Nuclear medicine gets more review tools
Though there was not exactly a flood of new systems for acquiring images in the nuclear medicine realm at RSNA, many vendors released workstations and software designed to enable users to complete more functions a single workstation, or make it simpler for the images and data to be easily shared across vendor lines, and across institution lines ó or at home. On the modality side, progress was shown in in-vivo multispectral imaging to target disease at its very earliest stage in hopes to treat it at the earliest possible time, and towards the development of therapeutics. Meanwhile, other companies are bringing the production of contrast agents in-house to speed development progress.
GE Healthcare introduced Xeleris 2, a nuclear medicine review workstation. A key component of the new system is XFL (Xeleris Floating License), which allows clinicians to read and process nuclear medicine images from their own PCs throughout the institution.
GE also highlighted a new software called CardIQ fusion that enables clinicians to perform multi-modality image fusion in a single application. CardIQ Fusion is a dedicated, specialized cardiac fusion application brings together anatomical and physiological data from CT, PET, and nuclear medicine SPECT images on the company's Advantage Workstation (AW).
Eastman Kodak Company's Molecular Imaging Systems announced the release of the KODAK In-Vivo Multispectral system for advanced research applications. The technology is especially important because it ìcan look at a disease at its origins and thus the disease can be treated at its origins,î said Shahram Hejazi, PhD, worldwide manager, molecular imaging systems, Kodak Health Group. To do this, the system is capable of identifying molecular abnormalities that are the origin of disease at a very early stage, which can lead to expedited development of effective therapeutics. In vivo molecular imaging allows non-invasive measurement of biological processes within a living organism.
Naviscan PET Systems launched its second generation of PEM (positron emission mammography) devices, The PEM Flex Solo II. Photonics improvements in the new Solo II yield higher count rate sensitivity while maintaining resolution capabilities of 1.5 ñ 2mm. In addition, the Solo II has added an articulating arm, a motorized C-arm, and compression capability, enabling technologists to more easily position patients for optimal views, and improved chest wall access.
Philips Medical Systems gave attendees a peak at some of its initiatives in the molecular imaging space, fueled largely by an interest in making headway in the imaging agent field. Thus, the company is aggressively expanding its research network in molecular diagnostics and imaging. To do this more effectively, and more affordably, the company has brought in-house microbiologists, chemists and other specialists. Many of these people work within the company's new molecular healthcare lab in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Philips also highlighted its BrightView single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system which offers a new gamma camera and a compact design built for facilities with limited room size and cost concerns.
Siemens Medical Solutions showcased its Symbia TruePoint SPECT/CT technology, incorporating SPECT with multi≠detector CT, a strong tool on the acquisition side of molecular imaging. Another tool demonstrated was the Biograph family of hybrid PET/CT systems, which also include TruePoint technology that adds 33 percent more axial volume coverage to the scanners, according to the company. TruePoint PET/CT provides both rich metabolically and anatomically data, and by enlarging the PET field of view, the technology is able to detect 78 percent more photons.
GE Healthcare introduced Xeleris 2, a nuclear medicine review workstation. A key component of the new system is XFL (Xeleris Floating License), which allows clinicians to read and process nuclear medicine images from their own PCs throughout the institution.
GE also highlighted a new software called CardIQ fusion that enables clinicians to perform multi-modality image fusion in a single application. CardIQ Fusion is a dedicated, specialized cardiac fusion application brings together anatomical and physiological data from CT, PET, and nuclear medicine SPECT images on the company's Advantage Workstation (AW).
Eastman Kodak Company's Molecular Imaging Systems announced the release of the KODAK In-Vivo Multispectral system for advanced research applications. The technology is especially important because it ìcan look at a disease at its origins and thus the disease can be treated at its origins,î said Shahram Hejazi, PhD, worldwide manager, molecular imaging systems, Kodak Health Group. To do this, the system is capable of identifying molecular abnormalities that are the origin of disease at a very early stage, which can lead to expedited development of effective therapeutics. In vivo molecular imaging allows non-invasive measurement of biological processes within a living organism.
Naviscan PET Systems launched its second generation of PEM (positron emission mammography) devices, The PEM Flex Solo II. Photonics improvements in the new Solo II yield higher count rate sensitivity while maintaining resolution capabilities of 1.5 ñ 2mm. In addition, the Solo II has added an articulating arm, a motorized C-arm, and compression capability, enabling technologists to more easily position patients for optimal views, and improved chest wall access.
Philips Medical Systems gave attendees a peak at some of its initiatives in the molecular imaging space, fueled largely by an interest in making headway in the imaging agent field. Thus, the company is aggressively expanding its research network in molecular diagnostics and imaging. To do this more effectively, and more affordably, the company has brought in-house microbiologists, chemists and other specialists. Many of these people work within the company's new molecular healthcare lab in Eindhoven, Netherlands.Philips also highlighted its BrightView single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) system which offers a new gamma camera and a compact design built for facilities with limited room size and cost concerns.
Siemens Medical Solutions showcased its Symbia TruePoint SPECT/CT technology, incorporating SPECT with multi≠detector CT, a strong tool on the acquisition side of molecular imaging. Another tool demonstrated was the Biograph family of hybrid PET/CT systems, which also include TruePoint technology that adds 33 percent more axial volume coverage to the scanners, according to the company. TruePoint PET/CT provides both rich metabolically and anatomically data, and by enlarging the PET field of view, the technology is able to detect 78 percent more photons.
| Nuclear Medicine Peripherals |
| Capintec demonstrated its new CRC-Ultra Dose Calibrator with assorted features, including supporting connection of various combinations of Ion and PET Chambers, Well Counter and Beta Counter; and connectivity to additional intelligent remote or printer for additional functionality. Mallinckrodt, a division of Tyco Healthcare, introduced 30 milliliter (mL) bottles of its MD-Gastroview oral iodinated contrast agent. MIMvista highlighted its MIMneuro software that offers an assortment of tools for PET/SPECT for quantitative analysis of various dementias and neurological disorders. The software — which has uses in both clinical and research settings — is able to perform sophisticated non-rigid registrations. A comprehensive 3D anatomical brain atlas is included to allow easy localization of structures of interest. Numa unveiled enhancements to NumaLink, its cross-vendor data translation tool. New in NumaLink are DICOM translation capabilities for a full range of proprietary PET data sets. |