Archive for category: Corona News

Corona News

Cytel launches Covid-19 clinical trial tracker

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Cytel has launched an open-access global COVID-19 Clinical Trial Tracker to help facilitate greater collaboration between researchers, policymakers, clinicians, journalists, philanthropists, and other critical stakeholders who need to understand the complex dynamics of the global response to finding a solution to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The tracker will enable them to make more informed and pragmatic decisions on how to channel scarce resources. Clinicians and local government need to know what trials are taking place in their community to ensure that the right patients receive the right exploratory treatment, while philanthropists and policymakers deserve a one-stop shop to determine which are the most promising early phase treatment results.
Funded in part by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this live dashboard offers an overview of all the trials taking place in the international effort to tackle the pandemic.
Joshua Schultz, Chief Executive Officer at Cytel, explained, "While much of the world is isolating, the scientific and clinical communities are coming together to fight the COVID-19 virus. United by an unprecedented sense of urgency, there is a level of collaboration that we’ve not seen before, and, despite the current pressures on the healthcare system, hundreds of hospitals are still committed to working on clinical trials. At Cytel, we have been supporting numerous clients in developing statistically rigorous models for fast data analysis and addressing the various challenges the pandemic presents in the current clinical environment. We are committed to supporting the global effort – and launching the COVID-19 Clinical Trial Tracker offered an additional way to do that."
To access Cytel’s Covid-19 Clinical Trial Tracker, visit: www.covid19-trials.com

Study shows SARS-COV-2 can be carried in aerosol up to 4 metres from infected person

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A new study by Chinese researchers to check aerosol and surface distribution of SARS-COV-2 in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and General Ward (GW) with COVID-19 infected patients found that the virus can be detected in the air up to 4 metres away from patients. In addition, they found the virus was widely distributed on floors and recommend that persons disinfect shoe soles before walking out of wards containing COVID-19 patients.
They also found the virus on computer mice, trash cans, and sickbed handrails.
The early release study was published April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The aerosol distribution of the virus has been controversial with previous findings based on very small studies which may not reflect real conditions in a hospital at full capacity. This new study, however, tested surface and air samples in a busy hospital in Wuhan from February 19 through March 2 at the height of outbreak in that city.
The study is particularly pertinent for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients and offers a number of conclusions and recommendations.

  1. SARS-CoV-2 was widely distributed in the air and on object surfaces in both the ICU and GW, implying a potentially high infection risk for medical staff and other close contacts.
  2. The SARS-CoV-2 aerosol distribution characteristics in the GW indicate that the transmission distance of SARS-CoV-2 might be 4 metres.
  3. The environmental contamination was greater in the ICU than in the GW; thus, stricter protective measures should be taken by medical staff working in the ICU.

They also found that as the virus settles on the floor it could be tracked around the hospital where healthcare workers from the ICU and GW had walked, such as the floor of the pharmacy.
On this evidence the authors highly recommend that persons disinfect shoe soles before walking out of wards containing COVID-19 patients.
The researchers note that as of March 30 no healthworkers at the hospital had become infected and point out that appropriate precautions can effectively prevent infection.
The authors note that the results of their nucleic acid test do not indicate the amount of viable virus. And that because the minimal infectious dose is unknown, the aerosol transmission distance cannot be strictly determined.
doi: 10.3201/eid2607.200885

‘Questions from the frontline’ — initiative answers clinicians Covid-19 pathophysiology questions

