Innomentarium has developed a digitizing solution for analogue mammography devices, especially implementing it in former Instrumentarium Alpha, Performa and Diamond devices. The prototype of solution has been installed in Performa device and is in use in University of Applied Sciences in Oulu. The final product is targeted to be ready for clinical use by the end of 2018.
“Digitizing the old device is challenging process. Brand new digital technology is not enough – you have to give lifetime for existing device as well. Otherwise the investment can be too risky for the customer. To develop the whole solution demands expertise both from old and new technologies as well as understanding of the clinical demands of professionals. We want to take care of both of them thoroughly”, Innomentarium’s CEO Jouni Ihme tells.
The worlds first digital Performa device has been tested and validated clinically by the physicist Timo Liimatainen, Ph.D., Docent of university of Oulu. According to research plan the quality of images of Innomentarium solution has been tested from the point of view of quality of image using ACR phantom, picture noise and stability, measurement of residual images and DQE dynamic quantum efficiency measurements. The functionality of AEC automatic exposure control checked also and measured with different size of phantoms. Last but not the least, the radiation doses were measured as well. Whole the procedure was made also with Hologic Selenia mammography device and results were referred together.
”Clinical testes shows us that our team has done excellent work when developing the solution. Now we have an evidence that our solution can be referred with any new digital mammography device. Results were in some cases even better. The most important thing is to be confident of image quality with low dose of radiation. For patients care”, Ihme says.
You can find the abstract of the clinical study from here (only in Finnish).