From November 26 through December 1, radiology professionals from around the world convened at Chicago’s McCormick Place for the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. This year, nearly 730 vendors showcased their latest and greatest technologies. Below are some of the top innovations that were on display.
Breast Imaging
Fujifilm Medical Systems USA, Stamford, Conn., will present its latest digital mammography system, the Aspire Cristalle, now with digital breast tomosynthesis. This system combines Hexagonal Close Pattern capture technology and advanced image processing, thus optimizing dose and contrast based on individual breast composition. Such features contribute to greater patient comfort.
GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wis., will exhibit its newest mammography system, the Senographe Pristina. This device, which was designed to increase patient comfort, allows women to position their breasts on a Bucky with rounded corners and lean comfortably on armrests—instead of having to use conventional handgrips. Moreover, Senographe Pristina’s digital breast tomosynthesis delivers advanced diagnostic accuracy at the same dose as a 2D mammography exam, the lowest patient dose of all FDA-approved 3D mammography systems.
Hologic, Marlborough, Mass., will showcase its 3Dimensions mammography system, a fast, high-resolution breast tomosynthesis system. With the addition of the newly launched SmartCurve breast stabilization system, the 3Dimensions system device makes mammograms more comfortable for women without compromising image quality. Hologic will also demonstrate its Brevera breast biopsy system with CorLumina imaging technology, a real-time breast biopsy and verification system that is designed to deliver valuable information at the point of care.
CR/DR
Melville, N.Y.-based Canon U.S.A. and its wholly owned subsidiary Virtual Imaging will exhibit the RadPro Omnera 400A auto-positioning digital radiographic system with new CXDI-710CW detectors. New system features include wireless foot controls for table/wall-stand applications and new display color schemes to mirror Canon software workflow. This fully automatic positioning system—constructed of aircraft aluminum—is designed to meet the challenges of high-volume hospital imaging departments and streamline clinician workflow.
Carestream, Rochester, N.Y., will exhibit its DRX Plus line of detectors—which are now thinner and deliver enhanced image quality—as well as its new line of DRX Core detectors. The DRX Core portfolio includes wireless gadolinium and cesium scintillators in 35 x 43 cm and 43 x 43 cm sizes—as well as fixed 43 x 43 cm detectors with both scintillators.
Fujifilm Medical Systems USA will introduce FDR AQRO, a complete digital radiography system that generates high-resolution images with low patient dose in a variety of point-of-care settings. The FDR AQRO system combines Fujifilm’s core dose-saving technologies, such as ISS and noise-reduction circuitry, with Dynamic Visualization and Virtual Grid image processing and features an ultra-lightweight mini mobile cart.
GE Healthcare will exhibit its newest mobile x-ray product, the Optima XR240amx with FlashPad HD digital detectors. This system has a maneuverable design and small footprint for critical-care environments such as the emergency room or neonatal intensive care unit. A high-resolution, pediatric-capable mobile x-ray system, this system offers x-ray imaging support for controlled neonatal environments, such as the GE Healthcare Giraffe Carestation incubator.
CT
Carestream will display its OnSight 3D Extremity System, which uses cone-beam CT technology to capture high-quality, weight-bearing, and other types of extremity exams for orthopedic practices and imaging providers. Moreover, the system provides high-resolution 3D images that can help to reveal subtle or occult fractures.
GE Healthcare will exhibit its Revolution CT system, a device that offers advanced image quality and clinical capabilities through the convergence of coverage, spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and spectral imaging. This technology is designed to help deliver differentiated capabilities across all clinical areas.
Philips Healthcare, Andover, Mass., will showcase its Philips IQon Spectral CT, a spectral detector-based CT system that delivers multiple layers of retrospective data in a single, low-dose scan. What’s more, the Philips IQon Spectral CT helps extend the benefits of spectral data to all patients, providing answers in challenging scenarios. Being able to achieve diagnostic confidence, even in the most problematic situation, can help improve clinical care.
Toshiba Medical (a Canon Group company), Tustin, Calif., will introduce enhancements to its Aquilion One Genesis Edition. The upgraded CT system now offers Toshiba Medical’s FIRST (MBIR) capability for low-contrast detectability in the brain while opening doors for the possibility to help clinicians possibly see early signs of stroke with CT. The system can help improve workflow for advanced CT angiography scans while potentially reducing IV contrast and radiation dose with three-phase Variable Helical Pitch.
