Monthly Archives: May 2020

Radiology capacity boosted to separate patient cases, catch up with imaging backlog & roll out routine pre-surgery chest scans

Bradford Royal Infirmary has increased its diagnostic imaging capacity and reorganised its suspected COVID-19 and normal imaging radiology workflow with the introduction of a Relocatable CT Scanner. Rapidly deployed by Canon Medical Systems UK, the new temporary facility is located in a hospital car park between A&E and Radiology.

“The Relocatable CT Scanner allows us to keep ‘Green’ patients (without suspected COVID-19) separate from Red (suspected COVID-19 patients), mirroring the cohorting we have on the wards,” states Mark Kon, Consultant Thoracic Radiologist & Clinical Director of Radiology. “Although our teams of radiographers were divided into red and green at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, they shared a common CT control room. Having an entirely separate scan facility means there is much less risk of cross infection.”

He continues, “An additional and rapidly installed CT scanner will also bring clear benefits of increasing our radiology capacity. We will be carrying out pre-operation chest scans to ensure our patients are COVID-19 free before undergoing major surgery, and the scanner may also be useful in the recovery phase when we start to catch-up with the patient imaging workload that has been put on hold during April & May.”

The Relocatable CT Scanner features an Aquilion PRIME CT and includes a control room and small changing/storage area. It is designed with the correct clinical flooring, hospital grade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) requirements plus datalink connectivity.

Ian Watson, Director, Commercial Solutions at Canon Medical Systems UK states, “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK has meant that we have needed to be rapid and flexible in our response. We are proud to support Bradford Royal Infirmary, a customer for many years, with its need to temporarily ramp up its CT imaging capacity and reorganise the way it sees patients. Our Relocatable CT Scanners are designed for just that – to be rapidly deployed on the back of a lorry, and to work outside of hospital buildings when capacity pressures demand. We have already commenced rapid production of more units to meet future hospital enquiries.”

Bradford Royal Infirmary, part of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, is a principal city hospital providing inpatient services to a patient population of around 500,000 across Yorkshire.

Photo caption: Bradford Royal Infirmary has increased its diagnostic imaging capacity with the introduction of a Relocatable CT Scanner from Canon Medical Systems UK.

New scanner from Canon Medical alleviates pressure to fast-track lung cancer referrals

An Aquilion Prime SP CT scanner from Canon Medical Systems UK has been installed at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Dorset Lung Cancer Pathway. The new scanner will enable greater imaging capacity to fulfil high priority fast-track lung cancer appointments across the county of Dorset, taking patient referrals from its own Poole catchment, plus those from Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Dorchester.

The Poole Hospital site was selected for the additional lung cancer referral CT scanner as it is geographically central to the neighbouring Trusts. The increased imaging capacity will help to deliver CT scans of patients with high suspicion chest X-rays within 72 hours, and reporting within three days. A Canon Medical scanner was selected for its high imaging speeds and to give image continuity across the three hospitals, as reporting of patient diagnostic images takes place at the originating referral hospital. Outside of lung cancer referral work, the scanner will be used for general imaging requirements.

“We have been delighted with the speed of imaging from the Canon Medical Aquilion Prime SP CT and its ease-of-use,” states Amy Morris, Lead CT Radiographer at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. “It will provide ‘bread and butter’ surveillance and staging scans, the vital part of lung cancer diagnosis and treatment planning in our county.”

Mark Thomas, CT Modality Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK states, “The Aquilion Prime SP is an efficient and fast solution for increasing general imaging workloads or extending specific patient services. We look forward to supporting the Dorset scanner and ensuring the imaging team has all the necessary user skills to maximise productivity and patient workflow.”

Photo caption: An Aquilion Prime SP CT scanner from Canon Medical Systems UK has been installed at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Dorset Lung Cancer Pathway. Standing: Jesus Rengalota, CT Radiographer; Gabrielle Miles, Care Support Worker; Darren Brooke, Care Support Worker; Cliodhna Brennan, CT Radiographer. Seated: Iain Burley, Account Manager, Canon Medical UK; & Katy Bysh, Deputy CT Superintendent.

Carbon neutral ultrasound system from Canon Medical helps
obstetrics & gynaecology patients in UK, plus improves lives in Africa

Two new Aplio a-series ultrasound systems have been installed into Derriford Hospital, part of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, to assist with obstetric and gynaecological patient examinations. At the same time, the ultrasound systems’ carbon footprint, taking into account manufacturing, packaging, shipping and average energy usage for the standard lifetime, has been offset by Canon Medical to a high impact project in Uganda and Kenya.

