ADN CANADA - Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Solutions

1999 GE Millennium VG Dual Head Nuclear Camera (Completely Refurbished)

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:14:00 +0000

GE Millennium VG (formerly the Elscint Varicam) is a dual-head, multi geometry (variable angle) nuclear medicine camera with LFOV detectors. The VG was designed for general purpose studies and is capable of whole body, planar and SPECT imaging.

Included: Entegra Workstation, LEHR Collimators, HiRES Collimators, GSPECT Software.

Features

•Slip ring gantry allowing unlimited tomographic rotation
•Externally mounted detectors

•Automated body contouring

•Automated, simultaneous dual collimator changing

•Rectangular 500mm x 400mm FOV

ABOUT

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada - Celebrating it’s 10 year Anniversary, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both DIGIRAD and Medi-Link. Visit us online.

Radiology, Cardiology, and Molecular Imaging in the Cloud - The Evolution of PACs

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:49:00 +0000

THINKING SYSTEMS solutions are installed at over twenty sites across Canada and are proudly distributed by Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada. For more information please contact your local ADN Canada sales consultant Toll-Free in Canada at 877-434-5311 or visit www.adncanada.ca. Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

Pre-owned 2009 GE VENTRI, Dual-Head Cardiac Camera Available

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:16:00 +0000

General Electric’s (GE) Ventri is a fixed 90º dual-head system optimized for cardiac stress perfusion studies, PET/CT, and cyclotron business. Ventri incorporates design elements intended to increase patient comfort, such as a table with a 440-lb weight limit that can be lowered to a point where any patient can sit in it easily.

For more information, please visit ADN Canada’s Refurbished Equipment listing.

Managing Nuclear Medicine Images Gets a Little Easier

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0000

"Managing Images Gets a Little Easier" was published by Health Imaging & IT | June 1, 2007 | Inside Molecular Imaging and was written by Jamie Bellavance

The typical PACS doesn’t always cut it when it comes to nuclear medicine. Mainstream medical imaging technologies have not been designed to handle nuclear medicine’s unique demands, proprietary protocols, or programs, which make them incompatible with radiology PACS. Hospitals nationwide are finding they have to explore new options when it comes to needs such as display functionality to support nuclear medicine studies. Some nuclear medicine departments have invested in pioneering nuclear medicine solutions or interfaced to radiology department PACS, while others prefer an enterprise-wide, integrated solution.

Nuclear medicine requires specific display capabilities, such as grayscale or color, functional, quantitative and fusion data. Static displays just won’t do for dynamic nuclear medicine studies, planar gated studies, SPECT, PET or PET/CT. PET/CT image review involves viewing of transaxial, coronal and sagittal and maximum intensity projection (MIP) images. For that, physicians need a separate solution to translate data among different file formats.

Nuclear medicine departments across the country have integrated new image management models that facilitate nuclear medicine data flow to benefit department and enterprise workflow.

A solution for all needs

The University of Miami Hospital and Clinics (UMHC) in Miami, Fla., house a total of 120 beds, and conduct approximately 6,000 nuclear medicine procedures each year. UMHC has used Thinking Systems Corp.’s ThinkingPACS for image management in nuclear medicine since 2002. The system includes an MDStation for physicians to perform review of images, quantifications, and image fusion; a QC station for the technologists; and an archive system for archiving all the nuclear medicine images, including SPECT and PET/CT. The ThinkingPACS sends all the images to the radiology RIS-PACS, a GE Healthcare/IDX ImageCast for enterprise-wide access and archival.

UMHC has two ADAC Genesys dual-head SPECT cameras, one Philips Medical Systems Skylight dual-head SPECT camera, and a Philips Gemini PET/CT scanner. ThinkingPACS receives the image data from the SPECT cameras and the PET/CT scanner through proprietary and DICOM connectivity for the purpose of processing, quantification, display and review using the MDStation, and also for archiving.

UMHC chose ThinkingPACS because it is an open architecture, Windows-based system with a robust clinical software package with “the clinical programs, tools, utilities and all necessary functionality that we need in order to perform our work,” says Mike Georgiou, PhD, assistant professor of Radiology and nuclear medicine physicist at UMHC.

The MDStation is used by the nuclear medicine physicians for review of all general nuclear medicine studies (bone, renal, liver/spleen, parathyroid, gastric, lung), SPECT processing and review, quantification for nuclear cardiac studies, and PET/CT fusion for oncology, neurology and cardiology studies. It has all the necessary display/review functions and analysis programs for nuclear medicine studies. For example, the physician has the ability to easily and efficiently manipulate the image data, perform comparisons with current and prior studies, and capture interesting cases for slide presentations, Georgiou says.

The technologists use the QC station to check images that have been acquired, and to ensure that the patient demographic information is accurate. Subsequently, the images are shipped to the university GE/IDX PACS for enterprise-wide access. The QC station also makes CDs.

Currently, UMHC is in the process of purchasing the Thinking Systems “plug-in” solution for its hospital PACS to meet the nuclear medicine needs — including PET and PET/CT — of referring physicians. The plug-in for third-party enterprise PACS, which they hope to install in a few months, will bring the nuclear medicine image programs, functions and tools to the hospital PACS in seamless fashion. The Thinking Systems web server will provide remote access to nuclear medicine images, allowing physicians to read studies from home or any remote location. “Most PACS lack the necessary functionality for nuclear medicine imaging,” Georgiou says. “The Thinking Systems plug-in can provide this functionality and offer a complete PACS solution for nuclear medicine.”

Eliminating manual intervention

Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, Wis., stored all nuclear medicine department quality control and patient data on optical disc until December 2004. They knew they needed to change that, says Mike Bull, manager of nuclear medicine, they just needed to figure out how. They also wanted to make sure that their solution would obscure raw data that shouldn’t be seen by physicians.

NumaStore from Numa Inc. was the perfect choice, Bull says. The specialized PACS storage and image management system is designed for nuclear medicine data and studies. It offers secure, long-term storage of patient studies acquired over separate visits and the cataloging of those studies. It also supplies efficient retrieval in a way that facilitates and encourages comparative analysis. These abilities encourage a change in the way nuclear medicine is used, from simply a diagnostic snapshot to a long-term care patient management tool.

NumaStore receives information, or queries the workstation to get all the data, and stores them on the NumaStore server. Then NumaList — a DICOM modality worklist manager — sends only the screen-saved images to the PACS, which is all the referring physicians need to see. NumaList enables importing of vital hospital information system (HIS) and radiology information system (RIS) information into nuclear medicine DICOM headers. Following this, the patient file can be forwarded on to an imaging workstation or PACS.

For image and data storage, NumaStore eliminated the need for manual invention. Previously, if technologists needed to retrieve data, they had to manually locate the optical disc and load it in the drive. “Now, it’s as easy as querying it back from NumaStore to any of our workstations,” Bull says. They also don’t misplace as many studies as they did with optical disc. Now that everything’s automated, all studies get pulled or pushed to NumaStore.

