MALVERN, Pa., Oct. 28 Siemens Healthcare’s SOMATOM® Definition Flash dual-source computed tomography (CT) scanner is now poised to assist Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, Fla., to better serve its pediatric patients. The SOMATOM Definition Flash requires only a fraction of the radiation dose that systems previously required to scan even the tiniest anatomical details. Young patients will benefit from this technology without worrying about sedation that is normally required for CT imaging. Breath hold is also optional with the Flash technology which enables to acquire images in the blink of an eye.
Such dose reduction strategies are most critical for the younger the patient, as radiation impact is greater in the infacy.
The SOMATOM Definition Flash scanner was designed to reduce dose to patients. In addition, the unique X-CARE application selectively reduces the radiation exposure to dose-sensitive anatomical regions, such as thyroid, gonads, and breast region, by as much as 40 percent. An adaptive dose shield blocks
irrelevant radiation during spiral scanning, thus ensuring that only a clinically essential radiation exposure occurs. This enables an additional 25 percent reduction of the dose required for routine examinations.
“We are extremely pleased to be the first dedicated pediatric hospital in the world to provide this new technology,” said John Bozard, president, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “For our young patients, the SOMATOM Definition Flash scanner means faster images, reduced radiation exposure, and
significantly lessens the need for contrast dye injections.”
As children and babies are at a great risk to radiation exposure, the awareness of the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle is, in particular, a more sensitive issue for parents, patients and healthcare
providers.
“Siemens is a leader in pediatric CT imaging and the SOMATOM Definition Flash is built to be the Gold standard. Future generations are going to be exposed to a fraction of the dose while providing the highest level of patient care and comfort that creates peace of mind in the community,” said Kulin Hemani,
vice president, Computed Tomography, Siemens Healthcare. “The speed of the SOMATOM Definition Flash, the excellent imaging quality from head to toe, combined with the lowest deliverable dose, ensures that pediatric patients receive the best care. This is accomplished irrespective of patient motion and
within a fraction of a second.”
Owing to its high scanning speed, the SOMATOM Definition Flash also features new possibilities for performing CT examinations of the adult heart in the sub-millisiervert (mSv) range. This represents up to a much lower radiation dose than is obtainable with conventional systems. For the first time ever,
the heart can thus be examined at a radiation exposure level that is three times lower than the background radiation a person naturally absorbs in a year. The SOMATOM Definition Flash is the only CT scanner on the market that enables the use of noninvasive cardiological diagnostic techniques with routine applications at the lowest possible radiation exposure levels routinely below 1 mSv.
About Siemens Healthcare
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens is the only company to offer customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 49,000 employees worldwide and operates in over 130 countries. In fiscal year 2008 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.2 billion euros and profit of 1.2 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.
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