Metal artefact reduction enables detailed assessment of Glasgow trauma patients
Staff in the A&E department at Glasgow Royal Infirmary are finding the metal artefact reduction algorithm on their CT system enables them to gain clearer imaging to assist more confident and faster diagnosis.
The SEMAR application on the Canon Medical Aquilion Prime SP CT eliminates the distortion of metallic artefacts inside patients generated from items such as orthopaedic plates or screws, medically implanted coils or clips, or fragments from trauma incidents. It automatically removes the streaks of distortion around the metal items, even retrospectively, to improve the visualisation of medical images for clinical interpretation with no increase in patient dose.
“It is an unfortunate fact of life that in a busy city A&E we see all sorts of trauma cases. Being able to examine a patient precisely, with potential metal fragments inside them, is a great advantage in treatment planning,” explained CT modality lead radiographer Karen Macdonald. “Without the SEMAR CT technology the metal would cause distortion on the resulting images and could obscure tissue or bone imagery. Now, we can confidently see if fragments are inside the body and rapidly understand what impact they have caused.”
The Aquilion Prime SP CT has been used for both acute trauma cases and COVID-19 chest scans, with stringent cleaning between procedures. It has delivered many advantages to the radiology team compared to the previous ageing equipment it replaced.
Macdonald added: “An additional benefit of the new CT system is cardiac gating. Previously a patient presenting at A&E would need to be transferred to the radiology department; this incurred time and required transfer staff. Now, high quality gating can happen as soon as patients present at the front door of A&E, which gives them a much better outcome.”
Glasgow Royal Infir-mary’s Aquilion Prime SP CT is one of five Canon Medical CT orders recently awarded by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. The other installations are one at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, two at Gartnavel General Hospital and one at The Institute of Neurological Sciences.
Picture: CT modality lead radiographer Karen Macdonald, consultant radiologist Gemma McGivern, healthcare service worker Jane Oliver, superintendent radiographer Kenna Stirling, radiographers Louise Glass and Karen McMillan, Canon Medical Systems UK account manager Iain Gray and radiographer Kemel Choudray. (Picture taken prior to social distancing and the requirement to wear face masks).
Published on page 4 of the September 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.
