Mammography Viewer Improves Productivity by Eliminating Separate Workflows

A new mammography workstation eliminates the need for separate general imaging and mammography viewers, reducing the inefficiencies and delays created when using different viewing systems.

As the number of mammograms performed continues to rise, radiologists are looking for new technologies to help them effectively review these complicated imaging studies. According to the American Cancer Society, the number of women age 40 and above who have received a mammogram in the past two years has grown from 29% in 1987 to 70% in the year 2000.

To help radiologists efficiently interpret the growing number of mammography images, Cerner (Kansas City, MO, USA) has created the ProVision Workstation-Mammography system, which recently received 510(k) premarket clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is now available in North America.

"Efficiency is taking on an even greater importance as the demand increases for radiologists to interpret the ever-growing numbers and types of imaging studies,” said John Hansen, vice president of imaging solutions, Cerner. "With the FDA 510(k) clearance for Cerner ProVision Workstation-Mammography solution, we can provide radiologists with a comprehensive mammography solution designed to help them view mammography images more efficiently and effectively.”

When radiologists review images, they typically use separate viewers to study images such as X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scans and mammography images. With the new system, radiologists can view all imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance (MR), positron emission tomography (PT), ultrasound (US), CT, X-ray (XR), X-ray angiography (XA), and mammography (MG), and the patient's electronic health record (EHR) from one workstation. By breaking the traditional model of dedicated mammography and general radiology workstations, Cerner is maximizing radiologists' efficiency and increasing the imaging department throughput.

A fully integrated mammography workstation benefits radiologists and their patients by supporting comprehensive patient care by allowing radiologists to view the patient's medical history and side-by-side comparisons of all types of images from one workstation; facilitating more efficient and accurate reading of images by allowing radiologists to customize the layout, presentation, and viewing order of images; and decreasing the time it takes to find patient image studies for analysis through the use of a programmable input device that allows radiologists to find the relevant image in just one click.

Cerner's radiology solutions, including the RadNet-Mammo Case Maintenance solution, and the ProVision PACS, create an uninterrupted link between patient images and the EHR. The ProVision PACS offers the complete range of image management systems, including image acquisition, storage, display, and Web distribution services. The Cerner ProVision Workstation-Mammography system additionally streamlines radiology workflow by eliminating duplicate efforts caused by disparate mammography systems, providing maximum efficiency for radiologists and optimized patient outcomes.

Cerner solutions optimize processes for healthcare organizations ranging in size from single-doctor practices, health systems, to entire countries, for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, and for the healthcare commerce system.

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