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Frontline clinicians treating coronavirus patients can now gain access to the latest advice from a panel of human physiology experts. Frontline medics can ask anything about how the body might function in response to the disease.
The aim is to provide clinicians with an evolving understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms that both underpin this disease and determine its outcome and mitigation.
The initiative is a joint venture between The Physiological Society and the Intensive Care Society, which is being co-ordinated by Mike Tipton, Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth and David Paterson, Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology at the University of Oxford,.
Questions, comments and data from frontline clinicians dealing with patients are responded to by a Covid-19 advisory panel consisting of 24 specialists with diverse physiological expertise.
Professor Tipton said: “Following a discussion with Hugh Montgomery, a professor of intensive care medicine, it was clear that our clinical colleagues were working flat out whilst most of our academic colleagues were not able to deploy their expertise, sitting at home isolating.
Anyone can access the website to read the questions and responses, but only clinicians can register to ask questions or comment.
Questions from the frontline: https://www.physoc.org/covid19/questions

Bedside patient monitoring system

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The Nellcor Bedside SpO2 System technology continuously monitors oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate for adult, paediatric and neonatal patients. The monitoring system gives clinicians instant access to comprehensive trending respiratory information, enabling them to detect subtle yet critical variations and respiratory complications earlier. The system features enhanced digital signal processing for precise SpO2 readings during low perfusion or other challenging conditions. It also incorporates an alarm management technology to differentiate between serious and minor events and reduce clinically insignificant oxygen desaturation alarms. The monitor further offers an intuitive, multicolour screen that is easy to read in any light and from many angles. Hospital technicians can set institutional defaults, replace the battery, perform diagnostics and generally maintain the monitor within the hospital, saving time and resources.
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Patient monitoring platform with additional measurement technologies

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The IntelliVue patient monitoring platform is now available with Masimo rainbow SET technology. Philips also offers its customers the option to add rainbow SET to existing IntelliVue monitors, and the company is working to integrate the technology into its Philips SureSigns and Philips Efficia patient monitoring platforms. In conjunction with the appropriate patient monitoring platform, Masimo rainbow SET technology analyses multiple wavelengths of light to accurately measure total hemoglobin (SpHb), oxygen content (SpOC), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO), methemoglobin (SpMet) and Pleth Variability Index (PVI) noninvasively and continuously. Continuous monitoring of rainbow SpHb on a Philips monitor at the point-of-care provides clinicians with real-time visibility to changes in hemoglobin in between invasive blood sampling. To ensure that customers have choice of SpO2 pulse oximetry measurement technology, the company continues to offer Philips FAST SpO2 pulse oximetry and Covidien’s OxiMax SpO2 pulse oximetry, depending on the patient monitoring platform.
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Fujifilm’s Synapse 3D provides clinical decision support, speeds up workflow during COVID-19 emergency at Pisa University Hospital

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Pisa University Hospital has received support from Fujifilm Italia to improve and speed up the analysis of lung CT images which are important for the diagnosis of COVID-19. This has been possible thanks to an update by Fujifilm of the configuration of the Synapse 3D software used by emergency room radiologists.
The hospital says this new technological development has been useful to improving management of patients affected by COVID-19, during the emergency.
Synapse3D is a 3D medical image analysis system that uses Fujifilm’s image recognition technology to construct and analyze highprecision 3D images, compiled from tomographic images from CT and MRI. It delivers 3D visualization of medical images and has applications in image-based diagnosis and surgery simulation.
Synapse 3D delivers clinical value through fast, accurate, efficient and robust image processing for radiology, cardiology and surgical preoperation simulation.
It was developed in Japan (where it is named Synapse VINCENT) and it consists of more than 50 different processing modules.
The Synapse3D Lung Analysis/Airway module enables the analysis of density ranges in the lung in a quick, easy, objective and reproducible way.
At Pisa University Hospital the configuration of Synapse 3D was completed quickly, with the study of density ranges and a feasibility analysis carried out in a few days, meaning that this updated integrated workflow has been possible to use in the hospital since April 1.
The Pisa University Hospital had already set up three levels of assessing Coronavirus patients, and with the support of Synapse 3D software, doctors have had the ability to quickly and easily identify the stage of pneumonia, and therefore hospitalise patients accordingly:

