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Advanced clinical applications, new scalable DR-systems among line-up of new and enhanced products.

( RSNA 2011, Booth #8350, North Hall) Agfa HealthCare announced today that several new products and services will be featured at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27- December 2, 2011 in Chicago, Ill. Reinforcing the theme of Imaging Excellence, Clinical Confidence, Agfa HealthCare will focus on its growing portfolio of advanced health IT and imaging solutions currently implemented at thousands of facilities throughout the world, helping providers to enhance the quality and efficiency of the care they provide.

Solutions to be highlighted at RSNA deliver advances in image quality, management, and accessibility to advance clinical confidence along the continuum of care. Updated offerings to be demonstrated include:

• Comprehensive portfolio of DR solutions that feature MUSICA2 - image processing, the popular NX GUI designed to enhance workflow, and cesium panel technology to enable the potential for dose reduction without compromising image quality. From the DX-D100 mobile DR unit, now available with wireless panel, to high throughput U-arms, robotized floor mounted and overhead DR systems, Agfa HealthCare will demonstrate the company's innovative and easily configured systems designed to meet the needs of a broad variety of applications.
• Clinical Applications 2.0 - The Clinical Applications Suite (2.0) offers a cost effective image processing package fully integrated into the IMPAX reporting workflow. This integrated workflow unites image processing and information management and translates it into effective reporting workflows for greater productivity for informed diagnosis. Specific applications include MIP/MPR, Base and Extended 3D and PET CT Viewing with Fusion.
• XERO for IMPAX - A new zero-footprint viewer, XERO is a technology platform that improves access to healthcare data.Through Web 2.0 standard integration and visualization methods, XERO provides secure access to standard healthcare data stored in healthcare systems, without any software download required, on any of the most widely-used operating systems and browsers. Security is enhanced by having all access authenticated, communications encrypted and events audited.

XERO for IMPAX provides significant operational and capital cost savings, it does not require an additional database for study metadata-it gets all the information it needs in real-time from the image source - so there are no data synchronization issues, and there are no additional database or caches to purchase nor manage.

• IMPAX Data Center - With the ever increasing IT management needs across the enterprise, IMPAX Data Center can manage the storage and display of DICOM objects from Radiology and almost any other image producing department. Agfa HealthCare 's integrated imaging technology elegantly optimizes the value of the EHR enterprise system to deliver a comprehensive, longitudinal view of the patient record.

The above highlighted solutions will be on display at the Agfa HealthCare booth #8350, North Hall. For more information or to schedule a customized product demonstration, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Additionally, other products from the expansive Agfa HealthCare Imaging and Imaging Informatics portfolios to be on display include the following:

Computed Radiology

DX-M* - The next generation in Computed Radiology (CR) for digital mammography and general radiography, the DX-M digitizer combines excellent image quality and high throughput with the convenience of supporting both standard phosphor plates and needle-based detectors. The DX-M, featuring a drop-and-go buffer-based workflow, can be used as a centralized or decentralized CR system.

Direct Radiology

DX-D 100 - mobile Direct Radiology (DR) - Thanks to its motorized, ergonomic design, the DX-D 100 is easily moved and operated by a single person, for improved quality and efficiency of bedside imaging. It is available with either a wireless or tethered detector, delivering fast previews and leading-edge resolution for a broad range of general radiography X-ray studies, making it ideal for hospitals and imaging practices with a small work space.

The wireless DR panel version offers wireless data transmission via IEEE 802.11n (2.4GHz) in a lightweight panel with a high 125 micron pixel resolution. The detector comes with two batteries and one battery charger so departments can quickly and continuously implement the benefits of wireless convenience and MUSICA2 intelligent image processing technology.

Combined with its high effective generator power, very short exposure times become possible, resulting in sharper images. 

The unit's impressive battery capacity offers an autonomy sufficient for the most demanding sites. Even during charging, imaging can be continued.

We invite radiologists and technicians to a hands-on 'test drive' to see for themselves the ease of use of this improved system. 

DX-D 300 - Its small size and floor-mounting make the DX-D 300 very easy and cost-effective to install, in even a limited space. Yet it can handle a broad range of X-ray studies, including lateral exams.

DX-D 400 - The DX-D 400 is an excellent choice for facilities looking for a smooth upgrade path to digital, and can be used with film cassettes, CR and DR. Scalable configurations are possible, from an analog manual system, to a digital manual system, up to a digital automatic system with auto-positioning, auto-tracking and a tubehead touch screen.

DX-D 600* - The new, high-productivity DX-D 600 platform offers a complete portfolio of fully motorized, semi-automatic or manual configurations. The fully automatic system offers the latest in auto-positioning technology. The versatile, ceiling-suspended DX-D 600 can be configured with a choice of wireless, portable or fixed DR detectors in the wall stand and table, with optional integrated CR as well.

