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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been poised to improve the radiological process for some time, yet despite hundreds of conferences, hype, and promises, AI hasn’t made a huge impact yet. 

Part of the issue with AI’s slow integration for radiologists lies within the application. Algorithms can be applied to specific situations and places, but radiologists need to look beyond these narrow views. True workflow integration is the key to fully utilizing AI. 

Though other areas of our lives already rely on AI, radiology has not caught up with the trend. Today’s viewing software cannot suggest relevant prior imaging exams based on the current image being studied. Two strategies already exist which can help facilitate the AI process. 

Activity Pattern Identification
By recording a radiologist’s habits, AI can look for clusters of repeated actions to automate. Specifically, viewing particular images and reading aloud numbers on a corresponding screen could be achieved by AI. Or AI could monitor click patterns from radiologists to offer the most appropriate measurement tool. Personal patterns for handling protocols can also be improved by AI, which can shave valuable time and improve radiologists’ mental load. 

Information Integration
A large number of radiology algorithms accept images and output a diagnosis or prediction; however, after receiving images, the AI could include extra information with the output which would be of use to the radiologist. With this information at their fingertips, radiologists could make better clinical decisions. For example, if a radiologist is examining a specific body part where surgery had been performed, AI could display the most recent pre-operative images to allow the radiologist to compare the two more easily.  

Considered some of the most technologically-forward physicians, radiologists should harness the power of AI and tap into the potential capabilities. By using pattern detection and information integration, AI can simplify tasks, clarify figures, and help to boost maximum productivity.  

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 to learn more.Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

A new report published in Nature titled “Decade-long leukemia remissions with persistence of CD4+ CAR T cells” highlights a novel treatment called CAR T, which is being hailed as a “cure” for cancer by Dr. Carl June, the principal investigator for the trial at the University of Pennsylvania.

June said, “Now we can finally say the word ‘cure’ with CAR T cells.” In 2010, when the trial began, the idea for this sort of therapy “was way out there,” he added.

June and his colleagues reported that the CAR T therapy wiped out cancer in two out of the three initial early-trial patients, all of who had chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Though the cancer disappeared, the CAR T cells stayed circulating through patients’ bloodstreams, almost guarding the body against future attacks.

In CAR T therapy, T cells (white blood cells that fight viruses) are removed from a patient’s blood and re-introduced after being genetically engineered to fight cancer. Patients’ T cells are taught to recognize and destroy B cells, a key player in cancer formation throughout the body. Without B cells – or cancer – patients require regularly-scheduled infusions of immunoglobulin infusions, which replenish antibodies.

Many people with blood cancer have benefitted from CAR T therapy, which has proved especially effective against acute leukemia. Roughly a third of patients who underwent the CAR T therapy have gone into remission, but many patients later relapse.

Dr. John F. DiPersio, chief of the division of oncology at Washington University in St. Louis, said, “The question is not only why some patients relapse or are resistant to therapy but why are some patients cured?”

He continued, “Oncologists don’t use words like ‘cure’ lightly or easily or, frankly, very often,” he said. “I guarantee that it’s not being used lightly. The patients we treated had far advanced disease,” he noted, adding, “the biggest disappointment is that it doesn’t work all the time.”

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com. 

New research published in the JAMA Network Open suggests primary care visits that take place via video or phone result in fewer imaging scan orders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled telehealth as a primary way for physicians to offer patient care. As patients stay home to limit exposure to the virus, physician follow-up care can look different.

Using pre-pandemic data from more than 1.1 million patients, Kaiser Permanente researchers found that primary care doctors ordered imaging in roughly 59 percent of office visits versus 29 percent of virtual and 27 percent over the phone.

The study did not specify the reason behind the variance; however, the authors suggested patients who were more ill might have sought out in-person primary care.

Mary Reed, DrPH, a Kaiser Permanente research scientist, said, “It is possible that these differences in treatment might be driven by the types or seriousness of concerns that patients chose for each visit type, or by the degree to which physicians could assess the patient in each visit type. We need to explore these details further in future research.”

The study analyzed primary care appointments at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California between 2016 and midway through 2018; almost 2.2 million were evaluated. Video and telephone visits resulted in a lower number of medications prescribed (39 percent and 35 percent, respectively) compared to office-based visits, which were at 52 percent.

