CT Workstation Software Decreases Image Reading Time

Recent research has demonstrated that new imaging software can help save time without loss of accuracy.

Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) conducted a study with six customers in Germany, Austria, and Spain to measure quantitatively and qualitatively the efficiency of the software syngo.via compared to a traditional advanced visualization workstation. The study’s findings revealed that syngo.via could substantially help to save time when reading medical images, without compromising accuracy.

Siemens Healthcare announced in its global initiative Agenda 2013 to drive the development of efficiency increasing healthcare information technology (IT) solutions.

For a clinical institution to be successful, it is critical to obtain the highest possible diagnostic accuracy while maintaining a fast and efficient workflow. The three-dimensional (3D) reading and sophisticated visualization software syngo.via enables clinicians to meet the respective requirements by automatically loading for example computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) images into the appropriate application and sorting them into the disease-specific corresponding layout. Manual work steps are eliminated and the clinician can begin diagnosing immediately.

Six medical sites participated in the efficiency study, which took account of a total number of seven different clinical workflows. To replicate their clinical routine, each participating site determined the case mix and measured 10 to 20 cases per workflow. For example, the observed average timesavings from syngo.via for CT Cardiac amounted to 77% and for an oncology diagnosis with positron emission tomography (PET)/CT to 45%. Utilizing syngo.via when diagnosing oncology and neurology MR examinations resulted in 32% and 23% average timesavings, respectively. Analysis of images for CT vascular applications was 27% and image assessment for PET/CT and CT oncology follow-up 30% and 16% faster compared to a conventional advanced visualization or picture archiving and communication system (PACS) workstation.

Furthermore, Siemens conducted a usability survey among the study participants. They stated that syngo.via is performing better regarding the aspects data preparation, usability of viewing and measurement tools and documentation and reporting than the former software. “syngo.via is an excellent tool to increase the productivity of radiologists working on cardiac images,” said Prof. Gudrun Feuchtner, from Innsbruck University Hospital (Austria).

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