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Deep Learning Reconstruction (DLR) used in combination with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has the potential to help diagnose diseases earlier, faster and better. It improves image quality by eliminating noise, and increasing signal to noise ratio, helping to obtain ultra-high-resolution images. Bordeaux University Hospital, in France, is working with Canon Medical’s DLR solution in numerous applications in research and clinical practice. Through this, it has been able to make observations on anatomy that have previously not been possible on 3T systems. The team has been using the system routinely for about a year now and is working to validate the tool scientifically.

Speeding workflows

In their daily routine, one of the biggest challenges the Hospital faces is the growing number of requests they receive and the difficult task of examining all the patients. They anticipate that DLR will help speed up workflows to enable them to meet this demand. DLR functionality is easily integrated into the image reconstruction chain. Radiologists only have to plug in the option to improve the image quality. Switching to this new routine is effortless and brings real benefits. High resolution images can be achieved with DLR without losing time or signal. There is also a reduction of image acquisition time, as the signal quality matters less, because noise can be eliminated following the scan. DLR allows correction afterwards and signal or spatial resolution no longer requires improvement.

Spectacular resolution

In particular, DLR has an important clinical impact in imaging anatomical regions that require a very high resolution. For example, the spatial resolution achieved with DLR had never been seen before in neuro-logic imaging by Prof. Dousset, Head of the Neuro Radiology Department. In this he refers to the imaging of brain areas, such as the claustrum, which is almost invisible on standard MRI images, even with very high resolution or high field devices.

Whereas a colleague, Prof. Tourdias, has worked with 7T to visualize extremely fine structures of the hippocampus area of the brain, while at Stanford University in the US. With DLR, he can now do this task with a 3T and achieve similar results as with 7T.

Research synergies

The collaboration between the hospital and Canon Medical creates opportunities to find solutions for patients, often in areas that had never been explored before. Working with Canon Medical enables the physicians to work with the most advanced technology on the company’s latest MRI scanner for their ongoing clinical research. And there is an interest in transferring the technology back to Canon Medical, in the hope that research results help to advance industry swiftly.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article.

Canon Medical’s Alphenix 4D Angio CT suite helps considerably improve minimally invasive treatments, by facilitating workflow, reducing surgery time, and improving image quality, according to Professor Franco Orsi, a leading Interventional Radiologist, from the European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Italy.

The (IEO) is the fastest growing comprehensive cancer center in Europe. Its team deals with all respects of cancer, from prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to training and research. It has its own Interventional Radiology (IR) department. The IR team performs a wide range of activities. To match the growing demand for less invasive procedures, the IEO acquired an Alphenix 4D CT in 2018.

Innovative features

Features of the Alphenix 4D CT system that have enhanced the safety, precision and efficacy of interventional work include the combination of CT and fluoroscopy in one room and reduced time needed for post-processing of the imaging data sets. Faster and more efficient image interpretation is supported by integration of CT, Fluoro- and Ultrasound images, which are sent to a large screen directly in the room. The image data sets from different sources are processed in real time by the system and fused. This can significantly improve the visibility of the area where the intervention is being carried out. Previously, the indirect interaction between acquired Fluoro- and CT images created lengthier image interpretation times. Having the patient lying on an angio table rather than on a CT couch improves patient accessibility. Mounted on rails on, the CT scanner can be positioned close to the patient, and in parking position, positioned far from the patient. This means that indispensable technologies for IR procedures can also be hosted in the IR room.

Reducing the length of the intervention is of critical importance, as patients are under general anesthesia.

Virtual ‘navigation’

Overall, the new Alphenix 4D CT enables the IR specialists to ‘navigate’ virtually within the volumes of the organs, quickly and accurately target tumor lesions to be eliminated, and feel confident in having eliminated the pathological tissue without complications, immediately at the end of the treatment and without further checks.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article.

Since its global launch in December 2019, the Aquilion ONE / PRISM Edition has been attracting a great deal of attention from specialists all around the world, particularly because of its Advanced intelligent Clear-IQ Engine (AiCE), Deep Learning Spectral Imaging and CT Fluoroscopy capabilities. The new CT system has been designed for deep intelligence.