  • normal hospitalisation for patients with mild pneumonia not requiring respiratory support
  • assessment by a pulmonologist or intensive care doctor for patients with moderate pneumonia to plan suitable respiratory support
  • intensive care assessment for patients with severe pneumonia with a view to transferring them to the intensive care unit

The density analysis provided by Synapse 3D has made it is possible to analyse the lung according to the different pixel densities of the CT images. Three groups were therefore defined based on different density ranges that allow the radiologist to evaluate the percentage of lung with lower density (emphysema), higher density (interstitial effort) and normal lung.
Dr. Chiara Romei, MD, PhD, Radiologist at the Pisa University Hospital, explained: “In a time of emergency such as this, it is crucial for us radiologists to detect accurate data as quickly as possible. Synapse 3D has enabled a quantitative analysis that is much faster and more objective than the visual analysis of the radiologist; in a couple of minutes it is possible to obtain data relating to the percentage of lung with greater and lesser density and to have a precise and objective, reproducible and shareable value.”
It is important to note that the data obtained by Synapse 3D does not replace the molecular diagnoses made through the nasopharyngeal swab (RT-PCR) and does not replace the analysis and diagnostic work by the radiologist, but instead it supports the reporting of daily exams to monitor and study the evolution of the disease, thus optimising workflow.
For medical professionals – download the take-away: https://synapse.fujifilm.eu/fujifilm-takeaway/
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Siemens offers teamplay myCare Companion flexible telemedicine solution

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Siemens is bringing a new and flexible telemedicine solution to the market with its teamplay myCare Companion software. The software enables remote care for patients with chronic diseases. The teamplay myCare Companion allows healthcare providers to design their own telemedicine programs and flexibly adapt the underlying technology to their needs.
The solution has initially been used at the German Heart and Diabetes Center in Bad Oeynhausen for the care of patients with chronic heart failure.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the occupational health and safety medical center at Mannheim University Hospital has been using teamplay myCare Companions’ documentation and communication components as a “coronavirus diary” for clinical. The staff records their health status every day and medical officers can respond quickly to any changes.
“Previously we used to receive piles of diaries in paper form, but now everything is nicely arranged for software to analyse”, said Dr. Margit Eisenbarth. medical officer. “Employees can enter their data conveniently via an app or website. That saves them valuable time, and we get an immediate overview.”
Wido Menhardt, Executive Vice President Digital Health at Siemens Healthineers, said: “Thanks to state-of-the-art telemedicine solutions like teamplay myCare Companion, a large number of patients can be cared for with a relatively low use of employee resources, and the number of unscheduled hospital visits can be reduced. That can substantially lower costs and is also conducive to better quality of life for chronically ill patients. Additional uses for the program that make life a little easier for medical officers and clinical employees in the current situation show just how flexible this software is.”
Teamplay myCare Companion basically consists of two components: an intuitive smartphone app for patients and a special workstation for medical care providers. Patients use the app to report their health status, wellness, the medications they’re taking, and their vital parameters to the nursing staff. Among other things, the program helps employees quickly identify patients whose state of health may have worsened. The attending doctors can then decidewhether a scheduled hospital visit should be moved forward or if more intensive remote medical care would be beneficial.
Siemens Healthineers supplies the software and supports healthcare providers with the design, installation, and operation of their own telemedicine centre. In addition, the company can assist with procurement of the measuring devices needed to monitor patients’ vital parameters at home (such as scales and blood pressure devices).
This telemedicine solution was developed in a partnership between Siemens Healthineers, the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), and TELBIOMED Medizintechnik und IT Service in Austria. The partners agreed to set up a global sales and development partnership at the beginning of 2020.
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ASST Vimercate Hospital installs Fujifilm’s REiLI Artificial Intelligence to speed up workflow during COVID-19 emergency