An enterprise-wide solution

While some facilities favor a nuclear medicine department solution for image management, an enterprise solution is the choice of others. The radiologists at Diagnostic Radiology Consultants (DRC) wanted an enterprise-wide integrated solution to help read and interpret approximately 200,000 cases per year from the 11 facilities that they service across Chattanooga, Tenn., and northern Georgia. For this job, Specialty Networks, LLC was created as the information technology arm of the radiology practice. Specialty Networks is run by DRC, a private practice group of 10 radiologists who review images in nuclear medicine, MR, CT, and ultrasound for facilities that range from a 300-bed community hospital, to a single CT scanner owned by a urology group.

Three years ago, Specialty Networks was dealing with three PACS and two RIS platforms, all from different vendors, and each with a separate workstation, logon and password. To improve efficiency, they researched a seamless, integrated solution from one vendor that would keep all their databases in sync, using one logon, one keyboard and one mouse.

In 2005, they chose Siemens Medical Solutions syngo Suite to integrate RIS, PACS, post processing and transcription. Syngo Workflow manages the exchange and distribution of patient data and images. Syngo Imaging covers the PACS applications for diagnostic preparation, quality assurance and interpretation. Syngo Voice provides voice recognition and transcription. Specialty Networks also chose Siemens’ partner NextGen Healthcare Information Systems to provide its electronic practice management (EPM) solution. In all, Specialty Networks implemented seven workstations at facilities throughout their network.

With syngo Suite, dedicated workstations for nuclear medicine imaging aren’t necessary, allowing smoother integration while reading other radiology images such as CT and MR. “We weren’t looking for a specific nuclear medicine solution. What we wanted was the solution that brought nuclear medicine into the normal workflow. The last thing you want as a radiologist is a separate workflow for separate types of exams,” says Jim Busch, MD, CEO of Specialty Networks. The nuclear medicine gamma cameras, including the Siemens’ Biograph 16, Symbia T6, Symbia S, and Orbitor gamma camera, as well as a Philips Forte gamma camera, simply plug into syngo Suite, and transfer images to the PACS, Busch says.

The syngo Suite worklist allows radiologists to search for patient images by patient name, medical record number, date, facility, or referring physician. Worklists are organized by priority, need and the radiologist’s physical location, Busch says. For example, while Busch may be located at Tennessee Imaging, half of the exams could be from another facility 50 miles away.

Specialty Networks brought 10 facilities onboard with syngo Suite in about nine months. And the results are impressive: Volume has increased about 15 percent, while workflow efficiency has jumped 27 percent. Report turn-around time also has been cut considerably — dropping to just an hour from 24 hours.

Keeping up with NM

Since radiology PACS often struggle to manage nuclear medicine image needs, vendors have come to the table with specific nuclear medicine solutions that can seamlessly relay data to the department or enterprise-wide hospital PACS. Nuclear medicine departments can now provide fast, accurate image interpretation across proprietary vendor image formats while boosting efficiency and workflow.

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About Thinking Systems Corporation

Thinking Systems is an innovative medical software developer and marketer that brings the power of digital technology to advanced clinical, as well as image management applications, creating highly functional and fully automated imaging environments. With a unique vision of comprehensive enterprise-wide digital image workflow, Thinking Systems’ product portfolio supports the most complete spectrum of imaging modalities available today. Providing truly customized implementations, Thinking Systems translates the power of its versatile product portfolio and expertise into highly effective solutions tailor-made for each installation. Founded in 1996, Thinking Systems’ cutting edge ThinkingPACS and ThinkingRIS have been helping prestigious hospitals and freestanding imaging centers, both large and small, enjoy a fully digital environment. To learn more about Thinking Systems, visit www.thinkingsystems.com.

THINKING SYSTEMS solutions are installed at over twenty sites across Canada and are proudly distributed by Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada. For more information please contact your local ADN Canada sales consultant Toll-Free in Canada at 877-434-5311 or e-mail.

Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

Fletcher Allen Health Care Chooses Thinking Systems’ ThinkingPACS PET-CT, Nuclear Cardiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Other Cardiology Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:38:00 +0000

Solutions To Be Integrated With Existing McKesson PACS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Petersburg, FL and Burlington, VT (November 22, 2006) – Thinking Systems Corporation, recognized as one of the most innovative medical imaging software developers for its broad product portfolio designed to support the spectrum of modalities, today announced that Fletcher Allen Health Care, a Burlington, VT, teaching and community hospital which operates in partnership with the University of Vermont, has signed an agreement to purchase its latest flagship ThinkingPACS solutions.

Thinking Systems’ solutions, including ModalityBroker, will be integrated with Fletcher Allen Health Care’s existing McKesson Horizon Medical Imaging PACS solution to provide enterprise-wide support of specialty modalities such as PET-CT, nuclear cardiology, and nuclear medicine. The new installation will also include Thinking Systems’ enhanced PACS features, including hanging protocols, key images, and presentation states, which are DICOM 3.0 2006 conformant.

“We are excited to showcase our flagship ThinkingPACS solutions at one of the most respected healthcare facilities on the East Coast,” said Xiaoyi Wang, President and co-chairman, Thinking Systems Corporation. “This is a significant installation in that it will include new enhancements to provide extended interoperability with Fletcher Allen Health Care’s existing McKesson PACS solution.”

“We chose Thinking Systems’ ThinkingPACS to complement our McKesson enterprise PACS because after evaluating our options, we determined that Thinking Systems offers outstanding PACS solutions for PET-CT, nuclear cardiology, and nuclear medicine,” said Frank Harris, Vice President of Information Services, Fletcher Allen Health Care. “With the integration of ThinkingPACS into McKesson’s Horizon Medical Imaging solution from the same workstation, our physicians will be able to access images of all modalities with the appropriate clinical tools and compare them side by side. The resulting system based on the cooperation of Thinking Systems and McKesson will not only improve the efficiency of our physicians but also improve the quality of our services.”

About Thinking Systems Corporation

About Fletcher Allen Health Care

Fletcher Allen Health Care, in alliance with the University of Vermont College of Medicine, is Vermont’s only academic health center and is one of 125 in the country. Fletcher Allen also serves as the community hospital for the greater Burlington area. Fletcher Allen has more than 6,000 employees and serves one million people in Vermont and northern New York through more than 40 patient care sites and 100 outreach clinics.

Thinking Systems US Contact:

Xiaoyi Wang, President

Thinking Systems Corporation

+ 1-727-217-0909

Thinking Systems Canada Contact:

ADN Canada

+1-877-434-5311

THINKING SYSTEMS solutions are installed at over twenty sites across Canada and are proudly distributed by Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada. For more information please contact your local ADN Canada sales consultant Toll-Free in Canada at 877-434-5311 or e-mail. Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

DIGIRAD’S NEXT-GENERATION EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE MISSIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:31:00 +0000

An X-Ray Spectrometer using state-of-the-art detector technology will be launched this year on the Clark spacecraft, one of two missions to be flown as part of the Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative. Under SSTI, NASA funded the development of “Clark,” a high technology demonstration satellite to provide 3-m resolution panchromatic and 15-m resolution multispectral images, as well as collect atmospheric constituent and cosmic x-ray data. The 690-Ib. satellite, to be launched in early 1997, will be in a 476 km, circular, sun-synchronous polar orbit.

