The Food and Drug Administrated recently cleared a new three-dimensional imaging add-on for technology vendor Carestream’s DRX-Evolution Plus radiography system.
Operators can now add a digital tomosynthesis functionality to the system which can help to reduce exam times and simplify workflows, the Rochester, New York-based company announced Jan. 14. DT deploys a single sweep, generating a series of low-radiation images of the same organ during the same x-ray exposure, Carestream officials noted.
“The images captured by digital tomosynthesis technology offer greater depth and enhanced visualization,” Sarah Verna, worldwide marketing manager for global x-ray solutions, said in a statement. “Doctors and radiologists will be able to perform scans quickly, improving the workflow in an x-ray room and providing valuable clinical information for further diagnosis.”
Similar to computed tomography, the DT scan produces cross-sectional images of an organ or greater visibility. However, the tech add-on does not replace CT imaging, but can be used in concert with it.
“In trauma centers, CT rooms are always overbooked and there’s always a wait,” Verna added. “Now a doctor can further examine any body part, including the chest or lungs, with digital tomosynthesis because it generates many image slices, which helps sharpen diagnosis and make medical treatment more efficient.”
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.