What’s Needed In An Ideal Cath Lab?

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Whats Needed In An Ideal Cath Lab?
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By Vikki Harmonay
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Over 1 million angiograms and 1.2 million
angioplasties are performed in American Cath Labs
each year. The demand is ever growing, especially
since many heath care professionals are so
positive about Cath-Lab procedures instead of
open-heart surgery. As a result, more and more
new Cath Labs are being built yearly.
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If you are considering creating a new Cath Lab
for your clinic, hospital, urgent care or other
health care facility, there are many things to
consider, one being if you should purchase brand
new medical imaging equipment or look at
refurbished or used equipment. After all, you can
often find the performance and technology you
want on the secondary market at a much lower
price, while still getting impressive warranties.
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Analog or Digital Imaging?

• Most Cath Labs built prior to 2000 are analog,
  with recorded information seen on cine film. But
  newer Cath Labs use digital equipment.
• Digital equipment provides the following
  advantages
• Images are clearer
• Digital provides more options for reviewing the
  visual information from a wide variety of angles
• Storing data is simpler and easier
• Processing time is quicker

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X-Ray Sources

• Older Cath Labs were built with single plane
  X-ray sources. Todays newer equipment uses
  bi-plane or dual sources and flat-paneled
  detectors that create live moving images.
• Whats the advantage of using dual sources with
  flat panel detectors?
• Lower doses of radiation
• Higher quality image
• image distortion reduction
• Less expensive than film-based radiology

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Floor or Ceiling Mounting?
When choosing your Cath Lab imaging equipment,
remember you can choose floor or ceiling mounts
without any operation difference. However, there
are different structural requirements for the
room which may influence which you
choose. Ceiling-mounted devices can weigh from
700-3,000 pounds. You have to make sure your room
has the structure and reinforcement in place to
support these heavy components..
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Choosing a Detector Size
A detector size is designated as a height X width
measurement. It can also be shown as a diagonal
measurement from corner to corner. For example,
if a detector is 20 cm wide by 20 cm high, the
diagonal measurement will be approximately 11
inches. The larger the detector size, the wider
the view you can get of the area being scanned.
However, most cardiac procedures dont require a
detector larger than 10 inches. Depending on the
procedures being performed, larger areas might be
helpful.
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Software and Hardware
When purchasing Cath Lab equipment, remember
later updates to both hardware and software will
remove potential bugs and add new features.
Youll want to see if the equipment you want to
buy has the latest software updates. If X-ray
tubes have been broken or worn out, they can be
replaced in order to extend the lifespan of your
medical imaging equipment. Be sure to request a
list of parts that have been replaced or repaired.
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Talk To An Expert
Its also wise to talk about your medical imaging
needs with an expert in order to determine if you
need new or refurbished equipment in order to get
the performance you need. The experts at Atlantis
Worldwide have been helping clients buy and sell
imaging equipment for almost 30 years and would
love to help you. To find out more, contact
Atlantis Worldwide Today!
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Some blogs you may have missed

• Top 10 Tips for the Operating Theater
  Radiographer
• Single-Plane Or Bi-Plane Cath Labs Which Is
  Right For You?
• Keeping Your Cath Lab Cool
• Comparing The GE Innova Digital Cath Lab Family
  2100, 3100 4100
• Top 7 C-Arms for Your Orthopedic Practice
• Meet the author Vikki Harmonay

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