Imaging informatics offers key to reshaping radiology’s future

This is a though provoking article that discuss the (good and bad) impact of IT in the medical imaging arena.

“With potential professional threats seeming to lurk around every corner, radiologists can expect medical imaging informatics to serve as their best defense from now until the year 2015. That was the message of Dr. Eliot Siegel’s Moreton Lecture at the 2008 American College of Radiology meeting and Chapter Leadership Conference in Washington, DC”

Teleradiology answers the ring of phone images

An Ohio biomedical company announced in June at the Apple user’s meeting, an unique touchscreen iPhone-teleradiology application that allows physicians to navigate through diagnostic images from home, train, golf cart (you get the idea).

The system from MIMvista of Cleveland is called MIM, which enables radiologists and physicians retrieve digital images wirelessly on their iPhone or iPod touch, then manipulate the images with workstation functionality in the palm of the user’s hand.

Multiplanar reconstruction of data sets is possible for modalities including CT, PET, MRI, and SPECT, as even multimodality image fusion.

Intrigued? Well check out this article here, theres even a nice screenshot of the application

Ramblings: Most sought after content – Microsoft, Google, Dental Informatics and OsiriX

Dear all,

I did a quick analysis of the traffic to binaryHealthCare.com to see what sort of keywords are used, what contents are most frequently referenced and with great pleasure , I present to you – the top 3 topics of binaryHealthCare.com;

1. Micosoft and Google’s entrant to Healthcare Informatics
2. Dental Informatics (mostly Dental PACS)
3. OsiriX

The last part – OsiriX, kinda pickup only after Apple claims its technology could make medical imaging more affordable and I was also surprised at the number of queries I get pertaining to OsiriX (the next one is IT Certifications, followed by PACS Administration experience).

Ramblings: 1st NUH Annual Radiographers’ Course – Digital Imaging

National University Hospital or NUH (in Singapore) held their 1st Annual Radiographer’s Course (12-13thJul ), with Digital Imaging as their theme.

I attended the event as a Sponsor representative but am glad that I did manged to (at the last hour) contribute to the contents/materials presented (more details later).

As indicated by the course title, it is on Digital Imaging with a focus tune on Radiographers (that means nothing too technical). The course contents covers Digital Image acquisition (mainly CR and DR) including scanning of films (well, it’s technically digitization) as well as RIS, PACS architecture and the role of the clinical PACS Administrator, workflow and most importantly – RIS/PACS troubleshooting.

Doctor establishes brain-computer interface lab

“Jana S. stares at letters flashing on a screen; her only movement is inside her head, as letter by painstaking letter she begins to type”

Sounds like a scene from the movies? Well apparently not.

Algoma University has joined a small group of learning centres worldwide, researching how to get a computer to read one’s mind, “The literature likes to say a brain-computer interface does not read your mind. But on a technical level, the computer is recognizing brain patterns,” said George Townsend, an AU associate professor in the department of computer science and mathematics.”

Ramblings: 23rd Singapore Malaysia Radiographers Conference

The 23rd Singapore Malaysia Radiographers Conference (SMRC) is of great importance as this year is Singapore Society of Radiographers’s (SSR) Golden Jubilee year.

That’s right, SSR is celeberating their 50th anniversity with a big bang *drums rolling* – The Guest of Honor is no other than the President of Singapore – President S.R. Nathan.

And no, I am not a Radiographer, part of SSR’s initiatve includes promotion of Medical Imaging Informatics in Singapore (and the region) as an enabler for better patient care, hence the reason why I am involved.

Chuck Thacker – The man who inspired a generation

“Chuck Thacker is something of a hero in the world of technology yet outside of it, he remains a virtual unknown”

Well said.

Personally, I’ve never heard of Chuck Thacker until I read this article (I personally recommend all Information Technologist to take some time off and enjoy the article).

For those who wants a short preview of it, all I can say is that this gentlemen is essentially the man who gave us the personal computer, helped pioneer the Ethernet LAN, involved in a host of computer architecture advancements, the tablet PC and even did work on the X box.

ACR partners with industry to offer imaging education

Check this out: “The American College of Radiology (ACR) Education Center is now offering interactive radiology education on workstations from 11 different vendors to allow participants to receive instruction and directly apply the training received within clinical practice.

Attendees gain hands-on knowledge and expertise through a mentored self-study format that can allow for one-on-one interaction with instructors and equipment vendors, provides frequent feedback and is performed at individual workstations that replicate the attendees clinical practice environment, according to the ACR.”

In my humble opnion, this is innovative work based learning

Accordingly to ACR, attendees can receive training on of different imaging systems, including:

Interesting: Philips partners with Dubai Health Authority for future healthcare projects

Seems that Philips have big plans for the Middle East market.

First, they collaborated with the govertment of Saudi Arabia for medical-training, now they announced a strategic partnership (complete with a memorandum of understanding) with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to make Philips the preferred partner for future DHA healthcare projects for the Gulf region of the United Arab Emirates. 
 
“Through the partnership, Philips has become the DHA’s preferred partner and supplier of healthcare, lighting, consumer products and services. The agreement includes the possibility of further deployment of Philips products and services, and provides a joint framework for developing and pursuing future opportunities,” remarked Qhadi Al Murooshed, director general, DHA.

RFID risk to hospital equipment claims study

“Radio frequency identification could seriously affect life-saving equipment leading to hazardous situations for hospitals, Dutch scientists have claimed.

A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dutch academics and doctors found that even the most simple radio frequency identification device (RFID) such as a credit card could cause electromagnetic interference, which could prove to be fatal.”