AiCE is a cutting-edge Deep Learning Reconstruction (DLR) technology that has been trained to reduce noise and boost signal to deliver sharp, clear and distinct images at speed. It has already inspired a lot of feedback from specialists, who find that it offers a wide variety of benefits.

Significant advances with AiCE

It enables specialists to obtain thinner images at high quality, which helps them make a more confident diagnosis. When used to look at complex cases, in which focus on detail is essential, this can increase confidence. Some specialists like AiCE, because of its low contrast detectability, especially with liver lesions or peritoneal metastases. And they find that the contours are much sharper, which helps with the delineation of bowels, to assess fat stranding, or to see if a tumor is infiltrating another tissue. In terms of dose, some specialists have been surprised at what a low dose can be achieved. As AiCE in integrated in the automatic exposure control, there is no guessing required on how low the dose should be. It’s just about switching on the button for dose reduction.

Spectral Imaging

In addition to AiCE, the new Aquilion ONE / PRISM Edition features advanced Spectral Imaging to improve workflow and help reduce patient iodine load. Images can be analyzed directly at the workstation with a range of new Vitrea applications. With Spectral Imaging, specialists can characterize the tissue more accurately and give more specific answers to the clinician. They also have greater confidence and can see if there is or isn’t contrast uptake in the subtle lesions often found in oncology. Spectral Imaging is also more specific, for conditions like gout or kidney stones.

CT Fluoroscopy – More specific control
The new system features a hybrid CT Fluoroscopy interface that enables one-handed operation with ergonomically designed controls and a versatile touchscreen tablet. It is important for specialists to be able to control the system from inside to achieve specifically what they want quickly and without too much hassle. This correlates with improved control and safety during the procedure.

Ergonomics

The access to the system has been improved. Specialists can now get closer to the patient, which is more comfortable for all involved. Patients benefit from the new console because the procedure can be expedited, and they can be out of the room earlier.

Please click HERE to read the complete in-depth review of the CT system that’s designed for deep intelligence with leading clinicians from two-prestigious institutions, Radboud University Medical Center (the Netherlands) and Strasbourg University Hospital (France).

Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) in Leiden has a strong specialist team, program and follow-up program in fetal medicine and surgery and performs all these specialist procedures for the whole of the Netherlands. It is a world-leader in certain conditions. It has found that the outstanding clinical precision, high image quality, reliability and speed of Canon Medical’s Aplio-i series ultrasound, as well as options, such as speckle tracking, increase diagnostic confidence in detecting fetal abnormalities.

High quality images

An increasing number and range of fetal abnormalities can be detected with advanced technology and the improved visibility obtainable from imaging equipment. However, it is not always easy to ascertain what these abnormalities really mean for the life of the fetus, especially in areas like brain defects. Making an accurate prognosis is the challenge. The more information that can be gained on the abnormality, the easier this is.

Ultrasound is the first choice modality in fetal imaging and good equipment with the latest technology is key. The fetal unit at LUMC has three Aplio i800 systems, which it has used for the past three years – A decision they have never regretted. In particular, the team finds the system’s image quality superb, especially in use for challenging patients. For example, in obese mothers-to-be, from which obscured images are often obtained. Image quality during the intricate procedures involved in fetal surgery  is crucial and determines how long the procedures take. With the Aplio i-series, more patients can be examined in a reduced time, a clear benefit in fetal surgery.

Additional innovations

Innovation in ultrasound is welcome. New technologies like speckle tracking, are extremely useful in detecting heart defects, in addition to standard 2D and Doppler ultrasound. Canon was one of the first to offer excellent speckle tracking. Myocardial Performance Index (MPI) and Wall Motion Tracking (WMT) are especially interesting to explore in fetuses with conditions that affect one chamber of the heart. They may, for example, be able to help predict which fetuses will develop fibrotic heart disease, and which will end up with a preserved left ventricle of the heart.

Another useful technique on the Aplio i-series is Superb Micro-Vascular, which expands the   range of visible blood flow and provides visualization of low micro-vascular flow. Benefits compared to conventional Doppler technologies are high frame rates, high resolution, high sensitivity and fewer motion artefacts, offering clinicians new means to reveal minute vessels when evaluating fetal brain, kidneys or any other tiny vessels.

