The directive 2004/40/EC of the European Parliament sets minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields). Too strict requirements, as the use of MRI in medical research and clinical practice throughout Europe is threatened. Now, it is expected that the directive is going to be modified and delayed for four…
The Virtual Institute for Seven Tesla Applications (VISTA) is a partnership of several Dutch universities. To evaluate the benefit of ultrahigh-field MRI the first human 7.0T whole-body research scanner, supplied by Philips Medical Systems, was installed at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). Roland Plasterk, the Durch minister of education, culture and science, attended at the opening…
Turkey - The recently opened 74-bed Florence Nightingale Kiziltoprak Hospital, which has three operating rooms and 10 ICU beds, is one of four hospitals in a Turkish healthcare network.
The Forum Medizintechnik-Pharma - an association that provides a recognised contribution to the development of the co-operative environment in medicine, technology and pharmaceuticals, met for a symposium in Germany this July.
Hitachi Medical Systems has opened its European Technology Academy in Dusseldorf
Radiotherapy treatment planning relies on transversal CT images. They form a basis for treatment planning, dose calculation and increasingly the plan localization for external radiation therapy, called CT simulation. A dedicated CT scanner for radiotherapy plan simulation is one of the most essential pieces of equipment in a modern radiotherapy department. In contrast to external beam…
Following the installation of a 0.5-T superconducting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system at our hospital in 1987, we have been performing a large number of examinations as a key regional hospital serving the city of Muroran, Hokkaido, and surrounding areas. However, compared with more recently developed MRI systems, 0.5-T systems tend to have poorer image quality and a restricted range of…
For the production of medical technology products more and more companies take enviromental protection and energy efficiency into consideration. Siemens Medical Solutions e.g. ensures with a holistic concept that the products not only match high ecological demands during production, but also in operation and beyond shutdown.
British researchers detected near-normal brain activity in patients who are believed to be in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) by using functional MRI. The findings may help doctors' to diagnose patients that might have a chance for recovery, but the researchers warn to over-intertpret their resulsts.
In May 2001, the world's first CT-XR hybrid suite for image guided therapy in paediatrics was put into operation. The new Centre for Image Guided Therapy (IGT) at The Hospital for Sick Children allows surgeons and interventional radiologists to do something that's never been done before - work side-by-side when diagnosing and treating children. A total of 4 interventional suites were equipped…
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 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.
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.
The next-generation of hybrid imaging technology was presented at this years SNM meeting in Washington, D.C: The first human brain images from a prototype PET/MRI system, which is developed by a collaborative team of German and US researchers from the Universities of Tübingen and Tennessee, as well as Siemens Medical Solutions.
Due to echogenicity differences in comparison with the surrounding liver tissue conventional B-mode-imaging sonography permits the unambiguous classification of the frequently occurring typical liver cysts (criteria: round, echo-free, smoothly demarcated, with edge shadows and sound through transmission) and calcifications (highly reflective, acoustic shadows). The detection and characterization…
Toshiba introduces its new 1.5 MR system in Europe VISIONS: After a period of relative silence Toshiba' MRbusiness division is about to introduce a new system. What is the reason for this increased attention? Hans Baartman: In 2003 a new MRI product, the EXCELART Vantage, was introduced in Japan and the USA where it has become very successful. Because the MRI community is very internationally…
Patients of the Slotervaat Hospital in Amsterdam, Netherlands, now benefit from state-of-the-art Toshiba MRI technology: In May, the hospital commissioned a brand new MRI Vantage System and thus now disposes of premium technology the MRI market currently offers. For Toshiba this new installation is an excellent opportunity to present the companys most recent MRI development on the European market.…
The University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE) is currently undergoing a clinical evaluation with the first MRI/PET image software tool for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases that should support clinicians in diagnosing the onset and type of diseases as early as possible.
Since April, there's been a new man at GE Healthcare´s global MRI division; its new Vice President and General Manager is James E Davis. Meike Lerner caught up with him during the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Congress, held recently in Berlin
After a new study published by Professor Stuart Crozier has shown that the use of MR in the clinical practice will not be possible when realizing the EU Physical Agents Directive (EMF) 2004/40/EC on the use of MRI, the European Commission is open to proposing a legislative amendment.
The number of unreported cases of child abuse is extremely high. Experts estimate that there are at least twice as much cases as registered yearly. One reason for this disastrous situation is the fact, that physicians are not trained in reading the signs. Prof Dr Markus Uhl, paediatric radiologists from the University Hospital of Freiburg, Germany, explained to EUROPEAN HOSPITAL which specific…
'If you want to find a needle in a haystack, X-ray is a good tool. Now imagine how much easer that would be if the needle could glow.'
Already in 1993, the world market for contrast media was thought to be worth $ 3 billion. In 2001, an astonishing 12.2 million contrast medium-supported CT studies were carried out in Europe alone. Currently, the overall sales of contrast media are estimated to rise to $ 915 million in Europe in 2008.