This month, Health Imaging & IT visits withstate-of-the-art breast imaging sites across the nation to learn aboutthe clinical and operational issues associated with various solutions.
Breast imaging workstations are a whole new breed of animal these days. Becoming extinct are the single-vendor workstation solutions in favor of more flexible multimodality, multi-vendor workstations that allow radiologists to efficiently read digital mammography, ultrasound, breast MRI, and CT images in one place as well as read remotely to cover a variety of imaging sites.
Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. Those words of Alexander Graham Bell coupled with another famous quote from him—Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the co-operation of many minds—are key to purchasing and integrating state-of-the-art breast imaging technologies. That’s the focus of our special section this month.
There's no doubt that digital radiography is fast replacing conventional analog x-ray formats. And why not? Digital x-ray is faster, cheaper, environmentally friendlier, increases efficiency and is just as, if not more, accurate.
Virtual colonoscopy is gaining fans among radiologists who use it and patients since it is a more comprehensive exam able to look within and outside the colon that is easier on the patient.
High-resolution color displays are one of the newest—and hottest—items in the imaging informatics market. The conventional PACS workstation is more often than not turning to color these days.
SPECT coupled with CT is on the cusp of defining a new standard of diagnostic imaging as a care and surgery planning for cardiac and oncology applications as well as musculoskeletal needs.
More imaging procedures combined with a shortage of radiologists and expectations of high-quality interpretation around the clock makes remote reading an attractive option for facilities of all sizes. Some organizations are now contracting for subspecialty services and daytime coverage—adding to their needs at night and to accommodate vacations.
When it comes to planning radiology department needs, furniture used to be on the bottom of the list. Today, as more thought is given to maximizing work space and providing better ergonomic working solutions that are flexible and more comfortable for a variety of radiologists, furniture has become an important component of the planning stage.
