We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Hologic

Designs and provides products for clinical laboratory and blood screening, including testing items for detection of h... read more Featured Products: More products

Download Mobile App




Events

ATTENTION: Due to the COVID-19 PANDEMIC, many events are being rescheduled for a later date, converted into virtual venues, or altogether cancelled. Please check with the event organizer or website prior to planning for any forthcoming event.

Mammography Tool Predicts Potential X-ray Hardware Failures

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 25 Feb 2019
Print article
Image: An innovative business tool analyzes mammography hardware performance (Photo courtesy of Hologic).
Image: An innovative business tool analyzes mammography hardware performance (Photo courtesy of Hologic).
Novel software allows healthcare facilities to manage mammography devices, monitor technologist performance, and prevent unanticipated downtime by predicting tube failures before they occur.

The Hologic (Bedford, MA, USA) Unifi Analytics business intelligence tool is a web-based platform designed to track a facility’s installed base of mammography devices so as to perform statistical analysis of technology efficiency and technologist accuracy, thus allowing imaging centers to benchmark their performance against similar facilities, identify potential risks and challenges, and maximize device utilization. Unifi Analytics is currently only compatible with Hologic mammography systems.

Using advanced machine intelligence, Unifi Analytics has the ability to predict tube failures before they occur, avoiding costly downtime. Additionally, predictive procedure volume and quality metrics reports notify facilities if and when they move off target, allowing them to make adjustments and address compliance issues before they arise. The data collected is distributed via secure, encrypted channels, and is then de-identified in accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules. No personal health information is collected or shared.

“We are committed to identifying new and innovative ways to provide value to our customers, and the launch of Unifi Analytics represents a prime opportunity to build upon our reputation as the partner of choice for imaging centers across the country,” said Pete Valenti, president of breast and skeletal health solutions at Hologic. “Our customers know they can rely on Hologic for cutting-edge, clinically proven breast health technology and unrivaled service, and we are confident they will feel the same about this new business intelligence offering.”

The most frequent cause of X-ray tube failure results from inadequate dissipation of the heat generated during normal operation. The heat is the result of a combination of the kinetic energy converted during wave generation and the thermal energy produced by the helical tungsten filament and sublimation of the anode target material. The resulting vacuum loss results in a failure withstand the high voltage gap between the cathode electron source and the target anode. The X-ray tube begins to arc, which further degrades the internal vacuum, resulting in an X-ray tube that no longer functions. Another common failure caused by improper heat dissipation is ion scrubbing that erodes the helical tungsten filament.

Gold Supplier
Premium Ultrasound Scanner
ARIETTA 850
New
Straight Arm X-Ray System
Jumong Digital V Structure
New
Portable Ultrasound System
Apogee 1000 Neo
New
High Frequency X-Ray Generator
SHFR

Print article

Channels

MRI

view channel
Image: New scan measures tumor oxygen levels in real-time to help guide treatment (Photo courtesy of ICR)

Oxygen-Enhanced MRI Technology Allows Cancer Doctors to See Inside Tumors

Since the 1950s, researchers have been aware of the difficulty in effectively treating tumors deprived of oxygen, a problem that is further exacerbated when treating them with radiotherapy.... Read more

Ultrasound

view channel
Image: New focused ultrasound is effective for treating Parkinson’s, movement disorders (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

New Focused Ultrasound Treatment Proves Effective for Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition characterized by the loss of dopamine neurons within the brain. While medications such as levodopa can be effective in managing this condition, some patients... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: Tracking radiation treatment in real time promises safer, more effective cancer therapy (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

Real-Time 3D Imaging Provides First-of-Its-Kind View of X-Rays Hitting Inside Body During Radiation Therapy

Radiation is used in treatment for hundreds of thousands of cancer patients each year, bombarding an area of the body with high energy waves and particles, usually X-rays. The radiation can kill cancer... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2023 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.