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This report originally appeared in the July 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News

Medical equipment can sometimes appear in numerous places outside of hospitals, from airports, to health clubs, community pools to research institutes and certainly on military bases.



Some venues have different uses for medical technology and equipment. Others have more traditional functions. As a whole, they are a reflection of how medical technology and "equipment" can transcend the boundaries of health care facilities for a more universal, public usage. Oftentimes, we may take for granted that such equipment is there for medical emergencies or for safety and security purposes.

For example, airports use X-rays similar to their X-ray counterparts used in health care, both are used to search for potential hazards, except health care X-rays aren't usually searching for explosives or weapons (sometimes just the resulting damage from them). Public pools and health clubs are outfitted with AEDs and automatic chair lifts specifically chosen for their facilities. Research institutes use MRIs equipped with cutting-edge technology for biomedical engineering applications.

Airports

North America has more than 50% of the world's 20 busiest airports, according to the Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) web site. In the ACI-NA 2008 final traffic count, the airports with the most number of passenger traffic are: Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Denver. In 2008, Atlanta had 90,039,280 passengers, Chicago had 69,353,876 passengers, and Los Angeles had 59,497,539 passengers.

Given these massive numbers, it is important that airport X-ray screening machines and other detection equipment are able to handle traffic quickly and accurately.

There are a myriad of approaches used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address this need: Advanced Technology (AT) systems, biometrics, whole body imaging, trace portals, threat image projection, explosives trace detection, explosive detection systems, CastScope, and bottled liquid scanners. AT systems and CastScope systems are most similar to commonly-used medical X-rays.

AT is a catch phrase for a group of advanced X-ray technologies that will improve carry-on bag screening and enhance airline passenger security, according to the TSA. ATs provide clear, high-definition X-ray images that improve TSA security officers' (TSOs) ability to detect potential threat items. Some AT units also employ multiple X-ray angles, provide high-definition zoom and/or have automated detection capabilities that will further enhance the TSOs' effectiveness. Current technology depends on a single, top-down X-ray view.

Continue reading Medical Equipment: It's Not Just for Hospitals...

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