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Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Vimercate Hospital in Italy has implemented Fujifilm’s REiLI artificial intelligence system to assist healthcare practitioners on the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the pandemic, operations and workflows in Italian hospitals were disrupted, which significantly increased workloads. As a consolidated partner of Vimercate, Fujifilm wanted to ensure its cutting-edge tools were available to reduce the impact caused by the rapid spread of COVID-19 by assisting in speeding up workflows.
REiLI’s processing of CT scans and chest x-rays provides important support for radiologists, offering them an extremely rapid, quantitative and objective assessment of the various zones of the lungs. The chest x-ray, in particular, is the best example of applying the new AI technology, in that it produces a quick and simple examination which provides a large amount of useful information for evaluating the presence of the pulmonary parenchymal consolidation caused by the virus.
The data obtained from artificial intelligence does not replace the molecular diagnoses performed using the nasopharyngeal swab (RT-PCR), nor does it replace the analyses and diagnoses performed by the radiologist. The data, however, does provide support in reporting on daily examinations conducted to monitor and study the development of the disease, and constitute a second opinion for the operators.
Commenting on the REiLI artificial intelligence system, Marcello Intotero, Head of Radiology Structure and Diagnostic Services Department at ASST Vimercate Hospital, said: “REiLI’s support has allowed our radiologists to report examinations with greater speed and efficiency. This new technology has given great support to the workflow; all images that the artificial intelligence system identified as suspected COVID-19 were subjected to processing by the radiologist in a faster and more urgent manner.”
REiLI is integrated with the Lunit Insight CXR module for the analysis and detection of the main types of pulmonary disease. The Lunit Insight CXR3 module was updated to provide support in specifically identifying the pulmonary parenchymal consolidation caused by the virus.
Giovanni Delgrossi, Head of the IT Department at ASST Vimercate noted that during the health emergency, more than 80 chest x-rays of patients were analysed each day at the hospital. “If no priority is set for the examinations to be reported, it may take hours to identify a particular x-ray which may require prompt, immediate action from doctors. In an emergency like the current one, we need to react and act even more quickly,” he said.
Discussing Fujifilm’s REiLI AI system, Nicola Bilibio, Clinical Specialist Medical Informatics (CSE) Fujifilm Europe GmbH explained that AI is a new operating concept projected towards collaborative intelligence between machine and man. “This is a fundamental tool for optimizing workflow and for screening patients for COVID-19. During the emergency, we promptly made our most advanced technologies available to make a concrete contribution to the crisis.”

  • For more information, visit: http://reili.fujifilm.com
  • About REiLI on YouTube: https://youtu.be/M6ISuRmvQbY

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Hologic was due to showcase the following new products at ECR 2020, which has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

