with other professions.
Bracco Imaging, a global leading company in diagnostic imaging announced the launch of MultiHance (active ingredient: adobenate dimeglumine) in Russia.
As well as this year’s programme being the biggest yet, with 76 plenary sessions, there are also sponsored symposia from Janssen and CamNutra. Additionally, the USA’s Mayo Clinic will provide the Cardiology Review Course, with representatives from Rochester, Minnesota, delivering some sessions.
The European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the biggest radiology meeting in Europe, was held March 6–10 in Vienna, Austria. Over 20,000 delegates from more than 110 countries attended the annual meeting of the European Society of Radiology (ESR), which took place for the 20th time at the Austria Center Vienna.
Created by the Dutch industrialist family Hilekes, in 1993 Medicor expanded beyond the Benelux countries to enter the German-speaking world as Medicor Germany GmbH, selling contrast media injectors for CT, MRI and angiography.
There is a wealth of information in every radiology exam, but even a phalanx of super-computers at the National Security Agency (NSA) could not extract it.
Toshiba’s new 1.5-T MRI Vantage ELAN system is not only cost-effective, the firm reports, but truly compact; it needs only 23 square metres of space. Yet, the system uses the same type of magnet as other Toshiba products to achieve excellent image quality.
With low tube voltage, reduced radiation and contrast agent dose, the system delivers sufficient and meaningful data
Within many exhibitors’ booths at the RSNA, mobile computing devices are in use, a sales tool augmenting the vendor’s display. They are like bunnies running rampant. They are proliferating, and their intelligent use is aiding complex sales presentations.
Adding high quality, dynamic ultrasound for hybrid imaging enables clinicians to improve detection of a range of lesions or to intervene better for improved clinical outcomes. ‘We can no longer be fascinated with pictures; what we need is proof of the clinical benefit from tools and techniques,’ said Professor Jose Zamorano MD, Director of Cardiology at Ramón y Cajal University Hospital in…
A cardiac catheter is insufficient to evaluate the effects of a myocardial infarction. The size of the infarction and post-event cardiac muscle activity are crucial predictive parameters that determine therapy decisions
The Catharina Hospital (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) and Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced the results of a clinical study involving the treatment of 136 patients with complex heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation (AF).
Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice for many diagnostic issues. Whilst currently its major strength is the visualisation of anatomical detail, future technological improvements may also reduce radiation exposure.
Researchers in Germany have suggested that, for certain patients, newly developed coronary CT angiography techniques can provide good quality images with very low dose radiation.
CT scanners now nicely cover morphology. The challenge is moving to CT functional imaging without frying patients
One year ago there was a flurry of excitement, even sensation, as consumer electronics giant Samsung Electronics arrived for the first time at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) as the new owner of ultrasound specialist Medisson.
Professor Ulrich Linsenmaier, a leading expert in emergency radiology, has highlighted the need for clinicians to read image data rapidly in an emergency department if they are to help improve clinical outcomes for polytrauma patients.
Forty years ago an article was published that would change medical practice. In the British Journal of Radiology, English electrical engineer Godfrey N Hounsfield described how he had made a patient’s brain visible non-invasively by evaluating a large number of X-ray images of the skull taken from different directions.
Preliminary data from the clinical study showed that the dose reduction achieved in the X-ray guided endovascular procedures performed on 50 patients using Philips’ ClarityIQ technology is in line with the expected X-ray dose reduction of 75%.
In the highly competitive US market for interventional radiology, Siemens introduced a ground-breaking new imaging chain for the Artis line that sets a new standard for image quality.
Photoacoustics offers an additional contrast mechanism that makes the technology far more sensitive for the presence of blood.
Cardiology is playing an increasingly important role in today’s healthcare environment and, as a direct result, cardiologists are facing new challenges almost every day. Addressing the need of improving clinician confidence and diagnostic accuracy, Toshiba Medical Systems Europe presented two symposia on the first day of the European Congress of Cardiology, to be held in Munich, Germany, 25-28…
The biggest cause of death for most adult women in industrialised nations is coronary heart disease (CHD). Why the disease affects the genders differently is still not fully understood. European Hospital Editor Brigitte Dinkloh asked Professor Rafaelle Bugiardini MD FESC, from the Department of Internal Medicine Department, University of Bologna, whether he could explain the reasons and what…
John Brosky reports on a ground-breaking trial and how CT-FFR may change the practice of invasive cardiology and cardiac surgery.
