According to the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, some 69,000 women in Germany are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, with almost 18,000 dying of the disease. Conventional diagnostic methods, while well established, are not always reliable. 3D imaging with high isotropic resolution, on the other hand, offers clear advantages.  Nu:view, the world’s first breast CT scanner to use spiral CT technology, is the brainchild of Erlangen-based company AB-CT. With the CE marking for nu:view in place, the new scanner is already in use on patients at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ). What sets nu:view apart is the very high image resolution coupled with low radiation dose and short scan times. To obtain the best possible image quality and maximize radiation dose efficiency at the same time, the detector uses state-of-the-art single photon counting technology. Unlike conventional scintillation, nu:view uses detectors made of cadmium telluride (CdTe), transforming every X-ray photon directly into an electric pulse. In a single rotation around the female breast, 2,000 projection images are created, with a full scan taking as little as seven to 12 seconds – at very low radiation levels without breast compression, ensuring excellent patient comfort. For the first time, a CT scanner makes it possible to acquire an image of the entire female breast in a single scan in true 3D, imaging both the soft tissue and the calcifications. Compared with mammography, the three dimensional, non-superimposed images make it far easier to detect micro-calcifications. This non-compressive method also means less discomfort for the patient and reduces the number of additional ultrasound image.

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The CIRS Ultrasound Quality Assurance Portal helps users of CIRS general-purpose ultrasound phantoms manage their ultrasound testing programme with an easy-to-use, cloud-based application. Video and written instructions for all tests are provided within the app, and test results can either be entered directly to the app, or a data entry form can be downloaded for offline collection. The Ultrasound QA Portal provides convenient reporting features and charting features to track results. It comes pre-loaded with default testing protocols that are designed to meet the recommended practices of the American College of Radiology, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Users can easily modify to meet their specific requirements. The QA Portal will make starting and managing ultrasound quality assurance testing programme as easy as possible. Use of the QA Portal Software is complimentary for any CIRS customer who owns one or more of the following phantoms; 040GSE, 054GS, ATS539 or ATS570. To get started, the user has to register with the following information; phantom serial number, model number, institution name, institution contact phone number, first name, last name and email at http://qaportal.cirsinc.com.
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Researchers at Purdue University have created a a novel wearable patch to treat melanoma.
Conventional melanoma therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, suffer from the toxicity and side effects of repeated treatments due to the aggressive and recurrent nature of melanoma cells. Less invasive topical chemo-therapies have emerged as alternatives, but their widespread uses have been hindered by both the painful size of the microneedles and the rapidly dissolving behaviour of polymers used in the treatments. The new patch overcomes these issues.
Chi Hwan Lee, a Purdue assistant professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, explains: “We developed a novel wearable patch with fully miniaturized needles, enabling unobtrusive drug delivery through the skin for the management of skin cancers .Uniquely, this patch is fully dissolvable by body fluids in a programmable manner such that the patch substrate is dissolved within one minute after the introduction of needles into the skin, followed by gradual dissolution of the silicon needles inside the tissues within several months.”
This gradual slow dissolution of the silicon nanoneedles allows for long-lasting and sustainable delivery of cancer therapeutics. The bioresorbable silicon nanoneedles are built on a thin, flexible and water-soluble medical film. The film serves as a temporary holder that can be conformably interfaced with the soft, curvilinear surface of the skin during the insertion of the nanoneedles, followed by rapid, complete dissolution within a minute.
The surface of the nanoneedles is configured with nanoscale pores and provides a large drug loading capacity comparable to those using conventional microneedles.
The researchers are looking for partners to continue developing their technology. For more information, email: Chi Hwan Lee, lee2270@purdue.edu
Their research is published in ACS Nano. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.0c02343
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Fujifilm is expanding into the CT market with the release of the FCT Speedia 64-slice CT system. Its compact size, powerful applications, and optimized workflow provide the solution to multiple routine examinations without compromise. The 75cm-wide gantry bore reduces patient anxiety and allows easier access to the patient even when the patient’s arms are raised and the patient cannot lie flat on her/his back, while maintaining a compact footprint to facilitate installation into existing rooms. By utilizing only 3 main system modules, gantry, patient table, and operation console, the Speedia HD achieves a remarkably compact footprint. Advanced noise reduction processing employing iterative reconstruction technology reduces image noise and artifacts while maintaining a high quality image. 7 levels of dose reduction can be selected to optimize dose and image quality per examination. In addition, Intelli IP Quick can reduce the image reconstruction time of Intelli IP. LCD displays at 3 positions inside the grantry provide the patient with visual messages about breath holding. Combined with the auto voice prompt, this allows the patient to easily follow breathing instructions. Fast scan rotation, submillimeter slice thickness, high power generator, and advanced image reconstruction algorithms enable the Speedia to produce high resolution and high throughput imaging. High speed scanning with less than 1 sec/rot and the latest 3D reconstruction provides rapid coverage for an efficient and precise examination. The unique Synapse 3D reconstruction algorithm ensures high image quality with less artifact even with high pitch scanning. An operator-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) delivers the latest design. Multi-function access from a single GUI provides a quick and effective operating environment. A 24-inch wide monitor clearly displays all the information in one view with the controller attached to the keybvoard, offering a more compact operating environment than a 2-monitor console. The system features intuitive and easy operation with a newly designed GUI. The Quick-Entry mode enables simple operation for all users with fewer buttons and larger icons.
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Video integration can help medical staff who need to control and operate an overload of segregated systems and medical devices in today’s operating rooms. That’s why Barco developed Nexxis, a video integration sysstem that builds on the IP network to securely share uncompressed, high-resolution video and audio, from a variety of medical systems, in and between operating rooms. The new generation of uncompressed encoders and decoders makes the platform more connected, flexible and serviceable than before, and also more sustainable.
Nexxis allows for streaming of both HD and 4K signals without downscaling. It uses the best available colour reproduction methods like 4:4:4 chroma subsampling and automatic colour gamut selection (BT.709 or BT.2020) to detect the camera source and configure the display.
This can be done via smart plug and play of devices, with as few components (and hence fewer points of failure) as possible. What’s new is that it now also supports additional connectivity options, such as 4K endoscopes with HDMI 2.0. In addition, the Nexxis adapters are the only AV-over-IP devices on the market that support two dual-channel Full HD inputs. The new adapters are significantly smaller and lighter compared with their predecessors. They can be neatly stacked per three in a single 19” 1RU rack, via cleverly designed mounting brackets. This saves space and reduces cable clutter in technical rooms, as well as facilitating integration.  As with any device in the operating room, compliance with sterilization and safety standards is vital to ensure reliability and patient safety. That’s why every Nexxis component has been classified as a medical device CE/FDA (class II) and is fit for medical use.
In addition, the new highly compact encoders are a perfect fit for mobile applications. Moving trolleys through the operating room requires staff to turn off and turn on the power of the devices on the trolley. The new encoders help ensure a faster start-up.
Barco’s Design for the Environment program focuses on reducing the toxicity of products (RoHS and REACH compliance) and making systems more energy-efficient.
The new Nexxis hardware is 50% more energy-efficient than before. The environmental impact is smaller, thanks to the compact format, lowered heat dissipation and lower power consumption. In addition, Barco aims to further reduce shipping costs and waste by only shipping the power cables that are needed dependent on the region.
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