Kodak Introduces Automated Quality Control Tool for Use With Its CR Systems in Mammography Applications

Las Vegas, Nevada, July 28 -- Eastman Kodak Company introduced an automated tool that helps users maintain KODAK computed radiography (CR) systems and specialized mammography cassettes and screens in accordance with critical specifications for mammography imaging. This new automated quality control software package, which will be available in the third quarter, was announced at the American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA) annual meeting. It is based on the existing KODAK DIRECTVIEW Total Quality Tool used by healthcare providers worldwide to verify the performance of KODAK CR systems and cassettes for general radiography exams.

Kodak offers mammography functionality as an optional feature on its KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR 850, CR 950 and CR 975 Systems outside the United States and Canada.

“The mammography feature for our CR systems is extremely popular in many regions of the world,” said Susanne Schmitz, Product Line Manager for CR Mammography, Kodak’s Health Group. “Healthcare facilities appreciate the cost and workflow efficiencies created by the ability to capture mammography and general radiography exams with the same CR platform.”

The new KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR Mammography Total Quality Tool software is used with test phantoms in 18 cm x 24 cm and 24 cm x 30 cm sizes. This tool provides technologists and other staff members with objective tests that measure the image quality produced by each CR system and each cassette used in mammography imaging.

This affordable tool is easy to use and can replace most manual testing procedures that rely upon subjective image analysis. As a result, technologists can conduct quality assurance testing and provide results to the medical physicist or quality control officer at each facility. Test results can be imported into quality assurance reports produced at each facility to satisfy local mammography standards.

Test phantom exposures produce analysis of pixel size, aspect ratio, scan linearity, noise, MTF and pixel position RMS. Flat-field images are evaluated for field uniformity, line position, banding, overscan, chatter and streaks. Each cassette used for flat-field tests is also re-read to evaluate erase and system noise functions.



About Kodak’s Health Group

Kodak’s Health Group, with 2005 revenues of $2.65 billion, is a world leader in supplying the medical and dental professions with advanced healthcare products, services and information technology solutions. Its broad portfolio includes picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), healthcare information systems, computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR) systems, laser imagers, mammography and oncology systems, x-ray film systems, dental imaging products, and a range of consulting—as well as repair and maintenance—services.

Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator, providing leading products and services to not only healthcare customers, but to the photographic and graphic communications markets. With sales of $14.3 billion in 2005, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional image capture products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; and Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images.
For more information about Kodak’s Health Group, contact your Kodak representative or visit www.kodak.com/go/health.
KODAK and DIRECTVIEW are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company 2006

Contact Information

John LaBella

Health Group Products

Eastman Kodak Company

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