The primary objective of this mission is to demonstrate new technologies for small spacecraft. In keeping with this philosophy, we use two new types of semiconductor X-ray detectors, both operating near room temperature: avalanche photodiodes and cadmiumzinc-telluride detectors. The main purpose of flying these detectors is to test them in a space environment so that they can be used with confidence on future space missions. Measurements of solar flare and gamma-ray burst X-ray emissions will also be made as well as atmospheric constituent and cosmic x-ray data. Digirad will measure these emissions.

To assist, Digirad developed a new class of solid-state detector arrays with microelectronics readout circuitry for two-dimensional imaging of x-ray and gamma ray fields in support of next-generation Earth and space science mission requirements. The approach uses cadmium zinc telluride (CZT), a new room temperature detector material first developed by Digirad. Recent results show that CZT detector arrays can exhibit high detection efficiencies and superior energy resolution from below 1 kev to above 600 kev. CZT detectors are robust and lightweight; and can be patterned in a variety of array structures, with pixel dimensions to well below 100 m.

The innovation of producing CZT imagers suitable for space meets the needs of NASA small missions initiatives.

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For more information in Canada on Digirad's solid-state technology for advanced Nuclear Imaging, please contact your local ADN Canada sales consultant Toll-Free in Canada at 1-877-434-5311 or via e-mail. Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

THINKING SYSTEMS WHITEPAPERS

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:03:00 +0000

Thinking Systems for Cardiovascular  PACS (CV-PACS) were the winner of Frost + Sullivan’s Technology Leadership Award for demonstrating “excellence in technology within ones industry”. The prestigious award further recognizes “excellence in all stages of the technology life cycle – incubation, adaptation, take-up, and maturity – to ensure a continuous flow of improvements, innovation, leading-edge concepts, and pioneering client applications”.

THINKING SYSTEMS were also the highest rated CVPACS vendor by independent KLAS and are (proudly) some of the industry’s most comprehensive and feature-rich suite of general and specialized PACS and RIS (Radiology Information System) solutions available today. We encourage you to find out how Thinking Systems technology can help to change the way you manage your practice.

Thinking Systems WhitepaperS

+ Integrating Modalities to Philips iSite PACS through Thinking Systems 
+ Integrating Modalities to Enterprise PACS through Thinking Systems 
+ Integrating Molecular Imaging into Enterprise PACS

+ VIEW BROCHURE
+ VIEW REFERENCES

THINKING SYSTEMS solutions are installed at over twenty sites across Canada and are proudly distributed by Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada. For more information please contact your local ADN Canada sales consultant Toll-Free in Canada at 877-434-5311 or e-mail. Note: Any / all product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

THE FUTURE OF OSTEOPOROSIS DIAGNOSIS - OSTEOCORE 3™

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:32:00 +0000

View Ostercore Brochure

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT respectively. For additional information please contact ADN directly Toll-free at 1-877-434-5311 or via email Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

ULTRASPECT - NUCLEAR PHARMACY SERVICES - SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:03:00 +0000

For more information on UltraSPECT in Canada, please contact ADN Canada. Your local ADN Canada sales consultant can provide you with product information and/or brochures. You can also obtain additional information on the UltraSPECT website (www.ultraSPECT.com). We encourage you to find out how UltraSPECT® technology can help to change the way you manage your practice. Call us Toll-Free in Canada at 877-434-5311 or email ADN.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada
With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

UltraSPECT's Thallium Imaging Solutions for Nuclear Cardiology

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:23:00 +0000

In Response to the Technetium Shortage UltraSPECT Offers Thallium Imaging Solutions in Nuclear Cardiology: Enhanced-Resolution Single-Isotope and Reduced-Dose, Shorter-Time Dual-Isotope Cardiac Imaging with No Trade-Off in Imaging Time and Image Quality

UltraSPECT announced today that its two cardiac products, Xpress.Cardiac^TM and Xpress3.Cardiac^TM, support Tl-201 imaging. These products utilize UltraSPECT's proprietary WBR^TM image reconstruction capabilities to enable reduced-dose and enhanced-resolution Thallium imaging, providing an imaging alternative that can help the NM practitioners cope with the disruptions expected in Technetium supplies and mitigate their impact on the NM practice.

Due to the impact of the Canadian reactor shutdown combined with the recently announced six-month repair plan of the Dutch reactor, the global shortage of Tc-99m is expected to remain grave in the next few months, leaving the practice of Nuclear Medicine in a very precarious position:

· Inability to provide patients with needed Nuclear Medicine tests

· Longer delays in scheduling of exams for most patients

· Use of reduced-dose imaging protocols with risk of inadequate clinical outcomes

· Loss of business to other imaging modalities such as CTA, Echo and cardiac PET

UltraSPECT's clinically proven imaging alternatives using the FDA-cleared and CE mark-approved Xpress.Cardiac and Xpress3.Cardiac products help weather this period. The products, in addition to allowing the utilization of lower dose imaging protocols using Tc-99m with no compromise in terms of imaging acquisition times and diagnostic value, support reduced-dose and enhanced-resolution Tl-201 imaging, thus alleviating the impact of the Technetium shortage, while at the same time reducing patient exposure to radiation. UltraSPECT products feature connectivity to the imaging systems of all three major NM camera manufacturers, supporting most existing camera hardware and workstation versions.

The Tl-201 Stress/Rest protocol using the Xpress.Cardiac is performed with scan times and radiopharmaceutical doses as defined by ASNC imaging guidelines, but with the resulting Stress and Redistribution Rest images displayed in unprecedented image resolution. John Zeitz, M.D., Chief of Nuclear Medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Troy, MI stated, "UltraSPECT has allowed us to acquire high-quality gated SPECT images with Tl-201, without increasing scan times. Previously, we would have to increase our imaging time by 50% in order to achieve decent image quality for the gated cine reconstruction."

The one-day dual-isotope (Tl-201 and Tc-99m) protocol performed with the Xpress3.Cardiac combines reduced doses with shorter scan times. Reduced-dose, shorter-scan-time Rest Tl-201 imaging is followed by reduced-dose, shorter-scan-time Tc-99m Stress imaging, rendering the procedure safer and more comfortable for the patient, while ensuring sustained/increased patient throughput for the practice:

· Rest: Tl-201, 2 mCi (female) / 3 mCi (male); 20sec. per stop.

· Stress: Tc-99m, 20 mCi (female) / 30 mCi (male); 10sec. per stop.

"The advantage of dual-isotope MPI using UltraSPECT's WBR is the ability to reduce the Tl-201 dose to such a level that the effective radiation dose to the patient is similar to that of Tc-99m protocols without compromising image quality, making the procedure safer for patients," explained Michael Wilk, Ph.D., Director of R&D at UltraSPECT. "Moreover, WBR generates Thallium rest images that are comparable in resolution to the Technetium stress images."

Dual-isotope imaging: reduced-dose, shorter-scan-time Rest images acquired with 2mCi Tl-201 at 20 sec/frame, courtesy of Mayo Clinic.

Dual-isotope imaging: reduced-dose, shorter-scan-time Stress images acquired with 20 mCi Tc-99m at 10 sec/frame, courtesy of Mayo Clinic.