Huge decisions can result from tiny indications

The need for precision, high quality and reliability are of particular importance in fetal healthcare, in which lives are often at stake. There is a huge psychological impact when reporting fetal abnormalities, and technology that helps provide more accuracy is essential. Diagnosis can lead to pregnancy termination, so accuracy is essential.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article.

Time is critical in emergency situations. Individual patient information is now highly detailed and most often digitalized. Health professionals who need patient information urgently unfortunately often face delays in retrieving key information. They need this almost instantly to save lives in many situations. Canon Medical in Edinburgh, UK, is researching the use of a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) called Natural Language Processing (NLP) to interpret medical text, pull out relevant information, and create a new, faster, easier to navigate, and more accurate diagnostic pathway for clinicians.

Focus on stroke

Specifically, their research is focused on new technologies for stroke diagnosis through collaboration with the Industrial Centre for AI Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD). The objective is to reduce ‘door-to-needle’ time – the time elapsed between admission and treatment in ischemic stroke. In this condition, a blockage in blood flow reduces oxygen supply to brain tissue. The sooner the clot or occlusion can be removed, the faster blood flow to deprived regions can be restored and the better the chances of recovery. Current clinical guidelines indicate that if four-and-a-half hours lapses before treatment for an ischemic stroke, it fails to have an impact – so door-to-needle time is crucial.

Barriers

Elements that can slow down time to specific diagnosis and treatment include patient transfer and language barriers, as well as painstakingly reading through many medical notes. NLP works on the basis of algorithms that identify, extract and convert human language into an analyzable format. It is already used in applications, such as personal computer assistants. In the context of medical applications, the specialized language, which is often full of idiosyncrasies, such as specific abbreviations as well as misspellings and typos (from hastily recording information in urgent situations), and confidentiality of patent records mean that AI applications require special adaptations and training to be effective.

Model

Canon Medical’s AI scientists have already created a state-of-the-art algorithm for classifying medical reports and have partnered with Prof. Sotirios Tsaftaris of Edinburgh University (Canon Medical/Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Healthcare AI) to develop a feasible model. This includes a breakthrough algorithm that can incorporate medical knowledge – in this case, information from the International Classification of Diseases, into the design of the model to obtain higher accuracy.

The AI model under development aims to ‘turbo charge clinicians’, and make their job as easy as possible by supporting their decision-making processes. They will be able to specifically source the AI algorithm output, providing reassurance and context. For example, when they click on a sentence it could show exactly where the information was derived from, the clinician can either agree or disagree with it. It will present the facts, but the clinician still makes the decisions.

Continued research

Over the next year, the team will continue their research and further focus on text algorithms that specifically support clinical decisions in the treatment of acute stroke.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article.

Canon Medical now offers a full line-up of comprehensive Ultrasound solutions for Women’s Healthcare. It has recently added a trio of dedicated Women’s Healthcare Ultrasound systems to its range, including the Aplio i700 WH, Aplio a550 WH and Aplio a WH. Overall, the range can provide solutions for specialists’ expectations for clear and fast diagnosis from routine clinic to research university.

Canon Medical’s portfolio of Women’s Healthcare (WH) solutions has expanded rapidly. Its new Ultrasound range has been designed and developed following full research of specialist’s and patient’s needs.

Trio of new systems

The new flagship Aplio i700 WH has unique features, such as: Fetal Wall Motion Tracking – a raw-data-based speckle-tracking technology that helps clinicians assess fetal heart function in greater detail for earlier detection of fetal- and maternal risk during pregnancy; and a high frequency ultra-wideband active matrix transducer that delivers finer imaging details.

The Aplio a550 WH system integrates technologies from Canon Medical’s Aplio i-series, with a wide range of Women’s Healthcare applications designed to enhance diagnosis for any busy high end routine imaging department.

The complete new Aplio a WH is a fully customizable Ultrasound system with only the possibilities and technologies that an individual prenatal or gynecological department needs.

The trio join the existing Xario g-series, which delivers a unique set of mobility and productivity features, including an impressive, eight-hour cable-free battery performance and two-second start up time, while continuing to offer Canon Medical’s proven high-quality imaging capabilities.

