VIENNA - Carestream Health of Rochester, NY, is using this week's European Congress of Radiology (ECR) to demonstrate new configurations of its DRX-Evolution line of digital radiography (DR) suites.
Carestream is now making DRX-Evolution available in three configurations, based on the level of automation available for each room. At the high end, DRX-Evolution Automatic features fully automated operation with up to 128 preconfigurable positions, according to the company.
At the entry level, DRX-Evolution Standard is a DRX-Evolution suite with manual operation, while at the midrange, DRX-Evolution Hybrid offers a mix of automated and manual workflow. All three systems are available with one, two, or three of the company's wireless DRX-1 digital detectors; Carestream estimates that the fully automated version will cost about 50% more than the entry-level unit.
In other ECR news, the company announced that it is preparing to begin shipments of DRX-1 as a retrofit kit for mobile radiography units. The kits consist of a box that is attached to the mobile unit, with an independent power supply that runs the detector, as well as a quality assurance display running Carestream's user interface.
First announced as a work-in-progress at the 2009 RSNA show, Carestream expects to begin shipping the kits in mid-2010, with initial availability on mobile units from GE Healthcare of Chalfont St. Giles, U.K., and Siemens Healthcare of Erlangen, Germany.
Carestream is also launching Image Suite, an offering that combines miniPACS software with a computed radiography (CR) reader into a single package. The software can run on a variety of PC-based workstations and includes image manipulation features such as magnification, annotations, measurements, layout, and other tools. Image Suite is available with Carestream's DirectView Classic, Point-of-Care 140, or Point-of-Care 360 CR readers, and it's scheduled to be available through Carestream's channel partners in the second quarter of 2010.
Also in the realm of CR, CR Vita is a new tabletop reader designed for clinics and mobile applications. Carestream is making the reader available for both human and veterinary sites in Europe.
In the software realm, Carestream is demonstrating a new version 11 of its RIS software. The application has been built on the Microsoft .NET platform, which makes it easy to translate in other languages, according to the company. The application features the use of voice commands to make reporting more automated.
In PACS, the company is showing version 11.1 of its PACS software as a work-in-progress. The new version has a PowerViewer tool that enables radiologists to register studies to make it easier to look at anatomical changes over time. The version also features a PET/CT fusion application that's built in, rather than available as a plug-in.
Related Reading
Carestream gets DR install for 2012 Olympics, February 25, 2010
Carestream hit with lawsuit over optical patents, February 25, 2010
Carestream takes RIS, PACS orders, February 17, 2010
Carestream adds Evolution sale, February 4, 2010
Carestream deploys mobile CR to Haiti, January 28, 2010
Copyright © 2010 AuntMinnie.com
