Mirada Medical's Blog

Caseaccess

In these times of reduced fees for services, radiology providers are looking to implement ways to provide superior service in order to expand their referral base.  In many cases, they are doing this while the number of staff members is being reduced.  Deploying Mirada Medical’s Caseaccess product is one way to achieve this goal. 

Caseaccess allows key images, quantifications, and reports, among other outputs to be accessed by physicians in a timely manner, via a secure portal.  This is all done electronically, so there is no need to burn CDs or drive around town delivering reports.  This frees up staff to perform other duties.  It allows the referring physician to easily show the patient the results of their procedures very shortly after the scans are completed.  By getting the data to the physician in a timely manner, both the imaging department and the referrer can provide a better quality of service to the patient. 

Navigating the world of cancer care can be an overwhelming task.  These patients are ill, scared, and often traveling to medical facilities with which they are unfamiliar.  Many of these patients may see multiple physicians from various disciplines throughout the course of a single day.  Oftentimes, they have traveled a great distance, and their imaging procedures are performed the same day as well.  Using Caseaccess helps to disseminate the results quickly, allows access to the results to all who are playing a part in managing the patient care for the individual, and reduces the amount of stress for the patient. 

Back in the stone ages, technologists actually printed films.  When physicians needed to see them, patients would sign them out and take them to an appointment.  After that, they were returned to the facility to be re-filed.  After years aboard the film carousel, radiology went digital, and CDs became the new “films.”   This was a slight improvement to the system, but still not a very efficient way to operate.  Enter Mirada Medical’s Caseaccess product.  When utilizing this product, everyone wins- radiology providers, referring physicians, and most importantly the patients.  Please check out our Caseaccess product at http://www.mirada-medical.com/Products/Caseaccess/. 

 

About the Author

Jennifer Miller is the US Support Manager at Mirada Medical Ltd.  Jenn is a registered nuclear medicine technologist with 8 years of clinical experience in various settings, and 7 years of industry experience.

 About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which are used across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

Mirada Medical in Twenty Years

Recently, my six-year-old nephew asked me what my company does.  Well, how do I explain complex medical software in terms he will understand?  I told him that we make programs for the computer that help doctors find out what is wrong with people and to help them to make plans to try to help them get better.

Knowing that a picture is worth a thousand words, I asked if he wanted to see it, and he did.  I pulled up some images and showed him some things that might be familiar to him.  I was surprised by the kindergartener’s knowledge of anatomy.  Then he started to ask where specific body parts were.  Things like the brain and heart.  When I showed him the heart, he told me it did not look like a heart.  So, I scrolled through some slices and tried to find something that might be a more convincing heart.  Luckily that worked. 

After this, we moved on to the PET MIP.  After all, what adult isn’t impressed by the “spinning man”? Molecular Imaging hasn’t earned the nickname “spots and dots” for no good reason.  He was now asking what the blobs were.  One was a lung nodule, so I pointed out that was what was making this person sick.  The rest were the usual suspects:  brain, heart, and bladder.  This particular case also had a prominent kidney and bladder.  My nephew asked:  “What are these?”  I explained that the kidneys make urine and go through a tube into the bladder.  He thought about this for a bit, and then said: “I’ve never seen black urine before.”  I didn’t see that coming, but it was a logical statement.  I assured him that it really is not that color in the patient and showed him how we can view images in various color scales.  He was satisfied and we moved on.

He then asked what I do for Mirada.  I explained that people call me if they need help using our program.  He said, “What you do is very, very important.  When you get old and retired, I want to work for Mirada.”  I agree that what Mirada does and how we do it is very important.  Twenty years from now (when I am old and retired and my nephew is working for Mirada), who knows what innovative tools and software programs our engineering and science teams will be developing.  If what they have done in my two years with the company is any indication, they will be cutting-edge and set the bar for the industry.   Please take some time to explore what we have to offer by visiting us at mirada-medical.com.

 

About the Author

Jennifer Miller is the US Support Manager at Mirada Medical Ltd.  Jenn is a registered nuclear medicine technologist with 8 years of clinical experience in various settings, and 7 years of industry experience.

 About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which are used across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

At your service

At Mirada we like to utilize all available resources in supporting our customers.  Advances in technology help us to do this very efficiently.  We frequently use tools like Go to Meeting® and Go to Assist®, as they allow us to provide excellent service to our customers in a cost effective, efficient manner.  We realize how busy our customers are taking care of patients; we want to take care of support issues without disrupting their important work. 