UltraSPECT’s Xpress.Cardiac, Xpress3.Cardiac, and Xpress/Xact.Bone^TM products are distributed in Canada exclusively by Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

ULTRASPECT’S CLINICALLY PROVEN (FDA-CLEARED) DOSE-REDUCTION SOLUTIONS TO THE TECHNETIUM (TC-99M) SHORTAGE IN CANADA

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:44:00 +0000

When two aging facilities in Canada and the Netherlands recently shut down, a number of healthcare professionals and their patients became concerned about their ability to access Technetium 99m. Technetium 99m is a product of a series of reactions beginning with the splitting of uranium. It is used in tests for cancer and heart disease, as well as other treatments. Once inside the body, the radioactive isotope binds to specific sites where it emits gamma rays. The resulting images then help radiologists identify tumors and other diseased tissue.

Many worry, due to the impact of the Canadian reactor shutdown, combined with the recently announced closure due to the six-month repair plan of the Netherlands reactor, that patients could undergo unnecessary surgeries, or perhaps worse, miss necessary ones due to this drastic drop in the supply of radioisotopes as the global shortage of Tc-99m is expected to remain grave for the period covering February-August 2010, leaving the field of Nuclear Medicine in a very precarious position:

· Inability to provide patients with needed Nuclear Medicine tests

· Longer delays in scheduling of exams for most patients

· Use of reduced-dose imaging protocols with risk of inadequate clinical outcomes

· Loss of business to other imaging modalities such as CTA, Echo and cardiac PET.

Our chief goal is to outline clinically proven imaging alternatives using the FDA-cleared and CE Mark-approved UltraSPECT products to help weather this period; the products, installed in over 250 NM sites worldwide, allow the utilization of lower dose imaging protocols with no compromise in imaging acquisition times and outcomes, alleviating the impact of the Technetium shortage, while at the same time reducing patient radiation exposure.

UltraSPECT utilizes proprietary WBR image reconstruction technology for cardiac and bone applications. These products improve image quality and diagnostic efficacy, doubling the NEMA standard resolution for the currently installed camera systems. This improvement allows the reduction of scan times to one half-time or a quarter-time of the currently approved protocols, thereby enhancing clinical productivity and improving patient comfort. Moreover, UltraSPECT products are cleared to allow clinical protocols enabling reduced injection doses, thus ensuring a steadier delivery of the existing Tc-99m supplies while minimizing patient exposure to radiation.

UltraSPECT's WBR reconstruction presents the physician with a set of high-quality images which provide, according to a large number of peer-reviewed articles in professional journals and presentations at professional conferences, higher clinical efficacy. As of today, UltraSPECT provides connectivity to the imaging systems of all three major NM camera manufacturers, supporting most existing camera hardware and workstation versions.

UltraSPECT's FDA-Cleared and CE Mark-Approved Dose-Saving Protocols:

A. The Xpress.Cardiac^TM Product

1. HALF-DOSE, HALF-TIME SINGLE-DAY REST/STRESS PROTOCOL

Applying the one-day Tc-99m Rest/Stress protocol with scan times as defined by the ASNC recommendations, but with injected doses that are approximately half the doses specified by ASNC:

· Rest: 5-6 mCi; 8-9 mCi for patients weighing >100 kg.

· Stress: 15-20 mCi; 24-27 mCi for patients weighing >100 kg.

B. The Xpress3.Cardiac^TM Product

1. Half-Dose, Half-Time Single-Day Rest/Stress Protocol

As suggested by its name, the half-dose, half-time Tc-99m Rest/Stress protocol combines reduced injection doses with shortened scan times, enabling higher patient safety and comfort, while helping overcome the impact of radioisotope supply shortages and increasing patient throughput. A typical "half-dose half-time" same-day Tc-99m Rest/Stress protocol consists of:

· Rest: 5-6 mCi; 15-20 sec. per stop.

· Stress: 15-20 mCi; 10 sec per stop.

NOTE: As in other protocols involving a shorter acquisition time, caution should be exercised when scanning larger patients. In patients with large chest circumferences and in women with large, dense breasts, doses should be increased proportionately for both the Rest and Stress scans, or the two-day Stress/Rest half-dose half-time scan protocol should be applied.

2. Dual-Isotope Single-Day Protocol

The one-day dual-isotope Tl-201/Tc-99m protocol combines reduced doses and shorter scan times. Reduced-dose shorter-time Rest Tl-201 imaging is followed by shorter-time reduced-dose Tc-99m Stress imaging:

· Rest: Tl-201, 2 mCi (female) / 3 mCi (male); 20sec. per stop.

· Stress: Tc-99m, 20 mCi (female) / 30 mCi (male); 10sec. per stop.

As attested by many users of dose-reduction protocols enabled by UltraSPECT's image reconstruction products, the negative impact of the reactor shutdowns can be substantially and effectively mitigated, freeing up Tc-99m supplies to accommodate all their patients.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

Xpress/Xact.Bone™ - Cut Scan Times in Half - or - Double the Resolution.

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 13:37:00 +0000

Through an exclusive Canadian agreement, ADN Canada is offering Xpress/Xact.Bone™ which utilizes UltraSPECT®’s Wide Beam Reconstruction (WBR™) technology to either cut bone imaging acquisition times in half, or double the image resolution. Xpress/Xact.Bone™ completes a whole-body acquisition in less than eight minutes – and can display your standard high-resolution images at a quality never before seen in nuclear imaging. We encourage you to find out how UltraSPECT® WBR™ technology can help to change the way you manage your cardiology practice.

Features:

Dramatically reduced scan times
Superior image quality
Increased patient throughput and department productivity
Improved patient comfort and reduced patient motion
Seamless integration and automated operation

Documents:

For more information on Xpress.Cardiac™ in Canada, please contact ADN Canada. Your local ADN Canada sales consultant can provide you with product information brochures. You can also obtain additional information on the UltraSPECT website (www.ultraSPECT.com). We encourage you to find out how UltraSPECT® WBR™ technology can help to change the way you manage your cardiology practice.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

Xpress.Cardiac™ - Cutting Scan Times in Half.

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Xpress.Cardiac™ utilizes UltraSPECT®’s Wide Beam Reconstruction (WBR™) technology to cut cardiac imaging acquisition times in half without compromising image quality. Xpress.Cardiac™ will complete a gated stress myocardial perfusion study in as little as six minutes and a rest SPECT acquisition study in less than eight minutes. Xpress.Cardiac readily connects to most cameras and workstations. Robust, reliable and fully automatic, with a single processing protocol for all patients, it is virtually transparent to clinical work-flow.

Features:

◦ Dramatically reduced scan times

◦ Superior image quality

◦ Increased patient throughput and department productivity

◦ Improved patient comfort and reduced patient motion

◦ Seamless integration and automated operation

Documents:

◦ Xpress.Cardiac™ Brochure

For more information on Xpress.Cardiac™ in Canada, please contact ADN Canada.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

UltraSPECT® - Shaping the future of Nuclear Medicine in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Through an exclusive Canadian agreement, ADN Canada is offering UltraSPECT®’s Wide-Beam Reconstruction (WBR™) technology. This innovative technology dramatically reduces scan time without compromising image quality. Reduced scanning time provides greater comfort to patients, which helps eliminate motion artifacts during nuclear diagnostic imaging. Higher resolution imaging also results in increased diagnostic confidence.

