Sony has launched the industry’s first medical monitors that combine 4K and 3D imaging technologies, delivering high brightness, enhanced resolution and increased depth of field for a range of medical applications. The new surgical monitors, LMD-X550MT (55′) and LMD-X310MT (31′) are designed to be used with 4K or 3D endoscopes and surgical microscopes in operating rooms. They are also suitable for training and education purposes. Recognizing that there is a demand for 4K and next generation 3D endoscopes, the company has produced equipment that reflects these needs. As such, both of the monitors display 2D and 3D content in stunning 4K or HD resolution. The new 4K 3D monitors have a slim chassis and thin bezel, and also offer many of the features and technology that are featured in Sony’s award-winning medical monitor lineup. The use of 4K offers users image quality that is much more defined than high-definition images, and the use of 3D visualization is key to providing surgeons with improved accuracy, helping them to reduce procedure times while delivering realistic depth perception.
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Based on the key requirements expressed by all its main customer groups in radiology, Siemens Healthineers has developed an entirely new platform for computed tomography. It responds to the needs of diverse users and in doing so improves their competitive position. The Somatom go. platform with the Somatom go.Now and Somatom go.Up scanners offers automated and standardized workflows and also gives radiology providers the option of using a highly costefficient single-room concept for the first time. Based on the Somatom go. platform the company offers two scanner variants: the 32-slice Somatom go.Now is particularly suited to radiology providers who want to establish a new CT department. Somatom go.Up is equipped with a wider detector providing up to 64 slices. Among other benefits, it offers faster scanning, which is especially important for lung imaging – e.g., to screen for cancer. This model is therefore suited to radiologists who want to expand an existing portfolio. The Somatom go. platform can be controlled via a tablet, which paves the way for an entirely new, mobile workflow. The standardized work steps are designed so that users can run the scan with just a few inputs. Automated postprocessing makes it even easier to operate the scanners. This means that even staff with a lower level of training can carry out the examinations, for instance in emergencies during a night shift . The standardization also gives radiologists additional assurance with regard to the diagnostic quality of the images. Since the scanners can be controlled via a tablet, radiographers can stay with patients while preparing the scan, which makes the examination experience more pleasant for patients, especially for children. The scanners can be controlled on the move while all computer hardware that was up to now located in the control room has been integrated into the gantry of the scanner. This way, the institutions can benefit from a flexible room concept, a feature that was simply not possible with previous systems. Instead of requiring two or three rooms for the scanner, the control unit, and possibly additional technology, Somatom go. scanners can – if desired – be installed in a single room with a minimum size requirement. With this setup, a shielded niche is enough to protect the radiology staff . This room concept drastically reduces the installation costs and thus makes the Somatom go. platform especially attractive for deployment in emerging markets. A brand new detector based on the already proven Stellar technology and spectral tin filters, which were previously only available on the company’s high-end scanners, allow users to perform lung imaging at extremely low radiation doses. When it comes to vascular imaging, High Power 80 – another feature from the premium segment – keeps tube voltages extremely low, which helps to reduce dose and minimize iodine contrast.
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DETECTO’s new Rescue and Whisper series medical carts come in multiple colour options (red, blue, yellow, and white) with five or six drawers and 360-degree rotation for tight corners. The Whisper series offers unique features, including drawer facades that quickly snap off and back on and completely-sealed drawer rails without any exposed seams for hygienic wipedown cleaning. As the name implies, the Whisper series offers whisper-quiet rolling convenience with its insulated interior walls. The soft-close drawers glide shut for superior convenience. The carts’balanced design will not topple over when full drawers are extended. DETECTO’s carts are manufactured from quality aluminum cart body construction that is powdercoat painted for durability with easy-toclean ABS countertops. The keyed or EMG breakaway central lock secures all drawers at the same time for added convenience. The carts’5-inch-diameter wheels feature two parking locks and one steering lock. ABS bumpers protect all four corners of the medical carts. The push handle offers a user-friendly design. Multiple optional accessories are available for customization. It is also possible to purchase a fullyloaded cart pre-stocked with typical accessories needed for ER or anesthesiology departments.
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Philips has CE marked its cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood test on the Minicare I-20 handheld device. Minicare cTnI delivers its lab comparable test results in less than 10 minutes near the patient, reducing the time for the physician to decide on treatment. Only a single droplet of blood needs to be taken from the patient. The result is delivered while the patient is being assessed and a medical history taken, reducing the time for the physician to decide on treatment. Current guidelines for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction require blood test results of the biomarker cardiac troponin for the 90% of patients who present at the emergency department (ED) with chest pain but are not diagnosed by an ECG. For high-risk cardiac patients (such as those with Acute Coronary Syndrome), fast triage and rapid initiation of treatment are critical in order to improve patient outcomes and to save lives. Only 10% of chest pain patients can be diagnosed by an electrocardiogram (ECG), the rest need to rely on additional cardiac marker testing for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Physicians often have to wait up to six hours before it can be decided if they can safely discharge the patients or if they need to admit them into hospital for further tests. It is essential to diagnose myocardial infarction as soon as possible. The use of Minicare cTnI supports a reduction of the diagnostic protocol by up to three hours, allowing care providers to reduce time to treatment and reduce time to discharge of patients, thereby helping to decrease crowding in the emergency department and leading to better use of hospital resources. The Minicare I-20 was tested in real life acute care settings within the European project Lab2Go, a consortium of European hospitals. The study showed the potential of the Philips Minicare cTnI to accurately measure cTnI values, near the patient in the emergency department, with a turn-around-time of less than 10 minutes. Minicare I-20 is simple and easy to use by non-laboratory staff. The intuitive interface and incorporated fail-safes guide the user through the process steps. A droplet of blood from a finger prick or venous whole blood tube can be applied directly on the cartridge. Connectivity allows for direct transfer of the data to the laboratory or hospital information systems to update the patient files. The robustness and accuracy that is needed for confident decision making is provided by integrated calibration and fail-safe guarantees. The clinical and analytical performance of Philips Minicare cTnI was validated during multicentre clinical studies. The Minicare cTnI point of care assay showed excellent clinical performance for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction comparable to central laboratory assays. Minicare cTnI can be used as an aid in the diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a diagnostic protocol, including a cTn test, when the patient presents at the emergency department; and 2-4 hours later (0/3h diagnostic protocol) in appropriate patients. This follows the 2015 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the management of NSTE-ACS patients.
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