Artesian Medical
Artesian is a new PACS systems integrator formed by Cassling Diagnostic Imaging. Based in Dallas, Artesian can provide a range of services thanks to its many partners. Artesian represents PACS ASP provider Inphact, and also has relationships with Applicare Medical Imaging, MedQ, FileLink, Fuji, and Rorke Data.
Service and support for Artesian customers will be provided from the company's hub in Omaha, where a 24-hour call center and full-service integration lab offers testing, R&D, and training, according to the firm. As part of its total PACS/networking package, Artesian offers backbone, design, and system support.
Aurora Technology
Aurora will be displaying its E-Series diagnostic and clinical workstations at the show. The Minneapolis–based firm will also show total image management systems.
Avreo (formerly Riptide Technologies)
Avreo will use the RSNA show to present its recent name change to the radiology community, and will also showcase its XML-based Advanced Radiology Integrated Internet Solution (ARIIS).
New Orleans-based Avreo plans to demonstrate the first application of Intel Internet Authentication Services (IAS) in radiology. These services will allow physicians with AMA Internet IDs (provided by the American Medical Association) and managed by Intel IAS, to access Avreo services.
In other booth events, Avreo and natural-language processing firm A-Life Medical will demonstrate the integration of A-Life’s medical coding technology into Avreo’s products. Through the integration of A-Life’s Image Coder product into ARIIS, Avreo believes that ARIIS can now provide real-time CPT4, ICD-9, and APC code generation, as well as payor-based compliance.
Brit Systems
Brit will emphasize eRadFiles, a series of ASP offerings for off-site support of teleradiology and PACS. eRadFiles includes disaster-recovery services, long-term storage, and a Web server for healthcare professionals to access medical images and reports. Powered by the Dallas-based firm’s Roentgen Files archive server, eRadFiles provides secure, HIPAA-compliant access to data, according to Brit.
Using Brit’s DICOM Mini-Server, imaging exams are acquired and compressed (in lossless or lossy modes) and are transmitted over secure connections to the eRadFiles center, located at Western Geo’s facility in Houston. eRadFiles products are priced with a setup fee, a network connection fee, and a per-gigabyte (for disaster-recovery tapes) or per-study charge, according to Brit.
Cedara Software
Cedara is touting a new focus on providing customized technology outsourcing services for its OEM partners, rather than emphasizing individual product development. As part of the new strategy, the firm has worked to improve the integration of its various technologies, according to the company.
In specific product advances, the Mississauga, Ontario-based firm will roll out version 4 of its Viewing and Reading Software (VRS). The new release includes a number of enhancements, including support for DICOM’s grayscale soft-copy presentation state.
Cedara will also show VR Reach, a software package allowing radiologists and other physicians to review studies from a remote location. The firm will also show a wireless radiology reading station.
Comdisco
Comdisco will take advantage of the meeting to introduce digital image storage services, providing managed and hosted storage services for healthcare institutions, according to the Rosemont, IL-based firm.
DeJarnette Research Systems
Among the highlights for DeJarnette this year is the integration of its PACS software with Dynamic Healthcare Technologies’ RadPlus radiology information system. In addition, the Towson, MD-based firm recently released version 2 of its VisiShare workstation software family, which now includes compression/decompression capabilities and improved hanging protocols. Also included is VisiShare DV, a lower-cost, Windows 98-based software-only version.
DeJarnette will also roll out NetShare CD, a networked CD writer that will allow users to store images on removable CDs. The CDs can then be viewed from any PC equipped with a Web browser, even if the PC doesn’t have workstation software installed, according to the firm. The company has also added Web access to images and reports using its TeleShare IQ teleradiology server.
In work-in-progress developments, DeJarnette will display version 3 of VisiShare. Expected to be available in mid-2001, VisiShare 3 will include a number of new features, including the integration of dictation and report-sign off capabilities into the workstation.
Dicomit DICOM Information Technologies, which was acquired by Cedara in May, will be showcasing its wares in Cedara’s booth. Among the introductions this year is a DVD archive for Dicomit’s MicroPAACS offering.
DR Systems
DR Systems will showcase Instant Reporter, an optional integrated report generation module for its NT Dominator workstation. Instant Reporter, which will be released in early 2001, provides digital dictation, transcription, and semi-automated report generation, all on the same platform as the DR PACS network, according to the San Diego-based vendor.
DR will also unveil Web Dominator, a new version of Dominator designed to allow radiologists to read cases, create montages, and report results from any remote Internet connection. The product will be released next year.
In other NT Dominator enhancements, the firm will exhibit new advanced image processing techniques, including real-time reformatting of DICOM images, full volume rendering, maximum intensity projections (MIP), and multiplanar reformatting (MPR). Color-based, multitissue opacity control, surface rendering and shading, and other tools to enhance lesion conspicuity have also been incorporated, according to DR.
New features have been added to the firm’s Communicator image distribution server, including improved use and resource tracking, as well as an improved security system designed to meet HIPAA requirements, according to DR. Another addition is the multisite version of Communicator, capable of providing case access based on the referring physician's database.
In archiving developments, DRS will display a fully automated DVD-RAM Guardian Archive/Jukebox with capacities of 2 to 5 terabytes. The product will be available for as low as $60,000 to $80,000, according to the vendor. Finally, DR Systems announced that it will begin offering an integrated RIS in 2001.
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Agfa through Amicas
Artesian through DR Systems
Dynamic through Inphact
InsiteOne through Rogan
Sectra through Toshiba
