Imaging Technology Designed to Tackle Economic Hurdles Faced by Radiology Departments Worldwide

At the 2013 European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2013), held March 7–11, 2013, in Vienna (Austria), Philips Healthcare (Best, The Netherlands) presented three systems, which combine the capabilities for high patient throughput and include the functionality and cutting-edge clinical imaging applications.

With aging populations and the upsurge of chronic disease are putting huge pressure on healthcare systems, radiology has become a critical foundation of diagnosis and treatment and much of that pressure is felt in the radiology department. “Hospitals and clinics of all sizes face a constant struggle to treat more patients and reduce waiting times—all within often extremely tight budgets,” said Gene Saragnese, chief executive officer of imaging systems at Philips. “We’re helping them meet that challenge by delivering affordable imaging systems with premium functionality and image quality that deliver real clinical and economic value."

At ECR 2013, Philips presented the Multiva 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, which incorporates high productivity with the capability to go beyond standard MRI applications. The Multiva 1.5T builds on Philips’ innovative technologies from the Ingenia and Achieva platforms. At the core is the FlexStream workflow that enhances coil-handling efficiency for head, spine, musculoskeletal, body, and neurovascular exams, reducing scan set-up time by up to 40%. Furthermore, Multiva 1.5T provides up to 16 times faster imaging, provides high-quality images of large anatomic regions for increased diagnostic effectiveness, and includes many features to improve the patient’s overall comfort and experience.

“I believe Multiva offers the best value for the money in the market today. Its image quality is brilliant, and you can do routine scanning, advanced scanning, and research at a very reasonable cost. The time it takes to change patients has significantly decreased even for elderly patients letting us scan around 20 patients per day. Plus we can do advanced imaging in all body and brain regions, get beautiful visualization of lesions in knee cartilage and small ligaments in the wrist,” said Dr. Christof Walter, coowner of the Radiology Center Trier (Germany).

The DuraDiagnost digital radiography (DR) system was also presented. This cost-effective system brings the benefits of DR to more radiology departments. These benefits include images that are available within seconds and can easily be saved and shared, enhancing workflow effectiveness. DuraDiagnost uses features such as the Unique image processing and Eleva user interface, which automatically and intuitively ensure the right image settings are used for each examination. The system is available in three configurations of which the first two deliver a full range of exams; the dual-detector efficiency room allows rapid switching between different types of examinations for high patient throughput, the Compact room’s unique geometry fits into small rooms, while the table-based Focus room enables enhanced department set-up flexibility for an affordable investment.

“Digital radiography with DuraDiagnost from Philips has met with a great deal of approval in our radiology center from our patients, our radiologists and especially our technologists. The entire workflow process is fast, easy and efficient, letting us spend more time with patients. DuraDiagnost meets both our medical and economic requirements. We can provide all our patients with personalized medical care and simultaneously remain within a reasonable budget,” said Dr. Kathrin Scharfetter, a medical specialist for diagnostic radiology and pediatric radiology, Radiology Center Eppendorfer Baum (Hamburg, Germany).

In addition, Philips presented a new configuration in its Ingenuity family of computed tomography (CT) scanners. The Ingenuity Flex is a 16-slice CT scanner that provides excellent imaging with fast acquisition and reconstruction for streamlined workflows that let clinicians spend more time with their patients. The system is suited for routine and cardiac CT imaging, and provides sophisticated clinical applications delivered through the Philips Extended Brilliance Workspace that helps the clinician distinguish its practice. The system offers personalized image quality at low dose with the iDose4 option. In addition, the Ingenuity Flex allows customized dose checks and reporting to manage dose for each patient. Additional upgradeability options allow the system to grow with the customer to optimize their return on investment.

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