Sensible Solutions for Refurbished Radiology

You know you need a new piece of medical imaging equipment for your hospital, clinic, practice or healthcare facility. But there are so many considerations before you select the right one. Do you have to renovate your current space in order to accommodate it?  Do you have the budget for it? 

It looks like it’s only a few years away—a portable, wearable PET scan that could be used on the football sidelines (or battlefield or anywhere else) to instantly diagnose whether an injured person has sustained brain damage.  It would be much
easier to use onsite and much less expensive than current technology, which requires a patient to be rushed to the hospital and lie still under a large and heavy PET Scanner.

There are all kinds of cyber crimes, including stock manipulation schemes, intellectual property theft, telecommunications
scam, financial fraud scheme and pharmaceutical fraud.  But there are a growing number of cyber attacks on the healthcare industry. Case in point, last August Banner Health reported a data breach affecting 3.7 million patients and staff at 23 hospitals and specialized facilities. 

Wide Bore MRI

The major difference between a conventional closed bore system and a wide bore system is the size of the patient opening—60cm versus 70cm. This 10cm difference (approx. 4“) is the newest offering from the OEM’s to help differentiate themselves from older and less expensive systems. The wider bore can help ease the claustrophobic aspect of the patient’s MRI experience,

Quick.  What’s the difference between a Wide Bore MRI and an Open MRI?  Or a Closed Bore MRI?  Which is the best for patients who get claustrophobic?  Which is best in a clinical setting?  At Atlantis Worldwide, we created a simple Infographic that explains the differences and benefits of a variety of MRI equipment.  As medical imaging specialists, we also understand that different practices, clinics, hospitals and facilities have different needs and different budgets.  Sometimes only a brand new MRI will do.  Other times, you can actually get more performance for the money by using a used or refurbished MRI. A pre-owned MRI might even fit the specs of your current facility better than a new one. 

At the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Britain, doctors are using the world’s smallest MRI to help premature babies.  It’s one of
two purpose-built neonatal MRI scanners in the world, and is proving to be better at showing the structures of the brain and abnormalities more clearly that ultrasound, which is normally used to scan the brains of newborns.

At Atlantis Worldwide, we’re always paying attention to what’s going on in the medical imaging community.  Recent news of note includes the acquisition of Toshiba Medical Systems by Canon, after the deal received regulatory approvals in all of the countries in which both companies operate.  The company was acquired for $6 billion.

Medical technology continues to be developed at rocket speed, as evidenced by new integration of mobile and medical devices.  Clarius Mobile Health’s C3 and L7 Wireless Ultrasound Scanners were recently approved by the FDA. The scanner connects to tablets and smartphones via a secure WiFi connection and then transfers the images to be viewed, manipulated or saved.  It’s ideal for rapid procedures like guiding nerve blocks or targeted injections bedside.

Since PET/MRIs have hit the scene, there’s been a lot of talk about how they will affect the use of PET/CTs, and whether or not the use of PET/MRIs will take off or not.  Let’s start with the basics about the newer PET/MRI. 

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all the new technology, issues and changes in medical imaging. At Atlantis Worldwide, we thought we’d make it a little easier for you. We gathered up our most interesting articles about medical imaging during the past year. They were shared on news and medical sites, on LinkedIn and even Facebook. We got lots of positive and interesting feedback and comments from trusted friends and professionals.