In the not too distant past, vendors carried out all customer training activities either on-site or at training centers.    It is often difficult to coordinate schedules so that all necessary personnel are available for on-site training.  Moreover, it can be disruptive to a busy imaging department.   Now, we are able to provide web-based training for physicians and staff.  In addition, we can provide refresher training, education for individuals who were unable to attend on-site training, and new hire software training at a time that is convenient for them.    When new software is released, we are able to conduct convenient webinars to train our installed base on the new and improved features of the software.   

In addition to training, we can provide installation support, as well as general customer support.  Remote access into a system is beneficial in many circumstances.  For example, we can install and update software, set configurations, perform testing, troubleshoot, and obtain log files – all remotely.  What previously required travel to a site, or emailing information such as screen shots or log files, can now be done more quickly and with less disruption for the customer.

Remote tools enhance our ability to educate, install, and troubleshoot.  They play an integral role in our day to day operations.  The flexibility and improved resolution time help Mirada achieve our goal of “exceeding expectations.”

 

About the Author

Jennifer Miller is the US Support Manager at Mirada Medical Ltd.  Jenn is a registered nuclear medicine technologist with 8 years of clinical experience in various settings, and 7 years of industry experience.

 About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which are used across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

Mirada Medical on Social Media

 

Here at Mirada Medical, we love to talk to our customers online and to anyone else interested in what we are doing. We see ourselves as a transparent company, open to discuss (and implement!) new ideas.

We listen to customers discussing our products on various online channels and we react with product and service improvements. Moreover, we take a proactive approach towards this encounter: during the past 2 years, we opened more than 20 social media accounts where we post information, images, videos, etc. We simply want to keep in touch with our online friends.

So why social media? Because behind the computer screens there are people willing to meet and greet online and because the Mirada team are a bunch of original people. Besides building great products ... we are individuals passionate about many other things, like motorbikes, farming, skating, sailing, music, and much more. We want to meet our customers just the way we are: with our highs and lows, our passion for work and hobbies – and social media seems to be the best place for an authentic contact with people around the world. We are currently conversing with people from Europe, USA, India, Brazil, Turkey, and many other places.

 

We hope to speak to you all very soon – on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Google Places, StumbleUpon, TypePad, Digg, radRounds, Radiolopolis, Iradix, AuntMinnie, Technocrati, SlideShare, Docstoc, Radiology Forums, Dave’s Places In Radiology, MedicExchange, Buzz, Google+1....and more!

 

About the Author

Simona  Nita is the Digital Marketing Manager at Mirada Medical Ltd. Simona has over 10 years of professional experience and a strong academic background in the field of Marketing.

About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which are used across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

Virtual Vs. Traditional Tradeshows

Technical exhibits are an important forum for companies such as ours in the medical imaging community, to showcase our latest products and discuss technology trends with industry professionals. The Mirada Medical team demonstrates a suite of oncology imaging solutions at leading medical imaging conferences throughout the world.

A recent development in the tradeshow industry is the introduction of virtual conferences. Market Research Media predicts that the virtual conference and trade show market will show an annual growth rate of 56% until 2015. Perhaps you have already attended such a conference with companies such as Aunt Minnie and Medic Exchange? Virtual conferences provide an alternative platform for attending keynote sessions, lectures and technical demonstrations. With a recent surge of development in virtual-meeting software, a typical virtual conference will contain many similar features to a traditional tradeshow, including areas such as the auditorium and exhibit hall.  Attendees can navigate around this virtual conference at the click of a button.

There are substantial advantages for both attendees and exhibitors attending virtual conferences. In particular, the convenience of being able to attend talks and exhibits straight from your computer will save time and money for busy industry professionals. With first time attendees registering and providing contact details, lead collection for exhibitors is simple and efficient.  As Mirada products such as XD3 are software only computer based devices, giving demonstrations across a virtual booth is very straightforward. An infinite number of attendees are able to view a demonstration simultaneously, with no limitations presented by the physical boundaries of a traditional booth.

There are of course aspects of traditional tradeshows that cannot be replicated in a virtual environment; our exhibitors would refer to this as the tradeshow ‘Buzz’. The hype, which is generated from a gathering of industry professionals discussing new technology trends, cannot be replicated to the same degree in a virtual format. That said, it seems that there is place for both types of conference in the medical imaging industry. I sincerely hope that the tradeshow industry does not resolve to an ‘either-or’ opinion for traditional and virtual events, as both formats provide useful platforms for industry professionals and companies alike.

 

About the Author

Faye Murray is the Customer Relations Executive at Mirada Medical Ltd.

About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which areused across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

Virtual conferences – is healthcare going digital?

