Philips transforms imaging care with features that help manage radiation dose and provide high image quality

CHICAGO, Nov. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 98^th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, November 25-29, Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today reaffirmed its commitment to transforming care for the imaging and patient community through creating new clinical solutions, offering faster ways to collaborate and providing breakthrough economic value.

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Philips believes that radiology is the cornerstone of diagnosis and treatment. As advancements in medical imaging help to diagnose and care for patients in new and innovative ways, it remains important to develop solutions that help to improve patient safety and care. Managing radiation dose exposure, while providing high image quality for clinician confidence, is one way to support this charge.

"This is a transformative time in healthcare, and our continued journey has led to fundamental changes in care delivery," said Gene Saragnese, chief executive officer of Imaging Systems at Philips. "At Philips, our primary focus is to support better patient outcomes and in a fundamental way, we are addressing this need by developing systems that provide high quality images using low amounts of radiation – the right scan at the right dose." 

For more than a decade, Philips has been committed to radiation dose management with its DoseWise philosophy – Philips' set of techniques, programs and practices that facilitate industry-leading image quality, while protecting people in X-ray environments. DoseWise uses the industry standard ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) as its guiding principle.

At RSNA 2012, Philips continues to define the future of imaging with advanced dose management solutions, live assistance and education for users, as well as coordinated industry initiatives. New Philips solutions and upgrades focused on high image quality and improved dose management to be featured at the show include:

• CT IMR: a unique knowledge-based iterative reconstruction technique that transforms CT imaging from data approximation to data restoration. IMR is designed to provide virtually noise free image quality* with improvements in low contrast detectability. This process is a significant step towards discovering new clinical potentials for CT imaging.
• MicroDose Mammography with Single-Shot Spectral Imaging (SI)⁽¹⁾: a full-field digital mammography system that uses direct, digital photon-counting technology to provide high-quality images at 18-50 percent less dose than comparable systems. The new SI⁽¹⁾ application (not available for sale in the U.S.) provides objective spectral breast density measurements for refined risk assessments that can be obtained in the same examination as a standard low-dose mammogram.
• iDose⁴ Premium Package: a new Philips CT offering that includes two leading technologies that improve image quality⁽²⁾ – iDose⁴ and metal artifact reduction for orthopedic implants (O-MAR). iDose⁴ improves image quality through reduced artifact prevention and increased spatial resolution at low dose. O-MAR reduces artifacts caused by large orthopedic implants. Together they produce high image quality with reduced artifacts.
  • Image quality is vital for patient-centered imaging, which is why today Philips CT is announcing that iDose⁴ will become standard on the iCT and Ingenuity scanner families 32-slice and above in 2013. 
• iPatient: an advanced platform for its family of CT and PET/CT scanners that facilitates patient-centered imaging, enabling consistency through optimal⁽³⁾ management of image quality, radiation dose and radiation dose reporting – as well as efficient ways to enhance the delivery of appropriate contrast dose with SyncRight. iPatient helps to prepare for future CT technologies that will help improve the care delivered to patients.

To complement the new image quality technologies in CT, Philips will now offer a new Elite configuration for the iCT and Ingenuity Families. iCT Elite and Ingenuity Elite will include iPatient, the iDose⁴ Premium Package and be IMR ready. In addition, iDose⁴ and IMR will be available as an upgrade to the installed base of those systems. 

In addition to addressing dose, Philips' commitment to patient care and comfort now extends to the pre-imaging process with the introduction of Philips Ambient Experience solution for the uptake room. Ambient Experience uses dynamic lighting, video and sound to help reduce patient anxiety in advance of a scan, which can lead to improved workflow and patient care. The uptake room solution includes a streamlined ceiling unit that generates specifically created mood settings to create a relaxing patient atmosphere, with procedure lights and audio settings for an improved staff working environment. The Ambient Experience transforms a standard uptake room into one that creates a soothing and empowering patient environment.  

Visit Philips at RSNA 2012 in the North Building Hall B of the McCormick Place convention center at booth 7719 from November 25-29. For more information, additional materials and images, go to www.philips.com/RSNA and click on the "News Center" tab.  

* In clinical practice, IRT may reduce image noise depending on the clinical task, patient size, anatomical location, and clinical practice. A consultation with a radiologist and a physicist should be made to determine the appropriate dose to obtain diagnostic image quality for the particular task. As with any imaging reconstruction, the quality of the resulting IRT images is dependent on the scanning parameters required for your particular patient, clinical indication and clinical practice.
(1) Not available for sale in the U.S.
(2) Improved image quality is defined by improvements in spatial resolution and/or noise reduction as measured in phantom studies.
(3) "Optimal" refers to the use of strategies and techniques that facilitate the management and control of both image quality and dose.

About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2011 sales of EUR 22.6 billion and employs approximately 121,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming, home and portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE Royal Philips Electronics