In an internal comparative study, Omega Medical Imaging proved significant radiation reduction in cardiology is achieved when using an AI image-guided ROI system compared to a non-AI system. Radiation dose is reduced in both fluoro and cine modes of acquisition across varying frame rates. The interventional systems used were cardiology labs, but the technology and its results are transferable to other modalities.
The objective of this study was to access the efficacy of an AI image-guided ROI system versus a conventional, non-AI system in reducing radiation dose. The conclusions were clear – the Omega system significantly reduced radiation when compared to a competitor’s system. Radiation reduction in cine mode was up to ~75% for staff and ~71% for patients. In fluoroscopy mode, radiation reduction was ~61% for staff and ~51% for patients.
Interventionalists use medical imaging such as X-ray fluoroscopy to perform minimally invasive procedures. Fluoroscopy provides real-time images by using a pulsed X-ray beam. The use of fluoroscopy has become an essential tool in interventional procedures, but with its increased use has come an increased risk of radiation exposure to everyone during a procedure.
Medical staff is clearly at risk due to the number of cases (procedures) they perform each year. The risks to staff should not be taken lightly, but there are precautions and best practices that can help to protect medical professionals. Hospitals follow the principles of ALARA – as low as reasonably achievable. ALARA assumes that no dose of radiation is safe and that every precaution possible should be taken to prevent radiation exposure to patients as well as to the staff that treats them.
Efforts such as ALARA are important steps in providing improved radiation safety to cardiologists, to all interventionalists, but are they enough? Should the goal of radiation protection really be what’s “reasonably” achievable?
In an article posted to the Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD) in 2020, Sylvia R. Biso, MD and Mladen I. Vidovich, MD wrote in detail about radiation protection. They discussed shielding, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other techniques to reduce radiation exposure. They also discussed the use of equipment and other techniques to reduce radiation exposure.
The interventional X-ray systems designed and built by Omega provide an automatic, hands-free solution to radiation protection – delivering the benefit of consistent and repeatable radiation reduction to patients and staff without manual control or change in workflow.
Omega systems use a secondary collimator that is automatically driven by artificial intelligence (AI) to generate a region of interest (ROI) while maintaining a full field of view (FOV) for orientation. The ROI and FOV images are seamlessly integrated with advanced image processing for superior image quality.
Omega represents a new standard of care as the only FDA-cleared AI image-guided system proven to reduce radiation exposure by up to 84%. This reduction is in addition to any current ALARA best practices for radiation exposure and is better than any conventional non-AI system. Omega’s AI-enabled system goes beyond merely managing radiation to provide an actual reduction in dose. The result is a groundbreaking solution that provides safer healthcare for both patients and staff.
Omega recently introduced a new innovative interventional cardiology system, the Soteria.AI. Like other Omega systems, Soteria.AI uses AI image-guided technology that automatically defines, tracks, and collimates to the ROI of the cardiologist. It does this while providing superior image quality and unmatched radiation protection.
Omega is the only company in the world to offer this technology. No other OEM has anything like it – despite any claims or allusions that they do. Omega systems allow physicians and hospitals to provide the best care and radiation protection to their patients as well as their staff – improving the radiation safety of everyone.
0 Comments