DX-D 800*** - The visual camera of this new, robotized R&F unit offers fast, radiation-free positioning. The flat panel detectors provide high-quality dynamic as well as static radiographic images. Its maximum X-ray tube distance of 180 cm enables straightforward thorax imaging.

PACS

IMPAX 6.5 - Agfa HealthCare will be showing the latest version of its advanced IMPAX 6 solution. IMPAX is a sixth generation integrated RIS/PACS workflow solution for data management and reporting, offering improved productivity through its automated worklists, advanced volumetric study management systems, and its ability to be deployed across and beyond the hospital enterprise to wherever radiologists need to report from, including at home.

New to IMPAX 6 this year are advanced features that focus on usability, workflow and productivity, and business intelligence including:

• Intelligent worklist read ahead workflow with the IMPAX local cache acceleration solution, enabling remote and home reporting;
• Mammography tools with full support of the IHE Mammography Image profile solving typical display problems in mixed vendor environments;Improved productivity with automated multi-planar Spine Labeling;
• Advancements in clinical applications with fully integrated advanced image processing including IMPAX Registration & Fusion and IMPAX Volume Viewing;
• Improvements in result distribution of images and information to referring physicians at the point of care;
• Additional communication tools to improve the exchange and delivery of vital information including instant messaging with snapshot sharing, voice clip options with access controls, and Key Image Notes;
• New IMPAX Business Intelligence* and Data Mining tools with real-time digital dashboards for a more focused management of radiology departments;
• Functionality and workflow enhancements to further improve the management of large volume studies with multiple series, which simplifies multi-planar and cross-sectional navigation;
• Automatically links 'like series' within one study or across multiple studies to make navigation more efficient.

RIS/Reporting

IMPAX RIS - Agfa HealthCare's leading Radiology Information System, delivers on increasingly demanding usability expectations from both receptionist and technologist.

From a receptionist's point-of-view, Agfa HealthCare's latest IMPAX RIS features an enhanced overview, to support a more patient-centric experience. This includes automatic display of the pertinent patient and visit details, an easy-to-use and powerful worklist and a customizable preview pane that shows the relevant information of the selected record at a glance.

For technologists, procedure efficiency and data verification have been enhanced by providing a number of new tools, such as a visual indication for available and/or missing information and the inclusion of an exam counter.

The solution's customizable toolbars and buttons enable the IMPAX RIS to be tailored to accommodate specific needs and preferences. More than ever before the IMPAX RIS can help guide and support the user. The task driven features - to, for example, inform the receptionist that the LMP is to be completed at the patient arrival - take the users through their tasks in order and can automate and/or steer actions step by step, add checks, or even block steps in the workflow.

IMPAX Reporting / TalkStation 4.1 - Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX Reporting solution provides radiologists with the image, information, and reporting tools to streamline their reporting task. This fully embedded solution enables radiology departments to work more efficiently. Our design is specifically tailored to the radiologists' ever growing need for fast and easy report creation. Having clear and easy access to relevant text and image information allows for more informed decisions and reduced reporting turnaround times.

Agfa HealthCare will showcase the latest evolution of the IMPAX Reporting solution. The Extended Addendum workflows and its customizable templates, together with the on-the-fly personalization of standard texts are just a couple of new features that will be highlighted in the demonstration booths. Be on the lookout for the latest wireless speech microphones, as they will drive Agfa HealthCare's ever-sophisticated speech recognition solution.

The newest TalkStation voice recognition and reporting solution, version 4.1, will highlight Agfa HealthCare's Dictate, Edit, and Sign workflow as well as infrastructure improvements, through the addition of the latest speech engine Nuance Dragon 10.1, Microsoft Windows 7, and Microsoft SQL 2008. The TalkStation 4.1 solution enriches the academic radiology environment and streamlines the radiologist's interpretation tasks, while decreasing the cost and complexity of implementation.

IMPAX Kiosk** - improves the patient experience and reduces the waiting time at registration while reducing administrative costs for the organization and helping reduce the risk of data input error. At the self-serve kiosk, the patients can identify themselves, check in, and sign documents electronically.

IMPAX Mobile Work List - brings the RIS to the patient's bedside. IMPAX Mobile Worklists allows the technologist to be mobile within the hospital and maintain full tech workflow throughout the patient experience. From signing consent forms to real-time procedure status, the patient wait time will be greatly reduced while still maintaining a streamlined and integrated workflow within the IMPAX suite of products.

Better tools for decision-making: IMPAX Business Intelligence

Supporting the demand for better decision-making support tools in radiology, Agfa HealthCare is introducing its new IMPAX solution for Business Intelligence. Using the IMPAX Business Intelligence Data Warehouse, the system provides historical, current and predictive views of operations. Real-time dashboards, management reports and ad-hoc queries are all available in a single web browser, enabling physicians and hospital management to monitor, measure and streamline radiology operations.

