Nuclear Medicine Department Redesign And Equipment Refresh Breathes New Life Into Clinical Workflow

Main Category: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine;  Medical Devices
Article Date: 15 Feb 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, part of the Barts and The London NHS Trust, has installed a Siemens Symbia TruePoint SPECT.CT. The hybrid system combines a dual-detector variable angle gamma camera with a dual slice CT scanner for detailed localisation and diagnostic imaging. Incredibly diverse, the system can be used for rapid diagnosis and routine CT applications in cardiology, oncology, rheumatology and neurology.

The Symbia TruePoint SPECT.CT is designed to determine the exact location, size, nature and extent of disease by combining functional information of SPECT with the anatomical information acquired by the integrated dual slice diagnostic CT. The combination of the two technologies means that Nuclear Medicine Physicians and Radiologists can view images in 3D, locating anomalies even before anatomical changes are visible. By providing accurate images for diagnosis, the treatment process can then be implemented swiftly.

The Royal London Hospital's Nuclear Medicine Department was redesigned by Siemens with direct input from Margaret Newell, Lead Physicist and her group, to bring facilities up to date and to accommodate the new system. The innovative nuclear medicine solution is integrated into a web server network that transfers images instantly across the Trust's hospital sites - St Bartholomew's, The London Chest and the Royal London. The user-friendly system is designed to assist seamless communication between the Trust's hospitals. This communication link enables consultants to report on imaging from anywhere inside the Trust, speeding up workflow.

"The new system and the department redesign have given us the 'wow' factor," said Dr Hikmat Jan, Operational Lead Consultant, Barts and The London NHS Trust. "The image quality is fantastic, assisting with accurate diagnosis and speeding up patient throughput. The web server network is also an invaluable addition as staff can now see images from all the Trust's hospitals which is ideal for consultant reporting and workflow."

"Siemens has a sound partnership with Barts and The London NHS Trust due to its 35-year Managed Equipment Service deal," said Gary Cook, London Sales Manager at Siemens. "We have therefore played a key part in the development and refurbishment of the facilities at the Royal London Hospital. Our project management, commercial knowledge and equipment innovation pedigree position us to work in partnership to provide not only the highest quality systems, but also workspace redesign to fulfill the requirements of a busy department."

Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare will be the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care -- from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2007 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of €9.85 billion (on a pro forma basis including Dade Behring roughly €11 billion), orders of €10.27 billion, and group profit of €1.32 billion.

Siemens Healthcare