Sectra demonstrates integrated diagnostics solution at RSNA – a common backbone for Radiology and Pathology IT enabling improved cancer care

At RSNA, the global radiology show in Chicago, Sectra (STO: SECT B) is demonstrating how a common solution for integrated diagnostics improves collaboration between radiology and pathology, thereby increasing efficiency in cancer care. In addition, the solution saves money for healthcare by integrating several systems into a single system.

Displaying radiology and pathology images side-by-side is one of the benefits of an integrated diagnostics solution.

“The solution supports radiologists and pathologists in conducting more efficient, patient-centered multi-disciplinary team meetings or tumor boards, with an enhanced level of quality, by providing access to all relevant clinical information and a complete patient imaging record. For the IT department, a common backbone has clear advantages – for example, it results in one less IT system and departmental infrastructure to manage, as well as less integration and fewer interfaces with surrounding healthcare IT systems, such as the EMR,” says Mats Björnemo, Vice President of Product Management at Sectra.

Digitizing pathology

The digitization of pathology is an enabler and a prerequisite for increased collaboration across specialties. Sectra’s solution for digital pathology is built on the same platform as its radiology PACS, enabling bi-directional sharing of images and reports, thus creating transparency across cancer care pathways. This transparency allows for correlation of findings and provides a broader view of patient disease that helps physicians to reach more accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions. In addition, hospitals’ maintenance and operating costs are reduced by digitizing pathology on the same platform as radiology.

Increasing efficiency of the multi-disciplinary team meetings

Sectra’s solutions for radiology and pathology both include functionality for preparation and presentation at multi-disciplinary team meetings. The joint platform enables pathologists and radiologists to add images to the same list during the actual review work. The annotations and image settings established during the review are then applied automatically, streamlining the preparation workflow. During the presentation, radiologists and pathologists can use the same system to show images and annotations, and to administrate follow-up tasks.

At RSNA, we will demonstrate our integrated diagnostics solution, as well as our dedicated tools for multi-disciplinary team meetings. Booth 6113.

Disclaimer: Digital pathology for primary diagnosis has not yet been approved by the FDA. Therefore, the solution will be demonstrated as a work in progress for US customers.

Focus on cancer care

Pathology and radiology are key services, and images and reports from these two diagnostic services are central to effective cancer care. Both of these medical disciplines are extremely dependent on access to adequate clinical information to be able to provide correct responses and reports to the responsible physicians, surgeons and oncologists and to the patient.

To enable the care provider to give better, faster and more patient-centered care, Sectra offers systems and services for comprehensive handling and storage of all types of medical images – primarily for large image diagnostics services, such as radiology, breast imaging and pathology, but also for other departments where medical image material is used. Medical images for cancer diagnostics constitute a common thread through Sectra’s offering.