By Carol Dawson
In March, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual meeting was abuzz with new imaging informatics solutions for the radiology community. With a wide range of tools from software to mobile apps to cloud computing, there was much to see and learn. Here is a roundup of a few of the new or upgraded informatics solutions that were showcased at HIMSS 2013.
BRIT’s Roentgen Works Version 1.5
Roentgen Works Version 1.5 featuring HTML-5 support for mobile devices, patient portals, and enhanced image manipulation capabilities, is the latest offering from BRIT Systems. Roentgen Works, the platform that runs BRIT’s Roentgen Cloud DICOM sharing platform that includes 5 GB of free storage, is a browser-based solution that incorporates the latest technology for medical image sharing. WebWorks, the integrated viewer, displays many image formats and includes specialized cine tools for cardiac ultrasounds.
Some of the features highlighted were Roentgen Works’ cross-enterprise capabilities including a Patient Discovery tool for finding the same patient with different patient IDs in different PACS and presenting all the studies for the patient on a single timeline. With the newer Version 1.5, users can access new and comparison studies regardless of where the study originated. Roentgen Works’ sharing utilities include study upload tools, an email invitation link for granting access to a study, DICOM distribution and routing, and the WebWorks advanced viewer. Roentgen Works is also the base platform for UrgentWorks critical results reporting and ER discordance, peer review, and SpeechWorks radiology reporting tools.
BRIT offers interested users an opportunity to try this technology themselves on their own browsers and mobile devices by accessing www.brit.com and signing up for a free, private 5 GB DICOM server in the cloud.
TeraRecon’s iNtuition
TeraRecon took advantage of HIMSS 2013 to highlight the broad capability of its flagship iNtuition enterprise image management solution to support Enterprise-wide Vendor-Neutral Viewing of medical images. The company showcased its zero-footprint, browser-based iNtuitionEMV™ (Enterprise Medical Viewer), the multimodality, multidisciplinary 2D/3D/4D viewer iNtuitionREVIEW™, and iNtuition Client, which provides advanced image processing for volumetric scans such as CT, MRI, and PET. Support for mobile devices also is provided via the iOS iNtuitionMOBILE app, and via parallel support for mobile browser-based access for iOS or Android.
TeraRecon provides thin-client advanced visualization in the cloud, via the iNtuitionCLOUD™ service. Free evaluation accounts are available at www.terarecon.com/cloud. The iNtuition Uploader™ allows secure, compressed upload of DICOM and non-DICOM image data, and then the zero-footprint iNtuitionEMV can be used to view the uploaded images from any browser. The full iNtuition Client also can be run via a web browser to manipulate data uploaded to the cloud, if required, with full advanced functionality.
TeraRecon’s cloud technology is completely self-contained and not reliant on any third-party service for cloud hosting services. As a result, an equally capable private iNtuitionCLOUD is possible, with all security and access controls remaining within the health care enterprise.
Barco’s Eonis Medical Displays
Barco announced the launch of its brand-new Eonis clinical display family at HIMSS 2013. Designed with clinical specialists in mind, the Eonis displays combine an innovative, built-in front sensor with Barco’s MediCal QAWeb cloud-based tool to ensure superior, controlled image quality. The Eonis 22-inch model is available in a black and a white version, with the latter offering a fully cleanable front glass panel to prevent infection—a first in the market.
The new Eonis display presents crisp, razor-sharp, high-contrast images. To guarantee image consistency at all times, it features a unique front sensor that automatically aligns image quality every time the display is turned on. Furthermore, specialists looking at x-ray images will appreciate the built-in DICOM settings.
Like Barco’s entire medical display range, the new Eonis line comes with Barco’s online MediCal QAWeb service for quality assurance and remote asset management, making it easier for health care IT to centrally and remotely manage and configure displays across the health care organization.
The new Eonis display carries all safety certifications required in clinical environments. It comes in a smart design (VESA mount, integrated cable management system) to allow for flexible deployment in hospitals. Most unique, however, is the excellent cleanability of the white Eonis thanks to the toughened and scratch-proof glass. The display can be disinfected, both front and back, with typical alcohol-based cleaning agents (IP-x3 rating).
The new 22-inch Eonis displays were launched during HIMSS and will be commercially available beginning in June, in both black and white versions. Additional displays in the Eonis series will follow later this year.
Claron Nil App for BlackBerry 10
Claron Technology debuted its new BlackBerry® 10 app for the Nil family of medical imaging viewers. The Nil app supports anytime, anywhere web-based review of a full range of medical imaging modalities and reports, and capitalizes on the enhanced multimedia and multitouch functionality of the new BlackBerry 10 platform.
The Nil app for BlackBerry 10 is compatible with the newly launched BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, as well as the coming BlackBerry Q10. It is available as a free download on the BlackBerry World™ storefront.
With single-touch, ultrafast functionality, the Claron app accesses a Nil viewer running on either Claron’s NilCloud or a medical facility’s dedicated Nil server. It complements Claron’s zero-footprint Nil web viewer available on any desktop, tablet, or other smartphones.
Nil provides medical facilities with an ideal complement to their existing PACS solution for secure, streamlined image access beyond the enterprise or existing IT infrastructure. Nil enables image access on-the-fly and takes advantage of highly optimized client-server communication to remain responsive even over limited bandwidth and high latency connections, such as cellular 3G.
Innovative Nil technology provides authorized users with sophisticated exam viewing and manipulation capabilities, including 2D, multiplanar reformatting (MPR), 3D, and echocardiology with full cine. Its window/level, zoom, pan, rotate, and related features enable comprehensive image manipulation in either single or multiple window display.
RSO’s Imaging Viewer Plug-in
Radiology Services Online (RSO), a provider of specialized diagnostic image viewing solutions for the health care industry, offers a vendor-neutral diagnostic imaging viewer plug-in that solves the problem of incorporating medical images with the patient records managed by clinical information systems.
Accommodation of medical images is one of the menu option criteria for Meaningful Use 2.0 in the Federal Government Electronic Medical Records Mandate.
Since the RSO solution was designed to work within the context of a host clinical information system, it was designed to enable new capabilities in virtually any existing patient information system. The solution requires nothing but a standard web browser because the RSO server driven processing manages the rest and gives access to any medical imaging study with one click from within the context of the patient’s comprehensive medical record or chart. According to the company, it is a true zero-footprint solution that requires no user-side installation.
