Auto X-Ray Exposure System Delivers Quality Images at Minimum Dosage

An innovative dose-efficient X-ray technology can reduce patient dose by as much as 40%, without compromising image quality.

The new technology is available on General Electric (GE) Healthcare (GE, Chalfont St Giles, United Kingdom) Innova systems, and is powered by GE proprietary auto exposure (AutoEx) software, a sophisticated system that uses real-time image information to optimize the all-digital image chain parameters, including X-ray technique and spectral filtration. With AutoEx, effective patient thickness is calculated in each exposure; technique and spectral filtration are then automatically chosen to provide the patient with optimized exposure management at the lowest radiation dose, while providing the physician with the image quality needed. Thus, for a given setting, the system offers radiologists the capability to potentially reduce dose by managing, customizing, and personalizing radiation dose for each individual patient and procedure.

Another feature instrumental in reducing radiation in Innova systems is the flat-panel detector, which provides a high detective quantum efficiency (DQE), a parameter internationally accepted as the best index of detector performance in the contrast- and dose-limited imaging done in actual clinical studies (high DQE enables better-quality images at the same dose, or the same-quality image at a lower dose). Integrated spectral filters in the Innova collimator allow the filtration of soft radiation out of the beam, which helps to minimize skin dose to the patient and scatter radiation to staff, while maintaining image quality and sharpness. A further advantage of the Innova systems is InnovaSense patient contouring, a feature that further extends dose efficiency by minimizing detector-to-patient distance, allowing fast positioning, excellent image geometry, and less radiation exposure. The AutoEx feature is available on the Innova 2100IQ, 3100 IQ, 4100IQ, 2121IQ and 3131IQ X-ray systems.

"We are incredibly proud of the scientific advances we've made with introduction of the AutoEx system,” said Hooman Hakami, President and CEO of interventional systems at GE Healthcare. "Because of the potential for this technology to improve the quality of patient care by reducing dose exposure for patients, our Innova products have been validated under our healthymagination initiative.”

The GE healthymagination initiative is a six-year program that will redirect half of the GE US$1 billion healthcare research and development budget toward driving down the cost of healthcare, while boosting access to improved care through technology and service innovations around the world. The four priorities of the new initiative are acceleration of the development of healthcare information technology; design and production of high-tech yet affordable healthcare products; broader access to underserved patients; and support of consumer-driven health. Development of low-cost digital X-ray machines, portable ultrasound systems, low-dose computerized tomography (CT) scanners, and more affordable cardiac equipment have been cited by GE as ways to deliver on these promises.

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