Cardiovascular diseases, the most common cause of death in the West, includes diseases for which early detection is an important objective in cardiac imaging – particularly for coronary artery stenosis. Diagnosis is often made in the cardiac catheter laboratory. Now, however, CT scanning advances provide a lower impact alternative to that invasive exam. PD Dr Thomas Schlosser, Consultant at the…
Incorporating coronary CT angiography (CCTA) into the initial evaluation of low-risk patients coming to hospital emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain appears to reduce the time patients spend in the hospital without incurring additional costs or exposing patients to significant risks. The report of a study conducted at nine U.S. hospitals appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.
As this decade ends we’ll be watching the brain think. Although anticipating very important technical developments, Professor Olav Jansen MD (right), President of the German Society for Neuroradiology (DGNR) and Director of the Institute for Neuroradiology at Schlewwig-Hostein University Hospital in Kiel, Germany, foresees even more important crucial advances in stroke therapy
Suspicion of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in a pregnant patient will quickly bring a radiologist to a choice, where the next step holds potentially significant consequences for both the mother and unborn child.
Radiation dose reduction in CT angiography can be achieved by reducing the kV settings, reducing the tube voltage, the tube current and by using iterative reconstruction algorithms.
“With all that has been published in the past year on this subject, we will not lack interesting things to highlight and discuss during this session,” said Martine Remy-Jardin, MD, Head of Cardio-Thoracic Imaging at the University Centre of Lille, who will present an update on CT Imaging for thromboembolic disease on Friday afternoon at ESTI 2012.
Imaging of the chest is the most common radiological examination worldwide. With the incidence of respiratory problems and lung cancer growing, all radiologists should be familiar with the appropriate imaging protocols. In a field dominated by chest x-ray (CXR) and CT, controlling radiation dose is mandatory.
Will MRI become routine modality? Today, thoracic MRI is rarely performed in Europe. But this will change over the next decade, predicts Professor Hans-Ulrich Kauczor, Medical Director of the Radiology Clinic at University Hospital Heidelberg. He expects Germany to be at the forefront of this development because MRI technology, despite the high costs, is already widely used here and because CT…
Anja Behringer reports on a neglected risk factor. With an aging population multimorbidity is increasingly a major challenge for hospital care. Diabetes is one of the medical conditions frequently encountered in multimorbid patients since cardiac and vascular diseases are often accompanied by dysfunctions of the blood sugar metabolism.
Computed tomography (CT) has become central to the diagnosis and characterisation of coronary artery disease (CAD) and, in the future, could even supplant invasive coronary angiography as the technology increases sensitivity.
A new competitively priced scanner promises to make 3-tesla MRI more accessible to a wider range of institutions, according to Siemens Healthcare.
Among the area’s top cardiac and vascular disease specialist hospitals, Arizona Heart has invested in several technological advancements over the past year, including Ziehm Imaging’s digital flat panel C-arms for its three advanced technology suites.
They examine the structure of the heart muscle with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or evaluate the status of the coronary vessels with computed tomography (CT): radiologists increasingly use imaging methods to prevent or to assess cardiac diseases.
Recent years have seen growing awareness among radiologists about the radiation burden delivered by computed tomography. And the amount of exposure is continuing to grow, despite the ability of modern CT scanners to provide good image quality at lower dose.
Critical ultrasound, as a tool for immediate therapeutic decisions, and emergency POC ultrasound – an extension of the clinical examination at the bedside or on the accident scene – have shown clear benefits along with lung ultrasound.
When scanning seizures, Dr Walter Kucharczyk, director of MRI at Toronto General Hospital, believes that MRI still remains the best imaging test to discover if there is an anatomic or structural abnormality that might account for a seizure.
