International CT Image Contest to Highlight Maximum Image Quality, Minimum Radiation Dose

The International CT [computed tomography] Image Contest 2011 has been established in which institutions and clinics worldwide submit their best clinical images, taken with the lowest possible radiation dose on Siemens CT scanners, to a jury of internationally renowned professors.

Following the amazing success of the first CT image contest in 2010, Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) reported that this year's contest began on March 3, 2011, and the closing date for entries is September 18, 2011. The winners will be announced at the next conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA 2011) in Chicago, IL, USA, in November 2011.

"In our first contest the jury received around 300 clinical images from more than 30 countries,” said Andre Hartung, head of business segment CT at Siemens Healthcare. "We are pretty sure that as many of our customers as possible will take part again, as at Siemens radiation protection and dose reduction have always been a top priority in CT, right from the moment when the company launched the first CT system in 1974.”

Excellent image quality is fundamental for CT. At the same time, the patient's exposure to radiation should be as low as possible. Siemens Healthcare aims to help its customers make maximum use of the hardware and software to reduce dose on CT scanner and to share their experience with other users of Siemens CTs and interested audience.

Siemens customers who use a CT of the Somatom Definition family, a Somatom Emotion, Somatom Sensation or Somatom Spirit will be able to present clinical images--which have been reprocessed with Syngo CT Worksplace, Syngo MMWP or Syngo.via--in seven categories to an international jury of acknowledged experts: cardiology, angiography, dual energy, pediatrics, trauma, neurology, and areas of their clinical routine, which includes thorax, abdomen, and pelvis.

The Siemens International CT Image Contest 2010 was a huge success, with participants from over 30 countries who submitted around 300 images. There was even a fan community on Facebook with more than 1,600 members, who discussed the images submitted. Moreover, all internet users could vote for their favorite picture in a public vote. The internet page devoted to the contest received 17,000 hits within six months. The goal was to make the public aware of the responsibility that manufacturers and radiologists have as regards diagnostic radiation. The innovative concept of the contest received the accolade of two well-known communication awards: the Comprix 2010 Gold Award and iF Communication Design Award.

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Siemens Healthcare
2010 Images