Cardiovascular News
Changing cardiologists’ opinion of large field multi-purpose cardiovascular rooms
Full range of cases and volume Dr. John Gurley, Associate Professor and Director of Interventional Cardiology at the Linda and Jack Gill Heart Institute, part of the University of Kentucky Medical Center, has good reason to think large field cardiovascular systems make sense for cardiologists today.
“If you are just doing coronary work, a system with a smaller dedicated 10” view flat detector makes a fine room. However, if you want to do anything else, if you want to do ventricularography, atrial procedures, septal procedures, vascular, cerebral, any of these procedures you better do it in a large field room.” He is using a Philips Allura Xper FD20 with a 20” (measured diagonally) flat plate detector to perform a wide range of both coronary and non-coronary studies.
Ideal for Coronary Studies
The Philips Allura FD20 features a 2k x 2k imaging chain and 14 bit depth image presentation. In Dr. Gurley’s opinion it easily handles extremities, abdominal, carotids, pelvic and neuro studies. Yet as a cardiologist, Dr. Gurley finds no compromise in image quality for coronary studies. In fact he is quick to compare the coronary image quality on the FD20 with the image quality on the FD10 system.
Pointing to a coronary arteriogram case performed on the FD20 Dr. Gurley says, “Look at the clarity of the image, the ability to visualize small vessels, and the sense of depth.” He compares it to a similar coronary case on the FD10 system in the next room. “When we are looking at coronary image quality, these two rooms are virtually interchangeable. I wouldn’t have believed that a couple of years ago.”
Pointing to a coronary arteriogram case performed on the FD20 Dr. Gurley says, “Look at the clarity of the image, the ability to visualize small vessels, and the sense of depth.” He compares it to a similar coronary case on the FD10 system in the next room. “When we are looking at coronary image quality, these two rooms are virtually interchangeable. I wouldn’t have believed that a couple of years ago.”
Cardiologists may be surprised
After performing procedures with Philips Allura FD20 for a year, Dr. Gurley has seen the proof, and he is eager to share his experience. “I do see people,” he says, “who are concerned they won’t be able to do high quality coronary angiography with the FD20. They perceive this as a room designed for peripheral vascular angiography. And when I show them the images from this system, there’s just no compromise, no drop off in quality here. They are pleasantly surprised.”
All purpose acute care room In addition to avoiding compromises in image quality, Dr. Gurley points out the Philips Allura FD20 design allows cardiologists to achieve the full range of cardiac projections - even the steepest angles. Larger IIs require some trade offs but with the Philips FD20 there’s no disadvantage.
The profile on this compact flat detector, which can rotate and pivot, is only an inch or two larger in each direction than the 10” detector on the FD10. “As far as the operator is concerned,” says Dr. Gurley, “the system feels just like an FD10. I have no problems doing all my coronary cases in here. If I had to select only one room for myself, there’s no question the Philips Allura FD20 is what I would have.”
Pointing to the FD20 with its large field of view, Dr. Gurley says, “This room is designed to be an all-purpose acute care room. That is the role of the cardiovascular lab in this decade and the decade to come. Whatever cardiovascular issue is at hand, we are equipped to address it.”
[Published 2006.07.28] Related Links:
+ More Cardiovascular News Articles |
|
