December 2008
- Clinical Experiences Shared by World-Renowned Physicians at 2008 RSNA
- Fast Definitive Diagnosis From Toshiba's Aquilion ONE Allows ST. Elizabeth Medical Center Physicians To Prevent Stroke In ER Patient
- AHRA Announces Patient First Program Recipients
Clinical Experiences Shared by World-Renowned Physicians at 2008 RSNA
Although professional attendance was down slightly, the science was strong at the Radiological Society of North America's (RSNA) Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting. Physicians from around the world continue to gather in Chicago to share their clinical experiences with each other. At the 94th meeting held earlier this month, Toshiba worked with innovative physicians to ensure that collaboration extended beyond the session hours by holding evening events where leading physicians were able to present their validation of imaging technology.
This year Toshiba's Ultrasound (UL) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) modalities introduced new techniques and equipment dedicated to improving women's imaging. In conjunction, Toshiba sponsored an evening event where physicians shared how Toshiba's technology is helping women.
Pamela M. Otto, M.D., professor and director of Breast Imaging & Intervention, Department of Radiology, UT Health Science Center & University Health System, San Antonio discussed her experiences with Toshiba's new Radiance Plus Breast Imaging Coil, which optimizes Magnetic Resonance Mammography (MRM) on the Toshiba Vantage systems. In fact, this coil enabled Dr. Otto to conduct the first contrast-free breast MRA exams. Toshiba is a pioneer in contrast-free MRA techniques, and now plans to develop a sequence that will enable contrast-free breast MR exams.
Ellen B. Mendelson, M.D., F.A.C.R., Northwestern University and Thomas Fischer, M.D., Charite Hospital, University of Berlin presented their experiences with Toshiba's ultrasound technology. Both discussed Toshiba's new and exclusive ultrasound technique — MicroPure™, which helps physicians detect breast lesions and micro-calcifications more clearly, as well the sonoelastography suite, ElastoQ (works-in-progress), a non-invasive medical imaging technique that evaluates tumors based on their stiffness (elasticity) compared to normal tissue. Both of these Toshiba collaborators presented cases that provided insight on ultrasound's future as an effective tool for diagnosing breast disease.
At a CT event the same evening, Frank J. Rybicki, M.D., Ph.D., director, Cardiac CT & Vascular CT/MRI, Brigham and Women's Hospital and William W. Orrison, M.D., MBA chief of neuroradiology, Nevada Imaging Centers shared their experiences with the Aquilion® ONE 320 detector row CT.
Dr. Rybicki provided insights into key research that has been completed on the Aquilion ONE over the last year. For the first time, CT can now visualize how the cardiac vessels curve and measure flow dynamically within the vessels. He also discussed Brigham and Women's work on the recently announced CORE 320 worldwide multicenter trial that will compare dynamic volume CT to SPECT for evaluating myocardial perfusion.
Dr. Orrison has completed more than 3,500 patient studies on the Aquilion ONE and shared the way this technology is changing his practice. Not only did Dr. Orrison showcase his whole brain perfusion studies, but he also showed advanced dynamic motion studies of musculoskeletal anatomy, which were clinically used for surgery planning and follow up.
Fast Definitive Diagnosis From Toshiba's Aquilion ONE Allows St. Elizabeth Medical Center Physicians To Prevent Stroke In ER Patient
Patient Pamela Louderback had been experiencing dizzy spells for months and arrived at St. Elizabeth Medical Center's emergency room (ER) after blacking out one morning at work. Unbeknownst to her and her doctors, she was on the verge of suffering a stroke.
Fortunately for Louderback, St. Elizabeth used the world's first dynamic volume CT system, the Aquilion® ONE, to diagnose her condition within an hour and prevent a stroke from occurring at all. Using one X-ray rotation to capture 16 cm of anatomy — an entire organ — and show organ function over time, the Aquilion ONE is ideally suited for detecting neurovascular conditions quickly.
St. Elizabeth physicians used the Aquilion ONE to detect that Louderback's right carotid artery was 90 percent occluded, which significantly reduced blood flow to the brain. By diagnosing this condition within the hour, physicians immediately planned stent treatment to open the artery passage, preventing a stroke.
"Toshiba's Aquilion ONE allowed us to accurately diagnose the patient quickly, dramatically improving her quality of life," explained Dr. Jeff Dardinger, director of Imaging, Vascular Institute, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, who interpreted Louderback's images. "Without dynamic volume CT, the patient would have undergone a series of tests for two-to-four days, at a minimum, to uncover the occlusion. Being able to diagnose the patient within an hour allowed us to plan treatment immediately and prevent a stroke."
"I truly believe this system saved my life," explained Louderback. "I had several exams over the past few months, none of which could detect why I was having dizzy spells. It wasn't until I was imaged in the ER using the Aquilion ONE that a definitive answer was found."
AHRA Announces Patient First Program Recipients
Improving patient care and safety in diagnostic imaging is an important issue to hospitals, physicians and administrators today. Helping to support this need, the AHRA, the association for medical imaging management announced grant recipients of the Patient First Program at this month's Radiological Society of North America annual meeting in Chicago. The program was funded by an unrestricted educational grant from Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.
The first recipients include:
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center's "Best Practices in Computerized Tomography"
Focusing on the use of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria, this program will use evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging and treatment decisions, coupled with the most appropriate scanning protocols for CT to image patients more safely.
Washington Hospital Center's "Standardized Handoff Communication"
This program focuses on the use of green, yellow and red handoff forms as an effective tool to improve patient safety and outcomes.
Jennie Edmundson Hospital's "Metformin Flagging Process"
This program uses barcodes for Type II diabetic patients' armbands and IV contrast with the goal of developing a decision support rule that will alert pharmacists.