In addition, the image reconstruction process is completely transparent to the department's clinical workflow. Imagine:

Completing a resting Myocardial Perfusion study in 8 minutes, or a whole body bone scan in half the time.
Performing a Gated Stress SPECT acquisition in just over 6 minutes.
The final images displayed at contrast and resolution levels equal to or higher than those you have learned to expect.
Higher productivity, increased patient comfort and improved image quality and clinical confidence.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can this technology be used on single head systems?

Yes. For cardiac purposes, as long as the detector acquires SPECT images for a minimum of 3 degrees per stop which is 60-64 stops total. For bone applications, this is only an issue for bone SPECT acquisitions not planar or whole body systems.

What requirements are necessary to consider this technology as an enhancement to my current camera system?

The system must be DICOM compatible. An easy way to check if your system is DICOM compatible is to check if your printer is DICOM compatible, or checks with your service engineer.

Will UltraSPECT interfere with my network, system warranties, HIS/RIS, or PACS system?

No, it will not interfere with any of these. Adding UltraSPECT is similar to adding a DICOM printer. The only compatibility issue is that it must be DICOM compatible.

What does DICOM refer to?

DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting medical imaging information. DICOM files can be exchanged between two entities that are capable of receiving DICOM info.

How many cameras can go on one UltraSPECT hardware box?

One UltraSPECT computer system can host up to 4 separate licenses, allowing 4 separate cameras on the system as long as the cameras are on the same network. Multi-site offices will require a complete system for each location.

What is the license?

The license is the actual software designed specifically for each camera system.

What type of computer is used? The hardware is a Dell computer with Pentium processing, which houses the WBRTM software.

How much space will the system take?

The hardware requires minimal space and is positioned between the camera and the processing station. The operation is fully automated and transparent to the department workflow.

How long does it take to install?

The system readily connects to your existing camera and can be installed within hours.

Who is providing technical support for this product?

All technical calls will be referred to the appropriate toll-free number and addressed by UltraSPECT’s clinical product specialist after installation. Additional staffing may be added as the need increases.

If I have more than one site, can this license be shared among my other sites?

No, each UltraSPECT system must be purchased separately unless they are all under the same roof. Any questions or concerns regarding this should be forwarded to the clinical specialists.

What is half-time imaging and how does this compare to current standard industry imaging time?

The term half time refers to how long the total acquisition time takes and camera manufacturers to distinguish the difference using a term. Half-time software is designed to get the same result using half the amount of acquisition time to acquire a study without losing count statistics.

Are there differences in half-time imaging techniques?

Yes, current image enhancement software uses other iterative reconstruction technology, which does not depict accurate image resolution and does not accurately address signal-to-noise ratio. Most camera manufacturers are providing this software as part of a new system upgrade, and is not available for older cameras. WBR has been proven to be as good if not better in resolution due to limited iterative reconstruction of the raw data.

What is the signal-to-noise ratio?

It is a ratio describing the relationship between desired and unwanted information. An increased signal-to- noise ratio represents better image quality.

What is iterative reconstruction?

It is a repeated calculation process where the algorithm calculates all of the data several times. Calculations are repeated several times starting with a best guess with each iteration becoming more accurate than the previous ones.

How does over iteration contribute to lower quality images?

It mathematically and continuously smoothes the reconstructed data, which can obscure or mask defects.

What is “first best iteration”?

This iteration is determined automatically by the target signal-to-noise ratio.

Has this type of technology been approved by the accrediting bodies? It is approved for usage by all accrediting bodies. Refer to www.icanl.org and www.acr.org for the specific requirements.

How can WBRTM software be used to comply with current ICANL guidelines?

Our recommendation is to submit to ICANL the protocols that were designed for use with this product. UltraSPECT does not recommend using full-time imaging techniques since the algorithms are specific to half time imaging techniques. If you have any other concerns regarding ICANL, contact your clinical specialist.

How is WBRTM different from resolution recovery software?

WBRTM is noise reduction as well as resolution recovery. UltraSPECT’s WBRTM is the only technology that does not use post-processing filters due to noise suppression of the reconstructed data.

What are the major benefits of UltraSPECT’s WBRTM?

1. Better image quality, increasing diagnostic confidence

2. More efficient throughput and schedule flexibility

3. Improved patient comfort and safety

4. Can be used on existing camera system, thus minimizing the cost for new technology,

5. Gives practice strong competitive position within your market (i.e., enables labs to market new cutting edge technology to expanded referral base (i.e., pediatric, geriatric, and facilities for the mentally challenged)

How is the calculated LVEF affected by this technology?

The left ventricular ejection fraction calculation is measured by determining the edges of the endocardial borders. These are better depicted due to increased resolution of the valve planes on the reconstructed data.

Can normal databases be used that were established with FBP technology such as Cedars QPS/QGS, 4DM SPECT, Emory Toolbox, etc? Are there any normal databases being created for WBR technology use?

WBRTM and OSEM are compatible with all of the industry software that originally was designed for FBP technology. There are no plans to have any new normal databases at this time.

Where is the best place to get information on UltraSPECT?

Your local ADN Canada sales consultant can provide you with product information brochures. You can also obtain additional information on the UltraSPECT website (www.ultraSPECT.com). We encourage you to find out how UltraSPECT® WBR™ technology can help to change the way you manage your cardiology practice.

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada Adds UltraSPECT™ to Portfolio

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:34:00 +0000

UltraSPECT - Setting the New Standard for Cardiac SPECT in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:04:00 +0000

ADN Canada is please to be named the exclusive Canadian distributor of the UltraSPECT line of products. In the United States, UltraSPECT products are distributed exclusively by Cardinal Health.

UltraSPECT is a leading provider of Nuclear Medicine image reconstruction products for enhancing the performance of gamma cameras. Based on proprietary, innovative reconstruction algorithms technology called Wide-Beam Reconstruction (WBRTM), the imaging solutions shorten acquisition times and enablereduced radiopharmaceutical doses while increasing image resolution.

ADN Canada is excited to offer this new line to the Canadian market as it can cut cardiac image acquisition times by one-half, or alternatively, cut the radiopharmaceutical dose to one-half. The Xpress3.Cardiac product, for example, reduces cardiac scan times to merely 3 minutes for Stress and to less than 5 minutes for Rest; and it also enables reduced-dose protocols at shorter scan times. UltraSPECT’s Xpress/Xact.Bone can either cut bone imaging acquisition times by half, or double the image resolution. The best part? None of these enhancements compromise image quality—in fact, image quality is improved across all applications.

All this is now possible thanks to UltraSPECT®'s exclusive Wide-Beam Reconstruction (WBRTM) technology! WBR virtually resolves the well-known trade-offs between sensitivity and resolution in Nuclear Imaging, revolutionizing the way Nuclear Imaging is practiced. The benefits are significant.

