The Complications. The specimen may have to be transported down the hall, to another wing, to another building, or in a worst case scenario, to another center or facility. Once it arrives, busy mammography suite resources, both personnel and equipment, must be made available to image the specimen. If the mammography unit is a film-based system, additional time is then required to process the film. Finally, the image must be sent to an available radiologist for review.
The Solution: Digital Specimen Radiography. Our cart-mounted digital specimen radiography system, the DX-50 Surgical can be located directly in the surgical suite, only steps from the operating table. A surgical nurse is able to use the self-contained system to produce a high-resolution digital image in a matter of seconds, view it on the monitor, and then send the image via a PACS network to radiology and/or pathology, regardless of their location, for simultaneous and immediate image review. The small, portable unit can be easily moved from suite to suite as needed.
“In our comparative study of intraoperative specimen radiography using a Faxitron digital specimen radiography system, and standard specimen radiography, we found the two techniques to be equally as accurate with no significant difference between the frequency of identification of the target lesion by the surgeon or radiologist. However there was a marked difference in the time needed to obtain ready-to-read images, the ability to re-excise tissue promptly, and the overall operating room time, which showed an average potential savings of 19 minutes.
“The Faxitron device is self-contained and requires no additional radiation shielding. In our OR it’s located within 15 feet of the surgeon. Because the software features automatic exposure and post-image processing, our staff had little difficulty in quickly learning the technique.”
Dr. Cary Kaufman, Breast Surgeon
Kaufman CS, Jacobson L, Bachman BA, et al.“Intraoperative digital specimen mammography: Rapid Accurate Results Expedite Surgery,” Annals of Surgical Oncology 2007; 14:1478-1485
The Benefits.
For the patient:
For the surgeon, OR staff, and facility:
- Improved standard of care for patient
- Radiologist and surgeon are able to view image simultaneously
- Reduces procedure time
- Significant cost savings per procedure
Why Faxitron?
Faxitron specimen radiography systems have been in use for more than 30 years with more than 6,000 units installed in hospitals and laboratories worldwide. In 1998, we introduced the first CCD-based digital specimen radiography unit and continue to be at the forefront of digital radiography today. Our 5 cm x 5 cm and 12 cm x 12 cm cameras are single-chip CMOS detectors directly deposited with cesium iodide for the scintillator. This, in conjunction with the smallest focal spot sources on the market and our easy-to-use software with advanced Automatic Exposure Control, results in a system that delivers superior images the first time, every time, in less time.
Whether your need is for a portable system or a conventional desktop specimen radiography system, Faxitron provides a unit that will meet your needs.
