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Sharing
Pet Scans
In oncology, "Positron Emission Tomography"
Scanners (PET SCANS) are an advanced imaging technique for
the diagnosis and for the therapeutical follow-up of many
patients with cancer. PET SCAN imaging is able to reveal tumours
in tissues or organs that seem normal. It is useful both before
and during the treatment. The ability to produce an image
of the whole body is essential to detect the potential propagation
of cancer. This technology is complementary with other radiological
devices such as Computed Tomography (CT) scanners or Magnetic
Resonance (MR) devices. The PET SCANS deliver functional images
while CT and MR scanners produce anatomical images.
The limited quota of PET scanning devices enhances
the hospital's need to organise around competence centres.
These centres aim at sharing expensive medical devices and
medical expertise. Performing a study results in mobility
challenges both for the patient that must travel to perform
the exam and for the referring and performing specialists
that should also travel to formulate the diagnosis and make
it available. Intelligent image distribution tools can help
solve these issues.
An open transmission of PET SCAN images to the various physicians
treating a patient (e.g. the radiologist, the radiotherapist
and of course the nuclear medicine physicians) permits a multi-disciplinary
approach and an optimal follow-up of the patient. The comparison
between a PET SCAN study and other local studies (CT etc.)
is made possible because all the studies are available at
the same place. This comparison is a key factor for having
a complete picture of the patient's state.
The transmission of PET SCAN images is quite a challenging
task. Studies are bulky and volumic: a set of 2D images
make up the 3D study. Studies require specific tools (e.g.
orthogonal viewer, 3D navigation, 3D rotation, specific measurements
etc.). PET SCAN images are not always available in the standard
DICOM format. Moreover the multi-site distribution of these
studies calls for a good compression technology and a good
level of data security (for confidentiality, integrity and
authentication).
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Dr. Brichant viewing a PET SCAN at Bouge via Telemis-Medical.
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Thanks
to the efficient distribution of PET SCAN images, each
professional working with a centralised PET SCAN centre
may call for an on-line advice from a remote expert
thereby increasing the performance of the diagnosis.
Dr. Brichant, chief of nuclear medicine at the St
Luc hospital of Bouge in Belgium, has been using
Telemis-Medical(TM) for more than six months for transferring
studies coming from the Mont-Godinne Hospital in Namur.
Her statement is clear: "The direct connection
between Mont-Godinne and St Luc gives us direct access
to the PET SCANs of our patients performed in Mont-Godinne.
We can show the studies to our clinicians on screen,
print them even at home and deliver very quick results.
Moreover the storage concept allows for comparison of
various studies in time. That is crucial for the proper
follow-up of a patient. It has proven a very user-friendly
technique, comfortable to use, enhancing diagnosis
quality and saving time."
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