Xpress.Cardiac - Half-Time Cardiac Imaging - Download Brochure
Xpress/Xact.Bone – Half the Scan Time and Higher Image Quality - or - Twice the Resolution for the Standard Scan Time - Download Brochure
Clinical Workflow Overview
UltraSPECT.gate DICOM Conformance Statement
Case Studies
Scientific Articles and Presentations
About UltraSPECT Company

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ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and over twenty PACS sites installed, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad, Medi-Link, Esaote, and UltraSPECT. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERPRISE PACS

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:45:00 +0000

By Beth W. Orenstein, Radiology Today, Vol. 10 No. 19 P. 22

Bringing the functionality of nuclear medicine workstations onto the enterprise PACS is a true challenge, with most facilities employing one of three approaches. Nuclear medicine was the first imaging modality to network and go digital. Nuclear medicine images are complex. Studies consist of four dimensions, use color to represent diagnostic information, and require dynamic image display. Sophisticated modality workstations have long allowed nuclear medicine physicians to reconstruct, review, and/or reprocess these studies as the reader desires. However, most facilities find their nuclear medicine workstations aren’t compatible with their PACS.

“What makes nuclear medicine/molecular imaging work so effectively is also what breaks PACS,” says Xiaoyi Wang, PhD, president, co-CEO, and cofounder of Thinking Systems Corporation, a PACS company that grew out of radiologists’ need to work with nuclear medicine, PET, ultrasound, and catheterization lab images.

Nuclear medicine imaging is functional rather than anatomical imaging, which is what makes the modality intrinsically difficult, Wang explains. “For functional imaging, obtaining images is only the first step. The more important steps are how to process and view the images in meaningful ways, as well as how to analyze the images to make an accurate diagnosis. Unlike most other modalities, for which you just need to acquire images and present them, as is done on PACS, molecular imaging requires a comprehensive suite of tools that are not necessarily available on a PACS workstation.”

Another obstacle to combining nuclear medicine and PACS, Wang says, is that molecular images are formed by collecting radiations from patients that are generated by injecting them with radioactive isotopes. “Compared to other modalities, information available to form images is very limited. To improve image quality, manufacturers have devised their own special technologies. These special technologies often result in proprietary information that no other vendor can support,” he notes.

Legacy Modalities

Yet another problem is that many institutions still use “legacy” nuclear medicine equipment from the 1980s and 1990s that do not support DICOM standards for distributing and viewing any kind of medical image. “For such old equipment, it is simply impossible to send images to PACS,” Wang says. “Even many of the devices that claim to be DICOM compatible only support sending screen captures at best.” Connecting these legacy devices to PACS is a major problem for many institutions, he says.

Finally, being able to store raw molecular imaging data on PACS and bring the data back to the modality is a challenge. “Most PACS either will not accept raw data or, when you retrieve the raw data back, it is no longer usable,” Wang says. That is why “the majority of healthcare institutions still do not use PACS for archiving molecular imaging data long term. In fact, the majority of nuclear medicine departments still maintain their own archive on CD/DVD, MOD [magneto-optical disks], or mini-PACS,” he explains.

In recent years, some solutions to the nuclear medicine/PACS dilemmas have emerged as more hospitals adopt facilitywide PACS and, in many cases, move on to their second- and third-generation systems. To solve the nuclear medicine image management problem, most facilities pursue one of three approaches.

One strategy is to use a nuclear medicine-based PACS and viewer that will function as a plug-in feature to the facility’s existing PACS. Thinking Systems’ plug-in to Philips’ iSite PACS is one example of this solution type. Another approach is to deploy and maintain separate systems for PACS and nuclear medicine studies. Many facilities use separate nuclear medicine mini-PACS solutions such as Numa’s NumaLink or NumaStore.

The third approach is to use an enterprise PACS designed to be friendly with nuclear medicine images. Thinking Systems’ ThinkingPACS is an example; it allows readers to use the same workstations to view and fuse all studies, regardless of their origin or vendor. Each solution has pluses and minuses, including cost, compatibility, and efficiency of both the technologists’ and physicians’ time. Here’s a look at them and their pros and cons.

Plug-In Solutions

Today, the majority of healthcare institutions have implemented enterprisewide PACS for general radiology. That’s why Thinking Systems developed plug-in and add-on solutions for some widely used enterprise PACS platforms, including Philips’ iSite PACS and Fujifilm’s Synapse PACS. “Thinking Systems’ plug-in and add-on provide the comprehensive solutions that our stand-alone PACS offers but within the third party’s PACS environment,” explains Wang. “This integration not only brings all modalities into a single PACS platform to improve productivity and quality of patient care, but it also generates significant savings in time through accurate and efficient workflow for the institutions.”

The nearly 30 radiologists of Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg who work at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Va., and seven medical facilities within a 15-mile radius chose Thinking Systems’ plug-in solution for their Philips iSite PACS. Neil B. Green, MD, vice chairman of radiology and physician director of nuclear medicine, says they already had a PACS system with which they were satisfied. “It came close to everything we needed, so we weren’t ready to abandon it,” he says, “but like so many other PACS vendors, nuclear medicine review was sorely lacking.”

The group’s radiologists wanted to have full desktop integration of all their applications on one unit. “It wasn’t making sense to have to purchase expensive dedicated workstations for every location the subspecialist might be reading from,” Green says. “We needed to find a way to build the tools into our standard PACS workstations across the enterprise to allow any subspecialty radiologist to read from any location and permit consultation with referring physicians from the same computer.”

Having the plug-in has improved workflow tremendously, according to Green. “We have about 22 iSite PACS workstations, and you can now sit at any one of them and read any type of exam, including nuclear medicine studies [eg, general, cardiac, SPECT/CT, and PET/CT]. All of the nuclear medicine images are stored and managed on our regular PACS archives. This means that all nuclear medicine studies, just like general exams on PACS, are part of our daily exam worklists and can be interpreted on any standard PACS workstation via the Thinking Systems plug-in. Comparison exams are always immediately accessible with no reprocessing required by the nuclear medicine technologist.” It also means that the results are available sooner for anxious patients and their families, he adds.

Is there a downside to this solution? From a radiologist’s perspective, “I don’t see one,” Green says. However, he adds, “I have had some technologists complain that they’re not as involved in preparing and processing the nuclear medicine images, since much of this role is being performed automatically by the plug-in.”

Separate Systems

There are some nuclear medicine mini-PACS that address connectivity and data storage issues, such as NumaStore software. Think of it as a plug-in to the PACS archive/server that fully supports nuclear medicine and PET/CT, where others offer a plug-in to the PACS display, says Larry Smith, president/owner of Numa.

“Numa’s solutions can archive all the data types generated by nuclear medicine and PET/CT and maintain the data with the proprietary information so that the studies can be recalled, reprocessed, or reviewed on a nuclear medicine or molecular imaging workstation,” he says.

It can make sense for many facilities to have separate archives for nuclear medicine studies in order to maintain all the capabilities and advanced features available in a molecular imaging workstation, he says. Another reason to have a separate nuclear medicine archive is to keep teaching and research studies separate from the clinical PACS.

The NumaStore software application also can be installed on a facility’s existing PACS server and share the archive storage space, Smith says.

NumaStore can be configured to automatically pull images from the molecular imaging workstation and forward images that are compatible to the PACS. PACS users and molecular imaging workstation users can query NumaStore for studies, Smith explains. NumaStore supports both DICOM and non-DICOM studies from various vendors and makes them compatible with all the workstations.

Nuclear Medicine-‘Friendly’ PACS

“What makes Thinking Systems’ ThinkingPACS different from other PACS is that our product provides comprehensive PACS/RIS solutions for nuclear medicine/molecular imaging in addition to general radiology and cardiology,” Wang says.