Overall, 25 percent of video visits required a follow-up appointment within a week. Telephone and in-person visits required follow-ups at 26 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively.

Emergency department visits or hospitalizations did not see a difference.

The study wrote, “In contrast to prior studies of direct-to-consumer telemedicine, we did not find evidence of over-ordering or over-prescribing among patients using telemedicine to visit their own primary care doctors. Video or telephone visits may be a convenient and safe way for patients to address some primary care needs without generating a substantial number of follow-up office visits or experiencing health events.”

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently authorized a novel product that recent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) shows might protect athletes’ brains from traumatic injury.

A c-shaped, non-invasive device dubbed the “Q-Collar” goes around the neck and applies compression, which increases blood volume, therefore reducing brain movement.  

Several FDA studies proved the effectiveness and safety. One such study included a long-term analysis of 284 participants, age 13 and older. A total of 139 athletes wore the collars, and 145 did not; both underwent head MRI before and after the season.

To compare structural changes after a season of play, researchers also generated diffusion tensor imaging of the brain. Significant differences were noted in the deep tissue involved in transmitting electrical nerve signals in 73 percent of the collarless group. Those who were equipped with the Q-Collar showed no change in white matter throughout 77 percent of the group.

“These differences appear to indicate protection of the brain associated with the device use. No significant adverse events were associated with device use,” The FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health reported.

An estimated 3.8 million sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur in the United States yearly, according to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Along with the Q-Collar manufacturer Q30 Sports Science, FDA officials hope the device will lower this number, reducing “slosh” by creating a tighter fit of the brain in the skull through increased blood volume.

The Q-Collar should not be used in place of helmets or other protective devices. Athletes with a history of seizure disorders, brain blood clots, or problems with blood clotting, in general, should not use the device.

For more information, read the full FDA report.

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

New solutions were discovered through a collaboration of partners in radiotherapy. CNERGY is an innovative solution for “Quality Assurance & Safety,” “Precision, Imaging, and Viewing,” “Patient Identification and Monitoring,” and “Advanced Couch Setup and Control.” These solutions were created in response to specific practical issues, employing the latest guaranteed technologies. Joining these forces will deliver synergistic precision and safety for radiologists and patients.

Accurate and safe radiotherapy treatments are achieved using CNERGY Quality Assurance and Safety. Patients are positioned in the most effective way based on image verification or CBCT registration results. This ensures safety margins are reduced around the target and critical organs. The entire workflow is secured using interlocks.

Radiotherapy treatments are unique; with CNERGY Precision, Imaging and Viewing Solutions, the best treatment will be applied. Total body treatments, fast double 2D kV, or MV imaging are all offered under CNERGY’s exclusive Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) abilities that correctly verify the patient’s position.

A crucial aspect of radiotherapy is Patient Identification and Monitoring. CNERGY ensures the correct patient receives the proper treatment. The most advanced techniques are implemented to help radiotherapy clinics abide by all current regulations.

Advanced Couch Setup and Control is a unique CNERGY solution encompassing six degrees of freedom corrections in clinic settings. The same software and user interface allow patients to be treated easily. No extra workload is needed, so non-stereotactic patients can be positioned with precision.

To learn more about the CNERGY solution, visit our website.

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

When compared to existing visualization methods, a new 3D technique with MRI scans doubles the visibility of brain tumors. Since a large number of tumors are discernable, the new process has the potential to make it easier to treat them earlier and at smaller, more manageable stages.

Robert Edelman, M.D., is an inventor, lead author, and clinical professor of radiology. His work was shared in the Science Advances journal. He said, “Our goal is for the new technique – T1RESS – to help thousands of patients by allowing malignant tumors to be detected at an earlier, more curable stage.”

According to the American Brain Tumor Association, 700,000 Americans are living with brain tumors and 16,000 will die this year. The new MRI technique can catch the tiny malignant tumors that often escape notice, potentially saving lives and improving outcomes. 

The hope is that those patients undergoing surgery or radiotherapy will receive better clinical outcomes by making the tumor margins on contrast-enhanced scans more visible.