The healthcare industry has been traditionally known to reunite and exchange knowledge and experience at trade shows. The infusion of the new social media channels into our lives has slowly started to show in our profession. Facebook and Twitter, initially forbidden from your workplace computer, are now widely used by companies or hospitals to talk to their customers or patients. Doctors now exchange knowledge on forums and other specialized social networks.

It makes you wonder: what is the next step the industry will take towards digitalizing our communications? Virtual conferences seem to be gaining more ground with companies such as AuntMinnie and Medic Exchange hosting such events online. Medic Exchange announced its next virtual conference in Diagnostic Imaging on June 16th (registration on their website at http://www.medicexchange.com/ ). Mirada Medical will be exhibiting, with scientists and engineers ready to discuss our new PET/CT and PET/MR technologies.

Are traditional trade shows soon to become obsolete or are virtual conferences only a passing fad? Looking at other social media and digital tools, they seem to be heavily adopted by players within the healthcare industry and here to stay. Virtual conferences are mostly free of charge for delegates and, without the need to travel, they will have a much smaller environmental footprint than traditional trade shows (interesting debate at http://medmeeting.blogspot.com/ ). Certainly, virtual conferences are a rising opportunity and a convenient way for healthcare professionals to meet and keep up to date with industry developments - but are they meant to replace traditional trade shows completely?

 

About the Author

Simona Maria Nita is the Digital Marketing Manager at Mirada Medical Ltd.

About Mirada Medical

Mirada Medical is an internationally recognised brand in advanced medical imaging. The company develops high value clinical software applications, which are used across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, tumour board and elsewhere.

 

The opinions expressed in this blog represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of Mirada Medical Limited.

What are PET-CT scans?

A PET-CT scan uses acronyms for much longer terms: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computerized Tomography (CT). They are both imaging tools that are used in hospitals throughout the world to help doctors locate cancerous cells and tumors in the body, in order toenable better and more accurate diagnosis. Each scan brings something to the process - the PET scan detects the metabolic signal of any growing cancer cells and the CT scan provides a very detailed image of the inside of the body which helps provide information about the location and quantity of any cancerous tumors. Used together these two scans are extremely powerful in terms of providing medical data and provide much information about the severity of any cancerous activity. This is the reason they are usually carried out at the same time. These scans use non-surgical processes and take very little time to carry out. They can be carried out on an outpatient basis and are completely painless tests

A PET scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging and is carried out by exposing the body to some radioactive material. This is usually administered via an injection into the vein, a pill of some type or inhaled as a gas. The amount the body is exposed to is very small so there are no long term side effects. The radioactive material accumulates in the area of the body that is being investigated and by doing so, energy (gamma) rays are given off. These rays are picked up by a special probe and scanner. Working together, the probe and the scanner can detect how much of the radioactive material has been absorbed by the body and turn this into an image that provides intricate details of the structure and function of the organs, cells and tissue in that particular area.

Image fusion or co-registration refers to the practice of superimposing these images with the images produced by a computerized topography scan (CT scan) or even with a magnetic resonance image (MRI scan). By correlating images in this way even more accurate and more precise information can be gleaned which makes for better diagnosing of patients.

Whilst a PET scan is useful for measuring functions such as blood flow, oxygen use and a person’s glucose metabolism in order to see how particular organs are working, a CT scan is useful for providing internal images with anatomic information. When combined in the way described above doctors have access to a wealth of information that enables them to "see" exactly what is wrong with a person and how serious the condition is. When used together these two scans (or modalities) create synergy - they can provide much more detailed information and prove to be far more valuable than when used separately.

PET-CT scans are in particular used to detect cancer in the body. Not only can tumors be found but the rate of growth of cancerous cells and the extent to which they have spread can be seen. These types of scan can be given at regular intervals throughout the treatment of cancer to see how effective it has been and if the cancer is returning or being kept at bay. Aside from oncology, these scans are also useful for determining blood flow to the heart and assessing the damage after a heart attack to see what treatment or surgery would be appropriate. PET-CT scans are also useful for mapping brain function and detecting abnormalities such as tumors, disorders and problems with the nervous system.

The medical world benefits greatly from the use of pet-ct scans in their methods for diagnosis. Medical image processing is a powerful tool in the fight against many serious illnesses and disorders, but when used together in particular a PET scan and CT scan provide a wealth of information. It works particularly well with oncology software, enabling cancerous growth to be detected and monitored continuously.

Kathryn Dawson writes articles for Mirada Medical Limited, bringing you advanced software for fusing images from pet-ct scans. Their registration software aligns PET scan images as well as CT scan images. Mirada’s application for medical image processing offers comprehensive analysis for diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, assessment and response in oncology. Find out how XD3 is among the most advanced oncology software in use today.

