Partnership Initiated to Automate Multistudy Image Comparisons

Intelerad Medical Systems (Montreal, Canada), a developer of medical imaging picture archiving and communication system (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), and workflow solutions, reported on a technology partnership with Blackford Analysis (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK), a provider of software systems that increases the speed of comparison of medical images.

The partnership will allow Intelerad to incorporate Blackford Analysis technology into its InteleViewer diagnostic imaging viewer. Integrated into InteleViewer, the Blackford Analysis’ Blackford MatchedCrosshairs and Blackford AutoSync functionality will enable InteleViewer users to provide immediate comparisons of current and earlier studies with just one click.

Blackford MatchedCrosshairs will optimize InteleViewer to allow users to click once on a location in any scan to instantly find the same location in multiple scans from different timepoints and/or different modalities (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], computed tomography [CT], or positron emission tomography [PET]).

Blackford AutoSync will provide InteleViewer with the ability to automatically perform slice synchronization across multiple exams, regardless of differences in acquisition protocol and patient positioning. This eliminates the frequently monotonous step of manually synchronizing studies with multiple earlier ones.

“Radiologists are facing increasing numbers of images per study, high volumes of daily exams, and short turnaround times for issuing final reports, making it more and more challenging to meet productivity requirements while maintaining diagnostic accuracy,” said Dr. Ben Panter, CEO, Blackford Analysis. “We are delighted to be working with Intelerad to enhance their excellent InteleViewer product. Blackford Analysis products provide a time-saving of 20% or better when comparing studies, giving radiologists more time for interpretation and activities that improve the quality of patient care.”

“Integrating Blackford solutions into InteleViewer is tremendously beneficial to our end users,” said Rick Rubin, chief engineering officer, Intelerad. “Not only does this make a previously tedious and time consuming task of searching for the point of comparison in prior exams simple, quick, and painless, but when combined with aggregating technologies like InteleOne and our Master Patient Index, patient care is dramatically improved with a fully longitudinal comparison of a patient’s exams without a large time penalty.”

Intelerad Medical Systems is focused on distributed radiology, specializing in RIS, PACS, and workflow solutions for healthcare organizations. Intelerad solutions increase productivity and streamline workflow by overcoming technical barriers in distributed and complex environments.

Blackford Analysis is a developer of software solutions that assist radiologists and other clinicians to increase their productivity and efficiency, and streamline communications across the healthcare enterprise. The company develops productivity software designed to be integrated directly into any diagnostic or mobile image viewer—saving time by providing instant image comparisons across multiple studies with just one click.

Related Links:
Intelerad Medical Systems
Blackford Analysis