ST GEORGE Private Hospital is the first location in the world to have an imaging software system that tracks radiation dosage in cardiac patients.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The dose tracking system provides real time data on the delivery of radiation, in the form of a colour-coded map on the image of a human figure.
Cardiologist James Weaver said the technology would be particularly helpful in procedures such as stenting, and with complex coronary artery blockages and abnormal heart rhythms.
"People are living longer than ever before, and, as a result of the ageing population, we are increasingly seeing patients with diseases such as coronary artery disease," Dr Weaver said.
"It may be appropriate for these patients to undergo an interventional procedure, such as the placement of a stent into the coronary artery, and this system supplies the additional information necessary to provide both superior image quality and the ability to manage X-ray dose during these longer procedures, thereby providing optimal care."
The software was developed by the University of Buffalo in conjunction with Toshiba.
It is being rolled out in other countries next year.