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr Miodrag Todorovic explains how an island hospital – which is a medical centre of excellence and regional reference centre – is further improving medical care for patients there and in six neighbouring states with the help of a new picture archiving system from Visus
A registry -which includes every patient in Sweden having percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the treatment of acute and stable coronary artery disease- has found that PCI implantations using a new generation of drug-eluting stents is associated with lower rates of relapse (restenosis), stent thrombosis and subsequent mortality than older generation drug-eluting stents and bare-metal…
Much has changed for medical device manufacturers. Take scanner development; whereas the aim has long been to increase multi-slices, produce higher field strengths and sharper images, optimise the ergonomics and then launch the new product at a specific group of customers, in recent years this approach became insufficient.
Medical imaging is no longer limited to diagnosis and evaluation. New, high resolution imaging systems enable very precise positioning of lasers, endoscopes and micro-instruments for surgery near the nerves, spinal cord or blood vessels and for selective tumour destruction, with minimum levels of pain and low complication rates.
The multipurpose BRANSIST alexa, which aims to provide total support for advanced catheterisation procedures, features a 12 x 12-inch flat panel detector (FPD) – an ideal size, the manufacturer Shimadzu points out, for covering interventions from head-to-toe, from brain blood vessels, cardiac and abdomen to peripheral blood vessels in the upper and lower extremities.
Traumatic injuries result in 800,00 deaths per year in Europe, making this one of the leading causes of mortality and the primary cause of death in patients aged 45 years old or younger. Depending on the type and severity of injury, usually trauma patients are treated by a team of experts from different disciplines.
By combining conventional medical imaging with some of the same 3-D modeling techniques used in Hollywood blockbusters, researchers are offering new hope to victims of serious facial injuries. Results of a new study on human face transplantation, led by Darren M. Smith, M.D., plastic surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), were presented today at the annual meeting…
Ziehm Imaging’s C-arm is a general X-ray unit. It’s what hospitals really need, says Timo Ihamäki, the firm’s business manager, because ‘It’s a mobile unit that can be moved to the OR, out of the OR, to the trauma room, A & E, or wherever needed -- it’s always in the hallway. Whoever needs it, takes it.’
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, a 537-bed teaching hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is part of Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, which leverages the resources of seven hospitals, five out-patient health centres and further care provider organisations across five counties in southeast Michigan. In August 2008, the large hospital, with a high volume of patients, became one of the first sites to operate…
Embolisation – the blocking of vessels - is a key procedure in Interventional Radiology. It plays a steadily growing role in the treatment of various tumour lesions, with hepatic cellular carcinoma and uterine fibroids the main focus.
Devices to treat chronic cardiac disease are winning credibility with new evidence from large-scale patient registries, John Brosky reports
Because of improved management at the acute stage, the risk of dying in hospital after a heart attack has decreased by about 50% in the past 10 years. Likewise, the prescription of recommended medications when patients leave hospital, has resulted in improved survival and fewer recurrent heart attacks.
Acute myocardial Infarction (AMI) is a major cause of death and disability. Worldwide, one in eight patients die of an ischemic heart disease. Its rapid and accurate diagnosis is critical for the initiation of effective evidence based medical management, including early revascularization, but is still an unmet clinical need. The gradual implementation of high-sensitive cardiac troponins (hs-cTnT)…
Siemens Healthcare presented solutions for sustainable cardiovascular care at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress in Paris, France, under the motto "Are you ready for the long run?". This includes all modern imaging technologies, in-vitro diagnostics, IT solutions and consulting services.
France – Re-opening clogged arteries with metal stents has proved a life-saver for a majority of patients with coronary disease. Yet the high rates of complications and mortality for patients with diabetes following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) continue to baffle cardiologists. Report: John Brosky
How low? During the GE Healthcare Lunch Symposium of GE Healthcare at this year’s ECR in Vienna, Michael Maher, Professor of Radiology at the University College, Cork, provided an answer: 1.2 millisievert – at least for abdominal CT scans in patients with Crohn’s disease.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Evaluation of the axillary lymph nodes is essential to insure complete cancer removal. Fluorescence imaging instead of radioisotopes is an innovative method for sentinel lymph node detection.
