Article: SYNCopen^TMInterface

Individual injection

Radiologie Magazin, Edition 2-2020, Page 54f; Autoren: Dr. Jan Baxa, Head of Radiology at the University Hospital Pilsen and Tanja Feldmüller, Director Marketing & Sales Enablement at ulrich medical in Ulm

Automatic data transmission

Software solutions that synchronize the delivery of contrast medium via the injector with the scanner help radiologists and CT Technicians to achieve high-quality diagnoses through automatic data transmission. And patients get a safe treatment. The University Hospital in Pilsen in the Czech Republic performs more than 100 examinations per day with five CT scanners. 100 data sets that provide the best possible quality for a reliable, sometimes even life-saving diagnosis. 100 patients whose personal data, examination parameters and results must be documented, transferred and stored. 100 data records, which in many hospitals are still recorded manually in the patient file and transferred to one of the hospital IT systems.

Today, almost 100% of all computer tomography examinations are performed with the help of contrast medium injectors. The injector provides the injection of the contrast medium tailored to the patient and his examination and the scanner generates the images for diagnostics. Whether abdominal examinations, CT angiographies or perfusion studies of the brain and heart - with every scan in Pilsen the challenge of data acquisition, data transfer and data storage begins anew.

Data acquisition, data transmission and data storage is a new challenge with almost every scan. Whether it's abdominal examinations, CT angiographies or perfusion studies of the brain and heart.

Dr. Jan Baxa, Head of Radiology at the University Hospital Pilsen

One-finger operation avoids errors and promotes accuracy

Medical technology manufacturers such as ulrich medical® offer software solutions that connect the injector with the scanner and thus also with the hospital systems. The SYNCopen software from the Ulm-based family-owned company creates transparency and simplifies daily examinations and data management. The direct networking between scanner and contrast medium injector enables the examination to be set, controlled and started from both devices. The one-finger operation, i.e. the possibility to simultaneously start the scanner and the contrast medium injection via the injector at the touch of a button, prevents errors during data entry and transmission. The automatic data transfer then ensures that all relevant information for the administration of contrast media, the examination parameters and also the images are stored in the clinical IT systems.

An important clinical aspect of the simultaneous procedure between scanner and injector is ensuring good image quality. With a simple click, the contrast media arrives at the right place on the body at the right time and the image is created optimally. This supports the radiologist in image-supported diagnostics. The possibility of data-based analysis of the use of contrast media can also be used as a guide for the examination parameters of other patients.

The knowledge of the actual contrast media consumption helps us in the optimal planning of purchase orders and storage. With regard to the treatment of the patient, the possibility of checking unexpected changes in the administration of contrast medium, e.g. due to a failure of the venous access is another advantage. Last but not least, the generated data allows a comparison of the quality of examination performance between scanners when there are no significant differences in contrast media consumption.

Dr. Jan Baxa, Head of Radiology at the University Hospital Pilsen

Thus, small software solutions such as SYNCopen have a great effect, saving hospitals money and time and, as in Pilsen, transferring data from 36,500 CT scans per year completely and automatically from the injector to the scanner and from the scanner to the RIS/PACS system (Radiology Information System/Picture Archiving and Communication System) or dose management systems. And that make a good diagnosis possible for 36,500 patients.