MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition features new software correcting scattered radiation
Siemens Healthcare has unveiled the MAMMOMAT® Inspiration Prime Edition, a forthcoming evolution in the MAMMOMAT family, at the 98th Congress of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2012. The MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition lowers dose by replacing the standard scatter radiation grid with a new algorithm for progressive image reconstruction. The algorithm identifies scatter-causing structures and calculates a corrected image, enabling clinicians to achieve high-quality images with up to 30% less dose. The development of products like the digital full-field MAMMOMAT Inspiration is a goal of the Siemens Healthcare Sector’s global ‘Agenda 2013’ initiative.
In digital X-ray breast imaging, dose passes through the examined breast to a detector. Primary radiation supplies the information needed to produce the X-ray image, while scattered radiation is absorbed by special grids positioned between the breast and the detector. Unfortunately, these scatter grids also absorb part of the all-important primary radiation, forcing clinicians to use a higher dose to obtain images of desired quality. Since mammography means regular screening of healthy women, minimising dose is extremely important.
Siemens Healthcare’s new reconstruction algorithm for the MAMMOMAT Inspiration system – known as Prime (Progressive Reconstruction, Intelligently Minimising Exposure) – eliminates the need for the conventional scatter radiation grid. The Prime algorithm subsequently corrects the scattered radiation by identifying scatter-causing structures and recalculating the image. The primary radiation that radiologists rely upon remains intact. Therefore, a grid is no longer necessary, and lower doses are sufficient to produce high-quality images. The grid-free imaging technology of the MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition offers reduced dose compared to the MAMMOMAT Inspiration, depending on the thickness of the patient’s breast tissue.
Lynn Blackburn, Business Manager for Mammography, Surgery and Urology at Siemens Healthcare, states, “This evolution in mammography technology is an exciting development for the field and we look forward to bringing it to the UK marketplace. Currently, nearly two million women are screened annually with some 15,000 cancers detected so it is of huge importance that we can make quantifiable dose savings but still maintain excellent image quality.”
Available in 2013, the MAMMOMAT Inspiration Prime Edition is based on the modular MAMMOMAT Inspiration platform for screening, diagnostics, biopsy, and tomosynthesis used by hospitals and clinicians since 2007. Hospitals and clinics have the option of purchasing the basic equipment, upgrading biopsy or tomosynthesis later as the need arises.
The products mentioned here are not commercially available in all countries. Due to regulatory reasons the future availability in any country cannot be guaranteed. Further details are available from the local Siemens organizations.
Agenda 2013 is a global initiative to further strengthen Healthcare Sector's innovative power and competitiveness. Four fields of action have been defined: Innovation, Competitiveness, Regional Footprint, and People Development, with specific measures to be implemented over the next two years.
About Siemens Healthcare
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimising clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. For further information please visit: http://www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare
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Laura Bennett
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W: http://www.siemens.co.uk/healthcare