This April the 77th Annual Meeting of the German Cardiac Society (DGK) presented over 300 events with 1,800 speakers, covering the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, from fundamental research to clinical routine. Professor Gerd Hasenfuss, Director of the Department of Cardiology and Pulmonology and Chair of the Heart Research Centre in Gottingen, particularly requested a focus on …
To meet the high demands of today’s radiological environment, a PACS must provide far more than archiving, controlling and distribution of electronic data. Post processing and upgradable network structuring capabilities are just as important to guarantee efficient workflow. The Visage Thin Client looks like a smart solution indeed.
Metabolic syndrome, diabetes and vascular disease: What do we need to know? During ECR session this important question is addressed by vascular specialist Professor Erich Minar, Assistant Head of the Department of Angiology at the Vienna General Hospital (AKH), President of the Austrian Society of Angiology, and scientific researcher working closely with research centres in the USA.
Looking at the 5th dimension of a CT image is old hat. Back in the 1980s there were many installations with rapid kV switching, a dual energy procedure, which were mainly used for bone density measurements. Basically, the 5th dimension is the ability to determine the atomic number as well as density of materials, which facilitates tissue differentiation even when there is the same attenuation.
Computed tomography (CT) is emerging as an imaging modality set to play an important role in cardiac intervention or surgery. Not only can it be used to plan complex revascularisation procedures and assess the outcome for the patient, but also might help to identify the more dangerous lesions -- so-called ‘culprits’ -- in the future.
USA - Although it is well know that the speed of diagnosis and treatment for stroke victims is of paramount importance (4.5 hours), not all US hospitals have stroke expertise. The Joint Commission, the organisation responsible for accrediting US non-government hospitals, has certified only about 500 out of several thousand hospitals as primary stroke centres.
Whether it’s functional imaging via MRI or CT, dynamic angiography examinations or volume tomography -- new examination procedures deliver more, but also require more. The annual data increase in hospitals is 20-30% and the resulting requirements for the necessary storage capacity, or for digital data transfer, present a serious challenge. Accordingly, there is considerable interest in…
Around 18,472 angioplasty procedures and 4,752 stent procedures were completed in Germany in 2008. By comparison, only 7,710 angioplasty procedures and 438 stent procedures were completed in the same year in the UK.
Necessity is the mother of invention, an old saying but particularly true in interventional radiology. Whenever minimally invasive procedures need monitoring from different angles and by different modalities, physicians and technicians in angio labs muster all their DIY skills and build huge monitor towers often with eight screens. Now, however, the new Large Display jointly developed by Siemens…
In technical terms ‘hybrid’ is a system that connects two technologies so they may benefit from each other. This also applies to the newest generation of operating theatre*: hybrid OTs combine diagnostic and surgical facilities that are usually found in separate locations. Thus procedures can be carried out in less time and involve less discomfort and risk for the patient.
Cardiologist, nuclear medicine specialist and researcher Dr Alessia Gimelli works for the Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, National Research Council in Pisa, Italy. For the past year she has used Discovery NM 530c, GE’s latest Nuclear Cardiology platform, featuring an innovative CZT collimation technology called Alcyone Technology.
During the 2010 ESC meeting, held in Stockholm, new guidelines for myocardial revascularisation were handed down by a prestigious Task Force made up of representatives of both the ESC and the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons (EACTS).
Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) division developed and supplied monitors exclusively for Siemens Medical until, about 20 years ago, the customer base expanded and A&D ultimately supplied almost all major medical technology firms with monitors for integration into their systems. In 2007, Siemens decided to focus on its core business and sell off its medical monitors division.
No white lab coats anywhere; instead men in hard hats, equipped with hammers and drills. The Düsseldorf University Hospital’s Cardiology Pneumology and Angiology Clinic is a construction site, but once the workmen have packed up their tools and removed the scaffolding the view to the human heart will be unobstructed and clearer than ever before. Here, innovative patient care and a highly…
Ongoing technical developments in computed tomography (CT) such as dual source CT have established coronary CT angiography (cCTA) as a robust non-invasive imaging test for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The most important advantage of cCTA over conventional catheter-based coronary angiography is that not only the coronary lumen but also the entire coronary artery wall is visualized…
New imaging technologies are opening a new chapter in interventional cardiology by offering something this widely practiced procedure has been missing -- vivid clinical evidence to assess effectiveness. Interventional cardiology has moved rapidly from opening blocked arteries by crushing plaque with inflatable balloons to reinforcing the walls of the re-opened arteries with flexible metal stents…
The focus on Coronary artery disease – from genes to outcomes at ESC 2010 underlines the importance of CAD diagnosis on the scientific agenda. During the session ‘Multi modality imaging to detect coronary artery disease’, chaired by Professor JJ Bax, of the Cardiology Department at Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands, experts will discuss, for example, the advantages of the…
At ESC, Siemens presents a new image processing software that helps cardiologists and cardiac surgeons prepare and perform transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI): Syngo Aortic ValveGuide automatically reconstructs a 3D representation of the aortic root from CT-like cross-sectional images acquired with the angiography system.
