6 Innovations in Radiology You Need to Know About
The world of healthcare is constantly changing and evolving with the introduction of new technologies, innovations and practices. Medical imaging has revolutionized the medical field and helps save millions of lives each year by detecting and diagnosing a wide range of diseases. With new innovations that include everything from artificial intelligence to virtual reality, the industry will continue to improve the future of healthcare. Here are 6 innovations in radiology you need to know about:
Hyperfine
An updated and more convenient version of an MRI, the Hyperfine reduces cost and increases accessibility. The portable MRI device has motorized wheels so that it can be easily transported and ready to scan in less than two minutes. It cuts the long wait time for MRIs and improves the patient experience by enabling caregivers and family members to stay nearby during a scan. It easily navigates through doorways, hallways and elevators, it can be hooked up right next to a patient’s bedside, and can be easily stored. The low-field system plugs into any standard wall outlet and consumes a fraction of the power that a traditional MRI does. The scanner runs off an iPad that enables users to receive results right away and control, view and share files and images with ease. Hyperfine was particularly useful during COVID-19 for bedside diagnosis.
EchoPixel True 3D
This interactive, mixed reality software platform facilitates more precise and personalized surgical planning with improved three-dimensional imaging without the need for a VR/AR headset. Within seconds, users can interpret patient-specific anatomy in an open 3D space for open surgery and interventional procedures. Healthcare providers can view and interact with holographic-like images of organs, blood vessels and tissues to rotate, resize, dissect and create virtual surgical views for more precise surgical planning and better patient outcomes.
Q.Bio
This platform takes the annual physical to new heights by building a comprehensive, quantitative snapshot of a patient’s health by combining advanced non-invasive imaging, chemistry, genetics, vitals and medical history to identify changes in the body and the speed at which they occur in order to understand immediate and future health risks. During the initial one-hour exam, millions of data points are gathered from the patient’s medical records, and a whole-body MRI is conducted using Q’s proprietary technology. Two weeks post-exam, the processed results and medical history will be stored securely in the patient’s BioVault, where their personalized, web-based Q dashboard will be accessible and easily shareable with doctors, trainers, and anyone else they choose. With each visit, the patient’s changing risk factors will be adapted to measure and highlight the things that are most important.
CO-RADS
The brand-new COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS for short) was recently unveiled by the Dutch Radiological Society and offers an established process of assessing pulmonary involvement in CT scans. It helps determine the extent of the patient’s disease on scans and streamlines the language in reporting. Its categories 1 to 5 provide increasing suspicion for pulmonary involvement of COVID-19 on non-contrast chest CT, allowing for task-specific cutoff points for clinical decision making. CO-RADS has demonstrated good performance for predicting COVID-19 in patients with moderate to severe symptoms, fulfilling the need for a structured and fast reporting system and facilitating collecting of CT performance date.
AMRA Profiler
The cloud-based service features technology that converts a short MRI into a high-quality 3D fat and muscle map, in addition to providing the metabolic status of a patient’s body for fat and muscle composition analysis. It offers visual and values-based information on visceral adipose tissue volume, subcutaneous adipose tissue volume, and more. After healthcare providers send in the imaging data using a compatible scanner, AMRA sends back individualized reports containing detailed body composition assessment and imaging, which enables providers to make more informed treatment decisions and share results with patients.
Butterfly iQ
The pocket-sized, whole-body ultrasound device eliminates the need for multiple probes and makes high-quality diagnostic imaging more accessible and affordable. Unlike traditional ultrasound machines that use piezo crystals to emanate sound waves into electrical signals, Butterfly iQ uses thousands of metal drums fitted onto a chip the size of a postage stamp. Through groundbreaking Ultrasound-on-Chip technology, it is paving the way for earlier detection and remote diagnosis. Featuring a built-in battery and wireless charging, it offers more than two hours of scanning time. The device also comes with a mobile app that interprets ultrasound images using artificial intelligence.
