The new IncuWarmer Babyleo TN500 offers optimal thermoregulation in open care, closed care and transition. The device provides a stable micro-environment for the premature baby and is also very quiet, typically operating at 40 dB(A). The wide-ranged height adjustment function, jumbo hand ports and an easy-to-open hood allow clinicians and parents to comfortably and efficiently provide care to the premature baby. An integrated audio system and kangaroo mode help actively involve the parents in caring for their child. The Babyleo IncuWarmer enables open and closed care in a single device and provides superior thermoregulation via three synchronized heat sources to ensure the temperature is maintained even when the hood is opened. A constant supply of warmth is especially criticial for the healthy development of the premature baby. In addition, the device has an automatic humidifier so the humidity level is automatically adjusted according to the temperature settings. When humidity levels are high, to avoid condensation build up on the hood of the device, a Clear View feature activates the radiant warmer to ensure the care team always has good visibility. To make care rounds more comfortable for the staff and parents, Babyleo has a wide variable height range that allows sitting or standing, and makes it easy to find the right position to access the baby. Additionally, the jumbo hand ports, generous storage space and a bed coupling system for the Drager Babylog VN500 ventilator facilitate workflows. Babyleo supports kangaroo care, a technique where the infant is held on a parent’s chest. The kangaroo mode ensures the baby is monitored during skin-to-skin care and that Babyleo’s settings remain set for the baby’s return. It is the first device to also include an audio function which allows, for example, mothers to play music or recorded voice files for their babies via an MP3 player plugged into the side of the device. A small loudspeaker delivers the recording inside the device at a low, controlled volume. Furthermore, Babyleo has a Family View screen. The user interface of the screen displays a select number of easy-to-read medical parameter values, in an effort to reduce parent anxiety, and also includes the baby’s name and a personalized icon so each device is individualized. Parents and caregivers can also choose between seven different mood light colours to gently light the floor area and create a nice atmosphere.
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Siemens Healthineers has launched a range of new MR applications to help hospitals reduce the time needed for MR imaging within neurology. It is estimated that 20 to 25 per cent of all MR examinations are neurological, with the number expected to grow in 2016. The applications have therefore been designed to help organizations increase patient throughput in order to maintain an efficient workflow. One of the applications, Simultaneous Multi-Slice (SMS) EPI, employs an innovative technique to acquire imaging slices simultaneously rather than sequentially, reducing 2D acquisition times with acceleration factors up to eight. Simultaneous Multi-Slice (SMS) EPI can bring DTI and BOLD into clinical routine. This can particularly benefit surgical neurology cases through surgical mapping, potentially helping to reduce post-surgical deficits, and ultimately leading to improved efficiency in the utilization of operating room resources. A further application, GOBrain, enables clinically validated brain examinations in just five minutes. Facilitated in part by Siemens’ high-channel density coils and DotGO software, clinically essential image orientations and all relevant contrasts can be acquired rapidly. In turn, this can improve patient throughput, and costs per scan can potentially be reduced. Shorter scan times can also be better tolerated by patients, and can help reduce the need of sedations and rescans, which can be time-consuming and costly. It is paramount that imaging techniques used to assess neurological conditions continue to advance at a fast pace, as diseases such as dementia are on the rise. There is an increase in demand for diagnostic imaging within neurology, and a priority is to ensure patients receive their tests within the recommended turnaround time. In addition to speed and quality, standardization across systems is also an important element for hospitals when it comes to meeting healthcare efficiency demands. The recently introduced syngo MR E11 software platform is a uniform application platform for the MAGNETOM family and the Biograph mMR MR-Pet system. The focus, in addition to expanding the application offering, is achieving consistency across the entire fleet of systems and managing these effectively. This and other planned improvements show the potential of the Biograph mMR, as it utilizes the MR information to improve PET beyond its current capabilities. The BodyCOMPASS application is designed to enable motion-free PET images with MR-based motion compensation beyond gating, which could be particularly beneficial in delineating abdominal and lung lesions.
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IntelliSpace Cardiovascular is a webenabled image and information management system that provides sophisticated tools to access, analyse and share cardiovascular images and information anytime, from virtually anywhere. The system serves as a nexus of interoperability that allows all care team members to access data and launch sophisticated clinical applications, like IntelliSpace Portal, or IntelliSpace ECG within a single workspace. Other third party applications can also be accessed, providing a comprehensive view of the patient. The new way information is displayed allows all care team members to view the patient’s history, spanning diagnosis, treatment and therapy. Built-in echocardiography reporting features give cardiologists the ability to identify and eliminate inaccuracies within reports.
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The recently launched new generation of automated breast ultrasound, Invenia ABUS, shifts traditional ultrasound from hardware- to software-based processing which results in excellent image quality, reproducibility and easy operation. The ABUS also includes intelligent imaging algorithms to help produce better image quality for easier identification of lumps, such as the tissue equalization algorithm, nipple shadow compensation, breast border detection and chest wall detection. Invenia ABUS’s Reverse Curve Transducer is designed to shape a woman’s anatomy and enhances patient comfort during the exam as well as breast coverage. The 15 cm wide filed-of-view, high-frequency transducer automatically creates uniform compression across the entire breast for enhanced anatomical detail and consistent image quality independent of the operator. The ABUS workstation displays 3D volumes and tools for efficient interpretation and analysis.
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Carestream now offers an oncology reading workflow for PET/CT studies that equips clinicians with new native tools for its enterprise image management system that deliver both quantitative and qualitative information to help improve and expedite the reading process. The latest upgrade for the company’s enterprise image management platform incorporates advanced tools to aid in tumour detection and tracking. This can help radiologists deliver more meaningful reports while also enhancing collaboration with clinicians and patients. Traditional oncology features cannot adequately address the increased demand to be expected for long-term monitoring of oncology patients as the world’s population ages.
The new CT Perfusion and Subtraction modules contain interactive tools to ease the process of analysing and comparing three-dimensional (3D), CT perfusion (CTP) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images. This equips users to analyse CT brain perfusion scans for tissue perfusion and tissue blood volume, while X-ray angiography (XA) subtraction capabilities provide a DSA workflow for analysis of vessel blockages in areas with bony or dense soft tissue. Carestream also developed PET segmentation that allows users to examine tumour standardized uptake values (SUV) traces on the PET image without the need for a physical trace on a CT exam. This capability can play an important role in detection of early stage cancers. The company’s streamlined oncology reading workflow includes: automatic fusion of PET, SPECT, CT and MR images; automatic registration between volumetric datasets that provide efficient comparison of multiple time points; synchronized manipulations, colour maps, measurement tools and pre-defined layouts that aid in analysis; reproducible 2D and volumetric lesion segmentation and automated comparison to observe progression over time; threshold segmentation, spheroid region of interest (ROI), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG); bookmarks to catalogue lesions and speed future access and precise follow-up data for enhanced patient care. An efficient reading workflow is supported by use of Carestream’s native Vue Reporting module that can present interactive hyperlinks to critical images and automatic inclusion of quantitative analysis in the form of easy-to-understand comparison tables and charts, which oncologists and referring physicians prefer. Vue Reporting also offers bookmarks and lesion management reporting in accordance with international standards such as response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST). Reports and images can be shared using Carestream’s Vue Motion universal viewer that supports viewing on FDA-approved mobile devices.
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