Not only is heart failure one of the single biggest causes of morbidity and mortality in man, but the incidence of the condition is steadily increasing. Rising to this challenge, innovative medical diagnostic techniques with ever greater performance are constantly being introduced so that early, unambiguous detection of the underlying condition is now possible, enabling the prompt initiation of…
Modern magnetic resonance (MR) tomographs with very strong magnetic fields produce images of steadily increasing precision and are currently gaining more and more importance in radiological diagnostics. In conventional MRI the patient lies in a tunnel, which many people find difficult or even impossible to do, given a scan time of approximately 20 minutes. Physicians of the Joint Radiology…
The landmark achievements in interventional cardiology that are rapidly advancing minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) on a beating heart were demonstrated during a Paris course on revascularisation (EuroPCR), the annual meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).
Although cardiac computed tomography (cCT) has shown very good diagnostic accuracy for the detection of coronary artery disease, the physiologic significance of many lesions can be uncertain. Furthermore, the presence of calcified atherosclerotic plaque reduces the ability to differentiate significant stenosis from non obstructive plaque.
Recent reports on cancer risk from radiation at CT have sparked new concern and discussion in the medical community as well as in the general public. It has been suggested that CT may be responsible for up to 2% of all cancers.
Physicians connected with the Friesland Regional Cardiology Network can now consult in real- time with specialists at the regional medical centre to determine the best course of treatment for their patients. The cardiology network not only speeds up the referral process and improves both diagnosis and the clinical decision process, but also is credited with reducing the length of stay for…
Molecular imaging, the discipline that unites molecular biology and in vivo imaging technologies to assess biological activity in the body, promises to open up ‘…an entire new universe,’ declared Dr Ralph Weissleder, of the Centre for Molecular Imaging Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, USA, in the journal Radiology. That was just one decade ago. And he was right. It has indeed…
The lungs had to be regarded as the black hole for MRI for a long time. However, since the introduction of substantial improvements in hardware and scanner technology, there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel. MRI offers two main advantages for the diagnostic pathways for pulmonary diseases applied today.
Basically, a hybrid operating theatre (OT) is a combined operating room containing large imaging equipment, such as MRT and CT, which enables intra-operative diagnostics. If provided for in the hygiene and theatre concept, the hybrid OT can also be used purely as a diagnostics room, or as a classic operating room.
Molecular imaging, the discipline that unites molecular biology and in vivo imaging technologies to assess biological activity in the body, promises to open up ‘…an entire new universe,’ declared Dr Ralph Weissleder, of the Centre for Molecular Imaging Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, USA, in the journal Radiology. That was just one decade ago. And he was right. It has indeed…
Cardiologists are looking beyond on-screen images of the heart to extract data behind these scans that describe coronary dysfunctions and can reveal hard evidence of the cause of disease reports John Brosky.
He literally wrote the book on the subject, so when Jean-Louis Sablayrolles MD, states that low dose computed tomography angiography (CTa) represents a ‘great revolution in cardiac imaging,’ his words carry the weight of deep clinical experience.
New technology that allows doctors to see three-dimensional images of heart arteries in the catheterization lab passed its first major testing hurdle - moving doctors closer to understanding its impact on clinical practice, researchers report in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, an American Heart Association journal.
Like a bolt from the blue ischemic stroke strikes a patient unpredictably. The consequences are devastating: stroke is the number one cause of serious disabilities in adulthood - and, in Europe alone, someone suffers a stroke every 20 seconds. Thrombolysis ensures that blood clots in the brain dissolve. However, the majority of patients do not profit from this therapy.
