Charles Ananian, M.D.
Whether it’s a premature baby or a critically ill child, treating little patients is a huge responsibility. After all, they can’t fend for themselves, placing them among the most vulnerable patient populations. Perhaps equally vulnerable are adult patients who face one of the most harrowing health prospects — the possibility of losing a limb to amputation.
That is why clinicians at Adventist Health White Memorial (AHWM) in East Los Angeles rely on Fujifilm’s digital radiography (DR) solutions to treat the most defenseless patients. Simply put, the right DR systems help AHWM’s clinical teams save both lives and limbs at the busy community hospital.
Pediatric Imaging: Safe, Accurate, Affordable
Digital X-rays are often a top priority in the diagnosis and treatment of young patients. The AHWM team depends on its FDR Go portable digital radiography system to attend to babies and children with speed and accuracy. It can be quickly deployed at the bedside, and digital images are acquired in minutes and available to clinicians for diagnosis within 10 minutes.
“When we have a critically ill child here that we are not able to bring down to radiology for an imaging study, [the] FDR Go allows us to do the X-ray at the bedside,” said Anthony Moretti, M.D., chairman of pediatrics, Adventist Health White Memorial. “It decreases costs, improves productivity and allows us to get a rapid diagnosis.”
For example, a common occurrence is when a child presents with increased work of breathing. While it could be just a cold, it could also be infection, or worse still, a life-threatening condition that requires air to be drained from the lungs. In these situations, said Moretti, the FDR Go provides a rapid diagnosis and can be a life-saving tool.
Premature babies often require chest X-rays, too. However, every time a tiny infant is moved, there are risks. Breathing tubes and central lines can be dislodged. With the FDR Go, nurses and technologists can do the imaging at the incubator.
“One of the greatest benefits of the FDR Go is that the infants get to stay in the unit. It’s minimal discomfort to the babies because all we have to do is slide the detector under them,” said Sarah Sarvi, NICU supervisor, Adventist Health White Memorial. “We don’t have to worry about extubating or about ventilating the patient from one floor to another. So it helps a lot and it also eases the tension of parents.”
What’s more, premature babies and sick children are susceptible to infections. So staying put is safer for the patient.
“We’re able to ensure the sterility of our practice because we’re not taking the babies down to areas where many sick adults have been,” said Sarvi. “We’re exposing them to less and less bacteria and potential nosocomial infections.”
Finally, keeping radiation dose to a minimum is top priority when imaging babies and children. FDR Go is compatible with all Fujifilm FDR D-EVO wireless detectors, which feature the manufacturer’s patented Irradiated Side Sampling (ISS) technology for exceptional image quality at low dose.
A fully integrated wireless system, the FDR Go is very durable, compact and easy-to-use. It was designed to fit into tight spaces while allowing users to easily manipulate the tube, making it ideal for the NICU, which typically houses a good deal of equipment.
Limb Preservation: DR Catches Complications, Reduces Amputations
Amputations cost the U.S. medical system billions of dollars every year. With the right technology, clinicians at AHWM’s Center for Limb Preservation are saving the organization money while saving patients’ limbs. The team sees on average 40 to 60 patients a day. The goal: catch complications early and avoid amputations.
The team has a dedicated FDR D-EVO Suite II on the premises. Charles Ananian, M.D., staff podiatrist, Center for Limb Preservation and Advanced Wound Care, Adventist Health White Memorial, said the sophisticated, world-class technology is a key contributor to the rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients and better overall outcomes.
“Normally what would happen is we send them into radiology maybe tomorrow and see them maybe the next day and by then, the problem could have compounded and become worse,” said Ananian. But with the FDR D-EVO Suite II onsite, “Now I see them at 4 o’clock, we send them right down the hall to get an X-ray here, I have the image in a few minutes, and I get to come up with a treatment plan for that patient in real time.”
The FDR D-EVO Suite II allows him to distinguish soft tissues from muscular skeletal parts, see bone abnormalities that are just beginning and view subtle changes in soft tissue that point to infection. This kind of image quality, said Ananian, is far superior to systems he has used just a couple of years ago and reduces errors by ensuring that he does not “miss something small.”
“With the FDR D-EVO Suite II, I get a quality image that’s highly efficient that I can manipulate with the software and really get a positive diagnosis that I feel comfortable with,” said Ananian.
The FDR D-EVO Suite II was also designed with speedy workflow in mind. The system allows techs to pre-set exam types and protocols before patients arrive. That, in turn, helps technologists avoid little mistakes and focus more on attending to the patient for a better and safer patient experience.
Finally, many patients at the Center for Limb Preservation are wheelchair-bound. The FDR D-EVO Suite’s II movable table makes for an easier, more efficient exam. The table elevates low to the patient’s comfortable seated level, making it easier to get on and off of the table, allowing techs to get images taken in roughly five to 10 minutes.
“Our FDR D-EVO Suite II technology has really changed the way we can impact peoples’ lives thanks to the image quality, the efficiency and the workflow benefits,” said Ananian. “It has truly sped up treatment and improved patients’ quality of life and outcomes by preventing amputations.”
For more information: www.fujimed.com
April 17, 2024 
