2006 March

As a big boom in cardiovascular information system (CVIS) adoption approaches, vendors are gearing up with new offerings, and cardiology departments slightly ahead of the pack install the systems as would-be pioneers in a new frontier.

Making a commitment to a state-of-the-art project is a major undertaking, but it carries benefits on all fronts. Hospitals that have implemented state-of-the-art cath labs have realized improvements in patient care and efficiency via anytime/anywhere access to images and data.

A lot of excitement focuses on CT’s advancing domain into cardiology. Multidetector scanners, namely 40 and 64-slice, debuted over the last few years have made all the difference — finally giving CT the power to “stop a beating heart.”

Radiologists successfully using voice solutions say the technology’s true benefit is in helping radiologists provide better service.

PET-CT has matured quickly from the newest imaging solution to the gold standard for a variety of oncologic indications, and researchers are still determining the full extent of its clinical utility.

Radiology reading stations must be efficient and support the heavy — and increasing — workload endured by most radiologists.

Privacy and security regulations and the maturity of available products are propelling the rapid growth of single sign-on software.

The latest iteration of ultrasound systems are easing the barriers to imaging a wide array of challenging patient conditions through improved harmonics, compound imaging and automated processes.