At RSNA 2009 Visage Imaging will present Visage 7 a single thin client based application that delivers true efficiency for reading everything from plain film to cardiac CT, as well as for state-of-the-art 3D post-processing. Due to its server-based streaming technology all functionality can be accessed efficiently from inside a LAN/WAN and via Internet, on Windows and Mac OS clients. The…
Two members of the Heart Center at the University of Leipzig teamed up during Medica for a tour de force presentation on Future Trends in Cardiac Surgery. "The aim of the game is opening the chest through little keyholes to operate in the most minimally invasive way possible and avoid sternotomy," said Prof. Friedrich Mohr, Program Director at the Leipzig Heart Center, who review new surgical…
Strongly enforced legislation to restrict smoking produces rapid and substantial reductions in community rates of heart attack, according to a meta-analysis published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.
Designed for multi-applications (e.g. general imaging, obstetrics/gynaecology, abdomen, small parts, musculoskeletal, urology, vascular) MyLab 20Plus, manufactured by Esaote Biomedica Deutschland GmbH, can be customised to suit individual needs in a shared ultrasound department or clinic.
Today, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents an effective therapeutic alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement for patients who are at high risk or with contraindications to surgery, and the combination of the transfemoral and transapical approaches further increases the number of patients who can be treated.
Several health insurers now flag patients who have either exceeded a radiation dose threshold or have had over five CT examinations to the most vulnerable body areas.
By David Loshak
OASIS is a powerful 1.2 Tesla high-field open MRI system which combines unparalleled patient comfort with superior imaging quality. High speed gradients and multi channel RF technology allow exceptionally fast image reconstruction and ensure high diagnostic throughput in the only truly open architecture high performance MRI system ever brought to the medical field.
In comparing ultrasound with other medical imaging methods such as MRI and CT scans, a literature review of published studies in the May/June issue of Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JDMS) describes the use of ultrasound to provide an accurate diagnosis more cost effectively than the alternatives.
Berlin-based radiologist Marc Dewey will be awarded this year's Röntgen Prize for his work on the diagnosis of coronary heart diseases (CHD), one of most common and most dangerous heart conditions in the industrialized countries.
Open MRI not only provides good clinical images for musculoskeletal diagnoses, but also makes it easier to accommodate big-bodied sportsmen.
Results of five clinical studies evaluating the predictive value of VENDYS, a new FDA-approved cardiovascular test, were presented at the 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology in Florida.
‘Like the original Ode to the Liver, by Pablo Neruda, I too hope not to be betrayed by my liver. At least, not today!’
In a symposium organised by Bayer Schering Pharma at the 2009 European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the audience heard a series of four presentations on the potential advantages of high-signal-intensity contrast agents for MRI, focusing on gadobutrol (Gadovist). During the discussion, several claims made by the speakers were challenged and debated by ECR delegates.
Toshiba's pre-opening ECR event on Wednesday evening attracted around 120 radiological experts who wanted to learn more about the company's technology in daily practice. Toshiba invited several highly-regarded radiologists and cardiologists from Austria and Germany who not only presented the diagnostic possibilities of the firm's products offers, but answered critical questions asked by the…
Basic research and clinical patient care became separate disciplines in the 70s and 80s.
The clear focus of the numerous lectures given at the International MRI Symposium was on cardiac imaging.
The hugely increasing numbers of diabetics is a medical and financial burden worldwide. Diabetics can, for example, suffer eye and kidney problems and more - five percent of them develop vascular diseases, leading to lower limb and feet ulcerations, which frequently result in amputations if not treated in time. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) can heal ulcers and, because it is…
For the last nine months, Jens Timmermann MD PhD, Head of the Interventional Radiology Department, has been using micro-invasive technology to treat these patients.
Chicago, November - At first glance, the 94th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America appeared to be bigger than ever and impervious to the massive economic recession of its host country. RSNA 2008 ate into every inch of Chicago's McCormick Place trade centre. To reduce crowd congestion, technical exhibitions had been expanded to include a third massive…
At Medica 2008, Siemens introduced its latest generation PET-CT, the Biograph mCT. During a European Hospital interview, Markus Lusser (ML), worldwide Head of Distribution and Marketing for Molecular Imaging at Siemens, outlined the advantages of the new hybrid system, which aims to extend the spectrum of medical imaging to 'molecular computed tomography'
The multicentre international trial CorE-64 trial has demonstrated that CT is increasingly important in the non-invasive diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease.