The new ultrasound systems will help the clinical team at Derriford Hospital make informed decisions about patient cases. Simultaneously, people in rural villages of East Africa will be helped by improved cooking-stove and water borehole projects. These schemes have huge healthcare and sustainability impacts to the individuals involved and the wider world. For example, new energy saving cooking stoves mean a 50% reduction in firewood, cutting carbon emissions by 3 tonnes while also reducing indoor smoke that has serious long-term health implications on families.

“Having come from East Africa, I know first-hand how important it is to invest in these countries and help them develop,” states Dr Umesh Acharya, Consultant at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. “Canon Medical’s Made for Life initiative not only helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the countries they work with on sustainability projects, but also helps by making communities self-sufficient, improving education for the young and looking after the old.”

He continues, “The installation of our new Aplio a-series ultrasound systems is therefore a win-win solution for all the world. We continue to help our patients, and we also play a part in making a better life for people in developing nations. I am delighted to be associated with a company that is working to make a better world.”

Canon Medical has been running its Carbon Zero programme since 2014 and is still the only UK medical equipment provider to be ‘carbon neutral’ meeting all PAS 2060 requirements by the British Standards Institute, and has gained official partner status from the United Nations’ Division for Sustainable Development Goals. Carbon offset metrics are calculated and monitored by a specialist carbon zero partner and verified by Gold Standard for Global Goals developed by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) or United Nations’ Division for Sustainable Development Goals approved auditor.

“Carbon neutral ultrasound systems is one small step of a giant leap forward in raising the issues of climate change and environmental crisis,” states Tim Palarm, Ultrasound Account Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK. “We have a corporate responsibility to lead by example in putting the environment first in our commercial consciousness. Canon Medical is unique in the medical imaging marketplace by combining clinically robust and proven systems for improving healthcare, with an ethical approach to making a difference to the future of the plant.”

Photo caption: Canon Medical Systems UK hands over the Aplio ultrasound systems and Carbon Offset certificate to Derriford Hospital, part of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. Pictured (L to R): Dr Umesh Acharya, Consultant at Derriford Hospital; Tim Palarm, Ultrasound Regional Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK.

Mobile facilities to help UK radiology departments meet expected increase in imaging capacity requirements after immediate COVID-19 response

The first orders of Canon Medical’s relocatable CT scanners that can work outside the normal healthcare environment, for example, in hospital car parks or in newly created arena field health centres, have been received. The CT Scan Units can tackle routine imaging diagnostics in the areas of cancer and heart disease that were put on hold during the initial response stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drawing on its close partnerships with bespoke modular buildings and mobile trailer manufacturers, Canon Medical has quickly and collaboratively developed a new fast build mobile CT Scan Unit. The first units are nearing completion and will provide a clinically safe environment to meet increasing imaging capacity demands or to keep highly infectious patients separate from normal routine CT examinations.

The relocatable scanning units are equipped with Aquilion Prime SP, Aquilion Lighting SP, or the top of the range Aquilion One Genesis CT scanners and include control room and small changing/storage areas. They can be easily transported to locations that need them by road. Designed with the correct clinical flooring, hospital grade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) requirements plus datalink connectivity, the system can be deployed as a fast response to high dependent patients in the current crisis and can be operational within hours. All CT scanners inside the CT Scan Units feature ‘InnerVision™’ a remote diagnostics software that can predict, diagnose or fix system issues fast without the need for engineers to visit sites.

“For many years, we have worked closely with UK customers in flexing-up imaging requirements during winter pressures, emergency incidents, or building works, by providing our best-of-breed CT scanners in mobile trailers or relocatable units,” states Mark Hitchman, Managing Director at Canon Medical Systems UK. “Today, we put that imaging versatility into rapid and scaled-up production to meet the needs of front-line UK radiology teams following the initial response stages to the COVID-19 crisis. As medical technology innovators, it is our duty to react quickly and be there to support the needs of our NHS at this unprecedented time.”

Photo caption: The first orders of Canon Medical’s CT Scan Units that can work outside the normal healthcare environment have been received.

Impressive image quality noted within first 24 hours of operation

Warrington Hospital, part of Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has received the UK’s first Aquilion ONE PRISM Edition CT from Canon Medical Systems. It has been very impressed in the first 24 hours of operation with image quality and acquisition speed, which is a particular advantage for patients who are technically challenging and require a high level of care.

The scanner was selected to enhance the Trust’s cardiac imaging service and support interventional imaging requirements, while delivering a robust general CT service. The Aquilion One PRISM’s 16cm detector, which supports fast brain imaging and the ability to perform orthopaedic imaging with the patient seated at the scanner, was also a significant selection factor. Greater image resolution will bring enhanced levels of clinical confidence on image outputs and enable a higher standard of care for patients.