Edelman and his colleagues studied brain tumors in 54 patients to determine how well T1RESS works. He applied magnetic fields and radio waves used to generate MRI signals differently from existing imaging techniques. The new technique uniquely manipulates brain tissue signals to produce images that offer significantly improved tumor visibility. This application makes T1RESS highly sensitive to the T1 shortening effects of paramagnetic contrast agents, but it also reduces the signal intensity of non-enhancing background issues, both improve tumor visualization.

Experimental results showed that the new technique provided a two-fold improvement over existing MRI methods in regards to the contrast between tumors and normal brain tissue. Edelman compared the visualization to seeing more stars: “There just isn’t enough contrast between the stars and the sunlit sky to make them visible. In the case of brain tumors, T1RESS doubles the contrast between tumors and normal brain, so the tumors are more easily detected. It’s like looking at the stars on a dark night instead of a sunny day,” Edelman said. 

A larger, multi-site trial will need to be performed in order to confirm the findings, but the plan is to apply this technique to both prostate and breast cancers as well. If the benefits are confirmed, widespread use will be as simple as the installation of a specialized software package.

Visit the Science Advances website to read the full journal article. For more information about CT Scanners, Linear Accelerators, and the like, contact Acceletronics today.
 

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Recent high-profile cases of COVID-19 combined with the effort to aid in the ongoing battle  against the pandemic have prompted RADLogics to deploy the company’s AI (Artificial Intelligence)-Powered medical image analysis solution worldwide. The company urged U.S. clinicians to embrace medical imaging and emerging technologies such as AI. RADLogics has an AI-powered solution in place which has processed and analyzed thousands of suspected coronavirus cases globally. These efforts have eased the surging workload for radiology, ER, and ICU teams worldwide.

RADLogics strives to make its CT and X-ray AI-powered technology available to hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the U.S. This technology will assist in COVID-19 patient triage and management by providing quantitative analysis to clinical teams. Those patients who exhibit severe or worsening respiratory conditions are accurately assessed, allowing doctors to better triage patients based on those who urgently need intensive care such as ventilator support.

Moshe Becker, CEO and Co-Founder of RADLogics, said, “The use of CT and X-ray in the assessment and treatment plan for President Trump underscores the critical role that medical imaging must play in the fight against COVID-19. We must scale the capabilities of these medical imaging procedures rapidly to support clinicians, hospitals, and healthcare systems throughout the U.S. as they respond to the anticipated second wave of coronavirus and the roll-out of a potential vaccine. Now is the time for hospitals and healthcare providers to embrace and leverage the power of AI technologies and solutions to not only alleviate the increased burden associated with COVID-19 but to help support better outcomes by reducing burnout and errors while delivering better patient outcomes.”

Eliot Siegel, MD, Associate Vice Chair of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine said, “The ability of medical imaging – in combination with AI – to better discover and quantify the burden of COVID-19 has been well-documented. There would be tremendous clinical value in an AI algorithm that could establish and utilize a trajectory of change to predict which subset of patients might need more intense therapy such as medical ventilation, which subset of patients could be more confidently discharged, and predict subsequent clinical course. Today, there are many promising AI applications that have emerged that could allow us to address the major challenges that have hit the healthcare sector during the pandemic, and beyond as we plan to treat patients with COVID-related complications and as we provide diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that were delayed during the surge.”  

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Lung cancer screening might be one step closer to fruition in New Zealand thanks to newly discovered results by the University of Otago, published by medical journal BMJ Open. The indigenous Māori people of New Zealand are particularly susceptible to lung cancer, as their mortality rates are between three and four times higher than other ethnic groups. Around 450 Māori are diagnosed with lung cancer, and approximately 300 die from it yearly. If caught in the early stages, health outcomes for the Māori and other ethnic groups will undoubtedly improve.

To assess whether low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) might be a cost-effective way to screen for lung cancer, Waitematā and Auckland DHBs collaborated with University of Otago researchers. Led by Associate Professor Sue Crengle (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha) from the University of Otago, the researchers used scientific modeling to estimate the benefits and costs of LDCT screening when it comes to a high-risk population. LDCT uses a small amount of radiation to produce an extremely clear three-dimensional image from a computerized x-ray.