Superior standard features
Each of Canon Medical’s dedicated Women’s Healthcare systems include as standard:

  • 3D/4D software package with Luminance – a rendering mode that simulates shadows in 3D/4D for better depth impression.
  • Superb Micro-vascular Imaging (SMI) with excellent sensitivity and resolution, almost no motion artifacts.
  • High frame rate for accurate imaging at low flow velocities.
  • Horizontal endovaginal probe holder for specialist convenience.
  • Gel warmer for patient comfort.

 

Significant interest

The new range was first introduced last year at the 29th ISUOG World Congress of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology was held in Berlin, Germany, where it was well received. There has been significant interest in the range since then.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article. Or read more about the WH range products.

At the time that it was invented, in 15th Century, The Laterna Magica – or Magic Lantern – was a revelation. In basic terms: it is a slide projector, with a simple light source, such as candle that projects hand-painted slides onto a screen. It may sound incredibly simple by today’s standards, but the Laterna Magica reinvented the way people saw the world.

The remarkable history of this innovation is highlighted as part of an exhibition on the history of projection at AV Stumpfl Museum, in Austria. Reinhold Stumpfl, the owner and founder of Canon partner, AV Stumpfl, and an avid collector, asked his friend, Dr. Scheucher, a recognized expert in visual storytelling, to curate the exhibition.

“There’s a connecting line beginning from the early times of mankind, right through to today where powerful images in projections are used by powerful people to shock and influence.” Dr Andreas Scheucher, curator of the AV Stumpfl Museum.

“The idea of telling stories with pictures is as old as humanity itself ” – Reinhold Stumpfl, owner and founder of Canon partner AV Stumpfl.

16th Century

During the reformation in Europe in the 16th Century, the Catholic Church dominated in matters of morality and law, until the Protestants challenged their dogma.

“The Jesuits were very important for the Roman Catholic Church, as they were multimedia people,” explained Dr Andreas Scheucher, curator of the AV Stumpfl Museum. “They founded a special form of spiritual theater and used the Magic Lantern. The first projected images were images of the devil.”

“Jesuits travelled widely using the Laterna Magica to spread church propaganda, and to show that if you were not a good Catholic, you would go to Hell. From the middle ages, right through to today, powerful images have been used in projections to shock and influence.” said Dr. Scheucher.

This was probably the first use of broadcast images for the purposes of propaganda. As wealth moved from the hands of the church and aristocracy and into the hands of merchants, so did the use of the Laterna Magica.

18th Century

During the French Revolution (1789-1799), stage magician, Étienne- Gaspard Robert, discovered how to project from two Magic Lanterns mounted on rails and used this to entertain Parisian people, who were shaken by riots. He performed terrifying shows of supernatural spectacles called ‘Phantasmagoria’.

19th Century

In the middle ages, an oil lamp was used with the projecting apparatus, but the oxy-hydrogen lamp was invented in the 19th Century. Hydrogen and oxygen were mixed, creating a high temperature in a chemical reaction so that a limestone began to glow with a very white light. This ‘limelight’ was about 6,000-8,000 lumen, which is brighter than average car headlights of today, this was at a time that most people had seen was the light of a yellow oil lamp.

Astonishing images from around the world were meticulously hand-transferred onto glass slides in crisp, beautiful detail, and the “limelight” then allowed them to fill huge screens with news, discoveries and catastrophes, such as erupting volcanoes.
By the Victorian industrial revolution, its popularity peaked, and thousands of people descended upon the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, to see these projection shows. The apparatus used were big projectors with three lenses, dissolve units and limelight. It was the cinema projector of the 19th Century. The slides are unique, feature many colors and every slide is an artwork.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article

Hybrid Interventional suites offer so many benefits in the clinical environment for specialists, patients and management that they are often on the development wish-list of many hospitals. And hybrid interventional techniques are part of a highly skilled expertise that will only advance in the future. Canon Medical’s Infinix-i Hybrid + is a market leading interventional system that offers outstanding performance in a wide variety of clinical scenarios.

In September 2018, the Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, in Paris, France, installed a hybrid operating room (OR) that features Canon Medical’s flagship, Infinix-i Hybrid, which has enabled the Hospital to significantly enhance its interventional capabilities. With the new suite, it has now emerged as one of Europe’s centers of excellence in interventional cardiovascular techniques.

