With Somatom go.Sim and Somatom go.Open Pro, Siemens Healthineers introduces two computed tomography (CT) systems specifically designed to facilitate planning procedures for radiation therapy and provide better images to help calculate radiation plans. The CT images enable radiation oncologists to identify the target tumour. More precise planning means the tumour can be treated with improved accuracy, while providing better protection for surrounding tissue and organs-at-risk. Designed to accommodate patient positioning accessories and increase patient comfort, the 64-slice Somatom go.Sim and the 128-slice Somatom go. Open Pro have an extra-large 85 cm bore. Both systems also feature optional Siemens Healthineers-manufactured patient marking lasers known as Direct Laser. The laser is used to mark the patient’s position for treatment in the CT, which will make subsequent positioning in the linear accelerator both faster and more accurate. Direct Laser are mounted directly onto the gantry and controlled via a mobile tablet. The new GO with Green mobile workflow brings ease of use and walks the radiation therapist through each step of the patient setup process, enabling the therapist to remain at the patient’s side, potentially improving communication and comfort as well as reducing anxiety.
The Somatom go. Sim and Somatom go.Open Pro also feature DirectORGANS for OAR (Organs at Risk) contouring. This software automatically addresses the dependency between image quality and the consistency of autocontouring results. DirectORGANS uses a specialized image reconstruction, optimizing the CT images for autocontouring and applying a deep learning-trained contouring algorithm. DirectORGANS may reduce unwarranted variations with high-quality contours that approach the level of consensus-based contours.
Unique to the Somatom go.Open Pro CT system is the Direct Intelligent 4D (Direct i4D) technology, which adapts the image acquisition to a patient’s breathing in real time during the scan. Direct i4D is designed to help optimize image quality for each patient, reducing artifacts that are common to 4D image sets and often prompt rescans. In this manner, Direct i4D images can help customers treat more patients with techniques such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) that require a high degree of precision to avoid damaging healthy tissue. The SOMATOM go.Sim and SOMATOM go.Open Pro are pending 510(k) clearance, and are not yet commercially available in the United States.
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The SonoSite EDGE II is a high-resolution, all-digital, 9.0-pound (4.1 kg) ultrasound system with a 12.1in. LED full-bleed glass display. The Edge II boosts improvements in cardiac and abdominal image quality through DirectClear Technology and a new wide-angle display, as well as alignment with the SonoSite pillars. The Edge II features Armored Cable Technology on select transducers, a keypad sealed to the Edge for protection against infection, and persistent knobs for more precise actions. As with our past products, the Edge II is designed with SonoSite’s proprietary Chip Fusion Technology that integrates digital signal processing and multiple system functions into a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) microchip.

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The Trident HD specimen radiography system is a next-generation solution that delivers enhanced image quality, improved workflow and instant sample verification during breast-conserving 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. The new Trident HD system, which recently received FDA clearance in the US and a CE Mark in Europe, also features a bigger detector that allows for complete imaging of larger breast surgical specimens, along with a wide range of surgical and biopsy samples. It is a breakthrough solution that delivers superior image quality, helping to streamline workflows and reduce recalls while decreasing procedure times. The Trident HD system eliminates the need for clinicians to transport specimens for imaging and features an ergonomic design that is 37 percent smaller than the original Trident system, making it easy to maneuver in a crowded operating or procedure room. Prior mammography or biopsy images can be displayed on the same Trident HD high-resolution monitor to speed comparison and analysis, resulting in reduced procedure time and improved workflow.  Additionally, an intuitive touchscreen interface and wireless integration supports advanced image sharing and seamless transfer of patient records to the facility’s picture archiving and communication system (PACS).
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POC Connect is the world’s first mobile data management solution designed for a reagent-free hemoglobin testing device. The simple android application enables the user to store, access and transmit hemoglobin results directly from a DiaSpect Tm hemoglobin analyser to a smartphone via Bluetooth. It is now possible to link Hb results with customizable unique IDs, QC information, Cuvette LOT numbers and dates and times, as well as transfer data easily via a file download or through email so it can be added to a central database or lab information system (LIS). The DiaSpect Tm device can be purchased with integrated Bluetooth, meaning there is no need to purchase an additional external Bluetooth dongle. This new solution will prove useful in countries with challenging environmental and geographical conditions where remote hemoglobin testing and access to internet can often be difficult.
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Philips’ new FlexArm gantry on its Azurion platform opens up imaging and patient positioning opportunities for image-guided procedures. During increasingly complex interventions, clinicians need to quickly and easily visualize critical anatomy and identify changes to the patient during the procedure. Azurion with FlexArm includes a set of innovations that makes it easier for the clinician to perform imaging across the whole patient in both 2D and 3D. As the clinician moves the system, the image beam automatically maintains alignment with the patient, allowing more consistent visualization and enabling them to keep their focus on the treatment. The system is ideally suited for Hybrid ORs that cater to multiple specialties in one room, such as a combination of surgical and endovascular procedures.
 

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