A World of Imaging

What’s new at RSNA? Scroll through the article below and let your mouse do the walking before you do.

The first Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, back then known as the Western Roentgen Society, was held in 1916 at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago. At that time, the Hotel Sherman was undergoing construction, but by the end of the 1920s, the facility offered 1,600 guest rooms, a banquet hall with seating for 2,500, and a new marble lobby (according to Web site Jazz Age Chicago: Urban Leisure from 1893 to 1945).

The show has grown significantly over its 95-year history, and this year will take place in the country’s largest convention center, McCormick Place, which offers 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space. RSNA first used the venue in 1975 and has returned every year since 1985.

In 2010, the show drew 58,044 people, and 15,801 of them were radiologists (a record number for the event). They took advantage of a myriad of offerings that included the Technical Exhibition Center, which featured 678 companies. This year, a similar number of companies are planning to be on the show floor showcasing products and services in 17 categories, from CT to lithotripsy to ultrasonography. With three exhibit halls, attendees can improve their experiences (and the impact on their feet) by plotting their show floor moves ahead of time.

Here, Axis Imaging News takes a look at some of the highlights among the products and enhancements to be introduced this year.

New Systems Take CR/DR “On the Road”

Agfa Healthcare Corporation, Greenville, SC, will showcase the DX-D 100 with Wireless Detector. Thanks to its motorized, ergonomic design, the DX-D 100 is easily moved and operated by a single person, for improved quality and efficiency of bedside imaging. It is now available with a wireless detector, delivering fast previews and leading-edge resolution for a broad range of general radiography x-ray studies, making it ideal for hospitals and imaging practices with a small work space. The wireless DR panel offers wireless data transmission via IEEE 802.11n (2.4 GHz) in a lightweight panel with a high 125 micron pixel resolution. The detector comes with two batteries and one battery charger so departments can quickly and continuously implement the benefits of wireless convenience and MUSICA2 intelligent image processing technology. (Hall B: booth 8350)

Canon Medical Systems, Lake Success, NY, will debut a number of new DR systems at RSNA, including its first compact wireless DR system, the CXDI-80C Wireless DR system. Built on a previous generation, the new system has a reduced weight and size over previous models; the lightweight body design can fit into an incubator tray or isolette, making it ideal for orthopedics practices and neonatal ICUs. The 6.1-megapixel image sensor (with a pixel pitch of 125 microns) and cesium iodide (CsI) scintillator produce high-quality images with low radiation exposure. Up to 140 images can be produced with a fully charged battery.

Canon will also display two items in its CXDI-501 series: the CXDI-501C and CXDI-501G DR Systems. The systems incorporate a new glass substrate, high image quality, and portability with a 14 x 17-inch imaging area and a light weight of 7 pounds. With a new, detachable cable and compatible cassette, the systems can be installed easily into most existing bucky trays. Output is fast, permitting image previews in 3 seconds; the system uses a 9.5-megapixel image sensor with a pixel pitch of 125 microns and offers a CsI in the “C” version or gadolinium oxysulfide scintillator in the “G.”

Canon’s CXDI-401 four-machine series also uses a new glass substrate: CXDI-401C, CXDI-401C Compact, CXDI-401G, and CXDI-401G Compact DR Systems feature a pixel pitch of 125 microns with approximately 11.3 million megapixels on an approximate 17 x 17-inch imaging area. Medical practitioners can capture precision images from nearly any anatomic view and obtain previews and process image displays in approximately 3 to 5 seconds. The two “C” versions incorporate CsI, helping to minimize radiation exposure to patients during x-rays. (Hall D: booth 222)

Carestream Health, Rochester, NY, will display a work-in-progress, the CARESTREAM DRX-Revolution Mobile X-Ray System. This innovative DR mobile imaging system is intended to address specific diagnostic imaging challenges voiced by health care providers worldwide. The compact DRX-Revolution is expected to offer many new features including a unique, collapsible column that will allow enhanced visibility and safety while moving the mobile system. The imaging system’s ability to make 360-degree turns also will enable radiographers to quickly and easily position it for image capture. The DRX-Revolution is not commercially available. Availability in the United States is contingent upon FDA clearance, with worldwide availability anticipated in mid-2012.

