NEW PRODUCT
Fast-Scan, Low-Dose CT
The SOMATOM® Definition Flash, the new dual-source CT from Siemens (www.medical.siemens.com), features two X-ray tubes that simultaneously revolve around the patient's body. A scanning speed of 43 centimeters per second and temporal resolution of 75 milliseconds enable complete scans of the entire chest region in just 0.6 seconds. The SOMATOM Definition Flash also operates at an extremely reduced radiation dose, allowing a spiral heart scan to be performed with less than 1 millisievert (mSv), as opposed to the average effective dose of 8 mSv to 40 mSv.
NEW PRODUCT
DICOM Converter Software Upgrade
Version 2.2 of the TIMS DICOM System software by Foresight Imaging (www.tims.com) has new features including annotation especially for audio playback, audio recording to CD/DVD, file attachment, editing of saved studies and TIF & JPEG 2000 file import. TIMS converts any non-DICOM medical modality to DICOM for a small fraction of the cost of a modality upgrade. The resulting digital study can be sent to PACS, recorded to CD/DVD/USB and printed to film or paper.
FDA CLEARANCE
CT Analysis Software Upgrades
Visage Imaging (www.visageimaging.com) has received FDA clearance for its thin client product release, Visage CS 3.1. A new neuroradiology option facilitates brain perfusion analysis in CT and MR imaging, while an oncology option provides tools for analyzing, documenting and comparing lesions for multiple modalities, including standardized uptake value-based analysis for PET/CT. In addition, Visage CS 3.1 features new measurement and postprocessing tools such as advanced 3D segmentation, region-of-interest-based analysis and time-value curves and improved editing of cardiac left ventricular models.
NEW PRODUCT
Free PACS Software
OnePacs (www.onepacs.com) has made a free version of its PACS software available via an online application. The free version includes Web-enabled PACS functionality, a unified worklist for studies from multiple PACS or multiple facilities and a Web-based DICOM study viewer that operates via Javascript but does not require installation of Java, ActiveX or Flash. Users can track results reporting and quality assurance information and automatically include that information in their reports at their discretion.
