Health Imaging & IT - April 2008 - (Page 18)

special secTion advanced visualizaTion 3D Rendering: Options Galore system and markets 3D post-processing services to clients across the country. “3DR can be a full- or part-time solution depending on the customer’s needs. We provide capacity. Some customers need night or weekend coverage, others require overflow post-processing services and some need full time post-processing,” says Falk. How does it work? A client purchases a set number of cases for post-processing monthly. Some hospitals send raw data to 3DR, which is equipped with a 50 megabit internet connection. Other clients use a thin-client server configuration, with 3DR techs accessing data via the server. 3DR techs complete the reconstructions according to pre-defined protocols for the type of study. For example, 3DR’s bread-and-butter study, CT angiography, typically includes cine lopes and certain angles. After completing the requisite reconstruction, techs send the images to the client’s PACS. If a radiologist requires another reconstruction, he can page a tech to reach into the workflow and complete the additional post-processing. Turn-around is a respectable four hours for most cases, and STAT studies like stroke perfusion can be completed within 30 minutes. Since early this year, Borgess Medical Center has used 3DR as its 3D rendering solution for about 100 studies monthly. “We’ve operationalized the cost of 3D, avoiding the initial capital outlay as well as the staffing cost of additional techs,” explains Director of Radiology Tom Mushett. Radiologists and techs are satisfied with the new arrangement; turn-around time sits at two hours, and physicians can access the 3DR server from any radiologist workstation if they need additional reconstructions. The thin-client model facilitates the time-share approach. That’s because slices need not be moved around with the thin-client solution. Instead, multiple users can access slices and reconstructions concurrently. In addition, the radiologist can take over and answer specific questions after a tech completes the initial post-processing. For example, if a 3DR tech completes a standard 3D reconstruction and the radiologist detects a problem with the proximal LAD (left anterior descending) artery during review, he can access the data via the thin-client to segment a particular section of the LAD to answer the question. “It makes radiologists more efficient and keeps control in their hands,” sums Falk. According to Falk, the arrangement is a win-win proposition. “3DR can function as a hospital’s 3D lab. It’s a completely scalable solution that can eliminate a hospital’s need for 3D techs and equipment.” or model than a community hospital because it needs rapid response. Don’t forget to justify the investment in terms of volume. It’s not necessary to outfit a high dollar, multi-vendor lab for a low volume facility. › Remember the reconstructed images are the end product. Ask every vendor to load a typical dataset onto its system to make sure the end results suffice. Look for speed and ease of use as these factors determine the ultimate success of a system. › The 3D program is only as strong as the network it runs on, says Culver. Although some systems can operate on a lightweight network like a DSL connection, a robust network (think gigabit speed) ensures rapid transmission. › Train, train, train. Invest in vendor courses and university programs like the 3D mini lab at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., for 3D techs. Use internal resources, too. Physicians can review anatomy and physiology with techs, and an open lab door nurtures informal and ongoing learning. Offer classes and departmental training sessions to heavy clinical 3D users like orthopedic surgeons. 3d highlights 3D rendering is an essential clinical tool. Hospitals can devise an individualized and cost-effective model by surveying their needs and goals as they develop or adjust their 3D program. Sites can select from a wide array of options—ranging from the 3D lab to outsourcing to thin-client, ‘universal 3D’ to hybrid investments to optimize their 3D program. The right model will deliver the results every hospital needs: accelerated and improved workflow and informed, timely clinical decision-making made possible by the availability of essential clinical data. [ vitalConnect from vital images uses server technology. ] 3d solutions: The right questions to ask 3D solutions represent a significant investment, so it’s important that imaging facilities and departments ask the right questions prior to purchase. › Consider the organization’s clinical and business needs and goals. A trauma center requires a different solution 18 Health Imaging & IT | april 2008 Healthimaging.com http://Healthimaging.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Health Imaging & IT - April 2008

Health Imaging & IT - April 2008 Contents On the Web The Enterprise News Update Cracking Down: CT Radiation Dose 3D Rendering: Options Galore Thinking Thin-Client Modality Review Ergonomics & Design Special Section: Storage Strategies Imaging Tools Technology Outlook People & Technology Technology Review IT Trends Reader's Resource Stat Sheet

Health Imaging & IT - April 2008

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