In addition to DRX-Revolution, Carestream will also exhibit its DRX-1 and DRX-1C detectors that have been upgraded to deliver faster preview images, reduced weight, longer battery life, and extended exposures. (Hall D: booth 1611)

FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A. Inc, Stamford, Conn, will showcase its new portable DR unit, the FDR D-EVO Wireless. With a lighter weight, the new wireless version of the company’s flat-panel detector features greater versatility and ease of positioning while matching the image quality of its corded predecessor. The patented Irradiation Side Sampling (ISS) improves detective quantum efficiency (DQE) and enables high-quality images with low radiation exposure, making it ideal for imaging delicate areas, such as orthopedic exams of the wrist, hand, and leg. A fully charged battery will last up to 3 hours or 400 exposures of use. (Hall A: booth 4009)

Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc, Tustin, Calif, will also introduce a wireless x-ray system: the Kalare Wireless X-ray system incorporates a wireless 14 x 17-inch panel and a custom-designed rotating bucky tray that switches from portrait to landscape. The DR technology is based on that of the original Kalare unit and is a digital solution; with rapid processing and instant access to digital images, the system can help to reduce exam time and facilitate workflow. (Hall B: booth 8718)

Siemens Healthcare, Malvern, Pa, will display the Luminos Agile fluoroscopy/radiography system. Designed for use patient-side, its table height adjusts from 65 to 112 cm (26 to 44 inches) and vertical to horizontal using single-handed motor control; the flat-panel detector provides an image up to 177% larger; and a 60-cm-wide opening accommodates larger and wheelchair-bound patients. With true dual-use capability and a design that permits image capture without repositioning or a change in the field of view, the system is intended to help shorten fluoroscopy time and dose. (Hall D: booths 442, 822)

Low-Dose and Low-Impact CT

GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wis, will feature its recently 510(k)-cleared 64-slice CT system, the Optima CT 660. With a compact footprint and modular design, the unit is intended to be eco-friendly, using less power. Ergonomic elements improve user comfort and safety. The system is scalable from 32 to 128 slices and incorporates the company’s advanced reconstruction technology that enables low-dose imaging without impacting quality. Improved workflow features and advanced applications expand use and physician confidence.

GE will also showcase novel dose-reduction tools, such as “Dose Check” and new reconstruction technology Veo. A novel model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) technology recently given 510(k) clearance, Veo has been clinically shown to dramatically lower dose. Early system users, located overseas, have demonstrated submillisievert CT imaging with dramatic image clarity. (Hall A: booths 3265, 3465, 3335)

Alongside its CT systems, Aquilion ONE and Aquilion Premium, Toshiba will display its work-in-progress, AIDR 3D. Standing for adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D, the software is designed to lower radiation exposure to the patient while maintaining impact quality. (Hall B: booth 8718)

Interventional Radiology: Managing the Breath Hold

Providers performing radiation treatments where breath hold is an issue may want to check out Breath Hold by Medspira, Minneapolis. The stand-alone device incorporates an expandable bellows system, pressure-sensitive transducer tube, and biofeedback to let patients self-monitor their breathing patterns. Easy to use and noninvasive, the respiratory therapy device is designed to enable a cost-effective alternative to traditional reactive breath-control technologies. (Hall D: booth 131)

MRI: New Capabilities

Hologic Inc, Bedford, Mass, will showcase its recently FDA-cleared Sentinelle MRI Solutions products: Sentinelle Endo Coil Array for use in pelvic imaging and Sentinelle’s 16-channel Breast Coil Array for use with Siemens 1.5T and 3.0T MRI systems. The Breast Coil Array is available in two configurations: a patient stretcher design with integrated breast MRI coils, and a tabletop that leverages the open-access features of the patient stretcher design. (Hall A: booth 6235, 6258)

Siemens will also showcase a recently cleared product—its Biograph mMR system, the first device to simultaneously perform a PET and MRI scan, according to the FDA. Because MR does not require radiation, patient exposure to dose is reduced, but images still offer the high detail of advanced MR technologies, plus PET. When these are captured together, patients do not need to be scheduled for, be moved for, or undergo two procedures; they can be scanned in as few as 30 minutes for a combined whole-body exam. And the unit’s footprint matches that of existing MR machines.

