Most babies are born healthy, but there is still a small risk for all women to give birth to a baby with some type of anomaly. Ultrasound has proven to be one of the most reliable procedures to prenatally diagnose some of these conditions. Ultrasound can be used during the entire pregnancy, but in the first trimester ultrasound examinations are, as a rule, used to exactly calculate the pregnancy,…
Without doubt, the B-mode imaging is the most important examination method in prenatal ultrasound. Well over 90% of detectable congenital anomalies can be recognised using the two-dimensional realtime imaging method. Hence, paramount importance is certainly ascribed to the quality of the B-mode image in an ultrasound system. In addition, other ultrasound modalities help us to considerably enhance…
It has long been known that remaining at high altitudes leads to an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure caused by hypoxia. Its effects on cardiac function have also been considered well documented. The increase in pressure in the pulmonary circulation causes an enlargement of the right ventricle and thereby causes a displacement of the left ventricle that is accompanied by a relaxation…
Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) and contrast echocardiography open up new possibilities for exactly representing and assessing functional cardiac disturbances. This was the topic discussed by Dr. Harald Becher of John Radcliff Hospital, Oxford, and Dr. Jörg Strotmann of the University Clinic Würzburg in the framework of the Toshiba workshop “New approaches in echocardiography” at the European…
The number of CT examinations undertaken over the past few years has increased remarkably worldwide due to the new diagnostic possibilities afforded by multislice computer tomography (MSCT). As the new technology is gaining ground, many researchers and radiologists are looking for ways to reduce patient radiation exposure. In 2001, Giacomuzzi et al.1 of Innsbruck reported an up to 2.6-fold…
As part of a Welsh Assembly Government sponsored exercise for the replacement of radiology equipment within NHS Wales, Toshiba Medical Systems Limited was awarded a framework agreement for a 2-year period for the supply of ultrasound equipment until April 2005. Following an evaluation exercise undertaken by representative clinical staff within NHS Wales, Toshiba were chosen as the preferred…
With the launch of the Aquilion 32, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation continues at the forefront of computed tomography (CT) technology. The most advanced 32-slice CT scanner available, the Aquilion provides increased patient comfort and the most flexible choice of speed and accuracy in CT scanning.
Pediatric imaging presents many unique and difficult challenges to the radiologist. Correct and rapid diagnosis is extremely important in pediatric imaging and to that end we constantly strive for tests that offer more information, accuracy and versatility. However, it is also our duty to provide tests that are safe and minimise exposure to ionizing radiation. In recent months there has been…
Further developments in computer and detection technology over the last few months and years have made it possible to overcome, to a large degree, the previously limitations of medical computer tomography in spatial and temporal resolution, and thus to permit “detail-true” representation of the beating heart. The diagnostic workflow and computer-tomographic diagnosis of the heart using the…
Because of the rapid technical and scientific development over the past few years, multislice computer tomography of the heart has become increasingly established in the clinical routine. This requires, among other things, knowledge of the anatomy of the coronary arteries, the meaningful evaluation of the calcium score and the appropriate reproduction of the function of the left ventricle.
Intravascular contrast medium is essential for enhancement of vessels and parenchyma. In this way the relation between vessels and tumours can be detected. Factors that influence the time required for a contrast bolus are the cardiac output of a patient, body weight, hydration status and the condition of the vessels. When a main vessel is occluded because of thrombosis, embolia or trauma a…
Twenty years ago, during the construction of the Henri Duffaut Hospital in the community of Avignon, on the banks of the Durance, we transferred our radiology service at the Hospital St. Marthe (today the University Centre of Avignon, classified as a historical monument by the government) to the first floor of the new hospital. Over the years, our service has been restructured and adapted to the…
The Amphia Hospital in the Netherlands is an amalgamation of three hospitals: the Molengracht and the Langenberg in Breda and the Pasteurlaan in Oosterhout, with a total capacity of 1100 beds. At present, these hospitals are not specifically specialised and consequently there is considerable staff movement from one facility to another. However, in the near future a high-tech facility will be…
Chromosomal abnormalities are major causes of perinatal death and childhood handicap. Consequently, the detection of chromosomal disorders constitutes the most frequent indication for invasive prenatal diagnosis. However, invasive testing, by amniocentesis, chorionicvillus sampling (CVS) or cordocentesis, is associated with a risk of miscarriage of about 1% and therefore these tests are carried…
The rare disease Takayasu's arteritis (TA) belongs to the vasculitis group of diseases and is also known as inflammatory aortic arch syndrome or as pulseless disease because of its typical clinical picture. The pathological-anatomical manifestations include inflammatory transformation of the media and adventitia with the appearance of giant cells, hence the term giant cell arteritis is also used.…
Xario, Toshiba's new ultrasound system, has been tested at the Charité University Hospital, Berlin, by Dr Thomas Fischer, radiologist and ultrasound specialist. In a VISIONS interview, we asked Dr Fischer for his observations.
Ultrasound contrast agents (USCA) or echo enhancers consist of minute gas containing microbubbles that have a high reflectivity when exposed to an ultrasound field. The history of USCA started in the mid of the 1960s. The cardiologist Joyner performed echo cardiography during the injection of saline solution into the aortic root via a catheter. During the injection he observed bright signals on…
In October 2004 Toshiba introduced Xario, its new, premium high-end ultrasound scanner to the market and exhibited the system at major congresses throughout Europe. The following article gives an overview of its features and functions and provides an insight into the latest technological developments for meeting the rapidly changing demands of today's challenging clinical practice.
On Wednesday, 24 March of this year, I arrived in Warsaw, Poland, where my Polish colleague, Mr Sikora, picked me up and we continued our bumpy road to Katowice by car. The roads were bad and the weather was worse: snow, snow and more snow. But finally we made it to Gornoslaskie Centrum Medyczne in Katowice, where the first Asteion Super 4 had been installed in a European hospital. It is the…
Arteriosclerosis is well known as a vascular disease and cardiovascular risk factor. In its generalised form it affects not only the peripheral vessels (pelvis, legs) but also the coronary vessels and the carotid arteries. Arteriosclerosis is primarily a manifestation of advancing age, hence it is often accompanied by other diseases of the lungs and the heart as well as by metabolic diseases…
Increasingly more importance is being ascribed to early detection of colon carcinoma and of its precursor stages, since there has been a practically twofold increase in the incidence of this disease in Germany over the past 20 years. With a combination of 1. case history, 2. rectal palpation result, 3.'blood in stools' test (haemoccult) and 4. coloscopy, many conspicuous changes to the intestinal…
The exposure of patients to radiation by computed tomography has been widely discussed in recent years, both by professionals and by the public. The essential reason for optimizing patient exposure is the basic desire to keep radiation dose at the lowest possible level. This requires above all organ-specific and patient-specific adjustment of the radiation exposure in order to achieve uniform…
The Aquilion 64 builds on previous CT technology with its unique 64-slice detector, isotropic scanning and VolumeView volume reconstruction technology to offer greater diagnostic capabilities enabling patients to avoid invasive medical procedures. The Aquilion 64 demonstrates Toshiba's in-depth industry knowledge and desire to deliver leading-edge CT technology and applications to the medical…
It sounds quite far fetched to connect ultrasound examinations to dolphins or does it? In Europe there are about 300 dolphins under human care and with most of these animals ultrasound examinations are quite common.
Increased incidence of vascular diseases and improved medical-imaging technologies expand the application base for contrast media. According to a new study from US market-research group Frost & Sullivan, sales of medical-imaging contrast media will see an impressive 58 per cent rise until 2013.