Guide to diagnostic medical imaging

Medical imaging involves taking pictures of the inside of the body and looking out for abnormalities or in the case of x-rays for broken bones, amongst other problems. It is a very important aspect of making good diagnoses and more and more doctors rely upon scans to provide them with the data and information they need to help make an accurate diagnosis. If medical imaging didn't exist a host of illnesses could be left untreated such as cancer as they often don't display outward signs for a number of years. Internal bleeding after a trauma is another condition that makes medical imaging so important and life-saving.

There are several different types of diagnostic medical imaging. X-rays are one of the most common and well known, also known as radiologic technology. During an x-ray, the body is exposed to a small amount of radiation that passes through it. Some of the rays are absorbed as they travel, and they all travel at different speeds. Because of this they are able to be projected onto a special film which provides a picture of the inside of the body.

If anyone has seen an x-ray, you will see that the picture is not very detailed or clear which is why it is best for detecting fractures and breaks in the bones. These show up well in x-rays. Sometimes another shadow may be spotted. In this instance another scan may be required for the patient if the doctor thinks there may be something further to investigate other than a fractured bone. An x-ray is a completely painless experience and takes just a few minutes to obtain the pictures.

An ultrasound is another technology used for creating scans. These are most commonly used to show a baby in the womb. It provides a more in depth picture than an x-ray does, when looking at a baby it is possible to see the different parts of the body well. Although primarily used for this purpose it is also suitable for examining muscles, joints, tendons and all the internal organs in the body. Ultrasound is the safest imaging modality available today.

Yet clearer still, a CT scan or CAT scan as it is sometimes called provides an even greater insight into the body's interior. This is more advanced than either an x-ray or an ultrasound as is often used when a patient has been involved in a serious injury. It is often used to explore the brain - looking for signs of abnormality or swelling but it can be used to see the whole body. It works a little like an x-ray but a large number of images are taken at the same time. It is capable of assisting detection in all sorts of problems such as cancerous growths, tumors and blocked arteries and for that reason a scan is often the first port of call for a doctor wanting to make a diagnosis.

Last but not least, an MRI scan is a very accurate way of looking at the inside of the body. By sending radio waves through a magnetic field and interpreting the way energy is released from the atoms in the area being targeted, radiologists can determine a number of illnesses and diseases. Broken bones to tumors and internal bleeding can all be detected easily with an MRI scan.

Medical computer software such as that used for PACS imaging is crucial to its success and allows multiple physicians on a tumor board for example to examine the images produced. All of the scans are useful, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.


About the Author: Kathryn Dawson - Mirada Medical Limited, a developer of diagnostic medical imaging software for tumor board reviews.

What is magnetic resonance imaging for?

The term more commonly used in magnetic resonance imaging is an MRI scan. The multitude of television dramas set in hospitals mean that most people have at least heard of this procedure, although few could tell you how it works. Broadly speaking, an MRI scan is used for diagnosing abnormalities in the body. A radiologist will interpret the data which a doctor can then use to make a diagnosis of illness or disease affecting the body. It is one of the most common types of scan used in hospitals today as it is simple and very effective.

The way a magnetic image is taken is by first enveloping the part of the body being examined by a magnetic field. Through this intense field, radio waves that are being directed at the specific body part are sent. When the waves hit the body, the nuclei of the atoms within begin giving off an energy. This energy is detected by a computer which interprets the data into a picture format. The pictures and images displayed allow the radiologist to determine if there is anything wrong with the body as the energy patterns will be affected if there is and will be displayed in an unusual way. Often a functional MRI scan in particular will be used when carrying out this procedure. This works in exactly the same way as described above but the patient will be asked to carry out a few tasks while it is taking place. This won’t be complex puzzles but simple tasks such as talking or speaking. This allows the activity of the brain to be examined more thoroughly which helps greatly in the diagnosis of a multitude of illnesses.

An MRI scan is very effective at helping to detect health problems. Anything from broken bones to cancer can be sought out using this type of scan. If a doctor is looking to confirm a broken bone however they are more likely to use an X-Ray scan which is cheaper and easier to carry out. An MRI is more likely to be required in the event of a serious injury or head trauma. It is also common when looking to diagnose cancer as tumours can be spotted easily. Other conditions that an MRI is used for are to locate slipped discs and problems with the spine, abnormal tissue, blocked arteries and heart problems. They can also display internal bleeding and swelling in the brain. For this multitude of illnesses, all types of physician call upon the assistance of an MRI scan from time to time..cardiologists, neurosurgeons, doctors from all fields benefit from this form of scanning of their patients.

