Less dose included
Adjacent to the building of the IHK Dusseldorf arises this week one of the most modern radiology practices in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Dr. Andreas Grust, since 2002 established radiologist in Dusseldorf, equips his practice with the latest medical technology. The heart are exploration devices for three different applications: Digital radiography, computed and magnetic resonance tomography.
World premiere with guests from China
The new X-ray machine is a Siemens Multix Fusion with a solid state detector which requires very little dose. The developers have arrived yesterday from the Siemens development center in Shanghai to Dusseldorf. In their luggage they have the latest software for the detector. The process is monitored Chen Shou Shui, Lead Image Chain Engineer personally because it is the first installation worldwide.
The particularity of the digital X-ray method is the extremely low radiation exposure. “The dose is approximately 1/3 of the previously required dose,” said Dr. Andreas Grust, part time lecturer and consultant for the Radiation Protection Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia. Less dose is of considerable advantage for the patient. The reference value of the Federal Environment Ministry is undershot by more than 50 percent.
Practice opening starts with road closure
In addition to the digital X-ray, the newly opened practice offers further imaging procedures. For delivery of the MRI scanner type Magnetom Aera the street was closed between 6-8 am in the city center today. With a telescopic crane the 4.8-ton high-tech equipment has been lift into the examination room. The right timing was critical to success. The MRI scanner must be seperated from its power only for a short time period because its iron core has to be cooled to below minus 200 degrees Celsius. The room construction and trial operation should be completed within two weeks.
Starting in May 2015, the patients can look forward to a secure and convenient new feature: Usually MRIs are built very closely, the inner diameter is only 60 cm. But that supplied Siemens device has 70 cm in diameter, so provides about 37 per cent more volume. “The new tomograph provides just as much space as an open system, but with the improved image quality of a closed system” is the expertise of Dr. Grust.
Diagnostic investigation with time savings
His future patients notice the benefits not only when entering and exiting. Because the MRI is particularly fast, the tests are usually completed in 10 minutes. “Compared to other devices we have as an average 40 percent faster.” In addition, the tomograph is very quiet. One can even hear his own music during the examination on request. Formerly known loud “rattle” is a thing of the past.