“With the Infinix-i Hybrid + the hospital can now boast about being one of Europe’s centers of excellence.”- Dr Jean-Michel Juliard, Interventional Cardiologist

“With the Infinix-i Hybrid + room, we now have a suitable tool for all our medical and surgical specialists.” – Dr Quentin Pellenc, Vascular Surgeon

Core technology

The Infinix-i Hybrid + has a unique, double, ceiling mounted sliding C-arm and dedicated surgical Maquet Magnus table. These features enable the system to provide ultra- fast whole-body 3D coverage, free head access and a unique lateral C-arm stroke for better ergonomics, improved productivity and the highest quality 3D images from head-to-toe. The system also has many dose reduction tools – live zoom, spot fluoroscopy, Dose Tracking System (DTS) fluoro-roadmap, which are essential during complex aortic repair or mesenteric stenting, which can only be achieved using lateral views.

“We really appreciate the ergonomics of the room. The C-arm can be positioned in a multitude of angles, allowing combined approaches from femoral and upper body access during the same surgery. Furthermore, image quality is excellent, and the digital zoom is very useful for complex procedures, such as fenestrated and branched stent grafts,” said Dr Quentin Pellenc, Vascular Surgeon at the Hospital.
“The system enables us to perform all the structural interventional cardiology interventions, some of which we used to perform in a catheter lab, in a dedicated environment for cardiologists and anesthesiologists. The room is also an OR for simultaneous intervention of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in some complex procedures,” remarked Dr Jean-Michel Juliard, Interventional Cardiologist at the Hospital.

Unique capabilities

With the extensive capabilities of the Hybrid OR, the team at the Hospital have also been able to create some facilities for new clinical possibilities, such as a digestive stroke center in collaboration with the Gastroenterology and Digestive Surgery Departments. “This very specific activity is quite unique in France and is particularly adapted to the use of a hybrid room, such as the one provided by Canon Medical,” added Dr Pellenc.

The new facility has enabled the skilled specialist team at the Bichat-Claude Hospital to advance their expertise and emerge as pioneers in European cardiolovascular intervention.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article

Having worked for Canon Medical Systems in logistics for many years, Johan Vochteloo, took on management of the European demo equipment. Johan gained a unique insight into the demo equipment’s lifecycle that laid the foundation for a brand-new project, Secondlife, which was officially launched in 2009 and has since become a successful venture that has provided affordable, refurbished, top quality Canon Medical systems.

“We had a huge warehouse, full of outstanding demo equipment,” said Johan. “Part of it could be sold, the rest was returned to the European Head Office. I remember wondering what to do with all this excellent equipment that hasn’t been sold yet?”

Dynamic maintenance environment

Refurbishing medical equipment demands a lot of work with many strict regulations and legal aspects, which can change over time. In addition, the equipment hardware and software used in demos, of course is continually changing.

“I have developed a sort of ‘Bible’, in which every piece of equipment that qualifies as refurbished equipment is defined. We had to write refurbishment manuals for each type of equipment we were using, and also prep the equipment itself,“ said Johan. “The task of writing and updating manuals can seem endless. We almost have to write our manuals over and over again.”

Custom built facilities

Secondlife has a new facility in Zoetermeer, which contains several areas dedicated to each step of the process. It has an inbound area were the dismantled materials will be received and checked on completeness, and damages. A cleaning and disinfection area were all units will be cleaned and disinfected before it is handed over to the engineers. There are two CT refurbishment booths and one multi-modality booths, in which CT’s and larger X-Ray models can be worked on, including interventional ceiling mounted systems. The multi-modality booth can also be used for trainings and to receive customers to inspect their new system. The facility is a dedicated area that enables three systems to be serviced simultaneously and provides every engineer with his or her own work facility. When the systems are ready they are moved to the outbound area, where each system is packed and crated for shipment and the necessary paperwork is added.

Expanded team

With considerable expansion of facilities and Secondlife operations, Canon Medical’s Secondlife team has required a much bigger team. It now comprises of two CT engineers, three Ultrasound engineers, two mechanical engineers, two account managers and one trade desk coordinator to properly refurbish its equipment fleet across Europe.

TLC

“What began from a crowded warehouse full of demo equipment with potential, but requiring tender loving care that only our skilled engineers can give it, has grown into a successful and thriving subsidiary business. Secondlife equipment sells everywhere across Europe,” added Johan.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is set to increase drastically over the next decades and it is already the most common cause of death in Europe. Canon Medical now provides hemodynamic monitoring solutions in combination with imaging. This has been made possible through the recent acquisition of Fysicon.