ThinkingPACS has several functions designed for molecular imaging, including the ability to communicate with any vendor’s modality devices, either through DICOM or proprietary communication protocols, and to receive, retrieve, and send all image types in true DICOM or proprietary formats without losing any vendor-specific information. “With ThinkingPACS, you can communicate bidirectionally with other imaging devices in the enterprise and ensure that the data integrity and vendor-specific information are preserved,” Wang says. With this nuclear medicine-friendly PACS, physicians are able to do PET/CT fusion, SPECT/CT fusion, nuclear cardiology processing and quantifications, and general nuclear medicine view, processing, and quantifications, he adds. Clinical solutions are available enterprisewide through either thick-client workstations or Web-based thin-client approaches.

The disadvantage to this solution is obviously cost. “If an existing PACS is to be replaced by a PACS with comprehensive solutions for nuclear medicine/molecular imaging, such as ThinkingPACS, then there is an obvious cost associated with it,” Wang says. The facility would have to decide whether the cost is justified, which could depend on how many nuclear medicine studies it does per day. Facilities that specialize in cancer may have a higher volume of PET and other nuclear medicine studies.

While Thinking Systems was founded specifically to address PACS issues with nuclear medicine images, other companies have taken steps to make their PACS offerings more compatible with the demands of nuclear medicine.

Christine Cooper, MS, CNMT, RT(n), director of radiology and cardiology/neurology at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn., chose a module by CoActiv Medical Business Solutions to integrate its nuclear medicine studies with its CoActiv PACS. The hospital, which has 26 radiologists, does about 80,000 imaging studies per year, of which nuclear medicine is a relatively small portion, or about 3,600 exams.

Cooper explains her choice: “My goal was to have all my imaging data in one place, and we’ve accomplished that goal. If I had a separate PACS just for nuclear medicine, it would be another server to manage, and I want all my data on one server.” However, she says, “Traditionally, once the nuclear medicine data is archived on the PACS, it can no longer be manipulated, and only the data that is not proprietary goes over to the PACS. Physicians can look at the images but not the actual full analysis.”

Still, Cooper finds that the system works well for their needs. “From a labor perspective, it creates a more efficient workflow when you have a central repository. You can hit a button and everything goes to a PACS. CoActiv also offers more advanced options for viewing nuclear medicine studies that allows for an interactive platform, which can solve both issues,” she says.

Rasu Shrestha, MD, medical director for imaging informatics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which has had a Philips iSite nuclear medicine and PACS solution for roughly five years, says it was the best choice for his center that includes 20 hospitals and 30 imaging centers performing more than 2 million imaging studies each year. It has not added the Thinking Systems plug-in to its iSite system.

The system alone has some limitations for nuclear medicine, according to Shrestha. “We can’t do everything,” he says. “There are some advanced features available via plug-ins for the nuclear medicine studies that we don’t have, but it’s advantageous to have the one system for reading the nuclear medicine and other imaging studies. It’s more patient centric and drives the workflow.”

Since mid-July, Carmichael Imaging in Montgomery, Ala., which does about 16 to 20 PET scans, 10 to 12 MRIs, and about 30 CTs per day, has utilized Siemens’ syngo TrueD, a whole-body imaging solution, on its PACS system so it can read any study from anywhere, says Patrick Rucker, MD, one of its three radiologists. The system registers data sets obtained using PET/CT, SPECT/CT, CT, and MR, allowing exams of patients scanned at different times—before and after therapy, for instance—to be compared.

Rucker says that previously the center, specializing in oncology, had separate workstations for its PET scanners. “It was good, but it wasn’t as efficient as it is now,” Rucker says. “Before, if you needed to look at a study that involved a PET scan and a CT, you would have to go back and forth between the two different workstations. I would have to either stop what I was doing and call the technician and say, ‘Please send the study to me,’ or I would have to find the old study myself and send it to my Siemens workstation and wait for the study to come over. With the new system, it’s just drop and drag and in 15 seconds, it’s loaded. It really has cut down on wasted time.”

Being able to look at all the images on the same workstation improves not only efficiency but also accuracy, Rucker says. “The less you look at an image, the more time it takes you. You lose your train of thought and could miss important details. With this system and its ability to fuse the images from the different modalities, my eyes never leave what I’m looking at and that makes it more accurate.”

The one disadvantage to adopting the new system, Rucker says, “is that you have to replace your PACS and go through the update process, but I had no interaction with that,” he says.

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Beth W. Orenstein is a freelance medical writer based in Northampton, Pa. She is a regular contributor to Radiology Today.

News: Thinking Systems™ takes PACS and RIS to a whole new dimension.

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:29:00 +0000

NORFOLK NUCLEAR MEDICINE SERVICES CHOOSES THINKING SYSTEMS RADIOLOGY INFORMATION SYSTEM (RIS)

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada is pleased to announce that in April 2010, Thinking Systems’ RADIOLOGY INFORMATION SYSTEM (RIS) was proudly installed at Norfolk Nuclear Medicine Services.

ThinkingRIS is Thinking Systems’ Web-based RIS (Radiology Information System) product that is merged with ThinkingPACS (i.e., they share one single database). It offers the advantage of centralized storage for both images and patient information. ThinkingRIS allows clinicians or staff members to perform key tasks such as patient registration, scheduling, exam tracking, staff and resource management, report generation and distribution, etc., from any Windows computer on the network (Intranet or Internet).

ThinkingPACS and ThinkingRIS are both scalable to fit the needs of institutions of all sizes, from a single-doctor practice to a large hospital. ThinkingPACS and ThinkingRIS are also based on an open architecture, using standard Microsoft Window operating systems (Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, etc), and off-the-shelf hardware.

KLAS-Award Winning ThinkingPACS and ThinkingRIS are proudly installed worldwide in leading hospitals, research institutes, imaging centers, and advanced doctors offices, including notables Yale-New Haven Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Miami, Toronto Western Hospital (Canada), Weigong Hospital (Taiwan), Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates, Radiologix, State University of New York at Stony Brook, and many more.

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About Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

With over ten years in business in Canada and twenty PACS sites installed in Canada, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad and Medi-Link. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

REFURBISHED PHILIPS ADAC DUAL-HEAD CARDIO MD

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:16:00 +0000

DESCRIPTION:
This Refurbished PHILIPS - ADAC DUAL-HEAD CARDIO MD (2002) is a fixed 90-degree Cardiology Camera designed to optimize office-based practices. Featuring excellent image quality, high throughput, and a small footprint.

FEATURES:
+ Hardware- Philips/ADAC Cardio MD
+ Fixed 90-degree gamma camera, LEHR collimators. 400lb supine / prone patient table, ECG gate, UPS
+ Software – AutoSPECT Cedar-Sinai processing
+ Full detector calibration
+ Like-new interior and exterior of system – fully reconditioned
+ Supported by a comprehensive one-year warrantee
+ AVAILABLE:   30-90 Days

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ADN Canada offers fully refurbished (pre-owned) gamma cameras. Systems selected for refurbishment are carefully chosen, refurbished, tested, and warranteed to ensure you receive a high quality nuclear medicine system. Every refurbished unit provided is fully warranted and supported, virtually guaranteeing a risk-free investment and ensuring the most cost-effective maintenance.

ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada - Celebrating it’s 10 year Anniversary, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both DIGIRAD and Medi-Link. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

Pre-owned (Refurbished) SIEMENS e.cam Dual-Head 180° Gamma Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:46:00 +0000

Available:

Refurbished Siemens e.cam Dual-Head Variable Angle Gamma Camera

DESCRIPTION:

The Siemens e.cam Dual-Head Variable Angle nuclear camera enables 180°, 90° and 76° detector positions allowing the system to optimize sensitivity and throughput for general purpose, cardiology, oncology and neurology studies. The systems full range of motion allows for caudal and cephalic detector tilt.

Features

Dual-head solution with variable angulations (180°, 90°, 76°)
Open gantry design
3/8" crystal
Automatic body contouring
Whole body acquisition
Wide range of collimators
12 months warranty
Service contract to meet your needs.

View Siemens e.cam Brochure

Full View - Refurbished SIEMENS e.cam Dual-Head Variable Angle Gamma Camera

Looking for a specific refurbished modality or unit? We can likely source it for you. For additional information please contact ADN directly.

ABOUT Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

Celebrating it’s 10 year Anniversary, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad and Medi-Link. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

MEDI-SCAN DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES INSTALLS ADVANCED THINKING SYSTEMS PACS AND RIS SOLUTIONS

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:42:00 +0000

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada is pleased to announce that Medi-Scan Diagnostic Services also selected and installed Thinking Systems KLAS Award winning PACS and RIS solutions 2009.

About Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

Celebrating it’s 10 year Anniversary, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad and Medi-Link. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada installs Thinking Systems PACS and RIS at three locations

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada is pleased to announce that over the past eight months 2009, Thinking Systems KLAS Award winning PACS and RIS solutions were proudly installed at:

+ ‪Kawartha Diagnostic Imaging chose Thinking Systems for their PACS and RIS requirements.

+ Alexander X-ray chose Thinking Systems for their PACS and RIS requirements.

+ Pine Ridge X-Ray chose Thinking Systems for their PACS and RIS requirements.

About Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada

Celebrating it’s 10 year Anniversary, Alliance Distribution Network (ADN) Canada distributes KLAS Award winning Thinking Systems PACS and RIS solutions across Canada, as well as both Digirad and Medi-Link. For additional information please contact ADN directly. Alternatively, please feel free to join the discussion on our new Facebook Page.

DIGIRAD INTRODUCES C.PAX™ FOR CARDIOLOGY

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:06:00 +0000

Digirad Corporation (NASDAQ: DRAD) announces c.pax™, a combined structured reporting and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) in an online solution. The c.pax™, reduces capital costs, information technology (IT) support and maintenance costs and increases practice workflow efficiency.

It all starts with the revolutionary cardius x.act, the world’s first (and only) solid state SPECT system that combines solid-state detectors; a rapid imaging detector geometry; a low dose volume CT attenuation correction approach; 3D-OSEM reconstruction; and upright imaging. That’s right, 5 enabling technologies, all from Digirad - all in the X.ACT. The X.ACT meets today’s challenges head-on and raises clinical performance in nuclear cardiology to, as we say, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Watch the video

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Canadian e-Health and Web 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Goodbuzz) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Healthcare systems are undergoing a series of complex transformations. Consumers are demanding better services and information that enables provider transparency and a more personalized service delivery model. This shift in healthcare has already begun, whether or not healthcare delivery organizations are ready to respond or not. We are quickly moving away from the traditional models of medicine and towards a patient-centric model with the intent to deliver more efficient care, whilst simultaneously improving patient outcomes. The advent of new web 2.0 eHealth technologies is proving a powerful catalyst and today’s savvy consumers (patients) are demanding that the often slow-moving healthcare industry act in response to their evolving needs.

With close to 70% of the Canadian Population online — it stems to reason that most people prefer to investigate their health concerns online before visiting a Physician. Moreover, these same people report that what they find online influences their treatment decisions. The increasing expectations of consumers is a clear reflection of wider societal changes that have been evolving for a number of years, however, the pace of these trends has recently accelerated. In particular, the ability to articulate and communicate (1:1) individual preferences and demands has been made far easier with advancing web technologies. Such tools, for example, have enabled even novice internet users to create and edit content online. It’s clear; today’s Patients are becoming better informed and more web savvy; increasingly seeking services that allow them to take an active role in managing their health.

Patient Empowerment

Empowering patients to take more control over their health extends to those actions individuals and take for themselves, their children, their families and others to stay fit and maintain good physical and mental health; meet social and psychological needs; prevent illness or accidents; care for minor ailments and long-term conditions; and maintain health and well being after an acute illness or discharge from hospital. This “Self-care” is also one of the key building blocks for patient-centric healthcare delivery, and research shows that supporting self-care improves health outcomes, increases patient satisfaction, and reduces the increasing administrative burden.

This (r)evolution is also driven by things like the increased adoption of online services via broadband and mobile devices; the enhanced ability to connect with individuals in other social networks; the continuing ease in submitting content online; and the growing participation of users with similar interests in online communities. People are flocking to online communities to share personal health experiences as well as learn from others with similar experiences or conditions. Patient feedback on treatments and providers for example, has begun to develop into an online system that generates transparency in the health system.

Today’s web-savvy patients are using web tools to take responsibility for managing their own health status and care-path rather than always relying on experts or the 'doctor knows best' assumption. This self-service (self-care) trend effectively bridges the gap between caregivers and patients – before, during, and after the hospital stay and has far-reaching implications.

Heightened Transparency and Accountability

One of the central components of healthcare delivery (and public health at large) is information. The use eHealth (ICT) technologies related to gathering and retrieving patient data is already important and will only become more important in the future. Millions of dollars are spent each year in Canada on patients with chronic diseases who do not receive the recommended care designed to keep their conditions under control.

New web 2.0 consumer tools and service models for chronic conditions are taking shape and the trend toward measurement of clinical outcomes is increasing and irreversible. As both regulatory agencies and consumers insist today on measuring the quality of care across a wide variety of clinical areas, “best-practice” treatment models emerge. This follows the growing awareness that quality equals affordability and that the best way to control long-term costs is to provide higher quality care today.

The Electronic Health Record (EHR)

Technology can be intimidating, however Practitioners recognize today that the use of a comprehensive, transferrable EHR promises to protect patients from preventable errors such as medication mistakes, surgical complications, and much more. It’s proven that extending care delivery stakeholders access to timely, evidence-based and expert information enables more efficient and better-informed decisions. A US-based 2008 New England Journal of Medicine survey found that “82 percent of those using such electronic records said they improved the quality of clinical decisions, 86 percent said they helped in avoiding medication errors, and 85 percent said they improved the delivery of preventative care.”

Whether the goal is to heighten prevention, detection, integration, or extend patients self-management, the advent of new web 2.0 eHealth technologies is shifting the healthcare delivery paradigm to focus on connecting individuals rather than infrastructure – putting patients (and clinicians) at the centre of new models of connectivity for improved communication and collaboration. The future has a way of arriving unannounced.

May the dreams of our past be the reality of our future.