Statscan Critical Imaging System

• The concept of this device was originally developed & had its beginnings in the diamond mines of South Africa

• It was initially developed to scan workers at

the end of the day to detect diamonds that could be hidden in clothing or possibly even swallowed.

• The goal of the system's developers was to create an X-ray device with excellent image quality but with radiation levels that were low and safe enough to be used daily.

Introduction:

• it was recognized that this concept could be applied in medical imaging as a method to screen patients sustaining polytrauma quickly and at a low radiation exposure

• The system was delivered to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in June 2003 for the purpose of expanded clinical assessment, technologic/clinical use feedback, and suggestions for product refinement to the manufacturer (Lodox Systems, North America, South Lyon, MI).

• Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center Is the first facility outside of South Africa to use Statscan.

• the system required somewhat more power to adequately expose patients with a larger body habitus.

• These initial limitations were corrected through an increase in generator power and tube output.

• In addition, a stretcher was developed,it can be used as a patient transport stretcher from a helipad to permit patients to be taken directly to the scanner as permitted by their clinical condition.

During the first months of use:

• The Statscan Critical Imaging System

is a flexible format digital radiography (DR) system aimed specifically at the needs of emergency medical centers and is designed to meet the radiography needs of both trauma patients and standard emergency patients.

• Statscan gives critical life saving  information to the medical staff by enabling them to have a complete picture literally from head to toe of a patient’s injuries, faster and with less interference with patient stabilization efforts.

• a full-body scan can be done in about 13 seconds, detecting fractures or other injuries that aren't immediately apparent.

• The head-to-toe scan can also help doctors to track bullet trajectories, without the need to piece together several X-ray films to see the bullet's path.

•The digital radiograph is acquired from a C-arm that moves over and around the patient enabling capture of frontal, oblique angle, lateral or horizontal projections without moving the patient.

•Statscan can also be applied to high throughput x-ray procedures of all types, screening for specific types of bone cancers and even forensic pathology applications to help medical examiners determine cause of death.

•the Statscan system emits up to 75 percent less radiation compared to current X-ray technology.

• the Statscan image can be displayed almost immediately at a viewing station.

• The digital technology allows doctors to magnify or rotate the image without affecting picture quality

• All radiographs can be transmitted over the network utilizes industry standard protocols such as DICOM 3 for Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and viewing purposes on user specific Radiological Information Systems (RIS).

• Experts agree that there is no other system in the medical imaging market at present that is capable of delivering full-body digital radiographs such as has been done by Lodox

References :

• http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/statscan.htm

• http://www.lodox.com/html/product.html

• http://www.wtn.net/2004/bio58.html