Apollo Hospitals has unveiled India’s first 320 Slice CT Scanner at the Apollo Heart Centre in Chennai. The 320 Slice CT Scanner, a Dynamic Volume’ scanner, has 320 curved rows of X-ray detectors, each one 0.5 millimeter wide. Together, they cover an area about 16 cm wide. That’s enough to capture an image of the entire brain or the entire heart within one heartbeat. The Aquilion ONE can image an entire organ, in a single rotation or over multiple rotations, showing real-time dynamic movement.

PACSGEAR, Inc. has announced the introduction of PacsSCAN Film(TM) for Mammography, an application specifically designed for digitizing film-based mammography images. The PacsSCAN Film for Mammography System scans plain film mammograms and allows side-by-side comparison with digital mammography images. The product measurably improves radiologists’ reading times by employing the DICOM Digital Mammography standard. This standard enables the correct sequencing of scanned images on digital mammography workstations. Scanned images can be enhanced by using the company’s proprietary Dynamic Contrast Algorithm (DCA), which gives scanned film a digital look and feel.

Imaging3, Inc. has announced the release of its newest radiology software. The updated 3D Orthographic Perspective Interface Software complements the company’s patented new medical imaging device, the Dominion Volumetric Imaging Scanner (DViS), which produces 3D medical diagnostic images of virtually any part of the human body in real-time. Dominion uses high-resolution photo-fluoroscopy to produce three-dimensional medical diagnostic images in real- time. 3D images can be used for any current or new medical procedures in which multiple frames of reference are required to perform medical procedures on or in the human body.

Royal Philips Electronics has unveiled two innovative solutions to help radiologists save time and improve patient diagnosis, at the 94th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago. At RSNA, Philips announced that it is partnering with the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) on a first-of-kind closed loop imaging research trial. The purpose of the ongoing trial is to take a holistic view of radiology workflow and integrate information systems together with imaging systems to remove inefficiency at all points within the imaging loop.

Medtronic Inc. has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark for the first-ever MR-Conditional pacemaker system, the EnRhythm MRI TM SureScan TM pacemaker and CapSureFix MRI TM SureScan TM pacing leads (Model 5086MRI). The new system was designed, tested and approved for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under specified scanning conditions, and is now commercially available in select European countries. Patients receiving the EnRhythm MRI SureScan Pacing System will for the first time be able to undergo MRI scans under certain conditions, representing a major milestone in the evolution of implantable cardiac devices.

Doctors from Weill Cornell Medical College and University of California have found evidence which links memory loss to brain damage following mild traumatic brain injury. This recent discovery can prove helpful in diagnosing when a routine concussion can cause lasting cognitive problems. Patients who experience concussion following a head injury show no signs of damage in a traditional MRI scan or CT. On passing the basic neurological test, they are sent back home without a treatment. Researchers examined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This advanced form of MRI facilitates the study of microscopic movement of water molecules within the white matter of brain.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the 501(k) clearance to Aurora Imaging Technology Inc.’s Aurora® 1.5Tesla Dedicated Breast MRI System for AuroraSPECTROSCOPY™, the company’s package of breast magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy. The package was developed as an add-on for the Aurora Breast MRI in order to enhance the image specificity of this innovative technology. It continues to be the only dedicated breast MRI system cleared by FDA which is specifically designed to detect, diagnose and manage breast disease alone.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has given the marketing clearance to Imaging Therapeutics’ OsDx™ Hip Bone Mineral Density (BMD) system. Designed to estimate the BMD of the proximal femur with the use of standard antero-posterior hip or pelvis radiographic images, the stand-alone X-ray image-processing software will assist physicians in assessing osteoporosis. The system will help in making BMD testing more accessible. Earlier detection will facilitate early drug intervention to treat fractures.

GE Healthcare has introduced Discovery PET/CT 600, the company’s latest PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) system. Designed for faster and more accurate diagnosis, the scanner will emerge as a useful tool for cancer testing. The device has the highest sensitivity in the industry and includes a scintillator with a proven track record. GE’s BGO technology improves detetion of lesions, reducing dosage.

A study conducted at the PLA 301 Hospital in Beijing has found that Medipattern’s B-CAD Version 2 increases precision in diagnostic process significantly, when used on lesions smaller than 1 cm. A 44 % improvement was recorder in accuracy of the diagnostic process. The company has been developing software solutions for medical use, bringing about advancements in the imaging field. The recent finding reinforces the capability of its products to detect small cancers.