Not everyone is suitable for an MRI. Anyone with metallic plates or pins in their bodies may not be able to have the scan carried out, and those who have undergone chemotherapy may also be unsuitable. Artificial joints such as hips or knees may affect the results so this could pose a problem too. Most people however are able to have it. Although some don’t like the feeling of enclosure that is involved in an MRI, it is a completely pain free experience. There are no side effects either and it can be carried out on an outpatient basis.

Because the picture provided by magnetic resonance imaging (or MRI) is extremely clear it is a very useful tool for doctors wanting to diagnose patients. Clinical oncology, the study and treatment of cancer, is particularly reliant on these types of scan to make accurate diagnoses. Without medical imaging systems, doctors would have a much harder time diagnosing illnesses or indeed spotting serious problems such as internal bleeding following a major trauma. A scan (in one form or another) is often one of the first measures taken when a patient is admitted to hospital following a serious accident.

Kathryn Dawson writes articles for Mirada Medical Limited, a developer of state-of-the-art software for viewing scans from magnetic resonance imaging as well as other medical imaging systems. Their software products offer the benefit of combining serial analysis of scans acquired over time with very powerful image registration technologies. Imaging software solutions for clinical oncology are now enhanced using Mirada’s exportable casebook information pack for better communication.

CASEBOOK – 5 easy steps to creating great medical presentations

Casebook by Mirada Medical is freely downloadable

1. Installing

Download your free copy of Casebook from www.mirada-casebook.com and follow the simple installation steps.

2. Loading the data

Once the Casebook software has been installed, open PowerPoint to create a presentation. There will be a Mirada Medical tab (PowerPoint 2007) or toolbar (PowerPoint 2003). The Mirada Medical addin contains three buttons, Add Casebook, Import Data and Edit Casebook. Select Add Casebook, and the Import Data screen appears. Select Import Single File or Import Directory to browse for the file or directory you wish to add as the base image data (for example, CT) and again for the Overlay Image Data (for example, PET). You may also select, if you wish, a single series of DICOM data as the base image layer. When files or directories have been selected, click OK. The files will be loaded into Casebook and placed on the slide. By default, the data is resampled to be aligned to the patient axis. The data can be loaded in its original orientation by unchecking the Axis-align data to patient box at import. This may reduce the memory required by Casebook for non-axis aligned data.

3. Editing Casebook

Select Edit Casebook to view the imported images. Several features are available to adjust the display. The view layout may be changed via the layout button in the upper right corner of the screen. This is defaulted to All Views, but will change to indicate the currently viewed layout. You may triangulate by moving the cross-hair position.

The left mouse button is, by default, set to adjust the window and level. By selecting the appropriate tools from the toolbar, its behaviour can be modified:

 
  
The middle mouse button can be used adjust the pan, the scroll wheel adjusts the currently viewed slice and the right mouse button adjusts the zoom. When the Casebook slide is displayed during a slide show, image manipulation tools are available to the presenter. Adjustments made during an editing session will be shown when the slideshow is run, but are not saved when the file is saved.

4. Using bookmarks

The view state (cross-hair position, slice, view layout, window & level, transparency etc) can be saved in the form of bookmarks during editing mode. These bookmarks are saved when the PowerPoint presentation is saved, allowing you to quickly jump back to key locations in the data when presenting your slideshow. To add a bookmark, navigate to the point of interest and adjust the visualisation as desired, then click Add. A dialog will appear to let you edit the bookmark title. Having entered the bookmark title, click OK to add the bookmark. Bookmarks can only be created in the Casebook editor.

If you no longer want a bookmark, select that bookmark and click Delete to remove it. Move Up and Move Down can be used to rearrange the order of the bookmarks in the bookmark list. These functions are only available in the Casebook editor.

5. Saving your presentation

Click the Microsoft Office Button and then click Save As (PowerPoint 2007) or File à Save As in the toolbar (PowerPoint 2003), name the file, and select Presentation as file type. Click Save. Casebook data are saved within the PowerPoint file in a lossy compressed format.

And finally, run your professional, accurate presentation and engage your audience!

 

Mirada's world first fully functioning fusion case presentation tool is now available for free download from www.mirada-medical.com. Casebook by Mirada Medical is the world’s first easy to use, fully interactive, completely free and professionally developed medical image and fusion image viewer designed to be used with Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Casebook features include interactive windowing, zoom, transparency and slice navigation, triangulated MPR views, bookmarks and any modality combination fused views.