Toshiba strengthens CT imaging with new apps
Toshiba America Medical Systems highlighted an assortment of cardiology imaging applications for enhancing CT visualization, prolonging the use of a CT system, and handling storage volumes related to the images at this week’s American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2006 in Chicago.
First up was the new SUREPlaque advanced software application that was first introduced at this year’s TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Symposium). SUREPlaque is available on the Vital Images Vitrea workstation and allows clinicians to visualize and characterize plaques that are likely to cause acute coronary events. These enhancements are especially important for the Aquilion 64 model because of the larger volumes of data provided, Toshiba said.
Also at AHA, Toshiba showcased its automated PhaseXact software (an additional component of the SURECardio package) that is able to automatically locate the optimal phase of the heartbeat in order to capture the best possible image. The software is designed to decrease image reconstruction time by as much as 50 percent and can also reduce storage requirements.
Multislice CT – especially 64 slice – will be around awhile, said Robb Young, senior manager, cardiology CT, so these applications will help departments “get the most out of their 64 systems.”
Along the same lines, Toshiba also featured the Horizon Store 100 and 200, a modality archive system built with McKesson that does not require and entire PACS for its data. The system contains software that evaluates a motion map that is able to determine which images have the least motion and retains them. Thus only high quality image data is sent over for storage from the CT, Young said.
However, if additional storage or a PACS become necessary, the Store 100 becomes the building block for full PACS capability, Toshiba said.
First up was the new SUREPlaque advanced software application that was first introduced at this year’s TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Symposium). SUREPlaque is available on the Vital Images Vitrea workstation and allows clinicians to visualize and characterize plaques that are likely to cause acute coronary events. These enhancements are especially important for the Aquilion 64 model because of the larger volumes of data provided, Toshiba said.
Also at AHA, Toshiba showcased its automated PhaseXact software (an additional component of the SURECardio package) that is able to automatically locate the optimal phase of the heartbeat in order to capture the best possible image. The software is designed to decrease image reconstruction time by as much as 50 percent and can also reduce storage requirements.
Multislice CT – especially 64 slice – will be around awhile, said Robb Young, senior manager, cardiology CT, so these applications will help departments “get the most out of their 64 systems.”
Along the same lines, Toshiba also featured the Horizon Store 100 and 200, a modality archive system built with McKesson that does not require and entire PACS for its data. The system contains software that evaluates a motion map that is able to determine which images have the least motion and retains them. Thus only high quality image data is sent over for storage from the CT, Young said.
However, if additional storage or a PACS become necessary, the Store 100 becomes the building block for full PACS capability, Toshiba said.