Newswatch: February 2006

Look What's Coming!

The DICOMReader from Image Information Systems allows parallel processing of multiple media and adaptation of external data to a local range of patient ID and accession numbers.

• In cooperation with the radiological institutes of German Universities Rostock and Luebeck, Image Information Systems Ltd (IIS of London) has developed the DICOMReader—a tool for reading external radiological CDs for PACS or viewing stations. "The number of external patient CDs that a physician has to deal with is constantly rising," said Arpad Bischof, MD, of IIS. "We wanted to design a user-friendly, fully automatic application that would be able to send images to any kind of DICOM viewer." The tool automatically scans any CD or DVD inserted into a computer for DICOM images. The images are then analyzed, converted (if necessary), and transmitted via DICOM Store to any specified viewing station or PACS. Workflow rules also can be set up as a possibility for central CD management in imaging centers.

Medweb Advanced 3D Web PACS enables the functionality of 3-D templating and sculpting tools from any PC.

• Medweb (San Francisco) has unveiled its Advanced 3D Web PACS, a system that enables many of the features and functions of 3-D imaging currently available only on expensive and dedicated advanced 3-D workstations. Using patented techniques, Medweb's Advanced 3D Web PACS allows users on a standard PC to take advantage of advanced 3-D templating and auto-segmenting of image data from the latest crop of spiral CT scanners , in which studies typically exceed 500 images.

• With the introduction of the PowerServer Tele software suite, RamSoft (Toronto) is hoping to change the way teleradiology is practiced. Based on PowerServer 4.0 technology, PowerServer Tele provides facilities with a versatile set of Web-based tools designed to improve productivity, streamline workflow, and reduce operating costs. PowerServer Tele is priced according to the maximum number of studies that the server will store—in other words, a facility's initial investment is minimal yet protected as study volume increases. The software costs the same regardless of the number of users of the system or the number of connected PCs.

Sectra's new method of retrieving and displaying images is hoped to increase display speed.

• Sectra North America Inc (Shelton, Conn) has invented new ways of retrieving and displaying image data of extreme size and arbitrary dimensions.Combined, these methods increase the display speed of radiology images by a factor of 100 times or more, compared with traditional methods. The first implementation in a series of the new methods is incorporated in Sectra's next-generation diagnostic workstation for healthcare professionals. "A number of great challenges for data retrieval cannot be solved by traditional systems," said Staffan Bergström, VP of marketing at Sectra Imtec AB. "Our new inventions provide methods to cope with these challenges that will further increase efficiency in our customers' operations."

NaviVision from BrainLAB and Siemens Medical could increase safety during typical OR situations due to a decreased number of cables.

• Combining a mobile surgical C-arm and an optical 2-D/3-D navigation unit into a common platform, Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pa) and BrainLAB (Westchester, Ill) have introduced NaviVision. This new system—which combines Siemens Medical's Arcadis family of mobile C-arms and BrainLAB's optical 2-D/3-D navigation unit—allows more room for the operating room (OR) team and helps to facilitate workflow. NaviVision is the first integrated optical navigation platform with automatic recording for surgery that is supported by an image receptor. "Surgical navigation is an essential step in linking intraoperative image data directly with surgical actions and clinical workflow in the OR," said Denise Lippy, VP of the special systems division at Siemens Medical. "It can help the surgeon increase precision and reduce both invasiveness and radiation exposure during surgery."