Unique integration of sophisticated products

Information Technology (IT) connects everything inside the majority of modern hospitals. Fysicon’s sophisticated products add greater IT connectivity and workflow management, as well as security.

Monitoring cardiac conditions

It’s most well-known product is QMAPP – a hemodynamic monitoring system. QMAPP completes Canon Medical’s Alphenix cardiovascular X-ray system as a complete system for the cardiac lab. This can be an ideal, effective, affordable and efficient combination for small hospitals.

Managing advanced cardiac diagnostic tools

Information on stents, balloons, devices, valves and any implants are stored on QMAPP, and can be sent to registries. Fysicon has also developed the EVOCS web application – an image and document sharing system, which transmits images from one hospital to another over a secure Internet connection. With EVOCS, the risk of losing or damaging the images disappears, transfer process is expedited, and the data anonymized. DataLinQ is another Fysicon workflow management system used to facilitate a paperless pacemaker clinic and make pacemaker follow-ups more efficient and less costly. Usually, pacemakers are implanted in the cardiac catheter lab. Fysicon facilitates an IT solution where all the data from the pacemaker is directly fed into the database for easy reference. With DataLinQ Remote Device Management it is also possible to integrate data from remote device systems into DataLinQ Cardiac Rhythm Management.

Wider potential

Many medical institutions are realizing the wider implications of the advanced capabilities of the combination, such as in diagnosis and subsequent treatment of stroke. Time is critical in brain injury and stroke management, and EVOCS can help make a difference. It can save time when a patient CT information is sent to the neurovascular reference center, to enable the neurosurgeon to get the data as soon as possible and trigger the appropriate chain of actions.

Early diagnosis

The combination of Alphenix and QMAPP can help detect CVD at an early stage, before any complications, such as stroke, arise. Other modalities, such as oncology, can also be used to help in the early diagnosis of CVD.
“Offering single modalities alone isn’t usually enough to meet our customers’ needs. It’s important to think across the clinical pillar, because we can offer a holistic approach, for example, a complete cardiac solution. You can’t do everything with one device and that’s why you need to use the whole portfolio,”

Security

Cybersecurity is an essential consideration in all IT systems, especially when the systems are exposed to the internet. Data acquired on all Fysicon solutions is encrypted. The security measures that it uses are approved by the US Department of Defense.

Continuous improvement

“We are continuously looking for opportunities to make the current workflow more efficient, by combining additional modalities, and improving integration and usability.” – Eric van Antwerpen, Chief Commercial Officer at Fysicon.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article

Providing cutting edge medical imaging technology goes way beyond selling equipment: it is also about supporting customers through a diversity of scenarios. Canon Medical Systems aims to provide the best service and highest levels of support. It incorporates an holistic approach to service that not only includes the highest level of technical support on a practical level, but also through the creation of tangible benefits from dynamic partnership.

“It’s our job to let physicians focus on patients, by happily taking away the burden of maintaining the equipment. We do everything in our power to keep customers happy.” – Rob de Jong, European Service Director.

Canon Medical Systems Service offer has been shaped and is managed by Rob de Jong, European Service Director, and Afshin Hamzei, Senior Service Manager. Service is provided through a network of 49 companies covering 52 countries, which combine Canon Medical Group companies, as well as Canon Medical partners. The relationship with these partners goes way beyond dealership, It’s a partnership that works closely together to deliver the best possible customer service experience.

Key issues in service for our customers include:

Maintenance

Maintaining medical equipment requires special care and highly trained service professionals. Canon Medical draws on its wide-ranging skills to deliver the best possible service. Handling the delivery of approximately 25,000 service parts each year in 52 countries, meeting cross border challenges in many cases, Canon Medical almost always delivers the parts onsite at expected date.

Aging

One of the main challenges in servicing medical imaging devices is that equipment is aging. Many systems currently used by various medical institutions in Europe are older than 10 years and some are obsolete. Financial pressures can often necessitate the use of old systems, which can be potentially more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Cyber security

The number of cyberattacks has increased tremendously over the past few years. Canon Medical uses whitelist antivirus as standard on its equipment, which is more secure than traditional antivirus. By continuously working with software developers, cybersecurity strategies are constantly improving. And there is a global effort to raise awareness of cybersecurity and better protect systems.

