Innomentarium began co-operation with the radiographer training department of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OAMK) last autumn. The results of the fruitful research and development co-operation were presented at the beginning of March at Europe’s largest radiology event in Vienna. The subject of the study in the abstract was the performance of Innomentarium’s FeniX direct digitalisation solution.
Co-operation between Innomentarium and the radiographer training department of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OAMK) started in autumn 2018. As the first step in co-operation, the imaging equipment of the training department was digitalised to the new era by using Innomentarium’s FeniX.
“We could not afford to acquire a completely new device within our budget, so the old hardware upgrade through the Innomentarium innovation suited our needs perfectly,” says Anja Henner, Principal Lecturer at OAMK’s radiographer training department.
“We have been able to enable our students to carry out coursework and theses with modern equipment after upgrading our hardware to the digital era,” she continued.
In addition to the digitalisation of the equipment, the co-operation agreement includes development and research co-operation related to mammography screening, with initial results presented at the beginning of March in Europe’s largest radiology event at the ECR in Vienna. The abstract of OAMK’s radiology students was awarded in the event as the best of the students series out of 702 abstracts. The subject of the study in the abstract was the performance of Innomentarium’s FeniX direct digitalisation solution.
The six-member team working on the winning abstract
The research was designed and implemented by a team of six, including the radiographer students of OAMK, Laura Similä, Anni Hiltunen, Inka Jämsén and Juho Kuukasjärvi, and a product manager of Innomentarium, Raija Kilponen, and Anja Henner, Principal Lecturer at OAMK’s radiography training department.
“In the abstract worked on at the ECR, the X-radiation doses of two similar Performa mammography machines were compared. One of the machines operated with Innomentarium’s direct digital solution FeniX and the other operated on the basis of the original analogue CR imaging plate”, says Kilponen and continues:
“Based on the comparison conducted in the study, it is possible to conclude that the X-radiation doses of a direct digital device are smaller than those from an analogue system.”
The collection and analysis of the data the and the write-up of the abstract were completed in less than a two months.
“After submitting the work, we were soon able to hear good news, as our abstract had been chosen to be presented orally in the largest radiology event in Europe. In addition to this, right before the event, we learned that our abstract was selected as the best research carried out by students”, recalls student Laura Similä, who presented the work orally at the ECR.
“We are really pleased that this project carried out by students was appreciated so much. Our whole team was naturally very touched by the honour we received!” she continues.
Research and participation in the ECR was as an opportunity for OAMK’s radiographer students to complete the “developing safety culture in medical radiation” course. Similä says the interesting topic selected for the abstract created a wonderful framework for carryout the study.
“The idea for the study came from our teacher Anja Henner, who told us about the digitalisation of our school’s mammography machine using Innomentarium’s innovation. Studying the properties of the new solution and comparing them to an analogue imaging plate system, along with quality assurance testing, were very interesting subjects, so we were very enthusiastic about the project itself”, she recounts.
Principal Lecturer Henner is naturally pleased with the recognition the students received. She also wants to thank the Innomentarium team for the great collaboration.
“The level was very high again, but the team was still able to win from among a group of 702 abstracts created from around the world! This was an wonderful achievement, and we are of course really proud of the honour shown to our students”, says Henner.
“All of our co-operation with Innomentarium has also been excellent; It has been open and flexible and benefited both sides. In particular, we experienced the collaboration as a great expression of confidence, as it shows how much Innomentarium appreciates the work of the radiographer students of OAMK”, she concluded.
The ECR (European Conference of Radiology) was held on for 31rd time in late February and early March in Vienna. This year the event was attended by a record 30,259 guests from 130 countries and over 300 exhibitors. Altogether 7,020 lectures on various aspects of medical imaging were presented at the congress and 8,469 abstracts were exhibited. The event will be held again in spring of 2019. For more information about the event see: https://www.myesr.org/congress