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Breast Imaging
The 3Dimensions Mammography System is the industry’s fastest and highest resolution breast tomosynthesis system on the market. The system offers a variety of features designed to provide higher quality 3D images for radiologists, and enhanced workflow for technologists, with lowdose options, for patients. For example, the system includes Intelligent 2D imaging technology, which works with the system’s Clarity HD highresolution 3D imaging to deliver unprecedented clarity, contrast and detail at a lower dose.
Another feature available with the 3Dimensions system is the Quantra 2.2 breast density assessment software, which enables standardization in patient protocols, providing reproducible and consistent breast density assessment. Furthermore, thanks to the addition of the SmartCurve breast stabilization system, the 3Dimensions system is also clinically proven to deliver a more comfortable mammogram compared to standard compression, without compromising on speed, dose or accuracy.
Interventional
The Brevera® Breast Biopsy System with CorLumina® Imaging Technology is a real-time breast biopsy and verification system that improves the patient experience and streamlines the biopsy process from start to finish. Before the Brevera system, radiologists performing stereotactic breast biopsy procedures to diagnose breast cancer were often required to leave the patient under compression while they moved to another room to image and verify tissue samples. With the Brevera system, radiologists are able to obtain and image tissue samples in the procedure room in just a few seconds, potentially saving up to 10 minutes per patient and cutting the procedure time by up to 25%.
The Affirm® Prone Breast Biopsy System is the only dedicated prone biopsy system offering superior 2D or tomosynthesis imaging. Thanks to this high-quality 2D or tomosynthesis imaging and a field of view that’s more than 6.5 times larger than older generations of prone biopsy systems, clinicians can visualize more tissue and pinpoint subtle lesions and faint calcifications that may not be visible on older systems. Of note, more than 95% of patients reported their Affirm prone biopsy procedure was faster, more comfortable and less painful than expected. The system is designed with patients’ physical and emotional comfort in mind. Direct view of the biopsy needle is eliminated helping to reduce patient stress, and clinicians can quickly identify, target and access lesions to help reduce time spent in compression.
The Faxitron™ Core Specimen Radiography System is designed for efficiency. Within seconds this self-contained, table top unit provides highresolution imaging for immediate core sample verification in the biopsy room.
Breast Surgery
The LOCalizer™ Wireless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Breast Lesion Localization System is a non-radioactive, radiofrequency localization system designed for precise marking and targeting of lesions in breast-conserving surgery. It was designed to replace the traditional wire-guided localization method, which requires placement of a wire on the day of surgery. With the tag, placement can be done weeks or months prior to surgery. For patients, this means they can arrive closer to their surgery time and experience fewer interventional procedures.
The Trident® HD Specimen Radiography System delivers enhanced image quality, improved workflow and instant sample verification during breastconserving surgeries and stereotactic breast biopsies. The Trident products are the only specimen radiographs on the market to use amorphous selenium direct capture imaging – the same detector technology used in Hologic’s 3Dimensions mammography system – to generate crisp, clear, high-resolution images.
Ultrasound
The Viera™ Portable Breast Ultrasound System is a wireless, handheld ultrasound device that delivers accurate, high-resolution diagnostic images at the point of care, enabling optimization of clinical workflow and patient pathway. The system seamlessly transmits images to smart devices and communication systems (PACS) in the office, exam room or surgical suite, and allows facilities to add interventional breast ultrasound services for a fraction of the cost of comparable cart systems. Additionally, the Supersonic Mach 30 Breast Ultrasound System provides fast, high quality imaging and is the first to offer an intuitive touchpad control and large adjustable touchscreen display. The system’s enhanced ergonomics are designed to increase usability.
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Carestream increases production of mobile imaging systems in response to pandemic

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In response to the need for critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic, Carestream Health has increased production of its portable diagnostic imaging systems.
As unlikely facilities begin to function as urgent care units, Carestream’s DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray System and DRX-Revolution Nano Mobile X-ray System bring the X-ray exam to the patient’s bedside, delivering high-quality digital radiography images to healthcare providers in real time to aid patient diagnosis – whenever and wherever needed.
“Our manufacturing plants and warehouses are operating at full capacity with employees putting in long hours and extra days to support the healthcare professionals who are on the front line of this exhausting fight,” said Charlie Hicks, Carestream’s General Manager for Premium Tier Solutions. “Likewise, Carestream suppliers and partners are ramping up production to help support this humanitarian crisis.”
With the current physical distancing measures in place, Carestream’s mobile solutions play an instrumental role in limiting the spread of infection by providing bedside chest imaging, which is vital for patients afflicted with the coronavirus, a disease that often results in a respiratory tract infection.
The DRX-Revolution system has added features to help reduce contamination. Shelves located in each of the detector slots, within the bin, allow users to safely place protective bags on detectors. Flush-mounted displays limit fluid ingress and provide a smooth surface for easier disinfecting. Bar code scanners automatically input patient information when wristbands are scanned, allowing users to quickly start an exam with limited interaction between the patient and the equipment.
Carestream’s nonmotorized DRX-Revolution Nano Mobile X-ray System also provides chest and intensive care imaging, with a compact, lower-cost mobile unit and an ultra-lightweight design for easy manoeuvrability and arm positioning.
For more information, visit: www.carestream.com
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