Display Systems/Imaging Software
Ampronix, Irvine, Calif., will exhibit its Modalixx G202MDL medical monitor. A 20-inch grayscale, high-bright LED backlight display, Modalixx G202MDL auto-syncs to any imaging modality and increases analog and digital video signals to 2-megapixel resolution. The display is also compatible with nearly all medical modality applications, including MRI, CT, portable x-ray, and radiography/fluoroscopy. In addition to the Modalixx G202MDL, Ampronix will showcase the Lumimaxx G11S–a 19-inch grayscale, 1-megapixel medical monitor equipped with a backlight stabilization system and built-in multiple display mode for viewing several images simultaneously.
Canon U.S.A. and its wholly owned subsidiary Virtual Imaging will display the CXDI Control Software NE Version 2.16–software that offers quick image configuration and helps provide the delivery of high-resolution images via Canon CXDI Digital Wireless Detectors. What’s more, this software is Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise and DICOM 3.0 compliant and has features that can help practitioners with their HIPAA compliance efforts.
Molecular Imaging
GE Healthcare will showcase the Discovery NM/CT 670 CZT and Discovery MI systems. The former system—a general-purpose SPECT/CT imaging system with cadmium zinc telluride technology—enables the direct conversion of photons into a digital signal and provides clinicians with customizable reports across multiple care areas. The Discovery MI, on the other hand, is a PET/CT system that brings together the sensitivity of digital detection with advanced reconstruction technology: the combination of Time-of-Flight and Q.Clear.
Philips will exhibit Vereos, a fully digital PET/CT system that delivers improved detectability and characterization of small lesions. In addition to providing high detectability, the system provides quantification at half the PET dose. Vereos also provides improved lesion detectability in one-tenth of the time, Philips officials say. Through Digital Photon Counting technology, Vereos enables shorter scan times while overcoming the visualization challenges in PET imaging to detect smaller lesions.
MRI
GE Healthcare will showcase Signa Premier, its new wide-bore 3.0T MRI system that offers additional research-focused capabilities, particularly for neurology and oncology research. In addition to featuring GE Healthcare’s short-bore, high-homogeneity 3.0T superconductive magnet, Signa Premier has a digital radiofrequency transmit-and-receive architecture. The device is also powered by SuperG gradient technology—with the SuperG gradient coil designed to deliver the performance of a research-class 60 cm MRI system in a 70 cm bore.
Siemens Healthineers, Malvern, Pa., will showcase its 70-cm Magnetom Vida 3T MRI scanner. This scanner features Siemens’ BioMatrix technology—a collection of sensors, tuners, and interfaces that adapts to anatomical and physiological characteristics to provide high-quality imaging for all patient types. What’s more, the scanner’s architecture accelerates workflows while increasing exam precision and patient comfort. Finally, the Magnetom Vida features a new magnet and up to 60 millitesla per meter gradient strength to support high-end applications.
Toshiba Medical will showcase its Vantage Titan/Zen Edition 1.5T MRI system. The Zen Edition features patient comfort tools, including Pianissimo Zen, which reportedly reduces sound during acquisition by 99%. Also, Toshiba Medical’s newest clinical applications, including T1 mapping utilizing Modified Look Locker Inversion-Recovery sequence, allow providers to acquire a more quantitative characterization of myocardial tissue within a single breath hold.
Ultrasound
Carestream will highlight the Touch Prime and Touch Prime XE ultrasound systems, which offer a sealed, all-touch control panel that combines the speed and flexibility of a soft user interface with the tactile feedback of traditional keys. The Touch Prime XE, for instance, employs a combination of advanced technologies that simultaneously provide enhanced spatial detail with increased frame rate while optimizing image formation to help reduce noise and artifacts.
Fujifilm SonoSite Inc. will showcase a handful of ultrasound systems. In addition to the SII—a portable ultrasound system featuring DirectClear transducer technology—the company will display the SonoSite Edge II ultrasound system. The latter device offers transducer advancements, such as DirectClear and Armored Cable Technology, and features a wide-angle display with an anti-reflection coating for minimal adjustments during viewing. The company will also exhibit its X-Porte device, which offers an all-in-one kiosk design and easy-to-clean touchscreen. A key feature of X-Porte is XDI (Extreme Definition Imaging) beam-forming technology, which helps reduce clutter and enhance image contrast.
Toshiba Medical will exhibit its Aplio i-series, which encompass the Aplio i700, Aplio i800, and Aplio i900 ultrasound systems. These devices all feature iBeam beam-forming technology, which increases resolution, as well as ultra-thin transducers (24 MHz). Further, Shear Wave elastography allows clinicians to noninvasively measure tissue stiffness of the liver, while Superb Micro-vascular Imaging captures low velocity blood flow to help clinicians see small vessels in and around areas such as tumors and lymph nodes.