Older adults who exercise regularly show increased cerebral blood flow and a greater number of small blood vessels in the brain, according to findings presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Investigating the appropriate use of procedures to open narrowed coronary arteries, e.g. angioplasty and stenting, researchers at UCSF (University of California, USA) found that less than 50% of Medicare patients had documented non-invasive stress testing prior to elective percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI (clinical name for these procedures).
The new Pusan National University Hospital in Yangsan city is due to receive 44 new medical systems thanks to another large ($20 million) Korean order given to Siemens Healthcare. The hospital has also signed a service contract with the firm for maintenance and constant remote monitoring of these systems.
The 2nd international symposium `Diabetic foot: surgery, therapy, rehabilitation´ took place on the beginning of October in St. Petersburg. Olga Ostrovskaya reports from Russia
Timing, emergency network, reperfusion therapy are central to new recommendations for the management of heart attack which have been developed by a Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and were issued on the 14th November.
USA - 3-D ultrasound technology developed at Duke University provides images of the brain vessels in real-time, which could be miniaturised in coming years for use in ambulances. In an initial pilot study, the system has passed the proof-of-principle.
Professor Stefan Schönberg of the Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (IKRN), University Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty of Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, invited colleagues from Mannheim and the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BFS) in Neuherberg for a round-table discussion on: Non-invasive multidetector coronary CT angiography (CTA) has become an established…
Sometimes radiation dose is a topic discussed hysterically. Dose discussion is necessary, but should be carried out based on the highest levels of knowledge and seriousness. For the last few months, Dr Patrik Rogalla, Senior Consultant at the Charité, Berlin, specialist in diagnostic radiology and Head of the Computed Tomography Department at Campus Mitte, University Medicine Berlin, has been…
In October, the office of the Federal President announced that Professor Haverich, with his Hanover research team, has been nominated for the 'German Future Prize' for the development and successful use of adaptable biological heart valves
AquilionONE is the first CT scanner capable of imaging whole organ regions up to a width of 16 cm in one rotation and within a split second. Based on the raw volume data, rapid dynamic processes within an entire organ (e. g. heart, pancreas, kidney or brain) may be diagnosed with a time interval of 50 ms, i.e. with a rate of 20 volumes per second.
The Accutron HP-D - the first dual head contrast media power injector for angiography, intervention and computed tomography.
Until recently, physicians believed that stenosis was responsible for strokes. But new investigations show that the composition of complicated plaques are the major cause. Canadian researchers now used 3-D MRI to accuratly detect bleeding by those plaques within the vessel walls.
Stefan G Ruehm, Kambiz Nael, Derek Lohan and Henrik J Michaely* describe impressive images that benefit patient treatment
Every summer the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) holds Europe's biggest annual meeting of specialists in cardiovascular medicine, inviting and drawing in top international medical professionals. Karoline Laarmann asked Professor Kim Fox, President of the European Society of Cardiology and Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, and professor of clinical cardiology at Imperial…
Countries vary widely in their capacity to manage hypertension, but globally the majority of diagnosed hypertensives is inadequately controlled. Not treated it can cause cardiovascular disease (CVD), myocardial infarction and stroke. According to the WHO, hypertension is estimated to cause 4.5% of the current global disease burden and is as prevalent in many developing countries as in the…
What is the role of vascular ultrasound in stroke prevention? Asked by Karoline Laarmann of European Hospital, Professor Christian Arning MD, Medical Director of the Neurology Department at Asklepios Klinik Wandsbek, Germany, and Deputy Chairman of the German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM), gave an unequivocal answer: crucial - but only if the sonographer is properly qualified.
A new study reveals that, with dual-source computed tomography (DSCT), the effective dosage for a heart examination can be significantly lowered, in comparison to conventional computed tomography (CT). The study also demonstrated that stenoses can be diagnosed with the same high accuracy as with invasive x-ray angiography.
A Canadian study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that chest pain in patients with heart disease could be treated as effective with medication over time as with an expensive angioplasty.