Remote solutions

Remote technology offers new opportunities that expand the boundaries of service.
Canon Medical has a dedicated Product Security incident Response Team (PSIRT) in Japan that communicates with all relevant global organizations in this field. PSIRT observes, assesses and offers solutions if any threat appears on its radar.
In Europe, the initiative is relayed by Canon Medical’s Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CIRT), which reports potential risks in each country, before they reach international level, to PSIRT.

Its remote service system, Innervision, which issues automatically created alerts to prevent down time. Alerts are generated and send to the engineers in charge, to determine which course of action to take.

In addition, there is a growing trend towards predictive service in healthcare, as any ‘break and fix’ approach is becoming obsolete.

Canon Medical’s advanced service offer and capabilities have helped set new standards in the whole imaging and diagnostics equipment industry.

“Customers prefer to know in advance what is going to happen with their equipment. That can have a positive effect on both cost and downtime. They can plan what they will need to spend to keep their equipment up and running. This is the biggest change we will see in the near future.” – Afshin Hamzei, Senior Service Manager.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article

The Medical University Innsbruck is the most important medical research and education institution in Austria. With a total of approximately 3,000 students and 2,000 employees, it focuses on teaching and education, as well as the highest levels of research.

In particular, the University is one of Europe’s leading centers in nerve sonography and pain therapy. In fact, it has acquired a worldwide reputation for this expertise in this over many years. Specifically, ultrasound guided pain therapy in the spine has mostly been developed by the University, which has published many scientific papers on its ground-breaking techniques.

“We have become an international training center over the past few years, visited by colleagues from all over the world to learn about ultrasound guided infiltrations in the spine.” – Dr. Alexander Loizides. Vice-Head of the Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Sonography of Radiology of the Medical University Innsbruck/ Tyrol Hospitals.

“What was the stethoscope in earlier times is more and more replaced by ultrasound today.”- Dr. Hannes Gruber. Head of the Medical University Innsbruck/Tyrol Hospitals.

Sonographic expertise

The capacity of the University in this field has grown from the expertise of two leading specialists: Dr. Alexander Loizides, Head of the ÖGUM (The Austrian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine) Working Committee Musculoskeletal Sonography and Interventional Sonography and Vice-Head of the Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Sonography of Radiology at the Medical University Innsbruck/ Tyrol Hospitals; and PD Dr. Hannes Gruber, Head of the Medical University Innsbruck/Tyrol Hospitals and ÖGUM Working Committee Nerve Sonography.

Ultra-high frequency probes

With substantial technical progress made in recent years in designing and constructing new ultrasound probes that are able to generate increasingly higher sound frequencies, the temporal and especially the spatial resolution of the imaging that these probes can offer has improved significantly. Ultrasound probes offer comparatively low costs and zero radiation dose.

“When 10 MHz probes were used, we could display and assess large nerves: Thanks to technical advances in hardware and software, optimized post-processing, and especially due to the development of ultra-high frequency probes with frequencies of up to 33 MHz, even the tiniest nerves and nerve branches with diameters markedly below one millimeter can now be imaged in detail and assessed with high accuracy. This is a ground-breaking development in nerve sonography,” explained Dr. Loizides.

The ultimate 33MHz probe

The University Innsbruck uses Canon Medical’s latest Aplio i800 ultrasound features a 33MHz Active Matrix Transducer.

“Using Canon Medical’s ultrasound probe – THE ultimate 33MHz probe currently available – has really expanded our knowledge in nerve sonography. Previously, it was generally thought that tiny nerves/nerve branches were monofascicular. Now, we know that this is not true: by using the ultra-high-resolution of the 33 MHz probe, we can prove that even the smallest branches consist of several fascicles after all. This insight leads to entirely new approaches in the diagnosis and therapy of nerve pathologies,” said Dr. Loizides.

Innovative SMI (Superb Microvascular Imaging) ultrasound technology enables a big step forward from duplex sonography and, therefore, in diagnostic accuracy. Pathologies can now be diagnosed not only based on questionable reliable surrogate markers, but more directly and in more detail.

Please click HERE if you would like to read the complete article.