ENHANCING PATIENT SAFETY THROUGH SUSTAINED INNOVATION
Article provided by Siemens Healthcare
and revolutionizing medicine, patient’s exposure to medical radiation has increased. This has triggered subsequent discussions surrounding the topic of low dose and the question, if radiation exposure over a period of time could have any adverse effects? The answers lie in dose reduction and dose control. Siemens Healthcare has made dose
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reduction a very important topic that needs to be addressed. The result is an impressive portfolio of innovations in scanner hardware, software and imaging protocols that together have cut patient radiation exposure to a fraction of what it once was. Right from the start, Siemens was one of the pioneers of dose reduction in computed tomography (CT). Thinking along the same line, Siemens started working on this novel idea as early as 1994, where scientists and engineers from Siemens developed CARE Dose4D, the first fully automatic radiation exposure control technique. Today, with its advanced technology, Siemens is striving to bring this concept of low dose into all fields of radiological imaging where the dosage given to the patients can be reduced. Some examples are, the ‘Biograph mCT’ Molecular Imaging system which limits the radiation exposure to up to 50%, the SOMATOM Definition Flash, Computed Tomography system, which reduces the radiation by 60% in cardiac imaging procedures. In addition the Siemens mammography
«Siemens was one of the pioneers of dose reduction in computed tomography»
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s medical imaging exams have replaced more invasive procedures, benefiting patients
Image © Siemens
The SOMATOM Definition Flash, Computed Tomography system, which reduces the radiation dose by 60% in cardiac imaging procedures
unit, the ‘Mammomat Inspiration’, is designed to detect automatically the required dose and the appropriate anode/ filter combination for individual breast characteristics; therefore lowering the dose to a minimum. Alongside dose reduction, dose control is an important measure for avoiding unnecessary radiation. To monitor the exact amount of radiation, Siemens systems are able to generate dose reports, which highlight the dose usage in a certain timeframe. Such reports help not only to increase awareness but it also gives a detailed account of the amount of radiation that the patient, as well as the staff, was subjected to. To further assist healthcare
professionals enhance safety in the workplace for both patients and staff, Siemens has compiled a ‘Guide to
Low Dose’, prepared for physicians and medical technical staff, which describes the basics of radiation used for medical purposes. It also provides a detailed explanation of the functions currently available to reduce the dose in radiological imaging, based on the Siemens imaging range, enabling medical providers to deliver optimum protection to both patients and their clinical staff. In future radiological devices from
Siemens, a warning message to the user will appear if a certain dose threshold is exceeded in critical applications. Reports are generated for examinations; these contain the patient data, the relevant protocol and the dose values. Clinics can then analyze this information according to specific criteria, such as the doses administered, and optimize their protocols and processes accordingly. ■
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