In addition to new technologies, Siemens will highlight enhancements to existing products, including the fourth generation of its RF and coil technology, Tim (Total Imaging Matrix). The system is now designed with ultra-high-density coils combined with 48 RF channels. With DOT (Day Optimizing Throughput) available on the company’s MAGNETOM Aera 1.5T and MAGNETOM Skyra 3T MRI machines, users can achieve up to 50% higher productivity. (Hall D: booths 442, 822)

Resonance Technology Company Inc, Northridge, Calif, will also feature enhancement to existing products, including its CinemaVision MRI video entertainment system and fMRI (functional MRI) product line; its TFT (thin-film transistor) video panel-reflective entertainment viewing system; and its turnkey fMRI solution, funcLAB. Patients will appreciate the improved graphics, more immersive experience, and new ability to plug in their own portable digital devices (such as iPods). (Hall B: booth 8347)

Shorter Scan Times in Nuclear Medicine

Cleared by the FDA this summer, GE Healthcare’s Discovery NM/CT 670 system will be present at RSNA. The system combines SPECT and CT in one unit to improve workflow, dose management, and image quality. Incorporated technologies include the company’s newly designed SPECT gantry, its latest advancements in nuclear medicine detectors, a wide bore, and the ability to handle patients weighing up to 500 pounds. With the system, the average image time can be reduced from 35 minutes to as few as 16 minutes. Brivo NM615, which will make its global debut at the show, is also expected to shorten scan times. The system is an advanced medicine gamma camera with a single-head system. (Hall A: booths 3265, 3465, 3335)

Ultra-New in Ultrasound

Among its latest developments in ultrasound, Fujifilm will highlight Fazone BC, its entry into the portable market. The system employs the Mountain View, Calif-based Zonare’s Zone Sonography, which uses complex signal processing to acquire data 10 times faster than traditional sonography technologies. Fazone BC also features one-touch image optimization, quick warm-up, management tools, simple connectivity, a large 12-inch monitor, and multiple transducer connectors. (Hall A: booth 4009)

U-Systems will exhibit its new transducer technology, Reverse Curve Soft Touch Transducer Technology, optimized for use with the company’s somo•v Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) system. Designed to ergonomically conform to the anatomic curve of a woman’s breast, the device is intended to improve comfort and imaging performance. Benefits include convergent scan line geometry (which sharpens focus), uniform compression thickness (across the entire breast), and increased image overlap for entire field-of-view imaging. Incorporation of the Soft Touch Membrane adds to patient comfort and facilitates workflow while evenly distributing pressure. (Hall B: booth 9100)

Women’s Imaging: Mammography/Tomosynthesis

Among its other product lines, Fujifilm will showcase its latest developments in digital mammography. This fall, it received 510(k) clearance for the Aspire HD Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) system, which uses a direct-to-digital detector with a pixel size of 50 ?m. The detection area is optimized at 24 x 30 cm, and an ergonomic bucky design maximizes visualization of tissue at the chest wall. (Hall A: booth 4009)

Hologic received clearance for its Selenia Dimensions digital breast tomosynthesis system, Dimensions 3-D, earlier this year and will present it at RSNA. The system can transition between 2D full-field digital mammography imaging and 3D tomosynthesis with one-touch control or be used in combo-mode. Advanced user tools simplify operation and enable higher patient throughput while ergonomic features improve safety for the patient and user. During the show, Hologic will offer five 90-minute programs on reading 3D tomosynthesis cases that will involve lecture and hands-on experience; check the program guide. (Hall A: booths 6235, 6258)

X-Ray

CoreScan, GE Healthcare’s body composition application cleared earlier this year, will be on display. The program quickly and accurately quantifies visceral adipose tissue to help providers assess, manage, and treat obesity-related disease. (Hall A: booths 3265, 3465, 3335)

GE Healthcare will also exhibit its new platform of mobile x-ray systems that includes the Optima XR220amx (digital), Optima XR200amx (digital-ready analog system), and Brivo XR285amx (analog), which all received 510(k) clearance this summer. The systems are designed to be compact, easy to use, and fast while producing low-dose, high-quality images. (Hall A: booths 3265, 3465, 3335)

Whichever products are the must-sees for you, plan ahead to be sure you see them (though Digital Navigators will be available). With three halls filled with the latest and greatest products, you’ll save time and spare your feet.

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Renee Diiulio is a contributing writer for Axis Imaging News.