GE Healthcare is showcasing several new tools designed for radiation oncologists at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting being held in Miami Beach, FL, this week.
MD Connect is being shown in a radiation oncology configuration as thin-client software designed to address the need for seamless workflow in a radiation oncology department. Using a networked computer, it provides rapid access to a portfolio of applications, including tools for virtual simulation, 3D image fusion, 4D motion management, and staging and monitoring treatment effectiveness.
MD Connect also integrates with Varian Medical Systems' Eclipse treatment planning system on a single desktop, as well as other DICOM-based treatment planning platforms. Because it is compliant with the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise - Radiation Oncology (IHE-RO) profile, MD Connect is also interoperable with other manufacturer's oncology software systems. The software has begun shipping after being shown as a work-in-progress at last year's ASTRO meeting.
GE is also showcasing the new GEM Express patient table, a mobile patient transport with an embedded high-density, posterior radiofrequency (RF) coil array. GE said that the integrated posterior array, with uniquely sized elements, helps optimize prostate image quality. The table enables clinicians to image patients in the treatment position without compromising image quality. It supports both head-first and feet-first imaging for all anatomies, and can help eliminate the need to reposition patients within an exam, as well as the need for coil exchanges.
GE's two-wide bore radiotherapy simulation CT systems, Discovery CT590 RT and Optima CT580, are also making their first commercially available ASTRO appearance after receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance in August 2011.
