image_onsight_cbct_01Carestream Health, of Rochester, NY, recently announced a partnership with leading orthopaedic and sports medicine specialists to develop a new three-dimensional medical imaging system for capturing images of patient extremities, including knees, legs, feet, arms and hands.

Not yet available for commercial sale, the extremity system is designed for use at urgent care facilities and clinics, athletic training facilities, and orthopaedists’ and other specialty practice offices.

Initial clinical studies will consider the benefits of using cone beam CT (CBCT) technology in the diagnosis and treatment of knee injuries. Providers who treat patients with orthopaedic conditions, such as traumatic injuries, joint replacements, arthritis and osteoporosis, can be take advantage of CBCT technology’s potential for lower costs and reduced radiation, compared to full body CT systems. Carestream’s new CBCT system can also provide weight-bearing images of knees, legs and feet; these pictures are difficult to obtain with existing systems but can deliver critical diagnostic information to physicians.

“We are focused on applying CBCT technology for extremity imaging because it offers excellent visualization of soft tissue and bone with systems that are smaller and more affordable than CT systems,” said Diana L. Nole, president, Digital Medical Solutions, Carestream. “This system could make it easier for patients to obtain diagnostic exams immediately following an injury and help improve evaluation and treatment.”

Carestream is working with orthopaedic care providers and sports medicine experts to help guide current and future product development initiatives, Nole added. For example, Carestream continues to examine key concerns in sports medicine through a partnership with the Buffalo Bills—an agreement that seeks to enhance understanding of advanced medical imaging technology’s role in early detection and monitoring of player injuries.

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