Network/Regional Health IT

IMPAX Data Center - Agfa HealthCare will highlight its clinical imaging information management system that allows healthcare facilities to efficiently manage and share clinical imaging information. Agfa HealthCare'sIMPAX Data Center is the foundation for healthcare enterprises looking to take control of clinical imaging information. Using standards-based infrastructure, IMPAX Data Center is a central component of a hospital's archive, access, and disaster recovery strategies across a wide range of departmental PACS and imaging solutions. The system extends efficiencies of secure imaging information management and universal distribution from individual departments to referring physicians and back.

Agfa HealthCare 's IMPAX Data Center provides large-scale multimedia storage for DICOM 3.0 medical images and diagnostic results including DICOM-encapsulated images, reports, waveforms, and PDFs for hospital groups, regional healthcare organizations and national medical archives. The solution consolidates imaging data from disparate systems into a single point of storage and distribution via the EHR, to help speed decision-making. Through enterprise-wide and vendor-neutral image management services, Agfa HealthCare solutions help enable facilities to provide clinicians with comprehensive, 24/7 access to images and results while enhancing image-focused communications among interdisciplinary care teams.

IMPAX Data Center Viewer, powered by XERO™, is Agfa HealthCare's revolutionary medical imaging and results viewer that addresses one of the most common issues facing healthcare professionals today: extending the EMR or EHR to include support for all medical images and related information, providing physicians with point-of-care access to the longitudinal patient record. Agfa HealthCare's innovative viewer embeds image content into the EHR and renders it accessible by those who need it, using a wide variety of browsers and networks on their office or home computers.

IMPAX Data Center Viewer, powered by XERO, is a zero-download, Internet browser-based medical imaging viewer developed to provide ubiquitous access to imaging information by clinicians at the point of care, regardless of the wide variance of platforms and administrative rules that can be so problematic with typical viewers. With Agfa HealthCare's XERO technology, the user needs no (zero) client software to access a patient's images; any of the most widely-used Internet browsers and a simple network connection are needed.

Cardiovascular Imaging

IMPAX Cardiovascular - Built on good clinical practice and scientific evidence in cardiovascular imaging and reporting, Agfa HealthCare's recently enhanced IMPAX Cardiovascular solution supports clinicians with a single, integrated cardiovascular information system targeted at cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, vascular ultrasound, cardiac CT/CTA review which is SCCT compliant, nuclear cardiology, and ECG data. Clinicians using IMPAX Cardiovascular experience flexibility from features focused on workflow, integration and connectivity, including structured reports, multimodality cardiovascular image analysis, and vendor-neutral ECG management.

IMPAX HeartStation - Offering automated ECG processing and storage, Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX HeartStation ECG Management System enables faster access to ECG exams, permitting clinicians to boost productivity. Clinicians can quickly and easily display, edit, confirm, print and archive ECGs and make them part of the cardiology patient's web-accessible record. IMPAX HeartStation's expanded capabilities support 15-lead ECG, defib, stress, and Holter monitoring reports for store and view capabilities. Facilities will appreciate Agfa HealthCare's cost effective approach to leveraging existing cart investments while clinicians gain convenience from IMPAX HeartStation ECG Management System's anywhere-anytime access.

Women's Imaging

IMPAX for Breast Imaging - IMPAX for Breast Imaging extends Agfa HealthCare's PACS solution into mammography with unique new features. The solution implements the IHE Mammography Image profile, which solves image display problems typically encountered in mixed vendor environments (orientation, size, justification, consistency of grayscale contrast, completeness of annotations). IMPAX for Breast Imaging is configurable for two distinct workflows: screening and diagnosis.

New to IMPAX for Breast Imaging are several features designed to enable a more confident diagnosis. The solution supports Agfa HealthCare's MUSICA MCE (Micro Calcification Enhancement)*** technology, specifically designed for the enhancement of potential micro calcifications. 1:1 Navigator enables a sector-by-sector review of an image at full resolution, including cursor indication of which quadrant is being viewed. A handy scale-to-fit option enables specialists to view the breast in the largest possible format on the screen. The solution also offers background suppression, displaying a black background after inversion and during window leveling. IMPAX for Breast Imaging also supports enhanced CAD support from leading vendors like iCAD, R2, and Siemens.

Enabling physicians to have access to relevant information, IMPAX for Breast Imaging automatically displays relevant data (including Breast US, Full Field Digital Mammography, and Breast MR) based on a variety of user-definable criteria. Relevant prior exams are automatically pre-fetched from the archive management system and sent to the diagnostic review station. The solution is provided with a specially developed keypad to improve the overall workflow speed.

DX-M* - The next generation in CR for digital mammography and general radiography, the DX-M digitizer combines excellent image quality and high throughput with the convenience of supporting both standard phosphor plates and needle-based detectors. The DX-M, featuring a drop-and-go buffer-based workflow, can be used as a centralized or decentralized CR system.

Source: Agfa HealthCare