Located between Liverpool and Manchester in the North West of England, Warrington Hospital focuses on emergency and specialist care. It is a designated trauma unit and its Accident and Emergency Department sees over 100,000 patients each year. The hospital is also home to specialist critical care, stroke, cardiac and surgical units.

The new-to-market Aquilion ONE PRISM Edition CT features Deep Learning Reconstruction technology via its Advanced intelligent Clear-IQ Engine (AiCE) that delivers sharp, clear and distinct low-dose images at speed. It also features a 16cm wide area detector to obtain high-quality cardiac images of the entire heart in a single rotation in a fraction of a second. Furthermore, the new CT Fluoroscopy interface on the system enables simple and streamlined interventional CT.

“Our team has been delighted with the arrival of the innovative Aquilion ONE PRISM Edition CT. Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, the install remained on schedule and clinical go-live was agreed. From the first operational 24 hours, we were very impressed with the image quality. This bodes well for gaining numerous benefits to support the high level of patient care and experience we expect to deliver,” states Diane Duret, Principal Radiographer, Cross Sectional Imaging at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. “Canon Medical also worked closely with our Estates Department during the equipment planning and installation stage. We are redeveloping the whole CT scanning department as part of this project to provide separate in and out-patient areas. This will give a better patient experience and optimise our operational workflow.”

Mark Thomas, CT Modality Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK states, “The launch of the new Aquilion ONE PRISM Edition CT into the UK hospital marketplace is part of an innovative CT strategy to ensure that our highly regarded CT systems continue to illuminate clinical insights and initiate the highest standard of patient care. We’re delighted to receive such good feedback in the first few days of the Warrington Hospital installation. We are now committed to ensure the imaging team at the hospital gains all the necessary applications and technical training needed to push the system to its full cardiac and interventional potential to power productivity and enhance clinical gains now and into the future.“

Photo caption: Pictured left to right: Prof Simon Constable, Chief Executive; Chris Evans, Chief Operating Officer; Hilary Stennings, CBU Manager; Dr Vijay Kesavanarayanan, Consultant Radiologist; Karen Green, CT Manager; Ashley Clare, Radiology Department Assistant; Lucy Finland, Specialist Radiographer; Mark Jones, Radiology Service Manager; Hannah Critchley, Specialist Radiographer; Anna Gadd, Specialist Radiographer; and Chris Grayson, Advanced Practitioner.

 Canon Medical Systems UK reselected to deliver productive imaging partnership

Canon Medical has been reselected by Aintree University Hospital, part of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to replace two end of life CT scanners with two new Aquilion ONE GENESIS Edition CT systems.

Aintree University Hospital serves a large patient population and is a regional major trauma centre. The biggest challenge the Trust faced in the last year has been an unprecedented increase of six percent in emergency attendances. An investment upgrade, including the latest CT scanners, aims to strengthen frontline clinical services.

Canon Medical is a long-standing provider of medical imaging equipment to Aintree University Hospital. It was reselected to provide the replacement CT scanners based on its service reliability and latest generation innovations that lower patient dose, enhance patient comfort and powers departmental workflow productivity.

“The new Aquilion ONE GENESIS Edition CTs offer the latest technology for our clinical imaging services and drive down dose,” states Karen Irwin, Cross Sectional Imaging Manager at Aintree University Hospital. “However, an imaging partnership isn’t just about a technology upgrade or installation. We can rely on Canon Medical’s service team to be responsive and reliable to keep our scanners up and running. Should we experience a breakdown, they will get us back up and running as quickly as possible – this gives us incredible confidence in a climate of growing NHS pressures.”

“We have enjoyed a great relationship with Aintree University Hospital for many years providing commercial, application and service support,” states Colin Murray, Account Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK. “This has developed honest, close and productive collaborative working that the Trust was keen to continue. We’re delighted to see the new generation CT scanners take their place in the imaging department and look forward to supporting the delivery of better patient outcomes, increased comfort and reduced examination times.”

Photo caption: Aintree University Hospital, part of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has reselected Canon Medical Systems UK to install two new Aquilion ONE GENESIS Edition CT Systems. Left to right: Jenny Coulter, CSI Radiographer; Colin Murray, Account Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK; Jeanette Hawkins, CT Lead Radiographer; Amy Hailey, CSI Radiographer; Janetmarie Anderson Crockson, Radiology Department Assistant; Dawn Prendergast, Lead MR Radiographer; Joanna Sargent, Radiographer; and Karen Watson, Deputy Clinical Business Manager.