Unique Canon Medical Systems ‘Dose Tracking System’ helps to make the invisible visible
Within a year of launch into the European market, the new Alphenix family of interventional imaging systems from Canon Medical Systems has received its first evaluations of dose reduction rates when compared against replaced systems and UK National Diagnostic Reference Levels (NDRLs).
The dose audit on the Alphenix system was undertaken between February and July 2019 assessing coronary angiography, pacemaker and single stent PCI procedures. All median Dose Area Product (DAP) for the dose audits were lower than national levels.
“These early findings show how the amount of dose delivered to patients during interventional procedures can be lowered using the Alphenix system. They are really encouraging and bring to life how excited we are about this innovation being able to make the invisible visible,” states Daniel Parr, XR Modality Manger at Canon Medical Systems UK.
“Being able to display dose accurately and in real time is unique to the Alphenix and a giant leap for interventional radiology. Clinical procedures that are performed less invasively offer many benefits over alternative surgical options such as faster recovery times, improved patient outcomes and a reduction in total cost of hospital stays. But with this innovation comes a renewed focus on the best strategies for managing ionizing radiation for staff and patients,” he continues.
The Alphenix Dose Tracking System (DTS) is a simple, colour-coded visual that is displayed on the system interface. It tracks x-ray beam movement and provides real-time visual feedback on skin dose information, mapping it visually on the system monitor at the same time. An advanced warning system provides threshold alerts giving quick and easy to see information to operators to enable adjustments to C-arm angulation, frame rate settings and collimation to reduce skin dose to better avoid threshold limits.
Photo caption: The Alphenix Dose Tracking System (DTS) is a simple, colour-coded visual that is displayed on the system interface. It tracks x-ray beam movement and provides real-time visual feedback on skin dose information, mapping it visually on the system monitor at the same time.