July 10, 2012 — In CT (computed tomography) imaging, healthcare facilities strive to limit patient radiation dose while maintaining high image quality for accurate diagnoses. St. Elizabeth Healthcare, in Edgewood, Ky., is the first facility to be upgraded with Toshiba’s advanced dose reduction software, Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction (AIDR) 3D, on its Aquilion One CT system.
A high-volume setting, St. Elizabeth conducts between 75 and 100 CT cases daily using its Aquilion One, and AIDR 3D is used for all exams including head, chest, abdomen and pelvis, as well as high-end cardiac and neuro studies.
“Upgrading our Aquilion One with AIDR 3D has taken our patient care to the next level by dramatically lowering radiation dose across all exams while maintaining diagnostic confidence, image quality and workflow,” said Jeff Dardinger, director of advanced imaging and vice chairman of radiology at St. Elizabeth. “The upgrade process went extremely well with all protocols implemented within a day, allowing us to start lowering dose immediately.”
AIDR 3D is Toshiba’s third generation iterative dose reconstruction software that incorporates significant system enhancements by reducing radiation dose compared with conventional scanning. It is a sophisticated algorithm designed to work in both the raw data and image data spaces, reducing noise while attempting to maintain image quality. Toshiba is providing complimentary AIDR 3D software upgrades and related training to existing Aquilion One, Aquilion Premium and Aquilion Prime CT customers.
“In busy exam settings, where many patients receive follow-up imaging, lowering radiation dose is critical. AIDR 3D enables us to deliver quality care without sacrificing patient safety,” Dardinger said.
“St. Elizabeth exemplifies how Toshiba partners with healthcare facilities, constantly enhancing its technologies for diagnostic and patient care improvements,” said Tim Nicholson, senior manager, market development, CT business unit, Toshiba. “By implementing industry-leading technologies such as AIDR 3D, both the hospital and its surrounding community can benefit from safer exams.”
For more information: www.medical.toshiba.com
