Image sharing groups

The roads toward dose tracking, big data, and digital radiography, have all converged at a common point where anonymous images may be utilized remotely by physicians seeking guidance with their own treatment plans.


Being able to tap into a pool of images similar to the kind physicians are setting out to obtain themselves may offer crucial insight into the best practice and most sensible protocol. A handful of companies at RSNA are working toward that goal by creating image databases so practitioners can benchmark their own facilities' efforts against the averages of those treating similar cases.

The data yielded from these pools can vary, but essential benefits include seeing the dose that was distributed, the throughput of the exam, and of course, the quality of the picture. Knowing what not to do, especially with regard to radiation, is sometimes only slightly less valuable than knowing exactly what to do. Companies, including GE Healthcare and Carestream, were discussing this data pool.

Pure tungsten 3-D printing

For another year running, the potential for 3-D printing continues to captivate the imagination with its seemingly endless possibilities. Component manufacturer, Smit Rontgen, (a Philips brand) was among the exhibitors showing exciting progress in that department. The company showcased a variety of pure tungsten products at the Dunlee booth, (Dunlee is also a division of Philips).

A technique called powder bed laser fusion has allowed the company to manipulate the refractory metal in ways that could create big waves in the industry. They can produce a collimator with wall thickness of less than 100 micrometers, as well as other thermal and shielding parts for X-ray tubes. The company is currently discussing plans to open a plant that will be able to produce about 40,000 pieces per year.

Portable Panels

While interoperability is one of those very attractive buzz-words in health care, it is a perfect fit in the conversation about digital radiography. Several OEMs have released their own swappable DR detectors that can be used on different platforms in the same facility. One example of this is the Mobilett Mira MAX, a new mobile DR platform from Siemens whose panels can be interchanged with other equipment in their MAX line of equipment.

The trend toward digital radiography has also led to dropping investment costs. What was unaffordable a year or two ago may now fit a hospital's budget. Some companies, including Viztek and the podiatry and chiropractic specialists 20/20 Imaging, are now marketing a DR panel that documents the slips and falls it takes. In that way, a facility can keep tabs on the health of their detector while it is still working fine, and also determine where and when it is taking the biggest hits. In some cases, these detectors will even record the height from which they've fallen.

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