“Having clarity about the cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening provides further impetus to get this work started,” Associate Professor Crengle says. “If this works for Māori, then it will work for everyone else as well.”

Study findings suggested a national biennial lung cancer screening program is likely beneficial in terms of cost-effectiveness for not only the Māori but also the entire population of New Zealand. With early screening, the number of deaths will be reduced among the indigenous people. Countries with screening trials have seen a 20 to 26 percent reduction in lung cancer deaths.

For further reading, check out the original article by News Medical Life Sciences or the journal reference by BMJ Open.

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

In 2019, the global radiotherapy market revenue was set at $7,222.4 million. According to a P&S Intelligence report, an increasing number of cancer cases will cause revenue to climb by eight percent to $17,194.4 million by 2030.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in humans, killing 9.6 million people annually, according to the World Health Organization. The American Institute of Cancer Research estimates that by 2030, around 25 million cancer cases will be diagnosed yearly.

North America’s high incidence of cancer makes it the largest radiotherapy market globally. Additionally, established radiotherapy system providers and highly developed healthcare infrastructure are factors in the market scope. Residents in Canada and the United States have a higher level of disposable income than other countries, which allows them to afford treatment more quickly.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the radiotherapy market is subsequently experiencing growth as the focus of healthcare shifts from chronic disease to remedying the virus. What once were cancer-specialty hospitals are now COVID-19 care centers. Despite the circumstances, several hospitals are reopening their cancer wards, thereby increasing radiotherapy treatments.

Companies providing solutions to the increasing radiotherapy market opportunities are collaborating by creating partnerships and other working agreements in order to gain distribution partners for their equipment, offer clinicians a joint resolution of image-guided radiotherapy systems and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform, develop innovative markers for pre and clinical neurological and oncologic purposes, provide hospitals with cutting-edge proton therapy capabilities, and advance the radiotherapy system motion-tracking and rectification technologies.

To learn more about the expanding radiotherapy market, read this article by Prescient & Strategic Intelligence. Need to service your Linear Accelerator or CT scanner? Contact Acceletronics today – we can answer any questions you might have.

Looking to update your CT scanner to a newer model? Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com/.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

A Louisiana State University (LSU) radiologist joined with an evolutionary anatomist to create revolutionary 3D models of COVID-19 patients’ lungs by implementing the same techniques used for reptiles and birds. Emma R. Schachner, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Cell Biology & Anatomy, and Bradley Spieler, MD, Vice Chairman of Radiology Research and Associate Professor of Radiology, Internal Medicine, Urology, & Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, created the models from CT scans of COVID-19 patients.

Three patients underwent contrast-enhanced thoracic CT when their symptoms worsened. Two tested positive for COVID-19; another was presumed a false-negative based on the symptoms they experienced combined with compelling imaging. Since false-negative tests are a known diagnostic challenge, CT can be beneficial for establishing a COVID-19 diagnosis. The lungs’ form and structure appear to correlate to disease progression, which allows for the 3D segmentations to model airflow patterns or quantify lung tissue volumetrically.

Spieler said, “The full effect of COVID-19 on the respiratory system remains unknown, but the 3D digital segmented models provide clinicians a new tool to evaluate the extent and distribution of the disease in one encapsulated view. This is especially useful in the case where RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 [current testing system] is negative but there is a strong clinical suspicion for COVID-19.” 

This combined technology is a novel discovery as there has never before been accurate models of the COVID-19 disease progression in the lungs. Previous models published include volume-rendered models and straight 2D screenshots of CT scans and radiographs (X-Rays). The 3D models are vastly more detailed but do require some more effort.

Schachner explained, “Previously published 3D models of lungs with COVID-19 have been crated using automated volume rendering techniques. Our method is more challenging and time-consuming, but results in a highly accurate and detailed anatomical model where the layers can be pulled apart, volumes quantified, and it can be 3D printed.”

The in-depth view rendered by this model makes it easier for the broader medical audience to understand the severity and extent of this disease.

Check out the original report for a detailed look at the 3D models of COVID-19 patients’ lungs.

Looking to update your CT scanner to a newer model? Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com/.